i hope you nothing but the ultimate happiness, kim taehyung. to smile, to love, to laugh, to live. to make endless memories, and exceed at everything you put your mind to. to bring joy and hope to millions who adore you. please, never change who you are as you continue to grow. you’re the brightest star in the entire galaxy and you deserve the world.
let it shine ♡
pairing(s): steven grant/fem!oc, platonic marc spector/fem!oc for now (platonic dane/fem!oc)
summary: Waking up after being chased by spirits was never easy, but she's got a date! And she's not gonna let anything get in the way of that!
warning(s): mental health illness, possible inaccurate depictions of DID (I tried my best to research tho in spare time, also based on events in the show), horror elements, gore/blood elements
CONTENT WARNING(S): paranormal psychometry, out of body experience, your tiny daily dose of paranormal ghost investigation, mentions of crime syndicates, murders, cult related themes, Steven in distress :(, some comforting and protective Sunny :)
author's note: finally getting into the plot of the show, kinda went overboard with this one so its pretty long. I'm not covering all of it bc we already know how it goes I'm mainly covering the part with Sunny involved and then going a bit after the series ends unless s2 is announced or if the boys are included in any other marvel projects
Also trying out a new format, mostly so the dialouge doesn't seem so clunked together like in the last two bc I write a lot to describe actions and dialouge. Lmk if this is better or you prefer the old one.
This is just the bare bones of the story not the official final draft.
Other than that enjoy this word vomit.
Open to writing drabbles/hc within this au if interested (spoilers free until certain parts are posted), feel free to send asks regarding this au or to be part of the taglist!
Red italicized is Izanami either speaking or in Sunny's head, italicized is speaking in Korean
taglist: @ahookedheroespureheart
《PREV | NEXT》
When Sunny woke up she felt her head throb.
What the fuck happened????
She blinked as she looked around to see herself in her flat. What the fuck???
She paused, trying her best to recall what happened.
She remembers walking back home to the bus stop, the spirits appearing, running away from them, and Steven.
Oh god, that right Steven had found her looking like shit and helped patched her up before she passed out from exhaustion.
She remembers him saying he needed to do something, what it was she doesn't know.
(Also why was he dress differently, not mention his accent....she'll make a note to ask when she sees him later)
She blinked as she got out from under the duvet and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower and clean herself up.
After that she got dressed and opened the door, hoping that she would see Steven, but oddly she didn't.
Huh, weird.
Well he did say he was doing something, she's not sure on what the specifics was but she recalls how he talks to his mother often.
Sunny wonders if what he was doing involved her. Maybe he went to visit her.
She recalls him mentioning it once. She hopes that's the case.
She decides to text him just in case. She saw the text being delivered and would check later that day.
She sighs as she headed towards the bus, it seemed quiet without Steven there to converse with her or even his presence in general. When he wasn't talking to her, he would rest his eyes, taking a short nap on her shoulders before her stop.
Regardless it felt lonely. She recalled the time when he was gone for a a week, although at that time she was anxious to meet him again after the first kiss.
The day passed by slowly until her break arrived. She wondered if she should visit Steven at the mueseum when she felt her phone vibrate.
She saw a message from Steven, making her sigh in relief.
He texted her that he'll be out of town for a bit to help some relatives, so she was right sort of.
It also mentioned that he'll be back before their date and that he'll meet her there.
Okay, okay, that's good. At least she didn't have to worry about him unlike the last time.
And the mention of their upcoming date makes her swoon just a bit. Her cheeks were flushed as she squealed a bit.
God she felt like a stupid high school girl at the thought of their date.
Okay, her day just got a bit better, sure it'll be a bit lonely that she wouldn't be able to see or talk to Steven until their date but it was worth it.
And for once Izanami was quiet for the rest of the day, with only a few harmless ghosts popping out here and there. Even better.
FRIDAY NIGHT - DATE NIGHT 6:25PM
She had standing in front of the mirror for an hour, clothes thrown all over the place.
What the fuck??? She was sure she had more colors in her closet than beige, browns, and black.
Not to mention a lot of them were either loose tee, vests, sweaters, or cardigans. Did she not have any dresses to wear???
She groans as she sat at the edge of her bed only in a t-shirt and sweatpants.
Maybe Izanami was right...she really didn't have anything to wear for this date.
"I heard my name."
"Son of a---" Sunny jumps as she looked to see the goddess skimming through her closet. The goddess frowns as she picked up a few items before tossing it to the ground.
"Why are there so many browns in your wardrobe?" Her face scrunched in disgust before glancing back at Sunny.
"Don't you ever wear stuff like that again, you know I absolutely hate the color brown!" She huffed with a finger pointed at her and stomping her foot down.
"There's nothing wrong with brown, it's a nice neutral color," Sunny mutters, "And you're not even the one wearing them!"
"It's dull, you should wear more brighter and bolder colors if you want to stand out," Izanami replied.
"I don't want to stand out, neutral colors are nice," Sunny protests while Izanami scoffed and searched through her closet.
"Regardless, you have nothing appropriate for fine dining, one of these days we need to stop by mall."
"With your taste in brands, I wouldn't be able to afford it."
"It'll be on me, my dear. You know monetary items means nothing to me. I'm practically rich," Izanami replied.
"As kind as that sounds, it's also not my style."
Izanami rolls her eyes and sighs, "Fine, but considering you have a date in," she paused to glance up at the clock, "roughly an hour and a half, I'll lend you a dress from my own personal wardrobe..."
Sunny paused before relenting, she didn't really have of a choice at this point, "Fine," she mutters, "I have to be there at 8, so just hurry it up alright. And wipe that smug grin off your face."
"Excellent! I have the perfect dress in mind, now make haste, we still need to do you hair and makeup!" She said.
About 30 minutes later, Sunny was wearing a slim fitted white dress with long flowy skirt and a puffed long sleeves.
"Hm, yes as always my styles is impeccable, I'm sure your little boy toy will drop dead when he see you," Izanami nods.
"Don't call him that," She frowned, "I actually like him, so I would appreciate it if you don't call him that."
"I'm only stating the facts, my dear."
"Would it kill you to be nice for once?" Sunny asked, busy with doing her makeup as Izanami sat on her bed, glancing at herself in her phone.
"I don't know what you mean, my dear. I'm always nice," she replies.
"I mean really nice, not bitchy nice like you usually are," Sunny stated.
"You're tying my hands, but fine," Izanami sighs, "I'll try to be nice to your date."
"Also please don't try to scare him, he already seems nervous as it I don't want to add more stress because you want to poke fun at him!"
"Fine," she draws out, "I'll leave you two be, for now," and with that she disappeared.
Sunny sighs, "Always have to have the last word huh?" She then puts on some earring as the last finishing touches before noticing the pendant on her dress.
She had almost forgotten that she had picked it up. Damn she was so distracted with her date that she forgot to ask Izanami about it.
She sighed as she inspected it closer now and noticed some red splotches on it. She felt an unsettling feeling at the red.
As she inspected the pendant, her vision slowly blurred and a sense of dizziness followed after.
She winced and placed one hand on the dresser while she held her head as a suddenly ringing filled her ears.
What the fuck??? She blinked once, then twice. Then shut her eyes tight, hoping that the ringing would stop.
Her suddenly freezes and seized up as a sudden electrical jolt shot through her.
Once she opened her eyes, she expected things to be back to normal, only one problem. She wasn't in her room anymore.
Instead she was in some sort of lobby.
"Are you kidding me? Now of all time?!" She frowned as she glanced around to see how she would get out of this place.
Without any choice, she wandered around the lobby, hoping to get out of here quickly and back to reality.
The sounds of her footsteps echoed across the area, she noticed that the floor was made of...what the fuck??? It that pure marble???
She doesn't dwell on the thought before she nears what might be a receptionist desk and see a set of keys.
For emergencies only, the label says. Well she guesses this was an emergency and swipes it from the desk.
Sunny glanced around and saw a label that says emergency stairs, maybe that was what the key was for.
She moves close and inserts the key into the lock, hearing it click open.
Since she has nowhere to go, the only option was to go up.
She reached the first floor and found herself in a dimly lit hallway.
She paused hearing some sounds. She glanced around finding nothing.
A chill ran down her spine as she continued. She paused noticing some papers scattered on the floor.
She picks up one paper and reads it carefully.
It was a newspaper article, listing how 2 girls had gone missing again. Sunny felt unsettled as she read it.
Two girls goes missing, only for their bodies to be found days later faced down in the riverside.
Fucking psychos, she thinks as she read the article and sets it down.
She moves down the hall and comes across an heavily decorated door.
Yeah, that's not a red flag at all.
But she figured that it was something that was importance to whatever spirit was putting her through this.
Taking a deep breath, she neared the door and paused, her hands hovered above the handle.
She felt something sinister was coming from the door. Sunny sighs as she paced back and forth.
"God, am I really gonna do this??" She asked herself as she tried to hype herself up too do just that. She took another deep breath and placed her hand on the knob before turning it and opened the doors.
Sunny peered inside and looked inside to see the room. It was dark, only a dim light was seen in the distance.
What the fuck????
The air feels thick, suffocating even.
She takes a step inside and hears the sound of crinkling under her feet.
More news articles.
She reaches down and read it with help from the light of the hallway, hoping to get more of an idea of where she was at.
The article continues from the first one, most of the disappearances happened around the infamous Paradiso Hotel.
Paradiso Hotel? Was that what this place is?
She continues reading the article, she notes how many of the missing girls and others were last spotted around said hotel.
How the hotel is said to be rumored to be tried to a crime syndicate.
It goes into how many more people disappeared around the hotel, some found days later but not without repercussions. Days later some of the missing victims would be spots jumping off from building or in front of trains.
She shudders.
It makes her wonder what was the connection to the hotel and the missing/found victims.
And if the hotel was tied to a crime syndicate, she doesn't want to think what went down behind closed doors.
Nothing good if she has anything to say.
She glanced around, seeing what looks to be an empty bedroom, on the way was some decorative mask on the wall.
Not creepy at all.
It looks like your typical hotel room, she was about to turn to leave when she noticed something wedge in between the mattress and bedframe.
Huh, what was that?
She moves the mattress slightly and finds a notebook.
A guest book...? Huh this might be something important if it was hidden.
But...
"Why would someone hide the guest book here?" She wonders out loud before take a quick glance through it. They were mostly comments from previous tenants. Positive mostly, and...er, slightly off putting at some lets just say that.
She flips to the last entry, noticing something scrawly written.
She squinted her eyes, carefully trying to make out the words to read them.
God whoever wrote this...
Their handwriting was atrocious.
"This is bad, S--- might have rated us out. There's rumors going on that she tattled on that teach and is going to cause a fiasco. This is bad, what should we---"
That's all she's able to make out. Everything was all marked out from over time.
Teach??? What does that mean?? Even the name that was mentioned was faded out.
Though reading from the entry, she assumed it was written by a student.
Strange though, why would a student be here unless...
She doesn't think to finish that thought, it makes her sick that it was a possibility.
One thing was clear, the last entry was confirmation of the possibility that the hotel was tied to a crime syndicate or something or the sort.
A lot of illegal things must have happened.
She figures that there might be more hidden about.
She makes a mental note to search for them, they might give more insight on what happened here or to whatever spirit (maybe spirits but she doesn't think she has the mental capacity to deal with more than one spirit) that was causing this.
Once she left the room, she stepped back into the hallway only for the already dim lights to flicker and go off.
"Oh shit..." she mutters bc well this suddenly seems familiar.
At the end of the hall, she could see a girl dressed in a red raincoat. Thing was, she was completely drenched despite being inside.
The alarm bells in her head was ringing again as she took a step back. She felt sick, as if whatever she had eaten prior was slowly creeping its way up her throat.
She hears the girl say something but it's unclear. Just hushed whispers.
The air became even more heavy with every step the girl takes. It was only when the girl was a just a bit away did she realize.
The girl was drenched in blood, not from the rain.
Sunny moves to back away when the girl suddenly grabs her arm and grips it tightly.
"Fuck," she winced at the pressure, a bruise would surely form the next day. Sunny grips the girl's wrist to pry herself free.
She still doesn't know what the girl was saying. Only shutting her eyes tight, praying to escape with her life.
And just like that, Sunny finds herself gasping as she looks to see herself back in her flat.
????? What the fuck?????
She stills and glances around slowly. She moves her arm and winced.
Rolling the sleeve up, she sees a nasty red hand print from where the spirit had gripped her.
Fucking great.
She sighs before taking a look up at the clock on her wall. Oh fuck, you're fucking kidding????
Sunny sees how much time had passed and bolts out the door to head down to the restaurant.
She only prays that he was still there.
As soon as she arrived at the restaurant, it was well close to 11, about 3 hours had past since the initial time they agreed to meet.
She quickly rushed to the front, where a hostess had greeted her.
She paused as she asked if a man with Steven's description had arrived. The hostess merely replied that she had only started around 9:30, meaning if Steven did arrived she didn't seat him.
She sighed, pressing her hands to her face. She hated this.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" The hostess asked.
Her eyes stung as she tried her best not to shed a tear, "Yeah, yeah I just..." she sighs as her shoulders fell, "I just had a date that's all..."
She felt her stomach growl, right. She hadn't even eaten yet.
Fuck it.
It didn't even bother her how the scene she saw hours prior was gruesome. She was still hungry.
"Table for one, and no need for a menu, I'll have the steak and your finest wine please..."
She sat in the corner of the restaurant, eating her steak in silence, sipping her wine every so often.
She really hated this.
TWO DAYS LATER
Since that night, she didn't dare text or called Steven, deathly afraid of how he would react.
Thankfully it was the weekend, so she didn't have to leave her flat, but it had gotten to the point where she barely leaves her room, spending her days rewatching kdramas.
It was Sunday night, she had been watching another episode of her kdramas when her phone rang.
She had been so engrossed in her drama that she didn't see the caller ID when she answered.
"Hello?" She sighs, eyes focusing on the TV.
"Sunny, love? Are we still on for tonight?" She jumped at the sound of Steven's voice.
"Steven???" Why was he calling her? She was certain he'd not want to speak to her after practically standing him up. And what does he mean still on for tonight???
"The date, you know best steak in town," he nervously laughs.
"I-er, wait, Steven where you at?" She asked, confused at what he was talking about.
"At the steakhouse, like we agreed, isn't that what we agreed on???"
What???? Is going on????
"I-wait Steven, you're not making any sense, what are you talking about?" She asked.
"Love, I'm not sure what you're saying either, today's the day of our date."
What?????
"....Steven, what day do you think it is?" She asked slowly.
"It's Friday."
Oh.
Oh Steven.
Sweet, sweet Steven...
"...Steven, sweetie, today is Sunday..." she replied carefully. She knew that sometimes Steven mixes up the dates from what he told her but never did she think it'd be like this.
"...no, it's Friday, right? Love, if this is you trying to have a laugh I don't find this funny at all," he said, almost desperate to believe that what she said wasn't true.
"No, Steven I mean it, it's Sunday."
Steven, who had been sitting at the table patiently waiting for Sunny, suddenly paused.
No, surely she was just playing a mean prank on him right?
But Sunny doesn't seem like the type to that. She was too nice to do something like that.
He noticed the waiter nearby and quickly stopped him.
"Sorry, but do you know the day?"
"It's Sunday, sir."
"....you're joking?"
Oh shit.
Steven took a deep breath as he slumped back in his seat. Did he really slept through 2 days?!
And that bloody damn dream he had...he still can't shake it off.
But what's worse was that fucking stood her up.
"...Steven?" Hearing her voice he snapped out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, yeah, I- shit. I'm just...I'm just having a rough day, today hasn't been the best..." He sighs, "And of course I had to be the one that botched it."
"...I...you're not mad at me..."
"Mad at you? For what?" Steven furrows his brows together, "Shouldn't you be the one furious with me? I stood you up! A whole two days!"
"No, wait. I thought I stood you up!" She confessed, "I arrived almost 3 hours later, I thought you thought I stood you up, which wasn't my intention, something had caught up and I, well, you know..."
"Well you can't really top this can you now?" His voice was small, she could practically picture him with those large puppy dog eyes.
She paused, "Well...if that's the case..."
Steven shuts his eyes.
This was it.
She's never going to want to speak, or even see him again. He would rather that they would stay friends, but he doubts she'll want to even be near him after this.
"...do you want to reschedule our date?"
What???
He blinks.
"Sorry what?"
"Since we both missed the time we were supposed to meet, how about we reschedule?"
"I-you, you still want to go on a date with me?"
"I mean...do you??? I understand if don't want to but, I really do like you Steven and I really wanted to give this a try....only if you want to."
What kind of a blood question was that??? He'd be a mad man to turn her down. Especially if she was willing to give him a chance to fix this.
"What sort of flowers do you like?" He suddenly blurts out, overcome with such a sense of relief. Sunny couldn't help but laugh, taken aback.
"That didn't really answer my question, but you don't have to get me flowers," she said. Steven feels his cheeks flushed at his blunder.
"Oh bullocks, I didn't mean to say that, I, meant- I," he stumbled over his words before finally answering her, "I meant to say yes, yes of course I do!" He quickly answered, "Going out with you I mean."
Sunny let out a relieved sigh, "Okay, that's good, because I would like it if we make this work..."
Steven feels his cheeks warm up, "I, do you mind I come visit you, I had some chocolates for you since I noticed you like sweet things and the restaurant doesn't really have a good variety of dessert surprisingly."
She smiles at the thought, "Sure I'd like that, if you want we can share those chocolates and watch some shows or even a movie..."
"Yeah, I'd like that very much."
She squeals as she hung up. Very excited that he wasn't upset.
Sure there was a bit of bump in the road but nothing they couldn't fix.
She was actually grateful that he'd accepted. She paused through, realizing her room was a mess.
She quickly changed out of her pajamas and into something more casual before cleaning up as much as she could before Steven could arrive.
She makes sure to wear a long sleeve to hid the slowly healing bruise on her arm from that spirit.
She hadn't seen or heard from Izanami since that night either, but whatever, more time to relish on the peacs.
Once she was done she decided to see if she could make any snacks. Vegan based tho ofc.
As she was thinking on what to make she heard a frantic knock at her door.
She opened to see Steven looking over his shoulders. As if something had spooked him.
"Steven?" He jumps and looks back at her.
"Oh love," he smiles slightly, he still looks jittery, "Can I come in?"
"Oh, right, ofc!" She moves to the side to let him in. Steven quickly shuffles inside and shuts her door. He takes a deep breath and turns to her.
"Steven, are you alright?" She asks, noticing his pale face.
"Just aces," he nods as he tried to forget what he had saw. He's sure that his mind was playing tricks on him.
"Steven, my love, are you sure you're alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine," he says, before glancing down at the items in his arms, "I, uh, got you something."
She sees the flowers and box of chocolate, smiling, "I know, you told me remember?"
"Right," he nods, she couldn't help but grin.
"I thought I told you, you didnt have to get me flowers," she said and took them from him to set the flowers in a small vase by the counter.
"I know, I know," he said, "But I already mucked this up and I feel terribly sorry about-" he starts.
"Steven, I told you it's fine--"
"And I just saw these on the way here and thought--"
"Steven, calm down--"
"--that these would look very pretty on you..." he finishes.
Her eyes grew wide at the statement, feeling her cheeks flushed.
Oh.
Oh.
She stares at him, her thoughts processing on anything to say to him. Ultimately she ends up saying:
"So, uh, any movies you're interest in?" She started and immediately cringes.
Really????
That's the best she could come up from her pea-sized brain????
"Sorry?"
"Oh god, I didn't mean for that to come out," she bemoans and pressed her hands to cover her face, "Sorry, I was just taken aback and wasn't sure what to say to that."
"Oh, I see, well..." he started, understanding her plight. "I guess for movies, anything is good..." he said, slowly starting to calm down, he felt a bit safer now that he wasn't alone.
"How do you feel about horror movies?" She asked. Ironic of her to ask that considering what she sees on a daily basis.
"Oh...maybe not horror, love..." truthfully after what he saw on the lift he's not sure if he would enjoy them right now.
"Have you watched Jurassic Park?" She asked.
"That's the dinosaur movie right?" He asked.
"Its not just a dinosaur movie!" She gasped, offended at the comment, "It's a cinematic materspiece!"
"What about the new ones?"
"We don't talk about the new ones in this household."
He couldn't help but chuckle at the serious look on her face, "Alright, love," he said, "I suppose we can watching it, I've never really got the chance to see it before," he adds.
"Oh my God! Now we have to watching it!" She said, pulling him to the living room area, "You just get comfortable and I'll get the chocolates and some snacks, alright?" She said as she headed towards the kitchen.
Steven glanced around, noticing how there was much more space compared to his own flat.
Nice, simple and very minimalistic, not to mention homey as well. Just like her, he thinks.
He couldn't help but glance around the living room. He saw a few photos. He noticed that they were of others.
Though one that had stuck out to him was a photo of two boys and a girl near the beach, an fairly old picture by the looks of it.
He thinks they look as if they were in high school, the girl in the picture seems familar, he assumed it was Sunny when she was young.
Steven wonders who the two boys were. Relatives? Friends?
He looked away from the photos, only to see a door slightly ajar.
You know what they say? Curioustiy killed the cat.
Steven take a quick peek inside and noticed that it was a smaller room almost set up like a studio with a canvas set on an easel and a camera stand leaning against the wall behind the easel along with some photos of other landscapes taped to a board.
Wow. He took notice on the painting of what he assumed was the outside scenary of London. It wasn't done, but it was still beautiful.
"Steven?" He heard her voice as she entered the room, "Oh, I didn't know you were in here?"
"Darling, did you paint this?" He asked in awe.
"Oh, yeah it's just something I was doing in my spare time, I was thinking of scraping it though," she shrugged.
"Scrap-no! Don't do that, it's beautiful, even if it's not finished!" He protested.
"Steven it's just a simple landscape painting, it's not even that great," she says.
"But it's true, how come you've never told me about this?" He asked. She shrugs.
"I'm not sure, truthfully I haven't done any painting in a long times, I just had a few extra time to myself and did it to pass the time," she explained.
"Darling, not to sound rude, but if you could paint like this, why are you a teacher? If anything I would except you to be an art teacher then at least."
"Oh well I did double majored in photography and illustration," she remarked, "I used to work as a photographer for a palentology journal, to be honest I'm not sure how I got the job offer to teach, I'm assume it was Dane's doing," she said before taking Steven's hand and led him out the door.
"That's enough about that though, we can talk about it another time if you'd like, but how about we just relax and watch the movie, okay?" He nods, smiling slightly.
"Alright, love, although we need to have a serious talk, I can't believe I've had such a talented artist right under my nose this whole time!"
"Maybe if our second first date goes well we can plan a small painting picnic," she jests, though it seems that Steven was all for it.
"That's a lovely idea, darling. The park would be a lovely place to do just that."
She wanted to tell him that she joking but seeing the tired look on his face, she left it be.
They sat on the couch, eating the box of chocolate Steven bought, with Sunny pointing out certain facts about each dinosaur that showed on screen along with little movie tidbits.
("Did you know that the Tyrannosaurus Rex have hollow bones??? Actually all carnivorous dinosaurs did, it's to help them be fast and agile! That's why paleontologist said that birds are the closets living relatives to them!" "That's amazing, love, I didn't know that before! 😯😯😯"
"Since you're the big Jurassic buff here, how accurate did the movies get with the dinosaurs???" "Well, as accurate as they could with the time of making the film, but compared to today's new findings, I'd say only the t-rex was accurate, maybe a little less chunkier. Since dinosaurs were closely related to birds of today, a lot of them should have feathers, or maybe some peach fuzz at least."
"You know they made actually used animatronics for most of the dinosaurs back then????" "Really? I thought most of it was cgi???")
Steven found it cute. Often quipping his own questions to which she happily answered back.
Steven didn't know much about Jurassic Park or even dinosaurs in general but he did like how invested she was.
Somehow as time passed, she leaned against him, feeling comfortable in her spot as she watched the movie intently.
Steven stiffed, unsure what to do. Was he supposed to hold her??? Put his arm around her shoulder???
He didn't really think this far when he asked to come over.
His plan was to initially come over to apologize until she offer him to watching a movie with her.
What was that part-timer kid he worked with call it???
Netflix and chill????
Oh bloody hell.
God he's blushing now.
He was deep in his thoughts that he didn't realize that her head on his shoulder now.
His body seizes as he took notice and glanced down at her, still watching the movie.
Oh god, he really didn't think this through.
Does he just--???
Suddenly his arm moves on its own, wrapping one arm around her shoulders
What the fuck was that???
Oh god, Steven panics as he shifted and suddenly her head onto his chest.
Sunny's eyes wided, almost screaming internally.
She looks up at him and he's frozen, eyes staring down. He feels a sense of panic rise that he can't explain it and immediately pulls away from her.
Sunny seemed to notice his panic and sits up straight, "Steven? Are you alright?" She asked.
"I-,I'm--" he's not sure how to make of it. Today was just an absolute nightmare, "I'm sorry, today has just been absolutely mental..."
"Do you want to talk about?" She offers. That seemed to be all it take for him to start rambling. He explained about the nightmare he had when he woke, how it all felt so real. And how he was sure he felt pain, could still feel it linger when he awoke.
"I don't know how to make sense of it, I mean the Alps of all places? What would I bloody be doing in the Alps in the first place?"
"That does sound odd," she says, squinting her eyes. She thought he was going to see some relatives but it seems like Steven doesn't even remember that. Just what is going on?
"You think I'm going mental," he sighs with a dejected look.
"Steven, despite how crazy this all sounds, I do believe you," she replied, "I think you're going through something, I just don't know how to explain it..."
Deep down, she worried that he was afflicted with some encounter with the spirits based on her own past expericence.
But how does she tell him that without spooking him.
Or worse.
He thinks she's the one that's mental.
Where the hell was Izanami when she needed her???
"Darling, you don't need to lie to me to make me feel better," he mutters, "Honestly, I believe I'm going mental myself."
"Steven, no, look I'm not saying this to make you feel better, I do meant it when I say I believe you," she said, taking his hand in hers and placed one hand on his cheek so he could look at her.
When he did she gave him a small smile and pressed her lips to his forehead, "Look, we can figure this out, tell me what else happened in this nightmare?"
Steven smiles slightly, a sense of comfort from the kiss, "There were people shooting at me. I didn't even know who they were, but they seemed outright pissed with me. So I ran into this village and oh god, you should have seen it, it looked like I stumbled onto some cult."
Her brows shot up, "A cult?"
"Their leader had a cane and some tattoo scales on his forearm," He nods, recalling the events.
"Sounds like a real psycho..." she says and scrunched her nose together. If Steven wasn't going through it right now, he mention how she'd look like a cute rabbit right there.
"He does doesn't he?" Steven bemused. He continued, explaining the wild things that went down along the a voice that kept telling him to give the body to Marc.
"Body? What does that mean? And who's Marc?" She asks, just as confused as Steven.
"I wish I knew, love, honest I'd tell you if I knew," he answered. Sunny hums before noticing the time.
"It's getting late, we'll figure this out tomorrow," she said, "Maybe a good night's rest will put you more at ease," she suggested.
Steven glanced up at the clock and sighed, "Maybe," she walked him towards the door and towards his flat.
"Listen, I'm not sure what's going on, but we'll figure it out, okay," she said, "Just make sure to get some rest, today was a long day."
"I suppose so," he said, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For everything, a normal person would call me mental for all the things I've just told you," he said.
"Well remember I was a bit odd growing up, and any person can tell that you're in distress on your own if they paid attention."
"No one really pays attention to me if you know what I mean," Steven mutters lowly.
"Well, I do," Sunny replied, "I always pay attention to you, even when it's something I don't quite understand, I can help it but listen to what you say," she paused, place her hands on his cheeks, "You just look so pretty when you talk of the things you love."
Steven stares at her, his heart thumping rapidly in his chest, he's surprised it hasn't busted out of his chest.
He wonders if this was what it meant to be in love.
Without a second thought, he leaned close to her and pressed his lips against hers.
She surprised at first, not expecting him to do the first move but she's not complaining.
When he pulled away, he looks as if stars were in his eyes.
God, he's so pretty, she thinks.
Sunny has a small smile on her face before speaking, "Good night Steven," and pecks his lips again.
"Night," he mutters clearly dazed. He blinks and he's back in his flat again. And although she told him to get some rest, he just can't. Maybe he should've listened, because nothing would prepare him for what was about to happen next.
THE NEXT DAY
Sunny wakes up to frantic knocking in her door.
What the fuck???
She groans as she walks over to her door and opens it to see Steven.
The first thing he noticed was the scared look he had and how red his eyes were.
"Steven? What's wrong?" She asked, rubbing her face with one hand.
"Darling, I'm going completely mad now," he said as he entered her flat and takes a seat on her couch.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" She asked, taking a seat next to him and placing one hand on his shoulder.
"I tried to get some rest like you said, but I just couldn't leave it, so I started messing around the flat and I found a hole in the wall hidden away."
"A hidden hole?" She repeats.
"I found an old phone in it and it started to ring suddenly," he recounts, "I answered because I thought I could get some answers but a woman answered and kept calling me Marc," he said.
"Marc like the one from your nightmare you told me last night?"
"I belive so, oh god, and here's the real kicker, I swore that my reflection had talked to me!"
"What?"
"I can't make sense of it myself, but love, please believe me when I say that it did happen, he kept telling me to stop looking right after I found the phone," Steven continued, to which Sunny continued to rub his back to soothe him.
He suddenly scoffs as he tells her the next part, "I think there's a ghost haunting me."
She jumps at this, "Ghost?!" All of a sudden, the fears she had initially had were starting to come true. If Steven was being haunted by a spirit and it was because of her, she would never forgive herself. He deserves better than this.
"Love, when I went outside to take the lift downstairs, I saw some skeletal bird man staring back at me at the end of the corridor. "
"A skeletal bird man??" Well that's the first she's heard of this.
"I was so terrified, I couldn't even think straight when Ms. Agnes hopped onto the lift, I'm certain she finds me mad now."
"Oh, Steven," she sighs, "I'm not sure what to make of all this, but we'll figure it out, I already said that didn't I?"
"I'm sorry that I'm putting you through all this, love. I just don't have anyone else to turn to," he sighs.
"Hey, don't worry about it, look I..." she paused, trying her best to say her words carefully, "I can't say it now, I will one day, but trust me when I say I've been through some crazy and unexplainable things in my life," she said, "It might not be exactly the same as what you're going through but I can relate a bit."
Steven paused glancing back at her, he can't help but wonder what happened, but he doesn't push.
She had been patient with him through all this maddness, the least he could do is respect her wishes and wait patiently for her to tell him.
But even so, his heart was so full hearing her support him even though he's sure he's going mad.
How had he even end up to be so lucky to meet her.
"Can I kiss you?" he suddenly asked.
Oh god.
Did he really just said that.
Steven wants to slap himself.
He just had to say the first thing that came to mind, huh?!
An absolute knob he is.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask that!" He starts, rambling all of a sudden. She couldn't help but smile.
Sunny grins and leans in to kiss his lips, "You're lucky you're so cute," she said, "Although we should get ready for work, I'm pretty sure we'll miss the earliest bus if we don't."
Steven's mind goes blank from the kiss but he nods mutely, "Yeah, yeah, ok,' he said.
Sunny walks him out to the door and pushes him back towards his flat, "Come on, I'll walk you to work this time," she said.
"But what about you--?"
"Don't worry your pretty brilliant head of yours, I'll have Dane cover for me for today," she answered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Steven, I'm sure," she said, "Meet me downstairs and we can talk more about what's going on on the way to the museum."
Once done changing, she met him downstairs and headed towards the bus.
Steven seemed sleep deprived due to stressing over last night so she suggested he take a small nap.
He was apprehensive at first, but she assured him that she would wake him up when they arrived.
Steven sighed and rested his eyes, taking the rest he needed.
While he did that, Sunny decided to try to reach out towards Izanami.
"Izanami? Are you there????" More silence. This bitch.
Sunny huffed as she tried to make sense of what Steven had told her.
It was odd, it sounded similar to those out of body experiences she's had in the past, but also not really.
Just something about it didn't add up.
She think back on what had happened that led up to this.
Then she remembered the night he patched her up, she realized he never asked if she was okay
Actually, it seemed like he didn't even remember it.
Also why was he acting different at the time???
It like as if he was a completely different person just like the night he had asked her out--
Before she could finish that thought, Steven jumped, letting out a startled shout.
"Steven, Steven, it's okay," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders, "It's okay, you're alright, I'm right here."
He panted slight as he glanced at her then out towards the window where he saw said skeletal bird man from his nightmares as the bus passed by.
Oh great, he thinks bitterly.
"Steven, what's wrong?" She asked again, growing more and more concerned. Steven gave her a quick glance before swallowing thickly.
"Nothing, I'm aces, love. Just seeing the skeletal pigeon man is really making my morning," he said, giving her a wry smile. Her brows shot up. He saw it?? When??
"Steven are you sure? If you want we can turn back and just spend the day at home--"
"No, no," Steven dismissed, "I'll be alright, look our stop is here," He said, standing up from his seat and took her hand.
They got off the bus, hand in hand.
Neither realized it as Steven glanced across the street.
"Oh lovely, there he is," he mutters. She turned to she were he was looking at and saw....
Oh what the hell???
She feels like it's a blur, something was definitely there where he was looking at, but she didn't know what.
"The bird man skeleton?" She asked.
"The bird man skeleton," he confirms.
"He's not threatening you, is he?" She couldn't help but ask.
"You mean other than giving me a heart attack or nightmares for day? No."
She lets a relieved sigh.
That's good.
But before she could say anything else, she feel Steven tense beside her.
"Oh bullocks," he suddenly turned, pulling her along to do the same.
"What? What's wrong--"
"Its him!" He hastily whispers, making quick glances over his shoulder, "The cult leader from the Alps."
Sunny was about to glance over to see him and Steven stopped her, "No, don't!" He said, holding her by the shoulders. He quickly pulled her into the museum, where they hid behind the glass doors and stared out.
Sunny saw an older man with grayish long hair. Man just screams, deluded for sure.
"He probably remembered when I worked because I told him!" Steven panics, "Stupid, why did I bloody do that?!"
"Steven, take a deep breath and count to ten, look we'll talk to the security guards to not let him in, alright?"
"Yeah," he nodded still feeling anxious, "Yeah, okay," he breathed out.
"Good," she said as she dragged him to where they saw one of the security guard on his phone.
"Hey, J.B. mate, how's it going?" Steven said, gaining the guard's attention.
The guard glanced up and noticed the two, "Oh, how's it going, Scotty?"
"It's Steven," the two said. He looks back between the two. Sunny rolls her eyes as Steven continued, looking over his shoulders.
"You watching otter videos again?"
"Oh they're adorable."
"Uh, yeah. Cool, cool, cool, listen mate, I need ya to keep an eye out, 'cause I'm being followed."
"You're joking?"
"Look there's some delusion old man and he's been trailing after Steven like a stalker, can you do that or not?" Sunny asked, taking over now.
"It's a muesum, can't keep people out," he shrugged.
Sunng clicks her tongue as she turns away, "Ugh, useless," she mutters, while Steven tried to convice J.B. to keep the old man from coming in.
"Listen, just don't let anyone dodgey alright?" Stven sighed as he moved away from the desk and went to her side, "I'm so sorry about this, love..."
"Steven, don't worry, look let's just--"
"Stevie! There you are," they turned to see an angry Donna holding something in her arms. Sunny cursed, of fucking course. Great fucking timing.
"You're late, don't just blood stand there making puppies eyes at each, get to work!"
"Hey, do you mind? We're in a middle of an important discussion," Sunny huffed.
"I don't bloody care, he needs to get to work if he want to continue to keep his job!"
"Alright, listen here you viper of am ommpa loompa--"
"The man from the bus," Steven gasped. Sunny turned to see the man from before now in the museum. She narrowed her eyes at him as Donna berated Steven.
"Steven," Sunny started, "Just head to work alright?" She said, giving him a quick hug and leaned close into his ear, "I'll stick around, okay, I don't want anything to happen to you if I'm gone."
Steven relaxed a bit hearing this, if that man was following him then at least he'd have Sunny here with him, "Alright, love," he said, "I'll text you."
Sunny smiled as she pulled away and pointed towards the art gallery the museum had, noting to him that's where she'll be.
When she left him, she noticing a certain goddess standing near the artwork, "This bitch," she mutters to herself.
The goddess had her arms crossed as she stared at Sunny and tilted her head to follow her as she walked off to the side.
She glanced around seeing that nobody had taken notice of the goddess.
Of course.
With that, she quickly make haste to where Izanami had walked off.
When saw the goddess, she stood in place with her arms behind her back, staring at painting.
"What the hell?! You sure have some great timing for a god!" Sunny snapped, "Where were you for the past 3 days?!"
"Oh, calm down, I was merely giving you space after you date," the goddess replied.
"Which didn't happen by the way, thanks for asking," Sunny huffed.
"Oh, yes. That I know," Izanami agrees, "But enough about that, I sense a terrible foreboding is about come and it's coming from that man that is stalking your boy toy."
"Yeah I kinda got that when Steven told me the guy is a cult leader," she sighed out, "And I thought I told you to stop calling him that!"
"You did, but I didn't listen," Izanami shrugged before continuing, "Regardless, it's best to have caution should you encounter that man, I can't be sure what it is he wants or plans to do, but I sense it'll cause an imbalance between the living and dead," Sunny paused, seeing look Izanami had. She's never seen the goddess look so befuddled before, "He's dangerous. Something evil lurks within him. And i don't like that I don't know what it is."
Sunny was about to reply when Izanami paused, her brows furrowed together before she turned to her, "You need to go, I sense your little boy toy is in great distress now and that man is somewhere nearby."
"What??!!"
Hearing this, Sunny didn't waste time as she quickly went to find Steven.
Please be okay, please be okay, she prays to herself.
When she finally finds Steven, the man is with him.
He had Steven cornered by some hieroglyphics mural and was trying to talk to him.
She frowned seeing Steven visibly uncomfortable in his place.
He looked as if he was going to pass out.
Sunny took a deep breath, getting her acting game together before calling out to Steven.
"Steven, darling, there you are!" She said, rushing towards him and grasped his arm, "Oh, I've been looking all over for you! You promise me that you'd help me out with my dissertation on the history of Egyptian mummification process and their rituals."
Her disser-what now???
Why would she need his help when she's a teacher herself.
Steven seemed loss for a second before he finally sees the look she's giving him.
Oh.
Oh!
"O-oh, yes, r-right," He said, nodding his head, "I'm sorry, love, I must have lost track of the time..."
"That's alright," she said and purposely put herself between the man and Steven and creates some distance between them, "So terribly sorry to cut whatever this is short, but I really do need his help."
"My, I didn't realize he had a friend," the older man said, a smile on his face that makes her want to punch him, "I am Arthur Harrow, what is yours?"
"Jane Doe," She replied, narrowing her eyes at Harrow. As if she'll give him her name, fucking creep.
Harrow chuckles, "I see, its good to be cautious, but are you aware of who the man beside you really is?" Harrow asked, "Tell me Steven Grant of the gift shop, does she know the truth?"
Yeah she really want to punch him now. Bastard.
"W-what truth?" Steven asked, just as confused.
"I wonder, do either of you know of Ammit?"
"Do I know of Ammit? Not exactly..." Steven said quickly as he held Sunny's hand and backed away slowly with her, "Egyptian deity, right?? World's first boogeyman?? She punished those who were evil and ate their hearts."
Dammit Steven, now is not the time to flex your Egyptian encyclopedia, Sunny thinks.
"Sounds delightful..." Sunny supplies, crinkling her nose in disgust.
"She grows wary of waiting for sinners to commit their crimes before punishing them," Harrow said, taking a few steps toward the two, "I ask you this, would you wait to weed a garden till after all of the roses were dead?"
"I-I wouldn't do that..." Steven shrugged.
"Seriously?" She hissed at him as she elbowed Steven in the side.
"The justice of Ammit, suverys the whole of our lives," Harrow continued.
"Got it..." Steven whimpers. "Sounds exhausting..." Sunny mutters.
"She knows what we've done and what we will do."
"Yeah, well books left that part out..." Steven remarks a bit cheekily.
"Had Ammit been free, she would have been able to prevent Hitler; the destruction he wrought. Nero, the Armenian genocide, Pol Pot."
"Not nice people."
"Steven!" She shushes him as she glanced back at the man.
"None of it would had happened if Ammit was here, but she was betrayed."
"Was she now?" Steven.
"By fellow insolent gods, even by her own avatar."
"Hm, sounds like they had a good reason if you ask me..." Sunny.
"'Avatars.' Blue people. Love that film," Steven quipped.
Sunny paused before frowning slightly, "Steven, we really need to update your movie repertoire. That movie is just a bad rendition of Pocahontas in space..."
"Ha ha, can't take this one anywhere, yeah?" Steven tried to joke, trying to cope with his rising anxiety and stress.
"No, by avatar I mean--"
"You mean like the TV show?" Sunny suggested this time, "Great show, love it."
"Stop it," Harrow says, unimpressed by the two's constant adlibs. The two immediate shut their mouths. "Steven, give me the scarab."
"I don't have it, mate. Honestly," Steven answered.
"Steven, I won't ask again--" Harrow said, grabbing Steven's arm.
"Back off," Sunny snapped, wedging herself between the two, "Listen whatever this stupid scarab is, he doesn't have it. So scram before I dislocated your jaw, old man."
"I saw this man take the scarab with my own eyes."
"Then I'd say you need to get 'em check out," She remarked.
"It must be nice to have some blindly defend you," Harrow notes, "I wonder how Ammit will react upon finding out you're defending a thief. Perhaps we should find out."
Harrow reaches out to take Sunny's hand when Steven shouted, "No, I saw what you did to that poor woman in the Alps!" He said and pushed her behind him.
Harrow seemed mildly surprised at Steven's sudden shift in behavior before glancing his eyes between the two, "I'm only telling her what many others will know soon enough."
"If you want to judge someone, judge me," Steven said making her snap her eyes at him.
"Steven!" She hissed, worried about what would come next. Harrow took Steven hand, to which she saw the scales tattoos on his forearm, exactly how Steven described it when he first saw it, and watched how they moved against his skin.
If this wasn't some absolute deluded wackjob she was dealing with, she'd find this pretty sick really.
"Oh hell..." she mutters before hearing Harrow speak, almost astounded by what he saw.
"There is chaos in you."
"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Sunny snaps, "Neat party trick there but we have things to do and places to be--"
Just as she pulled Steven away from Harrow and tried to lead the two out the doors, when he grabbed her arm. She winced as it was the one with the bruise. Harrow paused as the scale tattoo stayed still in place, no once moving like it did with Steven.
"How strange, this is the first this has happened," Harrow mutters, while Steven looks in horror, "It seems like Ammit can not judge you."
"Lucky me, I guess," Sunny mutters as she rips her arm back from Harrow and steps back with Steven behind her.
"I can't help but be curious now, why is it that Ammit can't judge your scales? Its truly a sight..." Sunny remains quiet before glancing off to the side to see Izanami.
The goddess' eyes narrowed at the scene before them, ready to intervene if needed. Maybe that's why, she thinks.
"Not sure," Sunny shrugs,"You know human error exists, why not godly error?" She jests, "We should be leaving now," she immediately pushes Steven towards th exit as more patreon filled towards where they were at.
One finally away, Sunny glanced behind and lets out a small sigh.
"Okay, I think we're in the clear now," she mutters.
"He wants the scarab," Steven mutters, "I don't think he'll leave us alone without it..." he pauses, "Love what was that?"
"What was what?" She asked.
"The scales...something should have happened but it didn't," he explained, "When he judged that woman in the Alps, her scales weren't balanced and she died. But nothing happened to you, why?"
"A story for another time," she said, continuing to glance over her shoulders, "Listen, Steven this goes under something under things I can't explain without freaking you out, you just got to trust me, alright?"
"Of course I trust you just..." He paused, "Are you some sort of undercover spy????" He asked.
Undercover what????
She looks at him confused.
Of all the things he could come up from what she said.
That's what he comes up with.
I mean, she really shouldn't be surprised at him....
He's lucky he's cute and she's absolutely taken by him.
"What? No! I'm not an undercover spy," she reassured him, "Just...in a bit of a weird situation, alright."
"Alright..." he concedes, "Just...you'd tell me if you were in trouble, yeah?"
"Oh, Steven, of course I would," she said. Steven feels a sense of relief hearing that. Something deep down inside of him would just die if he'd let anything happen to her.
"Ok, alright. Good," he said. She smiles and leans in to kiss his cheeks. His cheeks were a bright pink hue at the intimacy.
"I should let you get back to work now," She said and pulled away. He was about to protest when she stopped him, "I'm not going anywhere, I'll be at the local cafe just down the street. If Harrow tries to pull a fast one and corner you again, call me and I'll make sure to break his nose."
"Got it," he nods. He shouldn't admit that hearing that she would break a crazy old cult leader's nose made him swoon a bit, but it did (he'd lowkey paid to see it happen).
"Good."
"Though, are you sure you'll be alright waiting? Donna was peeved with me and forced me to stay back late tonight."
She rolled her eyes, "Of course she did," she muttered, "Although, I think a part of that was my fault. Sorry."
"Don't say that, love. Knowing Donna, she would've found an excuse to have me stay back anyways..."
"Maybe, but don't worry about me," she said, "I'll come pick you up with some dinner and we can figure out whatever this scarab thing is at home, does that sound good?"
"Yeah, that's aces," he says.
"Alright, I'll come back with some Thai food from down the street, stay safe and if Donna starts again, I'll personally give her a peace of my mind."
With that said she left, although she feels her shoulders become heavy. Just what the hell was Steven going through? She couldn't make sense of it, but that doesn't mean she won't stop trying.
pairing(s): steven grant/fem!oc for this part mainly (platonic dane/fem!oc)
summary: OK, so she's got a date now. And a possible future boyfriend. Ok, cool, nothing could go wrong right?
warning(s): mental health illness, possible inaccurate depictions of DID (I tried my best to research tho in spare time, also based on events in the show), horror elements, gore/blood elements, murders
author's note: ok so here my fic idea, but it's bare bones bc I haven't been in the best mood to write this down properly but I wanted to share this idea with everyone else. It's very messy so sorry about that. Probs some gaps in between but I'll fill it in a more edited version.
This chapter(?) shows Izanami and Sunny's relationship and what she does for her and the shit she goes through. We also get a small Marc and Sunny moment towards the end. You're welcome.
This was originally supposed to be done before Halloween bc of the spooky vibes it had but that didn't happen, sorry. Next part will be starting to mix with the plot of the show.
Other than that enjoy this word vomit bullet point for my fic idea (I'll probably change the format for the next part bc this looks messy :()
Open to also write hc and other blurbs for this au/characters (spoilers free for nightmare eyes au plot tho). Taglist open for anyone interested for updates.
Red italicized is Izanami either speaking or in Sunny's head & italicized is speaking in Korean
taglist: @ahookedheroespureheart
《PREV | NEXT》
Ok. So that happened.
Truthfully she's still buzzed from the kiss even after he left. But like???
Wow.
That kiss.
Wow x2
She hadn't had a kiss like that since well forever.
She pats her cheeks and blinks shaking her head, "Get a hold of yourself! It's just a kiss!" A damn good one tho.
She received a text a few minutes later about the details of their date. Right, steak. It was still odd that he would invite her there but maybe it was like he said. He wanted to impress her.
Ok points for effort. She'll let it slide for now.
The next day she sees Steven and smiles when he greets her, "Oh love, you're here I just wanted to say sorry about before." Why would he want to say sorry???
"What?"
"Sorry I was so caught up in my own thoughts I never got to ask you about it..."
What????
"About what?"
"The...erm....kiss....and, well, us?"
Oh.
Oh.
OH!
"U-us?" Oh god she forgot they never really did talk about it but then again...didn't he ask her out??? "Oh, well, what about us...?"
"Well I was wondering...does this make us more than friends?" She blinks.
"...do you want us to be more than friends, Steven?"
"Do you?"
She paused, he was fidgeting the entire time with rosy cheeks.
"Well...what would you say if I said yes...?"
She's sure his brain had short circuited bc he starts stumbling over his word.
"Y-yes, oh you said yes, well I'd say I'd like that..."
"Then we're more than friends, but only after our date and maybe get to know each other more," she added. Steven looks confused.
"Date?"
"Don't you remember? You came here last night and kissed me after going MIA for a week and then asked me on a date."
"A WEEK??!" He shouted before apologizing, "Sorry, I mean I did????"
"Yes, Steven. Don't you remember?" She gives him a concerned look before he shook his head.
"No I, I guess it must have slipped my mind, truthfully my memory hasnt been its best these last couple of days, I have, ah, sort of health condition," he confessed sheepishly.
Oh, well that might be why he didn't remember. She didn't pry for more details, she figured if he was comfortable, he'll tell her.
"Erm, for the date, what did we say it was at?"
"You suggested a steakhouse, I know I had the same look but you said you wanted to be for me, which was sweet and all but you didn't have to do that," she said, slightly skeptical.
"Oh no, it's fine, love! If I suggested it then I must have suggested. Oh bullocks, I wanted to remember asking you out at least, and even I couldn't do that," he laughs with a slightly dejected look on his face, "Makes me wonder why you'd accept a bloke like me."
"Aish, Steven, I've already told you not to sell yourself short, you're the sweetest and most kindhearted man, I love how your entire being lights up when you ramble about all the things that catches your interests, I might not have a clue on them half the time but they're something that makes you happy and that's what's important to me," she said.
"You mean that?"
"Of course! I've always liked you Steven and your ramblings too, I guess I was just scared you'd reject me. Who knew me kissing you suddenly would cause this!"
He chuckled before blinking, "I know you said we can try to be more than friends after the date but...may I have another kiss?"
She squeals, feeling her cheeks become red. The way he asked HER to kiss HIM!!! Oh her heart.
"Hmmm, okay just because maybe I find you to be cute," she says before giving him a soft peck on the lips. She could feel him practically melt in her arms. His hunched shoulders relaxed as he leaned into the kiss.
It was cute how he followed as she pulled away from the kiss, still dazed.
When she pulled away he was staring at her with hearts.
"Shall we get going, we'll miss our bus if we wait any longer." He nodded as he held her hand making her squeal internally. Yeah yeah call her a fucking idiot for fawning over this, but she was a romantic at heart.
The ride on the bus seemed normal, they talked as usual about different topics, mainly Steven and she just couldn't help but adore how excited he looked. Only new addition was that Steven held her hand and would have the brightest smile on his face compared to before. He did try to follow her off the bus when they reached her stop, mostly bc he wanted to walk her to work.
Luckily she stopped him, saying how he'll be late for work. He was reluctant and only relented when she offered to meet him for lunch.
Speaking of work, Dane notice how his friend was practically glowing. Ofc he would tease her. Bastard.
"Well you're in a great mood today," he notes.
"Maybe I just got a good night's sleep, you ever thought of that, Dane?" She asked. Dane rolled his eyes.
"Yeah yeah, alright spill," he says, "What's got you all cheery today? You're usually dreading for the morning classes," he said.
He squinted his eyes at her before snapped his fingers. "I got it, you've got a date, didn't you?!"
HOW TF DID HE KNOW?!
"Who told you?!"
"You did! Just now! I knew it! Well go on, who is it? Wait, it's that nerdy gift shopist friend of yours you've been talking to, innit?"
"That's classified information, I have a code when it comes to dating and one of them is to not reveal their identities to friends until after the 8th date!"
"So it is him! Bloody finally! I was getting tired of seeing you two pine over each other like two school yard kids!" Dane said before sticking his head outside of the room, "Oi! Llyod, you owe 20 now! He finally asked her out!"
"You made a betting pool on us?! Dane!!"
She's gonna kill him. But apparently that's against the law, so she settled for smacking his shoulder with her teaching notes instead.
The day went by slowly until lunch arrived. Somehow she was bombared by the kids asking if Steven was with her, some of the kids kinda took a liking to him when he kept adding on to her teachings when he was waiting for her.
She was glad the kids liked him, they called him the funny tired man ever since. And GOD, she'll never let it down if he heard they also call him her boyfriend as well. Though the thought makes her a bit giddy.
She texted Steven she was on her way and took a seat on the bus. She was glad she had no classes to teach right after her lunch break, meaning she gets more time to herself. Usually she would use this time to grade her students work or make more lesson plans but she decided not to this time.
As she was lost in her own thoughts, a certain goddess decided to make her appearance.
"I see you're enjoying yourself with your little boy toy."
Sunny almost screamed but refrained as she held a hand over her heart, "What the fuck?!" She cursed and took a deep breath as she saw Izanami scrolling on her phone.
(Hold on, do goddesses even have phones or allowed to have them at all??? Aren't they supposed to be omnipresent or whatever...)
She took a quick look around and saw a few people around, but they were all lost in their own thoughts or their phones.
"Although you're free to do as you please in your spare time, remember that the spirits remain restless, I'll need you to investigate one that's been causing a scene in the living."
"Jesus can't you get someone else to be your own paranormal cop/detective?!"
"No." Damn, what did she expect really...
"Tonight? Really? Can't you get any of the other gods to help you?"
"I'm afraid you forget that I'm not quite well liked within my own pantheon, besides, none of the other gods will want to meddle with the dead, they find anything regarding the afterlife or is considered cursed to be nothing more than a little stain on their robes."
Yeesh, dramatic much. She's just asking for a break not a damn monolog.
"Be grateful, my dear, you're only doing the bare minimum of interacting and comforting them before helping them pass on."
Sunny rolled her eyes mimicking the goddess. "Meh meh, comfort my ass, tell that to the Crooked Man knock-off slug that literally tied to haunt my possible future boyfriend!"
"I thought you said that you two would be more than friends after the first date."
"Shut up! You know what I mean!" She yelled only to pause as she looked around to see some people staring at her, "Ha, sorry," she said, holding her phone out and pointed to her airpod in her ear, "Bit of a heated argument, sorry!"
"Regardless my little detective, work must be done to return balance in the afterlife. I have faith in you, my dear." She said, patting Sunny's cheek as if she was a child, making her click her tongue and slap her hand away.
"Oh shut it, if I do this you have to give me night of the date off! Agreed?"
Izanami hums before relenting with a nod and a roll of her eyes, "Very well, but don't push you're luck, be grateful that I'm quite fond of you," she said, "Also for your date, please wear something suitable, if I must, I will lend you something from my personal wardrobe."
"Hey, what's wrong with how I dress? It's comfy," Sunny huffed, glancing down at her clothes.
"Hm perhaps if this was dark academia libary date, yes, but if you're dining at a 5 star steakhouse restaurant please do follow the dress code."
"Ok, now that's just rude. There is nothing wrong with how I dress and I'm done with this conversation," she huffed.
"Oh!" Iznami gasped, startling her.
"What? What happened?" The goddess stared at her phone before replying.
"Seems like there's a promotion on those red bean soup from that little noodle shop you like," she said, an odd glee in her eyes.
"For all powerful goddess, you sure do have a knack for special deals from there..."
For some reason the goddess really loved the red bean soup from there and always demanded she get it for her if she was ordering take out from there. before getting off the bus and headed towards the museum.
She immediately went towards the gift shop where she saw Steven. "Steven!" She called out, startling him slightly before he turned and saw her.
"Oh Sunny, love," he said, "You startled me, is it lunchtime already?" He asked.
"Yeah, but I can wait for you while you finish up," she said. She decided to explore the museum exhibits while he finished.
Sunny merely took a quick glance through the ancient exhibits on displayed when she noticed how peeved Izanami looked. Sunny swears she sees a slight pout on her lips. Her thoughts were cut of when she heard her name and saw Steven. When she turned back, Izanami was already gone.
"Alright love, I should be done now," he said as he grabbed his bag.
"Great, let's get going then shall we?" She took his hand and led him out, internally smirking when she saw the look Donna and the security guard up front that had tried to flirt with her last week. Yeah it kinda felt nice to see them gawking at the two in shock.
"So I heard there's this nice cafe, we can have tea and some pastries if you'd like," he suggested.
"Oh that sounds great! Let's go!" She lets him lead her to the cafe, it was nice and cozy. And the pastries were heavenly and absolutely adorable. Reminds her of the cafés when she visited her relatives in Korea.
Steven has mostly talked, ranging from how his day went after they parted to how he notices some of the promotional posters for the Egyptian exhibit were wrong.
"Might have to bring it up to Donna later tonight," he said. She frowned at the mention of his boss.
"You sure you're don't need me to talk to her, listen if anything I'll get Dane to scold her since we'll he's pretty well known bc of his work, maybe she'll listen to him. Or better yet maybe he can help you get another job at a different museum."
"No, love its fine," he sighed.
"God one of these days I'll throttle her for you, she's such a bitch, I'm not even sure why she can't let you be a tour guide, I mean you have a health condition regarding why you're absent and or late, if she knows that then why can't see understand that!" Sunny huffed, though she didn't know it, it warmed his heart at her words.
He didn't think he'd be so lucky to find someone as understanding and kind as her. Maybe life was finally turning around for him.
"Love, it's quite alright, I don't mind as long as I can be close to the Egyptian exhibit, and knowing that you'll be here to listen to me when I'm down makes me feel better."
"You still shouldn't have to go through all that..." she sighed. Steven gave her a small smile.
"Well enough about me, how's your day, love?" He asked.
"The same as always, you know Dane made a damn betting pool on whether we'd go on a date or not?"
"Really, I didn't think of him as the sort to do that," Steven said.
"Oh you'd be surprised on what he does, a little bit unpredictable at times, you know we used the have Tuesday Karaoke nights before but not anymore!"
"Karaoke nights? Just the two of you? You sure I don't have to worry about the two of you being together?" He jokes, but a part of him was curious of their relationship. Maybe he was still a bit jealous deep down.
"Oh no, Dane and I are just friends since college, we met when he was an exchange student at our school. Well, I guess now we're best friends at this point," She said, "We used to frequent a karaoke bar we found in Chinatown. We usually just sit there to eat and drink at the noodle bar while others do karaoke on stage, though recently he's been going through a rough patch because of his girlfriend...being away..." she adds the last part hesitantly.
Yeah it probably wouldn't be smart for her to mention to Steven that Sersi was taken by some weird alien.
"Oh I'm sorry to hear about him and his girlfriend going through it, but maybe the two of us can go one day," Steven suggested. And he knew he hit the jackpot when he saw how her eyes lit up. An adorable sight really.
"Really? Oh my god we should! You'll have a blast there!" She said, shaking her hands from excitement as she was practically vibrating with glee at the thought.
Oh goodness, his heart was gonna burst.
"You're so adorable, love," Steven cooed as he placed his chin under his palms. Yup, he was sure he'd looked like a love sick puppy to others, but honestly he didn't really care, "It's still hard for me to wrap my head around how why you'd accept someone like me."
"Steven, I told you--"
"I know, but still...you probably had a lot of boyfriends in the past I bet, or maybe even girlfriends, I wouldn't blame them."
Sunny lets out a nervous chuckle, "Oh, uh, I really haven't had alot of dating experience really. Maybe like 1 or 2 serious relationships in the past but they didn't really end well."
"Really?" Now Steven was surprised.
"Ha, let's just say that younger me wasn't very well liked....not to say that people hated me or anything, I just was never anyone's first choice....I was just...odd to people."
Yeah, definitely being able to see undead things and spirits definitely makes her odd, she thinks.
"Well that's not right," Steven mutters. "And beside, being normal is overrated anyways," he quips, "I think you're quite pleasant even if you are odd."
"Awww, Steven, you're too kind," she grins, "Well who knows, I'm still hopeful that someone will love me as I am wholely," she said offhandedly as she glanced out the window.
Steven feels his cheeks become hot. A hopeful romantic to a fault, he can't help but wonder if he could be the one. Maybe, maybe not. But he can't help but fantasize at the thought.
"Maybe," he mutters to himself.
The waitress brought them their food. Steven took this moment to thank the waitress as they asked if they needed anything else.
While this happened, Sunny took a small sip of her ice tea and glanced outside the window. Everything seemed normal until she saw it.
Admist the busy streets of London stood a tall looming figure. Neck crooked, eyes hollow and drenched in blood. It's mouth slowly opened, wide enough to reveal its sharp teeth. Seeing its mouth open she saw a face sunken in its mouth, a look of pure agony and terror on its expression
She choked on her own drink, causing Steven to rush over to her side and pat her back as she coughed violently.
"Goodness love, you alright?!"
"J-just went down the wrong pipe, I'm alright," she coughed, looking back out through the window and the creature gone.
"What the fuck..." she mutters before looking back at Steven to see his concern face, "I'm okay, just got spooked, that's all," she said.
"Are you sure, love?" She continued to reassure him before telling him that they should eat their lunch before his break was over.
Steven relented, not sure what to say. He was sure she saw something but when he glanced out it was just the busy London street, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Yeah, fine, let's eat before our food gets cold," she said in hopes that he would leave the subject be.
He did, but continued to give her worried glances ever few minutes.
Somehow lunch went on smoothly after that, but she was still shaken by what she saw. She could hear Izanami complain in the back of her head how the spirits were becoming more bold and restless and that doesn't make her feel better tbh.
Once she dropped Steven back at the museum, she left. She turned to corner only to shout when she ran into a familar ghost wearing shade.
"Oh my God! You again?!" She had an exasperated look, "So what? You're just following me around now?!" She said with more mild annoyance rather than fear the first time she met the ghost.
Yeah she's terrified of the ghosts half of the time, but if they're just going to do things like this the fear suddenly lessens a bit.
"Don't blame them for sticking to you, my dear," Izanami said, appearing beside her again.
"Oh my god!" She jumps, "I swear we to get you a bell or something..." she sighs.
The goddess merely ignored her as she walked and turned around the corner.
This bitch...
She followed after, knowing that the goddess usually doesn't make her appearance unless it involves some stray spirits.
Or maybe to bother her.
She noticed a large crowd forming along side the riverbank. Sirens from the constables car going off in the background.
She saw the goddess standing among the crowd with arms crossed, her eyes staring out into the water.
Sunny heard hush whispers among the crowd, something about a missing woman found dead in the river.
She had a bad feeling about this.
Before she could ask Izanami why they were heard she look out to see a woman standing in the middle of the water, dress in a white night gown.
Oh great.
She gulped and nervously glanced back at the goddess, shifting uncomfortably at the sight of the woman slowly emerging out of the water.
"It's usually rare of me to stumble upon a vengeful spirit in the making," Izanami suddenly commented.
"Woah, wait! 'Vengeful'?!" Sunny squeaked.
"Oh relax my dear, she's not at the stage yet, we can prevent it if we find out reason for her anger."
Sunny grimaced at the thought as the spirit was now before them, the rest of the crowd ignorant to what was happening.
She's had her fair share of encounters with more vengeful spirits and trust her, it's not that great.
"So my dear, I can sense you're angry, may I ask why? Perhaps we can help?"
"...my husband...he did this to me..."
"Hm, I see, I can understand the sentiment..."
"Izanami..." Sunny muttered feeling uncomfortable at the spirit before her. She saw how blood had been trailing down her head and onto her clothes. Her skin a now deathly pale blue color. Not to mention the sudden shift of how thick the air around them felt. She felt that she was going to choke.
"Fine, fine, so you want revenge on your husband I see, I'm assuming he's the one that killed you. Hmm, I'm usually not the one to mess with the living but I suppose I can an exception for this case."
Izanami hummed as she tapped her pointer finger against her chin, "But because it involves the living it will cost you my dear, what do you have to offer to me to fulfill this?"
"Are you really extorting the ghost?!" Sunny gasped.
The spirit contemplated, "I don't have any money on me..."
"Oh, it doesn't have to be of the monetary type, anything you deem of value, it can sentimental as well."
The spirit remained quiet before taking off a ring that was on her finger. Izanami took the ring an inspected it.
"I see, very well, consider it done," she said before tossing it to Sunny, who was startled as she caught it.
She gazed at the ring and notices the very expensive looking diamond attached to the ring, "Holy shit...."
This damn rock could cover her bills for an entire 2 months!
(tw: gore & blood warning)
Before she could ask Izanami what she was gonna do with ring, the spirit suddenly dug her fingers into the side of her skull.
A strange sound of discomfort coming from the back of Sunny's throat at the sight.
The sounds of squelching was heard before the spirit took out a single bullet, covered in red and has bits of possibly brain matter on it.
Sunny grimaced at the sight and turned away, feeling sick as Izanami took the bullet from the spirit.
"I hope you feel at ease, dear," Izanami replied in a soft voice. It was odd hearing the goddess sound so tender and sincere considering how she usually is.
And with that the spirit disappeared. The thick air lifting as she exhaled a deep breath she didn't know she had been holding in.
"So...that's it?" She mutters, taking a look around them. No one had noticed what took place and continued on as normal.
"For now," Izanami replies.
"That's quite ominous of you to say..."
"What do you want me to say, it'll take some time to enact their just revenge, I can't just drop my duties to do just that."
"And those duties are?" Sunny asked. Izanami doesn't replied.
She sighs before leaving the scene and quickly headed back to museums before her next class. The diamond ring seemed heavy in her pocket as she worried what exactly the goddess was planning to do to exact the spirit's revenge.
Nothing good, most likely.
NIGHT TIME - 11:10PM
After work, Sunny had almost all but forgotten the experience from earlier as she walked down the streets towards the bus stop.
Dane offered to wait for her like usual, but he seemed a bit jittery, almost anxious. She decided that maybe he was still worried about Sersi.
So she declined, telling him to head home for the night. She sighed as she walked past a few buildings hoping to catch the last bus or maybe even a cab at this point.
She had been deep in her own thoughts relaying today's events when she heard a sudden clash.
She jumped as she turned to see what it was. Some nearby trash can were knocked over, a part of her wants thinks it's the wind, but she knows it's not the case.
Call her paranoid, but when you've spent years dealing with ghost, it doesn't hurt to be cautious.
Sunny hastily made her way towards the end of the street, gripping her phone in one hand.
God how she wished she brought her baseball bat with her. She took a quick glance over her shoulder to see nothing when-
"What are you doing?"
She screamed as she turned to see Izanami standing before her.
"Oh god," she gasped, "Stop doing that, you're gonna give me a heart attack one day..."
Izanami frowned, "I wouldn't let that happen."
"That's oddly comforting to hear..." Sunny said, "Well since you're here, have...have you noticed anything odd around here?"
Izanami raised a brow at her, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, you know something...well, something that involves the dead?"
Before the goddess could speak, all the lights before them had suddenly shut off. The two stared at each other before a few minutes later the lights turned back on, only with a red hue.
"This is new..." Izanami notes, sounding quite suprised. Sunny shushes the goddess, hearing something in the distance.
"...do you hear that?" The two paused, listening closely. It sounded like footsteps. Along with some heavy breathing.
The two glanced at each other before they saw it.
A large looming figure with four elongated limbs protruding from its torso. The portion where it's head should be had multiple eyes all over it and slit across its face representing its mouth.
Oh shit.
Sunny gasped, but Izanami quickly placed her hand over her mouth, shushing her.
"Don't," she whispered, "Don't make a sound. Just slowly back away and hide into the alley while it passes..." she said, slowly lowering her hand from Sunny's mouth and gripped her arm to follow her lead.
She nodded as they backed away slowly, keeping their eyes on the creature. They continued walking back until they stumbled upon some trash cans that were laying about on the sidewalk.
The creature suddenly turned its head towards them, slowly emerging as it faced them.
"Well this is bad," Izanami mutters.
"Yeah, you think!? Can't you do something about that thing?!"
"I can't do anything against that thing!"
"But you're a god! One that oversees the underworld specifically!" Sunny jumps as the creature lets out a growl.
"Yes, but under certian circumstances, I have no control over that foul beast!"
"So you're basically useless to me right now! Great, what's the point in being bothered by an all powerful god if they can't even have the power to protect you?!" Sunny snapped, "Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!"
"Quit talking and just run!"
Sunny did just that as she dipped into the nearby alleyway, hearing the creature let out a shriek and chase after her.
She screamed as it slammed into the side of the building. She kicked an unstable plank holding some crates to collapse and fall over in hopes to temporarily stop the creature.
She panted as ducked under some fencing rails and slipped into a smaller alleyway that had exited out into a more open alleyway.
She paused, sensing that the creature was nowhere nearby. For a second she felt a bit of ease.
She took a step back before her foot stepped on something. She glanced down to see a small pendant. She knelt down to picked it up and quickly inspected it. It was gold with inscriptions embossed on it.
The inscription was in kanji, she'll have to ask Izanami what it says then.
She stood straight and pulled out her phone to see where she was at when she heard a faint whisper.
She paused, slowly hearing the whisper grow more louder and more frantic. She held her breath and glanced over her shoulder to see a ghostly looking woman, her hands covering her face as she let out sobs.
Sunny took a step back as the woman removed her hands and stared at her with a vacant expression before a large wide grin was seen.
A distorted giggle left their lips before their head suddenly split open, revealing a large inflated one with large bulging eyes and a wide grin with sharp teeth snapping at her.
"Are you fucking with me--" she ducked as it lurched forward, slamming itself against the wall behind her. She ran as it let out fits of giggles and clattering before it followed after her.
"Izanami, if you can hear me throughout all this chaos, I swear to fucking God, if you don't tell me what the fuck is going I'm gonna fucking lose it!"
Well there's no reason to be so crude about it!
"Izanami!"
Alright, alright! I'm afraid I'm not sure why so many ghastly spirits are emerging at this time, were not even close to the night parade yet...
"The what now?!"
Never mind that, just keep running and take a left, it'll lead you through an alley in front of the apartment building---duck!!
Sunny gasped and suddenly ducked, rolling on her side as a large arm shot its way out between the walls out of nowhere. She winced as she hit her head against the pavement, a small cut was seen above her left brow.
She pressed her fingers above her brow when she felt something trickle down her face.
Great. Blood.
She lets out groan as she stood back up to see the arm crawling around to find her. She stepped back as the arm swiped at her.
She glanced over to see a wooden board and grabbed it as she hit the arm over and over again as it tried to grab her. The arm stilled before disappearing into black smoke.
A huff escaped her lips as she threw the board away. She recalled Izanami saying if she slipped through the upcoming alley it would lead her to the front of the apartment building.
The air was still thick, she glanced down the end of the alley to see the second spirit she had saw earlier, staring back at her. The distorted giggles and clatter were heard.
She held her bag close to her before the spirit suddenly disappeared. A slight sense of relief washed over her, although only temporarily before Izanami spoke.
Best make haste now, I can still sense the foul beast close by.
Speak of the devil, a loud shriek was heard before she turned to see the first spirit at the very end.
"Seriously?!" She quickly slipped into alley and found herself in front of the apartments. She rushed inside, shut the front door and staring out through the small window to see the spirit slowly disappear with the wind.
She sighed and placed her head against the door frame. She hate this.
Slowly Sunny made her way towards the lift and pressed the button to her floor. She could feel herself on edge as she glanced around the lift. No spirits popping out of nowhere like the last time.
She saw herself in the reflection, God she looked like shit. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes all rumpled up and a mess, and the bleeding cut above her brow.
Glad that no one was around at least.
Once she reached her floor, she hastily turned back and exited the lift, paranoia and adrenaline still filling her system before she heard a voice.
"Shit are you okay?"
She quickly turned to see Steven, his eyes wide as he took in her appearance. He was dressed differently than usual and his messy unkempt curls was pushed back. And the accent was off, but slightly different than the last time.
On any normal day, she would have pointed it out, but her mind was frazzled and too much of a mess to notice.
"Oh god, Steven?"
"I--" he didn't get a chance to speak when she rushed in to hug him. Her body relaxed, all the adrenaline slowly left her and the exhaustion settled in.
He stiffened, unsure how to react. He was just worried when he saw a woman all banged up left the lift.
She had called him Steven, meaning she knew the other alter. Shit.
He swallowed thickly before wrapping his arms around her, "Hey, it'll be fine, you're okay..." he said.
He pulled away as he looked over at the cut she had. It wasn't too bad but he'll need to patch her up.
"What happened?" He asked, doing his best put on the same accent Steven always had.
"Umm..." she shifted uncomfortably and looked away. She didn't think telling him what happened would be a good idea.
He noticed that she was uncomfortable and decided not to push now, it didn't look like nothing dire had happened to her if you know what he means.
"Hey, you don't have to tell me, but we should do something about that cut though," he said.
"Oh yeah..." she paused, "I, uh, I have a first aid kit in my flat..."
He nodded as she took out her keys to unlocked the door to her flat. Inside she switched the lights on.
The inside was similar to Steven's but definitely more spacious and had another extra small room.
Everything looked simple and neat, some vine decor above the curtains to give some more color.
"Uh, the first aid is in that top cabinet there," she pointed as she dropped onto the couch in the middle of the living room area.
He nodded as he went to the cabinet and grabbed the first aid. She huffed and laid back onto the couch.
As he grabbed the first aid, he noticed her id card settling down on the counter. He caught a glance and noticed the name making him freeze.
Shit.
He took a deep breath before heading back to where she was at, "Hey," he called out, startling her awake, "You need to stay awake for a bit, don't know if you've gotten a concussion or not..."
"I'll be fine, I didn't really hit my head that hard..."
"So you did hit your head, even more of a reason you should stay awake."
He paused as he took some alcohol wipes and move her bangs to the side as he pressed them lightly onto the cut.
"Ouch," she mutters, wincing slightly at the pain.
"Sorry, should've warned you that it'll hurt."
"Its fine, it's not that bad," she said.
"So...we gonna talk how you got all banged up?"
"I...uh, fell down the stairs..." she hoped he'd buy it.
He had a look on his face, his brows scrunched together before sighing, "Sure."
Once he was done, he placed a plaster over the cut and put the first aid kit away. Silence fell between the two. He felt anxious.
"I, uh, listen I gotta go, have something to do real quick."
She hummed, "Ok," she mutters, heavily tired as she closed her eyes. He noticed that she was about to fall asleep. She didn't look like she had a concussion when he checked her head. So he deemed it safe for her to sleep.
"Let's get you to bed, otherwise you'll wake up with a crink in your neck if you sleep here," she hummed in response as he helped her up.
He managed to find her room and placed her on the bed. He tucked under the duvet before sighing. He waited for a moment before he heard her breathing even out, signaling that she was fast asleep.
"Night Sunshine," he mutters before leaving for the night to do a moon God's bidding.
pairing(s): steven grant/fem!oc for this part mainly (platonic dane/fem!oc, mentions of dane/sersi, eternals reference mentioned)
summary: Sunny Lee is adjusting to living in London, and a fearful encounter with a ghost leads her to hiding out at the British Museum on her way home from work.
warning(s): mental health illness, possible inaccurate depictions of DID (I tried my best to research tho in spare time, also based on events in the show), horror elements, gore/blood elements
author's note: ok so here my fic idea, but it's bare bones bc I haven't been in the best mood to write this down properly but I wanted to share this idea with everyone else. It's very messy so sorry about that. Probs some gaps in between but I'll fill it in a more edited version.
Other than that enjoy this word vomit bullet point for my fic idea.
Red italicized is Izanami either speaking or in Sunny's head & italicized is speaking in Korean
NEXT》
5 years. 5 years had passed since the Snap. Half of the entire population of the Earth disappeared. And only 1 year since the Avengers correct that.
5 years, yet it felt like 5 seconds to her. She remembers being in her room. Her brother had just turned 18 last she saw him. He'll be 24 in less than 2 months from now. She was supposed to be 34 but Sunny Lee still sees herself as 28, it was the age she last remembered her to be prior to the Snap.
The Blip returned the missing other billions of people on Earth, but there was still the aftermath to deal with. People lost their jobs, homes, their livelihood from the past 5 years. Sunny was fortunate enough that her parents still lived in the same house she disappeared in before explains to her what happened.
And with her return, a voice screeched so loudly in her head.
"Thank goodness, that you're back! Ungrateful that the other gods from the other pantheons did nothing to restore the balance of life and death?! Absolutely wretched--"
"Shut up."
Ok that was a bad idea to say that to a goddess, but her head was spinning. Thankfully the voice didn't say any more, she assumed that the goddess knew that her mind was still processing things..
What did her parents and siblings mean that 5 years has passed? It was still 2018 right? Right?!
Unfortunately it was not, its now 2024, a year passed since then and now Sunny is living in London. A new work opportunity arrived through her old college friend Dane. Said that there was a teaching position open to teach kids about palentology, her second love next to photography and painting. Blame Jurassic Park for that.
She took it, not like she had any other options since her old job unofficially let her go within the last 5 years she was gone. Great.
So here she was.
"Ugh. What a day." Another day of teaching. She didn't mind though, the kids were nice and they were interested in today's topic.
"Rough day with the kids?" Dane asked. The two were off and were walking down the road to the bus.
"When is it not? I love the kids but sometimes they're a bit to rowdy for me. Maybe I should switch to teaching college student like you."
"Well you know me, children make me nervous."
"So I've heard many times before," she scoffed. A sudden silence fell among them before she spoke again, "anyways how are you holding up? You know with Sersi and, erm, well...."
Though she wouldn't have believed herself unless she saw it (and she did while the 3 of them were walking home from work when some creature attacked them, and she thought she had it bad with the ghosts, she also admitted to Dane that she sees ghost, he took it oddly well), but Dane girlfriend was apparently an alien wizard? Well maybe not a wizard (but her tricks sure damn make her seem like one) but an alien for sure.
She had apparently been taken back by...whatever that thing was that took her. And apparently Dane hadn't been doing to well. How could she blame him, they were the sickly epitome of the "honeymoon phase" it was obvious he was devastated he couldn't do anything.
"My best...as best I can really," lately Dane had been distant. Their usually nightly talks on the phone were cut short along with their Tuesday night karaoke and drinks which had all ceased together. Sunny thinks it's because of what happened with Sersi so she didn't push.
"Ok. Ok," she nods, she didn't want to say anymore. Or at least nothing he haven't heard before. She can relate to what it's like to lose someone. Although Sersi wasn't dead, not to their knowledge at least (they're hopeful that she still alive, but maybe imprisoned of sorts with the other remaining Eternals that were on Earth).
"Well what about you, last we talked, you were complaining about being a bit lonely."
"Oh let it go. I was going through a sad episode after watching my dramas," she groaned as the atmosphere around them lightened a bit.
"Perhaps it's time to go on a date, you know use those silly old dating apps instead of letting the voice in your head lead you to the catacombs" oh pass! No way she'll do that.
"Yeah no, I don't think so...." she mutters.
"Fine well then at least try to meet new people, I'm worried that I'm the only friend you have." Ouch. Harsh but true.
"You are the only friend I have."
"See!" "Don't see me! You know exactly why you're my only friend! You think people can accept the notion of someone seeing ghosts so easily like you?!"
The two continued bickering until a cab pulled up before them.
"Are you sure you don't want me to see you home?" Dane asked, "You know I wouldn't mind."
"I'm fine, I've been doing this since I've gotten here, plus I doubt the God in my head would let me die from some petty mugging," she told him, pushing him into the cab first, insisting that she'll just take the next one.
Dane seemed apprehensive, but relented after threatening her to text him as soon as the next cab arrived and once she was home (or if any trouble happens, thought it went unsaid).
Once he was gone, she stood in place, waiting for the next cab. She was alone with her thoughts, oddly it was peaceful not to hear the goddess' voice every second and to also not be forced to help a very deadly ghost pass onto the next life.
She notices the headlights of a cab come close and raises her hand to hail it over when she took notice of a woman just a few feet away from her.
Huh. How come she didn't notice the woman before? The cab was nearing close, and usually Sunny would let the woman go first, but she's tired and also clearly exhausted. Plus it was late and she was here first.
"Excuse me, I hate to be like this but I was hear first," she said slowly, the woman turned her head. Odd, why would anyone be wearing sunglasses at night?
An odd chill ran down her spine as she shifted in her place uncomfortably. I mean, the woman did see her waiting for the cab first right?
"I mean...you did see me standing here first right?" She voiced her thoughts out. There was a short silence before the woman replied.
"I didnt..." the woman's hand reached toward her glasses before pulling it off, "I can't see."
She lets out a yelp before using one hand to cover her mouth. In place of where the woman's eyes were supposed to be, were instead two bloodied, gouged out holes. HOLY FUCKINF SHIT!! She wants to cry, she's gonna fucking cry!
She took a step back as the ghost had her hands out, trying to find where Sunny was.
She stared at the ghost, slowly inching more and more away until her feet accidentally knocked some trash over, gaining the ghost attention and grabbed her arm, making her jump.
A scream left her lips as she tore her arm away from the ghost and fell backwards. Forget the damn cab! She need to gtfo of here now!
Without a second thought she got back up (stumbling a bit) and turned back to run, God knows where though.
Tbh maybe should should have thought this through as she ran down the streets with a blind ghost slowly following behind but the fear when the ghost had grabbed her made her lose all rationale honestly
While Sunny was running away in panic, a certain Goddess watching, shaking her head.
"Hm, its always the scary ones she attracts hm?" The goddess mumbles before following after.
Tbh she had been running for a bit now and she could still hear the ghost trailing slowly behind. Maybe she needed a place to hide while the ghost passes.
Sure, but where the fuck is she gonna hide at?? She glanced across the street and saw the British Museum. She quickly makes her way to the front to see it was still open despite it being so late. Great, hiding spot found!
She didn't waste time as she slipped through the door, crouching behind a pillar close to the entrance. She waited as she saw the ghost across the street. A few moments of lingering before the ghost disappeared into a different direction. Oh thank god--
"Hello?" She lets out a scream as she turned to see a man with dark curls and very tired brown eyes.
The man jumps at her scream, dropping the two boxes he was carrying in his hands and was trying to calm her down, "Oh god, I'm so sorry I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that! I'm such a bloody knob!" He apologized. Sunny calmed herself, taking a deep breath and placed one hand on the pillar she was leaning on and the other one her hips.
"Oh God, no, I-um-" she took another deep breath before turning to him. Oh shit, its her cute neighbor! And here she was looking like a mess in front of him, so much for making a good first conversation with him.
"Um, it's fine, sorry," she said again, "I was...erm I was just hiding out for a bit, you know?" She shrugged not really trying to give out anymore info than needed.
"Oh? Like from some shoddy ex or something like that?" He guessed. Oh great, a perfect lie to bounce off of now! Thank you cute neighbor!
"Yeah, something like that," she lied. You know like a liar. She cleared her throat before standing up straight, "Again, I'm sorry for screaming like that, I was kinda pumped full of adrenaline from running to find a hiding spot."
"Oh no, it's quite alright, I should be the one to apologize, I don't know why I thought it'd be smart of me to sneak up on a very pretty woman like you, you just seemed familiar for a moment that's all," he said, rambling over his words.
What? She blinked, taking in his words before saying: "You think I'm pretty????" The way his eyed grew comically large would have made her laugh if it weren't for the fact she's still a bit on edge from the ghostly encounter she had (and maybe slightly stunned from his comment).
"O-oh well, I mean yes, but-oh bullocks, I mean I'm sure you've probably heard this before from others, yeah?" He stutters, a big flush on his cheeks. She blinks.
"You're cute, bus boy," she says. Well at least they both made a fool out of themselves in front of each other.
"Sorry?" He blinks this time.
"Um, well we're neighbors, kinda, we also take the same bus every morning, sometimes you sleep on my shoulders when you sit down next to me." And you're cute but she doesn't say it out loud this time.
Hearing this his face becomes even more red upon hearing this. "Oh bloody-! No wonder you look familiar, I'm terribly sorry about that, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you--"
"Its fine, you looked like you needed it so I didn't bother waking you up usually," she answered with a smile.
She glanced at the fallen box filled with assortment of items, paperweight, plushies, and some other trinkets, "Oh god I'm sorry, here let me help you!"
"No, no, it's fine-" he tried to stop her but she's already reaching down to pick everything up for him, and picked up one of the boxes, "Its fine, it was my fault to begin with, me sneakin' up on you."
"Its alright, it's the least I could do for making you drop everything, I did look kinda suspicious hiding over here."
"Maybe just a bit," Ooh, he's a little sassy one huh. She lets out a soft chuckle.
"Sorry," she says, still holding the box in hand before realizing, "O-oh uh, where would you like me to put these at?" she asks. He blinks as if he in deep thought before she spoke to him.
"Oh yes, right! Well if you're going to be stubborn about it," he led her back to the gift shop where he was planning on restocking before the end of his shift. He stumbles overs his words as he introduced himself. Steven Grant. Steven with a V, he added.
Cute, she thinks.
She followed him where he told her that he worked at the museum's gift shop.
"Really meet any interesting people that stop by?" She asked.
"Not really," he shrugged, "Usually, just the normal tourists and students from school trips, but even then they don't seem as interested in most of the exhibits," he sighs, placing one box on the front table. She did the same with the box in her hands and noticed how Egyptian theme was their main seller.
"Cute," she mutters as she picked up a hippo plushie, playing with its arms. Steven smiles as she handed the plush to him.
"Not exactly accurate if you ask me, yeah?" He says, "This is supposed to be the goddess Taweret. She represents motherhood and childbirth, there's myths of her having a violent nature hence why shes usually depicted as a hippo," Steven explains before moving onto the plushie of Anbuis. Sunny smiled and nodded as he went off an Egyptian tangent.
She was impressed and genuinely intrigued, he was like walking Egyptian Wikipedia. The way his eyes lit up as he talked about Egypt was endearing, it made him more lively. Thinking on this, she found it odd if he knew so much on ancient Egyptian civilization and culture.
"Why are you a gift shopist if you know so much about Egypt?" She couldn't help but ask, "I'm sorry but wouldn't you be best suited as maybe one of the tour guides instead?" Once she saw him visibly deflate she felt her heart clench.
"Unfortunately no one's interested in me being a tour guide, too bloody useless as my boss always says," SAYS WHO?!
"Wae?! Who said that huh?! I dont think you're useless Steven, maybe a little dorky but definitely not useless," she said, "If you ask me, I think you'd make a great tour guide!"
He was startled by the sudden Korean, but his eyes lit up at what he did understand, cheeks now pink, "You think so?"
"Of course, anyone who take one look at you when you talk about Egypt would know how knowledgeable you are," she said.
Steven smiles at her, eyes bright and wide. She felt her heart burst at how absolutely stunning he looks.
"I'm sorry I realize we've been talking for a bit but I haven't gotten your name," he said.
"Oh. Oh! Right, I'm Sunny," he give her a look, "It's not actually my name, its a nickname since people tend to mispronounce my name often," she added.
Sunny, cute nickname, he thinks.
"Yeah, I can relate with others not getting your name right too," he mutters. Remembering how his coworkers barely remember to get his name right. Before he could say anything else, a loud voice interrupted two.
Apparently it was his boss, a short blonde woman that kept chewing on some gum. Sunny frowned as she berated Steven. How could anyone be mean to someone so cute like him? He was a precious puppy.
She's gonna protect this puppy now.
His boss continued to chew him out for bothering the guest. He makes himself look small, a stark contrast to how he looked just minutes earlier as she continued to berate and call him useless.
She didn't like that at all.
"Actually, I'm just waiting for Steven to finish up soon, we have plans to grab some late night tea and snacks before heading back home," Sunny said. The woman looks up at her, eyeing her up and down.
"Stevie, I didn't think you'd had it in you," his boss said, "Or any friends for that matter." Tf does that supposed to mean?! He's a literal cutie pie!
She sees the look he has, exhausted. Exasperated even, with a tinge of hurt in his eyes at her last comment. An absolute bitch.
Confrontation wasn't something she was found of, she liked to stay in her lane and minded her own business. Her eyes glance back over at Steven and she stand ups straight.
She could tell that the blonde woman was relishing in Steven's nervousness as he looked down at his feet.
Yeah, she really doesn't like that at all.
"Well, I can assure Steven is much more capable than you think, Miss..." She glanced down at her name tag, "...Donna..." she says with a tight lipped smile, "Quite dependable, really, unlike some who people I've seen so far," Steven face flushed under Sunny's comment.
"In fact Steven here was also telling me some interesting facts about the mueseum, I was disappointed to hear that he wasn't a tour guide here, I'm sure the children I teach would have loved him," she said, "Suppose I'll have to find some other museum that seems to have more competent workers that don't berate other employees for helping out their patrons. Oh what a shame," she says, feigning a look of disappointment on her face.
The way Donna puffs her cheeks, Steven couldn't help but stare in awe. Bloody fantastic she was. Sunny smiled as she could tell the woman was trying to think of a remark but left, not before yelling at Steven to go back to work.
Once she was gone, Steven took a deep breath before turning back to her, "That was bloody brilliant," he says, "I can't believe you just did that," a short laugh escapes from his lips, "You don't know how many times I've wanted to tell her off," he said.
"Neither did I, not really a fan of confrontation but I couldn't stand there and let her put you down like that," Sunny said. He felt himself in a daze, wondering how he ended up here.
He was having a bad day, he woke up late and missed the bus (barely making it to work but was still chewed out by Donna). He had to deal with irritable customers for the whole day and he was going to restock the gift shop before leaving when he stumbled into Sunny and now here he was.
"You really didn't have to wait for me, dear," Steven said as he restocked the display front.
"It's fine, I get to hide out here as well so it's a win-win for me," she replied.
"From your ex, right?" He asked, "Well they must be a right twit for bothering you to this extent?"
"Uh yeah, the ex..." she nodded, looking away from him. Definitely not the ghost she was trying to hide from. Tbh she rather be faced with a pushy ex than this, at least she could punch them in face for bothering her. Ghosts not so much...
Once Steven was done with his shift, the two left the museum (although Sunny took a moment to gaze around the area before moving, not taking another chance to encounter another ghost) they made their way towards a korean food truck. She ordered him some kimbap (veggie, rice, seaweed roll) since he had mentioned that he was vegan.
Steven was nervous, he's never has anyone to walk home with. Especially a very pretty woman. One that's also his neighbor as well. He held the, oh what did she call it? Kimbap? In one hand as she explained what it was made of to him.
He felt his heart squeeze as she took into note that he was vegan (despite that it was just a simple offhand comment). He's never tried Korean food before, so he was ecstatic to try it out.
They sat down by a fountain, eating their food. It was fucking delicious.
"Oh wow, never tried korean cuisine before," he took a bit of his kimbap. Her eyes lit up as she leaned close to him.
"Oh you should come over to my place, I can cook some for you if you'd like!" She suggested, eating some of her dumplings. He thought he was gonna choke. He coughed as she reached over and patted his back.
"Oh my god, are you alright, Steven?!" He took a moment before telling her that he was fine.
"J-just startled that's all," he says. His face was burning now. After they ate, they headed back home, once they neared the front of their apartment.
After that night, the two seemed to continued to talk to one another, walking to the bus stop and meeting each other for lunch.
Dane gave her an earful when he found out what happened but it quickly turned to teasing as he found out how she fancies her neighbor.
"Is that him?" Dane pointed out one day as the two were walking out of the classroom to see Steven nervously standing by the entrance, clutching his messenger bag, "He definitely your type," he nods.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" She elbows him before making her way towards Steven, "Steven, what are you doing here?" She asked. He smiles before noticing Dane. He felt his chest tighten and frowns slightly. Jealousy was a disease they say. Although Steven doesn't really want to admit such a thing.
"I had an early shift today and I thought of visiting you," he said, "Even bought some lunch for you as well," he added.
She felt her heart swell. Why was he such a cute and sweet guy? Dane cleared his throat, gaining both of their attention, "Oh, right! Steven this is Dane. Dane, Steven," she introduced. The two men stare one another, staring each other down before Steven smiles.
"Cheers, mate," he said, "I don't think she's mentioned you before."
Dane looks at her and grins. She's gonna kill him.
"Oof, this is how you treat your best friend?" Dane feigned hurt, "Well, she's mentions you often," Dane teases, "Something about the cute gift shopist that likes to eat her homemade kimbap."
She smacks Dane before turning to Steven, telling him to ignore her before she leads him away, "Have fun, remember to stay safe! And don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Dane calls out.
Yeah she's definitely gonna kill him.
So, Sunny's sure she has a huge crush on Steven. I mean who wouldn't? Hes a sweet and charming man with the most kindest eyes. And Steven had definitely fancied Sunny ever since he saw her moved in and the time he saw her talking on the phone when she stepped onto the lift (he would die before he'd admit that to her). But ofc the two were nervous to make any moves on each other.
Steven decided to wait until she was done with her job before they walked home. Truthfully he knew she was teacher, but he didn't know she working here. He was in awe at some of the displays and artworks. Once they had lunch, he sat in the back of the classroom when the students returned.
And goodness did he gush as she interacted with the children. He felt his cheek hurt at how much he was smiling as she knelt down and use two toy dinosaurs for her presentation. The way childen giggled and laugh at her quips and how eager they all looked.
Ok maybe, yeah. Maybe it might be more than a crush for him (again he'll die before he admits it out loud to her or anyone else for that matter).
Once done for the day, they left. They talked on the bus ride, mostly Steven asking her more about her job.
Sunny obliges and tells him how she originally was a photographer for an art exhibit before working her (she leave out the details of her being blipped tho) and had doubled majored in photography and palentology.
Steven thought the combination was odd until she told him she was loved Jurassic Park with the brightest gleam in her eyes.
Cute. He makes a note to watch Jurassic Park to talk to her about it at a later date.
They soon arrived at the front of their apartment complex. As they walked near the entrance, Sunny noticed something in the corner of her eyes.
She jumps as she saw Izanami standing across the street. The goddess stared at her, dressed in a black stylish dress and held a black umbrella in one had and wilted white lilies in in other. What the fuck, always the one for dramatic huh?! Why couldn't she just leave her alone?!
Seeing this Steven placed a hand on her shoulders. "Are you alright, love?" He asked.
"Uh, y-yeah, let's go in, it's starting to become a bit chilly," she said, taking his hand and headed inside, taking the elevator to their floor.
Steven berated himself for acting like a stupid school boy with a crush as she held his hand. Feeling flustered and his hands becoming clammy.
She hastily pushed Steven inside first before taking a quick glance back to see the goddess gone. A soft sigh left her lips before she heard a voice.
"Make haste, dear, the spirits are growing restless tonight."
SHUT UP Sunny thinks as she lead Steven to the lift.
Steven doesn't say it but he noticed the shift in her posture suddenly. She's jittery and her hands are shaking. He wonders if she saw something that spooked her.
She leans and press the button to their floor, when she hears it.
"3rd floor please..." "Oh sure," she mutters to herself. "Who are you talking to, love?" Steven asks.
Sunny blinks. She looks back at him before glancing over her shoulders quickly and she sees it.
The head of a pale, ghastly woman hanging from the top of the lift. She feels her legs about to give out and grips Steven's shoulder from falling.
"Oh dear, are you alright?" "Y-yup just peachy!" She stuttered and leaned against the wall next to the buttons, hastily pressing on the open doors button.
"Are you sure you're quite alright? You're looking quite pale now! Are you feeling sick?"
"I think I just need some air, don't worry much about it, look see where here!" As soon as the door open she stumbled out and took a deep breath.
Steven doesn't say anything but he's concerned for her and helps her to her flat with his arms wrapped securely around her, "Are you sure you're quite alright, do you need me to call someone to take care of you? I would offer to stay but I don't want to overstep if it makes you uncomfortable," he added.
She was about to reply when the lights in hall started flickering. Steven looks up frowning, "Bloody hell, there's always something wrong with these damned lights. I should call it in for the landlord tonight."
Sunny knows it wasn't some faulty electricity or wiring going on, she glance behind him and saw another ghost. This one more gruesome than the one she saw in the lift.
She did her best not to throw up at the sight.
It stood tall, its neck longated and twisted. Warts and puss all around with two dark holes where she assume it's eyes were supposed to be.
She stumbles back against the door, staring at the creature. Steven asks her again what's wrong and notices her staring behind him. He tried to glance but she heard a voice to stop him.
"If he glances at the creature, it'll follow him."
"No wait!" She grasp his head to look at her instead. Faces close to each other. She feels her cheeks heat up as she stares into his eyes then at his lips. He does the same thing.
Before long she pulled him closer for a kiss, it wasn't long but she hoped it was enough for the spirit to disappear from them. He took a second to process her lips on his before slowly kissing back. The kiss was awkward, a simple peck on the lips before she felt him press his lips harder against her. It was oddly cute how he tried his best. Had it been anyone else she'd stop and cringe. After a few seconds, she pulled away and glanced behind him again.
The spirit was gone for now. She lets out a sigh and placed her head on his chest before it suddenly hits her.
Oh god.
OH MY GOD!
She stares back at Steven who seemed just as shocked as she was. He was in a daze, blinking every so seconds to fully process what had happened.
"Oh," she squeaks, pulling away from him as she covers her lips with her hands. What the fuck. She can't believe she did that.
"I..." he opens his mouth, but Sunny doesn't want to hear him, scared that he might have regretted it.
"Bye!" She opens the door to her flat and slams the door in his face before he could say any more. She leaned against the door and slid down to sit on the floor of her flat, face red and in hand from embarrassment.
"What the fuck," she gasps softly, "Why? Why did I do that?! Oh God, he's never gonna want to talk to me again!"
Meanwhile, Steven stood outside dumbly. He blinked and he was suddenly home, he glanced around and felt his eyes grow heavy and tired. He didn't want to sleep just yet, he want to go up to her door and ask her if she felt the same. Maybe take her out on a date.
Steven blacks out.
ONE WEEK LATER
Sunny sighed as she sat in her room. It's been a week since she kissed Steven that night. No calls, texts, and anything. She hadn't seen him either. She knew she shouldn't have done that and shut the door on him out of panic. Maybe at least talk to him to apologize for that part, and tell him to forget it if he didn't have any feels for her outside of platonic ones. God she's an absolute idiot.
She would have thought he was ignoring her but she hadn't seen him all week, even his bitchy boss said Steven hadn't been in. So where was he?
Apart of her was worried something has happened to him. God forbid that was the case.
She was deep in thought when she heard the door knock. Sighing, she stood up and opened the door. She was startled to see Steven at the door.
His posture too. Steven was always hunched over to a degree, keeping his head down and arms fidiling with the sleeve of his shirt. Now he was standing straight and more loose compared to before. He even looked taller despite how they were close in height.
"Steven? Oh my god, are you alright? Where were you? I haven't seen you all week!" Before she could ask him anymore, he placed his hands on her cheeks. She stopped, taking in his appearance.
Instead of his usual wide and soft eyes they looked different. Hard, sharp, narrowed and almost wild--feral even.
She blinks, "S..Steven?"
This kiss was hard, filled with fire and passion. He lightly nipped and sucked on her bottom lips. Definitely more experienced than the first one. Shivers ran down her back as one hand went down to the small of her back and pulled her closer, as if scared that she would disappear from his grasp.
He stared at her, thumbs brushing against her cheeks as if taking in this moment before he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, unlike that night she kissed him -- soft lips pressed together and nervous teeth clattering together -- that kiss was inexperienced and gentle.
This was different.
When he pulled away, he panted heavily as he press his forehead against hers. Her cheeks were flushed as he pressed her body against his, she didn't realize it before but Steven was surprisingly muscular. Oh god how didn't she notice that before until now?!
"...can I take you on a date?" He says softly, but his voice was low and deeper than usual, and she thinks his accent is slightly different than his usually posh Brit one. She thinks it's because of the lack of air from the kiss just now and doesn't think much on it.
No thoughts, head empty from the kiss.
"Hm?!" She squeaks at his response. He lets out a low chuckle and pecks her lips.
Was that a fucking smirk? Since when did Steven know how to smirk???
Her mind was swirling as she tried to process what had happened. But it's fried.
He ran one hand down her back and rested it on her hip, "A date," he says, "Can I take you out on one? This Friday, I heard there's a good steakhouse," he added.
"....okay."
"I, uh," she blinked once more, "but aren't you vegan?" She asked.
He chuckles again. "Yeah, but I wanted to give you a good time," he said with such ease. Like he knew she would ask him that, "Don't worry about me, I can just order some salad for myself."
He smiled softly, this time. Resembling more of how she remembers him as, but it was off somehow, "Great." He kissed her lips once again, "I'll text you the details, night," he added before leaving.
moon knight fic idea that I had brewing in my head for 2 months but I can't push myself to write right now bc I'm having writer's block ofc
Might write them down as headcanons/bullet points to have them down before making this idea more concrete
fem!oc used for this fic idea btw! (can be read as a reader insert as well if you so choose as, but written this idea with an oc in mind), also lots of Japanese and other Asian mythology that I find would fit the story in mind, also I'm Asian so why tf not let me project a bit ok???
fic idea:
Imagine oc being able to see ghost and spirits (more specifically yokai and anything close to the sort) since childhood. Terrifying really.
Demon paralysis be damned when you open your eyes to see a literal shadow figure staring down at you. Panic attack ensue.
Oh yeah, did she mention the voice in her head guiding her on what to do with these spirits and how to handle them, yeah that's a thing too...
Apparently they're the goddess Izanami, overseer of the underworld Yomi. Fantastic.
She also mentions how more spirits are running amok and unchecked bc APPARENTLY THANOS' SNAP HAD FUCKED THE BALANCE OF LIFE AND DEATH. So I guess those that disappeared weren't actually dead but literally just ceased to exist and it threw Yomi is a disarray of chaos.
Basically the goddess was pissed. So now oc is their unwilling paranormal detective, being forced to faces these horrendous spirits so they can pass on. Fucking fantastic.
Also the Blip actually made it worse too. Great.
Apparently there's some consequences of being forced to help these spirits
They're not limited to out of body experience while taking the train home, usually with oc being in the place of the memory of the spirits that were either before or lead to their deaths. Awesome. More nightmare fuel for her ig.
While this happens to her mentally, physically her body will either be unconscious, spaced out, or even moving on its own unconsciously.
When she sleeps they become vivid nightmares she can't remember usually, only the terror she felt. Sometimes she'll find bruises and scratches on her and remember only bits of what happened. Night terrors. Check. Bodily harm. Check.
Works in the museum both Dane and Sersi works at too bc I can and pls Jeremy add some Dane/Steven/Marc interactions for season 2 pls I'm on my knees
Dane was said to make an appearance in Moon Knight originally but they didnt know how to add him so Dane is now in this fic bc idk what to do with this info now.
Dane and her are friends and friends only. He helped her get a job bc she's out of one bc she was Snapped.
Oh right she was snapped, forgot to mention that lol.
Yes she knows Sersi is an alien wizard. No she doesn't want to turn into a giraffe Dane.
If Dane is doing his Black Knight activities, 9 times out of 10 she doesn't know. She thinks he's distance himself bc of what happened to Sersi, and decided not to push.
Takes place a bit before the start of the series. She's Steven's neighbor but they dont talk much, only wave and greet each other on the lift and when they head to the same bus stop before she left to step onto the subway.
Goodness does Steven thinks she's adorable. A little better at social cues than he is but still as awkward. She a goober really.
She thinks he's cute too. Like a puppy.
Somehow they go on a date (personal headcanon that it was Jake that set Steven with a date bc he has the most social out all of them, which will make things real awkward for them when everyone finds out yikes). Well they try too. You know what happens on Steven's end but surpise suprise. She actually arrived late to the restaurant bc she had another out of body experience bc of some spirits she had encountered (thankfully it was in her home) by the time she arrived Steven wasn't there. It was hours later, she assumed that he thought she stood him up and left.
She ate the steak anyways. She was hungry.
She didn't dare to call or text him, afraid of what he'll say, so color her surprise when he called her instead.
What??? They have a date??? But it's Sunday. Confused, she decide to tell him that she thought he thought she stood him up. Both are confused. They decided to reschedule the date then, both hoping that this one goes well (tbh both were ecstatic that the other was giving them another chance).
Ofc that doesn't happen bc Harrow and his cult with Ammit ensue hijinks.
So Marc and her are complicated bc they used to be friends as kids but then her family moved to NY. They kept contract and talk but it became very minimal. Like simple how are you type shit. So they have no idea what the other looks like over the years.
So Marc is in for a big twist when he finds out Steven's date is her. It doesn't help he had a tiny itsy bit of a crush on her as kids.
But he doesn't have feelings for her he loves Layla still, right? It's probs bc of the fond memories he held of her as a child that makes him soft for her. No not bc she's kinda of a cute goof.
They're grump and sunshine embodied really.
Also embodies slow burn and friends to lovers trope real hard. Marc's gotta to learn to move on and live a happy life. It's hard but he'll get there.
He is emotionally constipated and will deny any possible thought of him having feelings for oc or any form of happiness.
Oc does not approve and annoys him with affection.
What the fuck was that????
A hug.
Disgusting. Do it again....
Nicknames. Nicknames! NICKNAMES!
Sunshine - Marc, Twinkle Toes - oc
Hc that Marc was kinda clumsy as a child and oc called him that to tease him (was more reinforced after they watched atla).
Steven call her his little sunflower.
Jake calls her his bébé usually.
And Layla.
They're divorced. They'll try to work it out but really Layla realizes that she fell out of love for a while now. The lies and guilt put a strain on their marriage.
That doesn't mean she doesn't care for Marc. She does. As friends.
She won't admit it but deep down, she thinks Marc was conflicted about his feelings whether he knew it or not (whether it was his guilt about her father or not, no one truly knowz). So seeing how he gets along with oc is good for him.
Layla slowly pushed him towards her bc she wants Marc to be happy as well and move on.
Layla is a good friend and wants everyone's best interests.
Now onto Jake.
Keeping in mind of the hc that it's Jake that asked oc out on a date on Steven's behalf. Well then things are gonna be messy. Bc haha they've met before. Like way before Marc met Khonshu and became his fist of vengence.
They met when she was in college and hit it off from there. I don't want to give away too much of their relationship but long story short. Jake does break contact with her.
So when everyone finds out about Jake things get awkward real fast and real bad.
Small hint of their relationship is ???? To lovers trope.
Khonshu is a manipulative bird brain and Izanami commit Khonshu hate crimes on the reg as she should.
Speaking of Izanami.
Goddess of Death and Creation. The overseer of Yomi, the underworld.
Yeah she's cool. Kinda unhinged but cool.
A bit over the top, but aren't all gods are???
Kinda gives off Scaramouche vibes from Genshin Impact but not as arrogant you know. She's not very well liked within the Japanese pantheon due to her role and also from her ex-husband's influences.
She really does care for oc. Thinks of her as her kin. She was a mother once too.
Speaking of her ex-husband, also commits hate crimes against her ex-husband Izanagi too (iykyk) and tbh go off queen.
Only oc sees her and she takes an appearance of a normal woman but dresses expensively. Thinking of Manwol from Hotel de Luna, same vibes as well tbh bc when I write Nami I think of Manwol tbh.
Oh possession is a thing too, ig
Bc with how oc acts, Izanami needs to take over when push comes to shove. Though this happens rarely.
Mostly this happens when oc is unconscious and in peril danger. Or when provoked enough to encite her fury or vise versa (usually the later is towards other gods of different pantheon, yeah she's still bitter they did nothing to restore balance in life and death). Sometimes when oc's spirit/consciousness is forcefully pushed out of their body, Izanami takes control to make sure the body is breathing.
Overall that's it for this word vomit. It's still in the process but if you want to know more lmk bc I haven't seen this idea in Moon knight fics just yet.
Fic idea inspiration taken from: Hotel de Luna (kdrama), Goblin (kdrama), Tomorrow (kdrama), The Uncanny Encounter (kdrama), Tale of the Nine Tailed (kdrama), Death Mark (game), Spirit Hunter NG (game), Mieruko-chan (manga)
Long time no see, I've been getting into moon knight lately bc so if I post anything moon knight fic or headcanon related this is your notice bc I have a whole lot of them for the past month I still have alot of fic ideas for bts and ateez but I think for my current fics I need to take a step away and reorganize how I want them to go sorry if you were looking forward to any updates to them after so long plus I need a new social media app to continue them since this is a new phone I'm using (it's android so give me some app I can download from play store)
If I make a spy x family au fic for Tae I blame this post bc I want it and it's so cute (lowkey don't know if I want Anya to be portrayed by a txt member or not lmk tho)
titsay
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origamiaround
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janainaart
