#/ it's not great but it's a start and shall improve

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Thank you for posting about your fallen London oc, it made me dust off my old account which I haven't played since- *checks journal* omg since 2021 😭 do you play any of their other games, like sunless skies?

Thrilled to hear you got back into the Flondon-verse! I played a bit of Sunless Skies last summer - these were my favourite officers B*)

[twoshootsofvodka]

Where Roses Bloom, Love Shall Blossom

Nana x Male Reader

length: 18k words

tags: fluff, smut, creampie, little bit of ass-play, L-bomb

A/N: This is my first ever smut or even fanfic, and I know there is a lot of room to improve, but I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I may have used a few too many references/memes, so sorry in advance if it throws you off. It’s just kind of my style. I also self-inserted on occasion (like the whole premise of the story that came to me after watching this video), but I hope it’s not too disruptive. If you have any suggestions, critiques, or requests, my DMs and Asks are open. Other than that, happy birthday to Best Girl Nana, and thanks for reading or even sharing!

_______________________________________________________

[It's mid-April]

- We are all done, Sir! - Your makeup artist announces, after putting on the finishing touches.

- Thank you!

From the mirror in front, a more handsome version of you is staring back. He is the new favourite variety show host of the nation, who can make any of his guests laugh to tears, improvise in an instant when his partner slips up, and even outside set, is usually the heart of the party thanks to his easygoing and sensitive nature. He is the perfect media personality. So much so, that even you like to watch him from time to time.

But actually being him? It does get a bit overwhelming. The busy schedules, having to always be on your toes so you don't miss an opportunity to crack a joke, which is even harder, since you are still not completely fluent in Korean, and the constant smiling, even to guests you would rather not have. It's just a bit much. But obviously, you wouldn't change any of it. It’s a dream come true, really, getting to meet all these fantastic people in the industry.

- Is everything all right Sir?

The woman asks worriedly when she sees you lost in thought, fearing she messed something up.

- Of course! I'm just always surprised how you girls always manage to turn me actually handsome. I swear this isn't even a mirror, just a recording of me with filters on. You reply with a warm smile, waving her worries away.

- Hehe! Of course it's not Sir. And I didn't even add much makeup at all. Just a touch up really.

- In any way, you did a fantastic job. Thank you!

- Thank you Sir, and you're welcome.

You stand up, and read some news while you wait for further instructions. You haven't checked any of the previous episodes of this show, because you wanted to make your appearance authentic. You also wanted to figure out your partner during the chat, without narrowing the possibilities down.

The only prep you had to do was choosing a nickname (truly a gamer's worst nightmare), and getting a picture of yourself as a kid. It took mere hours to find a name that could lead your partner into guessing who you are without immediately giving it away, or even the fact that they are talking to a foreigner: The Little Prince.

After a bit, the director finally calls for you. As discussed, you put in the noise-cancelling earphones, queue up some of your latest favourite songs, and take a seat on the left side of the set. The playlist consists mostly of K-pop songs, since it's highly likely that your partner is an idol, and the songs might help you figure out their identity, if their song comes up at a good time.

They tell you to scan the QR code on the table in front of you, which opens the chat room. Your partner enters right after, and you read their name: Judy.

*First clue. They are most likely a girl. In which case, I should take the initiative.*

Having worked with over a hundred idols, you start to wonder whether you've met them already

Hello there!

ㅎㅎ Hello

*Second clue: probably doesn’t know prequel memes.*

Should we drop the honorifics?

Oh, so suddenly? Sure

*Third clue: presumably Korean.*

How are you?

I'm great! You?

Me too

*Maybe I should have prepared some questions at least. Not particularly in the mood to improvise.*

Thankfully you don't have to think much, as you see three little dots pop up, indicating that the person on the other end is typing.

I was wondering What's your favourite season?

You don't even need to think about this. Spring for sure Not even close

OMO Mine too The weather has been so nice lately

YES!!! And the colours And the smells And the bees And the birds I love it so much

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I see I feel the same way I already think we will be good friends

I hope we will bee Sorry I had to sneak in at least one pun

Don't apologise for being funny!

Heh, thanks How about sunsets?

I love sunsets! Half my gallery is filled with pictures of sunsets

Saaame One day, I saw the sunset forty−four times! You know−− one loves the sunset, when one is so sad...

Oh But How?

Oh, that's just a quote From The Little Prince

Aaaah Your name! Have you read it many times?

Once every year for the past few years I like to see how much more I understand every time I read it With that I know how much I've changed since last year

Hmm Very sentimental Maybe But back to spring and sunsets I have a great place I visit in late spring It's a bit far out from the city, but the flowers and sunsets are more than worth it I can show you one time, if you're down

Sounds great! I also have a place I visit when I'm free I can take you there in return

Nice

*Should I also reveal my birthday? Eh, why the hell not.*

Maybe you can take me there for my birthday It's coming next month

I can But only if you take me to your place on my birthday

Sure When is that?

This month

I see Another spring child No wonder we're on the same wavelength

That's what I was about to say!

The conversation dies off for a bit, but before you have come up with a new topic, the tablet in front of you comes to the rescue.

"Send each other your screenshot of your homepage"

You first check your screen to make sure there isn't anything on it that's scandalous, or would give you away. After not finding anything needing to be removed, you send 'Judy' the picture. Hers arrives shortly after that. At first glance, it's nothing special. Solid black background, neatly ordered folders with english names that all end with a blue heart emoji.

*Maybe she likes blue?*

You have similar folders, all in English too, but there are some extras. Notably meditation and gaming. The background is different though, as it's a picture of your beloved furry companion.

I see you have Netflix downloaded What have you been watching lately?

Ah, yes Mostly American teen movies so I can improve my English Nice

*Yeah, def Korean.*

But I also watch a lot of animations and YouTube

Like what?

Mukbang, and Jangbbijju Also this (네가 빠진 세계 - fall for you)

She sends you the thumbnail of an unfamiliar show

Never seen this Maybe I will watch it later You should! The fantasy genre is interesting And the heroine is really pretty

*Judy is a girl, all right*

Yeah, Nana is really pretty

Right? You know her?

I do But I know every idol I've never met her though Have you?

No, but I'd love to She seems fun

Right, she does

There is short of silence before Judy sends a message

Is that your dog in the background? It's really cute

Yes he is! He's my best friend He's turning 10 this year

Oh, he's getting quite old

Yeah, but he's just as youthful as a puppy

Awww Good to hear And I see you meditate?

Yes My days can get pretty hectic It helps me stay relaxed and focused

Maybe I should try it

You should It’s pretty easy I can teach you the basics if you want

Thanks ^^ Are you an idol? Is that why you do it?

Noooo I can't dance at all And I sound like an untuned violin played by a 4 year old

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ There are some prodigies who can play well at that age

Sure, but not this one

And the gaming folder? You got games on your phone? 👀

ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I have a few to pass the time I mostly game on PC But certainly not as much as I used to

And what do you play?

Some League and Overwatch with friends I also picked up the new Zelda game recently

I love Nintendo games!

Yeah, they rarely miss The company's shit though Super greedy

*That's gonna get cut from the video*

O.O Are they?

Uhh yeah But let's not get into that What music have you been listening to?

She sends you a picture of her Spotify queue

Interesting Much less Korean than I thought And I only know a few of them

Send me yours

One sex *sec!!! I meant sec!

*Good grief...*

Hmmm I don't know any of these

Yeah I thought you wouldn't Not the genre a 'Judy' would listen to

*hmph* I'll let you know, my music taste is very diverse I bet not even the viewers know these songs

I'll take that bet What do I win?

A kiss

HUH?

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Just kidding I'm not sure yet

Okay... How about you buy me some tteokbokki if I win?

Deal And if I win, you'll get me dakbal!

Deal Let's shake on it

Okay But don't look!

Fine, I wont

You get up from your armchair, head to the edge of the wall, and put your hand past the corner. After waiting for a few seconds, you don't feel anything, and moving your hand around a bit doesn’t yield any success either. Then it hits, that your partner is probably Korean and female, so she is likely much shorter than you. Carefully lowering your hand, it finally finds hers. The hand jolts a little at the first contact, but grabs your hand quickly after.

It feels delicate: Small and smooth with fingers you can only describe as elegant. It's not just their shape and how they feel in your comparably larger hands, but also the amount of rings decorating them. On top of that, you bet her manicure matches the lavishness. The handshake barely lasts a second or two, then you get back to your seats.

Okay I know exactly who you are

How?

You're a princess!

Won't lie I feel quite fancy right now

Knew it! Extremely generous of you to let me touch your hand Your Highness

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Do our 'dates' still stand, Princess? Can you set aside time from your schedule to meet a lowly peasant like myself?

Aahhh, well Princesses need to relax too And your proposition seems suitable So yes, we shall go on these 'dates'

You honour me Princess

Okay, okay that's enough But do you really know who I am?

I have some guesses You're def a female idol And I'm pretty sure we haven't met yet Which I can't say about too many people Do you have any guesses about me?

If you didn't lie about not being an idol Then I have a few But I don't know which one of them have met a lot of idols So I'm not sure at all

Well, I never lie Just keep thinking You might not eve know me But that's fine

Whit that last message sent, the screen on the table lights up once again

“Send your childhood picture to your partner”

*Oh, right. The picture. If she knows me, this will help her a lot.*

This should help you a bit

Aaaah, cute Wait Are you a foreigner? Here's mine

Maybe... Awww That's really cute too

The screen instructs you again: “Draw each other in one minute”

*One minute? Not like it matters. I can't draw for shit.*

The 60 seconds go by like a minute in Africa, and your masterpiece is done. Kind of.

Sorry, I tried my best.

It's good! Much better than mine, that's for sure

You look at the picture for a bit, and download it before the connection is severed and you're kicked from the chat room. That signals the end of this section, so now all that’s left is to stand up, and meet this ‘Judy’.

*Okay, who is it?*

You stop the music, take out your earphones, and wait for the director's signal. When it arrives, you slowly, but confidently walk towards your partner's part of the studio. Once past the corner, you dramatically turn a 90 degree angle, and find yourself face to face with an angel. Or maybe it's a fairy? Or a nymph? Whatever she may be, it is not exactly human.

Her flawless fair skin is glistening in the studio's brilliant light, creating a picturesque contrast with her silky dark hair. It's neatly styled in a typical way: behind her ears, running down on her back one side, and on the other, resting on her front, bumping over her modest breasts. Your gaze moves further down, checking out her fuzzy two part dress, coloured in white and blue.

*Yep, blue is her favourite colour.*

The top stops just high enough over her pencil skirt, so that you can make out the tiniest bit of her midriff. You follow along her smooth legs, all the way to her feet, then quickly look back up. Her eyes meet yours, but not before catching a slightly mischievous smile form on her glossy lips.

*I guess she figured out who I was*

This all goes down in a mere second. It does have some benefits to have your brain running at FTL speed. After finishing the survey, you take a theatrical bow.

- Princess Nana.

She cracks up. Her laugh is just as magical as her whole being. You have heard it a handful times before, but never in person.

And boy, does it hit like a baseball bat live. You have had countless groups come to your variety show, but you can only gather up a single other idol with such a delightful laugh (Miss Song Yuqi).

*Man, I could listen to both of them for the rest of my life.*

You straighten back up, and take a step closer, at the same time as Nana. Your assumption of her height during the handshake was correct: she barely reaches up to your chin, but it plays to her advantage; makes her look even more adorable.

Her smile never faded, and now that she is right in front of you, you can see a glint of happiness and recognition in the vast, dark ocean of her eyes.

- It's you!

- It sure is.

- I knew it the moment I saw your baby picture.

- Ah yes, that was a dead giveaway.

- But I thought of you beforehand too.

- Oh, really?

- Yeah! I watched every episode of your show, and you did seem like we had a lot in common. Our conversation proves that.

- Yes, and thank you. - Feeling her boundless energy, and seeing her cute, perky personality, you can't help but smile along with her. - I can't believe this is the first time we meet in person.

- Right? I guess our schedules never aligned. But I'm really happy to meet you!

- As am I. - you cross your hands suddenly - But you lied to me!

- Huh? When?

- You said you've never met Nana.

She scratches the back of her head with an embarrassed chuckle. - Oh, right. Well I could argue that it's not a lie in a literal sense.

- Hmmm. I'll let it slide this time. But I have to warn you, I don't invite liars onto my show.

She gasps in a fake shock, and bows as she apologises. - I promise not to lie anymore! Please invite us to your show!

You laugh at her playfulness. - How could I say no to a princess? I'll make sure to have an episode set aside for you during your next comeback.

- Yay, thank you!

Her cuteness is almost overwhelming. The way she looks at you with those doe eyes, like you are her favourite person on this planet (which in reverse, might be true at this point). Her radiant smile, that emits such precious laughter, the sound of is more wondrous than Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Or the way she seems to cling onto your every word, as if you were Jesus preaching on the Mount of Beatitudes, and how she parrots your thoughts, just coated in that honeyed voice.

The director cuts into the meeting, and asks Nana to give them an interview about your chat. Yours will follow after. When you're both done, they tell you to take a selfie for the show. You oblige, but ask Nana to take it. The height difference doesn't even seem to be a problem. Rather she turns it into an advantage, and snaps a few nice pics. As the shooting comes to an end, you thank each other and the crew for everything, and before Nana could disappear into her room, you call out for her.

- Sorry, I don't intend to hold you up for long, I'm sure you have better things to do.

- Oh no, it's fine. What do you want?

- I just thought we could exchange numbers. Not for my show, that'll be done through our managers, but for our bet. Not sure how serious you were about it, but either way, I wouldn't mind taking you out for dinner. And I still need to take you to that spot on your birthday.

- Absolutely! And I'm completely serious about the bet. I don't just shake hands for nothing. My schedule is going to be hectic in March, but I'm sure I will be able to create some free time.

- Oh, if it's bothersome, we can go later too. Or earlier. Whatever works for you. I can get busy myself, but I always ask the groups to clear their schedules for the day before and after, so we all have some room if anything comes up.

- That's smart. Maybe I'll live with the opportunity.

- You totally should. 

She hands you her phone, and you dial yours. She saves your contact as 'The Little Prince', while you save her as 'Princess Nana'.

- I guess that's all. Again, it was really nice to finally meet you. Hope to see you soon.

- You too! Can't wait for my free chicken feet!

You chuckle, and bow to say goodbye, which she politely returns. Before she could get out of sight, you decide to look behind your back to catch one final peek of this angel. She walks with such grace, but you can still see that playful attitude hidden beneath. Maybe it's the way she sways her hips. Or that cute little butt.

*I wonder if it's more like a soft pillow, or firm and fit from all the workout.*

You slap yourself softly, and turn your head back around.

*Idiot…*

Unbeknownst to you, just after you do this, Nana also looks above her shoulders, searching for you. She barely catches the last moment of your little act, but she knows. She knows, but she is doing the same, so she can't really judge you for it.

Your heart still pounds noticeably faster than usual after you've changed back into your comfy clothes. The little cramp in your stomach is not letting its presence be forgotten either.

*Fuckin’ hell. What am I, fourteen? *

You take a deep breath, drink a cup of water, and focus. Within a few minutes, your body finally listens to the brain, and settles down. You sigh in relief.

- That's better. … - But I need a drink.

You take your stuff, and head outside. On the street, you catch Nana one last time. You wave and smile at each other as her manager helps her get in their car. Yours is already waiting for you on the passenger side, tapping away on his phone, since you almost always drive yourself. You shove your things in the trunk, then hop into the driver seat.

- Took you long enough. - your manager blurts out without looking up.

- Yeah, sorry. Upset stomach.

He acknowledges your excuse with a grunt.

- Back to your place?

- Yeah. But I wanna stop at a convenience store for some alcohol.

- Huh? Was it that bad? You seemed to be having fun. - He finally looks up at you, with the smallest hint of concern on his face.

- Yeah, I may have enjoyed it a little too much.

- Hmm. I see. So that upset stomach?

He doesn't even need to say it, you both know what he means.

- Yerp. Fucking butterflies.

Again, he just scoffs. Your manager is the best you could ask for. Professionally. But as much as he helps you in your work, he helps as little with personal stuff. You know it's better that way. You're not paying him to be your therapist, but you would like him to lend you an ear from time to time.

- Whatever. I'll get drunk tonight, and lose some ranks in League with the boys.

- Hmm. Just don't get too drunk.

You fasten your seatbelt, start up the car, and zoom through the city to your first destination. You grab a few (more than a few) bottles of different flavoured soju, and some instant ramen. The cashier is a young dude, probably a uni student working part-time. He realises who you are, so you chat for a bit. When he finally scans your items, you pay by cash, and leave him a hefty bonus, which he thanks profusely. You get back in the car, and drive to your manager's place to drop him off. From there, it’s only a few-minute drive to home.

_______________________________________________________

You struggle with the lock long enough that you hear your dog making a fuss inside.

- One second bud. I’m an alcoholic.

As soon as you open the door, he starts jumping up and down in excitement.

- Hello, you little rascal! - you greet him in a high pitched voice. - Have you been a good boy? - A rhetorical question to which the answer is (almost) always yes. You scratch behind his ears, and give him a treat, which he gobbles up in the blink of an eye.

- You will never guess who I've met today. - You start as you take off your shoes, and walk towards the kitchen to put the purchased beverages into the fridge. - It was my future wife! - you announce, posing with the exaggerated swagger of a black teen.

Bingley tilts his head in confusion.

- Yeah, I know. I’m cringe. But! I haven't felt like this since high school. And that was a whiiiile ago.

You step into the living room and settle on the sofa. Bingley waits for the signal of invitation before he joins you, and licks your hand to ask for pats which you happily provide.

- Honestly, I don't know how I should go about it. We hit it off well, and she seemed interested too. I mean she agreed to meet two more times. Plus once for my show, but that's different… For the first one, I will take her to our favourite place.

As you mention that, your companion perks up.

- Oh, sorry. I think you're going to have to stay behind. I want it to be just her and me.

Bingley’s head falls on your lap in defeat with a sad whine.

- Don't worry, I will take you there next week.

You take out your phone, and send tonight's plan to your friends. To pass the time, you decide to put on that new (well it was new like 3 months ago) Netflix show you haven't started yet for whatever reason. That, along with some takeout, is engaging enough to keep your mind off of today's events, all the way 'til the alarm rings in reminder for the games.

You gulp down a whole bottle of soju during your first game, and the next ones follow quickly after. The alcohol kicks in right as you're queueing up for the third game of the night. Senses dulled, reflexes slowed, vision blurry. Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. Your teammates have been keeping up the pace with various types of spirits, turning every game from here on out into a clown fiesta. Muscle memory at least keeps them somewhat competitive, but no one really cares about winning. It's all about forgetting about the everyday struggles. The shitty bosses, the annoying exes, an unlucky puncture on the way to work, your baby puking on your favourite shirt, burnt food, the seemingly never ending house chores– falling head over heels for a girl you've only talked to for half an hour, of which only a few minutes were in person. Whatever. Everyone has their reasons. Meditating can only do so much. And it's nowhere near as fun as this.

The hours fly by, and it's regrettably time already to end the therapy session. Not all your pals have such flexible schedules as you, so they have to call it before midnight. Barely being able to walk straight, you conclude brushing your teeth and pouring a glass of water for tomorrow morning is more than enough exercise before bed.

Waking up is obviously the biggest disadvantage of these endeavours, but you take a pill with the prepared water, then a cup of coffee, and the headache is soon gone. You don't have the stomach for a proper breakfast, but you still force down a slice of toast. You let Bingley out, and sit on the porch, soaking in the morning sun, listening to the sound of nature, and enjoying the smell of the blooming tulips and violets in your garden. - Spring is fucking awesome…

_______________________________________________________

The next few weeks go by without much happening. The blind chat episode drops on YouTube, and surprisingly, dozens upon dozens of people comment, shipping the two of you. It’s endearing, really; a nice reassurance that what you felt during and after the show, was not exclusively in your head, as others seem to have noticed the connection and matching vibes (hopefully not just the parasocial delulu fans, who name themselves after funny videos, and would go on to write fanfictions about it).

You exchange a few texts with Nana during these days, but she seems busier than expected. It could be because of an upcoming comeback, but they came back with Rollercoaster only a few months ago. So you try not to give it too much meaning, but in the back of your head, a devilish voice insists “she doesn’t like you bro”. Your worries are lifted when they announce ‘Queendom Puzzle’, and all its participants in the following days. Hey! I see you’ll be on Queendom Puzzle, congrats! I’m sure you will crush it! Hiya! Thanks I hope so I have been practicing a lot for this

Yeah, I figured The competition seems strong But I would bet on you making it into the group I’m a bit worried But your confidence in me means a lot😊 An ace like you should have nothing to fear! You’re right 😸 If the crowd sees the effort I have been putting into my craft They will have to vote for me …right?

Of course! You were meant to be on top

*of me, hehe*

Yeah! I’m gonna be a star! That’s the spirit A few seconds go by with Nana seemingly typing out an essay. I wanted to ask you for something

Your pulse quickens, and you sit up straight on your couch. With dilated eyes, and gently shaking fingers, you type back. I’m all ears

I hope it’s not too much of a bother But could you take me to that place you talked about?

Of course! That was always the plan, no?

Yeah but I mean like This weekend

You have to check your schedule to make sure you’re free, not that cancelling every plan and recording would be a tall order, or a big price to pay to spend time with her. Sure, I can make it Great! I just know I won’t have much time until Queendom ends And if I do end up on the team It will take even longer before I can take a break

There is no ‘if’! But I get your point Both days work for me, so you choose I checked the weather, and Saturday will be warmer So we could watch the sunset too if you wanna

*How the fuck would I not?* Sounds perfect

Nice How about we meet up at 4? You could show me around the place And we could have a picnic

Even more perfect I’ll be there Great And thank you 😊

My pleasure

The chat dies off, but it doesn’t bother you. The high of finally meeting Nana lingers for the rest of the night, giving you one of the best sleeps since you moved to Korea.

_______________________________________________________

As the planned outing approaches, you remember something from your first encounter: her birthday is in spring. Even after remembering it was in March, you still decide to get her something. Surfing the internet for half an hour, you find a few decent ideas, but none of them strike you as THE perfect gift.

*Maybe I should read about her, see what she likes.*

As you press search, the first few results are about another celebrity, who shares her stage name: Im Jinah.

You quickly add ‘wooah’ to the query to get the desired outcome. Reading through her wiki, an uneasy feeling slowly creeps up on you.

- Well, this is just weird. I feel like I'm stalking her.

Even though you have done this for every idol who has appeared on your show, it's just not the same. You're not gathering information to create the best possible games and scenarios for entertainment, but to wow her. With that thought, you close the tab, and start to think.

- Okay, let's just not. I can work with what I know already. She likes Nintendo games, the colour blue, animation, and spring. And dakbal! She most likely has a Switch already, and there is no way of knowing what games she has or wants without snooping around. I could take a gamble with the animation, and get her a plushie, a shirt, or something of Doraemon. He's blue too, so that's nice. But that is lacking in the ‘personal’ department. So spring, huh? What can I do with that?

You spend the whole day deciding on what to buy, and instead of one big present, you end up with a few smaller ones. You pick all of them up in the coming days, and get the groceries for the picnic on the day before.

The 'date' is set two days after the recording with Cravity, who made their comeback with Groovy last week. You feared that the upcoming meeting with Nana might get in your head, and ruin the show's quality, but it all worked out perfectly. You spend most of the following day going on a big hike with Bingley, and continuing the Netflix show you started. After that it’s time for bed, as tomorrow's going to be busy. The trek tired you out, yet sleep doesn’t come easily. You lay awake until it actually gets annoying, and opt for a sleeping pill. The drug does its magic, and you wander off to dreamland in no time.

_______________________________________________________

The alarm rings at 7 AM sharp, and you blindly search for the phone to shut it up.

- Mmmm… Just five more minutes…

But as soon as you pull the blanket over your head to block the rising sun, the reason for the alarm registers. Your eyes pop open, and the drowsiness is gone in an instant. After hurriedly finishing the usual morning routine, including your obligations to Bingley, it’s time to go through the checklist for today's tasks.

First on the agenda is preparing the food, 'cause if you mess it up, you will have time to try again. Thankfully, apart from a wasted egg, some spilled milk, and a fierce battle with the sizzling oil, everything goes fine. Second is wrapping the gifts. Usually a bag would do, but not today. Not for Nana. Or rather, Princess Nana. You waste a lot of time and wrapping paper figuring out what's the best way to go about it, but the end result is more than acceptable. Third is packing up - food in the basket, gifts hidden in a bag, and a blanket to sit on. Next up is lunch. You don't have neither the time nor the willingness to cook more right now, so some takeout will have to do. Then it’s time to take out the dog. For a walk, Jimmy... That's number five, check. The last thing to be done is texting Nana the rendezvous point, which you do while you eat the ordered pizza.

Although you'll only have to leave in an hour, you decide to dress up now in today's carefully picked outfit: a floral linen shirt, dark blue shorts, and a few accessories. Nothing too fancy. A few (hundred) TikToks help pass the remaining time, before you pack everything in the trunk of the KIA. After making sure for the third time that everything is in order, you lock the house and get in the car. The V6 engine of the K8 eagerly purrs to life, as if it felt and shared your anticipation for today’s events. You type the destination into the GPS - not that it was needed; you have been there countably infinite times already, and could drive there with a blindfold on. But as they say: better safe than sorry.

Some music and sunshine keeps you company during the fortunately eventless half hour drive. Once you arrive and park in the shade of a huge oak tree, a notification pops up from Nana: “I'll be there in a few!” Not even 5 minutes later, another KIA pulls into the parking lot. The passenger-side door swings open, and the angel you have been waiting for steps out with the same gorgeous smile on her face she last said goodbye with.

You take a few steps closer, and bow. - Hello! I hope it wasn't too hard to find the place.

- Oh, not at all. - She bows, and says hello too, then looks around to admire the greenery, and the sunshine seeping through the leaves, illuminating everything in sight. It arguably does a worse job than her smile, but the Sun does give you that vitamin D, whereas Nana only gives your D vitamin. And your soul with the cute outfit she is sporting: it’s a red, floral patterned sleeveless top tucked into a tight blue skirt with a very similar motif. As the colour scheme would suggest, it’s downright magnetic. You find yourself unable to look away from her, until a light breeze, paired with the rattling of leaves knocks you out of your daze. When you look up and lock eyes with Nana, you notice her cheeks have copied the colour of her shirt. *I may have stared for too long. *

- Almost didn’t notice you there with the camouflage. - you jest, trying to play it off.

Nana giggles, and spins around to give you a full view. In any other circumstance, your eyes would have probably shifted downwards, but her hair steals away your attention, dancing in the air graciously like she does on stage.

- Looks cute, doesn’t it? - I think we all know what he thinks about it. - her manager speaks up from behind. She hands Nana a bag, most likely filled with food for the picnic. Before turning away, she gives you a stern look. - Call me when you are done, Nana, and I’ll come back for you as discussed.

She drives off, leaving the two of you alone in a serene, only slightly awkward silence. You grab your stuff from the car, and lead Nana up the path, towards the field. On the short walk there, she keeps looking around in awe, amazed by the scenery. Gotta give it to her, it looks like it was taken from a painting. Birds singing from the blooming trees, butterflies chasing one-another above the lazily swaying, lush grass, and bees hauling their fat fluffy butts from flower to flower.

- It’s perfect! - she squeals with joy as she bends down to touch the silky grass.

- I knew you would like it.

- I love it!

You walk past Nana, who seems completely mesmerized by the clearing, and a pair of Barn Swallows, as they scurry across the sky, most likely hunting for food. She smiles at them, then catches up with you and helps with the picnic blanket, for which you have already found the perfect spot. It’s on a slightly more elevated piece of ground, from where you can see above the city, and across the green sea. While you unpack, Nana goes on about how glad she is to be out here in the sun, with you, how pretty the place is, and how excited she is for Queendom Puzzle.

- It’s an interesting changeup, isn’t it? - she asks with sparkling eyes.

- For sure! Definitely interesting for the fans, and even more so for the contestants.

- I know! I can’t wait to meet all of them. I haven’t even talked to some of them before.

- Well, you could call them now, because we might have overdone it with the food.

You share a laugh, then take a look at the feast you two whipped up. Even without plating the desserts, it’s still enough for at least one other pair of lovebirds. Your schnitzel sandwiches look ‘rustic’ at best next to Nana’s three different types of home-made kimbaps, but you wanted to bring something that you would bring at home too. 

- The one with the omelette strips has a pinch of honey in it. I thought it would be your style. - she explains with a never fading smile.

You take a slice, and push the whole thing into your mouth. Sure enough, she hit it right on the nail. The basic, but undefeated blend of omelette, avocado and tuna is freshened up by the pickled radish, and brought together by the subtle, yet lingering sweetness of the honey. You let out a satisfied hum, and swallow before praising her.

- You are right on the money with this one. It’s phenomenal!

She giggles triumphantly, and takes a roll too.

- Mmmmh, it’s so good! I never thought about adding honey to a kimbap before. But when I was getting the ingredients, I thought about you, and the bees, and I knew I had to do it.

- It’s for sure the best kimbap I have eaten so far. Good job! - you raise your hand for a high-five, which she happily accepts.

- Thanks! Now, let’s see what you cooked up.

- Well, I know it doesn’t look as fancy as yours, but I promise it tastes great. - you hand her a sandwich, and take one for yourself too. - It’s kind of a timeless classic in my country. Whenever we go to a beach, on a road trip, or a hike, it’s the go-to snack. It’s just fried chicken breast, some veggies, and your choice of sauce in a bun, but that’s the point. It’s simple, but effective. You can never go wrong with these ingredients, and it never disappoints.

She takes a bite, after you downplayed and hyped up the sandwich at the same time. She munches on it for a few seconds, nodding understandingly.

- I see what you mean. It’s just really nice. I could see how it would be sort of a comfort food.

- Right? - you light up from her words of appreciation, and take a bite of home. - I don’t think I could ever get tired of this.

An endearing smile paints Nana’s face, which you don’t even notice at first, too caught up in the nostalgic dish.

Being the first proper one-on-one talk between you two, the conversation starts off with the usual topics: work, hobbies, friends, family, pets, etc. Still, with how engaged and honestly curious she is, it doesn’t feel like the typical, going-through-the-motions, getting-the-mandatory-stuff-out-of-the-way kind of chat. And unsurprisingly, her enthusiasm rubs off on you. You find yourself nodding or laughing along with all her stories, aww-ing at pictures from her childhood or of her family dog, and taking mental notes of every little titbit she shares about her life. It’s all so easy, so natural. Sure, you are still cracking some jokes, but it’s not the same as if you were in front of the cameras. There is no preparation, no script, just chemistry. When you reach into your basket for a second bottle of soda, you grab onto something else by accident. It’s one of Nana’s presents. You have completely forgotten about it, too engaged in the chatter. You take the two small boxes out, and hide them behind your back while your partner is pouring herself a drink.

- Nana?

- Hmm? - she doesn’t look up just yet, preoccupied with choosing the next kimbap to devour.

- I know your birthday was like- two months ago.

- Yeah? - now she lifts her gaze, and notices the jewellery box in your hand, coated in deep blue velvet. - Oh, Y/N! - her voice is laced with surprise and appreciation, which also reflects on her face. - You really didn’t have to.

- Of course I did!

- Now I feel bad, because I didn’t bring you anything. - she pouts, but her frown is immediately turned upside down when she flips the top open. - Wait, is this..?

She holds onto the medallion with one hand, letting the golden chain dangle freely in the warm wind.

- Yeah. A Triforce necklace.

- It’s so pretty! Quick, help me put this on.

Nana turns around and sits closer to you, so you can secure the clasp on the back of her neck. She stays like that, admiring the metallic trinket, until she leans back against you. Your mind freezes for a second, but your body reacts to her, and your arms wrap around her waist.

- Thank you…

Her words jump-start your mind, and you squeeze her tighter.

- Don’t thank me just yet. - you untangle one arm, and reach backwards for another smaller container, neatly wrapped in pink paper. She handles it with care after feeling the weight of it.

- Another one?

She rips off the wrapping, and gasps when she recognises the baby pink coloured box.

- You know, I almost bought this when I last went shopping.

She removes the plastic, then takes out the rose-scented perfume to try it out. She sighs in satisfaction when the smell envelopes the air around you, dulling out the flowers nearby.

- Mmmm~ This bottle won’t last long, I can tell you that much!

Your chuckle is cut short by her lips on your cheeks, a smile, and her nuzzling into your embrace again.

- Thank you Y/N~

- You are very much welcome Nana.

She stays in your arms, letting the minutes pass by, until the dryness in your throat becomes annoying, and you have to let go of her for a drink. She gives you a playful pout before standing up to stretch, as you have been sitting on the ground for quite some time now. That’s when a familiar, raspy voice calls out to you from close by.

- Y/N? I thought you would come here today. And with a girl, to boot! You turn around with a curious look, and stand up to greet the elderly woman and her husband.

- Of course I’m here! Would have been a crime to stay inside in this weather.

- Ain’t that the truth. - the man concurs with a subtle nod, then turns to Nana. - And who is this pretty lass you brought along? Won’t you introduce your girlfriend to us? - Oh, we’re not… - you try to deny in such a hurry, that even catches Nana off guard. You look at her in hopes of reassuring her, and her beaming smile greets you, though you notice there is something sombre about it compared to usual. - We are just… colleagues, kind of. It’s only the second time we’ve met.

The pair looks at each other with a suspicious, knowing look. You can almost hear a whole conversation play out between their gazes. It’s just one of those things that come with years, or in their case, decades of love and partnership.

- I see. - the woman says without much conviction once she looks back at you. - So it’s not a date? We heard you two laughing from a mile away. Her question throws you for a loop, and while you try to figure out how to word it so you don’t possibly hurt Nana more, she answers before you could come up with the proper phrasing.

- No, it is a date. - she states with unshaken confidence, which pleases the couple. - I’m Nana by the way.

They bow with a sincere smile, and introduce themselves as Mr and Mrs Kim.

- I see you weren’t dropped on your head, missy! - the man titters.

You want to look back at Nana, but she is already by your side, hooking her arm into yours and pressing herself closer. At first, it feels a bit strange to call it that, but it only makes sense when you give it another thought. It’s just a word that you have given too much meaning over the lonely years, and it messes with your head.

- I’m sure he wasn’t either. - she jokes, and bumps your side.

- You will soon learn of that, sweetheart. - the lady pipes up. - He is as sweet as honey, but denser than concrete at times.

They all laugh at that, and you join in after letting go of your now seemingly dumb worries.

- All right, young'uns. We will leave you to it. Gotta get back home before my back gives in.

- Just a second, Mr Kim. - you speak up, and excuse yourself from Nana. You take a few pieces of the layered cake, and stack them in a box. - Please take this. I baked it, but it’s not poisonous. I think.

The couple smiles warmly at you, and takes the box.

- See? Sweet as honey. - The madam echoes her own words with a sly wink aimed at your date.

After that, Nana gifts them some kimbap too, which they thank profusely, then go on their way.

- Oh my god, they were so nice! - Nana asserts as she sits back down.

- They are, yes. I meet them every time I’m here. They visit this place almost every day in the warmer seasons.

…

- So it’s a date, huh? 

- Of course. What else would you call an afternoon like this? A one-on-one picnic in one of the most magical places in this city, with someone you like and want to get to know better. Wouldn’t be fair to label it as ‘hanging out’, or something simple like that.

- True…

This time it’s you, who smiles first, but you are not alone for long. Your hand reaches out for hers as you scoot closer on the soft blanket, and she readily accepts the contact, placing her palm on top of yours. It’s not the ‘electric touch that sends a jolt of shiver down your spine’, it’s just what it is: a touch. Warm and slick, but at the end of the day, nothing out of the ordinary. It’s the circumstances, and the owner of the other hand, that’s really special about it. The half-spoken admission of your feelings, a silent promise of more to come, and the most wonderful girl on this planet you share these with. The silence remains even while you eat the muffins, bar Nana’s compliment for the chocolatey sweetness, and the birds singing in the background. You imagine they are watching this romantic scene unfold in front of them, witnessing love blossom on the field they call home. The little angel stays in your arms, although she feels more like a kitty right now as her warm and petite body lays against you soothingly. You can feel her breathing as her chest rises and falls in a slow rhythm, and you realize your pulse is matching hers when you hold her hand tighter.

It’s probably a super corny display from the outside, when the Sun starts to near its resting place, painting the skies in the colour of the flowers in the surrounding field. And if not for a certain girl in your arms, it would have been the prettiest sight of the day. The other thing that the sunset loses in, is the warmth. The temperature drops surprisingly quickly on this cloudless night, and no matter how hot the woman is beside you (in all senses of the word), the chilling winds become a bit too harsh to ignore. So you pack up, dividing the leftovers equally while Nana speaks with her manager on the phone. Hand-in-hand, you walk back the path towards the parking place with Nana lighting the way with her phone. Her manager said she will arrive in 10 minutes, so you sit in the K8 to stay warm until that. Nana sits in the passenger seat, and sees something in the backseat that catches her eye.

- Aww! What a cute flower.

- Oh, right! - you reach back for the pot. - It’s your last gift.

- Another one? For real? - she takes it from you, and admires the flowerless green plant.

- Of course! It’s a Clitoria Ternatea, aka Butterfly Pea. It will bloom with gorgeous little blue flowers in the summer, and as the name suggests, you can even make tea out of it.

She looks at you with a playful squint and a smirk, the somewhat lewd Latin name of the flower not escaping her attention. You laugh it off, and she leans in for a hug to thank you. It lingers for long seconds, until she gets a text from her manager, stating she is almost there. You both sigh. It’s a mixture of sadness and contentment. It was probably the best afternoon either of you have spent in a long time, and now that it’s come to an end…

That’s not even the worst part. It’s the fact that there is no way of knowing when there will be a chance to do this again. But if all goes well for Nana in Queendom Puzzle, it’s most likely months. She places her hand on top of yours, and looks you in the eye.

- Thank you for this day, Y/N. You can’t even fathom how much it all meant to me. And I don’t just mean the gifts, and the picnic. I’m talking about spending time with you, laughing, talking, hugging… And I really want to do it more. To get to know you better, and see where this goes.

- I would love that. - you clutch onto her hand, and give it a small squeeze -  Because I think–  I think this connection is something very special.

- I think so too.

Her grip on your hand tightens, and she moves her body closer. It’s barely noticeable, but you see it. You see it, because you are doing the same. You see her lips parting, her eyes nervously glancing at yours, and it makes your heart pound out of your chest. And though Nana may seem timid from the outside, she pushes forward with zero hesitation. Unrelenting, unwavering. She wants this badly, and so do you. So even when her manager pulls up, you don’t pull away. The headlights of her car shine right at you when your lips meet. And oh, what delicious, soft lips they are. It makes you forget to breathe, and doubles your heart rate, like a dose of a new designer drug that gets you addicted the moment you use it.

Neither of you break the kiss, and when you shift in your seat so your spine doesn’t twist out of its place and move away from her slightly, she chases after you. She even reaches for your shirt with her free hand, so you don’t pull away again until she has had her fill. It doesn’t take too long, because the uninvited audience does start to make Nana somewhat self conscious now. When your lips separate, you let out the air you have been holding in for these past twenty-something seconds. It’s hard to tell whether it’s this, or the power of the kiss that leaves you lightheaded, but one thing is for sure: you have fallen deeper than you thought, and so has Nana. She chuckles when she notices your reddened ears, breaking the tension.

- That was… - you start, but find it hard to say the right words. - Surreal but, um… but nice.

- Yeah. It was.

She gives one last gorgeous smile, and a sorrowed but reassuring goodbye before she leaves you on your own. The kiss replays in your mind repeatedly, and it makes you ache for more: more kisses, but also more than just kisses.

- “Surreal but nice”? What was I thinking?

_______________________________________________________ The following few weeks after the start of Queendom Puzzle are just as sweet as that goodbye kiss. The late night chats with Nana, her random selfies from practice, during meals, or after recording, and occasional video calls. Naturally, you text her after every episode, praising her performance. She responds in kind, applauding your MC skills, and rambling about her experiences with the other participants. The relationship stays this vibrant and strong for a while, and the energy you get from it shows in your variety show, propelling its popularity into new heights. Which, sadly, means more interviews, ads, and what have you. All of that, paired with Nana having to practice more for the final few episodes, meant a little less time spent talking every day. It never dried out at least, but you wished you could actually see each other in person at times, and hoped she felt the same.

Then it finally arrives. It’s the 15th of August, and the airing of the final episode of “Queendom Puzzle”. Nana (obviously) made it into the last 14 with flying colours, raking up MVPs, and a solid spot in the rankings. Still, there was a chance, however slim, that she could falter at the last hurdle. You knew she wasn’t the type to fall into a false sense of safety, but it still felt appropriate to give her the extra motivation she might have needed. So you asked her manager in secret for the place and time of the shooting. Without much reluctance, she hooked you up, but advised caution.

Getting past the security was a bit tricky, but still possible. With an iced americano in one hand, and a box of spicy chicken feet in the other, you make your way through the maze of corridors, full of purpose. Room 8 was your goal, and, as Murphy's law dictates, it was at the very back of the corridor. It doesn’t matter. The only thing that actually does, is to meet Nana, and put a smile on her face. That ever radiant, healing smile. One can never get enough of it. To make sure that the surprise works, you arrive a solid 20 minutes before she does, so it’s time to catch up with the latest gossip. Nana’s manager - now also your wingwoman - texts you as they get past security. Your heart skips a beat, and you jump from the chair you have been sitting on ‘til now. After quickly hiding her presents, you fix your attire, and wait patiently. At least that’s what you hope it looks like, but even a blind man could tell how eager you are. Your quickening pulse, fidgeting fingers, and deep, long breaths are a dead giveaway of your true feelings.

You can hear as Nana nears the room, her voice echoing down the hallway as she practices her lines for the show. The door handle pivots, and the awaited angel finally steps into the room. She stops dead in her tracks the moment she sees you. Her eyes widen, and her jaw hangs agape for a moment, but then… The change in her expression is like a slow motion study for AI training: her slightly open mouth shifts into a wide smile, showing off her pearly whites. Her eyes sparkle with an adoring glint, as if she just saw the cutest thing in the world. And, as usual of her when she gets this excited, she pushes her tongue out slightly, and bites down on it gently.

- Hello, princess. - you greet her with a bow. Nana loses it right then, and rushes up to you with a loud squeal. You plant a little kiss on her cheek, and hug her close. Or at least try to, but she starts to jump up and down giddily, making it hard to properly hold onto her. Before she pulls away, she returns the kiss. Holding hands, you stand there, mere inches separating you, just staring at each other for a few seconds. Your adoration reflects in her brown eyes, glistening like morning dew on the petals of a Chocolate Cosmos. The laughs and shouting of some other contestants from down the hallway kick you both out of your trance.

- Oh, right! - you spin around, and grab the iced americano. - I got you this.

Her eyes light up instantly.

- Oh my god! You are a lifesaver!

She pounces on you like a panther, and snatches the cold beverage before you could say ‘meow’. You watch with an adoring, cheeky smile as she swallows gulp after gulp, a bit of coffee even missing its mark, dripping down on her chin in the big hurry.

- Whew… I needed that. Would you believe that my manager - she points theatrically at the woman - forgot to buy me coffee? Today of all days?! - Uh… That’s on me. - you admit, scratching your head with unease. - I kind of asked her to… Nana crosses her arm, and squints at you suspiciously. She walks up to you with playfully angry stomps, which end up making her look adorable, rather than threatening, like a kid who didn’t get the toy they wanted.

- You don’t mess with a girl’s coffee! - she lashes out, reinforcing her point by tapping your chest with her index finger. Her faux outrage melts away after she sees how taken aback you are. She smiles at you sweetly then, and kisses your embarrassedly flushed cheek. - No need to plan stuff like this so you can swoop in like a saviour. - she stops mid-thought to take another sip. - I already like you, dummy.

You hear a scoff from her manager, and catch her rolling her eyes. You just smirk to yourself, knowing how cheesy it must seem from her POV.

- Sorry Nana! - you turn your back to her, snap up the bag with the dakbal, and offer it to her. A due prise for her winning the bet from the video, but it's also for motivation. - I hope this makes up for it somewhat.

With one eyebrow raised, she nabs the chicken feet tentatively. Or rather the box of chicken feet. Or rather the box of chicken feet inside a box. Or rather the box of chicken feet inside a box of chicken feet. Or rather the box of chicken feet inside a box of chicken feet inside a bag. Regardless, her face lights up for the third time today the moment she takes a whiff of her favourite delicacy. And that’s the point of it all. Not just seeing that contagious smile, but also the knowledge that you made her day just a little better. The way she dashes to you again, screeching joyfully as if she just won the lottery, and hugs you so tight that she squeezes the air out of your lungs, tells you that it may have made it more than just a little better.

- You are already forgiven!

She breaks away in a hurry, scattering to the chair to indulge in her precious dakbal. She hums in satisfaction as the flavours fill her mouth, which elicits an even wider grin from you. From the corner of your eyes you catch as Nana’s manager nods approvingly. Still, she has to be the responsible one when you are together: - Just don’t eat too much. You still have to perform.

- Mhm! - Nana acknowledges half-heartedly, gorging down on one chicken foot after the other. Her manager shakes her head disapprovingly, but can’t hold back a low chuckle.

- Whew… That should give me enough energy for a while. - she wipes her hand and mouth, and thanks you again with a kiss on your cheek. - Gotta go now though. Need to change and get my makeup done. Will you watch from here? - she asks with a hopeful tone.

- Of course! Will be cheering for you from here all the way ‘til the end. And I will keep your manager company too. Whether she likes it or not. - you add with a wink aimed at said lady.

- Could be worse, I guess… - she shoots back with a barely visible smirk.

Nana gives her manager a hug too, and they exchange a few words in secret. 

- Good luck, princess. Not that you need it.

The idol hugs you one last time, grabs her coffee, and waves the two of you goodbye before sauntering out the room.

- She is gonna kill it. - you break the few seconds of silence - You can just tell.

- Yeah. Especially with you here now. - the manager concurs, and nudges you in the side.

You watch the show with her, laughing, cheering, or crying along. After every performance is concluded, they invite the girls back on stage; it’s time to reveal the winners. Taeyeon calls them out from third place to sixth, and Nana is not amongst them. Of course, she was second during the previous vote, so it doesn’t phase you. Too much. Then the anxiety starts to eat at you when Hwiseo takes first place. Still, not too surprising, considering she finished there during the last episode as well.

Then finally, she is announced as the sixth member to join EL7Z UP, placing second overall in the votes. By that time you chew down every single nail on your fingers despite being sure she would make it. The other idols still on stage gather around her, cheering her on while also calming her down. When she takes the mic, it seems like she isn’t even crying anymore, but as soon as she tries to speak, her voice cracks in the cutest way possible, and it’s followed by an even cuter whimper. She gives her speech with a trembling voice, thanking everyone she can think of, and finally joins the other 5 girls on the pedestal. Her rightful place. You sob during it all, chuckling shakily during her most adorable moments. Even Nana’s cool calm and collected manager wipes a tear from her eyes. - Never once doubted her. - you break the melancholically cheerful silence - But damn it feels good to see her win.

- No kidding…

After Yeeun is revealed as the final winner, and EL7Z UP’s line-up is complete, they celebrate on stage for a while. You chat with the manager about the ups and downs of the show, weighing in about the winners, the performances, and how amazing Taeyeon is. After a good half an hour, Nana finally returns, jumping into your arms. She lets out her remaining tension, soaking your shirt with her tears. You caress her back lovingly, whispering sweet little nothings to soothe her. The clock ticks by relentlessly, and Nana has to go again. She lets go of you with a long sigh, and wipes her face with a handkerchief her manager hands her. - I wish I could stay for longer. But I have to change, fix my makeup, talk to the girls– - It’s fine, princess. - you cut in - I will see you later, yeah? - Yes! How about this Friday? - she perks up - I know it’s soon, but I won’t have much free time before our debut. And I want to show you my favourite place before it starts to get cold. - Sure. I will make time for you. Whatever it takes. - you agree without hesitation. - Great! - she plants a quick kiss on your cheek, and skips out of the room.

You breathe out slowly. It’s finally over. Well, kind of. The stress of the survival show may be gone, but now comes the debut. The stakes might not be as high, but Nana will surely give her best, meaning you really won’t see her for the next few months. Again.

Why did I have to fall for an idol? - you ask yourself, but realise it’s no use to dwell on it. Such a fantastic girl is more than worth waiting for. It’s not like you are not busy yourself, and she won’t be active all year long. Still, it feels like the whole industry is against you, hell-bent on preventing this relationship. And it’s not completely false. Her agency would most likely not allow for it: Nana was already their best asset, and now she became even more valuable. Who cares? As long as her manager is chill with it - which she most definitely is now - and you two are careful, it should be fine. Should be. Has to be.

_______________________________________________________

Her sanctuary, as she calls it, is a smaller penthouse on the outskirts of Seoul. It’s a simple, cosy flat that feels perfect to come home to after a long day of work. It has everything you need, nothing less, nothing more. one bedroom with  a queen size bed, a decently equipped kitchen, a bathroom with a freestanding tub, and a cutesy living room. It’s just far away from the centre, so that the noises of the city can be faintly heard from inside, and just barely more from the balcony. And what a balcony it is. It’s the part that really screams ‘Nana’. Full of flowers and greenery, two blue lounge chairs with a glass table between them, and on it, a sight that melts your heart: the butterfly peas you bought her for her birthday. - Did you try making tea out of it? - you ask as you trace your fingers along the vibrant blue petals.

- No, not yet. I have barely been here since Queendom Puzzle started. I did have someone to water the plants though! They even cared for the plastic ones. - she adds with a melodic giggle.

- Wanna try now?

- Sure! Although… I would hate to pluck it when it’s still so beautiful…

Nana admires the plant with a sombre look before you speak up.

- Well, they are about to lose the flowers soon anyways. The days are getting colder and shorter.

She lets out a long sigh before agreeing to it. She takes a handful of pictures before you pluck the flower heads ever so carefully and rinse them. While you boil the water, the 1 girl grabs 2 cups and a jar of honey to prepare them. You wait 5-10 minutes until the hot water brings out the flavours and colours of the petals, then you indulge yourselves in the heart-warming delicacy.

- Mmmmh~ That’s nice. - Nana remarks as she slowly sips on the blue tea.

- Tastes like spring, doesn’t it?

Nana quickly nods in agreement.

- Now watch this. - you grab a wedge of lemon, and squeeze some of its juices into your cup. The liquid changes its deep blue hue to a glamorous purple within seconds as the acidic drops dissolve.

- Wow… That’s gorgeous! But I like mine blue.

- I’m not surprised.

Compared to the first date, this feels even less tense. No preparations, no stakes, no nerves. Nana and you are already more than close friends, so there is no need to win her over. Now it’s really all about enjoying each other’s company and talking about anything and everything. She tells all about her pre-debut activities, her school years, and the shenanigans she got up to as a child. You in turn recount anecdotes from the same times of your life, sprinkled in with the first few months after coming to Korea, and starting your own variety show as a foreigner. The tea is followed by a few bottles of soju, along with some takeout. “Some”. It’s kind of a feast (again), but it all disappears eventually as the conversation goes on and on, delving more into your past adventures, your present passions, and your hopes and dreams for the future. The alcohol does its work in the meanwhile, smoothing out the already relaxed nerves even more, and colouring Nana’s porcelain skin in that Asian flush, giving her an ethereal look as the Sun starts to dip below the horizon. Your hand finds hers, and the two of you sit in a tranquil silence, watching the sky and clouds dance in the colours of the setting star.

- You know… - Nana cuts into the quiet, giving you a warm, pensive look. - One can love the sunset, when one is happy, too.

It takes you a few seconds before it clicks, then your face lights up with a tender smile.

- You remembered?

- Of course! I haven’t found time yet to read it, but I will.

- Because of that one line? - No. Because it’s important to you. Such a simple statement, yet so powerful. If anyone ever wondered how someone can confess their feelings without saying it outright, they would have found it right here. Just as the last rays of sunlight dim, you bring her hand to your lips, and plant a compassionate kiss on the back of her palm. After that, looking into her eyes, you both understand the depth and strength of this connection within a moment’s notice.

- And you are so much more important, princess.

The equally corny and touching response earns you Nana’s signature smile, though it seems different from the usual: more sincere and less practiced. Something that merely a couple people have seen if you had to guess. And as many times before, your heart turns into mush, a sweet concoction of affection and adoration, with a pinch of lust.

While the night claims its domain, coating the skies above in pitch black, you clean up the remains of the feast, and grab two blankets. You stay out stargazing for a long while, searching for constellations, and admiring the waning Moon before you move back inside the apartment. Just as Nana is about to dive into her next story, a long yawn interrupts her. It’s not that late yet, but the day was long. For her the whole summer was long.

- I guess it’s time I head home. You should rest while you can. - No! - she objects instantly, then sinks into the couch with a sheepish smile. - Would you stay for the night? Please? You chuckle faintly, and sit down right next to her.

- If that’s what the princess wants…

She leans her head on your shoulder with a tired giggle. Your hand reaches around her, rubbing her side ever so slowly. The little incubus at the back of your head is screaming to lunge at her, but you kill the voice, knowing it’s not the time. Not yet. Maybe you won’t see her until her promotions end, but if you cross this bridge now, it might be even harder on the both of you, having to go without intimacy for months after a most likely wonderful night together. So you bide your time. It will be worth it in the end, even if holding back at the moment feels awful.

While Nana takes a shower and washes her face, you drive home for your pyjamas and a toothbrush. Once you are back, she is already lying on the bed, mindlessly scrolling on her phone. She flashes you a weak smile, though you barely catch it, as the view of her bare legs distract you. You grit your teeth, and head to the bathroom to change and wash up, cursing your luck. It should have been obvious that she would be wearing shorts to bed in the summer, but your mind was elsewhere when you agreed to sleep over.

You step back into the room, and join Nana under the covers. You decide it’s best not to poke the bear in your boxers, and stay on your side of the bed, but Nana has other plans. “She needs cuddles” - she says. “It helps her sleep better, and she missed it so bad.” - she explains. You can’t say no to her pouting lips and puppy eyes, but what comes after is the true challenge. She nestles into you, not leaving any space between your bodies, not even in the most intimate places. Her round and firm backside assumes its position against your pelvis, pressing into you as if she didn’t know it was one of the most seductive things a girl could do in this situation. You have to call upon every god in the sky, on Olympus, in Asgard, on Mount Meru, and in Takamagahara, to help you out in this seemingly unwinnable battle. Their combined might is indeed enough to suppress your desires, and you relax with her, hugging her close like a plushie. - Good night princess. - your voice is groggy as you place a kiss on the back of her head. - Good night Little Prince. - she is already fading away into sleep, but she holds onto your hand, intertwining her fingers with yours before she drifts off. You follow suit, her soft whimpers lulling you to rest in no time.

_______________________________________________________

One of the drawbacks of living on the top floor, is that the Sun disturbs the idyllic early mornings, totally unasked for. With eyes wide shut, you turn away from the celestial intruder, meeting face to back with an angel. Instead of wings, her chestnut locks spread out on the mattress before you. It obviously wouldn’t be courteous to wake her, but it’s also a crime not to cosy up to a sleeping beauty in a moment like this. So you scoot closer, and ever so cautiously wrap an arm around her petite body. If it wasn’t for the deities who helped you yesterday, you would be in an awkward situation again, but your little buddy decided not to give Nana a rude awakening.

- Hmmm~ I could get used to waking like this. - she mumbles as she finally wakes, and wiggles deeper into your embrace, snuggling up to your warmth like a cat.

- And I could get used to sleeping like this.

She lets out an amused sigh, and starts to run her fingers along your forearm, carefully scraping it with her nails.

- Too bad we can’t stay here all day, huh?

- Yeah… too bad. Maybe if you weren’t such a great performer, you wouldn’t have made it into EL7Z UP, and you wouldn’t have to go to practice and meetings today. - you tease her.

- Maybe… But sorry, I am not throwing that away for you.

- I would rather have you throw me out if I actually asked something so ridiculous of you.

- Good. Now shut up and kiss me! - she demands out of nowhere, and flips around in a flash.

You don’t even have time to protest - as if you wanted to - before her lips press hungrily against yours. Your stale morning breaths take nothing away from the enjoyment and the beauty of the act. The chirps of birds and the early commotion of the waking city fade into the distance, replaced by Nana’s barely audible moans, your heavy breaths, and the smacks of your lips. The make-out is just as sweet as it is urgent, but you refrain from using your tongues for the sake of keeping it PG - you know you wouldn’t be able to hold back if she let you venture further. She is not so restrained though: her fingers run through your hair as she pulls you in deeper, and her soft little breasts squish against your chest, drawing blood to your nether region. But before things could get out of control, your rumbling stomach comes to the rescue. “If only it didn’t need to.” - you curse silently in your head. With flushed cheeks and short, shallow breaths, Nana pulls away.

- Breakfast?

- Breakfast… Do you have eggs and bacon?

- I should, yeah. Want me to make some?

- No thanks. I can do it. Do you want some too?

- Uhmm… Sure! I would like a proper breakfast while I can. But I wanna help!

- You’re the boss, boss.

She steals one last cheeky kiss before jumping out of bed, and chassés out of the room. You follow her (butt) with your eyes, then join her in the kitchen.

- Can you grab the things please? - Nana asks as she turns on the stove, and pours the oil into a large pan.

- Sure thing.

Despite you telling her beforehand that you would do the cooking for both of you, she doesn’t give you a chance. Wanting to be a good host, or so she says. You are not one to complain about a lack of work in the morning, so you at least have to pay her back somehow, right? And what better way than a playful bump of your hips against hers, an affectionate hug from behind, or a few delicate kisses on her neck and shoulders. Nana doesn’t reject her payment, and you can feel her skin heat up under your touch. It could be from the fire of the stove, but her crimson ears let you know it’s your doing. When she is almost done, you set the table, and pour out two glasses of orange juice.

You eat in mostly quiet, watching the Sun climb higher on the cloudless sky, only occasionally speaking up. Exactly like on the first date though, it’s not an awkward silences, it’s just… comfortable. You will have many more times in the not so near future to discuss any hot topic, or whatever’s on your minds, but this serene morning needs none of that. It only needs the two of you, stolen glances, exchanged smiles, and some cold oj to flush down the tasty food.

She offers you coffee after you’re done; an offer you can’t refuse, but state one condition in return: “I’m doing the dishes then.” She brings the soul warming beverage to the sofa, where the two of you cuddle up, watching some dumb morning show for entertainment. Your hand roams along her body dutifully through it all, earning you hums of delight. Sadly, the good times come to an end sooner than expected when Nana gets a call from her manager, informing her about a crucial, and certainly critical conference in the coming hour.

- I’ll let you get ready, then. - you tell her, slightly dejected, but not at all surprised.

- Yeah, thanks… You first do the dishes as promised, then head to the bathroom to dress up while she does the same in her bedroom. After a long kiss, you say your goodbyes.

- I’ll see you… whenever, I guess. - you say with a bitter smile.

- I’ll try to make time for you, but I can’t promise anything. - her eyes cast down on the floor, trying not to face the inevitable.

You grab her chin, and bring her eyes up to meet yours briefly, before you give her one more peck on her lips. For the first time you have known her, they were slanting down, but you pour every bit of reassurance into the kiss, and though she doesn’t exactly smile after you pull away, she at least looks less gloomy.

- You just focus on this group first, okay? Don’t push yourself too hard, because I will wait for you, however long it takes.

She darts at you with a tight hug, not letting go of you until she has committed your scent and feel to memory.

- Thank you. I will do my best for you.

- I don’t doubt that for a second. But do it for yourself.

_______________________________________________________

You knew what you signed up for, but that still doesn’t console you. Working, and meeting up with your friends can’t replace Nana’s absence in your life. She puts most of her energy into preparing for her debut, understandably so, and the two of you barely even chat during her promotions. Meetings are almost completely out of the question, bar a few coffees, and a short walk with your dog here and there. The only positive thing about all of this is watching Nana shine on stage more than ever. Even during the rendezvous, she goes on about how much fun it is with the new members, how talented and kind they are, and how much she loves the songs, dances, and concepts. She can’t hide her fatigue though, tainting the sweet times with a somewhat bitter undertone. They even travelled to Japan two times, once to France, and once to Saudi Arabia, and no matter how much you wanted to follow her, there was no way it was ever feasible or logical.

And of course, once the promotions for their first EP 7+UP ends, they almost immediately announce their next comeback in early 2024, threatening even more packed schedules for her, and even less dates for you. Fortunately or not, that somehow fizzles out, but of course, Nana’s agency jumps on the opportunity, riding her newfound fame, striking while the iron is hot: they announce WOOAH’s single releasing in April. Between all this chaos and dickering, only one thing is for certain: you have to meet. You have both waited enough, sacrificed enough, now it’s time to reap in your rewards.

While her bosses deal with legal stuff between WOOAH an EL7Z UP, and set up for the release of BLUSH, you have a few weeks of freedom, and you use it to the fullest. You drink and dine out, go to karaoke and bowling with friends, and during all this, your love for Nana only grows. Finally being with her again, fully, and this frequently, reminds you why you fell for her in the first place: her carefree but never careless attitude, her kind words, her playful teasing, her precious smile and even more precious laughter, her perfect body in your arms, and those soft lips that taunt you to kiss her every time your gaze lands on them, even if there are people watching.

And naturally, it doesn’t take long to give in to the desires you both have held back for God knows how long. After the first few dates, it’s time you cross this bridge. It wasn’t exactly what you had in mind when you met up in the afternoon in early February for a BBQ with her friends, but it was always in the cards. Valentine’s day was just around the corner, and you could have waited to make it the most special day of all, but something about today just felt right. Maybe it was how she fed you while you cooked for the group, how she kept looking at you with those curious, adoring eyes, how she snuggled close whenever she could, how she leaned her head on your shoulder, how she clung onto your hand during your walk home, or most likely all of the above.

In any case, it led you here, to this exact moment. You are lying on your bed, and for the first time in many months, it’s not your dog you share it with. Nana is on top of you, her tongue pushing against your lips as you make out, impatiently searching for a way in, which you hastily surrender to her. You have never seen her this zealous, this hungry for you. “I guess she has had enough too.” Sensing her intentions, your hands creep down from her back, and land on her perky ass. It’s time you shed the pretences, and go for what she is offering. What’s yours for the night, and most likely for the foreseeable future, but hopefully forever. You fondle the supple flesh and spread her cheeks apart as much as her jeans allow. She rewards you with moans you can only describe as lewd. Especially for such a gracious girl as her.

Her hands are holding either side of your neck, pulling you impossibly close, deepening the kiss, like she feared you would get away if she let go of you for a second. Her fingers then snake down on your chest, her fingertips tracing teasing circles around your nipple before feeling up your pecs and abs. She moans into the kiss again, but it’s this time more out of appreciation for your fit physique than from the heat that’s building inside her. In the meantime, you reach under her top to rub along the smooth skin of her lower back. The feeling presumably ignites something within her, because she starts to grind against your growing bulge, eliciting a hushed groan from you this time.

It’s a risky limbo of long suppressed lust and never-ending affection. One side of you simply wants to pin her down, and fuck her brains out until she is addicted to you, to your cock, but the more sentimental side yearns for her gentle touches, her sweet kisses, and her soft whimpers of satisfaction, were you to slowly make love to this princess on top of you. The way she quickly reaches for your groin, but stops at the edge of your pants in hesitation, lets you know she is battling with the same demons. And being the sensible man you are, you won’t force her into something she is not hundred percent comfortable with. Nevertheless, you lift your hips, seeking her touch, while also giving her the green light she might have needed.

She doesn’t bite just yet though - except for your lower lips at times. Instead she matches the movement of your hands, and her digits sneak under your shirt to explore your tensing muscles. The arousal is literally palpable, even your clothes start to feel too hot now. As the restrictions start to crumble, Nana takes the first real step: in the blink of an eye she breaks the kiss, sits up, and pulls off her shirt in one move. You barely have a second to admire her athletic upper body, because as soon as she throws her top away, her lips are pressing against yours again. It doesn’t take long for her to reach for your top after that; her fingers hook into the fabric, and you lift from the bed to help her remove it. This time she takes a few seconds to drink in your sight; that lets you enjoy her tantalizing fitness in return.

- Fuck… You are so-

You can’t even finish the sentence, because with a wide grin, she lunges at you, continuing her oral assault where she left off. The sloppy sound of your make-out fills the room, along with heavy breaths and muffled whimpers of arousal. Her fair skin is like velvet under your fingertips as you brush them across her back with unrestrained need. The back of her bra gets in the way of the exploration, but she gives you a quick approval for you to unclasp it. She wiggles out of the pesky piece of fabric, and again, she gives you a mere glimpse of her pert tits before pressing them against your chest to resume with the smooches. Her lips slowly leave yours, and make their way down your jawline, across your neck, and onto your chest. A move you would have rather done to her yourself, but certainly aren’t against to be on the receiving end of. Persistently, she moves further south, only stopping when she reaches your abdomen. She looks up at your flustered face, and with a sly grin, she unbuttons your pants, and unzips your fly. With the lowered resistance, your erection bursts forward, tenting your boxers, the last barrier between you and heaven. Nana tugs at your pants; doesn’t even wait for you to raise your hips, she just yanks it off, but in doing so, your underwear comes off with them. Your cock springs free, and stands at attention proudly, twitching in anticipation. As your princess marvels at your manhood, you get to gawk at her modest, perky breasts. You swear you can see her pink nipples harden, and you give yourself all the credit, since the air in your room is more than warm at this point.

Nana’s mouth hangs agape as she cautiously drops to her knees. You prop yourself up on your elbows to get a better look of her reaching for your pole. Her delicate fingers wrap around your girth tentatively, mapping your pulsing veins. Her clutched palm moves along your shaft in a measured fashion, her eyes locked onto her prize. - Such a nice cock… You look at her curiously, somewhat caught off guard by her statement, but before you could give it much thought, her lips are already hovering your leaking tip. She looks up at you with those innocent cocoa-hued eyes, though you can’t find any trace of modesty in her gaze. It’s filled with lust and hunger as she opens wide to take you inside. You hiss at first, when her hot breath hits your meat, then you let out the air in a shaky breath when she envelopes you in the slick and soppy embrace of her mouth. Your head cocks back for a second, but you regain composure, just so you can look into her eyes. She never breaks eye contact as she dutifully takes more and more of your length into her greedy mouth. She pushes her tongue out with practiced ease, making sure your main vein slides nicely alongside the rougher surface.

Your glans reach her uvula, but she doesn’t gag, merely pauses for a second. Even that’s just for show, because she grins (as much as you dick inside her mouth lets her), and in a heartbeat, she has swallowed you whole, leaving you dazed, reeling, about to break, but above all, impressed and extremely horny. Her eyes start to tear up after a few seconds, and only then she starts to remove your member in a leisurely manner. Her drool covers you from head to balls as she slowly jerks your cock, still looking into your widened eyes, spittle dripping down from her chin.

- Holy shit, Nana.

She flashes you a cheeky, victorious smile. - Not gonna lie, I didn’t think I could take it all. I haven’t been with a guy in quite some time, and none of them were packing like you. Her smirk fades, replaced by a sulking pout as she sees your confused expression. - Did you not like it?

You shake your head.

- No, I did! It felt fucking amazing. It’s just unexpected, is all. I never imagined you to had this side.

- It’s kind of new to me too, to be honest. But I’m sooo horny right now. Have been for a long while, to be honest. You were just so nice today. To me, to my friends, even to the cashier at the shop. You always have been, and you don’t even know what that's doing to me. I have never felt this attraction to anyone, and I… I can’t help it. I want you. So fucking bad.

You reach for her blushing cheeks to caress her, which she welcomes with a satisfied sigh. - I want you too, Nana. But I’m sure you know that.

You lean down, and bring her face to yours for a kiss. It’s sweet and sensual, unlike the ones a few minutes ago. Those few words along with this romantic smooch is all she needed for reassurance. She steps away with a wink, and stares at you as she finally takes her pants off. It’s slow and measured, challenging you to stand up and rip them off, but you are too focused on her slender legs, and the blue-striped panties to move even a muscle. When the jeans finally are off, she kicks them to the side, and with short, calculated steps, she makes her way back to you. With both hands on your shoulders, she pushes you onto your back so she can straddle your lap. The wetness of her core seeps through her underwear as she desperately grinds against your throbbing cock. When you reach for her ass again, you realize it’s not just any pair of panties: it’s a thong. When she sees your surprise, she just grins. - I need you in me right now.

To back up her words, she peels the thin, moist fabric to the side; she can’t be bothered to waste another second to actually take them off. She drags her soaking folds across your spit-coated rod a few times, giving it another layer of her slick juices. You hold your breath to listen to the barely audible wet noises, but her quickening squeals of delight suppress the noise. After a few seconds, when she deems you well lubed enough, she lifts herself, and brings your tip to her entrance. Again, you barely have a second or two to take in the glorious sight before she moves. A sharp inhale, then she sinks down on you. Not slowly. Not carefully. And despite her incredible tightness, she manages to take all of you in a single, reckless motion.

- What the- Jesus! - she screams as you bottom out.

- T-take your time, princess. - you suggest, but it’s for your own good too, because the snugness of her raw pussy is almost unbearable. You don’t even question the foregoing of condoms, you assume she knows best.

She doesn’t even seem to have heard your words, too lost in need, too impatient, after having to wait months for you. Without warning, or any easing into it, she rises up, until only your tip remains inside her silken warmth, then slams down onto you. The sharp slap of your skins echoes through the room, but not for long; this wasn’t a one time trick, or something to show off, just an appetizer. She repeats the motion again and again, harder and faster each time. Her legs can barely handle the brutal pace her body demands, so she fixes her position. With her feet planted firmly on either side of your hips, and her hands propped on your chest for support, she resumes pounding you. It might sound ironic, but there is no arguing about it: she is the one in control, she is the one doing all the work, practically using your pulsing heat as a living dildo to vent her pent up frustrations out with. - Fucking hell… Slow down! - you plead between short, ragged breaths as you hold onto her thighs for dear life, leaving red marks on her flawless skin. - I- I can’t… I need this… I need YOU, damnit! I have waited long enough…

She looks you in the eye, and in it, you can see it all. The glints of almost obsessive adoration fuelled by months of longing and affection. The guilt of hidden desires and the fire of hardly concealed lust. It’s all there, and you can’t believe it’s all for you. You can’t believe how lucky you are to have this angel turn into this insatiable succubus, drunk on your love, riding you into a world of pleasure that may have never been discovered by any other. And within those passion-darkened eyes, you see yourself: a perfect reflection of all her feelings. It’s not like she was the only one who has been fighting back their urges for days on end.

- You understand, right? - she asks, still smashing her ass against your pelvis with unwavering cadence.

- Of course… - you admit between groans. - Let me prove it. You clutch onto her legs with force to keep her in place. She cocks her head in confusion– then you thrust into her. She yelps. Her back arches. Her nails dig into your chest. And the erotic display is fuel to the fire, to your pistoning cock. The pace she has set before? You double it. That causes her voice to grow in volume two-fold too.

- Ah! Y/N! - she cries out, which spurs you on to fuck her even harder.

Now that you have taken the lead, and aren’t just along the ride - though what a ride it was - you have the chance to examine her petite body. You start from the top with her face, or at least want to, but her head is still thrown back, moaning your name between obscenities as pleasure takes over her mind. Her reddened neck looks primed to leave hickeys on, albeit that’s for another time. For an occasion when she doesn’t have to cover it up with makeup from prying eyes. Below that, her small, perky tits bounce with your every stab into her needy cunt. You reach for them with both arms, and grope her soft mounds. She bites her lips from that, but then her jaw slacks open with a guttural howl when you pinch her aroused pink nipples, and roll them between your fingers. The reaction is exactly what you hoped for, so your digits stay on her itty-bitties to continue their work. Your eyes continue their work in the meanwhile. They land on her tummy. Her abs flex constantly as she tries to keep herself steady on top of you. Her skin is patterned by little drops of sweat, some of which give in to gravity and roll down in the crevice of her toned midriff. And the more you fuck her, the more her body glows with sweat. Not too far underneath her cute belly button, the sight of her completely shaved pussy greets you. It’s arguably the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, even in its current state. Or maybe that’s exactly what makes it so enticing. It’s swollen and flushed, her folds already covered in grool, yet your pounding draws even more of the precious nectar out.

*What a shame I couldn’t taste it. Yet. * - you think to yourself.

Nana finally gets a hold of herself, at least enough to look at you. The craving in her eyes is softened with an infatuation that makes you blush. She leans forward with a weak smile, her fingers brush along your cheekbones in a soothing way, raising goosebumps on your arms. The stark contrast between the gentle touch and the obscene slapping of flesh against flesh throws you off, but your hips are moving on their own at this point, unbothered by the sudden show of affection. Not that she intended for you to slow down anyways, just wanted to look at you, adore you, one last time before she comes undone.

Because after holding back for months, this first orgasm comes fast and hits hard, like a bullet train of pleasure. Her eyes are still on yours, but glassy and unfocused now. She bites down on her tongue, trying to hold back a moan, as if she was suddenly self-conscious about making so much noise (little does she know, there aren’t any neighbours around to worry about). You give her taut ass a sharp whack, and that’s enough to get her to scream and arch her back.

- Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!!!

You don’t just let her savour the orgasm though. No. You fuck her through it. Overwhelming her senses to a degree she can’t contain. You press your thumb onto her clit– a few circles around her pearl is all it takes to turn her into a quivering mess. Her legs give out, and she drops onto your lap, practically impaling herself on your dick, preventing you from pounding her further. Her mouth is open, and you wait for a moan, a curse, a cry, but none of it ever comes. Nana doesn’t even breathe. The only sign of life you get is her walls squeezing around you periodically, clamping down on your rock solid pole.

It’s sort of a miracle you don’t lose it right there. But you hold back because you want more. More of her moans. More of her tight, silky heat. More of her pretty face distorted with pleasure. More of her jiggling breasts. More of her firm ass. More of Nana.

- Holy fuck! - she finally speaks up amidst shallow breaths - That was incredible… I never… I never came so hard in my life.

- Yeah, that felt unreal. - you agree, lacing your fingers through hers. - You are fucking perfect.

- But… But you didn’t finish yet. - she notes, slightly disappointed, but not discouraged, evident by her playful smirk. - Maybe a good look at my butt would help.

With your cock still inside her drenched slit, she spins around, and nestles into your lap. She tries to go fast right away, but her still sensitive pussy forces her to take a moment before she could properly ride you. At first, you grab onto the sheets, just watching as ripples tear through her glistening ass. But you can’t go on like that for long. Not when such perfection is right in front of you, taunting you, begging to be played with. And so you reach out, take both her taut cheeks in your palms, and give them a nice squeeze.

- Mmmh~ I knew you would like it.

- I fuckin’ LOVE it. - you correct her. When she looks back at you over her shoulders, her hair cascades down on her back, sticking to her sweaty skin. Her lust-filled gaze finds yours, stuck to her cute little bottom, and to the puckered hole in its centre. A knowing smile tugs at her lips as she turns forward again, and she rides you even faster. You spread her cheeks to get a better look at her rear entrance; it twitches, daring you to make a move. And you don’t need to be asked twice. After licking your thumb to lube it up, you inch closer and closer to her backdoor, and since Nana doesn’t protest, you press forward. To your surprise, it gives way to you without much resistance, as if she was prepared for it, wishing for it even. And judging by her loud, almost deafening moan, that’s exactly the case.

The added sensation makes her already tight cunt clench your dick even harder. She gasps, shuddering, but she doesn’t stop. She can’t. She wants to push you to your peak and past that. She wants you to cum for her, to show her how much you adore her, how much she turns you on, how good she feels. If only she knew.

- Come on Y/N… Cum for me! - she begs as she rolls her hips in a way only a practiced dancer like she can.

Your reply is a moan. A desperate, covetous wail, that gives away just how close you are to the edge. Teetering on the brink, facing the abyss… An abyss of pure bliss and overflowing emotions. Its pull is irresistible, as is Nana, and you feel the inferno in your abdomen building up, threatening to erupt at any time. And no matter how wet she is, how much she is leaking all over your lap and onto the bed sheets, it only feeds the fire more, along with your own unravelling. You are almost there, and Nana knows it too from the way your length twitches more and more inside her, and from your short, laboured breaths through gritted teeth.

- Please just fill me up already! Now that’s just cheating. One that probably works eleven out of ten times. Your body locks up as you drown in the pleasure. You try to hold her still against your pelvis as you start to unload inside her welcoming little hole, but she slaps your trembling hands away, and rides you even faster.

Did you really think she wouldn’t pay back for the ‘favour’ of you overstimulating her when she came? You should have known better.

She fucks you, until you’re a shaking mess under her– until her second orgasm hits. The way your combined moans fill the room (the whole house, really) along with the wet sounds of your mixing juices, as it sloshes around lewdly with Nana’s every movement, is completely obscene. It’s a beautifully filthy symphony, played by and for the two of you.

A/N: Your dog is in the garden, preoccupied with searching for a treat he buried a week ago, in case you’re wondering.

Nana rolls her hips slowly to ride out the last moments of her orgasm, while also milking your cock for every last drop of cum you have to offer. She purrs in delight as you fill her thirsty womb, then, once you have nothing left to give, she turns around and collapses on top of you– entirely spent, and thoroughly satisfied. Her hot breath tickles your neck as she lies on your chest, but you barely register it. Your brain is locked onto the receptors in your nether region. Still, with how out of it you are, you manage to command your body to do one thing: hug Nana close.

The two of you stay in that sticky embrace, your chests heaving against the other’s with each shallow breath while your spunk slowly drips out of her used slit. It takes a few minutes before either of you come down from the high, able to speak again.

- You are way too good at that. That had to be my biggest load yet.

- Thanks, handsome~ You are no slouch yourself. - she returns the flattery along with a small kiss, then looks at you. Her eyes sparkle with the afterglow of your ravenous lovemaking, but she has a slightly bashful expression on. - This- This was the first time anyone came inside me. I don’t know what came over me, I was just so turned on, so horny, and I really wanted to know what it felt like, and I wanted it to be you, because I didn’t know when we could do this again… And I don’t want you to think I’m the kind of girl, who just sleeps around for the heck of it, opening her legs for any-

You shut her yapper with a deep, passionate kiss, until she finally relaxes in your arms.

- You have nothing to explain, Nana. Not to me, not to yourself. - your fingers brush through her hair for further reassurance.

She stares back with adoration, then lays her head on your chest with a sigh. The stark contrast between the rough sex and the intimacy of this moment doesn’t elude you, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s not like you went all out because there was not even a trace of emotion between you; it’s the exact opposite. You were both so starved for physical affection, so head over heels for the other, that this was the best and only way to release everything that’s been consuming you since your first kiss.

- I hate to be this responsible right now, - you disrupt the blissful peace - but I should take a piss. And I really need to hydrate.

- Sure… You go ahead and do that… I’ll just… wait for you here…

You steal a kiss before she rolls off of you, then you leave the room in your boxers. After you accomplish your mission and let Bingley inside, you return to Nana with two bottles of water.

- Here. You should drink too.

- Oh yeah, thanks.

- Want me to lend you a shirt for the night? - you ask after emptying half the bottle.

- Hmmm, no. I want to fall asleep cuddling like this.

- As you wish, princess.

You discard the soaked blankets for a clean one, take off your boxers, then lie behind Nana with your arms wrapped around her exhausted body. The strong scent of sex lingers in the room, only dampened by the sweetness of Nana’s shampoo. She settles deeper into your calming embrace, her bare skin still warm and damp with exertion, and it feels sooo nice against your body. Like she was always meant to be right there. Right here. With you. The only sound disturbing the tranquil silence is the nestling from her thighs as they absentmindedly rub together at the delicious soreness you left in her. Until you remember something.

- Oh! Just one more thing.

- Mmm? - she groans, barely awake.

- I love you.

- I know. - she leaves the words hanging for a few, very uncomfortable seconds - I love you too.

Her breaths become silent purrs, and her pulse slows to a soothing thrum against your palm on her stomach. She threads her fingers through yours, content, loved, comfy, pleased.

- Good night princess.

- Mmm~

You stay awake for a while, drawing little circles on the back of her hand, replaying the events of today in your head. Especially this last half an hour. Would she have been like this if you went all the way earlier? Who knows? Who cares? Was it worth the wait regardless? Absolutely. Because all that matters is her, lying in your arms, naked, after the best sex of your life. So far! Because with Nana, you know you will have all the fun in the world– in and out of bed. And doubtless, she will prove that in the morning when she wakes up by your side. By her beloved Y/N.

[cherrribun]

Just read your first years with a stoner!reader and wanted to ask if you could write the same for the third years? Like they just catch the reader about to start smoking, eye contact, “You want one?”

TWST 3rd Years x Stoner! Reader

loving writing these, theyre so silly! not all are loyal to the exact prompt, but theyre variations of it! i love rook, i would kiss him if he was real :dreamy:

Characters: 3rd years!

TWS: Drug usage, weed of all kinds, some characters dislike the weed

a/n: sorry idias shorter, hes a bit difficult to write for me, but i shall improve!

Trey Clover

-trey has the mind of a worn out father of 3, the poor man

-hes very often busy, and despite this, does as much as he can to make time for everyone who is important to him

-heartslabyul is possibly the worst dorm to be a stoner in tbh

-often times you have to attend to the variety of colorfully bothersome 800 odd rules, all of which to be considered not only during class but afterward

-so no dice to our reader

-the most available hour to smoke is most often late at night, when most other students are asleep

-trey likes to wish everyone a goodnight before bed, wether theyre in the common room or their bedrooms!

-what a sweetie, if it werent for the fact you couldn’t wait for him to sleep one night, and decided to play chicken with footsteps down the hall

-the first footsteps weren’t trey, so you smoked, blowing it out the window

-and the next weren’t, nor were the ones after

-assuming trey had mistaken you for being in the common room and he had went to bed, you stopped trying to hide your pen when you heard walking

-of course, he enters your room with intentions of wishing you goodnight, when you are literally in the middle debating hotboxing the room

-”goodnight, dear—-”

-theres a good long moment of staring as trey is in some disbelief, you can see him grimace as he is assaulted by the stench of the weed

-you kind of just stare at one another, before you kind of just hold the pen out as if an invitation

-trey blinks

-”you know you really shouldn’t be doing that in the dorms. Its not good for you,”

-you got lectured for about 10 minutes before trey came over and gave you a goodnight hug

-he sheepishly kind of stood by the bed before snatching the pen and taking a hit lol

Cater Diamond

-lets be very honest, cater is a fiend for weed

-its practically in the dna of anyone with screentime exceeding 8 hours a day

-but cater isn’t dumb, he wouldn’t post about it explicitly, but has had “scandals” when he goes live on magicam, a little too giggly and slow while doing his little nightly routine

-when you come into the picture, you obviously shoot cater a follow on magicam, and he ofc follows you back

-and one day you happen upon his giggly streams, hes clearly tripping based off the way he cant stop laughing while messing with filters

-bless, youve found your people

-you would go up to him next time you saw him, and subtly ask him if he knows a mary jane

-he looks at you all stupid for a second before he catches on but seven be damned, hes estatic

-later that day, when its the evening turning night, you are of course enjoying the pleasures of your bong when a certain redhead is knocking on the door

-he immediately laughs the moment he sees your bong, pulling out his own pen when he shuts the door behind him

-”great minds think alike! I’m like totally not supposed to do this, but I brought secret tarts. no telling!!”

-cater is an active guy when high, he loves himself sativa, or whatever magical equivalent there is

-a smoke sesh with cater is a dream come true, hes entertainment enough with the way he literally can not sit still. he will go from telling you the latest gossip to playing his playlist and begging you to dance with him, all the while snickering and laughing

Lilia Vonrouge

-lilia is a very peculiar man, as many may be aware

-700 years old, a calloused war veteran who struck down foes larger than life, raising silver himself

-and also a gamer, 5’1, and owner of eclectic “vases”

-its rather safe to say when he stumbles upon you in the middle of taking a hit, he had known for a long time already

-hes not necessarily a stalker, but he does hang around per say (literally)

-and his “stumbling” upon you was very likely him hanging upside down in your room, likely planning on scaring you for the fun of it, but got interested as you looked about suspiciously before pulling out your little draw-string bag of buds

-he promptly blows his cover, scaring you yes, but hes eager to join you

-”my my, smoking in school? diasomnia no less? Youve a rebellious streak in you, most kids do dont they?”

-old man

-i jest, yet he does recall when weed was first localized for humans and the exact date when each strain was curated

-i dont really know if he would necessarily ask you if he could join, more so holding his hand out expectantly

-but you obviously havent rolled shit yet, so awkwardly handing him a bud, you watch in horror as he just. Eats. the bud

-lilia high isnt very different from normal lilia, honestly, hes possibly more tolerable if youre a fan of “back in my day” speeches

-he probably requires alot of weed to really feel much too, hes got a tolerance from over the years, you know. best to keep some extra if you want to keep the man around!

Malleus Draconia

-malleus is a bit of a buzz kill to be quite frank

-not in your usual sense however

-when malleus walks into your dorm, having picked up on that ever peculiar scent of a certain herb, he lays into you

-but not in the ‘smoking is bad for you!’ way

-in the ‘what is cannabis’ way

-malleus had grown up incredibly sheltered in briar valley, he barely speaks to a soul outside of lilia whom isnt always the best company

-he literally has no idea what the hell weed is, its simply never been introduced to him in anyway

-after a long explanation of what drugs are, how you enjoy the sensations of being high and buzzy, how you can get so hungry and sleepy or excited and stupid from the herb

-hes like a mix of a grandpa and a toddler sitting at the edge of your bed. hes got the mentality of a hardened ancient and the heart of a child

-he gladly accepts your offer of the drug, but doesn't heed your advice when you tell him not to hold back the coughs

-malleus hacking up a lung isn’t a sight many have ever been able to see!!

-it takes him a good amount of weed ingested to get any sort of high, much like lilia, but not nearly as much as the bat

-if youve ever thought malleus was brooding and quiet, youve simply never seen him on drugs. hes silent, staring, and unmoving, starkly like the gargoyles he enjoys so much

Idia Shroud

-idia smokes. he has a screen time thats so abysmally terrible its almost a cruel joke

-idia is a fiend for indica, he loves feeling silly and sleepy, and it soothes his anxiety quite well

-so he accepts to smoke with you

-anticipate a long, thoughtful reflective conversation when you're havinf a sesh with the guy

-he has shower thoughts to share for sure, and some crazy stories to tell you from time to time

-honestly with the way he speaks, you might forget he has indepth statstics about every persons social levels!

-he can lock in like crazy when hes high, dont be mistaken, however

-when not letting you in on his interesting inner world, hes got his eyes firmly locked onto a screen, absolutely crushing the poor souls who had the misfortune to be in a game queue with him

-however, he can't watch anime for the life of him when high, without being directly involved, he succumbs to the sleepiness almost instantly

Vil Schoenheit

-you have some balls to even think about smoking in the pomfiore dormitory, let alone when youre dating the vil schoenheit!

-vil has absolutely zero time for such lowly activities such as smoking weed!

-you have to get very creative with it, edibles are your best bet in such a pickle

-alas, vil insists on sampling one of your brownies, and dear god, no matter what you say, he demands it

-when you try and scoot around why he can't have one, he dramatically storms off and you have an angry vil to handle for the night

-he takes one during the night, and you get to wake up to vil in a distress you have never seen before

-”dearest, were those *marjiuana* brownies?”

- vil relaxed after you confirmed it, and let him know he wasn't dying, but he tried his best to scold you for smoking

-”this is simply unbelievable! have you no consideration for my image!?”

-too bad hes got the attention span of a goldfish while high

-show him something on your phone,let him have it, and you are set

-the wonderlands equivalent of tiktok is like a life line for you while this man is absolutely stoned out of his mind

-youve got a nice lecture waiting for you in the morning, try and enjoy him so soft and not uptight in this moment, yeah?

Rook Hunt

-rook is absolutely adorable

-the mans got the purest heart one could ever encounter, and adores anything to do with his betrothed

-when he encounters you and your penjamin, hes got a lovely impromptu poem for you to listen to

-”mon amour, you have stolen my heart in ways not uet discovered by the greater world! tu es éblouissante, ma cheri!--” yapyapyap

-all of which his is dramatic way of saying he doesn't care you smoke

-when you end up offering him some, trust, hes on one knee infront of you like hes proposing

-hes terribly down bad

-when hes high, oh my god, you would need to sew his mouth shut in order to keep him quiet

-he babbles absolutely nothing short of nonsense, almost all of which is in french

-”tu as volé mon coeur, tu es incroyable mon cheri. que ferais-je pour t’épousee á cer instant précis mon petit chou”

-hes also koala hugging you at all times, youre stuck to the bed with him while he babbles and pets you, i hope you dont mind being very warm!

Leona Kingscholar

-well….im not sure leona would care in anyway about someone smoking in the dorms, let alone his lover

-leona is supposed to report it, its a huge offense in terms of academics, but, is it truly that serious?

-absolutely not to this big ol’ lion

-he doesn't smoke himself, hes not into it, and if you ever offer, he declines

-”herbs are all yours, herbivore”

-he thinks hes funny for saying that (hes not)

-but ruggie will totally smoke with you, and leona gets agitated when you two are off having a little sesh together and the lions sitting and sulking on the bed

-why wont you sit and cuddle!??!

-you offer him the joint while you and the hyena are giggling, and he rolls his eyes and finally gives in

-”fine, whatever, its probably nothin’”

-oh my god, he absolutely loves it

-he sleeps like an absolute rock, head on your lap while you and ruggie are messing around and eating food

-during the brief moments hes awake, he grabs tou and pulls you into a death hug, and falls back asleep

-you wriggle out while laughing, repeat cycle

-leona can not help but smile when he sees you swooning while ruggie gags, only to realize the lions up and squeal and squirm away

-yeah, hes joining you next time again for sure

[hookedonhuge]

Write a story about a man so muscular, huge pecs, that makes a straight man cross over!!!

Falling For His Chest

I love being straight. It’s not just about being attracted to women, I’m very comfortable in my sexuality but I am not some fuckboy. What I love about being straight is the relationships I have with other guys, my bros. Without sexuality in the way, I can forge pure friendships with my bros. Friendships that are deep and vulnerable, yet are fun and boisterous; unafraid to be our most masculine selves.

It may come as no surprise that the gym is essentially my second home. One thing I care deeply about is growth. I have no interest in being friends with guys who aren’t interested in personal growth. My bros and I, we share a dedication to personal development, especially with our bodies. I don’t care where any guy is at with their life, what matters is the desire and the willingness to keep improving themselves every single day. That’s the difference between a guy and bro to me.

I mention all this because there is this new guy in the office. First thing I notice as he walks in is his huge manly chest that is straining against his shirt. This guy is a total bro with his big chest, big arms, big legs, big glutes; all stretching out his tight work clothes.

We hit it off immediately. We talk about the gym and what workouts we do as well as dieting. It isn’t long before I tell him to let those big pecs breathe and he unbuttons his shirt revealing his amazing chest. He starts grabbing his own pecs, so proud of his body. As he should be, he worked hard for them. After that exchange we lock in a workout together at the gym after work.

I can’t focus on my work for the rest of the day. My thoughts are filled with the image of him groping his own pecs. There was something really sensual about the way he was so focused on feeling the mass of that thick chest of his. Completely in the moment, admiring his own greatness. I can’t help but grab own large pecs under my shirt, and I feel a warmth in my crotch as I think about how big I am.

After what felt like an eternity, the work day ended and it was finally time to meet up with my co-worker at the gym. It's chest day for him and I’m happy to join him in that. I get to spot him as he bench presses like a god. I stare at his massive chest while he methodically moves the heavy weight up and down. I don’t even realise as my crotch slowly begins to obscure my view of his face.

After we both finish up, my coworker gives me a strange cocky look. “You clearly like what you see,” he says with a grin.

“Of course bro, you are a work of art!” It’s true. He is standing there glistening with a heavenly glow like some combination of super model and god.

“Go on, have a feel. I know you want to.” He takes off his gym shirt as he says this.

I don’t hesitate to reach for his chest. The friction I feel as I glide across his chest hair is at odds with his sweat which helps my hand slide over his chest even more smoothly. As I reach the end of his expansive chest, I stop to give one of his pecs a grab. I shake that beefy pec in my hand, feeling the hard strength of the muscle which also has a soft cushiony quality to it.

My whole world is zoned into his chest and I’m shaken out of it when he grabs my crotch. I had not realised the tent that had formed in my shorts during this exchange, but he had realised and took the opportunity. It feels weird to have my cock stroked through the thin fabric of my shorts by this man, but at this moment I don’t question it.

“Shall we go to my place?” I nod at his proposition.

Fast forward a little bit to where I am now, where I have the perfect view of him. His defined six pack abs are like a road which my gaze journeys up to the underside of his perfect chest. His mountainous pecs frame his gorgeous face with his hands behind his head, angling that face towards me. This also gives me a view of his large arms which have a tuft of dark pit hair peeking out underneath them beside those glorious pecs. His is mouth slightly agape and eyes twitch as he basks in the ecstasy of having his fat cock slide in and out of my throat.

The next day at work, I greet him with a passionate kiss on the lips for the whole office to see. This is my bro and I’m his bro. I am not ashamed of this despite the shock and surprise of those around me. I struggle to imagine a time without him or his chest, even though I just met him yesterday.

[irishmammonagenda]

MC's magic going wrong 😱😰

or right depending on ur outlook on life ig

warnings: swearing, mentions of death (extremely brief and only notioned towards), physical affection

You hadn´t thought much of it at first when you got back to the human realm. Everything went back to normal. Or as normal as it could be.

Your mother and father sobbed when they saw you, stating how they though´t you were lying in a ditch somewhere in the stretching countryside. You´d lied, told them you were away on a residency based apprenticeship, that you were sorry for worrying them. Your siblings showed signs of worry you never thought they were able to feel for you. Thus you were being babied for a month or so.

That´s when it started.

At first, it was more corvids at the bird feeder in your garden than usual. Then it was stray cats. Then inexplicable black and white feathers dusting your clothing and hair.

Your mother smiled picking out the ivory feather from the confines of your unbrushed hair, "Oh! Your guardian angel´s been watching over you!" she says playfully, an old wives´ tale, nothing too serious.

You tense for a moment, before laughing with her. "Well I´ll take it as a good sign." Stupid old wives being the smartest people.

At first it was easy to brush off.

Then your father started getting lucky, he hadn't been one to gamble persay, putting a few coins in on a bet for the horse racing or the football was a regular occurrence, sometimes he won,sometimes he didn't. The difference of a few silvers, a share bag of sweets basically, made no real strain on your belts. But now, he was winning left right and center. Winning amounts that shouldnt be possible based on the amount he input.

Though, after you woke up to cats and corvids staring at you unblinkingly, in your room, with a few flies and insects on the walls, and your bedsheets covered in feathers and scales of all colours and sizes, enough was enough.

You were going to give those nerds a piece of your mind.

After shooing the animals out, (making sure to pet the cats), you picked up a lipstick, and channeled your pact magic before drawing a circle with various symbols on the floor,

You stilled, "Ah, shit. I dunno how to do this, i mean half of those symbols are angry faces and squiggles...." but ever the theatre nerd, you improved.

"I, MC, call upon the power of my pacts with the Avatars of Hell! and, using their power; a portal to the Devildom shall open for me!"

And a portal did open for you. Unfortunately, not to the best place. As you travelled through the time pocket you ended up stumbling once you made it to the other side, the stumble turnt into a tumble turnt into a fall. Unluckily for you, the thing you fell on was toned flesh and chuckling heartily, you were in Diavolo's lap.

"It's great of you to drop by MC!" He says, his massive hands pulling you further into his frame.

You cover your face with your hands, now noticing the various other nobles in the council room who are staring at their Prince, attempting to mask the fact their jaws are going to hit the floor.

Atleast the Brothers weren't there, but Barbatos' half polite smile half smirk and Diavolo whispering various playful musings of, "Did you miss me that much little human, we missed you too.", and "Summoning a portal illegally into the Demon Lord's castle and onto the Demon Princes lap...tututut." almost made the brothers seem like a mercy....

...almost.

You couldn't tell if this was a win or a lose.

[chronicowboy]

sensin some undertone (bad idea right?) | 2.2k

Ravi is waiting for him in the locker room when Buck finally drags his feet into the firehouse. He's sure news must have spread by now whether through the Maddie to Chimney pipeline or Ravi himself. Everyone will know about the mistake-who-shall-not-be-named. He only hopes Maddie had the decency to keep the whole competition schtick from her blabbermouth husband.

Buck figured he'd have the five minutes it takes to get into uniform before he had to face the music, but Ravi meets him at the door with an awkward smile and the slightest hunch to his shoulders.

"Sorry," he blurts out, grimacing at himself. He shakes his head. "Sorry about Tommy. I shouldn't have ditched you like that. It was a real jerk move."

"Ravi, it's okay." Buck drops a hand to his shoulder and squeezes once before letting go. "I wasn't exactly great company, I see that now."

"No, no..." Buck shoots him a look. Ravi tilts his head in concession. "Well, maybe there was room for improvement." Buck shakes his head with a laugh and drops his duffel bag onto the bench. Ravi sits down beside it, stares up at Buck with those big brown eyes, and Buck wonders if Bobby would let him skip out on breakfast to call Eddie real quick. "But, for real, Buck. It was shitty of me. You just needed a friend, and I—" Ravi takes a deep breath. "I would like to be that friend."

Buck stills, glancing up at Ravi slowly like he might startle him into bolting out of the room. Ravi just shrugs a shoulder and averts his eyes.

"Y-yeah?" A pleased smile tugs at the corner of Buck's mouth.

"You don't need to be weird about it," Ravi mumbles, shrugging again. He takes another deep breath before aiming a cheeky grin up at Buck. "I have a few rules."

"Go ahead." Buck tries to get his grin under control.

"No quarters," he starts. Buck nods seriously. "No tequila—" Buck groans "—for me, you can still torture yourself all you want, but I will not be holding your hair back when you puke."

"Copy that."

"And." Ravi looks at him with something serious in his gaze, something levelling. "You're only allowed to say Eddie's name five times and that's me being generous."

"Y-yeah, that's, uh." Buck huffs a laugh and rubs at the back of his neck, hopes the heat bleeding into his cheeks isn't as visible as it feels. "That's probably fair." He clears his throat, flicks through Eddie's schedule in his mind, remembers he's picking up another Uber shift tomorrow whilst Chris has a sleepover. "Want to grab a drink tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice." Ravi smiles and stands from the bench with a tug to his shirt sleeve. "And I promise no pawning you off on your ex."

"Stop worrying about Tommy, man." Buck rolls his eyes, bites his lip. "It was good? In a way. Got a little bit of closure." Not the closure he'd wanted, not the closure he'd been expecting, the kind of closure that opens a whole different can of worms. "And I think I was just looking for a distraction. I'm glad I used him for that instead of you. 'Cause you're a good guy, Rav, and I'd hate to screw that up by getting tequila drunk and hitting on you."

"Oh." Ravi blinks, a little dazed. Buck squeezes his eyes shut and sighs at himself.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you-you uncomfortable—"

"No! No," Ravi says, eyes wide, voice just a bit too loud. He winces at himself, drags a hand down his face. "Sorry. I'm not uncomfortable. Flattered actually." Ducking his head, he laughs, a breathy little thing. "I, um, kinda had a little crush on you when I started here."

"Oh, really?" Buck grins, downright smug, puffing his chest out and preening like a peacock.

"Yeah, yeah." Ravi rolls his eyes. "Don't get a big head about it, Buckley. I'll let Cap know you're here."

(OR: ravi gave buck a distraction when he needed one, now buck can return the favour - what's a little mutually assured self-destruction between friends?)

[mysteryshoptls]

Riddle Rosehearts Shared Lines

Tutorial: Let's go. Tardiness will not be tolerated.

Level Up 1 / Buddy Level Up: Good, not bad at all.

Level Up 2: Heh, it feels good to become stronger.

Level Up 3: I must put forth the proper effort to always be at the top.

Level Max: I wonder if I've gotten any closer to the greatness of the Queen of Hearts? What do you think?

Vignette Level Up: You are a strange one. Everyone else may fear me, yet you do not shirk at all. ...Oh, no, I am not asking you to change how you act around me, at all.

Spell Level Up: Every single thing is just as I expected.

Friendship Level Up: Your guest room is quite lovely. I’ll return again soon with a small token of my appreciation for you.

Friendship Level Max: Being a Housewarden means that I am constantly busy, but… I cannot ignore your hospitality. Next time I have time available, I shall come visit.

Uncapped: I can't say I'm a fan of the concept of limits. I still have much more I can improve.

Groovification: To think I'd gain this much power... It seems there are some things that cannot be learned from studies alone.

Lesson Select 1: Hm, it seem you have a plan in mind. I'll follow your lead for today.

Lesson Select 2: You should choose a subject beneficial to you. It would behoove you to select one you're struggling in.

Lesson Select 3: Regardless of the subject, I will be the one taking the top spot. I'll prove that to be true, so come with me.

Lesson Start: What will we get to learn today?

Lesson Finish: Ah, yes, that was a worthwhile lesson.

Battle Start: Well, you have some nerve.

Battle Won: See, my judgement is superior.

Trouble 1: I am not in the wrong! They are the one who should apologize!

Trouble 2: What, are you suggesting I am to blame here?

GIFT CALENDAR 2023:  “How will you be spending the day?” I think I will go to the library today. There were someone’s scribbles all over the book I borrowed yesterday, you see. It disrupts my focus, so I plan to find a replacement book. Seriously… It’s a terrible crime to deface a book like this.

Birthday Login Message 1: Trey enthusiastically said he’s going to bake a strawberry tart for my birthday party. Make sure you come to eat some too. …Well, it not like it’s a Law of the Queen of Hearts or anything.

Birthday Login Message 2: Wait a moment, you. You weren’t thinking of entering Heartslabyul grounds with that suspicious package just now, were you? I’ll have to inspect its contents… Eh, it’s my birthday gift? Were you trying to sneakily leave it for me? Well… If that’s what you were trying to do, I’ll take it off your hands. You know, I wouldn’t get upset at you if you wanted to give it to me directly. Thank you.

Birthday Login Message 3: Thank you for coming to celebrate my birthday. …Eh? You’ve hidden my present somewhere in the Heartslabyul dormitory? I see now. The answer to the riddle on this card must reveal the location of the present. Heh, you’ve sure come up with something rather interesting. Well, since you’ve gone through the trouble of planning this for me, I suppose I’ll just have to play along.

Birthday Login Message 4: Thank you for the birthday wishes. Make sure you attend the birthday party that will be thrown later, as well. It seems there will be a larger variety of dishes set out this time than previous years. It would be impolite to leave any food left over, wouldn’t you say? Also… I’m sure it will be much livelier if you all were to come… At any rate, you must make your way to Heartslabyul later!

Requested by Anonymous.

[theveil-and-thepath]

Montly PAC n°1: This will happen next month

Pile 1 - Pile 2

Pile 3 - Pile 4

You can pick more than one! Just follow your heart!

What will happen in December 2024? Or the next month of whenever you find this reading?

*This is a source of entertainment, your destiny is in your hands.*

Pile 1

■Ten of Cups , The High Priestess , The Lovers , Six of Cups , Six of Pentacles.■Key , Fox , House , Dog , Bear.■Mercury in sagittarius in the 8th house.■Week 1: Crossroad , Fish , Heart. - DIAMOND: Gift of jewelry.■Week 2:Sun , Mountain , Garden.- TABLE: Favorable period for you■Week 3:Coffin , Man , Moon.- GRASSHOPPER: Situations in the balance that require careful handling.■Week 4: Bouquet , Tree , Birds. - ROSE: Romance is in the air.

■ Cards were drawn from the Divination Table

■ Next month is a time of blessings! You shall have reconciliations with all whom you wish back into your life and your relationships will improve as well.

■ Family time will be overall favorable for you the entire month. You may receive financial help from generous hands of loved ones.

■ You may meet your siblings, cousins or dear friends.

■ Your intuition and psychic abilities will increase and deepen. You may write channeled messages or feel inspired to write about philosophical topics.

■ You may have to solve a tricky family situation, you have the knowledge or resources on how to do it and you'll have to be extra smart and anticipate people's intentions and next moves. Perhaps you're dealing with older and wiser people who "argue" or "fight" better than you do, but amongst them you may have one friend, or you'll have the intervention of someone who'll assist you in dealing with an overbearing parent or a proud authority figure.

■ In the first week, you'll become richer. Your paycheck will be more than double the usual amount, you may receive a bonus or an advancement in pay. A loved one may gift you or announce the gift they will give you and its either super fancy or an expensive item they'll help you purchase. This will be done with a lot of love. The money you receive will allow you more freedom on big choices in your life, it may cover financial holes and allow you to move on freely in your path. Very good pay week.

■ The second week will be a happy one. You'll move ahead on your goals,see how far you've come. You may have joyful encounters or get together at work or with friends. Good for networking, working, and solidifying existing connections. You'll feel great full.

■ In the 3rd week you will have to deal or face a situation with a man who had left your life or with whom you had been having little contact. It can be an ex, or someone you had a small disagreement with. Be careful with everyone's sensibilities, but also care for your emotions. Try to be grounded, remember the good and solid things in you life, and walk slowly. You may be more pensive or introspective. I don't see open fights nor arguments, but it'll require tact.

■ The final week of the month brings a peace offering, or a good outcome of what you had to deal with. Family gatherings, conversations, thoughtful small gifts. Some people may find new love, or have a great and romantic time with your current partner (or with whoever you willingly reconciled with). Some of you can start a new relationship or be proposed to. You open your heart, and open up in conversation.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Pile 2

The Fool , Eight of Cups , The World , Six of Swords , Seven of Pentacles■Bear , Snake , Coffin , Mountain , Woman■Neptune in pisces in the 8th house■Week 1: Stars , Fox , Sun. - PIG: Beware of greed.■Week 2: Fish , Child , Fox. - FEATHER: Someone you know is undependable, insincere.■Week 3: Clover , Tree , Heart. - OLDER WOMAN: Dealings or relationship with an older woman.■Week 4: Whip , Clouds , Woman. - DOLPHIN: Financial gain. Usually coming from something you did in the past.

■ Cards were drawn from the Divination Table

■ There is a moving on and moving ahead theme for you next month. You can leave your country, state, city, family. This can be about a vacation, but it's also about your freedom! Pluto in aquarius may be interacting with your birth chart.

■ You leave behind a shady and proud and overbearing person. You chase your own fulfillment no matter the time, effort, and obstacles faced it takes for you to become your best self or accomplish your highest goals.

■ It's about a process of becoming and of long term goals.

■ Be aware of dark energy around you so you don't absorb it. Watch out for negative thoughts, they are whispers from deep waters that aren't to be taken at face value! Don't let your shadow control you, don't have delusions either.

■ You can feel a thinner veil with spirituality, make sure it's good influence.

■ For week 1 you got the advice: chase your highest dreams because you'll reach them, but be very smart about them and don't bite more than you can currently chew.

■ In the second week you may feel you're standing in unstable ground and what you have is nothing but the beginning if an abundant life. You'll be aware of how careful you need to be, nurture yourself and you'd goals as you would tend to a newborn in your arms.

■ In the third week, some of you will be blessed with your grandmother, mother, or feminine spiritual guide or family member. Your ancestry of female line or feminine entities will bring you a strike of luck, or you'll realize how deeply loved you truly are by them and how rare this love is. Thus can refer to people who have passed away.

■ Finally, I do think you'll be paid either due to this lucky strike of rhe previous week or due to something you've done before. A woman you know may help clear your doubts or uncertainties about the future. You may be thinking "where do I stand" with a woman in your life, thinking of her role, just don't overthink for nothing, avoid making confusions worse for no reason.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Pile 3

Strength , Five of Pentacles , Eight of Pentacles , Seven of Cups , Wheel of Fortune■Bouquet , Sun , Bear , Woman , Rider■Jupiter in scorpio in the 11th house■Week 1: Scythe , Stork , Birds. - BIRD-FLYING: News is on the way.■Week 2: Mice , Scythe , Man. - MOON: Changes in your life.■Week 3: Ring , Birds , Snake. - CRIB: Birth or conception of a child or enterprise.■Week 4: Clover , Lily , Stork. - CARRIAGE: A journey either physically or mentally.

■Cards were drawn from the Divination Table

■ A powerful woman may offer you a job that will improve your situation and define your fate.

■ Sorry this is short, but there's a rich woman here. If that's you, then you'll greatly chanfe someone's life. If not, then I believe you'll be greatly assisted.

■ You'll have an upgrade you only dreamed of before.

■ Some friends may be jealous of your success or of the fact you're closer to your dreams.

■ Dude... You'll receive good news NOW! A swift message or rumor of positive evebt reaches your ears and may change your situation for the better in the 1st week of the month.

■ Then, say bye-bye to a man who's been a leach in your life. This person (or situation) has no room in your life, baby. For some people, it's another man who'll enable you or help you transition somehow.

■ You start a new partnership, job, or venture with a powerful person or organization from whom you'll learn a lot.

■ Finally, a sudden new year vacation. Or a lucy trip that leads you yo your destiny.

■ Somehow, in some aspect of your life, you'll find yourself this month.

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Pile 4

Ten of Pentacles , Ten of Swords , The Lovers , King of Swords , The Magician■Ring , Whip , Book , House , Stars■Moon in capricorn in the 4th house■Week 1: Ship , Woman , Tree. - PIG: Beware of greed■Week 2: Dog , Clover , Sun. - CLOUDS: Temporary problems.■Week 3: Clover , Ring , Mice. - KANGAROO: Unsettled times. Need to plan ahead.■Week 4: Rider , Fish , Birds. - BARREL: You feel something is lacking in your life. Could be love, money, goals.

■Cards were drawn from the Divination Table

■ There is a restructuring in your home or family or in your close relationships.

■ One thing ends to give way to a new thing that also emerges this month.

■ You meet the right person, finds the right house. There are emotional and actual changes in what you hold close to you.

■ If a family member is cold, too smart, or keeps secrets, and you're bound to them, soon you may no longer be.

■ You're capable of manifesting your dream life. You'll do it. Others may appear to create with you, bit YOU will do it.

■ In the first week you may work with a female family member or older woman. Don't ask for too much money, don't ask for more than what you truly want because she will perceive it if you're asking for more just because you think she/they can pay you.

■ The second week may be slightly annoying with small things that you need to solve, you have some anxiety of how things will turn out. Ultimately, you solve everything you need with the help of your friends!

■ The third week is the one in which you realize who's the shady person or what's been holding you back. You plan on how to deal with it in the future because you realize these people or situations won't change

■ I think you end the month having clarity of what you desire. You pay attention to what others have, but this isn't a toxic nor envious comparison. You may talk about your money goals with friends. You may set your eyes on a new potential love interest.

[liliewrites]

Hi, I love the way you write. You express the characters very well, I can really hear Arlecchino's voice in your sentences.

You can do one with Arlecchino x femreader? Where Arlcchino and reader are married and take care of the children together (would be great seeing reader being maternal with Lyney, Lynnett and Freminet) After reader arrived in their lives, parties and family moments were common. One day at a gymkhana held with all the children, a traitorous Fatui was ordered by an Arlecchino's enemy to kill Arlecchino while she was distracted, but Reader noticed and got in front of her, taking the hit. Reader almost dies and Arlecchino, Lyney, Lynnett and Freminet want revenge.

(Sorry for bad english)

HELLOOO ANONN:)) lmaoo sorry i was brainrotting a lot about this ask and i didn't know how to write it and end it because it's such a good idea and has a lot of potential.. anyw here u go and eat uppp!!:) also forgive me if i understood the word "gymkhana" wrong.. i just searched up the definition on google since i am not familiar with the word hihi..

-warning/s ; a bit of violence at a certain part:) besides that, none!:)

(men dni utc please!)

it was a fun, festive day for the children at the house of the hearth.

arlecchino and you had decided to host a fun little event for the kids, as both of you agreed that it'd be beneficial to the children not just for improving their skills, but for their enjoyment as well.

as of the moment, you and arlecchino were sitting on the side, lyney and freminet were currently tasked with helping and assisting the younger children, while lynette had mostly insisted on staying with you and arlecchino while helping out with organizing the event. you and your wife didn't mind much as you knew she was more introverted and a couple more helping hands would help a lot.

"mother, i believe that we should start the flag race soon.. shall we get the horses and the players ready?" lynette asked, looking down at the clipboard in her hands. you couldn't help but smile, lynette has grown into such a fine, young dependable lady. you pat lynette's head, giving her ears a little rub as praise. "yes, my dear. i would appreciate it too if you assisted them with getting on as well, see to it that none of them get injured." you told her, and she nods at you, her tail slightly wagging as she walks away. you couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that your praise didn't go unnoticed by your daughter.

"mother! mother! look, look!"

"don't i look cool, mother?"

"mother! this is so fun!"

left and right, children were all calling for your attention, and your heart was bursting in joy as you got up from your chair to approach them. you could see the smiles on their little faces and you knew they were enjoying themselves. one child ran up to you, holding freminet's hand and a drawing in another. she brought it up and showed you, smiling widely. "mother, ah- look! big brother fremi drew me an octopus!" she boasted, making freminet look to the side shyly. you couldn't help but feel proud of freminet, whom was usually alone and reserved, was now trying his best to get along and help out with the younger children. "my, what a lovely drawing, hm? mother is very glad that both of you are having fun." you smile, the turning your head to look at lyney as they both walked away. he was currently busy entertaining the audience (who were also kids) with his little magic tricks as they waited for the flag race. little eyes looked at their older brother with admiration, watching him unfold each trick with excitement.

and of course, as all this happened in the background, your wife was currently sitting from where you had currently sat with her on the side. arms crossed as she leaned on her chair, eyes watching over you and the children intently, yet the intimidating look had gone away from her face. instead, a soft look could be seen from her eyes, and she was sitting in a rather relaxed manner as she smiled at the sight of you with the children. her heart swelled joyously, seeing you interact lovingly with them, your laughter along with theirs ringing pleasantly in her ears as she made sure to capture each pretty smile you had on your face.

funny, as her comrades and enemies alike told her that "your wife is your weakness, knave. you've gone soft." if it were the old her, the old her that were full of hatred, of revenge-- devoid of the compassion and acceptance that you've taught her, it would've been an insult but right now? it was a fact, she knows it herself. you were her weakness, but you were not her drawback nor her flaw, but the weakness to the lost, angry soul that she was without you. you were the guiding hand that gave her a reason to continue watching over the house of the hearth, a proper one, unlike a certain motherly figure she came to know.

amidst the festivities, lyney had told everyone to calm down as the flag race was about to start. a big smile on your face as you stood there, instead of going back to sit with arlecchino, as the kids wanted to be with you.

everyone had got into position, the kids were safely mounted on the horses. the audience was cheering, and lyney was holding party popper to use as a signal cue. all of you were filled with thrill and excitement, as lyney counted off to start the race.

"alright, on your marks, hold tight!"

"get ready, set, and-"

before he could even pull on the string and say go, another loud bang was heard- and it was not from the party popper that lyney was holding.

much to everyone's horror, you were clutching your sides. you felt like you were slowly falling the floor, eyesight getting hazy, you were losing your senses quickly- everything was becoming blurry.

the whole event was silent before high pitched, loud screams calling your name could be heard as they ran towards you. the older trained kids, however, were sure to hold them back to give you space.

arlecchino, the moment she saw you get shot, wasted no time in rushing towards you to catch you. ".. d-darling, darling. are you okay? i got you, beloved.. i.." her eyes widened in shock, but her face froze in horror as she held you. warm, thick and sticky liquid pouring onto her and her clothes, but she didn't care.

"d.. darling, you-"

she was blinded with rage. all she saw was red and black, you just got shot, the perpetrator shouldn't have gone far. "children, find who did this. now!"

the older kids had gone and scattered, lyney and freminet leading them as lynette ushered the youngers ones to evacuate. as they dispersed, arlecchino held your body with gentleness and care, you weakly held onto her. ".. b-beloved, don't.. don't get the kids into this.." you pleaded, but arlecchino shook her head. you were in a critical situation, and yet, you still thought of the kids?

"my love, they are trained for this. have faith in our children, now, hold on. i will take you inside."

arlecchino gently lifted you up, holding you closely to her chest as she possibly can without hurting you. "don't pass out on me, beloved." she gently coaxed you as she brought you inside, trying to keep you awake.

as she finally got you in the clinic, the kids whom were trained in medical aid had prepared to take care of you while they waited for a real doctor to come. she gently laid you down on the bed, sitting next to you and she held your hand. every time the children made contact with your wound, you couldn't help but groan and moan- this was all being done with anesthesia after all. the sight of you crying in pain made arlecchino's chest tight with anger and fear. it was the first time the children saw their father become eerily quiet with such an expression on her face.

"father! we've caught the culprit!"

lyney came running in the clinic, panting. arlecchino leaned in to kiss your forehead, you were dangling on the edge of consciousness and it made her feel bad to leave you, but she had to- lest her wrath consume her whole and that would not be good for all of you. "beloved, the children will take care of you while we wait for a doctor. i'll be back soon, i promise." she whispered, before joining with lyney. "lyney, is the man tied?" she asked, and lyney nodded. "yes father, shall we turn him in to the-"

"no, never mind that. i will take care of him on my own."

she dismissed lyney with her hand, making the boy silently nod at her father's command to not hand the criminal over to the authorities. however, he couldn't shrug off the creepy feeling coming from his father. arlecchino had a blank expression on her face, he couldn't decipher her feelings at all. he paid no mind to this, not wanting to be the outlet of whatever his father was feeling.

as soon as they walked into the room where the culprit was held captive, the room was filled with a chilling atmosphere. all of the kids within the room could feel it. the perpetrator however, his face was full with fear as he looked at the harbinger. he started talking, but his words were muffled as his mouth was tied and covered.

"children, i am proud of you all for catching this man. we've given your mother justice, but for now. you are all dismissed. tell lynette to come over."

at your words, the children silently obey and leave the room. now it was just the man and arlecchino. for the whole time, arlecchino had held herself back from showing any kind of murderous intent, as she knew you wouldn't appreciate having it shown to the kids.

but now? the look on her face was indescribable, her hand was trembling in pure wrath. she leaned down, grabbing the man by his collar and throwing him against the wall. "i will ask you questions, and for every wrong answer, i will cut off one finger. think wisely." she threatened the man, grabbing a chair and pulling it in front of him. "however, seeing as you've decided to hurt my wife in the first place, i can see that you lack a brain."

the man was silenced, and she carefully studied his features. he was a fatui, much to her annoyance. "a traitor, i see. now tell me, who was it that ordered you to do this?" he asked, tugging on the cloth on his mouth.

"p-please, my lord- it wasn't my intention to-"

the man was cut off by his own agonizing scream of pain, with arlecchino stepping on his leg, piercing his flesh with the tip of his heels. "let this serve as a warning, you buffoon. if you do not give me an answer, i will cut your finger off next."

"i-it was one of the rich men you offended last time, my lord! s-sir van duyn!"

arlecchino clicked her tongue, tsk, it was one of those greedy capitalists again. how childish they are, just because of a few true but harsh words, and they act pathetically like this? sending in someone to hurt the knave's wife as they spend a fun day for the children?

arlecchino walked out the door and lynette was already there. "clean up the mess, do not let anyone else know of this." she ordered and lynette silently nodded.

oh, now they've done it. with a snap of arlecchino's fingers, the man's curdling screams had echoed within the room, his flesh slowly being consumed with her flames and soon, the one behind all this would suffer a much more painful death.

it was already nightfall when you had woken with you in full grasp of your senses. you looked around you, the children sleeping, and you immediately felt bad. they must've been so tired to fall asleep this early.

"beloved, are you awake?"

you were startled, but you looked towards the door. your wife, she was there. there was blood on her. you immediately sat up, but she immediately brought a finger to her lips, a silent cue to be careful not to wake the kids up. she walked towards you and sat by your side.

"oh celestia, my beloved.."

you gasped, hand touching her cheek. blood was splattered against her pale skin, but you were able to deduce that it wasn't hers, seeing as there were no visible wounds on her body. arlecchino however, had leaned into your palm, her hand on top of yours as she closed her eyes. "careful, my love. i do not wish to dirty your hands.." she reminded you, but the blood was dry. your chest was spilling with worry and fear. "what happened, arlecchino? are you okay? are the kids okay? i-" she took your hand off her cheek, kissing your knuckle.

"i'm glad that you are back to your senses, beloved, but yes i am fine. the kids on the other hand, i told you to have faith in them remember? they are fine and unharmed." she assures you as she crawls into bed with you, gently pushing you down and collapsing onto your chest as she wraps her arms around you. "now please, i wish to hold what i've almost lost in my arms." she wishes with a pleading tone, so you decided not to press on further. knowing that it's been hard for arlecchino to see you like this, you sigh, moving your hand to run through her hair again. she closes her eyes, now was she only truly able to calm down, feeling your warmth invading her senses. "if it means being able to keep holding you like this.. i'll do anything- anything, my love, just to protect the warmth that you give.."

a little bonus hihi ;

you sighed, deciding to let this go for now. however, at bedtime, you refused to let arlecchino sleep next to you (for awhile) as you were upset that she had made the kids do something as dangerous as running after the culprit.. but the next morning, arlecchino smiled, seeing as you were sleeping soundly on her chest.

currently, you were having morning coffee with arlecchino while the kids were still asleep. you were skimming through the newspaper, and you couldn't help but gasp in shocking as you read a certain news. "oh, darling? do you remember sir cecil van duyn?" you asked. arlecchino hummed, placing her cup down. "yes, one of our investors? what is it, dear?" she asked, looking at you curiously. "he was found dead! i may have not seen him often, but what a shame.." you sighed, oblivious to the fact that it was your wife's doing. arlecchino looked away, bringing the cup to her lips again. "yes, indeed darling, what a shame.."

she would not tell you this but for you, if it meant keeping you well and alive-- yes, she'd kill for you any day. she could paint her whole arm with the blood of those that dare to even lay a finger on you and she'd wear it proudly, to instill the image of it in their minds, so that her enemies know that it could be their blood next splattering on her if they decide to do the same dumb mistake the others already have.

[hanacassiopeia]

D.Gray-man Chapter 254 Translation

Notes: Million thanks to @konakatomo who helped me start the translation ASAP and proofread/revised everything!

Some parts are directly quoted from previous chapters, translation credits go to @jeidafei

As always, it can be improved, feel free to leave notes !

Lavi: Eh... it's snowing

Bookman: Looks like it

Lavi: Really? I didn't think it would snow around here, there are so many weird things happening lately

Just the other day ! so many flowers bloomed before their season and-

the color of the lake changed overnight and-

the lady from the inn said she harvested sooooo much so she gave us some vegetables and-

Bookman: That was big help.

Lavi: A big help!!

Bookman: Was there a ripple somewhere? Something big enough to have such an impact on the surface...

[or could it be... was the helix...]

[Lavi: Dad]

Bookman: [I can't... Again, it's all I can think about....]

(Says "it" but the kanjis say Helix)

[To think that you have become a part of it...]

Lavi: Gramps, Do you think the snow will pile up ?

[Remembering his son in the silver snow]

THE 254TH NIGHT: IF IT IS INDEED FATE, WE'LL MEET AGAIN SOMEDAY . CONCLUSION

Apocryphos: it's been 2985 days… we've been at a standstill for about 8 years.

What now?

Apocryphos: Is that the host....!?

Apocryphos: What about Bookman Jr....

.... Hope. Struggle

Love. Hatred...

huh? so that's all?

It was a waste of time

after all this effort... let's just kill hi- [!!]

[What...!?]

//ugh

[LAVI: Hope

Struggle. Love. Hatred.

Lives touching lives

Bonds. Convictions passed from one to another

The traces left behind, of a life lived with that heart. That is what makes the helix stronger.

You, all alone, couldn't fathom the bonds between lives, could you ?

You underestimated humans, Apocryphos!

Apocryphos: [what was that, just now

I felt an immeasurable energy

It's the first time that I've felt such Helix energy]

Am "I"… trembling ?

[Does that mean this helix is connected to this little life? This is beyond human level]

[The Helix energy, already powerful in Nea alone, reached a whole different level when it absorbed the life of Bookman Jr.

So the karma of the Bookman clan runs so deep?]

Ah I see, that's right… they were closest to the Heart...

[If this amount of helix energy could be offered to the Heart…]

Since the person connected to this one helix is alive,

The more joy, pain, and sorrow he experiences, the stronger the helix will become.

Energy will be offered to the Heart, through the innocence that has taken possession of his left arm.

This will bring forth the revival quicker than expected

This child will surely become the perfect sacrifice for the Heart

I shall shape him so myself.

[Lavi(?): Allen

From now on, you will go through a great deal of suffering

but

somehow

Please keep on living]

[Please continue your journey]

Allen(crying) (me too): Lavi...

Apocryphos: You will be reborn as an unsightly orphan who has forgotten his own name among everything else after being abandoned by his parents.

Yes…. I'll sell him to a circus

This shall be the tale of one who started from the bottom and went on to become a beautiful sacrificial angel.

Go ahead, live on.

For The sake of the Heart.

[Allen's memory was all true...]

D.Gray-man ----- To be continued.

[floatyflowers]

Dark! Platonic Alexander the Great x illegitimate! Daughter reader?

He had you when he was really young, barely fifteen years old.

Even though many men back then had children younger than his age.

Alexander didn't give you up, in fact, he insisted that you stay by his side, not caring for the criticism lashed towards him.

Not only that, but also tried to convince his father to legalizes you.

But his father refused to do so.

However, when King Philip II gets assassinated, and your father becomes king at twenty-one, the first thing he does is claim you as his true-born child.

For the Macedonian Greek king, you were not just a child related to him by blood...

You are the daughter he spends long nights telling about his glorious fights and hunts.

Unlike his father who belittles his achievements, you always seem excited to listen to him.

Also, you have the same interests as him, you love to always learn and improve even as a young child.

Alexander decided to bring you with him on his conquests, even though his mother, Olympias objected to the idea, stating that war is no place for a girl.

But your father insisted that you shall come with him because you are his daughter.

Of course, he kept you protected away from the battle field.

One time, Cleitus, one of the generals, flirted with you during the celebration of one of your father's victories.

Alexander got word of that and killed his friend with his own hands in drunken fury.

As years pass by, your health becomes more frail, and you start to pass out during long journeys.

Alexander appointed the highest physicians to cure you, but they failed to even find out what is making you so weak in the first place.

On your deathbed, you keep mumbling your father's name while Alexander keeps holding your hand, pleading for his gods to save you.

"Father...Father"

"Don't leave your father alone, (Y/n), don't be so cruel" the conqueror choked out the words, with tears falling down his face

But unfortunately, you passed away at the age of seventeen, leaving your father heartbroken and feeling great guilt.

Alexander also died a few months later from typhoid fever.

His last request was that they move your body to his tomb, so he can find you again in the afterlife.

[blakeswritingimagines]

Don't Wanna Think Anymore

Summary: Sub Timo after losing a game and he doesn't wanna think anymore

Warnings: Upset! Timo, Encouraging! Reader, Sub Timo x Dom Reader, Pet names, Hand and blowjob, Slight nipple play, Bondage, Dirty talk, Overstimulation, Marking, Riding him, Praise

Word Count: 3.1k

Timo stormed into his penthouse apartment slamming the door behind him. He had just lost a crucial game due to a costly mistake, and he was feeling frustrated. His mood wasn't improved by the sound of the rain outside, as if the world was mocking his defeat. He leaned against the door, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down. Then, he heard a soft, welcoming voice behind him, "Bad game?" He turned and saw you waiting for him in the living room. Your kind, comforting presence was like a balm to his wounded ego.

He walked over to you and slumped down on the couch next to you. "Yeah," he said with a sigh, "We played well, but they just…I just made some careless mistakes. God, I can't believe I let the team down like that. I'm supposed to be one of their best players…" You reached out and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Hey, hey…it's okay. We all make mistakes. You're human, after all. And it's not like you cost the game all by yourself. It's a team sport, and everyone makes mistakes." Timo leans into your touch, appreciating your words. "I know, but…I can't help feeling like it's my fault. Everyone counts on me. The team's struggling and the fans are relying on me to turn things around. And I just…I just keep failing them…"

You gently ran your fingers through his hair, "You're too hard on yourself. You've been playing great this season. You're just having a bad game, that's all. You'll bounce back. I have no doubt about it." He looked up at you, his expression a mixture of gratitude and desperation. "Do you really think so?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. You nodded your head, running your thumb gently over his cheek. "Of course. You're one of the best players in the league, Timo. You've proven yourself time and time again. This is just a blip in your career. You'll get through this and come back stronger than ever." Timo let out a deep sigh, the weight of his defeat and frustration settling heavily on his shoulders. He then looked up at you, his expression a mix of vulnerability and need. "Can I ask you for something?" he asked softly. You nodded, encouraging him to go on. "Of course. What is it?" you replied, gently stroking his shoulder. Timo took a deep breath, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I…I need something from you…something specific," he whispered. You could sense the hesitation in his voice. "What is it, Timo? You can tell me," you said softly, your fingers still tracing gently patterns over his skin.

Timo was silent for a moment, his body tensing as if he was wrestling with himself. He then looked up at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of desire and hesitation. "I need you to take control," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I want you to…to dominate me." A slow, sensual smile spread across your face as you listened to Timo's request. You leaned in closer, your lips brushing against his ear as you spoke in a low, husky tone, "Oh, I'd be delighted to take charge, baby boy." Your hands slid down to grip his thighs, squeezing gently. "But first, let's get comfortable, shall we?" You stood up and pulled Timo along with you, guiding him towards the bedroom. Once inside, you pushed him onto the bed, crawling on top of him. Leaning down, you captured his mouth in a deep, passionate kiss, your tongue exploring every inch of his warm, wet cavern. Breaking away, you gazed into his eyes, your own burning with lust and authority as you thought over how to best help him in the moment and figured you'd start slow.

As soon as Timo felt your dominant energy wash over him, a shiver ran down his spine. He melted under your intense gaze, surrendering completely to your will. When your lips claimed his, he moaned softly into the kiss, his hands coming up to tangle in your hair. He responded eagerly, his own tongue dancing with yours, craving more of your taste and dominance. When you broke the kiss, he was left panting, his heart racing in anticipation of what would come next. He watched you with wide, eager eyes, ready to submit fully to your desires. "Please," he whispered, his voice trembling with need, "Show me how to let go completely." A wicked grin spread across your face at Timo's plea, and you purred, "As you wish, handsome." You started by trailing your fingers down his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath your touch. Continuing lower, you hooked your fingers into the waistband of his pants and slowly dragged them down, exposing his throbbing erection. You wrapped your hand around it, giving it a firm squeeze before starting to stroke in long, deliberate motions. "Focus on the sensations," you instructed, leaning down to nip at his earlobe. "Let your mind quiet and just feel what I do to you."

Timo gasped as your hand closed around his aching cock, a jolt of pleasure shooting through him. His hips bucked instinctively, seeking more of your touch. As you began to stroke him, he threw his head back, a low groan escaping his throat. The sensation of your skilled hand working his length was almost overwhelming, sending waves of heat coursing through his veins. He focused intently on the feelings, letting go of his worries and doubts, allowing himself to become completely immersed in the pleasure. "Ah, fuck…yes," he breathed, his voice thick with need. "That feels incredible." He reached up to thread his fingers through your hair, holding you close as he surrendered to the blissful torment of your ministrations. You continued to pump Timo's shaft with increasing intensity, your other hand roaming over his body to tease and stimulate his nipples and sides. As he grew more responsive, you leaned down to capture one of those pebbled buds between your teeth, sucking and nibbling until he cried out in delight. "Mmm, such a good boy, getting so worked up for me," you murmured against his skin, your hot breath sending shivers down his spine. You released his nipple with a pop and returned to stroking his cock, applying just enough pressure to hit that sweet spot inside him with each thrust of your fist. "Come for me, Timo. Let go," you commanded, your voice low and seductive.

Timo's entire body trembled as you lavished attention on his sensitive nipples, the dual sensations of your skilled hand and teasing mouth pushing him rapidly towards the edge. "Oh god, oh fuck…!" he gasped, his hips jerking erratically as you found that perfect rhythm. The commanding tone in your voice sent a thrill straight to his core, and with a final, desperate cry, he came undone. His cock pulsed in your grasp, spilling hot ropes of cum across his stomach as wave after wave of intense pleasure crashed over him. "Yes, yes, ah!" he shouted, his body convulsing with the force of his orgasm. As the aftershocks subsided, he collapsed back onto the bed, panting heavily, his skin slick with sweat and satisfaction. You smiled down at Timo, pleased with the result of your efforts. "Glad you enjoyed it, sweetheart," you purred, releasing his spent cock and wiping the excess cum from his abdomen with a gentle touch. You crawled up his body, pressing kisses along his jaw and neck as you went. "But don't think we're done yet. I have plenty more in store for you tonight." With that promise, you captured his lips in another kiss, your tongue delving deep to claim his mouth once more. As you kissed, your hands roamed his body, mapping out every curve and contour, stoking the embers of his arousal back to life. "Now, let's see how well you can follow instructions when I tie you up and make you beg for release."

Timo's eyes widened at your words, a thrill of excitement mixed with a hint of trepidation coursing through him. The idea of being tied up and at your mercy both terrified and thrilled him, sparking a renewed sense of desire. "I-I trust you," he stammered, his voice laced with nervous anticipation. "Whatever you want, I'll do it. Just…please be gentle with me." He offered up his wrists submissively, already imagining the sensation of being bound and helpless beneath your skillful touch. "Make me yours, baby," he whispered, his eyes locked on yours with a pleading intensity. "Use me however you want." A satisfied smirk curled your lips at Timo's willing submission, and you leaned in to capture his mouth in a searing kiss, pouring all your desire and dominance into the embrace. Breaking away, you reached for the silk restraints hanging from the bedside table, wrapping one around each of Timo's wrists and securing them to the bedposts. "Look at you, so beautiful and vulnerable," you praised, running your fingers along the lines of his bound arms. You descended upon his body once more, kissing and nipping a trail down his chest and abdomen until you reached the apex of his thighs. You paused there, gazing up at him with a hungry look in your eyes. "Tell me what you need, Timo. Beg me to give it to you."

Timo's breath hitched as you fastened the restraints, a delicious shiver running down his spine at the feeling of being secured and at your mercy. His heart raced with anticipation as you trailed kisses lower, each touch igniting sparks of pleasure throughout his body. When you paused between his thighs, he couldn't help but arch his hips upward, silently pleading for more. "Please," he whimpered, his voice strained with need. "I need you on my cock, use me like a toy…make me yours completely." He looked down at you with pleading, lust-filled eyes, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. "Fuck me, I'm yours to claim." A chuckle rumbled in your chest at Timo's desperate pleas, and you licked your lips, savoring the sight of him spread out and exposed, begging for your touch. You leaned in to brush your mouth against the head of his cock, relishing the salty tang of his pre-cum. "Such a greedy little thing, aren't you?" you teased, your hot breath fanning over his sensitive flesh. You wrapped your lips around the tip and sucked gently, swirling your tongue around the crown before taking him deeper into the warmth of your mouth. As you bobbed your head, you reached between his legs to fondle his balls, rolling them in your palm while continuing to work his shaft with your mouth and tongue.

Timo cried out in ecstasy as your mouth enveloped him, his back arching off the bed in a wordless scream of pleasure. The sensation of your lips and tongue on his aching cock was pure heaven, and he tangled his fingers in the sheets, trying to ground himself amidst the storm of sensations. "Oh fuck, yes! Just like that, please…don't stop," he begged, his hips bucking involuntarily as you brought him closer to the edge. The dual stimulation of your mouth and hand on his testicles was driving him wild, and he could feel his climax building rapidly. "I'm gonna…ahh, I'm going to cum!" he warned, his voice high and strained. "Please, let me fill your mouth!" You hummed around Timo's cock, the vibrations adding to his pleasure as you quickened your pace, determined to bring him over the brink. Feeling his warning signs, you pulled back slightly, leaving only the tip of his shaft in your mouth as you looked up at him with a sultry gaze. "Go ahead, baby," you coaxed, "give me everything you've got." With that encouragement, you took him deep once more, swallowing around him as he erupted, his hot seed flooding your mouth. You milked him through his orgasm, suckling gently as you savored the taste of his release. Finally, you released him with a soft pop, licking your lips clean as you gazed up at him with a triumphant smile. "Delicious," you purred.

Timo lay panting and spent, his body still quivering with the aftershocks of his intense orgasm. He watched you through hooded eyes, a dazed smile on his face as he tried to process the incredible pleasure you had just given him. "Wow," he breathed, his voice hoarse from crying out in ecstasy. "That was…incredible. You're amazing." He struggled slightly against the restraints, a playful glint in his eye as he easily fell more into a clouded headspace. You chuckled at Timo's struggle, shaking your head in amusement. "Easy there, big guy," you said, reaching up to gently stroke his cheek. "You're not going anywhere just yet. We're far from done." You leaned in to capture his lips in a tender kiss, soothing him with your touch and affectionate caresses. After a moment, you pulled back and gazed into his eyes, a mischievous spark igniting within you. "Time for round three," you announced. "Get ready to serve your purpose properly."

Timo's eyes fluttered open, his mind foggy from the aftermath of his climaxes. But at your words, a flicker of awareness sparked within him, and he focused on your face, a lazy, contented smile spreading across his features. "Round three, huh?" he murmured, his voice heavy with satiation. "I suppose I can manage that." He shifted slightly, his cock already beginning to stir again at the prospect of pleasing you further. "Just tell me what you need, and I'll do my best to make it happen." His gaze met yours, a mix of devotion and eagerness shining in his eyes as he prepared to offer himself once more to your desires. You grinned at Timo's willingness, impressed by his endurance and adaptability. "Very good," you praised, sliding your hand down his chest to wrap around his half-hard cock. "Since you're so eager, why don't you show me how much you appreciate my dominance?" You pumped his shaft a few times, watching it grow firmer in your grip. "Beg me to use you, Timo. Tell me how much you crave me using you, filling me up and claiming you as mine."

Timo's breath caught as your hand closed around his cock, a surge of renewed arousal coursing through him at your touch. He bit his lip, his eyes darkening with lust as he considered your command. "Please, baby," he whispered, his voice trembling with need. "I need you to use me. I need to feel inside of you, stretching you open and claiming me as yours. Let me fill you up, make me yours completely." He arched his hips, offering himself to you, his cock throbbing in your hand. "I want to serve you, to be your toy, your plaything. Use me however you want, just please…fuck me." A low, approving growl rumbled in your chest at Timo's impassioned plea, and you tightened your grip on his cock, stroking him firmly as you positioned yourself over him. "Such a good boy, begging so prettily for me," you purred, aligning your entrance with his waiting shaft. Slowly, deliberately, you sank down onto him, relishing the feel of his thick length filling you up. "Mmm, yes…you feel so good inside me," you moaned, settling into a comfortable rhythm as you rode him. You reached up to tangle your fingers in his hair, pulling his head back to expose the column of his throat. "And now, I'm going to mark you as mine," you declared, leaning in to bite and suck at his skin, branding him with your possession.

Timo's vision blurred as you lowered yourself onto him, the sensation of your tight heat enveloping his cock making his head spin with pleasure. He groaned loudly, his hands fisting in the sheets as he struggled to maintain control, wanting to focus on the exquisite feeling of being buried inside you. But as you began to move, setting a steady, sensual pace, he lost himself entirely to the experience. Each roll of your hips pressed him deeper, stimulating his sensitive nerves and sending jolts of electricity through his body. "Ahh, fuck…yes, just like that," he gasped, his voice raw with need. When you pulled his head back to bite and suck at his throat, he shuddered, a primal moan escaping him as he submitted completely to your dominance. "Mark me, claim me, make me yours." Your teeth sank into Timo's throat, marking him as your own as you continued to ride him. The combination of his thick cock stretching you and the power of dominating him sent you spiraling toward your own peak. "You're mine, Timo," you growled against his skin, punctuating your declaration with another sharp bite. "My toy, my good boy." Your inner walls clenched around him, milking his shaft as you chased your climax. "Fill me up, baby," you urged, your movements becoming erratic as you neared the edge. "Give me everything you've got."

Timo's world narrowed to the intense sensations of being used and possessed by you. Your bites and marks only heightened his arousal, fueling his desire to submit completely. As you urged him to fill you, he felt his own climax approaching, his balls drawing up tight against his body. "Yes, I'm yours, all yours," he chanted, his voice broken with pleasure. With a final, powerful thrust, he spilled himself deep inside you, his cock pulsing as he emptied his load. "Take it all, baby, every last drop," he moaned, his body shaking with the force of his orgasm. As the waves of ecstasy subsided, he collapsed back onto the bed, spent and utterly satisfied, knowing he had fulfilled his purpose as your willing plaything. You rode out the aftershocks of your climax, your inner muscles massaging Timo's softening cock as you basked in the afterglow of their shared pleasure. Finally, you lifted yourself off him, a satisfied sigh escaping your lips as you gazed down at his flushed, exhausted form. "Excellent performance, my dear," you praised, running a gentle hand over his chest. "You served me very well indeed." You helped him untie his wrists, then pulled him into a tender embrace, nuzzling his temple affectionately. "Rest now, love. You've earned it."

Timo nestled into your embrace, a contented smile curving his lips as he savored the warmth and security of your arms around him. He felt utterly spent, physically and emotionally drained from the intense encounter, but also deeply fulfilled. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice muffled against your shoulder. "That was…more than I could have hoped for." He yawned widely, his eyelids growing heavy as fatigue set in. "I think I might actually sleep now," he joked weakly, already drifting off. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he clung to you, grateful for the comfort and acceptance you provided, knowing he could always count on you to guide him through whatever desires or bad games ahead.

[victoria-writes]

Elvish For Dummies

Pairing: Legolas x Reader (gender neutral)

Summary: Set after the events of LoTR. You live with Legolas in Mirkwood and he teaches you Elvish. Pure fluff.

Word Count: 1039

Notes: Established relationship, reader is human, tried to make the sindarin elvish as accurate as possible so apologies for any mistakes, I’m multilingual so I based this off of my own experience with learning languages 

Read it on AO3 here

Story:

Despite the fellowship having disbanded, each day with Legolas seemed like another adventure. During your perilous journey together, the two of you had grown closer than either of you thought possible. The mere thought of being apart from you pulled at his heartstrings. He could not bear the thought of being separated from his new love. After the one ring was destroyed, the elf invited you to come with him to Mirkwood. Hastily, you agreed, for you too could not wait to start a new life with the elven prince. 

Since reaching Mirkwood, many seasons have passed and you two grow closer by the day. Under his guidance, your archery skills and ability to speak Elvish have improved. He took it upon himself to privately tutor you in the tongue of his people. Legolas still giggles when you fumble certain words on your tongue, but is quick to apologize, never wanting to discourage you. He says you have made remarkable progress and that you possess great linguistic potential. Whether that is true or he is exaggerating with sugar coated words, you cannot tell but it feels good to hear his encouragement either way. 

Most of your days together included walks through the woods and riding horseback, but today was a gloomy rainy day. A day that, Legolas decided, would be a wonderful excuse to help you get back to your studies. It’s not that you did not enjoy Elvish. Oh no! You quite liked hearing him whisper loving words to you as he held your gaze. 

“Meleth nîn, Im tur feel cín emel dring dan sab - My love, I can feel your heartbeat against mine”, he would say as he held you in his arms, his breath dancing upon your skin with each syllable. 

Saying you enjoyed that would be the understatement of the century. Everything in Sindarin sounded like poetry. Even the most mundane sentences were said with purpose and flowered language. Unfortunately for you, that also meant the most basic phrases you had to learn weren’t your typical ones. Instead of “I went to the store”, you had to say “I depart to look for food - Im gwann- na thír an aes”. It seems that most Elvish children learn how to say things like “I can feel it in the earth - Im tur- feel ha in i coe” before they learn “please” and “thank you”. No wonder they all sound prophetic when they speak common. Creepy oracle sounding sentence structure as your first language combined with being thousands of years old will do that. 

“Meleth nîn, you’re drifting off. Shall we return to our lesson or is a break needed?”, Legolas' words break you out of your trance. You look up from your desk, covered in notes, to see him towering above you, eyebrow raised and arms crossed. 

“Apologies, I was merely pondering the linguistic differences between Sindarin and Quenya Elvish”, you quickly come up with the excuse to hide the fact that you were simply not paying attention. 

“Is that so?”, 

“Yes, yes, the distinction between Elvish languages is very interesting to me”.

“This is the third time this lesson you’ve been distracted by those differences”.

“Ah, well…”, you trail off, caught red-handed. 

“Y/N, I will not force you to learn Sindarin if you do not wish it”.

“No, no, no, I want to learn. I promise. It’s all just new to me and takes a moment to sink in. Please, repeat what you said. I’m paying attention”.

Legolas smiles but does not repeat himself. Instead, he moves on to an exercise he is sure will get your attention. 

“We shall review what I have taught you thus far.” 

…

“ Very good, Y/N. Now how would you say ‘the stars shine white’?”

“ I elena mír thilivern” 

“The grass is green?”

“I thár na- calen”        

“Very good pronunciation. You have done well. I believe it is time to learn some new vocabulary”.

You take out a new sheet of paper from your stack, ready to write. 

“You need not write for this portion. Repeat after me.” 

“Okay”. You put your quill down. 

“Meleth nîn.”

“Meleth nîn. I know what that means already. You say it all the time”.

“And what does it mean?”

“My love”, your lips turn upward in a shy smile.  

“Very good. Let us move on then”, he smiles brightly, as if pleasantly surprised despite knowingly fully well that you knew its meaning. 

“I’m ready. Hit me.” 

He suddenly sits down next to you and takes your hands into his own.

“Im mel cin”  

“Im mel cin”  

“Do you know its meaning?”   

“No, should I? I’m sorry.”, your eyes widen as you try to recall whether he had said it before in a previous lesson. 

Legolas throws his head back with laughter. This may be the hardest you’ve ever seen him laugh before… and it’s at you. Great. 

“Apologies. Apologies.”, he manages to get out between giggles, “The look on your face was priceless.” Your face sours at this and Legolas manages to resist a second burst of laughter from it. He thinks you equal parts hilarious and adorable. 

“You would not have known this phrase as I have never spoken it to you before. I do think it is high time for you to learn it”.

“Okay, so what does it mean?”, you scrunch your eyebrows together, ego still a little hurt from being laughed at. 

His grip on your hands tighten but his touch stays gentle as ever. He has always been gentle with you. His gaze holds the same softness. No, even deeper.  The blue of his eyes seem more vibrant and invite you in to look deeper within him. His eyes tell of a love that can never be truly explained in any language. Legolas has always had a staring problem when it comes to you, but this is something different entirely. Your cheeks redden at his seriousness.

“I love you”.

Your eyes widen once more and before you can react, he kisses you. Deeply. Passionately. 

“I love you. I love you. I love you.” he repeats again and again into your lips. 

…

Maybe learning a new language isn’t so bad, if you have the right teacher.

[noneorother]

The art director & the Good Omens book cover tier list of doom, part 1

part 1 l part 2

This is going to have to be a multi-part series because there are *checks notes* 64 different covers that I've found so far.

I am your resident Art Director/Good Omens enthusiast, and welcome to my completely meta-free book cover tier list. Listen, making a book cover is HARD. I should know. But while we salute these artists for their hard work and time, I think we can all admit that once in a while, the vision is just not on. And on very rare occasions, publishers seemed to have managed to commission the cover art directly from hell... 1. The original UK cover

Ahh, the standard by which all shall be judged. We're starting off with a nice & easy cover, with adorable woodcuts of Aziraphale and Crowley flanking a custom Good Omens font! While I have to take a few points off for the terrible kerning of the word "GoOD", the blockprint vibes and general bitchiness of Aziraphale's teeny weeny wittle face, along with the sick colour palette puts the orignial in my good graces. Tier: Great

2. The duelling US covers

Progress! Hail to the designer who figured out trying to make "GoOD" and "OMeNs" fit the same width was a fool's errand, and even managed to IMPROVE on the original handmade title by adding a little halo and devil's tale to the design. Aziraphale and Crowley are facing each other, while also managing to serve absolute cunt. Aziraphale is wearing EIGHTIES SNEAKERS. Crowley's little snake boots have HEELS. They've managed to keep the woodcut vibes and colour simplicity, while balancing out the full title of the book. Both authors get to trade off on who's name comes first! Dare I say, this is a work of genius. I could dock some points for Crowley's sad bat wings growing out of his right clavicle, but who am I to question greatness.

Tier: Blessed by God Herself

3. The Halo Master Chief(?) cover

How the mighty have fallen... As a Canadian child, I was subjected to maybe the most horrifying ad in existence by the War Amps warning children about machine safety. This cover is the paper embodiment of that ad. I am confused by the purple haze. I am frightened by the seeming ethereal flatness of Adam and Dog. I am strangely aroused by Aziraphale's eyebrows, and intensely saddened by the terrible outline/drop shadow they had to inflict on the type to fit "Pratchett" in that god awful space. Tier: WTF

4. Germany, Ein Gutes Omen covers

This cover inexplicably exists in two colour ways: red and teal. I put the audiobook cover here so you could experience the full illustration, and also how fucked up it is that they cropped the book version to include three horse-people of the apocalypse, but cut off DEATH on the regular cover. Points must be given for drawing a pretty slick Bentley, but I think we have to take even more points away for turning Crowley into a Ray Charles/Mike Wazowski hybrid. The ducks are nice. Tier: Not so Good (Omens)

5. Germany, Ein Gutes Omen covers continued

I don't know if the German designer of this cover *knew* that they were using western yeehaw cowboy woodblock letters when they made this cover, but judging by how they spaced the rest of the text at the bottom, THEY DID NOT CARE. And that seems to be a running theme for this one. We get kind of a duality thing going on with the black and pink background, but it just seems like somebody whispered the general themes of Good Omens into a jar, and threw it down a well, and this poor chap came along and picked it up. The baffling choice to align every piece of text on the cover *except* Neil Gaiman's name which is right aligned and rotated 90 degrees (not even real vertical type) will haunt my dreams, I think.

Tier: Bad

6. US, UK The Traffic Jam cover

For the love of Good Omens, WHY. I can think of so many more interesting symbols to put on the cover of this book than the ODEGRA SIGIL TRAFFIC JAM. Props for keeping the good colours and type, but like, I think this cover was secretly designed by @amtrak-official, or someone who just really, really likes public works. Tier: Does the Job

7. France, De bons présages cover

Leave it to France to make sure people know that Aziraphale and Crowley fuck severely. While I can't condone leaving out half the title of the book (and thinking a red carpenter's square counts as decoration), I can begrudgingly acknowledge that Ron Pearlman and Benedict Cumberbatch's love child is excellent Crowley casting. I think I give this a solid dark academia/10. Tier: Good (Omens)

8. France, De bons présages covers continued

Just imagine with me, if you will, the absolutely hilarious reality that this cover posits: Good Omens is exactly the same in every respect, but Crowley drives a pink 1950s convertible. Why do all of the colours on this cover look like they've been pre-digested? Why are the font choices and placement so bafflingly bad. My face is the demon's face holding that car. I feel his pain.

Tier: WTF

9. France, De bons présages covers continued

Minus points for not managing to write the full title of the book once again. I don't know what it is with the French. They seem pretty set on Good Omens being demonic. While I do appreciate a good Bosch-style demon party, the dude in the middle confounds me. All-caps Museo Sans that isn't even *centred* in the frame is just so lazy. I am le tired. Tier: Bad

10. France, De bons présages covers continued

Uhh. The font. The font is okay.... I think? Yeah. The font and kerning are. Okay. OHHH GOD I LOOKED DOWN BELOW THE TEXT WHYYYY. Tier: WTF

END of round one. I need a nap.

[srbachchan]

DAY 6005

Jalsa, Mumbai July 27, 2024/July 28 Sat/Sun 2:37 am

.. the body moves .. not quite as before .. but moves .. movements are an integral part of our living .. we are brought here in this Universe to move .. move out move above move about and around , but move ..

I sought the pt's of movement for us likes and are given the directions that pertain to the fact of how movement is the crucible of necessity ..

"For an 82-year-old male, maintaining movement is crucial for overall health and well-being. Gentle activities like walking, swimming, or tai chi can help enhance mobility, strength, and balance. Stretching exercises improve flexibility, reducing the risk of injury. Light resistance training can preserve muscle mass and bone density. It's essential to include regular breaks and avoid overexertion. Social activities like dancing or group exercises provide both physical and mental benefits. Consulting with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise regimen is important to ensure safety and to tailor the activities to the individual's health status and physical capabilities."

.. and so I move ..

but enough of the 'i' .. it's time to bring in the 'they' .. 'they' are the necessity of the movement living .. for the simple reason that what 'they' induce you with , becomes the movement legacy .. 'they' may never feel so , but the fact is just that .. MOVE ..

blessed are we that are the face of public appearance .. and the 'they' comes in with immense intensity to justify our beliefs and aforementioned detail ..

when 'they' burst we explode .. when 'they' explode we hold on to their tails and travel where 'they' do or go .. 'they' go to destinations known to them but 'they' carry our destinations as well .. without them we have no destination .. our final peak is theirs .. and that is how we be ..

In a few hours from now .. well .. quite a few hours from now at the GOJ .. there shall be meets and greets and shares and givings and reciprocation .. that is life , reciprocation .. get one give two ..

and the interpretation be theirs as well .. we learn from them .. 'they' are the spirit that educates .. 'they' teach professionally .. we follow in the lead given ..

the mention of the 95% and 98% is ever adorned with great appreciation .. but 'they' teach us that there are those that achieve from the 50% to the 60% also..

are their achievements any less ..

they deserve the lead as well , to swell the encouragement to keep the growth ..

and growth is movement ..

SO ..

MOVE ..

MY LOVE CARE and my affection for them that strain .. strain to move forward .. a step or two may be and NOT a gallop .. but a step all the same ..

'take the strain .... HEAVE ' !!!!

Amitabh Bachchan

[meixstar]

WORKING OUT WITH NANAMI PLEASE!

❥ Synopsis You want to get stronger? Nanami might just be the best person to help you with that.

❥ Pairing Nanami Kento x fem!reader

❥ Content explicit content! 18+, Minors DNI, foul language, working out afab!reader, teacher!reader, dom!Nanami, unprotected sex, Nanami is kinda mean, creampie, implied mutual pining, masturbation (m! receiving), vaginal sex, clitoral play, slight breeding kink, slight hate fucking at first, pet names (pretty girl, darling) dirty talk, fingering, oral (f! receiving), Nanami loves eating possay, doggy style, missionary, aftercare, Nanami being a gentleman, kissing/making out, praise, degredation if you squint, ripping clothes, teasing, porn with plot

❥ Word Count 3.4k

❥ A/N HELP THIS IS MY FIRST SMUT I'M SORRY IF IT SUCKS I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED RN BUT I HOPE YOU LIKE IT Anway I have no idea about working out and how to write it?? so I hope this was okay and doesn't suck too bad c: Thank you for your request!

PS i'm sorry if the requests are taking too long :( i'm not really used to writing this much lolol but i plan on doing them all, and I'm really excited about SatoSugu fluff that someone requested :D

!NSFW UNDER THE CUT!

Sweating It Out

"Faster. If you want to land a critical hit on your opponent, you have to charge at them like you mean it." Nanami's voice echoes through the courtyard of the school.

"Search for their weak point," He tightens the tie around his neck as he steps closer to her body on the ground. "You need to work on your form and condition." a quiet sigh leaves his lips as he helps her up from the floor in one swift motion.

You brush the dirt off your sports clothes and look up at him with a slight pout. "Easy for you to say," the back of your hand wipes across your cheek to get rid of the remaining grime. "I don't even know how I got this job in the first place." a soft chuckle escapes you.

A hint of amusement flickers across his stoic face. "Modesty becomes you. You're better than you think." his eyes scan your face for a moment. "We've still got a lot of work to do if you want to improve those reflexes of yours. If you're comfortable with it, I would help you do some simple work out back at my apartment." he gestures towards the parking lot, where his car is waiting.

"And by work, I mean actual physical exercise, not just tossing around excuses." Nanami remarks smugly, making your lips part in surprise. "Wha- I'm not 'tossing around excuses', thank you very much." The audacity of this stupid, attractive man. You let out a playful huff and fix your hair. "Although I do find it rather surprising that you would invite me to your place."

Nanami chuckles, the low sound and smooth "Formalities aside, I'm willing to make an exception for you. After all, someone needs to whip you into shape." his gaze lingers on hers, a subtle spark of attraction evident beneath the surface. "Shall we?" without waiting for an answer he starts walking towards his car.

"Hey, I would say I'm in pretty good shape.. physically wise." you remark teasingly with a soft chuckle as you follow him towards his car.

You get greeted with the sight of a raised, skeptical eyebrow from him. "Is that so? Then perhaps we'll focus on refining your technique instead. You can't rely solely on brute force. Strategy and finesse are just as crucial." he opens the passenger door for her, his movements fluid and courteous. "Besides, I have a few.. exercises in mind that might put your physical prowess to the test." Nanami's tone remains formal, but a hint of suggestiveness creeps into his words.

"Great, can't wait.." you groan in exhaustion, not noticing his suggestive hint. Your head rests against the window of his car while you wait for the arrival to his apartment. Trees, pedestrians and other cars move by in a blur as you look out the clean window.

His eyes glance at her briefly, a fleeting glimpse of amusement crossing his features before focusing back on the road ahead. "I suppose you should conserve your energy then. We'll be getting started shortly." Nanami's voice remains steady, betraying no emotion, but his grip on the steering wheel tightens ever so slightly as he accelerates onto the highway.

He emerges from the driver's side, his suit jacket fluttering open to reveal his crisp blue shirt underneath. "Please, come in." his hand gestures towards the entrance as he leads the way inside to his apartment. "We will start with some stretching exercises. I have a few routines that will help improve flexibility and balance." his tone remains professional, but his gaze lingers on her for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.

"In that?" you point towards his clothes. "Scratch that actually, I'm the only one doing this, aren't I?" a sigh escapes you. You put down your bag on the floor and stretch your arms above your head.

Nanami pauses, one hand resting on the doorknob as he turns to regard you. "Ah, good point. Don't worry, I will change into something more suitable and join you." his gaze travels down her form, lingering on her curves before snapping back up to meet her gaze. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." With a brief nod, he disapears into the bedroom, leaving you alone in the living room.

So here you were, alone in the apartment of your colleague who you have been crushing on for a year now. Totally fine, right?

You slap both palms of your hands against your cheeks and shake your head. Trying to distract yourself, you walk around his living room, taking in the minimal decorations. Your head turns towards his bedroom door as he re-emerges from the room, now clad in some sweatpants and a tight fitted shirt, showcasing his toned physique.

"Now then, shall we begin with some light cardio to loosen up your muscles?" his tone remains formal, yet a hint of anticipation underlies his words as he approaches her, his eyes locked on hers. "Alright, but don't be too hard on me - again." you chuckle and wait for his instructions.

"I assure you, I will push you to your limits but not beyond. Now, let's start with some jumping jacks. Twenty reps, please." he stands with his arms crossed, watching her every move with an air of authority, my gaze scrutinizing her form.

"Ah.. seriously? Isn't that like some high school stuff though?" you sigh and get into position as you start doing jumping jacks. His expression remains stern, unyielding to your protests. "High school or not, it's essential to build a solid foundation. You'd be surprised how many experienced practitioners neglect the basics. Focus on your form, and don't slacken your pace," he takes a step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he monitors your performance. "Focus on my form? With jumping jacks? Okay then.."

Nanami observes her movements, his sructiny unwavering. "Not bad. However, I detect a slight imbalance in your landing. Remember to distribute your weight evenly between both legs. And keep your core engaged." his voice remains firm, yet measured, as he provides constructive feedback. "Yeah, yeah.." you answer and keep your lips pressed into a thin line.

"I suggest you adopt a more receptive attitude. This isn't a trivial matter. Proper form is crucial to avoiding injuries and optimizing performance. Try again, and this time, heed my corrections."

"Why do I feel like a student all over again?" you sigh in slight annoyance and stop your jumping jacks. "Fine, fine."

He gives you a curt nod, acknowledging your efforts. "Better. Much better. Your posture has improved, and your footwork is more precise. Not, let's move on to the next exercise. We'll focus on building your strength now." he gestures towards the adjacent room, where various pieces of equipment are set up. "Please proceed to the pull-up bar. I'll demonstrate the proper technique."

You glance around the room, taking in various fitness gadgets in surprise. "Wow, Nanami.. didn't expect you to be that type of man. You know, the type who is so obsessed with working out." you let out a playful hum.

"This is not about personal indulgences. A well-equipped training area is essential for optimal results." he leads the way to the pull-up bar, his movements efficient and purposeful. "Now, pay attention. The key to a successful pull-up lies in engaging your latissimus dorsi muscles," Nanami begins to demonstrate the correct form, his words punctuated by precise motions.

"My what now?" you mumble to yourself in utter confusion. Your gaze drifts towards his working form, hungry eyes lingering on the veins popping out on his forearms every time he pulls himself up. Just then he halts mid-pull-up, his eyes locking onto yours with a faint glint of amusement flickering within. "Latissimus dorsi. The largest muscle in your back. Focus, please."

He releases the bar, dropping back down on the ground with ease. With a scoff you cross your arms over your chest, "Whatever, let me give it a go, Mr. Know It All." you joke lightly and grab onto the pull-up bar before lifting yourself up slowly. Nanami stand back, observing your form with a discerning eye. "You're managing to engage your lats somewhat, However, your grip could be wider, and your body straighter. Allow me to assist."

Nanami approaches her, his big hands closing around her waist as he adjusts her position, his fingers splayed wide. "Feel the stretch in your back, and maintain control throughout the movement." his voice stays calm, but the intimate proximity of your bodies sends a spark of pleasure shooting through his body. At the same time you bite down on the inside of your cheek as his strong hands grab you.

You feel grateful that your back is turned towards him, this way he can't see your cheeks turning a soft pink. "Aren't you straightforward?" you chuckle.

Ignoring your words, Nanami's grip on your waist tightens ever so slightly, his fingers pressing into your skin ever so slightly. "Focus on your form. One more rep, please."

"Yes, Sir." an innocent hum leaves you as you begin to pull your body back up the pull-up bar, letting out soft breaths now and then.

His fingers seem to linger on her skin for a moment before releasing her. "Proceed to the mat. We will work on some grappling techniques." With a soft thud, you let yourself go from the gadget. "Grappling? So you can kick my ass again? Just what I want," she sighs and takes her place on the mat.

"Grappling is an essential aspect. You can't always count on your cursed technique. It requires strategy, agility, and control. Let us focus on some basic escapes and submissions." he assumes a neutral stance opposite her. "Let's begin with a simple wrist lock escape. Observe closely, and replicate my movements precisely." he extends his arm, offering her his wrist.

"Bla bla." you abruptly grab his wrist and twist it to push him down onto the mat with a controlled thud "Easy," a satisfied smile forms on your face. "Good initiative, but poor execution. You relied on brute force rather than technique." he pulls himself out of your grasp and rises to his feet, brushing off imaginary dirt from his clothes. "Again."

"This sucks.." you sigh and run a hand down your face in frustration. "Can't we do something fun instead? Like, fuck I don't know, chess. Would be way more fun than this." you grimace before grabbing his wrist once more to push him down and lower your body to sit on his back to hold him down.

Nanami remains composed, unfazed by her antics, as he lies beneath her, his wrists still clasped in her grasp. "You can have fun some other time." his tone maintains its formal quality, despite the unusual position they find themselves in. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe we've digressed sufficiently. Let's refocus on the task at hand. Release my wrist." he issues the command calmly.

You glance down at the side of his face with a mischievous glint in your eyes. "Hm.. no." You feel his body tense beneath you, his muscles coiling in anticipation. "I see. It appears you're blurring the lines between playful banter and actual combat. I suggest you clarify your intentions."

"You could just roll over and pin me down with ease, Nanami.. Why haven't you done it yet if you are oh so irritated about my antics?" you tease him softly and lean your head closer towards his ear.

In just a moment his body is springing into action as he swiftly flips them over, pinning her beneath him. "Satisfied? Now, shall we resume the lesson, or would you prefer to continue exploring.. other avenues?"

You feel your body growing hot under his intense gaze, "Other avenues? Please, do tell." you wrap one leg around his waist to pull him closer, feeling his growing hardness press against your inner thigh making him grit his teeth ever so slightly.

"Hm, it seems you require a demonstration of the consequences of testing boundaries." he leans closer, his lips inches from yours. This is no longer a lesson for combat, but a display of discipline."

"Aren't you tough? All bark and no bit-" your taunts gets silenced as he claims your mouth in a firm kiss. Out of instinct, your press your chest further into his, deepening the kiss in the process. A soft moan of desperation leaves your mouth that gets swallowed by his own.

Nanami's tongue probes the depths of her mouth, his long fingers maintaining a firm grip on her waist and wrists. He breaks away from the kiss, his breathing heavy. "Now, shall we proceed to the next stage of this.. lesson?" he rocks his hips into hers, eliciting a quiet gasp from her. "Cut the teacher crap, Nanami." she breathes out hotly against his wet lips. "As you wish, but you will receive exactly what you're asking for." With that, he sweeps her up in his arms, carrying her towards the bedroom.

He deposits her on the bed, his tall form towering over her as he looks down at her flushed and desperate expression. "Undress. Now." his tone brooks no argument, as he begins to shed his own clothes with deliberate slowness.

Her eyes wander over his now exposed body, lingering on his cock that leaks with pre-cum already. Out of reflex, she runs her tongue over her kiss-bruised lips, making him flex his fists for a moment. "Mh.. I don't wanna," she bites back a smirk.

"Very well. If you insist on playing games, I will play too." With a swift motion, he reaches out and rips the shirt open, baring her torso to his hungry gaze. "What the fuck! I loved that shirt, aw." she pouts up at him with furrowed brows before glancing back at the now broken fabric on the floor.

Nanami raises an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I'll buy you a new one, and also.. no bra? Naughty girl. Must have slipped my sight." he remarks, his gaze roving over her bared skin, eyes lingering on her perky nipples exposed to the cool air in the room. "Now, will you take off the rest of your clothes? Or should I do it for yo-"

"No, I'll do it myself this time." you scoff lightly and stand up to pull your leggings down, seeing Nanami's eyes following your every move. "Fuck.." you hear him mutter to himself - and god, was it hot to see him loose his composure. "Turn around and bend over, let me see all of you, pretty girl." A pleased hum escapes your lips as you do just that. You bend down over his bed, the soft sheets brushing against your skin, and the smell of him filling your nostrils.

"Mmh.. you know exactly how to tease me, don't you?" Nanami reaches out, his hand reaching out to run over the contour of her ass, the touch feather-light, while his other hand reaches down to stroke himself slowly. "Look at you," he whispers, his breath caressing the skin just above the waistband of her panties. "I can already see how wet you are. Is that because of me? Hm, pretty girl?"

You only manage to get out a weak nod accompanied by a soft whimper as he lets out a throaty chuckle. His fingers hook into the waistband and slowly peels her panties down, revealing her soaking pussy to his eyes. He settles onto his knees on the floor behind her. "Been craving your pussy so often, gosh.." he moans softly as he keeps his gaze fixated on your entrance while fisting his own arousal.

With a glance behind you, you see the scene unfold with hooded eyes. Just that alone makes your pussy clench around nothing. "Nanami.. don't tease me, please."

"I won't.. fuck, I won't." he breathes against your wetness, making you shiver before his tongue slides into the slick folds of your pussy. "Mmh, pussy tastes even better than I imagined." You stuff your face into his sheets as you feel his hot tongue run through your folds. "Oh god- hah,"

His hand leaves his cock, solely focusing on her pleasure as he holds her hips in place. "You like that? You like my tongue inside you, licking your sweet little cunt?" his voice muffled against her flesh, as he works her into a frenzy while his own hips desperately buck against his bed to relieve some tension. "Ohh, fuck.. Your tongue feels so fucking good!" she sobs into the fabric of the bed.

"Come for me, pretty girl. Come all over my face." he let's out a soft groan as he redoubles his efforts, desperate to drive her towards orgasm as he slowly enters two fingers inside her pulsing cunt.

She desperately pushes back against him, needing more. "Hah.. Nanami, please- fuck me already." His eyes flash in excitement, ceasing his oral assault as he stands back up to his full height. His angry red tip glistens with pre-cum, his hands running along her cheeks. "Turn around for me. I want to see your pretty face when you come."

And you do just that, laying down on your back as you glance up at him. He gently grabs your ankles and pulls you towards him as he lines his hard cock up at your entrance, poised to thrust deep. You impatiently wiggle your hips, wanting him to finally take you. You've been waiting for a whole year, after all. So if he doesn't start fucking you right this inst-

"Hah!" You throw your head back with a high-pitched moan as he slowly thrusts forward, his cock sinking deep into your pussy, filling you to the brim as he groans in satisfaction. "Fuck.. so hot." he mutters, hips drawing back before plunging forward once more, setting a slow yet deep pace. "Is this what you wanted? That I fuck you?" he grunts, his strokes growing more frenzied, his cock throbbing inside you.

The only thing that you can do is grip the sheets beside you and hide your flushed, pathetic face in them, frantically trying to hide your arousal.

His chest presses against hers as he leans forward, his arm wrapping around her waist to hold her in place. "Don't hide from me, Darling. Look at me." he demands, voice rough with exertion as he continues pounding into her. "Watch me as I make you come," his other hand snakes around to grasp her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze as he himself drives towards climax.

Her eyes are unfocused as she gazes up at him, her mouth falling open as he fucks into her deep. "Oh f-fuck.. ngh, your cock feels so good!" she bites down on her bottom lip, his balls slapping against her ass cheeks with every thrust.

"You're going to take every last drop of my cum. You're going to milk me dry and beg for more, aren't you?" he coos into her ear. "I'm going to fill you so full of cum you will be dripping with it for hours.." his hand let's go of your chin, reaching down to rub your swollen clit in slow circles with the pad of his thumb. "I can feel you clenching.. are you close? Want you to come all over my cock, can you do that for me?"

Without even giving it a thought, your toes curl and your back arches up into him as your orgasm washes over you with a loud whine. Nanami hisses when your pussy tightens up. His cock surges deep one final time before erupting in a torrent of cum, flooding your hole with his seed.

He collapses forward, his chest heaving with exhaustion as he wraps his arms around your waist, holding you close.

You both lay there for a few minutes, catching your breaths. You feel him slowly pull out of you, making you both let out a soft gasp. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" his thumb runs over your cheeks, his gaze never leaving yours. "I hope I wasn't too rough-"

You interrupt him with a kiss, this one far more gentle than the others. "I'm fine, it was perfect. But.. you can make it up to me with dinner?" you glance away nervously, scared of rejection after what just happened.

What if he only saw this as a one time thing? You did rile him up quite a bit, maybe that was just him being a man. But is Nanami really that kind of man? Perhaps he doesn't even like you and this was hate sex? Plus, you both are colleagues. That would be really unprofessio-

"Of course, is there a specific place you would like to eat at?"

Oh.

♡ fanart from @ilameys on twitter ♡

♡ divider by @benkeibear ♡