#// more blood work tomorrow then again monday | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

0cta9on · 6 months ago

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Unlikely Duet - 8

Length: 18k+ words

Genre: Fluff

NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)

(Author's Note: First of all, thanks to @msafterhours for beta reading! This chapter wouldn't have been as good without your input :] TW: Violence and mention of blood. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter, it was a blast to write :> )

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★

Yuno’s POV

It’s weird. It’s a Monday, universally agreed to be the most hated day of the week, and yet, here I am, waking up with a smile on my face like it’s the most regular thing in the world. I had no weird dreams this time around, but that didn’t stop Minji from being the first person I thought about the second I opened my eyes. Whatever I said before about love being stupid, scratch that. I feel invincible.

After quickly getting ready, I head downstairs to see my dad cooking breakfast, an image I’m slowly getting used to. It feels comforting knowing someone cares enough about me to go through all the trouble of cooking a meal.

“Good morning, dad.”

“Good morning, Yuno. You seem happy this morning,” he smirks at me.

My face already aches, not used to smiling this much. “Yeah, just… excited for school, I guess,” I shrug.

“Mhm, sure,” he chuckles, sliding a plate of food towards me. “Eat up.” Right before I dig into my breakfast, I send a text to the group chat, asking Winter and Yujin if they want to meet up at the convenience store and walk to school together.

Winter: sure thing :)

Yujin: yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Actual food for breakfast, actual friends to walk to school with, and an actual crush I get to see at school? It’s only morning and already this day feels perfect.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

My heart thumps with anxiety while my parents sit across from me at the dining table, completely oblivious to the dread I feel in every fiber of my being. In order for me to survive at the banquet tomorrow, I need them to agree to let me bring a plus one. Specifically, I need them to let me bring Yuno, the one person they specifically told me to stay away from.

I inhale deeply, firming up my resolve as best as I can. “Um, Mother? Father?”

They both look up at me. “Yes, dear?” Mother answers.

“About the banquet tomorrow-” “Ah right, Ms. Park told me that Sunghoon is excited to see you again after so long. Isn’t that nice?”

I bite my tongue to keep myself from visibly cringing. “Right, um, I actually wanted to ask you if I could bring a friend to the banquet.”

They exchange looks at each other before turning back to me. “I don’t see why not. Who did you want to invite?”

“Um… Yuno.”

“Absolutely not!” Mother answers a bit too quickly. “We told you already that we don’t want you associating with that boy! Why don’t you bring any of your other friends, like Danielle, or even Hanni would be more acceptable than him.”

“Because, uh…” I need to think of a lie, something, anything that can convince them. “...Because he has an interest in the business,” I blurt out. Not my best work, but it’s better than nothing. Both of them furrow their brows, unconvinced, yet neither of them say a word, simply waiting for my explanation.

“I, uh, told him about the family business and he got so, um, inspired by your story that he wants to, uh, pursue a business degree in college.”

Their glares feel like spotlights, scrutinizing my every little move. Mother’s expression remains the same — bewildered and a little irked — but I can see the gears slowly turning in Father’s pensive gaze.

“I thought the banquet would be a good opportunity for him to make connections in the industry, y’know, just like how you want me to,” I continue. “You two always emphasize the importance of making strong connections in case I need help in the future, so why can’t I be the connection that helps Yuno?”

“Honey, we are not charity workers-”

“Wait,” Father says, turning towards her. “I think we should let him come.”

Both mine and my mother’s eyes grow wide in surprise.

“Really?” We say in unison.

“I’ve always had a firm belief in education, both in and out of the classroom. This banquet could be an opportunity for him to better himself. He clearly has no plans for the future otherwise.”

Mother opens her mouth to argue, but instead sighs and nods. “Fine, we will permit Yuno to come to the banquet.”

I almost can’t believe the words coming out of their mouths. My plan is actually going to work. I’m so happy I could cry.

“But,” she adds, “If he causes any trouble, we forbid you from seeing him outside of school, okay?”

“Y-yes, of course, I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble! Thank yo-”

“And I don’t want you sneaking off and being alone with that boy. We’ll have Sunghoon stick with the two of you the entire time.”

My ears start to ring like a massive bomb just dropped nearby.

“...W-what!?”

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

The morning sun warms my skin as I wait for my friends by the convenience store. Birds fly above, singing their spring song like gentle plucks of a violin, sonorous yet fragile. A clear sky hangs overhead, unblemished by smog or storm clouds. It almost feels like mother nature herself wants me to have a good day.

“Good morning, Yuno!”

“YUNOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Winter and Yujin appear in the distance, walking towards me.

“Hey,” I greet them with a wave. They both stop in their tracks, eyeing me with surprise. “...What?”

“You’re smiling,” Winter states as if it’s the most insane thing she’s ever seen.

I turn my head away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Y-yeah, so what?”

“Aw, Winter, you ruined it,” Yujin teases. “He looked so happy.”

I sigh. “...Let’s just go.”

Both of them chuckle, taking their spot on either side of me like it’s where they belong. For so long, I walked the same route to school alone every morning, yet today, it feels a little different. The colors on the buildings and the street signs seem so much more vivid, the air smells like fresh grass and blooming flowers, puddles and windows glisten like diamonds as they reflect the sun’s morning light. A part of me thinks that I’m dreaming again — when did the world look this beautiful? But the way Yujin nudges my side to show me a drawing he’s working on or the way Winter clutches onto my shoulder after almost tripping on nothing lets me know that all of this is real. The world that I used to hate waking up to is now a world that I can look at with a smile.

A real, genuine smile.

______________________________________________________________

As the three of us walk through the hallways of Evergreen, I feel the familiar stares of the other students, eyeing me like some kind of untamed beast that could jump out at them at any moment. Even with everything else changing around me, I can always count on high schoolers to be ever stagnant and predictable in their behaviors. Although, something in their eyes feels a little peculiar. Instead of just fear, there’s something else hiding behind it. Intrigue? Admiration? Maybe these rose-tinted lenses are starting to make me see things.

“P-people sure d-do stare a lot, h-huh?” Winter asks, her voice shrinking to a mere whisper.

“Yeah, I guess they do.” I glance back at them, both their gazes glued to the ground, clearly not used to the unwanted attention. “Sorry, I should’ve warned you guys.”

“It’s okay, Yuno, it’s not your fault,” Yujin reassures me.

“Y-yeah, I’m sure w-we’ll get used to it,” Winter adds with a small grin. Man, what did I do to deserve these two?

The five minute warning bell rings, sending the students still left in the hallways in a hurry. I say my goodbyes to Winter and Yujin as we part ways, enduring the usual stares and hushed voices as I make my way to my seay in the back. Still, something feels odd about the way they’re looking at me today. I try to meet their eyes to get a better look, but everyone keeps looking away, pretending like they weren’t whispering about me to their friends. If this keeps going on for the rest of the day, I’m gonna be pissed.

“Yuno Lin to the principal’s office, Yuno Lin to the principal’s office. Now,” the PA system announces, giving me a wave of deja vu. I have a couple guesses for what this could be about…

______________________________________________________________

Instead of coming out the gate swinging, Mr. Geier just sits at his desk, his hands clasped in deep thought. Normally, I would be pretty indifferent to whatever he has to say, but after everything Minji said to me, I suddenly feel guilty sitting in front of him. It probably isn’t easy dealing with my shit on a weekly basis.

“So…” he starts, finally looking up at me after a few minutes of silence. “I’m sure you know why you’re in here, Yuno.”

“Yup…”

He sighs. “The McGraw’s donate a lot of money to this school. They didn’t exactly take well to receiving a call that their son was found unconscious in the bathroom with a broken nose.”

Ah shit. This is it. The consequences of my actions have finally caught up to me. Fate, you cruel bastard, making me wake up in a good mood for the first time in years, only to send me to jail before the day even starts. Goodbye dad, Yujin, Winter, and Minji. Minji…

“But…”

But…!

“...They’ve decided not to press charges.”

“What!?” I exclaim, relieved and deeply confused.

“We received a tip from one of the boys on the football team that Tyler had been bullying a group of freshman boys for months. They still wanted to press charges anyways, but I may have… insinuated that if they did, I would ensure Tyler could only set foot into a community college at best.”

My eyes widen, slowly connecting the dots. “Did you…?”

“No, it was not for you,” he states matter-of-factly. “It was for the sake of all the freshmen that suffered because of him.”

“R-right.” I sink back into my chair, feeling sheepish. “So… what happens now? Detention? Suspension?”

“No, I have something else in mind for you.”

Just then, the door to Mr. Geier’s office swings open, sending in a wave of lavender and rainbows into his office as the girl of my dreams walks through.

“You wanted to see me, Mr. Geier?” Minji says before turning to me, a quizzical look in her eyes.

“Perfect timing, Minji,” he says, “This is Yuno Lin. Yuno, this is Minji Kim, the student council president.”

Minji shoots me a confused look, but I’m too distracted by her beauty to pay full attention. Her hair is in a ponytail today with two strands of hair framing her perfect face. The sound of my thumping heart gets louder in my ears, drowning out whatever Geier is saying. Hopefully it’s not anything important. What could be more important than Minji? God, she’s so pretty, I-

“Yuno, are you paying attention?” Mr. Geier snaps at me.

“S-sorry, what?” Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Minji stifling a giggle, making my cheeks burn red.

“As I was saying, your punishment will be to help Minji with prom preparations. Whatever she asks you to do, you do it. If you cause any trouble for her, she’ll report it to me and you will face the consequences, understand?”

You mean I get to spend more time with Minji? As a punishment? “Yup, I understand,” I say, trying not to look too eager.

“Good.” He turns towards Minji. “Just make him lift the heavy stuff or something. He can be a handful, but he, uh… He means well.” How sweet, Geier. I’m blushing.

“That shouldn’t be much of a problem,” she says, smirking. “We’ve actually met bef-”

“U-uh, it’s nice to meet you for the first time ever, Ms. President!” I exclaim, shoving my hand towards her before she can utter another word. If Geier finds out that his “punishment” is more like a “blessing” for me, he’ll probably give me some other grunt work to deal with.

Minji awkwardly shakes my hand, giving me a curious expression. “It’s, uh, nice to meet you too, Yuno.” The feeling of her soft hand against mine beats out any kind of embarrassment I should be feeling right now.

“Alright, you can head back to class now, Minji,” Mr. Geier dismisses her. She gives me a small yet bewildered grin before exiting his office, leaving me alone with the principal yet again. My gaze lingers towards the door even after it closes, wishing she’ll pop back in for a few more seconds.

“So,” he begins, taking me out of my daydreams. “You got lucky. Extremely lucky. However, that doesn’t mean you can keep doing this and expecting to get out scot free just because I stick my neck out for you. There are rules here, and I understand that you may not agree with those rules, but they are there regardless, which means you must follow them just like everybody else. No more playing vigilante just because you can, you understand?”

“Yeah, I understand. I’m sorry.”

“I- you what?” He asks, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Uh, I said I understand and I’m sorry,” I reiterate sheepishly.

“Oh. Okay. Well. Good. As long as you understand.” It’s almost offensive just how shocked he is, as if I didn’t know my own actions were wrong. I might be stubborn, but I’m not stupid.

“I’m going back to class,” I state, getting up from my chair. Right before I exit his office, I turn to Geier one last time. “Uh, my dad is doing better now.”

He looks up at me, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. “Really? That’s great to hear, Yuno.”

I give him a nod before shutting the door behind me. I’m not sure what exactly compelled me to tell him that, just a hunch that told me it was the right thing to do at the moment. Geier did ask about him last time, so it only makes sense. I guess.

As I turn the corner, I catch Minji leaning against the wall right outside of Geier’s office. Was she waiting for me?

“Oh. Hey,” I greet her with a small wave. “Hey!” She says, flashing me a smile that could bring about world peace. “What did Mr. Geier talk to you about? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

“It was about the, uh… thing that happened with Tyler.”

“Ah, right. So his idea of a punishment for you is to be around me? Ouch,” she jokes. We walk through the halls together despite not sharing the same first period (or any period for that matter). A weird energy hangs in the space between us, like a balloon threatening to pop if either of us get too close. My mind tiptoes on the fence between pushing my luck or staying in a comfortable space. In the end, I throw caution to the wind and close the gap just a little.

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think it’s a punishment at all,” I say, thinking out loud.

“That’s very kind of you, Yuno,” she chimes, a hint of pink gracing her cheeks. Simply being around her is making my heart pound like crazy. Can she hear it? God, I hope not. How am I supposed to control myself when she’s this cute? I just want to-

“Oh!” Minji suddenly stops and points at my face. Shit, was I thinking out loud again? Is she secretly psychic and can hear all my thoughts this whole time?

“W-what?” I ask, flustered.

“You’re smiling.”

I awkwardly clear my throat, wiping the smile off my face. “Y-yeah, so what? Am I not allowed to smile?”

She giggles at me. “No, you’re allowed to smile. In fact, I think you should smile more often, I rarely ever get to see you smile.”

“W-whatever,” I mutter, trying to hide the growing blush on my face. “About the banquet tomorrow, is there a dress code or something? I, uh, don’t own a suit,” I ask, changing the subject.

Minji’s expression suddenly darkens as a dejected sigh floats from her lips. “Oh right, the banquet…” she groans.

“S-sorry for bringing it up.”

“No, it’s fine,” she assures me. “My parents just told me this morning that if I’m gonna bring you along, the guy I’m trying to avoid has to stick around us the whole time, rendering my whole plan basically useless.”

“This guy you’re trying to avoid, is he, um….” I gulp nervously. “...your ex?”

“Ew! Oh my god, no!” Minji exclaims. “He’s the son of my parents’ business partners. He used to be a complete menace towards me when we were kids until he moved away during middle school. Oh my god, the thought of us ever dating is just…” Her entire body shivers in disgust.

I try my best to appear neutral, but inside, fireworks are going off in my head. It’s like Christmas came early this year. I have to physically fight off another smile from growing on my face.

“So, what are we gonna do now? Maybe…” I search my mind for another possible solution for her problem, but only one comes up, and frankly, it’s the best possible case for her and the worst possible case for me. I sigh in disappointment. “...maybe I just shouldn’t go.”

Her gaze shoots up at me. “What?”

“If I don’t go, then you won’t be forced to be around him the entire time,” I explain.

“But I-”

“I’ll probably stick out like a sore thumb anyways, being in a room full of a bunch of rich business people. Your parents already don’t like me, what would they all think of me being around you? Maybe it’s best if I don’t go-”

“Stop!” She suddenly exclaims, a fire burning in her irises. “I invited you because I want you to go, okay? Screw my original plan, screw everyone who judges you, and especially screw Sunghoon! You’re my friend and I want you to be there, don’t worry about all that superficial nonsense.” Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, carrying the determination of her words. No wonder people voted for her as student council president, a speech like that could move anyone to action.

After a short pause, I concede. “...Okay, I’ll go.”

A smile replaces the serious expression she had, sending my heart into another frenzy. “Thank you, Yuno. All you have to do is enjoy yourself, don’t worry about scaring him off or anything dumb like that.”

Enjoy myself. At a banquet. That I certainly don’t belong in. Sure, I can do that.

“I should probably head back to the student council room, I still have a lot of work to do,” she says. “I, um… I’m glad we had this talk. I’ll see ya later.” And just like that, Minji disappears down the halls, leaving me standing here like a fool in love. The warmth in my chest feels like it’s gonna get hotter and hotter until I explode. I desperately hope she needs my help with prom preparations later.

______________________________________________________________

The presence of a substitute would normally mean all chaos ensues, but the odd tension hanging in the air during English practically suffocates any chances of socialization. I didn’t exactly mind nor care, but the silence only made the nervous glances towards me even more obvious. Furthermore, thanks to Tyler’s “disappearance”, his friends on the other side of the room don’t even try to hide their accusatory pointing and disdainful glares. Their sentiments aren’t exactly wrong, but it’s still annoying being on the receiving end of them. Surely, they know better than to start any dumb shit right now.

And yet, I’m unsurprisingly proven wrong as one of them, a tall boy with blonde hair (is his name Connor? Colton? I have no clue), stomps towards me with fury in his eyes.

“Hey,” he growls at me, “You wouldn’t happen to know what happened to Tyler, would you?”

A sigh escapes me. Welp, that’s what I get for getting my hopes up. “Is he not here today? I had no idea,” I mutter, not giving him so much as a glance.

He slams his fist into my desk, causing everyone to look back at the commotion with fearful glances, including Winter. I shake my head reassuringly at her, but unfortunately, Tyler’s friend notices this and scoffs to himself.

“Behind the gym during lunch. Don’t be late.” He glances in Winter’s direction with a smirk on his face. “Or else.”

My fingernails dig into my palms as I ball my fist up in anger, my heart pumping with anger. For the first time since he came over, I glare at him, watching his cocky facade crack in front of my eyes as he scurries back to his little group with his tail in between his legs.

Dammit. God fucking dammit. Is it so hard for me to have one good day without having to deal with anyone’s shit? I notice Winter still staring at me with a worried look, so I conjure up my best convincing smile. She nods and turns back to her book, but I’m not sure if it ends up working.

It’s clear that he wants a fight. Of course he wants a goddamn fight.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno: I won’t be at lunch. I have something I need to deal with.

I send the text to the group chat as I pace around, waiting for Tyler’s goons to show up. The area behind the school’s gym is basically a cesspool for rule breaking; half the concrete is covered in cigarette butts, glass shards, and other mysterious stains from other’s unseemly activities that I’d rather stay unaware of. It’s a wonder how none of the teachers look back here with how often students frequent this place.

Finally, the boy from English class (Kayden? Kenneth? It starts with a K sound, I know that much) appears, alongside a dozen other boys that I’ve seen hanging around Tyler. A few of them are unarmed, but most are carrying broken mop handles. One guy has a pocket knife, so that’s something at least.

“Hey fuckface!” The blonde boy yells. “You think you can mess with Tyler just because you think you’re all high and mighty? Well, newsflash pal, you’re not!”

“Yeah!” His entourage cheers him on.

This is comical. These guys attend a high school in the suburbs, and yet they’re parading around like a bunch of wannabe gangsters. Did they rehearse their lines or something? Why does he talk like a movie bully from the 1950s? It’s taking every fiber of my being not to burst out laughing right now.

“You made a big mistake pal, and we’re gonna make you regret-”

“Fuck, alright!” I groan in annoyance. “Are we doing this or not?”

I stretch my arms, loosening myself up as they timidly inch closer with their little sticks pointed towards me. This could be over in the blink of an eye if I want it to, but I promised Minji I would stop fighting, so I won’t. Not exactly sure what that means, but I’m not exactly known for planning these things out.

I’m not a fighting expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve been in enough to recognize certain patterns. Shaky eyes. Quivering breath. Their knuckles burning white as they clench their fists too hard to compensate for the fact that they have no idea what they’re doing. With each step they take, it only becomes more apparent how downright terrified they are. I almost feel bad for them.

It’s not like I wanted this either, but I brought this upon myself of my own volition. These guys could have said no and went about their day, living their regular high school lives, but instead, they’re rallying behind some guy they’re probably not close with just for a measly ounce of street cred they get for “showing their loyalty,” effectively reducing themselves to lap dogs that get the “privilege” of calling themselves popular. I’m not doing this for street cred or privilege or any of that bullshit that they care too much about. I’m doing this because the asshole that they’re rallying behind threatened my friend.

Inevitably, one of them gets brave enough to make the first move. He swings his stick, hollering at the top of his lungs, and misses wildly as I dodge to the side. The next guy gets lucky, breaking his stick against my arm as I block the side of my head. My arm stings like hell, but I can’t focus on that for too long before the rest of them start getting confident and lunging at me.

Even in the midst of the frenzy, as I dodge a swing aimed towards my head or suffer a kick to the stomach, all I can think about is Minji. I made a promise to her, one I have no intention of breaking. Rather than a fight between me and the dozens of Tyler’s lackeys, it feels more like a fight between me and my instincts, actively trying to suppress the years of bad habits just for Minji. A part of me feels stupid for doing it - it’s not like she’ll ever see this anyways - yet I continue to subdue my instincts, even if it means sustaining a couple brutal blows to the body.

One of the bigger guys in the group tackles me to the ground, taking the wind out of me as my back collides with the hard concrete. My ears start to ring as he lands two solid punches to my cheek. I flail my hands wildly to the side, desperate for something to grab, before landing on a pile of broken glass. Ignoring the blood rushing to my palms, I chuck the shards at his face. He yelps in pain, allowing me to push him off and get back to my feet. Before I can even blink, my head begins to spin as another punch sends me careening towards the brick wall. Warm blood leaks through my lips, staining my shirt. Two more guys stand over me before hoisting me up by my arms.

I’m fucking exhausted. My vision is blurry and the ringing in my ears grows louder by the second. Each inhale burns just a bit hotter than the last. I’m covered in blood again, but this time, it’s all my own. Every cell in my body screams at me for getting into this situation in the first place, berating me for my own stubbornness. Yet the blonde boy, Kyle or whatever the fuck his name is, stands in front of me unscathed, not even a drop of sweat on his brow. The rest of his buddies are on the ground, breathless and covered in injuries they got from tripping over each other. I cough out a weak chuckle, sending a jolt of pain through my chest.

“W-what the fuck are you laughing at?!” Even his threats are starting to get shaky.

“Just funny… You called me out here… Yet… You didn’t do shit…” I mutter. “Fucking… coward…”

The fury ignites in his eyes, the same one present when he first called me out in English. He grabs a broken mop handle off the ground and swings it overhead, aiming for my face. This is it. Started this day off with a smile, and look where I’m at now. In the back of my mind, I always knew I would go out like this. It’s a shame this had to happen after I finally found something to look forward to. With a shallow breath, my eyes flutter shut as I unwillingly accept my fate.

Suddenly, a loud siren blares through the air. The stick that was sailing towards my head mere seconds ago now clatters to the ground. Mr. Geier pops up from behind the building with a megaphone in his hand, alongside two teachers, Winter, Yujin, Danielle, and Minji.

“What the hell are you doing!? Put him down NOW!” Geier yells through the megaphone. I collapse to my knees as the two idiots drop me to the ground. A mix of emotions swirl through my head, but the sense of relief shines clearest through the storm. The fact that I’m alive almost makes everything feel more painful.

As the teachers reprimand the other guys, Minji and the others rush over to me, their overlapping voices of worry combined with the ringing in my ears making it impossible to make out anything. I want to tell them that it’s fine, I made it out alive. In a shit ton of pain, but alive nonetheless. No words come out. My vision is starting to blur again. Minji’s face is the last thing I see before everything turns to black.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

I lean back in my chair, stretching my arms as I let out a long, exhausted sigh. It feels like no matter how much progress I make with prom, there’s still a whole mountain of things I still need to do.

Danielle walks through the door of the student council room, carrying a pile of papers with her. I nearly burst into tears just looking at the size of the stack.

“Relax,” she says reassuringly, reading my expression. “These are all taken care of.”

I slide farther into my chair, releasing a deep breath. “Oh thank god, I don’t think I can handle doing anymore paperwork.”

She grins, taking a seat next to me. “The principal approved the caterers and our ‘Red Carpet’ theme, I informed the club leaders to start working on their floats for the prom parade, and Woohyuk and Julie from the art club agreed to paint a mural in the gym. All we have left to do is pick a venue, find a DJ, and prepare decorations.”

“You say that like it’s an easy thing to do.” I sigh, resting my head on the table while Danielle merely shrugs her shoulders. A couple minutes of silence pass, both of us exhausted and overwhelmed by the ever growing pile of work. “Are Woohyuk and Julie dating?” I ask, making small talk.

“I think so. They seem to have gotten a lot closer after the school festival, and they wouldn’t stop shooting each other heart eyes when I asked them to paint the mural. It was sickening,” she jokes.

Dating in high school always felt like an enigma to me. Statistically speaking, only 20% of couples last until college, and only 10% ever get married. High schoolers are the most emotional, stubborn, immature, and hormonal people on the planet (according to my parents), why would you want to date someone like that? But it’s not like I don’t want to date… I just never had the chance to. I would be lying if I said I don’t look at couples walking arm-in-arm through the halls with some kind of envy. Wouldn’t it be nice to go through the struggles of your teen years with someone that understands you because they’re going through the exact same thing? I say that, and then I look out the potential dating pool at Evergreen, only to be reminded of why I haven’t dated anyone. I mean, there is one guy I wouldn’t mind dating…

“Why do you ask?” Danielle says, interrupting my train of thought.

“U-uh nothing, just curious.” My cheeks suddenly flare up with heat as she leans forward, scrutinizing my expression.

“Are you thinking about that boy again?

My eyes go wide as I shake my head profusely. “W-what, no! Why would I be thinking about Yuno?”

“Because I didn’t even mention a name, yet your mind automatically went to Yuno.” She raises her eyebrows in an ‘I told you so’ expression, causing me to shrink in my chair. “Are you really gonna fall for someone like that just because he saves your purse from a thief?”

“I told you I—Huh? How do you know about that?”

Danielle takes her phone out and pulls up a video from a local news account titled, “Heroic Man Stops Mall Purse Thief.” My eyes grow even wider as the video plays, showing Yuno tackling the thief who stole my purse and the… awkward hug I gave him afterwards. Apparently, someone had recorded the entire altercation and uploaded it to social media. It now has…

“Five million views?!” I exclaim. That explains all the weird looks I’ve been getting today. I faceplant into the table, my face burning with a fire of a thousand suns. So that means the entire school saw me… hugging Yuno… I mean, why do I feel so embarrassed in the first place? Hugging is a perfectly normal way to show gratitude towards someone. He got my purse back, so a hug seems pretty normal, right? It’s not like people are gonna assume we’re dating. Not that I have any problem with dating him, it’s just…

I let out a sigh. “Danielle…” I groan, my voice muffled by the table.

“Hm?” I feel her gently pat my shoulder in support. I lift my head, turning towards her.

“What do I do?”

She tilts her head at me, confused. “Do you want them to take the video down?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s… I don’t know. I’m so lost. There’s a lot going on with prom and my parents, it feels like I’m being tossed back and forth in a tornado with nothing around to hold onto for support. There’s things that I want to do that seem so… impossible given the circumstances. I wish I could freeze time just so I could have a moment to myself to think.” I slump back onto the table in defeat while Danielle continues to rub my shoulder.

Compared to the rest of the girls, Danielle is the most logical one. Hanni does everything she can to cheer me up, Haerin lends an ear and a shoulder to cry on no matter what, Hyein is always there to show me the brighter side of things, and Danielle is prepared with an easy 3-step solution to virtually any of my problems. If I’m drowning in a sea of doubt and anxiety, I know she’ll be there with a spare life vest and an intricately made wooden raft to hoist me out of the water. But not even she has the answers to everything.

Suddenly, the door to the student council room swings open.

“We need help,” a familiar voice shoots through the door. “Quickly.”

Yuno’s friends stand in the doorway panting, worry painted on their faces. Winter looks like she’s on the verge of tears while Yujin’s normally cheery disposition is hauntingly absent.

“What’s wrong?” Danielle asks.

“I-I’m not sure, b-but I think h-he’s in a fight right n-now, behind the g-gym,” Winter answers, her voice breaking.

A fight? N-no… What if he gets hurt?

I hurriedly jump to my feet, my mind racing. “Danielle, Yujin, go get Principal Geier. Winter, come with me,” I command, panic evident in my voice. The four of us promptly leave the student council room, with Danielle and Yujin diverging to the principal’s office while Winter and I walk briskly towards the gym.

“Tell me everything. What do you mean Yuno might be in a fight?” I ask her.

“D-during English, Cameron w-went up to Yuno and he looked r-really angry. I-I couldn’t hear everything th-they were saying, but it s-sounded like he told him to m-meet behind the gym during l-lunch,” she explains. I pick up the pace, adrenaline pumping through my body. With each passing step, all I can think about is one thing.

Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay.

______________________________________________________________

As we turn the corner to the back of the gym, my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach while my breath gets completely sucked from my lungs. Two boys hold up Yuno’s limp body as a third prepares to swing a stick straight towards his head. I wanna scream, I wanna run to him and make sure he’s okay, but my entire body stays frozen in place. Why does it have to be Yuno? Why couldn’t it be anyone else? I was just talking to him a few hours ago, he was fine. He was smiling. I wish I could see that smile on his face again. Please.

“M-Minji,” Danielle softly calls out my name, wiping the tears off my face with concern in her eyes. I didn’t even realize I was crying. She holds me as I uncontrollably sob into her shoulder, my heart aching with an indescribable pain. It feels like I’m being torn apart from the inside. I need him to be okay. Please.

“C’mon, let’s go,” she says, patting my arm. I look up from her shoulder, wiping away my tears, to see Yuno collapse to the floor. Mr. Geier and the other two teachers with us yell at the rest of the boys to line up against the wall using harsh language I’ve never heard him say before. The four of us get down by his side, desperate to make sure he’s okay.

“H-he’s fine, right? He’ll be okay, right? D-Dani?” Yujin asks, his voice quivering as he looks up at her for reassurance.

“Just, um, give him some room to breathe for now.”

“Y-Y-Y-Yuno…” Winter’s entire body shakes as she weeps into her hands. I should comfort her. I’m the student council president, it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone’s okay. But my own tears won’t stop flowing as I gently cup his cheek, swollen and red with cuts. You were awake earlier. Your eyes were open and you were smiling. Please wake up. Please smile again, Yuno. Please.

“Guys, we have to take him to the nurse, now!” Mr. Geier exclaims, grabbing Yuno by the arms. “Help me get his legs up!”

The three of them lift up his legs while I’m still too busy crying to help. My body is moving, following close behind them, but my mind is too muddled to properly process anything. The next few minutes are nothing but a blur of hallways and odd stares from students exiting the lunch room. I don’t care. I don’t care about what other students think of Yuno. I don’t care about what my parents think of him. I don’t care about what people at the banquet will think of him. All I care about is him and making sure that he’s okay.

Once we arrive at the nurse’s office, they gently lay his body on one of the cots. I sit down next to him, just staring at his face. His chest slowly rises and falls with breath. That’s good. He’s breathing. He’s alive.

Mr. Geier says something to us that I can’t quite make out. All of their voices fade into the background of my mind like nothing was ever said in the first place. Mr. Geier leaves, with Winter and Yujin following soon after. Danielle sits down next to me and says something, but I’m too distracted to listen right now. She ends up leaving soon too. All I can do is sit here and wait for him to wake up. Please wake up soon. Please.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

My eyes blink open to a blotchy field of grays and blacks. I try to sit up, but a stabbing pain shoots through my entire body. Every breath feels like hell to get through. Memories of what happened moments before I passed out come back to me. I almost got my skull busted open, and then there was this loud siren. I thought I saw Minji before I passed out, but I’m not too sure. Fuck, my body hurts like hell. Where am I anyways?

As my vision begins to focus, I see the familiar fluorescent lights of the school glaring back at me. I finally sit up, doing my best to ignore the pain in my back, and look around - the nurse’s office. The school’s nurse, a skinny woman with giant glasses and violently pink scrubs, sits at her desk and types away at her computer, oblivious to my consciousness. I consider saying something to let her know I’m awake, but my throat is too dry to produce any noise.

I turn to my left and my heart stops in my chest. Minji is lying on the cot next to me, sleeping peacefully. I start to wonder if this is all just another weird dream, but as I reach out and gently brush the hair from her face, the soft skin of her cheek feels too real. Even when she’s sleeping, she’s so beautiful. But… Why is she here?

“Oh good, you’re awake,” the nurse says, rising from her desk. I quickly retract my hand from Minji’s face. “Principal Geier explained everything that happened. How are you feeling?”

I stretch my limbs, testing how much I can withstand the pain before it becomes unbearable. “Could be better, but I’m alive and breathing at least,” I say. “Uh, what is she doing here? Did she get hurt?” My voice raises slightly as I gesture to Minji’s sleeping form. If those fuckers did anything to her, I’m gonna-

“I think she’s fine. She came in with you and wouldn’t move or speak, even after Principal Geier told the rest of the kids to get back to class. She just sat there, watching over you until she fell asleep,” the nurse explains.

I sign in relief, thankful that she’s not hurt, but the nurse’s explanation only produces more questions. Why didn’t she leave? I’m sure she’s busy with a million other things, watching over me will only set her back even more. It’s not like this is the first time this kind of thing has happened to me. Something similar happened right before I met Minji. I’ll feel like shit for a few days, but I’m relatively fine.

So why did she stay?

The nurse pats my shoulder, handing me an ice bag. “I have to go, some kid threw up in the library, just put this wherever you feel like it. Will you and your girlfriend be fine here alone?”

Heat rushes to my cheeks. “She’s not m- Uh, sure, we’ll be fine.”

She exits the room, leaving me alone with Minji. The silence gives me a moment to get my thoughts straight as the ice bag partially soothes my headache. Her face is so still and peaceful, I slow down my breaths despite the pain just so I don’t wake her up. The last time I saw her face like this was when we slept in the same bed after she almost got attacked in front of the convenience store. My heart still burns with anger at the thought of Minji nearly getting hurt. I want to protect her. Even if she doesn’t feel the same, I want to be there for her in any way I can. In the short time I’ve known Minji, it feels like I’m becoming a better person, or maybe I’m just becoming more and more foolish. I don’t know. Feelings are confusing.

Minji’s eyes suddenly flutter open, and as soon as they meet mine, she jumps up, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. “Y-you’re awake! Oh my god, you’re awake!” She sobs into my shoulders. I completely freeze in her arms, the surprise overtaking the pain.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine, Minji. Are you okay?” I ask, awkwardly patting her back. She separates from me, tears overflowing from her eyes. With each drop that falls, I feel my heart crack into a billion pieces, this pain worse than anything I’ve ever felt before. Hesitantly, I wipe away her tears with my uninjured hand, making sure my movements are gentle.

“H-hey, it’s okay. What’s wrong?” She takes a moment to calm down, sinking her cheek into my palm as she controls her breathing. I don’t dare move my hand, even after most of the tears stop flowing.

“I-I was… so worried… that y-you wouldn’t… wake up…” She stutters in between sniffles. “I-I thought you w-were… th-thought you were… dea-”

“I’m okay, Minji,” I interrupt her, afraid she’ll start bawling again if she finishes her sentence. “U-um, please stop crying. I’m okay.”

She takes one more deep breath before sitting back down, regretfully moving my hand from her cheek. We sit in silence for a while, unsure of what to say. She cried after getting attacked by the convenience store, but this time seems different. This time, she wasn’t crying for her, she was crying for me.

“Wait here,” Minji mutters before getting up and walking over to the sink in the corner of the room. I watch silently as she pulls out a few things from the cupboard and fiddles with the sink for a moment before walking back over to me. She gently places a bowl of water and a hand towel next to me before taking out a juice box and poking a straw through the top.

“Here.” She brings the straw to my lips, making me flinch slightly.

“Oh. Thanks.” I take it from her, drinking it as she dips the towel into the water and gently tends to my cut up hand. My body recoils from her touch more than the pain itself. It still feels foreign to me, being cared for like this. Never in a million years did I imagine someone like Minji Kim to pop into my life. She’s way too good for me. What good would I be as her boyfriend? What good am I as her friend for that matter? I don’t want to be a nuisance in her life. I want- No, I need to be better. For her.

She finishes wrapping the gauze around my hand. “Is that okay? Not too tight?” She asks, her voice slightly hoarse from crying.

“Yeah, it’s fine. Thanks.” I look at her, meeting her eyes. “You didn’t have to do this. You should’ve just left-”

“Why did you get into another fight? I thought you said you wouldn’t fight anymore.” Her tone turns stern, softly reprimanding my decisions.

“I didn’t fight,” I assure her. “If I didn’t show up, they were gonna go after Winter, but I promise, I didn’t try to hit them or anything.”

“So you just let them beat you up!?” Minji shoots me a look of disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

“N-no! I-I dodged and stuff, they just got a few lucky hits in!” I hastily try to explain myself, hoping she doesn’t cry again. In hindsight, it sounds even more stupid when I say it out loud. I went to the back of the gym, fully expecting there to be a crowd of people wanting to kick my ass, and the only plan I had was to… not fight? Even if I did make it out fine, did I just expect Minji not to say anything about the sudden abundance of injuries all over my body? God, I’m such a dumbass.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone!? A-a teacher!? Principal Geier!? Me!?” The look of outrage alone is enough to make me feel like a child getting scolded by their parents. My gaze falls to the ground, hiding my embarrassed blush.

“I, uh… I didn’t think of that…” I shamefully admit. She sits next to me, sighing into her hands. Seconds stretch into entire years as tense silence overtakes the room. Even my own breathing feels comparable to a car engine with how quiet everything is.

My entire body freezes as I feel Minji rest her head on my shoulder. Her silky black hair tickles my neck while the scent of her lavender perfume wafts through my nose, giving me visions of running through a clear field full of nothing but lavender stems. “Do you know why I’m mad at you?” She asks, her voice surprisingly mild.

“Uh, because I’m… stupid?”

She chuckles lightly at my half-joke. “You’re not stupid. What you did was stupid, but no, that’s not why I’m mad.”

“Because, uh… I didn’t talk to you first?”

“Bingo.” She lifts her head up to look at me. Her face is close, I can feel the warmth emanating from her soft cheeks. “I know you wanted to protect Winter, but you ended up getting hurt in the process. If you had just gone to a teacher, those boys would’ve been reprimanded without you having to get hurt.”

“They would not have been reprimanded-”

“Okay, fine, they probably wouldn’t have been seriously reprimanded without any solid evidence,” she concedes. “But that doesn’t mean you should go through these kinds of things alone. Your friends were worried sick about you. And I…” Her voice cracks like delicate porcelain. “...I was worried sick about you.”

I gulp, finally feeling the weight of my actions. For years, everything I’ve done has only affected me. I never had to second guess anything. But things are different now. I have people around me that care about my well-being, which means all of my actions have some kind of effect on them. This whole thing sprouted from me wanting to protect a friend, but in the end, they got hurt because of me.

“I’m sorry, Minji. For being stupid and not talking to you and letting myself get hurt.”

She nods, offering an appreciative grin. “Next time something like this happens, just text me first so I can at least try to talk you out of it, okay?”

How could I ever say no to a face like that? “Okay.”

Minji’s smile widens, and like a mirror, I can feel my own lips curling to reflect her joy. She’s so… amazing, unreal even—like someone plucked a princess straight from a fairy tale and placed her right in front of me. Kind, caring, courteous, beautiful, strong, intelligent, absolutely perfect in every way possible that it almost feels unfair. I might be fated for nothing more than an early grave, but for once, I want to defy fate and entertain the possibility that something good could happen to me. Maybe Minji is the good thing that happened to me, and maybe, just maybe, there is a future where me and her… y’know.

A whole minute passes before I realize that neither of us have stopped staring at each other. Something in my head clicks. I find myself leaning in, inch by inch, closer to Minji’s lips, just like I’ve done many times in my dreams - But this time, it’s real. Her breath dances against my skin, making my cells tingle in anticipation. Something in her expression shifts. Her eyes widen slightly, flickering downwards every so often, but she doesn’t pull away, even after my intentions become crystal clear. She opens her mouth as if to say something, a protest maybe, but no sound comes out except for her shivering breath. My heart pounds in my ears like a warning alarm telling me to stop. “This is a bad idea, Yuno! What are you doing!?” Yet I continue onward until the tension is palpable. So close, I can almost taste it-

The door to the nurse’s office swings open. “Oh good, you’re both awake!”

Minji and I jump to opposite sides of the cot, my face burning hotter than the sun. The nurses waltzes in with another kid sporting a gross vomit stain on his shirt, tossing any kind of sentiment I had mere moments ago out the window. My heart chugs with the force of a speeding bullet train; it’s a miracle I haven’t succumbed to a heart attack by now.

“U-um, I should, um…” Minji stutters frantically, her eyes darting everywhere but in my direction. If it’s any consolation, I feel too overwhelmed to look at anywhere except the floor. She hurries out of the nurse’s office without uttering another word.

“What’s up with her?” The nurse asks. I’m too busy freaking out to even register her question properly.

WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST TRY TO DO!?

___________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

Oh my god. Oh… my god. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. My god. OH. MY. GOD. OMGOMGOMGOMGOGMOMGOMGOMGOMGM-

“Minj? Are you alright?”

I jump in my seat, my gaze flying wildly around me. “H-huh?”

Hanni and Haerin exchange odd glances as they take their seats on either side of me. “Girl, what’s wrong with you?” Hanni asks, her eyebrow raised in concern.

“I-I’m fine, just working on prom stuff like usual.” That’s only somewhat of a lie: after getting permission to excuse myself from the rest of the day’s classes, I came into the student council room with the intent to work on prom stuff to get my mind off of… that. However, I ended up spending the last hours of the school day staring at my blank computer screen while my mind spirals out of control. “Where’s Danielle and Hyein?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Home stuff,” Hanni answers, sliding an iced coffee towards me. “Are you sure you’re fine? You look… shaky.”

“It’s probably just stress, you know how I’ve been lately,” I awkwardly chuckle. Caffeine is probably the last thing that I need right now, yet I take a sip to keep up appearances. Haerin’s cold, analyzing glare seems to notice this.

“Mmm…” She grumbles to herself, her gaze never leaving mine as she takes a notebook from her backpack and starts to scribble in it. Haerin always had a knack for knowing things before they happen, but not even she could’ve possibly known about the nurse’s office… right?

“Ugh, all this talk about prom is making me sick,” Hanni groans. “Spending over $1000 on hair, makeup, a dress, and a limo, all for what? Three hours of some sweaty boy’s hands on my waist? I think I’ll pass.”

“You can think that, but some people wait their entire lives for this one magical night, I just want to make sure everyone has fun,” I reason.

“Pfft, you just want to slow dance with your little boyfriend, Yuno.”

The shock from her words makes me choke on my drink, devolving into a mad coughing fit. “W-what?! N-no I don’t! He’s not my- shut up!” Hanni throws her head back in laughter, clearly amused by my near death experience at her hands.

With how insanely stressful prom preparations have been, the thought of procuring a date to the event never crossed my mind. At this point in the year, most people have found potential dates to take or a close group of friends to go with, with Danielle, Hanni, and I falling into the latter. All this time, I never even thought what prom would be like for myself. I’ve seen it all the time in movies and TV shows: the main character boy asks the hot cheerleader girl to prom, they slow dance together to a popular song fitting of the time, they kiss, credits roll. A simple, predictable formula riddled with a mess of cliches, but one that many dream about for their own special night. But what did I want out of prom? Would he even- Nevermind, I can’t even think clearly about that right now.

Haerin tosses her notebook over to me. “I drew this,” she states.

I peer down at her drawing, growing more confused with each second. It seems to depict some kind of misshapen blob and a… girl? I think? They’re sitting on some kind of bench really close together. Haerin never showed any interest in the arts before this, so why would she be into drawing all of a sudden?

“Um, it’s nice? I think? What is it supposed to be?” I ask.

“It’s you kissing a shadow monster.”

My arm lurches wildly to the side, inadvertently tossing her notebook across the room. Does she know? How does she know!? She wasn’t there, right? Right!?

“That wasn’t very nice, Minj,” Hanni chides, picking the notebook off the ground. “I think it’s very unique and has a lot of character. She even got your ponytail right. Good job, Kitty Kang.” She pats Haerin’s head, bringing a pleased smile out of her, yet her eyes stay glued to me like a predator stalking its prey. I’m starting to wonder if she ever even blinks.

“Sorry, Haerin, I just feel out of it today. It’s a, uh… lovely drawing,” I sigh, resting my head onto my palm.

“Yah, you’re bumming me out, Minj. Let’s do something fun instead of all this prom garbage. Karaoke?” Hanni suggests. They both look at me expectantly, which only makes my answer even more painful.

“I would love to, especially today out of all days, but I have to prepare for a banquet tomorrow.”

“A banquet? You never told us about that. Ooh, can we come?” Hanni pleads, flashing her big eyes and pouty lips.

“I, um… It’s for my family’s business. They said I couldn’t invite anyone, sorry.” Oh god. Lying to my parents is one thing, but lying to my best friends? The people I trust more than anybody in the entire world? My own words leave a bitter taste in my mouth, more bitter than the strongest black coffee. But what am I supposed to tell them? That I invited Yu- him instead of my own closest friends? Even if his presence serves some kind of purpose, I still can’t imagine how they would react if I told them I basically chose a boy over them. No matter how I try to justify it, it still feels wrong.

“Aww,” Hanni pouts. While she’s distracted, I notice Haerin picking up her notebook and pointing at the “shadow monster” in her drawing with a scrutinizing squint. I try to ignore her, keeping a straight face, but it’s becoming more clear that she knows something’s up.

“I’ll make it up to you guys some other time,” I say, gathering my things. “Next time we go to karaoke, I’ll pay for everything, snacks, drinks, whatever, alright?”

“Woo! I won’t say no to that!” Hanni cheers, skipping out of the student council room. I get up to follow her, but a tug on my sleeve stops me. Haerin stares at me blankly, unblinking, for what feels like forever. It’s normally hard to read her, but especially now when my mind has been in a constant whirlwind for the last couple hours, all I can come to are a few thousand anxiety-ridden conclusions. She suddenly moves her hand upwards with the focused intensity of a cat, waving it around before finally landing her index finger on the middle of my forehead.

“U-um, Haerin, what are you-”

“You’re overthinking things. Go with your gut,” she states before putting her notebook back into her bag like nothing ever happened.

“What are you talking about-”

“If you’re not gonna admit it to us, at least admit it to yourself. It’s not healthy to keep things bottled up, you’re barely floating as it is.” Haerin goes up to the door, stopping to look back at me. “Are you coming with us or not?”

“O-oh, right, yeah.” I can barely process her words as I follow the two of them off campus. What does she mean by “overthinking”? I’m not overthinking, I’m thinking a perfectly healthy amount. I just have a lot on my plate, so there’s a lot I need to think about. That’s not overthinking, that’s just… thinking a lot. I need to be thinking a lot, or else I run the risk of letting a ton of people down. My parents, the entire student body, my friends. Once I get a quiet moment to myself, I’ll be fine. Right? Right?

______________________________________________________________

I kick off my shoes by the front door, ready to land face first into my bed and turn off my brain for a couple hours. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for me.

“Minji! Welcome home, dear!” My mom announces from the living room, her tone a bit too cheerful to not raise any immediate red flags. “How was school?”

I fight back an exhausted sigh. “It was fine, Mother. I’m just gonna go up to my room and-”

“Oh, well don’t go upstairs yet! The Parks are here, come say hello!”

The Parks are what!? My eyes shoot up, scanning the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Park sit on the sofa, offering me kind smiles. But if they’re here, does that mean-

“Minji! Long time no see!” My worst nightmare rounds the corner with my father in tow, laughing like they’re old buddies or something. My skin crawls as he walks towards me with his arm spread out like he’s about to hug me. I wanna run and hide, but I’m too terrified to move. In the end, all I can do is try not to vomit on his shoulder as he wraps me up in an awkward hug.

Is this real? Surely this isn’t real, right? Maybe this is all just some sick nightmare and I’m still sleeping in the nurse’s office. Please let this be just a nightmare.

“Cat got your tongue or something?” He jokes, finally releasing me from his grasp.

“Sunghoon, it’s uh… good to see you.”

Father walks up and clasps his hand on Sunghoon’s shoulder. “Sunghoon was just telling me that he’s considering transferring over Evergreen for the rest of the school year. Isn’t that great, Minji?”

“He WHAT!?”

Everyone turns to look at me, shock and concern written all over their faces. “I-I mean what a great surprise! That’s just… so, so, sooo great to hear,” I say through bared teeth. “I have an, uh, important test tomorrow that I need to study for, so I’m just gonna go up to my room and-”

“Why don’t you bring Sunghoon with you, dear?” Mother suggests, oblivious to the fact that she’s slowly destroying my life. “It’ll give you two time to catch up without us adults getting in the way.”

I muster up the most convincing smile I can and say, “S-sure. That would be great. Just… great.”

I stomp up the stairs to my room with Sunghoon in tow, immediately collapsing onto my bed without giving him a second thought.

“Your room is nice,” he says, shutting the door behind him and effectively taking away my only way of escape. Maybe there’s some soft bushes I can land on if I jump out the window. If not, at least death seems more favorable than being stuck in here with the worst human being alive.

“Mhm,” I mutter, half-listening to whatever he has to say.

Sunghoon paces around my room, looking around at my posters and my desk before picking up Mr. Bear from my bed. “I see you’re still into teddy bears,” he chuckles to himself.

“Put that down!” I grab Mr. Bear from his grasp and glare coldly at him, causing him to back off with his hands up.

“Alright, it’s clear that there’s still some bitterness so I might as well just go ahead and address the elephant in the room: I’m sorry for the way I treated you when we were kids. I was an immature little brat and I should’ve treated you better. Will you forgive me?”

That was… surprisingly mature. Did the original Sunghoon die in an accident and got replaced by a nicer clone? Does he have an illegitimate twin brother that replaced him and took his name after Mr. and Mrs. Park realized how much of a gremlin their son is? Any of those explanations seem more plausible than Sunghoon actually maturing.

“Uh… sure, I guess,” I say, still weirded about this sudden revelation. He grins at me, sitting next to me on the bed. “Um, I’m sorry for yelling. It’s been a, uh… long day.”

“No worries, I deserved it.” Jeez, this new understanding side of Sunghoon is so off putting. If he acted like old self, at least that would be predictable. This feels like walking through uncharted territory without so much as a map or even a flashlight.

“Your mother told me that you’re inviting a friend to the banquet tomorrow,” he continues. “Some guy named Yuno. What’s he like?

“He’s…” Oh god, I can’t even think properly about him right now after what happened in the nurse’s office. I still haven’t been able to process my own feelings about it. What was he thinking? What was I thinking? I can’t even remember where my mind was during that whole thing, yet I can remember everything else so vividly; his warm breath dancing against my skin, his kind eyes peering into mine with so much care behind them, his soft lips inching closer and closer-

“Minji? Are you alright?” Sunghoon nudges my shoulder, taking me out of my impromptu trip down memory lane. I sink my face into Mr. Bear’s head, hiding the growing blush on my cheeks.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Like I said, long day,” I reason. “Um… He’s nice. A little shy, but he means well.”

“Are you sure you two are friends?” He chuckles at me. “It doesn’t seem like you know him very well.”

“We, uh, haven’t been friends very long,” I explain. As weird as it is, Yuno and I have only known each other a couple of days, yet it feels like so much longer than that. Now that I think about it, we’ve run into each other everyday since we met, even on the weekend. For the past three years of attending the same high school, he’s been nothing but a body walking through the hall or the utterance of a name whenever he stirred up trouble, but now, we’re so intertwined in each other’s lives like he’s been there from the start. Without him, I probably would’ve gotten attacked by that drunk man and I never would’ve gotten over my fear of spiders. His presence has become so integral to my life, I can’t imagine him not being there in some way.

“Do you like him?” Sunghoon asks suddenly, glancing at me.

I… I don’t know. I don’t know what to think or feel about him. He is a part of my life, but I just… I don’t know. “As a friend, yeah,” I utter, unsure of the words coming out of my own mouth.

He nods, grinning to himself. “Good.”

“What do you mean ‘good’?” My eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“Oh, nothing, just, uh… thinking out loud.” He gets up from my bed and walks towards the door. “I’ll let you study for your test now, I’d hate to interfere with your academics. See ya tomorrow, Minji.”

“Yeah, see ya…” He shuts the door behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Instead of getting up and doing something productive to distract myself, all I can do is lie there and stare at the ceiling, wondering when everything became so complicated.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

“Yuno, are you okay? You’re blanking out again,” Winter says.

“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing. Just a little headache.”

Honestly, I would prefer it if it was just a little headache rather than the fucking tornado that’s been running rampant through my mind. During the entire walk from the school to the convenience store, all I could do was stare at the ground and let my legs blindly follow behind Winter and Yujin. Hell, I barely even noticed we came to the convenience store until just now.

“Shouldn’t you go to the doctor? You don’t look very good,” Yujin says.

“I’ve been through worse.” Both of them still stare at me, unconvinced of my wellbeing. “I’ll feel better after I sleep it off, alright? You guys don’t have to worry about me.”

“How can we not worry about you, you got hurt b-because of me…” Winter’s voice falters as tears begin to well within her eyes.

“Ah jeez. Look, I…” My mind wanders back to what Minji said to me in the nurse’s office before I did… that: But that doesn’t mean you should go through these kinds of things alone. Your friends were worried sick about you.

“I’m sorry. To both of you. I should’ve let you two know what was going on instead of running in alone and letting myself get hurt. It won’t happen again, okay? I’m done fighting,” I say. Both of them look up at me in surprise.

“So no more Super Yuno?” Yujin asks.

“Uh yeah. No more, uh, ‘Super Yuno’.” If there’s a silver lining in any of this, it’s definitely getting rid of that ridiculous nickname.

“Hmm…” Yujin’s gaze falls to the ground in contemplation. “When superheroes in comic books get hurt, they usually have some kind of healing factor or revival ability that helps them get back up no matter how much damage they take. But you…” He looks up at me, his own eyes glossy with sorrow. “...You’re real. You don’t have any superpowers to help you. It was really scary seeing you not wake up, Yuno. I-I don’t… I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore.”

“Me neither,” Winter adds.

The three of us sit in silence with nothing but the crickets and the gentle howl of the passing breeze to let us know the world is still moving. The weight of their words sink deeper into me, making me feel even more guilty for my lack of consideration. Things are different now. I can’t act like I’m still living the same life I was a couple days ago, and frankly, I don’t want to go back to that life of solitude and pain. I need to change for the better. For me. For my dad. For my friends. For Min… For her.

I clap Yujin on the back, ruffling his hair. “You guys won’t have to see me get hurt anymore, alright? I really am done fighting.”

Winter smiles at me, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m glad.”

“Me too,” Yujin chuckles.

My lips form into a grin, a feeling I’m starting to get used to. “But if anyone messes with either of you, I don’t mind coming out of retirement for a little bit.”

The sounds of their laughter float with the wind, carried wherever fate takes them. I always viewed fate as cruel and unyielding, rendering our sense of choice to nothing but dust. But every once in a while, it’ll surprise me with something new, not necessarily good or bad, just different. This, however, is good. Unequivocally good. It can be convoluted and annoying at times, but still good.

“How’s the student council president?” Winter asks, making my shoulders tense up suddenly.

“Oh yeah, she looked really worried about you. Danielle told me that she’s never seen her act like that before,” Yujin says.

My gaze drifts to the side, unable to meet their eyes. “U-uh, she’s fine. We talked. We’re, uh, cool.” I can’t even imagine how she must be feeling right now after I did all that. What am I supposed to say to her? Do I just pretend like nothing happened? That I didn’t just try to kiss her? OUT OF NOWHERE? I clutch my head as I devolve into another tumultuous storm of uncertainty and anxiety. I need to get this feeling out of me. I need to… I…

“I almost kissed her,” I blurt out. Winter and Yujin’s jaws drop in utter shock at my confession. My entire face burns with shame, but my soul feels lighter now that I finally acknowledged it.

“Uh, what do you mean almost?” Winter asks after several seconds of stunned silence.

“I-I, uh… Fuck…” I inhale deeply, steadying my breath. “We were just talking and then suddenly her face was really close and I kinda just… leaned in… uh…” The more I blabber, the warmer my entire body feels, yet going back and reliving that moment so clearly feels oddly nice in a way. Instead of it being a dream, it was real. I almost got to see what happens at the end of that dream instead of waking up in my bed.

Both of them lean in with amused smirks, completely intrigued by my stupid little accident. “Do you like her?” Winter asks.

“Y-yeah, I do. A lot.”

“Aw, look at him, he’s blushing,” Yujin teases.

I turn my head, hiding my face into my hands. “Sh-shut up…”

“I think it’s very cute that you have a crush on her. Minji seems like a really nice girl,” Winter says, amused. “Are you gonna ask her out to prom?”

“I, uh… I don’t know.”

“Why not? I think you should go for it if you really like her.”

“I don’t know how she feels about me. I mean, I know she thinks of us as friends, but more than that…” I sigh, my shoulders slumping towards the ground. “Minji has a lot going for her, and I’m just me.”

“How did she react when you almost kissed her?” Yujin asks.

“She, uh… She ran out of the room in a panic.”

Both of them turn to each other in contemplation. “Well, that could mean anything,” Winter says. “Regardless of what you think she feels, you should ask her out or else you’re gonna regret it for the rest of your life. I didn’t think Karina would ever like me, but look where we’re at now.”

“Yeah, Yuno!” Yujin adds. “We’ll even help you with your promposal! I can make posters and-”

“N-no!” I interject. “No posters. I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. I already know what people think of me, so to put that kind of attention on her would be cruel.”

Amused smirks grow on their faces as they exchange knowing glances at each other. “That was really sweet, Yuno,” Winter says, gushing.

On second thought, maybe it’s better if I didn’t tell them all of this; God knows I won’t hear the end of it for the next week. But as I look at the sincerity in their smiles, a warm feeling stirs within me. Maybe it’s better I did.

______________________________________________________________

My hand rests on the doorknob of my home, frozen by the impending dread of having to come clean and explain the sudden influx of cuts and bruises marking my body. If he’s going to be in my life again, he’ll have to deal with the fact that I made and will continue to make really shitty mistakes. I just hope I’m able to learn from them every once in a while.

With a deep breath, I enter my home to find him sitting alone at the dining table, his leg bouncing restlessly as he stares blankly at nothing. All the lights in the house are off, save for the single one floating right above him, creating an ominous tension that blasts me from the doorway.

“Uh, hey, Dad.”

“Yuno!” I expected anger, disappointment, maybe even disgust, but instead I’m met with relief as he walks over to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Your principal called me earlier, I was worried sick about you. Are you okay?

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I thought I would get tired of reiterating for the umpteenth time that I’m fine, but having people around me that care enough to worry gives me this tingling feeling in my chest. It feels… nice, actually.

“Are you getting bullied at school?” He asks worriedly.

“No, it’s nothing like that. It was just a stupid fight.” Some could argue that I’m the bully at the school, and maybe they’re right, but at least I pick on people that deserve it instead of defenseless underclassmen.

“Do you need me to take you to the hospital or something?”

“I’m fine, I’ve been through worse. Just need a little rest,” I say. He begins to speak, but stops and sighs instead.

“Alright. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?” I nod. “I trust you know how to take care of yourself by now, but I’m always gonna be here if you need me.” He walks over to the kitchen and pours himself a cup of water, but instead stares pensively at it, watching his reflection in the cup.

“Actually, I could use a ride after school tomorrow,” I say. “I was, uh, invited to a banquet.”

He looks up from the cup, his brow raised in curiosity. “Really? What for?”

“Minji - the girl you met at the mall - she invited me,” I explain.

My dad smirks, finally showing a positive emotion for the first time since I got home. “Sure thing, I can drive you.”

“Thanks, dad.” I grin at him before heading upstairs to my room.

The easy parts are over. I apologized to Winter and Yujin, and accidentally let my feelings for Minji slip out. I talked to my dad and he seemed to take things better than I thought he would. Now there’s just one person left I have to talk to, arguably the most important I need to talk to: Minji.

I stare at my phone, my eyes rereading our previous texts over and over again. Should I call her? What would I even say? Even texting her seems like an impossible feat at this point. After she freaked out and ran out of the nurse’s office, I’ve been struggling to think of how I should address the incident. Hell, I’ve been struggling on how I should feel about it myself. I did, technically, want it to happen, but couldn’t I have chosen a more opportune moment to do it? Y’know, like after knowing for sure what she feels about me? God, I’m a fucking idiot.

To add salt to the wound, I end up going for the coward’s way out, typing up a message that avoids the issue entirely because acting like everything is fine is surely the best course of action.

Yuno: Hi. What should I wear to the banquet? And what’s the address?

Feelings are so exhausting.

______________________________________________________________

Compared to how “eventful” yesterday was, Tuesday went by in the blink of an eye. The weird stares were still there, even more so thanks to my injuries, and Tyler’s group of friends in English class seemed to be down a couple of guys. Not my problem, less trouble for me and it’s not like I even hit any of them. Minji never responded to the text I sent last night. To make matters worse, every time I saw her in the hallway, she avoided eye contact completely and ran the opposite direction. If she told me that what I did was disgusting and to never talk to her again, I would at least understand, but to avoid me completely when I’m literally going to a banquet with her feels like cruel and unusual punishment.

I sigh, banging my head into my locker. Not the greatest decision given my condition, but I don’t give a shit anymore. I just want the girl I like to talk to me.

“Is she still avoiding you?” Winter asks from next to me.

“Yeah,” I utter sadly. “Maybe I messed up. Maybe she doesn’t want to be friends anymore.”

Yujin pats my shoulder in support. “Don’t worry about it, Yuno, you’ll get a chance to talk to her eventually. Didn’t you say you were going to that banquet with her tonight? You can talk to her then!”

“She hasn’t even given me the address, how am I supposed to get there?” I reason. “Maybe this is her way of telling me not to come.”

Winter and Yujin exchange worried glances while I lean against my locker, thinking about everything and nothing. Is this what it feels like to have something good ripped away from you all of a sudden? It sucks. It fucking sucks. Part of me wishes I never met Minji in the first place just so I never have to feel like this.

Just then, Minji’s tall friend walks past, offering a polite wave. What’s her name again? It starts with an H… Not Hanni… Harry… Halsey… Hyemi…

“Hyein!” I call out, rushing over to her.

“Hello, Minji’s friend!” She says. “What’s up?”

“Have you talked to Minji at all today?”

“Of course I have!” She smiles like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Why?”

“Has she, um, said anything about me?” I may sound feeble and desperate, but that’s because I am. If Minji hates my guts, then I need to know, or else I’m gonna be walking around like a hopeless idiot.

“Hmm… No, I don’t think she’s said anything about you.”

“Oh…” I hang my head, completely dejected. Not only did I get any new information, but now her friends are gonna think I’m a weirdo. “Well, next time you see her, can you ask her to check her texts? She hasn’t given me a response yet.”

“Why can’t you tell her yourself? Did something happen between you two?” Hyein squints at me.

“N-no! I mean…” You tried to kiss her, you dumbass. “...maybe. I don’t know. Can you tell her that I want to talk? Please.”

“Hmm…” She studies my expression with an intense glare. “Okay, but I can’t promise anything. Whatever you did must’ve upset her a lot if she’s not talking to you all of a sudden.” I sigh, feeling my heart being ripped out of my chest. “Yeah, I figured. Thanks.” With my gaze fixed on the ground, I trudge back to my locker where Winter and Yujin are waiting. I wanna bash my head into the metal door so I can stop feeling like this, but I can’t even muster up the energy to do that. If only I didn’t catch a stupid crush on her.

A stupid, hopeless, foolish crush.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. I feel like a robot running through a constant cycle to maintain peak productivity. I’ve accomplished so much in the day that I don’t even have time to think about anything else. With prom slowly approaching, my continuous cycle of work will eventually pay off and everyone will finally be happy.

The door to the student council room clicks open, but I don’t even flinch. Eyes are glued to the screen, typing up emails and researching venues until calluses form on my fingers.

“Uh, Minji?” I hear Danielle’s voice ask. “What are you doing in here with the lights off?”

Oh right. The lights are off. I didn’t even notice. The bluelight from my laptop has burned itself into my retinas. Even when I blink, all I see is the screen.

“Just working,” I mutter.

“Hey, girl,” Hanni says, concern laced in her tone. “We got you an iced coffee if you want it.”

“Thanks.” I take a sip, the caffeine having an immediate effect on me like adding coal to the furnace of a speeding steam train. Email sent. New tab opened up. Check notification. Look at potential venues. Don’t think. Just work.

A hand slams my laptop shut. “Hey! What are you-” I look up for the first time to see all of my friends looking down at me with worry all over their faces.

“I told you keeping things bottled up isn’t healthy,” Haerin states, her hand holding my laptop closed.

“W-what are you talking about?” I ask, annoyed. “Can’t you see I’m trying to work!?”

“Minj, look at yourself! This isn’t just stress anymore, you look like a zombie!” Hanni exclaims.

I scoff, rubbing my hands over my face. “I’m fine, I’m just working on prom like usual. Haerin, give me back my-” I reach for my laptop, but Haerin snatches it away. “Haerin, what are you doing!? I’m in the middle of something important!”

“Minji, what is going on with you?” Danielle asks in a calm yet concerned tone. “You’ve been acting weird ever since yesterday.”

I feel like my head is about to explode. What are they not understanding!? Of course I’m going to be mad, they just took away my laptop! If anything, they’re acting weird! “I told you guys, I’m fine-”

“Is this about what happened between you and Yuno?” Hyein asks from the corner of the room. My gaze shoots towards her. Her hands are trembling by her sides like leaves in a heavy storm, barely holding onto the branch they’re a part of. Tears threaten to burst from her eyes. She’s scared, terrified. Of me.

My legs give out from underneath me as my vision becomes blurry with tears. A blanket of warmth covers me as the girls hold me in their gentle embrace. I don’t deserve them. I’ve been lying and keeping secrets from them, and now I yelled at them. All for what? A boy? Have I lost sight of what really matters in my life just because I think I have feelings for someone?

It takes a while for me to come down from the overwhelming wave of emotions. By the time my tears stop, I find myself surrounded by my friends’ caring gazes. The four people I trust most in the world, but also the ones I need to apologize to.

“I-I’m sorry guys,” I begin. “I know I said I’ve been stressed, but that doesn’t excuse my outburst. You guys don’t deserve to be yelled at like that.”

Hanni tenderly brushes my hair with her fingers, letting me rest my head on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Minj, we know you didn’t mean it. We’re just really worried about you.”

“Yeah,” Danielle adds. “It’s clear that this isn’t just about prom anymore.”

“What did Yuno do to you?” Hyein asks.

“He didn’t, um…” I take a deep breath, steadying my heartbeat. “When he got into that fight yesterday, it really scared me. Seeing him pass out like that, I thought he was d… gone. It felt like I couldn’t breathe properly until I knew he was alright. All I could think about was ‘Why did this have to happen to him? It’s so unfair. He doesn’t deserve this at all’. When Yuno finally woke up, it was like… everything felt right again. I was so relieved. And then I looked into his eyes and thought ‘I never want to see you get hurt again’. And I…” My cheeks start to burn as my voice falters. The girls begin to stare at me with intrigue, waiting for me to finish my sentence.

“I-I… I almost kissed him.”

The room fills with collective gasps as each of them freeze in shock. I bury my face into Hanni’s shoulder, each passing second of silence making me feel even more embarrassed.

“W-what do you mean almost?” Danielle asks, the most disturbed out of the four of them.

“The nurse came in before we could, uh… finish,” I say, my voice muffled by Hanni’s shirt.

“OH. MY. GOD.” Hanni squeals. “Girl, tell us everything! Who initiated? What did he say to you? Did he go right or left-” Haerin clasps her hand over Hanni’s mouth, shaking her head disapprovingly. Thank god, I don’t know how much longer I could’ve taken her questions.

“Is that why you were avoiding him all day?” Hyein asks. I sigh, nodding sadly.

“Every time I saw him, I panicked and ran away like an idiot,” I admit. “I don’t know what to think or how to feel.”

“Do you like him?”

I stare at the ground in contemplation, thinking about the past few days with Yuno. Despite what others think of him, he’s proven himself to be kind hearted and loyal, oftentimes putting his friends above his own well being. He’s saved me countless times, never once asking for any sort of recompense, and he’s shown that he’s willing to change for the better, even if it might go against his own ideas of justice. Yuno is a good guy, a great friend, and…

“Yeah,” I nod. “I think I do like him.”

“You think?” Danielle asks, unconvinced.

“I don’t know, I’ve never had a crush on anybody before.”

“Minj, that is so cute!” Hanni chimes. “You should ask him to prom!”

“Shouldn’t he ask me…?”

Haerin shakes her head. “It’s 2024, subjecting yourself to outdated ideals will only leave you disappointed. Get with the times, grandma.”

I side-eye her, grimacing at her insult. “Whatever. I don’t even know if he feels the same and I’d rather not do something drastic to ruin our friendship.”

“But you’ll never know if you don’t try,’ Hanni says. “You’re gonna regret it if you don’t tell him how you feel.”

“I know, but I can’t just rush into something like this without thinking first,” I argue. “Besides, I’m busy with a thousand things right now, I don’t even think I have time for a relationship.”

Danielle takes my hand in hers, looking me in the eye. “You should do what makes you happy, Minji. I mean, look what happened when you bottled up everything inside and put other people’s feelings above your own. Forget everyone else right now and focus on your own happiness for once.”

“But-”

“No buts,” she snaps. “I can get the other student council members to pick up the slack on prom preparations, so go out, have fun, and date a stupid boy. And if he hurts you, then you have the four of us to fall back on.” The others nod in agreement, smiling brightly at me.

“Thanks, guys.” I quickly clap my hands over my eyes in an attempt to stop another onslaught of tears. “God, I feel like I’m gonna cry again.”

“Aww, you big softie,” Hanni says. “Come here.”

The four of them pull me into a warm group hug that melts all my worries away. Honest to God, I don’t know what I would do without them. These girls are like my own little life raft, keeping me afloat even when I fall overboard.

I take out my phone and send a text that I should have sent ages ago.

Yuno: Hi. What should I wear to the banquet? And what’s the address?

Minji: hey :) just wear something nice! the address is 0507 Ador Ln. don’t be late, there’s something i want to talk to you about.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, checking if my outfit is okay for the millionth time. “just wear something nice!” she says, yet the only nice clothes I have are some light blue jeans and the bear sweater that I bought on a whim. I’m not sure if “nice” is how I would describe this outfit, but I don’t exactly have any other alternatives.

I would be lying if I said her text didn’t make my heart feel so much lighter. It doesn’t matter how stupid I look as long as I finally get to clear things up with her. Not being able to talk to her at all for the past day has been complete hell, I wouldn’t wish the feeling on my worst enemy. Yet, a part of me feels downright terrified. What is she gonna say to me? Will we still be friends after this? I’ll have to hold onto this dreadful suspense until I see her, and probably even longer depending on how the banquet goes. Hopefully we can get over this quickly so I can finally breathe normally.

My dad knocks on the bathroom, peeking his head through the open door. “You ready to go?” He asks.

“Yeah, uh…” I pause, awkwardly looking at the ground. “Do I look okay?”

He chuckles at me, patting my shoulder. “You look great. I’m sure she’ll like it.”

I take one last look at myself in the mirror before heading out to the car, my heartbeat ringing in my ears as we head to the banquet.

Naturally, the banquet takes place on the far side of the town where all the rich people live. Grandiose buildings line the streets as opposed to the regular suburban houses I’m used to, larger and shinier than anything I’ve ever seen, their opulence almost blinding under the streetlights. Even my dad looked impressed, staring at all the different houses that we could never dream of affording. All of this only serves as a reminder that I don’t belong in this world and never will. To Minji, this is just another Tuesday for her. I sigh, the pit in my stomach growing deeper and deeper.

The banquet hall sits atop a hill overlooking the town as if it's looking down on everyone else with disgust. As we drive up to the building, the frequency of luxury cars increases, making our car look like garbage on wheels in comparison. The closer we get, the more I’m starting to regret my decision to come along. A few guests are talking outside, dressed in their finest tailored suits and elegant gowns. I look down at the bear on my sweater with shame. I didn’t want to stand out, yet I’m basically wearing a giant sign that says “look at me, I’m an idiot.”

Near the entrance, I spot Minji wearing a stunning black dress that compliments her natural beauty. Simple yet sophisticated… And I’m wearing this god damn bear sweater. Maybe it’s not too late to turn around and go back home. I’ll tell her my body started hurting all of a sudden and I can’t move and-

“Hey,” my dad says, patting my shoulder. “It’ll be okay. Go have fun.”

I nod, taking one more deep breath before stepping out of the car. “A-alright. Uh, thanks for giving me a ride.”

He smiles at me. “Of course. Text me when you want to leave and I’ll come right away. Bye, Yuno.” I watch as the car disappears down the hill, leaving me completely stranded with no way of escaping. All I can do is face this head on, like I’ve always done.

With each step I take towards Minji, my heart beat rings louder and louder in my ears. The gnawing insecurity in the pit of my stomach makes it hard to breathe, yet I continue forward towards the impossibly beautiful girl that I’ve fallen completely in love with. Her black hair flows like waves curling from a waterfall, light and airy, as she exudes an air of elegance and grace. If I survived a beating from a group of guys, then I can survive this one night. For her.

“Min-”

“Hey Minji!” A loud voice calls out from behind me. The source of the voice, a tall guy wearing a sophisticated suit, walks over to her and pulls her into a hug. My blood immediately begins to boil with rage. Who the fuck is this guy!?

“You look great! How are you doing?” I hear him ask her.

“U-uh, thanks, I’m fine, um…” Minji spots me, her face lighting up instantly. “Yuno!” I do my best to hide the growing smirk as he looks back at me with bewilderment.

“H-hey. Hi,” I say to her.

“I’m glad you could make it,” she replies, smiling at me. God, I missed that smile. I missed hearing her voice. It’s only been a day, but it feels nice to finally talk to her again.

“Um, hello? Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your friend, Minji?” The tall guy says. He must be the one Minji was warning me about, I can already tell he gives off a pompous energy.

“Ah right. Yuno, this is Sunghoon, Sunghoon, this is my friend from school, Yuno,” Minji says.

“What’s up, man?” Sunghoon reaches his hand out towards me, which I nearly shake before realizing I still have the gauze wrapped around my hand. “Oh damn, what happened to your hand? Are you some kind of fighter or something?” He jokes. Minji gives me an apologetic look while I simply shake my head.

“Cooking accident. I’m fine,” I say, lowering my hand.

“That sucks, man, uh…” He looks down at my sweater, his lips widening into an amused smirk. “Cool sweater, man, where’d you get it? Balenciaga? Armani? Target?” he chides, laughing at his own shitty joke. I shoot a glare at him which makes him shut up pretty quickly.

“I’m just joking man, jeez,” he says. “I’m gonna head inside, Minji. I’ll get us a good table.” Sunghoon winks at her before walking off towards the building, leaving me and Minji alone finally.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry about him, Yuno,” Minji apologizes.

“It’s fine.” I gaze into her eyes for the first time since arriving, my heart skipping a beat as I got lost in the deep browns of her irises. The stars reflect off of them, containing the beauty of an entire galaxy right in front of me. “U-um, is this sweater okay? I, uh, didn’t really have any nice clothes to wear,” I blabber awkwardly.

“It’s, uh… It’s cute,” she says, her face lighting up as she looks at the bear. “Aw, he’s wearing little overalls. It’s like he’s a little farmer bear.”

I turn my head, quietly giggling to myself. How can someone look so ethereal, yet act so adorable? “Oh right, you said you wanted to talk to me about something,” I say, fixing my expression.

“Oh, um… Uh…” Her gaze nervously shifts side to side as she messes with her fingers. “Can we, uh, talk about that later? My parents are probably waiting for me inside.”

I sigh, disappointed but also understanding. “Okay, that’s fine.”

She offers an apologetic look before leading the way into the building. As we walk through the doors, my jaw hits the floor from utter shock and awe. The banquet hall is a giant room adorned with pillars of flowers and a giant golden chandelier hanging overhead, illuminating the room with a brilliant light. Fancy-looking tables are spread out throughout the room, seating even fancier-looking people, laughing and sipping from skinny glasses of champagne as they talk. The looks I get from school are a little annoying, but bearable enough - They’re all just kids trying not to get into any trouble that I’m usually a part of - but being in this room, looked down upon by these people is a different beast entirely. Instead of being viewed as some scary monster that could act up at any moment, it feels like they’re scorning at me like a rat that wandered into the wrong place. It’s like Minji’s mom times a thousand in here.

“Are you okay, Yuno?” Minji asks, lightly grabbing onto my sleeve with a worried look.

“I-I’m fine,” I assure her. Before she can say anything else, an older man walks up to her, smiling.

“Minji! How are you doing, dear?” He says.

��Hello, Mr. Park! I’m doing well, how are you?” She replies, seamlessly slipping into a more professional tone.

“I’m doing great, of course. It’s great to be doing business with your parents.” He looks towards me, his face subtly shifting into that of disdain. “Who’s your friend here, Minji?”

“This is Yuno, he’s my friend from school.”

“H-hello, sir.” I reach out to shake his hand only to be met with a confused expression as he stares down at my gauze-covered hand. Sheepishly, I retract it, my gaze falling to the ground in embarrassment.

“Right… Well, my wife is probably wondering where I am and I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting,” Mr. Park says, not even glancing at me. “Good bye, Minji.”

I sigh dejectedly as he walks off, both grateful that he’s gone and annoyed at myself for not making a better first impression. “That was… awful,” I mutter.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Minji soothes. “On the bright side, you’ll never have to talk to him again after tonight.”

“I don’t know, Minji, maybe me being here is a mistak-”

“Oh!” She takes an empty glass from one of the tables and hands it to me. “Here, hold this.”

I take it from her, giving her a quizzical look. “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Just hold up this glass with your right hand and people won’t shake your hand anymore. Problem solved, right?”

She’s trying so hard for me. What a saint. I truly don’t deserve her. “Yeah, okay,” I nod, mustering up a smile. “Thanks.”

“No proble-”

“Ay, that’s where you guys are!” Sunghoon pops out of nowhere, wrapping his arm around Minji. It’s taking every fiber of my being not to knock his lights out right now. “I was wondering where you two were.”

Minji pushes his arm off of her, side-eyeing him with contempt. “We were just talking,” she states.

“Well, I’m sure there’s a lot of people that would love to get to know Yuno. Isn’t that right, man?” Sunghoon firmly grasps my shoulder, pushing me towards a larger crowd of people culminating in the middle of the room. I could kill him if I want to (and I do want to), but with Minji here, I’m left at the mercy at whatever the hell this rich fuck plans to do. Whatever. I can survive talking to old people for a little bit.

The next hour crawls along as I’m swept through countless bouts of small talk with increasingly important people, constantly bombarded with questions that I don’t have the answer to.

“What are your plans after high school?”

“What university are you thinking of attending?”

“Have you started on your college admission papers?”

Minji and Sunghoon handled everything with ease, accustomed to the talk like they’re fluent in a second language, whereas I was barely floating by. Overwhelmed doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. Minji tried her best to help me out, but with an abundance of other people talking to her, her plate was already full as it was.

Finally, after another uncomfortable conversation with a woman that didn’t even try to hide her disapproval, I found myself on the outer rim of the conversation. Minji and Sunghoon were in the middle, keeping everyone distracted, giving me a chance to escape. I spot a door at the edge of the room leading towards the outside. I take one last look at Minji, feeling guilty for leaving her like this, before scurrying out the door.

Fresh air fills my lungs, a luxury I didn’t know I had until now. I scramble over towards the railing, letting myself breath for the first time in what feels like years. Getting another beating would be more favorable compared to the hell that I just went through inside. I don’t know how Minji does that on a regular basis, I could barely get a coherent word out the entire time.

I lean against the railing, watching the full moon float slowly above the town as I ponder whether or not me being here is a good idea. Maybe I should’ve just given Minji a lame excuse and stayed home. Like a dazzling star in the sky, it feels like all I can do is watch her from afar while I’m trapped by the gravity of my own miserable little planet, destined to fade into mediocrity as she illuminates the night sky with her light. A part of me wishes I never offered to walk her home in the rain just so I would never have to feel this pain. But I did and now I’m paying the price for it.

Isn’t it so tragic? To fall for someone that’s so close yet so far?

“There you are.”

The clacking of high heels against the concrete gets louder with each step as Minji walks up next to me. “I was worried you got lost or something. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answer, not quite meeting her gaze. Minji slumps against the railing next to me, watching the moon.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this. I invited you here for a selfish reason, and after that backfired, I thought I could salvage it, but all I did was make you uncomfortable.”

“Hey, it’s fi-”

“And I’m sorry for ignoring you all day,” she says, her gaze falling to the ground. “I should’ve just talked to you instead of running away like an idiot.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that she finally acknowledged it. “It’s fine. I’m sorry too, for, um… y’know.” Heat rises to my cheeks as I’m reminded of why we’re in this awkward spot in the first place. If I just kept my urges in check, neither of us would’ve felt like this.

“U-um, it’s okay, that’s partially my fault too anyways,” she says, chuckling nervously. Minji looks up at the moon and inhales deeply. “It’s really pretty tonight.” Something in my head shifts as she utters those words, and I’m suddenly hit with a wave of deja vu as Minji shifts from “The daughter of the founder of a highly esteemed multimillion dollar company” to “The girl who’s afraid of spiders and likes teddy bears and dreams of becoming a singer one day against her parents’ wishes”. The girl that I fell in love with.

I nod in agreement, but all my focus is on Minji, more beautiful than any celestial body could hope to be. The wind makes her long, black hair float and ebb like a stream of the finest silk, while the Milky Way traps itself in her irises, containing the beauty of an entire galaxy in just her eyes alone. She shivers as another gust of wind floats past, and I contemplate whether or not I should give her my sweater. I’m wearing a tank top underneath, so it’s not like I would be flashing her all of a sudden…

Without anymore hesitation, I take the sweater off my back and hand it to her. “U-uh, here. Y-you seem cold,” I stutter awkwardly.

“O-oh!” Her cheeks turn a bright pink as she eyes my upper body, her gaze flying back and forth. “Thanks, that’s very, um, sweet of you,” she says, wrapping the sweater over her shoulders.

“Y-yeah, no problem…”

We stand there in complete silence, simply watching the moon as the crickets and the wind play their abstract melodies. The breeze may be cold, but it’s nothing compared to the warmth I feel in my heart for Minji. I want to tell her how I feel. I wanna scream it from the top of this hill for everyone to hear. But I can’t. What good would it do, knowing that it won’t work out? I know life has been nothing but cruel to me, but having the person who fills me with nothing but joy be this close to me yet still so far away is this cruelest act it’s committed. I’m cursed to live a life of mediocrity while Minji undoubtedly skyrockets to a space among the stars, a place that I can never hope to reach.

Minji glances at me, scanning the bruises on my arm. Without a single utterance, she gently traces her finger over them, leaving a line of electricity in its wake. “How are you feeling?” She asks softly.

“I’m fine. Like I said, I’ve been through worse,” I say.

She sighs, moving closer to inspect the injuries. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

I turn to her, her face much closer than before. “Y’know, I think you’re the first person to ever say that to me.”

“What do you mean?”

I shrug. “People don’t really talk to me in general. They’ll look at the cuts and the bruises and think that I probably deserve them. And maybe they’re right.”

“Hey,” she lightly chides. “Don’t say that, they’re not right at all.”

“I’m always sticking my neck into situations that I don’t belong in, it’s only natural for me to get hit every once in a while.”

“Still, that doesn’t mean you deserve to get hurt.” The worry in her tone begins to grow with each word.

“I’ve hurt countless people in the past, Minji. There’s literal blood on my hands. To say I don’t deserve some kind of divine punishment would be wrong.”

“O-okay, but-”

“And maybe this is it. This is my punishment.” I look in her eyes, tears slowly welling up within them. “My mother’s dead. My father became an alcoholic. I’m left to survive alone while people look at me like a monster. I constantly get into fights because I’m hard-wired to have this fucked up sense of justice that I have to act on for some reason. A-and…” And you. The greatest punishment of all is meeting you. Because I know that I’m not good enough for you and I never will be. No matter how much I like you, you’re always going to be light years away.

“...My life has been nothing but a punishment, one after another. I deserve to-” “STOP!” Minji shouts, pushing me back a bit. “Just… stop, Yuno. You don’t deserve any of that. When I look at you, all I see is someone that’s been treated unfairly their whole life. You deserve to be happy. I-I mean, look at where you are now! You have friends that care about you, your dad is doing so much better now, and I…” She looks at me with steely determination. Her chest rises and falls with breath, as if she’s made up her mind about something.

And then she kisses me.

Her arms clumsily wrap around my head, pulling me into her lips. It’s rough and messy, yet so sweet and soft. The heat in my chest expands, hitting every cell in my body. I melt into her, placing my hands gently above her waist. All of my feelings for her are contained in my lips, transferring over in a silent exchange. Her lips are everything I’ve ever dreamed of and more.

Minji pulls away slightly to catch her breath, warm puffs of her dancing against my cheeks. We look into each other’s eyes, not a word spoken but so many things said before going back in for another, this kiss more gentle than the first. She softly cups my cheek, caressing me with her fingers. I pull her in, wanting to be as close to her as physically possible. I want nothing more than to be here in this perfect moment with her forever.

A glass shatters against the concrete, ripping us out of our blissful space. We scramble to get off of each other as Sunghoon stands there, his jaw dropped in shock.

“W-what… What the hell are you two doing?!”

#newjeans #kim minji #newjeans minji #kpop fanfic #kpop gg #minji x male oc #newjeans minji x male oc #minji x male reader #newjeans minji x male reader #fluff #minji fluff #newjeans minji fluff

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seireiteihellbutterfly · 9 months ago

Text

Hell Hath No Fury

A/N: Written for @bleach-your-panties Blondes Have More Fun (#bhmf) event! Banner by the lovely @actuallysaiyan!. Pairing: Nanami Kento x Thick!Fem!Reader Warnings: MDNI, sex, facesitting, mentions of blood Summary: A night of lost tempers leads to Nanami contemplating certain (sexy) choices.

Nanami masterlist

It had been one of those weeks. Both of you had been working overtime every day and barely seen each other except when you collapsed into bed at night together. The apartment was dirty, stray items hastily placed wherever there was room to avoid having to find a proper spot for them in your fatigued state. The grocery shopping hadn’t been done and there wasn’t any milk left. Which you hadn’t realized until you had poured yourself some coffee and tipped the milk carton, only to have drops spill out. You glare angrily at your fiance, sipping his coffee with a pinched look because he is going to be late if he doesn’t gulp it down and leave soon.

Catching your expression, he looks at the empty carton in your hand and instantly makes the connection. It’s been a horrible week for him too and the both of you had been snapping at each other so much lately, he decided it wasn’t worth picking a fight in the morning. He apologetically sets the mug down on the counter and pushes it towards you.

“Don’t get upset honey, we’ll get the grocery shopping done tomorrow. Just drink mine. I don’t have time to finish it anyway.”

You were about to snarkily make a comment but the peace gesture with the coffee was so sweet that you mellow down. Picking it up, you walk over to him and tip-toe to kiss him.

“Thank you, Kento. I just…I don’t know what’s going on this week. It’s all been so hectic and…I hate this.”

He pulls you to his side to give you a quick kiss. “I know. It’ll be fine. Just don’t forget dinner tonight. Our usual place.”

“I won’t.” It was one of the things you had been looking forward to ever since the crappy Monday morning you’d had. You sip his coffee as he shrugs into a jacket and waves bye to you. You could hardly contain your glee at the prospect of Friday night dinner with him. All this contained anger the both of you had been carrying over from work would dissipate, you’d reconnect, and the both of you would be happy again. So simple.

But of course, it didn’t happen that way.

You fling open the front door to your shared home later that night, seething, as you kick off your heels which ricochet off the wall as they clatter to the floor. Nanami follows behind you, his expression tight, irritability in every taut line on his face. He slams the door shut, making you quiver for a brief moment because it’s obvious how pissed off he is but you hold your ground.

With clenched teeth, you round on him. “Since when has the Italian place been our usual spot?”

Irascible, Nanami looks at you with narrowed eyes, all prettied up, fury in your expression. “Since forever?” he growls, trying to rein in his temper. “Since our first date? Since I proposed to you there?”

“I thought you were talking about the French bistro we always go to! The one we enjoy going to because it’s by the water?! So that we can take a late-night stroll?” You shoot back at him.

Granted, it’s both your fault for not checking in with each other about the location, but with everything that had happened this week, you were at a limit. You had spent an hour getting ready, and caught an Uber to the restaurant, only to be told by the confused hostess that a reservation under the name Nanami wasn’t there. You had insisted she check again before calling him, only for him to confirm he was already at the restaurant waiting for you; the fancy Italian place across town. That had been the straw that broke the camel’s back. All the bitter rage from the past week came spewing out, and despite his level-headedness, Nanami had lost his patience with you too.

He had tried so hard to end this shitty week on a high note, taken great care to make a reservation at the restaurant you loved so much, he had even picked up a bouquet of roses for you, which now lay forgotten in the backseat of his car. Controlling his ire as fought traffic while driving across town to pick you up, he had wondered how this night could have gone so wrong. You had remained quiet in the passenger seat as he drove, noting the way his fingers clenched around the steering wheel, the tightness in his jaw looking like it might snap under the strain.

“Why would the French place be our spot? We go to the Italian one so much more often!”

“I don’t care! Maybe you shouldn’t have assumed that I was thinking of the same place.”

“How does a late-night stroll beat the place I fucking proposed to you at?!” Nanami questions you indignantly.

You glower at him, taking in how effortlessly handsome he looks in his button-down shirt and slacks, looking like he hadn’t in fact gone straight to the restaurant from work. Even pissed off, your fiance was hot, and your gaze rakes over his features, the straight nose, the stiff line of his lips, the chiseled jaw and well-defined chin…the chin that his colleagues liked to joke about, saying it was practically begging to have a blow landed on it because of its punchable shape…Your hands curl into fists at your sides, and you take a deep breath, trying to not let your anger get the best of you.

Nanami huffs at your lack of response. “Or perhaps you forgot which restaurant I proposed to you at?” he asks sarcastically, anger not abated. That did it.

A red haze fills your vision and the tight string inside your chest snaps. Before you knew it, you had closed the gap between you two, your hand closing around his tie to yank him down to your level, your lips crushing against his. He freezes for a second, not understanding what happened, and then with a groan he settles into your kiss. But you were far from forgiving. You bodily push him against the wall, feeling the planes of his muscles tense against yours. In no mood for softness, you lead him by the tie roughly, making your way toward the bedroom. You aren’t dainty by any means, a thick, sturdy woman, your thigh muscles rippling with every movement you make, vitality and power in every inch of your frame. If it was a contest of sheer, raw strength, Nanami would win, however, at the moment he is so stunned at the way you shepherd him into the bedroom with such robustness he’s only ever seen on missions, that he doesn't have the presence of mind to fight you back.

You’re all teeth and harsh movements, biting his lip hard enough to draw a little blood, his gasp only spurring you on, your hands pulling off his clothes, a few buttons popping off his shirt in the process, shoving him back onto the bed. Red lips attack his neck, leaving a trail of hickeys as your frustrations over this week break out and let loose. Straddling him, not bothering to undress, you undo his belt buckle, unzipping his slacks and his cock pops up, at attention, already leaking precum from the swollen tip. Without pausing to think you hook your panties to one side, taking him in between your velvety folds, and hear him take a strangled breath of air before roughly grabbing his hair, pulling his head back to expose his throat. You lean forward and your tongue laves over his skin, teeth grazing his Adam’s apple, before riding him to a sharp simultaneous orgasm that had both of you sweaty and clinging to each other as it ripped through both of you.

“I’m sorry,” you’d muttered a few minutes later, as the high wore off. Nanami is lying on his back, wide-eyed and staring at the ceiling. What had occurred felt so sinfully surreal, that he couldn’t quite convince himself it had really happened. All these years, enjoying the act of making love, of letting him take the lead, nothing could have prepared him for this angry side of you, the unbridled passion and aggression you had displayed tonight.

“What?” he rasps, forcing himself to focus. His neck and shoulders are covered in bite and lipstick marks from where your mouth had attacked him. He turns to face you and pushes some hair back behind your ear. The contrast was ridiculous, him in his opened slacks, cock limp from climax, you still fully clothed in your dress, panties discarded after you’d had your way with him.

“I said I’m sorry.” You nuzzle closer to him, feeling regret wash over you as you remember how angry you were earlier. “I just…it was either this or me punching something,” you admit with remorse for your ire earlier. “I hate us fighting Kento. Can we promise to not carry over our emotions from work into our home? Home is supposed to be our safe space.”

He wraps his strong arms around you, pulling you against his chest. “Of course my love. I’m sorry too.” He kisses your hair, smells your perfume, and sighs contentedly. At least the horrible week had ended.

Later in the shower, you apologized over and over, gently washing away the lipstick marks, pressing soft kisses over the angry red hickeys that dotted his neck, and offering to put concealer over them to save him from embarrassment at work.

“I won’t let myself lose my temper again like this. Sex should be fun. I don’t want to do it because I’m mad.” You run the shower pouf over his shoulders, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn lipstick mark.

“It’s nothing I can’t bear darling,” he’d murmured into your ear as he held you closer, the water soothing on his skin. His head was still reeling from the way you had handled him, his lip still stinging slightly from where you had bitten it.

“But still. I’m not proud I did this to you.” You rub your thumb to get the lipstick to break up, staining his skin crimson. Nanami is not a difficult domestic partner by any means. Your chores, errands, and bills were divided equitably, and on top of that, he enjoyed being the one who cooked, your lunchbox sealed and ready to go every day. The guilt from the thought that you had actually wanted to inflict pain on him, even for the briefest second, made your eyes tear up.

His heart squeezed uncomfortably in his chest and he gathered you close, stroking your wet hair. “ I’m fine y/n, really. Look, it was an absolute shit show of a week for both of us. Can we just focus on having a nice weekend together? Let’s get breakfast tomorrow morning.”

You had wiped away your tears and held him close. “That sounds perfect.”

Two weeks had passed and neither of you had spoken about that night again. A breakfast date and watching movies together had cleansed the ominous aura that had been hanging over the apartment and things went back to normal.

Except now, Nanami was consumed with thoughts about how the sex had been that night. He secretly craved that roughness again, the direct initiative you had taken, a contrast to the endearing way you’d subtly drop hints, flitting about the apartment flirtatiously, smiling innocently until he scooped you up and took you to bed. Sometimes, he felt ashamed of himself as he remembered the circumstances that had led to that night. The aggression was merely because you had been so pissed off you had used both your bodies as a way of cathartic release. Remembering your guilty tears was enough to push away any thoughts he had of wanting to recreate that night. Well…mostly anyway.

Was there a way he could engineer that situation again but remove the factor of guilt from it so that you’d feel justified in your actions? He pondered as he chopped vegetables for your lunch, deftly throwing them into the wok with a touch of ginger and oil. As he sautees, his mind wanders in several directions. He could just ask. But that somehow took away the appeal of it, the spontaneity of the actions, and based on your previous reactions, you would probably tone them down unintentionally.

He mulls over his other options, tossing noodles in with the vegetables, giving everything a good mix, then hisses softly as his thumb comes into contact for a brief second with the side of the hot wok, the memories from that night making him careless. Cursing, he goes to the sink to run it under cool water, sighing. A small sliver of skin was turning an angry shade of pink as the water ran over it. This may be getting out of hand.

The accumulation of little despairs is what makes a person an adult.

He reminds himself ruefully as you wander into the kitchen fresh-faced and ready to tackle your day. “Kento! Are you all right?” You join him at the sink, concern in your eyes at the burnt digit.

He grunts reassuringly, taking in your sweet face and questioning his thinking. Your soft hands gently lift his and press a kiss to the finger. “You need to be more careful.” You wander away to make your coffee and Nanami struggles to get his thinking into line. You’re not one quick to get angered. What was he doing, imagining ways to bait you into losing your temper with him? He shakes his head and tries to carry on with his day.

He lasts another hour before the intrusive thoughts start again. This was not going productively at all. He rests his head against the desk, piles of paperwork reminding him that he had his work cut out for him, yet…

Could I slowly accumulate little mistakes to make her mad?

He stares out the window, contemplating. He could…could…stop being the equitable partner he’s always been. Stop doing things one by one until…did he dare? Deep inside there’s distaste for the idea. He’d never been one for bringing difficulties to his fiancee. Yet the memory of your hands yanking his hair, the initiative you had taken while riding him senseless…He grits his teeth as his cock twitches.

It starts with him not preparing lunch for you the next day. You wander into the kitchen, noting the absence of the usual delicious fragrance that should have filled it by now, and see him at the table, a cup of coffee in hand, reading something on his phone. You pad over to him inquisitively, sitting down on the other chair.

“Kento? Is everything all right?” Your fingertips touch his and he feels a twinge of guilt as he looks at your face but he persists. “All fine. I just didn’t feel like cooking today.”

A slight look of puzzlement, and then you nod understandingly. “It has to get tiring, doing it over and over every day. You spoil me.” To his surprise, you press a kiss on his cheek. “Take a break today. I’m fine throwing together a quick salad. Shall I bring takeout for dinner?”

Not the reaction he was expecting. “Ah, yeah. Sure.” He watches you put together your salad. He needs to up the ante.

Next, he decides to start leaving his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor right next to the hamper. He cringes at the sight but forces himself to leave it there. You diligently pick them up every night before sleeping, a slight frown on your face but choose to ignore it.

It escalates to no vacuuming, not taking out the trash, and leaving the freshly folded piles of laundry you left on the bed stacked on the floor. He sees you picking up the slack for two weeks, restraining himself from jumping up and helping you as you go through the apartment looking for things that were out of place. You looked fatigued as you quickly threw together things for your lunch in the mornings. Surely you would crack soon? How much more of this were you willing to take?

As he gets in from work one evening, he hears a sob from the kitchen and walks in to see you standing at the sink filled with dirty dishes. As he approaches, you whirl around, and he waits, thinking this is it…before you burst into tears and brush past him into the bedroom.

Shit shit shit shit.

“Y/n!” he calls, hastily following behind you. Your bedroom which used to be so neat looked unkempt and cluttered. You stand near the foot of the bed, shoulders shaking as you try to gather your thoughts, tears choking your throat.

“Are you trying to break up with me?” Your voice is small, the words clipped and shaky.

Fuck.

“No!” he steps towards you trying to pull you to him but you step out of his reach.

“Then what the fuck is going on?” You wipe away a tear and look at him with uncertainty. “I thought you were tired and just needed a break but I am one person! I come home just as tired as you, and now I’m just doing all the chores? All the cooking?”

Your last words break him. “Are you mad at me? Did I do something?”

Wow, he had miscalculated this so badly.

“No. Oh no my love, no. Come here.” He manages to grab your upper arm and coaxes you to him before you start sniffling against his chest. He pats your back gently, hoping you’ll calm down.

“Then why? Is there something you’re not telling me?” Your voice pipes up tearily against the wall of his chest. Nanami runs a hand over his face. This did not pan out the way he was hoping at all.

“It’s not anything you did. I was being stupid.”

“Why were you being stupid?” Nanami feels like his tongue is tied in knots as you ask. He doesn’t say anything, trying to give himself time. You look up at him, tears drying and leaving tracks on your face.

“Were you doing all this intentionally?”

He tries not to flinch at your words but his heart skips a beat and can’t bring himself to look you in the eyes. You break away from his embrace, arms crossing over your chest. He was so bad at acting and you were fed up.

“Nanami Kento, you will tell me this instant.” Your voice is demanding. “Were you doing all this intentionally?”

Well, she’s mad NOW.

Guilt evident all over his face, Nanami finally confesses. “Yes, I did it all intentionally.”

“Why?” The word hits him like a bullet. With a groan, he admits his motive.

“I was trying to make you mad.”

The scrutinizing way you look at him brings back the feeling of shame but at the same time the anger…he feels a vague shadow of arousal fall over him but he clears his throat and continues to look apologetic.

“You were trying to make me mad…on purpose?” Taken aback, you gape at your fiance. Surely he was joking? Yet you find no signs of him bluffing, his expression a mix of shame and regret.

“Yes.” Trying to save face he hastily adds, “It wasn’t for a good reason either, so I’d rather not delve into it.”

“No no no.” You point an accusatory finger at him. “ I deserve an explanation. You went from being the man my friends envied me for having to a man-child that most of them would’ve dumped. What were you trying to achieve by getting me mad?”

He swallows nervously, wondering if there was any combination of words he could string together for this to sound rational. The scowl on your face only further reminds him of that fated night and he internally feels himself realizing that he truly was backed into a corner. Silence falls deafeningly between you both as you glare at him, waiting. In an uncharacteristically small voice, he admits the truth.

“Because you’re hot when you’re mad.”

Your brows knit in bewilderment. “What?”

“You’re hot when you’re mad. And it…makes for even hotter sex.” Nanami avoids eye contact, feeling a blush creep into his face at the admission, thoroughly shamed.

Rendered speechless, you stare at him. “Excuse me? You’re not really saying…you enjoyed that night? We were both pissed at each other! You Liked that?”

“Yes.” With a groan, Nanami turns away feeling reprimanded. “I know I shouldn’t but I can’t stop thinking about it.” “Can’t stop thinking about it? Was it really that good?” You ask incredulously. Despite the absurdity of the situation, a strange twinge of pride fills you. You recall the look of shock in his eyes as you rode him that night, hips slamming furiously into his, the sound of skin-on-skin echoing through the bedroom.

“I can’t explain it!”

You pause, eyes narrowed, an idea coming into your head, and walk over to your fiance, compelling him to turn around.

“What did you like about it?” you question, injecting soft venom into your voice. Nanami hesitantly looks at you, not recognizing that tone; it is oddly menacing yet tempting.

“I don’t know, the roughness? The initiative?” He shakes his head knowing he’s digging himself into an even larger grave now.

“Roughness? You enjoyed me grabbing you?” Your fingers flirt with the edge of his tie. His eyes take in the little action, unsure what to expect.

“Well? Tell me.” You jab a finger into his chest and his heart starts to race. “Did you enjoy that?”

“I-I may-have-”

“Huh. I can’t believe it. Me being soft. And loving. And you wanted to be manhandled all this time?”

“Not always!” A drop of panic settles into his chest. “ No, I-”

Your grip on the tie tightens and you repeat in that sweetly dangerous voice laced with toxicity, “Don’t change the subject. Did you enjoy that?”

When he doesn’t reply you pull down on the tie until he’s slouching to be at eye level with you. “Well, you’ve pissed me off for long enough. Spit it out. You’re enjoying this right?” Your eyes appraise him, seeing the way he’s flushed, lips in a tight line, flustered. You couldn’t recall a time when you had seen him like this; it was oddly thrilling.

Swallowing, praying he wasn’t making this worse, he says in a hushed voice, “Yes.” A skitter of electricity runs through him as he says the word, blood rushing to his ears causing them to turn red. Little licks of desire sweep into his veins as he sees you, poised, grip firm on his tie.

“Well, don’t you feel better now that you’ve admitted that?”

He yelps as you shove him suddenly and he falls back on the bed with a thump. Purposefully, you crawl over him, coming to a halt when your face is in line with his. You straddle him as you sit on his chest, feet planted firmly on either side of him, looking down on him like a predatory feline, hunting, having snared something scrumptious.

An unexpected rush of empowerment floods you, seeing your tall, burly, incredibly handsome fiance looking up at you in shock, a slight speck of fear in his eyes which didn’t hide the way they were darkening with desire. He really was enjoying this. Emboldened by the response, you start pulling at his tie, encouraging him to sit up, scooting down his body so that your crotch was over his until he presses his broad back against the headboard. The blush on his face made your mouth water, wanting to bite and chew at every inch of him like a spring apple.

“Are you shy?” There’s wonderment in the back of your head as you hear the slightly mocking tone with which you asked it. “You weren’t shy when you saw me running around every morning throwing my pitiful salad together. You weren’t shy when you saw me taking out the trash. You weren’t shy when you put all that neatly folded laundry on the floor.”

You can feel him hardening under you, cock straining against the fabric, brushing against the panties under your skirt. You can see his brain working underneath his beautiful locks of blond hair, scrambling to find something he could say to redeem himself. You also knew he had no excuse. Nanami was not a man of excuses. He was a man of convictions and apologies. He knew when he was out of line. And perhaps this time had bitten off more than he could chew.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, struggling to maintain eye contact because it was so embarrassing to apologize when he was rock hard, under you, at your mercy.

“Don’t be. Now I don’t have to feel guilty for this.” Your mouth captures his in a demanding kiss, teeth clashing against his, taking hold of his delectable lower lip between them, tasting the tang of blood as he groans. Your hand leaves his tie to take over his hair, yanking his head back forcefully, hips seductively rising and falling against him, the friction between your clothes making it hard for him to think straight.

You grab his lower lip between your teeth and scrape over them several times, not too harshly but until they start to become plump, looking bee-stung, the cut from earlier looking like an innocent little gumdrop. He strains under you, body tense, his blood humming from your actions. He’s thrusting up into you already even though you’ve barely begun. Abandoning his lip you move to his ear, still keeping hold of his hair, directing the angle of his head so that you have the best access, sinking your teeth into the soft lobe, his gasp sending a spear of lust straight to your core. You pull and he whimpers softly, his hand fisting the back of your shirt.

One-handed, you loosen his tie and then start undoing his shirt buttons. His head moves slightly to see what you are doing and you ruthlessly yank on the lustrous locks, keeping him in place, greedily fixing your mouth on his neck, biting the flesh, nimbly choosing random spots to leave your marks. Squeezing his eyes shut, Nanami takes in gulps of air, trying to keep his sanity but his instincts are turning submissive, enjoying the assault on his body, the way your clothed core dances erotically over his cock, knowing he’s leaking precum into his boxers. The hickeys left on his neck make him feel like he’s being branded, claimed by you, as you discipline him for his transgressions.

You lose patience halfway down his shirt and with both hands, pull, causing the rest of the buttons to pop off, falling onto the bed, some rolling to the floor with soft clatters. Pretty manicured nails sink into his skin and run down the hard planes of his abs and pectorals, leaving lines, causing him to take a sharp breath as you drag them down his happy trail, flirting at the top of his trousers, just at the very edge of his caged erection. A groan of longing leaves him and he bucks up, hoping you’ll free him. Instead, you run those nails across the fabric of his tented trousers, pressing into the hardness, tickling him, smirking at the look of wild desperation on his face.

“Not yet. Still have to make up for all those mistakes…Lie back,” you say commandingly. Those words in that tone hit something inside him and he listens, ruined shirt splaying out, tie on his bare chest. You remove the tie and make a quick knot, looping it around his wrists, tightening it, watching his pupils dilate as you do so. You secure it to the bedpost knowing he could break free if he wanted to but he doesn’t struggle. He was lost to the feeling of being used, of surrendering to you.

Your panties are soaked, wetness gathering at the thought of the authority you hold over him, at the way he meekly lays back under your direction, awaiting your next move. You wonder what you could make him do…Your hand dips between your legs and slips down your panties, observing the way he sucks in a breath and it ripples down his chiseled muscles.

“Smell. That’s the scent of a pissed-off woman.” You shove them to his nose and he inhales obediently, the intoxicating smell of your pussy hitting his senses, saliva gathering in his mouth at the thought of how it would taste from the source. His tongue darts out to lick at the patch and you chuckle at his pitiful actions.

“Want to taste it that badly?” You mock him, your hand pressing the panties more firmly to his face, covering his nose and mouth with the fabric. “Answer me.”

His eyes find yours, hazy from experiencing you this way. He nods.

You swallow to prepare yourself for what you are about to do. You’d only done this a few times throughout your relationship despite his insistence on loving it. Irritation at his behavior ruled your whims now. You unzip your skirt and fling it away, picking up your lower body, and hover your sex over his face.

An almost unbearably erotic spasm runs through his cock as Nanami takes in the sight; your pussy, gloriously spread apart, lips dripping with arousal, clit puffy and in need of attention. You were so shy when he’d asked for you to sit on his face before and this was giving him unrestrained delight.

“Eat it like you’re sorry.” Your voice rings in his ears. Under a spell, his tongue flicks out, and he shudders as he tastes the lovely tartness of your pussy. His hands strain against the tie as he makes a long stroke deep inside your folds, from core to clit, causing a sigh to erupt from you. Experimenting, you lower yourself a little more, feeling his nose nudge against the wet bud as he gathers moisture with his tongue, a soft moan leaving your lips as you get comfortable. Wicked thoughts of smothering his face, having him suffocate under the wet heat of your cunt as payback for his stupidity seemed justified as you continue to sink further.

Nanami is in a trance, feeling the moist velvet of your sex cover his nose and mouth. He drinks like a man wandering the desert, lapping at every drop of juice your pussy offers, the eager slurping noises adding to your own arousal. Your hands grip the edge of the headboard and you pant at how sinfully good it felt, feel him angle his head so that his tongue can worship your clit, licking circles on it, pulling at it with his lips.

“Fuck…Kento…” Reflexively your hips grind on his face, feeling everything drip as he finds a pace that sends warm currents of heat rushing through you. Your fingers start to pinch your nipples, before restlessly pulling off your shirt and bra. Nanami’s tongue continues to devour your tender flesh, sipping, savoring all the flavors of your pussy. Your grinding becomes restless and you tweak your hardened peaks, bouncing becoming more selfish and ruthless as your need for an orgasm takes over.

All Nanami can smell is the hot, gathering tension of your cunt, the scent lingering on him and he licks eagerly, trying to absolve himself of being a bad partner over the last few weeks. A loud whine leaves your lips as tension gathers in your belly, a pleasant thrum beginning in your core, the feeling of needing to be pushed into the abyss pooling into your veins.

Nanami’s cock is begging to be released, balls tight and heavy, feeling like he may cum in his pants with the way things are going. A stain is visible on his front from the liberal amounts of precum dribbling from the tip. His hips keep bucking into the air, creating insufficient friction as the sweet sounds of your pleasure fill his ears. He feels every pulse, throb, and spasm on his face as you get closer, your movements becoming frenzied. Finally, he offers his tongue up to you holding it steady as you rut desperately against it, using him as a toy for your own release.

A powerful shudder passes through you and your voice comes out as a shrill mewl, riding his tongue through your orgasm, feeling all the fluids drip from your core into his awaiting mouth, each spasm making you sob with delight. You’re too exhausted to move, thick thighs turning to jello as the orgasm starts to quiet down. It takes a tremendous effort to move off your fiance, sliding down his chin and resting your pussy on his chest.

He looks satisfied, fluids all over his face and he takes in a deep breath of air, expression tender as he looks at your exhausted state. You raise your arm to slip the tie off the bedpost, freeing his hands and they immediately hold your waist, steadying you, before gently rolling you to the side, tipping you off him before bringing you into the expanse of his chest.

You feel your anger ebb away at the gesture, high from the heady orgasm breathing still shallow. His strong hands grip your ass with affection before stroking the backs of your thighs.

“You’re too tired to ride me I guess right?” he asks with a soft chuckle, nuzzling your hair.

“If you’re keeping that night as the standard then yes. However,” you lean up to kiss him deeply, “You still misbehaved. Cockwarming only.”

He looks amused at the authoritative tone you adopt but resolutely responds with, “Yes dear.”

You help tug off his trousers and boxers, finally letting his cock spring free, and he can’t hold back a hiss as the air hits it, swollen and tender, dripping precum as he moves into a sitting position. You crawl onto his lap and both of you sigh as he slides into your slick core, thick and wonderfully filling.

“Kento?”

“Hmm?”

“All that damn laundry better be off the floor by tomorrow morning.”

Heart divider and support banner by @/ cafekitsune

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thatsmzbitchtoyou · 5 months ago

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Pretty P.A. Chapter 6

Summary: Y/N has been the personal assistant to the most influential and famous fashion modeling agency director in the industry for the past 13 years. They’ve decided to retire, and are leaving the agency in the hands of their protege and former model, Bucky Barnes. He seems plenty qualified, and Y/N is excited for a chance to work with him. Change always takes time, but the new insanely hot boss is distrustful and hesitant towards her. **curvy reader** **Y/N/N = Your nickname ** Warnings: mentions of sexual assault (not from Bucky), some violence, blood, smut

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The entire weekend was a dream. Y/N had never been so loved and satisfied in her life, so when Sunday night rolled around she was nervous to burst their bubble. As Bucky rolled over and tickled her back she sighed.

“What was that sigh for?” Bucky chuckled.

“We’re going to have to go back to regular life tomorrow,” Y/N said quietly.

Bucky hummed then pulled at her shoulder to make her face him. When she did she only saw a playful smirk on his face. “What are you worried about?”

“That this is a one weekend thing,” Y/N answered.

“Never,” Bucky immediately answered. “You won’t be able to get rid of me, babes.”

Y/N snickered at him. “So how are we going to do this then? I don’t want to be known as the P.A. that slept with her boss. I don’t want special favor.”

Bucky leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “How about work is work, and us is us. Completely separate. We won’t even talk about the proverbial ‘us’ until we get off work,” he suggested as he tickled her arm. He watched her as she took it all in. She eventually smiled and nodded at him. “Good.”

“I guess I should go home then,” Y/N sighed again. “Get cleaned up and ready for the new week.”

“Guess so,” Bucky agreed noncommittally. His playful smirk returned. “But not until I get one more taste.”

***

Y/N showed up on Monday morning, freshened up and satiated after the fun-filled weekend. As she got herself settled at her desk with Bucky’s coffee sitting at the edge of it, a few of the models she regularly interacted with greeted her with strange looks and mirthful smiles.

“Someone had a good weekend,” Natasha said as she sidled up to her desk.

“What do you mean?” Y/N asked, trying not to blush.

“You’re glowing,” Natasha chuckled. “Finally got some?”

“And so what if I did?” Y/N gave her a lopsided smile.

“I knew it!” Natasha whispered excitedly and sat at the chair in front of her. “Who's the lucky man?”

“None of your business,” Y/N answered quietly. She gave Natasha a hard look.

“Okay, okay, keep your secrets,” Natasha grinned. “I’m glad you had fun. He better have made you feel good. No selfish lovers allowed.”

“He was…very selfless,” Y/N said, fighting the wide smile on her face.

Natasha’s signature smirk appeared as Bucky walked around the corner. “Good morning, Natasha. ‘Morning Y/N,” he greeted them quickly.

“‘Morning boss,” Natasha said.

“Good morning,” Y/N greeted him. “Your coffee?” she said, handing it to him.

“Thank you,” Bucky smiled at her. He took a sip and sighed. “What would I do without you?”

“Die probably,” Y/N laughed as she turned back to her computer.

Bucky laughed and walked into his office. Natasha’s head whipped back to Y/N with wide eyes. “You and…” she whispered and thumbed over to Bucky’s direction.

“What?” Y/N said, her own eyes widening. “No, it’s not–”

Natasha hid her laugh behind her palm. “Just joking.”

Y/N laughed as she internally tried to calm her thundering heart. “God, Nat. Quit teasing me. Don’t you have a meeting with Gucci in like an hour?”

“Yeah yeah,” Natasha waved away her concern. “Anyway, have fun with your mystery man.”

Y/N rolled her eyes as Natasha left. “Y/N!” Bucky called out from behind her.

“Coming!” she answered, grabbing her notebook. She walked into his office to find him sitting at his desk, his playful smirk on his face again.

“Close the door,” he said. Y/N closed it behind her and sat in the chair in front of him. She gave him an expectant look as she opened her notebook, her pen at the ready. “Before we officially do this work vs. personal thing,” he started as he leaned forward and watched her, “I’m ‘selfless’?” he asked.

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Bucky, we’re at work–” Bucky gave her a dark look and she gripped her notebook tighter. “Yes,” she answered simply.

“Hm,” he said, nodding absentmindedly. “Can I selflessly see you again tonight?”

Y/N smirked back at him. “You don’t need a break?” Bucky’s eyes narrowed at her. “My place or yours?” she said.

“Yours,” Bucky immediately answered.

“Okay,” Y/N said quietly.

“Okay,” Bucky grinned. He looked her up and down. “You look nice.”

“Thank you,” she said, looking down at the jewelry she chose for the day that accentuated her bustline.

Bucky stared at her for another moment then took a long breath before puffing it out. “Well,” he sat up and tapped his desk. “What do we have going on today?”

***

Y/N was a complete professional with Bucky at work, and for the most part he was, too, every once in a while trying to sneak a touch or a kiss in his office, but she very quickly would step away or shut him down. She had a feeling that some people in the office suspected their secret relationship, but if it bothered them they never said or did anything.

Bucky had a drawer of things at her place, and she had one at his. The relationship blossomed slowly from something mostly physical to something more intentional and deep. Instead of spending all weekend in bed he started taking her out to some secluded spots around the city on dates. They had more in-depth conversations, got to know each other more personally than before. A few months later she met his mother, who was the only person he’d told about their relationship. She had become close to his mother, Winnie, who had started calling her randomly throughout the week at times to check in on her and talk. Y/N had lost her parents years before, so having a motherly figure in her life was pleasant.

Tony reached out to Olympus and announced that he and Pepper were having another baby. Y/N was ecstatic for them and she made plans to reconnect with Tony at lunch one Saturday. She met up with him and hugged him tight. “I’m so happy for you,” she breathed as he pulled away.

“You get to be a godmother to two little bundles of joy,” he smirked at her.

“As honored as I am to be the fun aunt, you know better than to make me a godmother,” Y/N laughed as they sat down and ordered drinks.

They talked about all the changes over the past year and a half with Olympus, her work with Bucky, the exposing of Hydra, Brock Rumlowe and how he attacked her, and their personal lives. Tony was excited but nervous being an older father. He teased her about dating.

“Come on, Y/N, give me the tea,” he said.

“There is no tea,” Y/N shrugged.

“I don’t believe it,” Tony shook his head. “You look different. Lighter…happier,” he mused, looking her over. Y/N fought a smile and Tony pumped his fist in triumph. “I knew it! You’ve been seeing someone. You’re such a bad liar.”

“I can be a great liar when I need to be,” Y/N scoffed. “But I like you, so I don’t feel the need to lie.”

“Well, who is it?” Tony asked.

Y/N shook her head. “Can’t say.”

“What? Why not?” he asked, looking offended.

“Because it’s private,” Y/N said, drinking more of her cocktail.

Tony watched her for a long moment before his smirk came back. “It’s Bucky, isn’t it?” Y/N tried to keep her face neutral, but she felt her eyes widen and he smiled wider. “I knew it,” Tony chuckled.

“Tony,” Y/N whined. “Please don’t say anything.”

“I’m not, I won’t,” he said, his hands up in surrender. He leaned over and held her hands, squeezing her fingers comfortingly. “He’s a good man. I had a feeling something like this would happen when I appointed him as the director. You two just…vibe,” he said.

“I just don’t want to be known as the assistant who slept with her boss,” Y/N said quietly, squeezing his fingers back.

“Well, you were getting those rumors before with me all the time,” Tony shrugged. “It’s a juicy story people love to gossip about. But who cares what others think? Are you happy?” Y/N fought another smile as she hung her head but nodded. “Then fuck them.”

Y/N giggled at that. “Thanks, Tony.”

He didn’t let go of her hands yet. “Do you love him?”

She gaped at his question. She and Bucky had been sleeping together for almost a year now, but they had never had a conversation about what the relationship was. Were they dating? Boyfriend-girlfriend? They had never even talked about being exclusive. She hadn’t been dating anyone else…had he? They had just been enjoying each other for so long that it never came up. But in that moment, Tony rattled her world view, and she realized that yes, she did love Bucky. He was her boss, a great lover, but he was also her friend. She knew everything about him both for her job and also because she was genuinely interested and cared about him. Y/N felt a wave of emotion go through her and she slightly nodded at Tony.

Tony smiled adoringly at her. “There’s a lot being unsaid in those eyes right now. Talk to him. He’d be crazy not to love you back.”

@calwitch @hzdhrtss

#marvel #smut #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #curvy reader #bucky barnes fanfic #series fanfic #chapter 6 #personal assistant!reader #personal assistant #bucky barnes x curvy!reader #model!bucky barnes

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slamminslamminmcgill · 2 years ago

Note

random thoughts... saul fingering you while hes on call with someone ... placing his hand tightly over your mouth to shut you up ... dhdjhejshrntg..f..g.. getting bent over that damn desk and him taking his tie off to choke you with it ...

>:333

combining w/ these

anatomical terms:

"We're sorry we missed you! Saul Goodman and Associates is out to lunch. Leave your name and phone number at the tone, and we will return your call before the end of the business day. Thank you!"

If anyone were to contact the office between 1-2PM, Monday-Friday, that's the message they would be greeted with. Guaranteed. That was when Saul took his lunch break. During that time, he'd eat out and get whatever he was craving: burgers, Mexican, Thai, you. That last one was his favorite.

You were laying down flat against his desk, legs dangling over the edge, with Saul nestled between them as he ate you out. Your hand grasped at strands of his thinning hair and guided his movements. He appreciated the help, but he didn't need it. He knew what he was doing, and what he was doing was a great job.

Hs firm hands and thin lips brought you up to the precipice of an orgasm. You begged for release in the soundproof office. "Saul... Saul, please... so... so close... God, fuck, please... Please!"

Surprisingly, the next thing you heard was not your own voice shrieking in ecstasy, but that of a telephone screeching for attention. You both froze in place, your climax shot down and reduced to rubble.

Saul pulled off of you and groaned, his mouth quite literally dripping wet. "Son of a bitch..." He stood up, brushed himself off, and leaned over you to hit the intercom button. "Francesca! What time is it?"

A flat, no-nonsense voice came through the other side. "2:04" was all it had to say.

"Oops! Sorry, lost track of time there. Thanks HT!"

"Don't call me tha-"

Click.

Saul silenced her dissent by releasing the button. He sat back in his chair and grabbed the ringing phone, one of many piled up in his drawer. Holding the cell in one hand, he beckoned you over and slapped his thigh with the other. A silent cue for you to take your seat.

You slid off the desk and propped yourself on his lap. He flipped the phone open and finagled it between his shoulder and his ear to keep both of his hands free. "Thank you for calling Saul Goodman! What can I do for ya?" He answered with perfect poise and nonchalance as he wrapped his arms around you and groped your chest.

The voice on the other end was frantic, low, and gravelly. You didn't hear specific words, just tone. Saul rolled his eyes as it spoke, lazily dragging one of his hands lower and lower, until it rested between your legs. "I see... That sounds very troubling." He answered with mock sympathy as he pressed his fingers inside you again.

You threw your head back and moaned, probably for a fraction of a second before Saul slapped his hand over your mouth. "Quiet. You just sit back, relax, and let me handle this, okay? I don't need your input."

The party on the other line must have heard something, because Saul's response was more anxious. "Oh! Nothing, nothing, don't worry. Now, let me check my schedule and I'll see where I can fit you in." He twisted and turned his fingers inside you, stretching you out, probably making sure you could fit him in. "Hm... looks like it's gonna be a tight squeeze..." He emphasized those words by pushing up into your g-spot and making your legs tremble, "...buuut I can get you in tomorrow at 4. Would that work for you, Walt?"

His voice stopped for a moment to let "Walt" speak; his fingers didn't do the same. Regardless of who "Walt" was and what he needed, it wasn't as important as this. At least, to you two it wasn't. "Walt" was shouting into the phone like he might burst a blood vessel.

Saul replied incredulously at the mysterious figure's behavior. "What?! Absolutely not! I have a waiting room packed full of clients who need to see me just as much as you do! I'm not your little callboy!" He leaned in close to whisper in your ear. "You on the other hand..."

He turned his attention back to the petulant voice shouting in his ear. "Y'know what? I'm done talking about this. Mr. White, I'll see you at 4PM tomorrow and not a moment sooner." He took his hand off your mouth to snap the flip phone shut.

"Sorry about that, sweetheart, now..." He pumped his fingers even faster, priming you for another release. "Let's get back to the task at hand."

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callsign-dexter · 2 years ago

Text

First Huge Fight Pt. 1

Part of Our Little Girl Universe or it can be read alone.

Summary: Jake and Y/N have their first big fight. Hurtful things are said and regretted. Can they make up before it is too late? Or will the Seresin-Bradshaw household be turned upside down?

Pairings: Bradley Bradshaw x Jake Seresin, Bradley Bradshaw x Daughter!Reader, Jake Seresin x Daughter!Reader

Warnings: angst, wrist grabbing, bruising, blood, car crash, inaccurate medical talk, fighting, swearing. (PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING!)

Masterlist

Our Little Girl

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

3 days before- Monday 6:07 PM

The Bradshaw-Seresin family, the Bradshaws, and the Kazansky-Mitchells were at dinner. This was a traditional family get-together. They all gather at the Kazansky-Mitchell household, each week it changes. Everyone was enjoying a good meal that they all contributed to. Friendly chatter was going back and forth.

"I have a game this Friday. I was hoping you all would be able to make it." Y/N said in a happy go lucky voice. She knew they had busy lives but if they made a promise they usually kept it.

"Of course, we'll be there Chick! Your grandma and I wouldn't miss it for anything." Goose said with an equally happy voice.

"Sunshine of course we're going to be there." Mav said and Ice nodded his head agreeing.

"Sweets, you know your dad and I will be there! We love watching you play!" Jake said.

"Pops do you promise to be there?" She asked knowing how busy he can get.

"Yes, Darling. I promise." Jake replies to her while looking at her with a smile.

"What time is it again?" Bradley asked just wanting to make sure.

"7 PM." She said looking at him with excited eyes.

Present- Thursday 6 PM

"I have a meeting tomorrow at 6 PM so I won't be home until late.” Jake said as he took a bite of his pot roast that Bradley threw into the crock pot before heading to work that morning, Y/N stopped eating and so did Bradley.

“Tomorrow as in Friday? Are you sure it’s this Friday?” Bradley asked knowing that Y/N had a game that day. Jake stops eating and looks at him.

“Yea it’s this Friday.” Jake said confused

“I have a game at 7 that night.” Y/N said a little heartbroken. Bradley looked at her and it broke his heart. He hated seeing her cry or get upset. It hits Jake full force.

“Aw, shit. It is isn't?” Both of the other occupants nodded their heads while he brought his hand up to his face to rub it and run it through his hair. “Well the meeting is at 6 PM, I can go to it and get to the field on time.” He said, sounding sure of himself.

“Jake, her game is at 7 and your meeting is at 6 and you know how long those meetings take. You’ll never get to the field on time.” Bradley says coming to defend his daughter.

“Would you just lay off of me for a second? I forgot about the game.” he replied angrily at Bradley.

“How could you forget? Are you stupid? It’s on the calendar on the fridge and everyone has been talking about it including Warlock. You promised!” Y/N said getting upset that her Pops had forgotten about her game. He never forgets about one.

“Y/N/N this meeting is very important to your Pops. Your dad can record the game and we can watch it later.” everything he was saying was just making her angry.

“What about me and my game, isn’t that important to you?” she asked, getting upset and Bradley could sense but knew to stay out of it and jump in when needed.

“Yes, Darling that’s even more important to me.” he replied getting frustrated but he needed to go to this meeting.

“Then don’t go to the stupid meeting.” she knew it wasn't stupid but she was angry and saying what was coming to her mind right then and there. Bradley could feel the tension between both of them but he supposes a fight like this was bound to happen, they were both too much alike and so stubborn.

“That’s enough young lady.” he said pointing a finger at her and getting to his boiling point.

“You know what? Don’t come to my game. Go to your stupid meeting that is more important to you than me.” she said getting up from the table and storming off up the stairs to her room. Jake got up and started to follow her, leaving Bradley sitting at the table.

“Hey where are you going?” she stops briefly

“I don’t want to be around you! I don’t want you to come to my game!” she yelled and continued up the stairs.

“Oh come on Sweets, you’re important to me and so is the game.” he said stopping at the end of the stairs and her in the middle. She huffed and turned around and he followed.

“Y/N, come back here. We’re not done talking.” he yelled, raising his voice. Meanwhile, Bradley had pushed his plate back and had his head on his arms trying to block it out since he hated when his little family fought.

“No! You can’t tell me what to do! I don’t have to listen to you!” Y/N yelled as she was at the entrance of her door and so was Jake. She turned around when he roughly grabbed her, a little too rough and wouldn’t let go but she was too fired up to say anything.

“Yes you do!” he yelled back, grip getting tighter on her wrist and she winced but he didn’t notice.

“Why should I!?” she yelled back trying to remove her wrist.

“Because I’m your father, that’s why you have to listen to me.” Fire was in his eyes and so it was in her eyes too.

“So what!?” she yelled

“Don’t you dare yell at me Y/N and I mean it!” He said as his temper was rising, so was hers.

“I’ll yell at you all I want! Go to your stupid meeting that’s more important than your daughter! I hate you! I wish I died instead of Dakota! I wish I wasn't your daughter!” she yelled, still trying to pull her wrist out of his grip. Jake’s temper was at the boiling point

“Well, I hate you right back, you little shit! You took my sister away from me, my friend for life and I just want her back! So, maybe they should’ve saved her instead of you!” he yelled and instantly regretted it once her face fell and that’s when the pain of him gripping her came full force and tears started to fall.

“Get off of me! You’re hurting me!” Once Bradley heard that he shot up from his seat from downstairs and took the stairs three at a time and came to a scene that he never wanted to see, his husband holding his daughter’s wrist in his hand with force and tears streaming down her face but he couldn’t see his. He quickly rushed to them and was trying to pry him off of her. “Get off of me! You’re hurting me!” she yelled again not noticing her dad there trying to help her.

“Jake, let her go. You are hurting her.” he said calmly knowing yelling wouldn’t help and that’s when Jake realized what he was doing and let go and instantly she cradled her wrist. His face showed a mortified look, he swore from the day she was born that he would never lay a hand on her like his father did to him.

“Sweets, I’m sorry.” he said any trace of anger was gone. He went to go and hug her but she stepped back and he was looking at her and she had a terrified look on her face with tears running down her face pointed right at him, he never wanted to see that look on her face again. He hurt his baby girl, his sweets, his little girl, and the light of his and Bradley’s life. She saw Bradley there but wasn’t looking at him; it was all pointed at him.

“I hate you.” she whispered but they heard it, and knew she didn’t mean it but it knocked the wind out of Jake, with tears down her face. He tried to go towards her again but she just slammed the door shut and locked it but they could hear her crying.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Bradley asked and that’s when Jake turned to him finally noticing he was there. Jake didn’t answer, just simply turned around and walked downstairs and went to the couch and held a pillow with tears rolling down his face.

“Honey, can you open the door?” Bradley knocked on the door, no answer. He decided to try one more time “Please open the door. Pops is gone.” That did it and the door unlocked he walked in, he shut the door as Y/N sat on her floor in front of her bed, he went and joined her he opened his arms and she climbed into his lap and started to sob. Bradley just hugged her and stroked her hair “Shhh it’s ok. He didn’t mean it. You’re important to him and he loves you.” he said in a calming voice and pressed kisses into her hair. She just cried and cried until she fell asleep. He looked at her wrist and didn't feel anything broken and luckily no bruising either. Bradley got up and put her into bed, luckily she changed before supper after taking a shower, he tucked her in and kissed her forehead, and walked out of her room turning around to look at his daughter before turning off her light and cracking her door.

He walked down the stairs and stopped at the bottom to look at his broken husband and his heart broke again. Bradley just leaned up against the wall.

"She said she hated me. I hurt our little girl." Jake said, staring at the blank TV screen. He had heard Bradley come down but didn't look at him.

"She didn't mean it and you know it." He told him as he walked over to his husband and sat down and opened his arms as he did for Y/N and Jake practically fell into them. "I looked at her wrist and didn't find anything." He continued "Did some hurtful things get said? Yes. Are you both going to love each other any less? Absolutely not." He paused as he felt Jake grab his shirt. He looked down and noticed that the pillow had been knocked to the floor.

"I grabbed her. I hurt her. I swore I wouldn't hurt her like my father did to me but yet I did." Jake said with tears falling down his face. He heard what Bradley said but it was coming in one ear and out the other. Bradley sighed and squeezed Jake just a little bit and then released and dropped a kiss to his head.

"Head up to bed. I'll be there in a minute. I'm just going to put the food away." Bradley said, giving him a little nudge. Jake was numb and nodded, not having any fight left.

"Ok. I love you." He said as he was getting up and started leaving.

"I love you too babe." Bradley said standing up and going into the kitchen to start cleaning up. He heard the door shut and then he began to relax knowing both of them were safe in bed. He stood in the kitchen for a minute and ran his hand down his face and then put his hands on his hips and looked around, once he saw everything cleaned and put away turned out the light and made his way upstairs. He checked in on Y/N and she was still sound asleep, once he was satisfied he walked into his and Jake's shared bedroom getting ready for bed not even bothering that both he and Jake forgot their phones downstairs, since their daughter was in her room asleep. He climbed into bed and Jake scooted back into him and they both fell asleep.

The thunder rolls and the lightning strikes are what woke Y/N up at 3:30 in the morning. She got up out of bed and headed downstairs but not before seeing if her Pop's and Dad's door was shut not a soul was in sight. The house was looking like a ghost town and she was ok with that. She went into the kitchen and it was clean, then the fight came back to her. She couldn't stay in the house, she just couldn't. She silently pulled on her shoes and was thankful neither of them set the alarm and grabbed the keys to her truck, well her Pops' old truck that she can use. She goes out the door and quietly shuts it, thankful that the bedrooms are upstairs and the garage is by the kitchen, she starts it up and heads out. It's pouring down which is unusual for California. The fight keeps playing in her head and starts to cry, in hindsight, she knows she shouldn't drive but she just couldn't stand to be there any longer. She wanted to be with her Grandma and Grandpa Goose.

Her eyesight is blurring with tears when she sees blinding headlights coming right at her before she can swerve. They hit her head on and made her truck spin out of control and hit a guardrail sending her truck tumbling down the road 4 times before coming and landing right side up. Her head had hit the window and now the steering wheel made her disoriented. Glass is everywhere and the truck is almost unrecognizable. Everything turns black.

#Our Little Girl #daughter reader top gun #daughter!reader top gun #top gun x reader #top gun fanfiction #hangman top gun #rooster top gun #top gun angst #bradley bradshaw x daughter!reader #jake seresin x daughter!reader #jake seresin x bradley bradshaw

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starry-nights-garden · 1 year ago

Text

✧ Ateez San x gn!reader ✧ words: ~800 ✧ genre: angst, comfort ✧ warnings: mentions of reader overworking themselves ✧ prompt: angry kisses

You stumble through the front door of your apartment on a late Friday evening, slipping out of your shoes in one swift motion, and then walking inside on quick feet. You barely notice San standing in the small kitchen space, awaiting you with a friendly smile.

“Welcome home! I made us dinner,” he announces, about to carry some plates over to the small dining table, but you walk right past him, driven by the force that’s been tugging at your shoulders for weeks and that seems like it will crush them if you even so much as dare to stand still for a moment.

“I already ate, sorry,” you tell him over your shoulder, before disappearing in the next room, that you use as your office. The mental image of the sandwich you had earlier pops up in your mind, and you have to realize you can’t even remember what was in it. However, you shove that useless thought aside and sit down at the desk, starting up your laptop to continue working where you left off a few hours ago.

You don’t notice San walking into the room with a concerned look on his face, until you hear him sigh right above your ear and he puts one of his hands onto the desk next to you.

“Don’t you want to take a little break?” He’s aware of how risky that question currently is, and you already feel anger starting to boil in the pits of your stomach just from hearing those words. Overwhelming emotions are certainly the last thing you need right now, as they keep you from concentrating on the more important matters at hand. Like this report you need to have finished by Monday, or the projects you still have to organize until the end of the month, or the important appointment next week that you mustn’t forget about. But you try to brush it off and shake your head, hoping he would just leave you alone and let you get some of your work done.

“I think you should,” San keeps insisting though.

“No,” you answer simply. “I should finish this report so I can start with my projects.” Another sigh escapes the guy next to you.

“You’ve just been running from one schedule to the next, I’ve never seen you so stressed in my life,” your boyfriend argues. “I think you’d be able to work a lot better if you-”

“I’d be able to work a lot better if you stopped distracting me,” you state, your voice cold, and from the way he hesitates to keep talking you realize you must’ve hurt him with that statement.

“Fine.” Eventually, he gives in, turns around, and then once he reaches the door he stops in his tracks. “No actually…” This time it’s you sighing in annoyance. You get up, and with the intention of throwing him out of the room, you approach him.

“Please lea-” Just when you’re about to ask him to leave you alone, he reaches out to grab your shoulders and he spins you around so your back meets the wall behind you somewhat ungently, and before you can realize what’s happening, his lips are already connected to yours. You too reach for him, tugging at his shirt once your fingers have grabbed the fabric, unsure if you want to tear him away from you or pull him closer. Your head for sure is still urging you to keep working, but your heart soars upon feeling him kiss you properly for the first time in ages. And so, eventually your hand finds its way up into his hair, pulling him as close as you can, and you deepen the burning kiss. Feelings rush through your body like flames. The blood in your veins is burning up, and among all emotions coursing through you, you can also feel pain and exhaustion, which you have kept locked away so well somewhere deep within for the past weeks.

Finally, you break apart, both breathless and still holding onto each other, panting as you’re trying to fill your lungs with air. San bumps his forehead against yours, and you shut your eyes for a second to just feel him close to you, when he starts talking again.

“Let’s spend tomorrow together,” he suggests, almost sounding desperate in his plea. “No work. Just the two of us.”

“But-” you hesitate. Your anger has faded, instead you feel helpless now, but he shushes you and puts his index finger over your lips.

“You need a break. And you know that too. So let’s rest for tomorrow, and then we take care of everything else, okay?”

#ateez drabbles #ateez scenarios #ateez comfort #ateez angst #san x reader #san drabbles #ateez imagines #ateez fanfic #comfort #angst

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dcawritings · 1 year ago

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You are the manager of the daycare (and Sun by extension). Some people think this means you don't care if he gets yelled at.

This assumption is wildly inaccurate, and you are not afraid to professionally threaten correct them.

You're in the middle of something important.

It's been clinging at your thoughts all day while you tried desperately to ignore it, but at some point it became impossible to deny the truth--technically, it had a higher priority than everything you decided to complete much earlier in the shift.

And unfortunately that leaves you stuck at your desk, staring down hard at the collection of intake forms and spreadsheets. You know it won't take more than half an hour, but that time would be some of the most horrible, boring, downright painful minutes of your life.

Could you push it off until tomorrow? Maybe Monday even?

No, you ultimately decide, the paperwork needed to be done. There was no point to pushing it back again--it still needed to be forwarded to the document filing team, then to human resources, and that would only end up making your job harder in the end since only then could you finalize everything.

By the time that you'd actually relegated yourself to sitting down and getting the work done, the day was nearly over with--parents were starting to come in and pick up their children.

Some were kids of employees that worked at the Pizzaplex itself; childcare cost was heavily discounted for workers of any department, so it was extremely convenient for many who simply didn't have any other options. They were also some of the sweetest kids you'd ever met, if only because they were very familiar with the daycare and its rules. Other children were simply dropped off because the guardians wanted some time to enjoy the facility themselves for a few hours or so. The process for checking a child out was the same regardless, and typically very painless after a parent knew to expect the process.

Normally you don't need to worry about assisting with child pickups. You had several employees that were expected to make sure the process was quick and smooth, though there was only two on the clock right now--a couple call-outs had left you with less people than you'd like on such a busy day, but the two working today were some of your best and longest-term employees. They handled plenty of crazier days, so you trusted them to keep things together when office work took precedence over smaller tasks that kept you visible and available even for the kids themselves.

So, one can imagine your utter surprise when the sound of disdained yelling suddenly echoes through the daycare. Not just a little yelling either; it's shrill, with enough intensity that it reaches all the way to your back office and that... that takes a lot. Enough that it immediately tugs at your instincts to investigate.

The words aren't clear enough to make out, so you push yourself away from the desk and leave the office, then out of the hallway into the main daycare area.

It doesn't take more than a breath of time to realize who is making all the noise--a parent. They're standing near the front of the daycare, but not where they're supposed to be.

The check-out desk was located in the small room overlooking the daycare's main play area, separated by plexiglass and rope netting. Not only was it supposed to be an easier way to get kids comfortable in being away from their parents (they literally arrive in the daycare by way of a slide into a ball pit), but it also served as a form of security--nobody could enter the daycare without proper credentials, and there was always someone posted up there to greet anyone coming to drop off or pick up their child.

But this one? Somehow, this one came through an employee-only entrance. That audacity alone would make your blood boil, but the fact that you recognized the woman only made it worse.

Her shrill screaming filled the room with venom while she clutched her son against her hip, as if trying to shield him from the poor daycare attendant animatronic who was, as best as he could, diffuse the situation.

It doesn't take long to get an idea of what she's going off about either--the woman is not particularly quiet about it.

"When I leave my son here, I expect that he will be safe!" she hisses, brushing her son's hair as if trying to soothe the child. "And what do I find when I come to pick him up? That he's been manhandled and tossed around like a toy--you're lucky he didn't break a bone!"

The young boy doesn't look injured, and if anything he seems more scared of his mother.

Travis, you recall his name--a rather quiet boy, didn't always like to play with other kids. His mother, Sarah, worked in one of the back offices as a programmer. Her hours were always odd, so his father tended to be the one to drop the boy off. Now you understand why.

The thing was, Travis really liked playing with Sun. Since he was shy, the daytime bot often took it upon himself to try and encourage the boy to take part in craftime or storytime--he'd recently been able to get him to play in the ball pit with the other kids his age.

"This kind of behavior is completely inexcusable," she finally seethes, a look of one-note rage in her eyes that seemed to burn the longer she looks at the animatronic. "I will make sure to put in a complaint about this--"

"I-I am sorry that you think your son was h-harmed, Miss Martin. I assure you that h-he was just playing with the other kids." Sun lifts his hands up in a passive way, trying desperately to keep her from screaming more. People were starting to stare at the unfolding scene, and it was quickly coming undone at the seams. "I am incapable of doing anything that w-would put any little superstars in danger!"

Sarah's eyes gleam with poison as she seems to catch her claws on a hook. "Oh, so you're saying you're defecting from your programing?"

"N-no! Not at all! My programming is clean as a whistle, I have it debugged at r-regular intervals!"

"I work in the programming department," she says, voice going quiet. "With the glamrock series code. Directly down the hall from the man who makes decisions about every machine in this facility. All it would take is for me to walk right down to his office and let him know that the daycare is turning into a severe liability for the company." You are already hurrying over, not missing the way Sunny's fists start to clench tight, tight enough for his joints to squeal under the pressure as he restrains himself. He's trying so hard to keep his professionalism under the abuse--and Sarah seems to know exactly what to say.

"Your model is old. Your code is old. It's a shoddy piece of work that should be scrapped and redone, I've been telling them that for months now. They'd be better of scrapping you so we can finally have room for another glamrock and-"

You waste no time in immediately stepping directly into the line of fire, forcing yourself into the space between Sun and Sarah who has, until that moment, been encroaching closer and closer into his personal space. Was she trying to set him off? To see how far he would take the abuse before saying something wrong?

Probably. You wouldn't put it past a cruel woman like her at this point.

"What seems to be the problem here?" you say, fake smile wide and tone forcibly friendly. "I sure heard you all the way from my office!"

"Oh no dear, don't worry, it's nothing you need to concern yourself about," the woman says, waving her hand at you as if expecting her words to be like an order. "Though you can be a dear and go fetch the manager?"

You don't move, but clench your jaw tight and force the words through your teeth, "I happen to be the manager of the daycare, so if there is an issue or complaint, then I need to know about it! So please," the fake smile drops and you stare at her hard. "What is the problem here?"

Sarah's expression twitches with annoyance, but she tries to immediately save face by gesturing to her son and acting as if she was the one getting yelled at.

"Well, I didn't want to make a big deal of it, but my son has been injured because of your animatronic!"

You glance over at Travis. The poor kid is no older than eight, and he's trying to stare down at his shoes, his face flushed red with embarrassment and shame.

"Hey, little buddy," you kneel down to be closer to eye-level with him. "Did something happen to get you hurt?"

He shakes his head before his mother can try to interject. When you try to ask him another question she finally puts a hand between his gaze and yours, breaking it and forcing you to look back at her.

"That thing is running on severely old, broken code," she says, tone low and voice slow, as if trying to communicate an unspoken threat. "It's only a matter of time before something happens. Before someone gets hurt. I don't understand why they haven't just decommissioned the abhorrent thing. Doesn't even look as cute as the glamrocks."

Oh. So she's chosen death?

No. Breathe. Slowly. Remember how things work. Remember to play it smart. She wants you to get angry, needs to get a response out of you just so she can use it to cry to upper management.

Be smart about this. Be smart and unyielding. It takes every ounce of restraint not to deck the woman in the nose right there--but you at least have an upper hand.

"Who is your direct manager?"

"Huh?"

You stare at her expectantly, letting the silence fill the room before finally clarifying and repeating yourself. "Who. Is. Your. Direct. Manager?"

"I-I don't know how that's relevant to the current problem we're trying to solve."

"Well," you finally say, pulling out your company-assigned mini pad and scrolling through the employee database. "I need to get into contact with them about your behavior. Obviously you've forgotten several very important policies and I want to make sure you're educated on them as need be."

"Wh-what policies?" Sarah demands. "I haven't broken anything--that thing is what we're talking about right now."

You shake your head, proud of the even tone to your voice even though you want nothing more than to scream and yell at her in kind.

"First, you enter the daycare using an unapproved door-"

"I am an employee for the company-!"

"-and even employees are not allowed to use that door. It is for daycare attendants and handlers only. It is an active security measure to ensure the safety of little superstars like your son, whom you obviously seem to care for the safety of, right?"

She is silent, sputtering, taken aback by your confidence or simple knowledge of how to play the system correctly.

"Second, I have you on record actively harassing a coworker. Not only are you specifically not using his preferred pronouns, you are also belittling and demeaning him and his ability to do his job correctly. A job which I will remind you is difficult and stressful and comes with a wide variety of nuance."

You take the opportunity to step forward. Not too far, just a little idle step. Enough to take control and apply pressure to the situation.

"I'm sorry that you can't seem to understand the subtlety of how kids tend to play around Travis' age, and I'm sorry that you don't seem to care about the fact that he has been making very good progress in getting to know the other kids--specifically because of Sun's hard work with him."

Another small, calculated step. Sarah retreats from how she's looming forward, and you can see the tension in her jaw.

"Harassing a coworker? I haven't said anything to-"

"Sun? You mean one of my employees? The very one I heard you screaming at?" You shrug, managing to seem coldly nonchalant with surprising ease--maybe it's the adrenaline coursing through your veins. Between the heat of your words, you feel one of Sun's hand gently grabbing the back of your shirt. Not tugging, just holding on. "I mean, if you like we can go into my office and I can pull the cameras--if I misunderstood something then surely we can go over the recording and find out where I'm not getting that right."

That's the final push. Sarah knows she can't win the argument or force you to back down from a legitimate, honest-to-god threat. Despite being in a different department, technically you are still above her; you already know her manager. Marcus was a pretty easy-going guy that had a lot of sympathy for the animatronics, so it wouldn't take much for him to write her up from your word alone.

"I... well, maybe I just misunderstood," the woman finally says, her smile cold and not reaching her eyes. "No need to make this a big deal or anything! I will make sure to use the right door next time, my mistake."

Your mouth moves faster than your brain can stop them--it's edging on the line of being appropriate for someone of your position, but you need to make sure this woman understands that you are willing to hold your ground.

"Please do, because if I hear of something like this happening again? I will ban you outright from the daycare facility."

Her eyes widen and she opens her mouth as if to say something, but she's already lost. You have the authority to decline service to anyone, and at least with this situation you were grateful to have that power.

Sarah hurries out of the room without another word. You feel bad for Travis--the kid really didn't deserve to be in the middle of all that--but he offers some assurance by turning around to try and wave before the two of them disappear beyond the door.

You barely get a chance to let out a held breath before a pair of hurried footsteps approach you.

"Is everything okay?" one of the attendants ask. She's normally so soft spoken, but you can hear the genuine concern leaking through the words. "I knew as soon as I saw Sarah things would be bad--she always tries to find something to yell about when she picks Travis up."

"Yeah," the other worker echoes, then turns to speak to Sun. "I am so sorry you ended up with her, Sunny. If I knew she had used the door down here I would have immediately left the intake room."

The two of them started to crowd around you and Sun a bit more than you liked. Jesus, how was Sun even doing?

"We're okay, it's fine just-" another sigh spills from your lips, exhaustion taking the space where adrenaline had kept you so still and composed. "You two go make sure the other kids are okay? That was a lot of screaming for them to hear."

With only a little more consoling they finally move away to check on the few kids still waiting to get picked up. It leaves you and Sun alone at least, a vague amount of privacy.

You turn around, not sure what to expect from the animatronic--but it's a surprise all the same to find him staring at you with wide, as if unbelieving eyes. There's a sense of tension hidden somewhere in his expression, but its overshadowed by something else. Something hard to read.

"... Are you okay, Sunny?" you finally ask in a soft, gentle voice. He looks down, peering at the multicolored carpet silently. All it takes is the soft touch of your hand gently touching the side of his faceplate to make him twitch, listening but still not looking at you. "Don't you worry about anything, okay? She's just a cruel nobody who likes making other people feel bad. I will make sure she's not allowed anywhere beyond the intake room and make a recommendation that Travis' dad be the only one who can pick him up."

He is still silent, but you're relieved to see his body loosen. All that tension, all that heartache and anger, almost all gone in an instant.

"Sunny...?"

After a moment, the animatronic finally tilts his face into your touch. Before you can ask or say anything else, however, he sweeps you into his arms in a tight hug. So tight in fact that he begins to spin you around in a circle, stopping only when he's done sputtering.

"You didn't have to do all that for little ol' me! Someone so busybusy like you shouldn't need to deal with parents at all--you're so silly, starlight!"

Despite the fact that his words try to sound casual, you saw every sign in the book that Sun had barely been taking the woman's verbal abuse. You can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't shown up--would he have snapped? Would she have threatened something worse?

"Oh goodness please put me down Sunny-" you lean into his arms as the room slowly stops spinning around you. Then, when you collect yourself, you offer him a warm and genuine smile. "Sunshine, you are one of my employees, and nobody deserves to be talked down to like that at all. It's not fair for her to treat you like that-" you catch a look of worry somewhere in his eyes, and so you quickly add, "-and I will never let you be decommissioned. There isn't anything wrong with you, so don't let her empty threats put a rain cloud over you."

It's only in that moment that you realize how tightly his hands are grasping at your uniform.

"... you... promise?"

He's more scared of that then he ever lets on.

"I promise," you say with complete confidence. "Nobody will ever hurt you on my watch, Sun. You and Moon both. They'll have to go through my stubborn ass first--and I actually memorized most of the employee handbook anyway."

"Starlight!" he says, sounding shocked.

"Wh-what?"

"Language."

You chuckle, the sound rumbling through your chest as you bring a hand over your face. You'll have to touch base with Sun again once the other kids and employees have left for the night, but at least he's doing better.

And you're still sending a message to Marcus about her--she'll be lucky if she doesn't get a huge write-up for that outburst.

#fnaf #fnaf dca #fnaf sun #sun fic #fic #writing #sfw #sfw fic #sfw writing #80% of the vibes from this come from my actual job as a manager #because god if i have the ability to shut someone down i fucking WILL #manager!reader #dca fandom #fnaf dca fandom #fnaf daycare attendant

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autismprotocol · 10 months ago

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Sorry for the late post (I work nightshifts) but I figured I should give more info on the Hungers thing. It's a theory I've mostly seen being floated in the youtube comments or one-off tumblr posts, so I'm not sure where it originated. It's one of those "this is either the key to the whole series or a fan-created red herring that will be discredited by the end of season 1".

The primary evidence of it is the fact that for the first 5 episodes the horror has been entirely driven by a passion or desire of the statement give, and their desires have gotten more focus then their fear.

Harriet wants to see her dead husband again, even if he's come back wrong. RedCanary seems driven by the thrill of urban exploration and a desire to clear the magnus institute first. Darla has body image issues (hence why the probable flesh avatar ink5oul can get her) and thus wants to feel pretty (ink5oul also is only willing to work on her when she states a clear desire). Samuel Webber wants to be with the wife he murdered. Voilin guy from episode 4 (who tumblr user fandom-geek stipulated might be James Smithson of the Smithsonian museum) wants his musical talent to be recognized even if it costs blood (and Stranger McArtifact gives him his deepest desire rather than his worst fear). Tom the horror fan is ecstatic to get a personal screening of an obscure horror movie he's been searching for.

Again, any theory based on the first 5 episodes should be taken with a grain of salt. Needles doesn't really fit into it (I guess he wants people to be afraid of him?) and the stranger and buried's charity auction from hell in episode 7 certainly doesn't fit in (unless the "good cause" is playing ironic genie to the people the artifacts are being sold to). It's just an idea I've seen being floated around about how the powers might be different in this timeline.

Thank you so much for the extra info on the hungers/desires theory! when discussing it with my roommate we are starting to beileve that what we're seeing in this world is the birth/ creation of avatars and they had the theory that avatars (at least in protocol) are born from a strong desire I really love this idea so I'm gonna try to prove the few from the newest episode under this theory that

EP 8: Give and Take - for this one we actually can't fit that cleanly into the theory (if you have a theory about how it could fit in please leave it in the comments or send a ask :D ) we are thinking that the inccident read in the episode about the brutalist liminal spaces was a ritual, rather than the birth or the individual act of an avatar.

EP 9: Rolling with it- this avatar (Evil dice dude) was born from a desire to control his luck.

Ep 10: Saturday night: Neil Dickerson is tricky i still have no idea if he's an avatar himself or if it's just Mr Bonzo but either way Bonzo was created from Nigels desire to be famous,

I'll be interested to know if this pattern continues into future episodes. So far I see the Desire theory being a pretty strong case to explaining the origin of the esoteric inccidents the O.I.A.R files.

also just a quick update: I'm working on a Episode 10 breakdown but Its taking a while because I wanted to illustrate some scenes to add some visual flair :0 it will hopefully be out by tomorrow or monday!

-Echo

#augustus tmagp #chester tmagp #gwendolyn bouchard #jonathan sims #lena kelley #martin blackwood #norris tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmagp #tmagp theory #alice dyer #samama khalid #sam khalid #mr bonzo #nigel dickerson #gwen bouchard #jmj error #jonah magnus

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mostbored69 · 2 months ago

Text

Hearts on an Envelope (Sylus x Reader x Xavier)

Sunday night. Monday tomorrow, sensically, and the all too dreaded workload that awaits the second you set foot into the office gnaws at the back of your mind. Sylus knows this all too well, and he especially got the hint from you groaning into the phone when he called earlier today, but it had no effect on his charms and schemes to get you to come over. Little bit of guilt, a tiny hunch about his indifference possibly causing some trouble for you at work, and it all came down to him still not caring enough. Because tonight, a much needed conversation is due.

You sigh as you hesitate in front of the big mansion he lavishly calls home. The sun had set on the way here, which gave it over to the moon now cascading down onto every nook and cranny. Had this been just the night before, its beauty is sure to be behold. There’s something about the N109 Zone that makes its light so much more annoying, but to give it the benefit of the doubt, Mephisto cawing in the near distance does add to making this scene as irritating as it is. The little crow rustles its metal wings. You sigh, once again.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Goodness, Sylus, you impatient idiot,” you mumble at no-one but the little bird. It stops cawing the second you ring the doorbell, and soon enough those two henchmen welcome you inside. Wearing their masks, business as usual, it’s still easy to hear out Luke and Kieran’s smug grins when they speak. You don’t mind them, however, as they walk you to the big door at the end of the corridor. Maybe this impromptu rendezvous could be cut short if you choose your words wisely. Whatever there is to say on his part, it could’ve easily waited for a much better time anyway.

The two men wait for their master’s confirmation before opening the door, and in the big dining hall, sitting and sipping his wine at the head of the table without a care in the world, sits Sylus. He wears the button-down that’s always rubbing you the wrong way. The elegant black fabric is embroidered in red patterns, giving him a bloody look from all angles. Though he often gets blood on his clothes, you never quite figured out why he decided to preempt the inevitable stains for whatever sense this man has in fashion. He looks good, however. Business as usual.

“What is it? If you just wanted to have dinner with me, we could’ve done so last night.” You cross your arms while he motions for the men to close the door, leaving the two of you alone with only the unnecessary long dinner table as the only hurdle for your fingers around his throat.

“Grumpy on the phone and grumpy in person. There’s really no winning with you. Now sit down and be civilized, sweetie,” he coos before setting down the wine glass. It’s never been an easy task to make deals with Sylus, let alone get him to change his mind, so instead of pouting up a storm right where you stand, you decide to do so on one of the chairs to his side. Once sat, he gives a small grin. That stupid, stupid grin that makes your knees buckle. “An impatient idiot isn’t exactly what a good little guest should be spouting about the host, yet there you stood complaining instead of just coming in.”

“That little-“ Your eyes search for the nearest window, where Mephisto already caws in defense. “Yeah, right. How can such a tiny creature be this big of a snitch?” Sylus awaits your attention patiently with a smile, and although the table is full of extravagant dishes from all sorts of cuisines, his plate remains empty. Only the wine makes it to his lips.

“Good little guests also don’t start arguments with the birds. Unless you crave my lecturing, that is,” he taunts after snapping his fingers in a successful attempt to catch your eyes. In essence, how he’d treat a dog. “Very good. Now eat, sweetie, lest you want the food to get cold.” His hand gestures to the different dishes in a sweeping motion, but you hesitate nonetheless. Getting here took its time, and you indeed have not yet eaten dinner, but it would be worlds better for him to spit out whatever he has to say and grab a sandwich on the way back.

Although, the smell is too enticing. He watches keenly as your slender fingers move to fill your plate, almost relieved in a way now that your presence is guaranteed for at least a longer while. As the cutlery clinks, otherwise silence spreads throughout the room. Even Mephisto holds its tongue - if it was still present in the first place. The crow blends in well with the night, and only your reflection stares back when you look up to check.

“Could you tell me the matter please? I’m pretty exhausted, Sylus, the way back is no joke either.” When he fills your glass with wine, you follow his lead and sip on the deep red liquid. The rich flavor lingers on your tongue longer than expected. It’s no secret he chose a mature bottle to open tonight, or any night for that matter. A lavish man, and his lavish tastes.

“No need to worry. If you’re really that exhausted, spending the night here could be a great solution, no?” At his words, your head tilts to the side. The initial impression of his ‘joke’ is soon washed away when you realize he’s truly serious, but even if he had been teasing, it’s as good as impossible to not let it fluster you. A reaction he seems to hold dear by the smile slowly returning. “As for my agenda,” he continues, using his Evol to grab a brown envelope from the distant counter. It lands in his hands effortlessly, and your confusion only grows when his fingers begin unwrapping the string from the button. “Kitten, are you going around hunting bunnies?”

A cold shudder runs down your spine and forces goosebumps all over your skin when he gets up from his seat. His proximity is electrifying, almost threatening. Especially when he stops behind you, only the rustling of paper to be heard. Especially then, does your heart skip a beat.

“What do you mean, Sylus?” You put down the fork in your slightly trembling hand, but no way in hell are you able to muster up enough courage to turn around and face him. The skin of your neck feels dangerously exposed when the envelope grazes against it. Maybe he noticed, and maybe he cares, because his tender fingers soon find their way into your hair and undo your bun. He lets it cascade over your shoulders before brushing it out of your face. Closer yet, he moves, all to whisper in your ear.

“Darkness alone can’t hide you from my sight. I have eyes all over. All over you.” With that, he drops the envelope. The contents now revealed on top of it, pictures upon pictures all in a broken pile glance back at you together with the stone-cold recognition of last night. Memories from a personal time, a secret time. Memories that in no way should’ve been captured, from what looks like CCTV stalking the hallway. The grainy, black-and-white footage of your front door, and you, opening it with a wide smile. Welcoming Xavier.

The next picture is stomach-churning material of your kitchen window and the silhouettes behind the sheers. You seem to be close, that night. Would some call this a close friend, and is it something that needs explaining? The words are stuck in your throat, and you can’t bear looking through the pile after the sight of only two makes the blood rush to your face. Sylus is kind enough to spare a moment of silence, although his fingers don’t stop brushing through your hair in a touch that is just a little too tender. Dangerously tender - you can feel it in your stomach.

“What… what is this?” With a raw voice and reddened cheeks, you finally turn your head albeit slowly. His hands return to his side and he leans against the wall to cross his arms. A red flicker is seen in his eye, brighter in color than the imitative blood of the embroidery, and when that predatory smirk grows on his lips, all the implications of this confrontation wash over you in another ice-cold shudder. Your reaction is enough to admit guilt. He’s got you where he wanted you; pinned and at a loss for words.

“You wanted me to get to the point, and believe it or not, this is the point.” The two of you have known each other for not the longest amount of time, and although admittedly that time was filled with intimate moments that steal your sleep some nights, you’re not quite sure what he expects from this blatant presentation. The chair screeches when you get up, but doing so is the only way to get some distance between the pictures and yourself. “You’re not a stray kitten, are you now? Looking for a home and an owner still?”

“What exactly do you want me to say, Sylus?” Your fingers fidget by your side and it takes considerable effort to look him in the eye. He may be a dangerous man. Deadly, even, although you’re sure of his boundaries when it comes to you. However, when he pushes himself off the wall and leans into your face, you can’t help but shiver at the red glow.

“Did you have… fun?” He lets the word linger on his tongue to drag it out fully, while his tone reveals the bold amusement behind it. Unadulterated mischief gleams from his eyes as if he was enjoying every second of your unsure expression, and needless to say he’s fully aware of how uneasy the whole conversation has made you. Letting it affect his plans, however, is a different story.

You look off to the side. What is there to say? And how could you twist your answer to not further complicate things? Sylus values honesty, especially coming from you, as much as it’s clear that a half-assed lie not even good enough to fool Mephisto could make it past his vigilance. A straightforward answer to such a question would still not sit right with you, so averting your gaze is the best you can do. That is until his fingers grab your chin and force you to look at him. The grip is not tight, and if you didn’t know any different, it might’ve been gentle. That deceiving gentleness is easily exposed by the way his guise shifts to a darker look, and how his smile slowly fades the longer you’re forced to keep his stare.

“Kitten, no answer is an answer in itself. Now tell me how you played with that little bunny. Did you chase after it, have it for dinner?” Another silence follows. Any response at all would make your voice crack and dignity diminish into thin air. A full debacle without any way to start cutting losses; a full, proud win in his books. Distracted by this confrontation, you don’t notice how his free hand moves slowly. “Hm. I guess we might have to ask him ourselves then.”

The second he’s done talking, time speeds up for only you. He’s quick with it. You fail to even feel the phone being yanked from your back pocket, and it only dawns on you when he sits back down at the head of the table with it in hand. Spreading his legs comfortably and pursing his lips, he turns it on and begins scrolling. It takes a whole while for the shock factor to loosen its grip on your muscles, but even when you rush to his side, any efforts to try and yank it back would be in vain. “Sylus, stop. Please, I can explain if you really want to hear, but don’t drag him into this. He’s my friend.” Begging could work, since it’s him you’re dealing with. This time, though, he only raises an eyebrow at you.

“Friend? You’re getting quite imaginative, sweetie. Does a friend bend you over like that? If so, we’d be best friends long ago, and you wouldn’t scratch and meow like a dirty, dirty stray.” The way he uses the nickname he’s given you for downright degrading measures makes your stomach churn, reaching the limit when tears begin burning in your eyes. It’s not like you and Sylus have tied the knot, and the same thing can be said about Xavier, seeing as you’re yet to have a conversation with him that would justify such anger.

“This isn’t funny, Sylus. Don’t be childish and just tell me what you want me to do. If I hurt you, I can leave and you won’t have to see me again, but teasing me like this is unreasonable.” It becomes increasingly harder to hold back the tears and keep your composure, which is almost a mundane task when your voice reveals it all. He tilts his head. For sure now, how he’d treat a dog.

“Shh, there’s no need to cry. If you think that little bunny can hurt my feelings, you’ve surely forgotten what kind of man I am. Now come here, my dear, it’s just a normal conversation.” Whiplash doesn’t begin to describe his continued changes in tone, how his voice melodically promises a false comfort, and it causes his now outstretched hand to be subject to your scrutiny. He notices your reluctance instantly. No matter his growing desire to just grab and tame without waiting for approval, it’s clear now that such methods don’t work when he’s trying to get you to speak. So instead, he waits until you finally relent and take his hand, letting him guide you onto his lap. Before he continues, he puts your phone on the table. “There you go, what a good girl you can be. Is it really that unreasonable to ask about your day? I just want to know who you played with, kitten.”

The goosebumps from earlier return when he nuzzles your neck and takes a deep breath, but it’s nowhere enough for your body to relax in his arms. His free hand positions your legs and drapes them over his own before letting his fingers inspect the exposed skin - the act alone makes you curse such hot weather for having settled on wearing shorts. You wipe your eyes. Tired, confused and anxious, once was not enough to dry them.

“X-Xavier…” Your answer is lured out by a simple peck on the cheek, as naive as you are. He’s stopped in his tracks for only a second. After the second is over, his caress continues like his body had not heard your response, whereas his mind surely took it in. The featherlight touches of his fingers on your legs travel ever so slightly upward when it is now your turn to hide in the crook of his neck. Stupid, maybe, but what else could you possibly do with this tenderness but to fall just a little deeper into his arms, accepting whatever deception he so kindly offers?

”Xavier, huh? Then tell me, what did you and Xavier do?” A voice this soft couldn’t possibly have another ace up the sleeve, at least you can tell yourself that much. Maybe just a couple more answers and he’d let you calm down in his arms silently. “Did he play with you nicely, yeah?”

”Yes… we shared some snacks and he’s very… gentle.” His chest rumbles when he chuckles at your demeanor and words, but you don’t pay it much attention. Already humiliated enough, it is now none of your concern.

”Not the word I would expect you to use, but sure, let's go with gentle.” While not far from the truth, Xavier does tend to lose himself in the heat of the moment - by that you mean he could occasionally get rough with his pace and intensity, which happens more often than not - but that is not exactly something you’re thrilled about sharing with Sylus. Either way, by the sound of it alone, he probably knows this tidbit already. Grabbing your chin to pull you out of hiding, all he does is smile.

”He is, very,” is all you manage to whisper. His voice is sweeter than even Sylus’ now, and his words make you wish to never be without his embrace. Those soft blue eyes speak to you the most, especially when his eyebrows are furrowed and sweaty and he can’t stop moving his hips. The desperate sounds that fall from his lips without a thought present, harmonizing with the sound of skin slapping against skin that he himself cannot control. But no matter how sweet, maybe, just maybe, you lie awake dreaming of the moments he grips your hair for harder thrusts, or bites your shoulder to deal with the sensation, or when he grabs onto your ass tight enough to leave a mark, simply because his own strength has slipped from his mind together with all decency. Together with his sweetness.

Sylus moves closer to your face, successfully stealing back your momentarily divided attention. He’s not a big fan of you being distracted when he alone is what you should focus on right now, although he can’t help but find that little absent-minded look on your face, that makes him wonder what depravity you’re thinking about, endearing. That’s no issue, however, because soon, he’ll make you forget even your own name.

”Hm… why do I fail to believe you, darling? Well, tell me then, how gentle was he exactly? Like so?”

Full version on AO3 (linked). Please enjoy, have a good day and stay safe!

#fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 #ao3 link #oneshot #x reader #love and deepspace #sylus #xavier love and deepspace #sylus x reader

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imalayla · 4 months ago

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Timeline for the archives

Sept 1: broke tarsal, was splinted on the field. Pain was kept managed w gabapentin, rimadyl, trazodone

Sept 2: noticed swelling around top of bandage, did a resplint at home to get us to the vet the next day. Very painful for her but was okay once meds kicked in.

Sept 3: general vet visit, rads were taken and determined broken tarsal bones. Resplinted with questionable support. Added tramadol to the drug cocktail. Noticed that she was in more pain than usual that evening. Started blood supplement.

Sept 6: consult with specialist. Took CT, rads, blood work. Was determined that there were several complex fractures across different bones, most likely needed surgery to heal properly. Was told that they needed the weekend to think things over on how best to proceed. New hard splint that supported her hock better.

Sept 10: specialist called to let me know what they thought their best course of action would be. Applied for financing. Once that was successful we decided to go forward with arthrodesis instead of amputation.

Sept 12: consult for surgery, dropped bubbles off.

Sept 13: surgery day, she recovered from anesthesia well. Stayed at hospital till Monday. Removed tramadol from drug protocol, added antibiotic.

Sept 16: came home, was in some discomfort but was easy to manage with meds. Forgot to do PT

Sept 17: good day! Mostly sleeping, no real discomfort. Forgot to do PT

Sept 18: bandage change. Nothing exciting to report. Black skin over the plate has not increased or decreased. Did a little PT. Obviously uncomfortable that evening, I'm assuming due to bandage change and PT. Started Myos and Dasaquin.

Sept 19: good day, not a lot of discomfort noted. Slept mostly. Tried to do some PT. She doesn't like it. Her sassy personality is coming out a little.

Sept 20: bandage change. Nothing exciting to report. There's vascularization around the edges of the black skin, so the vet is hoping that is a sign new skin is growing underneath the black skin, instead of it actually dying, but there's no way to tell except time. More PT. Bandage change days are always more uncomfortable for her, but managed with meds. Last day of antibiotics.

Sept 21-22: good days, pain is managed, she's becoming more playful and happy which is good but also I have to drug her when she starts being like that because she has to be on STRICT crate rest besides potty walks and PT. Otherwise we could compromise her healing process. Been experimenting with PT to figure out the best way to do it without offending her. I'll eventually record what we are doing. It's just weight shifts right now teaching her that she can use that foot again. She seems to be slowly starting to toe touch/use that foot here and there.

Tomorrow will be bandage change day 🤞

#broke tarsal saga #bubbles

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eleni-cherie · 1 year ago

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a thief's end ✨ || bts • myg - chapter 1.7

"so eager to be in a headlock again?"

"only if it's by you."

»»»

masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, sexual tensiON, slowburn, mutual pining, strangers to lovers s2l

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

»»»

Seoul, South Korea

"Here, see?"

The golden key was shining under the light of a street lamp as Soyeon held it out for Yoongi.

With furrowed brows, he took it from her grip. Inspecting it from all sides. "And you sure it got something to do with your grandfather's secret double life?"

Shrugging, she took it back and shoved it into her pocket. "Most likely, it was hidden behind a photo after all."

"But you don't have a clue where the lock is.."

She shook her head disappointingly. "No, but I'll visit my grandma again next week and hopefully I'll find some clue."

He hummed, peeking at her. "Don't do something irrational though."

"Like what?" she asked puzzled.

"Like going after it on your own."

She scoffed at his grin. Getting the implication. "Don't worry, I learned my lesson."

The sky was tinted a dark blue shade when they reached Soyeon's apartment building. It had thankfully stopped raining awhile ago, the clouds having cleared up enough to reveal the crescent in the night sky.

She yawned, rummaging her keys out of her jacket's pockets. "Suddenly I feel so tired, probably 'cause you woke me up so early," she whined, hearing Yoongi laugh behind her. "Don't make such a fuss out of it, it was just once," he said then with a straight face, "Just go to sleep early."

"Oh, I will. I'll probably crash as soon as I step foot inside."

He smiled softly. It was fascinating how someone so short like her was able to contain so many facettes in her. She could be so strong and fierce, confronting and calling him out and then, then she was also this sweet, almost childlike person who was terribly grumpy in the morning.

"Goodnight, Soyeon." He stepped back, walking backwalks. "Call me if there's anything."

The cool night breeze made him shiver lightly, and he dug his hands further into his pockets. About to turn around when Soyeon's hand tugged on his biker jacket, making him stop in his tracks. He looked over his shoulder, seeing her eyes sparkling at him with imploration.

"Stay."

He huffed a breath, knowing he'd only get more attached to her than he already was and it'd be unfair to both of them. "I don't think -"

"Then stop thinking," she deadpanned, her grip becoming firmer along with her gaze. Only for her eyes to soften again. "Just for a day. Stay." Her quiet, pleading tone making his chest clench. Her voice almost cracking at the end as she feared he'd just slip through her fingertips again if she let go. "On monday we'll part company, me going to work and you to Japan, pretending as if nothing had ever happened. So just for one day.. for one day let's pretend being normal.. so you can see how overrated it is."

Yoongi's eyes filled with a strange mix of sorrow and longing at her words.

A delusion, nothing more, he thought, but still tempting. To be normal for a day with her, doing things normal people did together before parting ways the day after tomorrow.

"And besides.." she spoke up, lips curling into a playful smirk when she came up with another reason, "What if the bad guys show up again?"

He laughed under his breath, knowing very well she wasn't actually believing her words. It was her simple attempt to convince him, the same way she had done back then in Taiwan. It was their little inside code. When she used it, he couldn't deny her anything. That was the unspoken rule between them.

"You said normal, huh?" A rueful smile grazing his lips then, seeing her eyes beaming with hope. And he couldn't refuse anything when she looked at him like this. So he eventually nodded, grabbing her hand that was slowly loosening its grip on him, holding it tightly. "Let's be normal for a day then."

»»»

The next morning Soyeon woke up in the same position she had fallen asleep in. Only Yoongi was missing beside her. With a sigh, she propped herself up on her hand. Rubbing her eyes as she pushed the covers away.

Of course he didn't stay, why was she surprised?

However, 'surprised' wasn't the right word, perhaps 'disappointed' fit better. She was disappointed, but not surprised.

Her eyes fell on the clock on

her nightstand. 11:46am. Well, at least he hadn't made any loud noises when leaving, allowing her to actually sleep in this time and rest.

With a grunt, she made her away out of the bedroom, trying not to dwell too much in her self-pitying. It was alright, no big deal. The only man she ever had feelings for, would never let her get too close because of his commitment issues.

Cool, cool, cool.

Scratching her cheek, still dizzy from sleep, she made her way to the kitchen. Taking a seat on a chair, she mindlessly picked up a tangerine from the fruit basket in front of her and unpeeled it, sliding a wedge into her mouth. Followed by another.

Maybe she should simply accept things instead of trying forcing something that couldn't be.

She began unpeeling another tangerine when her thoughts got interrupted by a clicking sound. Startled, the tengarine almost dropped from her hand when seeing Yoongi suddenly appearing in front of her. Droplets falling from his wet hair, rolling down his face and bare chest and a towel wrapped around his hips. Lowering her polaroid camera with a grin.

"Now I also got a memento."

Her eyes grew round as she was trying processing what he was talking about, taking in the view in front of her. How did he manage coming so near without her even noticing?

"You.. are still here?"

He frowned at this as he waved the photo in his hand. "Where did you think I was?"

She shrugged, slowly munching on another wedge and looking away. "I don't know.."

Taking a look on the photo of her morning self mindlessly eating a tangerine he smiled, resting his eyes on her then. Understanding what she was implying. And it'd be a lie to say he hadn't actually contemplated leaving when waking up. However, then he looked down at her sleeping self drooling onto his shirt and he'd realised he didn't want to be anywhere else but there with her in his arms. Even if it was for just one day.

The only reason he'd slipped out of bed after all was because he'd needed to use the bathroom.

"No, there wasn't anywhere else I needed to be," he truthfully said then while taking a tangerine himself, unpeeling his fruit and slipping several wedges between his lips.

"Good to know," she smiled shyly to which he smiled as well. He coughed then and pointed at her shirt which was another way too large and baggy shirt that looked more like a dress on her small frame and which was secretly driving him insane of how great she looked in it.

"You got another one of these?"

She looked down, realising he needed something to wear since he didn't have anything but his clothes from the previous day. So she got up and walked out of the kitchen, hearing him trailing behind her towards the bedroom.

"I got a few actually," she giggled and opened her wardrobe, revealing her neatly folded clothes. She stretched herself then, getting on her tiptoes to reach the higher shelves where the large t-shirts were. Managing pulling one out, only for several others to drop on her head. Making Yoongi chuckle amused, picking them up from her face.

"Why does a short person like you have such high shelves?" he grinned teasingly causing her to scoff. Playfully shoving the shirt she had drawn out onto his chest.

"Got many clothes. And besides.. I'm not that short," she mumbled, his grin only growing wider.

"You're tiny." Before she could retort something, he pecked her pout taking her aback. "But I don't mind."

Her pout only grew at this, pushing him aside to leave the suffocating presence of his half-naked body. Hearing him laugh behind her and she paused, ready to counter a smart remark when her eyes caught something else instead.

"What's this?"

Her voice small, almost a whisper behind him when he felt her fingertips tracing over a specific spot on his shoulder. Causing him to briefly grow stiff under her touch.

Having forgotten about it as he wasn't able to see it there.

Out of sight out of mind.

"It's.. an old scar."

"I see that.. but from what?"

He shook his head, dragging a sigh as he looked down at the shirt in his hands. "It's dumb and nothing to worry about. I.. I was just young and careless."

It was embarrassing to admit it out loud or even look at her. Her fingers retreating from the unevenness on his shoulderblade, sensing it still laying heavy on his heart.

"I get it. You don't have to tell me more."

He shrugged, fumbling with the shirt in his hands. "It was when I first joined the guys on heists. I didn't pay enough attention once and the opponent took advantage of it. That's it. It hasn't happened again ever since, I made sure of it."

She swallowed, her eyes still fixated on the light streak on his pale skin. "Is this why you insisted on Cassandra taking care of my wound?"

He folded his lips, biting down on them when remembering that day. It felt like an eternity ago when he had found her in that restroom stall covered by cuts and bruises. A hot range rushing down his veins at the memory. "I didn't want you to get such a scar as well.."

She subconsciously touched the skin under her bangs. Not really able feeling anything, but she knew it was there. The light streak, smaller but similar to his. "Did you also get stitches?"

He laughed dryly. "Yeah, but only after a day. Cas was so pissed I didn't tell her earlier. Perhaps if I did it wouldn't have been as visible.."

Soyeon hummed. Cassandra's words back then finally making sense to her now.

He felt her arms wrapping around his torso then, holding him tight as her cheek pressed against his spine. And he smiled at her warmth, covering her hands with his. "It's fine. I forgot about it anyway."

She quietly let go again. Ready to go back to her tangerines when he suddenly pointed at something in the corner of the room. "Why you got a microphone?"

Her eyes followed the direction his finger was pointing at, seeing her little set-up in the corner. He was changing topics, shifting the attention to her. She knew that and still played along.

"Ah, to record demos after writing the lyrics."

He turned around, shooting her an inquiring glance. "So you can also sing?"

"A little bit, maybe," she shrugged, "Just enough for demos."

Yoongi pulled the shirt over his head, slipping it over his torso. Pushing back the strands of black hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. "If you can sing, why didn't you become a singer then?" he wondered out loud, not hiding the genuine curiosity. And it only grew when he saw her acting weird. Her eyes avoiding his as she let out a forced laugh.

"Guess I just wasn't pretty enough to become one."

Yoongi's brows furrowed at this, lips slightly parting since only more questions arose from her words. "Said who?" Clear irriation in his voice.

Soyeon shrugged, pretending being nonchalant about it as she quickly turned around and headed to the door before he could manage looking through her facade. "People, I guess. It really doesn't matter anymore."

And a lump formed in her throat when she sat down at the kitchen table and she grabbed another tangerine. Unpeeling and shoving it between her lips in an attempt to swollow that lump.

Although she had overcome it by now and knew the opinions and comments of those people back then didn't matter, it still hurt whenever she was reminded of those times.

She didn't need to look to know Yoongi came closer, eventually taking out a chair and sitting down beside her. The two remaining silent as she passed him a tangerine. Him wordlessly accepting it.

He knew he must've hit a nerve when making her bring up this old story. But what upset him more was the thought how it seemed to still trigger something in her. He could tell by her usually sparkly eyes staring dully ahead.

"You know.." he slowly began then, peeking at her before focusing back on his tangerine, "That night back then, the night we met for the second time.."

The girl perked up at this and she looked at him, questioning why he'd bring this up now. Watching him slide a wedge between his lips, waiting for him to continue.

"You had that black dress on and then you turned around and you looked at me with this intense glare. You know what I thought?"

The ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. Feeling warm at that memory. "What?"

"That you looked quite different from what I remembered you from our first encounter."

She laughed under her breath, shaking her head when remembering her running through the streets of Tainan in 40°C in nothing but her pyjama shorts and shirt. She must've looked insane. "That's what make-up and different clothes do, you know? Make you look different."

The guy huffed a smile at her smartass remark. Glancing at her side-profile then, he took in her every feature that was peeking behind black strands of hair falling onto her pixie-like face. The big brown eyes that resembled those of a curious cat, the cute straight nose that got hidden behind her hands whenever she got shy, the plum pouty lips where she'd stick her tongue out by habit.. How'd anyone think of her of not pretty enough?

"You know what else I thought though?"

She hummed, munching on the last piece of tangerine.

"I thought you looked insanely beautiful."

Soyeon almost choked on the fruit in her mouth, coughing frantically. And he patted her back to help her before she eventually managed swallowing it down. Taking a deep breath then, she shot him a lopsided smirk. "You really liked that dress, huh?"

"It haunts me in my dreams."

His serious tone followed by a wide cheeky grin made her fall into a fit of giggles.

She completely forgot about her gloomy mood, not able to contain her bubbly laugh and he laughed along with her. It had seemed worth confessing this little secret after all, she was smiling again.

Soyeon bit down her lips then, her laughs simmering down. Giggling lightly to herself then, she stretched her hands over the white table top. "You know what I thought when seeing you that night?"

"No, what?"

"Well, first of all I thought 'fck, I hope this guy doesn't plan to mug me'." It was his turn to burst out laughing and she smiled widely at this. Enjoying the sound of his laughter and the way his eyes formed crescends before he'd screw them shut. When he wasn't this serious and concerned guy, but just normal and carefree Yoongi.

"And what was your second thought?" he asked with amusement.

"'Fck, he's hot'."

And an anew fit of laughter errupted from his lips and he threw his head back as he held his stomach. And Soyeon playfully hit his arm, stifling a laugh.

"I mean it!"

"I know, I know," he said in between as the chuckles became deeper and quieter. Pinching his nose they eventually dyed down and he held her gaze with a gentle smile then. "And I meant what I said as well."

Nodding, she gave him a smile as well. Thankful of him reminding her again that those comments from back then didn't matter anymore and perhaps never had. "I know."

And for the rest of the day, they did what they had intended to. Spending the day together, just like normal people would.

They played cards, arguing over who won as he kept winning. Making Soyeon complain that he'd be card counting to which Yoongi promised he didn't, although he could. Mentioning the countless times the gang had gambled in casinos around the world. And she'd listen to his stories in awe, asking for more. And they cooked or rather he did and she was just assisting. And they watched a film cuddled on the couch. And they kissed. And they laughed some more. And they kissed some more. And they made out. And eventually, they fell asleep in each other's arms only to wake up again from the nap and do it all over again.

They did everything two lovers would. But they weren't lovers.

It hurt. But that was how things were. For the moment, at least.

So they were happy about having that one day, where they could at least pretend.

And at the end of the day they laid in bed and he held her in his arms, fingers dancing over her smooth skin in an attempt to sooth his thoughts running wild. Pensive eyes resting at the dark ceiling above them and focusing on the warmth her body was providing under the covers. Feeling her heavy eyes fluttering close with her cheek pressed against his chest. His heartbeat in her ears lulling her. And as she drifted off to sleep, her smaller hand subconsciously gripped his shirt to prevent him from disappearing the next morning, although she knew he would.

"Goodnight, Yoongi."

"Goodnight, angel."

»»»

When Soyeon's alarm went off on monday morning she woke up to an empty bed. Only now she knew he wouldn't appear with nothing but a towel and a polaroid camera again. She knew he had indeed left this time. And her chest ached, despite her knowing he had to.

The only evidence of the past weekend not having been a delusional dream was a piece of paper from her notepad she found on the nightstand. Her lips curled into a sad smile when picking it up. Heart full and yet so empty.

"I'll come back, I promise."

»»»

Kyoto, Japan

Jimin opened the door with a beaming face when seeing Yoongi standing there in front of their hide-out. A known tired look on the older guy's face after hours on the road and that in disguise.

Even after so many years he still despised it because of how warm it could be under those masks. And then having to take the plane to Osaka and from Osaka the train to Kyoto.

And on top of that he had to leavd Soyeon behind.

Naturally, he wasn't on his best mood. And Jimin could tell but that didn't keep him from giving him a welcoming hug and pulling him inside where Taehyung was currently slurping on a big portion of instant ramen.

Brows raising from over the cup when seeing their friend.

He quickly stuffed the last noodles inside his mouth before swallowing and throwing him a wide grin. "Took you long enough, how was it at your parents'?"

"Good," Yoongi simply nodded, letting his bag and katana slide from his shoulders he left them aside before joining him on the couch. He didn't feel like going too much into detail but overall it had been good. The whole weekend, in fact. And he had to bite back a smile. "So what's the plan?"

"Well," Jimin appeared from behind them, jumping over the couch's back and landing next to him in a swift move, "We already checked out that dude's mansion last night."

"Quite the fancy place," Taehyung mused nodding, "Newest security systems and stuff."

Yoongi hummed, tapping his finger on his knee. Nothing that they hadn't expected already. "I'll go check it out tonight as well. You guys got the blueprints?"

"Not yet, I'll get them by tonight though," Jimin assured him while picking up his own cup of warm noodles that he had left on the table. Digging into it. "You know I ain't going there on Friday if I don't memorise every corner."

Yoongi's gaze wandered between his two friends for a moment, dragging a sigh then. Maybe it was simply his mind being tired, but from the information they had gathered on the men inviting them, this might be a whole different level of their previous adventures. "You think we can make it?"

Jimin and Taehyung simultaneously paused eating, frowning at him.

"We always make it."

"And besides, we got an advantage."

The older guy arched a curious brow at this. "Which is?"

Jimin smirked with a wink. "They only know of me and Tae since we were the ones crashing the party." The noodles slid from his chopsticks as he pointed them at Yoongi. "They don't know about you."

Taehyung leaned forward, joining in with a smirk. "So we still got an ace up our sleeve."

Yoongi's eyes widened, not having thought about that. "You sure about this? They might know about me after all?"

"I'm always sure about the things I say," Jimin huffed with mock-offence. Redirecting his attention to his ramen.

And Yoongi smiled with a nod. His eyes falling on the polaroid photo he slid out from his pocket.

Perhaps he'd be able keeping his promise after all.

»»»

next chapter: 1.8 here

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