#<- code for clumsy ass bitch

[bitchybylershipper]

guess who got a nasty cardboard cut on its first day downstairs doing regroup 😑

[cinellieroll]

☆ random obey me headcanons!

lucifer, mammon and simeon ♡

part two (asmodeus, levi, barbatos)

part three (beelzebub, belphegor, solomon)

part four (satan and diavolo)

cw: a few spoilers ahead from the main story! also one SLIGHT nsfw on simeons part???

small note: i only started writing on tumblr now so idk much on how ppl do those line thingies on the words and then it teleports to a diff post so if anyone knows how to do it please teach me! thank you :3

☆ lucifer:

- generally has a thing for turtlenecks. if you open his closet you'll see a bunch of turtlenecks in there. lucifer is a very conservative man after all.

- speaking of closet, he definetely has a color code for his clothing. blacks, reds, navy blues, anything dark

- you'll never catch him wearing anything revealing. especially his legs. man keeps em hidden.

- has a very sensitive nose. he always scolds mammon and asmo for wearing such strong cologne. he has great sense of smell in general (the bitch can smell anything) and automatically knows when trouble is near.

- EXTREMELY petty when he doesn't get his morning coffee. if he misses a day without it an extra line will appear on his forehead.

- gifts you souvenirs when he enters the human world. claims he's here for business because diavolo told him but we all know that's not the only reason why he came up there.

- he doesn't like writing with modern pens and only settles with quills. he still has his old quill from the celestial realm and keeps it hidden somewhere.

- almost gave head pats to luke once.

- his nose is FUCKING BEAUTIFUL and his side profile too. he has a nose bump for sure and i will die on this hill.

- he's not a big fan of creamy foods like carbonara or anything with cream in general. if he's eating sweets he prefers the icing to be less flavorful. what do you expect? he's a black coffee lover after all.

☆ mammon:

- room is always a fucking mess, but he cleans when he procrastinates so if you ever enter his room and he's all quiet and cleaning just don't disturb him for a while.

- buys bootleg merch for levi for no reason. one time he found this cheap ruri chan stuffy on sale for like 150 grimm and decided to buy it.

- has fucking shit hand writing bro. sometimes it's small, sometimes it's big but most of the time it's ass balls. like why does your k and h look the same?

- he cracks his knuckles and joints often and can't go without a day doing it atleast once. it's kinda hot tbh lol

- when he's in a happy mood he'll sing in like a high pitched way. idk how to explain it but i just see him doing that especially when he's on cooking duty

- sleeps really late he could almost rival levi on it. surprisingly his eyebags aren't that visible though.

- has really pretty features like long eyelashes, plump lips and visible collarbones. eat your heart out asmo xoxo

- convinced himself he'll never ever like or listen to human world songs until he heard you blasting some music in your room. he was singing that song in his head for days on end but refused to ask you what the title was

- he's a very clumsy guy and often drops small things especially during class like his ballpen, eraser or that pack of bubblegum lucifer ended up confiscating

- before you arrived, he liked to vape or juul when he's stressed or felt lonely but now he only spends his time thinking of you when he feels down.

☆ simeon:

- when he turned into a human he had thoughts of becoming a teacher in christian education but realized it's better if he owned a cafe instead.

- he sometimes joins luke during his baking lessons with barbatos even though he already knows all the steps

- occasionally invites you for sleepovers and buys card / board games for you guys to play with solomon and luke! either he or solomon are always end up being the winners everytime though

- always and i mean ALWAYS willing to teach you something when he knows it. baking, writing, recent lessons, etc

- once the exchange program ended he started writing more and more, especially poetry. and mostly wrote about you and how much he misses you <3.

- started making diary entries after the aftermath of the celestial war.

- during quiet nights, simeon often thinks what it'd be like if he was really close with the brothers.

- his eyes are lowkey creepy sometimes when he looks at you for too long. it's like he's trying to detect every sin you've committed.

- idk why i thought of this but his teeth are literally so pearly and perfect but he doesn't really smile with them in view.

- unintentionally moans sometimes. like when he sits down after a long day you just start hearing a soft "ah~" out of nowhere..

[shiftingdiariesofophelia]

i spend so much energy trying to make/find fun creative things to add to my scripts and i’m not gonna gatekeep, so here’s some of the funniest/weirdest/lowkey best things i’ve added to any of my scripts (that I haven’t talked much about before):

-I can always find things I need.

-Santa is real

-People just??? trust me??? I could genuinely tell someone that world war two was between the australians and canadians and they’d just be like yeah that checks out

-I don’t have allergies bc i hate sneezing

-Every pair of shoes I own are comfy as hell

-My hair can’t get knotted/tangled

-no periods because f that for real

-I always win/I’m naturally good at card and board games.

-Babies/Animals like me and will stop crying/whining/etc. when i’m around.

-cigarettes taste good and aren’t bad for you. i wanna be lana del rey coded so bad i guess

-i will literally never be in a situation where i have to kill someone. (useful for more dangerous drs!!!)

-random beef with the funniest character imaginable. hp dr? me and susan bones are arch enemies. fame dr? me and pete davidson indirect tweet each other all the time complaining. avengers dr? me and the ancient one are fist fighting in the mirror dimension idc

-indestructible things. i am clumsy and stupid i need this in every dr.

-pages don’t rip out of notebooks on accident (this has been the bane of my existence since 9 years old)

-I always have a hair tie when i need one. because you think you won’t need one, and then the second you don’t have it, you need it.

-people don’t smell. lifesaver.

-*random character* knows i shifted but can’t do a goddamn thing about it/doesn’t care and just goes with it. my favorite examples are Shane Dawson (fame dr) and Professor Trelawny (HP dr)

-i can’t get hurt in stupid ways (stubbing toe, tripping, etc.)

-if someone tries to shoot me the gun will literally fly out of their hand lmao (again, useful for dangerous drs)

-i know everyone’s phone passwords

-infinite toilet paper (for dystopia/woods/etc. drs, but could just be useful every day tbh.)

-i’ve always got some kind of out of pocket one liner for when the situation is too awkward

-tattoos don’t hurt (i am a pussy)

-adding random side characters/completely new mfers to my scripts because if i’m constantly around these fine ass bitches i know everything about i might actually have a heart attack

-when someone’s mean to me they get some form of karma in the next 24 hours directly related to how mean they were. call me stupid? enjoy tripping up the stairs. push me over? i hope you enjoy biting into a sandwich only to find the bread is moldy.

there’s probably more but this is just a short list of the first ones i could think of

[coffeeandbatboys]

Hi!!! I'm @bad4amficideas (dirty r18 sideblog because real people know main 😱) Congratulations on your followers🤯

I would like, please and thank you, to request a matchup. Of course if you want to delete this message I completely understand! (In advance, sorry for my English)

I am a woman (going ancient if you follow internet nomenclatures. middle ages welcome back i swear) I'm demiromantic pansexual, who thinks herself as shy and introverted... with a poker, resting bitch face worthy of Crosshair (or a soaked kitten). Depressed, socially awkward, and sometimes really misanthropic -even with my family and I love them-, though people like, always said I'm real kind and sweet, and hardworking ??? 🧐kinda clumsy/akward (not best at self esteem ik). Moody, really stubborn, conscientious, dignified/honorable, loyal, passive agressive, spiteful (...actually I'm a very shy decent girl but I don't recommend touching my people, I cry with rage so I make you feel guilty while I bite you) and when it’s something that I’m passionate about, I’m a force of nature, I feel myself shine and people irl seems to like talk with me about fandom ☺️ I can and will ramble for hours to end. Relaxed I'm a daydreamer, kinda scatterbrainer (some say I think to fast and can't keep up with my mouth) I love read fiction/fantasy/myth at times with romantic touchs, lots of smut and daydream. I collect merchandise expecific plushes *hunting lula atm ❤️‍🔥, damn why i must be european! This is chirithy and courage and lopmon hunting all again... but i got them. Just wait lula, wait 😈😈😈😈*

I am a little alienated from my body because id like it, but I am a ciswoman with Little chest and a lot of ass. long brown hair, freckles 🥰, on light skin and a very pretty 🥰 gray-green eye color, some say blue.

That was very long. A thousand pardons and congratulations again!

Welcome! (And don’t worry, your English is very good).

I’ll let Helena take it over from here 🩷

Helena: hello, friend!

After reviewing the information given, and some conversation with a regular at the shop, I have decided to pair you with Sergeant Sinker of the Wolfpack!

gif by @kamino-coruscant

Sinker was always taught by his non–vode superiors on Kamino that he was property of the GAR and nothing more. So once the two of you are officially together, he can’t get over the fact that you’d choose him. Just the thought makes him fall in love a little more every day.

Sinker has a dry sense of humor, so you can expect some witty banter from him. When you’re not feeling the best, he’ll know when to set the snark aside in favor of helping you. Sinker can be patient when the situation calls for it. It may take a while, but the two of you will begin to enjoy each other’s presence even when it’s just a comfortable silence.

He thinks nothing bad about your clumsiness. If you are to trip while he’s close enough, this man will catch you before you get hurt. And when it comes to self esteem, he has no problem telling you—or showing you—how much he loves you.

He will support you whenever you face a problem that you’re passionate about (and he will have internal heart eyes watching you go after it too). He admires your dedication and loyalty.

After getting to know you and your hobbies, he'll find himself actively seeking out shops that sell plushes and intriguing fantasy books so he can bring one home to you (with the his dad's General's help, of course).

As for your body image, a negative thought will never cross his mind unless you bring it up. He thinks that you’re just as beautiful inside as out. And he will feel so incredibly lucky to have someone like you to love.

Well, here’s his comm link code…I’d stick around for a little while longer but I gotta go—customers lining up!

400 follower celebration at Midnight Oil caf house

[imeverywoman420]

The queen bee “mom friend” was so confusing to me for so long and i blamed myself for being jealous or paranoid or smth with how she acted overly “equal” with boys like no sense of girl code i thought i was a bitch for wondering what was going on....

Them “mom friends” abuse you and put random ass men before you just like real moms do! Its so crazy.

My ex friend would literally act somewhat normal in private and then as soon as we were in public around boys not even boys she wanted to fuck like just. Boys. Constant picking apart my appearance and mannerisms and making “jokes”. The way they do it is so insidious too like they push you into this box where ur like. A genderless child or pet. They dont even consider you a fellow girl. Even if youre girly looking or whatever actually ESPECIALLY if youre very flamboyantly girly and they cant go for your appearance they point our your habits, clumsiness, sexual promiscuity, anything not ladylike and generally try to give you what i can only describe as Cis gender dysphoria. Like im a cis female right how do i have gender dysphoria about not being a “girl” enough.

[exosmutfactory]

Six Phases FINALE Pt 1

Originally posted by sefuns

Who knew it nearly took 6 months to win your heart, and 6 phases for Baekhyun to lose his mind.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  P(1) P(2) | Part 4 P(1) P(2) | Part 5 P(1)  P(2) | Part 6 P(1)  P(2) —– P(3)  P(4) —– P(5)  P(6) ||| ♬♩♪♩ FINALE P(1)✓  P(2) (also on AFF)

networks — @supermwritersnet​ @/bbh-net

pairing — Baekhyun x Riley (OC)

word count — 28k+ (Finale part 1 - [19k] & 2 - [9k])

genre  — ceo! baekhyun, playboy! baekhyun, strangers to lovers, hurt & comfort (heaven knows they need that comfort), slow burn! kinda

[ contains: angst, fluff, smut ]

A/N: Buckle up, loves. Here comes a long one. ♡ Let’s go! (^-^)

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

⏰🌹Six Phases Tag List: 🌹⏰

@to-all-the-stories-i-love @insta1010 @sorrowinblood @bellamendoza @bbhflrt @weirdoome​

I was unable to tag one of you so I’ll DM you from @candyfizzbyun 💗💗💗

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

July is upon us before we know it, bringing forth more of the summer's blazing sunlight and smothering heat. Jenny's birthday is right around the corner, merely 3 days into the hottest month of the year. There's no wonder why she's throwing a party in a venue that has both a beautiful indoors and outdoors setting. The breezy summer-style dress code for the event is a given—and I plan to crash it with my wintry flare.

It's July 3rd, 90 degrees, and I'm strutting down the stone path leading up to the venue in a two piece velvet outfit. The wine color compliments my skin, hugging my body in all the right places. Between the bra-shaped, crop top that ties in the back and my waist-high pants with high slits to reveal my nude colored heels underneath, I feel like the baddest and sexiest woman up in this bitch.

"Riley!" Jenny beams the moment I step through the door, looking stunning in her light blue dress. It's a plain form-fitting dress, but nothing is simple about her wearing it. The light blue material goes well with the ocean hue of her eyes. The sleeveless, spaghetti-strapped fabric that wraps around her beautifully is the shortest dress I've ever seen on her—and Jongdae should feel like the luckiest man alive to see her like this all the time.

Her makeup is done perfectly, highlighting the softness of her round face and sharpening the gaze in her oval eyes. She nearly runs someone over when she comes barreling my way in her black heels with a drink in her hand.

I laugh at her excitement, accepting her hug without hesitation. "Hey, Jen."

"Hey," She smiles, pulling back a little to look at me. "You're early."

A little grin forms on my face; if only she knew. "I didn't want to risk any traffic jams," I explain, smiling more. She's practically buzzing with happiness.

"Ah," She nods, pursing her lips. "Maybe I should have chose a different time-"

"Hey," I place my hand on her shoulder, giving her a look. "Relax. Everything will be fine."

She sighs but nods, her owl-shaped, dangling-earrings sparkling prettily under the warm lights. "I hope no one else gets stuck."

"They won't," I shake my head, adding cheekily, "Especially Chanyeol, he drives like a madman."

"That big oaf," She mutters, a smile back on her face. Her blue eyes meet mine before she takes my hands between hers. "Come, I want to introduce you to someone."

"Oh?" I inquire, raising a brow as she leads me further into the venue. "This isn't one of those matchmaking situations is it?"

"No. Fuck men." She immediately rebukes, fire burning in her eyes. "I'm not dealing with anyone's bullshit. Not on my day."

"Damn straight," I mumble, amused at the disgruntled expression on her face. Jenny and Jongdae are back together—if you can call their last fight a breakup. Witnessing him show up on their doorstep with her favorite chocolate and a new plant to add to their home was a sight to see. He must have done something else for her to react this way though. I can't help but chuckle. Half a year later and he is still tiptoeing around her. That Haneul must be someone significant. My lips downturn at the thought.

"Eunjung! Eunjung!" Jenny's loud voice brings me back to the present. "Ugh, where is that woman?" She grumbles, searching the extravagant room. More partygoers are starting to stream in, filling up the building with every shade of the rainbow and then some. My eyes drift over to the fruit buffet on the long tables in the back when Jenny's eyes widen. "There she is!" She smiles, leading me over to the mini bar on the other side of the room.

I follow her line of sight, my heart dropping in the blink of an eye. It's the same woman I've been seeing around Baekhyun since May. Her once long black hair is now a short brown mohawk, the curly ends perfectly framing her oval shaped face.

"Eunjung, this is Riley." Jenny smiles, gesturing to me. "The wild child I've told you about," She jokes.

"Hello," Eunjung greets in a low voice, smiling warmly. She holds out her hand to me. "I've heard so much about you."

I can only shake her hand and smile back, glaring at Jenny out of the corner of my eye when Eunjung is distracted by the bartender bringing her a drink. "Nice to meet you."

Jenny takes a seat while I survey the room, making sure there aren't any heads of silver hair around. Jongin won't be coming tonight, he's busy preparing dance classes for the elementary students that he'll teach for the upcoming school year, so I keep my head on a swivel. As much as I consider Jenny one of my best friends, her ties with a certain someone cannot be ignored after what happened the last time we went to a party. 

"How's Miss Eunae?" Jenny's question catches my attention, pulling me back into their conversation.

"She won second place in a dance competition last month." 

"Really?!" Jenny gasps and I stiffen.

"Yeah, I couldn't make it." Eunjung smiles sadly, swirling the melting ice in her drink. "Thankfully her girlfriend could. And Baekhyun too."

"Wait," I interrupt, feeling wary when both their eyes focus on me. "You have a twin?"

"Yes. About my height, long black hair." Eunjung sets down her empty glass on the counter. "You might have seen her around before, that woman can't sit still to save her life."

"She has a girlfriend?"

Eunjung and Jenny share a brief, knowing glance before turning back to me. "Yes." Eunjung smiles.

I clear my throat, avoiding their dancing eyes. "Good for her."

"They've been together since high school." Jenny nudges me, a shit eating grin on her face.

"I'll be surprised if they marry before you and Jongdae though," Eunjung raises her hand to get the bartender's attention again. "Chaeyoung is always working overseas."

My chest vibrates. I pull my phone out of my secret breast pocket, tuning out the rest of their conversation.

*

Sat, 07/03 - 7:30pm

Heartbreaker 😑💔😄

Y'all ready?

//

Earth shaker 😝💞😊

Ready as I'll ever be!

//

Heartbreaker 😑💔😄

Kyungsoo?

//

Cake master 🤗🍰🙏🏼

You owe me for this shit

//

♡ ♡ ♡ R ♡ ♡ ♡

I promise to help you bake in his place

\\

…

\\

As long as Dae and Yeol pick up the groceries :')

\\

Cake master 🤗🍰🙏🏼

Chanyeol delivers and Jongdae unpacks

//

I don't trust his clumsy ass anywhere near my produce

//

♡ ♡ ♡ R ♡ ♡ ♡

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

\\

Heartbreaker 😑💔😄

😂

//

Earth shaker 😝💞😊

Hey!

//

♡ ♡ ♡ R ♡ ♡ ♡

Ready guys?

\\

Cake master 🤗🍰🙏🏼

Yes

//

Heartbreaker 😑💔😄

Yeah

//

Earth shaker 😝💞😊

Mmhm >:(

//

♡ ♡ ♡ R ♡ ♡ ♡

Let's go 🤫🎂🚚💨✨🥰

\\

*

I can't help but chuckle, pocketing my phone. When I look up, Jenny is the only one sitting at the counter. "Hey," I frown, noticing the sad look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She mumbles.

"Come on," I rest my hand on her arm, trying to catch her eye. "I can't let the birthday girl mope. You can tell me."

A smile quirks at her lips. "I just…" She sighs, turning to me. "I can't believe Jongdae is busy with work today."

"Awe," mimicking her poked out bottom lip, I nudge her softly. "Well, I guess you're just stuck with me—Deal with it."

"Riley!"

I burst out into laughter, back hugging her when she playfully pushes me away. "Hey, don't lose hope, yeah? He might surprise you."

"No he won't," She mumbles, full on pouting now. "He never surprises me."

"Well," Making eye contact with a certain mischievous brunette on the other side of the room, I tap her shoulder. "Maybe that will change today."

Jenny turns her head and gasps, leaping off of her bar stool. "Chanyeol? Kyungsoo? Jongdae?!?!?!?!"

Everyone in the room watches on with smiles on their faces, but Jongdae's is the brightest of all. "Hey, babe," He beams, opening his arms.

Jenny sprints over to him, colliding so hard with his body that she almost sends them both to the floor. But Jongdae takes it all in stride, holding her close while bellowing that signature laugh of his.

Smiling at them, I quickly walk over to help Kyungsoo and Chanyeol roll in the food cart. "Hey guys, everything okay?"

"We made it all in one piece," Kyungsoo mutters, glancing at the tall dome plate cover. "The cake too."

"Three different chocolates?"

"Mmhm."

"Perfectly symmetrical?"

"Yep," Yeol chimes in.

I grin, "She's going to love it."

"She's going to love you, you mean." Chanyeol sets his shining eyes on me. "How did you even know all this?"

I give him a small, secretive smile, "I have my resources." His grin only widens. "Did the gifts come in today?"

Kyungsoo nods, "Right on time."

"The delivery man showed up just as we were packing the cake into the back of the truck," Chanyeol chuckles, nearly tripping over the edge of a carpet. Kyungsoo and I look at him with our respective wide and narrowed eyes.

"Huh," I purse my lips, nodding in approval. "Now that is some high class two-day shipping." They both hum in agreement, Kyungsoo straightening out the table cloth before they begin to set the cake onto the round table.

"You guys good?" I look between them when they succeed in placing it down. Thank god for that; if that cake falls to the floor that's all our necks.

Kyungsoo nods, "Go on." He gives me a look that's hard to identify. "He's coming too."

"Oh," My heart leaps at the thought. Oh. Shit. He's coming. I should have expected as much, but to actually hear it makes it ten times more real... Shit. "I-Imma just…" I point behind me to the backdoor, slowly walking backward. "You know."

They nod, Chanyeol's eyes holding a hint of sadness. "It's okay. We got everything covered."

"Thank you," I breathe, smiling apologetically. Spinning on my heel, I hurry as fast as my high heels allow to the door. With one last glance back to make sure Jenny is okay, I slip out into the summer night.

Music from within the venue spreads out into the backyard, but it's much quieter out here. I survey the area, making sure no one else is around. Not that I am against anyone being outside, I've just had enough social interaction for one evening… and the night has barely begun.

Sighing to myself, I walk further out onto the patio, my lips quirking up at the light blue cushions on the chairs. Jenny planned this event to the Tee, huh? I chuckle, sighing softly.

The deck is a nice light gray shade, contrasting against the black base of the table and lounge chairs. Running my eyes over them, I hum, choosing to lean against the table instead.

Pain buds in my chest when my thoughts wander. I shouldn't care—I really shouldn't but… Even after everything. Even after all this time, it hurts to think of him with anyone else. The thought of him holding someone in his arms, in his home, in his heart… It crushes me to the core. It eats me up on the inside. It keeps me up at night.

I shouldn't care, yet every time I hear his name, every time I see his face... I go back to that January night, and I regret it every single time.

No matter how hard I try, my head is constantly full of 'what ifs.' What if I stayed? What if he was willing to change? What would we be right now if I hadn't walked away? 

I love—I loved Baekhyun with all my heart…

Can I really move on from this? Will I ever wake up one day and not imagine his sleeping face next to mine?

He could still have someone already for all I know, but for tonight… I rather tell myself that he is alone.

Leaning my elbows on the patio table, I watch the sunset, admiring the pink and orange hues streaking across the blue sky.

"You're staring."

"I love admiring art."

"So I'm an object now?"

The unmistakable love in his sparkly brown eyes… "You are the source," He pauses, holding my heart in his warm smile, "Of my love and affection."

My heart squeezes in earnest. God… why does this hurt so much? Why do his words linger in my mind and actions take hold of my heart? When will it end? When will it fucking end—

"Miss?" A low, raspy voice startles me.

I spin around, staring at the culprit with narrowed eyes. They widen as I take in the man in front of me.

The first thing I notice is his sharp jawline, leading up to his thin lips that curl up at the ends, reminding me a little of Jongdae. My eyes trail up further, taking in his tall nose with a rounded tip, his prominent cheekbones and narrow eyebrows. His slicked back, brown hair shows his broad forehead, and then—

His eyes…

They are the darkest shade of brown that I've ever seen, their almond shape perfectly suiting the rest of his face. They appear black in the dim light of the setting sun. Looking into them has me feeling many things, wondering what story those dark pools of molten hot coffee hold. 

"Are you alright?" He asks, his low voice in a husky tone that I'm slowly getting used to hearing… until I feel the drop that lands on my cheek.

"Oh—yeah!" I inwardly curse, hastily rubbing the tear from my cheek. "I-It's just, you know... allergies."

He nods and I cringe on the inside because I know he can tell that I'm completely bullshitting him right now. "What are you doing out here?" He inquires, tilting his head. His tone of voice isn't judging or hostile, it's more… caring. And sweet. I wish I could read his eyes though...

"Needed a breather," I shrug, repositioning myself in a more attractive manner. I am not about to let some stranger see me hanging out back here like a socially awkward potato on top of everything else—I refuse. "You?"

"Business call," He murmurs distractedly, repocketing his vibrating phone.

"Oh," I inwardly roll my eyes. Right. As if I don't have enough business men in my life.

"The Tech team found a corrupted file," He sighs, checking his expensive gold watch. "They don't know how bad it is yet… The film might have to be delayed."

Film? I perk up at that. "You help film movies?"

He smiles, glancing up at me, a lock of hair falling over his eye. "I'm the director."

A very casual one at that; I note, taking in his outfit. He's decked out in a light blue denim jacket and a white t-shirt, but I know those aren't cheap. Nope, I've seen enough of Baekhyun's cotton shirts to—

"What's the theme?" I blurt out, curling my hand into a fist as I lean further back on the table. "Classified information?" I raise a brow, smirking at his speechless face.

"Aish…" He closes his mouth, smiling a little. "Something like that."

"Eh," I shrug, smiling softly. "I can respect that."

The temperature suddenly starts to drop. A chilly wind blows, ruffling the ends of his hair. The scent of something I haven't encountered before reaches my nose. Bourbon and vanilla; citrus and peach... It's hard to describe, but it creates an aroma that catches my attention.

"What's your name?" I tilt my head, my eyes widening at the sparkle that reflects in his dark eyes from the last rays of the setting sun.

His eyes widen before he points to himself. "Me?"

"Who else, silly?" I laugh, holding back a snort, a smile tugging at my lips at the sheepish look on his face. He's pretty cute, I'll give him that.

He clears his throat, looking away. "Jackson."

I fight back my smile seeing how flustered he is. "I'm Riley." A thought occurs to me for a moment… What is a business man—director doing here? This is an invitation-only event, and I helped Jenny painstakingly arrange the guest list... "How do you know Jenny?"

"Hmm?" Jackson blinks, flickering his eyes back to mine. "Oh!" He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "She's an old friend."

"Oh," My eyes narrow in the last rays of sunlight.

"We kept in contact after her and Yugyeom split," He explains, and the apologetic expression on his face has my eyes widening again. Did he just see through me? Uh—Wait.

"Oh my god, Yugyeom?—Kim Yugyeom?"

"Yes…" He trails off, looking me over carefully. "Do you know him?"

Do I know him? My reddening cheeks are enough of an explanation. "Not really," I laugh awkwardly, standing up fully. Alright, I've had enough human interaction for today. Between him, the discovery of Eunjung's twin not seeing Baekhyun, meeting someone who is friends with that tall guy I was drooling over months ago, and having to keep Jenny's birthday surprise a secret all week, I'm drained. Time to go—

A crack of thunder echoes across the sky, and then the bottom drops, rain drenching us in seconds.

Well shit… Did none of us check the weather for today? I rack my brain for answers, trying to remember—oh... Oh. Jenny… likes… thunderstorms…

The rain continues to pour, soaking my velvet outfit and flattening my hair without remorse. It won't melt me, but the venue is a city away from Seoul and if I don't hurry home now...

"Well!" I turn away to hide the bitter smile on my face, pushing off of the slippery table. "Time for me to go. Nice meeting you, Jackson."

"Wait-"

I puff up my cheeks, blowing the air out as my hair sticks messily to my forehead. Fighting the urge to brush it back is difficult, but if there's one thing I know about my hair when it's wet, it's the agony that comes with ruffling it up. I rather not cry while detangling it when it's air dried later—

A yank on my arm makes me yelp, my head slamming into something hard when thunder cracks across the sky again, followed by the horrifying crackle of lightning. My head snaps up, eyes squinting against the onslaught of rain. I can barely make out Jackson's face, his features twisted in concern with his hair mattered to his forehead like a mop. The sheer amount of fear in his wide eyes has me more than confused. I take a look around, my heart stopping right in its tracks.

The doorknob of the back door sizzles, steam floating from it in a cloud of smoke. The crack from a lightning bolt visible as the rain washes the spark away.

My face pales when I look back up at the man in front of me.

Jackson steps back, steading me with his hands on my arms when my knees buckle. "Sorry," He clears his throat. "I tried to warn you but-"

"Thank you," I mumble, moving away when I find my balance again. "That could have been…" My head spins at the thought, "Bad."

He nods with a concerned frown, worry written all over his handsome features.

"...Well!" I clear my throat, giving him a small smile. "Thanks again for saving me, stranger." I joke, my eyes shooting down when I feel something rough shielding my shoulders from the rain. "Oh-" They snap back up to meet his, "You don't have to-"

"Keep it." He shakes his head, placing his denim jacket fully on my shoulders. "You're shivering."

"I…" My face is so hot the rain does nothing to cool me down. "Thank you."

Jackson smiles, shoving his hands into his pockets. "No problem." He starts walking backwards, glancing up at the sky before propping open the back door with his leather boot.

"Wait!" I blurt, blushing all the way up to my ears when he looks back at me, having to raise my voice over the unmerciful wind. "H-How will I return it without your number?"

A shy yet boyish grin forms on his face. "Not here."

"Huh?" I blink.

Jackson smiles even more, holding the door open before giving a little bow and outstretching his hand to me. "Ladies first."

A dozen thoughts race through my head while looking at his waiting hand, the action so familiar my heart tugs painfully in my chest. Smiling my prettiest smile, I place my palm in his.

•••

I forgot how refreshing it is to talk to someone new. Stepping out of my comfort zone to get to know a person outside of my friend group—an attractive person at that.

Texting Jackson is a treat. He's a man of high intellect, giving me great advice with years of director experience under his belt. The most shocking thing is that he is only 24—24! Two years older than me. He breaks my dating rule of pursuing anyone less than 4 years older than me, but his maturity makes up for it. Age doesn't define maturity as I have come to realize after a certain someone.

He's super sweet too. We haven't been able to see each other in person since Jenny's party last month, but a day hasn't gone by where we haven't texted. And boy does he text—the most flustering things that is. Jackson has a way with words that makes my heart squeeze in giddiness and me hide behind my hand while peeking at my screen.

He laughs at all of my jokes; he sends good morning and goodnight texts without fail. If nothing else, he is a great conversationalist who would make an even better companion, and I can't wait to see him again. I have a denim jacket hanging up in my closet to return, after all.

A knock on my office door brings me back to the present. I blink a few times, carefully reading over the email I've been working on for the past 20 minutes. "Come in," I permit, glancing at the time. The sight that greets me on the other side of the door when it opens stops my typing in its tracks.

Ms. Kim Eun, the newly appointed book editor, steps into the room, setting off my internal warning signals. Her outfit matches the company dress code, that isn't the problem here. No, it's the sheer amount of dread, sorrow, and fear coming off of her shuffling body in waves. "You asked to see me, Ma'am?" She inquires in the most broken of tones. A fragility I know very well.

"Yes." Saving my progress on the computer, I beckon her over with a reassuring smile. "Please, have a seat."

She slowly walks further into the room, sitting down in one of the leather chairs.

"Ms. Kim," I start as tentatively and professionally as possible, lacing my fingers together on top of my desk. "It has come to my attention that you have been behind on editing the book."

"Oh..." She mumbles, fidgeting with the purse in her lap. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

"I understand you might have other obligations and factors outside of work," I continue, reading her steadily panicking face like a book, "But we don't have a lot of time to get this novel done. We're on a tight schedule here."

"C-Can…" Her eyes lift from the purse in her hands, still holding onto it for dear life. "Can you do it for me?" She whispers.

I let out a short laugh. "No." Her eyes shake as my face hardens. "You were appointed as editor 3 weeks ago, correct?"

She nods, fear glimmering in her wide eyes.

"Your job is to edit the book," I remind her, my lips pressed into a thin line. "That's what you get paid for, that's your responsibility."

"But-"

"If I could do it myself, I wouldn't need to hire you." Her bottom lip starts to tremble; she's about to break. "If you can't do the job, I'm going to need you to put in your 2 weeks," I slide the slip of paper across the desk, "In early. Unless you can get half of the book done by Friday."

"T-That's only 3 days," She gasps, her voice wavering. "I can't-"

"You've had nearly a month in advance to work on it as an Intern." My voice lowers, "I'm sure you have plenty of time to catch up in-"

"I can't!" She wails loudly, hiding her face in her hands. "I-I'm not qualified for this position. I'm just a high school graduate with inside connections." She sobs, the dam of her built up emotions spilling over. "I didn't even finish English 12 with an A."

My clenched jaw ticks. I know she isn't faking it; she's been off for the past two weeks. It's her lack of sharing this important information that is getting to me. If she isn't qualified to take over the editing position, why the hell is she—my eyes widen and then narrow. Mrs. Park.

Looking at Eun, I finally understand. Her bowed head, slouched shoulders, and quiet hiccups dawning on me as clear as day.

"My boyfriend c-cheated on me with my best friend." She croaks sorrowfully. "He said that I deserved it, t-that I made him do it from working late all the time." She runs a hand through her hair, laughing brokenly, her tears leaving a trail of inky black mascara in their wake. "My editing isn't good anyway."

Reaching across the desk, I offer her my box of tissues. "I know how you feel," I mutter, keeping my voice even. "You feel lost, broken and tossed aside as if a part of you is gone." She nods, sniffling while smearing the makeup under her eye. "You ask yourself how you will ever move on from it." Leaving the box on the edge of the desk, I meet her eyes again. "But you will move on." The conversation I had with Jongin in the studio that day comes to mind, quirking a small smile on my lips. "You will wake up one day and not think of them. As long as you want to. You shouldn't stay stuck on someone who has hurt you." 

Tucking the resignation document into a drawer, I turn my sleeping computer back on. "You are worth more than how they've treated you, but you have to decide that for yourself."

"O-Okay," Eun sniffles, wiping her face. A couple tissues fall out of her hand, but her tears have stopped.

"Good." I lean back into my rollable leather chair with a stretch, smiling softly. "Let's settle this. Make me a list of your strengths and weaknesses."

Her wide eyes snap back up to mine. "I-"

"Now."

"Damn, Kyungsoo, how many of these cakes do you need in a day?" I sigh, my hands cramping up. We've been at it for hours, baking desserts at his restaurant because today is a national holiday. Funny how he let all his workers take the day off and here I am handling enough flour to make me sneeze in Jongdae's place.

Kyungsoo doesn't even look up at me, continuing to knead the dough in his hands. "I'd give an estimate but I don't want to overwhelm you."

I'd dramatically flop down into a chair if I wasn't molding a ball of my own dough, so I just groan instead. "You're killing me over here."

"Who offered to help me bake in Jongdae's place?" He raises a brow, shaping the churro in his hands with precession.

"It was all for the good of Jenny's last minute birthday cake!" I whine, starting to place a hand over my heart until I remember the torment I went through last time I got cake batter on this floral shirt. "Have you no heart?" I pout, giving him puppy eyes.

Kyungsoo slowly raises his head and I quickly get back to shaping the fancy doughnut in my hands without a word.

"So," I clear my throat, smiling sheepishly. "Did Dae and Yeol deliver everything okay?"

"They were late." Kyungsoo neatly arranges his perfectly shaped churros onto a tray, sliding them into the preheated oven. "Any later and the milk would have gone bad."

"Yikes," I wince, reaching to rub the back of my head only to pause mid-way, stopped by the wet flour sticking to my hand. "I should have helped more."

"Chanyeol would have slowed down to not give you motion sickness and then the cheese would have gone bad too." He points out.

"You sound a bit grumpy today," I note softly, glancing over at him again. "Did Chanyeol do something?" Kyungsoo starts another row of churros, staring blankly at me as he almost crushes the long sticks in his hands. "Okay, okay! I'll drop it, no need for the third degree. Spare the churro's life, please..."

"I'm going to ban him from my restaurant, I swear." He grumbles under his breath.

"At least he offered to help," I mumble, setting the last doughnut onto the non-stick pan. "How many more you got for me?" I ask, dusting off my hands.

Kyungsoo comes over to take the tray off of the counter. "None."

I raise a brow. "That's it?"

"No," He slides it in with the baking churros. "I'm sending you home."

I frown, "Why?"

"You're loud, chatty and keep dripping flour all over my floor." He deadpans. "And you're falling asleep."

Gawking at him for a few moments all I can do is huff. "I am not-"

"You're gonna get cake batter in your hair."

I flinch, putting my hand down at once. "Are you really kicking me out right now?" I mumble, blowing annoying strands of hair out of my eyes. 

"You're fired." He wipes his clean hands with a towel and walks back over to turn on the sink for me. "Now go home and sleep."

"I don't even work here!"

He gives me a look.

"Alright, alright," I mutter, scrubbing flour from under my nails. "Fine. I'll be out of your hair-"

The chime on the door of the restaurant rings, capturing my attention. I crane my neck around to see who the hell is coming in here when there's obviously a "CLOSED" sign out front and it's freaking 9pm. My face pales at the black baseball cap and leather jacket figure stumbling through the door. I tug on the sleeve of the busy man next to me. Um, Kyungsoo-

They pull their hat off before they reach the middle of the restaurant, revealing a familiar flushed face and unmistakable silver hair.

Oh fuck no.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Kyungsoo," He mumbles, his head down while approaching the counter. "I got held up at the office and the traffic was-" His head snaps up just as I contemplate ducking out of view. "R-Riley…?" He whispers, his face paling. He looks like he's seen a ghost and I can't imagine I'm doing any better.

"You're late." Kyungsoo deadpans, busying himself with washing the used baking trays and utensils in the sink.

"I…" Baekhyun steps closer and I feel like I'm going to throw up. My heart isn't in my throat at this point, it's somewhere lost between my nose and my gag reflex.

"Have you been drinking?" Kyungsoo finally looks up from the spatula in his hands, his eyes narrowing at the lack of response.

Baekhyun's red face glows brighter under the harsh kitchen lights. He purses his lips, "No-"

"Where's your car?" Kyungsoo demands. "I'm not letting you drive."

"Kyungsoo, I'm fine," He rolls back on the heels of his feet, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "You have an important client coming in tomorrow-"

"I don't care who the hell is coming tomorrow." Kyungsoo cuts him off, full-on glaring at him now. His normally calm voice growing deeper with anger by the second. "I'm not letting you drive-"

"I'll take him home," I mumble, shrinking in on myself when both their eyes snap over to me.

Kyungsoo frowns, "Riley-"

"I'm taking him home, Kyungsoo." I cross my arms, shaking my head at the disapproving expression on his stern face. "You have a huge event tomorrow, you sent your staff home, and your kitchen is covered in cake batter," I list off of my fingers, daring him to say another word. "His apartment is on the whole other side of town. I think we both know what's the best course of action here."

Kyungsoo stands there silently for a long moment, but I don't back down, merely arching a brow. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" He softens, not even acknowledging the other man in the room.

"Yeah." I smile, uncrossing my arms. "I know I'm a disaster with a knife but I know how to drive, Kyungsoo. You got to give me some credit here."

"Alright," He chuckles, smiling a little before shifting his eyes back to the man on the other side of the counter. "Don't cause her any trouble, you hear me?"

Baekhyun's dazed eyes widen, "I-"

"If you mess with a single hair on her head," Kyungsoo continues, lifting the butcher knife in his hands. "Say goodbye to your kids."

"I-I won't fucking!" Baekhyun tangles a hand in his messy hair, sucking in a deep breath. "I'm walking home."

"Oh no you aren't," I rebuke, rounding the counter.

He grits his teeth, spinning around on his heel, "I'm-"

"Yah, Baekhyun." Kyungsoo's deep voice cuts through the air.

Baekhyun freezes up, looking over his shoulder with wide eyes. "Y-Yes?-"

"Take this." Kyungsoo starts, slamming a couple bags full of food to his chest. "Shut the fuck up and let Riley take you home."

"I-" Baekhyun shakes his head, "I can still catch the bus. There's no need-" His face drains of color when he meets Kyungsoo's eyes again. If looks could kill, he'd be 6 feet under.

Kyungsoo turns back to me then, "If he gives you a hard time, call me, okay?"

"Yes, Kyungsoo," I immediately agree, fearful of his sour mood as well. Note to self: angry Kyungsoo is scarier than angry Jongin.

"Good," He grumbles but smiles, patting my arm before walking back to the kitchen. "I'll save some of the churros for you."

"Thank you!" I beam at him, waving until he walks into the backroom. My smile doesn't fade, my cheeks starting to hurt until I feel a certain someone's stare on the back of my head. Oh shit.

Slowly turning around, I drag my eyes up to look into the most beautiful puppy eyes in the world, my heart going into overdrive.

"Hey," Baekhyun whispers.

A sad smile quirks on my lips, "Hi." Sighing a little, I take a look around, hanging up my apron and retrieving my hidden purse from the back of a chair at one of the extravagant dining tables. "Let's go."

Baekhyun nods, following me out of the restaurant. I open the door and hold it for him until he reaches the doorstep. We may not be on good terms, but that doesn't mean I'll just let a door slam in his face.

…

I most definitely should have let that door slam in his face.

Shaking off my aggressive thoughts, I take a deep breath and power walk to my car, shivering in the cold wind. It's the middle of July and a tropical storm has blown in, bringing its cold rains and chilling nights with it. Trust Seoul to have these extreme temperature changes, I should have kept my ass back in the South.

Baekhyun doesn't say a word as we make it to my red Porsche. I unlock the car when we are a few feet away, rolling my keys around my fingers. "Hop in, Byun."

He climbs into the passenger seat and by now the silence is killing me, but I shove it down. I'm here to drive him home and that's it. No more, no less.

Sighing inwardly, I settle into the driver's seat. "Buckle up," I mutter, looking at him out of the corner of my eye. "You may be more likely to survive a car crash in your drunken stupor but I sure as hell am not getting a fine for your ass."

I swear I hear him mutter, "of course," under his breath.

"What was that?" I pointedly widen my eyes, looking directly at him.

"Nothing." He grumbles, keeping his eyes facing forward.

"I thought so," Making sure he's strapped securely and checking my rearview mirror, I stick the key into the ignition and pull out of the parking lot.

Driving to Baekhyun's apartment feels so surreal, for many reasons. Never in our relation—our previous relationship have I driven him anywhere. I never dared to get behind the wheel of his Audi, that car is too expensive. If I had wrecked it and looked at the cost to fix or replace it, combined with the look of pure rage that would be on his face from me crashing his baby, I would die. Bad blood or not, I rather not be on Baekhyun's bad side.

My heartbeat picks up the longer the car ride goes on. Fuck, it's getting harder to breathe. I literally have the biggest problem to ever walk into my life right next to me months after I swore to never speak to him again. Why did I agree to this? What was I thinking? 

No. No time for that, I'm going to drop him off at his apartment and continue moving on with my life. That's why I left him in the first place.

"...Riley?" He speaks up a few streets away from his house, his voice the softest I've heard in a while.

Nope. Don't engage. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel.

"Can… Can we talk?" He continues, sounding sadder by the minute. "Please?"

"We're ten minutes away, Baekhyun."

"I…" The bags rustle in his lap as he sighs. "I knew this would happen."

"What?" I glance sharply at him at the next red light.

Baekhyun looks down at his hands with the most pitiful expression on his face, tears building in the corners of his eyes under the bright city lights. "I knew you would hate me."

Oh my fucking—My heart squeezes painfully in my chest. I want to roll my eyes and launch myself out of the car window at the same time. "Stop bringing it up, Byun." I mutter, focusing back on the road. "It's a thing of the past. Let it die there."

"Yeah," He laughs, his voice raw with emotion. "Like my heart the night you left me."

I clench my jaw, taking a deep breath, inwardly cursing the hectic late night traffic. Come on, fuckers, I need this man out of my car asap.

"You don't even want to talk to me about it." He continues, growing more frustrated and louder by the minute. "You don't even want to see me-"

"Of course I don't, Baekhyun!" I snap, whipping my head around to face him. "After all the shit you've done I have every right to not speak to your smug fucking face again."

"Smug?" He laughs weakly. "You think I enjoyed what happened to us?"

"Yep," I chirp, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn pale. "There's no other explanation for why you are in my car right now."

"You insisted for me to be here." He fires right back. "You break up with me, hang out with all my friends, then act like a cold hearted bitch every time you see me."

"It takes one to know one, Baekhyun." I jab right back, curling my upper lip in a cruel smile.

"Yeah," He scoffs, crossing his arms and facing the window. "I'm sure you know that very well."

"If you're going to be a whiny little bitch," I start, smiling widely at him, "I will put you out on your ass, Baekhyun."

"Wouldn't you love that," He laughs, anger coming off of him in waves. "You were always obsessed with my ass."

That's it.

Baekhyun yelps when I slam on the breaks, bracing his hands on the dashboard. "Riley, what the hell?!"

"You wanted to talk?" I make sure the curb of the street I pulled onto is clear before facing him with a grin. "Huh? You want to talk now?" Baekhyun shrinks further into the passenger seat when I lean over him. "Fucking say it to my face then, you bastard." I snarl. "Go on. Give your little practiced speech."

Baekhyun parts his lips a few times, making my rage raise even more—"I miss you." He mumbles sadly.

I blink, staring at him. "...What?" I chuckle, growing wary as he keeps giving me those kicked puppy dog eyes. "What the fuck are you on about, Baekhyun-"

"I miss you." He repeats. "I miss your voice, I miss your eyes, I miss waking up to your sleeping face next to mine." He takes a shaky breath, tears filling his eyes. "I miss your strawberry scent on our pillows. I miss your loving words. I miss you complaining about my random ramblings and shutting me up with a kiss… I miss everything about you." He drags his eyes back up to mine then. "I miss you so much I wake up every day and fall apart when I remember that you aren't there."

Sucking in a breath, I look away from him, my anger long forgotten. I… I don't know what to say. "You…" A lump forms in my throat. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to restrain my wobbling chin.

Baekhyun keeps his eyes on me, pleading with me with their sad, brown depths. He doesn't expect the slap I land on his pretty face.

"You fucking bastard," I mutter lowly, shaking in anger, the last of my sanity flying out of the window. "You don't get to come in here and say all this fucking bullshit when you couldn't even tell your fucking mother that you were dating me!" I scream, my vocal chords pulling harder than my heart strings. "You were dating me, living with me, loving me, fucking me-" I laugh, throwing my hand out to show off the car. "For a whole year. Then you come here with your pretty, pitiful little empty words and expect me to forgive you? Really? You really think so little of me?"

"Ri-"

"Did you not get it the first time?" I ask in the sweetest of tones, my Southern accent out on full display. "Huh? You told your dear mother about us then suddenly come running back after me? Did having her approval feel that good little puppy?"

Baekhyun's face burns a dozen different shades of red, but I'm not fucking done yet.

"Here comes the man who was so overcome with jealousy over my best friend that he pretended to fuck another whore at his party," I list off on my fingers, my voice growing louder with every word I fire at him."Here goes the man who accused me of fucking Jongin because I wanted to be left alone at a mother fucking party. Here sits the man—who had the audacity to cheat on me not once, but twice!" My lips curl up into the ugliest sneer, glaring at Baekhyun hard enough to kill. "And here lies the cowardly man who will lie like a pig in mud for the rest of eternity as far as I am concerned."

I'm huffing and puffing by the time I'm done, not even waiting for him to say anything before starting back up again. "You know I never and would never have cheated on you, right?" I ask, lowering the volume of my voice. "If I didn't want to be faithful to you, Baekhyun, I would have been with someone else. I don't pull stunts to be petty and shit. If you didn't know that about me now, you're a fucking idiot, and if you don't believe me, then I don't know what to tell you." I shrug, leaning back tiredly into my seat and keeping my eyes forward on the empty road ahead.

"I get that," He says quietly.

A chuckle bubbles in my aching chest. "Do you?" I raise a brow, trying to calm down. "Do you understand how stupid it is to cheat on someone just because you're feeling petty or uncomfortable in a situation-"

"I never cheated on you."

"Ha!" I bark out a laugh. "And I don't have 4C hair." Rolling my eyes, I throw my hands up. "What? So that model at the photoshoot and the lipstick stain on the collar of your shirt wasn't you cheating? Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Really? You really are going to deny-"

"Melody tripped over a sewage drain and that model forced herself onto me." He states firmly. "Neither was consensual or intentional."

Both my brows raise. "Huh. You know, it's real funny how you have an explanation for that now." I roll down my window to cool off, leaning my elbow onto the window seal and my chin in my palm before turning to him again. "Where was this energy months ago?" 

Baekhyun nods. "You're right. I am a coward," He admits, stopping me dead in my tracks. "Dumb enough to not say anything and dumb enough to think that you'd figure it out because I…" He trails off, biting his lips before those teary brown eyes lock onto mine again. Taking my breath away with the endless storm of emotions swirling within them. "With you, I'm like an open book. You always saw right through me, so I thought… I thought I didn't have to say anything," His head drops, looking down at the neat bags sitting at his feet. "And when I did, it was too late."

My eyes narrow. "How do I know you aren't bullshtting me?"

"I have nothing left to lose," He shrugs, smiling sadly.

Anger flares up in me again. "What is that supposed to mean-"

"I already lost you."

My mouth snaps shut, a feeling I haven't felt in months squeezing my heart in earnest.

"Everything you said was true," He mumbles. "All of it. The secrets, the lies-"

"And what makes you say that?"

His ears burn brighter than the red handprint on his cheek. "I'm seeing a therapist."

"Oh—Shit..." A wave of white hot shame falls over me. "Baekhyun, I-I'm sorry-"

"No." He shakes his head before bending down, the paper bags rustling in his grasp. "Don't. You said nothing but the truth."

"That still doesn't make it okay…" I rub the back of my neck, cursing myself inwardly for my anger. I hadn't meant to go off on him, that wasn't my intention—

"It's only fair," He mutters, shrugging weakly. "I've said worse to you."

"I…" I can't help but sigh, at a loss for words. "...I'm proud of you, seeing a therapist takes a lot of courage and self awareness."

"Thank you."

"I'm glad you're doing okay," I mumble.

Baekhyun stiffens up. Suddenly the atmosphere in the car shifts into something more melancholic.

"B-Baek?"

He lifts up his head, revealing his tear-stained face to me. "You think so?"

My heart clenches in anguish. "Baekhyun-"

"After everything you…" His voice breaks. "You think I'm fine? You think I'm okay?" Tears dampen the long strands of silver hair dangling in his eyes. "I haven't slept. I haven't eaten. I haven't breathed—I haven't lived since the day you left." He croaks, sucking in a breath. "So if you think that I am okay, I am not."

I have nothing else to say after that. What can I even say...?

Feeling tears form in my own eyes, I turn the car back on. My mom always taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say nothing at all. And after I slapped him and said all of those things…

I pull off of the curb, hiding my tears away from him. There's nothing I can do but take him home and hope that in the distant future… In a brand new life… He can forgive me for everything I've done to him and move on too.

The rest of the ride is spent in silence. No radio. No cars zooming past. The only thing I hear is his quiet sniffles and the cry of my wheezing heart.

"Thanks for taking me home," He mumbles in the softest of tones, mumbling more to his scuffed up sneakers than to me.

"No problem," I say softly, reaching out to place my hand on his shoulder only to pause, gripping the steering wheel again. "Make sure to take some Advil from the third cabinet on the right, okay?"

Baekhyun nods, hiding under the strands of his messy hair. He scares the hell out of me when his head suddenly shoots up again.

"Baek…?" I whisper, not sure what to do as he starts leaning in. He reveals his face to me up close for the first time in months. Heart-wrenching features that I know so well. The droopy shape of his brown eyes, the soft slope of his button nose, the cute little mole on top of his soft pink, thin lips that are pursed in concentration. For what? I have no idea. "Baekhyun-"

He slams his hand down on the dashboard, making me flinch. "Spider," He mutters, opening his hand to reveal its creepy squished body. I shiver at the sight. "I don't want you getting into a wreck. I know how you hate-" He sighs loudly, shaking his head. "Never mind…"

Yeah… I gulp, forcing a smile. Never mind.

"Travel safely, okay?" He takes his bags of food and steps out of the car, moving to close the door only to pause, meeting my eyes from under the bright city lights. "Goodnight, Riley."

It takes everything in me not to break down right there and then. "Good-" My lips wobble. I clear my throat, brushing my hair back before daring to look into his dull brown eyes again. "Goodnight, Baekhyun."

He smiles so small and sadly, making my heart weep when he closes the door and walks off to enter his apartment building.

I sit there for a few moments, staring out at the busy street ahead. It's so funny… This empty feeling in my chest. It's… It's like I never left…

•••

It's unfair… how much your heart hurts when you're stuck on someone. Realizing that no matter how many times they've hurt you, your broken heart still beats for them… and only them.

No matter how hard I try to deny it, the heart doesn't lie…

Baekhyun… is still a part of me. His scent may have faded, his t-shirts and hoodies are cleared out from my room… but the memory of him lives on in my heart. And I can't get rid of him without breaking myself completely and reforming a "perfect mold" to fit myself in.

Ha… funny how that works. 7 months of moving on has led up to this. Nothing. 7 months, 12 months, or 30 years, Baekhyun's scent can wash off of my skin, but the rest of the world won't let me break the two of us apart. If I am my brain, he is my heart. And you can't live without that muscle pumping steadily in your aching chest.

It's so unfair… because I'm trying my hardest to move on with someone else.

It takes me forever to get ready for my date tonight, and when I do… Something tells me to cancel it. But I can't. Jackson will be busy for the next month and a half. This is the only time in his schedule where he can take me out on the "proper date" as he likes to call it. Which he doesn't have to, I'm not that hard to please. I mean for fuck sake, I haven't had an official date until I was 20. 

I'm not picky about these things, but I ended up agreeing in the end anyway. The sad puppy look on Jackson's face when I tried to decline going to a restaurant to just stay in and watch movies instead still haunts me. Those almond shaped, dark brown puppy eyes… Damn him.

Sighing softly, I carefully apply my eyeliner in my vanity mirror, checking over my appearance one last time and smiling at the result. My lips are the richest shade of red, dark brown, waist-length hair curled to perfection, and the crystal earrings I haven't worn in ages sparkle every time they catch the light. Perfect for my chosen dress for the night.

It's a little something that I've bought recently. A spaghetti strapped, black velvet piece with a cowl shaped neck that shows off a bit of my cleavage, form-fitting all the way down to the V shaped end of the dress. It ends high on my thigh, but I have no plans to go dancing tonight, (for Jackson's sake). It's just enough to make him a little hot under his expensive collar. Especially with the lace strings crisscrossed in the back that are the only thing holding the dress up.

A low buzz makes me jump, startling me out of my thoughts. I fish for my phone in the vibrating purse in my lap. I haven't taken it out since last night… The weight of Baekhyun's unblocked number in my phone is a heavy load... and I only have myself to blame.

My eyes widen at the caller ID on the screen: Him. And I know exactly who he is.

Biting my nails, I weigh my options: answer now and end up canceling my plans or call him back tomorrow... 

…

Would it really be that bad to cancel? No—I can't. Jackson thinks I'm a punctual woman and…

"Always so sweet for me," He murmurs lowly, painting my skin with the shape of his lips.

My breath hitches, mouth going dry as more memories dance in my mind. Skin on skin, hushed whispers, champagne painted breaths...

"Mmm you're so wet," He groans, grazing my clit with his teeth. "Making a mess all over me."

A knock on my door makes me pause, staring down at the buzzing phone in my hand.

7 months without Baekhyun… and it has resorted to this.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck—Fuck!

I power down the phone, toss it back into my bag, pull it onto my shoulder and launch myself out of my chair to open the door before I lose my nerve. The sight that greets me on the other side of the door makes my heart flutter, but…

"Hey," Jackson smiles softly, his dark brown eyes sparkling under the bright lights.

It doesn't take my breath away.

"Hi," I manage a smile, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"You look beautiful," He compliments, his eyes sparkling even more as he looks over my dress before meeting my eyes again.

My smile grows, warmth spreading over my cheeks. "Thank you," I mutter softly, laughing a little. "You're not too bad yourself."

He smiles again, gesturing to me, the shine of his thin gold bracelet reflecting the hallway lights. "May I?"

"Hmm?—Oh!" I gasp, noticing the red and black corsage in his hands. "Y-Yes," I smile shyly, my heart pounding when he holds out his hand to me.

Jackson gently takes my hand, carefully slipping the corsage around my wrist. The caress of his rough fingertips makes a shiver go down my spine, goosebumps left on my skin when he pulls away.

His outfit catches my attention. Normally I'd feel a little shameless for looking at him from head to toe, but after what happened earlier… I can use a distraction.

He's wearing a black blazer with a matching lace turtleneck shirt underneath that gives me a glimpse of his toned skin, making my breath hitch. A golden necklace with a pendant rests in the middle of his chest, making him look so attractive when it twinkles under the lights. And with the way his shirt is tucked into his stylish black jeans… Fuck me ten times over.

My eyes trail further down his body. He has on that expensive gold watch I saw the first time we met and elegant rings on his veiny hands. I forget to breathe remembering how it felt to be held in his strong arms...

Snapping out of my daze, my wide eyes dart back up to his, finding the sweetest of shy smiles on his lips and a pink hue to his cheeks. He just caught me checking him out and he's blushing. Adorable. Clearing my throat, I smile, feeling my own face heat up under his admiring gaze. "Not bad at all."

His soft chuckle makes me feel less embarrassed. Maybe he can tell that I'm nervous… but not what has me so nervous.

Baekhyun's tear-stained face has been haunting me all day and I barely managed to get any sleep last night. His small voice replays in my head and soft spoken words cover my skin. My face heats up and pales at the same time at the reminder of what I was thinking about not even 10 minutes ago. I had a memory of him going down on me for Christ sake! Looking up at Jackson's handsome face, I feel another wave of hot shame. Can the ground please open up and swallow me whole?

"Shall we?" Jackson asks, bring my attention back to him. He offers his elbow to me, waiting for me to lock my arm with his. Another smile forms on my face; I have to suppress a giggle bubbling in my chest. He's so sweet and gentle compared to all the other men in my life. Ugh, my poor heart is racing like crazy.

I lock the door behind me and wrap my arm around his, appreciating the firmness of his bicep as he leads us down the hallway. The taps of our respective shoes echo around the quiet hall while we wait a few minutes for the elevator to arrive. "I'm not taking too much of your time, am I?" I mumble, watching the floor numbers rise to avoid his gaze.

"Hmm?" Jackson hums, his alluring cologne hitting me when he turns his head to look at me.

"Your schedule," I elaborate, glancing at him from under my eyelashes. "I'm not infringing on your work time, am I?"

"No," He shakes his head, holding the metal doors open for me while I walk into the elevator.

"But you said you are in the middle of the most important part of filming and-" I stop, my eyes widening at the warmth on my cheeks.

"Riley." Jackson looks right into my eyes, his rough palms cradling my face. "You are not 'taking too much' of my time, alright?" He mumbles, brown eyes drifting over my features while his thumb swipes over the top of my cheek, leaving a blaze of gentle heat in its wake. "This night is for us."

My heart practically leaps out of my chest the longer I stare into his warm eyes. I break eye contact. "O-Okay," I whisper, smiling shyly.

Jackson smiles, taking my hand when the elevator doors open onto the ground floor. As we walk past the security guard in the lobby, I wonder how I look next to him… He's the same height as Baekhyun, more toned where the latter has softer edges. They both have sharp jawlines, but Jackson's cheeks are more chiseled than squishy like Baekhyun's sweet face—

"Ladies first," His low voice muses.

Lifting my head from my white high heels, I look into Jackson's eyes, realizing that his dark brown eyes don't hold the same tension Baekhyun's does when I am taller than him like this. My shyness aside, with my almost average height and tall heels, I'm a few centimeters taller than Jackson. But instead of finding that spark of insecurity I'm used to seeing in Baekhyun's eyes, Jackson looks at me as if I am the goddess who put the moon in the sky.

Stepping out into the quiet night, I look up at the stars, having to blink a few times when I see a pair of droopy brown eyes staring down at me. No. I shake my head, sighing in frustration. God, why do I see him everywhere I go?

We make our way to the parking lot on the side of the apartment complex. The silence between us isn't striffling like the one I've come to grow wary of over the past year. That piercing void full of held back frustration and heated glares...

A car unlocks in the distance, drawing my attention to a sleek black vehicle when it lights up. A Jaguar, stunning with it's cat-eye headlights and the way the engine purrs to life. The car is honestly mesmerizing, and it suits Jackson well, but my heart tugs painfully in my chest when he opens the passenger door for me and I don't see any red accessory detailing on the inside...

"You look stunning in that dress." He says when he climbs into the driver's seat, his low voice making me feel something deep in my stomach.

"T-Thank you," I blush scarlet, shifting towards the passenger window to hide my red face. It's been a long time since someone has complimented me so genuinely. I haven't felt like this since—

"Are you really that insecure?"

The memory hits me like a punch to the gut.

"You okay?" Jackson asks, his eyes shining with concern.

"Y-Yeah," I whisper, clutching onto my purse. My face hasn't cooled down since I left my apartment and I doubt it will at this rate. Between Jackson's sweet eyes and Baekhyun's teary ones that haven't left my mind, I'm royally screwed. "How's work?" 

Jackson hums. "It's good." He keeps his eyes on the road, pulling out of the parking lot. "The movie is coming along nicely."

Taking a few discrete and deep breaths, I rest my head on my arm, focusing on the low timbre of his raspy voice. "Did the tech team find any more of those files?"

"No." He shakes his head, making a left turn. "Thankfully those were the only ones," He smiles, glancing over at me; the twinkles of excitement and affection in his eyes is hard to ignore. "Now the editing team can take over."

I fight the urge to rest a hand over my heart. "The movie won't be delayed?"

"The movie won't be delayed," He confirms warmly, focusing fully on me at the next red light. His brown hair falls attractively over his forehead, casting a shadow over his dark and expressive eyes. "We'll be ahead of schedule. Everyone worked in advance while waiting for the tech team to sort through the files."

"That's good," I smile, turning my attention to our surroundings streaming past the window.

Jackson navigates us down the long Seoul streets, the city lights reflecting in his dark eyes while he steers the wheel with both hands. He looks handsome under the favor of the moonlight, the headlights of passing cars sparkling across his thin necklace. For a moment I imagine a future—an us. How it would feel to hold his calloused hands and gaze into his adoring eyes. What it would be like to wake up to his face in the mornings. That deep, raspy voice… I shiver at the thought, praying the traffic lights don't show the red hue I feel on my cheeks.

Soft and slow R&B floats from the quiet car radio, caressing my ears with its gentle melodies while Jackson turns his blinkers on. I hum, tapping along to the beat, a smile curling at my lips. It's a perfect song for a summer night like this, adding a calming atmosphere to the intimate space of Jackson's car—

"I love this song."

Baekhyun raises a brow, his eyes focused on the road as he turns up the radio with a smile. "Really?"

"Yeah." He has such a stunning side profile, I could gaze at him for hours. "I listened to a lot of their songs growing up."

"Your parents have great taste."

"Mm." The sunlight reflecting in his brown eyes has nothing on the sparkles of happiness in his shining orbs. "I guess you do too."

I sigh through my nose, shoving down the emotions budding in my chest. No matter how hard I try, memories of him continue to play in my mind. All our romantic mid-day drives and late night talks of a future we thought we had in store… Our shared hopes and dreams that went up in flames before our very eyes.

Next thing I know, Jackson is putting the car into park, the purr of the engine cutting off in exchange for the summer heat seeping in through the pause of the air conditioner.

"You ready?" He looks over at me, the urge to brush his hair out of his eyes hitting me full force.

"Yeah," I smile, curling my hand around the strap of my purse. The giddy smile he gives me in return is so damn sweet I want to cry.

Jackson steps out of the Jaguar and it doesn't take him long to round the car. He opens the passenger door for me before I realize that we've reached the restaurant.

"Thank you," I giggle in embarrassment, placing my hand in the one he offers me with another one of those adorable smiles of his. My heart skips a beat when he presses a kiss to the back of my hand while I step out onto the asphalt. If he keeps this up I'm going to have a heart attack over this softness. What the hell, why aren't there more guys like Jackson in the world? And how the hell has he been single this whole time with him out here sweeping me off my feet like this?

His widened smile and the way his eyes drift over my features has a comforting warmth settling over my beating heart. He leads the way to the restaurant, opening the door for me like the heart-fluttering gentleman he is. He's going all out on winning me over tonight and I'm loving every minute of it.

The smell of freshly baked lasagna and garlic bread has my mouth watering as we make our way up to the counter. I catch a peek at the beautifully arranged, round wooden tables under a romantic lighting in the next room.

"Reservations for Wang." Jackson's voice sounds more firm when he addresses the lady at the counter, a flicker of his director persona flashing across his face. If nothing else, one look at him and you can tell that he's about business—even for a little date like this. A first date too. It's hard fighting my adoring smile.

The receptionist checks on the computer in front of her and looks down at her clipboard, nodding with a polite smile. "Right this way," She gestures to the next room. Her black suit, matching bow tie, and crisp clean, white dress shirt add onto the expensive air of the restaurant. The food is fresh, the atmosphere is dreamy, and every surface shines brightly under the dim candle-lit lights.

The further we walk into the restaurant, the more I have to be sure not to let my jaw drop in awe. Everything about this place is magical, from the happily conversing customers to the beautiful chandeliers in the hallway. The receptionist leads us to a table in a more secluded area, the muffled chatter of the rest of the patrons coming through the velvet walls. "Your water will be out shortly," She sets the menus on the table before taking her leave with a bow.

"Allow me," Jackson murmurs, his words caressing my ear. His cologne washes over me when he walks over to the table, pulling out a chair and waiting for me with the most charming smile on his face. I can't hold my own back even if I tried.

"Thank you," I say warmly, humored and flattered beyond belief. The proximity of his hand to my bare shoulders has a pleasant shiver going down my spine. A flush forms on my face. The man has done nothing but be a gentleman and I'm over here yearning for his touch like a giddy teenager.

Jackson's scent hits me once again when he moves to take his seat. The minty smell of aftershave and a hint of his own unique manly scent has me damn near drooling and we haven't even had appetizers yet. My stomach is building tension and I doubt it has anything to do with the menu.

"How was your day?" He inquires.

I startle out of my horny musings like a cat doused in cold water. Oh shit. "It was alright," I laugh nervously, trying to keep my voice from wavering into that annoying raspy tone it gets when I'm not careful enough. "I turned in my final assignments and am awaiting my test results for the semester." 

A waiter comes to take our order, sparing me a few minutes from having to explain myself. I'm struggling to find words here. What am I supposed to say? "Oh yeah, I spent all day daydreaming about my heartbroken ex and the steamy sex we used to have." I'd die of embarrassment so damn fast. I'm appalled at myself.

"What are you studying?" His dark brown eyes are back on me when the waiter walks away. A flutter stutters in my chest under his attentive gaze.

"Business," I resist the urge to rest my chin on my palm, choosing to swirl my fork around my salad instead. "I'm working on my bachelor's degree. I want to improve my performance at work."

His eyes widen, curiosity painting on his handsome features. "What do you do?"

I smile softly. He's adorable. "I'm the Director at Park's Publishing."

"You work in a publishing house?"

"I manage the 5th floor," I share, a smirk quirking at my lips. The last thing I did this morning before going home around lunch was inform everyone about our busy schedule at the end of the month. "I miss my editing days, not gonna lie." I laugh, poking an olive. "Sorry, work kind of stresses me out."

"No," Jackson shakes his head, smiling softly, "I get it. Taking a group of people under your wing is a big responsibility."

"It's sooo difficult." Sighing, I cross my legs, the back of my heel clicking against the leg of my chair. "Since I'm not directly in charge of editing, I have to guide others and keep reminding myself that I can't do the work for them. They have to learn on their own."

"Same," He nods, swallowing a bite of Italian seasoning drenched tomato and lettuce. "I have to fight the urge to take things over that the marketing and editing teams are supposed to handle." A flicker of annoyance crosses his face, making me smile in understanding. "Good thing I'm not Ceo," He jokes. 

I laugh, thinking to myself: Yeah, thank fuck you aren't one.

When the waiter brings our food, the reminder that I haven't eaten all day stirs in my hungry stomach. I take a bite of my chicken alfredo before it can growl, closing my eyes to hide how they roll back when the gooey goodness of cheese and perfectly boiled noodle hits my tongue. Holy fuck. This food right here is the shit. If I had a meal like this more often, I'd never complain again in my life.

I find myself observing Jackson while he enjoys his own meal. He chews with his mouth closed, neatly cutting his chicken with a fork and knife. The room is quiet with only the soft music playing overhead and the sound of our silverware clicking against the pristine plates.

"I want to wake up every morning to your sleeping face curled up by my side," Baekhyun murmurs, smiling shyly.The red hue of his cheeks endearing under the dim lights. "Your hair products cluttering our dresser and your toothbrush next to mine."

"You really like cucumbers, huh?" Jackson muses.

I jolt out of my thoughts, realizing to my horror that I've been leaning over the table, picking the cucumbers from his salad. "Oh! Y-Yeah," I chuckle, my face burning scarlet. From humor or embarrassment, I have no idea. Probably both at this rate. "You could say that..."

Originally posted by sefuns

August fades seamlessly into September, urging the leaves on trees to change into red, orange, and pretty yellow hues. Gone are the dog days of summer smitting everyone from above. Now the best season of all is coming out to play, and I am all for it.

Skipping down the street in my newest yellow skater dress and nude sandals, I check the GPS on my phone to search for the street that I'm on. Today I decided that walking around aimlessly for hours was the best course of action to clear my mind, and now I've found myself in a part of Seoul that I've never been to before.

The architecture of the landscape around me is something to behold. The windows are cut out squares that only allow light to be seen from within the rooms as the sun goes down, and the buildings are curved this way and that in the most intricate of ways. It surely is a view I wouldn't mind venutring over here to see again sometime. The lively chatter of pedestrians on the sidewalk is refreshing too.

Smiling to myself, my eyes catch sight of a particular building in the distance. I quickly cross the street for a closer look. It's a giant library that looks to be 4 stories tall, showcasing a huge bookshelf on the back wall from the view of the front windows. Highly intrigued, and lowkey smitten, I step inside for a closer look.

The smell of books hits me in an instant, the young and old novels arranged neatly in little bookshelves compared to that mountain of literature on the farthest wall. There's a small cafe serving up delicious muffins to my right and a huge sitting area full of the perfect lounge chairs on my left. Crowds of people make their way to and fro between the aisles without hiccup. There's so much to do that I don't even know where to start.

Walking over to the Romance section, I skim my fingertips along the book covers, aimlessly striding down the aisle until a thin, blue book catches my eye. Curious, I move to pull it out only for another hand to beat me to it. A familiar, slender hand.

I yank my hand back at once. "Dude!" Lowering my voice, I glare at the man in front of me. "Why the hell are you always everywhere? Are you following me around or what?"

"W-What?" Baekhyun's wide brown eyes stare back at me.

"I never thought you'd resort to stalking, Baekhyun." I shake my head, brushing past him, the silver buttons of his waist-length jacket cold against my sun-kissed skin.

"I'm not fucking!" He slaps a hand over his face, exhaling deeply. "I'm not following you around."

"Then why are you here, huh?" I keep my eyes forward, marching into the next aisle.

"Because—will you stop walking away from me?!?!?!"

I freeze, the sheer desperation in his voice roots my feet to the floor. "Why are you here, Baekhyun?" I cross my arms, shivering under the air conditioner overhead.

"Hannam-dong library extraordinaire," He utters, his shadow moving closer as I tense up. "You put it on the bucket list. The one we made together." Hope pours out from his every word, his painfully slow footsteps seeming to stem from the faint memories crowding his mind. "You listed every place you wanted to go and w-we, we never…" He stops when his voice cracks, clearing his throat. "You made a copy by hand so we'd always have it," He mumbles sadly. "I guess it's meaningless now."

Emotions grip at my throat and tears threaten to fill my eyes. I slowly turn around, snatching the book out of his hands. "Give me that." Flickering my eyes up to his hurt-filled eyes, I gesture to the sitting area with my chin. "Follow me."

Baekhyun follows behind me without a word, shuffling his boots noisily on the carpeted floor. I have half the mind to tell him about it until I remember where we are—in a library and in life. Biting my tongue, I plop down into the longest couch available, staring at his nervous figure when he doesn't join me. "Come on!" I snap, throwing a pillow at him that he's quick to catch. "Sit your ass down, I don't got all day." I grumble, opening the blue book. "I came here to read and I plan to do so."

A few moments go by, nothing but the quiet chatter of visitors and the coffee pot whistling on the other side of the room fills the air. Just when my heart drops at the thought of him being gone, a weight sinks down into the couch next to me. I look to see Baekhyun in a grey sweater, his jacket left on the back of the chair. His eyes are closed and neck is bare while resting his head on the back of the couch. Silver locks of hair messily dangle on his forehead, long eyelashes caressing the tops of his cheeks. I frown at the lack of fluff I find there, his mother's words a distant whisper in my ear.

Baekhyun makes me jump when he peeks an eye open, opening the other before blinking slowly at me. "I'm listening," He murmurs softly, keeping those expressive brown eyes on me.

My heart skips a beat. Smiling to myself, I focus back on the book in my hands, flipping to the first page and beginning to read aloud.

•••

Weeks fly by once mid September hits, endless clusters of colored leaves blowing away in its wind. The sun rises later in the day and sets at a different angle at night, casting warm shadows over my bedroom window that never fail to bring a smile to my face. Everything about this time of year puts me in high spirits. The weather is perfect for my velvety outfits and the annoying ass bugs are finally starting to go away. It's a calm, homey fairytale land full of sweet breezes and mid autumn adventures.

I lean over my vanity while painstakingly applying my red lipstick in the mirror, smoothing it out with care. My makeup for tonight goes well with my newest party dress, a burgundy velvet, off the shoulder piece with a deep v neck. It has long puffed sleeves with fitted cuffs that wrap comfortably around my wrists and a matching belt to emphasize the hourglass shape of my waist. The thick material is perfect for early October, the nights beginning to get just the littlest bit colder.

Humming to myself, I carefully put on my gold dangling earrings, smiling at the reflection of my wavy hair. Just letting it air dry with curling irons in it for a few minutes ended up with the subtle result. I'm attending one of Jackson's infamous parties tonight as his date, not his seducer. Although, I don't need to get all dolled up to impress him anyway. Batting my eyelashes and looking intensely into his deep, dark brown eyes is enough.

This time around, I'm prepared for the knock on my door. Two months of various dates has sunk a certain time into my core. 10pm on the dot. Punctual as always. My red painted lips quirk up at the thought. With one last glance into my vanity mirror, I spin around on my one-inch, open-toed black heels, strutting over to open the door and whistling at the sight.

Jackson smiles, looking hot as hell in his black blazer and thin gold chain with no shirt underneath. His muscular thighs look amazing in his tight jeans, and with his brown hair brushed back with a few strands of hair attractively left on his forehead…

"You look gorgeous," He murmurs, planting a kiss on my forehead while I'm distracted by his two sets of gold earrings.

I smile coyly, tucking my finger in his necklace and tugging on it lightly. "You're not so bad yourself."

Conversations between us flow more easily over the past few months. I show him my sass and he throws it right back, making me laugh every time. His attractive mind comes up with the most astounding ideas and points of view. There are many different sides to him as well. His confident, professional way of handling business to how he likes to roll over on my couch to rest his head in my lap and look up at me with those dark brown puppy eyes. 

Things are easy—that's just how it is with Jackson. It's a nice change from the complicated men in my life. He's adorable and sexy all in one.

The clicks of my heels echo across the sidewalk as we walk up to the frat house, my hand wrapped around his bicep. The party is just starting to pick up it seems; a fair amount of party goers are streaming in the front double doors.

"I want to introduce you to someone," Jackson perks up the moment we reach the entrance.

"Really?" I bat my eyes at him, stepping closer when someone brushes past us in a hurry. "Well, I'm down for that."

He smiles, holding the door open for me. I softly squeeze his bicep before letting him go, walking into his alumni house for the first time in almost a year. Last December I was crossing this same threshold with Jenny by my side, can you believe that? A lot can happen in 10 months, and I can't wait for what's in store for me.

"Jackson!" A deep voice reaches us over the loud music and growing crowd. I can barely make out a figure under all the neon lights, beckoning us over. Jackson's cologne washes over me before I feel his arm brush against my back.

"Let's go," He takes my hand in his, a smile audible in his raspy voice. I follow his lead, swiveling my head around to take in the view of the house. Just as I thought, everything is impeccably arranged. From the mini bar in the back corner to the DJ booth, it screams Jackson. Charming. Intelligent. And expensive. Even with the clumsy party attendees stumbling around.

He turns the corner on the right side of the hallway, following the medium-build figure walking down to a slightly ajar door at the end of the hall. The chatter from within the small room comes to a halt when the stranger pushes open the door.

"Took you long enough, Tuan!" A high-pitched, bubbly voice laughs, their plump lips smiling in amusement.

The man we've been following turns around, smiling while 5 other pairs of eyes land on us. "Hey, man."

"Mark," Jackson steps forward for a bro hug, clapping a hand over the raven's back. He goes around to do the same and fist bumps the other men in the room before standing next to me again. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

All of them smile, curiosity and friendliness coming off of them in waves—except for one.

Yugyeom sits with his legs crossed in the far corner of the room, smirking while leaning his head in his hand. I make a point to ignore him, shaking everyone's hand with my most polite smile. Their compliments of my dress has me blushing all the way up to my ears. Thankfully the dim lights hide it from view.

Jackson and I take a spot on the only available couch in the cozy room, sitting between Mark and another man with sharp cat-like eyes and a barbell piercing.

"Is this your first party?" The latter asks, swirling the brown alcohol in his glass.

"No," I smile, way too aware of Yugyeom's stare burning into the side of my head. I carefully open a can of beer that Jackson hands to me, taking a long sip.

"Huh," He takes a swing of his drink while I lean my head onto Jackson's shoulder. "Why haven't I seen you around before?"

"I have," Yugyeom joins in, smirking and wiggling his eyebrows at me from over the rim of his glass. My eye twitches. Yeah, I see why this little shit and Jenny broke up.

I quietly observe everyone while the night carries on, the faint bass from the music down the hallway vibrating through the floor. Jackson catches up with his "brothers," in the meantime, updating them on the progress of his film. My eyes lazily sweep over the well-furnished room, the edges of my vision turning blurry. I make sure that the next two cans of beer that I drink aren't open when they are handed to me.

Sometime around midnight, I loosen up, the buzz of alcohol rushing through my veins prompting me to lose my filter. Between BamBam with the plush lips playful banter and the juicy tales of Jaebum's romantic conquests, I'm positively beaming, chatting without a care with my legs draped over Jackson's lap.

Mark cracks a joke that sends me reeling, nearly falling off of the couch if it wasn't for the man next to me, wrapping a strong arm around my waist. I hide my face in the crook of his neck, taking in his vanilla scent. The hint of citrus on his honey-toned skin has warmth spreading over my chest, the image of his sweet, brown puppy eyes printed behind my eyelids.

I laugh until I realize how dead silent the room has gotten. Lifting my head, I look around before tugging lightly on Jackson's sleeve. "Hey..." I murmur with difficulty, growing unnerved under their piercing stares. "What's-"

"Let's call it a night," He mutters, not meeting my eye.

Snapping my mouth shut, I nod, wondering what I did wrong while he bids everyone goodnight. I stand up with the help of his hand on my arm, guiding me over to the doorway that seems to be tilting to the side.

"Hey…" I try again, focusing hard on putting one foot in front of the other. What happened…? Did I laugh too hard? React too dramatically? Is there a piece of fruit stuck between my teeth? I knew I shouldn't have had that parfait before—

Jackson pulls aside me to an empty corner shielded by large plants in the hallway. His lips part a few times before he presses them into a thin line. "You just called me Baekhyun," He mutters, clenching his jaw.

Oh. I sober up in a heartbeat. "S-Shit, I-" The color drains from my face the longer I gaze into his disappointed dark brown eyes. I can feel tears filling my own. "I'm so sorry-"

"It's fine." His stiff posture says otherwise and I've never seen such a hard expression on his features before. "I'll drive you home."

"Wait…" Resting my hand on his arm, I brace myself with a racing heart for the backlash I'll get for what I'm about to ask. "C-Can you drop me off somewhere instead?"

•••

The car ride into the heart of Seoul is stifling. I can't recall us ever being like this… let alone having Jackson angry with me. His grip on the steering wheel has his knuckles turning white, the clench of his jaw concerning me as well. I can only blame myself, swearing inwardly for coming out tonight. 

This wasn't supposed to happen… None of this was. The Baekhyun; the shy smiles; the longing. The Yugyeom; the drinking; the nerves... If I could go back in time, I never would have gone to that frat party last year. I would have stayed at Jenny's apartment, bonding over skincare routines and shitty tv shows. But no... I had to go out that December night, and now I am facing the consequences.

It's taking everything in me just to hold back my tears.

"We're here." Jackson speaks up after an hour of silence, nothing but the zooming cars and lively nightlife filling up the empty space from beyond the tinted windows. It does little to ease the tension in the car—it only seems to build when he pulls up to the curb, leaving the engine running.

A lump forms in my throat, making it hard to breathe. I can't even face him right now. By the cold look in his eyes, I know there is no use trying to talk to him. I can't even defend myself. There's only one explanation for what happened earlier, and it's the most shitty one of all... 

Baekhyun.

On my mind; in my thoughts; in my heart. The way his long eyelashes brush the top of his glowy cheeks and the world swirling in his sparkly brown eyes when he looks at me. Everywhere I go, I see him, feel him, and wish he was there… From the darkest crevices of my anxious mind to the deepest depths of my beating heart.

No matter where I turn. No matter how much I try. There is only one man in the world for me in this lifetime. There is only one name my soul cries out for… and it isn't the one next to me.

I swallow hard, my heart aching for Jackson. The telling shine of tears reflected in his brown eyes can't be hidden when a truck drives past, revealing the vulnerability in his dark eyes. I hate that things are ending this way. The pounding of my head and sour taste on the back of my tongue are only reminders of how much I've messed up tonight.

Working up my nerve, I step out of his Jaguar, ducking my head back inside with a tight grip on the door.

"Thank you," I whisper over the loud crickets and crying tree frogs, "For everything." Sighing shakily, I crack one last smile as a tear rolls down my cheek. "Thank you for showing me how wonderful life can be."

Jackson turns his head, regarding me with teary, fire-filled eyes. His throat bobs and he manages a small smile in return, nodding slowly. "The pleasure is all mine, Riley."

With a pounding heart, I close the car door with care, walking onto the curb. I look back over my shoulder one more time when I reach the doors of the apartment complex, watching him drive off with a sad smile. The quiet night wraps around me, bringing me little comfort against the bitter cold that I feel inside of my heart. What if I'm making a mistake? I just walked away from the only man who treated me the way I deserve… A stable, well off man for a broken, world shattering one.

A million thoughts race through my mind while climbing the stairs to his apartment, my hand clutching onto the railing for dear life. What if he's not home? What if I'm too late? What if he's finally moved on and I'm the only one still stuck in the past? Still stuck on us?

Tears spring to my eyes, making it hard to see the wobbly steps with my blurred vision, but I carry on, one step at a time. Something tugs deep in my chest—a gut feeling. One that has me pausing from the sheer force behind it.

Baekhyun is my home, and he is waiting for me.

I break out into a run, nearly slipping on the last step before I reach the landing of the fourth floor, swinging the stairway door open so hard it collides with the wall. My heels pound against the marble floor until I trip over something, slamming my head on his door. The resounding thud echoes across the silent walls and the door is yanked open within seconds.

His wide, shock-filled brown eyes stare at me from the doorway, with his messy silver hair and a white wrinkled t-shirt.

I all but throw myself at him.

Baekhyun gasps, catching me before I fall. "Riley, I-"

"No." I shake my head, hugging him tighter, my voice wavering. "You listen to me." Looking up into his brown eyes, I cup his warm cheeks in my cold hands. "I don't care how long it takes, I don't care how much my heart breaks." My chin wobbles, salty tears streaming like a waterfall down my face, but nothing else matters. Nothing can hurt me when I'm in his comforting embrace.

"If it's not with you, I don't want it," I breathe, staring deep into his glimmering eyes. "Do you hear me? You can break my heart a million times, and I can do the same." Swiping a tear from under his eye, I cradle his face in my palm, painting his vulnerable expression into memory. "As long as we mend it back together, we will be okay." I nod, looking between his wide eyes. "We will get through this." I state firmly, melting against him when he tightens his hold on my waist. "We are in this together. Okay?" His silence is worrying me… "B?"

"Are you…" He slowly reaches up, cupping my cold cheek in his warm hand, his frantic brown eyes searching mine for answers. "Are you really here?" He whispers.

"Yes." I watch the light begin to return to his tired eyes. "I'm here, Baekhyun." I pull him closer, squeezing him in my arms, his racing heart beating in sync with mine. "I'm here." My heart drops when he pulls away.

Baekhyun shakes his head, moving his hand from my cheek to take mine into his. "I'm stubborn, insecure, and possessive." He mutters, gazing right into my eyes, determination written all over his face. "I'm… I'm annoying, overbearing, and a workaholic."

I give him my softest, loving smile. "Well, me too." Slowly reaching for him again, I paint my name on his honey-toned skin with my fingertips. "Let's be fucked up together, hmm?"

"I…" He sighs, resting his forehead on mine, staring lovingly and worriedly into my eyes. "I don't want you to regret this."

"I won't," I murmur, tracing three little words across his collarbones. "If I do, we'll fight and then have makeup sex."

Baekhyun chokes. "You're terrible." He coughs, patting his chest, the red hue on his cheeks more endearing than ever before.

I shrug, smiling at him. "When it comes to you?" Sliding my hand up his chest, I tangle my fingers in his messy hair, hovering my lips over his, "I am many things."

•••

It's funny; how easy it is to fall back into him. His loving arms and secure embrace. Every day spent with him slowly mends the cracks in my fragile heart, filling them with the most everlasting remedy of all. Love.

Time is endless when I am with him. Moments become weeks. Seconds turn into hours. Being with Baekhyun makes any taxing and mundane task into a precious activity that I'd love to do again—just because it's him.

Our dynamic has changed, even the air around us is new. We talk about everything. We face problems head on. A few arguments break out sometimes because we are two stubborn individuals, but those aren't a problem now. No big fights. No tearing into each other. I may call him an asshole and he'll rebuke with that I'm being a bitch, (which I am more often than not,) but at the end of the day. When the tension is gone and our sad eyes lock from across the room. We work things out and fall more in love with each other, no matter the struggle we've been through.

—Like right now.

"Perfect," I laugh bitterly, taking out my earrings while storming into the living room. "Fucking perfect."

"Riley," Baekhyun sighs, closing the door.

"No. Fuck this." I spit heatedly, throwing my hands up. "You always do this bullshit. Every time I go out you have something to say. What is it, huh? Why you always got to be up in my shit-"

Turning to him, I'm met by tired brown eyes, his hands falling limply to his sides. "Can we talk this out?" He asks softly, eyes pleading. "I rather hold you than fight."

Still huffing and puffing, I stare into his puppy eyes and sad pout. Without a word, I march over to him, tucking myself under his chin and wrapping my arms around his waist.

"I get it, okay? I have no problems with you going out with your friends." He mumbles into my hair, kissing my head. "I just want to make sure you are safe. Call me, text me, send me a pic to let me know that you're alright." He pulls back a little to cup my face in his hands, staring deep into my eyes. "You're my baby," He whispers, brushing frustrated tears from my cheeks. "If something ever happened to you I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Please understand where I'm coming from."

"Okay." I mumble against his shoulder, hiding more in his vanilla scent. "...I'm sorry for going off on you."

"Shh," Baekhyun hugs me tighter, surrounding me in his warmth and tangling his fingers in my hair. "I trust you, okay?" He nuzzles in my hair, sighing softly. "It's the rest of the world that I don't."

I love him. I love him with every part of me. If I had the chance to go back in time, I'd choose to meet him every time. Even on days where I have to walk out of his apartment to catch a breather. Those cold nights where I stubbornly shiver on his balcony until he comes out to place his jacket on my shoulders. And the times I ask myself why the hell I'm fighting with him over which color we should switch his window curtains into again. Despite all the good and the bad. The happiness and earth shattering agony. I wouldn't change it for the world.

"Are you cold?" Baekhyun mumbles, bringing the back of my hand to his cheek.

"I'm fine, B," I reassure, ignoring the goosebumps that erupt on my skin. From his loving touch or the cold bite of the November air, I have no idea. Most likely both.

"You're shivering." He points out, already struggling off his jacket before I can respond. "I told you it would be cold today."

"I wanted to take the risk, okay?" I sigh, smiling into the cinnamon scented fabric he places on my shoulders.

"It's the middle of November," He murmurs with a shake of his head, tucking our joined hands into the pocket of his jeans.

"Maybe," I mumble in amusement, beaming at him and batting my eyelashes. "But you love this dress on me. Admit it." Today I'm wearing a royal blue summer dress. The weather may be shifting from windy fall to bitter winter, but that won't stop me from rocking this sleeveless, v neck, shirt dress with a tie around my waist.

Baekhyun's eyes shift away from the red crosswalk light ahead to look me over, taking his time with a little cheeky smile on his face. "Well," He murmurs, mischief shining in his sparkly brown eyes. "I can't deny that."

I giggle, ignoring the warmth on my cheeks when he softly squeezes my hand, leading the way as we cross the street. I've missed this feeling: walking hand and hand—our fingers interwtined and young hearts racing as one. Not even the chilly wind can ruin the mood I'm in—I just tuck myself closer to his side.

Baekhyun hums, wrapping his arm around me, pulling me closer when a group of children come running down the sidewalk. The shrill voice of their scolding mother has us sharing a knowing look, smiling shyly. Yeah, nothing quite gets better than this.

"Riley?"

I stiffen, that low, raspy voice shakes me to my very core.

Baekhyun's brown eyes shoot to mine in an instant. "Baby?" He murmurs, a worried frown on his face as he leans to my ear. "Do you know him?"

"Um-" I avoid his eyes, holding onto the hem of his shirt for dear life. "I- Uh-"

A shadow falls over us before a figure walks around to face us, and those dark brown puppy eyes have never looked so solemn. Fuck.

"Jackson Wang?" Baekhyun blinks, sending me into an internal panic. "Hey, man," He smiles, going in for a handshake. "Long time no see. How's the movie?"

Jackson's brown eyes stare into mine before he looks down at Baekhyun's hand. "Good."

Baekhyun frowns, retracting his hand, confusion written all over his face.

"Hey, fancy seeing you here," I manage a small, polite smile, my heart racing nervously when Jackson pulls the towel from around his neck, his dark brown eyes landing back on me. "What you up to?" I tilt my head, resting a hand on Baekhyun's back.

"Out for a jog," Jackson shrugs, the fabric of his black t-shirt sticking to his damp skin. His eyes track how Baekhyun reaches back to take my hand into his. "I was supposed to play basketball with the guys," He continues sourly, "But they blew me off."

"Ah…" I purse my lips, straining another smile. "I hope you all can meet up soon."

He nods, the clench of his jaw and unreadable look in his eyes telling me all that I need to know.

"Well!" Resting my hand on Baekhyun's bicep, I risk a glance at him, unnerved at the equally hard to read expression on his features. "Baekhyun and I will be heading out now. We have reservations to make."

Jackson merely nods, his eyes burning into the back of my head as I lead Baekhyun around him. "See you around, Riley."

Cursing under my breath, I shoot him one last smile over my shoulder, urging Baekyun to walk faster. I hold my breath until we turn the corner onto the next street. "Geez what a mess," I mutter, loosening my death grip on his hand.

Baekhyun continues to securely hold onto my hand and his calm, quiet reaction has me more anxious than all the fights we've had combined. "B-Baekhyun?" I ask tentatively, trying to read his side profile. "Are you okay?" The way his silence stretches out is killing me. "B?"

"Well," He mumbles, nudging a stray rock on the ground. "Jackson is nice. He seems cool."

Uh oh. "Baekhyun-"

"No no, it's fine." He shakes his head. "I see the appeal, you know?" He looks over at me, smiling sadly. "Sharp jawline, muscular, more manly than I'll ever-"

I pull him into the nearest alleyway for privacy before facing him head on, resting my hands on his chest. "You know I only want you, right B?"

"I-I do, I just-" If the kicked puppy expression on his face was for anything else, I'd find it endearing. "He's so well put together and-"

I promptly press my lips to his, pulling back after a few moments with a raised brow. "Better?"

Baekhyun's lips part a few times, the open expression on his face cute as hell. He makes a small noise and hugs me close, sealing my lips in another kiss.

After that day, the ice has broken between us—the last wall I had built up came crumbling down. Hiding from Baekhyun isn't needed anymore. The reassurance that we can actually talk about things instead of letting tension build is all I could ask for, alongside his love and time of course. If only I could be with him tonight.

Mrs. Park wanted me to attend a press conference or whatever with her out of the blue, saying something about it being "a big deal" and "very important" that I be there. So here I am, accessing my options for the night.

Three different outfits cover the entirety of my bed, each bringing forth a slightly different mood from the last. The first one is my trusty go-to, below the knee length dress. A simple black piece of material that's flattering for my figure without exposing my wild side. The second outfit is a basic black blazer, white dress shirt, and black dress pants—the bore of all boring clothing. Nothing wrong with it, but I'm not feeling really "plain and dull" tonight.

Now, the third option is one to behold.

A dress that is a combination between the two: a long sleeved, low cut, black dress with pretty lace for the left sleeve and solid material on the right that wraps over more lace underneath. The perfect mix of femininity and authority. I think I know which outfit is the one for me. 

Slipping into the warm material with ease, I grab my car keys and head out to meet Mrs. Park at the venue. The thought of sending Baekhyun a text crosses my mind while taking the elevator. Now that I think about it, I haven't heard from him all day. Where he at?? Is he still working late or did my comment about him never cooking a meal in his life hurt his feelings last night? If I wasn't piled up to my ears with paperwork all day I would have stopped by his office to have lunch…

Frowning to myself, I keep both my hands on the steering wheel, leaving my phone untouched in my purse on the passenger floor. Worried or not, I'm not even going to pull out my phone at the next red light. In a big city like Seoul, it's best not to take any chances, if any for that matter.

I navigate down the bright streets with ease, thankful that my GPS is cooperating with me today. Within an hour of traffic jams and watching out for jaywalkers on the street, I'm pulling into the parking lot of the venue. And with Mrs. Park leaning against the hood of her car, she isn't hard to find.

Making a three point turn, I back up into the parking space next to hers, not up for the hassle of dealing with gold digger assholes who will want me to hit them with my car later. Seoul or the South, the bullshitty ways of the road aren't that different.

"Hey," Mrs. Park smiles when I step out of my Porshe, dressed to the nines in her black pantsuit. She tilts her head towards the venue, the twinkle of her diamond earrings catching in the bright streetlights. "You ready to go?"

I walk around to her side to retrieve my purse from my car, tucking my hair behind my ear. "Yes, ma'am."

She smirks, a knowing look in her eye before locking her car. "Let's go."

Eyeing her warily, I follow her to the grand building, the clicks of our heels echoing across the pavement. For a moment the silence around us has me worrying if we are late until I see a red carpet surrounded by paparazzi in the far distance. What the hell?

"What exactly are we attending?" I ask carefully.

"A press conference," She doesn't miss a beat, glancing over at me. "Don't look so scared."

"I-"

"Smile," She continues, smiling reassuringly, "Just be yourself."

Sighing softly, I nod, preparing myself for anything. I trust Mrs. Park a lot, but if her cheeky son is anything to go by, I might be walking into something right now. And I have no idea what is awaiting me.

The clicks of the flashing cameras become more audible as we approach, a dozen cameramen throwing questions at us at once. I just smile, making sure all my sides are my best side while walking down the red carpet. Mrs. Park dodges their questions with ease, falling into step with me. We enter the open double doors of the venue without a hitch and the sight on the inside takes my breath away.

Floor to ceiling windows occupy the spacious hall with rows upon rows of velvet covered seats and a chandelier sparkling overhead. The stage at the far back has the first set of burgundy curtains drawn, showing a microphone stand. What kind of press conference is this? The amount of seating astounds me, let alone when Mrs. Park walks us right up to the front row.

I have so many questions to ask, but I just sit down in the seat at the end of the row, on the left side closest to the stairs leading up to the stage.

"Are we early?" I crane my neck around, watching other sharply dressed businessmen and women slowly fill up the venue.

"No." Mrs Park shakes her head as the lights dim down, smiling knowingly. "We're right on time."

Before I can reply, something shiny catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head to face the stage, my eyes widening at the silver haired man walking out onto the stage.

"Good evening, everyone." Baekhyun's honey-smooth voice echoes around the hall. He struts over to the mic stand with a white microphone in hand, his Ceo aura and chosen outfit for the night taking my breath away.

He's wearing a sparkly black blazer with a black button-down shirt underneath, the first few buttons undone. The sleeves of his jacket have a glittery gold embroidery design shaped like a crown and there's a matching necklace resting around his shoulders, twinkling alluringly under the dim lights. His snug black jeans and heeled boots nearly have me on the floor. Pardon my French but—step on me please? 

I gulp, sitting back in my seat while Baekhyun commands the stage. He has the whole crowd wrapped around his finger with every charming smile and deep chuckle he sends our way. I graciously accept a glass of wine from a waiter and cross my legs, too busy admiring him to listen to a word he says. It's been a while since I've had the pleasure to see this kind of view.

Baekhyun continues to speak to the crowd, coaxing adoring 'ah's' and the occasional applause. I lose my sense of time the longer he gives his speech, idly swirling my drink around my glass. I've barely drank half of it by the time the event starts coming to an end.

"Everyone." Baekhyun's voice rings over the murmuring crowd, clasping his hands together over the microphone, a soft smile playing at his lips. "If I can have a moment of your time, I'd like to say a few things before we wrap up."

My eyes widen to the size of saucers when he says my name, holding a hand out for me to take. I look around, narrowing my eyes at Mrs. Park's smiling figure. The wink she sends my way tells me everything that I need to know.

Everyone else in the crowd starts looking around, some of them settling their eyes onto me. I take a final sip of my wine and slowly set my glass down in the cup holder next to me. With one last breath and a weary glance, I approach the stage, the clicks of my heels echoing around the room.

The closer I get to Baekhyun's beaming face, the more my heart pounds, butterflies erupting in my stomach. But the moment my cold hand is securely in his, all of it fades away. With Baekhyun, I know I am safe.

He smiles, looking me over with affection shining in his eyes. "Everyone, meet my girlfriend." He announces into the microphone, softly squeezing my hand and facing the crowd again. "She didn't expect to be here tonight..." He trails off, smiling sheepishly. "I'll probably be getting an earful later." He chuckles, joining everyone in their brief laughter while I shoot him a look that screams 'you're damn right.' "But for now," He continues, settling his sparkly brown eyes back onto me, "I have something important to say."

Baekhyun takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be standing here today." He squeezes my hand again, flickering his eyes back open to stare into mine. The warmth and undeniable love swirling within them sends my heart into overdrive. "If it wasn't for her patience, care and timeless, endless bounds of love." He sighs softly, smiling so sweetly while wrapping an arm around my waist before turning us both to the second set of curtains. "I wouldn't be here to present the newest clothing line."

The curtains go up and my jaw drops at the sight.

A huge glass container stands in the middle of the stage, showcasing mannequins wearing various articles of clothing. Soft looking blue sweaters, comfy jogging pants, black leggings with white embroidery flowers on the ends, and short jean shorts. There are over a dozen different clothes on display with the letter 'R' scripted on the front in beautiful cursive, but what really captures my attention is the red dress. Front and center. 

The backless, sleeveless burgundy mermaid dress covered in sparkly jewels from start to finish, twinkling prettily under the dim lights while spun around on its high-rise platform.

"This goes out to Riley." Baekhyun hugs me close, making me grateful that I'm facing away from the crowd when tears spring to my eyes. He smiles shyly while gazing at me with those warm brown eyes. "The woman of my dreams and love of my life."

I stare right back into those deep brown pools of love, biting the inside of my cheek to keep my chin from wobbling. Not able to take it anymore, I cup his glowy cheeks in my hands, pressing my lips to his.

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  P(1) P(2) | Part 4 P(1) P(2) | Part 5 P(1)  P(2) | Part 6 P(1)  P(2) —– P(3)  P(4) —– P(5)  P(6) | ♬♩♪♩ FINALE P(1)✓  P(2)

A/N: This was a mouthful, don’t mind me, I’m formatting the other 9k 😭💗

[jrueships]

Bestie please unredacted Jordan Poole thoughts 🙏 you pick the pairing (or pairingS 😳)

OH OK I WIL!! TRY MY B ES. T!!!!!!! .... incoming... jaren/jordan.. with a lil hints of other jordan ships 🥰 NOT EXACTLY ALL THAT REDACTED BUT... we move 🥴

Readmore my old friend it's been Years...

SO ANYWAYS i think .... it is very inch resting how MUCH poole copies steph. Even trying to copy his interview style??? When Irl that just! Isn't him!!!! He's GOOFY and nice and likes pulling pranks on men bigger than him.. thats HIM!!!! but he sees gorgeous sociologist who writes his thesis on a necessary topic in sports and interviews people on their tattoos like a little weirdo steph and he's like! I WANNA BE THAT MAN. Insane! With steph he is! Insane!

With jaren he is ALSO insane, but i think being with jaren, a living embodiment of his past, he becomes more insane in terms of playfulness? Because that's what they've always used to do? Goof up their boring ass uptight ass highschool by 'fooling around'.. his pranks upscale with more thought and his impish ways triple tenfold. And jaren just!!!!! Takes it!

How does this connect...... WELL i think hmm i think jaren sees Jordan and he's all happy like!!! Omg! Jordan 🥰🥰! But Jordan is with steph right now.... that's when jaren sees how Different Jordan is willing to become. .... and maybe he gets a Little jealous. It's easy to become jealous over 30, he's almost like a real life cheat code in the game of basketball. He KNOWS more due to experience, but experience is STUPID. Jaren's HAD experience, he lives and BREATHES basketball, whatever level steph is on that makes him soooo worthy of all this 'idolization'... jaren Wants it.

Or maybe jaren just doesn't get the concept of changing yourself when around different people? He has a bubbly, in your face personality that OTHER people just had to get used to. Even ja was a little thrown back by Jaren's emphatic sayings and clumsy antics, but he got used to it and quickly learned to love it. Jaren didn't have to change for people, so he doesn't understand the action. If you wanna hang out with a person so bad that you CHANGE for it... is hanging out really all that worth it if they don't like you for you?

Which steph DOES. He's more curiously entertained by poole's mimicry than anything. I think he wants to encourage poole's individualism more, but can't be the person to do it because poole will always see him on this pedestal. Others like Gary have to do that for him. But jaren doesn't SEE that.... he just sees, from d*llon's words.. a bunch of old bitches soon to be out of their primes, some of them already out. And here his best friend is trying to impress them all by not being himself. Unlike the grizzlies, where no one is trying to impress anyone due to collective underdog mentality! Though it's a Little (alot) hypocritical because jaren tries impressing ja with his posterizing sometimes.... a little... maybe... a lot... BUT THE POINT IS- jaren is jealous over The Warriors (mainly steph)..

SO U KNOW... maybe these feelings 'hide' for a While but show up so directly during conversations, things get called out then... Stuff Happens...... LIKE MAYBE AFTER THE ELIMINATION GAME.. jordan catches jaren after an interview and starts griddying (ja is not there or else he would've tweeted out that jordan just stomped on all the little bones in his ankles;therefore, code breaking) then laughs at jaren because he can't griddy, too damn big 😔.. and jaren is like HAHA😹 whatever 😒. Hater. AND THEY HAVE A GOOD CHAT! Talk about all the gifs they sent!!! Jaren misses his flight with the team they talk so long! He feels bad and the one word message from ja doesn't help, but Jordan says this is good because they can catch up!! He'll fly him back home tomorrow after a boys night out!

Jordan takes him to one of his favorite places to eat, it's really nice <3 they both teeter having too much manners and not having enough at the dinnertable. They kick each other under the table, jordan hides jaren's silverware, tells him to order The Among Us meal.... it's not real. Jaren embarrasses himself in front of hundreds. Jaren+Jordan eventually settle down when the food comes, they start sharing highschool stories..... take turns being the one that goes 'OH YEAHOH YEAH I REMEMBER!!' and the 'do YOU remember this ONE TIME..' IT'S REALLY NICE! Sometimes they get to a story that got a little.. intimate... maybe they were hiding around a corner from almost getting caught and they were pressed together.. a detail no one disclosed but everyone remembered in their hearts... and they have to get a little quiet and pause before awkwardly continuing with a laugh, both feigning forgetfulness when really they remember ALL too much..

AFTER DINNER DISCUSSIONS they walk back to Jordan's. Jordan is wearing classic short shorts, there's a chill in the wind.... jaren gives jordan his jacket and jordan wraps it around his waist like a skirt. Jordan really rocks a good skirt. They'd relish in the moment, but the press would destroy them if they saw this, and jaren couldn't help but notice his arm sleeves dragging on the ground sometimes even in the wrap since jordan was so much smaller. That can't do!!! If it were anyone else, he wouldve fussed and hurriedly fixed it... SO THEY HURRY HOME!

THATS when the discussions get... a Little deeper. A bit more heated. They're both really tired, team rivalries get into it... jordan says a lil smthin abt ja.. jaren doesn't rlly like it... so jaren says something way worse about steph.... jordan doesn't like That at All. Then d*llon gets brought up, which jordan HATES. They start to argue by the bed..

Jaren says something quick about change that he doesn't really mean, but it hits jordan deep because he thinks 'am I really that OBVIOUS? Do I really look that DESPERATE?' Jaren then does his signature Jaren Retreat after saying his piece, grumbling about taking the couch instead.. but jordan tries to stop him. AND U KNOW... MAYBE THEY TANGLE UP.. and accidentally maybe sorta jaren falls on jordan on the bed... catches himself so he's propped up with his hands on either side of jordan and he's leaned just Barely over him. It reminds them too much of That Close Memory and..... PASSION CALLS FOR IT... tiredness allows for it... nostalgia fuels it... THEY KISS!!

They start to make out!!! Jaren's big hands roaming thighs, up waists. Things are going well until jaren tries mentioning something sly thinking he'll get away with it.. it's regarding Steph. Smthing like 'he'd Never do this .. won't have you like the way / i'd / have you..' .... and that's when jordan turns them over. If jaren wants to make such a big deal over change, he'll show him Change.

Jordan starts sucking burning marks into the soft of Jaren's inner thighs, and when jaren tries deterring him, he's all 'just wear compress leggings over them.' Even though he KNOWS that'll make it more uncomfortable and squeeze the bruising. That's almost what he Wants. The idea of impact. He has Jaren on his back almost trying to fold him in two, the height is so difficult, Jaren's long legs starting to ache on his shoulders. But Jordan has a message to send. And what better way to send it than giving Jaren the greatest head he's ever had in his whole life?? Maybe he says how he wanted to do this since senior year of highschool and it sends jaren over the edge. But Jordan keeps going, fingering jaren WHILE expertly sucking him off. Jaren tries to worry about how well he does it, did steph help him 'practice??' Had he 'practiced' ON steph? But the sensation is getting too good and his brain blurs out. No more steph talk. Jordan has Jaren whining and tossing his head side to side on HIS bed on HIS pillows after HIS win, and it definitely gives him some Drive. They fuck with the lights on, Jordan makes jaren suck on the fingers that were used to open him up. It's hot. Jordan is really glad his cats were empaths, sensing conflict beforehand and fleeing from the room so they don't have to see 'daddy' at 'work'.

The sex is good. Of course. It has to be. Jordan using his arms to hold Jaren's legs back and press his knees by his head.. holding his hands while he does it. Forehead to forehead as he feels jaren's pants and hiccups in his face. Hurting his neck just to lean forward and swallow it all in like before. It's good. U know.. just something between Two Good Friends..

Afterwards, when he cleaned jaren up, they went to bed together. Jordan cuddling into jaren's chest and jaren passing out almost immediately. ... cue the slow wakeup and ache from last night with the classic

'....did we just-' already answered question

[archvillain]

this is jordan i’m too lazy to log in but uhhh zenos yae galvus? andddd let’s get some thots on gin ichimaru and endrance .hack//GU

(zenos voice) MORE!

i can only answer this for zenos as far as the end of stormblood, which, for zenos, feels like nothing at all... if this WAS the end, i'd have to say he didn't get enough screen time. truly. there was not enough in stormblood for me to form a strong opinion

that being said:

if they were real i would be afraid of them: this guy has MASSIVE creep by radiohead playing over his shoulder 24/7 no deodorant smells like a convention hall vibes. in modern au, he brings his katana collection to the con, gets panned at security for bringing real ass knives, and complains to his dad the governor mildly about it

not as deep as they seem: this bitch sure does say a lot to say nothing at all

i want to carry them in a handbag like a tiny dog: what can i say i love a freaque

why do they look like that: completely self-explanatory. his ass.... has its own zip code.... but ONLY his ass. got that wasp proportions. gonna bring me back to the hive lookin' ass. i gotta bag on him 3x as hard because im competing w him for my husband's love btw

they're a horrible person: this is the second time it was such a non-take i had to edit it back in

wasted potential: i could really mark this down to bleach being a school combat competition anime gone telenova but gin's story bugs the hell outta me. continuing this thought ->

not as deep as they seem: i'm using this as a reverse-they work better as part of a dynamic square. i have major beef with his story, motivations, and KEY HEEL-TURN WHICH ALTERS THE ENTIRE STORY being based around his feelings being for a woman that he shares like no memorable dialogue with. i just prefer a guy to be self-motivated, or like, if he's gonna sacrifice his life on a whim, i want him to be motivated by chemistry that happens on screen. i could rewrite gin from the ground up to be a snarling distrustful stray dog taken in off the streets by a kind but ultimately clumsy rangiku, but that'd still be doing him a disservice, because it's still a "die for het" kinda trope

wow! they are a horrible person/if they were real i would be afraid of them: still, WHAT a charmer. his whole shit in the first arc where he plays aimlessly shady red herring the whole time, standing around and looking creepy while doing ultimately nothing? INCREDIBLY funny. just like zenos, this man looks like he stands very still in dark alleyways with his head tilted at a 50 degree angle for kicks and i love that for and about him

once again i am afflicted by "i liked bleach before it got going" syndrome

OH SHIT THAT'S TWO WHOLE BINGOS!! what do i get!!!... nothing?? fuck! this is a mess. i got a lotta feelings. let's go with the shallow ones first

they are so cool looking: MWAH MWAH MWAH MWAH

if they were real i would marry them: that's my little fucking meow meow. GOD he is so PATHETIC. gamer boy actin' shinji-get-in-the-robot cryin' fucking weakass husbando fuel shut-in won't leave his room emaciated crycat motherfucker

they're like a blorbo to me; i want to carry them in a handbag like a tiny dog: HREUGH

they've never done anything wrong in their life: canon because husband can do no wrong. i'll see you in court over this one

if they were real i would be afraid of them: again... kind of a freaque. kind of a shut-in to the extreme. he falls in love with a furry gamer and it literally lobotomizes him, his con etiquette would be atrocious. this is the unifying theme between all 3 of these blorbos you've had me rate

they're deeper than they seem/wasted potential: his backstory is FUCKING tragic and it gets played for LAUGHS in gu!!! for LAUGHS!!!!! once they scrape aside all his main problems the mental illness is left to LANGUISH!!!! he could be an amazing yandere and what is he? kind of an adorable waifu. kind of braindead but drop dead gorgeous. extreme husband material but like jesus christ he gets no slack or credit past his first arc. this is kind of a running theme with GU characters!!!!

not as deep as they seem: this is but the first contradiction on this list.... boy if you do not stop whimpering poetry at me glassy-eyed while knowing absolutely nothing about me. well. like. don't stop. but DO it's embarrassing as fuck. real middle schooler vibes

didn't get enough screen time/got too much screen time: this is another fun little confusing one, specific to me. you see, i loved endrance so much that i made him a perm fixture in my party in every single playthrough i have ever done. i love him. I LOVE HIM. however this means that despite never being on screen for anything important and not getting much time spent on his incredibly interesting backstory and delicious bod, he does get a lot of time standing around like an asshole, kind of tertiary to what's happening... this is partially on me. but i do not care. they shoulda just predicted my love for him and worked around it

wow! they are a horrible person: he loves a shitty gamer furry, then immediately forgets her for the Next Hot Thing: a stupid guy he knows nothing about, AND NEVER BOTHERS TO LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT! kind of horrible. he is so wretchedly shallow LMFAO. like the baby boy version of the anime loli who pledges her life at the drop of a hat cuz you have a pulse and seem kind of alive. and haseo definitely doesn't return his feelings, even tho i do...... he doesn't seem to notice tho LMAO good enough for him!

nothing i like about them is technically canon: (SCREAMS IN HOMOPHOBIC MEDIA ABOUT A BISEXUAL MAN THAT CAME OUT BEFORE GAY MARRIAGE WAS LEGAL IN THE STATES)

im mentally ill about them: see above, i don't think i could be more clear about this. the guy's personality is NOT that deep and yet it is. and yet it could be (clutches at air)

[90slevi]

Stitches {Dabi x Reader}

TW: blood

Tired, out of breath, and in a lot of pain, you slumped your way into the hotel you were meeting Dabi in, your hand clutching your bleeding and wounded arm as you opened the door with your hip. At the counter was a middle-aged woman, her sharp blue eyes piercing through you as she filed her nails and looked like your average, bitchy movie receptionist. Grumbling quietly to yourself, she did nothing to help you, simply watching with eyebrows raised in some sort of disgust mixed with pity, but you weren't in the mood to argue. Your arm was bleeding badly, and your ankle was beginning to swell (from the pain, you assumed something bad had happened), which was why you were limping. Thank god Dabi had decided to get one of the rooms on the lower floor.

What'd happened? Well, you and Dabi had somehow got into a huge fight with two major villains you didn't recognise, and you'd seemingly lost. Dabi had gone over his limit, resulting in even more burns on his skin (if that was even possible) and almost knocked himself out, and you'd received more injuries than you'd like to admit. Thankfully, he constantly had a room booked just in case, and this hotel was known throughout the underbelly as a safe space for villains who needed it. Even if you didn't like this receptionist, you couldn't deny that you were grateful for what she and her husband were doing.

"Scar-boy is in room seven," she said bluntly, rolling her eyes as you muttered thanks. Then, she continued to file her nails and listen to trash, outdated music while you limped away, hoping Dabi was safe inside the room you shared.

Yeah, the receptionist was known to be pretty shitty, giving villains nicknames they most likely wouldn't like. Yours was Blood Bitch, a remark about your blood-manipulation quirk that you despised so much, and of course, Dabi's was Scar-boy. He didn't really care for it and ignored the red-haired woman as much as he could; although he did find it amusing when you pulled a clearly pissed-off expression.

"Room seven," you muttered to yourself, not caring for the small trail of blood you were making behind you. The carpet was already dirty and blood-stained, it wasn't as if you'd make a difference. Once you reached the door, you knocked three times, in the rhythm you and Dabi had coded, and the black-haired male opened the door. Thank god he was already there, because you didn't feel like fainting in the middle of the room and get found by some creepy guy or the maid.

"I was wondering when you'd finally get here. You took your time," he said sarcastically, and you stuck your finger up at him as he closed the door. You slumped down in one of the chairs, and you winced as you finally relieved your broken foot of walking. A shaky sigh left your lips as you glanced up at Dabi, who was walking around shirtless and in a pair of grey joggers. Scratches, cuts and already-forming bruises littered the softer skin, while the burnt areas looked even more damaged. You could almost feel the heat radiating off of him, and you wondered if he'd shower. You wanted him to so he'd feel better in the long run, but you knew how painful it was for him.

"You're bleeding," he said after a while, and you chuckled quietly.

"Yeah, no shit," you answered, pulling off your jacket and black v-neck. You and Dabi had been dating for about a year now, so you trusted him enough to see you with no shirt on. After all, he'd seen you fully naked on multiple occasions, so it didn't really matter. You watched as his eyes widened for a split second at the gaping wound on your arm, and he wandered over to where the first-aid box was. "God, I didn't realise it was that bad."

"Was that self-inflicted or...?" Dabi asked, opening up the box to reveal a stitching kit. The two of you couldn't go to a hospital, as the doctors would easily recognise you, and it was too far to go to an underground one or a villain healer, so the two of you often tended to your own wounds.

"A mix of both," you answered, cursing quietly at the sharp pain in your arm. Your quirk was blood manipulation, meaning you could harden it and use it as a weapon. Usually, you prefered using pig's blood or other animals that'd died, but in drastic situations, sometimes you had to... use your own. And as painful as it was, you weren't about to lose to a hero completely defenseless. "It appears the wound got bigger as I fought."

"Those bastards," Dabi muttered, putting a mask over his lower face as he organised the needle, thread, tweezers and wet cloth. You gulped as you watched him hold the tweezers, knowing that if there was any dirt in your wound, then he'd be using those to get rid of it. Physically cringing at the thought, you caught his attention. "Is anywhere else hurt?"

"I think I've done something to my ankle," you replied, and he shook his head. "What? It wasn't my fault!"

"I know," he said, preparing something to cool it down. "I'm just frustrated that you had to walk all the way here alone. Must've been painful."

"Yeah, it hurt like a bitch," you chuckled, tugging up your jeans and pulling off your shoes to reveal intense swelling around your foot. Grimacing, you went to stand to get a second cool washcloth, but Dabi pushed you back down in your seat. "Oi!"

"What are you doing?" he asked, his eyebrows raised. "You're not going anywhere, Doll."

"For the last time, stop calling me that," you mumbled, a hint of pink appearing in your incredibly pale face. Due to the blood you'd lost, you were becoming rather pasty and light-headed, so Dabi knew he needed to act quickly before you passed out.

"You know you like it," he chuckled, quickly nipping into the bathroom to rinse two washclothes, one for your arm and the other for your ankle. "Well, you seem to like it when we fu-"

"Shut up, Dabi," you quickly interrupted, covering your eyes in embarrassment. Despite being a villain, you were still victim to Dabi's teasing, and he knew just how to get you flustered. It wasn't difficult, anyway. "You're such a pain in the ass sometimes."

"And so are you, so that makes it even," he said, walking back into the room and dragging a stool for you to rest your foot on while he fixed up your arm. Deep down, Dabi felt incredibly guilty for leaving you on your own. He hadn't meant to; the two of you had been seperated in the fight, and he'd managed to get away pretty quickly. If he'd known where you were, he'd have gone to help instantly, but Dabi had no idea where you were. So, he retreated to the hotel, assuming you were there, and decided to stay until you returned. Dabi was actually planning to go out looking for you, but then you arrived just as he was going to leave so he didn't need to. "Need something to bite down on?"

"I'll be fine," you replied, watching as he pressed the washcloth against your wound, cleaning the edges and pouring some clean water into it. It wasn't exactly the best treatment in the world, but it was the best he could do and would at least prevent serious infection. "When did you get in?"

"About an hour ago," he said, looking around for any debris that needed removing. And thankfully for the two of you, there was no need for the tweezers. "I burnt that hero pretty badly and managed to get away. I would've killed him, but three more heroes were coming my way and I didn't fancy going to jail tonight."

You giggled at his comment, only to wince again as he began stitching your arm up. Dabi hated hurting you and seeing you in pain, and he absolutely despised giving you stitches, but he knew he had to do it to make sure you got better. He'd hate to see you with permanent injuries that matched his, so he tried his best to help you out when needed (even though you were perfectly capable of looking after yourself).

"Did you kill your hero?" Dabi asked, hoping to distract you, and you shook your head. "Got away?"

"Not really," you replied, scratching the back of your neck as you took a gulp from some water Dabi had left out. "Backup was coming so I ran off. I climed over a fence and ended up twisting my ankle and... well, look at it."

"So it was your clumsiness that caused that," he said, and he recieved a playful punch to the head. "Doll, what have I said about nudging me when I'm doing stitches?"

"Sorry," you replied, only to recieve a small punch to the knee. He wasn't angry at you; he never was. He was just worried. "So... I assume you didn't get badly injured."

"My quirk is long-distance, so no," he said, pointing towards his left upper arm. "Although I think I pulled a muscle somewhere."

"I also think you need to cool off in the shower," you suggested, pressing a hand gently against his wrist. He ever-so-slightly winced, something you wouldn't have noticed if you weren't looking for it, and his skin felt red-hot to touch. "Dabi, you know I can come in with you if you need it."

"Your ankle is in no state for walking or standing, and your stitches can't get wet," he stated, his eyes focussed solely on your wound so he didn't have to make eye-contact. "I'll be fine."

"Dabi," you said softly, knowing that talking about his scars was a pretty sensitive topic for him. Even the smallest of movements were uncomfortable for him, and even though you'd insisted on visiting a healer to get himself back to normal, he constantly refused. It was upsetting to see him in pain so often, and although he'd insisted he was used to it by now, you knew he'd rather be in a different position. "Please don't lie to me."

He looked up at you, his eyes full of tiredness as he shook his head. You were the only one Dabi truly cared about. The League were friends, sure, but he definitely didn't care for them the same way he cared about you. Dabi knew you'd be much happier if he himself felt good, but he couldn't get rid of the scars. He wanted his father to know just how much pain he'd caused him, and he needed to stay hidden. Most of all, he didn't want to look like his disgrace of a dad. Not only were their quirks almost the same, but their eyes were too.

"I didn't lie," he answered eventually, after about a minute. "I know what you're thinking. You're going to ask me to go to a healer or something."

You sighed, looking away as he finished your stitches. As much as you loved Dabi with your whole heart, he was certainly difficult to date. You really wanted him to get better and not be in pain anymore, but... if he refused, then he refused. You couldn't even force him to, as he'd overpower you in a heartbeat.

"There, your arm's better," he said, standing up as he pulled off his mask and put everything away. You pouted at it, making sure not to poke it as he put a small bandage over the top. Infection wasn't the best thing to get as a villain. "How's your ankle feeling?"

"Not great," you replied, glancing over to see that the swelling had barely gone down. "Still painful."

"If you can, keep your leg up," he said, and you cocked your head only to feel his arms behind your back and underneath your thighs. "And don't let it hit anything."

With that, he effortlessly picked you up and lifted you over to the bed, letting you rest on something more comfortable. As much as you wanted to shower to get rid of the dried blood on your body, you were way too tired to do so and your ankle would get worse with any added pressure. Plus, it was unlikely Dabi was going to shower either, so you'd have to go in with him in the morning.

Dabi plopped himself down beside you with a sigh, making sure your foot was in a comfortable position with pillows surrounding it and the cold cloth on top. You smiled at his small acts of kindness and watched as he rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes.

"You're gonna sleep like a log tonight," you chuckled, and he nodded, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. "To be honest, I will too."

"It'll be nice to sleep with you again," Dabi said softly, and you grinned. For the past week, Dabi hadn't spent much time with you, as he'd been busy with the League. It just sucked that the two of you met again in the middle of a fight. "I fucking missed you."

"I missed you too," you replied, nuzzling your face into his chest. Even the skin that wasn't purple was burning hot, and you were tempted to place the cold cloth on his stomach instead of your foot. "How was Shigaraki?"

"A pain in the goddamn ass," he complained, and you giggled, ready to hear a long rant about how weird, creepy and just plain annoying his leader was. "He just sat there for the longest time talking to himself about nonsence. He's more irritating than Toga sometimes, and she's just psycho."

You chuckled at his response, remembering when you met the blonde girl once and she'd tried to kill you. Ever since, Dabi had refused to let the two of you meet again.

"How's Jin?" you asked, and Dabi shrugged. You actually got along pretty well with Twice, as the two of you had known each other before you'd met with Dabi. You became a villain aged seventeen, and Twice was the one who took you in for a couple years until you got a place for yourself. Then, you'd met Dabi aged nineteen, and the two of you hit it off at an underground bar. It was only mere coincidence that the two of them ended up working for the same guy.

"He's alright. He asked about you quite a few times, so don't worry. He hasn't forgotten about you," Dabi answered, and you were so glad he wasn't jealous of your friendship with Twice. Even though he did get jealous sometimes, he knew for a fact that you were strictly friends with the guy and saw him as an older brother more than a boyfriend. "Toga also asked about you..."

"Oh god," you grinned, finding it funny that she supposedly 'in love' with you. "What did she say?"

"What do you think?" he asked, and you grimaced. Then, he looked out of the window. It'd gone very dark, and although there was no clock in the room, Dabi seemed to know the time (or he guessed). "It's midnight."

"Yeah, we need to get out of here as soon as," you answered, a small yawn escaping your lips as you closed your eyes, snuggling further into Dabi's side. "So... wake me up at nine or something."

"Yeah, as if you'll sleep that long," he chuckled, planting a small kiss on your forehead as the two of you slowly but surely fell asleep.

[jacks-jester]

Silent Treatment

[Jerome Valeska x Reader]

Words: 1,675

Warnings: Murder, violence, attempted sexual harassment/assault

Requested: Yes / No

Request: “ Hello Beautiful Person! I'm your new follower. Requests are opened right? Not sure how violent or graphic asks can be so I just give it a shot ok? Can I get Jerome x reader in Arkham but no one knows why she's there cause she seems too innocent and totaly normal, but she's more dangerous then they think. After killing a guard in front of everyone for harrasing her, she confesses to being a serial killer but she only kills other killers? (I was watching Dexter) J has a crush on her from day one. “ - Anonymous

Summary:  Jerome tries getting to know Arkhams newest victim, a young girl who seems too innocent to be stuck in a place like that. He is quickly proven wrong when her crimes come to light after attacking and killing a prison guard.

A/N~ Love Dexter, love this prompt. Thanks for the response, I hope you enjoy!

Arkham Asylum held the lowest of the low, that included the staff, inmates, and anyone else who dared venture into the shitty institution. Gotham held a lot of bad apples, most of which were comfortably tucked away inside of the padded walls of this penitentiary. Arkham Asylum was disgusting place, the city clearly not caring about the upkeep of the rotting building. The state of the building was laughable, mold growing in every shadow and crevice, rats and cockroaches littering the halls, half the food was rotting in the cafeteria, the guards had no repercussions or supervision, the walls were literally crumbling, and most locks were broken or malfunctioning. The only thing they made sure of, was that guards were armed at all times, assuring brutality between patients and guards, because lets be honest, who would care if an insane inmate of Arkham Asylum was found dead. It was easy for stories to be twisted where guards were the victims of the whole operations, the mentally ill always being the villains. 

Arkham’s inmates mostly consisted of men, all ages, all sizes, all different types of fucked up. Arkham accepted anyone deemed a danger to them selves of society so Arkham became a big mixing pot of problems.Serial killers next to muggers, cannibals next to rapists, even some innocents mixed in with the bunch. The few innocents in Arkham never lasted long though, either being killed or becoming corrupted themselves. See that was the thing about Arkham, nobody got better by going there, if anything it reaffirmed their anger and resentment towards the corrupt city and its inhabitants. 

Arkham was it’s own special breed of poison for the mentally ill.

───※ ·❆· ※───

You were fairly new to Arkham Asylum, only having been there a week so far. It was no surprise that several of the more lonely inmates had taken to trying to flirt with you,claim you as their property, you didn’t take the bait though. You opted to follow the same route as some of the other female inmates: stay the fuck away from any other inmate in this god forsaken hell hole. You weren’t crazy, you knew that, nobody else here did though. To guards an inmate was an inmate, all the other prisoners having the same mindset as the guards. To everyone in here, you were just another loony who got caught and locked away.

The only thing that seemed to catch people off guard, was your quiet and respectful nature. You never got in fights, never had a melt down, and always were compliant with the prison rules. Most people were the most defensive their first week here, you were the exact opposite of the usual response to being locked up. This had peaked the interest of a particular red headed carnie who had just been locked up himself. Jerome was a curious person by nature, a quick learner, and a very big people person - granted he despised most people though. 

Your demeanor drew him in from the start, your physical attractiveness also helping though. Jerome had attempted to talk to you several times, each time being completely ignored or dismissed at the wave of a hand. You always had a book on hand, opting to sit in the far corner of the leisure room and read to yourself while the other inmates played amongst themselves. You were never one to snap easily at people, having learned to bite your tongue to avoid conflict.

Jerome still persisted though, every day opting to sit near you and talk to you, though her never got a response. You’d think a person like Jerome would get worn out and tired of the routine, but if anything he saw it as a game. He wanted to be the first person to get you to talk, he wanted to break your quiet, it helped that he had a bet going with Greenwood though. Greenwood said Jerome would never be able to crack the quiet girl, Jerome begged to differ, and Jerome was never wrong.

───※ ·❆· ※───

It was another day at the Asylum: same shit food, same worn out clothes, same awful staff members, same boring routine. You made your way towards the leisure area, relieved to get a break from your cell. The asylum ran in shifts: high security offenders had the third break of the day - the break you were taking now. You were growing tired of the sorry excuse of a bed the penitentiary gave you, a metal sheet, a blanket, and a flat pillow. It was impossible to get a good nights sleep on those cots, leaving you in an annoyed state for the day. You had gotten no sleep last night, between uncomfortable sleeping conditions and the loud screaming of one of the patients down the hall, it was impossible.

You finally made your way to the checking station, guards typically frisking down patients to ensure that they do not have any weapons on hand. More than once had you seen patients try bringing in pens, wires, sometimes even getting their hands on shards of glass.  You approached the guard station, holding your arms out in a T position and separating you legs slightly so they could ensure nothing was tucked in your pants. You had refused to wear the Arkham dresses, not wanting to deal with peoples stares, specifically Greenwood and Sionis. 

It didn’t take long for the newbie guard to begin frisking you, his hands gently patting you down to ensure there were no potentially dangerous items on your person. You watched him closely as you felt his pats becoming more prolonged, seemingly taking his time - most guards barely graze an inmate before allowing them in, this new guard seemed to be getting to familiar for comfort. You tensed slightly as he began running his hand up your leg. “Watch it.” You said it with a venomous tone, warning lacing your voice. 

The guard only looked at you with a narcissistic smirk, “Mind your manners, you gonna do something about it?” You could feel the rage boiling over in your stomach, “Last chance, knock it off.” You snapped the moment you felt his callous hand brush over you ass, his finger groping lightly, “Try something, I dare you.” You closed your eyes and sighed, “I warned you.” Without another word you brought your elbow, crushing into his face, immediately snapping his nose. Almost instantly blood began gushing from his pig like nose, misshapen and red. He clutched over, his hands both going to his nose as blood freely poured from the new injury. “You fucking bitch!” 

You watched as his hand went to grab his gun, the pistol hanging loosely off his left hip. His movements were clumsy however, his hands slipping anxiously off the pistol, you figured it was the shock of having his nose caved in, a headache more than likely forming. Your eyes widened as he went to reach for the gun, your instincts quickly taking over your rational thoughts. Your leg quickly slung over his arched back, getting in a piggy back position as your hands found the curvature of his neck, your hands quickly twisting in the most unpleasant way.

His body instantly slumped beneath you, falling ungracefully to the floor with a sickening thump, your legs catching you before he could pull you down with him. His head was jarred at a strange angle, his jaw slack, eyes wide with shock, hand resting against his holstered gun. Your eyes widened as you came to grips with what had just occurred, you’d broken your code, well kind of. You didn’t consider yourself a criminal, you simply took out the garbage, only killing criminal who were walking free. So in a way he did fit into your normal range of crime, he was obviously someone who delved in sexual assault and harassment so you didn’t feel guilty about it. 

You only turned around upon hearing a low whistle from behind, a whistle you knew all to well. You swore under your breath before turning to face Jerome who took to slowly clapping his hands together, as if to show his gratitude for the act just displayed in front of him. “Didn’t think you had it in you.” He let out a laugh, kneeling next to the fallen guard, quirking his head to make ye contact with the security guards wide eyes. “Did quite a number on him, didn’t cha?” You rolled your eyes, your gaze flicking to the corpse. “Fucker got what was coming to him.” Your voice was quiet but loud enough for Jerome to hear.

He turned to you with feigned shock, his jaw open as he looked at you with wide eyes. He placed his hand over his chest as his mouth formed a wide grin, “I’m honored doll, finally got you to break after a week.” You rolled your eyes at the excited red head, his eyes gleaming with twisted amusement, though there was a small hint of genuine surprise within his ebony pools. He circled you for a moment, “Maybe you’re not as boring as I thought you were, not so innocent.” You raised an eyebrow, “You don’t know a single thing about me.”

He only nodded with that same impish grin, “Not yet.... not yet.” He reached down, grabbing the keys from the guards body, opening the leisure room door for you. “After you, we’ve got a lot to talk about.” You looked at him for a moment before sighing, going with him for one reason or another. Death wasn’t uncommon at a place like this so after everyone was securely in the leisure room, the guards body was eventually dragged away and to be disposed of. You and Jerome had taken to sitting in a far corner of the room, a game of Candyland splayed between you two. He made his move before resting his cheek on his fist, peering over at you. “This is gunna be fun.Now then, I want to know everything.”

───※ ·❆· ※───

Time: 2 hours 38 minutes (Mania made it incredibly hard to focus, I kept getting stuck)

[brideofcthulhu10]

Got another one 😊 What would meeting the boys be like before they turned?

Okay the tumblr app is being an utter ass, so I had to upload this via my dad’s computer. So I did have my own side theories about the boys, how they turned, and so on. But that’s until I learned there is actually a finished script for a Lost Boys prequel that was never filmed. Joel Schumacher, rest his soul, had prepared two scripts after our Lost Boys was filmed. One was a prequel that would show how Dwayne, Marko, David and Paul were turned, the other called Lost Girls because Joel wanted to continue on the vampire idea. However, due to tragic circumstances, the prequel never kicked off despite being backed up by Joel, Keifer Sutherland, Billy Wirth, Alex Winter and Brooke Mccarter. But, the script still circulates which is why I have a bit of insight on the boys' past. Like I said I have my own old fan theories, but after reading the script I just fell in love with it and personally I consider it semi-canon. David and the boys were a street gang living on the beaches along the Santa Carla shore in 1906 just days before the big earthquake hit San Francisco, pick pocketing trying to scratch up a living with Marko while Paul would win fist fights, all the while Dwayne (and his brother Jasper! I'm dead serious!) would run through the crowd pick pocketing distracted men in the crowds. Marko is a lot more openly sassy before he changes, and I bet you he was an utter flirt back in the day. Hooting at classy ladies, whistling their way. Most would probably be offended by such brash behavior, but I can picture a few younger debutantes giggling to each other about the cute blonde boy caked in dust. As far as romantic gestures go he’d probably be a little clumsy. Like he’d pick you a wad of wildflowers but he’s so careless that by the time he brings them to you its a bunch of stems and maybe three petals left. Still, he’s sincere and you’d just melt at that goofy smile. He was definitely the laid back one who would be quick to jump in when things got a little rough. Paul’s caught mid-swipe? Cue Marko jumping from behind and whacking the enraged prospector over the head with a plank of wood he finds so they can escape. Oh the mischief he got into with Paul. Granted all the boys were his brothers. They’d scrape together whatever they had for a meal that night if they could, passing around a rusty old flask of whiskey while they warmed up by the crudely thrown together fire.  David was a lot more open back then. Well, he’d still stick to his own pack, but he wasn’t the cruel sadistic killer he pegs himself to be 80 years down the line. No, he’s just trying to make a living, and sometimes you gotta be mean. Still, he has his own code. No kids, no families. He isn’t about stealing food out of babies mouths, and neither are any of the others so long as they work alongside him. He’s still very much in charge, but the lack of super human strength and invincibility does take a bit of the edge off when he comes across someone stronger than him. They aren’t the only gang in Santa Carla, and not everyone was willing to let a few punk kids waltz in on their turf. More than anything David is incredibly loyal, even later once he’s turned. His friends are his family, the only one he’s ever known. Something else I’d like to imagine is David being quite the suave bastard. Not to give anything away, but he can certainly sweep even the most royal princess off her feet. Even when he screws up a line he’d bounce back with something equally clever. He is one charming son of a bitch. He can make an old woman blush, and young girls squeal. Now onto Paul. Yeah Paul is still the same lovable doof he’s always been. Vampirism has certainly changed him, there’s no denying that. But even before that he was getting into rough and tumble scraps with bulky, war torn sailors for a few quick bucks. And dammit, he’s pretty good. I can picture him being a bit more mellow just because he does have to be more careful with his currently mortal form. I’d say he’s a pretty massive flirt. Hell, he and Marko are wingmen! Catch them chirping at gorgeous girls outside of the bar while keeping an eye out for any fat cats strolling along who may help them nab a pretty penny. Unfortunately I doubt women were an exception. I can easily see them taking advantage of the young lady being utterly flustered while the other stole her coin purse, or slipping a priceless bracelet off her wrist while kissing the top of her hand. Paul was most likely the type to sleep around when he could, but more than anything he was a loyal friend. At the time, I don’t picture him being much of a hopeless romantic per say, as I think he’d be a bit too wild and free to be worrying about all that mushy stuff, but that doesn’t mean he’s opposed to the idea.  Dwayne would still have his brother Jasper, and I guarantee you those two were probably inseparable. Maybe even more so than the Frog Brothers. Dwayne is already such a loyal friend I can only imagine how much he cared for his brother and friends. Growing up on the streets can definitely whittle away at one’s kindness until it’s every man for themselves, but I can picture him feeling unbelievably guilty when he sees a girl cry because she can’t find her mother’s ring. He’s a sneaky one, no doubt about that. I think before his brother’s passing he was much more open, mischievous, a typical teenager living with his ragtag group of friends. With all the drama that followed with turning, what it made him become, it definitely forced him to grow up quite a bit. Granted we see he’s still a playful goof just like the rest of them, but for the most part he leaves that up to the others. Honestly the boys were, for lack of a better term, more alive before they turned. You have to remember they were just kids with dreams of having more, of getting off the streets. When they turned it brought out the darkness in all of them, and after over eighty years of being warped by Max there’s definitely even more we don’t see. I would’ve loved to see our boys one last time up on the silver screen, but I am still grateful we got a taste of what could have been and give us some further insight into what they were like before.

[fivefootab1tch]

allllllrighty~ here’s my tHING~<3 i recognize that i talk pretty fast (and i was also trying to be hushhush so i probably didn’t come out as clear as i wanted to) so i’m including a script under the cut~

Tagged by @momtaku, @laffitine, & @dirtylevi ~ ♡ //thank y'all smmmmm// Tagging @shuuhuu @madcapraccoon @matcha-castella @starry-raven​ & everyone else on here who needs an excuse to do it and wants to. i’ll share the love and peer pressure asdkjfnak

'Aight, so here's my stab at Mamataku's SnK Voice Meme 4.0! I wrote a script to try and keep myself on track, but... the fuck if I ever know how to play right, so here we go~

State your name and username. 『sal, fivefootab-i-tch』 Is there a story behind your user name that you’d like to share? 『it's from an o.g. fandom video called "More Sassy Levi (Ezekieru Outtakes)". this was way before i was more or less tumblr savvy and i've gone through variations of it before settling on this one to mimic Ezekieru's pronunciation of BITCH. i'd wanna have a completely hyphenless version of this url to make my presence easier for the tumblr system to SWALLOW, kkkk but it's taken. the version of it with a 1 instead of the i isn't though... so maybe i'll switch to that one, i dunno. what's a brand?』 Where are you from? 『i'm from the states, southern california, bordertown asscrack of the U.S. you might get that lazy, high as balls, surfer feel from my voice since i've been here all my life』 How long have you been a fan of the series? 『i'm about two years late from the anime release, and i only know this because i immediately started writing fanfiction after binging the series in summer 2015. so... coming on 4 years? damn.』 What is your favorite and least favorite Arc? 『my favorite arc is the uprising arc, a pretty popular opinion, for a lot of reasons: the sudden turn of events, levi's collarbones, levi as a kid, KENNY, the characters all having their own unique identity crisis as their morals are suddenly taking turns, historia reclaiming her identity... (which was something that hits a little too close to home for comfort, but what's a good series that doesn't rip your personal feelings to shreds?)』 『i'm not a big fan of the marley side of things, another pretty popular opinion. for me, suddenly switching to a new cast of characters and setting after so much was accomplished in the uprising arc and return to shiganshina felt like betrayal. i mean... they get to the basement, which was the whole ass goal of the entire series up to that point, then we suddenly screech to a halt to tell someone elses' story. i can understand it... theoretically? i guess? bbut the whole time i was still like "wait a minute, what happened with the main cast?" bits and pieces of it have grown on me since, but i still have a ways to go to invest myself. politically, i just realized... marley really grinds my gears. why did i have to realize this? i'm shook. i can't believe this. i'll process it later.』 Do you have a favorite moment in the story thus far? 『eren screaming "the world outside the walls is my birthright" for... reasons. historia reclaiming her identity for... reasons... i've found myself hyperinvested in this series for immensely personal reasons i hope to eventually see through in my own life. i wanna be free, too. i also liked the moment in the uprising arc when levi thanked armin for saving jean. it was rough, but something he needed to hear. also any moment levi praises people. it's really cute.』 If you could resurrect one dead character who would it be and why? 『kuchel, because not only does levi deserve his mother but i would've loved to see more of her and how she raised levi into the compassionate kind of guy he is now. that side of him survived the tough love kenny put him through, so she must've breathed hella life into her kid and that's something i'd love to have seen more of』 Who is your favorite character and why? 『levi, for a lot of obvious as well as not so obvious reasons.』 『obvious reasons: he's pretty fucking cute. his sass and one liners are hilarious. his sense of humor's a clusterfuck of bad shit jokes and dark takes the people around him don't understand half the time and that's pretty funny in itself. he's o.p. as hell but the way the story makes it not matter when it comes down to it (because the universe is just THAT fucked up) is really something. he's in a league of his own but the depth of his characterization and development shows that's only a small part of who he is. the story demands so much more of him and the ways he rises (and sometimes falls) to the occasion makes me really like him. he's showcased as Humanity's Strongest but he's still human and flawed as fuck.』 『not so obvious reasons: he says fuck gender roles. he's short and makes the trans guy side of me feel pretty good. that particular character trait isn't just a gag for me. he started from the bottom now he's here. he always sides with the powerless, the helpless. he (to his own personal moral code) uses the strength he has for good as opposed to using it to keep people below him, something he could very well do if he uncritically internalized everything kenny spoonfed him, and wanted to. he doesn't sit on a moral high horse. he's open minded and accepting of letting people decide things for themselves. he's humble. if he doesn't understand something, he'll look to other people and he does all that while remaining confident and assertive in his own abilities. he doesn't hold himself above doing the dirty work if he feels he's best suited to do it. he genuinely cares about people and does his best to talk them through their issues when they need it, even if he's clumsy while doing it. it's really inspirational and personally validating .』 Any OTPs? 『erejean hits me a certain way. they're everything "boys will be boys" is SUPPOSED to mean, and i still can't get over jean calling eren cool. they're just so funny and i love their dynamic. hange and petra hits too for a reason i don't really understand yet. i don't get super invested in pairings, but i do like seeing character dynamics being explored in different lights and stuff. **** i bonded with my partner over roleplaying an au ereri thread, so that pairing's pretty special too. i didn't ship it at first, but being open to it has led me to getting to know this amazing person, so... yeah.』 You are able to transport to the SnK Universe for a day. How do you spend it? 『helping out. i don't know what i'd be able to contribute, but i'd want to be doing something to make the lives of the main cast easier. they have it really hard, and so many times i wanted to be able to do something for them. so i write my original characters into fanfiction. on the other hand, if it's a world where i'm independent and free to live whatever life i wanna live, i'd wanna go absolutely apeshit first. see everything there is to see and live all the life there is to live. ****perform a strip tease at a scout party and have the officers stick bills into my boobs.**** THEN commit myself to some sort of social or military work for the scouting legion. ****be their comfort... if yaknoe what i mean. it's good honest work~♡****』 Eren Jaeger did nothing wrong or Eren Jaeger did everything wrong? 『eren jaeger is what eren jaeger does. i can't vouch for whether or not he's right or wrong because there's no way i can really put myself in the situation he's in. mass genocide is very wrong, without a doubt, but something tells me there's something else going on and his real intentions are more complicated. a pivotal point in the series for him was his tribunal, where levi played the role of the arrogant wank to save his life and beat his ass before the whole military court. i think there's something similar going on here. he could be playing a role too, but it still stands that i have no idea. i'm not so invested in condemning or glorifying him, because the things i enjoy about his character aren't really going to be influenced.』 What is your favorite song in the series? Feel free to sing an extract 『i love them all. hiroyuki sawano makes such amazing soundtracks and all the vocals are powerful and chilling as fuckall hell. some favorites i do have are red swan, Vogel im Käfig, Bauklötze, call your name, it's answer song call of silence, youseeBIGGIRL, the spanish version of so ist es immer. so uh... even though i'm not very good at it, i do really love singing, so... i'm gonna try and sing some for y'all. i know a lot more english, japanese, and spanish than i do german so... i'm sorry!』 ****『Like the scarlet night veiling the dark You can hide your fear Can lie, my dear Kono mama yume wo mite Chi darake no tsubasa Hirogete』**** 『Las sillas ya juntas están Charlamos toda la noche  Este lugar no esta nada mal  Y creo que nos llevamos bien ****Solo estamos nosotros  Siempre es nuestra luz  Cantando y bebiendo, puedes estar tu Bajo el cielo azul  Siempre estamos asi  Y largas son las noches aqui』 『Ist das der Zerstörer oder der Schöpfer?』**** 『one of these days, when i feel more bearable to listen to, i'll... try and do some full ass covers, if y'all would be down for that ♡』 Bonus: What would Erwin do? 『about... what? everything going down now? i dunno. all i can offer is a dream daddy reference. he's chilling in Margaritaville somewhere... 』 Say the following: Wall Maria, Jean Kirschstein, Reiner Braun, Ymir, Theo Magath, Onyankopon, Kiyomi Azumabito, Hajime Isayama, Shiganshina Trio, Shingeki no Kyojin, Shinzou wo Sasageyo

[lokilover9]

The Slutty Webs one Weaves

Chapter 2

“Why would Loki do this to me?” Astrid whined, twirling her wedding ring around her finger. A large, oval, emerald surrounded by tiny diamonds, set in gold. 

She looked so forlorn, Stark actually felt for her. “Astrid, how many nights have you and Loki been apart since your courtship began?” 

It took her a minute to recall. “Three.” 

“And has there ever been a time you didn’t know his whereabouts?” 

More tears streamed down her face. “No, but you don't understand."

"Try me." 

"Is Vagina special to you?”

“Can't recall a time when it wasn't."

Astrid poked Peppers tit. "I meant this Vagina." 

'Someone failed anatomy class.' "She's my favorite."  

"And did you share your quim wedger all…" Astrid paused, spazily waving an arm. "...Willy nilly like, so bitches wrote filth about it?"

"I used it sparingly and no. Not to my knowledge." 

"Sure you did, playboy billionaire." Pepper dryly remarked.

His foot twitched, knocking over the open vodka bottle. "Weren't we discussing Loki?" 

Astrid started crying again. "Yes and I thought I was special to him, like he is to me."

{"I don't deserve you, my lovely."}

"Now after all this research, I don’t feel like I am anymore.”

{"You'll always be. Please don't cry?"}

Tony gave her some tissue. "I think you're wrong. When Thor told us of you, he mentioned how beautiful and..charming you are, but mostly of how happy you make his pain in the ass, brother." 

Astrid's face lit up. "He said that?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." 

She gasped. "Why Cootyoodles? You can't die."

"Nooo, I don't actually want to."

"Good. Loki be sad."

"He would?" 

She nodded. "When every human hated him, you were sometimes nice. That's why you're his favorite."

{"He's going to have a field day with this."}

"I'm his favorite human?"

"Mm hm."

{"No gloating, Cootyoodles. Darling, do stop twirling your ring? It's dizzying."}

"Astrid. Midgard has millions of talented writers with creative imaginations. Some perverted, some not. Many could've developed crushes after seeing Loki on social media and their stories pure fantasy. Maybe 'pure' isn't the right word, but don't fret over them. Think of his past lovers as…" 

{"This better be good, Stark."}

"Fornication practice runs. " 

{Loki cackled. "Interesting choice of words. Your Vagina looks impressed."}

While Pepper gave Tony the stink eye, Astrid pondered his perspective. "That explains why he's such a beast in bed." Her thoughts drifted to other pleasurable memories. "Ohhh and his magical tongue."

{"Sinful little appendage isn't it?"}

"Once he…"

Tony interrupted her. "We'll take your word for it. My point is, Loki loves 'you' now." He winked at Pepper. "You're who he wants to share forever with and nothing will ever change that."

{It's true.}

The sloshed Asgardian nearly knocked him off the bed with a clumsy hug. "Thanks Iron Cootyoodles." Then she leaned back with a strange look on her face. "I don't feel so good."

Pepper swiftly dodge her projectile, but Stark wasn't so lucky. 

"Sorry!" 

When Astrid ran to the ensuite, he slipped in her vomit and spilled vodka, landing on his ass. "That's it! Time to suit up and drop her in the Hudson. Better yet, doesn't your dad own a Woodchipper?" 

Pepper smirked. "Shower and go back to bed. I'll deal with her." Eventually she joined him, assuming he was asleep.

"I've been thinking." 

"Tell me tomorrow." 

"Next time you 'are' pmsing, I'm going to call you bitchy vagina pants." 

She whacked him hard with a pillow. "'Night."

Tony pulled a small feather from his mouth. 'Or not, but Butch is definitely a keeper.'

When Astrid fell asleep, Loki muted the connection to her ring, went to his parents chambers and demanded Frigga be woken.

"Is something wrong, darling? It's terribly late." 

"Please Mother?"

One look from those saddened, emerald orbs and she caved. "I'll inform Heimdall. On one condition."

"Name it." 

"Should the answer to my question reveal itself a lie, Astrid will learn the truth behind a certain piece of jewelry she owns."

"Oh? What's wrong with it?" 

Frigga disappointedly sighed. "Your Father, the charlatan, tried the same trick with me. As a result, he paid interest to the spank bank for nearly a decade."

"Too much information, Mother."

"A plight we unfortunately share. These orgies you partook in on Midgard, did you wrap your Jonson before plunging it asunder?"

Loki froze. "What exactly did Astrid tell you?"

"Things too indecent to repeat." 

'Stupendous. My Mother thinks me a gigolo.' "The answer is yes. Although I'm immune to their S.T.D.'s. Are you worried I may have impregnated someone?" 

"Should I be?"

"I swear Mother, I took every precaution necessary."

"Good. Less chance of Astrid filleting your bullocks. I'll dress." 

"Certainly." 'Thanks for reminding me of that possibility once sobriety kicks in.'

*****

Tony, having misplaced his car keys, returned to his bar and discovered Loki behind it, pouring a whiskey. 

"There you are. Care to join me? Are you aware your ice bucket is missing."

Iron Cootyoodles wasn't impressed. "Haven't you heard of knocking?"

"On the elevator door? Next time I'll pause it first."

"Very funny. Are you ever going to reveal how you keep bypassing my security?" 

The God smirked. "Perhaps one day, but rest assured it's by means undisclosable. Did you miss me?"

Tony almost said about as much as he'd miss a rabid porcupine, but remembered what Astrid said. "You're tolerable in small doses. Explain undisclosable."

"Has it concerned you that much?"

"Meh, I've only spent days on my system, trying to figure it out. The most expensive security application money can buy, which I've changed the access codes for time and again, yet here you are."

"Tony…"

"Were others to breach it that easily, the material losses would mean nothing compared to Peppers safety being compromised, classified information falling into the wrong hands and how our enemies would utilize it, but hey. Prank away, God of Mischief. Have you seen a set of keys?"

Loki's smirk faded as he vanished them from the bars lower surface. "No, I haven't."

"I'll seek my spare. I'd say make yourself at home, but you always do. Pepper took Astrid shopping. Later." Stark pushed the elevator button and nothing happened. "Are you fucking with this too?"

"For good reason."

"If it means I avoid the stairs, let's have it. We are on the sixtieth floor."

"Tony, my bypasses merely are but pranks. Through the many we pulled on each other, I saw an opportunity to make a friend. Forgive my ignorance in not realizing they would frighten you." 

"Really, Loki? You never once considered that?" 

"No, because neither Pepper, or the Tower, were ever in danger. Nor do I know any of your access codes. Magic gained me entrance and subsequently locked everything back in place." 

"And the classified information?"

"I wouldn't know where to begin and haven't any desire to try."

"Oh. Maybe you're not such an asswipe after all." 

"I'm trying. In the future, I promise never to come unannounced again. Sound good?" 

"I'd appreciate that."

[words-writ-in-starlight]

Headcanon meme: Logan? (Or Laura, your choice.)

Some of both, I think, because I love them both so much.  Speaking of which, I’m rereading the X-Men comics I own starting with the very first issue in the 60′s, with the overdramatic dialogue and the ridiculous costumes, and...I love them...so much.  For this headcanon meme!

HeadcanonLaura! Is! Trans!  Good talk!

For Logan, I still really truly believe that he and Steve Rogers ran in similar circles for a minute or twenty in WWII, because quite frankly if one super soldier is good, one super soldier and one dude with an upsetting talent for taking a bullet and walking it off is better.  Steve remembers Logan much better than Logan remembers Steve, because Logan’s working with a fair amount of memory loss just purely because, yeah, he can take a bullet to the brain and get back up, but memory storage is a delicate business and repairing the neural paths doesn’t necessarily repair the memories.  The two of them get drinks sometimes regardless.

HeartcanonLaura and Logan are both Highly Paranoid (with good reasons) and therefore people tend to expect them to radiate enough unease to make animals nervous.  They are Deeply Wrong.  Laura, at first, tends to be more afraid of animals than they are of her, relic of a long history of any and all new creatures being basically a gladiatorial fight to the death, but she comes around pretty quickly when Logan shows her how to entice a stray cat toward her.  As soon as Laura calms down the pair of them are always the most popular kids at the dance when it comes to domestic animals (with the exception of horses, which are anxious enough to need some soothing first) and one time Laura wandered out of the woods behind the manor with a real-ass fox in her arms.  

“You’re a Disney princess,” Kitty gasps, thrilled.

“I am not,” Laura snaps, blushing, and puts the fox down.  It does not leave.  As far as it’s concerned it’s found the universe’s friendliest apex predator and it’s pretty sure that following her around is going to get it enough food to turn it into a fox-colored sphere.

Gutcanon...the HYDRA cell that cloned Laura included a neurobiologist who used to work for the Red Room, and as such Laura has command coding modeled off the Winter Soldier and the Black Widow program deeply laced into her brain.  They learn this in the worst possible way (of course) and the ensuing fight to keep her contained nearly kills even Logan.  When she comes back to herself, she’s covered in his blood and Logan is still standing between her and the rest of the X-Men, because he knows from bitter experience that coming out of a haze and finding you’ve killed someone you love is the worst experience in the world.

See, the Weapon X program, when it experimented on Logan, was well equipped mechanically but underprepared for the delicate process of brainwashing.  Their first attempt crossed wires badly with Logan’s mutation, and accidental (or intentional) activation of the programming would send him into berserker rages, and...yeah.  He’s not letting that happen to Laura.  A lot of bad shit’s happened to her because of him, including this, but he’s pretty sure she’ll come out of it before she actually kills him for good, so he takes the punishment and does.  Not.  Move.

JunkcanonHey listen, I know Kitty/Illyana is, like, The Thing, but: Illyana/Laura?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Just me?  They would be a narratively perfect match, and also I would LOVE the parallel of Sweet Smiling Sunshine Illyana Who Is Also Belasco’s Heir and Grumpy Scowly Swear-y Laura Who Is Lowkey On A Righteous Crusade.  Tall Illyana in her high femme armor with a bigass sword and short Laura with her hair up in a ponytail and the blood of her enemies on her highly practical uniform.  Laura’s mutation and training mean she’s strong enough to carry her girlfriend bridal style even though Illyana is extremely Colossus’ sister and like a good solid seven inches taller than Laura’s 5′4″.  Illyana is enthralled with this fact.  One time Laura saw Illyana throw her sword like a javelin in a training session and instantly got clobbered by a mock Sentinel while she was staring.  It was totally worth it because Illyana spent the next hour fretting over Laura, healing factor notwithstanding.

Illyana had more of a childhood than Laura did (although not THAT much more) and teaches her dumb stuff like clapping games and jumprope, and one of the languages Laura learned in the lab was Russian and she falls in love with the language like she’s never done before when she hears Illyana telling bad jokes in it.

It takes Illyana a little while to get over her hopeless crush on Kitty, and it takes Laura even longer to figure out what the fuck pining even is, let alone that she’s been doing it, and then they’re sweet and clumsy and earnest together while Logan and Colossus kind of eye each other dubiously over their heads.

Come the fuck on, guys, this is a great concept.  This is, like, the Sweetest Ship.

God, catch me getting feelings about an AU where Laura is an angel and Illyana is a demon even though I’ve never read a single Magyk comic.

SpleencanonCanon can frankly suck an entire dick, especially on the subject of their perennial Death Of Wolverine nonsense.  Like, listen up?  Bitch?  You can have an immortal character.  It’s okay.  You can do that.  I understand that you feel like you need to keep doing the death thing because it’s “emotionally poignant” or whatever, but fucking COUNTER-PROPOSAL: you have a bunch of potentially immortal characters, which, understandably, you milk for a lot of angst.  That’s okay, I like mortals-and-immortals angst, but you need to stop fucking killing Wolverine because it’s nonsensical and annoying and never sticks, so what you’re going to do instead is have Wolverine start a whole fucking daisy-chain of immortal found family narratives.  Just have Logan adopt all of them.  Literally every single immortal character who isn’t actively out to do a genocide is Logan’s child now.  

Laura?  Yep.  

Illyana?  That’s his baby girl.  

Thor?  Thor needs a strong father figure in his life and Odin ain’t always top notch.  

Silver Surfer?  Norrin is a sad and shiny boy who could probably stand to have a parent around so he stops making so many bad fucking decisions.  

Elixir?  You KNOW Logan’s already on his game there.  

Steve Rogers?  Depending on your canon homeboy could live a long fucking time with that serum, and as we’ve discussed Logan was already Full Dad Mode in WWII, it’s just the status quo.

And like, Logan doesn’t need to keep all his new kids at home with him, most of them are grown folk, they’re adults, they can take care of themselves, but what I’m going to need is an ever-growing network of semi-to-fully-immortal characters who know that they can call up Wolverine when their girlfriend or their children or whoever lives out a long mortal life and dies of old age.  

You think I’m kidding but I’m EXTREMELY serious.

[taeguboi]

BTS HC: secret relationship

Request: "reaction 4 secret relationship each bts member plz"

Notes at the end!

Happy imagining!

BTS Headcanon Masterlist

RM

winks from across the room

which are more intense when he makes a suggestive comment in a group conversation

you can't breathe

neither can he though

he just wants to show you off

but he can't

very secret texts

code names for each other

"who's that you're texting?"

"uh just my cousin"

"what? with that winky face and aubergine emoji???"

*person backs off weirded out*

*or they assume they should stop being nosey*

but anyway

it's not all suggestive

random roses delivered to your door

with a note signed with his code name just in case

you smile fondly at the note

"woah y/n, you're so lucky!"

good call Joon because y/n's friends slept over last night

"who's the secret admirer?..."

you get plenty of questions but you keep shush hahah

he does a good job too of keeping it quiet

he gets used to the idea of it

so he can control his facial expression in public

around you

opening a cute message

but it doesn't mean he wants this any less

or that the excitement wore off

taking you to a secret place suddenly and randomly

because he just needs to kiss you

sometimes you might only get 5 minutes to yourselves a day

but every second was treasured

and you both treasure each other as much as one another

way more than anyone around you can see or realise

Jin

the secret is exciting

the idea of just bringing you to his parents one day like

"this is the person I wanna marry"

and they will be like "huh?"

because they haven't met you yet

but by then he will have known you for more than the few years that you already have known each other in the present

he loves the idea of eloping

just being away for a few weeks like the old days of your secret relationship

but for now, the present moment is the secret relationship

he is so cool about it

it can drive you nuts at times

how you smile at him from across a room

when definitely no one is looking

and boy just stares into your soul

like WHY AREN'T YOU RETURNING MY SMILE BITCH

though of course you don't say that out loud

he knows those little things that capture you though

he knows how to subliminally tell you he is thinking of you

if there's something that needs to be done and he can pick anyone

he'll pick you

if you're at the water fountain then suddenly he is thirsty

that kind of thing

and without fail

at a set time of the week

there is time for you two alone

you just fake that part of your schedule consistently and no one is any the wiser

"yeah I'm off to the gym that night"

you don't have to tell them you take saturdays off

sometimes you go out of town

for a full on date

sometimes you snuggle up for a night in

there was that one time

his best friend showed up unexpectedly

like damn how can he get rid

the mate comes in and says for a good hour before leaving

and you've been in a cupboard this whole time

he always makes up for things like that though

anything inconvenient or negative that happening through keeping up the secret

doesn't go ignored

and although at times in public you may feel ignored or rejected

you're never ignored in his mind or his heart

Suga

down-low is a positive thing

no one is on your backs

no questions

no pestering

peaceful

and you appreciate that just as much as he does

it's nice to not have salty people creating rumours

it's nice to so clearly separate professional and personal life

all in all, confusion is next to none existent

you have a meet up point

you go there whenever you get the chance

no one is ever to follow you

they don't even know you know the said place exists

sometimes you're just off to the shop

and he's just off for a coffee break

and somehow you squeeze in a minute to be there and wait for him

neither of you are ever late or double book

so no one is any the wiser

a careful couple

a carefree couple

so although you might announce your thing in the future

this secrecy allows you two to appreciate each other

and you’ll never forget these days

J-Hope

it makes him giddy

whilst he wants to tell the world

sometimes you keep up appearances better than he does

and at times people think it’s an unrequited crush

that he fancies the pants of you

and of course he does

but they all think you’re having none of it

but you’re having all of it

and that’s the real reason he keeps himself off bounds

he purposely moves out of town

so that he can work in the week as normal

but then at weekends you two can go about as a couple 

wherever and however you want

you go out pretty much every saturday

sundays are for strolls around his new village

and those days help with keeping up the story in the other 5 days

there is so much to catch up on

never a silent moment

there is always something to talk about

mouths “i love you” from across a room

and your heart is just 

so you look around to make sure

and you mouth “i love you” back

and that’s enough to be warm for an hour in the coldest weather

quite hyper around you

more reason for people to be suspicious

yet they aren’t really

because they know they’re only joking

but nothing about your secret is a joke

though there are plenty of inside jokes

and you have to try your hardest not to crack up 

if someone mentions something related to that one thing that gets to the both you every time

so yeah you’ll probably get exposed one day

but up until now, you’ve both done a pretty good job

only time will tell when you can finally tell the world

Jimin

sends you fluffy sweaters in the mail when its cold

so you can wear it all day and think of him

maybe he underestimates how much you he’s on your mind anyway

money spent on postage to each other is real

love letters galore

that you both treasure

and keep every one of them

he loves it when you spray some perfume on a letter

just one intake of that smell makes him think about 1000 things related to you

tries to spend as many evenings with you as he can

be prepared at any time for a surprise visit

whether he’s already in the area

or has travelled solely to see you

he will use any spare time to make sure you feel loved

and he is very successful in this aim

he will give you the world

you’re just waiting on the world’s blessing

V

will hide secret notes in your pockets

and still sends anonymous valentine cards

just on the chance that someone might think to back off

not that he’s over protective or aggressive about you

he just wants you to himself

and he does

but the rest of the world doesn’t know that yet so

is accidentally clumsy in front of you

no one spots the correlation though fortunately

quiet, deep mumbles into your ear when no one is around

or simply when he walks past you

and he is so subtle

but you’re going out of your mind like

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME

and then he walks back the other way knowing what he did

the little fucker smirks

safe to say there’s plenty of intense cupboard make out sessions

“i couldn’t stop thinking about you”

some people have actually speculated he’s gay

but he is definitely not

oh boy is definitely not

knows every inch of you perfectly

sometimes gets to a point where secret make outs go further

and he can get the job done in like 5 minutes

like fucking hell boi

you drive him nuts too though

just by wearing certain clothes that flatter your figure

or accentuate one of his favourite things about you

*sits daydreaming about your ass*

it’s not any different on your part

shirt undone at the top?

well damnnn

all you can think about it cuddling up to what you know is underneath

the world will probably be shocked when they find out

but they’ll have to deal with it

Jungkook

subtle pieces of matching clothing

well kind of

“you’re just as obsessed with docs as our Jungkook is”

“you guys would be a perfect match”

and you laugh internally

because that’s how you guys got talking one day

and then it escalated into this

“you guys look like a couple, you both always wear black”

hahahaha whoops

shared wardrobe

low key dates

because Jungkook wants to see a movie

and you’re the only one around who is interested

so people just think you share similar interests

truth be told

you’re not always interested in a film he wants to see

you go because you can

to spend time with him

where better than in the dark where you can’t be seen?

so it doesn’t even matter if last minute the others turn up

lights out, you hold hands

casually, you know

snapchats for days

like deep conversations

and although the words on your screen disappear 

you don’t forget a word he tells you

so the next time you see him

you know exactly what to do

he feels so happy around you

never a dull day

I've done a headcanon instead of a reaction if that's good for you anon because with a headcanon I can do a fuller story rather than just, for example, a reaction to only realizing it has be kept secret.

I'm not sure why any of these relationships are secret in the scenarios I created but you might make something up in your mind if you please, maybe it's because they are an idol or maybe it's a work au where it would be unprofessional or risk your jobs idk. 

I also might extend some of these in the future as I understand that some headcanons are shorter than others (and I’ll add gifs too ofc)

[iammarylastar]

13. D Day, I don’t know what time it is but I’ll miss her.

Code D day. D like death. The day I die. Fuck.

‘For he’s a jolly good fellow For he’s a jolly good fellow For he’s a jolly good feeellooooow Which nobody can deny!’

Hilarity ensues, my stupid teammates have not stopped singing that song for hours. Congratulations, manly pats on my shoulders, inappropriate jokes about my overfilled sexual life have been raining over me since we have boarded the bombardier. The aircraft was finally fixed around 4 a.m. and we took off for the search-and-rescue mission at 0530 sharp, at sunrise. Fucking Land of the Rising Sun. My last mission as a single, poor guy.

Today I’m going to get married to the love of my life, with the blessing of the utmost asshole alive, our dearest Colonel Gessepp.

“So, lucky boy, what is it like to get in Gessepp’s good books?” Mac shoves a cigarillo into my mouth.

“Ha ha! You’re so high on his list Honey!” Phil laughs.

“Yeah, you should marry him Cup!"  Louis jokes.

"Guys, I’d rather have my face buried in between my bride’s boobs for eternity than to be dealing with him once again. But hey, he paid for the wedding, what should I do?” I blurt out.

“What the fuck?” Louis shouts in my ears.

Yeah, I still can’t believe it myself. Yesterday, after we had all the wedding stuff ready, which means asking the pastor to marry us, spreading the news to our mates and Jessica and running to my room to have another session of amazing sex, we went back to Gessepp’s where I was officially invited for dinner.

I had any flowers for tomorrow, any ring for my bride, any vows in mind, any place to live with her but I didn’t care. I wore her blue shirt and our hands were sealed when we knocked at the door.

Jessie kissed my cheek and Gessepp patted my shoulder as they welcomed me in their house and in their family, ahead of schedule.

Dinner was great, I tried my best to behave like the dickhead I was supposed to be, but failed each time my eyes laid on my beautiful fiancée. I absent mindedly laughed at the awful jokes and macho shit the Colonel hadn’t stopped to spit out. All my attention was focused on her and what I would do to her tomorrow. What our life together would be like. And this was enough to make me hungry.

“So guys, what are your plans for tomorrow? Cup are you going to wear a groom suit or your dress uniform?” Gessepp asked me shoving a full spoon of the dessert in his dirty mouth.

“I’m a soldier, Sir, I’ll be honoured to take my vows to God and get married in uniform.” I’m so good playing that shit.

“Good boy. Do you know Angelina planned to wear Jessica’s wedding dress? It never would fit my wife’s huge ass anyway… I know they started to cut and sew it to Angelina’s will the day before we had this interview in my office. Deep dip and lace, I hope she won’t look much like a whore!” He laughed loudly, still chewing his bite of cake, which was as disgusting as his words.

I almost choked and Angie just dropped her spoon down, the light smile that had been covering her face vanished, tears dangerously threatened to flow down.

“Ah, clumsy girl! What’s your problem now?” He angrily said.

“Sorry my Colonel… It… It was supposed to be a surprise. They say it’s bad luck if the groom sees his bride’s outfit before the wedding…” She was fighting back her tears, she looked so miserable. Gessepp just smashed her dream, no regard. Bastard.

“Stupid whiner, it’s not like he has seen anything.” He scolded her.

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently, nodding my head. I bent to place a sweet kiss in her neck, whispering to her ear.

“No worry. You’ll be my gorgeous bride, whatever.”

Then added loudly, on a dickhead mode: “Who cares about the wedding dress? What matters lays underneath the lace, doesn’t it?”

I forced myself in a wicked laugh, slapping Angie’s thigh, making both of us uncomfortable. But it worked, Jesus, it worked beyond all expectations.

Gessepp nearly spit his bite out and laughed his head off.

“Ah ah ah! Ohhh Cup, I have to admit that, at this time, I doubted I would agree to give you her hand, you seemed like a love sick puppy. But as weird as it sounds, I like you son.” He clickety clacked his fingers on the table, judging me from the corner of his eyes.

“Women out. Go do the dishes or whatever females do when real men have a talk and a cigar.” He orders, getting up from the table and digging into the cupboard for cigars.

As I stood up and started to gather some plates and cutlery, Angie sent me a death glare, no way a real man helped with housework. Jessie quickly grabbed the plate from my hands and disappeared quickly as well.

Angie stood right before me, so close our bodies were almost touching. I couldn’t help but cup her face, darn you Gessepp.

I slowly bent down and kissed her lips, in the most romantic way.

“Knock knock, hello lovebirds! Cup, you’ll have plenty of time to do your disgusting thing tomorrow. Drop your girl now, she has more important stuff to do in the kitchen. And we have more important stuff to discuss on the terrace.” Gessepp cut off our kiss, a devilish smirk on his lips.

“Son, I’m waiting” he grabbed the doorknob and opened the French doors.

Fuck. You. I lost myself in her eyes, Jesus, I couldn’t wait. She broke our stare and shyly smiled then sneaked out of my arms before the Colonel grew impatient.

“He didn’t really say he liked you, did he? He called you son, you son of a bitch! ” Mac yells to cover the engine’s roars.

“Oh I swear he did, man. He also offered to pay for the ceremony. And gave orders for us to be assigned a house next to his so we could settle down next week.”

“I… It’s too much of an honour. I… We’re very grateful. Thank you my Colonel.”

The Colonel went on to congratulate his motherfucker self as we smoked our cigars and it took all I had not to tell him a few home truths.

After what seemed an eternity  he finally stopped rambling and I jumped at the chance.

“Sir, as much as I appreciate your company, there’s a bunch of things Angelina and I still have to think about for tomorrow. I don’t want to sound disrespectful but… I was wondering if you may allow me to take Angelina out for a walk…”

Gessepp smirked devilishly and patted my back. “Cup, don’t bullshit me. Like you could think about 'having a talk’ just the night before your wedding. I’m not born yesterday young man. I saw you, sniffing around Angelina like a horny teenager. Go and enjoy that pretty ass of hers!”

What the f…?

“Oh Oh, don’t be coy dirty horndog. How long have you been waiting for a good fuck with her? 5 months isn’t it? Your balls might look like watermelons don’t they?”

My balls are fine, thanks for caring. Angie took good care of them, no worries.

“I don’t know what to say, Sir…” I started, scratching the back of my neck. Just say something he’d like to hear and run away from here to make love to your beautiful girl.

“I… I…That’s an offer I can’t refuse. Thanks for your understanding, Sir!” I’m at attention before that animal who just gave me his consent to a free sex night with my wife-to-be.

I can’t help but grabbing his hand, squeezing and shaking it like a madman. I was so happy I could have kissed him, but I’d rather save my kisses for my wife. My wife.

“OK. Thank you again my Colonel. For the dinner and everything. I’d better go now.”

I rushed out of the dining room, hitting my hip in the corner of the table in haste, eliciting another loud laugh from the Devil behind me.

“Ah Ah! Don’t deceive me, son! And make sure the bride is still able to walk tomorrow!”

I mentally flipped the bird to that asshole, running to my girl as fast as I could.

“Man, hope your early honeymoon was as amazing as that dinner! I don’t know if I better have to congratulate you or to offer you my condolences for being soon Gessepp’s relative.” Phil laughs.

“That was a direct order coming from my Colonel, dude. I can tell Angie and I enthusiastically obeyed that dickhead.” I show off.

“ Yeah, yeah… We all know about that, lucky dog!” Mac makes fun of me.

“What do you mean, you all know about it?” I expect the worst from my best mate.

“Let’s say the whole unit heard about your rehearsal on the beach.” He says.

I glance at my team, all smirking widely.

“Ahm, every single soul that was having a drink at Mat’s bar heard you rehearsing both your honeymoon and your answers to the pastor. You were more like "Fuck Yeah!” but Angie kept crying loud enthusiastic yesses.“

"Oh Cup! Yes, Yes, YESSS!” Phil mimics Angie’s screams of pleasure.

“Motherfuckers!” I swear under my breath. I have to admit we didn’t stay quiet, too focused on ourselves to give a shit to the rest of the world.

“How do you think we spotted you at 0430 to wake you up for that mission?

Shit. Angie already freaked out when Mac found us half naked, asleep on the beach, my body blanketing hers to keep her warm.

"Please don’t tell Angie about that, she’ll blush like a virgin…”

“Which she obviously isn’t anymore!” Louis jokes, laughing out of loud.

We all join him, laughing our heart out, God I love those guys like they’re my own family. I can’t wait to have them with me tonight when I say I do to my love.

“OK guys, let’s save the naughty stories for your toasts. Please, change the topic before I crack my nerves and go back to my bride. Leaving all of you dead and gone.”

“What about telling us one silly joke of yours, lucky duck?” Louis suggests.

All my team cheers and starts singing, clapping hands “Cup! Cup! Cup!”

Let’s do this, peeps. Then, keep an eye on the ocean for another 10 minutes to seek traces of the crew we’re supposed to rescue and fly me back home to my bride.

I already can picture her, gorgeous as a white rose in her wedding dress, waiting for me on the landing field, throwing her bouquet over her shoulder as she runs to me, like in slow motion.

I wish I would be able to reach out to catch her when she jumps on me. I’d love to marvel at her sweet features when she walks up to me at the altar. See the sparkles in her eyes as she says 'I do’ . Lift her veil before kissing her, as the crowd cheers and wooes at us. Oh God, how much I wanted to know how it feels to make love as husband and wife.

These were my thoughts as I was desperately and hopelessly doing the emergency procedure to save the aircraft.

The first engine failed, I was in the middle of the joke. No problem, I could handle that. Beside it’s a good excuse to fly back to Angie sooner than expected.

My dream dies together with the second engine.

Fuck.

I don’t know much either about life or love but what I know for sure is you can’t expect to fly much longer than 10 minutes with 2 engines out of order. That fucking big piece of junk is heavy as a rock and we’ve already been flying so low to spot the survivors, I give it 2 minutes before total badness.

Yeah, too bad. We were so close to happiness. Naah I’m lying, we’ve been so happy, it kills me to think this is about to end. What kills me is to figure out her face when she will not see the bombardier coming back. What kills me is to know she will have to stay with Gessepp. What kills me is that my plane is crashing down in the middle of the ocean.

If it’s time for regrets, I’d say I should have said more 'I love you’s. I should have told her she was beautiful more often. Touched her, kissed her more often. Hugged her, cuddled her, protected her. Made love to her every single minute of the day.

Oh and I should have told her I knew. Before I left this morning. I should have told her I’ve noticed, few days before I asked her to marry me. Noticed how her breasts were more swollen and sensitive than usual. Noticed the subtle changes in her mood and arousal. I’m not a scientist but we had sex almost every day in the last two months and she never bled. No trace of women stuff. I should have told her how happy I was about the baby.

People say your whole life flashes before your eyes when it’s the end. Obviously, my life has started the day I met her.

I can clearly feel the softness of her skin under my touch, dear God I love every piece of her. I can remember the taste of her lips the first time I kissed her, and every single kiss we have shared. I can feel the tickles on my side, the first time she shyly put her hands on me. I can ear all her moans and sighs when we’re making love, her crystal laugh and her voice when she called me silly. And it’s still music to my ears, despite the roars of engines and fires.

“I’ll love you until death splits us apart”. Bullshit. Angie I’ll love you and our little bunny until the end of times. My loves. My angels.

I hope she will look like her. Yeah we’re expecting a baby girl, I feel it. And she will have her mother’s beauty and grace. I hope she will look a little like me though, so they would remember me. I would have rocked as a father, I know it. I tried my hands on Abi, the numerous times Angie brought the baby with her. Once, we were having an early picnic lunch on the field and I was playing with that cutie pie, helping her to stand up on her fatty legs on my lap. She was laughing so hard as I scratched my stubble on her neck, eating her up with light kisses. One if her first words was for me; patting my face, she called me Dada. I almost burst into tears. It’s a shame this could never happen with my baby girl, Angie’s tender gaze  wrapping us.

Angie.

It’s weird like I feel at peace as my life is about to end. Angie always succeeded to soothe me.

“Cup, man!” Phil’s screams startle me. I think his real name is Russel. Russel Phillips. His face is distended by fear. He gives me a frightened, desperate look. Like it’s the last one he'd ever share.

Fuck!

It’s not the end even if it looks like it. I’m a soldier. All those pussy’s whines are enough. Angie is my life. I fought for her and I’ll keep fighting. For them. For us.

As the plane crashes down, I promise myself to survive: I have a girl to marry and a child to meet.

@wolfie–132 @narfea @smartieblue22

@bookgirlsthing @pernilleals @knittingmad @menink0pe @flawedimagination

@jojuarez26 @athe-krieger-der-elemente @lunaschild2016 @muerete-cagando @runningfromchances

@kiiiimberlyriiiicker1995