#[some boys are just distractions: promos]
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allmyn1ghts · 1 year ago
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Shield's First Lady ˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
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The Shield x Fem!Reader (platonically)
Synopsis: just a little hc about being the first and only lady of shield!!
Warnings: fluff and some angst
a/n: missing my boys and 2013-15 real bad yall!!
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you absolutely loved your boys
at first, you were really iffy about the idea Triple H presented
"I want you to be Shield's First Lady! I think you being with the guys would be a perfect fit."
you didn't really want to be in a group or associated with one. But you decided to go ahead with the idea
You barely talked to Roman before but Seth and Dean were foreign to you.
"It's so nice to meet you all, I'm sure this is gonna be super fun for all of us!" 
The three men were nothing but sweetheart to you. always polite, making sure you were good
from that moment, you knew you had made the right choice
your role was pretty simple, the fearless badass of the group 
you would stand ringside for almost every match whether it be singles, tag, or all three of them. sometimes distract the ref so they can pull an illegal move ;)
every backstage segment had all four of you in it chilling in your custom locker room, getting ready for a match, etc...
promos always had you on the mic
"Shield is taking over the WWE. We have the Tag Team titles, the United States Championship, the Divas championship, My boys and I are unstoppable"
the fans absolutely loved Shield (you were the fan favorite)
yall had become a little family!
the four of you always went out after shows, having a blast
when the boys would get into stupid little arguments, you were the mediator
"C'mon guys enough! We're family. act like it!" 
when you got loud, oh they listened for sure. They knew not to piss you off
don't be fooled though, they loved you more
What you did for them ringside, they did for you.
Every time you won, they would slide into the ring and hold you up on their shoulders.
they always made you laugh at their silly side convos 
Everything was good
until it wasn't
The day Seth betrayed you all, was the day your heart broke
"Seth what are you doing?! How could you do this to us?! We're family!"
You looked him in his eyes, slapping him across the face. He had nothing to say but a smirk on his face. 
Seth not only betrayed you but his brothers too, his family.
Shield was never the same for any of you after that day. 
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hope yall enjoyed this lil hc! comment and reblog pls and thank u <33
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starkwlkr · 1 year ago
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so there’s this boy | cillian murphy
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Y/n sat across her manager, Holly, at a restaurant. They were discussing new movie roles and promo that still needed to be done. Y/n had zoned out after Holly mentioned some movie role that she was offered. She couldn’t stop thinking about Cillian. They had messaged each other for several months now. Neither of their managers knew about their potential new relationship. Was it a relationship? Y/n didn’t know.
“You with me?” Holly questioned when she noticed the blonde was zoning out.
“Yeah, I’m good I’m here. What’s up ?” She cleared her throat and sat up straighter.
“Your schedule is full until next month, after that your sisters wedding is next and if it all goes to plan, you finally get a break. Have you decided if you’re taking a date to the wedding?” Holly asked.
“Shit . . . I forgot about the wedding,” Y/n sighed. “Does that make me a bad person? It’s my own sister’s wedding! I just have a lot going on here.”
“You’re not a bad person. That’s why I’m here to help. If you want to cancel some interviews, we can.” Holly replied.
“No, I can do it. I just can’t have any distractions.”
Then stop talking to Cillian
Y/n couldn’t help it. Cillian was on her mind a lot lately.
“Babe, you and I both know you would never call that Irish guy ‘a distraction’. Just call him your lover.”
“What?”
Holly chuckled at Y/n’s reaction. “That Irish guy? Cillian, yeah him. He’s good looking. I know that you’ve been seeing him lately.”
“Who else knows?” Y/n whispered as if it was top secret information.
“His manager probably and me as far as I know. I only found out because he asked me to give you this.” Holly pulled out an envelope from her purse and slid it towards Y/n.
Y/n grabbed it and saw her name written in pen in Cillian’s handwriting. “Be right back, I have to make a call.” Holly said as she stood up from her seat with her phone in hand.
Y/n opened the envelope and saw a letter from Cillian. She unfolded the letter and saw a smaller piece of paper fall onto her lap. She picked it up and read it. Her eyes widened when she realized what it was. It was a concert ticket to see Stevie Nicks, her favorite musician.
She set the ticket down and finally read the letter that Cillian had written her.
You haven’t left my mind, not for one second. I can still hear your laughter and I never want it to end. You have my heart and if you let me, I could have yours. My heart is so full of you I can hardly call it my own. You are kind, gentle, beautiful and full of love. I always hoped I would find someone that loves so deeply and I have finally found them.
C.M
i’ll see you soon
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featherandferns · 4 months ago
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daylight - ten
jj maybank x fem!reader | part 10 of the daylight series | read part 9 here
content warnings: mentions of abuse and bereavement
word count: 1.5k.
blurb: fulfilling your promise to Barry, what starts as a photoshoot for his website turns into some well-meaning advice.
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“What’s biting your bark?”
You lower your camera down from your line of sight so you can meet Barry’s eyes. You hope that way you can decipher what he just said, but no.  “What?”
“What’s the matter?” he translates with an eye roll. You shrug. 
“Nothing. Why’d you ask?”
A small smirk starts to show as he nods to your camera. “Because you’ve just taken about five pictures with the lens protector still on.”
Frowning, you look down to your camera to find that he’s telling the truth. “Oh.”
You take it off and pocket it. How did you not notice?
“Something on your mind?”
“It’s not important,” you politely dodge, flashing him a smile. Barry raises his brows and you get the feeling that he’s not easily discouraged. 
“This might come as a shock to you, but I was young once too,” Barry says. “So what is it? Boy trouble? Girl trouble?”
The apparent gay-rights ally Barry stands stoic, brow quirked and hands stuffed in his overall pockets, as he waits for your reply. You’re a little alarmed how easy he had your number down. 
“Boy trouble, I guess,” you sigh. Shaking your head, you renew your smile. “It’s really not a big deal though. Let’s get these shots done before we lose the light, huh?”
To distract your busy mind from thoughts of JJ, you had gone to Barry’s to fulfil your offer of completing promo shots for his website. He was more than happy to indulge. He even went to the effort of putting on a fresh pair of overalls. 
“Is this that Maybank kid?”
Okay, can this guy read your mind or something? The bewildered look on your face must be answer enough as Barry lets out a raspy laugh. His voice sounds like he’s been gurgling gas and inhaling smog for most of his years on earth. It’s weirdly comforting, like the smell of warm, fresh sawdust. 
“Come on, kid,” he says, wandering over to one of the plastic lawn chairs that sits outside his garage. “Indulge me.”
For some reason, you do. You take the seat next to him, your camera turned off and placed in your lap. 
“We, uh, got in this dumb fight the other day,” you find yourself saying. “You see, we’ve been spending more and more time together and just getting closer, I guess you could say.”
“Close enough to leave space for Jesus?” Barry wonders. Your face burns hot red. 
“Me and you aren't good enough friends yet for you to get that kind of info, Barry,” you jokingly return, hoping your fluster doesn’t show. Barry bobs his head, your joshing response seemingly answer enough. 
“Like I said, I was young once too,” comes his coded reply. 
“Anyway,” you say, redirecting the conversation, “I started to get all twitchy about it ‘cause I didn’t know where we stood. And I’ve never been good at complicated. You see, I sorta dated this guy back when I lived in Canada and I guess you could say he did a number on me.”
“He mess ya around?”
“To put it nicely, yeah,” you say, smiling smally. “So I’m not very good at opening up to new possibilities and stuff. It doesn’t help that JJ’s so hard to read, either. He’s the kinda guy who says one thing but does another. And I know people tend to see what they want to see, but I swear to God, sometimes I catch him looking at me in a way that makes me think that maybe there’s something more there.”
“Would that be so bad if there was?” Barry wonders, slouching back in his chair. 
Frowning, you look at him. His question passes in and out of your mind as realisation dawns upon you. “I can’t believe I just told you all of that.”
“I’m easy to talk to, kid," Barry shrugs. "My wife always said I was given God’s gifted ears: always good to listen but never much to talk."
You laugh softly.
“Yeah, she always came through with the good-enough advice for the both of us.”
Pursing your lips, you ponder his earlier question. You can’t seem to settle on an answer. “I’m not sure if it would be a bad thing. I guess I’m just scared that whatever the answer is, things might change. I don’t know if I want them to. I like how we are now.”
“And yet, you don’t,” Barry observes. 
Chuckling, you nod. “Yeah. Guess I can’t win, eh?”
Looking down, you fiddle with the buttons and dials on your camera. Barry’s quiet for a while and you can practically hear his rusty cogs turning in his mind. 
“You met that kid’s dad yet?” he asks, out of the blue. 
“Who? JJ’s? No, I haven’t met him yet,” you say. “I’ve heard a bit about him though.”
“He’s a troubled guy,” Barry sighs. Shaking his head, he says, “I was friends with him a while back but some people just wanna drown, and sometimes you gotta swim away before you get taken down with ‘em. But that poor kid: he got stuck with two shabby parents. His mama up and left, and before that she was a lying, cheatin’ son of a bitch - not to speak too out of turn. His papa probably has a closer relationship with a bottle than with the kid.”
You think back to the other night, sat in JJ’s house, surrounded by trash and tumult. JJ’s own drinking and smoking habits were easy to catch onto. It worried you plenty but it felt wrong to lecture. He omitted his parents from most stories and anecdotes but you suppose you didn't notice all that much as you had a habit of doing the same.
“I say all this ‘cause I think you gotta understand something. That poor son of a bitch didn’t have the best example of what love was growing up,” Barry says with a sad shrug. “Sometimes that means you don’t always know it when you see it. So, maybe he don’t know how to tell you ‘cause he don’t know what it is.”
You sigh and look out to the desolate road that sits outside his garage. “Y’know, JJ told me about your wife and daughter. I’m really sorry.”
Barry goes quiet but the air doesn’t feel tense. You take it as space to continue. 
“Your daughter was really pretty. I saw her in that photo in your shop.”
“She were an angel. God just needed her back home,” Barry quietly returns.
Looking to him, you smile, small and sympathetic.
Grunting, Barry leans forward. “Look, I’ve known JJ since he was yea-high,” he says, gesturing with his hand to the height of a small child. “He’s got a good heart but a short fuse. He runs.”
“That maybe explains why I haven’t heard from him since our fight,” you mumble. Barry’s smile feels like confirmation. 
“But I tell you one thing that I do know. Just like my little angel: that kid is loyal to the bone. If he cares for someone, he sinks his darn talons in and don’t let go - no matter what. Even his dear old pops he’ll defend to the end of the earth if someone dare say a bad word ‘bout him, despite all the beating and berating.” 
Your brows knit with that and your heart lurches. 
“So, if you come a’callin’ then he’ll come a’runnin’, I’ll tell you that now,” Barry assures you. “You just gotta know what you’re callin’ for.”
Nodding, you take in his advice. It helps ease the anxious insomnia that has been eating away at you these past few days. You start to feel as though a path is being carved out for you, fresh and foreign, different to the one you tread with Tyler. 
“Why are you so nice to me?” you ask Barry. 
His eyes hold the weight of the worlds within them as he smiles kindly at you. “Cause you remind me of my daughter. I like to think that if she had lived to be your age, she’d have been just like you.”
That mark of high praise etches itself into your brain. You wear it like a badge of honour the way a wartime soldier might with his medals, and sit in quiet disbelief that someone would say something so generous to you. 
After Barry’s well-guided advice, you get back to the photoshoot. You feel as though you saw him different through the camera lens after that. Every wrinkle on his forehead formed a map of his life: of hours spent at gravesites; of restless nights, alone in his house; of hard work at the garage, fixing and pimping out cars and trucks. Whilst some might say Barry wasn’t book-smart, he didn’t need to be. He was smart in the things that mattered. People and problems. With that intelligence, you find that as you walk back into your house, things feel less cluttered in your mind. It’s like he gave you the boxes to help organise all the thoughts you’d accumulated about JJ. 
As you approach your bedroom door, that content smile that had stitched itself to your skin the whole journey home fades as you find it closed. You distinctly remember leaving it open. Slowly cracking it open, your mouth drops with your bag when your eyes land on the person sat on your bed. 
“Mimsy?”
read part eleven here!
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hexonthepeach · 2 years ago
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dive
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pairing: f4!nct dojaejung x fem!reader (past johnny x reader mentions)
genre: hana yori dango/boys over flowers/meteor garden/f4 thailand reverse harem au (mild allusions and characterization only)
warnings: brief mentions of past bullying, dom!doyoung, hopelessromantic!jaehyun, mommykink!jungwoo, reader is a bit of a switch, smut (mmmf, double penetration, oral f & m receiving/giving, unprotected sex, anal, semi-public sex), degradation/humiliation kink (reader), pet names: baby, mommy (reader), puppy (jw)
wordcount: 10k
author's note: i wrote this as a distraction from other projects after listening to perfume on repeat and lamenting the end of promo. intended as a oneshot but i have some ideas for continuation. please let me know if you enjoy it (and more importantly, what you enjoy)
The Bangkok night is warm and thick and redolent with flowers. The expensive vacation home one of your three companions had arranged for your short stay is quietly luxurious, separated from the city bustle but still hazed with light past the high walls and thick foliage surrounding the pool. 
You'd never made a habit of asking who paid for what with your travel companions, but you guess by the mix of old world and new that it was Jaehyun's idea to stay here–perhaps even a Jeong family permanent accommodation. His family's import business had done well in the region, judging by the luxury sports cars parked in the driveway.
Everything about this trip is surreal–worse for the fact that a fourth presence lingers like a ghost in your periphery. 
He should have been here. Indeed, you've taken his place, filling the natural void like a small drop in an ocean-sized hole. 
Everything about this distraction brought you back to him: the rose petals strewn across your pristine bed, the snarling garuda statue lurking across the aquamarine oasis. 
Johnny is 8600 miles away and still very near. 
Jaehyun joins you at the pool's edge, slipping some well-concocted drink near your manicured fingers–most likely Jungwoo's contribution by the tasteful sprig of flowering basil. You'd refused multiple drinks at the club, still flagged from a day of travel and self-conscious of the eyes on your table and you’d finally agreed to one now that you were back safe in your own private enclosure.
He shucks off his sandals to dip his feet in beside yours, nudging you beneath the water to remind you that even with the grief that's hollowed you out inside, you're not alone.
Jaehyun doesn't speak–well accustomed to your need for silence when you've inevitably descended into that space again. 
Unfortunately, Doyoung isn't as accommodating. 
"What did we say about moping, Y/N?" A tall shadow stands beside you, swaying slightly. 
"I'm not moping," you say, sipping from your glass of Mekhong soothed with sugar and soda. "Just thinking."
"Wasn't the point of this vacation to get you to stop doing that?" Doyoung is touching his toe to the warm water when there's a sudden rush from behind you, a startled cry escaping the man before he hits the surface fully clothed. 
"Was he bothering you?" Jungwoo asks, looking completely unfazed about shoving the other man in.
"You bastard," Doyoung says, spluttering up and tossing his hair back as he holds his phone out of the water.
"It's waterproof."
"That's not–"
"I'll buy you a new one." 
"Now you're going to have him trying to return the favor," you say, giving him a sly smile.
"Oh I think I'll be alright," he says with a wink, backing up a few paces before cannon-balling in. If you'd been doused by Doyoung's ungraceful landing you're soaked thoroughly by the splash Jungwoo makes, finding yourself shielded by Jaehyun's torso wrapped around you. 
You hadn’t even thought to protect anything but your drink, your heart stuttering as you find yourself inches from his flushed face and rosy lips.
"You okay?" he asks, wiping water from your face with his silk sleeve. 
"Yeah," you say quietly. "Can't see the tears now, right?"
He blinks at you, believing you by the clouded expression in his dark eyes.
"I'm just kidding. Not crying, see." You smile at him as best as you can muster, hoping your carefully-applied makeup isn't running off your face. 
"Don't you want to join us?" Jungwoo has escaped Doyoung by pressing himself to your knees, shoulders well out of the water at standing level. You shake your head, suddenly shy.
"You should have let those girls come back with us," you say. "All that work wingmanning for nothing."
"Blame Doyoung for boring them talking about tariffs," Jungwoo says, ducking as the other shoves water in his direction. "Besides, we didn't want you to be alone."
"You know I don't mind, puppy." You tousle his wet hair, sipping deeply again. Through the fogged rim of your glass you catch his cheerful expression falter. It lasts only as long as he realizes Doyoung is floating on his back, swamping him with a tackle.
"I asked them to keep it just us for tonight." Jaehyun says, breaking his quiet. 
"Saving the party for Phuket!" Jungwoo shouts in the background, mispronouncing the first syllable deliberately to sound like fuck it.
"Have someone you're missing tonight, too?" Your tease lands with a thud, watching your best friend's mouth crease at the corner as he chews his lip. 
"I'm sorry, that was rude–"
"No," he says. "I know how you feel."
"How far away is Paris?" you ask, not expecting an answer.
"5 hours," Jaehyun says, grinning slightly. It's a callback to so many months of watching him stare out towards the airport from the school rooftop with you, letting you listen while he mused on what she might be doing at that hour, how long it would take to get there. 
You'd encouraged him even as your heart broke–feeling the dwindling embers of a schoolgirl crush on him turn to ash. You would never be as good as his childhood love, even if you had taken up her place as his companion seated beside him on the piano bench when he practiced, or studying beside him as he drifted off into one of his many naps.
It was better this way–more comfortable just being able to be with him without the worry that you could live up to her, your heroine in highschool. But there would always be something there.
Doyoung clambers out to sit beside you, far enough away not to dampen the fuschia Versace metal mesh minidress he'd gifted you earlier. It was the perfect costume to play the part of nouveau riche jetsetter for a girl who lived one step up from a basement apartment. 
No one would mistake you for class, or even an influencer, but in their company no one was looking at you anyway. Most people thought you were Doyoung’s assistant or Jungwoo’s sister. The nasty looks, sometimes worse, always followed when they introduced you as their friend.  
"What can we do to make this a magical night?" Doyoung asks. You find yourself unable to answer, eyes caught on the smooth definition of his chest through the barely buttoned translucent shirt he'd worn out. You note he's lost the matching loose tie, probably still wrapped around a girl's neck on the dance floor.
"It's already so nice," you say, looking up at the blink of stars through the light pollution. "Thank you for including me." 
"You think we'd leave you behind?" 
The way he says you carries all sorts of strange subtext, considering your history. It had been a long journey from being mercilessly bullied and shoved into the dirt you came from, as Johnny had called it, to here. The lap of luxury, attended to by three specimens of wealth and privilege so out of your league you may as well be batting a thousand.
"Well it’s not like I got you in the divorce," you say, knot twisting in your chest. "I guess even now it’s hard to tell if you’re just being nice to me because you feel bad for me."
"First of all, he left all of us," Doyoung corrects. His voice is a little raspy, as if he's controlling his emotions. The admission leaves you questioning. You knew how close they were but they'd never shown any sign of being affected by Johnny's sudden departure.
Maybe you'd just been too busy wallowing to notice. 
“Second, you’re special. Too special to let just anyone play with. If you hadn’t noticed, we enjoy your company.”
"And when have we ever done something nice?" Jungwoo rests his arms on your knees, almost pulling you into the water. Jaehyun pushes him back with his foot, earning a tug on his leg that does little to move his immovable weight. 
"You're a package deal, though. Like a blend," you raise your mostly empty glass to drive your horrible attempt at a metaphor to death. “Even with one ingredient missing you can’t beat the original.”
“Well I won’t deny you're a strange substitute,” Doyoung says, gracefully using your words to make his point. It reminds you of how he’d spent hours drilling you with details of tea ceremony when your ridiculous coworker had asked for a demonstration of his family’s heritage business. 
“But taste requires innovation, and it’s often the unexpected addition that changes the entire flavor profile. You’re new but you’re refreshing, and unique. Not something to be discarded because anyone demands it.”
“That’s a very poetic way of saying you still like me even if I’m an uncultured pain in the ass.”
"Poor little weed," Jungwoo says, hands splaying over your bare thighs before Jaehyun can foist him off again. “Are you insulting Doyoung’s taste? You're the first girl any of us have agreed on."
"I doubt that considering what I saw last Friday. Did all of you sleep in Doyoung's room or did you take turns–"
You catch Jungwoo's scheming look with Jaehyun right before the cocktail glass is plucked from your hand and you're picked up on both sides, Jaehyun lifting you by the waist and Jungwoo taking over once you're free of the edge.
"Let me go," you shriek, folding over his shoulder. 
"Are you sure?" Jungwoo bends his knees until your hem is submerged, not phased as you beat on his back with soft hits.
"At least toss me in so you can get a head start," you threaten. He indulges you, lifting you up out of the water like he's going to help you recreate that pivotal scene from Dirty Dancing only to throw you back and into the deep end. 
You hold yourself in a ball and sink, breath held, channeling your best hello darkness my old friend as you wait for the inevitable. It takes less than ten seconds before Jaehyun dives in after you, pulling you up.
“Got you,” you say, grinning through the trickles of warm water. Jaehyun looks less than amused, lips thinning into a tight line as water drips from his bleached blond hair.
"Don't scare us like that," Doyoung gripes, joining you a few seconds too late. You shoot him and Jungwoo a look over your perch on Jaehyun's arm, clinging to him for comfort.
“Yeah, please.” Jaehyun breathes. 
"Is my makeup coming off?" you ask. He's been staring at you funnily as you float beside him, bodies brushed up in the expansion of his clothing and the occasional contact with his frame.
"What?" Your best friend sounds dazed, water collecting in his dimples as he smiles softly.
"What?" You parrot, teasing, mirroring him in the way your eyes dart to his mouth, not surprised to find his lip trembling. His uplit face is shadowed with hidden feelings you can only guess at. 
That years-old urge to kiss him returns. It could be considered revenge for back when he'd grabbed you and given you a taste of what it would be like that day after he’d come back from his trip abroad. You'd melted into him like it was the most natural thing in the world, the illusion only broken when Johnny had slammed the rooftop door shut on the way back down, flowers for whatever apology he'd half-assed scattered across the dirty tar paper.
You'd slapped him afterwards, surprised to find him smiling. He's in love with you, isn't he? Had to be sure.
There'd been so many times after that he'd played with your feelings you'd lost count, but one constant remained: he would never pursue you fully if he believed it would hurt his best friend.
Your chest feels tight just imagining what might have been, had you changed course back then. But you've long given up dwelling on might have beens.
Jaehyun is less mercurial now that he's older so you’re the one to catch him by surprise, lips pressing to his cheek right beside his mouth–in the smile lines you know too well. It's a quick send-off before Jungwoo can grab his legs and pull him under from below. 
Doyoung takes the opportunity to capture you by the waist, keeping you from becoming a casualty of their underwater fight. He looks just as serious as always, even without his usual glasses.
"Sorry about the dress," you say, working to stay afloat.
He laughs at you, prone to condescension as always. "If you like it we can get you another. But do you really want to wear the same thing twice?"
"Some of us can't replace our wardrobe every week," you huff. 
"Are you under the impression I'm replacing a bespoke suit collection every week? All I'm saying is you should have a new dress for every occasion. Especially if you're with us."
You jab him in the side, surprised at the hardness of his ribs but also delighted by his startled wheeze. 
"I'm not your kept woman."
"Not even if we want to keep you to ourselves?" 
A little shiver runs through you, making eye contact with him as he mouths the waterline. It's said so innocently but you know better. He and Woo had been dropping double entendres since well before takeoff from Seoul.
Flirting was Jungwoo's thing, a silver lining to the dark shadow of a personality that enjoyed being subtly in control. As the future heir to a crime syndicate it was much better than experiencing his hidden anger. Doyoung though . . . as much as he dabbled in shadier scenes and pretended to be a womanizer he's old-old-old money, from a strata inaccessible to anyone who's genealogy can't be traced back to the Goryeo dynasty. 
The idea of him folding you into his life, much less keeping you, is absurd.
“Well that does seem to go against the whole idea of this being a trip to finally get over . . . everything,” you say, deflecting from his intensity. “What happened to letting me live like the F4 for one week?”
“Is this not it?” He quirks an eyebrow at you. 
“What if I want you to play wingman for me? Find me something meaningless to distract me?”
You're not expecting the dark storm that settles over his refined features.
“I think you have enough distractions here to keep you occupied.”
Your pulse picks up, hearing the hidden message loud and clear. He'd heard your laments to Jungwoo about how long it had been since you even thought about being with someone else, how you'd never really gotten to date after three brutal years of school, work, and accidentally making the worst chaebol tyrant in Seoul fall for you. 
Now that you're free for the first time in your adult life, you want to experience what it's like to be just another girl, like the ones they so frequently invited to their tables at function and club alike.
"Are you insinuating you're not going to let me bring anyone back if I find a fling? After I just spent all night singing your praises to a healthy pool of candidates? Double standard, much?"
Doyoung wraps an arm around you to keep your head from knocking against the tiled pool edge. He's backed you into it without you even noticing it. 
"You can try," he says, gripping the wall next to your cheek. "Though I would question the sanity and intelligence of anyone who took you up on it." 
There's his brand of cruelty: casual threats delivered without a hint of remorse. You'd been on the receiving end, perhaps were now, but you're not afraid of him in the slightest.
"You're not reporting all of this to him, are you?" 
Doyoung doesn't answer, nostrils flaring. 
"Or is he only texting 'Woo back?" you ask. 
"Who texted me?" Jungwoo asks with open curiosity behind him. 
Doyoung presses a single finger to your lips in warning, releasing you. 
"Didn't you get the number of that model? Miss Thailand 2016 runner-up?" You toss your head slightly to clear it, still feeling heat suffuse your cheeks from just a touch against your mouth. It really had been too long. 
"Oh she's too good for me," Jungwoo remarks, jokingly. "Besides, I already have a failed beauty queen right here." 
You snort. “In what world is second place a failure when it’s your first time?”
The contest had just been a university charity project but you'd worked hard to earn that spot after Johnny had entered you in as some kind of sick game from abroad. Jungwoo had helped you conquer it–had even got you a side gig modeling when his usual partner had dropped out at the last minute at one of his shoots. You’d just been there to deliver coffee and now you were on a cover being printed in 15 different countries. 
You always liked reminding Jungwoo of his Pygmalion moment because that's when you'd genuinely seen his kinder side–even if you suspected he may have threatened at least two of the judges to land you on the final stage. Losing had been worth it to spend time with the member of the F4 you’d never been close to in high school. 
"Maybe she doesn't deserve you," you say, swimming around him to grab him loosely around the shoulders. “Not many can appreciate having a personal rescue dog to save them from getting wrinkly fingers.”
You're immediately indulged, Jungwoo paddling you back to the shallow end where Jaehyun is lost in thought, staring at white blossoms from one of the trees in the courtyard floating in front of him. Doyoung is just as contemplative. 
It’s probably best to not let it stretch out any longer–you were always a fan of ripping the bandage off quickly even if it hurt. 
"I'm going to go take a shower and call it a night." You announce, hearing Jungwoo groan. "Unless . . ."
"Unless what?" Jungwoo perks. Jaehyun squints up at you where you stand over him. You look at Doyoung instead, as he drags himself out of the water to sit on the ledge beside the stairs.
"Unless you tell me what we really are."
The buzz of cicadas seems to die a little, soft music inside the house drifting out through the glass. 
"Friends, hopefully?" Jungwoo says.
"Well you aren't bullying me anymore, so yes. But friends don't keep their friends from moving on from past relationships."
"That's not at all—" Doyoung begins.
"Let me finish," you interrupt. He's immediately quiet, throat bobbing as he looks beside you at Jaehyun's taut shoulders.
"I'll never fit in with you or your world but we both stopped judging each other for that a long time ago, I think. I like spending time with you, I like knowing you'll still include me even if . . . " You can't bring yourself to say Johnny's name. "Even if I'm just another ghost who's outstayed her welcome."
It was their term for dropped flings and casual encounters, with a whole subset of terminology for the ones who couldn't get the hint (poltergeist), or lost their cool at their dismissal by screaming and crying (banshees). 
It hadn't been like that for you even the second or fifth time Johnny had broken up with you–always for reasons out of your control. You'd shown him the same aggression and cruelty in answer, but you’d never begged for him to take you back, ever, and you certainly had never sought out his friends. 
It had always been their prerogative to spend time with you, and you’d leaned into it your freshman year of university study and singlehood, wanting the support network denied you by being alone and poor in a city you could barely afford. You’d never take their money but you had accepted their company, and had enjoyed it far more than you could have imagined. 
Even if it kept you in Johnny Suh’s outer orbit, what you had with them meant something to you. You didn’t want to lose it when he came back. From the press releases about his recent promotion, it would seem to be soon.
Waiting for that inevitability is like attending your own funeral before you’re dead, pallbearers for company. 
"You're not a ghost," Jaehyun says. "And we won't abandon you, ever."
"You'll just keep me and this dynamic trapped in amber until Johnny changes his mind, then? It's been a year already. I don't want to lose any more of my youth to him, and I don't want to lose you when he comes back and you all act like he's done nothing wrong."
"That won't happen," Doyoung says, sighing. 
"No, because I'll leave before then." You get out of the water, brushing your face free of the hot tears. "Wouldn't want to ruin your fun."
Jaehyun pulls you back, strong enough you lose your footing and sink into his submerged lap. 
"You're not going anywhere," he says. There's no malice or anger in his tone, just quiet assurance. He cleans your face again, blue silk cuff coming away black with mascara. 
"You asked what we are. Remember when you used to come sit next to me under that stupid ad?" 
"Yeah?" you sniff. You'd spent hours with him sitting on a city bench as he stared up at a billboard for luxury clothing with her face on it. She’d been the dream he chased at your urging, the fantasy that had sadly broken with proximity.
"When I was in France, after things became clear, I would go and sit somewhere and pretend like you were there with me."
"I hope it was somewhere fun, like the Louvre," you joke. 
"Too crowded." He shakes his head, smirking. "Would look weird talking to myself."
"Oh you talked to invisible me but you couldn't pick up the phone once?"
He shakes his head again, squeezing you. 
"Anyway. The point is you're stuck with me. And them."
"And Johnny . . .?" 
"Stop bringing up our ex," Doyoung says. Not your ex, our ex. 
"It's a valid concern," you say, adjusting in Jaehyun's hold to rest your head against his damp shoulder. "I'm not going back to him. And I know you'll choose him over anyone else."
"No," Jaehyun says. 
"You're the exception." 
You lift your head to blink up at Doyoung.
"Didn't think you made those."
"Well you just haven't spent enough time with me, then."
"You planning on spending time with me?" You smile lazily, hand drifting to squeeze his leg. It's always fun to see his unflappable face twitch.
"He already blocked off half his itinerary for private tours. Jaehyun had to fight him to split it equally," Jungwoo says. Doyoung splashes water into his face with his foot.
"I wanted it to be a surprise," he says sourly. 
"Like the massage tomorrow morning?" 
This time Doyoung's kick makes waves wash over you and Jaehyun, leaving you spluttering.
Jungwoo takes it, smiling once his floppy brown hair is pushed back out of his eyes again. He grins at you from the water. "You'll take your dog for a walk when you remember I exist, right?" 
"Why not just come with us?" You'd often wondered if there was an invisible tether for how often they appeared together.
Doyoung clears his throat, Jaehyun shifting uncomfortably under you. 
"What am I missing?" You laugh awkwardly, looking between them. 
"I forget the only man you've ever dated never dated anyone seriously, either." Doyoung looks somewhat pleased with himself. "Traditionally when you spend time with someone you're interested in you don't have company–"
Shock runs through you like ice dumped over your head. "You can't be serious."
Doyoung's face is incredibly serious, Jaehyun's proving only a little more relaxed about the disclosure. You turn around to Jungwoo, floating nearby with a humored expression. 
"You're not part of this are you, 'Woo?"
"Of course I am. You deserve a break from stuffy museums and romantic dinners to have some real fun."
His eyebrows lower a bit in some sinister joke, and for the first time a little fear courses through you. It's been a long time since you saw their manipulative and controlling side, but bringing you to a foreign country to date you, their best friend’s ex, without telling you . . . That's a whole new level of it.
"This isn't a competition, is it?" You hide the tremor in your voice. 
"Between us? Of course it is," Jungwoo says.
"And the terms?" You look at Jaehyun, who is unable to meet your gaze. "Let me guess, whoever fucks me first?" 
His eyes widen in genuine dismay, panicking. "No, of course not–we just wanted to give you a chance to decide if . . ."
"If what?" 
"If you liked one of us more than the others," Doyoung finishes for him. 
You find yourself breathing heavily, face flushed. 
"What if I can't choose?" You ask, gaze fixing on Jaehyun's mouth as he bites his lip, still looking guilty. 
"If you decide you don't want to be with any of us, then things stay the same. Nothing changes. We'll still be friends." He says it all slowly, deliberately, almost as if it’s rehearsed.
"And if I choose one of you? Do I get to suffer the jealousy complex of another deeply insecure and emotionally unavailable man?"
That hits them where it counts. They'd all watched Johnny take out his fears on you, masked under bravado, posturing for an audience that more often than not was just you and his friends. His peers had rarely done the same, unless you counted Jungwoo following his enforcement orders like a loyal hound or Doyoung orchestrating clean-ups. 
No, they'd skated clean through multiple horrorshows by simply being there to throw their weight. No one else had the notoriety and resources to cover up the trail of damage left in Suh's wake.
You stand up again, turning between them. "And none of you are worried about Johnny finding out?"
A lump forms in your throat, bitterness about even having to invoke your own personal demon. Yes he'd walked away, but you knew his sense of entitlement would never allow his interests to be compromised by another–especially his closest companions.
And here they are, looking between each other and discussing your fate with the deliberate calm of a business transaction.
Apparently the only consequences were for you.
"Or is that the real game you're playing here," you ask. "Degrade me so far in his eyes he'll want nothing to do with me while you write me off as disloyal trash."
Jaehyun sucks his breath in through his teeth, and you note how hurt he looks. Jungwoo seems even more upset, full bottom lip jutting out.
"I know what you've been through, and I know it will be a long time to forget," Doyoung says. "But we're not him."
You remember an old saying your father had taught you: when you're holding a hammer everything looks like a nail. Better applied to problem-solving perhaps, but you'd also been dealing with one, giant nail-shaped problem since he'd crashed into your life. It was stuck in your heart and time and healing hadn't removed it. Maybe it was permanent, but you still had to live with it. 
"I just don't understand how you think you think this will work."
"You're awfully concerned about what he thinks," Jungwoo says, rising over you. "What about moving on?" 
"I don't give a fuck what he thinks. I'm just looking out for you. You know he'll punch first and ask questions later. What if he does something reckless?"
Jungwoo is laughing at you through closed lips, eyes crescented in mirth. "We have you to protect us, right? Just roundhouse kick him in the face again."
“That was lucky,” you say. “He wasn’t trying to murder me, either. There’s probably an American hitman on his way right now to take us all out and make it look like an accident.” 
“He would definitely hire locally,” Jungwoo corrects you. 
“And here I thought you were braver than that,” Doyoung muses. “Do you think we need his permission? You certainly don't.”
That makes you pause. You look at Jaehyun. Of all the people in the world he was the closest to their former leader. They’d fought even more than he and you had, and Jaehyun had always conceded, taking it on the chin, letting Johnny drag him along in his wake. The one time he'd stood up to him had been for you and it had almost fractured everything irreparably.
His black eyes pierce into you when he looks up. 
“I think y/n can make any decision she wants to,” he says dangerously. “None of us will stand in your way, whatever you choose.” 
“You promise?” you ask, tilting your head to let your wet hair brush over your bare shoulder. 
“Cross my heart and hope to die,” Jungwoo says. 
You wait for the others to show visual signs of concession: Jaehyun nodding, Doyoung making the sign of the cross in what is an obvious misuse of the gesture. 
“Good. Because if Johnny finds out what I’m doing on this trip, he’s not the only one who will kill you.”
"I think we should start enacting a punishment whenever she brings him up again," Doyoung says.
"Great idea," Jungwoo says, sweeping you into his wet hold from behind. The chill you'd been feeling exposed to the air dissipates a little, his warm chest against your bare shoulders. You shiver a little at the intimacy, feeling him laugh even if he doesn’t make a sound.
“What will it be?” Doyoung defers to Jaehyun.
He leans back . “She does something to distract herself.”
You purse your lips together, affecting an air of deep thought. "My choice?"
"Always," he says, not breaking eye contact. 
"Rock, paper, scissors, then." You nod at him. He grins, Doyoung groans. Jungwoo's long arms wrap around your waist, hands already in position. 
"Surely there's a better way we could eliminate your options," Doyoung says, almost missing the cue and throwing paper to the other two's scissors. 
"Better luck next time," you tease.
"Kiss it for luck." The back of Jungwoo's hand presses to your mouth moments before Jaehyun initiates. 
Jungwoo loses the second quick round after a draw, crushed by Jaehyun's rock. 
"I should have known you were cursed." Jungwoo pouts, not letting you free until you've ducked back into the water to escape him. You give him a wink as you swim towards the stairs, emerging between Jaehyun's spread legs before he can close them. 
"What are you doing?" he asks, warily, still leaned back against the last stair.
"What I want," you say, blinking drops from your lashes. You move weightlessly on to his thighs, grabbing his soft face in your hands. He's unable to process what's happening quickly enough to respond as you tilt his face up and press a gentle kiss to his parted mouth. 
You ignore Jungwoo's wolf-whistle in the background, partially aware Doyoung has shifted nearby the moment you'd slid into your friend's lap. All that is noise as the gentle sound of the water feature drowns the startled sound you make when you're grabbed and pulled back to Jaehyun's mouth. 
This time it's real: solid and delicious as he crushes against you, tongue sliding across the seam of your lips until you let go of your held breath to softly exhale into his. Small dips of his chin coax you into opening for him, your hands threading into his hair to anticipate his movements as he kisses you like it's the last time in his life he'll ever get the chance. 
"That's enough," Doyoung says, Jungwoo booing him. 
The other two may as well not exist, your thumbs circling Jaehyun's cheekbones as you retreat to inspect the damage. He's usually so composed it feels like peering into a different universe's version of him, rapture and satisfaction warring with concern in his expression. 
"Thank you," you whisper. His eyes focus again, teeth exposed as he tongues them. 
"Any time," he says. It's funny how instantly he regrets the word choice, the pink in his ears and cheeks deepening.
"Not thinking about you-know-who now, are you?" Jungwoo asks, right behind you. 
"No," you say. "But I suspect you wish I'd say yes if only for the consequences."
"That was hot," he admits. "But I don't typically like my prospects thinking about other men." 
"Can I tell you a secret?" You crook your finger, clutching on to Jungwoo's wet patterned shirt when he leans down far enough to be in range. 
"I only made you play for it so we could find out who goes first." You say it in his ear, letting your mouth drag against the shell.
He pulls back, hesitant, nose brushing against your cheek. 
"Really?" 
"Kiss me and find out," you offer. 
He doesn't wait, lashes against his cheeks as he meets you halfway, tilting your head to the side for full exploration of your lips. He's much gentler than you expected, shy almost, tender even when your tongue meets his and you can taste the hint of sticky mango rice you'd had for dessert earlier. 
"Good boy," you say once you've broken free. He smiles in the way you're used to the most, right side of his face crooking with an edge of deviousness.
You turn to find Jaehyun watching, eyes starry with arousal but unreadable. Doyoung is on his feet as if he's preparing his exit, expression stony. 
"Is something wrong?" you ask, meeting his calculating stare.
Doyoung opens and shuts his mouth, water pooling at his feet. 
"Not enough punishment for you?" There's an edge to your voice that you recognize as the tone you'd used many times before, in your idiotic quest to tame one of his own. 
The tension breaks when Doyoung laughs softly, crouching down and crooking his finger. You wade up the steps to meet him, hyper aware of the drag of eyes on you as you emerge from the water, dress clinging to your skin. 
"I planned out such a nice trip for you, and this is what you really want?" Doyoung asks, eyes traveling down your body and back to your face in the kind of assessment that you'd seen other people wither under. 
"Why do you think I agreed to come?"
“Noted.”
He nods, slightly, but makes no move to take what you'd already given the others. You don't let it dissuade you, fingers digging into the hard line of his shoulders to press your lips to his. 
It's like kissing a statue. A challenge you're willing to meet as you delve further, rocking him back on his heels. You pry open his mouth with gentle bites and licks between each kiss, past his perfect teeth until you can explore his tongue with your own. You don't realize your hands are fisted in his wet hair until you're done, finding him collapsed on the wet cement, panting. 
"Was that sufficient punishment?" you ask.
"For you? Absolutely not," Doyoung says, the rare full smile gracing his kiss-swollen mouth. "For them? Yes."
You glance back at your other two companions, clocking that they're both nearer than you remembered. Jaehyun's hand drifts over your hip, as if he's questioning letting you go in the first place. 
"Should we set some rules? Or are you all going to take them as an excuse to break them?"
Jungwoo chuckles. 
"No competition. Equal time, equal attention. And no possessiveness," you state. Doyoung looks up from under his brows with amusement, clearly enjoying your groundless attempt to set boundaries. 
"I don't care what you throw at me as long as you don't walk back what you said about our friendship."
"I think we're something different now," Jaehyun says, voice cracking.
"I know," you say. You run a hand over his head, feeling his temple come to rest against your waist. "But you crossed that line first. I'm just saving you the trouble of playing some silly game to come on to me. I'm not a prize to win. I'm a person who knows you all better than you think."
You turn to Doyoung again, holding your ground. "You said you'd give me the true F4 experience."
"Within reason," he demures. 
"Then lose your hangups and let me have a taste of what it's like to be just one of those girls you have no problem with having fun with. No special treatment, no regrets."
The stunned silence has you feeling a twinge of embarrassment at pushing your agenda this far.
"Impossible," Jungwoo answers. 
"Why not?"
He pulls the hair away from your neck to kiss beneath your ear. Gooseflesh appears on your arms even in the warm air, anticipating his answer, but he's too occupied with trailing his mouth down, sucking lightly over your pulse. You feel dizzy, hand reaching back to hold his head to you.
Once he's had enough of watching you unravel Doyoung jerks you forward, grip tight around your wrist.
It's a familiar gesture, a reminder you are at their mercy. He cuffs his hand around your neck like he's going in for another kiss, stopping at a few inches. 
"You don't get to set all the rules. This one especially. You are not just some girl with whom we engage in forgettable, inconsequential relations."
He pauses, eyes darting to your mouth before meeting yours again. "If we go down this path you're getting the real thing. All of it."
"We know you have experience." Jungwoo adds. 
Oh you knew. They fucked around but they were careful about it, always gentlemen, always above board. NDAs in some cases, mostly for Doyoung. You didn’t know all of their specific proclivities outside of Jungwoo exclusively chasing women a generation older but you suspected whatever they enjoyed was much less wholesome. 
Like Johnny's needs once he'd finally had you. He'd bent that way and much, much more. The difference was he'd never been as precious with you as they were with their little conquests.
If they didn't want the safety of a legal cushion it didn't mean they didn't need it–they just didn't think it would be a problem.
"I'm sure you've heard a lot of things about me," you say. A whisper of rage underlies the words, colored by so many rumors foisted on you well before you'd ever accepted their company–even more when they had. 
Whore. Cockslut. Used goods.
Johnny had always been a contradiction–surprisingly prudish about sex but quick to use the grossest allusions to it when pressed for details by his friends, liberal in his name calling. They'd known him since childhood–they didn't believe him, even if everyone else had taken his words as gospel. You'd had your revenge by proving just how true those words could be in private.
"We don't know anything you don't," Jaehyun says, quickly. 
"Still, I don't think you know what you're signing up for," you say. "If anyone is using anyone in this arrangement, it's going to be me. Or I'm out."
"You worried we can't show you a good time?" Jungwoo asks. It's a funny question with him pressed into your back like he'll push your head down into the water if you answer incorrectly.
"I'm worried you'll chicken out," you say, grabbing Doyoung's wrist to keep his fingers on you, covering them with yours to increase the tension. You'd always been strong.
Doyoung's expression is matched by his lingering hold on your throat, squeezing a little and making your eyes drift shut in pleasure.
"You always did seem to enjoy the humiliation a little more than our other targets. Can't say it wasn't an encouraging factor. You like it, don't you?"
He lets you go with a slight push, registering the way your eyes haze over with reflected lust.
"Yeah. Blame a few formative years of getting my signals crossed. Just part of the damage." There's no shame in your voice, another casualty of their efforts.
"You're not damaged," Jaehyun remarks.
"Not beyond repair," you agree, gaze burning into Doyoung's. His regard is a thousand times more revealing than a kiss, most especially the tic in his cheek every time Jungwoo decides to leave a mark with his tongue and teeth on your throat and you reward him with a moan.
"Should be fun seeing which one of us can push past your comfort zone, then," Jungwoo says, breath cooling the last bruise he's left on the back of your neck. "Find out if you have one."
"You're not dropping the competition?" 
Nervous anticipation gives you butterflies, different than the ones springing up being teased by the three of them. Not one of them accepted being outclassed.
"No." Jaehyun says it well before the others. His hands drop to your legs to hold you steady as Jungwoo continues his assault on your neck. "But equal opportunity. I think we can all agree on that."
"Don't worry, we'll play fair," Jungwoo says, biting your shoulder. You jerk in his grasp, vaguely aware of fingers at your hem. Doyoung continues to watch, tongue darting over his lips.
"I hope not," you say. "I won't."
It's all the permission your captors need.
Your breath stutters as Jaehyun's hand slides up your inner thigh, circling the wet skin absent-mindedly. You whine a little, teased by the first intimate touch you've had in months.
"You better stay quiet. We do have neighbors," Doyoung says, voice pitched low.
"Think you can shut me up?"
He takes the hint, sliding his legs back over the ledge, letting you finish unbuttoning his shirt to expose his creamy skin. You spread your fingers over his firm abdomen, flicking aside the sheer fabric. He's intoxicatingly sensitive, muscles tensing as you follow the path of water down his long waist.
"You sure you want to play this game?" Doyoung asks, hand resting on your shaking fingers as you struggle to unbutton his damp jeans.
You look down at Jaehyun, smiling at him when you find he's still enraptured by your upper thighs. You wait until he looks back up, head cocked for permission.
"You alright with sharing me, tonight?"
Miles are crossed, bridges are burned as he contemplates the ask, returning to his shy efforts at warming your naked skin, lifting your hem to dangerous territory.
"Wouldn't dare stand in your way."
Jaehyun's approval is the best thing you've seen in a long time, even more so when he adjusts to be eye level with your now exposed underwear, back pressed to Doyoung's leg. 
Jungwoo tugs at the strap of your dress playfully. 
"Can puppy wait his turn?" you ask, looking up at your other torturer. 
Jungwoo kisses you over your shoulder, messily, before casually breaking one of the thin straps of your dress where it's attached to the delicate gold cherub adornment. The night air pebbles your skin, exposed nipple hardening more as he trails a fingertip lazily around it.
"As long as you need." 
He angles you down a bit towards the other man, just as Jaehyun's mouth finds you through the thin fabric of your lingerie–hot and perfect. Your knees are already weak and you have to catch yourself on Doyoung's thighs as you're touched and kissed and licked, still partially submerged and torn between warm and warmer.
There's a bit of menace in Doyoung's face, watching you unzip and find his length. He adjusts a little when you tug down the elastic waistband of his underwear, his cock already mostly erect despite the water. He's not as big as Johnny but perfectly sized, long and veined as he hardens in your hand. 
You experiment with laves of your tongue against his flushed head, watching him for a reaction through your lashes.
"Sucking me off before I can even take you on a proper date." He tsks, the sound changing when you lower your head, tongue folding around his tip to devour him whole. 
"You look so good with my cock in your mouth," he says. "Wish I could take a picture–"
You cut him short by taking him deeper, feeling him press at the back of your mouth. It's been awhile since you tested your gag reflex.
Thankfully Jaehyun has compromised on watching you while pushing your underwear into your sticky folds, Jungwoo playing with your breasts in the most maddening way possible with soft flicks and tugs. 
Both of them are sending you skyrocketing to a level of joy yet unexperienced this lifetime, much less this year. You have to concentrate on Doyoung to keep from falling apart too quickly.
Jungwoo's long fingers help clear your hair from your face so you can breathe, giving them all a better view as you choke, letting drool slip from your mouth as you take it deep and hard. 
The noises coming from your throat are nowhere near as obscene as the sounds Doyoung makes, angled back and thrusting weakly with each moan. You always thought his voice was beautiful, scratchy and breathy, but hearing him say your name in between gasps has your entire body enflamed. 
"Fuck, you're good," Doyoung says quietly, angled back on his elbows. 
Jungwoo holds your damp hair back, wrapping it in his fist to help guide you more gently. You relax your throat and take it, tears leaking from your eyes. If touch had you vibrating before, the sensation of being debased in this way has you dripping, your arousal exposed by Jaehyun's fingers slipping your panties down to the water.
"She's soaked," he says, running a single finger through your folds. You answer with a groan, other hand in his hair to hold him back before he can dip in again.
Jungwoo tests you, too, giving you a few swipes to collect your slick. He brings his fingertips to your mouth when you finally take a breath, letting you clean them.
It's delightful how Doyoung is unraveling already, arched back, eyes glassy. He drinks in the sight of you sucking two of Jungwoo's fingers until your cheeks hollow.
"You think you can finish what you started?" you ask.
"I don't think I'll ever want it to end," he admits.
"How about coming on my tongue?" You ask, pumping him slowly. You chase the taste of yourself with kitten licks of the beads of white on his head, going lower to trace his veins. 
"Only if you want to swallow everyone tonight," Doyoung says. The offer is tempting. You hesitate long enough that he reads you like an open book, adding an edge of threat. "Or do you want to be stuffed like the little whore you are?"
The affectation has you seizing up in long-withheld gratification. Jungwoo grinds against your ass as Jaehyun ignores your hold to finally lick long paths up your inner thighs, chasing trails of slippery arousal and water to dive in, fingers spreading your legs wide.
It's impossible to find a retort, sinking back into Jungwoo's embrace as you're attacked from below.
"I think you should only fuck me if you can make me come," you counter. "And it's still Jaehyun's turn–"
Your words are punctuated by a cry, Jungwoo's hand clapped over your mouth as Jaehyun pumps into you with two fingers, hooking into your g-spot.
"Ooh," Jungwoo says over your head. "Guess you'll have to wait." 
Doyoung sighs, taking over with his hand when you're bodily dragged back, Jungwoo lifting your dress to take it off. 
"Leave it on," Doyoung says. "The ravaged look suits her." 
You shoot him a look, unable to maintain your expression when Jaehyun's mouth works likes he's devouring you in turn, teeth scraping as he explores every inch of you, teasing your clit with darts of his tongue. Jungwoo frees your mouth to let you breathe, babbled words of praise spilling from you in between small cries.
"So good, so right, god, fuck–fuck." You're inarticulate as Jaehyun pumps his fingers slowly, spreading you and pressing right below his languid tongueing. Jungwoo's attention returns to your sensitive breasts, gently twisting each bud between his fingertips. 
"Keep it down," Doyoung warns, but it's impossible. 
Electric tingles spread down to your toes, tipped against the smooth pool floor. You let yourself relax in Jungwoo's hold, curling over your lover's head. Jaehyun is incredibly careful with you even as you're brought deeper, water lapping at his collarbones as he holds you spread and licks you in broad swaths. 
"Need a hand?" Jungwoo asks, somehow catching Jaehyun's nod mid-effort. You're unmoored by the hand that slips in from behind, fingers curling into you shallowly, water lapping your immersed buttocks. Jaehyun gives up control but he's still also buried in you, drawing wetness out of you with each stroke of his fingers.
Jungwoo matches his speed, knuckle to knuckle, as Jaehyun moves up to apply pressure to your clit again. 
"You two can get her ready. I want her after she's been used," Jungwoo says. 
"Of course you do," Doyoung says, dropping back in the water, demanding your attention. You indulge him with your hand, pumping him loosely beneath the surface. It's hard to coordinate as Jungwoo's hand fucks you into the pressure of Jaehyun's grip tight on your upper thighs, each circle of his tongue on your clit making your vision shimmer. 
"She's so close. Bet we can make her squirt." 
"No," you say, automatically self-conscious. 
"Did you hear that? She thinks she has a choice." The heel of Jungwoo's palm smacks wetly against your ass as he finger-fucks you, already too much before Jaehyun seems to pull you towards him, pressing hard into your walls. It's unlike anything you've ever felt, completely at their mercy as Jaehyun applies suction to your clit to bring you to the brink. 
"Come for us," Doyoung says. He's pressed to your side, rutting against your waist while taking your mouth to keep the shriek building inside your throat muffled.
There's no controlling the powerful waves tearing through your core, your legs shaking and buckling as the orgasm begins and doesn't seem to end, torn from you between all three of them. A hot gush of liquid coats your thighs as you throb around their fingers, pleasure morphing into pain until you're begging for them to stop. 
Jaehyun is the first to let you go, rising to share your release with a crushing kiss that takes your breath away, Jungwoo's fingers still reaching deep inside you.
"Good girl," Jungwoo says. "Was that your first time?"
You nod, cheeks hot, forehead pressed to Jaehyun's. You cling to him, still not quite down to earth from your climax. 
"Thank you," Jaehyun says, laughing slightly. "Was that too intense?"
"No," you shake your head. "Just hold me, please."
"Forever," he says, lifting you to straddle his hips. He manages the stairs to collapse on the deck, wrapping you tight in his arms as you kiss him deeply, cleaning his face of your release with gentle swipes of your fingers.
"You sure you don't want to go inside?" he asks, when you begin to unwrap him from his shirt. 
"I need you so much," you say. "I can't wait another moment."
He grins, shyly, kissing you as you help him out of his undershirt to reveal his swimmer's frame, triangular torso buckling into visible abdominal muscles. He's breath-taking, even more beautiful when you help him out of his pants and underwear to find his thighs flexed beneath his hard cock, shorter but thicker and so perfectly full and ready for you to sink down on. 
He doesn't question taking you raw–brow furrowing in concentration as you adjust to his girth slowly.
"We'll do this without an audience soon," you whisper, hoping he can still hear you as he bottoms out in your heat and his eyes flutter shut. 
"Yeah," he says, breathily. He's not moving, soaking in the sensation of having you completely wrapped around him. "I couldn't wait, either. You feel just as perfect as I imagined."
"So good," you assure him, moving for him. The lingering effects of coming harder than you think you ever have in your life aren't stopping you from bearing down on him, taking him harder and deeper with his wide shoulders for leverage. 
"Fuck, baby," Jaehyun growls. "I'm not gonna last like this."
He takes control with a firm grasp on your waist, pumping up into you. Soon he's bouncing you mercilessly into his hips, laid back on his wet clothes.
You haven't forgotten about the other two men, not when Doyoung's kneeled behind you, straddling Jaehyun's legs to stroke himself against the swell of your ass. 
Jungwoo grabs your hand to wrap around his own exposed cock, letting you feel him before you can even take in the sight of him bobbing over your head. Your finger and thumb can barely connect around his shaft, length too much to fit half of it in your mouth before you know it will be in your throat. Now you understand why the screams you'd heard from his room always sounded on the borderline of pain. 
"Too much for you?" He asks, angling the velvety soft head to catch on your open lips. Jaehyun slows down his thrusts to let you ease into taking the other man, pumping Jungwoo's base as best as you can as you sloppily accept the suffocation.
"Must have had a lot of practice getting your throat fucked to take me so well," he says, angling your head to move past the back of your tongue. You can't answer so you squeeze his balls instead, applying just enough pressure with your nails to have him groaning in appreciation. 
You lose your rhythm when you feel spit drip down your back, Doyoung collecting your earlier release from your thighs and mixing it with his saliva to rub his fingers against your puckered hole.
"Are you gonna be a good girl for all of us?" he asks, pressing a digit into the ring of muscle, causing you to choke on the heavy weight in your mouth.  
Jungwoo pulls out, saliva trailing from your lips as he gives you a break to adjust. You press your forehead to the sheer tank separating you from his flat belly as you look over your shoulder.
"I can take it," you say, trying to relax. Doyoung inserts another slender finger, making you clench around him and Jaehyun until the other man is panting. 
"I didn't ask if you could take it. I asked if you were going to be good."
"Fuck me and find out," you taunt. He's not like the others–he denies you anything but the wedge of his fingers into your ass, adding a third to stretch you when you're not loose enough. 
Jaehyun fucks against the intrusion, holding out until you're closer as he twines his fingers with yours and watches you work Jungwoo's oversized cock in your mouth and hand. 
"Knew you were a little slut who wanted to have all her holes stuffed. One of us wasn't enough for you, you had to make us share. I'm the only one who gets to fuck this tight little ass, though."
Doyoung drops another gob of spit on the dimple at the base of your spine, letting it slide over the gape left when he slides out his fingers. You cry out at the first intrusion of his cock into your barely-lubed hole, fighting to stay on top of Jaehyun as he works in with shallow thrusts, inch by agonizing inch.
"Keep forcing me out," Doyoung says. "I'll just fuck you harder." 
As if to prove his point he grabs on to your ruined dress at the back, arching your spine for you and making you take him deeper. The burning pain blurs into delicious aching pleasure–you needed this more than you could have even imagined. Jaehyun grunts inarticulately, palming your breasts and squeezing them in time to the ecstatic shudders rolling through your body as you're filled. 
"Open up for me," Jungwoo says, cock back in your gaping mouth. You let him hold you by the hair to fuck into your mouth, spit and tears mixing to splash on your breasts. 
When they resume their individual efforts you feel yourself being pulled apart by sensation, only able to manage sharp breaths through your nose to keep from drowning as tears leak from your eyes and sobs rip from your throat. 
"No cumming until she creams herself on Jaehyun," Doyoung says, reaching around to press hard into your clit. It's a hard ask with how overstimulated you already are but you can feel your muscles tightening against your will. Doyoung and Jaehyun's uhhs and mms mix in your ears, Jungwoo softly praising you when your jaw relaxes to swallow him despite the rock of your body against the other two. 
"Fuck she's so tight," Jaehyun says. "I don't know if I can wait."
"Wait." Doyoung orders, picking up his pace. "She's close. Make sure she remembers to breathe."
Jungwoo groans, pulling out with a last slap of his head on your tongue, letting you lap at the precum leaking from him. "You two are useless." 
He kneels down beside you, wresting Doyoung's hand away from your sore folds and rubbing soft, tight circles around your nub. It's not the stimulation as much as his mouth on yours, kissing with as much care and intimacy as you'd felt before, that carries you to a peak again.
"Oh fuck," Jaehyun says, lifting you with a last upwards jerk of his hips and spilling inside you. The rush of warm heat is so good you chase it, overworked muscles unable to hold against the sensation and twitching powerfully around both of their cocks buried deep inside you. 
Just as quickly your knees give out, collapsing half on Jaehyun and Jungwoo. Doyoung's shallow movements turn violent as he no longer bothers to keep you locked on Jaehyun, thrusting a few more times into your throbbing heat before emptying himself and pulling out to rub the last few spurts onto your skin.
"Shh," Jungwoo says when you continue to whimper, sniffling from the tears sliding down your cheeks. "You're almost done."
You shake your head half-heartedly, clinging to his shirt. You're dizzy, adrenaline fading and leaving you boneless and blotted out.
"Please. Maybe just a breather?" you beg. "My legs . . ." 
Jaehyun lifts you, and you hiss at the raw pain of your abused knees, grit brushed away by someone else's hands.
"Poor baby." Doyoung says. "Should have done this in bed but you just couldn't wait."
"'S fine," you mumble, swimming in the glow of your last orgasm. "Bed sounds nice."
"Get a towel," Jungwoo says, and Jaehyun rushes to grab one for you. Instead of cleaning or drying you off Jungwoo carries you to the edge of the pool, slipping in and cramming the soft fabric under you as he lets your legs dangle over the edge and into the water.
"What are you doing, puppy?" You manage to ask, holding on to his neck.
"Don't worry. I'll be careful," he says, palming himself between your legs. "Someone want to keep her head up? I need her to watch." 
Jaehyun adjusts to embrace you from behind, spreading your limp legs so they can all see the steady leak of cum from your gaping holes. You hear the telltale click of a picture being taken, distantly aware Doyoung's phone is still–obviously–working.
"What . . . ?" You ask drowsily, acquiescencing to the pull of your dress over your head and off of you. You shiver deeply, warmed by the body heat of the man behind you as the other strips in front of you. 
"You're going to come for us one more time," Jungwoo says, rising out of the water to pump himself at your leaking core. "I'm not letting you go until I can wring every last drop out of you."
"Fuck," you protest, writhing as he pulls you almost off the hard deck and onto his ready length. Jaehyun holds you tight, arm under your breasts as Jungwoo slides into the mess of cum and slick between your thighs. 
"That's right, take it," Jungwoo says, pinning you against Jaehyun. "Breathe, baby." 
"Too much," you sob, finding he's not even fully sheathed when the familiar ache in your belly of being hit too deep whites out your brain. 
"You don't want your puppy?" Jungwoo can barely speak, ramming in deeper with each rock of his hips. "Don't want to be a good mommy and take all of me?" 
Jaehyun is already semi-hard against your back, and you catch Doyoung's approval before he replaces it with a feigned look of disgust, slipping into the water to watch you both. You can see his arm flex, jerking himself underwater, the other holding his phone up. 
"If we'd known you were such a whore we would have fucked you sooner. It looks like you'll need some more breaking in."
You cry out, stretched tight around the thicker root of Jungwoo's cock, letting him wrap your legs over his shoulders for maximum depth. Whatever pain you feel is so merged with the fullness and perfect hit of him against your walls that you don't mind it, you can't help but slip into a dreamy state of bliss. 
"You're doing so well," Jaehyun says into the hair at your temple. "Can't wait to treat you right. Make you come on my tongue again as many times as I can before the sun rises."
"No, no, no," you moan.
Jaehyun pinches your nipple to wake you up, Jungwoo gasping when you manage to clench around him. 
"You both got her pussy first. You should let me take her tonight. Keep her awake by fucking her as soon as she falls asleep." Doyoung threatens, pulling your leg aside to get the best angle of you being impaled and stretched fuller than you'd ever thought you could be. 
"No one's getting her if she doesn't come again," Jungwoo says. He meets your tear-filled gaze, eyes half-lidded. "Is that what you want? To fall asleep on my cock and let me warm you all night until you're ready to fuck me?"
"Please, come for me, puppy," you manage to bite out, touching yourself in earnest to try and fight back. "So big for me, fill me up."
He takes the bait–you're folded in half, legs bent to your chest as he drives in, balls slapping wetly against you. When you're pliant again he readjusts his strokes to press into your upper walls with each rotation of his hips, and for the first time in a long time you realize you're getting close on cock alone. 
Jaehyun seems to feel the change in you, grinding against your back as his hand holds your throat so you can't turn away. The pressure makes you practically feral, crying out for more. 
"Just like that, like that, please please please," you moan over the lap of the water.
"Feel you sucking me in," Jungwoo says, face flushed and sweaty over you, hair dripping water onto your curled belly. "Let go for me so I can come in you so deep you can taste it."
"Yes, yes, please." You buck with the sudden electric tingle of another climax, steady tempo leading you to softer spasms than before. It's fine if you can't tell where you're at or what you're feeling because Jungwoo can, one final snap of his hips dropping you into fucked out darkness. 
When you come to again you're wrapped around him in the pool, gasping at the sensation of his cock still slowly pumping the last of his release into you.
"Trust me," he says, hands under your backside, lowering you into water suspended between the night and the warmth below. 
Doyoung spreads a hand over your breasts, Jaehyun beside him to hold your neck like he's teaching you to float. You let your mouth fall open and your eyes clench shut, tasting pool water before one of them–Doyoung probably, by the sounds--releases thick, white stripes across your tongue. Jaehyun follows suit, cockhead nudging against the underside of your breast as he paints your torso with molten heat. 
"Fuck that was incredible," Jungwoo says, slipping out of you finally so you can sink into the water. You submerge as much as you can to lose the coat of stickiness, until Doyoung decides you're done, pulling you out and against his chest.
"That was . . . a lot," you admit, shaking against him. 
"You did so well." He soothes you with a hand on your head, clearing your hair from your face delicately to press a kiss to your forehead.  The gesture is so at odds with his recent persona that you can't resist burrowing into it, relaxing fully against his naked chest. "Not bad for an initiation."
"I'm one of you, now?" you murmur. 
"Always were," Jaehyun says. He doesn't dare take you from Doyoung but he does lean down to kiss you deeply, hand running broad circles over your spine.
"Just think of all those red cards as an invitation." Jungwoo jokes, sinking down to eye level to caress your cheek. 
You remember scraped knees and busted lips, cafeteria trays dumped on you by entire tables of jealous girls and sycophantic boys. Johnny humiliating you, ordering you to clean his shoe with his tongue when you'd taken the place of your weaker friend who'd spilled on it. 
But you also remember the small moments of acknowledgement–the way Jungwoo had lingered outside your work waiting to get off when you closed to walk you home at night, or how Doyoung had bought out the entire store when you'd used the shitty part-time job as an excuse to duck out of being his date to a formal dinner you had no business being at. 
And most of all, all those hours spent sitting beside Jaehyun in your rooftop retreat, silently appreciating the late afternoon sun turning the city brilliant as you shared one half of a wired headphone.
Maybe having your heart ripped out was worth it, if it meant having this.
"Which one of us do you want to take care of you tonight?" Doyoung asks. 
You smile into his cool skin, melting into the knowledge that you've earned a place very few had shared. You'll enjoy it as long as it can last.
"Play for it."
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bizkitsnuggets · 6 months ago
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12 — animals and regrets
m.list — 1k wc, a bit heavy dialogue, layout might look weird.
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The early hours of the sun kissed YN’s skin as the girl waited for Hitoka to finish her business in the bathroom. It was a Sunday morning and the zoo was bustling with people. Families, friends, and couples were crowding the area. Usually, the zoo would be empty. But since it had a special promo today, people didn’t want to miss it.
Hitoka came out of the bathroom and suggested that they go look for Yuu. YN agreed and they began their hunt. YN and Hitoka calmly walked around the beautifully decorated enclosures. YN’s eyes sparkled as she observed the animals. It had been so long since she’s been to the zoo, she’d sometimes forget what certain animals looked like.
The girl tried to shake off the feeling of anxiety by distracting herself. Truth to be told, the events from yesterday were still playing in her head. A mix of sorrow, uncertainty, and irritation didn’t seem to ever wash away.
It seemed like her heart was being violently hammered to a board, her heart was always aching. She couldn’t get her mind off of him. Not only because of the incident that happened last night but also the fact that they haven’t presented their language studies assignment.
It was all too much to take in for poor little YN. But alas, she ignored all those thoughts and feelings and decided she was going to have fun with her friends today.
Until that plan was ruined when Hitoka and YN spotted Yuu with the enemy (and his underlings).
Atsumu Miya.
YN mistakenly made eye contact with him and immediately averted her gaze elsewhere. But from the brief look of his face, he looked like he had cried. A lot. His eyes were all puffy and red and he genuinely looked like he could use some extra sleep.
Once again, YN ignored everything that was running in her head and told herself to act normal. She followed Hitoka’s steps as she guided her to where the boys were at. “Yacchan!” Shoyo greeted her with a hug, and gave YN a wide smile. “It’s so nice to finally meet you!” In return, YN gave him a forceful grin, “likewise! W-… what are you guys doing here?”
“Oh, we just thought it’d be nice to have a group outing once in a while.” Osamu replied, looking at YN straight in the eye. What she didn’t notice was his arm nudging an oddly quiet Atsumu. Suddenly, a ringing noise came from Hitoka’s phone.
She quickly excused herself and took it. And while she was doing that, Yuu had to excuse himself to go to the bathroom. Shoyo offered to accompany him so they went off on their little journey.
Osamu and Suna wanted to look at the penguin exhibition since they already bought the ticket for it and it was starting soon so they disappeared as well.
And now, YN was left alone with her worst nightmare.
“Uh…uhm, do you want to sit… over there?” Atsumu awkwardly asked, pointing at a circular lunch table with an umbrella. YN simply nodded and they started to walk. To other people, it would seem like the walk was short. They were only walking a minimum of ten steps anyway. But no, not to Atsumu.
The dude felt like he was melting. Not only from the sun but also from sheer embarrassment. He couldn’t even look at her in the face if he wanted to. And it didn’t help how their hands were bumping into each other because of the crowded area. He wanted nothing more but to go home.
They sat down in silence across from each other on the table. YN stared at anywhere but Atsumu. Not a single word was spoken between them since they sat down. Not a single sign of interest was evident from the girl. Atsumu’s poor heart couldn’t take it anymore.
Since the event from last night, he couldn’t sleep well. Even if he tried, his brain wouldn’t let him. The look on her face after he told her to leave was replying over, and over, and over again in Atsumu's head. He wasn’t the type of person to know exactly how someone felt based on just their facial expression. But the heartbreaking look on YN’s face made him feel regretful and devastated.
He knew he had hurt her badly. And he wanted to fix it, he wanted to talk to her. But he was a coward.
But he knew this was his only real chance of mending their relationship.
Atsumu shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the weight of the awkward silence pressing down on him like a ton of bricks. Finally, he mustered up the courage to speak.
He cleared his throat nervously, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to find the right words to say. “Hey, YN,” he began, his voice barely above a whisper. “I... I need to talk to you about what happened last night.”
He shifted in his seat, avoiding YN's gaze as he continued. “I know I messed up. I shouldn't have kissed you without asking and then... then told you to leave like that. It was a jerk move, and I regret it.”
His admission hung in the air, the weight of his guilt palpable in the silence between them. “I was scared,” he admitted, finally meeting YN's eyes. “Scared of how I felt, scared of what it meant. But that's no excuse for how I treated you.”
Atsumu's voice wavered as he spoke, his vulnerability laid bare before her. “I’m sorry, YN. Truly, deeply sorry. I never meant to hurt you like that.”
YN listened quietly, her expression softening as she took in Atsumu's words. She could see the genuine remorse in his eyes, the raw emotion etched into his features.
“Uh—... It's okay, Atsumu,” she said softly, a bit taken aback. “I understand... I think. I was just, confused, you know? I didn't know what to think or how to feel at that moment.”
She took a deep breath, steeling herself before continuing. “But I realize now that... that maybe I was just as scared as you were. Scared of what it meant for us, scared of... of how much I care about you.”
Atsumu's eyes widened in surprise at her confession, his heart skipping a beat at her words. ”Really?” he whispered, barely daring to hope.
YN nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Yeah, really,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I like you, Atsumu. A lot. Honestly, more than you think.”
Oh, how she felt so embarrassed to say that. Her heart wasn't ready for all of this. She wasn't ready to pour out her feelings just yet. But the universe is always against her, isn't it?
Atsumu’s jaw dropped, his eyes searching YN's face for any sign that this was a dream or some cruel joke. But there was only sincerity in her eyes, a warmth that he hadn't seen since the previous night.
“I… I like you too,” Atsumu stammered. Even though the words he said were few, they were thick with emotion. Both of them smiled shyly at each other, the feeling of relief washing over them like a gentle wave. As if a heavy burden have been lifted from their hearts.
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After wandering around the bustling exhibition hall for a while, YN and Atsumu realized they couldn't find their friends anywhere. The vibrant displays and excited chatter around them made it easy to get lost in the crowd.
Just then, YN’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from Hitoka.
"Hitoka says she had to leave because of an emergency," YN said, showing the message to Atsumu.
Atsumu's phone buzzed almost simultaneously. He looked at the message, a mix of confusion and amusement crossing his face.
“Woah! Same here, those assholes ditched us.” He scoffed. YN widened her eyes as she connected the dots. It all makes sense now.
YN subconsciously held onto Atsumu’s arm and shook it, “they planned this!” Atsumu giggled in disbelief.
And then he realized what YN was doing. They shared a brief, awkward silence before he broke it with a genuine smile and suggested that they continue exploring the zoo. YN instantly agreed and she led the way.
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“Hey, do you have a ride home?” YN asked as she sipped on her beverage. Atsumu shivered, “I’m somehow getting déjà vu…” she chuckled in response. She remembered the first time they had this conversation. Atsumu glanced at her before replying with a no.
YN directed her full attention to him now, “I’ll give you a ride!”
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notes:
hitoka, yuu, and shoyo actually stayed in the zoo and spied them
i feel like this is too serious for a smau..??
taglist: @kettlepop @bontensbabygirl @gigiiiiislife @foxxthenerd @does-directions @bae-ashlynn @nnnyxie
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sokkigarden · 1 year ago
Note
If you’re willing to humbly accept my Jamie tartt request where the team has a board game/charades night and they set up the reader and Jamie to be partners cause they’re all sick of their flirting/pining and they obviously crush everyone cause they’re the perfect team?
this is a little bullet-point drabble bc that’s how these things usually start for me and i’d rather give y’all smth small instead of nothing! that being said this got out of hand. lmfao i hope you like this !!
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it all started when phoebe came around after training one day and was so obsessed with a new game that she made the richmond boys play with her
and this quickly escalated into game nights for the whole football club
everyone brought board games, card games and booze
family members came along, the whole facility got involved
it got really competitive naturally
you usually paired off with keeley while playing bc you both worked on social media and were becoming good friends outside of work too
but this meant you often ended up playing against roy and jamie
because there was some weird dynamic between the three of them
and somehow you got looped into it too
and eventually every time you played, you would start arguing with jamie
it was never anything serious, but it did get out of hand sometimes
it wasn’t your fault! you were super competitive, and he wanted to be the best at everything 
it didn’t matter if you played monopoly or scrabble, you always ended up nearly yelling at each other
it was all in good fun, but truth be told, you really didn’t know jamie that well outside of these game nights
you crossed paths with him just about as much as the other players, getting some content for socials and discussing PR promo with them
you wouldn’t deny that you found him attractive, but you wouldn’t openly admit it either
so it was fun to mess around and mildly flirt with him with the pretense of getting competitive over board games
finally one week, you noticed keeley and roy showed up together
they were clearly interested in staying close to each other all night, which left you and jamie the odd ducks out
at first you felt betrayed. what happened to you and keeley being the dream team?
but you’d seen how they had been glancing at each other these past few weeks
you should’ve known this was inevitable
but everyone saw the way you and jamie interacted as well
so when roy and keeley showed up together, they suggested you and jamie pair up to play poker
you’d been wanting to learn how to play for weeks and colin brought fancy new poker chips
jamie was pretty okay at poker, so roy and keeley subtly suggested you two pair up to learn and play
“maybe you’ll work better together rather than against each other” they said
they were definitely conspiring to see if something would happen between you two
you both reluctantly agree
but you can’t tell if jamie is grumbling more about being your partner or because roy and keeley are back together
you ended up playing poker against bumbercatch, colin, and isaac, with jamie helping you learn the ins and outs before heading off to find drinks
he definitely got distracted on the way, chatting to others throughout the room 
once he returned with drinks for you all, he saw how badly you were losing
so he pulled up a chair next to you, and started helping you
nudging you when he noticed what the others were doing
whispering in your ear what card to play
at one point, jamie places his hand on your thigh under the table to get your attention
suggesting how to play your cards right to beat the other boys
but you can hardly focus bc his hand is big and it’s warm and still resting on your leg
and even when you end up winning the round, he leaves his hand there, squeezing your thigh for encouragement 
its not long before the boys are groaning over losing their money to you
while jamie is still helping out a lil bit, you’ve definitely improved on your own
by the end of the night you’re feeling triumphant when keeley and roy make their way over to you
and jamie’s got a proud look on his face
jamie’s a pretty touchy person, so he slings an arm around your shoulder as you all walk to a bar together
roy and keeley share a look as you guys chatter together instead of arguing over silly games
clearly they were right
as you and jamie flirt and get to know each other for the rest of the night
the arguing was definitely a pretense to something more
and you have a feeling it will be fun to find what comes next
it all started when phoebe came around after training one day and was so obsessed with a new game that she made the richmond boys play with her
and this quickly escalated into game nights for the whole football club
everyone brought board games, card games and booze
family members came along, the whole facility got involved
it got really competitive naturally
you usually paired off with keeley while playing bc you both worked on social media and were becoming good friends outside of work too
but this meant you often ended up playing against roy and jamie
because there was some weird dynamic between the three of them
and somehow you got looped into it too
and eventually every time you played, you would start arguing with jamie
it was never anything serious, but it did get out of hand sometimes
it wasn’t your fault! you were super competitive, and he wanted to be the best at everything 
it didn’t matter if you played monopoly or scrabble, you always ended up nearly yelling at each other
it was all in good fun, but truth be told, you really didn’t know jamie that well outside of these game nights
you crossed paths with him just about as much as the other players, getting some content for socials and discussing PR promo with them
you wouldn’t deny that you found him attractive, but you wouldn’t openly admit it either
so it was fun to mess around and mildly flirt with him with the pretense of getting competitive over board games
finally one week, you noticed keeley and roy showed up together
they were clearly interested in staying close to each other all night, which left you and jamie the odd ducks out
at first you felt betrayed. what happened to you and keeley being the dream team?
but you’d seen how they had been glancing at each other these past few weeks
you should’ve known this was inevitable
but everyone saw the way you and jamie interacted as well
so when roy and keeley showed up together, they suggested you and jamie pair up to play poker
you’d been wanting to learn how to play for weeks and colin brought fancy new poker chips
jamie was pretty okay at poker, so roy and keeley subtly suggested you two pair up to learn and play
“maybe you’ll work better together rather than against each other” they said
they were definitely conspiring to see if something would happen between you two
you both reluctantly agree
but you can’t tell if jamie is grumbling more about being your partner or because roy and keeley are back together
you ended up playing poker against bumbercatch, colin, and isaac, with jamie helping you learn the ins and outs before heading off to find drinks
he definitely got distracted on the way, chatting to others throughout the room 
once he returned with drinks for you all, he saw how badly you were losing
so he pulled up a chair next to you, and started helping you
nudging you when he noticed what the others were doing
whispering in your ear what card to play
at one point, jamie places his hand on your thigh under the table to get your attention
suggesting how to play your cards right to beat the other boys
but you can hardly focus bc his hand is big and it’s warm and still resting on your leg
and even when you end up winning the round, he leaves his hand there, squeezing your thigh for encouragement 
its not long before the boys are groaning over losing their money to you
while jamie is still helping out a lil bit, you’ve definitely improved on your own
by the end of the night you’re feeling triumphant when keeley and roy make their way over to you
and jamie’s got a proud look on his face
jamie’s a pretty touchy person, so he slings an arm around your shoulder as you all walk to a bar together
roy and keeley share a look as you guys chatter together instead of arguing over silly games
clearly they were right
as you and jamie flirt and get to know each other for the rest of the night
the arguing was definitely a pretense to something more
if you didn't had a crush at the beginning of the night, you definitely do now
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agatharkn3ss · 1 month ago
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Teen theory - Spoilers
Preface: This post is going to be long, but I do think there is something good here! If you just want just the main plot theory: I THINK THE VICTIM'S BODY IN EP.1 IS TEEN. I explain this in the section "The Cool Bit" ;)
It has taken me the absolute longest to write it because I couldn't quite form a coherent theory and my ideas have been changing back and forth. I even had to build some sort of murder board timeline to focus. No, I am not kidding. My hope is that today's episode is going to show us more of Teen/Billy's backstory so we will finally get at least some answers and my brain can rest.
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A lot of this is based on episode 1 - I think it contains so many details that are crucial to the story and I probably haven't even made a dent with my observations.
We have a definitive confirmation that Teen is indeed Billy Maximoff. If we still had any doubts about which "mother" Agatha was referring to, it was confirmed by Jac Schaeffer in her ep.5 interview, by Joe Locke in his interview, followed by lots of Marvel Teen & Wanda promos and the trailer where we hear Agatha sneering "What does Billy Maximoff want at the end of the Road?". But Joe also confirms that "Agatha All Along is not following the blueprint of [Young Avengers] narrative — or any one specific comic, for that matter". So... who is Teen?
WandaVision recap
In WandaVision we see Billy Maximoff was created by Wanda's chaos magic when she created the Hex. She became "pregnant" and pretty much within 24h gave birth to twins - first Tommy, then Billy. Interesting that Tommy was named by Wanda as a "nice, classic, all-American name", while Billy was named by Vision specifically after William Shakespeare - Vision even excitedly quoted "All the world's a stage, All the men and women merely players" - foreshadowing the immense power of Billy, who in the comics becomes Wiccan and is thought to be at least as powerful as Wanda.
We see that Tommy has super speed and Billy telekinetic powers. He can hear the thoughts of Westview citizens who are screaming in their heads because they are trapped by Wanda's Hex. He even tells Agatha that he liked staying at her place because she was "quiet inside" - she was the only person staying at the Hex of her own will.
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The boys quickly age themselves up at will, so that by day 3, the last day, they appear to be both 10 years old. One of their last moments is Wanda tucking them to sleep, telling them "Family is forever" and thanking them for choosing Wanda to be their mom. Which is quite an interesting choice of words. In the comics, the twins' souls are thought to have been created from the pieces of essence of Mephisto. Wanda's comment could therefore be speculated that perhaps she knew twins were not only not "biologically" hers but also that perhaps they weren't little boys after all (I choose to ignore the events of MoM entirely).
After the Hex, the boys "bodies" cease to exist, but their souls are believed to survive.
Enter Billy Kaplan.
We have long theorised this, and it seems like we were right, that the car crash near Eastview mentioned in episode 1 was the one that killed Billy Kaplan and allowed Billy Maximoff to reincarnate. Agnes mentions that the front airbags were deployed and there was blood stain on the backseat. This suggested that the front passengers, Kaplan parents, have survived, but Billy died.
In the trailer we see exactly that - Teen observes the Hex coming down, but their car ends up on the other side of the road - his parents are probably also distracted by the events. Right outside of Eastview we see an oncoming car - and it's a S.W.O.R.D. car! Teen shouts out to his mom - likely the driver, but we see the car hitting the tree sideways - right where Teen was sat.
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Crazy Ralph theory
I think it's interesting that S.W.O.R.D. is seen here - and they are coming out of Eastview. But why? At this point in time all the forces would've already been waiting outside of Westview.
I think this is probably not important and a red herring. But I would like this to be Agent Jimmy Woo, maybe transporting people from Westview. Wanda opened the Hex for a few minutes and let some of the citizens go away, before she closed the Hex again. After that she battled Agatha, said her goodbyes, all the while the Hex was slowly shrinking before it was gone completely. So I think what Teen is seeing from the car is that shrinking phase. Meaning that perhaps some citizens have escaped by then and were brought to safety - the nearest town was Eastview.
I would also love (but it would probably not work out in terms of chronological events) if this was Jimmy Woo returning from Eastview after placing Ralph Bohner into a new witness protection house, this time in Eastview. Quick catch up: Ralph Bohner was the whole reason Woo found out about Westview because he was assigned to his case as witness protection but suddenly Bohner went missing. We now know this was because the Hex has deactivated his ankle monitor, then Agatha kidnapped him so she could live in his house and pretend that she was Ralph's wife. She then used him as Fake Pietro, before Monica released him from the spell. After that, there was a deleted scene where Bohner cuts his ankle monitor and runs away, while Jimmy releases instructions to find him. Raplh clearly hasn't been returned to Westview because we see that Agatha still lives in the same house. The reason I mention all of this is that the strange silhouette of a man in the trailer has longish hair that could be silver-ish. So maybe this is actually Ralph Bohner, still in hiding?
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Anyway, I digress.
Car crash aftermath
So Billy Kaplan dies. I think he's dead long enough for Rio to show up. Maybe even long enough that his body ends up in a morgue - similar to the one we will see in the earth trial? But then Billy Maximoff's soul enters the body and we have a miracle. This is where it gets interesting, because there are so many questions. I think Rio sees Maximoff but can't stop him. Maybe that's why she says she hates ghosts - is this because she has no power over them? She needs to do "her job" but Maximoff will not let her, so she needs to find another way. I wonder if the earth trial is Rio's so she can finally reap Billy's body?
Billy miraculously lives and that's why there is that article "Near death in Westview".
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Billy lives but I don't think he knows who he is. I think he has Billy Kaplan's memories, maybe flashes of Maximoff, but I think he's confused. I don't think he remembers Rio either. Maybe she was in her "skeleton skin". He's neither Billy Kaplan, nor Billy Maximoff. He's "Teen". That's why we hear him say in the flashback "I want something else. Something more."
We know there is a bar mitzvah in this episode - and Wiccan in the comics is Jewish. So I think this must be Teen must be 13 and it's his bar mitzvah. Now, I don't know enough about this, but I know that it a significant, sacred coming-of-age ceremony:
"Our sages teach that at the age of 13 young men and women are endowed with a greater capacity for both seeking to do good and seeking selfish pursuits. This age marks the young adult’s arrival at the crossroads of moral and spiritual decision making that is engaged in by mature adults. As a community we celebrate the Bat & Bar Mitzvah in order to help our young adults become aware of and draw meaning from this significant transition in their lives."
This sounds like an ideal moment where Teen finally realises his powers and maybe finally starts getting a glimpse of who he might be. As he grows up, he maybe finally remembers Wanda. (Or not? How interesting would it be, that when Agatha says "You are so much like your mother", he thinks she refers to Rebecca Kaplan?)
But. He still feels like something is missing. Maybe he had many more lives before because of being "essence of Mephisto"? And he's trying to figure out who he is, like a normal teenager? But he goes about it the wrong way - starts studying witchcraft, even tries to summon the Road by himself. We see his hand (with his rings) starting to draw a circle of the pentacle.
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Eventually, someone ("JamSamwitch"?) tells him about Agatha and he figures out she is still in Westview. Maybe his "Boyf" is helping him. Or maybe it's Ralph Bohner seeking revenge for what Agatha did to him? I think he remembers Agatha as the friend of the family. She babysat them, let them play with Senor Scratchy (as we see he still recognises him), but then she obviously betrays them.
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This is where my theories get really fuzzy.
I can't figure out how long Teen has been at her house. On the face of it, it feels like he truly only first got to her when he broke in for the locket... But there are so many books and diagrams all around Agatha's house. It looks almost as though he has been searching for things in her books for a long time now. Also, there is a second chair in her imaginary car, suggesting having a passenger?
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THE COOL BIT
Either way, my theory of how this is all connected goes something like this:
I think that when Teen tries to summon the Road by himself, it doesn't work, but he accidentally distorts Agatha's spell. I think he might have actually used a page from Darkhold to do this. This event affects Agatha. And because it's connected to the Road, she starts humming the ballad, and her imaginary reality not only takes her on a road, but even into the woods - which really resemble the Witches Road the coven is currently on!
Maybe Agatha jumps straight into her Agnes O'Connor persona, maybe there are others. But Billy's emotions and intentions during his spell are so big that they are also projected onto her. Teen doesn't know who he is. He feels disconnected to this body of his. The sudden burst is so profound that Agatha must have accidentally dropped her locket in the puddle in that moment, that's why she loses it.
So when Agnes starts her "case" - the victim she investigates is actually Teen. The body is Teen. His fingers are black from Darkhold ink (that he probably used in the spell) and his feet are bare (because he knew you weren't allowed shoes on the Witches Road). She is clearly emotional looking at the victim and wonders out loud "Who are you?", "What happened to you?". I think these are actually Teen's unconscious questions about himself.
Yes we see links to Wanda throughout the show. But I think they were always actually pointing at Teen. So Agatha realised his identity fairly quickly - we saw her throwing Wanda's references as early as episode 3.
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When the spell doesn't work, Teen needs to go back to Agatha's house to find out how to make it work. She is the only one with the knowledge and her Agnes persona isn't useful. But to get her out, he needs something that is close to Agatha, something that keeps her to reality - just like all of the witches talismans in the trials - they are their one constant, even if their wardrobe changes. And we have already seen Nicky's photo appearing in and out of her spell. So it must be the locket. Because I am 99.9999% the locket contains Nicky's hair (EVERY time Agatha pays attention to it, Nicky's theme plays).
So he goes to steal it and that's how she meets him. And that's why she gasps when he gets hit by Mrs Hart's car - because she still has that connection to his emotions from the event.
The question remains, how did he know about the locket and where he would find it? And what really is the deal with the Road?
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Rio
So there enters the puzzle of Rio, this bit is really fuzzy.
Wanda's mini-Hex might have kept hiding Agatha from Rio (and from Salem Seven), but the second it's distorted, Rio feels her again. She quickly finds Agatha in her current distorted spell and helps her to get out, because for whatever reason she needs her out. Maybe she knows Salem Seven are coming and Agatha won't stand a chance if she's still under the spell. I think she is there more in mind than body, she seems really connected to Agatha's thoughts.
She could also be hiding like this from Teen, in case he recognises her. Because she still needs to do her job and collect his body? She latches onto their bizarre idea of the Witches Road, and somehow manipulates the spell to her advantage so she can kill two birds in one stone (pun intended)? Get the body and reconnect with Agatha? I really don't know what her end game is yet.
Phew. THOUGHTS ANYONE????
Sidenote: When Billy says that "Power does not interest me", we see him holding out a hand with some stones. Now, I think this is him about to demonstrate how magic comes easy to him - similar to when Agatha was showing off the animal illusions to Wanda. But I also think that this is a little easter egg hinting at the infinity stones.
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wonilye · 10 months ago
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♫ the story of us | k.sn
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freshly broken up with sunoo, you turn up to a party, one where you already know he’s going to be at. the catch? nobody knew you ever dated. keeping your past under wraps is one thing, but throw in the lingering feelings, and you have yourself a hot mess…
read the rest of the series here! (for taglist)
pairing ➭ popular boy sunoo x class president reader
genre ➭ lovers to strangers (a terrible attempt really), angst, mutual pining but they’d never admit it, post-breakup, secret dating
word count ➭ 3.4k (i like drabbles)
a/n ➭ i popped this out first because i’m crazy for sunoo recently lmao...more to come in the next two months, my schedule is gonna get wild so imma try to wrap this up asap. sunwonki's parts are actually interconnected, but they're not in chronological order haha. if u want to figure out the timeline/see bonus moments of each couple, read them all (shameless self promo i know). enjoy!
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Damn, do you hate high school.
It’s friday, and you’re at your locker, arranging your books after the last class of the day. Students have started leaving the classrooms by now, and the hallway’s one big traffic jam. Normally, you’d be thrilled to have a nice weekend, unhindered by your teachers’ incessant nagging. But this week isn’t the same as every other week, is it?
Because it’s the first weekend you’re spending without Sunoo. 
It was a quiet affair, really. Literally nobody even knew you and Sunoo were dating. Please, you two were worlds apart – you, the class president, and Sunoo, the popular it-boy. No one, not even you, could’ve seen it coming. You two had gotten off to a rough start, having classroom cleaning duties together. You were particular about everything, from the way he held the broom to the direction he swept in. He, on the other hand, was more concerned with what time he’d be let off so he could go out with his friends. So yeah, your first interactions were essentially petty bickering.
But somewhere along the line, you began to see eye to eye. Maybe it was the way the light sparkled in his eyes when he smiled, even on rainy days. Maybe it was the way he’d invited you to grab boba after your duties for the first time, a conspiratorial glint in his eyes (yeah, you had a thing for his pretty eyes). Or maybe it was the way he’d kissed you in an empty classroom, rays of the setting sun streaming in through the window shutters as he held you in his arms, a silent promise to never let go.
You scoff to yourself. Not all promises can be kept, especially when it comes to you and Kim Sunoo.
In the corner of your eye, you spot Sunoo and his friends leaving a classroom, laughing amongst themselves. He passes you, never once looking at you, and you force yourself to turn away. You don’t care. You cannot care.
Slamming your locker door shut, you sling your bag over your shoulders, ready to find your friends for a trip to some cafe. It would make a good distraction. Or so you think, until Soobin runs up to you, hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath. “Y/n! Have you heard? There’s a birthday party tonight at Kim Sunoo’s house.”
The very mention of Sunoo sends your head spinning, and you have to lean against your locker to ground yourself. Soobin doesn’t know, and you’d like to keep it that way. “Whose birthday is it?”
“Nishimura Riki, I think? That guy in the fencing club.” As if you need the introduction. Sunoo talked about him a lot, his love for his best friend ridiculously wholesome. But it’s the way Sunoo never told you he was hosting a birthday party for him, and the fact that you only broke up a week ago, that pisses you off. Just a little.
Gosh, you really have to stop thinking of him.
“Honestly, does it really matter? You don’t do parties.” Soobin’s the head of the student council, a token good boy. It’s one of the reasons why you get along with him so well. The student council president and the class president are friends. Shocker.
Soobin grins sheepishly. “Yeah, but you know how I’ve been talking to the captain of the fencing club about this year’s budget recently? Turns out she’s Nishimura’s girlfriend, and she personally invited me tonight. And, um…” he trails off, handing you the invitation. “She said I could bring a plus one.” He looks at you with so much hope and despair, as though he’s begging you not to let him go alone to a party where he knows no one.
You eye him warily. “This the kind of party with alcohol and shit?”
“Think so. All the more reason for you to back me up, be my voice of reason, no?”
“If you need me to tell you not to drink, you probably shouldn’t be going at all.”
Soobin groans, pleading you with his eyes. “C’mon, you know I never drink. Just come, please? Don’t leave me to die.”
You two enter a staring contest, the persuasion practically emanating off him. It’s not even that you don’t want to go, you’d just rather not see Sunoo more than you have to. And that thought alone is what makes a twisted sort of determination flare in your chest. Who said you were gonna let Kim Sunoo dictate your life, huh? “Fine, I’ll do it,” you finally relent, and Soobin whoops. “Knew you’d come around. Let’s meet at seven at the mall, and we’ll go together. You can’t go back on your promise!”
As Soobin disappears into the crowd, you can’t help but sigh, banging your head against the wall. What exactly have you done?
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Hours later, you’re at the mall, checking your wristwatch. Soobin said to be here at seven, but it’s quarter past seven and he still hasn’t shown up. Typical.
You tug on the hem of your hoodie. It’s oversized, the sleeves too long, the front too baggy as it reaches where your shorts end. Of course it is. It’s Sunoo’s. He never took it back from your house, so it’s still in your possession. You’re here to mess with him, and you want him to know it. 
Finally, finally, you spot Soobin waving at you as he rushes over. He’s dressed simply too, though his clothes are pointedly better fitting. “Sorry I’m late. Student council meeting overran.”
You roll your eyes. Sunoo’s place isn’t far, so the walk isn’t long. “Let’s go over the rules. No drinking more than two cups of whatever they’re serving that has any kind of alcohol in it, or our parents are gonna kill us. And we are definitely leaving together, got it?”
Waving his hand dismissively, Soobin agrees. “Yeah, yeah. I got it. We’ll stick together until we can’t. If we do get separated, I’ll call you.” As you continue chatting, you realise your feet have moved on their own in the direction of Sunoo’s house, and Soobin’s staring at you weirdly. “Wow, did you memorise his address already? Your sense of direction is insane.”
Shit. “W-well, I just followed the street signs. Oh look, it’s right up ahead.” You walk ahead, trying to hide the way your ears flush hot. You’re a few blocks away, but already you can hear the thrum of the music coming from one of the houses. “Hurry up, we’re already late.”
The party itself is already well underway. It looks like your whole cohort and more is here, what with the massive crowd of people in the house, spilling into the front yard. The place smells of sweat and alcohol, a very foreign scent. You’re used to this house when it’s quiet, just you and Sunoo, the only words spoken shared between you two. Not this…rave of a birthday party. To think it isn’t even Sunoo’s.
Would he have done the same for yours?
Shaking your head, you shove those traitorous thoughts to a corner of your mind. Tonight isn’t supposed to be about him, yet everything is making you think of him. 
You follow Soobin into the house, slipping past the crowd and into the doorway. In the living room, seated on a couch is Riki himself, laughing at something someone said. His arm’s slung around a really pretty girl, who Soobin tells you is his girlfriend. 
And on Riki’s other side is him.
While you were dating Sunoo, he refused to go to parties, saying he’d go only if you agreed (which of course you didn’t, because that would be hard-launching you). This is the first time you’re seeing him really dressed up, and gosh, he looks good. He always did look good, but that half-unbuttoned collar of his shirt is driving you mad, more so than you’ve ever been. You’re desperately trying to hold on to any remaining shred of your sanity, but when his eyes meet yours, you feel it all slipping away.
There’s something weird about looking into Sunoo’s eyes, especially when he’s looking at you with a strange expression you know is only meant for you. It’s as though time has stopped completely, the background noise dulling, and the only thing in your world is his gaze on you. Knowing Soobin is here, you definitely have to pretend you don’t know Sunoo. He’s daring you, daring you to do something, right here in front of everyone. It’s also the reason why you broke up in the first place. Oh, the irony. 
You ignore Soobin’s garbled protest as you march up to Riki. “Happy birthday!” you exclaim, handing your carefully-wrapped gift to him. “It’s not much, but I hope you like it anyway.”
Something odd lies beneath his gaze as he looks at you, receiving the gift coolly. “Thanks, Y/n. You’ll probably want a look around the place, won’t you?” He smacks Sunoo’s thigh good-naturedly. “Oi, house owner. Be a good host and give her a tour.”
Oh. So he knows after all.
Gritting your teeth, you’re about to reject his kind offer, when Sunoo rises to his feet. “No problem! Right this way, Y/n.” The fake cheeriness in his voice makes you inwardly scoff. You definitely don’t miss the way Sunoo’s hand instinctively moves to take yours, before retracting it in a sharp movement, as though he realises a second too late. The way he avoids looking directly at you afterward is indescribably satisfying. 
As you pass Soobin, he does a double take. “Not even five minutes in and you’re abandoning me?” he splutters. 
“Change of plans. Just stay put, I’ll come find you after this.”
“Why can’t I come with you?”
“Wanna follow me to the bathroom?”
At this, Soobin winces. “Okay, definitely not. Don’t forget about me, please?”
Patting him on the shoulder, you grin. “Not a chance. I’ll be back before you know it.”
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You are not back before he knows it.
Sunoo mostly ran through the motions, showing you the kitchen, a games room, and all the food. Though you both know it’s useless. You already know all this. So it’s not unexpected when he leads you up the stairs to the hallway. There’s his room, straight on. Glancing around to make sure no one’s looking, he grabs your wrist and tugs you in, locking the door behind the two of you.
The room looks exactly like you remember, albeit void of the picture frames that once had photos of the two of you. There used to be a string of polaroids hanging above his bed, but even that’s gone. Gosh, this is so unfair. Clearly he had better luck in getting rid of every trace of you. At least, that’s what you think, until he slumps against the door, sinking to the ground with his face in his hands. 
“Why’d you have to do that?” he groans. You can’t see his expression behind his hands, but by the sound of it, he doesn’t seem very pleased at all.
“Do what? You’re the one who told Nishimura you’d give me a tour. Don’t try to pin this on-”
“Nice hoodie you got there,” he interjects snarkily. “Get it now? Damn it, and I was doing so well, but here you are, wearing my clothes, in my house.” He finally looks up at you, and you can see the frustration he’d tried to hold in all this time. He runs his fingers through his hair, and for the first time, you realise he looks utterly despondent. It’s a sharp contrast to all the ignoring he’s been doing the past week, pretending you don’t exist, even when you’re just metres away from him. He’s been his same smiling self, a ray of sunshine to everyone, as though everything that ever happened between the two of you was a figment of your imagination.
You should be happy about this, really, that he’s no better than you. But you can’t deny the twinge of pain in your chest as you watch him. You’ve come to know the kind of person he is – sunny on the outside, only letting the mask fall in front of the people he trusts most. The fact that he’s even letting you see this right now is enough to render you speechless. 
You swallow a lump in your throat you didn’t even know was there. “I…I’m not going to apologise.” It’s honestly a terrible thing to say, when your ex is on the ground and lamenting your relationship, but you really can’t think of anything to say that won’t let on more than you want to.
The laugh he lets out is rough, almost self-deprecating. “I don’t expect you to. This is…this is partially my fault.” He sighs, looking about as tired as he sounds. “We made the choice together, Y/n. We can’t…”
You know what he’s going to say – you can’t just go back on your word now., not when it took so much to part ways. To fall back into each other, or even admitting the desire to, would mean weakness. Heaven forbid you show any, being the prideful pair you are. Because what really mattered all along was the status quo, wasn’t it? Popular pretty boys don’t date nerds. It’s a disgusting stereotype, really, but at the end of the day you know what everyone will say if they ever found out. Selfish, but you need to be selfish if you want to protect yourself.
“What we had, we knew it couldn’t last. Life isn’t a romcom.” It’s less of a reply than it is a half-hearted attempt at convincing yourself that it’s true. 
“You’re telling me that while wearing my clothes. Low blow, Y/n.”
Well, at least he can joke with you now. But it’s short-lived, and before you know it he’s getting to his feet, smoothing out his tousled hair. “This can’t happen again. We just have to be…strangers to each other. It’s easier that way.” 
There’s this traitorous part of you that wants to reach out and grab him, pull him back into one last kiss. But you know it won’t do you any good, only make everything worse. He’s right. It’s easier to pretend nothing ever happened, because as far as anyone’s concerned, nothing ever happened. Besides, you suspect he’d really, really hate it if you did that. 
Or so it seems, until it’s his hands that reach for you, his face buried in the crook of your neck like it’s the most natural thing in the world to do. Because it was. For a long time, it was. “Just give me a moment, will you?”
So you let him. You let him wrap his arms around you, let his fingers trace your jawline as he leans in and-
“One last kiss? Can I have it?”
Oh.
His voice shakes as he speaks, a moment of vulnerability, and the last one you will see. He’s searching your eyes for something. You don’t know if you have that something anymore. Wordlessly, you capture his lips in yours, letting yourself drown in his touch for the final time. It’s a bittersweet feeling, knowing your heart wants to stay in this moment forever, but your head tells you this can’t - won’t - happen again. Kim Sunoo knows every inch of you by heart, and he shows it in the way he holds you with a gentleness no one else could have towards you. Now, he will have to unlearn it, unlearn you.
Sunoo is the first to pull away. His lips are red and swollen, eyes glassy as he tries to get himself together. You’re guessing you don’t look much different. A quick glance in the mirror above his vanity is all you need to know that yes, you’re every bit the mess you think you are.  Even as you turn the doorknob to leave, the lingering feeling of his hands on your waist refuse to fade. It takes all your effort to step out, descending the stairs alone. You know Sunoo’s right behind you, but somehow he already feels far, far away.
You scan the room for Soobin’s face. The crowd’s more dispersed by now, so it isn’t long before you spot him in a corner of the kitchen, munching on a pack of biscuits. “Took you long enough. They’re playing games right now, wanna join?”
“Sure, I guess.” You glance around, forcing yourself to ignore the footsteps on the stairs. “Where’s the birthday boy?”
Soobin shrugs. “Had to run an errand for his family, apparently. He’ll be back. It’s weird, though, what kind of errand has to be run so close to midnight?”
You turn to the dining table to see Riki’s girlfriend seated on one side, grinning as she watches a bunch of people play some sort of card game on the floor. Sunoo’s amongst them; you can see a tuft of blond hair peeking out from underneath the table. He’s laughing, the light in his eyes back again. Lots of people are clapping him on the back, and he only laughs louder. Watching him like this, in his comfort zone, you realise this is where he belongs. He belongs with people who shine like him, not you, the part of him that has to be hidden away. It’s for the better. It has to be.
So why do you still fantasise being by his side, even now?
Enough is enough. “Soobin, I’m leaving,” you murmur. Your fingers are tightly gripping the hoodie you’re still wearing as you start to zone out. What does it mean, really, that he didn’t ask for it back? “You coming?”
“Yeah, yeah.” You vaguely register him gather his things and follow you out, leaving the raucous party behind you. As you’re leaving, you spot Riki, who’s entering the house with a slight limp. Weird.
You walk down the empty street, the only sound being your footsteps and a few crickets in the bushes. It’s a good time to gather your thoughts, sort your emotions out before you have to talk to Soobin. He’s ridiculously perceptive, and sooner or later he’s gonna notice something’s off.
“Can I ask you a question?”
You jump, feet faltering as you turn to look at him. “Y-yeah?”
“How long have you been with Sunoo?”
This time, you come to a complete stop. “Come again?”
Soobin sighs. “I know, Y/n. You kept staring at him, and he kept staring back.”
“...did he now.”
You wrap your arms around your stomach, looking away. Soobin gets the hint, grimacing slightly. “Didn’t end well, huh?”
That’s all it takes for you to start spilling everything to him. To his credit, he doesn’t seem very judgemental of you, although you can’t really tell from the look on his face. “It’s just…people would say things about us, you know? It’s easier to maintain the status quo than it is to go public with him. So we ended things.”
“So you ended things with him because you didn’t want a taste of his world, and he didn’t want one of yours either?”
“Something like that.”
Soobin is silent for a moment, as if he’s trying to think of what to say. “So at the end of the day, it was pride.”
“What?’
He shrugs. “Pride. You were both too proud to give up what you’d built. In his case, it was his social standing. Yours was your good girl title.” Before you can even protest, he slaps a hand over your mouth. “Deny it all you want, but you know I’m right.”
His statement doesn’t warrant a reply, you know that. He knows you’re not the kind to change your mind easily, but he can at least make you think. And thinking you are. Soobin isn’t wrong, really. In fact, he basically summarised the whole conversation you had with Sunoo, with a lot more honesty. It’s not very comforting. 
As you walk on, the music from the house drops to a soft thrumming, as though it’s saying goodbye. Walk on. Walk on, and don’t look back.
(You looked back once. Then never again.)
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a/n pt 2 ➭ YO IF U GOT THIS FAR CONGRATS LMAO thanks for reading!! @stariikis i love u <3 im delivering the nishimura fanservice. tbh idk why i picked soobin, ig he suits the vibes??? couldn’t use the rest of enha cus they all have parts in this series lol. hope u liked this!!!!
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circuit-if · 1 year ago
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Info post for the key characters and romance options for Circuit, with personalities, (some) backstory, and appearance listed. Choose between 4 romance routes - fall in and out of love with the other driver on your team, your rival on the track, your team's head engineer, or the sponsor heiress who's taken a liking to you.
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Roman Gray [RO, he/him] - Your rival on the track. Gray came from the same neighbourhood as you, and you've raced alongside him since your very first competition. But he's no longer that young boy, left grinning with adrenaline after every circuit. No, now he's hungry for that prize with a stern drive that wont let whatever friendship you had get in the way of, and faces you only with stone cold glares and ridiculously tough competition.
Backstory - You and Roman grew up racing along tracks all over small town California, proving yourselves to everyone who doubted you over the years and rising fast in the ranks beside one another. You both spend your nights after races at the same bar in San Diego, where you make memories and vow to each other to make it to the top: the URCA championships. If only it were possible to do it together.
Appearance - Short dark brown hair in a textured fringe, gray eyes, soft, one sided smile, lean muscle, fair skin, 6'0. He wears his race jacket whenever he can, usually over casual streetwear with dark neutral tones and greens.
Romance Route - Rivals to lovers. Compete with Roman in the championship league while underlying grudges, hurt, and jealousy get in the way of the love that you share underneath, and the will to forgive. Can you repair what was once there, rescuing it from the rubble of that last night in California, or will you let it fall away under the press' love of rivalries? Or will it become something more?
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Nicholas/Nadine Spade [RO, gender selectable] - The other driver on your new team, nicked "The Blade" and loved by many. N has been racing for nearly as long as you have, along the searing tracks of Miami with an effortless talent. Always finding a way to twist the situation into a witty joke and a laugh, they quickly establish themself as someone to trust among the chaos that is your new life as a top racer.
Backstory - N. grew up in Miami, under the legacy of their father, an elite racer from decades prior. From a young age, they were recognised in races for their family name and its power and prowess in the racing world. They struggled to create their own identity, eventually being labelled "Spade the Blade" for their creative tactics for cutting through groups of cars at a time.
Appearance - Dirty blonde hair cut at their neck in beach waves, chestnut brown eyes, freckles, smile lines, lopsided, charming grin, tan skin, 5'8. They wear a lot of graphic tees and have a habit of collecting bracelets for their wrists, with a generally vibrant palatte underneath their leather jackets for motor biking.
Romance Route - Friends to lovers, with a little "just friends" thrown in. Win races side by side, strategise, and plan with a little distraction on the side. Mutually pine for one another between circuits, and realise the importance of your other half not only for the team, but for you.
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Sadie/Spencer Monroe [RO, gender selectable] - Your head engineer, a failed aspiring racer with a silent but deadly disposition. S designed your car from the wheels up, with one goal: to win. To win in a way they couldn't on the track themself, despite knowing everything there is to know about the sport. S has high expectations for you and N, and they're not one to disappoint.
Backstory - S. grew up in the countryside of New York, with one goal: to become the most legendary racer the URCA has ever known. With that in mind, they began racing circuits across the mid Atlantic, building and repairing their own cars and taking them into leagues they weren't welcome in because of their ultra-creative mechanic improvements. They quit soon after, turning their engineering talents to the benefit of more talented racers instead.
Appearance - Auburn hair at the base of their neck, hazel green eyes, a dusting of freckles, slender, pale skin, 5'9. They wear a brown bomber jacket over a lot of their clothes, a lot of flannel and warm tones.
Romance Route - Forbidden love. S. is an engineer, ensuring your cars are running exactly as they should, pushing them to their limits with speed and control. Their job is entirely behind the scenes, almost no one knows they exist, and they prefer it that way. You're a racer. The worlds eyes are on you. When you both face your growing feelings, you're forced to keep them away from the rest of the world and hide your romance.
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Carmen Caddel [RO, she/her] - Heiress to one of your biggest sponsor companies. Carmen grew up in the lifestyle of fame and luxury, and handles it with such grace and poise that shows in every paparazzi photo and every interview. With her guiding you through the press conferences and afterparties, it should be easy to maintain the public image you're intended to keep. Right?
Backstory - Carmen was born to Defina Caddel, the founder of the creatively named company, Caddel, that has been at the head of the fashion industry for decades. Carmen inherited Defina's expensive taste and affinity for matters of fame from a young age. She was raised learning about her mothers' company, around fashion designers rather than her peers, and preparing for the day she would have to take over as CEO herself.
Appearance - Curly black hair to her mid-back, dark brown eyes, full cheeks, bright smile, tan skin, 5'5. She's only ever seen in designer clothes (most often from her mothers' brand), all of which are sleek and fitted prior to wear.
 Romance Route - The power couple. MC is a driver that has worked from the bottom up, and Carmen was born into wealth and fame. With different skill sets, connections, and experience, you both face the fame and fortune, good and bad, that's coming at you a little stronger together.
- PROMO POST -
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ovobawrites · 1 year ago
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𝐵𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽: 𝐸𝓅𝒾𝓈𝑜𝒹𝑒 𝐸𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 ♡ 𝐹𝒷𝑜𝓎𝓈 𝒜𝓃𝑜𝓃𝓎𝓂𝑜𝓊𝓈
disclaimer: this has already been posted on ao3 and quotev, i'm just reposting this beach episode special as a promo for the fic. after this is all my previous author notes.
this is a fem!reader and also a half chinese!reader insert.
previous ♡ next
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It took thirty minutes for you, Ruggie and Silver to convince Malleus that lifting up the villa was not, in fact, a good idea. It didn't help that Leona kept egging him on, smug grin on his face as Ruggie glared at him. Lilia was no help at all, too busy finding amusement in the chaos, while Kalim simply watched everything go down with a bright smile on his face. Too bright. Just what did he want with that boulder?
Jamil kept an eye on Kalim with a wary look, but seemed distracted enough by Azul and Idia's pain. You think you saw him smile when Azul was moved to tears by the crushed sandcastle. You took the opportunity to get closer to Kalim, and tilted your head imploringly when he made eye contact. 
"Hm? There's nothing to worry about (Y/N)!" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I just wanted to see how big this boulder was! Plus, it was sooo cool when Malleus brought it over with his magic!"
He was definitely up to something. "Why do you need a boulder?" You confronted him, straightforward enough to catch him off guard. "Is it for a prank of some sort?"
Kalim paled at that. The last prank that went down in NRC was... something to say the least. Riddle still hasn't uncollared that one brave Heartslabyul boy who participated in it. "No! Never!" He looked around nervously. "How could I after... that incident?!"
"So it isn't something completely foolhardy, then?"
He chuckled at that. "Nope! I just wanted to prepare a surprise for everyone." Kalim's bright smile morphed into a much softer, kinder, real expression. "Everyone's been getting along so well... so I figured I might as well do something to celebrate!"
You could see why. You still were shocked that Riddle hadn't tried to kill Floyd in his sleep yet. Or that Azul hadn't been tossed into the ocean by Jamil. Or that Rook and Leona and Malleus hadn't gotten into a blowout fight-
Okay, so maybe your brother was right when he said that your friends were completely dysfunctional a week back. 
You nodded slowly, implying agreement to Kalim, and resolved to distract everyone else from what he was doing. "Do you want to move it somewhere else for now? So that you can prepare, whatever it is, in secret?"
Kalim brightened up at that. "That'd be perfect, thanks! Maybe we should get Malleus to-"
He popped up next to the two of you immediately, eyes glowing with subtle pride. "Do the two of you require me for a task?"
Kalim nodded excitedly and started to animatedly describe what he wanted Malleus to do for him, complete with rapid motions and hand gestures. Everyone else was too distracted to notice, thankfully. Leona and Ruggie were laughing amongst themselves, sly looks on the pair's faces. Vil, Rook and Cater were still distracted by their photoshoot. And Lilia was carrying a sleeping Silver while trying to help Idia and Azul resolve their differences enough to rebuild their sandcastle. Ortho had moved off to talk to Jade about the meal prep, most likely. And the splashing from the water was definitely Riddle being almost drowned by Floyd. Poor Trey.
"Oh- that's right! (Y/N), wanna come help us out?" Kalim turned to you, Malleus and him pleadingly staring with begging eyes for you to join them.
"Sure." You smiled placidly, mind spinning with thoughts and predictions and-
Malleus placed a hand on your shoulder and Kalim grabbed your hand. "Shall we depart?"
"Yeah, let's start!"
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It was. An effort. On your part that is. Usually Kalim and Malleus's excitement wouldn't have had you so off kilter but... You weren't at your best today. That was all. 
"Then we just need to trim this part down here and-" Kalim wiped the sweat off his brow. "We'll be finished for today! This is gonna be so cool!"
You nodded absentmindly, floating with the help of Malleus's magic to chisel down the part he just pointed out. "I think we should cover it in some sort of sealant or resin though." You remarked absentmindedly. "I'm afraid the stone might be too soft and our work will be washed away by the water."
"There is no need for worry," Malleus smiled, "I have all ready casted a spell that should mitigate the effects of any of the natural world."
"It won't be too much of a drain on you?" Kalim fretted, "I don't wanna knock you out! You've already helped so much Malleus and-"
"This is nothing to me, Kalim. Fret not." Malleus said in reply, lowering you to the ground with a wave of his pen.
"Thank you." You nodded at him and brushed the dust off of you. "We must leave now. Before the others get suspicious." You reminded Kalim and Malleus gently. 
"Right!" Kalim hissed at that, "Jamil's probably gonna kill me- oh god."
"Then we better start to hurry." You smiled, and then a thought. "Race you there!"
A laugh and you were off, blind to Kalim and Malleus's shocked and joyful smiles behind you. Laughter bubbling up as they chased you down the shore to the group.
"Catch me if you can Zhìzhi[1]!" A childish laugh and the patter of footsteps down the long hallway. Servants moving to the side, silent as always while the chase ensued.
"You can run, but you can't hide sister!" A burst of speed and a shriek of joy. A warm hug and rough hands messing up your hair.
"Hey- wait that's not fair!" Kalim laughed, bright and cheerful. "You got a headstart!"
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"There you are," Jamil raised an eyebrow at Kalim, preparing to scold him if necessary. "what were you doing?"
You sighed. Looks like you were gonna have to take the lead on this one. Neither Malleus nor Kalim could lie very well, and Kalim's nervous laughs were not helping to assuage whatever Jamil's suspicions were. 
"We were just seeing how strong Malleus's magic is!" You remarked in a lilting voice, swaying to and fro with your arms behind your back. "We wanted to see him drop boulders into the water to create some big waves and..."
"We didn't want to risk Riddle drowning if we did it over here!" Kalim chimed in, looking awfully proud of himself.
"Are... are you implying I'm short?" Riddle started slowly, already starting to flush a violent red.
"Hm? No?" Kalim tilted his head. "I just thought, 'cause Jade and Floyd can breathe underwater they'd be fine. And I-" He paused for less than a second, unnoticed by everyone but you. "I wouldn't put it past Floyd to drown you..." He looked away for a second at that, hiding the glimpse of the smile that threatened to spread across his face. Redirection was Kalim's specialty, after all.
"Sea Otter's right~" Floyd threw an arm over Riddle's head, using him as an armrest. "I would totally let Goldfishie sleep with the fishes." 
Jade grinned. "Maybe don't reveal your intentions so early into the game, Floyd." 
The two laughed amongst themselves, turning into straight up howling when Riddle launched himself at Floyd in an effort to pound him into the ground. It did not work, only forcing Trey and Cater to try to temper their Housewarden's mood once more. You turned your head away from the scene, a complex mix of feelings flooding your chest. Muddy browns made from greens, reds and blues made your heart pulse painfully.
You walked away from the scene to instead inspect the sandcastle Idia and Azul made. It was sprawling in magnitude, elaborate with each detail planned to the t. Something about the temporary state it lived in made the structure even more beautiful. Before you knew it, you had unintentionally crouched down to look upon the tiny city the two had made.
"I-it's amazing, isn't it." Idia stuttered for a moment, avoiding eye contact, hair tinged pink. "You know, I based the entire thing off of the map from Star Rogue. It's this old game Ortho and I used to play and-"
Azul interjected Idia's rambling, smirk on his face. "Please, Idia. Would it kill you to stop such long winded rants? Don't you think (Y/N) is more interested in the process of making this, anyways? She is a student of the arts."
"Oh, I don't mind listening to his rambles," you remarked offhandedly. "I enjoy listening to what Idia's passionate about." You moved in closer to the small town, an unbidden smile on your face from the remarkable care put into the piece. "...I think it's rather striking how you made such a beautiful piece, all while aware of the futility of it all. Tomorrow, this sandcastle will be knocked down by winds and the night, yet you built it anyways. It's a wonderful example of how, at the end of the day, the only thing that separates us from animals is our desire to create. To make something so meaningless, simply because you wanted to," You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, glancing up at the two boys with a warm gaze. "I think it's rather lovely."
"I-it's a s-sand empire actually-y" Idia choked out, hair weaving pink trails of light in the darkening evening. He reached for the hood of his pale blue sleeveless hoodie with shaking hands, fiddling with the strings. A small smile on his face.
Azul blinked, the tips of his ears a deep red. He opened his mouth uselessly, flapping it like a fish before simply walking away with a muffled shriek. The tweels rushing over to him at his embarrassment like sharks to blood.
"Oh- sorry, sand empire." You blinked, a little shocked at their reactions. 
Idia looked away in reply, hair still in that shade of fuchsia. But he still leant down to offer you a hand up. 
You took the proffered hand, slightly bashful from the look Idia was giving you. It was an intense stare, only present when you looked away from him. You think you might be...
No. You can't afford it right now. Or ever.
You still held his hand for the entire walk back.
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The group had walked back to the villa for showers, leaving only Jade and Ortho to prepare the food of the night. After last night's fiasco, it was a welcome change. Not even Leona had a negative quip when the two chefs left for the kitchen, though that might have been from Ruggie's stern glare. And so you all parted ways, though you couldn't help but miss Idia's hand in yours.
Even if your isolated dorm had running water and working showers, it couldn't compare to the luxury of these bathrooms. Seems Crowley really splurged on this villa. How kind of him!
But you had heard rumors of him wanting to go on this trip himself, held back by only the mountain of paperwork he needed to complete.
That might explain why Crewel was so ecstatic about the trip. The staff likely held a raffle of some sort, you knew Trein would have killed to be in Crewel's place.
You snickered at that thought, toweling your hair softly and finishing up your nighttime routine. It'd only been an hour since the group had gotten back, but you still wanted to know how Jade and Ortho's cooking was going. You wanted to see the harmony present from Trey's morning cooking. You had no doubt the two would practically dance around the kitchens and- 
You missed Zhìháo, just a little. 
Even when you had turned 10, Zhìháo 14, you had still cooked and baked together. It wasn't as filled with childish chatter like before, your mother had made sure of that. But the silence was comforting nonetheless. Something about simply existing with the one person you'd ever loved in the room was just perfect. It had filled you with blooming pink and yellow flowers, hummingbirds and butterflies buzzing in your stomach to create a warmth that you could only ever attribute to this nebulous feeling of home. You had wanted to stay with him, in your private little sanctuary. Just the two of you, together, until the end of time.
(It didn't last forever, though.
At some point, when you had turned 13 Jiànhóng had joined you both, when he wasn't busy with paperwork and his own retainer duties. He'd lightly bump Zhìháo's shoulder and laugh loudly when there was a smear of flour on his liege's face. Jiànhóng would teach you how to cook french toast[2], the streetfood greasy from oils and the peanut sauce. Yet it had still been the happiest moments in your life. Eating horribly unhealthy food. Just you and your two brothers. The only family you've ever known.
And then-)
You shook the memory from your head, not wanting to dredge in those dreadful days. Instead, you walked down the stairs and went to enter the kitchens. 
Whirring from the ventilation fans and from Ortho's cooling system could be heard from the bottom of the staircase. But the noise was overwhelmed by tense voices, raising in volume, only interrupted by the dinging of egg-timers and the clanging of pans. 
This probably wasn't good.
You slowly walked into the kitchen, making sure your footsteps could be heard as you peeked past the door frame to see Jade and Ortho. The two of them were obviously upset, Ortho making snipping comments at Jade who retorted with cutting remarks. While Ortho's anger was clear from the red flames, Jade's was only belied by his strong grip on the cooking utensils, practically bending pan handles and spatulas. It was almost funny, but the anger had you scared.
Sure, NRC was filled with testosterone and the fury of the students within, but something about seeing your friends truly angry, to the point where they looked ready to snap and hurt those around them-
It had a black snake coiling in your guts.
You had stood there, frozen and pale (unnoticeably so, the jade of your mask containing not even one crack) until you were noticed by Ortho. 
"Oh! (Y/N)!" He brightened up immediately, hair turning back to its usual blue. "What are you doing here? Did you come over to help?"
You smiled placidly. "I'd like to, but I doubt I'd be of any help. But, forgive me if this is too forwards, is something wrong? You and Jade seem rather-"
"Nothing's-" Jade lowered his voice at the slight flinch you had made from the yell. "Nothing is wrong, Ortho and I... simply disagree on a few things."
"It's not my fault you're mathematically inferior to me, the numbers prove it!" Ortho pouted and crossed his arms, "Besides, if you had just listened to me-"
"Maybe you should listen to the experienced chef, hm?" Jade interjected, hand on chest while the other seemed to have tightened its grip on the pan.
"And maybe you should listen to the chef with more knowledge!" Ortho replied snappishly. 
Jade opened his mouth to retort but you cut him off, injecting just the slightest hint of timidity in your voice. "What were you two disagreeing on, exactly?"
"Cooking techniques." The two spoke mulishly in unison, glaring at each other. Ortho jumped at a timer going off and returned to a pan on the stove top right by Jade.
"I see." You didn't. "But how come you two are both so angry?"
"I'd be calmer if there wasn't this tinny, robotic voice in my ear critiquing my every move." Jade spat out in a rare display of true frustration.
You turned to look disapprovingly at Ortho. "Ortho, is this true?"
He shrank back a little, looking put off. "Well- yes but," he gathered up confidence and raised his voice once more. "Jade kept on ignoring my suggestions for meals and told me to just follow his lead! I want a chance to cook something other than Mostro Lounge recipes-"
"Well, you can do that on your own time. Preferably far away from me-"
"Anyways why should I listen to someone who can't even baste properly-"
"Not that you even need to cook for yourself as someone who doesn't even have tastebuds-"
"Well at least I can-"
You sighed and pinched the bridge of your nose. You were going to get a headache from this fighting. "How about... the two of you compromise?"
They both snapped their heads towards you, fierce looks on both of their faces. 
"No way!"
"Absolutely not."
"How could I collaborate with a creep like-"
"This child can't even-"
"Enough." You didn't raise your voice, but there was no need to. The two froze just from your tone alone. "Either compromise or have one work on the main course and the other on appetizers and desserts."
"...I wanna do desserts!"
"I'll gladly work on the main course, then."
Figures neither of them could even force a compromise. NRC boys. No matter. It wasn't your job to teach them how to work together anyways. You walked out of the kitchen and settled on the couch.
"(Y/N), you look... haggard." Vil looked up from his phone, face mask on while he lay down on the couch opposite you.
"Jade and Ortho don't get along well at all." You groaned, "Surprising, no?"
He stared at you flatly. "You thought two people from different dorms would get along?"
You giggled at that. "Well- I had hoped-"
"The first step is to not hope at all. Keep your expectations low." He glanced back at his phone and tapped on the screen for a moment before focusing his attention solely on you. "But that's not all that's bothering you, is it?"
You almost snapped to attention at that, the only thing stopping you being months of training on composure and masks. "Hm? What makes you say that?"
"I'm an actor, remember?" Vil sniffed disapprovingly. "Besides, you have a crease between your brows."
"Oh, I didn't realise," You looked away, off into the distance as you considered what to say, scratching your arm. "It was merely a bad memory, that's all."
Vil's stare pinned you to the couch, a warmth in it similair to the passion of the sun. "Do you want to talk about it? It apparently helps with," He finger quoted, "bad memories."
You didn't know what to say. You couldn't talk about it and even if you wanted to it was-
"You don't have to, you know. Just say no." Vil jolted you from your thoughts. His brows furrowed in slight worry before he smoothed his expression out once more. "It was a suggestion, you don't need to."
You nodded stiltedly. You hadn't realised how affected you were by the thought of that time. Even now it rested in the back of your mind, a viper ready to strike.
"Listen," Vil sighed. "You don't have to tell me what's going on with you- would you rather I talk about something to distract you from," he gestured his hand up and down at your form. "whatever is bothering you?"
"I-" Your voice almost broke and your throat felt thick, tongue heavy. "I'd appreciate that."
Vil stared at you appraisingly for a moment, searching for something you didn't know of. He looked satisfied when he found it and then launched into an elaborate rant featuring the problems with makeup brands, celebrity endorsements and... Neige? Whoever that was. But either way, his soothing voice helped to calm you down, matching your shaky breathing to the rhythm of his speech and-
Eventually you locked those thoughts away. The nails against your arm soon turned into a comforting rub of hand against raw skin. And in that moment, you once more wished for a forever that would never stay.
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[1] Zhìzhi here is just a cute nickname (y/n) used when they were younger. very childish but it was theirs? you know. [2] So chinese french toast (that's the name I know it by) is a fried bread sandwich sort of thing? Stuffed with this salty peanut paste sauce and coated in condensed milk. It's absolutely delicious and a comfort food for me! Even though it's really greasy and probably super unhealthy haha...
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Mini Theatre Jamil: Wait where's Kalim- Azul: NOOOO THE SANDCASTLE Idia: NOT AGAINNNNNN Jamil: Nevermind, I've got more pressing things to pay attention to Silver, in a pile of sand: Oh, did I fall asleep again?
Idia and (Y/N)'s relationship is essentially: Idia, ranting passionately about some game franchise while (Y/N) is nodding along and either resting against his shoulder or drawing Couple goals lol
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and here is the eighth part of the beach ep. if you'd like to read the rest of the fic, you can read it on ao3 here, and on quotev here.
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alwayswritewithcoffee · 1 month ago
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How do you think it would have changed or affected the course of Castle and Beckett's relationship if Beckett at the end of the pilot, thinking it would be a one-time thing and they would never see each other again, had agreed to go on a date with Castle, they had slept together and then Castle would have started following her?
Wow, so I suck. This has been in my inbox for a long time and I either never got the notification, or I looked at it and thought I'd answer later and forgot. But it's (over a year) later!!! So here we go. The short answer is: it'd be messy as hell. I think she spends all of season one incensed that a guy she slept with as a one-time thing is following her around like a puppy, while Castle keeps trying (and failing) to convince her to engage in a repeat performance. Sorenson's appearance — and Beckett being completely enamored with him — is enough for Castle to get the message, and I think he chills out. But I also think they don't have a close enough relationship for him to poke at her mother's murder as early as he does in the show. In my mind, he finds out the details when they get the Dick Coonan case. He's been shadowing her for long enough that there's a begrudging (on Beckett's part) partnership and a burgeoning friendship. Castle's like 30% in love with her already and doesn't hesitate to pay the fee for info on the killer, and he's there to prop her up and help her through it when it all goes to hell. So by the time the serial killer case arrives and Kate's apartment blows up, there's a legit friendship. Enough so that when she moves in with him, Castle gets that repeat performance and it stirs up his hope that there could be something more. There isn't, of course. Demming appears and she latches onto him as a distraction from the awkwardness and regrets of letting her guard down with Castle. He goes to the Hamptons for the same reason and in the fall, he doesn't come back. He has no intention of coming back, and he's in and out of the precinct throughout his relationship with Gina. He does shadow Beckett sometimes, but mostly does book promo stuff and keeps his head down. I don't think they grow closer as they do in season three. He's hurt, and she keeps him at arm's length, but they do have moments where the possibility of more is right there — in LA when Royce dies, after Jerry Tyson assaults Castle and Ryan — and when Beckett is shot, Castle thinks 'God, I could love you' but he doesn't say it. He dives in front of the bullet, and he begs her not to die, but there's no deathbed confession. When she shoves him away to recover he works the case with the boys but accepts that, once again, she's telling him she doesn't want or need him like he wants/needs her. Coming back to the precinct, it's her olive branch that breaks the stalemate. Like Castle, there are feelings there, but not the depth that they are in the show. But she convinces him to come back and work full time, and that year is the one where they REALLY become friends and partners. Kate pieces her life back together, occasionally shares some of it with him after her therapy sessions, and when he asks her not to throw her life away -- she listens. She doesn't nearly fall off a roof, she goes to Alexis' graduation and holds Castle's hand while he cries at his daughter's speech. They have their movie marathon night and he invites her to the Hamptons for a week in July, which Kate accepts. But there's still the deal that Castle cut with Smith after her shooting. Beckett is still digging into her mother's murder when she has time, but she's also spending time outside work in and out of Castle's loft, getting to know Martha and Alexis. They dance around the possibility of dating for a few months, but when Tyson tries to kill Castle they throw caution to the wind and just go for it. So when they stumble upon the info that helps them ID William Bracken (remember, no rooftop fight. No file recovery in this universe), Castle is forced to tell Beckett about the deal he cut for her safety. She's apocalyptic with rage, breaks up with him, and throws him out of her apartment and the precinct. She still confronts Bracken, but this time it is because she's been offered a job in D.C. and wants to do it without his shadow hanging over her.
A couple of years go by. Alexis takes a job at a nonprofit in D.C., and Castle bumps into Beckett at a random coffee shop. He's stopped writing Nikki Heat books, she's rising through the ranks in the AG office, and they talk. It's awkward. There's hurt and feelings on both sides, but they don't reconcile. He goes back to NYC. She goes back to work. A few years later, William Bracken's presidential run ends when he's arrested by one of the most promising members of the Secret Service. Beckett isn't on Bracken's detail, but her security clearance and tenacity, as well as a ton of connections in law enforcement, have helped her build the case. She arrests him for her mother's murder and fends off offers from dozens of companies and agencies to take a job at the training academy. A few weeks after the arrest, she gets a note in the mail. It's Castle, congratulating her on solving her mother's murder and saying he will be in D.C. for a book signing for his latest novel -- a political thriller. He invites her to dinner but understands if she doesn't want to see him. She agonizes over what to do in the week that follows but, ultimately, Kate finds that the sting of betrayal has evaporated. When she thinks of Castle, it's mostly the months when he made her so happy. So she puts on her favorite dress, curls her hair, and meets him in front of the restaurant at 7:30 sharp. And they talk for hours over delicious food, a bottle of wine, and cups of coffee. When the restaurant apologetically kicks them out, Castle offers to walk her back to her place and quips that it's not unlike the first time they had dinner together. But this time, Kate invites him inside. This time, it sticks. They get married a year or so later, two weeks before Kate's 40th birthday and four months before she's tapped to run for the US House of Representatives.
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iwanttobeliv · 4 months ago
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Betty, la fea: la historia continúa
Episode 1 – Reunited (but it doesn’t feel so good)
I can’t begin to explain how excited I was for this. That we would be able not only to see our beloved characters again after so very long, and most of all, that we would be able to see Betty and Armando together again.
At first, there was a lot of speculation about the series' plot – and not much information to go on.
And the problem with that is that the longer the wait, the bigger the expectations. And boy, were they big!
Ever since the wave of revivals became a thing, I’ve seen my fair share of them, and I knew that lowering my expectations would probably be for the best. I mean, adjusting it to something better than ‘Ecomoda”, but likely not as great as YSBLF.
Even though there were some very positive aspects such as how much the cast and production team seemed to love this project, or how happy they looked to get back to it, and also how much better JEA looks these days, there were other factors that I couldn’t help but think would likely be an issue.
First of all, the length of it. We all knew we wouldn’t get 335 episodes. That’s not how TV works nowadays, especially streaming services. And then, when I found out there would be only 10, I thought, oh well. At least we get to see them for 10 episodes, that’s something… Better than not all, I guess. 
But then, I didn’t realize just how much this format would affect the story. Which is a lot, something we can feel right out of the gate.
YSBLF was fundamentally what fic readers describe as slow-burn. Which can be great for character development. But that also requires a lot of fillers, subplots, and sharp writing skills so that the audience won’t just get fed up and quit the show before it’s over.
Given how the target audience of the new show was mainly fans from YSBLF, I guess they didn’t have to worry much about that. We already know and love the characters – most of all the protagonists.
But, then again, it has been over 20 years.
So, back to episode 1.
The previously on? Loved it! They did a fairly good job summarizing the main bits, though I’m not sure it would have worked alone hadn’t I watched YSBLF time and time again.
I love that they start with Betty’s voiceover. Having a special insight into what was going through her mind was such a fundamental part of the story in the first place. Through Betty’s diary, we got to know all the vulnerabilities that Betty had learned to keep inside, protected from a world that had been far too cruel to her. While with Nicolas we got to see her using humor to fend for herself, at night, in her strangely decorated room – I think all those dolls were meant to symbolize Betty’s innocence and youth and remind us that she was a young girl, and therefore lacked the experience and malice to understand where she was headed to until it was too late. But it also looked like a grandma’s room, and a very dark one, so, yeah, not great. I get it, it was a low-budget production, but did her room have to look like a place where one would find a captive? My guess is no. – Anyway it was through her precious diary that we got to hear Betty sharing her thoughts and dreams, memories and fears. So, when I heard Betty speaking, it just felt familiar and wistful. And I guess I was too distracted by that to be bothered by the wordplay they did there, trying to create a suspense that would only have worked if we hadn’t watched the promo 150 times, give or take. I never thought I would say I missed Hugo, even in YSBLF I didn’t care much for his character but he had me at the ‘Dead Poet Society’ reference.
I’m still trying to understand Betty’s wardrobe choices there, I mean, even though her ‘current’ style seems like a far cry from wearing Don Hermes’s old sweaters, this one feels like it's too much and nothing like the woman we supposedly knew.
But I digress. 
Betty shows up and we get Armando looking at her with puppy eyes and standing up for ‘su Betty’ right away, and well, I am only human and completely understand why Betty’s knees would go weak and nearly throw her into Roberto’s grave.
So yeah, Roberto is dead, something we were aware of from the promo, but what does it mean to Ecomoda? And why was Betty gone until this moment?
That’s where things start to get messy.
I can’t say I was surprised that Armando and Betty aren’t together. While I hoped they still loved each other after all this time (and I still do), a relationship lasting this long must have a solid foundation. Which they didn’t really have and we never got to see... I think they truly loved (and love) each other, but trust isn’t something easy to gain and it’s even harder to regain after it's lost. The lies, the miscommunication, the tempers, all of it would inevitably create conflict. And there’s no good story without that.
(This reminds me I really want to take a closer look at Armando and Betty as individuals, but I think I might save this for another time)
That being said, we get a bunch of info dumped on us in a very short time, and I had to watch it more than once to make sense of the whole thing. Let’s make a list:
Roberto is dead. (And so is Margarita)
Betty was gone and not by her choice, according to her. But then Armando says they are not together and that *is* her choice, so what then?
I really really like the way Armando looks at Betty when she asks him how he is. It screams familiarity with a hint of fondness (?) Oh these two…
Don Hermes shows up and I’m intrigued. He uses his famous catchphrase while dragging Betty away from Armando and when he stands next to his daughter, it makes me think he too is aware of Betty’s situation with her 'ex', and I don’t know, but whatever happened, it made him forego the sanctity of matrimony, which seems like a big thing to such a traditional man like him.
Hugo hasn’t changed a bit.
And Betty is still the clumsy, self-conscious Betty under all that fur.
There is a camera and suspense. Not my cup of tea, but ok.
Marcela seems a bit more civil around Betty, which is to be expected after so long, but still her (by now more than comprehensible) resentment seems to be alive and well.
Don Hermes mentions leaving fresh flowers to Dona Julia, but it’s such a short comment that it barely registers.
Patricia is apparently married to a mummy called Francisco Santamaria (Wasn’t there a lawyer with that name in YSBLF?) which is not particularly surprising given her life aspirations.
I guess when we have only ten episodes there’s no escape but to break the rules of “show and not tell”.
Next: A controversial topic, Mila Mendoza.
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Danny Does Dallas
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Pairings: porn star au Danny X Sam ***SLASH PAIRING if that’s not your thing please scroll on
Warnings: 18+ ONLY!, strong sexual content, fingering (m receiving), mm sex, lots of swearing, obviously Danny being a porn star, this has nothing to do with the actual av I just thought the name was clever, very little editing
Word count: 5k
Keep it together Danny he thought to himself as he closed his eyes and tried to focus on the task at hand. This was his job, what paid the bills, and if he wasn’t able to perform without distraction then maybe he wasn’t the professional he always thought himself to be.
*click*
Fuck the sound was even louder with his eyes closed.
*click click*
Danny’s eyes flickered back open as his grip tightened and he finished his duty just as the part called for.
The sound stopped and he felt himself relax.
Damn camera man always getting so close…
Now that the set was finished he got cleaned up and wrapped himself in his personalized robe. The back donned with his name in script with shimmery gold embroidery Danny. Like everyone here didn’t already know who he was.
Having worked up an appetite he made his way to the snack table always situated in the back right corner of the studio next to the hallway for the dressing rooms.
Unexpectedly though when he arrived at the table he found a familiar scruffily face, shoulders donned with a thick black camera strap holding what looked like a heavy piece of equipment around his neck also sampling a few of the day's variety of refreshments.
“Umm hey, Samuel right?” Danny worked up the courage to greet the other boy as he reached towards the same plate of fruit as he was currently snacking on.
“Just Sam is ok” he replied, surprised that he was being spoken to.
“Alright, Sam” Danny repeated, sorry that he was having to part with any syllable of the boy's full given name.
A brief moment of silence fell between the two as the rest of the crew seemed to be busy prepping the studio for the next scene. Surely there was something the two could be doing to prepare as well, but now that the ice had been broken, neither were ready to walk away.
Danny plucked a rather large strawberry off the shared tray, bringing the plump heart shaped fruit to his lips and sinking his teeth into the flesh, it was a juicy one. A little pink dribble rolled down his chin, threatening to drip onto his fluffy white robe.
“Oh, here” Sam quickly reached over and rubbed his thumb over the spill, collecting the juice off Danny’s chin.
Sam froze when he felt his touch on Danny’s skin for the first time. Embarrassed that he’d reached over without thinking first. He tried to retract his hand quickly, but his wrist was caught by Danny bringing his thumb into his mouth to lick off the rest of the taste of strawberry.
“Thanks” Danny licked his lips as he let go of Sam’s arm.
“Ah, no problem, anytime!” Sam nervously replied.
What the fuck Sam? ‘Anytime’? This guy is going to think you’re a weirdo!
Danny chuckled as he watched Sam realize what he’d just said, his embarrassment revealing itself on his face.
When Sam first replaced their old photographer Danny was unsure of the boy. He always came to work dressed in old patterned button up shirts mismatched with either a pair of sweatpants or if it was particularly hot outside shorts. With it being a very hot summer in Texas this year, shorts were worn more often than not these days.
Sam didn’t look like the usual photographer he was used to working with. Instead of older and out of shape, some of them even gave off a creepy vibe, Sam was young. Just about Danny’s age if he had to guess. He was tall, not quite as tall as Danny though, and very dainty from the way his shirts hung loosely around his shoulders to the barely there curve of his waist. It didn’t take long working together in very close quarters to start to develop an interest in him.
“You did really well today, think I got some good shots for your promo” Sam placed his hand on top of his camera, bringing the conversation to a professional tone, but Danny’s mind was anywhere but being professional when around Sam.
“Hmm, I think I’d much rather see you up there one of these days. You’d look just as good as I do behind the camera”.
Holy shit Danny, you can’t just insinuate someone would look good doing porn.
“Ah, you’re joking!” Sam tried to shrug off the compliment although his face was turning red again.
Is THE Daniel Wagner flirting with me right now? Is that what’s happening?
“Am not” Danny replied, taking one hesitant step forward to keep the conversation personal as a few people started passing by to get to the dressing rooms.
“Wait” Sam spoke, stopping Danny in his tracks. “Is that a Michigan accent?”
Danny smiled, unaware that he’d even let his accent slip, caught up in the moment. “Yes, how’d you guess?”
“I’m from Michigan too!” Sam beamed excitedly. It had been the first time he’d ever met another native Michigander in Texas before, and it was Danny of all people. “I can’t believe I never noticed that before”.
“I don’t believe we’ve ever talked much before” Danny mentioned, hoping that would change after today.
“You’re right. I don’t think I’ve heard you say anything other than ‘fuck’ or ‘right there baby’ before”. It was Sam’s turn to make Danny blush as he jokingly tried to copycat Danny at work.
“How did you end up in Dallas?” Sam questioned after another awkward silence fell. Trying to revive the conversation so he didn’t have to walk away awkwardly.
Danny opened his mouth to speak but another approached him from behind. “Danny, you ready for the next scene?”
Danny looked over his shoulder to see the entire set had already been changed while he was caught in his head talking to Sam. He asked the crew member for just a few more minutes and turned back to Sam. There was one more thing he wanted to say. The reason why he’d approached him in the first place.
“How about I tell you about it tonight over drinks? If you’re free?” Danny invited hoping that Sam would immediately say yes.
“Oh, I don’t know. Depends on where you want to take me. I don’t do disco clubs” Sam smiled and Danny’s heart nearly blew out of his chest thinking about Sam dressed to the dime standing in the colorful flashing lights under a mirrored disco ball.
“Oh, then we can go wherever you’d like?” Danny would agree to anything at this point, he just wanted to see Sam anywhere but here. Somewhere they could talk, get to know each other, see where the night took them.
“Alright. I’ll see you after work then” Sam plopped one more piece of fruit into his mouth and walked back towards the set, fiddling with his camera on the way.
Work… right! Danny gathered his composure before leaving for his dressing room to get touched up. He’d been so out of it today he hardly remembered what the next scene was until he was walking back out onto set in nothing but a pair of black boots, a black cowboy hat, and his small gold necklace that laid out across his collarbone.
Danny kept his eyes fixated on the girl performing reverse cowgirl on him but the sound of camera lenses shuttering in his ear made it impossibly hard to keep his mind where it needed to be.
“Hair! His hair is in his face, someone move it!” The director called out. Danny’s hands were occupied in a close up of him gripping the girl's ass so instead the person nearest to him reached over and brushed the ringlet curls back for him, readjusting the cowboy hat that had been threatening to fall off for the last 10 minutes.
Danny made eye contact with Sam for the first time since the scene began, wishing badly that it was Sam’s ass he had a grip on at the moment.
Sam fixed him up nicely and took a few steps back, snapping one last shot before it was all over.
Why did he look at me like that? His heart thumped while he stared at the other man through the lens of his camera. He’d noticed Danny giving him looks here and there since he started, but never once thought he’d actually be interested in him.
Satisfied with all the shots he got today Sam decided to leave the studio first while they wrapped up. Gently taking his camera apart and storing it in its case until its next use.
Danny panicked a little when he didn’t see Sam later. He wondered if maybe he’d come on too strong and either made Sam feel uncomfortable or he was having second thoughts about going out with essentially a coworker. Danny’s mind was put at ease though when he returned to his dressing room and saw a single piece of paper folded over his chair containing a time and an address for them to meet up tonight with a simple message at the bottom:
Bring the cowboy hat
After a trip home for a shower and a change of clothes Danny was finding his way through the rough alleys of downtown Dallas. Looking up from the piece of paper with the scribbled out numbered address he saw a street lined with muscle cars and bikes. A crowd of young men and women dressed in distressed denim and leather crowded around the door to the venue. He was feeling a little bit self conscious about agreeing to wear the hat out in public now, but who was he to have denied a request made by Sam?
Once inside he scanned the crowded bar filled with billiards tables and an empty yet fully prepared stage in the back for a familiar face. Finally between the stage and the bar was Sam dressed finer than he’d ever seen him before in black slacks, a matching black blazer, and an impossibly tight red ribbed shirt.
“Fancy seeing you here” Sam casually commented when Danny approached to take a seat at the bar next to him.
“This is not what I expected when I suggested you pick the place” Danny admit, still glancing around and taking in the smoke filled atmosphere. “How do you know about this place?”
“My band plays here sometimes” Sam revealed to Danny’s surprise.
“You’re in a band?”
“Yeah, I play bass and keys. I’m off the hook tonight, still get lucky with cheap drinks here though”. He lifted his glass he had in the same hand as a cigarette tucked between his middle and pointer finger up to his lips and tossed what was left back before calling the bartender over to order more.
“So, what took you so long to ask me out?” Sam questioned when they both had another glass to accompany the conversation.
His eyes went wide, had Sam noticed Danny checking him out?
“It’s just we’re the same age, and we seem to have a lot in common. Just wish we would have done this sooner” Sam continued. He seemed to have a lot more confidence in talking to Danny outside of work, but not seeing him naked was helping a lot in keeping his cool.
“No, you’re right, I’ve wanted to get to know you more for quite some time now”. Danny took a large swig of his glass, trying to find his game as he used the excuse of grabbing a napkin that was placed in a pile right in front of Sam to inch his barstool closer to him. “Why haven’t you asked me out?”
Danny was so close now he could hear Sam sucking in a breath of air before his response.
“I didn’t realize you were… into me?” Sam phrased his reply like another question at the end, still not sure what exactly it was they were doing right now even with the heavy flirting that was going on.
Danny chuckled, sliding his hand across the bar top to where Sam’s was still resting on his glass, barely brushing his fingertips against his. “Why would I not be into you? You’re gorgeous. Especially dressed like this. Did you do that on purpose? Dress up for me so I’d go wild for you?” The words were rolling off Danny’s tongue straight into Sam’s ear causing Sam’s thoughts to run rampantly in circles.
“No, I alway dress like this when I go out” he denied even if the thought had crossed his mind when he was getting ready.
“Why don’t you dress like this at the studio then?”
“Don’t want to call any attention to myself. Seems that didn’t go over very well now did it?” He removed his hand from his glass which was also pulling away from Danny’s touch and took a long drag of his cigarette before running his fingers through his hair as he exhaled.
Danny wanted to lean forward even further, he wanted it to be his fingers tugging through the strands of Sam’s silky chestnut waves, but instead he sat back and watched, pulling his hand back into his lap and squeezing.
“No, it didn’t. I lose focus every time you’re around me. Even today when you brushed my hair out of my face for me. I wanted to thank you for that”.
Sam nervously laughed, trying not to vividly picture Danny’s pleasured expression he’d grown to be very fond of. “I was just doing my job”.
“Even then, thank you”. Now that Danny was pulled out of Sam’s bubble, his senses no longer completely enveloped in the boy's form next to him, he heard the songs playing in the background through the speakers and caught a glimpse of something interesting. “Hey, do you want to…”
Sam’s eyes flickered to the door, his clouded mind already assuming what the question was.
“Go pick a song with me?” Danny finished his sentence making Sam release the breath of air he’d been holding in. A sigh mixed with a semi relieved, semi disappointed laugh following.
“Sure” Sam stood from the bar first but waited for Danny to lead the way across the floor to the very large jukebox full of the hottest bands most recent hits.
Danny pulled out a few quarters from his pocket and slotted them into the machine as Sam leaned against it and flipped through the options.
He would have sat there for the rest of the night and listened to Sam talk about the music he liked, which was a lot, but eventually he settled and his choice came spilling out into the bar for everyone else to hear as well.
A slight pang of jealousy raised through Danny’s thoughts as he saw a few fellow patrons excited about the new music. He didn’t want to share Sam’s favorite song with them, he wanted to take him home and have Sam pick through his very own record collection and listen to all of his and Sam’s collective favorites alone together. Instead they returned to their spot at the bar and ordered more drinks.
The night was moving along, drink after drink was being poured as Sam and Danny talked about their lives leading up to landing in the same studio in Dallas.
They had all but forgotten they weren’t alone in the bar together, stealing glances of exposed skin around Sam’s mid-drift and Danny’s tight shirt sleeves, and fleeting touches of their hands against each other on the bar top.
“Hey! You look familiar” a random guy passing by the bar on his way back from the bathroom stopped and pointed his finger directly at Danny causing the two of them to jump out of their own little world and back into the real time setting.
“Sorry man, don’t know you” Danny tried to brush him off and turn away, hoping he’d get a hint, but the man persisted.
“No, aren’t you that guy that does adult films? Yeah that’s you! Hold on, let me go get my buddies. They'd love to meet you. I bet you got some crazy stories!” The guy was stumbling, he’d clearly had more than enough to drink for the night, acting loud and obnoxious as he hollered across to a group of guys at the opposite end of the bar.
Danny was already visibly getting irritated at the man’s behavior. He didn’t mind being recognized in public, but he didn’t get along with drunken assholes causing scenes in bars. “Look, I’m glad you're a fan and all. You want one picture or something that’s fine, but then we’d like a little privacy”. Despite his annoyance Danny was at the moment remaining very calm even as a few of the guy’s also drunk friends walked over at his call.
“No we don’t need a picture. I’ll tell you what you can do for us. I bet you have the phone numbers of some of those babes in your films? Call them up! Invite them out! Better yet, give us their numbers!”
The guys all chimed in when they realized what was unfolding, the commotion starting to draw attention to the area.
“The girls I work with are professionals and I can guarantee you they would not go out with guys like you even if you weren’t being complete assholes right now” Danny finally snapped, insulting them and honoring his colleagues all in one breath.
“No need to get an attitude pretty boy” they were starting to get pissed off in return. Not realizing how their drunkenness and crude remarks were not invited to their side of the bar.
“Look he said no, now leave us alone” Sam quipped having been mostly silent until now but no longer being able to just sit and watch as Danny got harassed.
“Oh who do we have here? I see you fuck girls on camera and girly boys off camera” the first man to interrupt them spoke again followed up with a few laughs from his friends.
Danny jumped out of his seat immediately and put his tall frame between Sam and the man as he began to reach over and try to grab a handful of his hair. The hair Danny wanted to touch and Danny only.
“So he is your boyfriend!” The man and his friends laughed even harder. “We should have known looking at the way you’re dressed” he flicked his fingers against the rim of Danny’s cowboy hat, nearly knocking it off of his head with the force.
“That’s funny coming from you considering I’m about to shove one of your friends so far up your ass that-” Danny’s threat was cut short by Sam grabbing his arm and running with him out the door before any of the guys could rear up and swing the first hit. Getting in a bar fight was not on his agenda for the night and if Danny got punched in the face there would be hell to pay at work.
“Hey you little shits get back here and try to say that again!” Danny heard the man yelling after them as they made it out the door, down the street, and around the corner before they slowed to a stop to catch their breaths.
“I’m so sorry those jackasses ruined our night” Danny tried to apologize with his hand over his quickly rising and falling chest.
Sam took one sideways look at Danny from his crouched stance against the concrete wall and burst out laughing. Danny raised an eyebrow in confusion but couldn’t help a giggle start to bubble out as well at the childness of it all.
“I just want to know which one of them you were about to ‘shove up his ass’” Sam wiped a rogue tear from the corner of his eye before standing up and walking over to Danny. “Besides, the night isn’t ruined. We can still go somewhere else”.
“You still want to?” Danny replied while quickly slipping back into the dreamlike state he’d been in previously watching Sam in front of him.
“The night is young. I’ll even let you pick this time” Sam was standing impossibly close to Danny now. He’d been impressed by the way Danny handled the whole ordeal. Up until he nearly started a brawl and had to be whisked away.
A curl had fallen loose from underneath Danny’s hat after having to run. Just like earlier today Sam reached over to move it out of his face, but instead of fixing his hat again he gently lifted it from Danny's head and held it beside their faces to briefly conceal him placing his lips on the others. “Your place or mine?” Sam smirked when he pulled back from the kiss all too soon for Danny’s liking.
“Whichever’s closer” Danny groaned while wrapping a hand around Sam’s waist and pulling his lower half firmly against his to steal one more kiss.
Decidedly Danny’s condo was actually closer than Sam’s apartment so they caught a taxi back towards the less scruffy part of downtown Dallas.
Sam fidgeted with the hem of his blazer as they rode the elevator up to the floor Danny’s condo was on in silence. It wasn’t awkward, both boys knew what they wanted but neither were going to expect anything from the other.
Once they arrived Danny set his key in a small plate on a console situated right next to the front door. “Drinks?” He offered and split from Sam, him going left into the kitchen and Sam right into the sunken living room.
“Whatever you have is fine” Sam called over as he removed his blazer and took a seat on the couch that nearly stretched the entire expanse of the area.
“You can get a fire started if you want. The fireplace is electric, you just flip the switch on the mantle” Danny mentioned as he gathered a few ingredients for the only cocktail he was confident he could make.
“You are from Michigan if you’re wanting a fire started in the middle of August” Sam chuckled but got up and moved to the mantle anyways. Danny kept his condo cold because he liked wearing sweaters and he’d much rather actually use his fireplace than the central heating.
Returning to Sam with two glasses in hand, he gave one to him and placed the other on the glass table at their feet.
“So I’d say let’s pick up where we left off, but I’m ashamed to say I honestly don’t remember what the last thing we were talking about was”. The only picking up he honestly wanted to do was Sam, over his shoulder and carried off into his bedroom, but it had been a while since Danny had actually been with anybody outside of his work and he didn’t recall how hard it was to initiate things without coming on too strong.
“You really want to just talk?” Sam eyed him up and down as he took a sip of his drink. Damn, did he make these strong on purpose?
“I mean, that’s okay with me” again, he didn’t want to assume what Sam was and wasn’t down for on a first date, if they could even call it a date. “Unless you had something else in mind?”
Sam braced himself for one more gulp of the very alcoholic drink and set it down onto the table next to the other. Once more he reached over and plucked the cowboy hat Danny was still wearing off his head, swapping it over to his as he boldly swung his leg over Danny’s lap and straddled him on the couch.
“I want you to fuck me like you do those girls on set” Sam’s voice came out like an angelic song dripping with passion.
With Sam’s hands massaging into his shoulders Danny quickly grabbed the other boy’s waist, feeling the texture of his shirt against his fingertips as he ran his hands up and down his sides. “No no angel, I’ll fuck you even better than those girls”. He latched his mouth onto a particularly tasty looking expanse of Sam’s neck causing him to whimper and grind his hips down.
“Yes baby, right there” Sam mocked the girl Danny had this afternoon making Danny pull back and look at him with a disappointed expression.
“You don’t think I’ll be better for you? Make you cry out my name for real?”
“I’ve seen all your moves” Sam started to rock his hips back and forth, mistakenly thinking he would be the one in control.
Danny buried his nose into Sam’s hair, nibbling on the shell of his ear before he spoke “yes, but have you felt me? Deep inside you until I’ve found that spot that will make you go crazy for me”. He felt Sam’s body shiver underneath his hands, grinning at the reaction only his words caused. “That’s what I thought. Now I’m going to go into my bedroom to get the lube. Do you want to follow me or wait here?”
“Take me to bed Daniel” Sam moaned, running his hands up the others neck and lacing his fingers through his hair.
Danny grabbed Sam and stood with him still in his arms, having him wrap his legs around his waist while they locked lips and he carried him back up the steps down the hallway and into his room.
He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had someone else in his bed, but after seeing Sam laid with his beautiful brown hair sprawled out above his head like a halo he knew he wouldn’t ever want anyone else.
In a quick fight of limbs against clothes Danny had them both undressed, his hat having long ago fallen off Sam’s head in his living room.
“Tell me if I’m hurting you” Danny asked as he pressed his lubed up fingers to Sam’s entrance, prepared to stretch him nice and easy until he was ready for him.
“No, I like it” Sam panted, a slight whimper leaving his parted lips when the first finger was pushed inside.
“Fucking Christ Sam. You already feel so good” he could feel Sam’s walls fluttering around him.
Danny wasn’t afraid that Sam wasn’t going to like what he was going to do, but that he’d get carried away and do too much too soon.
“Another Daniel” Sam rolled his hips onto Danny’s fingers as he placed the second next and pushed it inside as well, making sure he was getting all the way up to the last knuckle and curling up. Sam arched his back off the bed, reaching around to his front and grabbing onto his base with a tight grip trying to keep himself from finishing so soon.
“I think you’re already ready for another one. Do you want another?”
Sam lifted his head off the pillows to get a good look at Danny hovered below his waist. “You’re the professional, I trust you”.
Danny wanted to rip his fingers out and have him right then and there, but he knew better. He was the professional even if the image of Sam, cock in hand looking over the expanse of his body down at Danny with a pleading expression was enough to make him cum on his bedsheets if he moved himself too quickly trying to find a bit of his own relief.
He made his final preparation, adding a third finger until Sam was surly nice and relaxed then slowly pulled them all back out.
Sam groaned at the empty feeling, going ahead and getting a few good strokes in before Danny sat up, bringing one of Sam’s legs up with him and propping his ankle up on his shoulder.
Once he was lined up perfectly, he slid in inch by inch, watching as Sam’s face went from brows tightly knit, to softened as he adjusted to his size, and then totally blissed out when he started to move.
Sam ran his hands up Danny’s abdomen, trying desperately to grab onto anything since he knew touching himself was off the table until he was ready to end it. He saw Danny’s eyes shift from his down to where they were connected, watching himself disappear inside him over and over again. He had one hand on Sam’s propped up leg, and the other on his hip, holding Sam down onto the mattress as he snapped his hips with calculated precision.
“Do you want to cum first? I want to be inside you when you do” Danny looked back at Sam as he took the initiative to start stroking him instead, residual lube still clinging to his fingers.
Sam shook his head back and forth on the bed, but he couldn’t bring himself to say no or try to stop him because it felt so good and he did want to cum at the hands of Danny.
He just didn’t expect to be this undone, this helpless underneath the man he’d fantasized about for so many weeks now. With Danny hitting that spot deep inside him though, and a masterful flick of his wrist, Sam was teetering on the edge.
“Let go, I’m right behind you” Danny encouraged, picking up his pace with both his hips and his hand, sending Sam over the edge.
He had to keep himself from wanting to squeeze his eyes closed as he spilled out into Danny’s hand. Wanting more to see the look on Danny’s face when he finished almost immediately after.
The muscles in Sam’s leg were twitching from strain as Danny lowered it back down, slipping out in the same motion with a groan and a sigh.
“Do me a favor?” Danny kindly asked as he collapsed onto Sam, not even caring about the mess that was made between them.
“Hmm?” Sam hummed in content response as he mindlessly played with the tips of Danny’s hair that now tickled his chest.
“Promise you won’t tell anyone at work I finished so quickly. I’ll lose my reputation”.
Sam giggled and Danny loved the way it sounded with his ear pressed against Sam’s chest. Sam didn’t have any intention of sharing this perfect moment with anyone, and in his mind Danny had only proved his reputation tonight.
“Only if you promise to ask me out again tomorrow”.
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hsmtmts-arrows · 1 year ago
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imagine, after s4, when they're all rehearsing for the spring musical and maddox is watching them and smiling, reading the script out for them, JJ walking lazily among some of the wildcats and gracefully accepting pets. until a little notification sound rings out from maddox's phone.
"maddox, would you mind putting your phone on silent? we're trying to audition here." miss jenn says pompously, but they can see the affection in her eyes, and clearly maddox doesn't miss it as she grins back at her.
"right away, ma'am." she does a salute and then actually looking down at her phone, and her smile wipes right off her face. JJ whimpers and breaks away from emmy's scritches to go to her side. "jet." she suddenly says, voice taut as a bowstring. JJ leans against her, licking her hands, but maddox can't pay attention. jet looks over, confused, concerned.
"it's our parents. they want to meet up."
see if we got season five i could definitely see this as a plot tim could've used. maddie is totally panicked about it, and it's noticeable to all of the wildcats. jet's silent, his mind totally buzzing. maddie wants to talk to him privately, but it's quite obvious to all of the wildcats this isn't something the siblings will find easy. it's a long winded chat between all of the group which kind of ends rehearsals and begins a drama club therapy session for the siblings. the wildcats find out that it's been a long time since they'd even been in contact with their parents, and the last time they'd even been in the same room, kind words had not been shared.
maddie messages back her mom, says she and jet will meet with them, but they're not coming alone.
jet fiddled with kourtney's hand the whole way there in the back of maddie's car. she sees him spinning the ring on his other finger when he isn't holding her hand and he just leans his head on her shoulder, ruffling the fur of JJ every now and then. he doesn't know what to say, he's too busy over thinking it. What if they're mad about something? did they actually watch the documentary for frozen or something? or maybe it was to do with maddie and the drama about the interview that went pear-shaped in the HSM4 promo. he was coming up with so many different theories and ideas up in his head he didn't even hear kourtney ask him if he was okay the first time. the boy just nods and hums, shuffling even closer to her in car. at least he's got kourtney.
meanwhile, maddox is raging in her mind. everything was going perfectly fine. why the fuck are they here all of a sudden? because they were doing something with their lives and doing well without them? or were they here for there six-month check-up on how their "kids" were doing without them?
ashlyn sensed it a mile off. the moment maddie got the text something shifted and ash felt it immediately. there's a tension in the car that no one speaks of but everyone knows of. jet and kourtney get out with JJ, but ash stops maddie from doing the same.
maddox tries to keep it together when ash starts to talk to her about it all. it's not working. she feels herself and her walls begin to breakdown in ash's arms. she cant keep doing this. ashlyn knows this and she tells her it like it is. it's ruining her and jet.
jet' trying to distract himself with JJ. he's trying to get him to do tricks and spin around and kourtney can see right through it. she doesn't know what to do or say. he's never been so quiet about something he has an opinion on. but something changes in the air again. a new presence. across the parking lot, a man and a woman walk towards them and the car.
"jetson?" the woman calls, and the boy's head snaps upwards to her. JJ growls but moves away from being so close, beside jet now. "what're you doing? I though we agreed we'd be meeting inside."
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starofhisheart · 1 year ago
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MAJOR SPOILERS FOR OFMD S2 EP6-7 under the cut
Ok, that was A LOT. I have so many feelings but no coherence so i'm gonna do this bullet point form but def not in order, just in order of me remembering wtf happened lol
-IZZY AND WEE JOHN IN DRAG!!!!! Wee John looked STUNNING with that Divine-esque appearance and Izzy had that transmasc drag king kind of thing going on (iykyk) that made me love him even more
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-Izzy singing LA VI EN ROSE took me tf out!!! i'm glad he got to finish it after the *ahem* distractions bc Con's voice is so beautiful I could listen to it forever. We better get it in the album!!! Also someone posted the lyrics translated and i cannot get over the lyrics:
"It's him for me,/And me for him, for life/He told me, he swore to me, for life"
-But not only was he singing the second half had fucking gentlebeard doing the dirty in the next room asdfghjkl which.....was hot, ngl. The passion was electrifying. I'm sorta glad we didnt rlly see it with everything that happened after bc it all kinda left a bad taste in my mouth.
Also Stede Bonnet canonically gets turned on by violence confirmed
Or trauma. Whatever.
-What else happened in ep 6 cause all i can think of is drag and singing and sex-
-oh yeah there was that shortlived sexually-charged torturer who i distinctly recall him being in another scene in the promo so unless that got the cut perhaps he's not dead...?
-Lupete missing all the action cause they were doing the nasty all night lmao so real
-Jim best wingman (gender neutral)
-Stede...Stedey boy, can I call u that? Now i'm gonna say this nicely, but WHAT THE FUCK DUDE? Stede in his white guy w undue confidence era fr. Zheng Yi Sao was so right for what she did truly
-But in all seriousness i feel like this whole thing in ep 7 was such a parallel to s1 but also a very necessary bit of conflict in their journey together that was bound to happen. THey want different things and neither is wrong or right for that. Stede did react poorly tho but like he just had sex w the love of his life, his first man, and Ed the very next day is like "aight i'm out". I'd be pissed too. After killing someone which we know is a big trigger for him historically.
But Ed also had a valid reaction. He's wanted to retire for a while and stede knows this but it hasn't seemed to have sunk in quite yet. He fears that Stede only sees Blackbeard and...its fair of him to have that impression tbh. These are two messy, traumatized dudes who have never had a real relationship and there's gonna be bumps. I hope we get s3 so we can better explore that like Djenks wants.
-Ok back to the fun stuff:
-Izzy barging in on GB and the docking joke. love his cringefail ass.
-IZZY IS HAPPY FOR ED EVEN IF ITS NOT WITH HIM
#growth
-the edizzy apology which was so typical of them. i expected it but bc i'd been building it up in my head all week w twitter pals it felt a bit anticlimactic but thats not the shows fault. it was very much in character and if they're satisfied so am i. i always have fic for more
-stizzy commiserating over losing ed pls thats all i've ever wanted!!!!!
izzy: "when i told him i loved him he-"
stede, like he's heard this story before: "shot u yes"
and the look they gave each other after!!!!! stizzy nation how we feelin?!
-izzy being like "stede no" when he was on his macho bullshit w zheng yi sao (also motivated by trauma bc he just lost ed, he cant lose MORE family!!!). i just like how protective iz seems of stede now.
-izzy''s "you're good for him" CRYING THROWING UP ETCETERA
-ed catching 1 fish and deciding thats his life now. adhd realness fr
-the swede whew is it hot in here or is that just jackie's effect on her husbands?
-jackie and ed actin like old friends. swede highkey shading ed adfghjkl
-anyway im sure there's more but i need to rewatch. there r things i wont go into bc its possible spoilers for the finale (tho its mostly just speculation some is based on bts not everyone may have seen). i am looking forward to and terrified for the show to end next week thats all i'll say
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snowbellewells · 1 year ago
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Self Promo Sunday: "And All the Trimmings"
These next couple of weeks, I'm going to highlight the Thanksgiving fics I have written over the years. I've always loved the holiday, and there aren't enough fics for it (in my humble opinion) so I've tried to create a few at various times along the way. This one is some Thanksgiving fluff written during 5B as I anxiously hoped for them to return from the Underworld with their hero party still intact and a pirate in tow. Nods to CS, Snowing, and OQ in here; Thanksgiving is a whole family holiday after all! ;p  Anyway, I think that’s it, other than it obviously being canon divergent now, since things did not pan out nearly so happily upon their return from Underbrooke.  Still, enjoy – and please let me know what you think if you’re so inclined!
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**Also available on ff.net or AO3, as a part of my one shots collection "Of Swans and Swords and Hopeful Hearts**
by: @snowbellewells
“Charming?” his lovely wife’s voice rings brightly from the loft’s small kitchen right into the erstwhile Prince of the Enchanted Forest’s ears as he bustles through the door of their apartment, arms full of groceries and cheeks red from the first deep chill and frost of the year. “Is that you?”
“Yes, Snow, I’m back!” he calls, bemused smile quirking up one side of his mouth. A chuckle escapes David Nolan’s throat at how happy and excited his Princess sounds. Setting his purchases on the table until he can hang his coat back on its peg, he shakes his head with affectionate good humor and goes to meet her in the kitchen.
If he’s honest with himself, David is nearly as anxious and thrilled as Snow. After all, their entire family, with all its odd, extended members, will soon be gathered here with them for the first Thanksgiving holiday they have celebrated together. His heart swells at the very idea – even if at the same time he has to simply hope the whole thing will really manage to go off without a hitch…or any bloodshed.
“Looking for these?” he asks with happy teasing in his voice as he enters the kitchen, sets the several plastic bags from the market on the counter, and leans over the center island to plant a kiss on Snow’s upturned lips.
“Yep,” she chirps, beaming at him as they part and reaching in to begin unpacking, “I was.”
Charming moves back into the front dining area, preparing the table and making sure they have enough chairs, seeing that the candles and centerpieces Snows wants are out, and letting her get back to her cooking in the meantime. Between the homemade noodles, green beans, and the mashed potatoes and gravy his wife has simmering all at once, Charming is impressed she can keep everything going without setting anything on fire, much less have the whole apartment smelling good enough to make him drool, and he certainly doesn’t want to distract her from it. No matter how long they have been married, or what realm they find themselves in, it doesn’t take long for Snow to prove that she will never cease to surprise and amaze him.
He has just stepped back to survey his handiwork proudly when the doorbell rings. Swiftly moving forward to answer it before Snow comes running, Charming’s smile grows even wider as Henry bursts into the room, greeting him enthusiastically and launching right into a story of their hectic morning. He is followed by Roland, who is practically bouncing up and down, vibrating with rambunctious energy, his deep dimples cracking wide across his face. After their two boys come Robin and Regina, each laden with items that Charming attempts to help take off their hands.
Robin hands over the delectably scented and delicious-looking turkey, beaming proudly as he gives a nod toward the perfectly crisped and golden brown bird on the platter, which has clearly been charmed in some way by Regina to stay warm and ready to place on the table. “Caught it myself, Mate,” Robin says. “Should be a good one.”
Charming sets the turkey on the long dining table he has just finished with, then claps his friend on the shoulder and ushers him in. “I’m sure it will be. Thanks,” he answers.
Robin slings an insulated bag off his shoulder and holds it forward as well. “Regina’s apple tarts,” he explains with both a mischievous smile and a shrug of feigned innocence. The former thief knows the rest of the family’s understandable aversion to the fruit, but he also somewhat adores his beloved’s rather twisted sense of humor and refusal to shy away from her past by making a dish that highlights the difference in her now and just how far she has come. With a wink, he tacks on, “Taste tested them myself, and they’re irresistible.”
The archer moves past, on into the loft to greet Snow and to catch and corral his young son. Regina raises a sculpted brow at David as she enters after Robin, their new little girl sleeping cradled in her arms and a diaper bag slung over her shoulder. Though David knows all too well that having a newborn in the home can be harrying, the formerly evil Queen looks as completely polished and put together as always – not a hair out of place. “Charming,” she greets with a wry nod, somehow managing to inject even the simplest hello with her trademark dry sarcasm. They may be on the same side now, fumbling towards being a truly non-dysfunctional family, but he somehow feels that her half-mocking way of using the name Snow gave him will never change, and perhaps – in Regina’s own way – it is meant as an endearment.
Peeking into the layers of lavender blanket bundled around Robin and Regina’s little daughter to shield her from the biting wind outside, Charming can’t help a soft grin at the sweet, perfect infant sleeping peacefully, the softest wisps of russet curls on her little head and her soft, pale pink skin. “She’s lovely, Regina,” he murmurs in quiet awe, not wanting to rouse little Mariana, and feeling a flood of affection for this woman who once hunted he and Snow, wanting both of their heads, but who also saved Snow’s life as a child, and has clawed her way back from the bottom to right her wrongs.
Before he can close the door behind her, Emma and Killian come tramping up the hall stairs, cheeks flushed and both laughing at some unknown joke between them, but greeting him heartily as they see that he is standing there watching. Emma reaches David first, falling into her dad’s arms and returning his hug exuberantly before reaching back to pull Killian in as well when he hesitates, effectively sandwiching herself between the two of them in a three-way hug. The laugh that rings from his daughter’s throat, light and open and at last free of the guilt and pain she had been saddled with for too long, is all David needs to be as grateful this Thanksgiving as at any he can remember.
“Thanks Dad,” Emma mumbles almost bashfully when she does ease back and both she and her pirate boyfriend pull away. They follow him into the house, their food contributions in hand.
“Aye, thank you for having us, Mate,” Killian adds with a dip of his chin as they all step through the door and he shuts it behind himself. He offers his love’s father a genuine smile when their gazes meet, Emma having busied herself with hanging up their jackets and removing her boots. For a moment, David is frozen in place, forcibly reminded of how Killian had looked just a few weeks before, when they had found him in the black depths of the Underworld. As long as any of them live, David fears the sight of Killian Jones which had greeted them beyond the Veil would be hauntingly branded on their souls. Chained to a dank stone wall in the furthest recesses of Hades’ domain, the shade of a pirate that they’d found was not the dashing rapscallion they knew. Though bearing his torment in stoic silence, he had been emaciated and shivering, the dark rings under his eyes clearly showing that Killian had known no sleep nor peace since he left their world. The rest of the rescue party had stood horrified as Emma fell to her knees before him, tears pouring down her face while she reached out to cup his bearded cheeks in her hands. Worse than all that though had been the blank, almost unseeing despair in blue eyes that had always been so full of life; the vacancy in their depths no longer seemed like Killian at all and had truly made their blood run cold.
To see that spark back in Jones’ smiling gaze, and the dark bruises beneath his eyes fading, reminds David forcibly just how much they do have to celebrate before he clears his throat to respond with hoarse emotion. “Of course. We’re glad to have everyone. Snow’s really trying to outdo herself.”
Without further ado, David soon finds his family gathered around the table, talking, laughing and reveling in the warmth and happiness of the occasion. There is good natured ribbing at Emma’s continued inability to cook and a playful debate over whether or not the bottoms of several of the butter horn rolls she had made were more burnt than a nice golden brown. Mariana wakes from her nap and begins to gurgle and coo at everyone she can see gathered around her. Snow gushes over the pecan pie that Emma grudgingly admits Killian had made, complete with perfectly crimped edges of crust and an ornate little ‘KJ’ carved into the crunchy sugared top. “Figures,” Charming hears his daughter grumble with teasing chagrin, “He can cook circles around me with only one hand.”
Snow is quick to assure her daughter that she will get better with practice, but Killian only smirks at Emma, looking entirely as though he wants her to either smack or kiss the grin off his face. “Well, I had to sign such artwork, Swan,” he counters playfully. “You might have tried to take credit for it otherwise.”
The whole table laughs and carries on, but is quickly more absorbed in eating than talking, just comfortable in each other’s presence and enjoying a quiet moment. David looks to the other end of the long table and catches Snow’s eye, perfectly understanding the misty look he finds there. This was all either of them had ever wanted: a family, all together, happy and safe. It is what they had sacrificed so much for their best chance at preserving. He smiles at his True Love, marveling that two other pairs of True Loves sit in this very room with them, and tucks into his own meal at last. Now that they have all found each other, this family has every blessing it could possibly need.
Tagging a few who might enjoy: @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @jennjenn615 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @laschatzi @jrob64 @apiratewhopines @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @xsajx @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @optomisticgirl @tiganasummertree @kazoosandfannypacks @booksteaandtoomuchtv @sotangledupinit @anmylica @stahlop @xarandomdreamx @bluewildcatfanatic @winterbaby89 @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @scientificapricot
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