#‘I understand I’m sorry’ she just looked at me so genuinely sad and said ‘but you are so young?’ YEAH I am too young for this

[just-rogi]

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[pitchsidestories]

Picture You II Fridolina Rolfö x Engen!Reader

masterlist I word count: 2480

a/n: hi, we had this idea for quite a while now and finally got to writing it down, we hope you enjoy it.

Fridolina Rolfö had no explanation for why her relationships always failed.

Her boyfriend of two years had broken up with her out of nowhere and as much as she wanted to feel sad about it, there was some kind of apathy taking over her.

Coincidentally, her teammates had scheduled a team bonding event only a few days after she was dumped.

In hopes that it would ease her pain and appease the younger players, they decided on an ice cream party.

That was how Fridolina found herself sitting in front of a bowl of vanilla ice cream while her teammates uttered words of reassurance to her that she did not want to hear.

“Don’t worry, Frido. We’ll find you a man who’s worthy of you.“ Mapi grinned while pouring sprinkles on top of her chocolate ice cream.

Fridolina looked up at the defender: “Oh… uhm… thanks.“

“Men are so overrated though.“, Cata rolled her eyes.

“Can we change the topic?“, Fridolina asked carefully. She did not want to ruin the mood but she hoped to draw the attention away from herself.

Ingrid gave her a gentle smile, ready to help her friend out.

“My sister will start her job as a photographer for Barca tomorrow.“, she revealed, visibly proud.

Mapis face lit up with excitement: “That’s amazing, Ingrid.“

“Yes, and well deserved. Your sister is so talented.“, Fridolina agreed, relieved but also genuinely happy.

Ingrid beamed, flattered on her sisters behalf: “She will be so happy to hear that.“

Esmee served herself another portion of ice cream: “I’m excited to meet her.“

“You will love her.“, Ingrid promised.

“I’ve no doubt about that.“, Esmee laughed.

“And Mapi and I are making Frido a list for potential blind dates.“, Aitana announced.

Fridolina flinched at the mention.

As she looked over, her two teammates had already scribbled names on an empty sheet of paper.

“How do you even know so many people?“

Mapi shrugged nonchalantly: “We just do.“

“You need to slow down, girls. I’m not sure if I want to date any man right now…“, Frido stopped them.

Mapi and Aitana shared a surprised look.

“Oh, sorry. We only wanted the best for you, Frido. That’s all.“, Aitana apologized.

The Swedish football player nodded: “I know. But maybe I just need break for now.“

Ingrid put a hand on her friends forearm and said softly: “That’s okay, we understand it. You two had been together for quite a while.“

“Yes, but it hasn’t felt right anymore for a long time.“, the blonde admitted.

Alexia shrugged, eating fruit out of her ice cream bowl: “It happens. Sometimes you just fall out of love with someone and you can’t do anything about it.“

The words of her captain resonated deeply with Fridolina who enjoyed the evening more than before now.

“Ingrid, let me breathe.”, you chuckled. It was your first workday for Barcelona as their new photographer, but your sister prevented you from taking photos as she embraced you in a long hug.

“No.”, she shook her head, clearly not ready to let you go yet.

“Please? Hi, everyone.”, you waved politely with your free hand at the players who slowly arrived at the training grounds.

“Hi.”, Mapi grinned.

“Good to see you, Mapi.”, you replied truthfully, relieved to see some familiar faces.

“So happy you got the job.”, the Spanish defender told you thrilled.

“Me too. Also, hey, Caro and Frido!”, you added delighted to see the Scandinavian players.

“Finally, another Norwegian.”, Caroline winked at you.

“Ignore her. Sweden is so much better.”, Fridolina teased her teammate, but swallowed hard at the sight of you, you were even more beautiful than she remembered. Instead, the blonde tried to play down the excitement she felt while looking at you and hugged you casually.

“We won’t discuss this right now.”, Ingrid decided laughing.

“No, but I’m sure you can show me all the great places in the city.”, you glanced at the footballers you knew since your sister played along side them in Wolfsburg.

“That’s more Frido’s thing. She can help you with that and I can teach you the language.”, Caroline declared.

“That’s my sister. Why can’t I show her around and teach her?”, your sibling wanted to know pouting playfully.

Looking between them, Marta announced:” I’m sure you girls will find a way.”

And they did, you easily felt at home in Barcelona with the help of your sister and her friends. It was different to when you visited Ingrid with your family in the past. Step by step you fell in love with the city and its inhabitants.

A few weeks in and you were doing a photo shooting outside with Fridolina for the summer Barca merchandise. The late afternoon sun made her hair and skin appear golden and you had to pause your preparations to remark:” The outfit looks great on you, Frido.”  

“Oh, thank you.”, she beamed at you, making these sporty clothes look effortlessly elegant and timeless.

“It’s true.”, you smiled back while taking a few test shoots to see how well the light, her profile worked together.

“Can I ask you something? When did you start taking photos?”, Fridolina asked you curiously.

Hearing her questions made your smile grew even brighter. “A long time ago. I was like 15 or 16. when I got into it.”, you remembered fondly at the memory.

 “I guess Ingrid and your brother were the test models.”, the Swedish player thought out loud.

“Yes, she was the reason why I became interested in taking sports related pictures.”, you admitted.

Fridolina laughed lightly: “Did she bully you into taking photos of her while playing?“

“No, I saw that they never had any photos of their games so I started doing it. The first ones turned out awful.“, you grinned as you thought back.

The Blonde shrugged: “Isn’t it always like that? The first times I played football, I wasn’t great at it either.“

“You’re right. But taking photos of you is so easy, you’re a natural.“, you replied while you pressed the shutter a few times.

She even looked beautiful doing casual small talk.

But you realized that the collar of her jacket was upturned.

You put your camera down and come closer to fix it for her. After all, the goal was to present the retro looking Barcelona jacket.

Fridolina smiled gratefully at you: “I mean I’ve already done this a few times. But I don’t think I’ve ever felt as comfortable as I do right now.“

You bit your lip to keep yourself from grinning too wide about that compliment.

“Frido, you’re beautiful inside and outside.“, you said without taking your eyes off of her.

Her cheeks slightly blushed: “That’s so sweet of you.“

“Want to change into the second outfit?“, you suggested, giving both of you a break to focus back on the task at hand.

“Sure.“, the Swede said and disappeared into the changing room.

You took a deep breath, grounding yourself again while you waited.

Fridolina emerged in light blue jeans and a slightly oversized shirt in their signature colours that said Barca across the chest.

You shook your head in awe. This woman could literally wear anything.

“Oh, I love that outfit even more.“, you complimented her.

She looked down at herself: “You do?“

“Yes.“, you said while taking a few photos of her.

“I think it would look cute on you too.“, Frido smirked.

“Do you think so?“

You barely finished your question when you noticed that she was already in the motion of pulling the shirt over her head.

“What are you doing?“, you asked laughing.

The football player just handed you the garment: “Here.“

Stunned, you looked at it and the back to Fridolina standing there in her underwear: “Uhm thanks?“

She rolled her eyes with a smile: “No, put it on.“

“Fine.“, you gave in and did as you were told before adding: “But it’s definitely not warm enough for you to just stand there in your sports bra.“

“I guess I should get dressed again.“, she laughed.

You returned the shirt to your model: “Here are your clothes. Hey, that’s my camera.“

You had failed to realize that she had taken your camera and was now taking photos of you with a big grin on her face.

You usually hated being photographed but Fridolina looked too happy so you bit back any comment.

“I’m not leaving without taking a photo of you too.“

“I guess that’s fair even though I’m not as pretty as Ingrid.”, you turned your gaze away from the Swedish woman and looked at the fresh cut grass instead.

“What? Who says? The beauty obviously runs in the family.”, she disagreed.

“Well, my ex-girlfriend said that.”, you shrugged.

“She was a liar then. You’re gorgeous.”, Fridolina observed.

“That means a lot coming from such a stunning woman herself.”, you confessed smiling timidly. For a moment you paused before asking her:” Do you want to see the pictures I made right now or tomorrow?”

“Aw, thank you. Can I see them now?”, curiously she handed you your camera back, where you started to go through the photos you took of her.

“Of course.”, you nodded politely.

 Being this close to you made the blondes heart flutter.

“They’re so nice, y/n.”, Fridolina muttered, suddenly breathlessly.

“Glad you like them. So, I’ll see you before the game tomorrow?”, you changed the topic lightly.

“Sure.”, she beamed at you.

“Goodbye, Frido.”, you responded warmly.

“See you soon, y/n.”, the footballer replied, eagerly anticipating your reunion.

On the next day, you didn’t find the time to catch up with her as you were busy taking the pictures of the arriving players in their pretty matchday outfits. All of them arrived in style.

During the game you were not mesmerized by their beauty but by their beautiful game which you tried to capture with your camera. This was why you wanted to be here, you thought, to watch the best team in Europe thrive in front of your lens. Somehow the Swede always managed to get your attention as you would notice later while seeing through the photos.

When the referee blew the final whistle, Fridolina run to you to pull you into a hug, while you whispered into your ear:” Frido you had an amazing game.”

“Thanks”, she hummed, while her blue eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Well played.”, you couldn’t help but to rave about her performance.

“Appreciate it.”, the fellow Scandinavian mumbled.

“But I got to go around now to take some more shots.”, you explained winking, as you stepped away from her hug. Which had to be completely friendly and nothing more, right? Because she was 100 % straight. Nothing seemed gay about her. Still some signals your sister’s best friend send were quite confusing.

“Y/n, wait!”, Fridolina yelled your name nervously, attempting to hold you back.

“What?”, you turned your head confused.

“Frido, there you’re. My friend wants to meet you.”, Mapi grinned at her taller teammate, nodding into a direction of a very handsome man waiting in the stands, the sight of him, making your stomach turn. He and her would be a pretty couple.

To your surprise, Fridolinas gaze remained fixed on you.

Reluctantly she turned to Mapi, deliberately ignoring the man.

“Mapi, I’m sorry but I’m not interested. I was about to ask y/n to go on a date with me.“, she apologized but her voice was firm and determined.

“What?!“, you and Mapi gasped at the same time, looking at each other in confusion.

Fridolina remained unimpressed: “Uhm yes. I’m actually not straight. You all just assume that because I date men too.“

After a moment of silence, Mapi started to grin like she only now understood the joke that you failed to get: “No, you always dated men since we know you.“

“That still doesn’t make me straight.“, Fridolina replied matter-of-factly.

You would be impressed by her attitude, if you were any less confused.

Mapi had stopped smiling and watched her teammate attentively.

“That’s right.“, you agreed slowly.

The Swede turned back to you: “So… would you go out with me?“

You nodded: “I’d.“

“Really?“, Fridolina asked again.

This time, your face finally reflected your excitement. You smiled: “Yes.“

You both just beamed at each other.

“Ingrid! You won’t believe it!“, Mapi bounced up and down as she called for your sister.

Ingrid joined the three of you: “Believe what?“

“Frido asked your sister out!“, Mapi yelled.

You cringed slightly, hearing it out loud and refused to look at Ingrid.

“What do you mean Frido asked her out? Like on a date?“, your sister asked. Her perfect eyebrows knotted together.

Mapi nodded enthusiastically: “Yes, exactly that.“

“That’s so cute.“

“Oh my god, Frido. You’re full of surprises!“, Ona interrupted, patting the blonde football player on the shoulder and you silently wondered who else had overheard your conversation.

Fridolina raised her eyebrows: “Am I? Or did you just never ask?“

“You’re right. We never asked. We just assumed you were straight. Sorry.“, Ona admitted but she looked less sorry and more happy for her teammate.

You thought their reactions were kind of adorable.

“It’s fine. I just didn’t think I owed you an explanation.“, Fridolina replied politely.

You could not help yourself. You gently took her hand in yours and squeezed it once. There was no way you could contain your admiration for her.

“You didn’t need to.“, you said softly.

Her attention shifted back to you. “The fact that I dated men before you doesn’t change my feelings for you, I hope you know that.“

“During that photoshoot I felt it. But I thought you might just be nice. Now I know I was wrong.“, you chuckled.

Fridolina visibly bit back a smile: “Sorry. I was hoping I’d send the right signals.“

“You did! I was just blind and - … “

You were unable to finish your sentence. Fridolinas soft lips pressed against yours all of a sudden, right there on the field in front of everyone.

“Maybe this was clearer?”, she asked in a hopeful tone.

“Yes, it was.”, you nodded smiling.

In the background you heard your sister telling her girlfriend” Okay, Mapi, I think I need a bit of time to get used to my best friend kissing my sister.”

“You better should hurry up. They’re hitting it off right away.”, the Spaniard punched her playfully in the side, wearing an amused grin on her lips while watching you being showered with kisses by the Swede.

“I see that.”, Ingrid laughed. She knew it would be weird at first, but seeing her favourite people being happy with each other warmed her heart.

For once you didn’t have your camera to capture the moment but the picture of the first kiss with Fridolina after the match would be forever engraved inside your brain.

[rosesareredrosa]

So Obvious part 2

Theo x fem reader

Summary: Y/n realizes her feelings and mistakes and now comes to Theo to apologize and slowly restart their friendship and maybe become something more.

w/c: 920

The days following Theodore's confrontation with Y/N were agonizingly slow. The weight of his confession hung over him, and the uncertainty of Y/N's response gnawed at his thoughts. He replayed their conversation over and over, wondering if he had been too harsh, too impulsive. His friends noticed the change in him, but they respected his need for space.

In the Ravenclaw common room, Y/N was equally tormented. Theodore’s words echoed in her mind, the raw pain and frustration in his voice a stark contrast to the calm demeanor she had always associated with him. She had always admired Theo’s quiet strength, his unwavering loyalty, and his subtle kindness. She had been so focused on her studies and her own world that she hadn’t seen what was right in front of her.

Determined to make things right, Y/N decided to find Theodore and talk to him again. She needed to understand his feelings better and share her own. She found him in the Slytherin common room, sitting by the fireplace, staring into the flames. Gathering her courage, she approached him.

"Theo, can we talk?" she asked softly, her voice tentative.

Theodore looked up, surprise and a flicker of hope crossing his features. He nodded, gesturing for her to sit down.

Y/N took a deep breath. "I've been thinking about what you said. About how you've been trying to show me how you feel. I’m sorry I didn’t see it. I was so caught up in my own world that I missed the signs."

Theodore's gaze softened slightly, but his expression remained guarded. "I didn't mean to be so harsh, Y/N. I just... I needed you to understand how much this has been affecting me."

Y/N nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, and I appreciate your honesty. I’ve been blind to what was right in front of me. But now that I know, I want you to know that I care about you too. More than I realized."

Theodore's heart ached at her words, a mix of relief and lingering pain. "You do?"

"Yes, Theo. I do," Y/N said, reaching out to take his hand. "I just didn't think you'd ever feel the same way about me. I thought you were just being a good friend."

Theodore squeezed her hand gently, a sad smile playing on his lips. "I’ve always felt more than that, Y/N. I’ve just been too scared to say it outright."

Y/N's eyes filled with regret. "I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to hide your feelings. I want to make it right, Theo. I want to try, if you're willing to give me a chance."

Theodore studied her for a moment, his emotions a turbulent mix of hope and hesitation. "It’s going to take time, Y/N. I’ve been hurt, and I need to trust that things will be different."

"I understand," Y/N said softly. "I’m willing to wait, and to show you that I care. You deserve that."

Theodore nodded, his heart swelling with a cautious optimism. "Alright. Let’s take it slow. We can figure this out together."

Over the next few weeks, Theodore and Y/N began to rebuild their relationship, taking tentative steps toward something more. They spent more time together, sharing their thoughts and feelings openly. It was a process of healing and rediscovery, and while it wasn’t always easy, it was worth it.

One evening, as they walked along the edge of the Black Lake, the setting sun casting a warm glow over the water, Y/N looked up at Theodore. "Thank you for giving us a chance, Theo."

Theodore smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "I’m glad we’re trying. I’ve always been a fool for you, Y/N. And I think I’m okay with that."

Y/N laughed softly, leaning into him. "I think I am too."

As they stood there, watching the sun dip below the horizon, they both felt a sense of peace. It wasn’t the end of their journey, but a new beginning. For the first time in a long while, Theodore felt hopeful about the future, knowing that they were facing it together.

Days turned into weeks, and their bond grew stronger. Theodore found himself opening up in ways he had never imagined. The quiet moments they shared in the library, the walks by the Black Lake, and the late-night conversations in the common rooms all became precious memories.

One afternoon, while they were studying in the library, Y/N glanced up at Theo. “You know, Theo, I’ve been thinking about us.”

Theo looked up from his book, curiosity in his eyes. “What about us?”

Y/N smiled softly. “About how we started, how oblivious I was. I’ve come to realize how much you mean to me. How much you’ve always meant to me.”

Theo reached out, taking her hand in his. “I’m glad you see it now. It’s been a long road, but I wouldn’t change a thing if it brought us here.”

Y/N’s eyes sparkled with emotion. “Me neither. I’m grateful for your patience, Theo. For everything.”

Theo leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You’re worth it, Y/N. Every moment of doubt, every second of frustration. You’re worth it all.”

Y/N’s heart swelled with affection, and she leaned in closer, resting her head against his shoulder. They stayed like that, wrapped in each other’s presence, finding solace in the unspoken words between them.

In that moment, Theodore knew he was no longer a fool. He was simply a man in love, and that was more than enough.

[brookghaib-blog]

Shattered Dreams pt.3

Pairing: Hoshina Soshiro x Reader

an: There you go, this is the final part, enjoy.

Summary: Y/N navigates a loveless marriage to Hoshina Soshiro

pt.2

The cozy coffee shop was bustling with activity, the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the sweet aroma of pastries. Y/N sat at a corner table, her baby daughter happily babbling in a high chair beside her. It had been a couple of months since she had met Gen Narumi, and in that time, their friendship had blossomed. They often met for coffee, sharing stories and finding solace in each other’s company.

Today, however, was different. Y/N’s heart was heavy with the weight of a decision she had been contemplating for some time. As she sipped her coffee, her eyes drifted to the door, watching for Gen’s arrival.

Moments later, he walked in, his presence immediately comforting. He smiled warmly as he approached, taking a seat across from her.

“Hey,” he greeted, his voice gentle. “How are you and the little one doing today?”

“We’re good,” Y/N replied, her smile genuine but tinged with a hint of sadness. “She’s been growing so fast.”

Gen glanced at the baby, who was playing with a soft toy, her eyes bright with curiosity. “She’s adorable,” he said, reaching out to gently touch her tiny hand. “You’re doing an amazing job with her, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Gen,” she said, her voice soft. “I needed to hear that.”

As they settled into their conversation, Y/N felt a sense of calm wash over her. Gen had a way of making her feel seen and understood, a stark contrast to the loneliness she often felt at home.

“Gen,” she began hesitantly, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

He looked at her, his expression attentive and concerned. “What is it, Y/N?”

She took a deep breath, her eyes meeting his. “I’ve been thinking about getting a divorce,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart. “I’ve been miserable for so long, and nothing has really changed between Soshiro and me. He’s never home, and when he is, it’s like we’re strangers living under the same roof.”

Gen’s eyes softened with understanding. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this, Y/N. You deserve so much better.”

“It’s not just about me,” she continued, her gaze drifting to her daughter. “It’s about her too. I don’t want her to grow up in an environment where there’s no love or affection. She deserves a happy home, and I can’t give that to her if I’m constantly unhappy.”

Gen reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “You’re incredibly brave for considering this,” he said gently. “It’s not an easy decision, but sometimes it’s the right one. Have you talked to Soshiro about how you feel?”

Y/N shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. “I’ve tried, but he never listens. He’s so consumed with his work, and he doesn’t see what’s happening right in front of him. He’s never even acknowledged my paintings or my success. It’s like I don’t exist to him outside of being his wife and the mother of his child.”

Gen squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Your work is incredible, Y/N. You’ve built something amazing, and you deserve to be recognized for that. If Soshiro can’t see it, that’s his loss.”

She had been so afraid of taking this step, of facing the unknown, but Gen’s unwavering support gave her strength. She glanced at her daughter, who was now dozing peacefully in her high chair, and felt a renewed determination.

“I want to be happy, Gen,” she said, her voice firm. “I want to build a life where I can be myself, where my daughter can see what it means to be strong and independent. I can’t do that if I stay in this marriage.”

Gen nodded, his eyes filled with admiration. “You’re one of the strongest people I know, Y/N. Whatever you decide, I’ll be here to support you.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, her heart swelling with gratitude. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

As they finished their coffee and prepared to leave, Y/N felt a sense of hope for the first time in a long while. The path ahead was uncertain, but she knew she was not alone. Gen’s friendship and support were a lifeline, guiding her through the darkness and toward a brighter future.

Outside the coffee shop, the sun was shining brightly, a reflection of the new possibilities that lay ahead. Y/N took a deep breath, the fresh air filling her lungs and invigorating her spirit.

“Let’s walk for a bit,” Gen suggested, offering his arm. “It’s a beautiful day.”

Y/N smiled, accepting his arm as they strolled down the street. Her daughter gurgled happily, the warmth of the sun and the love of her mother enveloping her.

As they walked through the park, Y/N and Gen continued to talk about her plans and dreams. Her daughter, now awake, was fascinated by the trees and flowers, reaching out to touch the petals as they passed by.

“I’ve been thinking about moving,” Y/N said, her voice thoughtful. “Somewhere with more space for my studio and where my daughter can grow up surrounded by nature.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Gen replied, his eyes brightening at the thought. “A fresh start could be exactly what you need. Have you found any places yet?”

“A few,” Y/N admitted, smiling. “I’ve been looking at some houses in the countryside. It’s peaceful there, and I think it would be good for both of us.”

Gen nodded, his expression encouraging. “It sounds perfect. I’m sure you’ll find the right place soon. And remember, I’m always here to help if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Gen,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude. “Your support means the world to me. I'm going to his office later, I doubt that he will give me the time of day but maybe he will listen.”

They continued their walk, enjoying the tranquility of the park. Y/N felt a sense of liberation, a newfound freedom that came with the realization that she was in control of her own destiny. With Gen’s friendship and the love for her daughter as her guiding lights, she was ready to embrace the future and all the possibilities it held.

--

The sun was beginning to set as Y/N arrived at the Defense Force base with her baby daughter in tow. Determined to speak to Soshiro face-to-face, she navigated through the bustling corridors, occasionally stopping to ask about his whereabouts. Each person she spoke to mentioned that he was busy, but she persisted, unwilling to leave until she had confronted him.

Eventually, she reached his office. With a sigh of relief, Y/N pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was neat and organized, a reflection of Soshiro’s meticulous nature. Her daughter was sleeping peacefully in her stroller, and Y/N decided to explore the office while waiting for him.

As she looked around, her eyes fell upon Soshiro’s desk. Among the papers and files, she noticed a framed photograph of herself and their daughter. It was a candid moment captured during a family outing, their smiles bright and genuine. Seeing the picture brought a pang of mixed emotions – nostalgia for happier times mingled with sadness over their current situation.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Y/N began to sift through the papers on his desk. That was when she stumbled upon a drawer that contained several photographs, neatly arranged and carefully preserved. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the face in the pictures – Makoto.

In the photographs, Soshiro and Makoto were captured in moments of laughter and camaraderie, their bond evident in the easy smiles and shared experiences frozen in time. Y/N’s hands trembled as she picked up one of the pictures, her eyes fixed on the two men who had played such pivotal roles in her life.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening behind her startled Y/N. She turned quickly to see Soshiro entering the office, his expression a mix of surprise and apprehension. His eyes widened as he noticed her standing by his desk, the photographs in her hand.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice cautious. “What are you doing here?”

She hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. “I... I was looking for you,” she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Soshiro stepped closer, his gaze flickering between her and the photographs. “What have you found?” he asked quietly, his tone tinged with sadness.

Y/N looked down at the picture in her hand, her heart aching with unanswered questions. “How... how did you know Makoto?” she asked, her voice trembling.

For a long moment, Soshiro remained silent, his eyes fixed on the photographs. Finally, he spoke, his voice raw with emotion. “He was... he was my best friend,” he admitted, his words heavy with unspoken grief. “We grew up together, trained together... fought together.”

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. “Did he ever...mentioned something of me?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Soshiro turned to face her fully, his expression pained. “I always knew.” he confessed quietly. “From the moment your named was mentioned by my father I already knew. Makoto woudn't stop mentioning you.”

Tears welled up in Y/N’s eyes as the weight of his words sank in.

"He died protecting me and now I'm living his life. Did you know that?" His breath began to be more difficult as each word came out of his mouth "He was suppose to be the Vice-Captain, he was stronger, wiser, he was suppose to marry you, our daughter was suppose to be his. I couldn't do anything and gained everything he desired and worked for... He told me to protect you, did you know that? I've never met you before our wedding but somehow he wanted me to do something he was supposed to do. Everytime I look at you I remmember that this life belongs to someone else who deserved it, someone who deserved you, you never knew me but treated me as if you wanted me with you, how could I be a husband you don't belong to me."

Y/N got up from his chair looking at him, crying, from his memories, from his feelings, because she knew now, that he always was aware that she fantasized about Makoto being in his place.

"How come you never told anything, we could have worked it out, we could have helped each other soshiro, do you know how much I've suffering from having a husband who wouldn't even look my way?"

"How could I? Would you play pretend when you knew you stolen someone elses life? He died and I got everything he wanted, he died protecting me and got the love of his life as a wife, carrying my child, at the alter with me, not him. I know, I know I've been a complete asshole, but how come I do all that I get you to be all nice to me, doing everything for me, treating me with respect, when it was I who took your happiness Y/N? answer me." Soshiro let it all out, tears running down his face, his voice breaking, his actions putting the weight on his back, the emotions now being exposed.

Y/N didn't know what to do anymore, she came here knowing the solution for her problems, getting away, living free, and now, in a matter of minutes. Soshiro was now the last thing Makoto left her.

She hugged him, she didn't know why really. "He was the smartest man I've ever meet, I know that, if he asked you something he knew you were capable of it, it was either you or him who would die that day, and I know very well he didn't even give you time of reaction, he would always put other in front of him, it was the only thing I hated about him, it was what took him...but you're here, you didn't stole him, he gave it to you because he knew that you were the only person who could do things the same way as he would've."

He rested his hand on her head, looking at her. "I bought the painting."

Y/N confused, now looking up at him, she asked "What painting?"

"The one you made for him."

--

The soft glow of evening settled over Y/N and Soshiro's home, casting long shadows that danced across the walls. It had been a day of unexpected revelations and tentative steps toward healing. Y/N stood in the living room, her gaze fixed on a painting that now adorned their wall. It was the painting she had made for Makoto, a piece that had found its way to the gallery and been purchased by an anonymous buyer.

She turned to Soshiro, who stood nearby, his expression unreadable. "How… how did you know about my paintings being at the gallery?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of disbelief.

Soshiro hesitated for a moment, his eyes meeting hers with a mixture of guilt and resolve. "Narumi," he finally admitted. "He came to me one day, teasing me about having met my wife and how beautiful you were, joking that he might steal you away. He's an idiot, but I know he has been a great friend to you."

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. "Gen told you about me?" she asked, her mind racing with questions.

Soshiro nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "He told me how he had met you at the gallery, and how you had shared stories about your past and your paintings," he explained, his voice softening with each word. "He also warned me, Y/N. He said that I would lose you if I didn't make an effort to understand and cherish what we have."

-flashback-

Soshiro stood outside the gallery, the soft glow of streetlights casting long shadows across the pavement. He had come here at Narumi's insistence, curious and somewhat apprehensive about what he might discover. Inside, the gallery buzzed with activity, the soft murmur of voices and the occasional clink of glasses creating a backdrop to the vibrant display of art.

Narumi found him near a display of Y/N's paintings, a knowing smile on his face as he approached. "Soshiro," he greeted, his voice laced with amusement. "I see you've finally made it."

Soshiro regarded him warily. "What are you doing here, Narumi?" he asked, his tone guarded.

Narumi chuckled softly. "I came to see the paintings, of course," he replied, gesturing toward the artwork on the walls. "And to learn more about the talented woman who captured my attention."

Soshiro frowned, a pang of unease settling in his chest. "What do you mean?"

Narumi turned to him, his expression serious. "I mean your wife, Soshiro," he said quietly. "She's remarkable. Her paintings… they speak to something deeper, something that resonates with anyone who takes the time to look."

Soshiro's gaze softened, a flicker of pride mingling with uncertainty. "I know she's talented," he admitted quietly. "But I haven't been… I haven't been the husband she deserves. I've been doing nothing but make her hate me, however, I wish she would, her heart is too big for her own good."

Narumi regarded him thoughtfully. "No, you haven't," he agreed, his tone gentle but firm. "But it's not too late, Soshiro. You can still show her how much she means to you."

-present time-

Y/N listened intently as Soshiro recounted his conversation with Narumi, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions. She had never expected Narumi to play such a pivotal role in their lives, to be the catalyst for a conversation that had brought them closer together.

"Why did you buy the painting?" she asked softly, her eyes lingering on the artwork that now graced their home.

Soshiro took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving hers. "Because I knew it was for Makoto," he confessed quietly. "Narumi told me about your conversations, about your love for him and the pain of losing him. I wanted… I wanted to show you that I understand, Y/N. That I want to honor your memories, Makoto was also everything to me in a way."

Y/N felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes, overwhelmed by the depth of Soshiro's words. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you for understanding."

Soshiro stepped closer to her, reaching out to gently wipe away her tears. "And I'm sorry for never telling you. For never explaining, I... I don't deserve to have you both, specially our babygirl, I've neglecting my own child because I didn't want to move on."

She nodded" It's not ok, no. But you will make it up for it, just don't make me regret giving you this opportunity, I came to the office to go away from you. My daughter is not growing up to the same enviroment as I did."

--

The gentle afternoon sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow in Y/N and Soshiro's living room. Their daughter, now a lively toddler, giggled and toddled around the room, chasing after a colorful toy. Y/N watched her with a tender smile, her heart full of love for the little girl who had brought so much joy into their lives.

Soshiro sat beside Y/N on the couch, his eyes fixed on their daughter with a mixture of pride and affection. They had come a long way since the tumultuous days that had tested their marriage. Now, they found solace in these quiet moments together as a family.

Y/N turned to Soshiro, her gaze searching yet hesitant. "Soshiro," she began softly, "do you think it's possible… for you to see me as beautiful? To fall in love with me?"

Soshiro's brow furrowed slightly, his expression thoughtful. "Y/N," he replied earnestly, "I've always thought you were beautiful. From the moment I first saw you, I was struck by your strength, your kindness, and your unwavering determination."

Y/N's heart skipped a beat at his words, a flicker of hope stirring within her. "Then why…" she started, her voice trembling slightly, "why couldn't you treat me right? Why did you push me away?"

Soshiro sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his confession. "It was never about you, Y/N," he admitted quietly. "Makoto was… he was like a brother to me. When he died, I couldn't bear the thought of taking his place in your heart. Of treating you as mine."

Tears welled up in Y/N's eyes as she listened to him speak, her heart aching with the pain of their shared history. "Is that why…" she hesitated, gathering her courage, "is that why you named our daughter that name?"

Soshiro looked at her, his gaze filled with regret. "Yes," he confessed softly. "I thought… I thought you would appreciate the gesture, even if at the time you thought I chose the name randomly."

Y/N nodded slowly, absorbing his words. "I see," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't how I never suspected…"

Silence settled between them, punctuated only by the sound of their daughter's laughter as she played nearby. Y/N felt a mix of emotions swirling within her – sadness for the loss they had both endured, but also a glimmer of understanding and forgiveness.

"Soshiro," Y/N said softly, breaking the silence, "I… I want to believe that we can move forward from this. That we can build something real between us."

Soshiro reached out and took her hand in his, his touch warm and reassuring. "I want that too, Y/N," he replied earnestly, kissing her hand.

She looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and vulnerability that he rarely showed. "Can you try?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope. "Can you try to see me, to really see me, and cherish me?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of Soshiro's lips. "I'll do it." he admitted quietly. "And I think… I think I'm already falling in love with you, Y/N. You've not been invisible to me, the way you treated me, how proud you were of me... a man is easily defeated by a woman like you."

Tears spilled over Y/N's cheeks, this time tears of relief and joy. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. In that embrace, they found a fragile yet precious moment of peace – a promise of a future filled with love, understanding, and the courage to heal old wounds.

Their daughter toddled over to them, reaching up with chubby hands to be lifted into her father's arms. Soshiro lifted her effortlessly, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she giggled in delight.

"You'll be as beautifull and talented as your mother, one day, hopefully, you'll get to follow my steps and take Ahiru's place as my Captain, Makoto."

[thesecretwriter]

how each moon boy would react to an argument with you – part 2. 

summary: what the title says!

warning: fluff – like I said in part 1!

word count:

a/n: okayyyy, i saw the impact of part 1, i’m sorry for the angst! so here is some fluff to make it all better

minors/ageless blogs dni.

Masterlists

part 1

Steven Grant:

It was a sleepless night for him without you.

He laid in bed and stared at the ceiling aimlessly as he though back to the argument.

You were right, he shouldn’t be going to his ex-wife about issues in a private relationship.

He looked over to his nightstand and saw that his alarm clock read 2:35am.

He groaned in frustration and got out of bed to get dressed.

He had to make things right, tonight.

The corner store on your street was thankfully opened and he went into the store with the determination to get your favourite snacks.

The store had flowers, which he of course bought and in the corner of his eye he saw something shiny and knew he had to get it too.

You awoke from your sleep groggily when you heard constant knocking at your front door.

Upon opening it, you saw Steven standing there with his hands full and his hands full.

“What’re you doing here?” you ask feeling the emotions from hours ago resurfacing.

“Uh… well I came to apologize,” he said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

With a roll of your eyes, you stepped aside to let him in.

He walked in with a small smile, behind him were helium balloons which said, ‘happy birthday’ and ‘congratulations’.

You couldn’t help the small smile that made its way to your lips, but you maintained a neutral expression and locked the front door to join him in your living room.

His posture was tense as you watched him leave the contents in his hands on the nearby table. He still held the flowers in his hands as he walked to you.

“I’m sorry for everything I said and previously did. You’re absolutely right in being upset,” he said and looked at you with sincere eyes.

You knew he meant the apology, but his words and actions still tugged at your heart.

“Steven… “ you said tiredly, “I don’t know if I can-“

“No, please don’t say that,” he knew the words that were waiting to be said.

He couldn’t bare to hear them.

“I hurt you, and I shouldn’t have an I know asking you to stay with me is a lot. I just… for the first time in my life I have something I’m genuinely happy with,” he said with that all too familiar smile.

You understood his reasoning, but you needed him to understand yours as well.

“Communication in this relationship isn’t the strongest, and we need to work on that,” you said to him.

He heaved a sigh of relief.

“Tell me what I can do, and I’ll do it,”

“Layla… “ you said her name softly.

“She’s gone, I-I realised that it was extremely wrong of me to talk about you to her. I feel as though I had an obligation to compensate for the sadness I brought her previously, but i cant do it at the expense of you. it also not my place to do so,” he said truthfully.

You listened to him intently.

“Doing all of that made me blind to the fact that I was hurting you. I’m sorry, darling, so so sorry,” he made his way to you and grasped your hand with his free one whilst the other held the flowers.

“I can’t say that it’s okay, but I hope you don’t repeat this,” you said looking at him with unshed tears.

“Of course, I would never hurt you like this again,” he said honestly.

“You better not,” you say sternly but with a hint of humour.

With that being said, Steven held you close to him and didn’t want to ever let go.

Marc Spector:

He waited a few days, watching you from afar to make sure you were okay.

You were functioning well and doing things you’d usually do, but Marc could see through the front you were putting for everyone to see.

Pushing you away seemed like the best thing to do at the time, but having you away was like living without the sun in his dark world.

He needed you.

Which is why he found himself sitting in your apartment and waiting for you to come home. He’d entered your apartment by using his spare key.

It had since been 2 hours since you were supposed to be home.

Marc knew your schedule by heart.

He was about to go out and look for you when he heard the keys being put into your front door along with your muffled voice.

“Thanks for the chat, I really needed it,” you bid goodbye to whoever was outside and locked the door behind you.

Your apartment was still dark as you move around to leave your daily belongings in their respective places.

Upon turning the lights on, you saw Marc’s figure out of the corner in your eyes sitting on the couch.

You turned to him with a frown.

“If you’re here for your things, they’re in that box on the kitchen counter,” you said in a monotone, wanting to speech through the process of this one last meeting.

Marc wordlessly awoke from where he was and walked to you, the entire time he maintained eye contact with you.

He stopped walking till he was right in front of you, a hairs width away.

“What makes you think I came here for my things?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“What else would you be here for?” you said to him challengingly.

He smirked and looked to the side before looking back at you.

“You think I’d let you go that easily?” he said with a raised brow.

“You did that night,” you scoffed and folded your hands, causing him to step back.

He nodded with a clenched jaw.

“You know I didn’t mean anything I said,” he stated with sincerity.

“Sure you didn’t,” you breathed a sigh and walked away from him to the box on the counter.

He followed behind and trapped you between him and the counter before you could reach for the box and hand it to him.

“You wasted no time in gathering my things,” he said with a humourless chuckle.

“Hmm, I wouldn’t want you to deal with me any longer,” you used his words from that night.

“Y/n… “ he said trying to make you understand.

“No Marc, I can’t keep playing this game of push and pull,” you admitted, sounding tired.

“I’m not playing games,” he said offended.

You turn to face him, his body still trapping you between him and the counter.

You raised a brow at him.

“Okay. I admit, I’ve made mistakes and I’m sorry for that. Very sorry. But you’re the one thing that grounds me. I know what I said that night was out of line,” he finally apologizes.

You look at his expression intently. You can tell that he means his words.

“I need more than an apology from you,” you stated.

“Name what you want and I’ll do it,”

“I want you to be careful and take care of yourself. I know in that mind of yours you don’t care about your wellbeing, but if you care for me then you’ll take care of yourself,” you move your gaze to your hands as you talk to him.

“Of course I care about you, and if that is what you want, consider it done,” he pressed a kiss to your forehead and brought you in for a hug.

Jake Lockley:

“Mi corazón…”

“Go away Jake,” you said as you exited the grocery store.

He had been trying to make you speak with him for the passed week and all you’ve been doing is ignoring him.

Serves him right for what he did.

What you didn’t understand was why he was trying to talk to you.

“Just one moment, please,” he said sounding exhausted.

“Go bother one of your many girlfriends,” you said bitterly.

“You’re the only one,” he grabbed your shoulders and turned you towards you and hindered you from walking away.

“Jake,” you say in a warning tone.

He looks up and down the street before pulling you down an alley way. You try to protest, but he puts a hand over your mouth.

“You will listen to me,” he snapped.

You nodded tiredly and his hold on you loosened but it remained there.

“I was on Khonshu’s orders to get important information the night you came into the bar,” he said with annoyance.

Even though Jake had been the most easy to work with when it came to Khonshu, he maintained hostility when it came to you and Khonshu.

He knew you wouldn’t like Khonshu’s request, but he had to comply since it was part of the deal.

“That woman who was with me is the daughter to a man who is an avatar,” he explained further, hoping you would understand.

You studied his stoic expression. He was being truthful.

“Why didn’t you tell me before doing it?” you asked feeling hurt that he didn’t seem to trust you.

“It was too dangerous to tell you and I needed you to be safe, mi luz,”

“Well, look at the outcome of you not telling me,” you said with sadness.

Jake looked at you with equal sad eyes. The week spent without you was torture, he had an argument with Khonshu and wanted nothing more than to seek comfort from you.

“I know, mi corazón. I’m so sorry,” he said and pulled hugged you tightly.

It was rare to see Jake be so affectionate, but you know your time apart had affected him. It did the same to you.

You melted into the hug and wrapped your arms around him.

tagging those that commented on part 1:

@milkypompon @hellomynameisells @brighterthanlonelywords @the-witheredroses @secretdazeobservation @stressed-cherry

[jiejies-corner-store]

THE AVENTURINE FIC 😭😭 OH GOSH IM CRYING 😭😭

i’m so sorry, anon! here this should make it up 😭😭 the devil knows you're dead

pairing. aventurine x reader

tags/tw: fem!reader, references to a complicated childbirth, mother!reader, father!aventurine, spoilers to aventurine's real name, spoilers in reference to 2.1 trailblaze questline, aventurine’s nihilism and depression, references to death, hurt/comfort, ooc aventurine probably, i make shit up at the end because i want a happy ending—bite me.

sfw

a/n: ouchie. i finished 2.1 and it hurt. it hurt a lot. the ost for the “all the sad tales” is genuinely so beautiful. the trumpet just feels so melancholy yet hopeful it just goes so perfectly with aventurine’s story. but i need something that feels good now. ABSOLUTELY NOT PROOF-READ pt. 1

“As long as you are alive, the blood of the Avgin will never run dry.”

It was cold. Cold and warm. Almost feverish feeling. The type of feeling you’d get when you were freezing but your skin was hot to the touch. There was this frustrating beeping noise somewhere off in the distance that you just couldn’t tune out, finally you opened your eyes to see a sea of darkness, and seemingly at an unreachable horizon, a large circle of white light that looked like a gate.

“You’re not dead, if that’s what you’re wondering,” a voice came from beside you. How you didn’t realize there was a whole person standing next to you, you had no clue.

“Well, that’s not originally what I was going for, but now I’m a bit worried I might be,” you laughed, nervous, but curious all the same. This… person you couldn’t quite make out an exact face, or even a body for that matter, but ther was this distinct feeling that it was in fact a person. Like your instinct knew, but your brain couldn’t quite fill in the details.

“This is a place beyond mortal comprehension, if I tried to explain it to you, you would only be more confused. Walk with me,” the entity said, and without even willing your body to do so, you followed. Ripples emanated from each step as you followed and soon the inky void around you melted into an unfamiliar planet.

The sky was a deep purple, streaked with red that looked like lighting that crackled along the sky. Instead of the fluid, black ground, sand now shifted as you moved foward. Inside a small hut made of rock, you saw a woman cradling a swaddled child.

“Such a lucky child, such a blessed child… Just like your name. A gift from THEM to Avgin… my boy…”

You turned to the figure beside you and hesitantly asked, “Where are we?”

“A land of rock, but not water, lightning, but not rain, blood, but not tears,” the entity responded cryptically, which only caused a crease in your brow. You went closer to the mother in the hut and sat next to her. She whispered a blessing onto her child, but none of the words made sense to your ears. Similar to the entity, it’s like your brain scrambled them from your understanding.

The mother cried. You tried to wrap your arms around her to comfort her but only phased through her like a ghost. The baby too began to cry.

Then, the scene changed again, suddenly it was a cell with iron bars. A blond young man sat next to you. The blond’s gaze was downturned, but you could recognize that voice anywhere.

“—Thirty tanba… that’s all my life is worth.”

“That’s not…” you said, but realized it was all in vain. You tried again to take Kakavasha’s hands into your own. You wantd to take the cuffs off his wrists and cradle where the skin was rubbed raw.

“It's all or nothing…”

“Kakav—agh!”

Your future never existed You█ future never existed You█ future ne█er existed You█ fut███ ne█er existed You█ fut███ ne█er ████ted You█ fut███ █e█er ████ted Yo██ ██████ █e█er ████ted

Your mind felt clouded, a searing headache, followed by an inability to even pin down a coherent thought. The scene shifted once more.

“What’s going on!” you shouted at the figure that stood only silently next to you, crippled on the ground, clutching at your head, fingers pressing in to try to find the spot that would alleviate this awful pressure.

When your senses were no longer blinded by pain, you were back to that inky void you started in, but this time you weren’t alone. Not far away, maybe twenty feet or so, was your Kakavasha, and a woman you didn’t recognize.

“Why are we born into this world if it's just to die?”

You stumbled to your feet to try to run to him, but with each step closer he only got further away. He walked towards that gate of light. In your head, you heart was pounding faster and faster. You failed to catch up to him. He only got further and further away until he disappeared like fireflies dispersing into the night, “Kakavasha! No—!”

Utterly devastated, you sunk back onto your knees. You didn’t know why but you had this distinct feeling of loss. Tears rolled from your eyes freely. He… he wasn’t gone surely? The entity’s presence reappeared next to you.

“Why did you show me all of this,” you asked, not sure if you actually wanted an answer.

“Because you need to go back,” the entity answered and your jaw locked, gritting your teeth so hard they hurt.

You screamed into the void, “You’re the one who brought me here!”

“I never call anyone to me… you mortals believe that it is US that determine when your time to go is… but in truth it is your own doing, whether it is your body or your mind that gives up first,” the entity said, “It is only the strength of your will that will allow you to continue down your destined path… but many give up on that path and someone else must be chosen.”

“What does this have to do with me,” you snapped. “Why are you meddling in my life? What does Kakavasha have to do with this?”

“Kakavasha still has a long road ahead of him. I have supplemented his journey all his life. It was only recently he was able to live on his own will,” said the entity ”Your body is giving up. I do not have the power anymore to keep him alive. That lies with you.”

Your surroundings melted again. You were in a hospital room and on the bed was you. Eyes closed and steadily breathing, but your heartbeat was weak. The annoying beeping from before was louder and more prominent.

“You wanted to help him. During his past, you reached out each time. There is nothing you can do about that now, but the future and the present… you still have a choice.”

Laying a hand on your unmoving body, there was a slight resistance, but with just a bit more pressure you felt as if you could phase through it entirely.

“What do I need to do,” you asked the entity.

“Live.”

You furrowed your brow at that. Of course you wanted to live… right? The entity gestured for your hand, you obliged. Against your palm was an oddly soft feeling. Warm. Like a mother’s touch against your’s. Your palms pressed together, the entity spoke,

“May the goddess Gaiathra close HER eyes three times… Keep your blood eternally pulsing… Let your journey be forever peaceful… …and your schemes forever concealed."

You lifted your head and your “body” began to disappear similar to how Kakavasha disappeared. Just before you disappeared into sparks of golden light, you had the sense about you to ask:

“Who are you?” you felt like you were shouting, but your voice was quiet.

“You could call me Fenge Biyos.”

You opened your eyes with a deep gasp for air. Your surroundings were blurry, and you rubbed at your eyes, only to realize Kakavasha was up, standing next to your hospital bed with an anxious expression, hands already grasping the one that was wiping crust from your eyes.

“You’re awake,” he choked out, holding you as if you would break, “I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry for everything. I’m sorry I did this to you that I—”

“Kakavasha, slow down, what… why are you—no, don’t be sorry,” you finally found your words, sitting foward on the bed to wrap your arms around him. You racked your brain, trying to figure out what was going on. Your mind was still foggy, but finally that haze disappated and you remembered everything leading up to now.

“Kakavasha~” you hummed in a song-like tone, a small wrapped box with a blue and purple bow tied around it. You skipped over to his desk and wrapped your arms around his shoulders where he sat, and placed the gift in front of him, laying your head on his shoulder as your arms tightly hugged him. “I have a surprise.”

He smiled with a small laugh, “Doesn’t this usually work the other way around?” He pecked a kiss onto your check before pulling the bow off and opening the lid of the box, when he froze.

The smile on your face faltered bit when he didn’t say anything after a bit. The corners of it tightened into a more forced position, “Kakavasha? You’re gonna be a papa…”

The joy in his face from earlier had completely vanished. Only replaced by a stony, cold, poker face. He pushed his chair back and you stumbled into the wall behind. He gave you a tight smile and kissed your forehead before heading for the door and grabbing his hat. “I’ll be back later.”

With that, the door slammed shut behind him, leaving you at a loss as you fell into his chair, feeling suddenly so very empty in this large office alone.

He came back after that, apologetic for leaving you, but nothing felt truly right. He continued to reassure you that he did want to have this child, but it was a strenous time. The entire pregnancy was stressful. The doctors warned you that the level of stress you were under put you at risk for a premature birth, but you brushed them off. It was just the hormones, you were sure. Kakavasha still loved you. The ring on your finger should’ve been proof enough of that.

“How about the name Ilyas?” you suggested, laying your head on Kakavasha’s lap, “I was… looking at some databases about Avgin names and I thought that one was nice. What do you think?”

Aventurine hummed, but his mind seemed elsewhere. You let it go.

The next few months continued on in similar fashion.

But it all came to a head.

The two of you were standing in the kitchen. It had started off small. The hormones and the stress were getting to you. It was an off hand comment about him not fixing dinner, and you were tired and hungry from carrying around his child.

From there it had escalated. It turned into you were tired of feeling like you were walking on eggshells when you talked about the pregnancy. About how he was barely around for the appointments, and when he was he seemd emotionally distant… finally he exploded

“I never asked for this!” he shouted. “When did I ever say I wanted to be a father? Did you even ask me? Did you think about what I felt about this whole thing at all?”

You paused, feeling tears well up in your throat as a white-hot fear flashed through your body. You laughed, a hollow sound, “I’m sorry, Aventurine, I thought it took two people to make a baby? And you certainly made no attempt to use protection.”

He didn’t have anything to say about that. Even though the argument seemed over, you felt a nauseous feeling crawling up in your throat. Your tears felt like acid burning through your skin. Then a pain in your stomach. Your knees gave out and the last thing you remember was the scared expression on Kakavasha’s face before it all went dark.

“I was scared…. I was so scared that bringing another Avgin into this world would only bring misfortune onto you… that Gaiathra Triclops would take you from our child, just like my mother was taken from me,” he openly cried into your shoulder. “I took it out on you. I made something that should’ve been a beautiful experience something that was awful, and I understand… if you never forgive me for that but please…. please don’t leave.”

Now you were crying with him, one hand tangled in his blond locks and the other rubbing his back. Quietly, so quietly that you almost didn’t hear it, he whispered, “I can’t lose you too.”

You thought for a long time. In front of you wasn’t one of the Ten Stonehearts of the IPC. Not a calculating or cunning man, who’s only interest was in things that benefited the IPC’s bank accounts. In front of you was a broken man, who’d had everything stripped away from him when he was only a child. Who was shattered and forced to put his life back together with nothing but fear and anxiety as glue.

Did it excuse what he'd broken?

No.

“I’m here… I won’t leave Kakavasha,”

But maybe with time and effort, you could help re-glue each other with something a little more beautiful.

“Ilyas! Don’t run so far!” you called after a small blond haired child who was already ahead of you by a longshot, you turned exasperatedly to your husband, “Honey, can you go after him please? I don’t want him to get trampled by some idiot who’s not paying attention…”

The man only smiled at you, one hand firmly wrapped around your ever expanding waist, “It’s okay. There’s some of my squad that’s following him incognito. He won’t get out of our sights without them dragging him back. We can let him get his energy out. He’ll be cooped up in a hospital soon.”

You huffed conceded. Already tired from just getting through the theme park’s entrance. You were due in about two weeks, but Kakavasha was insistent that a week before you’d be under hospital supervision until you brought your second child into the world. It had taken about five years before the two of you had healed enough and there were roadbumps along the way… but you were both ready to give Ilyas a little sister.

But for now, the two of you wanted to let Ilyas have one more day as an only child. The reconstructed Penacony was nothing like the Dreamscape of the past. Fear and secrets no longer were trapped in the gilded cage of the former prison planet. With the help of the IPC and the Harmony, New Penacony was entirely real. No more dreams, just reality. They’d kept many of their old franchises and built a true theme park.

“Mama!! Picture! Let’s get a picture here before we go in!” Ilyas screeched, pointing at Clockie statue in front of the Clock Studios main attraction. You set a hand on Kakavasha’s arm, glancing up at him to try to get a read on what he was feeling. He’d let you in on the parts of his past that he’d kept a secret. The scheme behind Penacony, his proposed “death” and his encounter with his Past and Future.

He took a breathe and looked back down at you, giving you a smile that said “I’m okay” and relief flooded your bones. After walking you over in front of the camera, he crouched down and scooped Ilyas into his arms.

“Ready?” the cameraman asked and you nodded. After a brief countdown the camera flashed, and for a moment in that bright light, you saw the hopeful future that lied ahead.

[jazziejax]

The Challenge

Pairing- BlackOC! X Challengers Cast

Summary- moments between Orion O’Connor and the Challengers cast that the people loved

Warnings- swear words, flirtatious between costars

Author’s Note- This sucks raccoon ass, it’s 2am, and I haven’t written in a very long time so cut me some slack, I beg you! I’m gonna write for Challengers at some point but I’m waiting because I want to write a series and I’m gonna need it on streaming services to do that(because I already paid to see it twice). But I’ll probably write some one-off things for you guys. Sorry for any spelling errors and grammar mistakes. As I said, it’s 2am.

Word Count- 2,686

“So, I have to ask.” The woman interviewer said, mainly looking over at Orion. Said girl’s expression went from calm to suspicious as she turned her head and side eyed the woman. The interviewer was about to open her mouth to speak again before Orion lightly gasped as she faced forward again.

“Let me guess.” She stated, leaning forward in her seat. Everyone paused, waiting for the girl to speak. “You’re gonna ask if we’re married.” She said, her left index finger motioning between her and the British man next to her. The woman’s mouth fell open a little bit as she stared at the brown woman across from her.

“How’d you know that?” She asked, genuine surprise in her voice. Orion slightly nodded as she adjusted herself in her seat. She crossed her right leg over her left and her body was slightly tilted to where she leaned Josh’s way. “Everyone has the same look in their eyes before they ask.” She shrugged. The tension of such a question could be felt throughout the room but also on social media. Fans went crazy with this clip, seeing the obvious signs that Orion was tired of such a question and was getting bad at hiding it. Some people called her rude while others defended her saying the interviewer was bad at her job for asking the same thing they already know the answer to.

“I just wanted to know how you guys felt about such rumors going around about you two?” The interviewer asked. Orion looked over at Josh, seeing if he wanted to give the question a go. Said man glanced down a little to make eye contact with the woman next to him before turning to the woman in front of him. “Um, the rumors don’t necessarily bother me. Not anymore at least.” He stated. “People have been saying this since the beginning of our careers, almost, because we became friends right before and have been for so long. So, I guess it just seemed like we were married?” Josh said with confusion written all over his face, his tone rising at the end since he was more so asking a question.

Orion dry chuckled as she watched the man deliver the answer she was tired of giving. “I say it’s rather flattering, in a sense, that people think we are married. Because Orion is an amazing woman that anyone would be lucky to call a wife.” He finished softly, glancing over at the woman next to him. “But no, we’re just best friends with the same name.” He said, visibly pink in the face as he continuously glanced at the woman next to him.

With the new craze of Challengers, every cast member gained new fans along with the one they already had and all were tuned in on their press tour. Social media went crazy over Josh and Orion, new fans because of their on and off screen chemistry while old fans were just excited to see the pair in another project together.

Orion made a cute pout at his words, her face heating as she looked at him in his blue eyes. Her big eyes reflected the fluorescent lights above them as she stated into his. “He’s too sweet for his own damn good.” She said in a sad tone as if she was crying. She leaned her head on his shoulder for a split second before raising it and dropping her façade. “Let me just say this.” She started, sitting up straight in her seat. Zendaya and Mike, who felt as if they were third wheeling the whole time, chuckled at her. “I don’t understand why I keep getting asked that when it could be easily answered by taking a look at my hand.” She said, showing her left hand. She used her right index finger to rub her left ring finger as she stared directly into the camera lens. “I do not have on a ring.” She said, shaking her head. She grabbed ahold of Josh’s and and held it up. Before she could even speak, her cast mates burst out laughing, knowing she was very riled up, which was quite amusing.. “He does not have on a ring.” She then looked back at the interviewer. “I would never do such a thing. I would be mad at Josh if he allowed me to do such a thing.” She stressed. “And I would also never let him or any man disrespect me in such a way. Isn’t that right?” She asked, looking over at the British man next to her. Josh immediately nodded.

“Correct.”

The initial context of video was ignored once clips hit other media sites. All people could talk about was the sheer amount of times Orion and Josh caught the other one staring. And if not them then the camera caught it. They all went feral over the last line, finding the way she demanded an answer out of him attractive and the way he answered her immediately. The compatibility between the two could be felt through the screen. Many edits were made out of the two and their characters, Dion and Patrick.

For backstory, Orion and Josh have been friends for many years. Meeting each other on the set of The Durrells where Orion was the only American that used an English accent for an obscene amount of time to play her character ‘Daisy’. They were only together in a couple of scenes but off screen, Josh and Orion became good friends. They grew even closer when Josh moved in with Orion when she went back to America. He would be staying for a while for work and Orion wanted the transition to be easy for her friend since he was such a big help for her in Europe, so she offered him a room in her New York flat. That’s when the rumors started. Seeing pictures of this pair of up and coming actors with the same last name, doing activities and living together. They blushed and joked at the rumors at first but after a while it started to get pretty annoying.

This being brought up again, fans started researching for old pictures of the two and they couldn’t get enough of the pair. Pictures of them holding pinkies as they walked around New York. Most of them from the same day as Orion showed him all of her favorite spots. There were pictures of them on the subway reading a book together. Pictures of them on visiting each other on set when they worked on different projects. So many pictures for the fans to choose from.

A while later in another interview, the energy seemed to be more prominent between them all.

“Do you think is most like their character?” The interviewer asked them. All of them immediately pointed at Orion, who even pointed at herself. Seeing that they all had the same idea, they laughed at one another. “Why is that? What makes you like you’re character?” He questioned again.

“Um, it’s actually funny because they changed things around for Dion once I was casted for her.” Orion started. “Her name was changed for be more boyish after I was casted because Luca and Justin liked the contrast of such a sweet and feminine character with a “boys” name.” She stated, doing air quotations around the word boy. “They did a lot of tweaking to the script after I was chosen for…whatever creative reasons they have.” She chuckled, waving her hands to indicate she didn’t know why but it was slowly up to them.

“I would hope I would be the most like my character because it’s almost based off of me at this point.” She shrugged. “But I would say I'm most like her in the way I love and express myself. In the movie, Dion is very physical with her friends which I tend do to be.” She chuckled to herself. Mike nodded his head next. She looked over at him, her smile big on her face as she blushed out of embarrassment. “Oh yeah, she’s like a baby koala. Or a sloth.” He started, seeing that the attention was on him. Everyone laughed. “She was always on top of someone in between takes. She falls out when she laughs, and she’s always sleeping.” Mike said, sitting up in his chair as he listed, his voice showing mock annoyance. Orion covered her face in embarrassment, leaning her head back as she laughed.

“I’m sorry, okay! This is just how I am!” She shouted. After a while of everyone laughing, they calmed down and sat still in their seats. “I see where my affection is not wanted.” Orion said sassily as she rolled her eyes, crossing her legs and leaned away from Mike. Mike groaned at her dramatic behavior and rolled his eyes too, doing the same as her. Seeing this, Orion softly scoffed at him. “Art wouldn't treat me this way.” She joked, causing laughter to fill the room again.

“Why do you guys say Orion is like Dion? Where do the similarities lie in your eyes?” The interviewer asked. Mike was the first to answer.

“I say she’s like Dion in the way she stated, herself .” He said, gesturing over to Orion. “Dion is a very loving and passionate character. You see that in the way she treats her friends, and in the games she plays. She doesn’t play for competition , she plays for the feeling it gives her. Like in the scene where she goes against Tashi, it didn’t cause them any strife because she doesn’t see it as ‘who’s better’, she sees it as a relationship and almost a way of communicating.” He said. “I see that a lot in Orion because she doesn’t really communicate through words, she communicates through her actions, in real life and within a character.” He finished. There was a moment of silence as everyone sat with what he said. Mike quickly looked around the room at the silence before looking over at Orion.

“Aww, Mikey.” Orion said as she pouted and leaned over to give him a side hug, placing her head on his shoulder. Breaking the tension in the air, the room chuckled. “He knows me so well.” Orion spoke up, placing her cheek against his with her hand on the other side of his face, smushing them together. They both smiled, feeling their cheeks mush together.

Fans were already in the Art Donaldson/Mike Faist train before they even saw the movie and especially afterwards. During most of the press tour the cute moments were between Josh and Orion and Zendaya and Orion, since the girl has previous history with them. But when Orion and Mike had their cute moments, fans almost felt like they were in love.

It was admitted in an interview Mike had without the whole cast he really admired the work Orion did before he formally met her. He first saw her on the comedy show Community. He found her really funny there and could tell her chemistry with the cast was impeccable. But her acting skills really shined to him when he saw her in Fleabag and The Handmaid's Tale. When he heard that she was going to be in the movie with him, he had a fanboy moment to himself for a few hours before calming down. Little did he know that Orion admitted herself in a solo interview that she used to have a crush on Mike after first seeing him in Dear Evan Hanson. She said that even though she hated that musical, she watched it for him. That’s also why she went and saw Brokeback Mountain live. Fans loved hearing this information, the Art and Dion edits having a mega surplus afterwards. Their interview moments together were cute but people mainly loved their red carpet interactions, Orion either bullying him for what he had on or the way he posed. She never let him live.

Another moment that went viral was their interview talking about intimate scenes together.

“Was that awkward to do with your best friend?” The journalist asked Orion.

“No, because we’ve done that before.” She answered quickly, not thinking of what she said. Zendaya’s head snapped to her, eyes a little wide as she gave the girl next to her a questionable glare. Mike raised his eyebrows while Josh tried to hide his laughter, and his red face, behind his hands. Seeing the reactions she got around the room, Orion chuckled before trying to save herself. “Not like that. I just mean I’ve seen him naked before.” She defended no better. Now all you could hear was the laughter of her cast mates. Mike and Z leaning on one another as they laughed while Josh put his head in his hands. “You guys know what I mean. We’ve done things like this before.” She continued to try to defend herself. Seeing her get nowhere, Josh placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked over at the cute smiling British man next to her, unconsciously smiling along with him.

“What? Tell them this isn’t something new for us.” She demanded the man. Josh placed his large hand on top of hers that was resting on the arm of the chair. “Our characters in The Durrells were in a relationship. That’s what she means.” Josh said, his face still red from trying to hold in his laughter. And blushing.

“The real question is, did you enjoy it?” Orion asked, looking over at the man next to her. But before he could speak, Mike spoke first. “Oh, I enjoyed it.” Mike joked. “Art and Dion were like rabbits at Stanford.” He emphasized.

“Her and Patrick were pretty wild too.” Zendaya said. “

“I think Dion was just like that with everyone, honestly.” Josh said. At that, Orion turned back to him, an eyebrow raised. “What’s that supped to mean?”

“No, byy everyone I mean, Tashi, Art and Patrick.” Josh rushed out, looking her right in the eyes. That’s something the fans caught into a lot. Whenever Orion looked his way, he would never break eye contact. No matter how many times she glanced off to the side or down at her hands playing with his, he never took his eyes off her face, especially when she was speaking. “Which is quite interesting when you take into account Dion was almost in control of everything.” He finished.

Orion immediately rolled her eyes and turned away from him. . Before she could say what she was going to, her other cast mates spoke in agreement. “100%.” Zendaya said.

“I’m not about to have this conversation again.” Orion spoke. “Dion is innocent and she was done wrong.” She said, looking directly into the camera.

“Dion played everyone.” Mike said.

“Like a game of tennis.” Josh finished, a small smirk on his lips. His eyes never left Orion, as if he was waiting for her to turn around. Mike and Zendaya groaned at him while Orion turned to him, a smile on her face when she looked his way. “That was so corny.” She said through her laughter that increased the more she thought about the terrible joke. Oriron loved a bad joke that was delivered kind of awkwardly. The rest of the interview consisted of small moments between Josh and Orion. Jim raising his hand to play with her dangling earring when Mike was talking. Her pinkie wrapped around his when both of their arms rested on their chairs.

Needless to say, the people loved Orion O’Oonnor and were on the edge of their seats to get more of her.

oconnorschildren

liked by, joshoconnorstoe, orionstar, and 36, 792 more

oconnorschildren you mean to tell me that this is Josh O’Connor and Orion O’Connor when they lived together???

view 3,944 comments

zendayacollective sups cute!!! ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

mikeyfaist they look like a couple

orionstar and they’re wondering why people assumed they were married 🙄

⤷ oconnorschildren right! they act in love and get mad at us!

⤷ joshoconnorstoe they should just get married

tomdayaofficial I don’t know who I want her with more, Josh or Mike

⤷ oconnorschildren me neither, she’s has such great chemistry with both! I love her with them!

liversometennis I can’t wait until challengers is on streaming services so I can’t watch her kiss them all day everyday

zendayastwin I wish people would post the moments between her and Z, they are so cute together. Small hints of flirting but amazing friends.

⤷ oconnorschildren I’ll post some in the future because they are cute together!

[localtelephonebooth]

Thoughts on Kieran’s relationship with Ogerpon as a previously obsessive teenager:

(I did not proof read this. I just woke up, had the urge, and now it’s here.)

Kieran, to me, is a very relatable character. He is a shy, and quiet teenager in a small town. He lacks friendships and possibly meaningful connections with those who do spend time with him. He’s probably isolated due to the fact that he lacks a phone. Any friends he does make are likely school based only. So, Kieran latches on to anything he can to feel less alone in life. And of course he latches onto Ogerpon. Ogerpon is just like him. A sad “monster” all isolated and alone in the mountains. I’m certain that Kieran has fantasized about meeting Ogerpon and getting into wild adventures with her. I did the same thing with characters I enjoyed.

Princess Luna, for example (sorry to whiplash anyone with that), was a character I heavily related to. She was alone and isolated due to her previous actions. She struggled with fitting in and having a healthy relationship with her sister for awhile. To say I didn’t form an obsession with a character who understood my feelings would be a lie. I think Kieran is the same.

He became obsessed with Ogerpon. He become obsessed with the ideas he crafted of him and Ogerpon. In a way, that fantasy was VERY real to him. So when we come around and lie about meeting Ogerpon, and inevitably become friends with her behind his back, of course he freaks out! We stole his fantasy of him and Ogerpon! And that’s the key point here that people tend to not realize. We didn’t steal Ogerpon from Kieran, we just stole his fantasy and made it our reality.

With my obsession with princess Luna (again, whiplash), if anyone said they loved princess Luna it was a fucking attack on me. Princess Luna was my best friend, and she could only love me! Everyone else was just a jealous thief.

As an adult looking back on this mindset, it’s horribly embarrassing. It’s a mindset I carried into my real life, when I actually started making friends, that ruined so much for me. I lost friends because I was so angry that my fantasies were not reciprocated. I really do think Kieran does the same. He grows sad and frustrated over what happened with Ogerpon. His fantasy is just a fantasy, and that’s fucking with him. So naturally, he finds a new fantasy to, hopefully in his mind, make a reality. And so he chose battling and winning against you. The thing we used to “steal” Ogerpon away from him (Even though Kieran technically suggested battling for Ogerpon, I don’t doubt he used it to rationalize why she didn’t want to come with him). To him, being the best battler will solve everything. Kieran will get his revenge, he’ll finally be recognized, everyone can’t lie to him because they fear or admire him, and he’ll prove to Ogerpon he was the right choice.

.

Now, I want to say something about Kieran. A detail that, for whatever reason, people don’t like to acknowledge: He’s just a kid.

I’m not saying “He’s a widdle baby. He can do no harm!” No, Kieran’s an asshole. He became a bully. I can have empathy for his emotions, but not excuse his actions. He’s a dumb and entitled teenager with issues. And, quite obviously, he doesn’t really have a way to deal with his issues in a healthy manner (seriously, his school is based solely on battling. Anyone who’s going or gone to a specialized school can understand how toxic people can get in that type of environment. And don’t even get me started on the incompetence of the adults in Kieran’s school).

Kieran is a teenage boy growing up right now. He’s got a lot to work through, and a lot of people he’s gotta confront about his behavior. He was an asshole, a bully, and genuinely a bad person for minute. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t growing past that. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve recognition for his growth. You can recognize someone has changed and not forgive them.

Kieran is a really intriguing character and holds a valuable lesson in obsession. And I really wish people would recognize that he’s not just an irredeemable prick or an innocent little guy. He’s a kid learning. He’s going to make really stupid and bad mistakes. Just like how I, and probably you reading this, did.

Anyways, hopefully we see him interact with the Area Zero buddies. I think those three have amazing lessons that Kieran can learn from. Maybe Kieran can teach them a few things too!

[pandorasword]

Just saw your post about the members reaction to Chaeri and JK, and I wanna know what they thought about Hongjoong and Chaeri? Hell, I even wanna know what ATEEZ thought about their relationship too!

-♡♡

Hi!! 🫶🏼

I’m so embarrassed by how much time has passed since I got your message—I'm so sorry for the wait! It’s been such a busy and stressful time for me 🥹

Thank you for your question!

Chaeri as the 8th and youngest member of BTS.

BTS

The members quickly learned to consider themselves as a family. Living together and sharing everything since their teenage years, their bond has always been similar to that of siblings. This, for better or worse, includes constantly meddling in each other’s lives, both for fun and to take care of one another. This extends to almost every aspect of their lives, including romantic relationships.

It was impossible – and, in reality, Chaeri didn’t even try – to hide the growing bond between her and Hongjoong from the other members of the group. On the night of the party where they met, Taehyung and Jungkook noticed them, which inevitably led also to the last member of the 'maknae line' finding out about the news. They were the first three to know:

Taehyung was very surprised. Being Chaeri’s best friend and never having heard her talk about Hongjoong before, their union initially seemed a bit strange and rushed to him. Only later, when she confessed to him that at the party, she had approached Hongjoong with the intention of annoying him and Jungkook - who had followed her without her consent - and only later did that situation turn into something more significant, including the desire to normalize relationships among K-pop idols, Taehyung realized that such behavior was typical of Chaeri.

From the moment the relationship between Chaeri and Hongjoong became something more serious than just an excuse to create a scandal in the industry, V showed his support. However, he frequently asked her questions designed to make her reflect on her relationship, asking if it was really what she wanted or if she had just been swept up in a situation that made her feel good but that she didn’t truly desire.

The way Chaeri proudly showed off her relationship to everyone, without fear of judgment, inspired him and made him proud. It even led him to decide to be braver himself, giving the public clear hints about his own relationship, though in a less obvious way.

The first time he met Hongjoong as Chaeri's official boyfriend, one might have expected him to say the classic line, "If you hurt her, you'll have to deal with me." Instead, he said, "If she scares you to death, don't come looking for me. She scares me to death too. But I guess that's her way of showing love”.

Jimin was taken aback. He knew that the situation between Chaeri and Jungkook had reached an even more critical point than before, but he did not expect that the two would actually try to date other people. Their constant fighting, more or less hidden from the eyes of others, was causing stress and sadness for the group, which felt helpless in the face of that dramatic situation. Therefore, he tried to understand and support Chaeri's decision to date Hongjoong as much as possible.

Jimin had always been very reserved about his relationships with the media, aware of how much the K-pop scene could destroy even the most beautiful and genuine connections. Seeing Chaeri, on the other hand, not hide and proudly show the world her sentimental commitment filled him with pride. He knew that she was fighting to normalize the situation for all idols, giving them back their freedom to be human in the eyes of the public.

And while he was initially unsure about Hongjoong, Jimin warmed to him at some point. He liked how Hongjoong carried himself, and with being the leader of his group, he could guess what kind of person he was: responsible, serious, dedicated. Three qualities he believed were essential to be able to romantically connect with someone like his female teammate.

However, what impressed Jimin most was Hongjoong's approach to Chaeri's strong and overwhelming personality and the way he respected her boldness rather than trying to suppress it as many other men would have done.

Although he had never said it out loud, he was grateful to Hongjoong for standing by Chaeri's side at a time when few others could have done so, which was when she ended up on forced hiatus from the BTS.

As the oldest member of BTS, Jin had always seen himself as the “big brother” of the group, ready to offer advice or tease anyone who found themselves in a new relationship. To him, Chaeri was like a little sister, and he wanted to make sure that anyone she dated was worthy of her, which is why he began to “investigate” Hongjoong. He asked around and read articles about him and his group, eager to determine whether he was truly interested in her and not just looking for personal gain.

However, no article or information was more helpful than observing them together and hearing Chaeri talk about him. In the end, this led him to deliver his “verdict”: he approved of the relationship.

True to his style, Jin expressed his approval with a touch of humor. “So, he’s not scared off yet?” he joked with Chaeri, smiling. “Good for him! I barely lasted an hour when we met because of your bratty attitude.”

But beyond his playful nature, he also found moments to talk to her seriously. “I can see he cares about you. So just make sure he keeps caring about you as much as you care about him”

For Jin, Chaeri’s happiness was the most important thing. He was proud to see her openly embracing her happiness, knowing how much she had suffered in the past from having to keep her previous relationship hidden.

Yoongi, when he knew about her relationship with Hongjoong, didn’t comment immediately and took a step back, preferring to observe and let Chaeri share as much—or as little—as she wanted. To him, relationships were personal, and he respected her decision to make her relationship public, understanding how it could be both liberating and daunting in their world. He had always been the type to keep his thoughts on love and relationships close to the chest, so seeing her put herself out there made him feel both proud and slightly worried for her.

One evening, some time after the news broke, noticing how serious their relationship was becoming, he decided to give Chaeri a single piece of advice: “Just make sure you’re doing this for yourself. Don’t get caught up in proving something to anyone. If it makes you happy, that’s what matters.” 

Yoongi just wanted to make sure she hadn’t made the decision because she was angry or disappointed about her past with Jungkook, aware of how such emotions could lead to choices she might regret. He wanted her to approach this relationship with a clear mind and an open heart, unclouded by past wounds.

He knew Chaeri well enough to trust her judgment, and he trusted that Hongjoong would take care of her the way she deserved. But still, he kept a watchful eye, not to interfere but to be there, if she ever needed him. 

While he didn’t express it often, he deeply hoped that this relationship would give her the peace and happiness she deserved.

Ever since they’d started working together, Hoseok’d come to see her as his little sister—a role he took seriously, complete with protective instincts and a healthy dose of skepticism about any guy who showed interest in her. He’d seen her grow, struggle and evolve, so the idea of someone else now playing such a significant role in her life brought out his big-brother side in full force. In the beginning, Hoseok wasn’t entirely sure about Hongjoong. He hadn’t heard much about him before and wasn’t quick to trust anyone who’d suddenly become so close to Chaeri. 

Honestly, he didn’t like the situation at all. Chaeri was vulnerable because of what had happened with Jungkook—a relationship that had ended disastrously not long before—and all the signs, at least on the surface, seemed to point in one direction: Hongjoong was taking advantage of her to gain more fame and visibility for himself and his group. Or, at least, that was what his brain had convinced itself of the moment the “overprotective brother” alarm bells in his head went off as soon as he heard the news.

He would only come to realize, gradually, just how wrong he’d been as all the “evidence” he thought he’d gathered to support his theory started to crumble, one piece at a time. It had been Chaeri who approached Hongjoong first, and she was the one who decided to make the relationship public; moreover, Hongjoong genuinely seemed to care about her.

It took meeting Hongjoong in person to get some answers, though that first meeting felt more like an interrogation. Hongjoong would probably describe it as intense, maybe even intimidating. Despite the polite smile, Hoseok’s questions cut straight to the point: what were his intentions with Chaeri? Did he understand the level of scrutiny that came with dating her? And, in no uncertain terms, was he ready to treat her with the respect she deserved?

Namjoon, as the leader of BTS, felt a natural sense of responsibility for all the group members, but with Chaeri, it was different. Over the years, he had become particularly protective of her, looking out for her in a way that came entirely naturally—like an older brother with a younger sister. Although he wasn’t as openly intense as Hoseok, he, too, felt some skepticism and concern. He wasn’t used to Chaeri dating anyone (outside of Jungkook), and he had the sweet but misguided notion that no one was quite good enough for her.

“You know how much pressure comes with going public. Once things are out there, there’s no taking them back. I just want you to be sure this is what you really want—not just for yourself, but for the two of you together.” Living a life like theirs meant that any information shared with the public would be engraved forever, and he felt it was his duty to remind her that, once that choice was made, there would be no turning back.

He would never dare to question Chaeri's emotional intelligence by suggesting that she was choosing the wrong person to start a romantic relationship with; it was simply his instinct to protect her that compelled him to keep a watchful eye on the two whenever they were together. Deep down, he recognized her ability to make her own decisions, but the protective instincts of an older brother lingered, making it difficult for him to let go completely.

He felt better, however, knowing that Chaeri would have someone by her side while they would all be away due to the mandatory military service that, by now, was getting closer and closer.

Jungkook's reaction to Chaeri's relationship with Hongjoong was complicated, to say the least.

He knew she was a mischievous type, and when he first saw them together at that party, he became convinced—albeit annoyed—that she had set up that little act just to get back at him and Taehyung for following her to the party, despite her not wanting them there. But discovering that their connection had instead grown so serious that she had decided to make it public threw him completely off balance.

Jungkook couldn’t help but think back on all the wrong choices he had made during his relationship with Chaeri, choices that, forced or not, had led him to that moment: having to watch the love of his life fall for someone else.

The truth is that he’s never fully accepted it—and he never will. He won’t ever choose to be in the same room as Hongjoong unless circumstances force him to be there, and he certainly won’t ever choose to have even the smallest interaction with him. To Jungkook, Hongjoong would always be a reminder of everything he had lost, a constant presence of the love he let slip away. Even if he knew, deep down, that he couldn’t turn back time, a part of him stubbornly refused to accept the reality of Chaeri’s new relationship. It wasn’t that he wished her unhappiness, but he couldn’t bring himself to accept Hongjoong as a part of her life—or, by extension, his own.

Jungkook’s feeling of bitterness only grew stronger as the weeks went by. He saw Chaeri almost daily, whether at rehearsals or during group events, and every time he saw her smile because of him, it was like a quiet punch to the gut.

It didn’t help that the others had slowly begun to accept Hongjoong. While Hoseok still kept an eye on him and Namjoon was ever-cautious, they’d grown used to the idea. And to Jungkook, it felt like they were all moving forward without him. He’d find himself spacing out during conversations, lost in memories of the past, back when he and Chaeri were inseparable. It was all so bittersweet—he wanted to support her, he truly did, but he was haunted by the constant, nagging feeling that he was supposed to be the one by her side, not some stranger.

Whenever he saw Hongjoong, though, he managed a polite nod, maintaining a veneer of professionalism. But his politeness was brittle. Every interaction with him felt like stepping on thin ice, a forced act that concealed the simmering resentment he couldn’t quite shake. It was painful, and he felt as if he were trapped in a story where he’d once been a main character, only to be slowly written out. 

Everyone claimed that true love meant letting someone find happiness with another person. He was convinced he genuinely loved her.  So why was it so hard for him to accept it?

ATEEZ

Before Hongjoong decided to talk to their managers about dating Chaeri, he knew he had to discuss it with his members first. This made him particularly nervous, but he knew he couldn't delay it any longer, mainly since Chaeri had expressed her desire to make their relationship public. For example, when he went to New York to see her, Chaeri and Hongjoong posted photos from an identical location, causing the internet to be filled with theories and suspicions about whether they were dating, trolling the fans, or soft-launching a relationship.

He wasn't nervous because the boys didn't know, quite the contrary. Since the night of the '98 liners idol party, a gathering of idols born in 1998, when he and Seonghwa had returned from, and the latter had not waited more than a second to tell the others about him and Chaeri, the younger ones had not stopped teasing him, also knowing the little crush he had on her ever since she found some time to go up to them in 2019 at MAMAs and tell them how much she had enjoyed the cover of the song they had brought to the stage.

Fortunately, his fears were unfounded. The boys didn't react negatively to the dating news when he shared it, and their managers reassured them that they could handle any potential scandal. 'Having Chaeri linked to one of you would surely increase attention and, consequently, your turnover' they emphasized. Fortunately, KQ loved the media exposure this would bring.

And, what to say? The boys couldn't be anything but happy about that, could they? Their leader seemed pleased with that relationship, and their reputation would greatly benefit from Chaeri’s impact. However, Ateez would soon learn that Chaeri in their lives would become more than simply 'Hongjoong's girl who benefits his mood and our career.' 

Each member reacted differently based on their personalities and relationships with Hongjoong and Chaeri. 

Seonghwa and Hongjoong had always shared everything since they were just trainees. Being the same age and both feeling some sort of responsibility to the members had bound them together more than with the others. Because of this, Seonghwa couldn't have been unaware of the 'little' crush his best friend had toward the only female member of BTS. A crush that grew exponentially over the years, peaking in 2019.

Seonghwa teased him about it since pre-debut and never stopped, even when the two became a couple, leaving him hugely surprised. It’s a tale as old as time to have a crush on a public figure, and usually, people never end up dating them unless they get a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and for Hongjoong to get that chance? Seonghwa could think of nothing else but the fact that life always shows you something you would never expect.

Despite initial disbelief, he was proud of his member for being the first to have a public relationship, as he showed a nerve many idols did not have.

The guy also likes to tease Chaeri about how soft she can get with Hongjoong since she always tries to pass herself off as someone who is not particularly sweet or romantic. That makes her and Joong very similar, in his opinion.

Yunho was thrilled. His reaction was, perhaps, the purest and most genuinely enthusiastic of all. 

From the moment Hongjoong had confirmed his connection with Chaeri, he couldn’t hide his smile and a bit of surprise at the thought that their leader, his hyung, had won the heart of Chaeri and felt a bit bewildered at the thought that she was now a constant presence in their lives.

His excitement about the news, however, wasn’t simply about Chaeri’s fame. His happiness came from a much more genuine place. He knew how much Hongjoong’s intense work schedule demanded of him, and knowing he’d found someone who could make him smile and offer a bit of comfort was something that gave Yunho happiness.

As the main dancer of ATEEZ, Yunho felt an irresistible and inexplicable urge to talk for hours with Chaeri, who held the same role in BTS, about the dance icons they admired, favorite styles, the best methods for learning choreography, and so on. 

When it came to dance, Yunho found a new source of motivation and inspiration in Chaeri. Having the opportunity to work with her as ATEEZ’s choreographer, even if only for a limited time, made him genuinely happy; he greatly appreciated how Chaeri took each of his suggestions into account, making him feel fully included in the creative process of their performances.

While most of the others reacted loudly, swept away by enthusiasm or curiosity, Yeosang received the news of their relationship calmly and silently, as he had not yet formed an opinion about the situation; speaking without having thought it through first was not his style. Not that he was indifferent; on the contrary, the idea that Hongjoong had started a relationship with someone so significant in the music scene, fascinated him more than he let on. Yet, as was typical of him, he preferred to think deeply before saying anything.

In fact, Yeosang felt happy for Hongjoong. He knew well how much their leader had sacrificed for the sake of ATEEZ and how he had always acted as an emotional shield for the others. The thought that someone could finally take care of him, just as he did for his members, gave him a sense of peace. If Chaeri could provide that kind of balance for Hongjoong, that was already enough for Yeosang.

However, despite his reserved demeanor, Yeosang couldn't shake the thought that this relationship might somehow influence the dynamics of the group. It wasn’t jealousy or envy, but rather a healthy concern for their equilibrium. At a time when ATEEZ was growing and reaching new milestones, he feared that the notoriety of such a public relationship could distract Hongjoong or even create tensions with Chaeri's international fame.

For this reason, he spoke privately with Hongjoong to tell him that he would support whatever made him happy, but that he needed to make sure that he found the right equilibrium, for himself, for ATEEZ, and for BTS.

The ice between him and Chaeri finally broke when, noticing his somewhat distant and thoughtful demeanor, she decided to "test him" with jokes and playful remarks, trying to make him laugh and lift his spirits whenever she was around.

When San was told the news, he decided to become one of the most welcoming people Chaeri would ever meet. If Hongjoong put so much trust in her that he made their relationship public and made her an official part of their routine, it meant that he could trust her, too, and that she was certainly a special person, an idea that was later solidified as he began to get to know her more.

For him, it was new to see his captain, always so focused and dedicated to work, let loose whenever Chaeri was around. He was the first to realize that Joong didn’t just have a simple crush or attraction toward her—he was completely smitten. This realization filled San with joy, both because he could see how happy his hyung was and because teasing him about it was going to be even more fun. And oh, he never missed an opportunity to do so, knowing he’d succeeded with his jokes whenever Hongjoong threatened to beat him up.

San was among those who didn’t worry at all about the potential repercussions this might have on their group. He had complete faith in Hongjoong and their agency, and if they believed the situation could only benefit them, then he firmly believed it too.

From the start, San took it upon himself to make their dorm a bit more “girl-friendly” in subtle ways, often reminding the other guys not to leave laundry outside their rooms and occasionally bringing an air freshener or candles with softer fragrances.

Chaeri, along with Hongjoong, had started taking care of all of them through small gestures: giving them decorative items for the dorm, bringing food almost every time they met, and listening to them in moments of difficulty. For San, it was only right to make her feel like a true member of their family.

Mingi was less worried about the implications of dating someone as high-profile as Chaeri and more curious about what she was like behind the scenes. He'd seen her charisma on stage, of course, but knowing she had somehow captured the heart of their hyper-focused captain made her all the more interesting.

When she started hanging out with them more, Mingi was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to talk to her. He found himself chatting about everything. She laughed at his quirky jokes, and her genuine reactions made him feel instantly comfortable. Chaeri was even surprisingly willing to listen to his ramblings, which most people couldn’t keep up with for long.

What Mingi appreciated most was that she seemed to care about all of them, not just Hongjoong. It didn’t take long for him to open up to her the way he would to a friend, even showing her some of his scribbled lyrics and ideas—something he rarely did with people outside the group. She encouraged him to pursue his creative ideas with enthusiasm, which meant a lot to him, especially coming from someone with so much experience.

Mingi noticed little things about her and Hongjoong’s dynamic that the others might miss. Like the way Chaeri would glance at Hongjoong to see if he needed anything or how Hongjoong’s shoulders relaxed just a bit more when she was around. While he didn’t tease his leader as much as San or Wooyoung did in front of Chaeri, he made sure to join in whenever she wasn’t around.

Wooyoung was the most excited. It was almost too good to be true— despite his hectic schedule, his beloved captain had found love. And not just anyone, but Chaeri of BTS. And oh, if he wasn't a BTS fan.

His fanboy heart was thrilled, enough to make him almost obnoxious with his numerous questions towards his Hyung that went from 'Do you think she will introduce me to Jimin sunbaenim?' to 'If, technically, BTS are like siblings and we, technically, are like siblings, does that mean that if you and her are together, she is my sister-in-law and us and them will become one family?' It is unsurprising that, to most of these questions, Hongjoong simply answered with a somewhat annoyed 'I don't know.'

The vague and rather bored response to Wooyoung’s questions made the members wrinkle their noses, perhaps too eager to pry into their hyung's relationship and then into the dynamics of such a famous group as BTS. After all, he was dating an idol in one of the most prominent groups ever. He felt their captain needed to give them a few details to satisfy their innocent curiosity.

Wooyoung was the first to break the ice with her and treat her like one of the family rather than an unexpected addition to their already large group. It took only a few days before he started referring to her as 'Noona,' and he is known to blush, in an innocent and non-romantic way, at most of the things she says to him.

Jongho is a private person who, unlike many other group members, highly values his privacy and, therefore, deeply respects others' boundaries. So, he didn't seem particularly interested in the news of his hyung's relationship. After all, it was normal for them to have partners, right? The only difference was that the girl was one of the country's most famous and influential figures. At first, Jongho thought that it might have been better for the group's well-being and harmony if Hongjoong had found love in someone who wasn't always in the spotlight, but in the end, he was indifferent to their relationship as it was their business.

For this reason, at first, he couldn’t understand the cheerful atmosphere with which almost everyone else had welcomed the news. It wasn’t the first time one of them had started dating someone (obviously keeping everything strategically out of the spotlight), and to him, the fact that Hongjoong was with a famous person rather than an ordinary one didn’t make any difference. That’s why he didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic.

However, as time passed and as Chaeri became more and more embedded in their group dynamic, Jongho could not help but get to know her better. He noticed that despite her fame, she approached everyone with humility, a quality that many celebrities in their circles display only when they are in the spotlight. Although he was less experienced than her, who had debuted five years earlier, it happened more than once that Chaeri asked him for advice on how to keep her voice so steady during performances, which amazed him and filled him with pride.

His respect for her began to change drastically for the better when, after a movie night organized by the group, she stayed behind to help tidy up, despite the fact that it was late and she had a busy schedule the next day. When Jongho told her she did not need to, she replied that it was nice to contribute, since she now considered them a second family.

I wanted to thank @littlestatesman for helping me a few months ago by giving me more information about Ateez than I had, and especially my Boo, @alixnsuperstxr who helped me with the entire drafting of everything written. Thank you so much for your friendship and support ❤️

taglist: @alixnsuperstxr | @bts-dream | @enchantingbrowneyedgirl | @ycuvi | @cosmicwintr

[warping-realities]

Bed and Breakfast (Repost)

"I can't believe you're gonna make me stay in a dump like that," said the gorgeous woman with an arrogant tone towards her boyfriend, not realizing the owner of the cozy little beach inn was eavesdropping.

"Babe, chill out, the place is actually pretty dope and seems super comfy. Plus, it’s got killer reviews on travel sites. We’ll be lucky if there’s even a spot for us here."

"We wouldn’t have to deal with this crap if you had booked a hotel ahead of time."

"Laura, sweetheart, you picked a trendy spot last minute during peak season; there’s no way we’d find a room, and yet you insisted on coming."

"Of course, all the big shots are here. What do you think my followers would say if I didn't show up? An influencer’s gotta stay on top of all the trends, Jeremy, and this is the hot spot right now—God only knows why," Laura shot back, making her boyfriend sigh before being interrupted by a cheerful and upbeat voice.

"Good evening! I’m Cintia, the owner of Cozy Cabin. Welcome! How can I help you?"

"Good evening, ma’am. I’m Jeremy Grant, and this is my fiancée, Laura. We’re looking for a place to crash."

"Oh no! I’m sorry, but we’re all booked up. Reservations have been closed for over two months; we’ve become super popular lately." The woman, who seemed to be of an age that was hard to pin down, responded. Though she showed signs of age, she had a vibe of joy and youth around her, at that moment tainted by genuine sadness at not being able to help. That turned into indignation and anger when the pretty blonde in front of her let out a dismissive giggle followed by a sharp jab at her fiancé. But before Cintia could say anything, Jeremy quickly jumped in.

"Isn’t there even the slightest chance, Cintia? It would just be for one night so Laura can snap some pics and post them; she’s a digital influencer."

"Really? I’ve never heard of you, darling," Cintia said, taking the moment to get back at the rude young woman, who couldn’t help but fire back.

"I work with a younger crowd; it's understandable if someone your age doesn’t know me," Laura replied, making Jeremy cringe and a dangerous glint appear in Cintia’s eyes.

"Ah, trust me, I know how to spot a real influencer with clout. Right now, we’ve got Miguel Ramos, the famous fitness influencer, crashing here; it’s his fifth year visiting us during this time. Which gives me an awesome idea to help you out. If you’ll excuse me for a sec, I’ll be back with some info."

"Stupid hag," Laura muttered bitterly as soon as Cintia left the room.

"Baby, you kinda poked the bear..."

"Don’t you dare take her side, Jeremy. How could she compare me to that fairy Miguel Ramos?"

"Laura, watch your mouth. I’ve heard a lot about Miguel Ramos; he was a respected personal trainer before he blew up as a fitness influencer and has a solid follower base."

That was a huge understatement, and they both knew it. While Laura’s follower count hadn’t even hit the hundreds of thousands mark, Miguel’s had already smashed through the million barrier. And obviously, the vain woman didn’t like being reminded of that and soon found a reason to roast her fiancé.

"Jeremy, that scruff of yours looks awful! How many times have I told you to keep your face smooth? My followers prefer you to match my look!"

Jeremy didn’t know if that was true; Laura’s followers really did hype up how well they matched in appearance. But he couldn’t help but wonder if the fact that Laura dressed him in similar styles to hers, combined with her nagging to keep his face smooth and his blond hair styled in neat curls, made them look so much alike that some people thought they were siblings instead of a couple. It was proof enough of a totally narcissistic nature, as the class bullies loved to shout. But every time those thoughts popped up, Jeremy quickly shoved them aside; he had long accepted that he’d be nobody without his girlfriend, to the point of giving up his career as a gym teacher to follow her, making sure all her wishes were met and canceling himself out in every way. Because he was dead sure he wasn’t worthy of her love and that no one in the world could love him like she did. It was exactly because he thought all this that when he saw Cintia return with a satisfied look on her face, he replied calmly.

"Yeah, babe, that’s the first thing I’ll do once we hit the room."

"My dears, I found a solution; it’s not perfect, but it should help for today," Cintia started with a playful grin and that spark in her eyes. "We have a few rooms with extra beds that aren’t being used, and two of our guests have kindly offered those beds to you for a couple of nights. In two days, Mrs. Goldschmitt will be heading home, and her room will be free if you want to extend your stay."

"You mean you want us to crash in separate rooms?" Laura asked, indignantly.

"It was the best I could do, dear. Of course, if that doesn’t work for you, feel free to scram and find somewhere else," Cintia replied with a frosty smile.

"No, no, that’s cool; we’ll take it!" Jeremy quickly interrupted, wanting to avoid more drama and losing the only place they found.

"Great! Follow me, then; I’ll have one of the staff take your bags to your respective rooms," Cintia said, looking genuinely pleased as she led them down a hallway and a flight of stairs to the first room. She knocked on the door, which was promptly opened by a handsome Latino man in his thirties, with muscles that popped under a fitted white t-shirt and a friendly smile on his rugged, bearded face.

"Goodnight," he said simply, his voice oozing masculinity.

"Miguel, darling! These are Jeremy and Lau..."

"You don’t need to introduce me; I’m sure Miguel knows who I am," Laura interrupted while Miguel stared at her like she was some exotic creature that had just landed in front of him.

"Laura... apparently she’s a digital influencer," Cintia continued as if she hadn’t been rudely interrupted. "Jeremy and Laura, this is Miguel Ramos, the guy we talked about earlier, who kindly agreed to give Jeremy the extra bed in his room."

"Thanks for the lovely intro, Cintia; it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Laura, and you too, Jer..." Miguel started, only to be cut off by Laura.

"I think our followers would love a collab from us."

"Um, sure, we can chat about that tomorrow, Laura. I believe you both are wiped out now, and Cintia still needs to take you to your room."

"Yeah, yeah, you’re right; we’ll sort everything out tomorrow. Shall we bounce then?" Laura wrapped up, talking to Cintia without even saying goodbye to Jeremy, who then stepped up to his girlfriend and kissed her on the cheek.

"Good night, love; sleep tight!" he said before entering the room and watching his fiancée being led away by Cintia.

.....

"Welcome, Jeremy; unfortunately, you’ll have to take the single bed."

"Thanks, Miguel; you didn’t have to do that or pretend to know Laura."

"Ahh, I’m sorry about that, but I thought it was better; I know how sensitive some influencers can be about not being recognized. I’ve never really cared about that, but I’ve seen some awkward situations, to say the least. And about the bed, it’s just a bed; I’m not really using it, and Cintia asked me for a favor; she’s a good friend and helped me out a lot when... anyway, you’re welcome here."

"Still, you didn’t have to do any of that; thanks a ton," Jeremy replied as he prepped to crash, thinking about what Miguel had left unsaid. It was no secret that his breakup with his long-time boyfriend, a big-time film actor, had been a massive bummer, so much so that he had stayed out of the spotlight for months until he was spotted on the beach close to where they were, which is why the interest in the place had exploded. The only news was that he wouldn’t be staying in some fancy hotel but in Cintia’s cozy little inn. Laura should be stoked, Jeremy thought before dozing off; she went looking for copper and apparently struck gold.

Already lying in the single bed, Jeremy found the guts to say something else.

"Miguel, seriously, thanks a bunch; I really appreciate your kindness... but... well... I apologize in advance if Laura throws a fit about the sleeping arrangements... she’s used to getting her way, and... well... there might be some jealousy or something..."

"She doesn’t need to worry, Jeremy; I’m not into guys skinnier, smaller, and younger than me," Miguel joked, but it made Jeremy flinch.

"I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to offend you."

"You didn’t offend me, Jeremy; I was just messing around. You can relax in the room; as far as I’m concerned, it’s as much yours as mine. Have a good night."

…..

The morning sun streamed into the inn's bedroom, causing Jeremy to roll over in bed and wake up, rubbing his eyes, treated to a stunning sight: Miguel in just white underwear, his sculpted body on display, staring intently at the bedroom wall like he was lost in thought. At that moment, Jeremy felt something he never thought he would feel upon seeing another dude: a pang of desire, mixed with a familiar sensation in his dick that he only associated with seeing Laura’s naked beauty. His surprise was so intense that he moved abruptly, waking Miguel from his daydream.

"Good morning; sorry if I woke you; I forgot to close the curtains last night."

"No problem," Jeremy replied, hiding his erection with a pillow.

"Anyway, I’m already heading out for my morning run before breakfast."

"Oh man, I miss doing that!" Jeremy commented.

"Do you do this too?"

"Yeah, I was a physical educator just like you, but since I started following Laura... she’s not a morning person and gets all cranky when I wake her up early... anyway, I’ve been running on the treadmill while she shoots her videos at the gym."

"If you want to train with me..."

"Nah, man, thanks, but no. I’ll catch some more Z’s," Jeremy replied, still trying to hide his erection.

"Then I’ll see you later. Sweet dreams," said a fully dressed Miguel as he left the room, leaving Jeremy alone with his confusing thoughts.

…….

To say the trip had been a letdown for Laura would be a massive understatement. First, Jeremy couldn’t even make a simple reservation and had the nerve to blame her when he should’ve seen this coming. Then there was the beach itself; she had never liked the sun and sea, and just thinking about sand made her skin crawl. But unfortunately, thanks to Miguel Ramos’ star-studded divorce and his apparent bad taste, that little beach was the hot spot for the summer. Ending up in the same inn as him could be a golden opportunity, but for that, she had to deal with the arrogant old bat who owned the place, the fact that her fiancé was sleeping in the same room as that gay dude, and the annoying roommate she was sure had been chosen by the old hag just to irritate her. And it was with a look reflecting her inner bitterness that she waited for her fiancé to show up for breakfast, which only made her angrier, since she wasn’t used to waiting and stubbornly refused to call him. After all, he should know his place and duties!

It was with that sour expression that Miguel found her after taking a shower and getting dressed as quietly as possible to avoid waking the still-snoozing Jeremy. Seeing that expression made him seriously consider making a run for it from the breakfast room without being seen, especially since he hadn’t had a great first impression of Laura, which was confirmed when he checked out the kind of content she produced, with Jeremy looking more like an accessory to her outfit than an actual boyfriend, raising the suspicion that maybe the other guy was stuck in an abusive relationship like he himself had experienced until recently. But before he had time to bolt, their eyes locked, and a practiced smile crept onto her face, not quite reaching her predatory eyes. Knowing that game all too well, Miguel plastered on a smile just as fake as hers and approached her table.

"Good morning, Miguel; I hope Jeremy’s snoring wasn’t too much of a bother," Laura said, kicking off the conversation in the worst way possible and making Miguel’s smile fade.

"On the contrary, it didn’t bother me at all; Noah snored way worse," he replied, a look of irritation briefly crossing Laura’s face due to the comparison with her ex-husband. Wasn’t it enough that her boyfriend was sleeping in the same room as him?

"You’re too kind, but it’s my fiancé you’re talking about; no one knows him like I do."

"Of course, and if you’ll let me say, checking out your posts on social media it’s clear to see all your influence on him," Miguel replied, barely hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

"Thanks. It was hard work," Laura shot back without realizing the dig hidden in his comment. "Speaking of work, when are we gonna do our collab?" she concluded.

"We’ll definitely figure something out," he replied in turn, knowing that as far as he was concerned, that was never gonna happen. "If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment now. Maybe you should check on Jeremy; when I left the room, he was out cold. It seemed to me like he hadn’t slept that well in ages." He finished with a bright, genuine smile before exiting the room, leaving a fuming Laura behind.

Although Miguel’s statement was meant to poke at Laura, it wasn’t too far from the truth. Jeremy had slept like a baby and didn’t even stir when Miguel returned to the room and got ready for breakfast. If he had woken up, he would’ve been mortified, because he ended up ripping off his pajama shirt in his sleep, and without realizing it, he reached for his erection that had returned with Miguel’s presence in the room, while his mind filled with one of the most different and vivid dreams he’d ever had. In the dream, he found himself lying completely naked on a beach not too different from the one the inn was on, and with the sun bathing his body, a beautiful blonde woman approached and began kissing his naked body. He couldn’t tell if it was Laura or not, because each kiss in the dream sent him into an ecstasy so intense that it overshadowed any sense other than pleasure, so much so that he only realized the figure in his dream had shifted to a muscular, bearded man with his dark body glistening with sweat in the morning sun, just seconds before he was jolted awake by the indignant voice of his fiancée.

"Jeremy, so this is what you were doing instead of meeting me for breakfast? Jerkin’ off in that queer’s room? How disgusting!" Laura barked, her face twisted in outrage as she found her boyfriend in that compromising position. Jeremy, caught off guard, shot back without thinking.

"Never use that kind of word in my presence again, Laura; if there’s anything disgusting, it’s those expressions!"

"Jeremy, how dare you correct me! Disgusting, yes, and even more disgusting are the habits of these faggots, but apparently, you’re already pretty used to it, huh? Jerk off in one of their bedrooms? And you didn’t even shave that gross beard. As if you just cut your hair without talking to me, I’m at my limit!" she fired back, causing all the layers of inhibition to come crashing down on a now more awake Jeremy.

"I’m sorry, babe; I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. Give me a few minutes to get ready, and we can have breakfast together," he said, falling back into his servile habits as he struggled to understand what she meant about his beard and hair.

"Well, you can have your breakfast alone. And you don’t even need to come with me to the beach; I’ll take Kayla to help me. Make the most of your day without my presence!" she replied angrily, storming out of the room and leaving a confused and still groggy Jeremy behind.

He, in turn, stood up and stretched, losing his balance a bit as he felt the strange sensation that he seemed to be a good few inches taller, which he knew was nonsense, since no one grows overnight other than the fact that he had been this height since the start of his adult life, which had helped him in many volleyball and basketball games when he was younger. Other activities he missed but couldn’t find time in his day to practice. He had never resented Laura for these things, but deep down, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of irritation for having given up pretty much all his interests for hers. Shaking his head in an attempt to shove those intrusive thoughts aside, he headed to the bathroom and took a long shower, knowing it was pointless to look for his girlfriend while she was in that mood; poor Kayla, whoever she was, would have to put up with Laura that morning, he thought with uncharacteristic sarcasm as he soaped the six-pack abs on his torso, this time without trying to shake that thought away. After stepping out of the shower, he looked at himself in the mirror; for someone who could no longer stick to a strict workout routine, he looked pretty damn good; he was lean but built, and his short beard accentuated the angles of his face, framed by his golden curls.

Maybe it was time for Laura to learn to appreciate the boyfriend she had better, he thought, leaving the bathroom without shaving, before changing and getting ready to enjoy a morning of sun and sea without Laura’s constant complaints and orders, which without a doubt was the best thing that could have happened, said a new invasive thought that once again did not go away.

……..

Jeremy wandered along the seawall for several minutes, feeling the sand beneath his feet, the scent of the sea breeze filling his lungs, and the sun’s rays bathing his fair skin, even though he knew he risked getting burned; it felt too good to let go. After wandering for a long time, he sat down on the beach and simply let himself be engulfed by it all, a wave of peace and completeness washing over him. Without realizing that the longer he stayed there, the less white his skin became, turning to a golden summer tone, while his muscles expanded slightly, giving him the look of someone who worked out regularly and carefully. Lost in his own mind he found himself searching for Miguel Ramos' name on social media, and getting lost in the other man's posts.

And there he would have stayed without noticing the changes if he hadn’t been interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey, roomie, watch out for a burn on your skin!"

Looking up he came face to face with the target of his interested scrutiny in all his glory with a beautiful smile plastered on his face.

"I may not have your Latin genes, Miguel, but it’s been a hot minute since I’ve burned!" he replied, smiling, as that strange feeling invaded him again.

"Still, the sun around here is way stronger than what you’re used to. Let me help you," Miguel replied, approaching with a tube of sunscreen in his hands. "That is, if you don’t mind."

Jeremy did care, not because of any prejudice but because of the fear of what that closeness would make him feel, not to mention the erection that threatened to return. But at the same time, he couldn’t resist that offer.

"No problem; I think you’re exaggerating, but Laura will be a total nightmare if I burn; she already hates my skin being so tanned."

"What nonsense; your skin is gorgeous; that tan pops real nice against your blonde hair; it gives you a healthy vibe, especially with those defined muscles."

"Thanks, dude; it’s nice to hear a compliment from... hummm," he groaned when he felt the other guy’s strong hands massaging his back.

"Something wrong?" Miguel asked.

"No... no... it’s just that the sunscreen was cold."

"Ah, I’m done. Just a little more down here," Miguel said, his hands moving toward Jeremy’s buttocks, making him tense up.

"Okay, do you want me to apply it on your front?"

"No, you don’t need to; I’ll handle that myself," Jeremy quickly responded, taking the sunscreen from Miguel’s hand without even thinking about those manly hands being so close to his cock.

"And where’s Laura? I thought you were helping with her content."

Thinking about his girlfriend brought an unexpected wave of irritation to Jeremy, like a cloud blocking out the morning sun.

"We had a blowout earlier... she did what she always does, said what she wanted, and bailed on me; I guess hoping I’d chase after her... but not this time... she can fend for herself with her new BFFO," he replied with a touch of bitterness that didn’t go unnoticed by Miguel.

"Relationships can be a real pain sometimes."

"Ours isn’t, but I’m starting to think it’s just because I’m used to canceling myself out for her."

Miguel, who had already picked up on that, chose not to comment.

"Anyway, we should catch up later and sort this out; I still love her, of course, but some things are gonna have to change in our relationship."

"So how about we hit that run now, a little return to your old self?"

"Are you sure you’ll keep up with me, with all this extra size and already running before..."

"Boy, show some respect; I’m not one of the most well-known personal trainers in the world for nothing."

"Then we’ll see!" Jeremy shot back, getting up and taking off running.

……

Laura trudged through the beach sand with disgust. Her morning, like the rest of the trip, had been a total drag. Kayla was pleasant company, sharing the same interests as her, though she was in a lower tier with only a few tens of thousands of followers. Still, she expected Laura to return the favors she did by asking her to take pictures and film videos of her. Simply unbearable. And it was all Jeremy’s fault, obviously. She still couldn’t believe her useless boyfriend hadn’t come looking for her, and even worse, it was her forced to hunt him down again in that damned sand for the second time that day.

With that feeling, she watched two muscular dudes running from the beach edge towards the sea while laughing loudly and then diving in. A ridiculous and childish behavior in her book. So what was her surprise when she saw that one of those guys, the tanned blonde with a pompadour and a faded side cut, sporting a full beard just as blonde, smile and approach her with his muscular, sun-kissed body still glistening from the seawater.

"Hey babe, how was the morning?"

"Jeremy, how dare you leave me hanging like that! And that beard, you said you were gonna trim it! And your hair??? What the hell is this?"

"No hell, Laura. They look the way I like!"

"But not how my followers and I expected! You’re almost bald! That tan and those bulging muscles just don’t cut it!"

"Don’t blow it out of proportion, Laura; if I decide to shave all my hair, I will. Your followers have nothing to do with how I choose to style my hair or beard."

"Of course, it has everything to do with it; you’re my boyfriend; you affect how people see me!"

"Apparently, that’s the only thing I’m good for, how I make others perceive you."

"And how would it be any different? I make a living off this; I’m an influencer, and my boyfriend needs to be on brand with me."

"I’m not your accessory, Laura."

"Well, babe, in the end, it’s like you are!"

"So I don’t know if I even wanna keep this relationship going," he replied, turning his back on a furious Laura.

"Jeremy! Don’t you dare! Jeremyyyy....!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, but he didn’t look back and walked aimlessly toward the other side of the beach, under the watchful eye of Miguel Ramos.

…..

Jeremy wandered the beach for several minutes, trying to calm the influx of thoughts. He was torn between the despair of losing the woman he thought he loved and the growing contempt for that same woman. How could he have canceled himself out for so long? How could he not see who she was? And at the same time, she had been his life for the past few years; how could he live without her? There’s no way he could do that! Deciding to run back after her and humble himself for her forgiveness, he started sprinting. He only stopped when he heard the voice that made him start to associate with that strange feeling, a mix of desire and discomfort.

"Hey, Big Guy, what’s the rush?" asked a grinning Miguel, sitting on a bench at a beach bar.

"Sorry, Miguel; I need to find Laura!"

"And what’s the point in talking to her with your head all hot? Wait for you two to cool off."

"You don’t get it!"

"Ah, I get it. I get it so much that I’m gonna offer you the two things you need most right now: company and a few shots of tequila!"

"I don’t know, man..."

"Relax, dude, and follow me," Miguel said, grabbing Jeremy by the arms and leading him to a table at the bar.

…..

"I shouldn’t get in the middle of your relationship with your girlfriend. But I recently went through a messy divorce. And honestly, it took me a long time to realize I was in an abusive relationship," Miguel said to a downcast Jeremy.

"I’m not in a relationship like that; I love Laura," Jeremy replied, but with way less conviction than he wanted to show.

"And does she return that love? Does she love you the same way you love her?"

"Of course..."

"Really? Be honest with yourself if you don’t wanna be honest with someone you barely know."

"I want to believe that, but..."

"But you have doubts. Let me propose a game: I’m gonna ask you some questions about relationships, and for every positive answer from you and me, we’ll down a shot of tequila; I bet we’ll polish off a bottle in no time."

"First question: Have you ever felt like you were putting way more into this relationship than your partner?"

Both took a shot, and though neither noticed, Jeremy’s tan deepened, reaching a caramel shade very close to Miguel’s.

"Second question: Have you ever felt belittled by your partner?"

Another shot for both. And now Jeremy had shot up a few inches taller than Miguel.

"Third question: Have you ever felt like you’re nothing more than an accessory to your partner, that they don’t even see you as a person but as an object?"

Another shot. Another change. Jeremy’s muscles swelled, surpassing Miguel’s size and reaching the proportions of an amateur bodybuilder. The bottle was already half empty, but both men, who weren’t small, were already pretty tipsy, as that level of drinking wasn’t part of either of their habits.

"One more... one more..." a drunken Miguel said, looking extremely distorted in Jeremy’s vision. "Have you ever felt like you’re in this relationship out of fear... scared that you’re not good enough... that you can’t be loved by someone else... and that your partner takes advantage of that to keep you stuck with them?"

Another shot, and Jeremy’s already blurry vision began to swirl as a wave of anxiety took hold of him for finally admitting those truths, even while drunk. Miguel was spinning in front of him, and he felt an immense urge to get up and bolt, but when he did, he fell to the ground.

"Jeremy, Jeremy..." he heard the voice in the distance, that voice which stirred so many feelings within him. "Jeremy..." a voice that made him realize he could still desire and be desired... "Jer...." the voice that made him tingle just hearing it. "Jav..." the voice of the man he was in love with but couldn’t admit.

"Javier, get up; is everything cool?"

And Javier stood up amidst laughter.

"It’s all good, Miguel; it takes way more than a shot of tequila to take down a man my size," he replied with a grin, sitting back down at the table. At the same time, he ran his hands through his shiny black beard.

"Let me ask the question now," Javier said, beaming wider. "Do you think you’re ready to ditch this relationship and move on to better things?"

One more shot for both.

…..

Javier lay back on a couch of the exclusive rooftop bar Miguel that Miguel reserved just for the two of them, feeling his head spinning. While his roommate spent some not-so-productive time feeling the same way sitting on the toilet. As he tried hard not to toss his cookies, he felt his phone buzz. When he looked at the screen, he noticed there were tons of messages and calls from an unknown number. Choosing to deal with it when he was in better shape, he closed his eyes and thus didn’t see each of those messages and calls vanish from his records.

With his head still spinning, he slipped into a restless sleep filled with rapidly changing dreams, until again he dreamed of that slim, stunning blonde. In the dream, she lay down on him again and started kissing his naked body, but without provoking any reaction in him, nothing, no excitement, no pleasure, until once again the smooth woman’s skin gave way to the rough sensation of a beard brushing against his body, and it was Miguel who kissed him, reigniting the flame of desire within him. While he slept, he moaned with excitement, a powerful erection between his legs, until he finally woke up feeling Miguel’s real mouth wrapped around his swollen cock. Trapped in that feeling of pleasure, he pulled the other man closer to him, being overtaken by the now familiar sensation of raw desire.

After hours of wild sex, Javier sat on the edge of the couch. with the strange feeling that he had forgotten something, as usual when this happened he found himself mentally going over his posing routine for his next competition.

Every fiber of his body had been honed with the utmost dedication and commitment, and soon he would be on stage to put all that work to the test. He ran his hand through his raven hair and finished the motion with his soft trimmed beard. He knew he’d have to shave it before the performance, but he was reluctant because Miguel liked him that way. Speak of the devil, Miguel at that moment repositioned himself on the couch and smiled.

"A penny for your thoughts," said the smaller and younger man, but who had still earned the position of his coach and Javier’s heart.

"It’s no biggie, Mig; I was just checking myself out and thinking it’s a shame to shave; you like it so much..."

"Javi, I want you with or without a beard; I don’t care how you look; I care about being with you."

"So you mean if I were smaller and skinnier, you’d still be with me?"

"Maybe you wouldn’t have caught my eye right off the bat, but like I said, I care about the person you are; the man I fell for, and if he gains or loses weight, that’s not gonna change."

"Thanks, babe; that’s really nice to hear," Javier replied.

"You know what else is nice? Your posing routine, show it to me babe."

"You've seen it a hundred times, babe."

"What can I do if I can't get enough of watching my hot fiancé flex his muscles for me?" Miguel said with a mischievous smile, making a big smile spread across Javiers face, who even tried to pose seriously, crossing the covered area of ​​the lounge towards the balcony, but failing miserably and loving every second of it as he heard the whistles and flirtations of the passionate man he had chosen to have by his side.

……

The afternoon sun shone brighter than ever, but even that didn’t seem to brighten a sunburned Laura’s mood as she gossiped with Kayla at the beach bar while they discreetly watched Miguel and Javier talking.

"Is this a good time? They seem to be having a spat," Kayla asked her friend.

"Just because they’re serious doesn’t mean they’re fighting. If we consider their social media, they’re living the dream," Laura replied.

"You know as well as I do how misleading social media can be."

"Still, this is our chance to collab with them; it’s not every day we get to work with two of the biggest fitness influencers in the game."

"Smile; they’re looking this way!" said Kayla, making both of them flash identical fake smiles, returned by a nod from the fitness couple of the year, who then got up and headed toward the beach.

"There goes our shot," Laura grumbled.

"Don’t sweat it, girl; people like you always get what’s coming to them," said a smiling Cintia, who was passing by before positioning herself at the bar counter and grinning.

A grin that widened when she saw Miguel and Javier together on the beach sharing a passionate kiss. If there was something she took pride in, it was a job well done, and at her inn, that meant way more than just a bed and breakfast.

[annymation]

The Kingdom of Wishes- A “Wish” Rewrite

Chapter 6- And The Star Answered

Chapter 5

She stopped, her arm was being held back by a large hand.

Asha’s heart was beating as fast as a hummingbird’s wings.

She didn’t want to look back, she was too afraid to look and see the king’s face-

“Asha… We were all waiting for you. Are you okay?”

That wasn’t the king’s voice, it was a gentle and genuinely worried voice, that was

“… Simon?”

Asha turned around, and sure enough, Simon was holding her arm.

And Asha’s other 6 friends were by his side, they were all very worried about her.

“Why are you crying? What happened in there??” Hal rushed over to dry her tears.

“Did you just break out of the dungeon?!? By yourself?!? How did you do that???” Gabo tripped over his words

“For the LAST TIME, GABO! They would NEVER throw Asha in a dungeon for just raising her voice at them, they’re too nice for that!” Dahlia explained like that was just common sense.

And in any other kingdom, yeah it probably would be common sense, but Asha knew that wasn’t the case in Rosas.

Knowing what she knows now.

“Everyone please, let's all calm down and go talk somewhere quieter, then Asha can tell us what happened” Bazeema chimed in meekly

But Asha didn’t want to calm down and talk, no, she wanted to be alone, she was in no condition to talk with anyone.

“I- I gotta go! I can’t talk with you guys right now…”

She tried to run away again but Simon kept holding her arm, not in a way that hurted though

“Why? We just wanna help. Did they say something that made you upset?” Simon asked very concerned

Dario ran to be in front of Asha so she could see him signing to her “We’re with you on this, you did the right thing speaking up about your grandpa’s wish”

Her friends kept talking all at the same time over each other

But Asha's mind was somewhere else

How can she explain this to them?

“I- I understand wanting to be alone, Asha, I really do, but you’re clearly under a lot of stress” Bazeema stammered through her words.

That everything they've known was a lie…

“You can count on us, we’ll always be on your side” Dahlia tried to soothe her best friend

Would they even believe it?

“Just breathe, we know you didn’t do anything wrong” said Safi

And if they did, then what? They’re just a group of teens, it’s not like there’s anything they can do.

“You’ve always been there for us, so we are NOT leaving your side till you’re feeling better” Hal said determined

Asha is in danger because she knows the king’s secret, she CAN’T risk putting her friends in danger too

Gabo was the only one who didn’t look worried, he was angry, not at Asha, but at the two monarchs who made his best friend cry

“Was that narcissistic dolt rude to you?! If so, I’mma get in that castle RIGHT NOW and give him a piece of my min-“

“NO!” Asha screamed “WHATEVER YOU DO, DONT TALK TO THEM!” She was scared out of her mind.

Asha’s friends were startled, they finally went silent

Asha lowered her voice but kept trying to struggle out of Simon’s grip

“I- I’m sorry. Simon, please, let go of me— I gotta go”

“Go where!?” Dahlia asked

“I- i’ll be fine, really, I just need to be alone for a while, okay?”

Simon, for the first time since the day he gave away his wish 3 years ago, raised his voice:

“I’m not letting go till you tell us what you did!”

… What SHE did?…

Asha looked at him straight in the eyes, no longer just sad and scared, but also angry

“You wanna know what happened so badly?! What happened is that THEY WON’T GRANT MY WISH AT ALL!”

She stepped on Simon’s foot.

He let go of her.

She ran, pushing Dario and Safi out of her way in the process

“ASHA WAIT!!!” Dahlia screamed

Hal, Dario and Gabo started running after her, but of course Gabo threw one last piece of sass while running

“VICTIM BLAMING huh Simon?? Because THAT’S definitely the best way to calm down your crying friend! Great job buddy!” He said sarcastically and angrily to Simon while he ran after Asha.

(Gabo spitting facts)

All the others who stayed behind look sad, but Simon looks the saddest.

Asha can hear her friends calling her as she runs away from the castle, but she keeps running without looking back

Dario, Hal and Gabo eventually lose sight of her.

As Asha runs she keeps seeing the royals faces literally everywhere.

All her life that felt natural, why wouldn’t the people of Rosas want to paint their beloved rulers faces on the floors, walls and have statues of them everywhere?

But now, now that she knows who they really are, seeing how the people are obsessed with them is terrifying.

Eventually, after A LOT of running, she leaves the kingdom

She reaches the forest

Valentino is hopping after her with his little baby goat legs

Tears are running down her face non stop

Asha felt trapped, hopeless, desperate

She knew that by morning “her wish” will be granted

And she’ll lose her free will, her friends and her own sense of self

The king and queen will steal all of that from her and there’s nothing she can do about it.

Eventually she trips and falls on the floor

We get a shot similar to this one from Snow White

She sobs in the darkness

Valentino is now next to her, trying to help her feel better by licking her hand

That actually helps her a little, at least she’s not completely alone

She sits down and Valentino comes lay down on her lap

(Seriously little things like this make Valentino MILES better than he was in the movie, movie Valentino didn’t do ANYTHING to help Asha emotionally)

She starts petting him and takes some deep breaths

“Should I have told them?” She asks Valentino “... I wanted to, but– then what? It's not like there's anything we can do to stop them, we're just some teens…”

Valentino interrupts her bleating loudly, with a frustrated expression

She finally smiles a little bit “Right, some teens and a goat hehe…” she pets Valentino some more, her look becomes distant again “… I don’t know what to do…”

She feels a turmoil of emotions that she can’t put into words

And what does a Disney protagonist does when emotions are too strong for words?

… They sing

Sooo yeah, here’s my version of This Wish, enjoy!

Purple lines are Asha, of course

Orange is my commentary and describing what’s going on in the scene

Should’ve listened to my own instincts

No time to cry for what could have been

If I could show them everything I've seen

Open their eyes to all the lies then

Would they believe in me or in them?

(Asha begins singing still laying on the floor, she takes her sketchbook and at "Would they believe in me or in THEM" we see a drawing of the king and queen, she sketched them a few times since there's images of them all over Rosas so she might as well practice drawing poses using their likeness, right?)

Cause’ when I speak, they tell me, "Sit down"

But how can I when I've already started runnin'?

All I wanted to do

Was grant my wish on my own

But now that wish’s stolen and, I am all alone

(So when she sings "Started running" she gets up. And she walks through the forest, she's looking down as she walks looking very sorrowful)

So I look up at the stars to guide me

For I know they can send me a sign

If knowing what it could be is what drives me

Then let me be the first to stand in line

(“THROWING CAUTION TO EVERY WARNING SIGN”IS SUCH A WEIRD LYRIC AND IT COULD’VE BEEN FIXED SO EASILY! I NEVER STUDIED MUSIC WRITING IN MY LIFE AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT REPLACEMENT IN A SECOND WTF DISNEY!?)

(*ahem* so anyway, she looks up, now recollecting her hopes but... Once she looks up, there are no stars in the sky, because she's deep in the forest and all she sees are the tree leaves... So this is Asha's goal in this song, she's looking for a star to wish upon, she's trying to get out of the darkness)

So I make this wish

Asking us for freedom, hope and bliss

So I make this wish

To have something more for us than this

(She keeps walking while looking up, searching for any star to be wished upon.)

(Now let me break down my personal favorite change here "Freedom, hope and bliss" these three words summarizes everything Asha wants for herself and everyone else: Freedom for herself, now that she knows the royals intend to imprison her, and also freedom for everyone else that is having their wishes changed; Hope, because she wants the people of Rosas to have hope that they can achieve their own wishes without the king's help; And bliss, the joy that comes with achieving your own desires, she wants that for herself and everyone else)

(As she sings the last line, she steps on a field of grass and some fireflies start floating around her)

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, ah-ah

More than this, oh-ah-ah-ah

(The fireflies fly all around her and her smile returns to her face, as she regains a little bit of hope, she sings "More than this" with her hands on her chest)

For many years they’ve been fooling us all

Yeah, they said “We’ll protect you” while being our downfall

Now what’s a girl like me supposed to do?

How do you fight a king and queen? oh and they’ve got magic too!

(We have a bit of a time skip with Asha still walking around the forest, but as she does so she's flipping through the pages of her sketchbook, and tearing off all the ones that have sketches of King Magnifico and Queen Amable. She looks at each one angrily and crumbles the pages in her hands (I'll excuse littering this one time because the girl is going through the 7 stages of grief and is currently at anger))

And all I've got is reservations and hesitations

On where I should even begin

I'm past dipping my toes in

But I'm not, no, I'm not past diving in

If I could just be pointed in any given direction

On where to go and what to do

My legs are shaking, but my head's held high

The way you always taught me to

(Yeah no changes for this verse, it’s fantastically fitting for my rewrite, and the best part of the song in my opinion. As she’s walking in the woods she encounters many different paths, she looks at all of them unsure on which one to choose. She trusts her gut and picks one of them. Asha run through this path she chose and then… She finds the tree she and her grandfather used to sit on and wish upon the stars together)

So I look up at the stars to guide me

For I know they WILL send me a sign

I'm sure there will be challenges that find me

But I can take them on one at a time

(Her heart swells, she’s full of hope as she runs to that tree knowing without a doubt in her mind that she’ll get a sign on what to do. She climbs the tree determined, and upon reaching the top, she sees it, the first star she sees tonight.)

So I make this wish

Asking us for freedom, hope and bliss

So I make this wish

To have something more for us than this

(The star she’s looking at is not very bright at all, is barely noticeable in the vast night sky full of other brighter ones, but THAT little one is the one she chooses, and she puts all her heart on the wish she’s making to this star)

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah (so I make this wish)

Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, ah-ah (to have something more)

More than this, oh, ah-ah-ah

So I make this wish

To have something more for us than this

The song ends.

We see the night sky... and suddenly... The tiny star that Asha was looking at starts getting brighter, bigger, until it's light engulfs the entire sky.

Asha closes her eyes.

The light proceeds to shine upon all the kingdom of Rosas, and everyone that is touched by that light is overtaken by a pleasant feeling of joy and warmth.

It's very faint, but if you listen closely you can hear the sound of a laughter, the most energetic and youthful laughter you can imagine.

We cut back to Asha, who notices that the light is getting... closer.

And it looks like a big ball of light.

Coming directly in her direction at high speed.

She screams as she quickly grabs Valentino and jumps off the tree branch to get cover.

The bright light passes flying over them and landing deep into the forest. A few animals run away from the place of impact.

Asha is laying down on the grass. Obviously VERY shocked.

Valentino is under her, excitedly trying to get out to check out what that was.

"... As if this day couldn't get any crazier, I almost get hit by a meteor... On my birthday " She's quite done with all of these emotions for the day. She stands up and starts dusting herself off "Come on Val, we better go before... Whatever THAT was starts a forest fire..."

(Any other Disney protagonist would be like "oooh whats that?" and answer the call to adventure, but our girl already had enough adventure for a life time and we are not even in the second act yet ladies and gentleman)

Asha had her eyes closed while she dusted herself off, so she didn't realize that while she was talking Valentino was already happily hopping to the source of the light

She looks to where Valentino was a second ago, aaaaand he's gone

"... Valentino?"

"Maaaa! Maaa! Maaaa"

She heard Valentino's bleating getting farther and farther away... Honestly what was she expecting?

"NO! VALENTINO!! Bad goat! We don't touch stuff that comes from space! IT BURNS!!!" She runs after him.

(Oh it's gonna burn you alright)

...

(Okay I knooooow ya'll are gonna hate me for this but... *sigh*)

We cut to the villains POV

Magnifico is getting ready to use his magic to open the tower's celling, thus releasing all the wishes to be granted that night.

But he stops when he realizes... The room is getting brighter.

He looks out the window and sees it, the light engulfing his whole kingdom.

He stares at it in shock

Once the light fades away, Magnifico is gazing out the window. His face no longer visible.

We hear the BLAM of a door opening violently, the queen is running towards her husband wearing a night gown, her long hair is loose.

"What on earth was that light?!” She speaks loudly, firm and precise, confident that her husband will know the answer.

Magnifico is, for the first time since they've met, not paying attention to her...

Nah his mind is somewhere else entirely.

He looks at the horizon trying to remember something, like a memory he has been repressing but now he really REALLY needs it...

Amaya notices his distant gaze and becomes worried "... Mi rei? Is everything alright?… You think it might be a threat?"

He keeps staring at nothing until suddenly…

He starts mumbling a poem, as if he's remembering the words as he speaks:

“Shining guide of old

Guiding hearts

As bright as gold

To a desire far too grand

To be granted by a mortal hand”

“… EXCUSE ME?!?” Amaya is now even more lost, what’s he talking about?

Magnifico proceeds to the next verse ignoring his wife’s reaction… It’s like he’s trying really hard to remember the whole thing.

“With hair like light

And eyes like prism

That see the truth

And speak through rhythm”

"Darling, what is this nonsense? You're scaring me" She sounds, for the first time in the story, genuinely scared

"Do not fret, they mean no harm

As all they bring is joy and warmth

So if you see the sUN AT NIGHT

KNOW A WISHING STAR IS CLOSE IN SIGHT"

He remembered. A sun at night. That was it.

He turned to his wife with the smile of a mad man.

"I KNEW IT!" He starts laughing maniacally as he lifts her up in his arms and starts twirling around the room

Amaya is not in the mood for his romantic acts at the moment tho

"PUT ME DOWN! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS???" She usually loves her husband's eccentricities but this is too much even for him

He puts her down and tries to calm himself, still laughing while holding her by the shoulders "Forgive me my love, but you have no idea what a joyous occasion this is!"

"Well, perhaps I would if you stopped and explained to me" She’s out of patience.

"Listen. I know what that light was, I've grew up with stories about what it means, it's a sign that a being with power beyond our imagination has arrived in our kingdom" He explains like it's the most amazing thing that has ever happened to them.

Her eyebrows raise "... In what WORLD that's a joyous occasion?!"

"Oh but you misunderstand my queen, that power can be OURS… if we play our cards right." A sinister grin forms on his face "I just need to find one of my father’s old books, so I may recall the spell to absorb the being’s power"

That get's her attention "I see... But what exactly is that being?"

"… A Star" He says it in whisper as he starts walking out the room, his steps become quicker the closer he gets to the door "You may go to bed without me darling, it will take me all night to find that blasted book, but it’ll be worth it!"

"ALL NIGHT?! But, darling I-"

But he already left the room

"Oh this is going to be GREAT, just you wait my beldam! Sweet dreams!"

His voice gets farther and farther away as he runs down the stairs

Leaving a very perplexed and alone queen in the wishes room.

Magnifico won't be granting any wishes tonight.

(*phew* okay at least the scene with them is brief and it builds up Aster more with the poem... Btw did you guys like the poem? I think it turned out pretty sweet)

So we cut back to Asha's POV

Valentino pops out of some bushes, he's a few feet away from the source of the light

Asha finally catches him

"GOTCHA! HAha-" She sees what fell from the sky. It a blob of light and sparkly dust that shifts and moves around... Like it's trying to take shape "oh… wow"

She picks Valentino in her arms slowly while still staring in awe to the mysterious light.

"This is... Definitely NOT a meteor... We better go, this thing might be dan-"

A hand pops out of the light and grabs the floor.

Asha get's startled by that and hides behind the bushes.

She watches as the light keeps changing shape, she's scared but she's also... Curious.

The light forms a second arm, and then, with now both arms, it starts using them to shape the rest of itself, like a it's playing with clay.

After trying a few different body types the light takes the shape of a 5 feet tall skinny young individual, but yet with no features.

the now "teenager shaped" light starts to manifest clothes on his body, a black outfit reminiscent of something Asha would often see a prince wear in her fairytale books when she was little.

Then a large cape emerges from his back, flowing in the air with a trail of stardust underneath it.

His whole body starts coloring itself, his skin is no longer made of light, he has tan brown skin.

The only part of them that is still emitting light is his hair, that dances around slightly like the flame of a candle.

After ALL that (that would probably be a pretty quick transformation sequence, think of it like in Steven universe when the gems reform) he is now floating with his back turned to Asha, who is still hiding behind the bushes.

Asha is staring at all this no longer scared but more so intrigued, she looks closer and she realizes that somehow the boy looks like... A drawing... A moving drawing

He is 2D while everything else is animated in 3D

The being then finally speaks, while stretching their whole body:

"WOOOAH HAHAHA Okayyyyy I definitely underestimated how high up I was hahah!" It's a voice full of energy, like they can't contain their excitement, he stretches himself out some more as if to get used to their new form "Wow that was a rough landing hehehe but hey! Not too bad for my first time!"

(I picture him being voiced by Jordan Fisher but you're free to picture any voice you'd like)

The young man is gleefully laughing to himself.

He seems distracted enough for Asha to run away, so she get's up holding Valentino.

But almost as soon as she turns around she's now face to face with the boy flying above her, he's upside down. He gazes at her with bright eyes that seem to sparkle like the night sky and smiling ear to ear.

"Hi there! I heard you cal-"

"AAAAH!!!"

Asha backs away and accidentally let's go of Valentino. The goat prepares to jump on star to attack him with his little baby goat horns

"Woah woah buddy it's alright, I'm here to help-"

Aaaaand I'll just let this piece of concept art speak for itself:

"hahHAAHA that tickled" The star says while he's reforming himself back to his original shape.

Valentino looks upset that his attempt to protect Asha didn't work.

The star notices that and tries to make him feel better "Hey don't be sad, I'm sure you can land a hit on me, come on try again!" He says genuinely, like a big brother trying to be encouraging.

Valentino does try again, and this time the star makes himself fall on the floor upon being hit "OOH I've been defeated oh nooo hehehe" He says playfully while lifting Valentino up in his arms, whose now very proud of himself.

Asha watches all of this play out and she goes from scared to endeared by the boy's child like demeanor with Valentino, it's pretty obvious now that he means no harm.

She approaches them slowly looking down on the boy playing with her goat. She's still unsure what to expect but she really wants to understand what this is all about, what he is all about.

The star notices her approaching and stops playing with the goat, they gaze up to her with a beaming smile. Now Valentino is just bleating while standing on his chest like he's asking to play more.

It's an interesting contrast that now he's the one who's bellow gazing up to her, when a few minutes ago she was the one looking up to wish upon them.

"H-hi there" This time it's Asha's turn to say it, she gives the star a little wave.

He seems surprised upon hearing her voice, like it's the first time they hear a voice from up close... Well, because it is, this is the first time a human speaks directly to them... and its HER voice.

A few flowers start growing and blooming around where he's laying down. He realizes that and just reacts with a:

"Huh... Didn't know I could do this... Wonder what else can I do" The star says that second part in a whisper.

The star get's up with Valentino in his arms and hands him back to Asha

"I'm awfully sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He notices a firefly flying close to Asha and starts trying to catch it, he’s flying around but still explaining the situation to her

She’s just watches them trying to catch the firefly kinda amused, it’s cute how easily distracted he is.

"See, I just got so thrilled when I heard you calling me that I completely forgot I had to choose what shape I’d take BEFORE I landed here heh heh that was weird, wasn't it?" The star manages to catch the firefly in his hands, his smiles widens as they look at the little bug closely, he’s fascinated by it.

"... Called you? I didn't call you, I don't even know your name" Asha says while studying him with her eyes, she's mostly amazed that he looks like a drawing but at the same time has dimension to him.

The star turns to her in surprise, like she just reminded him of something really important

"Oh yeah! I need a name, don't I? Hmmm" They ponder a little bit like he's deciding "I think I'll call myself... Aster, yeah that sounds nice, and fitting too since it means star." He says casually, looking around as they speak.

Aster starts flying around the woods, wanting to take a closer look at each little detail with wonder in their eyes, but still speaking to Asha, who’s watching him fly around amazed by the sight

"And of course you called me! You looked at me and wished for more, to yourself and your people, remember?”

Aster starts flying faster and faster, we see a trail of star dust coming out of his cape, leaving waves of light around the woods. He speaks louder so Asha can still hear:

“I'm so glad you wished upon me out of everyone else by the way! Thank you!... You were the first to do so in a while" Aster speaks that last line with a subtle hint of pain in his voice, but he’s still smiling.

Asha starts out very confused by what he's saying but slowly starts to connect the dots, her eyes widen and her jaw drops once the realization hits her.

"Wait hold on, you're- Are you telling me you’re a... A star?!" She exclaims in awe with a wide smile on her face.

Aster flies back to Asha and stops above her head, floating upside down

“You guessed it!”

Chapter 7

Final Thoughts

THIS CHAPTER TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET IT RIGHT!! Not only because I wanted it to be perfect but also because I've been so busy these past few days!

ASTER IS SUCH A SWEETIE I LOVE MY BOY SO MUCH!!! FIRST THING HE DOES IS PLAY WITH VALENTINO AND THAT IMMEDIATELY MAKES ASHA WARM UP TO HIM BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU NOT TRUST A GUY THAT PLAYS WITH BABY ANIMALS?!

Also Aster forgetting that he had to manifest a human like appearance before crashing down on earth is the equivalent of you going for your first day on a job NAKED and then you dress up there in front of your boss, like the boy is THAT excited to get there.

Did you catch that Aster quoted two Disney characters? He made a few flowers bloom and said “What else can I do” like Isabela from Encanto, and then he said “I’m awfully sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you” which is a line Prince Phillip says in Sleeping Beauty when he meets Aurora, expect a lot more references like these coming from him. He’s not gonna speak only in Disney quotes all the time but I’ll sprinkle some references in his dialogue here and there.

And speak of him SPEAKING I might make a whole blog explaining why Jordan Fisher is hands down the best choice to voice an embodiment of magic and joy, because that man is not only AN AMAZING SINGER but also just the sweetest person alive, and he’s so underrated! If you don’t know him then look him up on Spotify or YouTube, but here’s an example of him singing: https://youtu.be/KsRi-Aj9fQs?si=RRI8Jvy7AT9EA5_u

It still cracks me up how my version of Magnifico is literally a fun house mirror version of movie Magnifico.

Like Movie Mag was like “oooh noo, what was th-that scary light😣? Someone threatened meee 🥺 I’m so scared I’m gonna use dark magic even though I’m not even sure if it was a bad thiiiing” while my Magnifico is like “*recites mysterious poem* LETS GOOOO AMAYA LETS GOOOOOOO!!! THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT THATS WHAT IVE BEEN WAITING FOR WOOOOOO!! *leaves with no explanation*” like what a chad. And I don’t even have to explain how Movie and Amaya and Queen Amable are opposites because come on.

I reallyyyy hope you guys enjoyed this little taste of Aster I’ve gave here, because next chapter will be aaaaall about them and Asha, so look forward to that! And as always

Thank You For Reading!

[mizz-sea-nymph]

Attention: if you are not @hebemina then I advise you don’t respond to this cause just by that you’ll embarrass yourself by proving my points and being literal proof.

Id like to say that me and her where friends but during the time we where friends she had her weird moments and her alright moments especially when we first met, it wasn’t her acting like the adult it was me, funnily enough I started referring to her as a sister cause that’s what I do when I worry about how a person views me, it was clear I was uncomfortable and got my friend who remember the first encounter and how I reacted to this ask a while back, hell I even asked them how to respond to the ask cause I was in such a panic. When looking at it, I’m genuinely disgusted how she didn’t even apologise or better herself, everyone keeps saying she’s better but she isn’t and it’s really sad how harmful it is especially to the people she spoke with that she made uncomfortable.

(She was drunk and I was mortified and didn’t even know how to respond so I danced around it I’ll admit that but thing is she didn’t even apologize)

Now it’s hard to show this from the past cause of personal stuff but since some people already know about it I guess I just gotta grow some balls. I’m showing this from the past cause I came across it a while ago and got disgusted, I was a child and I was mortified so much so I asked my friends how to respond to it and was so ashamed and embarssed I thought I deleted this but luckily didn’t cause one can realize how horrid this is. What’s funny is a DECENT AND SENSITIVE AND CARING PERSON would apologise! You never apologized Mina! and this wasn’t the first time you got weird with me! Seriously! Atleast have the decency to say sorry! But not just this you’ve many times turned our platonic and happy convos to something straight up weird, I ended up deleting many on my blog cause of unlike you I feel embarrassed!

I went through a hard year and having someone like this disturb me online was the icing on the cake but of course I was too embarssed and scared to say anything about it cause I feared I’d be yelled at, by your followers, yeah allot of you made me not even want to stand up for myself and say “what you are doing is rubbing me the wrong way” despite her knowing my age, and despite me reminding her constantly at that time I kept saying “haha I’m in high school”. So to the people reading this, dont make her seem like she Dosent know the age of her followers cause she lurks, she lurks around even accounts she has now ignored just cause said acount has a different opinion then her.

Thought I didn’t notice? I easily noticed how you and @hanaiikiki or whatever TF her name is now stopped talking to me as a whole and started ignoring my existence, even when I was geniunely trying to be nice etc, you stopped when I voiced my opinion about Loki, Hana going as far as telling people she Dosent know me (girl I got ears everywhere, when I heard this I was shocked cause I thought we where good!) despite me clearly stating as a continuation I don’t care what anyone likes and Dosent like it’s the VICTIM BLAMING, that’s wrong and also rly weird. So I don’t understand why both of you would let a fictional character come between a nice mutual friendship, especially you Hana I geniunely liked talking to you I liked talking mythology and liked sending you asks, you where really nice and kind with me and didn’t weird me out like Mina but it’s clear you have no self identity what so ever. But of course, no worries! I have no need for you! I know who my people are and aren’t and you aren’t one of em that’s for sure. As for Mina, yeesh girl yeesh that’s all I got when it comes to this, cause again no self respect self shame or friendship is magic in this case, but then again you’re no use of me either so I’ll say I’m glad you don’t speak to me anymore cause you creeped me out many times :)

just cause someone hides behind a cute kind persona dose not always mean that’s what they are on the inside dishonesty is sm. I’m honestly so dissapointed so many here defend her and say she’s changed instead of her saying she has, let her speak for herself if she’s so much so as the adult she claims to be.Let her speak cause I’m amazed how everyone walks eggshells around her cause she’s “sensitive” that is a insult to sensitive people as a whole.

I’m not going to mention who cause I want them to rest easy cause they are dear to me and what they experienced today breaks my heart they’re so sweet and didn’t deserve any of this, but when Mina apologized to them, Mina used the excuse of “I didn’t know you where a minor” despite her MENTONING THEIR AGE! Everyone knows people that know what they’re doing use that excuse, they lie, they will always go with this excuse, don’t get offended and stop reading now Mina I ain’t calling you a pedo, I’m calling you a dumbass, a real big dumbass as a whole for that shit apology and excuse. A victim of harassment Dosent deserve this, and a “sorry” dose not make up for the trauma the victim suffered let alone this type of “sorry”.

(I’m covering the name cause I rly feel bad for who experienced this and believe the poor thing has experienced enough today of all days like good god I don’t even want anyone to comfort me I’m fine! Just show some support and love to this victim cause good god)

there’s a line with senstivity and irresponsibility, and if it weren’t for me sending a respectful i REPEAT a respectful I’m a respectful person that’s how my mama raised me, anon ask saying you shouldn’t interact with minors much cause they’re easy to influenced and they see what you post easily etc etc, the useless “minors do not interact” wouldn’t be there. Oh and it’s hilarious how you have it there and still interact with said minors? Sweetie? It’s not there for show! Lotus? Heldril? Goddamm new comers? Children copy and children get affected! And you’ve clearly traumatized and affected a bunch! If you’re a so called elderly care giver you should know how to care for others that aren’t just you, make it make sense!

Oh and let’s not leave this out the cake. It’s funny how you talk about masturbating in public and how you vent in public, letting literally people who are younger than you be your therapist, or witness you sexting IN PUBLIC keep it in the dms woman! have so shame! This isn’t red lobster you embarrassing yourself! I ain’t slut shaming you cause I’m the queen of sluts, I’ve been called a slut for years and I didn’t even know about it so don’t think I’m slut shaming you. But really How wonderful really! A nurse! Who gose through the struggle of whipping elderly asses for a living! Doesn’t go to a therapist and relays on people decades younger than her! Get a damm therapist! Be ashamed! Seriously take some responsibility!

Not to mention I still remember how people expressed geniune concern for you and you milked it and said “see you on the other side” who says that! I was one of those people! I actually worried? But I woke up and realized what the fuck is this? Are you serious??? Some of these people who are worried for you are younger by years?? Some even minors?! Get a grip??! Where’s the responsibility?? It’d be better to write about your horny thoughts on a blog strictly for NSFW! I deadass told you to in the anon ask cause you need to be responsible! And dont you dare post a “im sorry 🥺” post! I know your type and I know them well! Just by that post where you explained yourself about the whole issue of you saying you want to make out with a minor, says allot. You didn’t address the issue! You just said it’s okay to hate you! You didn’t even defend yourself! Well for one Mina, I don’t hate you, I just hate the way you act,behave and your personality as a whole because that “sorry” will never cut the anxiety and horrible memory as a whole, be ashamed a bit, it’s not funny to make everything sexual and as a adult you should understand that.

What you did to those mods and roleplayers? I’m still speechless and have Vietnam flashbacks when it comes to the public sexting good god, atleast as if it’s okay to do NSFW and sent a literal pic of you bust? I know dirty I’m the QUEEN of dirty that hand on your top pulling the shirt a little lower shocked me so much my eyebrows left to Saturn and had a baby with the planet! I’ve got eyebrow planet grandkids now that’s how shocked I was. Not to mention the mod was 19 you are literally a decade older girl- tf is this lore Olympus? I know you like lore Olympus but girl lore Olympus is lowkey shit no offence. Honestly no wonder the mod stopped roleplaying and deleted the acounts cause good god girl- atleast have the decency to ask?

It’s really funny! Just a big joke really!

I for one was a friend with yo!u until I realized your true colors, I’m disappointed and consider this pathetic. I used to think you were nice and kind but I was met with dissapointment you genuinely disappointed me, hurt me and not only me but many others, don’t beat yourself about it just accept the fact that you did and just remove yourself from said minors and ACTUALLY BE RESPONSIBLE, before you hurt even more people.

As for the ones reading this,

You all know me and I’m pretty sure this is shocking seeing me a person here on tumblr call out the so called sweet Mina but honestly, people! nobodies perfect! Are you kidding me?? Get it through your skulls! She isn’t perfect and I’m not saying to hate her I’m saying to stop treating her like a child! when actual children here are being harmed! I’ve seen minors on here who deadass have been affected by her! And nobody I say nobody! don’t you dare say she didn’t know what she was doing that’s a insult to the victims and disgusting in general.

Also it’s not the ror fandom that’s changing, this has nothing to do with ror, to anyone reading this know this, it’s the Mina fandom that’s changing, not the ror fandom I’ve been in the ror community long before her and if sm was changing I’d know.

I’m deadass saying this despite me being a decade younger then Mina, I’m not saying this as a friend, not as a friend cause I don’t see you as that anymore and will never will ever again, im saying this as a person who’s going to be honest with you,

Keep it real

Enough of this self cantered,narcissistic ,immature, shameful,irresponsible and selfish behavior, you should be able to expect opinions like this, stop hiding behind your followers and say what you have in mind Mina and DONT dance around the issue, I read your “apology” post when the Heldirl issue raised to light, you didn’t even talk about the issue in hand, you just said it’s okay to hate you! Three paragraphs!! don’t dance around this, and you know what, Don’t even respond if you plan on doing that, cause that just proves the point.

Just know I don’t respect you not just cause of you being weird in the past with me but also with others specifically others I care about, so don’t come crying to me cause I geniunely don’t care I know these types of etiquettes, a sorry will never cut shit like I said so call me a cruel bitch idc ig it’s fair 🤷🏻‍♀️ just know I DONT respect you one bit,good day.

Tagging

@amphitriteswife @tinyy-tea-cup @mono-supports-palestine @praisethesuuun @riseofamoonycake @brokensenseofhumor @monstertreden @heldril @lotusmybeloved @nicasdreamer @ idk

idk who tf else to tag aaaa 💀 but yeah that’s my take on all of this respect me hate me I don’t care I rather be hated for who tf I am then who I pretend to be and who I am is a person to keeps it real 🤨

[electrosuite]

ok so i’m gonna ask for smth super specific to my own sad little life but i’d love if you could write it

so essentially female!reader is plus sized and eddie takes a liking to her and asks her out when she’s at her locker but she’s been asked out as a joke before and made fun of her whole life so she doesn’t believe that he’s being genuine but he says he understands what it’s like to be an outcast and bullied and that he genuinely thinks she’s like gorgeous and so she says yes and they go out to dinner but she’s super nervous about eating in front of him

then fast forward like 2 months and they have sex for the first time despite her having given him a bj but never asked him to do anything because she’s afraid he won’t be attracted to her, but then she decides to finally take it a step further and she’s really reluctant to take her clothes off in front of him but he’s so comforting and he thinks she’s the most beautiful woman in the entire world

then after they have sex they talk and she reveals that jason and his friends followed her into the woods one day during lunch and surrounded her so they could bully her and just be really mean but one of her male friends saw them following her and stepped in

like i said it’s a sad story but this whole situation actually happened to me in high school but me and my bf have been together almost five years now so maybe it’s not all bad

warnings: swearing, mentions of bullying and harassment, dirty talk, oral sex, descriptive sex

word count: 4.9k

masterlist

a/n: oh my, i’m so sorry this happened to you. idk what possesses people to be so mean to others based off judgments of their appearance rather than their personality. i hope i do your request justice.

It was a normal day for you so far. It was Tuesday, which meant you had your painting, history, and math, as well as a free period. You intended to spend it in the library, so you stopped at your locker to put away most of your books and grab your backpack. You decided to look down at a page of your homework, going over what you needed to study.

But when your locker closed with a bang, you jumped and looked up and to your right. There stood Eddie Munson, a metalhead who hosted the Dungeons & Dragons club, also known as Hellfire.

But he’d become a friend to you as of late. And friends weren’t something you had many of. You weren’t very social, preferring to keep to yourself and listen to your music on your Walkman.

Middle school and high school weren’t easy for you. You’d always had issues surrounding your weight, seemingly unable to keep it off. And middle school kids and high school bullies immediately noticed. It was an easy thing for them to pick on, so they did.

You couldn’t catch a break, and the people who you thought were your friends made fun of you behind your back. So you gave up on trying to have friends and just decided to stop socializing altogether.

One day when you were looking for somewhere to sit at lunch, Eddie was standing at the end of one of the tables and making a speech to his friends about how people mislabel them as “freaks” and “Satan worshippers” when he spotted you. He thought you were pretty, and when the two of you made eye contact, he gave you a friendly smile and walked over, clearing his throat.

“Looking for somewhere to sit?” You nodded, both of you glancing around the cafeteria. The only open spot was next to Jason Carver and his basketball friends, and Eddie could see your aversion to joining them. “Wanna sit with us?” he asked, glancing over at the younger boys having a conversation about Dungeons & Dragons.

“Sure,” you said with an awkward smile.

He made some of the boys scoot down so you could sit next to him. You were sitting awkwardly as they hadn’t given you enough room to sit, and you hoped no one would notice besides you.

But Eddie noticed.

“You okay?” he asked, recognizing how uncomfortable you were. You simply nodded and gave a small smile, but he didn’t buy it. “Hey asshats,” he said, catching the attention of the three boys next to you. “Scoot over more.”

They did it without question and returned to their conversation with the rest of the group, and you were a bit taken aback at their lack of reaction. You scooted over and got comfortable, able to let out a sigh.

“Better?” he asked, raising his eyebrows and turning the corners of his mouth upwards.

“Better.”

And since that one, small interaction, you’d began sitting with them regularly. One day, he offered you a Hellfire shirt, even though you didn’t play.

“Normally I wouldn’t offer one to someone not in the club, but I really like having you around. Plus, you’d match better if you had one.”

Your cheeks got red at that, and you laughed awkwardly for a moment.

“I’d love one.”

“Great! What size?” You faltered at that, scratching the back of your neck. “What’s wrong?” he asked, genuinely concerned about why your demeanor changed so suddenly.

You shook your head. “Nothing. Um, a two-x. If you have them.”

“Why wouldn’t I have one?”

You shrugged. “I just... didn’t know if you had bigger sizes, you know?”

“Of course, I have 'em. I got some made in every size. They're in my van, I can get you one after school.”

“Cool.”

Another conversation that left you a bit stunned. You were used to not being able to find bigger sizes in the clothes you wanted, and you always felt judged asking for them.

But you didn’t feel judged when you told Eddie. It was just another transaction, and you thought that this is what it must feel like to ask him for a small or medium.

Turns out, a two-x was exactly the size you needed. It was a baseball tee style shirt so it was slim-fitting but not tight, and you couldn’t stop looking at yourself in the mirror the next morning. You’d never had a shirt that fit you like this — one that wasn’t oversized and didn’t make you uncomfortable. You also really liked how the three-fourths length sleeves made your arms look.

And so did Eddie. When you walked into the lunchroom he almost choked on his water before you made it into earshot, so you didn’t see his reaction.

“Hey,” you greeted, sitting in your usual spot next to him.

“Nice shirt.”

“Thanks. It’s very soft.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

You noticed he was acting a bit off, but you paid no attention to it.

And this led to now, with him standing at your locker after closing it for you.

“Hi,” he said, leaning his shoulder against the metal surface.

“Hi.”

You held your notebook down in front of you, your arms straight and in a position to cover as much of your torso as you could. This was your natural stance now whenever you held something, trying to avoid stares.

“What are you up to?”

“Free period. I was gonna go to the library and study.”

“Oh sweet, I have a free period too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I was probably gonna head out early.” He crossed his arms to be as casual as possible. “If you wanted to hang out or something.”

“I can’t, I have a really big test tomorrow.”

“Okay, well, what about tomorrow night, then?”

“What, like a date?”

“Yeah, if that’s okay.”

You furrowed your brows, questioning his intentions.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Seriously.”

“Is this a joke? Did someone put you up to this? Was it Jason?”

“What? Of course not. Why would it be a joke, and why would Jason tell me to ask you out?”

“Because he’s done it before. More than once.”

“What?”

“If this is a joke I will walk away right now.”

“Y/N, it’s not a joke. I want to hang out with you. I like you.”

You raised your eyebrows, still not fully believing him. “You like me?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, tell me what you like about me.”

“I like that you’re one of the few people in this school that doesn’t think that I’m a freak.”

And that was when it hit you. Eddie was in the same boat as you were. The bullying, the mocking, the harassment. You’d both endured it for years, and you were the first girl who treated him like a person, not an outcast.

“Look, I get it if you don’t want to. Most people wouldn’t. But if you do, the offer still stands.” He turned to walk away when you reached out and grabbed his hand. He looked down at your hands then up at you.

“I’m sorry. It’s just... hard to tell if someone’s being genuine. I’m sorry I accused you of that, you’re not the type of person to pull something like that.”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

“Tomorrow night sounds fantastic.”

“Great.”

You pulled a piece of paper from your notebook and scribbled your address down on it, handing it over to him.

“Pick me up tomorrow after school. We can do whatever you want.”

He nodded. “Great. Dinner it is.”

As he walked off, you felt a sense of horror wash over you.

Dinner. Up until now, you’d only eaten small snacks at lunch in front of him, like an apple or peanut butter crackers. This was all on purpose, trying to avoid your regular bullies seeing you eat and approach to make fun of you.

But now the idea of eating an entire dinner in front of him made you queasy.

So when you two were in his van pulling into the parking lot of the local twenty-four hour diner, he noticed how nervous you were. He assumed it was just regular jitters, but he could tell something was wrong when you began looking at the menu.

“I think I’ll just get a salad,” you said in an unsure tone.

“A salad? That’s it?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Why not get something more filling?”

You shrugged. “I dunno, I guess I’m trying to eat better.”

He tilted his head and gave you a confused expression. He leaned forward and put his weight on his elbows. “Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“As soon as I brought up dinner you got kinda... standoffish. I could’ve picked something else if you didn't want to eat.”

You shook your head. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to bring down the mood or anything, it’s just... I usually don’t eat much in front of other people.”

“How come?”

“Because I get made fun of.”

“Made fun of? Why?”

“Eddie, come on.” When his expression simply said that he didn’t understand, you scoffed. “I’m not exactly thin.”

“Who cares?”

“I do. So does everyone else, apparently.”

“Well, everyone else are dumbasses.” You snickered at that comment. “Y'know, the first time I saw you, I thought you were the prettiest girl in Hawkins.”

“Oh, come on.”

“I’m serious! You can even ask Dustin, I brought it up at Hellfire.”

“What did you say?”

“He asked if I knew you and I said no but I thought you were really pretty.”

You’d never felt like this before. Sitting across from you was someone who had only nice things to say to you, not a lick of judgment in his voice. Someone was calling you pretty, and they were being genuine.

“Order what you actually want to eat. Don’t starve yourself for me.”

“Okay.” You skimmed over the menu again. “I think I’ll get a cheeseburger.”

“Sounds delicious,” he said, satisfied that he convinced you to order what you wanted.

And then, before you knew it, two months had gone by and you and Eddie were officially dating. But, of course, because of the rumors about him, you only faced more harassment. Notes in your locker from anonymous bullies calling you a “Satan worshipper” and “cult apologist”, but this was the first time that none of it bothered you.

You knew Eddie wasn’t any of the things that people called him, and you felt like you were walking on sunshine every moment you got to spend with him. He made you feel beautiful — something no one had ever been able to do. He made you feel comfortable, like you were home when you were wrapped in his arms.

But despite how beautiful he made you feel, the idea of him seeing you without clothes on made you more anxious than you'd ever felt.

So, to ease into the idea of sex, you decided you were going to go down on him, even if you weren't good at it.

So when you were listening to him play guitar in his van one day after school, you decided to make a move.

He was playing a song he'd mastered, Stairway to Heaven, when you crawled over and gently pushed the guitar out of his lap. He put it down next to the beanbag he was sitting on and smiled as you came up to his eye level to kiss him.

"What are you doing?" he chuckled through kisses.

"I wanna make you feel good."

"What?"

You ran one of your hands down his stomach and to his belt buckle. He reached down and stopped you.

"What are you doing?" he asked, this time in a serious tone.

"I wanna blow you."

His eyebrows raised. "Are you sure?"

"What, you don't want me to?"

He looked at you like you were crazy. "Oh, believe me, I do. I just... This is coming out of left field. I just don't want you to do it because you feel like you need to."

"I don't feel like I need to. I just... I want to do this."

He still seemed skeptical, but he let go of your hand and allowed you to continue. You undid his belt, then his pants, then you pulled them and his underwear down enough to allow everything to spring out.

Your eyes went big, not expecting but also not surprised by his size.

"Is it okay?" he asked sheepishly.

You did your best to suppress your nervousness and wrapped your hand around his length and licked the tip, making him take a deep, sharp breath.

Your lips engulfed him, sinking your mouth down and going until he hit the back of your throat. He involuntarily bucked his hips, the extra inch or two making you choke.

"Sorry," he said, pushing your hair out of your face.

You wrapped your hand around the base and stroked it as you bobbed your head, which made him throw his head back.

"Shit," he whispered, putting his right hand on the top of your head and guiding you along. "That feels so good."

You adjusted your tongue so that it laid flat against the underside of his dick, which apparently felt better because his moans instantly got louder.

"Y/N, I'm not gonna last much longer."

At this point, he was guiding you along more than you were actually doing anything of your own, so you just let him. You could tell that he was close to cumming, and you weren't planning on stopping until he was drained.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he moaned, and based on him thrusting his hips, you knew he was right on the edge.

Then, suddenly, you tasted something you've never experienced. It was salty and bitter, and there was a lot of it. The weak moans that left his mouth made you smirk the best you could with a dick in your mouth, but you slowed your pace and watched him breathe heavily.

When he looked down at you, you were swallowing the cum in your mouth, and his eyes widened.

"Did you swallow?" You nodded. "God, that was hot." He pulled you up to where he could kiss you and you giggled at his excitement. "It didn't taste bad, did it?"

"No, I don't think so. I don't know what it's supposed to taste like, but I didn't wanna spit it out."

He nodded. "Good. My turn."

He started sitting up, and you stopped him. "What do you mean?"

"I was gonna go down on you. Return the favor."

You shook your head. "That's okay."

He was confused. "What?"

"I'm okay. I'll let you know when I'm ready for that."

"Are you sure? I feel bad not doing it."

"I'm sure. And don't feel bad. I'm just not ready for that yet."

He gave you a small smile. "Okay. But I am going to rock your world when you let me."

That was three days ago. You hadn't seen Eddie much in those days as he'd been at his friend Dustin's doing a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, but as soon as their game was over he made sure you were the first person he saw.

He surprised you at your locker, splitting a candy bar with you. You sat together at lunch, which you ate outside at one of the picnic tables. He sat on the table, and you sat on the bench next to him.

"So I was thinking," he said, his mouth full from a bite he took from his apple.

"About what?"

"Tonight's Friday. Would you wanna stay at my place?"

Neither of you had spent the night at the other's place since you got together, so this was a big step.

"Your uncle would be okay with that?" you asked, knowing he lived with his uncle.

"He works night shift, but he wouldn't care either way. What do you say?"

You thought for a minute. "I'd have to tell my parents that I'm staying with a friend, but I'd love to."

"Yeah?"

"Totally."

"Awesome. I have tons of tapes we can watch."

You knew how tonight would probably end. And you were excited for it. But you were more nervous than anything. You wanted to go to the next level with him, even if it meant doing something that made you uncomfortable.

So when he kissed you during the movie you guys decided on in his room, you pulled him on top of you and wrapped your legs around his thighs.

"Eddie," you whispered.

"Mm?" he moaned softly into your neck, pressing kisses into your skin.

"I want to do this."

He looked at you, tucking your hair behind your ear with his right hand. "Are you sure?" You nodded. "I need you to say it, sweetheart."

That nickname always made your heart skip a beat.

"I'm sure."

"Absolutely sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Absolutely positively with a cherry on top?"

You laughed and pulled him in for a kiss. "So many cherries. As many as you want."

"Okay."

"Go turn the lights off."

He obeyed immediately, the only light coming from the television. When he returned, he got back into the same position as a moment ago, but he used his knees to push your legs back further.

You reluctantly reached down and pulled your shirt off, having to sit up a bit for a moment.

His eyes were glued to your body, unable to look at anything else. It made you feel awkward and your natural instincts were to cover yourself. But when you did, he wrapped his fingers around your wrists and pulled your arms away.

"This is what you've been hiding?" he asked, his tone full of love. "Goddamn, Y/N." His lips latched onto your chest, his hands on your hips.

"Is that a good thing?"

He made eye contact. "You're a goddess. Literally ethereal."

You couldn't hold back the laugh you let out. "I think that's a bit of an exaggeration."

"I'm speaking nothing but the truth."

Before he could do anything else, you reached under you and unhooked your bra, slowly removing it and throwing it to the floor. You could've sworn his eyes popped out of his head like a cartoon character at that, and he swallowed the spit in his mouth before littering kisses across your breasts.

"Take your shirt off," you commanded, which he did. He was so beautiful, and it made you bite your lip.

He leaned back down to kiss you and untied your sweatpants, which made the butterflies in your stomach go crazy. His hand slipped into them and his fingers found your clit, causing you to gasp softly.

"Is that okay?" he asked, breaking the kiss.

You nodded. "Yeah, it's good."

His fingers continued to work and you couldn't stop yourself from moaning into his mouth. But it only lasted a few more seconds before he scooted down on the bed and hooked his fingers under your pants, looking at you for permission.

You reached down and helped him, unable to muster a single word. He slowly removed them, and you could feel yourself getting wetter and wetter with every second that went by.

But reality hit you: you were about to be completely, one hundred percent naked in front of him. Sure, he could barely see you with his body blocking most of the light, but he could still see you.

So your natural response was to bend your knees and cover as much from his perspective as you could.

"Y/N..." he said softly, leaning down and pressing a kiss to your knee. "If you don't want to do this, we don't have to."

"I do want to. I've just never been naked in front of someone. Not since I was little and changed in the same room with my mom."

"Well, if it makes you more comfortable, you could always put your shirt back on. Me, personally, I like looking at you, so I wouldn't recommend that. But it's completely up to you."

You shook your head. "I need to get comfortable with it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

He nodded, and slowly spread your legs. Here, he had a full view of your body, and he only smiled. He kissed your thighs one at a time, settling down on his stomach. His mouth was so close to your vagina, and he knew it was driving you crazy.

The feeling of his tongue on your clit made you moan. Much louder than you intended. His hands wrapped around your thighs, holding them still on either side of his head.

Your right hand fingers tangled themselves in his hair, your left hand flat against the wall behind you.

"Shit, Eddie."

Your back was arching, your hips grinding into his mouth. His eyes were glued on you, wanting to see how you looked when he made you cum.

You knew you were grinding into his face quickly, but he managed to keep his mouth exactly where it needed to be.

Everything that was happening right now was making him hard as a rock, and resisting the pulsing and throbbing in his dick was driving him insane. But he needed to make you feel good. He needed to make you cum before he even took his pants off.

And it didn't take you long to get there. He could tell, too. Your moans had become desperate, needy. You were pulling his hair, which only turned him on more.

"God, I'm so close. Eddie, I'm gonna cum," you struggled to say. "Please. Fuck." You didn't know what you were begging for, as he was already getting you there.

And when you went over the edge, Eddie could've swore that the noises that left your mouth were the most beautiful sounds he'd heard in his entire life. Gasps, moans, cries, swears, and his name filled the room in a melodic song that even made him moan.

Tears dripped down your temples into your hair, your legs shook so hard that they felt like they were gonna cramp, and your eardrums rang.

You were in heaven, and you never wanted to leave.

He kept going so long that you felt like you couldn't breathe, and you had to physically tap out.

When he stopped, you were sweating and crying out of pleasure. He kissed your thighs more, giving you a moment to calm down before he got on top of you again.

When he returned to eye level with you, he kissed your cheek.

"Goddamn," you muttered, chuckling tiredly.

"You okay?"

You nodded. "Sorry if I was too loud."

"No such thing." He kissed you, and you could taste yourself on his lips. "Wanna keep going?"

"Of course, I do."

He rolled off of you and stood up for a moment to pull his pants down. He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching into his nightstand and pulling out a condom.

He tucked your hair behind your ear again, making you look at him.

"If you wanna stop at any time, tell me. Okay?"

"Okay. I will."

He kissed you for a moment, rubbing himself against the area you were most sensitive.

Once again, he used his knees and thighs to bend your hips more, really spreading you open.

"Ready?" he whispered.

"Ready."

He reached down and guided himself to your opening, slowly sliding in. You closed your eyes and your jaw dropped as he bottomed out, which made him weakly moan.

"Fuck," he sighed. "You feel so good."

"So do you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. So fucking good."

Hearing your sweet voice talk so dirty was a major turn-on for him, as you learned when you blew him.

"You like being stretched out like this?"

"Mhm. Feels so good."

He slowly pulled out almost all the way before thrusting back into you, making you involuntarily moan. His mouth landed on your neck as he developed a steady rhythm, his left hand gripping the top edge of the mattress.

With his right hand, he cupped your cheek and pressed your foreheads together, making you look into each other's eyes.

"Eddie," you breathed, which made him grunt. "God, you feel so good. So fucking good."

"Yeah? You... fuck... feel good too. Really good. So warm and wet. God. I don't think I'll last much longer with you."

He buried his face in your neck, biting down on the skin hard but gentle enough to only leave a hickey.

The hand that was on your face reached down to the back of your thigh, almost to your ass cheek, and his fingers dug into the skin. This allowed him to bend your hip even more, your thigh pressing into the back of his bicep.

Every time you made a dirty quip, it only made him grunt and groan and moan even more. Every 'You're so deep' and 'You feel so good' awoke something inside of him that you didn't expect. He was pounding and slamming into you, but it didn't hurt. It felt amazing. If you knew he could make you feel this good, you would've blown him weeks ago.

His shoulder was pressed into your cheek, so you lightly bit down on it, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Fuck, Y/N, I'm gonna cum. I'm so close."

"Cum for me, Eddie."

When you kissed his neck, it sent him over the edge. His hips slammed into the backs of your thighs, his fingers pressed into your leg, and he cried out right next to your ear.

A few thrusts later and he stilled his movements, leaving the only sound being your unsynchronized gasps for air. Neither of you moved for a good thirty seconds, both of you laying there with your eyes closed.

"Holy shit," he mumbled, lifting his head and looking at you. Once again, he pushed your hair out of your face, which was spotted with sweat droplets, before cupping your cheek and stroking it with his thumb. "You good?" You just nodded. He placed his palm on your chest and chuckled. "Your heart is pounding."

"I wonder why," you joked, which made him laugh harder.

"I'm gonna pull out now." He slid out of you with ease and you softly moaned, straightening your legs to be more comfortable. He rolled over to lay next to you, pulling the full condom off and throwing it in the trash can next to the bed and grabbing a tissue to clean himself off.

He grabbed a clean tissue and propped himself up on his elbow. He gently cleaned you up too, kissing you when he was done. He sighed, looking over at you.

You were staring at the ceiling, still breathing heavy.

A few moments went by before you flipped onto your side, laying your head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around you and you bent your knee onto his leg. Once you got settled he kissed the top of your head.

"Can I ask you something?" he said softly.

"Hm?"

"What happened between you and Jason?" He could feel your demeanor change at the question. "You don't have to talk about it, but you didn't want to sit with his group at lunch, which I completely understand, and you thought he put me up to asking you out. What's all that about?"

You were silent for a moment.

"We were... acquaintances at one point. Not friends, we just knew each other. Not long after we learned about each other, he started targeting me. I'm sure you can guess what about. He would make fun of me at lunch for eating, or sometimes he'd even take my food and tell me I didn't need it. I thought maybe eating in the classroom during lunch would help, but the teacher almost never stayed in there so he'd find me and still do it.

"I tried to eat outside one day farther away from the school, but him and his friends followed me out there and surrounded the table I was at so I couldn't leave. I didn't know what they were gonna do, so I kinda just froze and let them harass me."

"What'd they do?" He was running his fingers through your hair and massaging your scalp, which he knew would calm you down.

"They took my lunchbox. They dumped everything out of the packaging and stepped on it so I couldn't eat it. They were assholes about it and kept calling me names." You took a deep breath and swallowed the spit in your mouth.

"Is that why you didn't want to eat in front of me?"

You nodded. "You're the first person I've eaten a whole meal in front of since then."

"Not even your family?"

"What, like they're any nicer?"

"Jesus. I wish I'd been there that day Jason did that."

"One of my friends at the time stopped them. He offered to buy me another lunch but I said no. I guarantee they only stopped because it was another guy that stepped in."

Eddie hugged you tightly, leaning his head down to kiss you.

"I'm sorry that happened. You didn't deserve that. Nobody deserves that."

"I've learned to just avoid him."

"Well, if he starts bothering you again, you come to me, okay? He already thinks I'm a freak, he doesn't phase me."

"Thank you."

You both turned back to the movie, watching what was left of it. About fifteen minutes later when he noticed you were asleep, he covered you up with his blanket and watched you for a few minutes.

He smiled to himself, thinking how lucky he got to find you.

[rispwr]

still with you - JK - SPECIAL - CH. 3

pairings : ex!jk x ex!reader, barista/producer!yoongi x reader

genre : fluff, angst

context : after finally leaving all of those memories behind and make new ones, your current partner yoongi still holds a grunge against your ex for everything he put you through. "if karma won't hit him, i will."

will jungkook get what he finally deserves?

word count:1k+ words

warnings/contents : yelling, ruining a family, cheating, exposing, rape, domestic violence, jungkook here is really mean, adultry

songs : house of balloons, swim, into it, goodluck, babe, so high, bloodline

Yoongi’s POV

I had been enjoying the tranquility of our movie night, the soft glow of the TV casting gentle shadows around the room. 

Y/N was nestled comfortably against me, and for a while, it was easy to forget the turmoil that had clouded our lives recently.

 The softness of her hair against my chin and the steady rise and fall of her breathing were comforting.

But then, out of nowhere, a question bubbled up from my mind...one I hadn't fully prepared to ask, but felt necessary. “Hey, Y/N, were there any cameras in your old apartment?”

The words slipped out before I had a chance to fully think them through. I could see her stiffen slightly, her body tensing as she processed the question. Her gaze shifted to meet mine, and I could read the confusion and trepidation in her eyes. My heart tightened; I knew this question might open up old wounds, but something inside me was demanding answers.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “There were cameras in the living room. Why do you ask?”

Her response only deepened the weight of the moment. The living room—where everything had gone so wrong.

 My thoughts raced as I tried to gauge how much I could reveal, how to navigate this delicate conversation. 

The last thing I wanted was to cause her further pain, but I needed to understand if there was something I could do.

“I was just thinking...” I began, struggling to find the right words. “About what happened in that apartment. I know it must have been incredibly hard for you, and I was wondering if you ever saw anything on those cameras.”

Y/N’s reaction was immediate...her eyes filled with a mixture of dread and sadness. 

She looked away, and I could see the anguish in her face.

 I hated seeing her like this, but I felt a growing urgency to address the issues head-on. The fact that there were cameras meant there could be footage, footage that might shed light on what had happened.

“I didn’t really check the cameras,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I tried to avoid thinking about it. But... I knew something was off. I just... didn’t want to confront it directly.”

The pain in her voice cut deep, and I could sense how much she had tried to protect herself from reliving those moments. I wanted to comfort her, to tell her that she wasn’t alone, but I also needed to ensure that whatever had happened, we would face it together.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly, my voice laced with genuine regret. “I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories. I just thought that if there was something we needed to do or if there was any way I could help, I should know.”

Her hand reached out to mine, and the touch was both a relief and a grounding force. I squeezed her hand gently, trying to convey my support and understanding. “Thank you for asking,” she said, her voice barely audible. “It means a lot that you care. I just don’t want to relive it, but I appreciate that you’re here for me.”

Her gratitude warmed my heart, and I felt a deep resolve to be there for her no matter what. “Of course,” I said, my voice steady. “We’ll face it together, whatever it is. If you ever want to talk about it, or if there’s anything you need, just let me know. I’m here for you.”

As she leaned into me, I could feel the weight of the world lifting slightly. 

The comfort of her presence, the shared understanding of our struggles...these things made the burden easier to bear. In this moment, I wanted nothing more than to provide her with the peace and safety she deserved.

The movie played on, but my focus was on her, on us. The past might have left its scars, but I was committed to being her rock, her support. With her nestled against me, I felt a flicker of hope. Together, we could face whatever came our way, and I was determined to make sure she knew she wasn’t alone in this fight.

awhile later.

The CCTV cameras were still connected to Y/N’s phone.

I carefully shifted to avoid waking her, my heart pounding in my chest as I reached for her phone on the nightstand. 

The screen was locked, but I knew her passcode and managed to access it with practiced ease. My fingers trembled slightly as I navigated to the CCTV app, my thoughts a jumbled mess of frustration and determination.

There it was. the live feed and recordings from the cameras in the apartment.

 I scrolled through the list of recorded videos, my eyes scanning for any sign of what I dreaded yet needed to confirm. 

Each thumbnail was a potential glimpse into a moment I had hoped never existed, and my stomach churned as I clicked through them one by one.

Finally, I found it. a video timestamped from the night of the incident. 

My heart raced as I tapped on it, the playback starting almost immediately. 

The footage was grainy, but unmistakable. Jungkook’s face was visible, and I could see the harrowing scene unfold before me. The anger and pain surged within me as I watched, confirming what I had feared all along.

I felt a surge of protective rage, but I kept my emotions in check, knowing that acting impulsively wouldn’t help Y/N. Instead, I focused on the task at hand. I needed evidence, and this video was a crucial piece of it.

 With a quick, decisive move, I sent the video to my phone, making sure it was saved and backed up securely.

As the video transferred, I felt a mix of relief and anguish.

I was finally holding the evidence that would expose Jungkook’s brutality, but the reality of what Y/N had endured weighed heavily on my heart. 

I needed to be careful with this information—how it was used, when it was revealed. But for now, I had secured it.

I placed Y/N’s phone back on the nightstand and returned to her side, carefully maneuvering back under the covers.

 I lay there, my mind still reeling from what I had seen. The footage confirmed my worst fears, and it solidified my resolve to ensure that Jungkook faced consequences for his actions.

I wrapped my arm around Y/N, feeling her warmth and softness against me.

 Despite the dark truths I had uncovered, I took comfort in the fact that she was safe here, with me. I would protect her, support her, and ensure that she received the justice she deserved.

For now, though, I focused on the present...on being here for Y/N, on offering her comfort and support. 

The battle ahead was daunting, but I was determined to fight it for her, no matter what it took. I knew that together, we could face whatever came next, and I would make sure that Y/N’s past didn’t dictate her future.

Jungkook’s POV

I was lounging in my living room, scrolling through my phone, when an anonymous email popped up.

 The subject line caught my attention: "She deserves justice." I didn’t think much of it, dismissing it as some spam or prank, but my curiosity got the better of me.

 I clicked the email and saw an attachment with a video file.

I almost didn’t want to open it, but something nagged at me.

 I clicked on the video, and as soon as it started playing, my blood ran cold. The scene in the video was unmistakable. It was my old apartment...her living room. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized what I was watching.

There I was, clearly intoxicated and aggressive. And there was Y/N, looking terrified and vulnerable.

 The image of me hurting her, of me committing the worst thing imaginable, was right there on the screen. 

My breath came in ragged gasps as the video played on.

The initial shock quickly turned to a boiling rage. “This bitch,” I muttered under my breath. “This bitch is really annoying.” The sheer audacity of the video, the way it laid bare my darkest moment, filled me with uncontrollable anger. How dare someone expose me like this?

In a fit of rage, I grabbed my phone and hurled it against the wall. The phone shattered on impact, pieces scattering across the floor. I stared at the remains of my phone, my anger morphing into guilt and frustration. How had things come to this? How had I let myself become this person?

As the sirens outside grew louder, I realized the situation was getting worse. I could hear the police approaching, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. My mind was a chaotic mess of guilt and fury.

 I felt trapped, my actions finally catching up to me in the most humiliating way possible.

I slammed my fist against the wall, trying to release the pent-up anger and shame. 

The guilt was eating me alive, but my pride and rage wouldn’t let me face it properly. I was furious at Y/N for making me confront this, at myself for being such a monster, and at the entire situation that had spiraled out of control.

As the officers knocked on the door, my anger slowly began to subside, replaced by a hollow sense of dread. I knew I couldn’t escape this. My actions had led me to this moment, and there was no way out. The video had sealed my fate, and the reality of what I had done was crashing down on me.

I opened the door to the officers, trying to compose myself. My anger was still there, but it was overshadowed by the overwhelming guilt and fear. I knew I was about to face the consequences of my actions, and the weight of it was almost too much to bear.

The reality of my situation settled in as they read me my rights and led me away.

 The anger and guilt were all-consuming, and all I could think about was how far I had fallen and how deeply I had hurt Y/N.

Yoongi’s POV

The next morning, I was sitting in my studio, trying to focus on my music, but my mind kept drifting back to the evidence I had collected. 

The gravity of what I had done hit me in waves, but I knew it was necessary. 

I had to make sure Jungkook faced the consequences for what he did to Y/N.

I pulled up the footage and reviewed it once more, making sure everything was in order.

I had sent the video to Jungkook anonymously, but 

that wasn’t the end of it.

 I knew that exposing him wasn't enough; Ae-ri needed to be held accountable as well. I found the evidence of her involvement...how she had manipulated the situation and used the baby to deceive Jungkook.

I compiled everything into a new file and sent it to the authorities anonymously.

 The evidence clearly showed Ae-ri’s role in the deceit and her ongoing affair with another man.

I hoped this would be enough to bring her to justice too.

Ae-ri’s POV

I was at home, trying to go about my day when the sound of sirens outside grew louder.

My heart raced with a mix of anxiety and confusion.

I didn’t understand what was happening until I heard the doorbell ring, and the police entered with a warrant for my arrest.

As they explained the charges—adultery and fraud—I felt a surge of anger and disbelief. 

How had this happened?

 I was being accused of things I hadn’t done, or at least not in the way they were portraying.

 The whole situation felt like a nightmare, and I could barely process it as the officers led me away.

“This is ridiculous!” I screamed, struggling against the officers. “I knew it! His ex is so crazy! She’s gone mad!” My voice cracked with frustration and panic.

 The idea that Y/N had somehow orchestrated this, that she was behind all of this mess, was infuriating.

 I couldn’t believe that she had taken things this far, that she was willing to ruin my life out of spite.

As they escorted me to the police car, I could see the flash of cameras from reporters and the curious glances of onlookers.

 My emotions were a whirlwind of anger, betrayal, and confusion.

 I didn’t understand why things had escalated to this point, and the realization that someone had outsmarted me, someone who I considered beneath me, was hard to swallow.

I was shoved into the back of the police car, my mind racing with a hundred thoughts.

 I couldn’t escape the feeling of being trapped in a situation that spiraled out of my control. 

All I wanted was to figure out who had done this and why, but for now, I was left with the bitter reality of facing the consequences of my actions.

[cheynovak]

Sugar - Part 6 

Soldier boy x F/ reader  (Y/N)      

Warnings: age difference, anger, hurst, angst

Side note: English isn’t my first language.         First time no smut in the sugar series... Don't worry I'll make it up in the next chapter

*Does not follow The Boys storyline * 

--     

Y/N is a college student who pays her apartment, bills and school tuition with the money she makes as ‘sugar baby’ for Soldier boy. What started as just being a companion on lonely moments became quickly more physical.     But how will Y/N cope with the dominant side of Ben when he finds out she has a life beside pleasuring him?   

-- 

The engine purred softly, a steady, calming sound as Y/N sat beside Ben in the passenger seat. The sun was shining bright, casting a golden hue over the world outside, and for a moment, she allowed herself to get lost in the beauty of it. It had been a long day yesterday, filled with the usual anxiety that came with introducing someone new to her parents.  

Ben had been charming and polite, just as she knew he would be, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation she had with her mother this morning. 

"Y/N," her mother had said in the kitchen after breakfast, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern, "So, what exactly is going on between you and Ben? Did it change into something different than, you know...?" 

Y/N had paused, taking a moment to choose her words carefully. "Don't expect a relationship, Mom. I... I still don't know what Ben wants, but I know he doesn't want attachment. Doesn’t mean he isn’t a good man." 

“I still don’t understand why you gave up your relationship, your future for something... you know money. But it’s your life sweety, as long as your happy.”  

Y/N took a deep breath “He’s just very clear about traditional relationships.” Her mother looked at her, knowing it did her more than she would ever admit. “What about you, Y/N?” She smiled soft “I’m just glad to have him in my life.”  

She hadn't noticed Ben standing just outside the kitchen door, his face shadowed with a look of hurt that he quickly masked before joining them. “Ready to go?” he asked. Ben hadn't mentioned what he heard, and she had been too preoccupied to realize he might have overheard. 

Now, sitting beside him, the weight of that unspoken moment pressed down on her. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His profile was illuminated by the sunlight, and he looked calm, as if the yesterday hadn't fazed him at all. But Y/N knew better. She knew there was more behind his silence, more than he was willing to show. 

"Yesterday was nice," she said, breaking the silence. "Thank you for coming with me." Ben turned to look at her, a small smile playing at his lips. She answered his smile with her own, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. 

Ben noticed her sad eyes and parked the car on the side of the road, Y/N looked confused. “I heard what you said to your mom this morning." Her breath caught in her throat, and she turned to face him fully. "You did?" He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yeah, I did." 

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, the words spilling out before he could stop them. "I didn't mean to... I just didn't know what to say, because I didn't want to put any pressure on you." 

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes searching hers. "Y/N, I get it. I really do. And you're right, I don’t want anything traditional. But I want you to know that I'm here because I want to be.” Her heart skipped a beat, hope blooming in her chest. 

Ben smiled, a real, genuine smile. Y/N felt a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She was happy to hear Ben's reassuring words, to feel his warm hand on her thigh, and to know that he wasn’t going anywhere.  

But there was also a lingering sadness, a small ache in her heart as she wondered why he didn't tell her exactly what he wanted. Was it because he wanted to go back to how it was before?  

No, she knew he wanted her. He had made that clear before, in the way he looked at her, in the way he touched her, and in the moments they had shared, it all had changed since the beginning. He was softer and she had declined his money in hope he noticed the change too.  

She hoped he wanted her the way she wanted him, not just as a companion or a friend, but as someone to build something with. She wanted to know if he saw a future with her, if he envisioned a life together, if he loved her the way she was beginning to realize she loved him. 

Seeing him at the dinner table with her parents, making love, it all fell into place. She knew she wanted him by her side. "Ben," she said softly, turning to face him again, "can I ask you something?" 

"Of course," he replied, his eyes gentle and attentive. 

"What do you want from us? From... this?" She gestured between them, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know you care about me, and I care about you too. But I need to know if we're on the same page." 

He took a deep breath, his expression hardening. I can't give you... I can’t say what you want to hear," he said, his tone sharp and distant. His bluntness hit her like a punch to the gut, her breath catching in her throat. “Oh-ok.” her voice trembling. 

Her heart clenched painfully, tears welling up in her eyes. "So, what are we doing then?” Ben looked away, his jaw tightening. "What we’ve been doing, it's just good for now." The words cut deep, and Y/N felt a wave of sadness and disappointment wash over her.  

"Just good for now..." she echoed, feeling her heart break a little more with each passing second. 

He turned back to her, his eyes conflicted but his expression still guarded. "I don't want to hurt you, but I can't lie to you either. I can't give you more than this.” She pulled away from him, wrapping her arms around herself as if to shield her heart from further pain. 

"I do care about you," he said, his voice softer now, but still holding back. The sun’s beauty was lost on her now, the golden light doing nothing to warm the chill that had settled in her heart. "I need more than that, Ben," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I know. I can't give you that right now. Maybe... maybe you deserve someone who can." 

She looked down, her tears spilling over and falling onto her lap. "Maybe I do," she said quietly, her heart breaking. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken words and shattered while they made their way home.  

Ben's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white with tension. He kept glancing over at Y/N, but she stared straight out of her window, her face a mask of sadness and resignation.  

When they finally pulled up outside her building, Y/N didn't wait for him to say anything. She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door, stepping out into the cool evening air. "Goodnight, Ben," she said quietly, her voice devoid of its usual warmth. 

"Y/N, wait," he called after her, but she was already walking away, her shoulders hunched against the pain she was feeling. Ben watched her go, feeling a deep sense of regret and conflict.  

He knew he had broken her heart, and the weight of that knowledge was almost too much to bear. He wanted to run after her, to tell her that he did want her, that he wanted a future with her. But the fear of not being able to live up to her needs, of failing her, held him back. 

As she reached the entrance of her apartment building, she turned around one last time, her eyes meeting his as he stood by the car. In that moment, he saw the raw hurt and disappointment she was feeling, and it cut him to the core. 

"Y/N," he started, taking a step towards her. She shook her head, a single tear slipping down her cheek. “Please don’t.” and then she was gone, disappearing into the building. 

Ben stood there for a long moment, his heart aching with the weight of his indecision. He wanted to chase after her, to hold her and tell her everything she wanted to hear. But the fear of not being enough, of not being able to meet her needs, kept him rooted to the spot. 

He finally got back into his car, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. As he drove away, the image of her tear-streaked face haunted him. Once home, Ben sat in the darkness of his living room, the silence pressing in on him.  

He replayed the moment in his mind, over and over, until he couldn't stand it any longer.  

The week that followed was one of the longest Ben had ever experienced. Each day dragged on, filled with an emptiness that gnawed at him. He knew he should call Y/N, should try to make things right, but his stubbornness and fear kept him from picking up the phone.  

He was afraid of facing the emotions he had stirred up, both in himself and in her. One afternoon, unable to stand the silence any longer, Ben decided to go to Y/N’s college. He had never been there before, but he needed to see her. 

As he walked through the bustling halls, he finally spotted her in the courtyard, surrounded by students. 

She was in the middle of a lively conversation, her face lit up with a smile as she spoke with a young man. The sight of her laughing and looking so at ease sent a sharp pang of jealousy through Ben. He stood there, rooted to the spot, watching as the young man leaned in closer to say something, causing Y/N to laugh even harder. 

Unable to contain his emotions, Ben strode over to her, his expression dark and brooding. Y/N noticed him approaching and excused herself from the group, walking over to meet him halfway. 

"Ben, what are you doing here?" she asked, surprise evident in her voice. 

He didn’t respond to her question. Instead, his jealousy and frustration boiled over, and he lashed out. "Who was that?" he demanded, his voice harsher than he intended. "Why are you flirting with him?" 

Her eyes widened in shock, and she took a step back. "What? No, Ben, he's just a friend. We were talking about a job opportunity at his fathers shop." The students nearby, sensing the tension, began to whisper among themselves, wondering who the older man was and why she seemed so upset. 

Ben ignored the curious glances and stepped closer to Y/N, his anger not yet spent. "A job opportunity? It didn't look like that to me. You seemed pretty cozy with him or is that it? Find someone new that quick huh." 

Y/N's shock turned to anger, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You don’t get to come here and accuse me of things, Ben. Especially after a week of silence. You don't get to do this." 

He couldn't help but let his emotions get the better of him. "How can I trust you when you're surrounded by people like him?" Ben blurted out, his voice rising again. 

Y/N's eyes flared with anger. "Ben, stop! This is ridiculous. You're making a scene."- "I don’t care!" Ben shouted, the frustration and fear bubbling over. "You need to understand how it looks!" 

Y/N took a step back, her face flushing with both anger and embarrassment. "How it looks? Do you hear yourself? This is my education, my life! You don’t get to come in here and act like this. I have a life besides you!" 

Ben’s expression hardened. "Well, maybe you should find someone else to pay for your school then. Maybe your friend over there is willing to pay you, or maybe his daddy dearest will.”  

The words hung in the air like a toxic cloud, and Y/N's face went pale. Around them, the students who hadn't yet left the courtyard stopped and stared, whispers spreading like wildfire. 

"Ben," Y/N said, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and hurt, "Leave. Now." Ben's eyes widened as he realized what he had just implied, but before he could say anything, Y/N turned on her heel and marched away, her back rigid with anger. 

He stood there, stunned, as the gravity of his words hit him. He had meant it as a low blow in his frustration, but the damage was done. The students who overheard were already piecing together their own version of events, and rumours began to circulate. 

The next few days were a nightmare for Y/N. Everywhere she went, she felt the eyes of her peers on her, heard the hushed whispers following her down the hallways. Guy coming up at her asking what they can get for 50 bucks.  

"Did you hear what he said?" 

"Is he really paying her way like that?" 

"I can't believe it. She seemed so nice." 

Y/N tried to ignore the gossip, focusing on her classes and her work, but the constant buzz was wearing her down. Her professors noticed the change in her, and one even pulled her aside to ask if everything was okay. She managed to put on a brave face, but inside, she was crumbling. 

One afternoon, as she was heading to the library, she was confronted by the young man Ben had seen her with. He looked genuinely concerned. "Y/N, can we talk?" he asked, his voice gentle. 

She sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Sure, what’s up.” "I heard what happened," he said, keeping his voice low. "People are saying some awful things, and I know they're not true. I just wanted to check if you were okay." 

Y/N felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes but blinked them back. "Thank you.” You shouldn't have to deal with this alone. Is there anything I can do to help?" She shook her head. "I appreciate it, but I need to handle this myself." 

As he walked away, Y/N's phone buzzed with a missed call. It was from Ben. Her fingers hovered over the screen, but she couldn't bring herself to reply. Not yet. The wound was too fresh, the hurt too deep. 

That evening, Ben sat in his apartment, staring at his phone, hoping for a response that never came. He knew he had crossed a line, and the realization of what he had done was eating him alive. 

Unable to sit still, he grabbed his jacket and headed out, his mind racing. He found himself outside Y/N's apartment, seeing the lights were out in her apartment. He sat on the steps, waiting, hoping she would come home soon so he could at least see her, apologize, try to make things right. 

When she finally arrived, she stopped short at the sight of him. Her face hardened, and she walked past him without a word. "Y/N," he called after her, standing up. "I need to talk to you." She turned around, her eyes blazing. "You've done enough, Ben. Just go home." 

He took a step towards her holding her arm. “Listen to me.” Her eyes locked on to his, ice cold. "No" she snapped. "Do you have any idea what you've done to me.” Ben opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off. "No, Ben. We're done. You need to leave me alone. I can't deal with this anymore." 

“Y/N” He could barely say her name.  

Her eyes teared. “I thought this whole macho toxic persona was just a wall you build up. I would have done anything for you! But to belittle me like this, to embarrass me in the middle of a courtyard full of people when I don’t react the way you want me to, when I need time to deal with my emotions, is where I draw the line.”  

She took a deep breath,  

“I’m done, Ben.”  

-- 

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[resident-gay-bitch]

read part 1 HERE

“you are so stupid, ed’s.” steve had said with a love struck smile on his face, pink rosie cheeks under delicate freckles.

“yeah,” eddie hummed, grinning like a mad man at his beautiful boyfriend, “but you love me.”

“i do.” steve replied simply.

“gag.” robin poked her tongue out, sticking her finger over it, “actually about to vomit. stop being happy and gay in front of me, it’s revolting.”

“oh my god, robin!” eddie gasped, a hand pressed over his heart, “are you a… a homophobe?”

she smiled at him, tossing a peice of popcorn at his head, “only because you lovebirds make me one.”

“shut up, bobbie.” steve shook his head, “this is your fault you know.”

“yeah.” eddie agreed, “if you hadn’t ran your big mouth to steve the minute i told you about him, we’d still be hopeless and pining.”

robin sighed dramatically, “the sacrifices i make for you.”

steve laughed, pulling her into a tackle. eddie hopped off the couch, stepping away from the warzone. he walked into the kitchen, found nancy staring off into the distance, knife in hand, repetitively chopping a block of chocolate for their fondue.

“woah.” eddie reached his hands out tentatively, one resting on her wrist, “easy soldier.”

“eddie i can’t do this anymore.” she looked up at him, knife forgotten to the bench.

“do what, wheeler?” he asked, leaning against the counter, genuine concern in his voice.

she looked at him for a moment, eyes wide and staring. eddie felt a little unsure under her gaze, it was dark and daring, and usually, anyone put under it was about to be ripped to shreds.

but then she did something crazy. something eddie had never ever seen her do before.

she started to cry.

“hey-“ he reached his hands out for her, tentatively, not exactly knowing sad-wheeler protocol, “hey, it’s okay… it’s… you're okay.”

“i’m not.” she pulled herself into his arms, crying into his chest, “it’s not okay, eddie.”

eddie swallowed, she didn’t call him eddie ever, always munson or idiot if she was feeling playful, “i’m here for you, nance. you can talk to me if you need.”

she nodded, just holding him a little longer, “i don’t know what to do.”

he pulled back to look in her eyes, a big ringed hand stroking over her perfect curls, “what’s going on?”

“how do you do it?” she asked, silence sat in the room for a moment, “how do you… accept yourself?”

eddie’s eyes widened, “what do you mean?”

“i mean…” she sniffled, “how are you so okay with being gay?”

“oh.” eddie had said, face making about a million different expressions before settling on one, sorrow, “i’m… not. not really.”

she started to cry more.

“no, hey, no. i mean…” eddie shrugged, “here… here everyone is out to get people like me, you know? i’m not comfortable with it, not fully. i’m constantly living in fear of getting curb stomped or something.”

she turned into her hands, leaning over the counter now, “that’s not helping!”

“wh-“ eddie thought for a moment, he was not in anyway prepared for, or good at this stuff, “i’m sorry. i just… i figured you’d… understand that.”

she nodded her head, “i do.” she glanced up at him, “but… you… you're out.”

“to you guys.” eddie chuckled, “and a couple of the kids figured it out, and wayne’s known since i was ten… but, i haven’t… i’m not…”

nancy looked up at him, straightening her back out, “you're with steve.”

eddie nodded, “yeah, that’s… that’s about the only reason i felt so comfortable sharing with you and will and shit… because he- he makes it a little better.”

she licked her lips, taking a moment to breathe, eyes wet and red rimmed, “what do you mean?”

eddie smiled, “cause i love him, you know? it’s just… everything in this world is hard, everything’s out to get me, but steve… you know, he walks into the room and everything just feels a little more… doable. he makes life have more meaning.” he shrugged, “so, whilst being with him is hard, because we can’t go out or hold hands or anything like that… just having him close by and knowing that when we’re behind closed doors he can hold me in his arms, everything is gonna be okay again.”

nancys eyes drooped a little, “i didn’t think love was real.”

eddie offered her a sympathetic smile, “i didn’t either, until i met steve.”

she nodded her head a few times before grabbing his hand, turning his palm up so she could draw shapes on it with her finger. he let her. he’d always sort of had a soft spot for the wheelers. they stayed like that for a little while, whilst nancy processed things.

eddie broke the silence, “is this why you broke up with jon?”

nancy nodded her head, not looking up from his calloused palm.

eddie nodded in response, things started to click, “did you like jon?” silence hummed for a moment, “steve?”

she shook her head, “i don’t think so.”

eddie squinted his eyes, “you don’t think so?”

she looked up, “they were… nice but…”

“penis ain’t your thing, wheels?”

her cheeks turned red.

eddie grinned, chuckling softly, “secrets safe with me, nancy.”

she seemed to relax a little, “i’m sorry, eddie.”

“don’t apologise.” he smiled, pulling her back into a hug, “you know, a couple of months ago i was in this same place.”

“really?”

“well…” eddie hummed, wiggling his head as he held her a little tighter, “i knew i was gay, had for years. just hadn’t told anyone, didn’t know what to do. but i was so into steve and it got stressful because he was like… straight, you know? and so, i went to robin about it because she was a fellow weirdo and really nice, and i thought that if anyone was gonna accept me it was gonna be her.”

“oh.” nancy nodded her head, sinking into his hold, “and it helped?”

“a lot.” eddie chuckled, kissing the top of her head, “your safe with me, kay? m’not gonna tell a soul. not even stevie.”

she squeezed him, “thankyou.”

he let her go, and she went back to chopping chocolate. eddie headed to the fridge to get the fruit to help her prepare the desert. they worked together in silence, and nancy felt a even safer now around her best friend.

**

“that little… outburst…” eddie tipped his head from side to side and nancy punched his arm, “ow! hey! i was kidding.”

“jackass.” she shoved a clean plate into his hands to dry.

eddie smiled, leaning up against the cabinet, “you were feeling like that because..?”

nancy gritted her teeth, looking back over her shoulder to see steve and robin sitting on the floor of the hallway, deep in concentration in their thumb war, “it’s pointless.”

eddie followed her eye line, mouth parting when it clicked, “you like robert?”

nancy looked at him, shoving a clean fork into his hands now too, “shut the fuck up.”

“i didn’t say anything!” eddie laughed, putting the plate and fork away, ready to dry the next dish, “it’s a genuine question.”

nancy sighed, “okay, yes.”

eddie grinned, “you love her?”

nancy glared at him.

“i’ll take that as a yes.” he nodded his head, putting the dishes away, “damn wheeler.”

“mhm.” she nodded, “i hate it.”

“why?” eddie had asked, forgetting that nancy wasn’t in the know about robins sexuality.

“she’s like, totally in love with rob lowe.”

eddie laughed.

“what?” she scoffed, shoving a dripping wet plate into his chest.

“i’m sorry!” eddie laughed, wiping the plate dry, “i’m sorry that’s… where did you hear that?”

“she told me.” nancy muttered.

“when?” eddie shook his head.

“i don’t know, a while ago.” she sighed, “we were just looking through magazines together and i stopped on a page and said he had a nice smile, and then she said ‘oh my god, rob lowe is like, the love of my life!’.”

eddie bit his lip, “okay, that’s not true at all.”

“how would you know?” nancy asked.

because you are, is what eddie wanted to say, but he didn’t want to out her.

“i just do.” eddie nodded, “it’s not so bad, i think.”

“it’s hopeless.” nancy gruffed, “i’ve got all these shitty emotions about finally figuring out i like women and i don’t even have someone to make it a little better like you do.”

“hey, no.” eddie sighed, rubbing his eyes, “that’s not- i shouldn���t have said that, before. it’s not all bad.”

she glared at him.

“it’s not!” he shreiked before taking a moment to compose himself, “look, when you don’t have someone and no one knows about you, that’s when it’s shit. but that’s why i told rob, because i knew having someone that accepts me would make it a little better. your kinda standing in a room of fucking queers, nance, you’ll be fine.”

“i suppose. things are better with me and steve now.”

eddie nodded.

“maybe i can tell him.”

“yeah, exactly.”

“not robin.” she shook her head, “please don’t tell robin.”

“swear on my life.”

**

“steve.” nancy whisper shouted from the bathroom, “steve!”

“wh-“ he rubbed his eyes, backing out of the guest room to head her way, “what?”

“i need to tell you something.”

“are you doing this now?” eddie asked, voice muffled from the toothbrush in his mouth.

nancy nodded.

“i should leave-“

nancy grabbed his shirt, pushing him back into the bathroom behind her, “you are not going anywhere.”

“okay then.” eddie nodded, continuing his tooth brushing.

steve was on edge, “what’s going on?”

nancy gritted her teeth, “eddie said it’s safe to tell you, and you can’t tell robin.”

steve glanced up at eddie, and he shrugged, so he looked back down at nancy, “okay…?”

“i’m gay.”

his eyebrows shot up, “what?”

“that’s… that’s why i thought it was… bullshit.” she cleared her throat, having a hard time keeping eye contact, “i’m sorry.”

steve smiled, reaching out for her shoulder, “it’s okay. i get it… i mean… i like, only like dudes now so.”

“oh.” nancy smiled, a laugh of relief slipping out, “oh god, we’re hopeless.”

“yeah.” steve laughed.

“just, please don’t tell rob.” she shook her head, “i’m about to share a bed with her and i don’t want her freaking out and figuring out i’m into her.”

“your into bobbie?” steve whisper shouted, shock taking over him.

nancy nodded.

“okay.” steve said, “goodnight.”

“okay, goodnight.” nancy smiled.

steve slowly stepped away from the bathroom before bolting for nancys bedroom, flinging the door open rather agressively. robin screached, falling over, pyjama bottoms half way on.

“steve!” she rubbed her head.

“kiss her.” steve grinned.

“wh-“

“steve!” he heard eddie yell, then his footsteps.

“you didn’t hear it from me, but nancys gay for you.”

“wh-“ robin was about to scream before eddie was tackling his boyfriend to the ground, a hand over his mouth, begging him to shut up.

“did you-“ nancy stopped behind eddie in the doorway.

“steve…” eddie hummed, not caring about steve licking his hand, “did you tell her?”

steve didn’t answer. eddie looked over at robin, who was red cheeked and sitting on the floor with her pants half on, staring up at nancy. eddie groaned.

“goddamnit steve! she literally just figured it out!” eddie looked up at nancy, “i should have realised sooner. you can’t tell one of these two a secret without the other finding out.”

nancy slumped against the wall, ready to scream cry and run away.

eddie grinned up at her, “does it help if i tell you that robin is sitting there with her pants half on, freaking out because she’s got this massive lesbian crush on you too?” eddie began to pull steve away from the room.

“what?” nancy asked, staring at him.

“eddie!” robin called out.

“you did it to me.” eddie chuckled, “at least i had the decency to wait a couple of hours!”

nancy turned into the doorway, “your gay?”

“your gay?” robin said back, pants fully on now.

“you like me?” nancy swallowed.

“like…” robin shrugged, visibly riddled with nerves, “yeah, a lot.”

nancy shut the door behind her. steve looked back at eddie, who had finally let him go. he kissed his boyfriend once on the lips.

“you waited that long to stop me on purpose, didn’t you?”

“i promised her i wouldn’t tell anyone.” eddie grinned, “didn’t mean you couldn’t.”