#“An interviewer who's a little too extra with the pens”

[pinkcreatorhologram]

The Power of Morning Messages. Love, Faith and Positivity

Sometimes we set the tone for the rest of our day in the morning, which is a sign of a fresh start

[everythingjapan]

"Mundane Halloween" Favorites:

"An interviewer who's a little too extra with the pens"

"The guy who had to work during vacation"

"The man under infrared camera"

"The one who's still playing Animal Crossing"

"A person going to work on a windy day"

"A driver's license"

"A guy who can definitely tell the difference between good and bad coffee"

"When you're loading"

"A guy who can no longer wear his favorite shirt because of the anime Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)"

"The one who left the bag open"

"Someone who isn't aware their phone flashlight is on"

"The woman who got a head injury in soap operas"

"A woman who's regretting telling the cashier that she doesn't need a bag"

"The newly single in Japanese drama getting over a relationship"

"That guy who's definitely the grill master at a large BBQ"

"The surprised man, who got a vasectomy last year"

"The Starbucks employee forced to smile through an exhausting Halloween"

"An office worker whose lanyard name card has flipped over"

"Zoom background error"

"An overworked woman doing last-minute assignments for a terrible company on the train platform"

"A businessman who cut himself shaving but can luckily hide it with his mask"

"The woman looking for a seat at the food court"

"The woman who's having her bangs cut but the hairdresser is nowhere to be found"

"The guy waiting for his girlfriend by the shopping mall restroom"

[its-avalon-08]

Could you write a story where the reader is an F1 reporter who gets along well with everyone? She’s a close friend, and everyone considers her like a “sister” (or maybe even more for some… I don’t know, let me be delulu here!) and when she gets pregnant, they all become super protective and take extra care of her. For example, if she’s struggling with the heat, they make sure she’s comfortable. Thank you!

golden child of the paddock (all drivers)

✦ pairing - all drivers x female!reader (platonic), carlos sainz x female!driver (non platonic)

✦ genre - protective drivers, romance

The first time Y/N stepped into the F1 paddock as a young, starry-eyed reporter, she felt a blend of excitement and nerves. She was new to the sport, young, and a little out of her depth, but she knew her passion for racing and her natural curiosity would be enough to keep her going. Still, when she looked around at the towering motorhomes, the thrumming of engines, and the throng of seasoned journalists, it was hard not to feel like she was in over her head.

"First day on the job?" a voice came from her side. She turned to see none other than Daniel Ricciardo, grinning with that trademark mischievous smile. He’d noticed her as she was nervously adjusting her press badge.

"Uh, yeah," she admitted, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Guess it's pretty obvious."

Daniel laughed and gave her a friendly nudge. "You’ll be fine. Just stick around us drivers; we’re way more fun than those old journos anyway."

Just then, a few other drivers came over, drawn by the new face in the crowd. Lando Norris was quick to introduce himself, already full of playful questions.

"So, Y/N, are you here to keep an eye on me?" he teased, giving her a wink. "Because, let’s be honest, I’m the only interesting one on the grid."

"Right," Y/N said, unable to help the laugh that escaped. "I’ll try to keep my focus on you, Lando."

Max Verstappen raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Good luck with that. But hey, if you ever want the real story, you know who to ask."

Y/N quickly felt herself relaxing as the drivers bantered with her, making her feel more at home. Soon, the entire paddock was buzzing with news of the young, friendly reporter. And the drivers? Well, they seemed determined to keep her close.

Over the next few weeks, Y/N found herself almost part of the F1 family. She’d interview the drivers in the press pen, and somehow, every single one of them found a way to add a bit of personal advice or a subtle check-in.

"Did you eat today?" Lewis Hamilton asked her once, holding out an extra protein bar during a post-practice interview.

"Oh, I… yeah, I grabbed something earlier," she stammered, a little caught off guard.

He nodded, handing her the bar anyway. "You’re going to need the energy. Trust me. This job doesn’t slow down."

Even Sebastian Vettel would occasionally pause to check in on her. Once, he found her frowning at her notes during a practice session. "Don’t worry too much about getting every detail perfect, Y/N," he said kindly. "You’re doing great. Just be yourself—that’s what people connect with."

"Thanks, Seb," she said, feeling a bit of relief wash over her. "I guess I’m just… I don’t want to mess up."

Seb gave her a reassuring smile. "You won’t. Just remember, we’re all here to help if you need it."

Then, there was Carlos Sainz. Unlike the others, his way of protecting her was a bit more… personal. The first time she interviewed him, he was warm and polite, but as the weeks passed, his demeanor shifted ever so slightly. He’d always look at her with this glint in his eye, his smile lingering a second longer than necessary.

"Amor," he greeted her one morning, his Spanish accent adding a warmth to the word that made her cheeks heat up. "You’re looking stressed. Are they working you too hard?"

She blinked, feeling a little flustered. "Carlos, I’m fine, really. Just part of the job."

Carlos tilted his head, giving her a small, teasing smile. "Maybe. But if you need a break, you let me know, sí? Can’t have you running around too much."

The way he looked at her, the gentle tone of his voice, and the pet names—amor, cariño—all of it made her feel a little thrill each time they spoke.

As the season continued, it became clear to everyone in the paddock that Y/N was something special. Not just another reporter but someone who cared about them, respected them, and brought a certain brightness with her wherever she went. And as they got closer, the drivers each took on their own version of ‘big brother’ with her.

One afternoon, she was struggling with some heavy equipment when Pierre Gasly spotted her and practically sprinted over.

"Whoa, whoa, no way, Y/N. We’re not doing this," he said, taking the bag off her shoulder. "You’re not carrying anything if we’re around, okay?"

"Pierre, I can handle it, seriously," she tried to argue, but Pierre just shook his head.

"Not happening. You’re stuck with all of us now, so get used to it."

She had barely gotten over Pierre’s chivalrous intervention when she felt someone tap her shoulder. Turning around, she found Charles Leclerc standing with a concerned frown.

"Y/N, I saw you trip on the stairs earlier. You didn’t hurt yourself, right?"

She laughed, brushing it off. "I’m fine, Charles. Just a little stumble."

He crossed his arms, clearly not convinced. "Alright, well, just… watch your step, okay?"

Everywhere she went, there seemed to be a driver looking out for her. They’d bring her water bottles when it was hot, extra snacks when she looked tired, and Carlos, of course, was always there to check on her, calling her mi vida and making sure she never felt alone.

One evening, after a particularly long day, Carlos found her sitting on a low wall by the track, staring out over the circuit, lost in thought.

"Mind if I join you, cariño?" he asked, his voice soft.

"Not at all," she smiled as he sat beside her.

They sat in companionable silence for a while before Carlos spoke. "You know, everyone here thinks of you as a sister."

Y/N laughed. "Yeah, I’ve noticed. I can’t even carry my own things anymore!"

Carlos chuckled, his fingers brushing her arm. "It’s because we care about you. And some of us…" He paused, his gaze turning serious. "Some of us more than others."

Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at him. "Carlos…"

He gave her a shy smile, something rare for the usually confident driver. "I just want you to know, Y/N. You’re not alone here."

She nodded, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks. "I know. Thanks, Carlos."

Just then, Max passed by, smirking. "Hey, Carlos, not hogging Y/N, are we?"

Carlos shot him a look. "Can’t a man have a moment, Max?"

Max grinned, winking at Y/N. "Don’t worry, Y/N. If he’s bothering you, just let us know."

As Max walked off, Carlos rolled his eyes, but his hand found hers, squeezing gently. "They’ll never leave you alone now, mi amor. Better get used to us all."

Y/N smiled, looking out over the track, feeling for the first time that she truly belonged. Surrounded by a family of drivers, each one ready to support, protect, and care for her, she knew this would be the beginning of something wonderful.

--

It was the last night of the race weekend, and the paddock was almost deserted. Only a few lights remained on, casting a soft glow over the empty garages and tents. Y/N lingered by the trackside, her heart racing in her chest. She had made up her mind—she couldn’t keep pretending she didn’t feel anything for Carlos. But she didn’t think she’d be standing here, ready to confess her feelings in such a big way.

"You got this, Y/N," Lando said, giving her a little nudge of encouragement. The rest of the drivers had banded together, helping her plot the perfect confession for the man who had her heart.

"But what if he… I don’t know, laughs?" Y/N wrung her hands nervously, feeling her cheeks flush. "What if he doesn’t feel the same way?"

"Then he’s an idiot," Pierre chimed in with a grin, his arm around her shoulder. "But trust me, he’s not that dumb. I mean, he calls you cariño every day. I’m pretty sure he’s already halfway in love with you."

Sebastian, who had come along to witness the moment, chuckled. "You’ve grown up so fast, Y/N. Look at you—confessing your feelings like a true professional."

"Just… be yourself," Charles added, giving her an encouraging smile. "Carlos would be lucky to have you."

"Really?" she whispered, looking at her friends with wide eyes. They all nodded emphatically, giving her the strength she needed to take the leap.

As she waited, Y/N glanced back at her team of ‘brothers,’ who were hiding in the shadows with poorly concealed excitement. George and Alex were practically bouncing on their toes, and even Max was grinning.

Finally, she saw Carlos walking towards her, his hair still a little messy from the day, his eyes bright despite the late hour. "Y/N?" he asked, his brows raised in surprise. "What’s going on?"

She took a deep breath, willing herself not to lose her nerve. "Carlos, there’s something I need to tell you. And, um… please just listen, okay? Don’t say anything until I’m finished."

Carlos’s smile softened as he nodded. "Of course, mi vida."

"Right, okay…" She took another breath, staring at the ground, feeling her heart pounding against her ribs. "So, ever since I started here, you’ve… you’ve been one of the best parts of my job. The way you tease me, how you’re always looking out for me, calling me all those sweet names…" She laughed, slightly embarrassed. "At first, I thought it was just you being nice. But then… I realized it’s more than that for me. I… I really like you, Carlos. A lot."

There was a soft gasp from somewhere behind her, probably Lando, but Y/N kept her eyes on Carlos, who looked utterly stunned.

"I just couldn’t go on pretending I didn’t feel this way," she continued, her voice trembling. "And if you don’t feel the same, that’s okay. I just… I needed you to know."

Carlos took a step closer, his gaze intense, and she could see a flicker of emotion in his eyes that made her heart swell. "Y/N," he murmured, reaching for her hands. "You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that. I was so sure… so sure you only saw me as a friend."

Her cheeks flushed a deep red. "Carlos, I’ve had the biggest crush on you for months. You call me cariño, amor—it’s impossible not to fall for you."

He laughed softly, pulling her closer. "Well, in that case, let me say it properly." His voice softened, his gaze never leaving hers. "Te quiero, Y/N. I want you, too."

A mix of squeals and cheers erupted from the shadows as the other drivers stepped out, clapping and wiping away mock tears.

"Finally!" Daniel shouted, throwing his hands up dramatically. "Our little Y/N is all grown up!"

George pretended to dab at his eyes. "I’m not crying… it’s just… allergies."

Pierre gave her an affectionate grin, giving Carlos a nod of approval. "You better take care of her, Sainz."

Carlos laughed, wrapping an arm around Y/N’s waist, pulling her into his side. "Don’t worry. I’ll treat her like the queen she deserves to be."

Max crossed his arms, his smile warm. "Good answer, mate. We’ve been waiting for this moment forever."

Y/N looked around at her friends, her cheeks sore from smiling. "Thank you, all of you. I couldn’t have done it without you."

Sebastian raised a pretend glass, grinning. "To Y/N and Carlos. And to all the big brothers who made this night possible."

Lando cleared his throat, looking almost sentimental as he pulled her into a quick hug. "We’re really happy for you, Y/N. But remember, if Carlos gives you any trouble, we’ll be right here."

Carlos chuckled, looking down at her with a playful smirk. "I think I have more to worry about than you do, cariño. With all these guys watching out for you, I’ll have to be on my best behavior."

"And that," Y/N said, squeezing his hand, "is exactly how I want it."

Surrounded by her friends—her family—she felt an overwhelming wave of happiness wash over her. As she looked up at Carlos, the rest of the world faded away, leaving only the warmth of his gaze and the knowledge that she was exactly where she belonged.

--

A few years down the road, Y/N had cemented her place as the paddock’s heart and soul. Fans adored her interviews, and the teams always lit up when she was around. Being married to Carlos only added to the love everyone felt for her, and for Carlos, it made him proud—and fiercely protective.

The first few months of her pregnancy, however, had been kept tightly under wraps. Only she and Carlos knew, and they were still basking in the news in secret. But now, as she tried to hide her growing morning sickness and Carlos’s over-attentive concern, things were getting harder to keep quiet.

One morning in the paddock, Max Verstappen happened to pass by and saw Y/N doubled over, looking pale as she sat on a crate outside the Red Bull garage.

"Hey, Y/N, you okay?" Max asked, concerned, immediately handing her his water bottle. "You don’t look too great."

Y/N tried to wave him off with a weak smile. "Oh, it’s nothing, Max, I just… I think it was something I ate."

"Something you ate?" he repeated, narrowing his eyes. "You’ve been saying that a lot lately."

"Just bad luck, I guess," she said, but the nausea hit her again, and she had to lean over to steady herself.

Max’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped as he pieced it together. "No way. No way. Y/N—are you…"

Y/N’s face flushed, but she couldn’t deny it, her weak smile giving her away.

"Oh my god." Max’s mouth fell open as he processed it. "Carlos got you pregnant?!"

“Shh!” Y/N whispered, glancing around in a panic. "Max, keep it down! We’re not telling people yet!"

Max clapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes filling with tears. "Oh my god. Y/N, you’re pregnant." He blinked rapidly, his lips quivering as he tried to hold it together. "You’re gonna have a little Sainz?"

She bit her lip and nodded, smiling softly. “Yes. But you can’t tell anyone yet.”

Max was silent for a moment, his eyes shimmering. Then he let out a choked laugh and pulled her into a gentle hug, whispering, “I’m so happy for you. You’re gonna be the best mom, Y/N. I can already see it.”

Y/N laughed as he let her go, but not before he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Stop crying, Max,” she teased. “You’re making me want to cry, too!”

“I can’t help it,” he sniffled, looking sheepish. “This is huge! And now I have to protect you and the baby?”

“You don’t have to,” she laughed, but Max was already shaking his head.

“No, no, you don’t understand. I’m not letting you lift a finger,” he said, his face suddenly serious. “And I’m making sure Carlos does the same. You’ll have every single driver looking out for you.”

Just then, Carlos approached, his brow furrowing as he saw Max wiping at his eyes. “Max, what’s going on?”

Max pointed a stern finger at Carlos. “You, Sainz, have one job. You better take care of her and the little one. Or else…”

Carlos raised his hands, amused but wary. “I am taking care of her, Verstappen. Trust me.”

“No, not enough!” Max argued, his voice almost panicked. “She was just sitting here, pale as a ghost, and you weren’t even around!”

Y/N stifled a laugh, but Carlos just smirked, nodding in understanding. “Alright, alright, I’ll keep an even closer eye on her. Promise.”

Max softened a bit, but he wasn’t letting up. “Good. Because if anything happens to Y/N or the baby, anything, you’re answering to me. And Lando, and Pierre, and basically every guy in this paddock who cares about her.”

“Max, I think Carlos knows what he’s doing,” Y/N said, a smile playing on her lips.

Max looked between them, then grinned, his face softening. “Fine, but I’m still watching you both.” He took a deep breath, then pulled her into another hug. “I’m so, so happy for you, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Max,” she whispered, hugging him back. “I think we’ll need you and the others looking out for us.”

Carlos wrapped an arm around her shoulder, giving Max a nod of gratitude. “Gracias, amigo. She’ll have all the protection she needs.”

“Good.” Max wiped his eyes one last time, giving them both a fierce nod. “Because we’re all family. And now… we’re growing.”

--

The Singapore Grand Prix was notorious for its blistering heat, and this year was no exception. The sweltering air clung to everyone, and for Y/N, who was visibly and heavily pregnant, it was nearly unbearable. But duty called, and the FIA insisted that she continue her scheduled interviews.

As she was setting up for another interview, the heat making her dizzy, she heard a familiar voice behind her. “Y/N, what are you doing here?” Lewis Hamilton approached her with a look of disbelief, glancing at her with concern. “You should be sitting in an air-conditioned room right now, not out here in this heat.”

“Lewis, it’s fine,” she said with a weak smile, though she was struggling. “It’s just a few interviews.”

Before he could respond, Max and Oscar joined them, both looking equally shocked.

“Are they out of their minds?” Max muttered, his face turning red with anger. “You shouldn’t be out here like this!”

“Seriously, Y/N,” Oscar added, frowning. “This isn’t safe. You’re not a machine.”

Y/N tried to brush them off, but she felt another wave of dizziness hit her. She steadied herself, but Charles had already noticed, his eyes narrowing. “That’s it,” he said firmly. “This is ridiculous. They can’t make you do this.”

“It’s okay, really—” she began, but the drivers were not having it.

Lewis crossed his arms, looking around with a sharp glare. “Who do we need to talk to? This isn’t happening, not today.”

As if on cue, a member of the FIA walked over, clipboard in hand. “Y/N, are we ready for the next interview?”

Max stepped in front of her before she could answer, his voice low and menacing. “She’s not doing any more interviews. Send someone else.”

The official frowned, clearly taken aback. “Excuse me? This is her job—”

“Yeah, and her job shouldn’t put her or her baby in danger,” Charles interjected angrily. “She’s done for the day.”

Oscar nodded in agreement. “Get someone else. This isn’t up for discussion.”

The FIA official looked bewildered, glancing at Y/N, but Lewis shot him a glare that would have stopped anyone in their tracks. “You have plenty of other reporters. Don’t make us get security involved.”

Seeing no way around it, the official nodded reluctantly. “Fine. She can go. But this will be reported.”

The drivers didn’t care; they were already surrounding Y/N protectively, guiding her towards the paddock lounge.

“Thank you, guys,” she murmured, touched by their concern. “But I can handle this, really—”

“No way,” Max cut her off, shaking his head. “Carlos would kill us if we let you stay out there in this heat.”

As they led her to the lounge, Carlos appeared, having just gotten word of what happened. His expression was a mix of relief and anger as he approached the group. “Qué demonios? Y/N, why didn’t you call me?”

Y/N shrugged, looking sheepish. “I didn’t want to bother you…”

Carlos looked ready to explode, turning to the FIA official who had followed them, probably to try and salvage the situation. “You made her work out there, in this heat, while she’s pregnant? Are you insane?”

The official held up his hands defensively. “We were just following standard protocol—”

“To hell with your protocol!” Carlos shouted, his face flushed with anger. “She’s carrying our child, and you’re risking her health for some interviews?”

“Mr. Sainz, please calm down—”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Carlos snapped, switching to rapid Spanish that the official clearly didn’t understand, though the tone left no doubts about what he was saying. “This is unacceptable. Inaceptable!”

“Carlos, you’re going to get fined,” Lewis warned quietly, though he was smirking a little, clearly pleased to see someone giving the FIA a piece of their mind.

“Fine me, I don’t care,” Carlos shot back. “It’ll be worth every cent if it means they treat her properly.”

The official quickly left, muttering something about reporting this to higher-ups, but the drivers didn’t care. They were all clustered around Y/N, making sure she was comfortable as they brought her a cold towel and water.

As soon as she was settled in, Max crouched beside her, giving her a warm but firm look. “From now on, you call us if they try to make you do anything stupid again, alright?”

Y/N chuckled, touched by their fierce protectiveness. “I promise.”

Carlos sat beside her, still fuming, but his hand gently rested on her stomach, protective and calming. “If they pull anything like this again, they’ll have to deal with all of us,” he said, his tone softer but no less serious.

That night, news of Carlos’s outburst—and his subsequent fine—spread like wildfire across social media. Fans took to Twitter, trending hashtags like #ProtectY/N and #JusticeForY/N. Clips of the drivers banding together to protect her from the heat circulated, and the internet quickly turned it into a rallying cry against the FIA’s treatment of Y/N.

@F1Fanatic: "Carlos got fined for standing up for his pregnant wife, and I’m here for it. #ProtectY/N 💪🔥"

@PaddockPrincess: "Seeing all the drivers look out for Y/N is the purest thing ever. She deserves all the love 🥹❤️ #FamilyGoals #ProtectY/N"

@F1Daily: "We all knew Carlos was protective, but the way he went off on the FIA? ICONIC. #JusticeForY/N"

Y/N couldn’t help but smile as she scrolled through the support from fans, all of whom felt like an extended family. With Carlos by her side, and a whole paddock of brothers watching over her, she knew she and her baby would be safe, no matter what.

[theemporium]

Character B, being someone who likes to hug something in their sleep, ends up using Character A as their makeshift pillow. Character A isn’t too keen on it at first but they end up accepting their fate. (It’s the best night of sleep they’ve probably ever had since they were a kid.) 

I need this as fluff with max because there was one interview where he said he wasn’t big on spooning/cuddling and I as this and immediately thought about it

this is so🥹thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

.

As much as the Dutchman tried to deny his feelings for you, it was clear to everyone else in the world that he was head over heels.

He was blunt with his words and how he felt, never shying away from them when questioned. Though, that being said, he wasn’t always the most aware of his own feelings. And when he was, it wasn’t instinctive for him to yell them from every rooftop so everyone in the world knew how he felt. 

Max bottled his feelings. He let them linger and fester until he was ready to confront them. And despite every single sign in the universe pointing out that he was in love with you, he was nowhere near saying the words aloud to anyone, or even himself.

But that didn’t stop him from showing you he loved you in simple gestures that felt like an instinct rather than a chore.

It was a surprise to most of the paddock that the two of you even became friends, let alone anything more. 

You were opposites in every sense of the word. Max was blunt and direct, you were calmer and more patient with people. Max was seen as a villain to a large majority of the Formula One world, whilst you were a walking, talking ray of sunshine. Max was the golden boy of Red Bull racing, and you were a hardworking member of the Mercedes team. 

And despite it all, you two were a bonded pair known throughout the paddock. 

There would be countless little things Max would do for you that would confuse the people of the paddock. The way he would seek you out the second he was relieved from his duties in the garage or the media pen. The way he would bring you snacks and drinks even if it meant venturing into a sea of silver to find you. The way he would always have an extra hoodie or jacket for you in case things got chilly by the track. The way he would always drive you to and from the paddock, even if it meant he had to stay longer after the races on Sunday when he could leave. 

Though your favourite ritual was the movie nights you would have. 

They were sporadic at best, but you were both committed when you had one. It was usually after one of you had a bad day, when you weren’t quite ready to talk it out but wanted the distraction regardless. 

It had been a tiring day for Max in the media pen, but when he saw the look on your face as he approached the Mercedes garage, he knew it was nothing in comparison to the day you had. He was soundless as he took your backpack from you and headed to the car, barely saying a word until you reached the hotel. He told you to change into something comfier and make your way to his hotel room afterwards. 

Dinner had already been ordered by the time you arrived, and he silently handed you the remote so you could choose the movie. 

Max’s lips twitched when he noticed you had picked New Moon, only snorting a little when you rolled your eyes and jabbed his side for judging your choice. But he remained quiet as you two ate, enjoying the movie as though you hadn’t made him watch it a million times. 

However, he failed to realise just how hard the day hit you because it wasn’t even thirty minutes into the movie when he felt your head on his shoulder. You were both lying back on the bed, the pillows fluffed behind you and the duvet covering you both. It was comfy and it made sense.

And yet, in all the movie nights you had together—in the whole time you had been friends—never once had you shared the bed. You would always make your way back to your hotel room by the end of the night. 

But here you were, fast asleep and tucked into his side. 

Max was frigid and tense at first. A part of him knew he could have just slid away from you, guided you towards the other side of the bed. He could have shaken you awake and carried you back to your hotel room. Hell, he could have even taken the couch or the floor if it meant he had his own space. 

But he found he didn’t really want to.

He told himself that it was the dinner and the long day that had tired him out. That he could no longer fight the sleepiness and exhaustion in his body, that it wouldn’t be worth the effort to move you away. He told himself all of that on a loop as he switched the tv off, as he shuffled down on the bed so he was comfy, as he let you wrap yourself around him like a koala. 

He told himself that he didn’t like it and it was a one time thing as he fell asleep. 

When he woke up in the morning, he was almost surprised to find that you were closer than you were before. Your legs were entangled and your arms were wound around his torso, your cheek pressed against his chest as you slept peacefully. 

He was warm, though it wasn’t unbearable. The heat and weight of you pressed up against him wasn’t as irritating as he assumed it would be. It was comforting. In an odd way, it was soothing, assuring even. 

He was almost annoyed when you woke up.

“You’re not as grumpy as you usually are,” his teammate noted when he entered the garage that morning, ready for the first free practice session of the day.

“I guess I had a good night’s sleep,” Max replied simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Did you get laid or something?”

Max rolled his eyes. “That’s not the only way to have a good night's sleep.”

Daniel just raised his hands in mock defence. “Alright, don’t bite my head off,” he murmured, though there was an amused smile on his face. “Is it a new stuffed bear? Maybe I should put you down for a nap if you’re getting cranky.”

His chest almost tightened at the thought of napping with you, of having you wrapped around him once again, of feeling that sense of calmness wash over him. 

“You’re hilarious, mate.”

“I know.” 

Yet, Max couldn’t help but spend the rest of the day wondering how he could convince you to sleep in his bed again.

.

[blackcherryvelvet0909]

Why Should I Worry? (Filis O. Seaveworth)

Content Warning: Passionate kissing towards the end, spoilers for the Playful Land event, kidnapping (canon event), child abduction (canon event), mention of menstrual period

Note: Filis uses he/him and she/her pronouns throughout the story. She goes by he/him when under the moniker of Henry W. Taon. Filis O. Seaveworth/Henry W. Taon, Persayis N. Siofra, Liling Trieu, Revon C. Crowley, Alyssum Desrosiers, and Juliusz A. Bauer all belong to me. A few characters mentioned (surnames Sharnaz, Thazeen, and Fardowsa), as well as Arty, also belong to me. There are a lot in this one folks, haha.

Additional Note: This is a repost of a story of mine, with a few minor changes. It's over 11k words, so sit down and get comfy!

“Don’t forget to read pages one hundred seventy-two through one hundred eighty-eight,” reminded the assistant professor to the students. “The information found within the text will be on tomorrow’s test.” 

A series of grumbles and groans followed the pupils as they walked out of the classroom and into the hall, off to lunch. Henry reorganized their desk space, restacking books on the left and sorting papers that needed to be graded on the right. He placed the feathered pen back in its inkwell, right after making sure said inkwell wasn’t in need of a refill. Once the desk was properly sorted, he erased the chalkboard directly behind him, then wrote down the instructions for the start of class with a piece of crisp white chalk. After dusting off his hands with the cloth used for that specific purpose, Henry walked down the aisles of student desks, making sure no one had left any belongings or trash behind. Satisfied that everything was in order for the next class, Henry gathered his things from the little cabinet next to the door. The strap of his canvas bag looped over his shoulder, the assistant teacher exited the room and headed to the cafeteria. 

It was a pretty day outside. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, the air seemed sweet. The man’s calico cat ears twitched as they listened to a few birds chirp below, likely perched in a tree or on a bench. He couldn’t help but flick out his tongue for a taste of that sweet wind as a gentle breeze blew by. Henry quickly retracted that tongue as two students passed him from behind; he gave them a polite wave of greeting, which they returned with a smile before they continued on. The stress of teaching class slowly trickled its way out of his mind and body. It would soon return, likely in the afternoon once the school day was done, yet Henry didn’t mind too much. 

Night Raven College was exactly where the beastkin wanted to be. For years they’ve dreamt of being a teacher - to get an opportunity to be a professor at their alma mater was extra special! Henry had applied for the position of assistant professor on a whim, not believing he would even get an interview. How surprised he was when the headmage himself contacted him and set one up with him. It was Trein that had recommended Henry for the position; the same man who wrote Henry’s letter of recommendation for his university of choice shortly before he graduated from Night Raven. Now, here Henry was: an assistant to Professor Trein, and a candidate for his replacement upon his retirement. Life couldn’t be better!

“Mr. Toan!” Henry stalled his stride as someone called his name. He turned to see a student approaching him: Ortho Shroud. The teacher smiled as the robotic boy approached, books clutched to his chest. His big yellow eyes practically twinkled as he gazed up at the beastkin; the new freshman looked quite smart in his new model, fashioned after the uniform for Ignihyde first years. “I decided to write about the lost city of Atlantis for my history paper. Can you recommend some books to read to help with my research?”

Henry chuckled to himself - there was at least one freshman eager to learn. “I think I can help with that. How about we reconvene at the library after the day is done? We can decide on the best options together.” 

Ortho nodded eagerly. “Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you so much, sir!” As the boy began to levitate back the way he came, he gave the teacher a friendly wave. “I’ll see you later!” 

Henry waved back, right up until the boy disappeared around a corner. Not every student could be so dedicated. Although, Henry supposed he could sympathize with those who despised anything to do with education, at least to a degree. Back when he was a student, Henry always struggled with master chef and conjuration. He was barely able to pass those classes with a high mark, and that took a lot of struggle and studying, trial and error. Even now, as an adult working on their master’s degree, Henry still found those subjects to be quite troublesome. Not everyone could be like him and be stubborn enough to keep trucking along without giving up. 

As Henry reached the road leading to the cafeteria, he paused and winced, placing a hand on his hip. The faintest grimace crossed his face, eyelids falling shut as he swallowed the whimper that threatened to escape his lips. Great Seven, what a pain! If it were up to Henry, that was one thing they would do away with. However, as he was still considering what he wanted from that part of life, he’d neglected to look into any sort of surgery to permanently fix the problem. After a small hiss, followed by a deep breath, Henry opened his eyes and let his hand fall back to his side. 

“Hey, you okay?” 

Henry glanced over at the woman that now stood beside him. “Yes, I’m alright.”

“That time again, huh?” she suggested with a smile. 

“Not quite, but it’s getting close.” 

“You want to come with me to the infirmary?” she offered. “I’m heading there anyway; we can pick you up some painkillers.”

That did sound nice. Henry checked the watch on their wrist - yes, he should still have enough time to grab a bite to eat afterwards. “Yes, I’ll come with,” he said with a smile.

It wasn’t that long of a walk, really. Within about ten minutes they were there, engaging in polite conversation even after they’d entered the nurse’s office. The ghost on shift gave the two a nod of acknowledgement as they entered. Once it was returned and the pair shut the door behind them, the nurse attendant went back to his business, making beds at the end of the room. There were no students in the room; as the ghost was privy to Henry’s situation, there was no reason to hide whilst there. 

“How’s that binder treating you?” Revon asked as she handed Henry - Filis - the bottle of painkillers. 

Filis let out a sigh as she fetched herself a styrofoam cup and filled it with water from the sink faucet. “I’m wondering if it’s for me. It’s awfully suffocating, and it only makes my cramps worse when my period comes.” 

Revon hummed in thought. “You think you need a bigger size? Maybe one made of a different material?”

Filis shook her head as she sat down in a chair next to one of the beds close to the door. “No… I’ll probably just stop wearing it.” She placed the cup of water on the small side table next to her and opened the bottle of pills, pouring two into her open palm before closing it. “I’m so used to wearing sweaters and cardigans that I won’t feel much of a difference. I doubt any student will bat an eye, either, as that’s my usual fashion.” 

Revon watched as Filis put the pills in her mouth and swallowed them down with a few gulps of water. “Well, at least you tried. You’re right, it’s definitely not for everyone.” She met Filis’s eye as she placed her cup on the table. “You think your regular bra will keep you from, y’know…bouncing?” 

Filis let out a small, quiet laugh. “There’s barely anything to bounce!” She patted her chest. “These have been kept hidden since I came here as a freshman. No one noticed then - I don’t think they will now, especially with the layers I wear.” 

Revon nodded. She paused for a moment, thinking something over. “Do you mind if I ask you something?” Filis shook her head. “This is probably a dumb question, as I’m sure you went over your options before applying here, but you never thought to teach at a girls’ school? You certainly wouldn’t have to hide anything there,” she paused a second time, briefly, then finished her thought with, “though I’ll admit I don’t know why you even hide you’re a woman here. We’ve been accepting female students for a while now.”

Filis shrugged. “Force of habit, I guess? I told you that, when I enrolled here, it was before Crowley opened the school’s doors to all genders.” She shot Revon a smile, “No thanks to you, I assume.” 

Revon put on a coy smile of her own as she shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Who can say?~” 

It still was a little unbelievable who her father was, honestly. Filis nearly fell out of her chair when that little fact was revealed to her. “I guess it just might be kind of weird to some? I mean, I’ve masqueraded as a boy since I was sixteen. A part of me will always be Henry Wendall. Taon - switching over to Filis Olivia. Seaveworth won’t change that.” She took another sip of her water. “I also don’t want anyone to start treating me differently, whether due to my gender or my name.” 

Her family name, to be exact. It wasn’t always Seaveworth, but upon her adoption Filis was thrust into high society. It felt like whiplash the first year or so, and while she’d grown used to it, the status came with its drawbacks. People kissing up to you and stop considering you a person and more of a prospect, for example. Filis was quite happy with being Henry W. Taon - Mr. Taon to many - for now. She likely would make the change to her actual name at some point, but for now she was happy with where she was. 

“Well,” Revon began, “if you ever do decide to make the big reveal while you’re here, I can promise you I’ll handle any backlash or trouble that might come with it. No one should really bat an eye, since people transition and take new pronouns all the time, but there will always be some people.” Revon flipped a few tresses of hair over her shoulder for effect. “And I oh so love to deal with those types of people.” 

Oh, Filis was well aware of that. She recalled the last time Revon had to wrangle an angry parent, and when she previously had to give a student a very stern talking to. Each for a separate reason, yet each held one similarity: those types of individuals were downright rude and entitled and did not know when to quit. The only reason Filis let Revon deal with her share of those miscreants instead of taking care of it herself was, as bad as it might sound, Revon had daddy’s protection. Seven held the one who tried to touch the headmage’s little bird. For how often he hinted at threats concerning his daughter, everyone and their mother knew he was serious. 

“True identity aside, I really do like it here,” Filis added. “I would like to stay here as long as possible, even if I don’t take Mozus’ place when he retires. My family worked too hard to get me here as a student; I’m not going to back out now when I’m about to reach the goal they’ve supported since then.” 

Revon knew which family she was referring to. “You know, if you don’t win a teacher’s award at some point, I’m going to peck out the eyes of whoever’s in charge of handing them out.”

Filis laugh was louder this time. “Do not!”

“Whaaat?” Revon mused. “They’ll never know it was me! It’ll just be some random bird with a mysterious vendetta.”

Filis felt a little sad Revon, Divus, Sam, and Ashton weren’t in her class during her time as a student. She believed those years would’ve been extra amounts of fun with them around. There truly wouldn’t have been much reason for worry.

Filis, currently Henry, watched as all the students filed in. He - she - gave a polite greeting to each that walked in; whether or not they replied at all depended on the person. Filis could discern which had gotten a full night’s rest and which decided to pull an all-nighter by the looks on their faces. Each placed stapled stacks of papers on the desk, right in the little basket Filis had set out to retrieve them. A few she could already tell would have poor grades, as they were either one page only or sparsely written. Those were from the usual suspects, of course. There was teenage rebellion and angst aplenty about the school. 

When the last student took their seat, Filis grew a little puzzled. A few of them were absent, she realized. The first she noticed was Ortho, whose bright, joyful orbs of sparkling yellow had not greeted her at all that day, as they often did. The boy always tried to arrive early, especially attentive to his studies. Filis had been looking forward to reading his paper, which he’d been working so hard on the past two weeks. The memory of them picking out books at the library for Ortho’s research on Atlantis still hung fresh in her mind. 

The other freshmen missing were Ace Trappola and Jack Howl. The former wasn’t too surprising, but the latter? Goodness, had they all fallen ill? Perhaps they partook in too much fast food or candy or some other treat that they overindulged in over the recent weekend, and now they were all sick in their beds? Wait, that didn’t make much sense for Ortho. The cybernetic boy couldn’t exactly eat, given his anatomy - his entire physical body. Filis didn’t feel like he and Jack would skip class with Ace, either. 

When Trein arrived moments later, Filis pointed out the missing students. According to him, he hadn’t heard about anything befalling the three that would prevent them from attending class. While he brushed off the absence of Trappola, given his record, the professor stated he would check-in with the status of Shroud and Howl later. So, trying not to worry, Filis went on about her day. The majority of the first and second classes were spent reading and grading research papers, which was a very time consuming task. Thankfully, there were only a few times she pulled Trein aside for a second opinion on a student’s work. 

It was one of those times when Filis noticed that there were other students missing from the lineup. This occurred in the second class of the day, which included sophomores. There were five missing this time: Jade and Floyd Leech, Liling Trieu, and Kalim Al-Asim. Jamil Viper was also absent. Later in the day, when everyone breaked for lunch, she was able to figure out where Jamil had gone off to. Apparently, according to Divus, Jamil had taken the day off to search for Kalim - the Al-Asim heir was missing. Filis’ colleagues, including Crowley himself, were looking into the matter at the moment, though how much Crowley would actually do was up for debate. 

When it was time for the last class of the day, Filis truly began to worry. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Leona Kingscholar to be absent, and only a little odd for Cater Diamond to be. For Vil Schoenheit, Lilia Vanrouge, Persayis N. Siofra, Juliusz A. Bauer, and Trey Clover though? Fourteen students were missing. That was no coincidence. It was certainly cause for alarm; while Filis and Trein remained calm for the duration of class, afterwards an emergency meeting was held in Crowley’s office.

“Oh, you know how children are,” Dire Crowley mused. “They’ve likely skipped class to go off and make some mischief! I’m sure they will be back soon.”

“They are missing, dad!” Revon bit back. “Sure, a few of them like to skip class from time to time; they could have probably snuck off campus. But Vil? Persayis? They’ve nary missed a single day of school! Why would they suddenly take flight now?” 

The man that was somehow the father of such a woman shrugged, in much the same way she would. “Youthly rebellion?” 

Revon looked as though she might blow a fuse. It almost appeared as though her eyes were beginning to glow, her teeth grit in rage. Before a brawl could ensue, Trein spoke up. “I highly advise that we investigate the matter. Even if this turns out to be something trivial, it is our duty to assure the safety of our students. They could be in great peril.” 

“I took it upon myself to question some of their peers,” Divus interjected. “Viper was the first to raise alarm; Hunt, Felmier, Bucchi, Rosehearts, Thazeen, Spade, Fardowsa, and the older Shroud were soon to follow. Just before I came to this meeting, Ashengrotto and Sharnaz also came to me with their concerns.”

“Draconia and his two attendants came to me earlier during our flying lessons,” Vargas piped up. He cut his eyes at Crowley. “They told me they’d come to you about Vanrouge and Siofra this morning, but said you just assured he’d turn up eventually.” 

The headmage was slowly being backed into a corner. “I am well aware of the maturity of those two. I simply thought they might be out. Who are we to keep two legal adults under wraps?” 

“When they’re loved ones don’t even know where they are?” Revon practically spat. “If I were the one missing, you’d be turning the whole island on its head!”

Well, he couldn’t argue with that. It was Sam who broke the momentary silence. “Might I add that one of the little imps that’s MIA is the prince of the Sunset Savanna. Tell me, wise headmage: what would happen if word were to get back to his family - his brother, the current king regent, that his own flesh and blood went off the radar whilst attending this school? If I were him, I’d certainly have a number of questions.” He brushed an imaginary piece of lint off his sleeve. “Not to mention his highness’s current lover, who I’ve heard the king regent and his wife are very fond of.” 

Filis could almost make out the sweat beading under Crowley’s shirt collar. There was no need for another push. The rest of the meeting was spent discussing how to proceed, aside from contacting the authorities and tracking down the students’ last known location. Each staff member had their part of play; unfortunately for Filis, hers was the smallest. She was to go back to Trein’s office and grade the rest of the second year’s research papers, and then go back to her living quarters for the evening. “I do not give you the task out of a lack of trust in you,” Trein explained to his assistant before he sent her on her way. “You simply do not yet possess the necessary experience to handle a situation like this.” 

Though it did nothing to quell Filis’ unease, she wasn’t offended. Mozus was right: she had never experienced a crisis like this. While she certainly hoped one of this magnitude hadn’t occurred in the past, Mozus and the rest of the staff were certainly trained in the procedures one should follow in these circumstances. Filis would be sure to ask to be trained in these as soon as the students were found and everything was settled. The beastwoman could barely concentrate on her work - her attention kept going back to her students. She could picture them all in her mind’s eye, their faces clear as day. Ortho stood out the most, his pupils full of excitement and wonder, curious about the world around him and willing to do whatever it took to explore it. 

Filis imagined their friends and loved ones were just as distraught. Whether their relationship be platonic, romantic, or familial, their hearts were likely being ripped to shreds now. Filis recalled Divus stating that Idia told him he couldn’t locate his brother via the tracker planted within his body. It was as though the boy had disappeared off the face of Twisted Wonderland! “It’s like he just floated out into the sea and poof! Gone!” For a young man that barely got any sleep to begin with, Filis reckoned he wouldn’t droop an eye anytime soon. 

Filis sighed as she put down her ballpoint pen, letting it roll across the desk before coming to a stop beside a paperweight. She laid her head in the center of her folded arms, placed atop the desk as a makeshift pillow. Where could they be? Where had they run off to? They couldn’t have taken the mirror - her colleagues would have been able to track that. There was no way they could get off the island without being seen. They couldn’t just up and disappear without a trace!

As Filis thought and thought, picking her brain for any sort of clue, a memory came to mind. It was just yesterday, in fact, when it occurred. Ortho had come to her again in the late afternoon, returning a paperclip he’d borrowed earlier in the day. There was no need to give it back, but the boy was so kind and well-mannered he didn’t like the thought of taking something from Filis - Mr. Taon - like that. As Filis did not want anything in return, Ortho felt it was only right to give back what she’d lended him. “If you receive kindness, you should give it in return,” he’d told her. What a sweet boy…

She and the student made small talk before going their separate ways. Filis recollected Ortho telling her about a ticket he received earlier in the day. It was for some carnival or fair, if Filis remembered right. “I wanted my brother to come with me, but he doesn’t like things like that. He thinks it’s a bad idea… I still hope I can go. It sounds like a lot of fun!” 

“It does,” Filis concurred then. “What is it for again? I don’t remember any news of a festival being held in town.”

“It’s a traveling amusement park!” Ortho had replied to her, looking ecstatic by the prospect. “It’s called Playful Land! You can only enter if you have a ticket. I’m so pleased I got one! I’ve never been to an amusement park before.”

Playful Land. The name had sounded familiar, but Filis couldn’t recall where she’d heard it then, and couldn’t now. Who’d given Ortho such a rare opportunity. A once in a lifetime venture, from the sound of it. The fact he disappeared the day after he’d regaled Filis of the entry ticket he’d received for it… Could the other students have gotten similar tickets? She further remembered Ortho telling her about going into town with some of his friends that day…

Filis reached into the pocket of her black slacks and took out a silver coin. It’d been given to her long ago by Arty: a member of her found family, the one she gained before her adoption. It was a good luck charm of sorts, one he gifted to her when she was just nine years old. Back then she wore a shirt and pants that were two sizes too big, a scruffy hand-me-down jacket with sleeves that went over her hands, and thrifted brown boots. She smiled fondly at the old memory, feeling nostalgic for those bygone days. If you’d told her little self that she’d one day have more riches than she knew what to do with, she would’ve believed you were a scam artist trying to sell her something. They were a dime a dozen in that part of town. 

“Take it as a reminder, kid,” Arty had told her, wearing a pair of black shades. Filis always thought they made him look cool. “There will always be bad times, but good things will eventually come your way. Don’t get your tail up in a knot about it.” She remembered how he slid his sunglasses down to the bridge of his nose and sent her a wink, paired with that devil-may-care smile. “Why should you worry?”

Neither of them knew that, years later, she would name her signature spell after that motto. No one could have known where her life would lead her. The coin she held in the crook of her thumb and forefinger, its old metal faintly clinting in the dim lamplight, was a daily reminder of where she came from. She would never forget, and never be ashamed. She was Filis Olivia - give or take the Seaveworth title. Good times were around the corner; everything would work out, just like it always did.

“Why Should I Worry?” 

From the rim of the coin shot out a beam of light - not too bright, not too dim. Its soft blue hue matched that of Filis’ favorite color, the same shade as the pullover sweater she wore over her white button up. She sat herself up and stood from her chair, leaving the many papers - graded and ungraded - behind. From her canvas bag, left open beside the desk, Filis grabbed her magic pen. It was the same one she received in her freshman year at the college; somehow, she’d managed to keep it looking relatively new. Only the magetone was new, having been replaced the year prior. It matched the same shade of blue as the stream of light that led her out the door and off Night Raven College campus. 

Filis’ brow furrowed as she reached the edge of the dock. What in the world…? The beam of light, still emanating from her lucky coin, stretched out to sea. It seemed to stop towards the middle of the expanse, but Filis couldn’t be sure. For all she knew, it could lead her many miles out, far away from Sage Island. This was certainly dangerous. She had to be smart if she wanted to get her and the students back to the college safely. 

Filis noticed that the lights of the island’s library were still on. Though it was a little past closing time, Filis tried the door anyway. Thankfully, it opened, the bell of above chiming as she entered. “We’re closed,” came a voice from within. Filis approached the front desk; a few minutes later, a man only half a decade older than her emerged from the back. He didn’t look too pleased to see her, likely eager to go home for the night. Filis recognized him, and he recognized her, his facial expression shifting to one of surprise. 

“I’m sorry to come in so late, Alyssum,” Filis said with an apologetic smile. 

“For you to come in after closing, it must be important.” He placed his hands against the desk and leaned forward, their ponytail - this time, it was tied back with a teal ribbon rather than blue -  falling over their shoulder. “Do you need to check something out for a class?”

“No, not tonight. I need a favor.” 

The librarian raised a brow. “And that would be…?”

“Can I leave a note here with you? I hope you won’t have to deliver it, but it’s a precautionary measure.” 

Their expression shifted to one of concern. “Are you in some sort of trouble?” 

“I don’t know,” Filis admitted. “But my student may very well be.” Filis glanced down at the coin in her hands, the beam of light balancing on its edge pointed slightly to the side, out the window and towards the sea. Alyssum couldn’t see it, of course - he’d be even more puzzled  if so. She put it in her pocket for now. “I think I know where they are. It’s risky, but I need to go now, before something bad happens.” 

“Do you want me to go with you?” 

“No, I don’t want you to put yourself in danger.” She pointed to a small basket of blank sheets of paper. “Can I have one of those?”

Alyssum retrieved her one, along with a black pen. With haste, Filis scribbled down where she was going, and where her colleagues should look. She then folded the note and handed it to Alyssum. “Give this to the headmage at Night Raven College if I’m not back here by lunchtime tomorrow. Please.” 

With some hesitance, Alyssum accepted the note. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to wait until the proper authorities arrive? I could give them a call.” 

“I can’t wait that long.” Filis was determined to get to her students as quickly as possible. To wait any longer may put them in further peril. “I’m sorry to put you up to this. When I come back, I’ll make it up to you.” 

“Yes, when.” Alyssum cut a stern look at their frequent patron. “Not if. I swear, if you wind up missing, too, I’ll hunt you down myself!” 

Filis’ ears perked up in surprise. “You’ve heard?”

The librarian shook his head. “Not a word, but I can put the pieces together.” He rolled his eyes. “A proper headmage you have over there.” Filis couldn’t argue with that. Alyssum sighed as he said, “Alright, I’ll do as you ask, if needed be.” He stood up straight again as he added, “I expect you back here a few minutes before lunch.”

Filis smiled from cheek to cheek. “Thank you.” 

Alyssum watched her go, right up until the library door shut behind her. As Filis reapproached the peer, descended the stairs to the dock, she picked her magic pen out of her pocket and raised it in the air. She mumbled an incarnation under her breath, one she’d repeated probably a million times. Just as she reached the edge of the dock, something swished over from above her. Slowly, the woman’s broom floated down, the initials H.W.T carved into the wooden handle. Beside that was painted a tiny blue bow, and in the center of that was an even tinier painted yellow bell. Another reminder of her family back home - who, without a doubt, would do something crazy like this for her. 

Filis pulled her broom over by the hand before mounting it. Usually she’d give herself a mental pat on the back for no longer being nervous to ride the thing, let alone fly, but now was not the time for such sentiments. Before she disembarked, she looped the button of her pants pocket into its hole, shutting the opening. That would prevent her lucky coin from slipping out of her pocket mid flight. The beam of light passed through the dark fabric, still trailing out to sea. Filis took a deep breath as she set her sights out on the horizon, swallowing any fear she might have and building up her courage. As she exhaled, she took off on her broom, following the blue trail. 

About thirty-five minutes passed before the light began to reach its end. Filis squeezed her magic pen a little tighter as she approached her destination. She grew troubled as she neared the end of the trail. There was nothing there. Her heart began to sink, her mind coming up with all sorts of horrid possibilities. They couldn’t be… How would they…? 

She gasped as she passed through something thick, as though she were flying through pea soup. It was cold and tingly, kind of like when she traveled by magic mirror. Her ears flattened against her head; every piece of fur and hair on her person stood on-end. Filis’ left hand gripped her broom tight, as did her right around her pen. She shut her eyes, pushing forward and forward and forward. Then, after what was probably only a few seconds, it stopped. Filis flinched as bright lights suddenly appeared in front of her closed eyelids. 

When she opened them, she gasped again as she looked down at the new landscape she’d just entered. It was an amusement park! There was a gigantic roller coaster at the rear, a humongous eight ball to her left, a sprawling mansion behind the eight ball, and a water ride that ran the length of the north side of the park - all spaced out between funhouses and food stalls and colorful tents. When she looked ahead, Filis beheld a grand theater, bright lights highlighting its rich red curtains, gilded gold trimmings, and black and white striped stage. Filis slowed her speed, barely above a drift as she began to lower herself to the ground. She swept strands of hair away from her face, clearing her vision. As she descended, she observed various broken wooden figures scattered about the place, though a few here and there still remained in one piece. 

“Puppets?” Filis mumbled to herself, curiously looking about. A few miles away, there stood the remnants of some building, now a shadow of its former self. Now that she got a better look at the land around her, the place was an absolute mess! It was like a stampede had run through, tearing apart everything in sight! “What happened here?” she whispered. 

Her ears perked up as she heard a noise come from somewhere behind her. It came a second time, then a third. Filis quickly realized it was a voice, what’s more one she recognized. That had to be Ace! Another voice cried out after him: Kalim! They sounded like they were in trouble! Filis hopped off her broom and left it behind as she ran towards the theater, the source of their cries, magic pen at the ready. 

She slowed to a stop as she neared the towering curtains framing the stage. There were other people with them, she realized. However, the voice that spoke now wasn’t familiar. It sounded like an older man, ordering someone else to put another in a cage “with the other one.” Filis crouched down and itched over to the entrance, discreetly taking a peek behind the curtain on the right. She had to hold in the gasp that dared to rip from her throat. All the missing students were there, in cages, and Filis was just in time to watch an unconscious Persayis be thrown into the one that contained Lilia. 

Filis waited for the man to come to her side, to embrace and comfort her, perhaps try to wake her. To Filis’ surprise he didn’t move - not an inch. A rabid fury raged behind those dark eyes, yet the fae refused to budge. Could he not move? Filis glanced around at the other students - most of them weren’t moving, either. That was her biggest hint her assumption was correct, given that Floyd would have been throwing a fit in his predicament, especially since his little girlfriend, Liling, was trapped along with him.

Those poor things…Ace and Kalim were the only ones who seemed to still possess the ability to move. They protested and resisted, unwilling to back down, though it seemed Kalim was beginning to give in. Suddenly, a cell phone rang. It was only then Filis noticed a beastman standing a short several feet away from the cages. She figured he must be in cahoots with the smaller one, who just finished closing the cage holding Lilia and Persayis. The little one, just a bit younger than sixteen, put his droopy eyed gaze on the taller man, who excused himself to answer the phone. The boy, his partner in crime, did not follow. 

It was then Filis witnessed just how cunning her students could be. Ace began to appeal to the younger boy, talking about his time at Night Raven College. A few of his classmates - thankfully, they at least still possessed the ability to speak - soon joined in, recalling all their misadventures at the school. The little boy, whose clothes were way too big for his body, seemed intrigued by their stories. He clutched his toy hammer in his hands, nearly equaling him in height. His large pupils and bright green orbs sparkled in wonderment, much like Ortho’s when he was beholding something that amazed him. Despite this, when Ace tried to coax the boy into freeing them, so they could take him back to Night Raven and show him what a good time he could have there, the beastman shrunk back and shook his head.

Something compelled Filis to step out of hiding. She stepped out from behind the curtain, the sound of her footsteps catching everyone’s attention. “Mr. Taon?!” Kalim yelled in surprise, but was hastily and vehemently shushed by his underclassman. From behind Ace and Kalim, Filis could see Persayis was starting to come to. Unlike the others present, she wasn’t wearing a mask. Could those masks be the key to their predicament? 

Filis decided to figure that out later. For now, she focused on the small boy before her, droopy eyes now wider than before as they stared up at her. He appeared afraid, hammer at the ready to wallop her. If it could do much damage to begin with. She put on a friendly smile, holding up her hand to silently shush him. “Hey, it’s okay,” she said softly. “I don’t want to hurt you.” 

Against her better judgment, she put her magic pen away in her right pocket. Her lucky coin, kept safe in her left one, still beamed that ray of blue light. It passed the boy and shot in the direction of where that other man had gone. So, he was the one Filis was supposed to find. She’d deal with him soon enough. She bent down a little as she maintained eye contact with the beastman, trying to get down on his level. 

“My name is F-” She stopped herself, recalling who she was around. “Mr. Taon. You can call me Henry, if you want.” The boy still appeared unsure, but there was now a curious glimmer in his gaze. “I’m an assistant teacher at Night Raven College.” She pointed towards the cages. 

“Those are my students over there. I was worried when they didn’t come to class, so I came looking for them.” Filis knew outright accusing the boy of kidnapping them, helping that other man imprison them and Seven knew what else, would be a bad move. She wracked her brain for what she’d been taught at her university, recalling how to talk to children his age. “What’s your name?” she asked. The boy didn’t answer - he simply stared up at her. 

“His name’s Gidel,” Ace offered up from within his cage. “He can’t speak.” 

Oh, so that's why the little cat was so quiet. She wondered if he knew sign language. To test her theory, Filis asked Gidel in sign, “Do you understand this?” Gidel continued to stare at her, this time with a wisp of confusion across his face. Well, there was her answer. “Did you see what I did with my hands? That’s called sign language.” 

Gidel tilted his head to the side and blinked, growing evermore curious. He wanted to know more. “It’s a language specifically designed for people like you,” she explained. “It takes a while to learn,” she gave him an encouraging smile, “but I think you could get the hang of it!” This next question was a little stupid, but if it got Gidel to communicate, it was worth a shot. “Have you ever been to school?” 

Gidel shook his head ‘no.’ What? That was strange…boys like him should be coming into middle school by now. She glanced in the direction of where the older beastman had disappeared. Just what had he been doing with this child, not giving him an education? That was all sorts of neglect! This boy might be as much of a victim as her students were. 

She tore her gaze away from the backstage area and turned her attention back to Gidel. Filis kept her voice calm and light, as if she were talking to a friend. “Do you think you’d like to learn sign language?” Gidel paused for a moment, thinking the prospect over. Then the most adorable of little smiles crossed his face as he nodded his head. “Well, I’d love to teach you. I could make some time for it after my classes back at the college.” 

“He’s telling the truth,” Kalim piped up, seeming a little more chipper than before. “Mr. Taon’s a great teacher! He helped me when I was having trouble with my History of Magic class.” Kalim looked very proud of himself, chest puffed out and grinning from ear to ear as he added, “I passed my exam with high marks!” 

“Yeah, what he said!” It was Ace that spoke up this time. “Mr. Taon got Professor Trein off my back when I didn’t turn in my homework one time. He even convinced him to give me a little more time to turn it in! I’m sure he’ll stick his neck out for you, too.” Ace sure hadn’t expressed his thanks before - it felt good to hear him say that about her. Filis’ confidence got a little boost, which caused her smile to brighten. 

“School can be hard,” Filis said honestly. “But it is also a lot of fun! You can learn so many things, and it can lead to you doing something you really like to do.” 

“And get paid for it!” Ace added. Gidel certainly perked up at that. So, money was a motivating factor for him. Filis could sympathize - she knew what it was like to go without. 

“Mr. Taon let me pick out the topic for my research paper!” Filis finally noticed Ortho, who was stationed in a cage a little behind Ace and Kalim. He was dressed like a little drummer boy, Filis thought. “It was so much fun to learn about Atlantis! It’s an ancient city that existed long ago and-” Ortho stopped himself. “Oh, I shouldn’t spoil it; Mr. Taon hasn’t read it yet!”

Filis’ heart melted at the young Shroud’s excitement. He’d worked really hard on his report, reading over every single page of the books Filis helped him pick out. She couldn’t wait to sit back and read what he’d written. 

“A boy your age should be surrounded by other children.” Every head - that could move - turned to look at Persayis, who seemed to have just come to. Though she appeared to have not come around fully, she offered Gidel a kind smile. “You would be able to make friendships that last a lifetime.” 

Gidel flinched away from the fae. There was an apparent fear in his eyes, his little body trembling a tad. Persayis’s smile was replaced by a look of shame and sadness, tucking herself as far out of sight as she could. Though he could not move, Lilia’s eyes portrayed his wish to comfort the poor thing. Filis pondered what could have happened before she arrived that made the boy so afraid of Persayis. She supposed she would receive the answer at a later date. “I really would love for you to come back with us,” Filis said, regaining Gidel’s attention. She held out a hand towards him in peace, “I promise to help you in any way I can.”

Gidel stared at her in silence, blinking every other second. He studied her like that for a few long moments, expression unreadable. Then, with barely a sound, he turned and walked away, in the direction where the other man had gone. Filis’ heart sank - she didn’t convince him. Gidel likely went off to tell the man about her, an intruder, so he could come and take her down. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath. What to do, what to do…

Filis noticed Kalim and Ace had gone stark still, along with Ortho. Oh no, she was running out of time! She bolted over to the boys and asked in a rush, “What’s happened to you?” 

“The masks,” Kalim answered, struggling to speak. “They’re stuck to our faces; they’re gonna turn us into wooden puppets!” 

Filis felt sick to her stomach. That’s what was happening to them? They were slowly being turned into dolls? 

“It’s an ancient curse.” Filis whipped her head around as Persayis spoke up, a little more awake now than she’d been before. “Before, when we were given the masks, I got a feeling I’d seen them before. I discreetly tossed mine away and made a replica with my own magic while I tried to figure out where they’d come from.” She hung her head, tears in her eyes. “I realized when it was far too late.” 

“Is there a way to break it?” Filis asked, trying to keep her cool.

“We couldn’t,” came her reply. “Only the caster can dispel the curse. There is another way, but we do not have the materials necessary.” Persayis raised her head to look up at Lilia. “If it would even work now.” It was apparent she was trying to not break down crying. “I’m so sorry…” 

With great strain, Lilia managed a smile, a silent way to tell his love it was not her fault. It was all so heartbreaking… To think this could be their fate, and there was nothing Filis or anyone could do to stop it. …No, there was a way. Filis ripped her magic pen out of her pocket. She spun around and began to march in the direction Gidel and that other man had gone. If that man was the caster, he could break the curse - Filis would make him if it was the last thing she ever did. 

Filis didn’t make it far. A few steps in and the two appeared from around the corner. The three paused simultaneously in their stride, shocked to see her standing there, more-so the older beastman beside Gidel. He appeared to be a fox beastman, now that Filis got a closer look at him. His clothes were neat, yet patched up in certain areas. They were old, that was for certain. With her lower class upbringing, Filis could spot a person down on their luck from a mile away. 

Filis directed her magic pen right at the man’s head. A low hiss rose from the back of her throat, teeth bared and body prepared for a fight. No matter what, she was going to free her students from their cages, from that horrible curse. She was their teacher, their protector. That man was not going to get away with this! There was no time for thoughts of failure or all that could go wrong. 

Why should she worry? 

“There you go,” Filis said, handing the boy his workbook. “Remember: finish pages twelve and thirteen, and then you’re finished for the day.” She pooped the little man on the nose; it crinkled as he smiled and closed his eyes on instinct, his freckles in full view. “And I mean it! You’ll burn yourself out if you study too much.”

He smiled and nodded, then turned around and trotted back to his room. He would sit at his little desk, in his comfy little chair, and do as he was instructed down to the letter. Gidel was such a diligent student, so eager to learn everything he could get his hands on. It was trouble enough to get him to stop working and be a kid and play! Filis smiled as she watched him go, right up until he disappeared from view. She then went back to cutting vegetables on the counter - something she herself had taken time to practice over the past two years. Filis was quite proud of her progress.

In the next room over, the front door opened. “Honey, I’m home!~” came a voice in a sing-song tone, followed by the door shutting. Filis rolled her eyes, smile now mocking as she shook her head as she continued to chop the carrot into thick, but not too thick slices. Footsteps entered the room behind her, followed by the sound of three brown paper bags being placed on the kitchen table. Those footsteps swiftly approached Filis from behind; before she could react, two arms wrapped around her midsection and pulled her back against a strong chest. She gasped, almost dropping the knife as a kiss was pressed to her neck with an accentuated “mwah!” 

“Fellow Honest, I have a knife!” Filis scolded, turning her head as far as she could to look back at the sneaky fox. 

The man nonchalantly shrugged. “I’ve had worse.” Then proceeded to give Filis another lip smack, this time on her jaw. 

Filis placed the knife on the cutting board, so neither one of them would get stabbed. Fellow rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, the silk blue bow tied at the back of her hair tickling his chin. Filis wrapped her arms around his own just as he placed a kiss on her scalp. “Someone’s clingy today,” she commented, a grin pulling at her mouth as he delivered a kiss to her ear. 

Fellow made a hum in question. “Would you rather me be stoic and aloof and not shower you in kisses?”

Filis pretended to mull the prospect over. “Hm…if you were to act like that, I’d assume you were not who you said you were and proceed to beat you senseless until you told me where the real Fellow was.” 

“Oh, come now, Filis!” The fox spun her around, releasing her from his hold in favor of addressing himself with his hand. “You really think someone could replicate my charms?~” 

Without skipping a beat, Filis snapped back with, “Most likely.” 

His expression shifted to one of surprise, thick brows scrunched in confusion, one rising in an arch. Then, just as quick, it switched to one of great pain and disappointment, Fellow’s ears flattening as he placed his hand over his heart. “To insult me so blatantly!” He sniffled. “And I thought you loved me.” 

“Oh, don’t start that mess!” Filis lightly tugged at a lock of his bright orange hair. “Did you get everything we need for the stew?”

He threw out his previous theatrics and nodded. “All except the celery. They just ran out when I got to the market.” 

Filis began to take the produce and other groceries out of the paper bags and set them on the kitchen table. “It’s alright, we can do without. We would have barely tasted it anyway.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Wash up and help me cut these up?”

Fellow swept down in a deep bow as he winked. “Your wish is my command, fair lady~” 

Again, Filis rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance. As Fellow turned on the kitchen sink faucet and proceeded to wash his hands, she couldn’t help but pause to watch him. In her mind, she could picture him in those elaborately patched clothes he wore when she’d met him. Fellow had looked like a ringmaster, but he’d mentioned to her before that that was the vibe he’d been going for. Nowadays, he often wore more casual attire: plain or graphic t-shirts, green cargo pants, a dark denim jacket, and a pair of black and white converse. Well, casual was the dress code unless Fellow was going to work, or some other time he needed to spruce himself up. The fox looked forward to dressing in such a manner, as he found it very fun. 

In a way, he and Gidel both were still getting used to living in relative comfort, not having to scrounge for food or wear tattered, and sometimes oversized, clothing. It’d been a hard road since the two started fresh, right after the Playful Land fiasco. Filis had aided the duo when she could, one of the key helping hands being when she loaned Fellow enough money to attend career school. That was right after he obtained his GED, which Filis also helped out with in terms of studying. For all the bad cards dealt to the man throughout his life, Filis wasn’t surprised when he immediately grew suspicious of her generosity. Filis being part of the upper class was a deterring factor as well. That was until Filis took Fellow and Gidel with her to visit her family - not just her adoptive one.

The childrens’ home wasn’t as rickety and rugged as it was when Filis was a child, yet one could tell it lacked exceptional funds. The home only had two sponsors: the Seaveworth family and the government. While Filis’ adopted father poured a huge sum into the orphanage’s accounts every six months, it couldn’t buy everything. Even so, the Fifth Avenue Homestead was moving up in the world, slowly but surely. Filis always kept an eye out for other potential sponsors; recently, she’d even managed to get a charity organization to donate to the place. The home’s growth was documented with several photographs taken by its residents over the years. Gidel picked Filis out of many without much problem, and the look of her and everyone else back then gave Fellow a glimpse into just how similar their childhoods were, at least financially. 

The romance was the unexpected bonus of the whole arrangement. It started out as a simple acquaintanceship; as Filis provided Gidel with an education, she lent a hand in Fellow advancing his and acquiring a suitable occupation. A little while later, Filis and her adoptive father began to set the groundwork for the school Fellow dreamed of opening for underprivileged children - with and without magical abilities. It would be located in a vacant townhouse just a couple blocks from where the three lived now. With a little remodeling, renovation, and the acquisition of study materials and other school necessities, it would be ready to open its doors. While Filis would be the face of the facility, it was only temporary until Fellow received his own teaching license. Just a little more saving, a little more hard work, and they could set that in motion, too. 

To think she, a year and a half ago, wanted nothing more than to send the man flying into the Coral Sea. Under the circumstances, as well as Fellow’s own actions, no one could blame her - not even Fellow and Gidel. That pride had definitely been hard to swallow for the fox, but that was one thing he promised her he’d become more of: honest. It was a steep learning curve after lying and deceiving for so long, but Fellow was getting the hang of it. If there was one thing he’d never be able to shake though, it was his showmanship. One of many things Filis now loved about the beastman. 

Suddenly, Filis was pushed out of memory lane as someone flicked her forehead. “Helloooo? Fili? Are you still with us?” 

Filis blinked a couple times as she came back to reality. “Hm?” 

“I turn around and you’re ogling me.” Fellow chuckled, smirk clear across his face. “Shameful! What if Gidel were to walk in? You’re supposed to be a role model for students, you know. Can’t be drooling over my good looks in front of the students, now can you?”

Filis scoffed. “The only reason I’ll be staring at you is to scold you for making a fool of yourself in front of the kids.” She flicked the tip of his nose, causing him to flinch and go cross eyed as he scrunched it. “You need to learn to behave yourself!” 

“And let the little tikes die of boredom? Why, I would be more irresponsible not stealing them away for a game or two in-between classes.”

Filis placed her hands on her hips and shot the fox a mock glare. “Are you saying I’m not fun, Mr. Honest?”

Fellow laughed. “There is only so much fun to be had when it comes to learning, Filis.” He tucked his tongue into his cheek as he flicked his gaze to the side. “Especially when you’re learning about some dead guy’s good or bad deeds.” 

Unlike Filis, Fellow never cared too much for history - or school in general. Filis knew from personal experience that, if Fellow had gone to a regular school in his youth, he would have been a pain in the ass to the teachers. “History is important and you know it!” 

“Mhm mhm, when you make it interesting, sure.” To an outsider, they would think the two were in the midst of a lover’s quarrel. That couldn’t be further from the truth - they were just play-fighting. Catch them actually fighting and that was a spectacle to binge eat popcorn to. Fellow showcased his signature smug grin as he finished with, “How’s that, Mr. Taon?~” 

Filis hadn’t been addressed by that name for a good six months now. It was bittersweet, leaving Night Raven College to open a school in the Shaftlands with Fellow. To become a professor at Night Raven was her dream; well, it was up until Fellow and Gidel entered her life. She remembered the night she made her decision, the one that would alter the course of her life. Filis had sat on her bed in her quarters on the college campus, lucky coin in hand. When she recited the incantation to produce her signature spell, the blue line of light that imitated from it sealed her fate. It shot out the window, away from the college and out towards the right side of Sage Island - where Fellow and Gidel were staying at a little bed and breakfast, visiting her for the weekend. 

Sure, Filis wouldn’t mind using her old moniker in the future. It was going to be very odd for students to address her as Ms. Filis. She’d gotten a taste of that when the students present at Playful Land learned that she wasn’t who she said she was, nonetheless not a guy. Of course, they still addressed her as Mr. Taon for the rest of her time at the college, but outside of that? It was a little strange now, when she received letters from a few of her former students every other month or so. Her most frequent writer was who she came to call her star pupil: Ortho Shroud. 

“I miss you being here,” he’d written to her once. “But I’m so glad you left to pursue your dreams! I’m still making good grades - I became an honor student! I hope Mr. Fellow and Gidel are doing okay, along with you, Ms. Filis!” 

Sweet boy… Filis planned to visit Sage Island next month, right before finals week. While she was looking forward to seeing her old students, those who still attended the college, the little Shroud held a special place in her heart. Of course, her old colleagues would be delighted to see her as well. Filis still kept in contact with them, too, especially Mozus and Revon. 

“Should you ever need guidance, know you can always call upon me,” Mozus had told her time and time again. Even professionals of the highest accreditation and excellence need a second opinion.” 

“You three take care of yourselves!” Revon had said the last time Filis called her. “Send me pictures of the school once it's finished. Oh, and one of your first group of kids! I want to know every detail.” Before they’d hung up the phone, Revon mentioned one other thing. “Tell Fellow that, if he breaks your heart or does something stupid, I’ll break more than his ankles.” After that first meeting with the woman, shortly after the destruction of Playful Land, Fellow definitely took that to heart. 

“Mr. Taon, Ms. Filis - doesn’t matter.” She poked his chest. “I demand, as your former tutor and your brother’s teacher, start chopping those vegetables, or we won’t have any dinner to speak of!” 

“So demanding!” Fellow fished a hair tie out of his pants pocket and began to pull his hair back. “This must be what it’s like to be scolded by your mother,” he mused. 

Filis forgot to reply. The calico cat was too busy watching her boyfriend do such a simple, domestic task. It was the little things that caught her attention when it came to her attraction towards him. The way he expertly twirled his hair between his fingers, effortlessly looping it through the hair tie. Though part of his biceps were hidden underneath the short sleeves of his plain white t-shirt, Filis could just make out them flexing underneath the cotton fabric. Fellow wasn’t overly bulky, nor could he be called a twink. To Filis, he was just right. 

Once more, the fox caught the cat lost in her own head. He snickered to himself as he took a step towards her, this time booping her on the nose. “Hey, kitty, you’re staring again~” 

Blood quickly rushed to Filis’ cheeks, clearly flustered. This time around, she slapped him on the arm. “Go chop the vegetables, now!” 

“Ah ah ah~” The fox man tutted. “There’s a price to be paid for every show.” Fellow took another step forward, forcing Filis to take one back. Her lower back pressed up against the edge of the kitchen table, and she soon found herself leaning further backward onto it. Fellow trapped her there, arms either side of her torso, looking rather pleased with himself. “All debts must be collected, you understand.” 

Filis’ tail slapped against his leg, brushing his fox tail. “Get off me you-” 

“Handsome, debonair gentleman?” Filis glared at him. “No? How about…” He held his chin with his forefinger and thumb, tapping the underside as he thought of another set of compliments. “Gorgeous, charming devil?~” 

Filis smirked. “More like a brazen, sly fox!” 

While it was still playful, Fellow’s smile took on a genuine undertone. Fellow released his chin and lowered his hand down to hold her waist. “I can live with that~” 

His kiss set every nerve of hers ablaze. Without a thought she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. The hand that was not holding himself upright slid up from her waist and to her cheek, caressing it gently. He soon deepened the kiss, gently tilting Filis’ head to the side to follow his lead. Her sleek tail coiled around his fluffier one, the fingers of one hand reaching up to scratch behind his ear. They now purred together, making their lips tingle. Filis smiled into the liplock as she felt Fellow’s tail wag back and forth, pulling hers along with it, swishing to and fro. 

Fellow just made up his mind to break the kiss and begin peppering Filis’ face with more when he heard a noise. Both he and Filis’ ears perked up at the sound of soft footsteps approaching from down the hall, a certain little bounce to them. Gidel. In a hurry, Filis and Fellow released each other, Fellow stepping aside to let Filis sit up from the table. They simultaneously straightened their clothes and fixed their hair, right before Gidel entered the room, a clear pep in his step. The little cat didn’t notice a thing. Yes, the two adults present were being so normal right now. 

“Finished already?” Filis asked, thankful she was able to hide the breathlessness she felt. Gidel nodded, looking quite pleased with himself as he offered up the pine green workbook, clutched in his sleeve covered hands. No matter how many times they offered Gidel clothes that were just his size, he always preferred ones with oversized sleeves. One because he was so used to it, and second because he thought it made him look cute. Filis wondered if a certain fae influenced that decision long ago. That, or it was how much Gidel could get away with when it came to strangers for looking so adorable. 

Filis opened the book and flipped to the pages she assigned him. She skimmed over the answers he’d written down - the first half in red colored crayon, the second in blue. Filis smiled conspiratorially down at him and asked, “You’re not trying to butter me up by writing in my favorite color again, are you?” The boy held up his arms in a shrug, smiling coyly. Filis hummed in thought as she looked back at the pages, pretending to scrutinize them a second time. The beastwoman then grabbed a red pen off the table, pulled off its cap with her teeth, and wrote a big ‘A+’ on both pages before flipping the workbook over for Gidel to see. 

“Not a single error. Great job!” 

It was like someone got a big bottle of glitter and poured it into Gidel’s eye sockets. He hopped up and down on the balls of his feet, clapping his hands together in glee. “Awesome job, smart guy!” Fellow congratulated his little brother with a ruffle of his naturally messy hair. “You’ll be making the big bucks in no time!” Fellow swiveled his head to the side to address Filis. “What was today’s subject?” 

“Algebra I.” 

Fellow looked like he got hit by a brick. Ah, yes, of course Gidel would succeed at something he absolutely slumped in. Well, better for him, he supposed. Though he was a little envious of the guy, Fellow’s frustrated grin was completely false. “Trying to one up me, huh?” This time, he picked Gidel up and held him sideways under his arm before proceeding to give him a noogie. “Don’t think this means you get all the spoils this weekend.” 

By spoils, Fellow meant the trio’s weekly night on the town. Scratch that, they couldn’t do it every weekend, whether due to business or finances or some other thing, but they made a point to go out and do something fun at least once a month. More often than not, if Gidel did a remarkable job in his coursework in the days prior to the outing, he had more sway in deciding what they all did. It was only fair - and it didn’t just happen when Gidel excelled in his classes, either. The kid was spoiled downright rotten sometimes! Fellow wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“I don’t know, another visit to that ice cream shoppe sounds awfully good.” Filis watched as Fellow sat the boy back on his feet, all whilst shooting her a teasing stare. “Before we even think about that though,” Filis reached into one of the brown grocery bags and pulled out a potato, “we need to cook tonight’s dinner.” Gidel nodded eagerly, right before he trotted over to the counter nearest the stove. He pulled over his stepping stool - while the boy had grown two inches since last year, he was still quite short - and stepped up to the cutting board Filis had abandoned. Filis mouthed to Fellow, “Please, help him.”

Fellow sent his lady love a small salute before stepping over to Gidel, helping hold the knife and carefully cut the rest of the carrot. Filis busied herself with emptying the three brown paper bags of their contents: potatoes, corn on the cob, broccoli (Fellow still refused to eat it, that child), a few packages of chicken, apples, bananas, blackberries and strawberries. Once the stew was boiling on the stove, Filis planned to prepare a fruit salad for dessert. As they all preferred, it would be dusted with sugar and drizzled with cream. Before Filis made a move to continue cooking, she watched Gidel and Fellow for a few more moments. They were very cute together, sometimes more like father and son than an older and younger brother. 

Under her breath, Filis recited to herself the very familiar words: “Why Should I Worry?” Filis did not have her lucky coin on her; it was still safe within its tiny padded box on her dresser. The coin was not required to use her unique magic - the beam of light could come from anything, even the tip of her finger. That soft blue stream of light appeared before her. Unlike many times before, it stopped only a few feet away. It disappeared right into the backs of Fellow and Gidel. Filis really never needed a reminder - she was right where she needed to be. 

Why should she worry? 

[museguided]

@shrapnelsong sent: Of course, the tradition didn't extend only to her juniors. She'd made sure to have Mochi's gift delivered to his place that very morning. But. When it came to a certain pretty boy catcher, it was a little trickier. Not only because he didn't like sweets, but mostly because he'd never given her his new address, which is understandable, really. And she never asked him for it either, not wanting to risk putting him in an awkward position of having to deny or divulge personal information. She knew which team he was playing for, though... Sooooooo, if it happens to cause any trouble, she'll take only half the blame. It was easy enough to find contact information for the staff on their website, and she picked the person who she felt would be in charge of dealing with any fan mail for the players or anything like that. If anything, she was sure they would be dealing with a lot of packages already, but she still got in contact beforehand just in case, sending a polite email a few days prior informing that she had been a manager to one of their newer players and if it would be okay to send him a gift. Once given the clear, she proceeded with the plan. Alice had decided on a blueberry theme this year, but she knew she would make something different for Miyuki regardless. As much as she couldn't relate, it was fun trying to find or come up with recipes for someone who didn't have a sweet tooth, and now that she had another group of friends to gift, it was nice having a healthier option too. The almond lemon blueberry pie bars turned out so nice that she put a few extra pieces into his box so he could maybe share with his teammates. Picking a blue-purple pen for the card, Alice smiled to herself as she wrote: "You're not getting away that easily, Captain! Happy Valentine's Day!" It took a few seconds for it to register that he wasn't the Captain anymore, but she didn't want to erase the lingering sentiment and left it like that, securing the card to the box and mailing it his way via his team.

Kazuya knew plenty of eyes were watching his every move. Even after he signed into new contract, the scouts that had observed him through his high school career soon turned to sports media, angling to interview him while he settled in. Thankfully, his agent was well aware of his lack of desire to enter that kind of spotlight and fielded the majority. Given that it was his first year as the new promising catcher on, arguably, the best team in the NPB, he managed to slip away from most of the publicity. But as time went on, he wouldn't be able to keep getting away with it, especially if he strived to be the team's main catcher sooner than later.

It brought him back to a conversation that seemed ages ago now. They both knew that he couldn't focus solely on baseball for the rest of his life. He wasn't disillusioned by the idea of any press that could show up at his door. However, if anyone were curious enough to dig into his life past the sport, he'd hardly make it easy for them. In the privacy of the elevator bringing him up to his residence, he chuckled.

The doors slid open and he adjusted his grip on the large paper bag in his arm, digging into his pocket for the keys with the other. He was only somewhat aware of its contents, light in weight and concealed in its box. Though he could make a fairly educated guess as to what it was. While the staff that had called in had sounded odd in an attempt to keep the package a secret, they couldn't withhold the name of the sender—especially if they wanted Kazuya to come down and pick it up. When he heard 'Sakurazuka', he made his decision.

"She really can't resist her favorite holiday." Though he hadn't heard much from her since graduation. Which was to be expected when every one of them had their own life to lead. Their grand tales together with Seido had reached its end, and holding onto sentimentality over the opportunities provided to them wasn't too realistic in the long run.

With the package carefully deposited on the nearest table, he finally lifted the lid to reveal the sweets she undoubtedly made by hand, her short letter sitting neatly on top. A soft smile curved his lips at the sight of his old title, popping the plastic tin to bite into one of the bars. With the taste of blueberries stuck to the roof of his mouth, he sought his old phone, hidden away in a drawer by his bedside. His management insisted that he should upgrade to receive their texts and files much easier and reliably. With the money that came from his contract, he saw no reason to refuse—well, beyond his own preferences, but he's heard enough of their mild complaints.

The flip phone was out of service, but he was still able to access his email to view his contacts, taking a few minutes to type out her email address from one phone to the other. Then, he wrote the address to his apartment along with his reply.

"Long time no see, Manager-san ❤️ I'm not sure what kind of strings you pulled, but you have the staff wondering who you are already. You're probably the only one I trust with my new address. At least you would let me know if you're stopping by ahead of time. Keep it from Kuramochi a little longer; I want to see his face when he finds out he's not my first choice~ And you should stop by, when you get the chance. I have a lot of recipes I'd like you to try to make up for all the baking you've done for all of us over the years. Including the extra consideration for my sake! Thank you. Happy Valentine's Day."

[jamtoasties3316]

been looking through old prompts and thsi ones so good i cant get over it

what is better to re-hydrate after a race than omega milk straight from the source? Just pretty cow Omegas all ready for their Alpha owners after a tough race. No more drink bottles in the press pen, just pretty half naked, doe eyed Omegas (with little cow ears) eagerly offering their tits to their owner

the omegas (carlos max lando yuki and others) waiting eagerly for the drivers, rubbing their nipples to make sure they're already leaking slightly by the time they get there, some with vibrators in their pussies since it makes them lactate more. they already have collars with their owners' names, but fernando also pierced carlos' ears with tags and charles puts a leash on max, which max is patiently holding while he's waiting

they all love their owners because if it werent for them they'd have to be one of the public cows, which are brought in by the fia to share for the drivers who dont have their own omegas. they're so eager to offer their tits to their owners because they don't get milked ahead of the race, to make sure the alphas can drink as much as they want, so their udders are very heavy with milk! they're making doe eyes at the drivers as soon as they get out of the cars to hurry up and come to them! some even squirt when their tits are sucked because the relief feels so good

Oh yes! Happy little omegas wit their cute cow ears and tails! Carlos proudly showing off the tags Fernando pierced in his ears because he has been with fernando long enough! Fernando got rid of so many omegas in the pzst but he likes Carlos and carlos is proud to provide milk! He has a vibrating butt plug in but his pussy is free because fernando doesnt like it stretched! Fernando doesnt alwsys drink straight from the source, sometimes he attaches little pumps to carlos's tits while he does interviews and takes a nice glass full when it's ready.

And Max with his little leash he holds in his own hands until charles comes, his tits so big and dripping because he has so much milk and his pussy gushing slick! Charles always drinks straight from his tits, rubbing his clit while drinking because it makes Max's milk flow faster. Max squirts so often in the media pen when Charles drinks, he is so proud to provide to his Alpha like a good girl!

Lando has tiny little tits because he is still so young, but his milk is super sweet and he is sk cute and shy that Dan hires him as his personal! He is so proud the first time lando is waiting for him, little udders dripping cum the moment he sees Dan approach! He is so eager for Dan to drink and Dan likes to show him off ehen he is done, pulling Lando back into his chest with his arms around him so he can play with the little tits and make him,dribble milk all over!

Also Valtteri and Nico as shared omega cows? Valtteri has a good supply of milk and big tits so 2 drivers can drink from him, and there is enough milk for him to be pumped in advance too. And nico is extra humiliating becsuse he got to f1 hiding what he was and raced briefly, before they discovered he was a little milking cow! So now he is strapped down in a milking machine, not even having Alphas drink from him directly, and his pussy is pumped at the same time!

[lonespektr]

SEPTEMBER 7TH HORROR WATCH

Sell your haunted house (2021)

I have literally never heard of this

It's right up my alley and I am just literally now seeing it

Unsure of the tone, urban horror but like more action comedy or they being serious

Lovely credits

Ok derelict hospital ✅

Ha ha fake skeletons every where because obvs it's a hospital

Oh she's on the attack!!!

She really chasing him down she doing then one by one

Nail gun that fires?????

Dunno what she shootin but it's giving barrier

She got them little hair things the OG's have but she rockin modern Constantine all blk exorcist vibes

A TRAP

Oh the dude is the vessel

How feminist

There's horror shows you can count on one hand where the guy gets possessed - on purpose

It's always the women's job to be invaded bodily spiritually

1000pts for that alone

But that does appear to be the play

The guy is warded they deliberately trap the entity in with him, he drops the ward (dramatically lol bruh u buy a new necklace every time???)

Juz slide it off 🤣🤣

And allows himself to get possessed then she physically fights possessed him

And stabss him with dome kinda spirit evac epi pen

Legit realators

Do they have a license?? 😂

Specifically advertise as their job that's what they do

New job

Customer lying through they teeth

Hmm okay need confirmation of identity of the ghosty that sounds difficult AF

How would people know who they ghost is??

Who this man?

He lying yoo

Lol whut?

What's with the color on his suit

English?

She supposed to be a loser she got a house watching daytime tv who paying rent?

Lol ghost said u got too many shoes already

🤣🤣🤣🤣 IT'S HER MOM

Why does she look messed up??

Oh that's right she did inhale some parts of the ghosty residual crap

Do they train these women to throw shit jabs

All men

Fucckin lol they finding people who don't even know they are mediums 🤣🤣

They google they tracking him what kinda interview took place 🤣🤣

Virgins

CEO

Salt

They can all see

Literal mattress behind you playa

Annd hes down

Not ROLLIN HIM OVER

this is mad cute

Sure screaming

No candidates

I think this guy is whoopi

But maybe he targets bad people

He said naw i don't 🤣🤣🤣

Car chase

She said these virgins are WEAK

Mom stuck

I thought they were just codependent

Mom is/was in the industry

She can't hear her

She just sittin there moody??

Possible murder mystery past older bro but suicide is high

Those two have good chemistry

Lol he said mosquito

How are they doing that remotely

Lol who cast these extras??

Lots of B and E's

He can't see

He doesn't know he's whoopi

Money bottom line

Dead plants and stacked mail

Common enemy

Moms got juice

He wasn't even listening

Those prayer strips!

That's what's in the gun

New one every time 😂

Still has the current event of the week

Great first episode 😃😄😃

[ly-von-karma]

Hey, Ly! I saw that you were having a bad day, and I'm really sorry to hear that. If you want to vent, my DMs are open. And if you're still looking for asks, could you tell me more about the von Karma patriarch? You seem to be fighting very ardently against people who portray him as an abusive asshole. I know nothing of AA, so could you please tell me all about him? And maybe how you came to cultivate your view of him?

💙💛💜

Hiya Mia! Please don't mind the fact that I'm answering this like, several months later vthbjkg.

Yeah, I'm just like, a little icked (to say the least) about the takes on Manfred von Karma. He isn't the most innocent person out there but he won't just beat the fuck out of you because you used the wrong fork.

He is something something complicated and complex character I still can't fully understand. I see a lot of people have their own different opinions/interpretations of him and I'm kinda in a mixed bag ngl.

I'm not sure how to describe my own "version" (even if I can call it that) like, people make him out to be like a run-of-the-mill villain. Personality wise, he just reminds me of my grandfather and this is the version I'm sticking with.

What do I mean with that? I'll try to explain it.

My grandfather had a routine, he got up early in the morning at 5AM on the dot, dropped off the kids on his way to work and came back around 9PM. While he may not have been an perfection-obsessed freak, he was a little weird- he was obsessed with time and neatness. AKA suffered from being Asian.

Everything had to be on time. Did you have a job interview and they told you to be at 8AM? You had to be there (at least) 15 minutes in advance, just in case something bad happened- like traffic. So instead of waking up like you usually do at 6:45, you'd wake up at 6:00- as an extra precaution.

From the times I saw him in his study (and from the times I sneaked inside), I could tell you that everything in his desk (a desk that was so big they had to get it in through the window) had an assigned space. He kept his accounting books by this one place, his notes in this other place, right by the books but there was enough space to fit his pens.

He wasn't the most expressive person ever. It was rare to see him smile- he was stoic most of the time. Like there are photographs were he does smile and even laughs but eh. There were few things that he liked, his dogs, reading the newspaper and betting on horses.

He was neutral with mostly everyone, he wasn't too sentimental or outwardly showed how he felt. Except with grandma, I only know because of what she told me. He was dad™ whenever his children excelled academically, the way he could show that he loved them was through gifts. He was a little eh, even with his siblings.

Side-note here but I think the Japanese are one of the most cold/void people I've met, based on past experiences. I'm not being racist. Source? My entirely family.

People had many different opinions, that he was a caring man, that he would've spoiled his grandchildren rotten, that he was strict yet good man... a mixed bag ngl.

So yes anyway, tis my take on Manfred von Karma. A weird little freak who happens to be suffering from being Asian™ syndrome. Constantly living in denial that he's white.

[rxscss]

"𝒾 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒷𝑜𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝓊𝓃, 𝒾 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒, 𝑜𝒽 𝓃𝑜, 𝒾 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝓊𝓃𝑔𝓈, 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝒷𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓁 𝑜𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝑜𝓃𝑔𝓊𝑒, 𝑜𝒽 𝓃𝑜, 𝒾 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊."

(—) ★ spotted!! nadia sakarya on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 32 year old looks like hande ercel, but i don’t really see it. while the actress is known for being spontaneous my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be snippy i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song midnight sky by miley cyrus {she/her / cisfemale} - penned by candice

𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓼

connections || musings || pinterest || instagram || headcanons 

𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

name: nadia sakarya

age: thirty two

nicknames: nad

date of birth: may 19th, 1989

astrological sign: taurus

place of birth: east harlem, new york city

occupation: actress/comedian

label: the connard

positive traits: spontaneous, quick-witted, realistic, headstrong

negative traits: snippy, sarcastic, pessimistic, blunt

characters/celebrities she’s like: penn badgley post gossip girl shitting on the show in interviews, emily ratajkowski calling out sexism and misogyny in the industry, chelsea handler, jennifer lawrence, aubrey plaza

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂

born and raised as an only child, nadia was a new york city kid down to her core.

her mother being a teacher at the local elementary school and her father owning a butcher shop, though her immediate family was small, it was the neighbors and friends in her neighborhood that became nadia's family.

her parents were givers - often working double time to give to their community - her father giving food out to the homeless daily, her mother working long hours at the school to help any children who needed extra help. they taught nadia at an early age that giving back, even when they didn't have that much, was incredibly important.

they raised her to be strong, free of ignorance and bias, and always wanted her to be someone that stood up to any kind of injustice, and that's exactly what nadia became - an incredibly headstrong girl, fighting for what was right, questioning authority to a fault, having 'she's a great student, but talks too much' written on every single one of her report cards growing up.

because of this, her parents felt as though she needed an outlet and enrolled nadia in a local theater troupe after school.

often cast as the villain or the comic relief sidekick, nadia never had 'main character' potential - was never the soft spoken, pretty lead with the voice of an angel. she was always the one that was too loud, too crass and too clutzy, but little did she know that that would one day be her super power.

getting into laguardia high school was when everything changed for nadia. her quirks becoming her strengths, realizing that she didn't need to be the pretty damsel in distress lead and that she was a powerhouse all on her own, turning minor roles into the one that everyone was talking about when the curtain dropped.

only having theater experience, her plan was to head to broadway, making it into julliard college for acting. however, despite how talented she was when it came to acting, she couldn't sing for shit. no matter how many lessons she took, no matter how hard she tried, she simply didn't have it. and a voice was needed for broadway.

at a complete loss and extremely discouraged being surrounded by talent from all over the world, nadia dropped out of college halfway through her freshman year, much to her parent's dismay.

she began doing standup comedy acts at random comedy clubs around the city, trying to make herself known, trying to gain a following, and trying to make it somehow.

one of her main schticks was mimicking the upper east side prep school kids she had grown up making fun of with her friends, and one night, the casting director for an up and coming cw drama about said upper east side brats just so happened to be in the audience.

loving nadia's dramatic portrayal of an upper east side snob, he asked her to audition for the role of blair waldorf in gossip girl and after a long audition process, nadia got the role.

thankful she was able to stay in new york city, close to her family and friends, the role was a complete out of body experience for her and catapulted her into overnight fame.

because of who her character was, she started getting cast in prestigious fashion campaigns, a frequent on the met gala red carpet, and someone who sat front row at every fashion week, and nadia found it hysterical, because it was the furthest thing from who she was.

although the role paid the bills, gave her enough money to help both of her parents retire and move out to a nice house in long island, the reputation the role gave her was something she absolutely hated - because it was so far removed from who she really was.

after a six year run, the show finally wrapped, and nadia didn't hesitate to make it known how stupid she thought the show was and how she was absolutely nothing like blair waldorf in real life. often performing her own sold out comedy shows where she had an entire bit talking about how dumb gossip girl was.

wanting nothing more than to break out into the world of serious acting, however, has managed to become a staple in the genre that is the personification of everything she's against - which is romcoms.

during her run on gossip girl and now, years after, she has been landing rom-com after rom-com, becoming a staple in a genre that she hates with a fiery passion, and her sarcastic answers during press tours don't shy away from letting it be known.

𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓶𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂 & 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓻

tv + movie career:

2010 - 2016 -gossip girl., role: blair waldorf age: 21-27, awards: teen choice award for choice tv actress 2010 & 2012

2010- clueless. role: tai, age: 21, awards & acclaim: none

2012- mean girls. role: janis ian, age: 23, awards & acclaim: none

2013-  the devil wears prada. role: andrea sachs, age: 24, awards & acclaim: none.

2014-  easy a, role: olive penderghast, age: 25 awards & acclaims: none

2015-  new girl, role: 3 episode guest arc as abby day, age: 26, awards & acclaims: none

2016- movie: 13 going on 30, role: jenna rink, age: 27, awards & acclaims:  people's choice award + teen choice award

2018- movie: bridesmaids, role: annie walker, age: 30, awards & acclaims: none

2019- movie: miss congeniality, role: gracie hart, age: 31, awards & acclaims: teen choice award

2019- movie: wine country, role: tammy, age: 31, awards & acclaims: none

2020-  movie: bridget jones diary, role: bridget jones, age: 32, awards & acclaims: none

2021-  movie: pretty woman,  role: vivian, age: 32, awards & acclaims:  golden globe for best actress,

[cursivebloodlines]

"I'd be careful if I were you... You're giving me ideas. Since, at least I don't think you have paper or a pen, then what's going to stop me from doing something before you have the chance to write a note? And here I thought you were smarter than that, D," Tessa teased, the idea amusing her greatly. As if she would ever dare, though the idea was tempting on the occasions where he pissed her off - nope, even then she could never. The idea of speculating was more than plenty for her to go on. Such as now, with the way he managed to get under her skin and fluster her without even trying. The smirk that adorned his lips indicated all too well that Diego knew what he was doing. Made her want to wipe it off his face but he also wore it so well that she would be content with leaving it there, no matter how often he left her with rosy cheeks. To his rebuttal, she just offered a sweet smile.

Tessa was simply the girl who asked too many questions. Her questions could range from: why do you have to 'put your two cents in when it is really only a 'penny for your thoughts?' Where’s that extra penny going? to are there any belly buttons on Adam and Eve? to where does it say Humpty Dumpty is an egg in the nursery rhyme? All varying kinds of weirdness. They were fun to ask; made for good discussion points. And this now, discussing his choices for level numbers, that was frankly another one of her usual questions. And maybe there was a part of her who liked to put him on the spot, naturally interested in his answers. She liked knowing what he had to say, his thoughts. Her eyes were trained on his as she patiently waited for an answer, tugging her lower lip between her teeth. "Okay. Fair enough, that makes sense. I still think you could probably give yourself more credit than level one, though. From what you've told me today, that is," Tessa mused. "But that's okay. I'm sure we can find ways to level you up, get us on the same level. Unless I keep leveling up, that is... but we'll see," she added with a thoughtful hum. Her smile grew at Diego's additional comment about liking her 'romantic vibe.' "Good! I'm glad it won't become an issue then."

How the tables have turned! Yes! Yippee! It was nice, refreshing even, to finally be on the other side. To be the...flusterer. That wasn't even a word, was it? She didn't care. All she knew that as much as Diego did his usual, trying to keep his cool stance, which she would normally have believed, but she knew him too well. The way he kept nodding along to whatever she said... almost as if he was stumped for words and then to top it all off, there was that little stutter when she suggested now being the interview. She caught him off guard and that gave her a wave of smugness and satisfaction, her turn to develop a little smirk on her face. It was nice to be in his shoes for a change. "But you just said the pay was good," Tessa pointed out, quizzically raising an eyebrow, that very smirk growing more and she never even tried to hide it. Why would she? It wasn't like he ever provided her with that same courtesy! "Your actions, huh?" she said, as though having to consider the words, unable to contain the bubble of laughter that slipped. "What actions are those then? And you never prepared for this interview? Did you want to completely throw the job opportunity or what?" Of course, Tess was merely teasing him. He had managed to get her worked up so many times today alone, and many more days to come she assumed, so this was her way of getting her own back. Seeing if she could return the favour and push his buttons for a change. "Would you like to reschedule this interview? Do I need to give you more time to prepare?" How funny that was, considering it was her who needed the time to prepare...whatever this was, whatever the next step in their relationship was. Assuming that's what would happen, that is. Of course, it would, who was she kidding?

Hearing him thank her honestly made her heart melt, and made her feel all warm and gooey inside. In the most sickening, cheesiest way possible. Tessa's perfect style and way of being, that was for sure. Such simplicity in a sentence, such a normal phrase and gesture, and yet, it meant everything to her. Diego meant everything to her. "Sharing is caring. And there's nobody else I'd rather share it with." Oh, god, had she really said that out loud? Being cheesy again. Was she allowed to do that, knowing she was making him wait for her to think about them? Again, she couldn't take that back either. It didn't have to be a big thing, and it wasn't really. It was the truth; there was no one else that she would rather share it with. That place, or anything else, really. Tessa wanted to share everything with him. Anything he wanted. Surely that meant something, didn't it? That whatever would happen between them, it was inevitable. The way he looked at her brought butterflies in her tummy, the sound of his laugh was like music to her ears. Anything he said and did had a profound effect on her... How long had it been like that? How long has these feelings been festering? "I think you're exaggerating, personally, but thanks," she said, eliciting a soft giggle. And why was her heart racing so fast when he held her chin? "That's me." Another laugh. She shook her head at his mention of bribery, muttering an offhanded comment about how he shouldn't need to be bribed under her breath, rolling her eyes when he called her a huge bully but laughed yet again anyway before they headed inside.

The Legend of Zorro probably wasn't the first film Tessa would have chose, honestly, but a deal was a deal. She'd let him choose for a change so she couldn't comment on it. In fact, it turned out she ended up enjoying it more than she thought - it had been a fair amount of time since watching it for the first time. Maybe she enjoyed it because she was in his company. And how much of the movie had she actually been watching when she wasn't talking to him? Sometimes about the movie, other times literally anything else. Diego was most definitely the first to fall asleep and she only realised when she rambled for about five minutes straight and received no response in return. She never had the heart to move him, besides he looked adorable when he was sleeping. After that, it never took her that long to drift off either. The next time she stirred from her peaceful slumber was when she heard the sound of his voice. "Hmm?" she murmured, yawning quietly before opening her eyes, tilting her head a fraction to peer up at him. "Hi," she giggled. "You fell asleep first, for the record. I have photos to prove it," Tessa teased, a little grin shaping her lips. "Drooling on me and anything, disgusting." She was only playing him up, teasing to get a reaction out of me. "And you were rambling in your sleep about how amazing I am. It was cute."

"If something happened to me, yep...i gotta get on it. I'm going to leave a note just in case and everything. Seeing you like this, they'll definitely never suspect you." Who would ever suspect her like that? Tessa looked beautiful, so innocent - she was absolutely right. No one would believe she'd do anything to him. He was lucky that this was all a joke, just playful what ifs. He couldn't wipe the smirk from his face, her face completely flushed. "Fine fine, maybe I won't find out." It seemed like just a matter of time really, he could wait.

He wondered what prompted her question, why she was so curious about his decision to place her in level 5. What was she trying to figure out? Was she collecting information to help her make a decision? Diego was comfortable with many things, the dangers of his job, the uncomfortable situations he was constantly in, admitting how he felt to her. Yes, all of that could be done. However, now...living in the limbo, waiting for her to decide. That was not something he was comfortable with yet. His chin rested on his hand, turning his head slightly to glance at her. Her piercing blue eyes meeting his. This was a sight he'd never get tired of, Diego was certain. "Level 5...well, I have to admit that I just picked a number at random. Five seems serious enough, and that romantic vibe just overflows from you. Compared to me, five seems appropriate." Okay yes, maybe it started with a random number, but his own analysis made sense. "I like your romantic vibe though, just for the record."

Wow, Tessa sure had a lot of questions today. Though, maybe he did this to himself comparing their situation to applying for a job. Diego didn't mean to, it was another way to tease her. Now, it seems like the tables turned on him and Diego was the flustered one. He nodded along, agreeing with the interesting portion of it, but he was treading carefully. Scared he was already in the metaphorical dog house, and he just didn't know it yet. "Pay rate...oh well, I don't think I know those details yet, but the benefits are very promising. And that's all I really need to know or care about." One more glance her way, and the smile on her face confirmed all he needed. He was still in her good graces. "T-the interview?" Oh, was it? "I'd hope you didn't have to ask that, that my actions would kind of speak for themselves." He gave her a shrug, Diego supposed he couldn't really prevent her from asking. He loved it though, loved knowing that she had questions and wanted to know more. It meant he was on a good path. Making good progress. "Ask away, though now I feel I should've prepared more for this interview." What if he failed? Diego was beginning to get in his head about this fake interview, debating his answers. Thoughts suddenly interrupted by her next words. I will show you whatever you want. He couldn't help the smirk tugging on his lips. Tessa probably didn't have any specific meaning in mind, and he knew he shouldn't let his mind run free. "Whatever I want, huh? I'll keep that in mind."

Yes, it was late, but now Diego regretted interrupting their night. Clearly, neither of them was ready to go home. Leaving just seemed like the mature thing to do. Now, as the car was idling and his gaze remained on her, Diego knew - he wasn't going home just yet. "I appreciate you sharing it with me," he confessed with a wide smile. It's partly why telling her how he felt seemed right, felt right. A soft laugh fell from his lips, shaking his head slowly. Impossible to pretend he didn't hear that. The deep flush in her cheeks driving him crazy. Diego glanced at her up and down, brows playfully raised. "My view is pretty good too, stunning really." It was the truth, but it also helped that this could fluster her - the same way she had earlier. He playfully rolled his eyes at her, "sure, a good girl," reaching out to hold her chin. "Coffee is all the bribery I need Tess." Diego offered a triumphant grin, his eyes lighting up at her comment. Something so simple, but their plan amused him greatly. He could be content with this for months to come, even if she didn't decide. "Hm, nope. You're a huge bully, but I'll take my win. I'm in, let's head over." The idea of Tessa bullying a man like Diego was laughable, but if they knew them...honestly, it'd make a lot of sense.

The movie he picked? The Legend of Zorro. He wasn't too picky with the movie choice, he rather pick a movie he had already watched. It allowed for any possible conversation in between. Diego wasn't usually the conversation type. He liked watching his movies in silence, enjoying every moment. But, with Tessa...he knew he'd be distracted regardless. What he didn't expect though, was to doze off in the middle of the movie. As he woke up, he wasn't too sure what time it was. He found himself snuggled against her shoulder, the blanket they were using earlier still half-draped over them. A quick glance at his watch, 5:00 am. The tv screen displayed the streaming site logo, the house quiet as any other. God, he really didn't want to go to work now. "Tess...hey, wake up sleepyhead. We..uh..kind of fell asleep here."

[wayward-dreamer]

Coffee & Chaos - Part 1

Pairing: Producer!Jensen x Fem!Screenwriter!Reader

Word count: 1,679

Summary: Y/N starts working at Chaos Machine Productions, finding joy in the work and fitting in instantly. She knows she could really thrive in the company, as long as she doesn’t fall for her boss, the executive producer and founder, along the way. Little does she know he’s trying to suppress his feelings, for the sake of professionalism, too.

Warnings: Swearing, slight angst

A/N: I'm so excited to bring this mini-series to you guys! Let me know what you think! Happy reading and enjoy! :) beta’d by my love @evergreencowboy​.

This mini-series is complete on Patreon!

Y/N pulled into the parking lot, the tires screeching slightly as she stopped the car abruptly, hissing at the noise. She turned off the engine, checking the time on her phone and breathing a sigh of relief. She was early for her first day, which allowed her a few extra minutes to look over the material that she had been given once she got the job to prep for the first day. She opened the canvas tote bag that had all the scripts she had to read before starting, taking out the last one and flipping to the last few pages. She read them quickly but made a few detailed notes on certain parts and hoped that what she had added would help her new boss see potential in her.

She had been hired as the office assistant/writer’s assistant, which she’d be pulling double duties of running the office to the producer’s liking, as well as helping with research and note taking during meetings. Considering they gave her copies of the scripts to read (after signing several NDAs), it was a good sign that they already trusted her.

Checking her phone again, she put the script away along with her pen and highlighters. She picked up both her bags and got out of the car, locking it before making her way towards the door of the production office. Walking down the hallway, she took in all the framed posters of films and TV series along the walls. Some were projects from Chaos Machine Productions, and others from the production company they shared a building with. With the help of the signage, she took a left at the end of the hall, turning towards Chaos Machine.

“Hi,” a young woman approached her as she reached the office, a bright smile on her face. Y/N recognized her as the woman who conducted her interview. “Great to finally see you in person Y/N.”

“You too, Sarah,” Y/N responded, shaking her hand.

“Alright, let’s get you set up,” Sarah stated, and gestured for Y/N to follow behind her.

Y/N smiled at some of the other employees as she walked past the desks, each of them set up with Mac computers and personal touches from the person who sat there. She reached the end where one of the desks only had a computer and dropped her bags near the leg of the table, sitting on the chair and turning it in Sarah’s direction.

“So, computer’s ready to go, your username and password are in the employee email, and you can change the password any time. This is everything that needs to be done before Mr. Ackles comes in at 10,” she explained, pointing at all the papers in front of Y/N. “But don’t actually call him that, he prefers Jensen.”

“Okay,” Y/N nodded.

“If you have any questions, I’m just a few desks down,” Sarah said, a kind smile on her face. “Welcome to Chaos Machine.”

“Thanks,” Y/N muttered, sighing softly once Sarah walked away. She felt a little lighter now that she had a general idea of what was going on at the company, and what the people were like.

She got everything set up on her computer, the itinerary for the day, printed out all the documents needed for the morning’s meeting, and then got started on setting up the room before Mr. Ackles came in. One of the employee’s mentioned that he was pretty punctual, so as soon as it turned 10am, she had his coffee ready. She didn’t get to meet him at the initial interview because he was out of town overseeing one of the productions, but considering she had seen some of his work, she knew him and just hoped he wasn’t going to be a problem with those distracting features of his.

That thought immediately went out the window as she finally laid eyes on him, seeing him walk into the office with his backpack slung over one shoulder. He sauntered past her, engrossed in the script he had in his hand, filing through the pages. He stopped abruptly, turning on the heel of his boot and facing her, causing her to gulp.

“You must be Y/N,” he said, his voice deep and husky.

She stood up, trying not to think about how great her name sounded on his lips, smiling politely. “I am. It’s great to finally meet you, Mr. Ackles.” She frowned as soon as the words left her mouth.

He had clearly noticed her chastising herself, but he didn’t make it known. He smirked, waving her off. “Jensen’s fine. Is everything set for the meeting?”

“It is,” she confirmed, picking up the papers that she had looked over three times already. “That top one needs to be signed, and the writers should be here soon.”

“Awesome.”

“And this is for you,” she muttered, handing him the steaming mug of caffeine.

“Thank you.” He took the mug from her, taking a small sip with a hum of approval. “You’d think it wasn’t your first day. Let everyone know to be in the meeting room in 5?”

“Sure thing,” she agreed.

“Great,” he breathed, smiling at her once more before he walked towards his office.

She watched him leave, an involuntary sigh leaving her as she took in his retreating form. She found herself biting her lip as her gaze drifted down to his shirt-covered back, denim clad ass and the bowlegs that took long strides towards his office. She shook her head as she sat back down. The last thing she needed was to develop a crush on her boss.

She couldn’t exactly avoid him in order to help with that, so she just hoped that the universe would have mercy on her.

Lunch time rolled around quicker than she had realized. She tried to escape outside to hopefully have at least one moment she didn’t have to see him, but that plan went to shit the minute Sarah dragged her into one of the other meeting rooms where everyone was having lunch together.

“So how long have you been in L.A. for?” he asked her as she sat down across the table from him.

“About 6 months,” she replied, only meeting his eyes briefly before she looked back down at her salad, “I was at another production company for a couple of months, but a friend heard about Chaos and told me I should apply.”

He nodded slowly, his eyes staring deep into hers. “So, what’s the next move? Writing, directing?”

“Writing, hopefully,” she sighed, her lips pulling into a small grin. “Honestly can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”

He leaned back in his chair, an approving smirk on his face. “I don’t think I’ve heard an honest answer like that in a long time.”

Y/N felt her cheeks heat up the longer she looked at him, and she knew she had to take her leave and get back to early as soon as possible. Picking up her box of salad and phone, she stood up, and with one parting smile, left the room, still feeling his intense but alluring gaze on her.

She could feel the initial fluttering of attraction deep in her stomach, but she had to ignore it.

Y/N yawned as she slapped the last script on top of the pile, stepping back to take in the work she had done in the last hour. She had separated all the screenplays that had been sent to the company, sorting them into ones that were worth coming back to, others that would be better suited to other companies, and ones that unfortunately had to be sent back to the writer. She frowned as she thought about how hers were probably sitting in an office similar to this out there, waiting to be given the time of day.

It's all a part of the business, I guess. She looked down at her watch and sighed heavily, seeing that it was close to 8pm. She had no energy left to go home and cook, so take-out would have to do. Shutting the lights off in the small back office, she closed the door behind her before making her way back to her desk. As she approached, a smile grew on her face, seeing Jensen leaning against the surface.

“Figured you deserved this after a long first day,” he said, handing her one of the tumblers with two fingers of whiskey.

“Thanks,” she muttered, clinking her glass to his before she took a sip.

“Enjoy that while you can, ‘cause today was easy,” he warned her, a playful glint in his eye as he smirked. “Things are about to get a whole lot tougher.”

Standing up a little straighter, she tilted her chin in silent challenge as she looked up at him. “I can handle whatever you’re gonna throw at me.”

He chuckled, throwing the last of his drink back. “Good.”

She huffed a small laugh as she finished her drink, passing the glass back to him. She flinched slightly as his fingers brushed against hers, causing their eyes to meet once more. He slowly took the tumbler back, stepping back as he smiled softly.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight, Jensen,” she whispered.

Y/N watched him walk back into his office, the door left slightly ajar. Sarah had told her he was usually the last one to leave because he just preferred doing a little extra work at the office before going home. With one last look at his door, she packed up her things and turned off the lamp at her desk, walking down the hallway to the front of the building.

She couldn’t believe that she already had one day down at the company, after weeks of anticipating this new job. She knew it was only going to get tougher just like Jensen had told her, but she was prepared for it.

She just had to hope she wouldn’t fall for his ridiculously handsome face along the way.

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[kpopmultistanfanficarchive]

Jungkook x Reader - Taking Your Relationship Public

“You look like you’re about to hurl,” Jungkook admitted, placing the back of his hand to your forehead. “Do you feel bad?”

You shook your head, trying to put on a reassuring face. “No. I’m alright,” you said. “Just a little nervous. I’ll be a lot better once this is all over.”

“It’ll be over quickly. I told them we’d give them ten minutes. Then we can call it a night and go home.”

Your couple reveal had been strategically planned. You had been in a relationship with Jungkook for just over a year when, together, you’d decided it was time to go public. You had expected to be mobbed. You had even expected to be interviewed. You were the BTS maknae’s secret girlfriend, after all. That came with a certain level of public intrigue.

What you hadn’t expected, however, was the massive fucking press briefing you’d been swindled into participating in.

You hated crowds. When you felt like you were under a microscope, your hands shook and your face grew blotchy. You knew this about yourself, and you had relayed it to the makeup stylist that had whisked you away, separating you from Jungkook the moment you’d entered the venue. Being away from him hadn’t helped with the nerves and by the time you were reunited, both dolled up to the nines, you felt just about ready to heave yourself through the nearest exit.

“You don’t have to be scared; I’ll do all of the talking. You just have to sit there and be beautiful.”

“That’s…not nearly as reassuring as you think it is,” you chuckled half-heartedly, stumbling as a PA checked the security of your mic pack. They’d insisted on double-miccing just in case something went wrong with the tabletop microphones but the extra weight added to the back of your dress was only adding to your anxiety.

"Listen," Jungkook murmured, looping his hand through yours and interlocking your fingers with his, "if you get too nervous to think straight, there's going to be a pen and paper for you. Just scribble. Make it look like you're taking notes or making translations. That always helps."

You nodded, relieved to hear that there would, at the very least, be a way to keep your fidgety hands busy while on stage.

"You ready for this?" he asked.

"Yeah," you said, though the tone in your voice suggested otherwise. You jumped up and down a couple of times, trying to will away the last-minute jitters.

"You're going to do great," he said, pressing a kiss to your temple in an attempt to sooth your nerves. It was a comfort that you needed. Otherwise, you may not have been able to will yourself to put one foot in front of the other and walk out on stage.

And with that, you were off, walking arm in arm with Jungkook out onto a small stage in front of a sea of blinding flash bulbs. You could feel him lean forward to bow and followed his action before taking the few steps necessary to the table in the center of the stage and taking your seat.

"Thank you for coming to today's…rather exciting event," a manager who would pose as the interview's moderator began, "To start, we'd like to thank you for your patience with the delay agreements. We know you'd like to have this story out as soon as possible. Frankly we would as well, but I'm sure you can see the value in letting the happy couple at least return home before the breaking news…well…breaks." A smattering of indulging chuckles rippled out across the crowd, though you could tell that none of the reporters sitting in front of you were particularly amused by the manager's attempt to keep things lighthearted. "We'll be going on question at a time. I will call you by the name of your organization and you will be given the opportunity to ask a single question with one follow-up…"

As the manager continued to rattle off the rules of the day's engagement, your focus began to drift.

As Jungkook had assured, a pen had been provided, but you couldn't seem to find a sheet of paper anywhere in your vicinity. Your eyes peered over to Jungkook who was already very animatedly answering questions.

Where did you meet? How long had you been together?

He rattled off answer after answer but before you know it all eyes were on you. You should've seen this coming. You should've known you'd be obligated to answer at least one question throughout the course of this god-awful press event.

"Sorry, I didn't hear that," you murmured into the mic with an apologetic smile.

"That's alright. Y/N-ssi. The question was 'what drew you to your partner Jungkook'?"

"Oh!" you exclaimed in a way that drew an animated chuckle from the crowd that made your head spin. The feedback from the microphone had you jumping in your seat as well. "We, um, well, we met at the gym, as Jungkook pointed out. He'd tried to bench too much on his own and looked over to me to ask for help getting the barbell back onto its stand. So, I guess from the beginning I was really appreciative of his ability to ask for help when he needed it."

A quiet murmuring went out over the crowd. It was as though they were expecting more, though that had been all you were prepared to give. With your "part" out of the way, your eyes met the table. You wanted to go home where there weren't what felt like a million sets of eyes staring back at your, pleading for more, more, more.

Drawing you from your thoughts, Jungkook shoved your pen into your hand, rolling up his sleeve and letting his hand rest on your thigh, offering his arm - and further to the point, his tattoos - up to you. He'd done this before on occasion, when you'd been at a party and there had been too many people crowded around, or when you were at home and big storm had rolled through. Using your hands kept your brain occupied long enough to calm it.

So without hesitation, you reached out and began to trace the lines of his tattoos with the pen, shading around the edges and filling in where they had begun to bleed and lighten. And it helped. In fact, it helped so much that you'd hardly realized how much time had passed until Jungkook was standing from his seat and bowing, you shooting to your feet to do the same at his side. And then before you knew it, the junkit was over and you were being whisked out the back to a car waiting to take the both of you home.

"See?" Jungkook murmured, turning you by the chin so that he could place a quick kiss on your lips, "over before you knew it. And now we're free."

"Oh don't sound so dramatic."

"I mean it, though. We don't have to stay in on date nights anymore. We can go to the clubs now, or out shopping or to a coffeshop without starting some sort of rumor. You can visit us on tour stops without causing a huge rise. Now everybody is going to know," he said, pressing another kiss to your lips. "We're free."

"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound pretty nice…" you chuckled, breathing your first sigh of relief since you had woken up that morning, as Jungkook leaned his head back against the headrest and took your hands into his own once again. It was then that you saw his forearm, the tattoos, and the number you'd done on his arm during the conference. "Sorry about that, by the way. I'll get you some rubbing alcohol when we get back to the apartment so we can get that off."

"No, no. I like it this way," he said, lifting his arm, along with your interlocked hands, to eye level so he could get a better look at the number you'd done on him, "Yeah, I think I might just bring a picture of this to my guy and have him make it like this permanently. That was I can have a little bit of you with me everywhere I go."

"Oh my god. Ew." you chuckled, pulling your hand away from his with a laugh, "Don't be so cheesy, Jeon Jungkook."

"I won't be cheesy if you don't give me a reason to be cheesy. How about that?"

My inbox is currently open and I am accepting requests for multiple groups at this time (BTS, Monsta X, Stray Kids) so if you have any drabble prompts or MTL requests, send them my way! Thanks for reading~

[tteokdoroki]

had it | k.bakugou.

♡ pairing: katsuki bakugou x fem!reader.

♡ word count: 4.5K

♡ rating: everyone.

♡ genre: pro hero!au, married!au, fluff, comfort.

♡ summary: your pro hero husband is a show off, always has and always will be... but when his big ego gets in the way of you doing your job, you give him little piece of your mind..

♡ warning(s): please read ! mentions of violence, i gave reader a quirk?? bakugou with a daughter ok literally nothing. oh and angst if you squint.

♡ author’s note(s):  hi besties!! happy birthday to meee!! today i’m dropping a fic that’s been a long time coming, its a short and fluffy little piece with domestic baku bc i love him with babies n kids ok ok!! i hope you all have a lovely day <3

♡ masterlist | requests | kofi

some say that working for a pro hero is an honour, no matter what the position is. some may work behind the scenes— creating gear and suits that support the pros protecting their cities or livelihoods. others are in charge of things like reports, PR and even physical health. everyone plays an important role in a hero's career. there’s never a dull moment working in a team supporting the pros, especially if that pro was dynamight.

the offices for katsuki bakugou’s hero agency were always buzzing; usually because the clean up team were rushing through with stacks upon stacks of receipts and paperwork from the damage done during bakugou’s patrols— other times it would be his secretaries gossiping about how good he looks in his winter costume because damn did that tight black shirt do his arms justice but usually it was just because of the PR team contacting media outlets with excuses for bakugou’s potty mouth.

working for the hot headed blonde was more laid back than it seemed however, the man himself was rarely ever in the office as the number two hero but out on missions instead, the pay was pretty decent and no one ever really faced his angry wrath nor his sailor like mouth unless they had royally fucked up on their job. katsuki bakugou was someone to admire, he never gave a damn about what people had to say about him— he only cared about getting the job done and maybe that’s why most people enjoyed their time under the dynamight agency.

particularly this time, right around noon.

the doors to the floor of the secretary offices fly open, crashing loudly against the walls and drawing the staff from their daily work. this office space is around ten floors up and somehow you’ve made it in record time today. “where is he?” your voice crawls through the entrance of the room, settling over the workers like a thick fog— commanding, menacing and soft all at the same time. newbies cower in their boots, confused at what’s going on and it’s safe to presume those who have been working here for years have yet to give them the run down. “don’t make me ask again.” you add, eyes darkening as you cast your gaze across the room.

an intern approaches you, visibly shaking with fear which makes you loosen your stance and raise an eyebrow toward them. “he-uh... he just went for his lunch break—“ the stutter, gulping under the stare of another highly ranked pro hero. “in his...office— ma’am!” they stumble through their words, hiding behind the ungodly amount of paperwork that's been dumped into their hands. you make a mental note to chew bakugou out on the load his interns have been getting as well as your prior reasons for coming to his agency.

nonetheless you shake your head and drop the frown, a sweet smile quickly replacing the look that could put anyone six feet under if you really tried. with a tap to the side of your head, the visor to your hero costume rises above your eyes— allowing you to give the poor little intern a cheeky wink as thanks. “‘ppreciate it darling, have a good one!” you thank them properly with a ruffle to their hair, resuming your previous stance as you march the rest of the way through the office and kick open the door at the end of the room.

the intern sags, a whimper of relief passing from tired lips while they wipe at the sweat forming on their brow. they’d not even encountered their boss yet and they’d already come face to face with a top pro hero. “w-what’s her deal?”

a chuckle to the left of the poor kid startles them out of their mind; but they relax upon realising it’s just another one of dynamight’s secretaries— haruto, who’d apparently been working at the agency since it started up. “that’s nightsky, her quirk is lullaby, which allows her to control certain people if she hits the right note. she can also put them to sleep, if she really wants to,” the intern now perks up, remembering you from countless interviews on tv. you ranked pretty highly too, managing to the reach the top five this year along with others like shoto and deku. “she owns the hero agency across the street, herself and dynamight have been going at it ever since. it’s like they’re elderly lovers or somethin‘.”

“d-do you think they are? lovers like you say?” the intern asks a little too excitedly, touching at their messy hair from where you’d ruffled it. a crimson blush warms their cheeks, the idea of two pros playing enemies to the public eye but being lovers in secret seemed like something right out of a romance novel. how romantic.

haruto only chuckles at the newbie, standing to ruffle their hair as well before heading over to the coffee stand to fix himself a cup. “beats me,” he mumbles cheerily as he walks away, arms crossed behind his head. “but with the way yn bursts in here at the same time everyday to scold bakugou, and leaves with a huge smile on her face— i wouldn’t put it past them. they probably have a whole life together.” he taps his nose once as if he’s given away too much information, turning away without a word.

the intern hums, seemingly happy with their superior’s answer and easily heads back to work from there.

katsuki bakugou was bored out of his mind.

being a successful pro hero was all he’d ever wanted— being the number two pro hero just came with that. bakugou wanted to get to the top and show everyone he was the best of the best and with him being blessed with a powerful quirk there was no way he couldn’t be where he was today. yet, now that he’d finally achieved his dream all he wanted was a fucking break. the blonde stares down at his microwaveable bowl of home cooked stew, a frown cutting deep into his cheeks. it was his lunch break for crying out loud, but instead of scarfing down the delicious meal before him, the hero was forced to watch it cool as some dumb fuck reporter asked him questions over the phone.

the telephone interview ( or a waste of his fucking time, as katsuki had called it ) , had been set up by his PR team right after he’d taken down a couple low level villains downtown earlier this morning. katsuki had called it nothing but apparently the whole world and their mother had been on his ass, watching as he took the criminals down with ease and raving about how glorious dynamight was during that fight. the reporter drones on about said event, asking the same old questions and it takes everything within the hot headed pro not to blow a casket— he’d been promised a few extra days off from his manager if he could finish the interview without blowing something up and only god knew how much katsuki needed a break from dumb paps and some overly obsessive fans.

‘so, final question, how does it feel to be the number two?’

bakugou grunts, buying himself time to formulate an answer. what he really wants to do is kindly tell the reporter to fuck off and ask more original questions; but with the prize of a longer weekend hanging in the balance he bites his tongue for the sake of freedom. “well i—“

“katsuki bakugou.” your voice cuts through his sentence before he can finish, vermillion eyes land on your hero costume clad form as you burst into his office. a lazy smirk now decorates the hero’s lips, brow quirked with piqued interest. “i have a bone to pick with you, you motherfucker.”

the reporter on the other end falls silent as katsuki watches you, leaning back in his plush leather chair. you look slightly disheveled, costume torn in a few places, scrapes littering your skin as you pant heavily from exertion— chest rising and falling with every breath, it seems ragged and bakugou makes a mental note to remind you to get your ribs checked out later. “you’re late, shitty woman.” the number two sits up a little straighter as you enter the room, leaning up to look at you while you slam your hands down on the smooth marble desk— the force rattling the items he has neatly placed on it.

‘uh-? mister...dynamight-? sir?’

your eyes sweep the room while the pro before you deals with the reporter, mentioning to her that they’ll have to continue their call later. in the meantime, you note that katsuki’s office is meticulously clean, not a single book, folder or pen out of place— it’s high up with a perfect view of the city and the large windows allow golden beams of the sun to light up the room. the sound of a phone being placed back on its hook brings you from your thoughts; annoyance settling deep in your veins as you turn to face bakugou again.

“i had it,” you growl lowly, jumping the gun before he can even register what you’ve said. “i’m a grown woman, katsuki, i can handle a couple of criminals myself, you know.”

the blasting hero does nothing but smirk even wider at the irked tone that litters your voice, standing up as well to tower over you. bakugou still wears his own hero costume, considerably in less damage than yours— not a single tear had formed in his suit, mind the small scratches on his face no doubt from his stupid explosions creating some debris. leaning over the desk between you, bakugou uses a forefinger and thumb to tilt your head up, bringing you even closer than before. “clearly y’didn’t sweetheart, or otherwise that icyhot bastard wouldn’t have needed to back you up ‘fore i got there...” his timbre voice sends sparks of electricity through the air in the room, it’s low and gravelly which is enough to send shivers down your spine but you’re not about to let katsuki bakugou know that he makes you flustered— it’d go straight to his head, the cocky bastard.

nonetheless; you roll your eyes at the mention of your old classmate and fellow pro hero— shoto todoroki. yourself and shoto got along fairly well, even back in high school, so it was normal for you to work together from time to time; you both made a great team and your skill set complimented each other’s well. katsuki was just jealous. he never really got along with todoroki like that. “he didn’t back me up, we were working together,” you snap back at the blonde, shaking yourself from bakugou’s grasp and flicking him right between those alluring vermillion eyes. “something you might not be familiar with, mister number two.” bakugou backs away from you completely ( only wincing slightly ), making you smirk in victory. you’ve struck a nerve. deciding to leave the conversation at that, you turn to make your exit as he collapses back into his seat with a deathly scowl and a quiet ‘tch’. “like i said, i had it, dynamight. next time, don’t jump in uninvited.”

happy that you got the last laugh, you open the door to leave his office but pause when a wave of heat hits your back. you should have known, katsuki bakugou was never one to back down from a challenge and you certainly weren’t an exception. well shit. when you turn around to face the blonde, small explosions spark from his right hand and he has some what of a look of a feral pomeranian, blood red eyes full of rage.

you visibly gulp and katsuki growls out his next words with the upmost venom, designed to hurt and cut at your feelings. “well maybe y’sudda let the actual pros handle shit like this,” bakugou begins, voice rising in volume with every syllable that passes his lips. “we both know you’re no good at short distance attacks with your quirk, shitty woman, you couldn’t have taken those villains down without me.” the blonde finishes with a short ‘tsk’, settling the explosions that spark in his palms. now it’s your turn to be pissed. you could handle katsuki’s jealousy, his petty reasoning for joining you on your patrol and taking the credit but bashing you and your quirk? no way in hell would he get away with that.

“bakugou?”

“what? the fuck y’still here for?”

you roll your shoulders, gracing the blonde with a devilish smile as your eyes light up mischievously. “why are you hitting yourself, bakugou?” you sing, hitting just the right notes that will have him under your spell, the tone in your voice as smooth as chocolate. katsuki’s eyes widen in horror and before he can stop himself, his free hand comes up to slap him across the face. that was your quirk, lullaby. you had the ability to sing your way out of any situation— adjusting the tune of your song to control the actions of certain individuals or groups of people. it was near impossible to resist but the more people you used your quirk on, the weaker your control over them was. that doesn’t mean you weren’t going to use it on bakugou from time to time. the blonde tries to fight it, he really does, but he’s no use up against your ability— losing all control of his own body. he grunts on impact, looking bewildered for a moment as he moves to grab his own wrist to stop any impending blows. “not so cocky now, are we dynamight?”

“h-hey!” he stammers, refusing to accept defeat against you. “shitty woman, no fuckin’ fair. you know i can’t use my quirk against you in here.” he was right, while your quirk was poor against short distance attacks ( meaning you had to result to hand to hand combat ), bakugou couldn’t use his own in enclosed spaces without hurting anyone he didn’t want to. especially you, he would never hurt you intentionally unless you were sparring.

“shoulda thought about that before you decided to taunt me, you know better than to piss off your wife, katsu.” you chide, still smiling just as brightly as you were earlier, before taking a seat on his desk and folding one leg over the other. it was quite amusing to watch your husband of four years fight against himself— everyone knew katsuki had an unbelievable amount of strength even without his quirk so he was definitely beating himself up ( literally and figuratively ).

bakugou looks up at you through gritted teeth while he struggles to keep the wrist you have control of down and you almost feel bad for the guy. “turn it off, dammit!” he curses at you, said hand rising above his free one to tug at his own sun kissed locks.

feigning interest in the objects on your lover's desk, you ignore his pleas for you to release him from the holds of your quirk and hum “apologise.”

“f-fuck... fuck y-you.”

you sigh knowingly, picking up a hand crafted paperweight, covered in glitter and sequin stars,  inspecting it carefully. bakugou could hardly ever say the word ‘sorry’, it was just in his nature and he’d been that way since you were young. part of you knows it’s because of how he was treated as a child where people praised him for his quirk. that meant he became prideful yes, thought highly of himself too and struggled to admit when others were right...but he had his own way of apologising— through actions instead of words.

like when you first moved in together and he had broken your favourite mug, instead of saying he was sorry, he spent all night super glueing it back together for you to use in the morning. to him, actions were louder than words but you right now; you were being mean and just wanted to hear him say it.

“fuck fuck, fine. alright. ‘m sorry.” bakugou lets out a strained growl as the hand you control gives a particularly hard yank to his hair. “i’m sorry for lying about your quirk. it’s not shitty…’n ‘m sorry for... barging in on your patrol. again.” you grin, satisfied with his answer and grab the hand he keeps down with his wrist. you press a simple kiss to the skin, making your husband blush as you release your hold over the limb. katsuki shyly yanks it from your grip, rubbing over the area that you’d kissed, shooting his gaze to the side in the process. “jesus shitty woman, if i don’t die from being a hero or of old fucking age, i know for a fact you’ll be the one to kill me first.” he mutters harshly under his breath, but you know he’s only kidding from the way his hands now fall to your thighs and his fingers rub small circles into the exposed skin.

“pro hero nightsky murders number two pro hero dynamight in cold blood!” you joke as if you’re reading a headline in a news article, katsuki only glares up at you— making no effort to curse you out because of your shitty joke, which causes you to frown while leaning  forward to brush some of his hair away from his face. “you know i’m only kidding right? is something wrong? did i come at a bad time?”

it’s only now that you notice the exhausted expression that paints your lover’s face. he’s always up to playing this game with you, at the same time every day— you come to bother him about some trivial matter, tease him a bit and leave with a kiss. but today, you can tell he’s trying to hide something from you. something that bothers him.

bakugou shakes his head, leaning into your touch as you play with his hair— a habit he’d picked up from even before you started dating back in high school, although he’d never admit that to you if you’d asked. “nothin’, just this stupid fuckin’ interview the PR team want me to do about the fight today. the one i took from you,” your husband smirks slightly at the thought and you roll your eyes for what seems like the nine hundredth time that afternoon. “didn’t get to finish my fuckin’ lunch but they promised me a couple days off if i got the interview done.”

“better the number two than me, eh? but don’t worry, i’ll order us some take out tonight,” your suggest, voice coming out as soft and mingling with your slight giggle— a quiet melody to katsuki’s ears. your only reply from him is a grunt, so you stop your fingers in his hair and watch as he scowls up at you. you quickly press a kiss to the explosive hero’s lips, pulling away to reveal his blushing face. you smile, knowing that you’re the only one who can make him flush red like that. “there’s something else bothering you, isn’t there?”

if there’s one thing katsuki bakugou hates, it’s how you read him like an open book. one look at him and it’s like you know exactly how he’s feeling. he can never hide anything from you— sometimes that both pisses him off and reminds him of how much he is loved by you. he hesitates with his words at first but decides to confide in you anyway, knowing that you’ll get it out of him in one way or another. “‘m worried about you, dumbass.” he mumbles, nudging your hand with his head as if to ask you to continue your earlier actions. “i know you had it, yer fuckin’ powerful but you looked so tired in that fight today ‘n i thought something bad was gonna happen to you, y’fuckin’ shitty woman.”

he toys with the tears in your costume now, smoothing over scars from your bumps and scratches as a result of combat. “oh lovebug,” you mumble, cupping his cheeks to make him look up at you. “you know i can handle my own, they just took a lot out of me today. i promise i’ll—“

“that’s not it, fuck,” katsuki cuts you off, brows furrowing deeply as he grabs your wrists— pulling your from his desk and into his lap. he holds you close, burying his nose into your neck as if you’re going to disappear. you sit still, a little shocked by his actions and his quick change of mood, but wrap your arms around him anyway and slowly fall silent. “it's just that...we’re both pros now and at the top of our ranks ‘n we both have a lot to lose.” you instinctively cling tighter to katsuki, mind flickering to the homemade paperweight you’d spotted on his desk earlier... causing your heart clench.

your daughter had made that for him during her time at preschool for fathers day; something your husband cherished with his whole heart, even if the thing was still sticky with glue when he’d gotten it.

katsuki loved taiga more than anything in the world and if something had happened to her because of your line of work, you don’t know what either of you would do. “what if something were to happen to you? or to me? or shit...both of us? who would look after taiga? you know what happens to kids who end up in the fucking system.” bakugou pauses, the same tired expression from earlier now sitting heavily on his face. “i just want you to be careful, stop pushing yourself so much, y’fuckin’ dumbasss. we have a family take care of. it’s not just you and i anymore.”

you nod, grasping onto your lover’s clothes tightly. the air is flooded with a comfortable silence, the pair of you holding one another right the way through it. you treasure moments like this, where the world stops and katsuki shows you another, more vulnerable side to him.

he would never admit or show this to anyone; but he cares , more than he lets on... especially for you and especially for your daughter. he was attentive, paid attention to you and your weaknesses and helped you overcome them. it was something you couldn’t stop loving about him. “i promise to be more careful, for you and for taiga,” you say quietly after he’s done scolding you, brushing your lips against the side of his head in a soft peck. “that must’ve been why jumped in earlier, you were worried about me?”

“somethin’ like that, you crazy woman,,” bakugou whispers, there’s a tinge of fondness to his ruby eyes as you pull away to look at him, his hands settling on your hips while he moves up to press a soft kiss to your awaiting lips. “didn’t want you getting yourself killed.”

you stay with katsuki in the office for a little longer than usual, laying on his chest as he prattles away about everything and anything even though he should be working. you make sure he eats his lunch, despite how cold it is and promise him a boat load of take out when he comes home later— your sweet cuddling session only being cut short by a call from your assistant to tell you that your daughter is ready to be picked up from school. “better finish that interview katsu, taiga’ll be happy to know her daddy’s getting some time off to spend with her soon,” you remind him as you gather yourself together, your husband pouting ( he swears on his life he wasn’t ) from the loss of your warmth in his lap. “she has a lot to tell you.”

the blonde quirks a brow, watching you as you head for the door. “yeah? like what?” a hand comes up to cover your mouth as you giggle at his curious face. sometimes, when you look at katsuki, you could see how much your daughter resembles him, right down to his mannerisms. she had somehow inherited the shape of your nose and the brightness of your smile ( the only reason barely anyone realised bakugou had a kid, he never fucking smiled. ) but the bakugou genes were incredibly strong so there was no way she’d miss out on those crimson eyes and uncontrollable, untameable messy blonde hair.

she even acted like him. a very brazen little girl who knew what she wanted and how to get it, so she had her daddy wrapped around her stubby little fingers.

you grin, eyes sparkling with the same mischief as before. “oh y’know, just her little crush on midoriya’s boy.”

“yer fuckin’ kiddin’ me.”

“i would never joke about such a thing,  just make sure you’re home in time for dinner, number two!” you squeal, dashing out of the office before your husband has time to demand more answers from you. slamming the door shut, you chuckle at the melody of curses that leave your husbands mouth before heading off to pick up your daughter.

on your way, you admit to yourself , that maybe you didn’t have this fight in the bag. but what you did have; was a loving husband, a beautiful daughter and the best life you could have ever imagined.

extended ending:

“so, taiga... daddy hears you have a little... crush on someone.”

you’re in the kitchen, washing the dishes from tonight’s dinner as bakugou wipes tentatively at your little girl’s messy face— she was a poor eater but it’s something you didn’t mind, not when your husband was so soft with cleaning her up. you can see them from where you stand, watching katsuki knowingly.

taiga looks up from the colouring you’d set out for her when she finished up her meal, crimson eyes shining brightly as she fixes her gaze on her father. “mhm mhm!! he’s mister deku’s son! and i’m gonna marry him!”

“no yer not.” bakugou answers simply, looking close to popping a vein.

“why not?”

your husband scoffs, throwing away the tissue he’d used to clean his little girl up before joining her in her colouring. “‘cause daddy says so ‘n boys are gross, especially ones who’s dad’s look like broccoli.” the older ash blonde seems satisfied with his answer, grinning to himself as you dry the dishes with an amused smile.

but taiga isn’t finished, swapping her green crayon for a red one to finish up her drawing. “but you’re a boy...and mommy still married you!”

bakugou pauses, lost for words as taiga continues to colour— humming the theme song from a commercial for some of deku’s merch. you can tell it’s taking everything katsuki’s got not to combust right there on the spot, but he can’t stay mad at taiga for too long, not when she’s describing her wedding and how her daddy is going to walk her down the isle.

setting the dishes to dry and towelling your hands; you smile to yourself as you admire your family. some would say you had it all, and looking at the pair of bakugou’s now, who were you to deny the truth.

[lubdubsworld]

Take all of my Firsts.

Genre : awkward humans in love. A lot of first times done wrong? Or possibly done just right. 

Rating : 21+ 

Warnings : Its written by me. Thats all the warning you’re gonna get. also Jungkook here is a whole cutie i’m in love. 

Summary : After getting fired and blacklisted for refusing to sleep with her boss, 26 year old Hana is kind of desperate for a job. So much so, she applies to be the secretary of the painfully awkward, absolutely anti-social Jeon Jungkook, the bumbling CEO of a brand new start up company. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

1. First Date. (1/?) 

 “ This is blue.” Jeon Jungkook's impressively large figure filled the entryway to my tiny cubicle, shoulders brushing the two wooden frames on either side of him and when he carefully stepped into the workspace, the rickety old boards beneath our feet creaked ominously. 

Both of us paused, waiting to see if today would be the day the dilapidated warehouse finally gave up on us, plunging us twenty  feet down into the basement. 

When after a second, Jungkook still stood tall, very much not falling to his untimely demise in an explosion of broken floorboards and rubble, I finally exhaled in relief and looked at what he was showing me. 

I blinked, staring at the pen in his hand. It looked pretty ordinary by all standards, nothing remarkable. But the way Jungkook was staring at it, implied that it had done some sort of very personal affront to his person. 

“Uh..yes?” I wasn’t entirely sure where he was going with this whole thing. 

“There are three blue pens in my draw. I only require two on any day. One that i use and another as a spare in case the first one fails in some way. This is not required.” He intoned gently. 

I could feel the urge to scream, slowly build.

“Right... of course. Very carefully analyzed and concluded, sir. I just don’t know...” why  on earth are you telling me this?

“My draw is cluttered by this pen. A second spent picking and dropping this around is a second of my time wasted, Hana. And you know how I feel about wasted time and its effect on our productivity.”

And you know how I feel about this moldy ass warehouse office that you insist we use because its free and you don’t have to pay rent, there’s insects here that are probably extinct in the outside world, not to mention there's a very suspicious looking algae growing on the underside of my table and I don’t wanna know if its going to mutate and eat me whole, but you don’t really care about any of that , do you, you murderously oblivious pinhead ??

 “ Hana! Are you listening to me?” Jungkook’s voice snapped me out of own head and i smiled weakly, carefully plucking the open out of his hand.

“I’ll get rid of it , sir.” I said dutifully, getting up to drop the pen on a side table and the floor boards creaked again, louder . I froze, staring down at the small cracks in the floor, offering me a glimpse of the dusty basement underneath us. 

 Please God, don’t let me die in this hellhole.   

“Get rid of it?” Jungkook looked very serious, his handsome face scrunched in displeasure and I wondered yet again why I was still here. 

And yet i felt the familiar curl of reluctant affection as well. I had only been working for him for a little over two and a half months and i already felt a desperate need to save him from the world and himself.

Mostly himself. 

“Uh..no?” I asked confusedly and he sighed deeply. 

“That would be an awful waste. The pen should merely be stored away for future use, hopefully somewhere other than my draw. I hate clutter.” 

Right. Right of course. I tried to smile soothingly.

“ I understand your sentiments perfectly, Mr. Jeon. i take full responsibility for not ...de-cluttering your draw this morning.”  because i was too busy adjusting our budget for the month, setting up seven interviews with potential employees and seventeen other meetings with clients and investors. But who cares about that right? When there’s a whole extra pen that needs to be taken care of. 

“ Excellent. Also, the dinner with Kim Sera? Could you tell her that I am not available for coitus?” 

I choked on my own saliva, coughing in disbelief. 

“Are you dying? Do you wish me to call the ambulance?” He frowned and i spluttered, shaking my head. 

“No.. i... No. Just... Sera... You. I... What?” I choked out. 

He rolled his eyes. 

“I said, Could you tell Ms. Kim that I am not available for coi-”

“I HEARD YOU.” I shouted and he jumped a bit. “ I.. I heard you, sir. But ...just... She merely asked you out to dinner? She’s a potential client and-”

“I only meet potential clients here in my office. I only get asked to dinner, in order to have coi-”

“SEX!!” I shouted in desperation. I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around Jungkook saying coitus. it was warping my insides and making my gut clench, intestines twisting like little snakes. 

“Excuse me?” He tilted his head in confusion and I felt my heart ache, completely at odds with the throbbing headache he was giving me, pulse racing at how ridiculously cute he looked, considering he was a grown man of twenty five. A whole three months older than me and yet it felt like i was babysitting him all the damn time.

“Please just say sex. its what every one says... coitus is just-” i felt slightly nauseous. 

Jungkook frowned deeply.

“Sex can hold different meanings. Like gender , for example. I merely wish to avoid confusion. when i say coitus I’m talking about the physical act of a penis-”

I brought my palm down on the table with enough force to scatter the papers and send the stationery flying . Jungkook jumped a little. 

“I  feel-” i shuddered, “ this conversation is getting derailed, a bit Sir.. Lets just talk about why you think, Ms Kim wants to have sex with you.” 

Jungkook opened his mouth to argue and i groaned.

“Coitus.” i choked out quickly. “ Why do you think Ms. Kim wants to have coitus with you?” 

Jungkook shrugged.

“Its what I get asked out for.” 

I blinked.

“You... Dinner is ... It doesn't always have to be for sex, Sir. People go out to dinner to talk to each other all the time.” I protested.

Jungkook frowned.

“Really? People don’t like when I talk.” He stared down at his feet. 

I felt that familiar fist around my heart again.

“I... “

“Its alright, Hana. I understand I’m peculiar and i make people comfortable. So they often just want me to eat in silence and take then back to my apartment.” He shrugged. “ It was wrong of me to assume that that is how all humans behave. I still don’t think Ms. Kim would want to have dinner with me. Even if she did, I may ruin our chances. I’m not.. I’m not good with people.” 

I stared at him.

“Would you like to go on a date with me?” I blurted out, before I could think it through.” Sir.”

Jungkook looked up, frowning. 

“What?”

“A dinner date sir. You and I, tonight. I’ll reschedule your meeting with Ms. Kim to tomorrow night. I’ll show you how dinner dates go. And you can be ... well... you can feel more comfortable when you meet her.” 

Jungkook considered.

“That is an excellent idea. You will take me out on a date and teach me what to say and do.” 

I smiled, nodding.

“And there will be no coitus.”

That word had definitely grown on me. 

“No sir. No coitus.” I fought the urge to grin. 

“It would be my first date then. A proper date.” He looked excited. 

And then he frowned.

“What must I wear?” He asked confusedly. 

“Oh something casual should be fine?”

“Casual....you mean like my beige suit? i admit I haven;’t work it in years because its a bit too frivolous but I can make an exception. You’re a bit ...” He paused,” wild yourself.” 

Not sure what he meant by wild, i merely shook my head.

“No suits sir. Just some shirt and slacks should be fine.”

Jungkook frowned again.

“That sounds incredibly scandalous. Are you sure you don’t wish to have coitus?” He asked eyes narrowed in suspicion.

This time the laugh escaped against my will. 

“Your virtue is safe with me sir.” I said with a straight face and he sighed.

“Well, then. I shall meet you at the same restaurant where I was to meet her? At 8.00?”

I hesitated.

“Sure. Unless you’d like the full date experience?”

Jungkook leaned forward, clearly intrigued.

“What is that?”

“If you meet me at the subway station near your apartment at six, i’ll show you.” I grinned, “ Sir.” 

Jungkook nodded enthusiastically. 

“Excellent. I’ll do that Hana.” He smiled and then glanced at the pen , smiling.

“I’ll keep it safe , Sir. Don’t worry about it.”

I watched him walk out of the cubicle, heart racing. i willed myself not to stare at the broad back and narrow waist. 

 If you develop a crush on him, there is no doubt that you are the weakest link in human history. The reason humanity will die out will be because of your lack of sense, Hana, because even stupidity should have its limits. 

( TO BE CONTINUED) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR’S NOTE : So, this is the drabble i was talking about. And i am terrible at fluff so give me ideas for their first date :’( 

[jiminrings]

🧘🏻‍♀️ manifesting (their first) interaction between y/n and stem!koo 🧘🏻‍♀️ like i can't imagine koo talking to her and not knowing his secret lunchbox deliver is right in front of him !!!

cold senior!y/n x stem major!koo masterlist :D

stem!koo is in agony and it’s getting in the way of his academics

maybe.,.,

just mAYBE you should’ve warmed up a little bit more before this goddamn practice match

it doesn’t help too that you’re still a lil bit hungover from last night because seokjin and yoongi iNSISTED to get everyone drunk

they put a beanie on the corner of the tv and each of you had to drink whenever someone appears at the edge of it :’’’)

also didn’t help the fact that yoongi tried to be helpful

shoved his fingers into your mouth in an attempt to get you to puke (so you would feel better in the morning) but in doing so, HE’S the one who puked

and now you were disgusted and therefore unable to p-word

everyone’s lagging in their game today, and with you being the team captain, of cOURSE you had to boost team morale

by boosting team morale u meant moving excessively and grinding extra hard and jostling them much more so they’d do the same

and it’s working!!!!

it’s working and now you feel like passing out :D

your jersey’s soaked and your socks are damp and you want to nestle in the cooler by yourself

fortunately, your coach fINALLY called for a ten-minute break

rip you’re sprawled out in the bleachers

extra rip why is the sun being blocked rn ://

yeah well you dO wear sunscreen and reapply it every two hours, but you didn’t think that it’d be this effective

almost like you can’t see the sun at all

like your eyes are closed and there’s no heat beating down on them

it’s almost as if someone’s i-in... front.......... of you

this is not white chicks??????

that is most definitely nOT terry crews??????

“m-miss y/n?”

you’re still a little bit groggy and it’s taking your eyes awhile to re-focus, unintentionally having a scowl on in the process

“who’s asking?”

you’re gonna scream if it’s another one of those scouts jeez they can ask for you after practice and not during your break!!

“o-oh! i’m uh, jeon jungkook?? sorry, yeah, i don’t know why i sounded unsure. i am jungkook, your junior...?”

....

WAIT WAIT WHAT

you try not to move up abruptly, putting yourself up on your elbows that makes jungkook intimidatingly take a few steps back and give you your distance

you clearly did not expect this

“how may i... help.... you?”

kook is literally shaking in his boots and he’s not even wearing boots

you’re just giving him a blank glance and not to be rude but USUALLY (!!!) he’s used to the other person making conversation and taking it from there

he’s blanking out for a second and it’s only when you tilt your head at him that he snaps out of it

“right!!! we have this statistics assignment?? a-and we need to interview an athlete for it and i was hoping if i could uhm, if i could interview you?”

weird

out of all the athletes in uni, why would jungkook ever come to you??

not that you’re complaining but you didn’t exactly expect that your first interaction with him would be out of necessity

there’s this tense silence that stretches and jungkook still awkwardly has his hands balled nervously and your still on your elbows

“oh. okay. i have eight minutes left of break before i go back to my game.”

he jolts up at that before he’s meticulously pulling things from his backpack rather ungracefully, “no worries!! i can just wait for you after your game.... i-i think?”

cute

you’d find him cuter if only he hadn’t been giving your lunches that you’ve worked hard on

>:(

“yeah? and when’s that deadline of yours?”

jungkook stills as if you’ve just exposed him, sheepishly bowing his head

“tonight. 11:59 pm.”

huh

even more weird

you thought jungkook was an early bird when it comes to these things because he’d literally march to the desk just a day after a task was given

you ponder in thought, abruptly standing to go to your coach

jungkook fREAKS out on his knees

“i’m so sO sorry to have bothered-...”

coach jeong only nods once with a firm line on his lips, dismissing you because he’s figured that the captain cOULD ask favors from him every once in a while

kook stops his apologies when you look at him again, towel on your shoulders

you look bored with him

“i can squeeze you in.”

:O

alright that’s gonna sink in eventually

pls function

one

two

“o-oh! thank you so much!! i-i won’t take long, i promise.”

jungkook wastes no time in setting everything up even if he seems disorganized

he has his pen and paper ready plus his phone to record you

apparently, it’s all just bASIC questions and lmao they truly were

do you eat breakfast everyday? how often do you work out? how often do you get injured in a game??

“lastly, how do you pack your lunchboxes?”

“well-...“ your eyes narrow at the question, tilting your head in confusion

there is absolutely nO way that is still a part of his questionnaire

not unless he knows it’s you in the flesh?????

jungkook’s eyes widen at the same time yours do and your jaw clenches because oh my fucking god did he figure you out

o_O

jungkook sheepishly shakes his head, going immediately into a sad smile before he waves it off

“sorry. i uh, i’m just going through it right now,” he mumbles under his breath, writing something on his paper, “... but really, how do you do it?”

“jungkook.”

he giggles at the way you deadpan eVEN when you were ready at the moment to worm your way out of it, thrusting his pen and paper to your hands

“write your full name and sign, please. y’know, ‘i, blank blank, consent to jeon jungkook’ the basic?”

???

did this mf just say blank OUT LOUD??? TWICE????

you only try to discreetly laugh under your breath when you do so, handing it back with ease unlike him

“i also need a picture for documentation, i-if that’s alright?”

oh uhm

you’re still soaked in sweat????

jungkook must’ve seen your panic as he aids in, handing you a mask and gesturing for the towel to cover up how cLEARLY drenched you are

(but with your jersey showing!!!!!)

this is clearly a lot to take in

your first interaction aND a picture together???

jungkook keeps profusely bowing his head to you, gathering his items neatly before bidding you goodbye

his eyes do a double-take at the notebook, only wanting to make sure that all the details are complete and he wouldn’t have to trouble you later for clarifications

jeon jungkook

he goes rigidly frozen that it makes you tilt your head once again, a shaky sigh on him that he’d only correct later

“n-nothing! i think i just saw this handwriting before, that’s all.”