#(if you want to reblog it go for it but if you give me like 4 hours I’ll edit it to be prettier and easier to read!)

[madamechrissy]

Pour it Up

Pairings: Stripclub Owner Sukuna x Stripper F!reader

Summary:- You are a single mother, your baby daddy is not just worthless, he also is actively trying to sabotage you, so you go out on your own and raise your kid by yourself. Struggling your ass off, a friend of a friend named Toji decides to offer you a hell of a deal, a few hours a night at a strip club to make BANK. While there, you meet the other owner, Sukuna, and the moment he sees you? You annoy him how beautiful you are, how much he wants you, pushing him to insanity. He knows he must have you- no matter whose ass he needs to beat.

Warnings:- reader is a mom, lowkey Yandere Sukuna behavior (He's obsessed- down bad) rec drug use, drug dealing Sukuna (the club a front lol) Mafia ties, EXPLICIT sexual content, fluff/smut AND light angst- violence, some former trauma of reader. This part- BROMANCE hehe, spanking, emotional, a LOT of violence and blood, teasing, shower sex, size kink like a MF- a little bit of everything <3 WC- 7.2k

Will be eight parts- ties into my Mob Gojo story- you'll see him and the reader from there - but you can read it alone. Art in the banner is by Sketch B on X divider by @cafekitsune

Reblogs/comments so appreciated if you enjoyy!

<<<Part Six - Playlist - Masterlist - Part eight (final)>>>

Part Seven

There is blood everywhere, everywhere Sukuna can see, as his friends, shit some of them are truly damn near his family, fight right alongside the Zenin, but the only one Sukuna is focused on is the blond man with the brown, cold eyes, the one that hurt you. The one who didn’t see what he was lucky enough to have, and never fucking deserved, you.

Naoya licks blood off his lip and ducks and dodges, slamming Sukuna against a wall, he laughs at the attempt. “You’re trying, aren’t ya? Why don’t you give the fuck up before I end your life.” Sukuna pins him now instead, Toji is sending someone flying and crashing into a crate, as you all fight in the warehouse, each hit and throw scattering goods around.

There are pounds and pounds of counterfeit jewelry being crushed under dress shoes, crunching and glinting in the dark of the room, the sound of breaking bones and grunts of pain fill the air, each hit from Sukuna is fueled by pure rage and hate. The kind that only comes from someone who’s faced with the man who’s hurt the girl he loves so much.

The one that not just had you so down on yourself, abandoned you financially, talked down to you and blew off your kid, no that’s all shit he’d certainly beat the fuck out of him for. But wanting to murder him, slit his fucking throat, comes from even more than that, the threats to you.

He’d even been running it when they met just a few minutes before this.

‘Hah, how’s my little whore doing? Ya wanna know how many times I had her, in every way? Think it won’t be long till she’s back under me-’

That was when Sukuna decided negotiations certainly wouldn’t fucking be happening, when this little prick of a man wanted to run it, there was no more hiding behind the Zenin name for him. Choso, Suguru, Satoru and Toji were all there along with many other of the families, and not only were the Zenin outnumbered, they were completely unmatched.

Certainly they had some skill and they knew how to brawl, but overwhelmingly the five men here were much better at fighting, bigger, stronger… but also, more clinically insane, and coked out. Sukuna made sure everyone was well prepared with lines and lines before they decided to do this, bloodshot eyes and batshit crazy grins adorning everyone's faces.

Not Choso on the partaking of cocaine, of course, but Sukuna quickly realizes he and his family can hold their own and then some. But no one matched Sukuna on skill or size, though Satoru and Toji came close, no, he was simply made to fight, he thrilled in it, the adrenaline coursing through his fucking veins, his ruby eyes glinting, all while  thinking of one singular thing.

You.

You’re his.

You’re his and will always be his.

Sukuna can’t have this looming over you, even if it starts a fucking war, his girl should be able to live her life without constant fear of the threat that Naoya constantly brings. As soon as Sukuna had thrown that first punch, chaos had ensued across every inch of this old, dark warehouse.

 Naoya tries to fight back, but he’s no match for the beast that’s been unleashed in Ryomen Sukuna. The fear in his eyes is clear as he sees the unbridled fury in Sukuna’s gaze, perhaps he really thought he had a chance in hell, but with every hit and kick, Naoya slowly comes to the realization, that he’s fucked.

Sukuna’s knuckles are raw, but he feels nothing but satisfaction as he lands blow after blow on Naoya’s face, the crunch of his nose - breaking again, at least he has a good surgeon- is just music to his ears. He can almost hear her voice in his head, whispering that you’re okay now, that you’re safe, that this is probably enough, but there is a louder voice.

Kill him.

He can’t because of Touma, he knows, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to, hitting him and not relenting until the blond man is on his knees, begging for mercy. Sukuna’s chest heaves with  b every breath, his heart racing with the adrenaline of the fight, his muscles screaming for a pause, but he shoves it all back, kicking Naoya to the floor and straddling him then, yanking him by his collar.

“Any last words, mother fucker?” He says with a grin, teeth just coated in blood, knife glinting when he pulls out the butterfly, silvery blade, holding the cold metal to his throat.

“Fuck, stop, stop, shit.” He grabs Sukuna’s wrist, sputtering, Satoru’s insane peal of laughter echoes, as he kicks away a mafia member, brushing off his suit. “You all are fucking insane, fuck.”

“Ya think so?” Toji asks, flipping a man right on his head, as they all look at Naoya, helpless.

“Fuck, we’ll stay out of your territory, okay?” Naoya’s desperate words just amuse Sukuna more, as he eases back the knife, holding up a hand.

“Stop.” He orders, and everyone does, much to the relief of every single Zenin member sighing, but Satoru may or may not have fake punched one to watch them jerk in fear, for the men to snicker at. Sukuna smirks at them, shaking his head, taking a breath and feeling just how sore he is, turning back to Naoya now, who exhales in relief, then Sukuna stands.

“I think we can come to an understanding, we-” Sukuna yanks him up by his collar, he’s literally dangling in the air when Sukuna plops him right on one of the crates. “Shit!”

With a smirk, he pulls out a phone from his pocket and turns his phone on, setting the screen on record. “You’re going to apologize to her.”

“The fuck I am, I already said I’d leave your territory and her the fuck alone.” Sukuna punches him once more, the sickening crack of his fist connecting echoing through the now quiet room. “Shit…”

“Say it loud, say it clear, or I’ll rip your tongue out and shove it down your throat so you can never speak your bullshit again.” Naoya’s eyes widen in horror, but he knows better than to argue at this point, it seems, the fear of dying a painful death is stronger than his pride. 

“Fine, okay, shit…” He spits out blood, a tooth along with it, making joy fill Sukuna’s heart.

It’s the simple things, you know.

Through bruised and bloodied lips, he stammers out an apology, his voice shaking, so pathetic as Sukuna videos it, just for you, his girl. The warehouse goes quiet, the other fights ceased, as the Zenin mob watches their leader fall. The Gojo and Kamo mob members, battered and bruised, look at each other with big grins, still in high spirits in comparison.

Naoya finally slumps forward, while Sukuna pockets his phone, and the Zenin mob looks to their leader, the one who’s been beaten worse than any of them, bested by a man he thought he could fuck with. It’s not just about Naoya versus Sukuna, it’s more than that, Naoya has helped lead to the Zenin weakening, and proving the Kamo and Gojo are not to be trifled with.

Sukuna leans forward, as Naoya flinches, making Sukuna even more fucking excited, grin plastering his face. “You won’t come on our territory again.”

“I won’t.”

“You won’t come near them, Touma or her, again.” Naoya laughs then, through his blood he’s damn near coughing up, so weak he looks like he’s about to collapse to the floor.

“Fuck it I don’t even want them.”

“Never fucking deserved her.” Sukuna whispers, still one fucking step away from ripping this mother fucker’s throat out, but he stops himself, standing up in a blood soaked dress shirt and slacks, sleeves rolled up to reveal much of his tattooed, bloody forearms and knuckles. “I think we’re done here.”

The warehouse door swings open as the five men and the rest of the members of the Kamo and Gojo mob walk out, letting in a rush of cool night air, Sukuna takes a breath of it, looking up at an oddly clear night for this city. He hears the distant sound of sirens, surely all the noise had made someone call.

“Time to get out before the feds come knocking.” He murmurs, as the Zenin mob retreats as well, helping their leader, who can’t even walk, but truly he’s lucky to be fucking alive.

“Coke?” Satoru offers, shaking a baggie, and Toji pulls out a bottle of liquor from the center of the limo, where the cooler sits.

“Drinks?” He suggests, but Suguru is already lighting up a blunt, smoke filling the limo of the five bruised and grinning men.

“Smoke?” He suggests, Sukuna grins then.

“All of ‘em, fuck it.”

*****

“You’re pacing baby.” Your friend murmurs, as she’s mixing up a drink in the eerily quiet club, the men have been gone for hours, and you can’t stand the sickness and anticipation in your tummy. “Sit down hunny, have a drink.”

“I can’t, I feel sick! Ugh. This is because of me.” You say in a panic, pacing back and forth more and more, she shakes her head, touching your shoulder gently. “It is all my fault, I made Sukuna have to do all this!”

“He loves you.” Her quiet words make your heart race, you hug her then, crying against her neck as she shushes you gently. “He adores you, you can just see it, I swear he does.”

“But… it’s like, what have I done to deserve him?”

“You’re pretty amazing too, you know.” You pull back with a tremulous smile, when suddenly the doors open, drawing your attention, and you exhale in relief before more panic sets in.

Sukuna is covered in blood when he walks back in the club, all of them are, your mind frantically tries to take it all in, the five bloodied men walking in, Satoru slides up to the bar, as his girl panics, cupping his face gently. Toji’s downing a shot and grimacing, Choso politely asks if there’s somewhere he can clean up, the girls start doting on him and Suguru.

But all you can see is him.

Sukuna.

The man you love, covered in more blood than all of them, his crimson eyes boring through you across the club, as you step forward, trembling as you get closer, terrified when you see his face is swelling and bruising under one of his eye, cuts all over his handsome face, you swear you can see shards of fucking glass glinting under the strobing lights.

“Sukuna…” He exhales, pulling you in close, as you look on with horror. “I need to get you cleaned up.”

“Yeah, yeah… worrying so much for me huh?” You glare, and he has the audacity to smirk. “I’m fine, brat.”

“You’re not fine. Now.” You drag him into the changing room by one of his crimson stained hands, sitting him right down in a seat, he sighs as he overtakes the tiny little thing with his huge body. “Sit there, let me clean you up.”

“Tch. It’s a scratch or two.”

“Yeah, okay monty python.”

He chuckles then, throwing his head back. “You watched that?”

“Sure I did. Sit still.” You’re dabbing at him now, with a cold wet washcloth, he sucks in a breath when you see it again, a little piece of glass. “How did you get glass in your skin, hmm?”

“Your ex may or may not have hit me with a bottle. Oooh, you look angry. So sexy, fuck.” You smack at his big tattooed hands as he tries to grip your ass.

“He what now!?” You turn and grab the first aid kit, finding antiseptic and tweezers, ready to kill Naoya if he even made it.

“He tried to fight but was failing like a little bitch. Ow!” He whines as you tweeze  out the glass, quickly cleaning the wound that’s bleeding just a bit.

“Don’t be a baby.”

“Cruel, evil woman- ow!”

“Who knew big, bad Sukuna was a baby.”

“I swear to- ah!” You’re cleaning the last of the abrasions on his face up, dabbing at it with a little cotton ball. “You’re enjoying this.”

“I am not. You’re just cute.”

“Psh, I’ll beat your backside. You done?”

“Tell me how much of this is your blood.” He chuckles now, when you lead him over to the sink, rinsing his hands off, scrubbing up the antiseptic to show his knuckles were already scabbing over.

“Most of it is their blood, don’t worry so much.” You sigh, tummy feeling sick, when you’re running a towel along his hands, taking in the damage, only to be spun now, facing the mirror, when his strong, huge body takes you over. Your eyes meet his, seeing the hunger in them, as his still wet hands slip up your skirt, and he leans over you, pressing you into the counter.

“Kuna, you’re hurt. I have to keep checking you- ngh!” Sukuna’s slipped his hand between your thighs now, while his other slides up your breasts, earning your nipples pressing out, until he holds you under your chin.

“Playing nurse is hot and all, brat, but I need more than that.” His husky tone fucks with you, as his adrenaline races through his veins.

“Is he…” You gulp a bit, and Sukuna smirks now.

“Is he dead? Go on, ask it.” You take a shaky breath, whining out when he’s slipping his fingers over your cunt, which is soaking his fingers quickly, your head falling back against his hard chest. “Me killing him get you wet?”

“N-no, you get me wet, psycho man. Answer me.” You grip his wrist, trying to halt his movements so you can focus. “Did you kill him?”

Sukuna sighs, burying his face against your neck. “Wanna see him?”

“What?” Sukuna’s chuckling now, hot against the gentle curve of your neck, pulling you even closer against him.

“He’s not dead, only because… your kid. But he’s not doing so hot.” He leans back now, pulling out his phone, showing you Naoya right there on the screen, so bloody he’s damn near unrecognizable, pressing play on the video.

“Oh my god…” You feel sick as you watch it, Toji holding his head up, as Sukuna videos it.

Go on, say sorry, say you’re so sorry, and how you’re not even good enough to breathe her air.

Sukuna’s chuckle is dark and frightening, even after he watches the video back, Naoya angrily spits, you fear you see a tooth there.

‘I’m sorry, fuck, okay?’

‘Finish the sentence.’

‘Not good enough to breathe your air… shit, I’m sorry, fuck…’

“Holy… you think…” You’re trembling in his hold, as the tears start pouring from your eyes. Sukuna pauses the video before all the carnage of just what happened to the Zenin during that fight shows. “You think it’s over?”

“Yes, baby.” Baby, he calls you baby and it ruins you. He’s cupping your face, turning you to him now, lifting you with ease and sitting you on the counter, your arms wrapping around his neck, breaths coming quicker and quicker. “He won’t touch you again.”

“Kuna…” You slam your lips on his, tears falling mixing with the coppery taste of the blood on his split lip, he pulls you against him, thighs wrapped around his hips, as you endlessly kiss, deeper and deeper. You pull back with a shaky breath, foreheads resting against each other. “But will it be a war?”

“No, they’re not coming for the Kamo and the Gojo family, we negotiated quite a deal with them all. It’s easy to negotiate when you’re losing teeth.” His devilish grin truly scares you.

“You’re psychotic you know.”

“You really haven’t seen shit yet baby.” Soon everyone is pouring in, cleaning up, Satoru is pouting like a baby, Toji is tense, the mood is overall good, but when you’re all drinking in the bar later, you and your friend helping pour them, it seems like they’re all just exhausted too.

“I lied about it being boring.” Satoru murmurs then, holding his girl’s hand carefully across the bar, she frowns in concern, leaning forward.

“It’s not boring?” She asks, and he shakes his head.

“It’s boring and pointless, and fucking stupid. But, for once, I think we did something.” She’s on his side soon, as they kiss, and the hunger they have makes the room heat up, as your eyes meet Sukuna’s knowingly.

“Satoru, why don’t you take her home.” Sukuna suggests. “Before you all just fuck right here.”

“Says you two. I don’t wanna know how many surfaces you’ve hit.” He says with a smirk, earning your gasp and Sukuna’s chuckle.

“We have not hit… many surfaces!?”

“Yet.” The room laughs quietly, and soon you’re all dispersing, you’re resting your head on Sukuna’s shoulder as he drives, it’s not too often that he’s not just taking his limo, but tonight he’s got a big hand on your thigh, pressing against you so warm, while you hug his arm to you. “You okay brat?”

“I can’t believe he was in so deep and… I didn’t know. That he was doing… fuck, trading human beings, and I was oblivious. I left because he kept cheating and was so mean to me, but… it’s hard to swallow.” Sukuna’s quiet as the two of you drive through the night in the dark, lights slowly flashing by and casting shadows across your face as he looks down for a moment.

“He probably just hit it well, it’s not like it’s your fault you didn’t know.”

“But Touma was in danger!”

“And he’s not, now he’s safe.” At the red light, glowing across his tanned skin, still covered in marks, he cups your face, tilting your chin up. “It’s not your fault.”

“How could I have been so stupid? How could I have ever seen anything but…” He cuts you off with a kiss, gentle and sweet, not like the fervent, passionate, or even brutal ones you’re used to. You exhale, leaning into the kiss.

“He had you hating yourself, I saw the end of that.” His heart breaks as he sees your lower lip tremble, his thumb brushing across it as the light turns green, he shifts his gears, driving once more, towards his penthouse - well, yours now too.

“You make me feel so loved now.” Your quiet voice makes him tense, clearing his throat just a bit.

“Ya trying to make me all sappy again, brat?” Normally you’d giggle, but you’re leaning closer, pressing a kiss on his neck.

“I love you.”

“Tch.” You just smile as you cling to him, dozing slightly, so happy he’s finally with you, so thrilled you may never have to worry about Naoya in your life again, all because of him, truly. “Gonna drool on me? If so, better be around my cock, or while I’m fucking you.”

“Kuna!” He’s smirking as you sleepily smack at his shoulder, pulling in to park now, brushing back your messy hair.

“Gonna help me clean up?” He asks softly, soon you all are sending Miwa home for the night, Touma is already fast asleep, and you’re in the shower with Sukun as he sits on the black granite bench, hands washing his smokey pink locks, while he rests his forehead on your chest, thighs spread.

“You have more bruises and cuts than you led me to believe.” You reprimand, he just looks up at you, tired eyes, his sooty lashes dripping with droplets of water, while his huge hands take over your body.

“I’ll always do anything for you.” You expected a joke or a cocky statement, not that, not the pure love and adoration in his voice, making you swallow while you rinse his hair off gently, placing the showerhead back up, entire body aching for him.

“I’ll always do anything for you.” Your murmur in return, straddling him now, knees on slippery marble, he clutches you by your ass as you do, eyes brilliant ruby as the hot spray pounds against both of your skin all over.

“The date. I still want the date.” He says softly, you giggle at it, tilting your head back when his hand drags ever so slowly across one of your breasts, squishing it in his hand as he sighs.

“I want a date too. But maybe you should heal up?”

“I feel great. Good enough for…” He’s dragging your cunt against his cock now, you cry out at the sensation, soaking wet and throbbing always for him, his piercing hits your clit as you grind, making you jerk, sensitive when he’s biting at your lips, his hands sinking into your waist. “Good enough to fuck you so good you drool, baby.”

“Fuck… please, Kuna…” He’s groaning now, reaching around and slipping two fingers deep in your soppy little hole, back arching for more as he does, scissoring them in and out so fast, you’re clinging to him tightly, tongues messy and dripping saliva as they collide.

“Want it?” He taunts, his thick, huge cock throbbing in need for you, but he loves when you’re so needy, desperate, he feels your gummy walls gripping his fingers, watches your eyes roll back, while the water falls in pretty rivulets on your pretty body, and he can’t wait to cum inside you, but not just yet. “You know what to do, brat.”

“Meanie.” You huff so cutely, making him smile, your nails are slick and pressing into his back, when he slips his fingers out now, cock teasing your entrance as he holds you up like it’s nothing.

“Gonna be bratty and not get it then.”

Your thighs shake as his tip enters, pressing inside past that tight ring of muscles, feeling your walls spasm, making him suck back a whine. “Please, Kuna, please let me feel you.”

“Fuck…” Your soft pleading ends him, how can he tease you when he’s dying to thrust inside of you, and that he does, dragging your cunt half way down his veiny length, you’re struggling to take him. “Loosen up, shit baby.”

“C-can’t, you’re t-too - ah!” You’re gasping when he stands, laying you right down on that bench, slipping out of you and shoving two fingers back in, curling them, while he kisses you again.

“Pathetic little pussy, how can she not take me by now?” He whispers, you want to scowl but fail, instead you’re drooling again while he’s curling those fingers inside.

“Too big.” He smirks at that, your eyes narrow for a moment before you’re cumming all down his thick digits, muscles loosening just enough, orgasm washing through your entire body in waves. “Kuna!”

“There she goes, she’s so needy, tsk.” Sukuna picks you up, throwing you like some little doll with his huge arms, until he’s got you against the wall, shoving his cock to the fucking hilt. Your cunt tries to accommodate, gushing down his length, as he moans, feeling his tip against your cervix. “Fuck, feel her. Milking me already?”

“Want all your cum in me, Kuna.” Your whine is shut off with a scream as he slams his curved cock right up inside you again, you’re trying to hold back the noise, but steadily failing.

“Shh, brat.” He’s smirking now, and covering your mouth with two fingers. “I’m so not getting cockblocked. Hush.”

“S-sorry, fuck- ah!” You’re burying your face against his neck, biting his slick hot skin, as his tattooed abdomen flexes, fucking you more firmly against the wall, and the two of you lose yourselves, more and more.

The water pounding, the steam floating, the fragrant smells of the body wash all mixing with the taste of each other, your eyes shut you can just feel him, all his power his strong, huge body holds, as he uses you. And you’re just clinging to him, whimpering, while his tip drags on your spot, while his piercing hits your cervix now, and you can barely hold back.

“Gonna fill you up s’good, brat, gonna fuckin pour me out, huh?” You’re nodding, struggling to focus, head falling back to look into those dilated eyes. “All mine, never going anywhere, are you?” You hear the desperation as he clings, as he fucks into your slick little cunt, and you’re nodding weakly, feeling him take you over.

“Never, going anywhere. Yours.” Sukuna slams into you once more, rolling his hips just so, you’re cumming right with him, his hot gooey load pouring inside your slick, fluttering walls, when he drinks up your kisses, holding you so tight you can scarcely breathe.

“Mine, all mine, aren’t you brat?” You’re nodding weakly, so full of him, his cock just spurting even more deep against you, as he rests his head on yours, struggling to catch his own breath.

“Yours, only yours.” Your desperate kisses slowly ease, as the two of you wash each other, and soon you’re drying up, checking on Touma, who’s still fast asleep in his bed, Sukuna watches as you give him a kiss good night, crossing his arms at the doorway while you tuck him in.

It makes the entire thing worth it all, when you shut the door quietly and he picks you up, you giggle as you cling to him. “Gotta carry you everywhere.”

“You want to! Big strong Kuna.”

“Psh.” He pulls you against him, exhaustion hitting alone with your fingers gently stroking his hair, as he clings to your warm body, so small compared to him yet here he is, holding on to you, to make him feel like only you can.

“Where is this date?” You ask softly, listening to his breathing slow, feeling his tense muscles relax just a bit in your hold, with your soothing touch.

“Fiji.” Your lips part in shock.

“We can’t just go to Fiji!?”

“Why not?” He scowls up at you now, your lips twitch in amusement, earning his deeper glare. “I can take you wherever the fuck I want, you’re mine.”

“I can’t just leave Touma for Fiji!”

“Miwa-”

“No, Kuna, I so am not.”

“You’re bratty.” He’s smacking your ass so hard you yelp, stinging and radiating with his big ass hand rocking through you.

“Shit, ow!” You bite him now, but you just get his cock twitching again, as your teeth sink deep, and he yanks your hair.

“Brat, swear to god you’re asking for it. Where do you want to go then!?”

“Like, dinner?”

“The fuck - all that I did and I get a dinner date? No.”

“Kuna…”

“Don’t you Kuna me, I demand  better date. Gonna have me acting like I’m fucking broke.” You roll your eyes at him, sighing, now rubbing your stinging ass cheek and wincing.

“Dinner somewhere fancy.”

“Satoru bought his date a fucking boat, I need at least a helicopter, or a private plane-”

“So it’s a competition?” You ask, amused while Sukuna leans up on an elbow now, as you burst into a fit of giggles, now on your back, hand stroking his stubbled cheek.

“Of course it’s a fucking competition.” You can’t stop your laughter now, to his anger, just growing at you.

“But they don’t… um…” You take a breath then, getting a little more serious. “I have Touma, he’s part of my life. We can’t be quite so carefree, like Satoru and his girl,  I’m afraid.” Sukuna exhales now, realizing your words.

You love your son so much, and he’s so happy that you do, but sometimes it drives him crazy, he has to always share his favorite person. “I guess we will bring him and Miwa to Fiji then.”

“Shit, you’re serious?” He huffs, pulling your body impossibly close, leaning down over you, lips ghosting over your collarbone.

“That way we still get time alone, but also with him.” You feel your heart fill with so much love it makes you want to burst, he sighs when he sees your eyes, glassy even in the dark of the night, the moonlight filtering in and casting shadows on your pretty face, illuminating those tears. “You cry too much.”

“That’s so sweet, oh my god.” He doesn’t answer, he just keeps pecking kisses, along your neck, and your collarbone, huge hands taking your waist, kissing even lower, to your rising breasts.

“I love you.”

“I know. Shush.” You’re whining out when he kisses down a path to your nipple, already perked up and ready, pulling down the top when the door knocks and he groans, scowling at it.

“Mama! Papa!”

“Come in!” You’re adjusting your shirt, ignoring your boyfriend’s honestly adorable pout as Touma bursts in, running over to the edge of the bed.

“What, kid? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” He demands, crossing his strong arms over his chest now.

“Sorry, Papa Kuna!” Sukuna grimaces once more at the name, as Touma reaches up his little hands, opening and closing them, he turns over and rests his chin on his hand, raising a brow.

“Is that the name we’re really going with?” Touma is bouncing up and down, you giggle as you watch, rolling over on your side now, a hand on Sukuna’s bare shoulder.

“Can I sleep in your bed Papa Kuna!?”

“God no.”

“But, PapaKuna…” You earn his glare as you rest your chin on his shoulder now, pecking a kiss on his cheek. “He’s so cute though.”

“No sleeping in my bed, kid.” Touma pouts now, lip trembling, making Sukuna falter, he looks just like you, dammit. “Don’t you give me those puppy dog eyes, you learned that from your mom, huh?”

“But your bed, it looks so cool! Please!”

“Go to your bed!”

“I’ll go to sleep with him then.” You go to sit up, and Sukuna rolls his ruby eyes, pressing you back down, his glare even deeper.

“You’re going nowhere.” He sits up now, the sheet falling, revealing his bare, tattooed body, Sukuna looks even more of a huge, huge man when he picks up itty bitty Touma from the floor, unceremoniously plopping him down between you two. “There, just one night, though, got me kid?”

“Yay! Big bed, big bed!” Touma’s smacking a kiss on his cheek, Sukuna’s wiping it off with a disgusted look, then softens as Touma kisses your cheek now. “Mama, I get to sleep in the big bed!”

“You do, it’s super comfy too.” You’re tucking him under the covers now, as he snuggles up, and Sukuna crosses his arms, earning your smile.

“Papa Kuna, lay down.” Your words have Touma laughing, as he reaches his little hand out and tugs Sukuna down towards him, until he reluctantly lays his head on one of the black satin pillows, and Touma hugs him around the neck.

“Who’s clingier, you or the kid?” He looks over Touma’s head at you, you lay down now as well, an arm around Touma, resting on Sukuna’s waist over the soft, weighted blanket.

“It’s a toss up.” You press a kiss on Touma’s head, brushing his hair back to see his adorable face, already content with a smile. “Do you like Papa Kuna better than Mama!?”

“No, but he’s so comfy!”

“Tch. Comfy.”

“He is comfy, huh?” You wink at Sukuna, whose hands are just awkwardly up as the kid snuggles against his chest.

“Your hands are cold, shit!”

“Sorry Papa.” He just hums and snuggles closer, the moment making you fall ever deeper in love, Sukuna’s got his arm around you both then, with an annoyed sigh, the three of you snuggled in the enormous bed. It feels…

Perfect.

“Kid, ya wanna go on a plane ride?” He asks, and Touma yawns, nodding.

“A plane!? Planes are cool!”

“There you go, we’re going to Fiji.” Sukuna smirks, clearly happy he has won, as Touma now turns and cuddles over to you, looking up at you and smiling happily.

“A plane!” He’s so excited, but so tired, precious as you stroke his cheek. “Mama, we'll have fun on a plane.”

“Then I guess we will have to all go, hmm? And bring Miwa?” Your words just excite Touma more, you watch Sukuna’s full lips twitch in amusement.

“Miwa too, it’s going to be so fun. When will we go?” He turns his head to Sukuna, as he snuggles closer, and Sukuna’s hand is gently brushing your hair back off your face.

“What about this weekend?”

“That soon?” You ask softly, as Touma is dozing off, little fingers gripping your pajama top, you rest your chin on his head, eyeing Sukuna now. “We don’t have to go right now, we have all the time in the world.”

“I need… a break.” You see then, how exhausted he really is, and shit, so are you after all of this. “And I want to take my girl out.”

“Your girl.” Your whisper is met with his kiss, he is dying to hold you in his arms, but the little kid in the middle doesn’t bother him honestly, in fact he enjoys watching his face smile in his sleep more than he’d admit, affection flowing for the extension of you. His gaze goes back to you, your lashes lowering, casting shadows against your cheeks. “I like that.”

“Being my girl? Of course you do.” He kisses you once more, relaxing more and eyeing Touma now. “Does he… ever bring him up?”

You tense a bit, shaking your head. “He did a little before, but not since we’ve been with you. He doesn’t really know him. But now he has you, we both do. Papa Kuna.”

“Ugh.” You’re laughing softly as he kisses you again, sweeter. “Only once is he sleeping in my bed.”

“Only once, sure.” Sukuna’s half assed glare just makes you smile, as you stroke his soft pink locks back. “I’m excited for Fiji.”

“You better be. Now, get to sleep.”

“Work tomorrow?”

“Change of position for you.”

*****

One Week Later

“Look at Pookie, she’s a baddie.” Satoru’s husky voice hits you as you’re counting money in Sukuna’s office later that day, legs crossed in a little black business outfit that Sukuna must have custom made, because it’s just too slutty honestly, and fits you far too well. When he’d seen you in it, he’d about lost his mind, the memory makes your cheeks heat up.

“Hey, Satoru.” You smile now, standing up and hugging him, you touch his cheek with a frown, seeing the blooming purple bruise along his cheek. “You okay?”

“I’m good, promise. My girl said I’m hot with this apparently.” You giggle then, shaking your head as he presses a kiss on the backs of your fingers.

“Of course you are, I heard you bought her a boat for a date huh?” He grins, wiggling his brows now, as the two of you walk over to Sukuna’s desk, and you divvy out a huge stack, handing it over.

“Of course I bought a boat, I needed to one up your date, no offense. Ah, thank you for the money, mommy.”

“You’re ridiculous.” You snort in laughter at him, sitting back down, taking out your pen and scribbling information down. “That’s your cut for the most recent run, not that your little rich ass needs any.”

“Hey now, you’re getting mean, don’t let Kuna make you too bratty.”

“What now?” You glare at him as he leans back, lowering his shades, crossing his leg at the ankle. “You’re the only brat here.”

“Meanie!”

“Arguing, huh?” Toji walks in now, winking a dark green eye at you, taking the huge stack from your hands. “Thanks doll.”

“Of course.” You’re scribbling more down now, as Suguru walks in, yawning, and you study the men’s faces, still bruised and cut, making you sigh.

“Hello, love.” Suguru takes the stack as you hand it out, frowning at you. “What’s wrong?”

“I feel you’re all hurt because of me.” You bury your face in your hands now, taking a shaky breath as the men frown, looking at you.

“No, it’s not you, it’s the shit Zenin, okay?” Toji’s hand comes to your shoulder, warm and comforting.

“Still, you’re all beat up.” You lift your head, tears falling when Choso walks in, you’re sniffling as you go to hand him his cut.

“Are you okay?” He asks softly, violet eyes glimmering, as if he feels your emotions. You nod with a tremulous smile.

“We get beat up all the time, part of the job description, sweets.” Satoru tries to ease your worries, but it just doesn’t sink in.

“You’re promoted, look at you.” Choso’s words make you smile a little more firmly, dabbing at your eyes now.

“I am, from now on I’ll be handling all of the money, I actually took accounting believe it or not.”

“A stripper accountant? Hot.” Suguru makes you giggle, when Sukuna walks in, you realize then you’re in a room full of mobsters over six feet tall, all with bruised knuckles and abrasions, and you’re the one holding all their money. There’s some power to it, what Sukuna’s given you, as he eyes all of the men, too close for his comfort.

“She’s not stripping anymore, she can manage the girls and the money.” He strides forward, walking around the desk now, lifting you from the seat to sit in the chair instead, yanking you down on his lap.

“Then why am I wearing office strip clothes?” You tease, he grins, eyeing the amount of cleavage hungrily.

“It’s the uniform, brat.”

“Uh huh! Anyway, they were just trying to make me feel better.” Sukuna’s hand comes to grip your waist, as he eyes the ledger you’ve been filling.

“She thinks it’s her fault, you should make her feel better, Kuna.”

“I swear to god, Satoru.” Satoru’s laughing as he wiggles his fingers in a farewell, and Sukuna’s alone with you now, in the big office he’s basically now set up for you as well, the door clicking quietly, when his thumb swipes a tear on your cheek. “You know how to make me jealous.”

“Oh stop, they were just being sweet.”

“Psh, sweet mobsters, what’s next?”

“You’re the sweetest.”

“That’s it.” You gasp when he’s got you bent over, yanking up the mini skirt that is barely covering your ass, watching it bounce and caressing your ass over the dark fishnets you wear, before smacking the fuck out of it.

“Ah!”

“Calling me sweet, brat? How sweet am I?” He’s smacking your other cheek, stinging so bad, but you feel the wetness drooling against your panties, biting your lower lip to hold back a cry.

“I’m an account manager now, Mr. Sukuna. I’m complaining to HR.” You tease, grinning over your shoulder, he raises one of those brows, leaning over you now, one hand gripping yours over the cool wood of the desk.

“Toji is HR. What’s he gonna say?” You giggle, but it’s cut off when he’s smacking you right between your thighs, exhaling against your neck, and the sweet ache dulls to a throbbing need.

“Toji cannot be HR, maybe Choso. He’s so cute you know- ow!”

“That’s it. I’m breaking out the whip.”

“Kuna!”

“You’re a brat - f-fuck…” He’s trailing off when you’re arching your ass up, pressing against his growing length, eyeing him.

“No one’s as sexy as my Kuna. Papa Kuna.”

“I’m done.” Sukuna pulls open a drawer, you flush when you see it, a little black leather flogger, then you glare.

“Who’d you use that on, Candy?” He grins now, standing tall and pressing you down by the back of your neck.

“Arch your ass up, brat.” His murmur is met with your immediate response, arching for him, despite you running your mouth, you want it. “Jealous of Candy, how can you be? Have you seen yourself?”

“If the whip touched her I swear- mnh!” He taps you with it gently, a low throaty laugh, wrapping his hand around your neck as he gently smacks the other side of your ass cheek, making your tummy clench.

“I like you jealous, it’s sexy… just like this outfit is ending me, look too fucking good in it, brat.”

“You want me all slutty, hmm?”

“Just for me.” His possessive tone sends shivers through you, he’s smacking your cunt lightly, stinging and making you wetter, before he presses the leather against your clit over dripping wet panties, just when the door knocks and he groans out his frustration, your little giggle earns you a sharp bite on your neck. “I’ll finish this later, just wait.”

“I’m terrified, Papa Kuna.” He puts the whip up, adjusting your skirt before he sits back down, pulling you right on his thigh, exhaling at the heat he feels, his arm wrapping around your waist, hand right on your tummy.

“Gonna have you so full of me.” His whisper in your ear has you shivering, biting your lip, he watches with a cocky grin as the knock starts again. “Come on in, then, shit.”

“You’re so friendly, you know.” Toji walks in then, frowning over at Sukuna, and you feel the energy shift.

“What’s wrong?” You ask softly, Toji sighs then.

“I may need some help with something.” You look at Sukuna, nodding and walking away, touching Toji’s shoulder gently, earning his little smile.

“It better be good, just had my girl bent over my desk.” Sukuna leans back, crossing his arms, legs spread, as Toji shuts the door behind him, staring at it for a moment.

“That shot girl…”

“You think she’s hot?”

“She’s… I need to know… about her.” Sukuna snorts a bit then, leaning forward on his hand. “Yeah she’s hot, okay?”

“I didn’t realize I’m running a matchmaking service. I should charge you.” Toji snorts, sitting down across from him now. “Shit you’re serious?”

“Just want info. I helped you  plenty, ya owe me something.”

“Shit, alright, but I swear if you interrupt me fucking again, I’m gonna take you the fuck out.” Toji chuckles, and Sukuna starts wrapping up the rest of the money. “What did you wanna know?”

Later on, as you both are overseeing the club, Sukuna finds you again, with the strobing lights going, the music reverberating through your bodies. There are dancers everywhere, in various stages of undress, cocaine being sold with every fucking shot, this is not ordinary life, but it is your ordinary life now, the hustle of it all, the thrill when his hands are on your waist.

“Toji’s down bad.” He says, and your brows raise in surprise.

“Toji Fushiguro!?”

“Mmhmm. He’s gonna be the next lovesick fool. God, look at Gojo.” You giggle as you see him, cupping his girl’s face, looks so intense they could fill an entire fucking room.

“Let them be happy, you crab.”

“Crab!?”

“Mmhmm. We’re happy. Yeah?” Your pretty smile ends him, as he pictures just everything he wants from you.

A whole fucking life with you.

“Ready for that trip tomorrow?” He asks, hand entwining with yours, turning your chin up as he hugs you from behind.

“I can’t wait, Kuna.”

A/N- Toji's story is up nextttt - preview here. And ofc we will get mob Gojo chap 4 Next (Losing Control Now) Next chap is the last of their storyyy, I've really had fun, ty for those who have loved on this story with me! <3

Taglist #1- @naina326 @1worm1 @yenayaps @shokosbunny @sukubusss @msniks @kittyyyyykats @nyxly1412 @trashsuarecan @dumbbunny98 @monster-effer @tojis-ball-sack @tangsakura @friesnkwtchup @lhhlver @attackonnat @moonchhu @mat-mat-mat @cherryjain17 @havkjhdecs @stargirl-mayaa @the-dark-creature @lulunx @saitamaswifey @spacefae-x @deitysdream @sorahatake @gojoscumslut @stainednailpolishremover @kidd3ath @clp-84 @rinkomei @catastayy @oneirataxiaa @inthedarkshadows000 @travistheaussie @cold-blooded-girls @emi311 @blublublubby @fluttershyfangs @actuallynarii @7thsthings @ilovemeni @erluu @for-hearthand-home @angellliqua @mai-505 @suguru-nugget

[okwonyo]

﹙ ✉️ ﹚ ── NIGHT AFFECTION. in which ⸝ 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗇𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌.

엔하이픈 ⠀ ੭୧ ⠀ fem!rea 1100 non-idol au fluff established relationship ˊᯅˋ pet-names skinship kissing ⠀， receuil . . .

분지 ܃ rewriting a old work because why not :0

reblogs ⠀ꢾ꣒ ⠀ feedbacks please

HEESEUNG

he is never ashamed to ask for the things that he want. whether it’s the remote when he is too lazy to get it himself or a compliment for something he has done; he always asks. 

he is not ashamed nor subtle about needing that good night kiss. and to emphasize on his point, he is not going to let you go to sleep until your lips connect with his.

he flops on top of you, his chest pressed against yours as well as his entire weight. “i can’t sleep,” he whines while you try to get him off of you. he bugs you, “i will die, kiss me.”

soon enough, he comes to find his position weirdly comfortable. he rearranges himself so he can hide his face in the crook of your neck, “i won’t get up until you kiss me,” he mumbles.

you laugh at the way his voice gets slowly quieter as be speaks, your boyfriend is already dozing off. he is already half asleep when you give him what he wants.

JAY

his reaction is quite funny. to him, it feels like his entire world crumbled in slow motion, right in front of his wide opened eyes. his goodnight kiss it is that important to him.

he doesn’t realize that he is staring at you. unintentionally, he is stuck in place without looking at anything but you, without even blinking once. he doesn’t realize that he is not laying down at the same time as you do, that is boring holes into your soul. 

realization only hits him a few seconds after you turn off the light. “babe,” he calls you hurriedly, tapping your form in fear that you would fall asleep without him receiving his act of affection.

you turn around, turning on the light in an almost panicking and downright confused. he smiles fondly, “didn’t you forget something, princess?”

seeing that you genuinely don’t know what is happening and that you are almost falling asleep, he kisses you himself.

JAKE

he is already tucked in bed, teeth freshly brushed, skin shining due to his nightly skin care routine and he feels comfortable here, enveloped like a tacos in the covers. 

it just feels too good, falling asleep after receiving a loving kiss from his beautiful girlfriend. he is so, so shocked when he realizes that you are not going to kiss him tonight. his eyes grow wide, his mouth falls agape. 

he mimics the look of a kicked pupil as he watches you get under the cover without even giving him a glance. 

he ponders, for a long moment, whether he should kiss you himself or just let it go. he is stays silent in hopes that his mind will successfully telepathically share his thoughts with you. 

“doll,” he whisper, getting closer to your ear. “can you give me a kiss, please?”

SUNGHOON

the lack of his before-sleep loving affection would leave him all sour faced. he wouldn’t hide it either, he is annoyed and kiss deprived.

you catches his face while you are getting ready to close your eyes. but his eyes digging holes in your skin makes you laugh out loud. he looks like an angry cat. 

you beat his chest playfully and with the softest giggle he has ever heard, and which makes his face arbor a more tender expression, “what’s wrong with you?”

shyness overtakes him when you laugh like that, he ends up avoiding your eyes as he fidgets with the covers. you study him for a moment until you realize what you’ve forgotten.

his cheeks are tainted with pink when you hold his chin between your index finger and your thumb. he leans in, closing his eyes and sigh when you kiss him.

SUNOO

he is bothered by it. to an extent that is a tad bit laughable. he finds himself utterly offended, downright shocked— he doesn’t have the time to be subtle about it. at all. 

this is how you are supposed to say goodnight. when it’s time to drowse, a kiss is needed. even when you are apart, the kissy face emoji or a flying kiss behind your phone’s camera is necessary. 

in all honesty, you are confused about his change of demeanor, given the fact that he was all smiley a few minutes prior. you find him with a small pout weighing on his pretty lips and don’t hear the things that he is grumbling under his breath. 

there is no way that is falling asleep without what he wants. and he is in disbelief when he realize that you forgot. and instead of reminding you, he just huffs as he lays down with his back facing you. 

he really does try to act like he doesn’t care, but after a dozen seconds in the dark, he trunks around and whisper, “hey, aren’t you forgetting something?” 

JUNGWON

he could tell you. he tap your shoulder sweetly, watch you turn around as you wait for him to talk and tells you that you forgot his before-bedtime smooch, but he doesn’t. 

of course, he takes it as an invitation to play with your mind a little, to make you curious, to make you wonder under his pleased gaze. 

a bit before you turn off the light, he speaks: “you forgot,” with the context swallowed in his throat. it rings your curiosity instantly, and you don’t want to sleep anymore. 

“jungwon,” he scoots closer to your circle of warmth. in the silence, he wraps his arms around you in the act of a loving embrace. “jungwon, what did i forget?” 

he laughs when you push him away slightly to get his attention. in lieu of an answer, he decides to get his kiss on his own. 

RIKI

he watches your every move. he follows you everywhere in the house, from the living room to the bathroom, to the bathroom to the bedroom. it is as if he is your shadow. 

you want to laugh every time you turn your gaze to his direction, seeing how impatient he is for that goodnight kiss. he looks like he has never been kissed before.

his world crumble under his feet when you decide to withhold the kiss and purposely ignore his presence. a frown draws itself on his mouth as well as on his eyebrows. 

silent treatment is what he gives you as a form of revenge. but he wants to kiss you really bad, you know. perhaps, his little vengeance doesn’t last very long because he jump when he hears he words, “i’ll find something else to kiss then!” coming out of your mouth. 

he attacks you with wet kisses all over your face as a gentle punishment. 

taglist open

[blessedmisery]

ONLY GOOD GIRLS GET GOOD GRADES!

✰ pairing: professor!sylus x fem!reader ✰ summary: desperate to raise your failing grade, you meet professor sylus in his office where he gives you feedback that looks a little different from what you expected. wc; 4.9k (im so sorry) ✰ warnings: use of pet names, dirty talk, fingering, oral m!receiving, unprotected sex, degradation, praise, slight dom/sub dynamics, power play, pussy slapping (once), minor cum play, some thigh riding, size kink bcz sylus is huge, tummy bulge, choking, kinda pet play, sylus might be abit ooc (sorry i tired), 18+ MDNI ✰ note: first time writing for sylus, i hope i did him justice. guys those slutty fucking glasses get me everytime. likes and reblogs always appreciated <3

You exhale a shaky breath, looking down at your paper through blurry eyes. Thick, wet tears prick at the corners, threatening to fall onto the big, mocking red ink that displays your grade. A fucking fail. 

Having been a straight A student throughout university—and really, for as long as you could remember—you couldn’t wrap your head around how things had spiraled to this point. Any grade below an A had always been unthinkable for you. But now, for the first time in your life, you were actually failing a class.

You thought that you might actually be losing it— that all the non-stop studying you’ve been doing must be finally getting to you. All those all-nighters and sleep deprived study days, all the long readings and writing until you can’t feel your hand— you might have finally achieved what they call ‘burnout’. 

No, that just couldn’t be right. Every other prof handed you A’s without a fight, but professor Sylus? The bastard had you fighting a war you were never meant to win—just to leave you with failing grades and nothing to show for it.

Though despite his harsh grading style, he was a good professor—there was no doubt about that. Always so clear and concise with his assignment instructions, answering every single question he was asked during lecture, and always providing his students with the most thorough and meticulous feedback. Yes, he sure was a good and generous professor—to everyone but you.

If it weren’t for your disappointing grades, one might say you were actually his best student. Sitting in the very first row of his class, listening so attentively to every word he spoke with that deep, soothing voice of his, and always wearing a cute lil’ skirt, paired with thigh high socks. Perfect student? Your grades might suggest otherwise but at least you managed to look the part.  

Professor Sylus however, didn’t see you that way. Sure, you always had interesting points to add to his lecture and great questions to ask him, but god, he couldn’t lie to himself— your too good, eager to learn attitude fucking pissed him off. Always raising your hand with that stupid excitement every time he asked a question, never forgetting to thank him after class like the good student you were, and looking like a little fucking whore — jesus, it drove him nuts.

And that’s exactly why he failed you— you were just too good. His gaze lingered on you anytime he returned a grade to you, watching your brows furrow and your face twist with confusion through his piercing red eyes. He didn’t mean to look—but fuck, he always did. Your frustration simply amused him. 

This little game of his might be wrong— some might even call it unethical, but he couldn’t help it. Some fucked up part of him wanted to see just how far a perfect student like you would go for a passing grade—what kind of unspeakable lines you’d cross to get what you wanted.  

You clutched the paper in your hand, crumpling it up, as the hours of painstaking writing—to meet his absurd instructions and demands— became absolutely meaningless. Looking up, you found him leaning with his arms crossed on the wooden lectern, looking at you through watchful eyes— lips pulled into an amused, lazy smirk. Fucking bastard. 

The class was finally over and people were slowly pouring out of the room, everyone leaving with graded papers in hand. Throwing your own, now, crumpled paper in your bag, you stood up, walking up to the front of the class. Sylus looked like he’d been waiting ages for this moment. 

“Sir, do you mind if I speak to you about my grade?” you ask, trying to keep your erratic emotions under control. You were fuming. Without a doubt, you deserved an A for that paper. But what really got to you was how effortlessly confident he looked, fully knowing he was failing you. 

“What, not happy with your grade?” he drawled slowly, his tall frame towering over you, studying you intently through his thin, frameless glasses. 

“To be honest sir, not at all. I was just wondering if you could give me some feedback” you replied, eyes fixed on your hands, nervously twiddling your thumbs, too afraid to meet his burning gaze. 

“I'll be at the university charity event until later this evening, you can come by my office afterwards. Room 305” he said flatly, his eyes wandering over your body, scanning over your ridiculously slutty outfit. Looking up at him, you nodded, giving him a quick “thank you” before leaving the room. His self-assured demeanor had a way of making your confidence flawlessly melt away. It disgusted you.

The rest of your day was spent in nervous anticipation, drifting in and out of focus during every class. You spent too much time in your head, thinking and crafting the perfect things to say to your professor—desperately hoping that he would be reasonable enough to raise your grade.

Hours later, with the sun sinking low in the sky and your head weighed down by the stress of your day, you finally found yourself planted in front of the dark brown wood door that was labelled as room 305. Nervous sweat beaded at your forehead as you stood there, arms glued at your sides, fingernails digging into your palms. This was fucking nerve wracking. You lifted a trembling knuckle to the door, lightly knocking before hearing a faint “Come in.”

Walking into the office, you saw your professor sitting behind his desk, wearing just a half buttoned dress shirt, rolled up at the sleeves— holding that same, mocking red pen between his fingers. 

“Sit” was all he said without looking up from his page, pointing to the red leather armchair that stood in front of his desk. Red eyes, red leather chair and ridiculous red ink. Sitting down, you pressed your thighs together, placing your hands nervously in your lap. Your stomach felt like it was running laps—fluttering and twisting from the anxiety.

His office was pristine and expensive, just like him—decorated throughout with rich red, gold, and black accents. Not a speck of dust could be found in sight—the only semblance of a mess being visible on his dark, wooden desk. Books and stacks of papers to grade were scattered across it, with a pack of those awful red pens on top—almost like they were placed there just to mock you.

“You wanted to see me?” he questioned, scribbling comments on the paper he was currently grading—clearly too occupied to meet your eyes. You shifted nervously in your seat, reaching down to retrieve your crumpled paper from your bag. 

“Y-Yes, I was wondering what I could have done differently on my essay” you replied, noting how silly and small his pen looked in contrast to his big, slender hands. Sighing, he put it down, his red eyes finally shifting to meet your own. A warm rush made its way up your cheeks, turning them a light shade of pink. With a long finger, he adjusted his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose, then folded his arms across his broad chest.

Finally, your professor spoke up. “Fix your spelling” was all he said, leaning back in his chair, not sparing your paper a second glance. Your eyes widened. That was it? All he had to say was to fix your spelling?

“But sir, I don’t think I had any spelling mistakes, I read my paper over at least ten times before handing it in,” you countered. You weren’t one to argue about your grades—it wasn’t in your nature, but fuck, was this starting to piss you off. 

“Fix your punctuation then” he said lazily, clearly putting little to no effort into the feedback he was giving you. What could he say to such a perfect student like yourself? There was nothing he could have asked you to improve. 

“I also looked over that before submitting my paper” you protested, growing angry with his lazy attitude. This is not how you expected this to go. 

“Then fix whatever else needs to be fixed” he stated plainly, still leaned back in his chair, watching the growing anger spread across your face with a calm, measured gaze.

“I don't understand” you huffed hopelessly. He was impossible. But fine, if he wanted to play this stupid game, you would play.

He hummed lightly, a playful smile pulling at his lips. Sylus was enjoying this—maybe a little too much. Standing up, he walked from behind his desk to the right side of the room, towards the big wall of bookshelves. Your eyes carefully followed him, watching his slender fingers trail slowly over the books.

“I’m sorry sir, I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I’m frustrated because no matter what I do, my work never seems to please you” you admitted quietly, lowering your eyes back down to your fidgeting hands—a nervous habit of yours—that no matter what you did, you couldn’t seem to break. 

Sylus chuckled a deep laugh. “Please me? Your work is always a pleasure to read.” he replies smoothly, his surprising compliment sending an unusual warm sliver of hope mixed with pleasure down your spine.

Sylus was testing you—playing with you. He’d become too invested in this little game of his and now he finally had you pinned down right where he wanted you—at his mercy.

“Then what can I do to get a better grade in your class?” you ask, muttering the question quietly. For the second time just today, tears were threatening to escape your eyes. 

Gaze still locked on your nervous hands, you didn’t actually notice him walk across the room. Flinching slightly, you felt him place his hands on either side of the leather armchair behind you, bringing his lips close to your ear—his warm breath sending goosebumps racing over your trembling skin. Frozen in place, you anxiously awaited his next move.

“Don’t you get it? Only good girls get good grades.” you felt his soft whisper hit the shell of your ear. This was so wrong, he was too close to you—closer than a professor should ever get to his student. But if this was so wrong, why were your thighs pressed against each other, desperately trying to suppress your warm arousal from settling in your panties? 

Speechless, you were unsure of what to say. His tone hovered just on the edge of seduction, and you felt his gaze on you—sharp and deliberate, as if he were studying you. Sylus was lingering on the brink of sweet and forbidden temptation, waiting to see if you’d step in with him. 

He moved his head to the other side of yours, his warm, steady breath now tickling your other ear. 

“Awww, has the kitten lost her claws?” he said, his taunt a mere whisper, ghosting over your skin. That you had. Your anger had begun to dissipate, slowly being overridden by an unfamiliar feeling of arousal. Every shift in his movements, every word he spoke, blurred the line between right and wrong a little more.

“S-Sir” was all you managed to utter. He was hovering over you, gently running his finger tips up and down the length of the arm chair. Your own hands were clutching onto the hem of your skirt, fidgeting nervously with the fabric. 

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” he asked mockingly, raising an amused eyebrow at your stunned, silent state. 

You were heavily debating the ethical implications of your current situation. On one hand, you were a fair student—one who’d never go as far as fuck her professor for a better grade. On the other hand, it couldn’t be a coincidence that you only dressed the way you did for professor Sylus’s class, only answered his questions with that stupid excitement, and only ever went as far as you currently found yourself—just for him. Fuck, this was already bordering on morally wrong, but you couldn’t deny the fluttering feeling you felt low in your core— the slick coating your panties. There was truly no denying the fact that you craved your disgustingly attractive professor's attention and praise. 

Dropping your head down lower, you managed to mutter out the most pathetic question you’d probably ever asked, “Am I not good enough sir?” 

Letting out a quiet laugh, he walked in front of where you were sitting, easily pushing your pressed thighs apart with just his leg. Warm fingers met with your chin, tilting your head up to look at him. Sylus was nearly twice your size and absurdly tall, forcing you to crane your neck just to meet his gaze.

“You’re arguably my best student”

“Sir, I—”

“But what kind of good student dresses like a little whore? What kind of good student comes begging her professor for better grades? Hm?” he cuts you off, lightly tugging on your bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. You try to stop your restless trembling, try to stop the arousal from running through your body—but it's no use, those red, hungry eyes can see right through you—can see how worked up he has you. 

“Open up, kitten” he taps your chin and your mouth falls open, lips parting for him without question. Sylus has finally crossed that deliciously dangerous line—and you crossed it right with him. 

He pushes his thumb into your mouth, smiling as you eagerly wrap your wet lips around it, playfully swirling it with your tongue. He chuckles at the drastic switch up in your attitude—going from angry to obedient within minutes. 

Placing his other hand on the chair beside your head, he removes his finger from your mouth with a little ‘pop’. Sylus puts a knee on the chair between your legs, and brushes his fingertips down your skin, letting them travel to your thigh. His eyes are locked on yours, not wanting to miss a single flicker of emotion that crosses them.

You gasp at the feeling of his fingers meeting your inner thigh, gently squeezing and playing with its soft skin.

“Tell me something sweetie. Do you dress like this for every professor?” his voice a low, sultry whisper. Another wave of arousal courses through you, now passing through your soaked panties and settling in the armchair. Oops. 

“N-No sir” you reply breathlessly, too busy relishing in his warm, electric touch. Sylus moves his hand further under your ridiculously short skirt, long fingers meeting with your lacy, drenched panties. 

“Oh? She’s wet.” he purrs his surprise in your ear, and you think you might cum right then and there. His voice is so hot it’s fucking dangerous. You’d already crossed a line you swore you never would—but you hadn’t expected to get addicted so soon.

Your panties are pushed aside and two long fingers find their way into your dripping pussy. “Fuck” you moan at the intrusion, hand grabbing onto his strong arm that rests on the chair beside your head. 

“Such filthy words, kitten” he clicks his tongue mockingly, gently using two fingers to push every smart, coherent thought out of your brain.

“Sorry s-sir” you mutter the apology, ready to do anything to please him—anything to get that A. 

You whimper at a third finger being added into your tight cunt, your whole body already feeling overstimulated from all the attention. Sylus lets out a degrading laugh, enjoying watching you squirm from his fingers. So worked up already, how were you going to take his cock? 

“Too much already?” he lowers his lips to yours, mumbling the mocking taunt against them. You whine, pathetically rutting your hips up against his hand. You’re desperate for it—desperate for his touch. You had spent so many classes dreaming about this moment, fantasizing about what it would be like—now that you finally had it, you didn’t want to let go.

Sylus is thoroughly enjoying this—watching your chest heavily rise and fall with every shallow breath, struggling to keep your eyes open and fighting against the pleasure—it was the only thing he ever wanted to see.

The pleasure pulses through your body as you feel your climax quickly approaching. Throwing your head back on the chair, you let out pleasurable mewls and moans as Sylus’s fingers speed up their pace inside you. You finally meet your blissful end when his thumb lands softly on your clit, rubbing and playing with it. The fucker knew all too well what he was doing— dangling your orgasm on the edge like that. 

“Mmh—ah, fuck” you breathe out the moan, feeling the string of pleasure in your core finally snap. You arch your back off the chair, pulsing as you release your warm cum all over his fingers.

“That’s a good kitty” he pulls his fingers out, and you yelp when he lands a harsh slap on your swollen pussy. Amusement flickers in his eyes—did you really think he’d hand it all over to you without a fight? Stupid kitten.

Lifting his wet fingers to your neck, you feel him wiping them against the stretch of it, spreading your cum all over your bare skin. 

Your head tilts easily to the side with two of his fingers, allowing him better access to the exposed, glistening skin of your neck. He begins licking your cum off of it, dragging his tongue up and down—quickly pushing you right back into a state of arousal. It’s just too much. His mouth reaches the base of your neck, grazing his teeth over it before unexpectedly biting down, making you cry out.  

“Sir ah—”

A hand quickly clasps over your mouth, shutting you up. Sylus releases your pulsing skin from his sharp teeth, lightly nuzzling his face in your neck before moving his lips back to your ear.

“Shhh kitten, wouldn’t want anyone hearing your feedback would you?” he whispers, finishing off with a little nibble on your earlobe. 

That’s right. If someone heard you, you would likely be expelled and Professor Sylus would be fired—never to see a classroom again. But somehow the thrill of getting caught made it all the more exciting for you.

“N-No sir” you answer, keeping your voice quiet and small. 

Without another word, Sylus grabs your waist, scooping you up into his arms. Your breath hitches from the sudden motion as he switches your positions on his chair, sitting himself down in your place, and placing you in his lap. He’s so fucking big, your legs can’t quite straddle both of his—so you adjust, sliding onto one thick thigh instead.

Sylus groans at your shift, feeling his hard erection poking through his tight pants. You look down, devilishly smiling at it, suddenly sensing a flicker of control return to you. Looks like you’re not the only one who’s all worked up.

“Professor, is this the kind of feedback you give all your students?” you ask teasingly, purposely dragging out every word in the sentence.

His eyes darken, and you can almost feel his gaze burning right through you. “Just you” he replies rather possessively, tightening his grip on your waist. You make a mental note of this minor crack in his composure. Interesting.

Bringing your face closer to his, your lips hover over his—realizing you hadn’t even kissed him yet. Sylus had made you cum before even kissing you.

A big hand travels to the nape of your neck, pulling you down closer to him. Your lips crash onto his—the two of you quickly entering a fight for control. Naturally, Sylus wins, kissing you ravenously and passionately, claiming every inch of your mouth as his. 

“You know sweetie, my job is in your hands” he pulls away momentarily, muttering the almost pleading words against your lips. Another fracture in that carefully built composure—he was finally grasping the gravity of the situation.

You press your forehead to his, closing in the space between you. “And my degree is in yours” you whisper before pressing your desperate lips back on his—mind too clouded with lust to discuss what stupid things the pair of you had done.

Desperate for his touch again, you start rubbing yourself on his thigh, urgently grinding—hips begging for more. Letting your hand travel to his bulge, you feel Sylus tense briefly, before melting into your touch, allowing you to paw at him like a kitten as much as you pleased. 

Sylus never expected himself to go down this road—his favorite student grinding desperately on his lap, palming his cock and begging for his attention—it was ridiculous. By no means does Sylus consider himself a saint, but this certainly was a new step in his constant battle with morality. Now he had truly fucked up. 

Long fingers tug at the hem of your shirt, letting him pull it over your head, leaving you in just your cute pink lacy bra. He easily unclasps it with one hand, exposing your bare chest to him. He groans at the sight of your hardening nipples, his eyes displaying quite possibly the hungriest expression you’d ever seen. 

Fingers meet with your nipples, and he pinches, letting a painful whimper escape your lips. His hands begin squishing them softly, soothing the tingling pain. He wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. With his composure slowly crumbling, and you getting hotter and more worked up by the minute—he just couldn’t do it. 

“Fuck” he grunts, waiting no longer to pick you up and lay you down on the desk. You prop yourself up on your elbows, watching Sylus quickly push off all the papers and pens around you, creating as much room as he needs to do whatever he desires with you. 

You swore you felt the air around you change—suddenly becoming overbearingly hot and thick with lust. Sylus had a raw, animalistic energy about him—an insatiable hunger that he desperately needed to fix. 

He bunches your skirt up around your waist, pushing your panties aside with just his thumb. “Fuck, kitten you’re already fucking wet again” he growls, fisting his thick length through his pants. You moan, letting yourself surrender to the pleasure of his fingers yet again—surprised when it doesn't feel the same. Clearly, your desperate need has grown. Your pussy is soaked and swollen, begging for a much bigger form of attention. 

As if reading your mind, he unbuttons his pants, letting his thick, hard, cock pop out before you. You audibly gasp at the sight, admiring his full length—practically drooling at the thought of all that being inside of you. He’s fucking huge.

“I-Is that going to fit?” you stutter stupidly, eyes glued on the sight of his cock. 

“You’ll be a good girl and take it all won’t you?” he replies in a low, husky voice, looking at you through half-lidded, lust filled eyes. Your wide-eyed expression amuses him more than it should—and he can’t help but admire it.

“I-I’ll try my best” you reply, nervous, yet so desperately eager to please.

He grabs your thighs, pulling you closer to where he stands at the edge of the desk. Sylus lowers his mouth to your panties, biting down on them and slowly pulling them off using just his teeth. You shudder a little, feeling another flush of need ripple through your body. 

He studies you intently, admiring every curve and inch of your exposed skin. Your cheeks flush, trying to close your legs out of embarrassment. 

He doesn’t let you though, instead, he lifts your legs, placing one on each of his shoulders—essentially rendering you helpless under his touch. His cock head prods at your entrance— thick and leaking with precum. 

“Ready, kitten?” he adds in a thick voice, leaning down closer to you, almost folding you in half. You nod quickly— practically reeling with impatience. 

A long whine escapes your lips as he pushes just the tip in, pulse hammering as you struggle to handle the stretch. You bite down hard on your lip, feeling a metallic taste fill your mouth. There was no way it was going all in. No fucking way. But it would. Sylus would make it fit. 

“So tight kitten, I’ve only put the tip in and you’re struggling already?” he asks in between ragged breaths, slowly pushing his cock further in. 

“Sylus—sir p-please wait” you rasp out, overwhelmed by the stretch. He’s not even halfway in and tears are already beading at the corners of your rolled back eyes—and you couldn’t help feeling like you were being split in half. 

“I didn’t know we were on a first name basis now, kitten. I have to say, I enjoy hearing my name on your lips” he drawls, wrapping a hand around your neck, squeezing it lightly. 

“I-I’m sorry” comes out as a pathetic, breathy stutter as you ball your fists, desperately clutching on to the air around you. You’ve never felt so stretched out before, so blissfully full. 

He slowly pushes the rest of his thick cock in, coating it in your slick. Your back arches off the desk and you moan, finally letting those tears escape your blurry eyes. You can’t form a single coherent sentence or thought anymore—he’s pushed that ability out of you entirely with his cock. 

“Crying already?” he mocks, wiping a tear with his thumb. He’s so mean, mocking and teasing your every expression, fully aware of what he’s doing to you. Being at your professors mercy like this—it’s actually humiliating, but also so fucking arousing.

“Please d-don’t move” you inhale sharply, trying your best to adjust to both his length and his width. He removes his other hand from the desk, pushing down on your stomach, admiring the bulge visible through your skin. He has you filled so nicely, the curve of him pushing up beneath your skin, marking you from both inside and out.

Your pathetic please falls on deaf ears, and he starts slowly moving his hips in and out of you, hitting your sweet spot with the head of his cock over and over again. You choke out a sob between moans, barely keeping your eyes open. 

“Eyes on me, kitten” his voice pulls you out of your trance. Your eyelids feel so heavy but you obey, noticing how every thrust makes his glasses slide a little further down the bridge of nose. The sight was erotic. 

His pace was absolutely agonizing. The sheer stretch of him, paired with everything else, left you impossibly overstimulated— moaning and whimpering around his cock. The room was filled with lewd sounds, echoing and bouncing off the walls, every moan and groan reminding you of the forbidden moment the two of you found yourselves in.

“Nngh—Sylus, fuck” you whine, unable to take all the pleasure. It was too much all at once. 

“What is it sweetie? You’re doing so well” he purrs, lifting his hand from your throat to brush a stray strand of hair from your face. How sweet. 

You look so blissfully fucked out. Your forehead is glistening with sweat, eyes drooping low and voice slowly losing itself to the pleasure coursing through you. Of all the things Sylus had seen, this? This was truly unforgettable.

His pace was bordering on frantic—the feeling of his tip hitting your cervix was literally tearing you apart. “P-Please, I’m gonna come” you cry out in between harsh sobs—feeling like you were being held captive by the pleasure—unable to rip away.

“Go on” is all he says before your body releases, convulsing from pleasure, your sweet orgasm finally crashing over you. Toes curl in your shoes, and your hand grabs onto his, gripping him so tight your knuckles begin to turn white. Sylus only chuckles at your quivering body, and continues fucking into you until he reaches his own high.

“N-no more, please, no more” you whine, desperately trying to push him away when he doesn’t stop mercilessly pounding into you. 

“You can take it, kitten” he replies with a grunt, slowing down his pace as he approaches his climax.

“Shit—” you barely hear him mutter under his breath, as his cock begins to throb inside of you, releasing thick strands of his own cum inside you warm walls. His breathing is shallow, glasses barely holding onto his nose, as he drops his head down, keeping himself buried deep inside you. 

You both stay there a while longer, catching your breath and letting the last pulses of pleasure escape your shuddering bodies. Sylus finally pulls out of you, and you prop yourself up on trembling elbows. 

“Aren’t you going to clean up your mess?” he asks—your eyes visibly widening as you instantly understand what he means. 

Sylus takes a step back from the desk, sitting back down in that damn red armchair. You barely manage to slide off the desk, almost stepping on that mocking pack of red pens— which have now made their home on the ground after Sylus had pushed them off the desk. Fuck those red pens. Fuck the colour red. 

He leans back lazily, a playful smirk pulled on his lips. You drop to your knees in front of him, wrapping two hands around his half-hard cock. Your tongue meets the tip and you begin to kitten lick every drop of cum, cleaning every inch of it like the good girl you were. 

When you finish, Sylus zips himself back up, and tilts your head up with two fingers. 

“Good kitty” he purrs, gently rubbing his thumb along your jaw. 

“Sir?” you ask after a brief moment of silence, looking up into those burning red eyes.

“Hm?”

“A-About my grade” you trail off nervously. Kneeling before him like this, the weight of your own desperation burned bright on your cheeks—it was fucking humiliating.

He’d been waiting for you to ask him the burning question—seeing how far you went before you begged for a better grade.

“Didn’t I tell you? Only good girls get good grades” he echoes his earlier words, voice so sweet it was practically dripping with honey. 

“I don’t understand?” 

“Good girls don’t fuck their professors for A’s”

© @blessedmisery 2025

[myfamilyllashea]

I love Jesus more than all and all my posts belong to Jesus and he is my Lord and savior, the Messiah, the Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ the truth, Jesus King of the jews, the rest on the earth and that much being God's son. as my Lord and savior and this is not about me but about Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ the truth, Jesus King of the jews and the rest on the earth and that much being God's son with Mary, and Jesus, God, and the Holy Ghost have feelings and you can talk to Jesus, God, and the Holy Ghost all the time and they do talk back outside of prayer and talk to them and others all day and night long and you start talking to Jesus about everything and your lives will improve, that is terrible what they are doing to you in gaza and canaan and needs to be forced to stop killing and soliders everywhere, police, and those doing wrong in different professions walking out on their made up duties(jobs) to do what is right instead of following a made up leader's directive to do what is wrong in protecting their job instead of lives(people, animals, and plants-all lives)-watch the Experimenter and leaders are not even needed read about Saul as Jesus pointed out but everyone pitching in to help one another as Jesus pointed out two are better than one, want you out of harm's way and you and your family(bombs and missiles should be banned everywhere) and this should not be happening with a war has got to stop and all the innocent people like you and your family getting hurt or worse, please becareful you and your family and got that reblogged for you and hope your family gets medical care, dental, and vision, personal hygiene products, skin care products, dental care products, warm and cooled foods, and that you get structurally sound and clean living quarters soon that are heated and cooled, and hot and cold running water for everyone displaced, in difficult living conditions, and everyone all at no cost to you, or anyone's families including animals and plants. I cannot stand what is happening there and wars affect us directly and indirectly else where with what is going to the atmosphere alone causing acid rain and worse as the bombs, missiles, chemicals and more that should not be and that is on a selfish level elsewhere to only be concerned with self and not everyone else everywhere and to relate thinking I would not want to be done this way. Also Apache a name native to here being used on war equipment made from mined materials here is being is used there and the colonists from here gave or sold to them and colonists have made fun of our people native to renamed united states for that long and used them as mascots you can even role play us being in a ball uniform, be made fun of in fictional westerns or movies like indian in the cupboard again not the sweet indians from india native from here but they like to generalize people often and do not give a shit, cherokee clothing not owned by anyone with native blood more products, stores, and resturants using native names from here when they have no native blood work, the cherokee kid movie, shows like parks and recreations and oh also apparently if you have family with migrants, those formerly human trafficked, or your family from here has been raped you just wipe your genetics to the made up government here which causes beyond identity struggles. Also that is too bad they have to look at blood work, physical characteristics and accept total facts, also and at schools you can play cowboys and indians here and we are not the sweet indians from india what is happening to you reminds me of us, how they have done more migrants and those human trafficked. I just love all of you there gaza/canaan and cannot stand what is happening to you, and living in the conditions that you are either. If people could just imagine being you that would make them care or to just look at what you have gone through and ask you want to be done this way? Because I did not or do not. Please try and becareful and love you all.

Please stop ✋🚨 you're the only hope to save a child😔😭

My name is Esraa mones, and I am a mother of two young children. One of them, under the age of five, urgently needs milk, while the other requires treatment for skin diseases.

Please donate and/or replog 🥺😭 🇵🇸

Please consider donating. If you can't, a simple reblog of my page's content can make a difference.

I ASK ALL OF YOU TO HELP MY FAMILY AND DONATE IN THE LINK PLEASE🍉

Vetted by @gazavetters , my number verified on the list is ( #64 )🍉🇵🇸

[luvvcharxo]

so in love with you - mark grayson headcanons

warnings: fluff, smut, NSFW CONTENT!! MINORS DNI. word count: 541 summary: boyfriend!mark x fem!reader headcanons. notes: hi so this is just some tired rambling from me because i have writers block so i cant write an actual fic. sorry, hope this feeds the mark lovers. yall, the suit stays on!!

boyfriend!mark who always makes sure to bring something for his girlfriend when he's late (as usual) to a date.

boyfriend!mark who tries his best to plan the dates, but secretly likes it when you take charge.

boyfriend!mark who has you saved as his wallpaper, a picture of you in his phonecase, and has a picture of the two of you as his pfp for EVERYTHING. no one can argue with the fact that that man loves you.

boyfriend!mark who always makes time to send you a 'good morning' and 'good night' text. it doesn't matter whether he's just been beaten up, or is about to be beaten up, he will always do his best to make time for you.

boyfriend!mark who likes to show his affection subtly, like when he does the sidewalk rule or when he holds your hand when he notices you feeling anxious. he's not opposed to PDA, too.

boyfriend!mark who feels happy when you show PDA, a big smile on his face if you give him a small kiss before going to work or school, or when you hold his hand when walking together.

boyfriend!mark who likes to remember little stuff about you, whether it be that one makeup product you wanted ages ago, or the name of your first pet. he'll even remember that one person you hated years ago and talked shit about to him.

boyfriend!mark who's too scared to initiate anything physical, worried you'll reject him (even though the two of you are literally dating).

boyfriend!mark who gets flustered during the first time you have sex, but eventually gets the hang of it.

boyfriend!mark who could live between your thighs and would be the happiest man alive, eating you out for the rest of yours (and his) life.

boyfriend!mark who worries whether he'll hurt you with his viltrumite strength, but you reassure him that you'll be fine. besides, you wouldn't mind getting crushed by those muscles anyway. it would be a nice way to die.

boyfriend!mark who stares at you for a moment when you stop him from removing his suit when you two are on your bed.

boyfriend!mark who's face turns bright red when you sheepishly ask him to keep the suit on, doing your best to prevent yourself from grinding against his hard length that you can already feel poking against your thigh.

boyfriend!mark who actually enjoys it (maybe a bit too much) when you sit in his supersuit-cladded lap, the friction between your lower halves making you let out a small whimper.

boyfriend!mark who's grateful for the fact that the suit is so tight, meaning he can still feel everything you do and how you feel.

boyfriend!mark who can feel your wetness seep through the fabric when you remove your pants.

boyfriend!mark who can't help but cum in his suit when you let out the most pornographic moan he's ever heard after rubbing against his hard-on.

boyfriend!mark who doesn't cares about the clean-up (that's a problem for future him to think about) and instead flips the two of you over, a smug smile on his face, ready for round two. maybe with the suit off, this time.

extra notes: hiii im so sorry if this isnt written well. im not used to writing sexual content, but i hope this is okay. love u guys, and reblogs are very welcome!! :3

⋆ MASTERLIST

[runnning-outof-time]

A Little Thank You | Tommy Shelby x Reader

Request: yes by @darlingsfandom - sent as a blurb request

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x fem!Reader

Summary: In which (Y/N) (Y/L/N) repays her employer in a way he wasn’t expecting.

Warnings: language, an almost bar fight (series typical violence)

Word Count: 1856

A/N: I wasn’t expecting this to turn into a full on story, but it did - thanks so much for giving me the inspiration to write this, Em! I’m sorry it took so long for me to share it. The prompts sent in are bolded in the story. Enjoy! :)

COMMENTS & REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED — I’d love to know what you think of the story!

Comment/Message me if you’d like to be tagged!

"I put me order in first!" one drunken man yelled at the man standing next to him.

"Mate this isn't even what you ordered!" the other man replied. Both men's hands reached for the pint glass at the same time.

"How the fuck do you know what I ordered?!" the first man questioned, his now brows deeply furrowed.

"Because I was here when I heard ya say it!" the second man responded.

(Y/N) stopped the order she was working on when she heard the squabble start. "What's happening here?" she asked the men, hoping to get some insight on why they were screaming at each other.

"That's bullshit!" The first man was not backing down. The screaming matched continued without acknowledgement of (Y/N)'s question.

"I'll tell you what bullshit is...bullshit is when someone claims a drink is theirs without checking what it is!"

"I'll show you bullshit..." the first man growled through gritted teeth before lifting the glass and slamming it down on the bar top, making the glass shatter and liquid spread across the wooden surface. He then lifted the handle, that was so conveniently still in his hands, in a threatening motion at the second man.

Nothing good was going to come out of this.

"Enough!" (Y/N) exclaimed, trying to get their attention by slamming her hand down on the counter.

A sharp pain surged through her hand the second it hit the surface, but she was too caught up in breaking up the bar fight to check and see what the cause of it was. "You both need to stop acting the way you are or you'll be thrown out."

"You need to start pouring the right fucking drinks in the right fucking order!" the first man yelled right back at the barmaid. He quickly turned to face her, the sharp handle of the glass now being waved in her direction.

"You might want to think about what you're doing right now," (Y/N) said to him, speaking in a low, leveled voice to try and get him to see sense in that moment.

She had no idea how this was going to go down.

"Oi! What the fuck is going out here?!" a booming voice came from the right-hand side of the altercation. (Y/N) turned her head to see a glaring Tommy Shelby looking through the small window that separated the private snug from the rest of the establishment.

"It's getting handled, Mr. Shelby," (Y/N) said in a quiet, but assured, tone. She hoped he could see that she could handle these sorts of situations by herself without having him stop he was doing to step in.

Tommy looked at (Y/N) for a moment, processing what she said before surveying the situation. In a matter of seconds he was out of the snug and approaching the bar. Anger was starkly apparent in his features. "I want both of you out of this fucking pub right now. Continue this if you want, but it won't be in front of me." He spoke in an almost growl-like tone. (Y/N) had never seen his this angry before.

The men didn't try and argue with him. They responded to his demand with a quick 'yes, Mr. Shelby' before they hung their heads and exited the establishment.

Tommy turned his attention to (Y/N) once they were out of sight.

"Mr. Shelby I was going to..."

"Let me have a look at your hand, (Y/N)," Tommy cut her off, his eyes zeroed in on the hand of hers that was still resting on the bar.

"It's fine, it just...oh, shit," she stopped what she was saying when she actually saw her hand. The sharp pain that she felt was caused by what looked to be a shard from the broken glass becoming stuck in the side of her hand. "Fuck," she breathed out a sigh, looking around for a rag to try and stop the bleeding.

"Let me look at it, love," Tommy cut in on her search, hoping to stop it before she could cover the injury up.

"I'll go to the washroom and sort it out," she insisted, continuing to look for a rag, "and then I'll make sure to clean the counter."

"It looks like there's a piece stuck in it," he pointed out, disregarding the action plan she'd just laid out.

"Let me see it."

"It's fine, Mr. Shelby," she insisted.

"Let me help you, (Y/N).” He wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Ok," she answered with a breath, finally relenting and holding her hand out for him to inspect.

He looked at it for a moment before taking it into his hold and stepping ever so slightly closer to her.

The breath go caught in (Y/N)'s throat at their close proximity. One challenge of working for the Shelbys that proved hardest to her after all of this time was keeping herself composed around Tommy. There was just something about him that she couldn't quite shake from her mind. She had a crush on her employer.

As he took hold of her hand, he brought her forearm to rest between his torso on his own forearm, hoping that it would stabilize her injured hand more for him to have a better look at it. It did the trick...but it also got (Y/N)'s heart racing.

"Hold still, love. This might sting a little," he said to her as he readied himself to pull the shard out of the side of her hand. (Y/N) gritted her teeth and sucked in a breath in preparation, then let that same breath out as a hiss as Tommy pulled the glass from her hand.

"There…it's out," he announced, gently letting go of her hand so that he could throw the glass in the bin under the counter.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, appreciation clear in her expression.

"You're welcome," he answered, nodding once as his lips slightly curved upwards. "If anything like that happens again please come and find me. I'll handle it."

"I will," (Y/N) nodded, not even trying to fight him on it. She had no problem sticking up for herself, but she also wasn't going to argue with him wanting to handle any future altercations.

Tommy nodded again after hearing her response. He then watched her as she grabbed one of the clean rags to hold on the cut she'd gotten. "There's some bandages in me office...go and get one to stop the bleeding."

"I will. Thank you, Mr. Shelby," she smiled at him in appreciation before turning and walking to the part of the pub his office was located in.

(Y/N)'s smile was spread from ear to ear as she entered the Garrison on her next shift day. She did a quick search around the pub's main room before concluding that the person she was looking for was - hopefully - in the private snug.

She found him upon opening the door. He was sitting in his usual spot: the head of the table with his back to the bar. A quick glance around the room made her realize that his brothers, John and Arthur, were also present.

"Good morning, (Y/N). What can we do for ya?" Arthur was the one to greet her first.

"Good morning," she returned the greeting, smiling at the two men sitting in the booth before looking back at Tommy, "I, uh...I wanted to give these to you, Mr. Shelby," she said as she held her hand out in the space between her and her employer.

Tommy took a moment to look down at what she was offering him. There was no glaring emotion present on his face as his eyes returned to hers, and (Y/N)'d be lying if she said that seeing this didn't make her clam up a little bit. She was also able to feel Arthur and John's eyes watching the interaction, their gaze’s weight adding an extra intensity to the situation.

"You got me flowers?" Tommy finally asked her, his eyes falling down to the small bouquet that was grasped in her still outstretched hand once more.

"I...yeah, I picked them on my walk to work today. I wanted to offer a little thank you for your help the other day," she explained the reason behind her sudden gift offering.

"You didn't need to thank me, (Y/N). It was..."

"I wanted to thank you, Tommy-" (Y/N) rushed to insist, her words coming out before she could realize she was calling her employer by his first name, "I, er...I meant Mr. Shelby, I'm sorry..." she stammered out, trailing off as she felt herself heat up at the mishap.

Tommy kept his eyes trained on her, which only made her want to sink into herself more, a somewhat of an amused expression forming on his face. If anything, he found her actions at this moment endearing.

He let a few more beats pass before he spoke again (Y/N) was getting closer and closer to dropping the flowers and running out with each one. John and Arthur were watching on intently, like one would with a close sports match.

"I appreciate the gesture, (Y/N)," Tommy finally spoke, taking the flowers from her - still - outstretched hand. He took another moment to look at them...no one had repaid him for doing a deed in a thoughtful way such as this before. A part of him truthfully preferred the sentiment to any lumpsome of money he could have received.

(Y/N)'s nerves were becoming increasingly frazzled with each moment that passed. Is he going to comment on my mishap? Was he upset by it? Is he going to reprimand me for it? Maybe I should get out of here. Her trail of thoughts finally pushed her to act, and she finally broke eye contact with Tommy to look at the two other Shelby men in the room, hoping to let them know that she was addressing everyone now. "I'll be going to my position at the counter now," she informed them, turning on her heel to walk the short distance back to the door.

"(Y/N)," Tommy's voice stopped her before she could open said door. She sucked in a breath as she turned back to face him. "Call me Tommy from now on, eh?"

The way he said it made it sound like a question, but anyone would have been able to tell that he was not asking her if she could do so. A weird feeling coursed through her body as she heard his statement. She couldn't explain it, or put a name to the feeling, but it put a smile on her face.

"I will," she gave him an answer even though he wasn't expecting one, nodding her head slightly before she continued with the motion of opening the door and exiting the snug.

MASTERLIST

Tagged: @mystcldydrms @succubaby @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21

@mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @theshelbyslimited @peakyswritings

@just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry

@captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @mischievouslittlecreature @stevie75

@lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @cillmequick

@dandelionprints @garrison-girl-08 @insanitybyanothername @depxiety @justrainandcoffee

@dragons-are-my-favorite @mrs-bond @cljordan-imperium @brummiereader @everythingelseisextra

@little-diable @thomashelbyswife @shaddixlife @ryecosse @padfootdaredmetoo

@novashelby @wonderlanddreamer

[w1ll0wray]

TOO STUBBORN TO PURR ft. jinx x fem!reader

⊹₊⟡⋆ summary: suffocated by your parents trying to protect you 24/7–especially after a zaunite criminal had nearly exploded your older sister—you find yourself accidentally meeting a violent blue-furred kitty.

⊹₊⟡⋆ warnings: jinx x female reader, minors or men dni, smut, jinx!receiving head, upset stomach, bratty!jinx, reader is a kiramman, jinx is a kitty, fem!reader giving head, nsfw, pre shimmer jinx, she drank singed’s potion, they do it in her human form, reader is too sweet.

wc. 5.3k

𐙚 note | I’d really appreciate it if you would not only just like, but also reblog & give me feedback. thank you:)

“Miss— You must go back home! It’s pouring out here.” Your assistant yelled out, following after you in the rain. 

You didn’t listen, stomping in your heels down the shops, wanting some alone time. Your assistant didn’t get the hint, following your mother’s orders. 

Ugh. You needed some space for once!

Turning in your heel, you scoffed, “Leave me alone! I’ll go home when I—“ 

Meow

Pausing, your head snapped to the little animal trying to escape the rain’s water droplets, its body quivering and pushing against the shops wall. Sensing your assistant about to speak, you held up a hand, a shine flickering through your eyes at the adorable blue kitty. 

Rushing to the cat, you bent down, dirtying your dress, “Hello there..” You smiled, stretching your hand out gently. The cat didn’t seem pleased, a frown etched on its face. When it took a step away, you squealed at the cuteness and left no room for the animal to escape. 

You scooped the kitty into your arms, ignoring the angry sounds it let out. Patting on its wet fur, you pressed its face close to your chest, humming a soft tune to shush it up. The cat had stopped resisting after a few meows, its body melting into you. 

You took that as your cue to walk back home. Once you had arrived home, dodging your mother in the halls, the kitty had fallen asleep in your arms. You gently placed the little cat on your silk bed covers. It flinched and awoke immediately, meowing loudly. 

Yelping, you tried to shush it up, “Shh, okay, okay.” The kitty stopped, curiously watching you walk across the room. Your maid soon entered the room, helping you undress. It felt satisfying removing the corset that suffocated you the whole day. 

Stripping to only your underwear, a light blue lace set, you shooed your maid away. As the door closed, you put on your navy sheer satin dressing gown. Humming a tune, you made your way back to your bed, smiling at the blue kitty cautiously watching you. 

Settling on the bed and resting your back against the pillows, you stared at the kitty still seated beside your legs, “Hm… you must be hungry.” You didn’t own cat food. 

Would the kitty like some cooked salmon?

You also needed to eat your dinner. 

You decided on sneaking into the kitchen, still trying to avoid your mother. Spotting the cooked salmon, you reheated the fish, grabbing some chocolate-chip cookies and milk for yourself. Hurrying down the halls, you were so close to reaching your door—

“Sister, I was looking for you—“ 

You jumped, whirling around. At the sight of deep blue hair, you sighed. 

Your sister, Caitlyn, frowned at the dishes you held, “That’s an interesting combination, truly.” 

Trying to cover your panic, you giggled, “Ah, you know… that time of month.” 

Her brows raised, “Oh! But sister, you detest fish.” Suspicion was bound to creep in. 

You shook your head, “I dislike any fish other than salmon.” You raise a finger to hover her face, “You should know that by now.” She scrunched her nose, visibly thinking. 

She then nodded, “Right. Well, I’ll be going out tonight.” You grinned, aware of the blush slowly settling on her face. 

“Is it a date?” 

Caitlyn instantly shushed you, forcing your mouth closed, “Shush! I don’t want anyone finding out.” You nodded, bidding her goodbye as she walked away. 

Once she’s out of view, you run into your room, hoping the kitty hadn’t escaped somehow. Spotting the blue cat, you lifted the tiny plate with salmon, “I got you dinner!” 

The cat sat up, jumping off the bed and taking hesitant steps towards the plate on the floor. It took a small bite and then meowed. You frowned, crouching down beside it—her— now that you’ve noticed.

The cat looked up at you before tipping the plate over, resulting in the salmon messily staining everything. You gasped, “Hey! That’s expensive salmon!” 

She meowed and walked away. What an expressive cat, huh. Well, at least she was entertaining in some way.  After cleaning after the kitty, you failed to find anything else for her. So, you sat down on the couch in your room, dipping the cookie in the milk and eating it. 

However,  the blue cat suddenly leaped onto the couch, watching you bite into the soft cookie. Baffled, you waved the cookie over her furry face, “Oh, now you want some food?” 

The cat meowed. 

“Well, this isn’t good for you, kitty.” You continued eating the desserts, amused by the cat trying to reach for them. When the meowing wouldn’t stop, you groaned, carefully placing her on your lap, “Fine. But you’ll onlyhave one bite.” 

Once you lowered the cookie to her mouth,  she immediately took a bite, messily chewing. Without warning, she scratched your hand and hurried off. 

Gasping, you grasped your hand, “Hey!” Blood trickled down your palm. She even took the cookie with her! Gritting your teeth, you stomped over the bed, where the cat had settled on. 

The cookie crumbs went everywhere! How could you possibly sleep in the bed with all the chocolate smearing the silk? What’s worse was that the cat had already gobbled down the whole cookie. 

Sitting down on the only clean part of the bed, you stared at the kitty trying to lick off the leftover chocolate. She must be hungry…

You jolted up, walking over to the glass of milk on your coffee table. Milk isn’t that bad for cats, right? 

After bandaging the scratch she had carved into your skin, you rushed back to the kitty. You gently placed the cup of warm milk. In a flash, she licked the milk, splashing you with how desperate she was. She did look malnourished, that explained a lot. 

And so, that day, a new furry friendship has blossomed. Or so— you thought. 

Your mother had caught on on the fact that a cat had started living under her roof and accepted that the animal were to stay unless kept under your supervision. 

You, with the excitement, bought a bunch of items and things for the cat. You bought her a luxurious cat bed, where she’d sleep in your room. However, quickly, you realized how spoiled the kitty was. 

She was vicious when it came to anyone else except you. When you had friends over for tea or chitchats, she’d lay on your lap, scaring your guests with her scrutinizing looks. You’d brush off their fear of her potential jumping on them with calm reassurances.

“Do not worry, she’s a good girl and knows it’s not proper to scare off guests.” You would chime, reassuring your friends that the snarling cat on your lap was, in fact, a sweetheart.

Because she was!

Contrasting with how it was at the start, ‘Kitty’, you called her, became extremely clingy. Whenever you had to go out and run some errands, she’d grip onto your dress and meow uncontrollably. Once, she even ripped your gown on the day you had a date planned! 

You never wanted to risk bringing her out, her lethal behavior could attract some unwanted attention from the enforcers. Even if she was a cat, they might scare her with their weapons, you thought. 

Around your sister, she’d have the worst meltdowns. One time, during tea time and gossip time with Caitlyn, Kitty jumped on the table and made all the milk drop onto Cait’s skirt. She would walk off even when you scolded her. Another time, you were petting her blue fur, scratching under her neck, spoiling her with affection until Caitlyn barged in, frustration radiating off of her as she walked over. 

“You forgot to attend the event last night?” She wasn’t nicely asking but rather demanding you answer. You were stunned by her furious demeanor, hesitantly answering, “I wasn’t feeling well.” 

To be fair, the event was important for the Kiramman reputation in Piltover. Your mother was part of the council for heavens sake and she even scolded you last night when she arrived back from the event. It had been an event to launch a search party for a wanted criminal and your presence there was excruciatingly important. 

You didn’t go. And yes, you lied to Caitlyn. The real reason was because Kitty somehow ruined all your potential dresses with colored paint. You presumed she got the paint from the arts room and spilled the magenta pink and neon blue paint all over the dresses laid out. 

You were agitated at first— actually expecting to attend the event this time. But, once you sat down on your couch, contemplating what to do, you simply gave up and removed your makeup. 

Kitty watched everything you did, her fangs revealing themselves when you ordered the servants to throw the dresses away. Once the disastrous dresses were gone, you crawled into bed, forcing kitty into your arms as you fell asleep. 

“Don’t lie to me. A servant told me what happened.” She sent a glare over to kitty, who enjoyed all the kisses she was getting from you. 

You paused, reducing the petting aggression, “It’s not kitty’s fault. The paint happened to be there, Cait.” You reasoned. 

Caitlyn, however, was not there for it. She crossed her arms, “Do you know how society perceives you right now?” 

You rolled your eyes, feeling Kitty snuggle closer into your warm touch, “I couldn’t care less—“ 

“—They think you’re badly tainting our image.” She cut you off, leaving you dumbfounded. You froze up, brows knitting at their audacity, “What— just because I didn’t attend one event?” 

Caitlyn rubbed the space in between her eyes, “It’s wasn’t an ordinary event!” 

You picked Kitty off your lap, putting her down on the couch and immediately jumping out of your seat, “I don’t care if it was about some wanted undercity criminal!” 

Caitlyn gritted her teeth, “You should care because we, our family, are expected to show up at that type of event.” Your mouth opened to speak but Cait cuts you, 

“Especially if it’s for the safety of Piltover. You know, since our mother is actually part of the council.” 

You groaned, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at her way. She dodged, catching the next one you send flying her way, “Learn from this experience and attend tonight’s event.” 

“I don’t want to.” You crossed your arms, frowning. 

She narrowed her eyes, pointing a firm finger at you, “You will. Besides, you might enjoy the thrill of discussing plans for Jinx’s capture.” 

You scrunched your nose, trying to remember the last time you heard that name, “Isn’t Jinx that terrorist who nearly killed you?” 

Cait nodded.

Oh, right! She’s the one who exploded all of Caitlyn’s coworkers at that fire a month ago. Thankfully, she failed at catching Caitlyn. A shiver ran down your spine at the thought of such a menace walking around Piltover’s streets.

You sighed in defeat, letting your arms fall 

to your sides, “Ugh— fine. I’ll only attend because she almost killed you.” 

Caitlyn hummed in delight, nodding before leaving your room. That afternoon, your mother had bought you a gorgeous dress for the event. It was a soft butter-colored silk dress adorned with tiny flower designs. As you were doing your makeup, sliding the deep red lipstick over your lips, Kitty jumped onto your vanity. 

Jolting back, you huffed, “Kitty! Be careful. I don’t want to stain my dress.”  You lectured, petting her before resuming your makeup. 

However, Kitty took steps on your product filled vanity, making a foundation bottle topple over, nearly soiling your dress. You instantly bolted out of your chair, shrieking at the liquid dripping on your carpet. 

“You— Stop that!” You scolded her, swatting her off the vanity. Was she doing this on purpose? Did cats have supernatural instincts? 

You didn’t want to risk getting your dress splotched with any source of liquid and resorted to getting ready in your sister’s room. Kitty’s meows could be heard from the other side of the wall. Caitlyn’s room was right beside yours. Your sister didn’t own that much makeup compared to you, she was more into her studies than taking care of her appearance. You, obviously, took extra care, just like your mother taught you to. 

Your heart hurt every time you listened to Kitty’s sounds. She probably thought you were mad at her… 

When you come back, you’ll bring extra dessert with you to make it up to her. 

And unexpectedly, you enjoyed the event. Everyone was shocked to find the jewel of the family back out in society. You put on a bright smile on your face and it surprisingly lasted the whole night. 

Discussing about the attacks and the plans revolving around Jinx’s future arrest made adrenaline rush into your veins. Not the satisfaction of arresting her— but you were astonished to hear about how young and talented in creating weapons she was. Sure— she almost blew up your sister— but what she achieved at such a young age as a Zaunite was shocking. You wished to see how she looked like— but only Caitlyn responded with a vague answer.

“Blue hair.” 

The way Jayce and Viktor explained how much of a dangerous mastermind she was, you slightly wondered what ran in that girl’s head. Anyone you spoke to, would give you new information about her. 

At the end of the night, the event had closed off with Jayce announcing the money someone could obtain if they caught Jinx. 

Wow. Everyone was cheering, yelling that justice will be served. Beside you, you could tell Caitlyn was slightly skeptical about the plan. She never answered when you asked if she was all right.

Walking up the steps, you groaned at the feeling of your heels stabbing your feet. Your father and Caitlyn helped you up the stairs, Caitlyn occasionally asking why you’d even dare wear heels. Your mother just led the way, unlocking the door and keeping it open for you all. 

After kissing your parents goodnight and waving Caitlyn off, you gave your heels to a servant, “Get them out of my sight.” You were about to dismiss them before pausing. 

Slowly turning, you urged them closer, “Is this a bad time to ask for cookies?” They shook their head, smiling. 

They were used to that request. 

Once they gave you the chocolate chip cookies with a bottle of milk, you made your way upstairs. Smiling, you silently turned the knob of your bedroom door, turning around to close the door behind you. 

And when you turned around, you beamed, “Kitty, I’ve got your favorite!” 

…

“What. the. fuck.” You cursed.

Your eyes widened. You stumbled back, nearly tripping over your own feet. 

Oh my god.

Someone was in your room. Someone was sleeping on your bed and it wasn’t Kitty. 

Taking quiet steps over to your bed, a shiver skated down your spine. This isn’t Kitty. 

It’s a person! 

Trying to identify the person in the dim lit room, you squinted. They were snoozing under your covers, wrapped in your blankets. You immediately noticed the long blue braids cascading over the pillows. 

Your breath hitched. 

As soon as the sound escaped your lips, the snoozing silhouette in front of you woke up, moving in a flash. 

The plate full of sweets and bottle of milk flew out of your hold, hands pinning your wrists on top of your head against the bed. 

Your gaping eyes clashed with narrowed violet-blue ones.  Your body trembled in fear once you realized who this person might be. 

“If it isn’t little miss Kiramman.” 

You squirmed against her firm hold, trying to free yourself out of this obscene position. She clicked her tongue as you continued your attempts of escape. 

“Stop moving, damn it!” She pushed you further into the mattress, prompting you to shriek at the stretch. 

You glanced at her naked body, “Who are you?” You hoped it wasn’t who you thought it was. 

She maliciously grinned, giggling down at you like the criminal she was, “Its not that hard to think, is it?” 

“Jinx.” You gasped, your legs instantly moving to push her off. 

She only giggled, staring at you with an unreadable expression, “Mhm, that’s me, but…I liked Kitty too.” The way she bit her lip said otherwise.

You flinched, “You’re not Kitty.” You whirled your head sideways, trying to spot the furry cat. Sadness flowed in your chest at her disappearance. 

Your mind was soon clouded with a million ways to escape. The best one being to yell out for help. Caitlyn.

“HEL—“ A palm roughly pressed itself against your mouth, interrupting your pleas.  

“Ah Ah Ah… I wouldn’t try that if I were you.” She wickedly smiled, her bare body still pressed against you. Speaking of her body, your eyes trailed down to the sight of her breasts and….stop.

You redirected your attention on her face, her braids reaching the mattress beside you. Having enough, you gritted your teeth, “What do you want from me?— And why are you naked?” 

Jinx tsked, “I preferred the way you acted before.” Her body shifted on you. 

You tensed up, “You’re not Kitty.” That only resulted in angering the blue-haired girl, “Well— how would Jinx, the big bad criminal, know that you dance in your lingerie every evening?” 

Scoffing, you nudged her back with your knee, “You stalked me, that’s how!” 

She didn’t like that. 

“Please don’t kill me.” You pleaded.

Her amused gaze transformed into one of pure agitation, her eyes narrowing down into slits, the silence adding to the dangerous tension in the room.

The way her lips tightened in that half-pout half-scowl made every inch of your body scream at you to run. 

You couldn’t.

One simple move and she’ll kill you with some item in your room. Upon noticing her mouth curling into a snarl, you gulped, your gaze darting to the cookies and bottle of milk on the floor. 

The plate didn’t shatter. That’s why no one was here. 

“I won’t tell anyone you’re here. Please.” 

Shit. Think of something else you idiot! 

Jinx’s hands flexed at her sides, like she was about to grab or tear you apart. That was your last straw. 

Just bloody do anything. 

You plastered a sweet smile on your lips, trying to mask any sign of fear, “I got your favorite!” You cooed, biting your lip when the blue-haired girl blinked, her manic energy dissipating. 

You continued, “The servants prepared them just for you.” You nodded at the plate of cookies on the floor, some crumbs on the carpet. Jinx’s hold on your wrists loosened, her lips parting, as if to say something, but instead, she only tilted her head to glance at the cookies. 

You noticed the way she leaned forward, her posture hunched over you, her brows slightly furrowed. 

“The warm milk will help with that upset stomach of yours.” 

If she truly was Kitty, you knew how swollen her abdomen would get if she had an upset stomach. But obviously, you couldn’t specifically tell with her human body, so you caught on to her facial expressions. 

Jinx let out a sharp, bitter laugh, “I don’t have an upset stomach.” Her voice had turned tight, like it physically hurt her to speak. 

She’s stubborn. 

However, you felt her hands completely loosen their hold on your wrists. Immediately, your hands found themselves on her hips, “Let me take care of you.” You didn’t wait for her to respond, automatically switching your positions. 

The moment you straddled her, Jinx tensed up, “W—What are you…” 

You get off of her, rapidly grabbing the warm milk from the floor and crawling back up the bed. Jinx had a scowl on her face, skeptical eyes inspecting you open the lid. 

Trailing your gaze from the milk to the still very naked Jinx, you hummed, “I’ll get you some clothes. Here, drink this.” You handed her the warm drink. Jinx hesitantly took it, plopping it on the bedside table as you dug through your wardrobe. 

She was puzzled, brows furrowed in disbelief. You could practically sense her confusion as you pulled out some undergarments and a matching pair of silk pyjamas for her. This’ll do.

Walking back to the bed, where she laid, sitting up with her elbows, you showed her the set. Jinx snorted, but quickly frowned when you approached her, her eyes locked onto yours. “Why would you wanna take care of me?”

You stared down at her, tightening your hold on the clothes, “Sure, I don’t appreciate you nearly blowing up my sister to pieces,” You dropped the clothes on the bed, your hand wrapping around Jinx’s ankle. 

You yanked, pulling her down the bed until she hit the edge. Jinx let out a startled grunt. She lifted her head, about to fire off a remark, but you closed the space first, lowering yours to meet her gaze. 

Her eyes widened.

“But hey, there’s quite a thrill knowing Piltover’s most wanted has been…clinging to me.” 

Jinx stiffened, lost for words, before stuttering out a small, “I..I’m not— I wasn’t clinging—“ 

She sucked in a sharp breath when you slightly spread her legs. For a split second, you glanced at her pussy, the light coming from outside highlighting the contours of her folds. 

You snapped out of your trance, grabbing the underwear and helping her put them on. Once her hips lifted, you raised the lingerie, making sure it fit right. 

It kind of did.

Helping her with the pyjamas, you didn’t bother giving her a bra since hers were much smaller. You couldn’t deny the pit of warmth coiling in your stomach at the thought of her body. 

She nearly killed Caitlyn, you baboon!

Jinx sat up, her brows knitting together as you perched on the bed, “You serious?” she asked, voice laced with skepticism. 

You frowned, “I’m serious about what?” 

The blue-haired girl groaned, rolling in the bed beside you, as if she wasn’t laying next to a person who could fuck up her whole plan of staying low.

“Do you mean it?” She muttered, her body now faced sideways towards you, “You wouldn’t—“ Jinx interrupted herself with a whimper, wrapping a tight arm around her tummy. 

You got out of your lied down position, arm stretching out to place itself on her hand, “Here, let me.” 

Jinx eyed you suspiciously, uncertainty flickering in her gaze. However, the next jolt of pain to shoot from her stomach resulted in her gritting her teeth to avoid crying out. You noticed, clicking your tongue disapprovingly, “Stop being a stubborn brat.” 

You slapped her hand, hoping for her to move it— but of course, she didn’t. Jinx gripped her stomach, scowling, “Ugh. Stupid cold. Stupid stomach. This is dumb.” 

Rolling your eyes, you still tried to remove her hands, “Then let me help!” You whisper-yelled, starting to get worried about her condition. Jinx huffed, shaking her head, “I’m not weak!” She kicked a leg up in the air dramatically. 

You crossed your arms, watching her fidget with the silky fabric of the pyjamas. She slumped on her back, pale knees raised, feet pressing into the bed.

“Fine, I’m going to sleep.” You hoped she’d get the message that you were upset, but she didn’t utter a word. You tucked yourself beneath the covers, letting sleep finally creep in. 

“Nngh..-!” 

Your eyes snapped open from the groan you just heard. Rolling to the other side, your eyes widened at the sight of Jinx clutching her stomach, her whole body curled. 

Sitting back up, you glanced at the view outside the window, the only light coming from the moon still high up in the sky. 

“Ugh… stupid stomach..”

Your eyes darted to the suffering girl beside you, her face scrunched up. Letting your fingers ghost over her skin, you gently shook her shoulder. 

She woke up startled—but relaxed once she spotted you. Staring at her stomach, you pressed a warm hand on her lower tummy, “Have you eaten?”

Jinx pouted, “Yes, I did!” She forced out, wincing again. 

Humming, you rubbed the soft skin of her stomach, the silk pjs riding up to expose more flesh, “Then..what’s the matter?” 

Her lips parted, leaning into your touch, her head still resting on the pillow. Once you quirked a brow up, she responded with a low, “I got cold.” 

“You got cold?” 

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” 

You raised your hands up in surrender, resisting the urge to smile at her pout. She yanked your hand back down to her stomach, muffling a whimper with her other hand. As you studied her, guilt soared through your chest. 

What could you do to help?

If this was a post-chill stomach ache, then what could you do to stop the pain?

An idea popped up, “Would you like a heating pad?” 

“No!” She cried out, shifting position but keeping your hand on her belly. Sighing in defeat, you leaned your head to get closer to her, “Well, what do you want?” 

Jinx swallowed, her throat bobbing. There’s been a shift in the air— something you couldn’t deny. Her gaze doesn’t waver, staying locked on you as you bent down even closer. Her lips twitched, but she doesn’t speak until your hum forced her over the edge, “You’re….warm.” 

A smile engraved its way up to your lips at her unusual bashful behavior. When she shifted under you, you cracked. 

Grabbing hold of her wrists, you pinned them on opposite sides of her head,  doe-eyes looking up at you with too much vulnerability. 

“You looking up at me like that drives me insane.” Your voice dropped to a husky whisper, grip on her wrists tightening. You felt the way her pulse fluttered against your palm. 

Jinx squirmed and it only made things worse. With a small nudge coming from her knee, your eyes narrowed, “I won’t know unless you tell me, Jinx.” 

Her body arched slightly, “Ugh, you, obviously!” She grumbled, wrists twitching under your grasp. 

You pretended to be confused, “Me? What of me?” 

Jinx sneered, the sharpness in her eyes making it clear she was two seconds away from strangling you, “You’re pissing me off!” She hissed, her foot trying to push you off. 

You instantly caught her ankle, a sickly-sweet smile coating your lips, “Ah…now I understand,” 

She was still agitated, that signature scowl plastered on her features, “Tch. I shouldnt have said—“ 

The words died in her throat the second you pushed her legs apart.

Her entire body stiffened, her scowl flickering—then vanishing completely. For a split second, she just froze, blue eyes blown wide. Giggling at her stunned expression, you started pulling down her pyjama bottoms, “Oh, what? You’re telling me you expected something else?” 

Jinx exhaled a nervous breath once you tugged off her undergarments. 

“I said I’d take care of you, did I not?” You spread her tone legs apart, exposing her glistening pussy. She immediately tried to seal them back— but you yanked rougher. 

Humming a satisfied noise, you dipped down, lacing your arms under her muscular thighs, “Now lay back and let me calm that upset stomach of yours.” Jinx sat up on her elbows, lips parted as you left kisses up her inner-thighs. 

Seeing her defy your commands, you tsked and threw her legs over your shoulders, forcing her to lie down and stare up at the ceiling. 

With that, your lips planted a kiss on her pussy. Jinx twitched, hands instantly landing on your hair. Her long nails scratched your scalp as you sucked her clit, letting your tongue slide over her folds.

“Shit—“ Jinx gasped, her thighs tightly clasped around your head. Humming against her pussy, your tongue moved in a circular motion, causing her eyes to roll back. She tasted divine— but you tried to ignore your desires and focused on her. She needed warmth; and that’s what you were giving her. 

She needed that release in order for it to work. Your pointer finger found its way on her sensitive clit, pressing down, rubbing in torturous speed. Her back arched off the mattress, lips parting to let out one particularly loud whine. 

Caitlyn surely heard that. 

Her breath hitched, legs shaking as her release crept closer. Head shaking to the side restlessly, Jinx’s hair strands escaped her braids, sticking to her forehead or messily covering the pillow. Wrapping your lips around her center, you peered up at the blue-haired girl trembling in bliss. 

Her cheeks were tinged with a deep crimson, eyes squeezed shut and droplets of sweat trickling down her upper body. 

She looked so beautiful. 

“I— I c…can’t!—“ She whimpered, her nails leaving crescent shaped moon’s on your upper back. She held on for dear life— sobs pouring out of her as she reached the pinnacle of ecstasy. 

Finally, she threw her head back, a shuddering, breathless cry spilling from her mouth. 

Rubbing the soft skin of her thighs, you calmed her down, slowly licking her arousal. She was trembling like crazy, even after a few minutes of silence, the high of an orgasm still lingering. 

Once her breathing had resumed its normal pace, you lifted your head from in between her legs, “All better?” Your palm rubbed on her lower tummy, grinning when she whimpered from your touch. 

She looked so vulnerable. 

You loved seeing her this way. The notorious criminal of Piltover had winded up in a Kiramman’s bed— weak under your touch. It gave you an ego boost. 

The way she was staring up at you, dazed and her brain completely fucked out, made your mind drift to different intimate things you could do to her. 

Jinx nodded, her glassy eyes locking onto you, “Yes.. I’m good.” Her voice was hoarse from the exertion. 

You giggled, letting her legs rest on the mattress, “You stubborn brat.” 

**********

Waking up the next morning, you found the space beside you empty. At first, you thought Jinx had actually dipped— but the little note with a messy handwriting on your bedside table said otherwise.

𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯

𝘱𝘴. 𝘪 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘮𝘣 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦!

~ 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺𝘤𝘢𝘵 ;)

Arriving to breakfast, you instantly picked up on the awkward atmosphere roaming around the dining room as you settled. 

Your mother avoided your eye, your father had a stupid grin on his face and Caitlyn..well.. she was definitely in a horrid mood. 

As a servant finished drizzling some honey on your waffles, Caitlyn pounced, “So, [name], I hope you slept well.” 

You paused, lifting your gaze from your plate, “I slept wonderfully, thanks.” 

Caitlyn’s utensil clattered on the table, her brows knitting together, “I sure hope so—”

Your father cleared his throat. You all darted your attention to him. He only shrugged his shoulders, “Cait, it has been a calm morning so far—”

Caitlyn slammed her hands on the table, eliciting an audible gasp from your mother, “Sleep is the most important part of the day and,” 

Your older sister pointed an accusing finger towards you, “She ruined it!” 

Your father nervously chuckled, shooting you a glance. Noticing his signal, you gently put down your fork, “Cait, I don’t understand—”

She ran a frustrating hand through her hair, “I have no idea how you sneaked someone in your bed last night but I had to endure all that noise.” 

You felt heat rush to your cheeks once you realized what she meant. 

Goddamn it, Jinx! 

Could she not have been any louder? 

You cleared your throat, “I’m sorry. I should have warned you.” 

Just speaking about the matter was embarrassing. The weight of your mother’s gaze was terrifying. You glanced at her for a split second before regretting it.

She clasped her hands together, eyeing you, “Dear, is she at least a successful young lady?

Yes, mother— she’s successful when it comes to blowing people up and causing havoc! 

creds to the dividers. if there’s mistakes, sorry

thank you sm for reading and sorry for disappearing loll my exams r killing me!😪 reblogs, requests and comments are appreciated :)

Idk if I’ll make a part 2 of this butttt other oneshots coming soon📣

[lacilashea]

I love Jesus more than all and all my posts belong to Jesus and he is my Lord and savior, the Messiah, the Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ the truth, Jesus King of the jews, the rest on the earth and that much being God's son. as my Lord and savior and this is not about me but about Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ the truth, Jesus King of the jews and the rest on the earth and that much being God's son with Mary, and Jesus, God, and the Holy Ghost have feelings and you can talk to Jesus, God, and the Holy Ghost all the time and they do talk back outside of prayer and talk to them and others all day and night long and you start talking to Jesus about everything and your lives will improve, that is terrible what they are doing to you in gaza and canaan and needs to be forced to stop killing and soliders everywhere, police, and those doing wrong in different professions walking out on their made up duties(jobs) to do what is right instead of following a made up leader's directive to do what is wrong in protecting their job instead of lives(people, animals, and plants-all lives)-watch the Experimenter and leaders are not even needed read about Saul as Jesus pointed out but everyone pitching in to help one another as Jesus pointed out two are better than one, want you out of harm's way and you and your family(bombs and missiles should be banned everywhere) and this should not be happening with a war has got to stop and all the innocent people like you and your family getting hurt or worse, please becareful you and your family and got that reblogged for you and hope your family gets medical care, dental, and vision, personal hygiene products, skin care products, dental care products, warm and cooled foods, and that you get structurally sound and clean living quarters soon that are heated and cooled, and hot and cold running water for everyone displaced, in difficult living conditions, and everyone all at no cost to you, or anyone's families including animals and plants. I cannot stand what is happening there and wars affect us directly and indirectly else where with what is going to the atmosphere alone causing acid rain and worse as the bombs, missiles, chemicals and more that should not be and that is on a selfish level elsewhere to only be concerned with self and not everyone else everywhere and to relate thinking I would not want to be done this way. Also Apache a name native to here being used on war equipment made from mined materials here is being is used there and the colonists from here gave or sold to them and colonists have made fun of our people native to renamed united states for that long and used them as mascots you can even role play us being in a ball uniform, be made fun of in fictional westerns or movies like indian in the cupboard again not the sweet indians from india native from here but they like to generalize people often and do not give a shit, cherokee clothing not owned by anyone with native blood more products, stores, and resturants using native names from here when they have no native blood work, the cherokee kid movie, shows like parks and recreations and oh also apparently if you have family with migrants, those formerly human trafficked, or your family from here has been raped you just wipe your genetics to the made up government here which causes beyond identity struggles. Also that is too bad they have to look at blood work, physical characteristics and accept total facts, also and at schools you can play cowboys and indians here and we are not the sweet indians from india what is happening to you reminds me of us, how they have done more migrants and those human trafficked. I just love all of you there gaza/canaan and cannot stand what is happening to you, and living in the conditions that you are either. If people could just imagine being you that would make them care or to just look at what you have gone through and ask you want to be done this way? Because I did not or do not. Please try and becareful and love you all.

Urgent appeal to those with merciful hearts.🚨 I hope you will help me save my child from his serious illness, which may lead to the worst if we do not address the bad situation that he and my husband are going through, who is injured in this war.

I am Najah Al-Hila, married to Khaled Muqdad from Gaza City. I am a mother of four young children. My family consists of Waleed, 9 years old, Mira, 6 years old, Ahmed, and Mayar, 3 years old.

Ahmed suffered from head cramps and increased electricity after his birth. He was given medication and had blood tests done every two months to make sure his health was stable. He suffered from these cramps in 2021. My husband also suffered from liver and digestive system problems five years ago and is still suffering from these problems. Over time, my husband was injured during the war, which made things worse for him. We thank God for everything. Because of the instability and unavailability of the medication, we face difficulties in buying medications due to their high prices. Now life has become very difficult and the prices of medications have increased due to their scarcity. Things have become more difficult due to the lack of money and his expensive treatment, which has led to its unavailability due to money. I hope that all donors and supporters will not forget Ahmed and his father Khaled in alleviating their pain by providing the costs of his treatment and buying him the appropriate medicine and food. We also do not forget his brothers from the malnutrition they suffered from during this difficult period.

Please everyone pay attention, I have been away from you for a while due to my health condition. I hope this situation is taken seriously. My husband and children's lives are in grave danger, I hope you do not suffer what he suffered. May your children and loved ones be safe and sound. I hope you help in their treatment and that their condition, which has worsened over time, stabilizes. Save Khaled and Ahmed from this disease that has afflicted them, please. Help us.

Note: My husband Khaled was working as a teacher before the war and obtained a teaching certificate from Al-Aqsa University and became an Arabic language teacher, but he was not lucky enough to find a job, so he became a worker due to the poor economic situation we are going through. At the end of my talk, he became injured and unable to work in this current situation. I hope you do not forget this and take it into consideration that there is a mother who seeks to preserve her husband and children by fighting for them. Your support is a support for me in these critical moments that we are living in and we may not live due to the repeated attacks by the occupation and the failure to reach an agreement to end the war.

We are now living in dilapidated tents, my child and husband are suffering.

We can no longer provide the necessities of life. My family's future is completely destroyed. I can no longer live in Gaza. I want to leave the Strip and treat my child and husband, so I need $5,000 per person.

I hope that everyone who watches my story will help me.

To get out of Gaza and find treatment and a better life for my children and family.

I am asking for help, and I hope that you will help me and donate to me.

To save my life from death.

I hope that you will donate even $25-50, it would be wonderful.

This will save my child's life. My husband's life. Donate to help Ahmed and his father evacuate Gaza.

My account vetted by :

@gazavetters Our team at #GazaVetters has rigorously vetted and approved this campaign, earning it a spot on our official list at (#49)

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My heroic friends who support the Palestinian cause... Today, after we have lost hope in this world, I ask you to help us and stand by.

Najah alhela and Khaled Muqdad

@ashwantsafreepalestine @feluka @3000s @fairuzfan

@tododeku-or-bust

@b0nkcreat

@postanagramgenerator

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@sar-soor @ashwantsafreepalestine @sayruq @queerstudiesnatural @bluebellsinthedells @rizzyluke @kordeliiius @self-hating-zionist @raelyn-dreams @unfortunatelyuncreative @licencetokrill-blog @jezebelgoldstone @ramelcandy @labutansa @sammywo @autistwithattitude-blog

@tortiefrancis @sparklinpixiedust @revcuse @golvio @leftism @star-the-gremlin

@space-ace-studies @applebunch @rainbowywitch @marscodes @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @bo7yvander @timetravellingkitty @applebunch @applejupiter @malcriada @retvolution @heritageposts

@determinate-negation @littlegermanboy

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@queerstudiesnatural @bluebellsinthedells @rizzyluke @kordeliiius @self-hating-zionist @raelyn-dreams @unfortunatelyuncreative @licencetokrill-blog @jezebelgoldstone @ramelcandy @labutansa @sammywo @autistwithattitude-blog

@tortiefrancis @sparklinpixiedust @feluka @revcuse @golvio @leftism @star-the-gremlin

@space-ace-studies @applebunch @rainbowywitch @marscodes @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @boyvander @the-bastard-king @ammonitetheseaserpent @girlinafairytale -blog @timetravellingkitty @applebunch @applejupiter @brutaliakent @malcriada @retvolution @deansmultitudes @devilofthepit

[tkwrites]

I'd take a midnight flight for you - Quinn Hughes x ofc

Photo from @stormsies

Title: I’d take a midnight flight for you

Author: Tory / @tkwrites 

Relationship: Pre-established: Quinn Hughes x Sarah Roberts

Summary: When Sarah’s professor won’t let her take a test early, and she has to choose between staying for the entirety of the Hughes Bowl and passing her class, will she let Quinn create a third option for her?

Warnings: angst (no relationship angst), swearing, sexism, dealing with an awful professor, some suggestive themes in the middle

Word count: 4,500

Comments: I know I’ve been teasing the second part of Hawaii for a while now, but the idea for this snapshot has been floating around the back of my mind for a few months now. Last nights game was the perfect setting for it, and getting it all down only took me four days. So please forgive me if it's not my best work. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you, thank you and thank you again for your support and love! I have found such a lovely community here, and I’m so thankful. If you enjoyed this Snapshot, please consider commenting, reblogging or sending in an ask about it. I love seeing what you thought of Quinn & Sarah’s latest adventures.

I’d take a midnight flight for you

A Quinn & Sarah Snapshot

When Quinn picked up the call from Sarah, he’d expected it to be a phone call like most others: talking about their days, comfort at hearing each others voices. He expected to pass the phone around to his family. What he hadn’t expect were tears.

“Quinn, I’m so sorry.”

“Wha—”

“I’m so sorry!” she whispered.

“Sar, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t — Paul won’t —” she was gasping between each statement, “he’s such a dick!”

Panic spiking in his chest, Quinn rushed into the spare room of Luke & Jack’s apartment. “What’s going on, Sar?”

“Paul won’t let me —” she sniffed hard in a way that told Quinn not only was she upset, she was angry.

“What’s going on with Paul?” Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Paul was the head of her program and was often throwing curve balls at her. Quinn was often exhausted just hearing her talk about him sometimes. It seemed to him that Paul just liked to be in control, and play with his students like pieces on a chess board for no other real reason than that he could.

“He — he —”

“Take a deep breath for me,” he instructed, taking in an exaggerated breath of his own, blowing it out in a huff. He smiled when she mimicked his actions. Her sniffling slowed, and she took another deep, shaky breath.

“Okay, now tell me what’s going on.”

“Paul won’t…” Sarah pulled in a big gulp of air, trying to sort through her thoughts enough to share them. “Remember how I told you I have a test on Tuesday?”

“Yeah,” he said hesitantly as his heart plummeted to the floor.

“I asked Paul if I could take it on Friday morning,” she explained, “I told him I'd be out of town for the weekend and had a family thing on Monday night, and he immediately went into,” she threw her voice to sound more male and pretentious, “‘You can’t just go traipsing off anytime your boyfriend is out of town.’” Her voice went back to it’s natural cadence, “I don’t know who told him we’re dating, but I swear to god I’m going to ring their neck.”

“Why does it matter?” Quinn asked, feeling a little lost.

“Paul is, like, super set that no one should get special treatment, especially if he feels like they’re entitled. He wants to knock them down. He’s done it to Alison a whole bunch of times. I just know he’s been waiting for an excuse to take me down a few notches because I have a quote-unquote ‘famous boyfriend.’”

“I’m still a little confused,” he admitted. He knew she already had a hard time with Paul. Quinn heard about him more than about any other professor. Now it seemed like he was being a dick solely for the purpose of being a dick.

“He won’t let me take the test early. I asked him if I could take it on Friday morning before I flew out, and he said no. I can understand if he didn’t want to give me extra time, but I’m asking to do it before everyone else. I even told him I wouldn’t see anyone until after I got back, so there’s no way I could tell them what’s on it.”

“How much is it worth?” Quinn asked, his stomach knotting with dread.

“Thirty percent.”

“Fuck,” he said, sinking onto the end of the bed. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do this game without her. He could. He did plenty of them, but this was a family affair, and she was a part of the family now.

Her tears started up again, mostly out of frustration. “I know. He’s such an asshole. He let Bryan take a test early last month when he had to go home for his niece's birthday party, but because it’s me, and because I’m coming to see you play your brothers — which I didn’t tell him, by the way, he just inferred — he won’t let me test early because I’m entitled or some bullshit.”

Quinn was stunned to silence. Did Paul not know Sarah at all?

“So, I don’t know if I can stay for the game.”

He’d known, somewhere in the back of his mind that this might be the outcome. The fact that she was in school had never hit harder.

“It’s okay,” he said.

“No, it’s not,” she said, a hard edge coming into her voice.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know. It just sucks.”

“Could you…” he trailed off, deciding he didn’t want to suggest that. That would put her in a very uncomfortable position.

“Could I?” she repeated.

“It’s nothing.”

“No, tell me.”

“It’s really nothing.”

“Quinn,” she admonished.

He sighed, “I was just wondering if you could take a red eye home after the game?”

“I looked,” she said, and something in his heart ballooned. She’d already looked. She was doing everything possible to make this work.

“The latest flight to Vancouver from Newark leaves at 10:15, which means I might not even be able to see you after the game. Plus, it doesn’t arrive until one in the afternoon because there’s a huge layover. The only direct flight, that would get me home in time leaves at 9 pm.”

He knew she’d hate this idea, but he threw it out anyway, “what if you flew back on a jet?”

“Hu?”

“I could charter a jet to take you back. You could leave just after the game. Direct is what? A six hour flight? You could be there by six am.”

“Three am,” she said, “with the time change.”

“Even better.”

Sarah bit her lip. She wanted to tell him that chartering a private jet for her was way too much for a game. Too much money and way too much fuss. Only, this wasn’t ‘just a game.’ Most of his family would be there, and he wanted her to be there, too.

“I can’t wait until my thesis is done and I don’t have to deal with him anymore,” she said instead.

Quinn sighed, “will you at least consider the jet?”

“Yeah,” she said, though she really didn’t want to. The fact that people could even take private jets places made her a little sick. She hated that Paul was putting her in this situation.

A brief pause passed over the phone connection. “So, how are you otherwise?” Quinn asked.

Mind still reeling with her predicament, Sarah ignored his question. She was not about to let Paul fucking Smith take this from her because he thought she was entitled. She didn’t want more time to study. She didn’t want to take the test late. If anything, asking to take the test earlier was making her cram much harder than she needed to. She just wanted to support her boyfriend. How was that any different than Bryan supporting his niece?

“You know what?” she said, voice suddenly hard with anger. Even though she hated the idea on principle, Quinn did have the means to solve this particular problem. “Fuck this. I'm coming. If you can find someone to fly me back after the game, that would be really great. I need to be back in Van by 6. If not, I'll just catch that nine flight. I'll at least be able to see the start of the game.”

A smile beamed over Quinn’s face. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”

They talked for a little while before he went back to his family, passing the phone off to his dad. It made the rounds, everyone saying hello until it ended with his mom. “we’ll come pick you up tomorrow…. No, it's no trouble…. Okay, see you then…” there was a quiet pause, “love you, too, bye.”

No one else in the room seemed to notice, but Quinn was acutely aware of the fact that his mom and girlfriend had just exchanged ‘I love yous’, simple and easy as anything. It settled something inside him he hadn't realized was feeling restless.

“Why did you run out so quickly?” Luke asked, slinging an arm over Kylee’s shoulder.

“One of Sarah's professors is a real dick wad. She has a test on Tuesday she can’t miss, and when she asked, he told her he wouldn't let her take it early because he feels like she's entitled.”

“Sarah?” his dad repeated. “He thinks Sarah is entitled?”

Quinn shrugged, “anyway, we were talking about that she has to get back by Tuesday morning.”

“Tuesday morning?” his mom repeated. “Is she still coming?”

“Yeah. I’m going to see if I can get a jet to take her back after the game. If not, she’ll have to leave part way through to catch the 9 pm red eye.”

“She’s dedicated if she’s willing to take a red eye home right before a test,” Kylee said and Quinn’s chest filled with pride.

Ellen, along with her mother, her best friend, Kristin, and Kylee, did pick Sarah up from the airport on Friday afternoon. They went to lunch at Ellen and her moms favorite Jewish deli, and went to Central Park before they dropped her off at Quinn's hotel.

He was still staying with the team, but upgraded his room to a single to she could stay with him while she was in town. If she wasn't there, she'd be staying in some hotel by herself, which they both thought was a waste.

“Hey,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and tucking his face into her hair. This visiting in the middle of a road trip had only happened once before, when she came to see him in Boston. It was a rare treat, and he soaked up the seconds with her while he could.

Quinn was in basketball shorts, a t-shirt and socks. He looked comfortable and almost at home in this hotel away from home. At least they were staying in one place for a while. It was definitely one of the benefits of playing in New York. No one had to travel very far to get to all the teams they had to play.

She napped with him, and watched him get ready for the game.

“So, I looked into the jet,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Thatch mentioned Lexie is coming in for his first game back, but flying home overnight so she can be there when Dawson wakes up. I asked if I could snag you a seat and they said it would be fine. They’re planning to take off around midnight, I think.”

A certain measure of relief swept through Sarah. At least she wouldn’t be the only one traveling.

“Thank you for figuring that out for me,” she said quietly, walking up and wrapping her hands around his chest from behind. Her cheek came to rest between his shoulders.

Quinn entwined their fingers, but kept them pressed against his sternum. “Thank you for being willing to fly back at midnight. I know it doesn't make things easy for you.”

She nosed at his neck, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

He gave an appreciative hum, basking in her love, which most importantly, had the support to back it up.

They stayed that way for a few minutes before Sarah couldn't fight it anymore. Stealing her hands back, she fluffed his hair out from his suit collar.

“I’m glad you cut it,” she said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I like it a little shorter.”

“Not too short?” he asked, turning and waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“There’s still plenty to hold on to,” she said, resisting the urge to take a handful of it right then, knowing he didn’t have quite enough time to fix it if she did.

“Yeah?” he asked, lust sparking in his eyes.

“Mhm,” she said, smiling, shoving her hands into the pocket of his hoodie before they developed a mind of their own.

“You gonna prove that?”

She snorted, “maybe tonight. You’ve got a game to get to.”

“We’ve got a few minutes,” he said, glancing at his phone.

“If you want me to be pulling your hair, you’re gonna need more than a few minutes.”

He laughed, “fair enough. Tonight then.”

“It’s a date,” she agreed, leaning in to kiss him goodbye.

Quinn took over, kissing her hard, doing his best to get her hands out of her pockets. When she held strong, he ran his under her sweater and up her back, sneaking his fingers under the band of her sports bra.

Pulling back just enough to get the words out, she whispered, “you’re playing dirty, Hughes.”

His chuffed laugh cut off when he caught her mouth again, doing his best to kiss her breathless.

Unable to keep them contained any longer, her hands slid up his chest, around his neck and into the back of his hair. He let out a triumphant noise. She gave it a solid tug and it melted into a low moan.

He backed her toward the bed.

“You need to go,” she said as his mouth moved to her neck.

“Have a few minutes.”

He didn’t, but she let him push her to the mattress anyway.

His phone buzzed with his final alarm and he pulled away, letting out a resentful breath.

“Tonight,” he said, pointing at her as he backed away, knowing if he didn’t leave now, he’d have an even harder time getting to the bus.

“I’ll be here,” she said, propping herself up on her elbows, and admiring his shoulders in the beautiful, black suit.

While the game was hard to watch — more injuries (how could there be more injuries to their roster?), tense interactions with JT on the ice, and letting a lead slip through their fingers yet again — Quinn played well.

It was nice to see Natalie and their kids again, too.

Sunday was spent with family, playing board games, getting takeout, and just relishing in the time together. When they got back to Jack and Luke’s apartment after dinner, Sarah excused herself to the spare bedroom to study for the night. Missing these family moments made her want to punch Paul in the face, but she wasn’t about to throw this test. If anything, she was more motivated than ever to ace it.

Declining the invitation to hang out with everyone while Quinn was at practice the next day, she stayed in the hotel room, making sure she understood all the physiology Paul had been teaching them that semester.

“How do you decide who to root for?” Sarah asked, sitting between Ellen and Jack for a moment. Kristen was out of the suite doing something else, so Sarah stole the chance while she could.

Ellen was in a black top, not sporting colors for either team, keeping herself completely neutral.

“I don’t really root for either of them to win. Not in this game,” she said. “I mean, the Canucks need it more, so it would be nice if they got it, but it’s not like I’m cheering against Luke and the Devs. I consider it a good game if the boys play well.”

Jack snorted.

The energy in the stadium and in their box was infectious. Sarah had been to many hockey games and sat in many boxes, but none of them felt like this. Everyone was so invested, and not just because they loved their team, but because they loved people on both sides. Cheering when either team scored, and praise going all around for jobs well done. She’d never experienced this kind of wholehearted positivity at a game before.

Even though it was low scoring, it wasn’t for lack of trying from either team. Sarah couldn’t imagine having to leave half way through. Like many times before, her fuck that feelings were proving to pay off in incredible ways. Watching the back and forth of the third period, Sarah was incredibly thankful she’d let herself partake in one of the perks of dating an athlete. If she’d missed this game, missed this thrilling third period, she might have actually punched Paul in the face.

When the Canucks tied with 36 seconds left in the game, Sarah was out of her seat, fists in the air as she jumped up and down, screaming. All of Quinn’s hard work — all those racked up minutes of ice time, refusing to let his team down — finally paid off.

Ellen breathed a sigh of relief that at least both teams would walk away with a point.

Sarah’s voice was completely gone by the end of the overtime.

Jack took several pictures of her that he casually airdropped to her phone. In every one of them, her hands were over her mouth or clutching her face.

When Lekkerimaki beat Markstrom, earning the Canucks a well-deserved win, she was ecstatic.

The first thing Quinn wanted to do after the game was collapse face-first into bed and sleep for a week. If Sarah didn’t have to catch a flight, he would have blown off any more family gatherings and begged her back to the hotel room, sleeping soundly tucked in by her side.

Too bad that wasn’t an option tonight.

“Congratulations!” Sarah exclaimed when he found everyone. Luke was already there, being consoled by Kylee and his mom.

“Thanks,” he said. His voice was quiet, but his smile genuine. He loved that he didn’t have to perform for anyone here. They all knew him and let him be as quiet as he liked.

They took a big group photo. Those moments always made him emotional — seeing how many people made the trip to see him and his brothers. There was someone new every time. This time, he realized, it was Sarah. What a strange thing to think there were still new things with her.

“Are you okay?” she asked as they made their way out of the building.

“Yeah,” Quinn sighed, knowing she could see right through him. He could usually bounce back after a tough game, but this had been something else. Playing nearly half the game took it’s tole, he supposed.

She pulled him to the side of hall as everyone filed past.

When he didn’t meet her eyes, she knew something was wrong. Cupping his jaw in her hands, she urged, “Q, baby, look at me.” He didn’t usually like pet names, but this one felt right, especially right now.

His eyes lifted to hers, and she could see the fatigue in them. It was pointless to tell him to slow down. She knew he would do everything in his power to get this team to the playoffs, including playing until he was winded. She’d never seen him bent over, gasping for breath like he had been at the end of regulation. “Please take care of yourself,” she said, “for me?”

He nodded, “I’ll take it easy tomorrow.”

It wasn’t lost on her that he only committed to resting the next day and not Wednesday, when another game was coming down the pike.

“Thank you,” she said, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his mouth. She’d take what she could get.

A relieved sigh softened Quinn’s shoulders. It was so comforting to be known this way. “We’ve got to get you to the airport,” he said.

“Your dad said he would take me. You can hang out with everyone.”

He shook his head, “Dad’ll be going back to everyone anyway. I’m coming with you.”

The drive to Newark didn’t take long. Less than twenty minutes had passed before he was kissing her goodbye.

“Love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” she said, leaning in to steal another. “Promise?”

He nodded, “I promise.”

Moving into the front seat, he waited until she’d disapeared into the airport to sit down and shut the door.

“What was that about?” his dad asked.

“Nothing,” Quinn said, dragging his hands over his face. “Sar just wants me to take it easy. Make sure I stay healthy. I promised her I’d take it easy tomorrow.”

Jim had known for a long time how much Quinn and Sarah cared about each other, but to see it laid out bare — seeing her so concerned with his welfare, and him willing to get a little more rest because she asked him to — made his heart swell with pride as a parent, glad that his son found the person he was so obviously supposed to be with.

Though she’d slept on the plane, and caught a few hours of sleep at home, Sarah still felt discombobulated the next morning. In her rush to get out the door, worried about being late, she left the house ten minutes early.

“Morning Dr. Smith,” she greeted, taking her usual seat in the middle of the second row. She was the first student to arrive.

“Ms. Roberts,” he said, stiffly, looking taken off guard, “I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”

“No? Why is that?”

“I —”

“That was some game last night, eh? Thank God Demko was back in net,” Bryan said, flopping into the seat next to hers. “How did you get back in time?”

“Caught a flight at midnight,” she said, hesitant to mention anything about a private jet around Paul, even if she was just a passenger with someone else. That would certainly get her on his naughty list.

“You’re way more dedicated than I am,” he said.

“Well, Smith wouldn’t let me take the test early, so I didn’t really have a choice. I wasn’t about to throw my grade because of it.”

“He didn’t?” Bryan asked, taken aback. “Really?”

“Nope,” Sarah said, popping the last letter.

When she glanced over, Paul was looking at her as if he’d never seen a human woman before.

The test was as hard as she’d expected. She was glad she’d taken the time to study over the weekend, and read through her class notes on the flight home, and again that morning.

There were several questions she had to pause to break down to make sure she was understanding them completely. Paul was the king of wording a question just slightly off center, so if she wasn’t paying close attention, she would loose the point.

It took the entire class period, but she made it through every question, and even went back to check them again. After re-reading, she changed her answer on number seventeen.

When Paul called, “pencils down!” she was feeling calm and relaxed about it.

She left the paper on his desk and went back to pack up her things.

“Ms. Roberts, can I speak with you before you go?”

Bryan gave her a wide-eyed, nervous grimace before telling her, “we’ll see you at the common to prep for that paper from Ellis?”

“Yeah, see you in a few.”

Paul didn’t acknowledge her right away when she approached his desk. He was already grading her test. He’d done this every time he asked to speak with her, or she had a question after class. Always making sure she knew that of the two of them, his time was more important.

Finally, she cleared her throat, “you wanted to talk, Dr. Smith?” she said, fighting to keep her voice neutral.

“Yes,” he set down the red pen he was brandishing and took off his glasses. He polished them with the hem of his shirt as he continued, “I wanted to apologize.”

“Oh.”

When he didn’t elaborate, she said, “thank you?” Was that it?

He put his glasses back on and met her eyes. “It seems like there’s a certain kind of woman that dates a professional athlete,” he said.

Sarah just managed not to roll her eyes.

“I put you in the same category as those women and I’m sorry.”

Unable to help herself, she asked, “and what category is that?”

He gulped, uncomfortable, “well, you know…”

“I don’t,” she said simply. “I know all of the player’s partners personally and I don’t think I could put them all into one category other than who they date or who they’re married to.”

“I just mean you hear things,” he said.

“Oh, well I certainly believe everything I hear.”

He blew a frustrated breath from his nose. “All I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry I thought you might not be dedicated to this program.”

She should just accept his apology and move on, but she didn’t want him to think she was willing to just roll over when he was being this disrespectful. “Have I ever done anything to make you think I’m not dedicated to this program?”

“Well, no I suppose not.”

“So you just put me in a box with an idea perpetuated by the media, even though you know me personally?”

“Ms. Roberts,” he sighed, “I’m trying to apologize.”

“And I appreciate that. I’m just trying to understand why you would put me in that box in the first place.”

His jaw hardened, and she could tell she was treading on thin ice.

After a moment of clenched teeth when she thought he might actually yell at her, he swallowed hard. “I was wrong, and I’m very sorry,” he said, voice stiff, almost mechanical. “I won’t question your dedication again.”

“Thank you.” It wasn’t an answer, but she figured it was the most sincere apology she could expect from him. “I’ll see you on Thursday, then.”

He nodded.

As she was half way out the door, he called out, as if just deciding to, “oh, and Ms. Roberts?”

She turned back.

“Tell Quinn he did very well from me,” he said. The words were too stiff and formal for what they were, but she got the point.

She almost asked him why Quinn wasn't Mr. Hughes, especially when he didn't know him personally, but that was a battle she wasn't willing to wage.

“I will,” she said, giving him a tight smile before she walked from the room.

Well, I don't think Paul will be giving me any more trouble, she sent Quinn as she walked to the common.

Yeah?

Apparently, he thought I was basically dropping out because I'm dating an athlete.

He's met you before, right?

She snorted.

“What was that about?” Alison asked as Sarah took the seat next to hers.

“He apologized.”

“No shit?” Bryan asked. “I didn't think he knew how.”

Sarah laughed, “it was still the most egotistical apology I've ever received. He was all, ‘there's a certain kind of woman that dates a professional athlete and I’m sorry I put you in a category with them.’ What kind of woman? The female kind?”

“Well, he can't veer too off course,” Alison said, rolling her eyes.

“Anyway,” Sarah sighed, pulling out her laptop, “you ready?”

Want more Quinn & Sarah? Check out the Snapshots Masterlist

To read all my fics, check out the Fanfiction Masterlist

[rafedarling]

𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐲

pairing: drew starkey x fem!reader

summary: a headache sends you reaching for drew, but his phone goes unanswered as you struggle to get to the hospital alone. at the pharmacy, you find him there with odessa.

warning(s): english is not my native language. angst, mild language, jealousy and mistrust, mention of health a scare.

au: like, reblog and feedback are much appreciated. discussion can be send through my ask box, please feel free to send in anything. ⭐️ taglist | tagging: @rubixgsworld @rafeyslamb @bisexualcvnt @tracymbcm @maybankslover @anamiad00msday @stuffyownswrld @httpsdrewstarkey @mileyraes @enjoymyloves @akobx @noobmazter69 @victwrvale @xoxohoneymoongirl @xoxosblogsblog @wearemadeofstardust0 @saviorcomplexrry @percysley @littlelamy @winniemoe @emberaurora @issabellec7 @alexxavicry

notes: i actually write the reader’s emotions and behavior based on how i personally react when i’m mad. i tend to have this i don’t give a fuck attitude. hope all you drew!angsty hoes out there love this one-shot! goodnight :).

“Hey, Drew, it’s me again,” you say into the phone, voice strained as you clutch it to your ear.

Your head’s pounding, a vicious ache that’s got your vision blurring at the edges, and you’re pacing the living room, waiting for him to answer.

It rings, then cuts to voicemail. Again.

“My head’s killing me, and I need to get to the hospital. Please call me back.”

You hang up, staring at the blank screen, willing it to light up. Nothing.

The pain surges, and you wince, pressing a hand to your temple. You’d wanted Drew to drive you, to be there, but he’s MIA. With a shaky breath, you open the Uber app, fumbling to book a ride. The hospital’s close, but every minute feels like torture when your skull’s splitting open.

The driver doesn’t talk, and you’re grateful, slumping against the cool window as the streets slip by. You try Drew once more, just in case.

Voicemail.

“Whatever,” you mutter, shoving the phone into your bag.

You’re on your own.

At the hospital, the ER’s a chaos of noise and weary faces, but they see you fast. The doctor’s steady, jotting notes as you describe the headache, sudden, brutal, unlike anything before. Tests and a scan later, he calls it a stress migraine, writes a prescription for pain meds, and tells you to rest. It’s something, but the relief’s overshadowed by the sting of Drew’s absence.

You’re still unsteady when the Uber drops you at the pharmacy. The bright lights inside jab at your eyes as you head to the counter, prescription in hand. That’s when you see him, Drew. He’s by the cold medicine aisle, smiling faintly at Odessa, who’s holding a basket and saying something that makes him nod. They look comfortable, like this is normal.

Your chest tightens, a mix of exhaustion and something sharper. You don’t move until he notices you, his eyes widening slightly.

“Y/N, what are you doing here?” Drew asks, stepping toward you, his tone surprised but soft.

Odessa lingers behind, watching with mild curiosity.

You don’t answer, just hand the prescription to the pharmacist, your fingers trembling a little. The silence hangs heavy, and Drew shifts closer, frowning.

“Are you okay?” he tries again, voice laced with concern now.

“Almost died,” you say, clipped and cold, avoiding his gaze as you wait for the pills. It’s an exaggeration, but it’s how it felt, and you’re not in the mood to sugarcoat it.

He goes quiet, then exhales. “What happened?”

You turn, meeting his eyes briefly.

“Bad headache. Called you a bunch. You didn’t pick up. Took an Uber to the hospital instead.”

Your words are flat, matter-of-fact, but they land hard.

His face shifts, guilt flickering there.

“I didn’t know, babe. My phone was in the car. I was…”

He glances at Odessa, who’s now pretending to study a box of tissues.

“Helping Dess with something.”

You nod, just once, and grab the bag from the pharmacist with a muttered thanks.

“I need to go,” you say, heading for the door.

Drew hesitates, then follows, leaving Odessa behind.

“Let me drive you home,” he says, catching up outside. His voice is gentle, almost pleading.

You’re too tired to fight, so you shrug, letting him lead you to his car.

The ride’s silent.

You stare out the window, the pharmacy bag crinkling in your lap, the headache dulled but still gnawing. Drew grips the wheel, glancing at you every few seconds, but you don’t give him anything.

No words,

No looks.

Just the hum of the engine and the weight of what’s unsaid.

When you get home, you kick off your shoes by the door and head straight for the kitchen. Drew trails behind, closing the front door softly. You grab a glass from the cabinet, fill it with water from the sink, and pop the pill bottle open, all without a word. The pill slides down your throat, bitter and cold, and you set the glass down, staring at the counter.

“Y/N,”

Drew starts, his voice low as he leans against the doorway.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you hanging like that.”

You don’t look at him, tracing a scratch on the counter with your finger.

“You weren’t there,” you say simply, and it’s not loud, but it cuts.

“I know,” he says, stepping closer.

“I should’ve had my phone. I didn’t think… I didn’t know you needed me.”

You turn then, eyes meeting his, and the hurt spills out before you can stop it.

“Why is it always her, Drew? Why’s Odessa always around, and I’m the one who can’t reach you?”

He blinks, caught off guard.

“She’s just a friend. She needed a ride to the clinic today, that’s all.”

You laugh, short and sharp.

“A friend. Right. She’s always needing something, and you’re always there. Meanwhile, I’m calling you, scared out of my mind, and your phone’s in the car because of her.”

He rubs the back of his neck, looking down.

“It’s not like that. You’re my priority, Y/N. I swear.”

“Then why doesn’t it feel like it?” Your voice rises, trembling a little.

“I needed you today, Drew. Not her. Me. And you weren’t there.”

He steps closer, hands out like he wants to fix it.

“I messed up. I get it. I’ll keep my phone on me, I’ll be there next time. Just… tell me how to make this okay.”

You shake your head, turning back to the counter, gripping the edge.

“I don’t know if you can. It’s not just today. It’s every time she’s around, every time I feel like I’m second.”

“She’s not more important than you,” he says, voice firm but quiet.

“You’re my girl. I’ll talk to her, set some distance. I didn’t see how much this was getting to you.”

You don’t respond, just stand there, the pill kicking in, numbing the ache in your head but not your chest. Drew waits, shifting his weight, like he’s hoping you’ll turn around, say something to close the gap. But you don’t. You grab the glass, rinse it out, and set it in the sink, moving past him to the living room.

“Y/N,” he calls softly, following a step behind. “Please.”

You pause, half-turning, but your eyes don’t meet his.

“I’m tired, Drew. I just need to lie down.”

He nods, slow and uncertain, hands dropping to his sides.

“Okay. I’ll be here if you need me.”

You head for the couch, curling up with a throw pillow, and he lingers by the doorway, watching. You close your eyes, pretending to rest, he doesn’t push. He just stays there, a shadow in the corner, and you’re not sure if he’s close enough to reach or too far to try.

[whatdoeseverybodywant]

Just You and Me - Part 3

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS

Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated ❤ 

All OC Characters belong to me

Author’s Note: Soo.. i did a poll in my community and the majority voted on this being a series so… ENJOY💖 If you wanna get added to my community, comment on this post .

Warnings: TOXIC THEMES, ANGST, CHEATING

Masterlist

HazelRenee_

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HazelRenee_: 🌊

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trell2x : mine ❤️ (❤️ by author)

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uceyjucey sent a DM: I miss you 🥀

It had been about two months since Hazel had spoken to Josh. She and Trell were… together, in a sense. It was refreshing to be with someone who actually wanted to be with her, who didn’t keep her at arm's length or make things complicated. Trell was easy to talk to, and Hazel didn’t feel like she was walking on eggshells for the first time in what felt like forever. There was something simple and comfortable about their connection. No mind games, no second-guessing. Just... them.

Still, thoughts of Josh lingered. The sex was amazing, and when he allowed her a peak at the real him, she saw a side of him that made her heart ache in ways she didn’t fully understand. Josh wasn’t perfect, far from it, but when he let his guard down, when he wasn’t trying to play it cool or distant, Hazel saw someone vulnerable, someone she could care about on a deeper level.

As much as she didn’t want to think about Josh, it was hard with him literally being everywhere she was. She had begged Jackie to take all her interviews with him because she just couldn’t. When he looked at her, it was as if the rest of the world disappeared. He had this way of making her feel like she was the only person in the room, as if every word, every glance was a secret they shared. It was intoxicating, that kind of attention. Hazel couldn’t help but feel drawn to it, even as she knew it was messy and complicated.

But today, she couldn’t avoid him. Trinity had decided to throw Jon and Josh a surprise birthday party and Hazel didn’t want to attend. The thought of being in the same room with him, knowing how much had changed since the last time they spoke, made her stomach twist. She’d spent months trying to move past whatever that thing was between them, but now, with the party looming, she could already feel the pull of those old emotions she wasn’t ready to face.

“Are you sure you can’t come?” Hazel whined into Trell’s neck, pressing her lips against his skin as if the simple gesture could make him change his mind.

Trell chuckled and rubbed his hand up and down her back in a comforting manner. “I wish I could. You know, I got the NXT house show today.” 

Hazel sighed loudly and pulled away from Trell, a slight pout on her lips. “Fine.” She groaned. “You owe me.” 

Trell grinned, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on her lips. “I’ll make it up to you. You know I will.” He winked as he moved away to continue packing his things. 

She opened her mouth to say something to him but was cut off by the sound of his phone ringing. She watched as his eyes got big and flickered over to her. She furrowed her eyebrows.  

“Shit, gimme a second,” Trell said and answered the phone, then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

Hazel stared at the closed door, a confused look on her face. That was odd. He had never walked out of the room before when he had a phone call, not even when his mom was on the phone. Hazel started to get up and follow him, but her phone going off with a text notification stopped her. 

Trinny-Trin: I know i betta see ya ass coming through my front door in 2 hours. 

Hazel sighed and walked into her closet to find something to wear. Trell and his weird shift in attitude, forgotten. 

HazelRenee_

liked by jakarawwe, uceyjucey, and 190,000 others.

HazelRenee_: always the life of the party 🥳 🪩

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Hazel felt the shift in the air. Something was off. Jakara had left that weird ass emoji under her post and now Trell wasn’t answering the phone. She let out a sigh and put her phone away. She glanced around Trinity’s backyard, the hum of conversation and laughter floating through the air, but her attention was immediately snapped back to one spot. Her heart stuttered in her chest as she made eye contact with a familiar pair of brown eyes. 

He would normally smirk and wink at her, but instead, he just stared, an unreadable expression on his face. The weight of his gaze lingered, and Hazel’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned away, pretending to focus on the drink in her hand, bringing it to her lips to take a sip. The cool liquid did nothing to settle the sudden heat rushing through her.

Her fingers tightened around the glass, and she found herself glancing over her shoulder again, just a quick peek to see if he was still looking. He was. She hurriedly walked into the house and towards Jon and Trin’s game room.  She needed a minute, just a minute, to breathe and get away from Josh. The hum of the party faded as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She knew it was a risk coming to the party but she thought she could handle it. He had hurt her. He had given her this false sense of hope. Let her believe that he wanted to be with her, and then she saw that video. 

She opened her eyes as the door to the game room opened. She opened her mouth, ready to apologize, thinking it was Jon or Trinity coming in, but she froze as Josh walked into the room. He closed the door and leaned against it, keeping her from leaving. 

“Can you look at me, please?” 

Hazel shook her head, her gaze still lowered to the floor. “Josh, I’m not doing this with you.”  Josh sighed and moved closer to her. He crouched down in front of her so that their eyes were level. His face was inches away, but he didn’t reach for her, didn’t close the gap.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, and she scoffed. “I’m serious, baby. I-” 

“Don’t,” Hazel cut him off, glaring at him. “Don’t sit here and lie to me, Joshua.” 

“Haz-” 

“Stop saying my name!” She snapped, pushing him away from her, making him fall back onto his butt. She stood up and towered over him.  “You don't get to do this, Joshua! You don’t get to sit here and look me like that. You don’t get to tell me you’re sorry. Cause you aren't. You made me believe in something that was never real. You just saw me as some pussy you could get while on the road and like a dumbass I let you use me.”  The tears she had been holding in finally fell. “You didn’t want me until you saw me move on with Trell.”  Josh slowly stood to his feet. 

Hazel stood there, her chest rising and falling with every ragged breath. She wiped the tears from her face angrily, but they kept coming, hot and bitter. “The fucked up thing is that you told me how bad your ex did you. You told me all the foul shit she did to you and not even 72-hours later you at this woman place? Letting her parade you all over her Instagram?!” 

They both stood there, staring at each other. Josh knew how bad he fucked up. There was no explanation for what he did other than that he was scared. He was scared of how Hazel made him feel. After Porsha, he vowed never to let another woman into his heart. He had built walls, had closed himself off, convinced himself that he was better off alone. One-night stands were his go-to for years until Hazel came along. Hazel had slipped through every defense he had put up. She made him feel things he wasn’t ready to face—things he had spent years burying.

After their first time together, he wasn’t able to leave her alone. He had tried, but she was like a drug that he needed to survive. Then the night at her hotel room happened. She had tried to end things with him, tried to tell him that they shouldn’t be with each other, and he couldn’t let that happen. 

“I fucked up.” He said, his voice only slightly louder than a whisper. “I fucked up badly and I regret that shit everyday Hazel.” She scoffed and looked away from him. “Nah, look at me,” He demanded, walking into her personal space and cupping her face in his hands. He forced her to look at him. “This is me being honest and open with you. You fucking scare me Hazel. You got me feeling like some lovestruck teenager and I hate that shit. I’m not supposed to care, and I do.” 

“Is that suppose to make me feel better or something?” She deadpanned. 

“I missed you, Hazel. Not just the sex, you. I miss you. I-” He groaned and shook his head, “Fuck it.” 

Before Hazel could reply, he pressed his lips against hers. Hazel moaned into the kiss and gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him closer. She wanted to stay mad, to hold onto her anger, but being in his arms again felt like coming home. Her resolve crumbled as he deepened the kiss, a desperate, needy kiss that spoke every word he couldn’t say. He was pouring all of his emotions into the kiss, trying to show her what she meant to him. 

 She gasped for air as he moved to her neck, his lips trailing down her neck. “I love you.” She heard him whisper and it was like a bucket of cold was was thrown over her. The trail of his kisses on her neck now felt hot against her skin. She pulled away from him, instinctively stepping back, needing space to breathe, to think. 

“Josh, you can’t—” she started, but her voice faltered as she tried to process everything. “You can’t say that.”

“Why not? I’m tired of hiding it. I’m tired of pretending like I don’t love you.” 

They both looked towards the door as it opened and Jon poked his head inside. 

“What y’all doing in here? Y’all missing the party.” 

Hazel cleared her throat and moved away from Josh. She walked over to the couch and grabbed her bag, missing the pointed look Jon gave Josh. As she walked past Josh, he tried to reach out and grab her arm, but she sidestepped him and walked past him.

As she made her way back out to the party, she heard her phone go off in her bag. She narrowed her eyes at the DM notification from Jakara. As she opened it, her heart shattered into tiny pieces.

JakaraWWE: US ❤️

JakaraWWE: oops..

Author's Note: yikes.. I told y'all it was turning into Angst, lmao!! Poor Hazel. Lil' mama can't catch a break. 💔. How y'all feeling about this chapter?

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[greenwitchfromthewoods]

a team. l Joel Miller

before Jackson

Summary: you finally made it to Jackson

Warnings: angst, tears, Tommy and Maria, Ellie is here too, some swearing, guns, Joel is an asshole, some fluff at the end

A/N: @underneath-the-sky-again and I were talking about what happened when Reader and Joel got to Jackson. is this a good answer?

your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

short stories from life. [masterlist]

"Joel! Ellie!"

When you were surrounded by people on horses, you were sure that this was the end for you. You were so close to Jackson that you couldn't believe that fate could be so capricious. You saw Joel grab Ellie by the arm, trying to pull her away, but escape was impossible. Not this time...

Suddenly, someone shouted your name. You raised your head and looked around. You knew this man. He was from Jackson. You were safe.

Joel never fully trusted anyone, not in these times. Even though you were talking to that guy who had just pointed a gun at you, Joel kept an eye on you the whole time. He wasn't convinced of your safety until he saw Tommy.

When the younger Miller's eyes landed on you, he beamed. "Good to see you! Thanks for bringing them here." he said, taking you in his arms and hugging you tightly "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"We bumped into each other a long way from here." you replied "I thought they could use a guide. Damn, I wouldn't have guessed you were brothers!"

"Yeah!" Tommy laughed, "I inherited all the personal charm."

"And the extroversion." you chuckled.

Tommy took you to a warm place and you were given a meal. You didn't want to disturb Joel and Tommy, so you sat down further away. It took you longer than you planned to get back to Jackson, but you finally made it here. However, your happiness was covered by a black cloud that told you one thing - it was time to part ways.

All you talked about was getting to this place, Joel found his brother, Ellie was safe, and you... You were going to be alone again.

"Are you coming with us?" Ellie called when Tommy and Maria wanted to show them the empty house they were going to stay in.

"I'm not sure." You replied.

Maria smiled at you, stroking her visible belly. "Your old room is free. You can stay there." You nodded, thanking her quietly.

Ellie frowned and looked at Joel. "She won't be living with us?" she asked.

"It's not up to me, kid." He replied, but you noticed that he threw a quick glance your way.

“But she belongs to us. We’ve been through so much together.” She walked over to you, grabbing your hand. “You’re coming with us. If need be, I’ll give you my bed.”

"Ellie..." You sighed, unable to hide your emotion. "I don't want to bother you. You and Joel were supposed to get to Jackson. We made it."

Maria looked from you to the girl, finally speaking. "Her room is really comfortable and warm. You'll see each other around town. Unless she runs away again."

Someone cleared their throat, and you all looked over at Joel. He had already put on his jacket and was standing by the door, clearly tired. “Ellie’s right, you should move in with us. If you want.”

"What do you mean? We've barely arrived and we're already leaving?" you looked at Joel not understanding a word.

You managed to sleep for a few hours and eat another meal. You took a bath and felt like a new person, and in the meantime Miller told you that he was going somewhere again. After coming back from Tommy's, he seemed more depressed to you, as if a great burden had fallen on his shoulders again. You, on the other hand, were confused.

"Ellie is important." he finally spoke.

You folded your arms across your chest. "Of course she is. But what does that have to do with her?"

"You won't understand."

"Then explain it to me!" you snorted. "If I have to go with you, I want to know."

Something in his gaze sent a cold shiver down your spine. You understood it without words. The decision had been made and you were not to be a part of it.

"You've got to be kidding..." you hissed.

"Just me and Ellie." Joel lowered his gaze, not ready to look you in the eye. You had done so much for her, risked so much, and now he was leaving you alone. For your safety, but he couldn't tell you about it. He couldn't tell you anything, even though he wanted to.

When he heard your voice again, it was trembling and full of suppressed emotions. "We're a team. We're in this together. All this way here, I..."

"It's always been just me and Ellie. You're staying."

It was like a slap in the face. He saw your eyes widen, glistening with tears. He knew you would give anything for Ellie, even your own life. He also knew that if he asked you to go with him, you would do it without hesitation. But you had to stay in Jackson. You were safer here than with them.

"Listen..." he started, but he saw you raise a hand, stopping him from saying anything else.

"You've said enough, Joel."

He hadn't felt as alone as he did at that moment in a long time.

The weeks dragged on incredibly. To occupy your time, you began patrolling the area, but your thoughts kept returning to Joel and Ellie.

Your farewell wasn't one of tenderness and joy. As you held Ellie in your arms, you begged her to come back to you safe and sound. She didn't understand why you couldn't go with them either, but Joel didn't explain much to anyone.

Joel. His furtive glances at you were full of pain and remorse, but you knew that didn’t mean he’d changed his mind. Even before he left, he heard your quiet voice, barely above a whisper. “Take care of yourself, Joel.”

“Will you be here when we get back?” he asked before he could stop himself.

That was what he feared most. That you would leave again, that you would disappear over the horizon and he would never see you again. How was it possible that he needed you so much?

"If you want me to be."

He nodded. He couldn't answer louder.

"You're still waiting for them. Do you think they'll come back?"

You looked at Stephen, who shifted in his saddle and reached for a canteen of water.

"I hope so." You replied.

"We're all waiting for someone, darling." You smiled and looked at the man.

"And what are you waiting for, Stephen?"

"Until my fucking leg stops hurting. I think it's going to rain, it always hurts like that when it rains."

You've been circling the area since morning, your patrol slowly coming to an end. One last look at the horizon, one last squint, because maybe you'll be able to see something more.

"Is that a fucking car?"

You turned around as if on command and saw it too. A car was slowly driving down the dirt road in your direction. You reached for your gun instinctively, the horses nervously pawing the ground with their hooves. Only when someone started waving at you from the passenger seat did you realize who it was.

"Ellie! It's them, Stephen!" you called out and hit the horse's sides with your heels, forcing it to gallop.

The car stopped and you jumped down, running towards it. Ellie almost fell out of the vehicle and threw herself into your arms. "Are you okay? Are you okay?" you asked, hugging her tightly, kissing her forehead and ruffling her hair.

"I'm okay! Hey!" she groaned, but giggled "I missed you so damn much!"

"I missed you too! Jesus, I was about to look for you myself." You pushed the girl to arms length and looked at her closely "Are you sure you're okay? Should I take you to the clinic?"

"Relax!" Ellie chuckled.

The slam of the door closing caught your attention. You recognized him immediately, although he seemed somehow changed, as if the burden he took with him from Jackson hadn't left him at all.

"Hi." Joel greeted you.

He didn't expect that. You let go of Ellie and after a moment you threw your arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Hesitantly, but with relief, Joel embraced you, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck.

They were home.

☆☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

taglist, i think: @picketniffler @orcasoul @bbyanarchist @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi @somedayheaven @underneath-the-sky-again @callmebyyournick-name

[sagittariusmarz]

Pick-a-card: What’s blocking your manifestations

*What are you manifesting and what’s standing in the way of your manifestations

*Likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated!

*Pictures are from my camera roll, please tag me if you want to use them for any reason

*Please remember to follow me so you can see more content 🤗🫶🏾

Pile 1

I see that you’re manifesting balance, comfort, progress and a new beginning, I see that you’re overwhelmed and you want a break or you want things to go your way without having to struggle too much for it. I see that you’re manifesting something that you know is already meant for you but you’re trying to make it come faster, some of you could be manifesting karma for the people or person that hurt you/you want them to feel the pain that they gave to you. One thing that’s blocking your manifestations is divine timing, things will happen naturally and you can’t rush it. I also see that you could be focusing too much on the future and you’re not staying grounded in the present, you need to be more appreciative of the things you have now so that you can keep getting more in the future. Some of you could be settling because you don’t want to keep fighting for what you want but you have to stay consistent so you can be satisfied in the long run, some of you could be trying to do things on your own but asking for help could move things along quicker. Try thinking about things from a different perspective or being more creative in your approach so that you can manifest faster. Advice- give your goals more time to manifest because changing things too frequently won’t help, pray for what you want/stay consistent and patient. Signs- Leo/aquarius, Leo in the 8th house/aquarius in 7th house. Initials- B, T, S, J, Q

Pile 2

I see that you’re trying to manifest more control, power, optimism and faith. I see you’re manifesting healing and trying to move on from regrets, you could also be manifesting a better temperament and more patience. One of the things blocking your manifestations is other people’s energy, I see that this could be someone in your romantic life or people you spend a lot of time with causing a blockage in your manifestations. I also see that you could be blocking your manifestations because you’re not tapping into your potential, I see that you need to protect your energy more and don’t tell people your goals or plans because subconsciously they could be sending you negative energy. I see that cutting off people you know isn’t good for you will help with your manifestations. Advice- don’t focus too much on your love life, stop letting toxic people get close to you. Be more private or secretive even with your friends or family, learn how to save more money and plan better with your finances. Signs- Scorpio/pisces, Aries or Virgo in 3rd house. Initials- B, A, R, Q

Pile 3

I see that you’re manifesting personal power, protection, confidence and boldness. I see that you’re manifesting more intelligence or the ability to prepare and plan better, you could also be manifesting a transformation or renewal. I see that you’re trying to protect what you worked for or you’re trying to learn how to defend and protect yourself better, you may also be trying to manifest better health and more movement in your life. One thing that’s blocking your manifestations is you because you’re too afraid to put yourself out there and you don’t want to be judged, I see that you can be too submissive sometimes and you’re not that comfortable taking the lead or having power. Your lack of confidence or lack of pride could be blocking your manifestations, you may be too humble sometimes. I see for some of you that your twin flame or lover could be blocking your manifestations, I see that you could be mirroring their energy and that’s what stopping you. You need more independence and more time to yourself, for some of you I see that your religion or spirituality is blocking your manifestations because you’re too concerned about doing things in a certain way that seems right ritualistically or you could be relying on it too much and not putting anything into action. Some of you may not be praying or connecting enough with your religion or spirituality and that’s what blocking your manifestations. Advice-don’t keep crying over spilled milk and think about the things you do have, stop letting the past or regrets hold you back. Spend some time alone and re center yourself, it’s time to do some self reflecting and soul searching so you can figure things out on your own. Signs- Gemini/sagittarius, Pisces in 9th house/Sagittarius in 6th house. Initials- D, E, C, V, P

Personal readings always available!

Divider by @uzmacchiato

[winterlico]

TOOTHBRUSH ᰔ sim jaeyun .ᐟ

ᯓ★ pairing : boyfriend!Jake x fem!reader / fluff , makeout ᝰ.ᐟ

2.038 ｡ in their cozy morning together, Jake and you share a quiet breakfast, teasing each other and enjoying the simple moments of being together.

feedbacks ୨୧ reblogs / a/n : sorry i got addicted writing this Jake fanfic .. he's too cute to handle

Sunlight filters in through the sheer curtains, painting golden streaks over the messy sheets and the lazy tangle of limbs beneath them. The soft rhythm of Jake’s breathing is the first thing you notice, slow and even, his face buried against the crook of your neck. His warmth is familiar, grounding, as if your bodies have long memorized how to fit together without effort.

You blink away the haze of sleep and shift slightly, only for him to tighten his arm around your waist, pulling you back against his chest with a low hum.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His voice is thick with sleep, husky, laced with amusement.

You let out a small laugh, fingers brushing against his arm as you murmur, “I was going to get up…”

He groans dramatically, pressing his forehead against your shoulder before trailing slow, lazy kisses up the side of your neck. “Nope. Not allowed. Stay.”

You roll your eyes but don’t resist when he shifts, pressing you onto your back so he can hover over you, his hair sticking up in all directions, a sleepy smile playing on his lips. The way the morning light kisses his skin makes your heart stutter, and you swear he looks like something out of a dream—except he’s real, warm, solid, right here with you.

“Jake,” you whine softly, pushing at his chest. “I need to brush my teeth.”

His grin widens. “You say that like I haven’t already kissed you with morning breath before.”

“Yeah, and that’s disgusting.”

He gasps in mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. “Excuse me? Disgusting? You didn’t seem to mind last night when I kissed you senseless.”

Heat rushes to your cheeks, and you smack his arm, making him laugh. “That was different!”

“How?” He dips his head down, lips hovering just over yours, teasing. “Because it wasn’t morning? Because you still had your lip gloss on?”

You narrow your eyes at him, but the smile tugging at your lips betrays you. “Because I hadn’t just woken up with a dry mouth, Jake.”

He grins, nose nudging against yours. “Mm, I think I’d still kiss you. Just like this.” And before you can protest, he captures your lips in a slow, lingering kiss, stealing the breath right from your lungs. His fingers trace light patterns over your waist, holding you close as if he never wants to let go.

When he pulls away, he gives you a lazy smirk. “See? Still love you.”

You groan, pushing his face away while he chuckles, rolling onto his back beside you. You take the opportunity to sit up, stretching your arms above your head before reaching for his hoodie draped over the headboard. Sliding it on, you glance at him—his eyes are already on you, full of something soft and unreadable.

“What?” you ask, tugging the sleeves over your hands.

He shakes his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “Nothing. Just… I like seeing you in my hoodie.”

Your heart flutters, but you roll your eyes to cover it up. “Simp.”

“And proud,” he says easily, grinning as he props himself up on one elbow. “Also, if you’re going to the bathroom…”

You pause mid-step, turning to look at him. “Yeah?”

Jake stretches, completely unapologetic as he gestures toward the sink with a lazy smile. “You could just leave your toothbrush here, you know. It’d save you the trouble of bringing it every time.”

Your breath catches. It’s such a simple thing, but the weight behind it feels different—like an unspoken invitation, a subtle promise that this, whatever this is, isn’t just fleeting.

You blink at him, trying to ignore the way your heart is doing ridiculous somersaults. “Are you asking me to move in with you, Sim?”

Jake laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean… not yet. But I wouldn’t mind if you started leaving a few things here. Your toothbrush, maybe a hoodie or two. Just… whatever makes you feel like this place is yours, too.”

Something warm blossoms in your chest, and you can’t help but smile as you step closer, leaning down to press a soft kiss against his forehead.

“Alright,” you whisper against his skin. “I’ll leave my toothbrush.”

Jake beams up at you, looking impossibly boyish and full of love, before tugging you down into his arms again. “Good. Now come back to bed.”

Before you can even take a step toward the bathroom, Jake’s arms wrap around your waist, and with a mischievous grin, he pulls you right back onto the bed. You land with a soft squeak, your body bouncing slightly against the mattress as he immediately cages you in with his arms, his face just inches from yours.

“Jake!” you huff, pushing at his chest, but he doesn’t budge.

“You’re really trying to leave me for a toothbrush?” His voice is low and teasing, and there’s that familiar glint in his warm brown eyes, the one that always means trouble.

You glare at him, crossing your arms over your chest. “I literally agreed to leave it here. What more do you want?”

He hums, pretending to think. “I dunno. I feel like I should be compensated for my emotional distress.”

Your brows furrow. “Emotional distress?”

“Yeah. You were about to leave me all cold and alone in bed.” He pouts dramatically, like a puppy who just got scolded for no reason. “Do you know how that makes me feel?”

You snort. “Like a clingy boyfriend?”

He gasps. “Clingy?! I am not clingy.”

“You literally just dragged me back into bed because I said I was going to the bathroom.”

“Because I love you,” he insists, his fingers gently brushing a stray strand of hair from your face, the touch soft, deliberate. His eyes flicker down to your lips for a second before he meets your gaze again, his voice dropping just slightly. “And maybe because I like having you close. Is that so bad?”

Your heart flutters—because he’s unfair. Completely and totally unfair. No one should be allowed to look that good in the morning, with his messy bedhead and sleepy gaze and the way his voice sounds like a warm hug.

You press your lips together, feigning indifference. “You’re still clingy.”

Jake smirks. “And yet, you’re still here.”

Your face heats up. “That’s because you literally won’t let me go!”

“Tomato, tomahto.” He shrugs and then, before you can react, he buries his face in your neck, his arms tightening around you like a koala. His voice is muffled, but you can hear the absolute satisfaction in it. “Mmm. Guess you’re stuck now.”

“Jake—”

“Nope.” He nuzzles into your skin, his lips brushing lightly against your collarbone. “Shhh. This is the best part of the morning.”

You exhale, half-annoyed, half-melting into his warmth. Because no matter how much you try to act unimpressed, there’s something about the way he holds you—so effortlessly, like you belong right here—that makes you want to give in every single time.

After a few seconds, you sigh dramatically. “Okay, fine. Five more minutes. Then I really have to get up.”

Jake hums in approval. “That’s my girl.”

But then his grip tightens ever so slightly, and he whispers, “But you’re not actually getting up in five minutes, right?”

You roll your eyes, but you can’t help the laugh that escapes. “We’ll see.”

Jake grins against your skin, knowing full well he’s already won.

Jake finally lets you go (after like ten more minutes of him holding you hostage in bed), and you drag yourself to the bathroom while he dramatically whines about how lonely he is without you. You roll your eyes at his antics, but when you step out after brushing your teeth, you catch him sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone—wearing the hoodie you just had on.

“You stole my hoodie.”

Jake glances up, completely unbothered, and smirks. “Correction: I stole my hoodie back.”

You cross your arms, raising a brow. “Then why do I always wear it more than you do?”

He shrugs. “Because you look cuter in it.” Then, before you can react, he stands up and grabs your hand, lacing his fingers with yours as he starts leading you toward the kitchen. “Come on, let’s make breakfast.”

You sigh, pretending to be exasperated, but the warmth of his hand in yours makes your heart squeeze.

Jake’s apartment is messy in an endearingly Jake way. His jacket is still draped over the couch, a half-empty bag of snacks sits abandoned on the counter, and his skateboard is just casually lying in the middle of the living room like it’s part of the decor.

“Are you ever gonna clean this place?” you tease, nudging the skateboard aside with your foot.

Jake grins, already rummaging through his fridge. “Nah. That’s why I have you.”

You gasp. “EXCUSE ME?”

“I mean—” He peeks over his shoulder, biting back a laugh at your expression. “That’s why I have you to judge me and force me to clean.”

You narrow your eyes. “Uh-huh. That’s what I thought.”

He flashes you his signature golden retriever smile, and it’s so stupidly charming that you almost forget to be mad. Almost.

Jake pulls out some eggs and milk, setting them on the counter. “Okay, Chef, what are we making?”

You glance at the ingredients, then at him. “Are you actually helping, or are you just gonna stand there looking pretty?”

He gasps, dramatically clutching his chest. “You think I’m pretty?”

“Oh my god.” You grab a spatula and smack his arm with it, making him burst into laughter.

Jake does try to help, but he mostly just steals pieces of whatever you’re making and insists on hugging you from behind while you cook. At one point, he sneaks a spoonful of whipped cream and smears it on your cheek, and when you glare at him, he just grins and goes, “Aww, you look even sweeter now.”

“You’re literally the worst.”

He leans in, brushing his lips against your cheek in a feather-light kiss before murmuring, “I love you too.”

Just as you both finally settle down to eat, the front door swings open without warning. Jake barely has time to react before Jay strolls into the apartment like he owns the place, holding up a bag of food.

“Yo, Jake, I brought—” Jay stops mid-sentence when he sees you sitting at the dining table, wearing Jake’s hoodie, with a plate of food in front of you. His eyes widen slightly, and then he smirks.

“Ohhh. Am I interrupting something?”

You freeze, mid-bite, while Jake just groans, rubbing his temple. “Hyung, ever heard of knocking?”

Jay shrugs, completely unfazed. “The door was unlocked.”

“That doesn’t mean you can just walk in!”

Jay ignores him and turns to you instead, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Wait. Did you sleep over?”

You cough awkwardly, avoiding his gaze. “Uh—”

Jake immediately steps in. “So what if they did?” His voice is casual, but you can see the slight possessiveness in his eyes.

Jay grins. “Wow. You’re really out here playing house, huh?”

“Can you leave?” Jake groans louder.

“Nope.” Jay plops down onto the couch like he has all the time in the world. “I wanna know how long it’ll take before you start calling them ‘baby’ unironically.”

Jake throws a piece of toast at him.

You shake your head, trying not to laugh as Jay and Jake continue bickering like children. But then, Jake catches your gaze across the table, and despite all the chaos, his expression softens.

He leans in slightly, lowering his voice so only you can hear.

“Next time, let’s lock the door,” he murmurs, smirking. “I don’t like sharing my mornings with anyone else.”

And just like that, you’re blushing all over again.

[into-deepspace]

hi there! i saw you are taking requests hehe So i have this idea, how would the Lads guys (in specific Sylus) react to your past situationships, lets suppose you just happen to mention your last romantic interest and the way he treated you before him and he's truly horrified and like ''did you really allowed that? sweetie, why? that's absolutely, no, not acceptable.'' bc obviously he is better and treats us as royalty, he would be horrified to find out the audacity some man have hahahaha if this is something you are comfortable with i would love to know your take on this, thank u so muchhh, mwa

hiiii oh my goodness tysm for the ask!! this is such a interesting premise, i've just written sylus's part for now but i have ideas (and some rough drafts hehe) for the other guys' parts that i hope to post in the next few days 🥰 so, without further ado:

sylus vs your (not-so-stellar) past relationships

690 words, mc/sylus, mini-fic format, mentions of (past) over-controlling relationships, they/them pronouns for MC, MC is described as wearing a dress, no smut but Sylus does get a lil handsy with it oops

request info • remember to reblog your authors!

zayne (coming soon) • rafayel (coming soon) • xavier (coming soon)

MC frowns at themselves in the mirror.

They don't look bad. Truly, they look good. Great, even, in the dress they'd picked out for tonight's auction. No doubt about it, the fabric hugs and flares in all the right places. It could be described as show-stopping, truly, with the way it suits them so nicely.

But, at the same time, it's clear that MC has some slightly different proportions to the online model. It doesn't affect how the dress fits, or how good it looks but it does affect how much of certain pieces of skin are showing. They run their fingers along the edges of the fabric, trying to pull a bit, wondering if half an hour is enough time to procure some fashion tape and tug the dress around so that the coverage is just a bit more... well, covering.

There's a knock at the door, more an announcement than a true request for entrance, and then Sylus is striding into the room, his neat suit jacket draped over one shoulder like a cape. He clasps an expensive-looking watch onto his wrist as he crosses the floor, smiling as his eyes drag up and down MC's figure.

"I was going to ask if you're ready," he comments with a quiet smile and a glint in his eye, as he steps up behind them and drapes his arms around their waist, "but now I'm not sure if I want to leave the house at all..." MC flushes, gaze breaking from the mirror and dropping to the floor.

"Yeah," they manage, breath tight in their chest, both from having him so close and from preemptive nervousness regarding any comments about their choice of dress. "This isn't super- uh- public-appropriate." Their gaze darts back up just in time to watch Sylus raise an eyebrow.

Once again, Sylus's eyes rake up and down their body, this time less of a flirtatious look and more of a genuine search. His thumbs brush gentle, idle circles over MC's hips.

"I don't see why it's not," he says, and MC almost believes him with how genuine it sounds. "Look," he says, tracing the lines of the dress with the smirk of a man that knows exactly what he's doing. "All the exclusive parts are covered, aren't they?" MC can feel their cheeks burn warmer.

"I mean- well, yeah," they choke out. "But... come on, I'm not stupid." They look up at Sylus in the mirror, trying their hardest to not think about the pleasant weight of his hands on their waist, not right now. "Not like I haven't had a boyfriend before. I know how guys think." Sylus's shoulders straighten a bit, and a slightly more serious expression crosses his face.

"Oh? Do you?" he says. "Enlighten me, then." MC huffs, feeling remarkably like an animal in a trap.

"You know. People don't like it when their partners, well, parade themselves around. I'm not stupid. I know this is a little too much to be wearing out and about."

Sylus gives a few slow blinks, then lets out a measured breath. He searches their face in their reflection for a moment, as if trying to figure out just what's going on. Finally, with a soft, serious voice, he speaks.

"I don't know what sort of insecure boys you've dated in the past," he says with distaste, "but I don't find myself in the business of telling my partner what they can and cannot wear." One of his hands moves to their jaw and cups their face, gently turning their gaze from the mirror to him. With a unique softness, he presses a grazing kiss to their lips.

"So," Sylus continues, "unless you yourself are uncomfortable with the amount of skin you are currently showing, I think it would be best to go ahead and get your shoes on so that we can begin our evening."

Well. MC's face splits into a relieved, grateful smile — they aren't about to argue with that. They relax a bit, leaning against Sylus as they gaze up at him over their shoulder.

"Sounds good," they breathe. Sylus smiles back.

"Good."

[enjakey]

Beneath the Blue

Pairing: marine engineer!Jake x marine biologist!Fem!Reader

Hey guys, I realise this fic is like really long (24k). I’m so sorry but it’s just something I’ve been holding out on. Life’s been stressful and writing was the only thing that kept me afloat and I kinda belted this out during my sleepless nights. This is definitly not proof read.

So I guess I wanted to give you guys like a guide on how to read the fic. Each section or chapter is marked by bolded words in the beginning of a paragraph (you’ll understand when you read it). If you’re only here for the cutesy stuff, you can go ahead and skip to the fourth chapter but you’ll loose all context of the story and how everyone is related to each other. The first two chapters is just a lot of world and character building. The third chapter is where things actually start.

If you’re interested in marine biology and sea creatures, this is a perfect read. I talk a lot about sharks and whales and sea creatures. There’s a lot of insight on what marine biologists do in general. There’s suggestive stuff in the end of the seventh chapter and smut in the tenth chapter if you want to skip to that. Jay, Heeseung and Jay are a huge part of the fic (but not the plot?). There is mentions of PTSD and a storm.

I want to mention that this story is not just about Jake and Y/N’s romance but about a group of people’s love for the ocean. The other characters are important for me too and the world I’ve built is dear to me. Hope you guys enjoy! I Put a lot of time effort into this! Please like and reblog and comment.

Summary: taken under the wing of the great marine biologist Henry Sim, Y/N finds herself getting close to him and his family. She’s friends with his first son, Jason, but is apprehensive of his second son, Jake. Jake, who is notorious for his bad behaviour and disappointing decisions, finds himself being drawn to Y/N and her undeniable love towards the ocean. When the two are put together in a group of researchers for an expedition for three months on the ocean, she doesn’t expect herself to fall for him- let alone, fight storms for him.

Y/N was one of those unfortunate kids who had to be in a hospital during her birthday. She was eleven at the time, the age where she was learning to read and write on her own and didn't fuss with her mother to help her bathe or dress up. She considered it her golden age where she was just starting to learn about her interests by surfing the internet through her father's phone and transitioning from cartoon shows to movies. At school, she would talk about action films, starring Tom Cruise or Angelica Jolie, rather than the deemed childish Disney movies where the Jonas Brothers were thrown into a music camp or in which a girl hides her identity by switching wigs.

An unwanted growth, widely mistaken as a malignant tumour by many doctors, was manifesting on the bone just above her eyebrow and she had reached the age where surgeons could successfully remove it without life-threatening complications. Y/N was initially scared, refusing to get out of bed in the morning and crying while she was taken to the Operating Room. In that moment of panic and fear, she didn't feel like the brave and mature girl she thought herself to be but somewhat similar to the girls on the playground who still talked about Barbie dolls and played around with make-up sets as though they could ravishingly decorate their faces with cheap lip gloss and colourless eyeshadow.

When she woke up from an anaesthetic daze, she took a moment of silence to compare herself with the other children in her class. If any kid was in her situation, being taken into surgery by a group of a dozen strangers who were only trusted because of a piece of paper- their certificate- that was meant to credit their skill, they would flail the way she had. The girls she avoided, the mean and blonde-haired ones who snickered at anyone who didn't wear skirts and pink bows in their hair and bragged about their powerful daddy's luxurious car, would probably react the way she did, perhaps even a little more dramatically. The boys she arbitrated, the cocky and lanky ones that talk about Fortnight and whatever online games they played, would probably wail like babies. But Y/N was different, whatever that meant for a girl her age, withholding herself from succumbing to middle school's criteria for popularity and burrowing herself into a circle of comfort. She was the girl that wore glasses and carried around a thick book about animals to read during lunch and she was the girl that only had one friend because they were both weird and quiet. She was the girl that cried before the surgery because she didn't trust the surgeons and not because she was convinced her parents were selling her to an organ-harvesting cult.

While she assumed most children her age would be amused by artistic renditions of unicorns and rainbows painted on the wall, she found them rather tacky. Their eyes were too shiny and their smiles were too wide and the only thing she found realistic were the tiny chips of paint in the bright colours. There was a painting of Jake the Dog from Adventure Times sitting right above her hospital bed, staring down at her with lifeless and beady eyes while she tried sleeping during the night because the hospital wanted to keep her for observation for a day or two after the surgery, increasing the service bill at the same time. Then, there was the poorly mimicked roar of a lion stained to the wall on the right side of her bed, making her wonder if these paintings were done by previously admitted children. To the wall on the right side of her bed, right below the window, was the painting of a grinning shark and a randomly doodled jellyfish.

"That looks like the Black Sea Nettle," she pointed at the jellyfish with her nimble finger.

It was early in the morning and her mother had willed her awake from her slumber so one of the doctors could check on her vitals and change her bandaid. Y/N chewed on a green apple slice her mother handed her because she refused to eat the red apples, and patiently waited until the doctor, or Doctor Karev, as he called himself, could finish writing on a piece of paper they called a chart and changing the cotton wedged between her eyebrow and white gauze. She glanced at the painting from the corner of her eye, finding it eerily similar to a picture she saw in the book her father gifted her on her ninth birthday- The Encyclopedia of Animals.

"And that looks like a Bull Shark," she said and shifted her finger slightly so it was pointed at the cartoonish shark with a bulging stomach.

"Oh, yeah?" Doctor Karev scoffed and grinned similarly to the painted shark. His gaze didn't lift from the writing pad he held towards his face, a pen scribbling information that probably wasn't important. Her mother stood beside her, a proud smile on her face as she brushed Y/N's hair with her palm. "What can you tell me about it?"

"I know that their bite is much stronger than the Great White," she offered, shrugging and looking at her lap.

"Really?" Doctor Karev almost sounded sceptical. "Where'd you learn that?"

"A book," Y/N mumbled and pursed her lips.

Doctor Karev bent his knees enough to reach her level, tilting his head affectionately to grasp her attention. His pen was now hanging in his pocket, his writing pad pressed between his hand and thigh. "You're a smart girl, aren't you?" He praised her, impressed by her skill of comprehension. "You wanna become a marine biologist?"

"Marine biologist?"

The pair of words put together were foreign to Y/N but somehow, they sounded like they were meant to be beside each other, creating the word for the profession she had been dreaming of since she saw the picture of starfish lounging on a sea bed. Her eyes were filled with somewhat of a fascination, a sparkle reflected by what she considered a discovery and fate of luck and her smile grew ten folds, stretching her cheeks until the corners of her lips reached her ears. She looked like she was watching the stars while she looked at him, blinking and burning from a close distance as she marvelled at the masses.

"Yeah," Doctor Karev enthused. "You know, study the ocean and sea creatures and all that jazz."

"I'm gonna become a marine biologist!" She nodded, giggling like a baby that had been handed a lollipop bigger than its face. Except Y/N's lollipop was a profession, a dream to chase until it was fulfilled. Her mother laughed with her, shaking her head at her antics. "Mom, I wanna be a marine biologist!"

Doctor Karev chuckled and stood straight, making his way to the door of her hospital room and looking over his shoulder to steal one last glance at the girl he might have just paved a future for. "By the way," he said. "Happy birthday kid."

It was a crystal blue sight Jake could never get used to, and it was the fact that his family owned it that he could never wrap his head around. The aquariums ranged from floor-to-ceiling tanks holding hundreds of litres of water and aquatic species to small fish bowls holding the tiniest, most common breeds of fish. Any type of fish he could think of- sharks, whales, stingrays, eels, jellyfish and cephalopods- it was probably all there, confined between glass walls, concrete and artificially plated corals. And it could all be placed in the palm of his hand, the happiness of customers and livelihood of every creature in the building he stood in, under his control.

In all of Jake's life, he had only ever seen his father angry four times- three of those incidents pertaining to tragedies faced in The Marine Foundation of Korea, his most prized possession.

The first was when he was forced to step into court for the first time in his life. During the first week that it opened, a kid tripped and fell into an eel tank and was almost choked by a Black Spotted Eel. The kid was lucky they weren't electric but Henry Sim was still faced with a million-dollar lawsuit which they won after giving security camera footage that showed the boy clearly wandering off into prohibited territory and climbing ladders into the opening of the tanks. It wouldn't be the first lawsuit they faced as a similar one followed two years later when a little girl started crying because her necklace fell into the dolphin pool and one of them devoured it.

Two years later, one of three Whale Sharks had passed away in front of a live audience causing the building to rumble as the carcass made contact with the forged ocean bed and children to wail in confusion as one of their favourite shark buddies was sinking to the floor. Hundreds of people took videos and the news went viral online, causing critics to criticise the maintenance and care for the captive creatures. As this information circled to tourists, they didn't have customers and a proper flow of income for the following six months until they announced the new exhibit for the endangered Vaquita Dolphin. Jake remembered the terrible nights of those six months when his father would come home drunk or would shatter glasses onto the walls. He wondered how his mother coped with him. He wondered how he and his brother didn't perceive him as a monster yet.

A year later, The Marine Foundation of Korea would face another tragedy. One of the shark tanks exploded in the middle of the night, causing Hammerheads and Tiger Sharks to swim through the halls of the first floor in shallow waters. Guards were panicking and emergency services took hours to reach the aquarium before they could assess and plan a rescue. The aquarium was shut down for two months and they spent time reinstating the shattered shark tank and brewing up safety measures for when similar situations would occur again. That night, they lost two Hammerhead Sharks and one Tiger Shark and had to pay thousands of dollars as compensation. Though his father didn't violently drink, he had become dangerously silent in those two months, scaring the living daylights out of his wife and children.

Henry Sim, the founder of The Marine Foundation of Korea and the most remarkable marine biologist known to all generations, had faced lawsuits that almost made him go bankrupt and was hated by the internet for months until he publicly apologised yet he would say his biggest disappointment wouldn't lie in the way his aquarium was run. Rather, he would say his biggest disappointment lay in his son, Jake Sim, who refused to take in his footsteps and fulfil his dreams of creating an empire of nepotism to take over the world of marine biology someday.

"You never listen to me," Henry seethed with a balled fist resting on his ebony table. His voice was entirely stark for the disappointment he felt towards his son.

If Jake concentrated enough, he could hear the movement of each aquatic species in the tanks he was surrounded by. The bubbly and almost ear-blocking white noise engulfed him sometimes and he would be transported to an unnamed beach where the sand was white and the waters were so clear, he could see the corals growing underneath. He liked to imagine himself floating in the waters in shorts and an oversized white t-shirt, eyes closed as the sun beat down on his porcelain skin. That was all the ocean was to him; someplace to enjoy and someplace to destress. But to his father, it was a career he made billions in and it was a career he wanted both his sons to endeavour in.

"I've been telling you since I was a kid, appa," Jake sighed, standing on the other side of the ebony table. "I want to study engineering. Marine biology, researching new species, the ocean… All of that has always been a hobby for me. Besides, you have Jason to take over your legacy anyway. I don't get why you're so hung up on me studying it, too."

In the corner of his father's office stood a small, well-kept fish tank with a lone seahorse in it. It was the Knysna Seahorse, to be exact, the rarest seahorse in the world which Jason, his brother, gifted their father as a gift. He had paid quite an amount of money to get a hold of it and the reason for the gift? It was because he had finally graduated with a marine biology degree a few months ago and Jake was to finally attend the same university.

But he didn't want to and his entire family was very well aware of the fact.

"Don't you understand what I want for you two, though?" Henry slammed his fist against the table but Jake offered no reaction. "Don't you see the future I see for you two? Brothers taking over marine biology's legacy? It’s not too late for you to change your major."

"No," Jake stomped a foot to the ground, eyes squinting to slits. "That's your dream. Not mine. I get that you and your brother never got along and that you want your sons to get along and run a business. But I don't want that. Jason and I are fine as it is and you coming in between my dreams is just gonna drive me away from you further."

"Jake-"

"If eomma were here, she would understand," Jake took long strides towards the door, a hand digging into the pocket of his slacks as the other twisted the doorknob. "I just wish you'd understand," and his voice muffled under the slam of the door, leaving Henry dumbfounded in his seat, mouth agape and glasses sliding off his nose.

With his son leaving so disrespectfully, using his wife's death as emotional manipulation, he wanted to shun Jake right then and there. He wanted no relation to him whatsoever but he knew it was his anger speaking. And he knew that if he hastily cut him off his earnings and stopped paying for his education, he would regret it and Jason would condemn him as a worse father than he already was.

So, Henry let him walk away and he went back to work, fixing his glasses and clearing his throat as if nothing happened. Jake was still young, he'd tell himself. If he wanted to follow his dreams, he should let him. Henry was selfish, he accepted it and his ego clashed with his conscience but he brushed it off and walked out of his office with more errands to complete. The moment he entered the hall with tanks of jellyfish surrounding him, the sounds of their bodies pushing through water syncing with his racing, angry heart, his assistant joined his side with a clipboard and pen, her heels overpowering the serenity of his silence.

“What’s next on today’s itinerary?” Henry asked with his hands clasped behind his back, strides becoming slower with every step.

“You need to meet with the university students today, sir,” Hae, his assistant, stated as though she expected him to remember the important occasion.

“Don’t speak to me in that tone,” he grumbled. “Of course I remember.”

“I’m assuming the talk with your son went badly?”

“I don’t know what to do with him, Hae.”

With this sigh echoing the moment, the pair made their way through the shark exhibit that costed him millions of dollars to fix all those years ago and sauntered past the stingray tanks, wondering how he was going to be an inspiration to a group of marine biology students while he felt like a failure of a father. He wondered what else he had to contribute to the field of marine biology when he had prioritised it for his entire life. It was the reason why his son hated him and it was the reason why he lost his wife- it was his lack of presence and immense ignorance that put him in a place where he truly had nothing else to lose. He had the money, the cars, the friends to brag with and an eldest son who was succeeding in life without his help- but then there was his youngest, defying him in all manners and reminding him of the mistakes that haunted his life.

However, a beacon of hope, a ray of sanguine had entered his life that day and he wouldn’t realise it until he was laying on his deathbed. In the group of future marine biologists he met that day was Y/N, standing amongst the crowd meekly with a notebook and a pen to jot down everything that she thought would help her education and career. She was the one answering questions in a whisper when no one else knew the answer, her hand barely raised in the air. When Henry saw her, her hair tied in a ponytail and clothes put together in a hurry that made her look pathetic, he could only smile. Because as he looked at her, he saw himself- the version of him that was left in the gates of his college, the version of him that had to be left back in order to become the tycoon that he was now.

So before the group of university students left, he found himself asking Y/N for a conversation and pulled her towards the gift shop while the rest of her classmates waited at the gate, murmuring and whispering about what they could be talking about. Henry placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and smiled at her the way a mentor would smile at his mentee. He had a proud smile on his face as he said, “I think you’d make an amazing marine biologist one day.”

“What?” Y/N, the poor girl, having been put down by her classmates her whole life, was gaping at his statement. Her eyes reflect a sense of hope and surprise under the golden lights of the gift shop.

“Yes,” Henry nodded enthusiastically. “I would like it if you worked with me, I could easily offer you a job,” he said. He shuffled his hand around in the pocket of his blazer and pulled out his business card and handed it to her, certain that it would come in handy for her future. “When you’re ready for a job or an internship- anything, just call me and I’ll help you out.”

Henry walked away from her, leaving his future student dumbfounded. Her eyes fixated on the business card in her hands, her thumbs and forefingers outlining the corners of the rectangle. It was a navy blue colour, his name, number and The Marine Foundation of Korea carved in golden ink. It looked like her ticket to a new life, the life she had chased since she was a little kid carrying around an encyclopaedia of animals. It was the golden ticket in her Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

It was a good analogy in her head. Henry Sim, the man with greying hair and diminishing eyesight, was Willy Wonka and she was Charlie, the lost boy that simply wanted a taste of something better, something great. So when it was time for her to get an internship, Henry had taken her under his wing.

“You must be Y/N.”

When Y/N started off as an intern, she started questioning whether she had made the right choice. Some of her friends were off travelling the seven seas to research unknown species of the depths and others were working in labs established on beach sides. They were living in tropical islands like the Caribbean or Hawaii and their instagrams were filled with them in diving gear and sea creatures in their natural habitats. Y/N had always dreamt of a life as such, to swim with sharks and study their behaviours or to explore the depths of the ocean floor within the safety of a yellow submarine. She imagined she would travel the world by the time she graduated college and she imagined spending most of her days on a boat, whale watching or spotting dolphins.

There was that one semester in college where she got an experience as close to what she imagined. She, along with a few other promising students, were selected to spend a semester on sea where they spent learning how to dive and sail ships. It was a memorable four months, really, to spend it with a group of people she later called friends and bonding with people on sea over half cooked fish. In that time, though the most astonishing creature they spotted was a Red Octopus, she assumed she was being trained for the future she had always dreamed of, only to end up within the confines of an aquarium- Asia’s largest aquarium, granted. Her job description as an intern included watching other employees take care of the confined species or listening to Henry, the founder, teach her more about the marine species while she took notes. There were the occasional times she was asked to write a research paper, which she did with Jason but she would much rather prefer doing the same in a lab on the beach or on a boat sailing across the Pacific Ocean.

During this time, she pondered if she should have just followed her father’s footsteps in becoming an astronomer. She would look back at her childhood when her father would teach her about constellations and planets while she looked through the giant telescope that was perched on their roof and she would wonder if such a job would make her happier. She recalled the stories her mother would tell her as a Greek historian and wondered if she should have majored in History instead. She even wondered if she should have followed her friends into their jobs instead of taking the internship in the first place. Her uncertainties came to a halt a year ago, though, when Henry promoted her as manager.

In the five years that Y/N started working in The Marine Foundation of Korea, she learnt the names and voices of everyone working there. As the manager, it wasn’t only her job but also her duty to do so, to know who she was working with and grow a personal relationship with the people around her. She knew that one of the janitor’s kid had a heart condition and she would visit him in the hospital once in a while. She knew that one of the divers working for the aquarium was in a long term relationship and was planning on proposing to his girlfriend soon- she could recognise his voice even while he struggled to speak underwater. She also knew that her boss and legal guardian, Henry Sim, had ambitions he could never fulfil because of his youngest son.

One could call her the all-knowing within the walls of the aquarium. Not only was she intelligent, she was the keeper of all the employees’ worries and burdens.

In those five years that she spent reaching her level of success, to be able to buy her own apartment in an expensive neighbourhood and to be able to afford to buy a new phone without double-checking her bank account, she had learned a lot of tricks to perfect the skills of managing the establishment that she ran when the owner wasn’t present. A once shy and timid girl became the hard-headed, thick skinned superior that demanded precision in completed work and pristine publications of whatever research papers they release. But when she wasn’t acting that way, she was calm and walked down the crystalline hallways of Korea’s beloved and prestigious aquarium with a welcoming smile.

Of all the people she knew that worked amongst the aquarium, of the few people she found herself acquainted with, the voice that was breathing into her ear from behind her did not belong to anyone she was familiar with. She could feel his chest ghosting against her back, his smirk louder than his voice could ever be. His hair brushed against her cheek and Y/N found herself spinning around with a scowl on her face.

“Jake,” she stated with discern, her obvious distaste towards him sitting heavily on her brows. His smirk only grew wider, his hand clasping behind his back as he leaned closer to her than before.

In the years that she’d known Henry and Jason Sim, she had grown rather close to them. They accepted her into their family by some sort and she was invited to every dinner they hosted in one of those fancy Chinese or Sushi restaurants- whether she attended or not was up to her. If she did attend though, she would be introduced to guests like she was Henry’s own daughter and Jason had always treated her like a sister by the way he kept her company throughout her years as an intern. Her parents, too, had grown quite fond of the father and son.

Jason and Y/N’s friendship, Henry always used to say, was unexpected. He expected them to work together and get along with each other for the sake of their jobs and business, but he was never expecting the siblingly bond they had created. Oftentimes, the pair would find themselves going out for lunch together during breaks or driving to the beach just for the sake of having some entertainment. They would regularly find themselves at each other's houses in the middle of the night with beers and soju in hopes of having movie marathons. Somewhere in that friendship, Y/N learnt a lot about the missing Sim brother.

He was studying Engineering somewhere in Australia, she learned, and he had only visited his family only a couple of times in all his years of education. There was the one time he flew back to Seoul to spend the New Year with Henry and Jason where she heard he got embarrassingly drunk and broke a glass table. Then there was the other time he visited for Christmas but disappeared within an hour without a word. Speaking of Jake meant hearing stories as such, where he was disrespectful, unexpectable and had no sense of respect. She heard that he once cussed at a shareholder because he was being too nosey.

Y/N had only ever met Jake once. Well, they didn’t exactly meet, she had just seen him passing by in a crowd. It was at another one of Henry’s lavish dinner parties where round tables were cloaked with gold cloth and napkins folded into cranes. Golden chandeliers lit above groups of conversations and amongst one of those stood Jake with overly styled hair and a suit too expensive to be bought with his own money. He was talking to some investors- or business men, she didn’t know- with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a wine glass he languidly sipped on. She was told by Jason that it was one of those rare times Jake didn’t make a scene during a party but she also heard he took a random girl to a hotel room for a one-night-stand, never to call her again.

“You say my name with such loathing,” Jake pointed out, his eyes narrowing as his teeth peeked behind his smirk. “I’d get if my dad and brother talked to me that way, but what did I ever do to you?”

Y/N took a step back, crossing her arms across her chest and tapping her heel lightly against the carpeted floor. She looked at him vexed, her mouth pursing into disinterest. Jake stood back straight, moving his hands into the pockets of his jeans and tilting his head in curiosity. If Y/N didn’t know any better, she would call him a pervert and get him thrown out of the premises by one of the guards just because she wanted to.

“I’ve heard enough stories to make a judgement,” she stated firmly.

“Is that any way to talk to your boss’ son?” He taunted.

“I frankly don’t think he’d care.”

Jake chuckled, lowering his gaze to his feet and shaking his head. His smile was bright, the crystalline waters that surrounded them reflecting on his face. A HammerHead shark from the tank behind him swam across him, followed by a Sting Ray and those animals held more of her attention than he did. “Sorry we got off on the wrong foot, Y/N,” he said and sauntered away from her, assuming he was making his way towards his father’s office. Her eyes followed him but she looked away when he glanced at her from over his shoulder. Clearing her throat, she found herself walking towards another floor of the aquarium.

Jason was right, she thought, his accent really is annoying.

Instead of the tunnel she was observing before, she was now in a fairly confined room with rectangular fish tanks one over the other, covering the span of all four walls, apart from the door. In the tanks were miniscule jellyfish that were soon to be moved to one of the larger tanks for the public to gush at. Of all the places in the aquarium, this room was probably the one she visited the most. Not because it was her favourite or anything but rather because these creatures needed most inspection. If the temperature was changed even a little bit or if the water was getting too dirty, there was a chance that a whole batch of these jellyfish would simply disintegrate.

It had happened once before, not under her watch but some other intern, who failed to notice the decrease in temperature in the room. It was a waste of a lot of Henry's money and it was also one of his favourite species that had met their demise. Because of the intern’s mistake, he yelled at him in front of the majority of the other staff and fired him. Since then, Y/N had always been cautious around her work. Perhaps it was why he was always so fond of her- she never knew why.

“Y/N?”

She flinched when she heard Jason’s voice, his head peeking into the room from the small crack of the door.

“What is it with you and your brother scaring me today?” She breathed, her hand placed over her chest.

“You met him?”

“Yeah he was walking down the tunnel, made nice.”

“He annoyed you, didn’t he?”

“Yup.”

“His first impressions are always bad.”

Jason was leading her out of the room, bringing her to the ground floor where she saw tourists and customers flocking towards the ticket booth. If there was one thing about Henry she never understood, it was the fact that he refused to digitalise the ticketing system. In fact, he refused to digitalise many things in the aquarium. He had the physical copy of every research paper published by the The Marine Foundation of Korea and his logs were still done by hand. Technology hates me and I hate technology, he would always say and this mostly stemmed from the incident where he accidentally deleted all his pictures from Google Photos.

“Isn’t an excuse to breathe down my neck,” she argued as he led her to his office.

“Damn.”

“Yeah,” she pressed. “He talked to me like he’d heard of me.”

“Obviously he’s heard of you.”

“No, I mean,” she paused, looking to her side to make eye contact with him. She wasn’t sure how to explain it, so she stuttered and used animated hand gestures to make her point. “Like he knows me.”

“Yeah, well, dad and I talk about you to him all the time.”

“What the hell?”

“In like, a business way,” Jason defended. “He asks how work goes and you sometimes come up in the conversation.”

“And what do you tell him?”

“That you’re good at your job?” He raised his brow, a confused smile meeting her look of disbelief. “Don’t take it the wrong way, he’s honestly probably just jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“Dad trusts you more than him, you know?”

Before Y/N had the chance to respond with a confused remark, perhaps even a puzzled expression, Jason was pushing open the door to Henry’s office and they were met with the sight of Henry sitting on his desk and Jake standing beside him with a grin, leaning towards whatever he was being shown on the monitor screen. Jason and Y/N settled in the chairs on the other side of the desk, the former confidently crossing one ankle over the other knee and the former confused as to why she was there in the first place. Jason had to tug her sleeve to keep her from squirming and looking around confused. There was a moment of silence that passed, Y/N’s gaze zipping between Henry and the tanks his office was surrounded by. Henry murmured to Jake while pointing at his monitor, analysing something Y/N and Jason weren’t aware of. Jake nodded along, pinching at his bottom lip in thought.

“Y/N?” Henry called. She answered with a curious hum, her brows raising. “You’re free next week? Thursday?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well, you know,” Henry brought his attention away from the monitor and towards her, pushing his glasses farther up his nose with his pinky. “I told you about it. An old friend of mine is opening a restaurant with a huge tank. He wants us there on opening night.”

“Oh, right. I remember,” she nodded.

“What, Mr. Bahng didn’t invite me?” Jake stood back straight with his arms crossed, his grin refusing to leave his expression. He looked between his father and brother, only glancing at Y/N once before continuing to tease them.

They, of course, did not find him amusing. “All of us, Jake,” Jason replied with a roll of his eyes.

“Yes, and it’s going to be a rather quiet gathering,” Henry continued. “So I expect you to be on your best behaviour.”

“When have I ever let you down, father?” Jake chuckled; Henry rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Y/N,” Henry looks at her with tired eyes. “He’s got all sorts of fish in his tank, he’s even got a Whale Shark in there-”

“Woah, what?”

“Yeah, I know, it cost a fortune but anyways,” Henry waved off. “He wants to know fun facts- his words, not mine- about all the species he’d got in there so could you be a dear and…?”

“Yeah, no problem,” Y/N grinned and patted Henry's hand that rested on his desk. “Anything but having to socialise with strangers.”

“Can I join her?” Jason chimed, pointing his thumb towards her.

In that moment, Henry glanced between his son and favourite-slash-best employee and they resembled children asking whether they could take a break from studying to watch cartoons. His eyes twitched, thinking that he didn’t want to deal with annoyance other than his younger son. “No,” Henry said. “You’re socialising with strangers. So are you, Jake.”

Jake, who was about to open his mouth to protest with a finger raised in the air, gulped and dropped his hands down to his sides and nodded with pursed lips.

The opening night to Mr. Bahng’s restaurant was a spectacle. What was planned as an intimate gathering turned into a media spectacle. Paparazzi flocked the entrance of the restaurant and bodyguards had to hold back the public as the handsome sons of Henry Sim, the founder of The Marine Foundation of Korea, walked the red carpet. Minor celebrities, a few actors and foreign entertainers attended the evening- some spotted the Jenner Sisters and others hollered at Jason Momoa and Leo DiCaprio. DiCaprio was an old friend of Henry’s- they met through ocean conservation funds and over the years, he had earned a permanent place on Henry’s invite list and vice-versa. Y/N had the pleasure of meeting him once, barely for a few minutes, for a hand shake and to be introduced as the aquarium’s manager and top researcher.

Y/N walked the red carpet with her arm looped with Jason’s, her free hand holding the hem of her sparkly dress in order not to trip in the ruckus. Her hand would occasionally come up to shield her eyes from the camera flashes and Jason had to repeatedly catch her frame because she was tripping on her heels. They were both dreading to see how the paparazzi pictures would turn out the next morning. Jake, on the other hand, walked confidently with a hand in his pocket and the other waving and blowing kisses at everyone. Photographers and netizens were gawking at the Australian engineer graduate, asking for pictures and photographs but ultimately being turned down. He was famously known on the internet for his looks, Prince Charming-like looks and mannerisms. His personality? It was a mystery to all those on the internet, further feeding into delusions of young fan-girls. It was only Jason and Henry that filmed for interviews for the world of marine-biology, often showing up on the news to promote The Marine Foundation of Korea or to talk about their next big break-through in marine sciences.

Henry and Mr. Bahng were the last to walk the carpet- they were the highlight of the event, after all. When they finally entered the restaurant, the glass doors were shut and bolted behind them, bodyguards taking their place in front of the premises like they were protecting The Sphinx. What was inside the restaurant might as well be as valuable as The Sphinx- there were barely any lights to illuminate the subtle interiors of the restaurant. Circular tables spanned the floor, glass windows towering the walls for the public to see inside if it weren’t for the black curtains. Everything else was painted black, too- the walls, the tables, the black marbled floors. The tank however… The tank glowed blue, just like the tanks in the aquarium. It spanned the entirety of one of the four walls in the restaurant. Schools of fish swam by, accompanied by Stingrays, Hammerhead and Leopard sharks. A lone Mola Mola swam by, its eye holding a vacant stare as it scanned the spans of the restaurant on the other side of the glass.

The showstopper, however, would only make its presence when Y/N finally made her way towards the exhibit. Her heels clicked against the black marble, one hand holding the hem of her dress and the other clutching her purse. The loose strands that fell from her hair up-do fanned her shoulders and just as her bangs bristled her eyes, the Whale Shark swam past the tank. It glided effortlessly across the water, its massive and speckled body moving with a hypnotic grace, throwing Y/N into a trance. She stood in awe, eyes scanning for when she could see it again, acting like she didn’t see Whale Sharks everyday in the aquarium. It was the ambiance of the restaurant that made the tank more mesmerising, if she had to be honest. She’d never seen anything like it.

Jake didn’t get a chance to admire the premises yet, sucked into meeting the guests and investors with his father and brother. When he found a chance to slip away, he made his way to the bar and ordered himself a double shot of whiskey. He promised himself that it would be his first and last drink, remembering his promise of behaving for the night. The last time his father brought him to a public gathering, which was almost two years ago, he almost set the venue on fire and broke a glass table. Scowling at the memories he dug up, he took a seat on a black stool at the bar, wandering his eyes around the guests and seeing men and women of power mingle in unexpected cliques. Finally, his gaze landed on the tank, the main attraction of the night, its hue misting the ambience and painting his skin in a sparkling blue. He admired it, watching the Whale Shark languidly make its way back and forth across the tank, sucker fish clinging onto its skin and a lone Leatherback Turtle following it.

Eventually, his eyes dragged towards the far corner of the restaurant where he found the back of Y/N’s silhouette. She, too, was admiring the tank. Gripping his glass of whiskey, he made his way towards her, a sly smile gracing his lips and the whites of his eyes twinkling brighter with the blue hue. As he walked closer, he could make out the familiar color of her dress that he spent the whole limo-ride staring at. It was a sparkly blue and silver dress, thin straps that barely held the dress up her bust. Her hair was put up in a messy bun, two hair pins with silver sea turtles holding it in place. Her earrings matched her hair pins and her heels matched the silver of her dress. The blue hue colored her skin and he swore he was looking at a still-life painting.

“Where’d you get the dress from?”

Y/N looked over her shoulder to catch Jake’s smirk that she learned to despise through Jason’s anecdotes. The smirk that led to his many one-night-stands, his smirk that led to all the decisions that made his father angry at him, the smirk that led to disasters was the same smirk that was walking towards her. Her serenity pulled into annoyance and Jake could see it in her eyes, her brows wrinkling and her lips sneered.

“Hey, I’m just playing nice,” he offered, trying his best to shrug and surrender his motivations. He took another sip of his whiskey, keeping his gaze fixed on her expression.

Y/N turned her body to face him and now, his eyes were wandering down her frame, staring at all the curves of her body that her dress showed off, just as he did in the limo. “It’s an old dress, I wear it a lot,” she admitted. Then, she knocked a nod towards the glass in his hand. “Let me guess, fifth drink of the night?”

“Come on, the night just started,” he rolled his eyes, the gnarly smirk refusing to leave his expression. “It’s my only drink of the night. Promised dad I’d behave, remember?”

“Right,” she swallowed. The hand that was holding the hem of her dress moved to clutch her purse, both her hands pressing into stomach. A water came around with a tray of appetizers, ironic that it was all seafood. Jake finished his drink and handed the empty glass to the waiter, taking two pieces of appetizers- one for him and one for Y/N.

Silence engulfed them as they stood side by side, both now facing the tank and staring at the creatures and coral spanning across her, the only sound being the loud swishes of the water and their chewing. Y/N was not staring to admire anymore; she was staring to distract herself from the awkward presence, to pass time in any way that she could.

“Aren’t you supposed to be socialising?” Y/N asked, hoping he’d realise and leave.

“I’d rather stare at this than socialise,” Jake said, both his hands digging into his trousers.

He wasn’t sure what stories his father and Jason fed Y/N about him for her to hold onto her negative impression of her. She probably thought he hated his family’s line of work, to read about water and the ocean beds and fish all day. In reality, he loved marine biology, he truly did. But he wasn’t going to apologize for not seeing it as his career. Jake still went to the aquarium of every city he would visit, spent time reading the articles and journals his father published and watched marine documentaries in his free time. He even had a small fish tank in his apartment back in Australia- he had two Firefish Goby and two Cardinalfish. He loved marine biology so much, he specialised in marine engineering. He wasn’t sure if Y/N knew that.

“Can I ask you a question?” Jake turned to her. She raised her brows in curiosity, coaxing him to continue. “Why this?”

“What?”

“I mean, why this?” He pointed at the fish tank just as the Whale Shark swam past them again. “Fish tanks, standing in one place, staring, the aquarium. Why, when you could have gone to bigger research centers like in Hawaii, or something?”

Jake almost regretted asking the question when he saw the expression on Y/N’s face turn solemn. She brought her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing as though she was chewing her brain to find him the answer to his question. Not so she could give it to him but because she wanted to give it to herself. Why? She asked herself that, too.

“I don’t know, Jake,” she sighed. “It seemed right at the time and… I guess, I just didn’t know? Who would pass up an opportunity to work with Henry Sim, you know? He chose me. And I’m not saying I regret it, I’ve found family in him and Jason but I ask myself why, too. I miss being out on the waters.”

Ignoring all that she said about his father and brother, knowing it would trigger him, he smirked at her again. He knew how she felt, it was the same thing Jason used to tell him a few years ago. As mesmerising as aquariums were, being out in the sea and seeing marine creatures in the wilderness is like cutting to a surgery intern. Jake had only gone on an ocean expedition once his whole life. His father took him during high school while he was applying for universities in hopes of changing his mind about his major. Jake remembered loving it, being enamored and lost in what the ocean had to offer, to witness its mystery with his own eyes. But unfortunately for his father, it still wasn’t enough to replace his love for engineering.

“I get it,” he assured her. “Don’t worry though. It won’t be this way for long.”

Before Y/N could ask what he meant, to make him elaborate, they heard Henry hollering their names from across the restaurant. He was waving their hand at them, Jason standing beside him sulking in boredom. Jake and Y/N speed-walked towards him, joining him at the table along with a scholar of jellyfish biology.

“Bahng is going to give his speech soon. Sit,” Henry told the pair.

Mr.Bahng’s speech went on for longer than most would like. He stood in the middle of the room with a drink raised in the air, thanking his family, friends and colleagues for making his dreams come true. His daughter stood beside him, trying to calm his influenced-state but it had all only turned into a comical predicament. Y/N caught Jake eyeing the daughter, knowing she must have been one of his old conquests. Most women she knew of her age who ran in the same circles were all probably one of Jake’s old conquests. She wasn’t going to shame these women, she understood the appeal- the wide smile, the sparkling eyes, the smooth hair and dashing facial features. However, she wouldn’t miss a chance to shame Jake, especially around Jason.

Sick and bored of it all, Jason signaled to Jake to grab a drink with him at the bar. As the pair stood up, leaving Y/N alone with Henry and the jellyfish scholar, Henry questioned the pair.

“No more drinks for Jake,” he warned.

“One more can’t hurt. I’m fine,” Jake defended himself, only to be met by an eye roll and a wave of his hand, telling them to go away and come back soon.

The brothers ordered whiskey for themselves. They’ve been told all the men in their family were whiskey enthusiasts. So is their father- apart from the phase he had when he was an angry drunkard, hammered with cheap beer and vodka most of the nights. Now that it had subsided, he was back to whiskey and that too, only rarely.

“Have you not told Y/N yet?” Jake asked his brother as they settled down onto the tall stools. By then, Mr. Bahng’s speech had ended and the room erupted in small talk again. Y/N’s ears were probably being ripped off by the jellyfish scholar but knowing her, she was definitely enjoying the conversation.

“Told her what?” Jason looked at him with utter confusion.

“The research team? Summer expedition?” Jake tried jogging his memory.

“Oh, right!” Jason nodded, sipping on his drink and hissing when an ice cube touched his teeth- it was a pet peeve he’s had since he was young, but he loved the taste of cold beverages. “We wanted to surprise her. Dad knows how much she’s been waiting for this so we’re gonna tell her on a better day.”

“Oh, God. I was on the verge of telling her,” Jake frowned.

“But she doesn’t suspect anything, right?”

“Nope, not a thing.”

“Crisis averted, then!” Jason assured him. “Dad and I are still figuring out how to tell her. Got any ideas?”

“She hates me, I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear any good news from me,” Jake chuckled.

“Y/N doesn’t hate you,” Jason Looked at him baffled and confused, mouth pulled upwards in surprise.

Jake scoffed. “Yes,” he said. “She does. And it’s because of the crap you and dad feed her.”

“Jake, she doesn’t hate you. I know when Y/N hates someone and she doesn’t hate you,” Jason chuckled. “She’s just a bit apprehensive of you and I don’t blame her. You’re a character-”

“Thanks, man-”

“And she takes time with certain people. To be fair, people like you aren’t her scene.”

“I’m not her scene? The fuck does that mean?” Jake laughed, finishing the last of his drink.

“Jake, you’re the drink and let’s party kinda person. She’s not. She likes peace and quiet and books and fancy sofas to sit on. She’s just quiet, dude. Give her time.”

“Yeah, fair enough,” Jake rolled his eyes.

Just then, Y/N found her way to Jason’s side, the click of her heels stopping at the stool beside him. She had an annoyed expression on her face, her eyes tired and almost lifeless. “Your dad’s calling. We’re going home,” she deadpanned and turned to walk away, the hem of her dress in one hand as her hips swayed with more vigour. She was sleepy and tired and if the limo didn’t drop her off at home, she was going to crash in Jason’s bed.

Sunlight danced across the crests, water stretching endlessly into a mosaic of light and motion. Gentle swells rolled beneath the research vessel while occasional whitecaps broke against the hull of the boat. Y/N lay stretched on the warmed deck, salty breeze tickling her stomach and bringing frizzy curls to her hair. Clad in a striped bikini, she left little to the imagination. It was an early morning for her, seagulls mulling over the Indian Ocean and skies still painted with a pink hue. Everyone on the team was still asleep and she took the opportunity to seize the morning.

The first person to wake up was Sunghoon, one of Jake’s friends, who happened to be an oceanographer and drone operator. He studied ocean currents and temperature changes and learned how to pilot drones in order to collect data on plankton blooms. Without him, the entire whale research expedition would be impossible. Sunghoon greeted Y/N with a drowsy smile, clad in only a pair of shorts himself, taking in the morning sunlight.

Following him was Jay, one of Jason’s friends, who was a cetologist and acoustic analyst. He was rubbing a towel against his wet hair, waving at Y/N who started to put on her shirt out of a slight insecurity that crept onto her cheeks. Behind him, Jason and Heeseung joined with plates of toasted bread and a carton of orange juice. Jason threw a piece of bread towards Y/N and she swiftly caught it, thanking him for breakfast.

Heeseung was known as a young prodigy in the field, perfecting his skills in steering and working as the boat captain and field technician. Jake, too, came aboard as a field technician- a marine engineer himself. In fact, If it weren’t for Jake, Henry Sim would probably have never agreed to this whale research expedition in the first place. Jake wanted to test out new equipment that was hitting the market and who better to test the equipment than The Marine Foundation of Korea? It took a lot of convincing and buttering up his father to convince, yet here he was, heading an entire project by himself with some of his closest friends. If Y/N had squinted hard enough at the predicament, this was basically a vacation for a bunch of fish nerds.

She sat on the deck with her legs brought to her chest, chewing on the soggy piece of bread and watching as Jake finally made his way towards the group of boys with a bowl of scrambled eggs in his hand. Vaguely, she could hear Sunghoon say, “your father must finally be proud of you,” and Jason circling back with a sarcastic comment. It made the group rumble with laughter and Y/N felt herself cracking a smile too.

It was probably around three months ago when Jason and Henry broke the news to her. She was coming back from having a measly lunch at a convenience store nearby and had entered Henry’s office to collect a few files. When she opened the door, Jason and Henry had been waiting for her with a cake in their hands and beaming smiles on their faces. “If you’d walked in any later, I would have started eating this thing without you,” Jason chuckled at her, pulling out a plastic knife from his pocket.

Y/N looked at the pair with confusion, eyes darting between the greeting brows of Henry and the grinning mouth of Jason. Then, her eyes fell towards the chocolate cheesecake they were holding, the word “Congratulations!” pipped on with melted chocolate. She recognised this cake. It was the same one they’d buy for every one of her birthdays she spent with them over the past five years. However, the absence of “Happy Birthday!” threw her off- also, the fact that it wasn’t her birthday.

“What is this for?” She asked, feeling as though this was almost a mistake. This cake was expensive and she almost felt guilty. “Guys, nothing’s happened,” she widened her eyes, shook her head and waved her hands in front of her to demonstrate no.

“What do you mean, Kkomaya?” Henry chuckled. “You’re gonna be part of a research team. That’s a huge thing to celebrate.”

“What?”

“Yeah.”

Jason handed her a piece of folded paper that was tucked away in his blazer. It read the details of a whale research expedition that would take place during the summer and span into autumn season. Y/N could barely skim through the details when her eyes landed on the plethora of signatures that filled the end of the paper. She recognised Henry, Jake and Jason’s signatures and some of a few government officials that signed off on the research expedition and agreed to fund for it. Right beside Jake’s signature was an empty dotted line, waiting for Y/N’s signature.

“You’re joking,” she gasped.

“Sign it so we can cut this cake and celebrate, Y/N. My hand’s getting sore,” Jason chuckled again.

“Oh, right. Sorry!”

What followed next was a string of excited screams, giggles and jumping around until Y/N finally signed the paper and threw herself into Henry and Jason to hug. Then, they cut the cake and each enjoyed a piece, the rest to be distributed amongst the employees of the aquarium in light of good news. A few moments later, Jake entered the room, coyly making his way towards Y/N to give her a handshake. Since the night of Mr. Bahng’s restaurant opening, the pair had developed a healthy rapport. He would visit the aquarium sometimes, bumping into Y/N in the process and making polite conversation. He made efforts to be a little more respectful towards her, packing away his cocky personality only in front of her. She once asked him why he was spending so much time in Korea, leaving his job in Australia and he responded aloofly. She got her answer now.

Now, it was the end of May and Y/N was on a research vessel with an unfamiliar group. Though she spent a week getting to know them before leaving for the expedition, seeing them interact on the deck, throwing around jokes like they’d known each other their whole lives… she wasn’t sure how to act that way. She felt like the odd one out, the loose end. Jake and Sunghoon were childhood friends; Jason and Jay were college friends and Heeseung was Mr. Bahng’s oldest son so Jake and Jason had known of him since they were kids. She’s met him a handful of times before, including the night of Mr. Bahng’s restaurant opening. But she didn’t know him like everyone else did.

“Y/N!” Jason waved for her to come over and she did, lifting herself off the lounging chair and walking towards them. It was their third day together on this vessel and she still wasn’t sure how to approach anyone when they were grouped together. She hated saying it, but she relied on Jason to include her when it came to the socialising side of her work. The practicality, however? She was splendid.

“Today’s the day we need to actually start working,” Heeseung said to her as she approached them. Jason made space between himself and Heeseung so she could stand in the circle with them. “It’s mostly Jay and Sunghoon that’s gotta do the work today, figuring out the equipment and all. Jake and I will help. You and Jason stay in stand by, for now. You can go on dives, get your practice on. Just be careful, make sure one of us is scouting…”

And Heeseung rambled on, eventually moving on to telling Jay and Sunghoon what their itinerary consisted of. Y/N’s eyes wandered off to the ocean, water spanning for miles on end, no land near site. They were in the middle of nowhere- well, not literally. They knew their coordinates. But if their equipment were to damage or if one fell overboard, they were as good as dead. It’s moments and opportunities like these marine biologists spend their lives working towards- what Y/N spent her days waiting for.

“So, that’s final?” Sunghoon started. “Jay and I will get the hydrophones, then?”

“Yep,” Heeseung clasped his hands together and everyone started dispersing, mumbling words of encouragement and affirmations, pumping their fists in the air or clapping to get their spirits up.

Before everyone had the chance to disappear and get their gear prepared, Jason stopped everyone and said, “should we make, like, a group chant sort of thing?”

“Yeah, that’s not happening, mate,” Jake pursed his lips and patted his brother on his chest. Y/N chuckled and the rest of them laughed while walking away to continue their work.

It took Jay and Sunghoon a total of four hours to deploy the five units of hydrophones, both floating and anchored. While diving, they would constantly resurface for air and call for Jake, yelling, “What kind of new technology is this, you twat, I prefer the old ones!” Their anger bubbled, frustrated at the fact that a two hour process was taking them double the time only because of the unfamiliarity. After their fourth complaint, Jake ended up diving with them to help.

Heeseung stayed with Jason and Y/N to help test and calibrate the hydrophones. While they sent test signals, Y/N cursed under her breath, too, telling Jason, “we could have just used the old equipment. This new shit Jake brought us is not user friendly.”

“People thought that about the iPhone but they love it now, don’t they?” Jason offered, hoping to reduce Y/N’s distaste. She could only respond by rolling her eyes.

By the time they were done, the sun had started setting and the divers barely ate food. The trio that stayed on the vessel cooked a heavy dinner with whatever ingredients they had, feeding the divers the second they freshened up. The group assembled on the deck, the same place they were huddling in the morning, with blankets wrapped around their shoulders to shield from the chilly breeze.

“Where’s Jason?” Jake looked around.

“He’s finishing with the final sample recordings. He’ll be up in a bit,” Y/N assured.

Jason came back with six chairs, one for everyone to sit on as they debriefed for the night. Warm water was passed around as conversation fluidly changed from work to personal history. The stars were shining unfamiliarly, a sight Y/N couldn’t get in the city anymore. She was reminded of her father who used to point to the constellations and tell her their names. As a kid, she knew most of them by heart. Now, she was unable to recognise most of the constellations, only being able to pick out a few.

“Add in a bonfire and the night would be perfect,” Jay sighed, shivering as he hugged his blanket tighter.

“Oh, we used to go camping a lot in college,” Jason mused. “Those were the times, man. Young and alive.”

“I’d say you’re living it up right now as well, bro,” Heeseung laughed, referring to their boat that was in the middle of the ocean, whale watching and diving as a part of their job description and getting paid above average.

“True,” Jason scratched the nape of his neck in embarrassment. Jake further made fun of Jason and Sunghoon joined in, throwing pieces of crumpled paper from their notebooks at him.

“Look at the stars, guys,” Heeseung directed everyone’s gaze towards the sky. “You don't have nights like these in the city anymore.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Y/N nodded. “Gotta take it all in before we leave.”

“We’ve got three months for that, don’t worry,” Sunghoon assured.

“Hey, Y/N, wasn’t your dad an astronomer?” Jason clocked his head. “He used to teach you when you were a kid, where each constellation was?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

“You told me, like, a really long time ago.”

“Your dad did physics in college? That’s so cool,” Jake pipped, sitting at the edge of his chair and directing his excited smile at her. He’s always had a habit of becoming excited at the mention of physics and math- the entire reason he went into engineering.

“Do you still remember some of the constellations?” When Heeseung asked, Y/N nodded. “Do tell us,” he encouraged.

Bringing her bottom lip between her teeth, she looked up and squinted her eyes to see if anything looked familiar. “Do you guys see the diamond shape?” She heard everyone confirm with a hum. “That’s The Corvus or The Crow. Dad used to say that the crow was a messenger from the sea.”

”Wah,” she heard Jason and Jay exclaiming as she continued searching.

“Do you see a teapot, perchance? Right there,” Y/N attempted to show them its correct location by pointing and once again, she was met with a group of hums. “That’s The Sagittarius. It contains the center of the Milky Way.”

”Wait, I’ve heard about this,” Jake snapped his fingers, trying to jog his memory. “Didn’t sailors use it to locate the galactic core or something?”

”You’re right, I’m surprised you knew that,” Y/N smirked and tried finding another constellation.

In the background, Sunghoon pondered aloud on what it would be like if he could name a constellation after himself and it brought the group into a laughing fit. Jake, though he laughed with them, kept his gaze on Y/N, admiring the way her nose tilted upwards and gaze reflected the starry sky. Jake, who once picked up a book on astronomy out of sheer curiosity and gave up on reading it due to its lack of logic and mechanics, found himself leering as she explained the stars to everyone.

“Do you guys see the red star? That’s Antares, the heart of The Scorpion,” she explained.

”Wow,” Sunghoon started and snapped towards Jake as though he had a revelation. “Wait, isn’t that your constellation? You’re a Scorpio, right?”

”Yeah, how’d you know?”

”I’ve known you your whole life, asshole. Don’t tell me you don’t know my zodiac.”

”I do, I do!”

”What is it?”

”Sagittarius! I thought about it when Y/N pointed it out, I swear!”

Then started the narration of Jake and Sunghoon becoming friends. Jake’s mother, Vivian, moved into the street that Sunghoon’s parents, Daniel and Emily Park, lived in. Both couples were newly weds, just getting back from their honeymoon. Vivian had already been pregnant with Jason at the time and because her and Emily grew close, she was there the day Jason was born. When their husbands were off to work, Emily would often spend her time with Vivian, taking care of her and Jason. Around a year later, Vivian fell pregnant again and Emily announced her pregnancy exactly a month later.

The two mothers spent all their time together thereafter, going to the hospital for check ups together and supporting each other through pregnancy yoga exercises. With each other's support, they didn’t worry about their husbands working overtime. They even hired a nanny together, shifting between houses to help with household work and with Jason, who was still too young to understand his surroundings at the time.

Jake and Sunghoon were born a month apart, Jake being the older one. Emily was in the hospital while Vivian gave birth and vice versa. Henry and Daniel were in wonder of their friendship- it was like it was out of the movies, utopian for the society they lived in today. It was a good thing the two families found each other in this dog-eat-dog world.

Jake and Sunghoon went to the same schools, same clubs and festered the same hobbies so they could do everything together. Their mothers used to joke that they’d end up falling for the same girl one day. “And what would you do if that ever happened?” Emily used to ask Sunghoon and he would respond with, “boy code- I’ll stay away from her if he likes her and I know he’d do the same for me.” In fact, he did and when a similar situation arose in middle school, neither of them got the girl because they valued their friendship more.

Around the time Jake and Sunghoon were old enough to perceive and build on their imaginations, they started pulling pranks on Jason. It was the nasty ones- like, putting saran wrap on the toilet seat or sticking gnarly notes on his bag before he left for school. Once, they rolled a skateboard into him while he was walking into his bedroom and he fell face first into the floor, breaking his nose and costing his parents an emergency trip to the hospital. Jason and Jake didn’t speak for a full month after that incident.

When Jake and Sunghoon turned sixteen, the Park family started talking about relocating to China. Daniel had better job prospects and he was convinced that his children, Sunghoon and Yeji who were four years apart, would receive better education. “And international exposure is always good for a child,” he’d tell Emily. Sunghoon would argue that he wouldn’t leave the country until college and Yeji would cry about not wanting to leave her friends.

It was around this time that Henry opened The Marine Foundation of Korea and started earning more. Their family moved to a more expensive neighbourhood but that didn’t stop Jake and Sunghoon from spending most of their time together. In fact, when Henry had gone on his drinking spree due to the lawsuits and backlash, Jake would run off to Sunghoon’s house, leaving his poor mother and brother to deal with his scary father. When it came time to decide upon college and careers, Sunghoon sat through arguments with Henry to allow Jake to pursue his passions in engineering.

When Jake and Sunghoon started senior year in high school, Vivian was diagnosed with uterine cancer- stage four. That year was filled with tragedy and character change from Henry. Though they spent a fortune on hospital bills, Vivian’s health rapidly declined. The two families started accepting the fate that was to come and Vivian came to an honorable death. What made the children’s period of grief insufferable was that the tabloids had picked up the event and started bombarding the Sim family with unrelated questions. It made Jake want to run away.

Around that time, Sunghoon’s family did end up relocating to Taiwan where Sunghoon pursued marine biology (being truly inspired by Henry’s work) and Yeji continued her high school education. Jake flew off to Australia to pursue engineering, despite his father’s wishes, and estranged himself from his family. For over a year, Henry and Jason only got updates about Jake from Sunghoon. Eventually, though, the three made peace.

It had been almost a decade since Vivian passed away and over three years since Jake and Sunghoon completed post graduation from living across the world from each other, yet their friendship still ran strong. They called and texted each other religiously, making sure their friendship lived on through whatever they were doing in life. Being on this research expedition was like a dream for the pair- everything had somehow worked out perfectly.

“Do you miss your mom?” Heeseung found himself asking the Sim brothers.

“Yeah, of course,” Jake shrugged and slumped further into his chair. Sunghoon reached over to comfortingly pat his knee and he cracked him a smile.

“I miss her all the time,” Jason said. “I’d like to think she’s in a better place.”

A long time ago, when Jason first told Y/N about how his mother passed away, she noticed that there was never an air of solemness or pity when he spoke about her. It was tragic and unfortunate, but Jason never let that reflect in himself. He always spoke about his mother with confidence or a smile on his face, celebrating her existence as a smart woman and amazing mother. He never let anyone show him pity about the fact that he lost his mother too young. He simply chose to idolise her, keep her alive through his happiness and through his achievements. She realised, after narrating basically his whole childhood, that Jake was the same. When he spoke about his mother, he didn’t let his voice cloud with pity and he described her with love and adoration.

“Isn’t it lucky that you ended up doing marine engineering?” Sunghoon said to Jake.

“I love engineering but I do love the ocean, too. Shit’s in my blood- dad shat on me for no reason,” Jake rolled his eyes and Jason threw back a piece of crumpled paper at him. Annoyed, Jake bounced his leg up and down. “You know what we forgot to mention?”

“What?” Sunghoon asked.

“Do you remember when Yeji had the biggest crush on Jason?”

With that, Sunghoon let out the biggest groan and threw his head back, hiding his face under his hands. Jason leaped at the memory while Heeseung, Jay and Y/N begged Sunghoon to show them a picture of his sister. Jake started scrolling through his phone to see if he could find any.

“What do you say, Jason?” Jake wiggled his eyebrows at his brother.

“Dude, grow up,” Jason rolled his eyes. “She was a kid.”

“Not anymore! Isn’t she, like, working right now, Sunghoon?” Jake teased.

“I’ll actually kill you,” Sunghoon deadpanned.

“I think they’d make a great couple, though!”

“Dear lord, not this again,” Jason groaned. “The four of us talk all the time, we literally have a group chat. Stop making it weird.”

From what Y/N could gather, this seemed like a conversation the three had frequently. Jake would mention the pairing of Jason and Yeji and Jason and Sunghoon would get riled up and throw a fit. Jake would then continue to list down the reasons as to why should start dating for the millionth time and the other two would turn him down for the millionth time. After seeing a picture of Yeji, she understood why Jake said they would make a great pair.

The first time Y/N saw Jason and Jake side by side, she told them that they looked nothing alike. And they truly didn’t- everyone would always be surprised when they told them they were siblings, only one year apart. Jake had stronger features, a sharper nose, defined jawline, almond eyes, thick lips and curtain-like hair. Jason, however, had lighter features with a button nose, round eyes, fluffy hair and puppy-like lips. They were both handsome, there was nothing to deny, just in polar different ways.

“I think this is a sign for us to sleep guys, It’s gonna be early morning for all of us from here on,” Jason announced and was the first to get up.

Everyone followed him to the sleeping pods, six beds fitted to the walls like bunk beds. If they stared hard enough, the room almost looked like a jail-cell but none of them really took it to heart. They wouldn’t be spending much time there anyway. Y/N slept in the bed above Jason’s and Jake slept opposite to her. That night, she found herself drifting off to sleep while desperately trying to focus on his features, the softness of his expression as he slept.

“This is our first drone test,” Heeseung announced and Sunghoon planted himself beside him with the drone and controller in hand. It had almost been a week since they deployed the hydrophones and it took them a week to perfect how to use them. Improvements were going slower than expected but a majority of the reason for this expedition was to test the new equipment so they learned to not complain as much. Finally, they decided to move on to the next piece of equipment, the drone, that Sunghoon was going to manoeuvre.

“Are we ready?” Sunghoon called. Everyone answered with a hum, dressed in scuba gear in case they needed to dive at the spotting of any whale, they told themselves. In the few days that they were at sea, they found it concerning that they spotted everything but a whale. “Alright, let’s go, then!”

Everyone watched with curiosity, intent and awe as the drone lifted higher into the sky, becoming a speckle of dust to their eyes as Sunghoon controlled it with grace. Jason monitored its camera through his laptop, paying close attention to anything that it could capture. They all stood around watching the screen for around ten minutes, Sunghoon still standing at the edge of the doc as he controlled the drone.

When the fifteenth minute came around, everyone started to lose hope, dispersing to do their respective work with grumbles and sighs. The twentieth minute came around and Jake asked Sunghoon if the new version of the drone was better than the hydrophones. He confirmed with a nod, his lips slightly parted as he concentrated his fingers on the controller and his eyes towards the sky where he could still see the drone. Bored, Jason and Y/N started playing thumb wars and Heeseung and Jay started discussing what the next day’s itinerary would be- Sunghoon let out a gasp.

“Guys, look!”

Everyone ran towards the laptop screen and vaguely, they could see the outline of a large fish, slowly gliding through the ocean currents, around twenty feet away from them. It wasn’t blue- a deep brown and grey, rather. It could have easily been a Bryde’s Whale. At this realisation, everyone elated and Jason ran to check if the hydrophones were picking up any sounds or echoes.

“I’ve got nothing,” Jason shook his head.

”What do you mean? Let me check,” Jay took over and after a few seconds of listening, he too concluded the same thing. “Are you sure the hydrophones aren’t glitching again?” He asked Jake.

“No, I’m sure,” Jake assured.

”Guys, it’s not too far from us. You can go check it out,” Sunghoon hollered to everyone, noticing that the silhouette was moving closer and closer towards the vessel.

Within the next ten minutes, Jay, Jason, Jake and Y/N were diving headfirst into the water. The rush of the ocean engulfed Y/N, the cold making her realise that this was her first time diving in the ocean since her semester on sea during college. The past few years, she’d kept in touch by diving in swimming pools and facilities but this… the real thing was always better.

Bubbles streamed past their bodies as they tried cutting through the water, their goggles making everything hazy as they got used to the pressure. At a distance, they could see the silhouette of what they hoped to be a Bryde’s Whale. Sunghoon and Heeseung kept an eye on them through the video the drone was transmissioning.

For a breathless moment, a moment where they all hoped that it was a whale they were finally seeing, they truly believed that they were in luck. However, as they swam closer to the giant body, theyr recognised its gaping mouth, unhurried movements and pointy fins as something else. For a moment, another breathless moment, they were disappointed, weight filling their chest in a way the ocean’s pressure couldn’t crush them. But seconds later, they decided to enjoy their discovery- Y/N, especially. It was fleeting, barely a few seconds, but it felt like something unspoken passed between them in that shared moment.

“Guys, it’s a Basking Shark,” Y/N said. “Heeseung? Sunghoon? Can you hear me?”

“It’s a Basking Shark, alright,” Jay said, his voice crackling through the earphones before Y/N could receive his words.

“You know the rules, guys. No touching, only looking,” Jason reminded them.

The group of four stopped swimming, floating in the blue abyss and watching the Basking Shark’s movements. It opened its mouth to inhale water- its way of catching food. It stayed open that way, allowing them to get a full view of its insides. White and dark stripes disappearing into its stomach. Slowly, slowly, second by second, the shark swam their direction, as calm as the wind and ocean before a storm. The divers moved to stand out of its way as it swam past them.

“How many feet do you think it is?” Jake asked.

“This is a big one,” Jay said. “I think 30, maybe 33 feet.”

Y/N knew the answer to this question. Normally, she would be the first person leap at answering. But she was too enamoured by the creature as it swam between them, momentarily making her lose sight of Jay and Jason who were on the other side. She could still see the bubbles floating upwards from their breathing. In a moment of poor judgement, she let her fingers raise to inch closer to the fit on the shark, eyes sparkling with eagerness and anticipation. What would it feel like? What would she feel?

As her fingers reached out, inches away from the shark’s rough skin, she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. Startled, she swung her head around to find Jake’s eyes staring daggers at her. Through his mask, she saw him shaking his head. They hovered that way, his hand on her wrist, eyes moving away from each other and towards the shark, watching it drift away from them and the vessel.

The group made their way back to surface, hearts beating with exhilaration. Sunghoon and Heeseung stretched out their arms to help everyone up, fighting the heaviness of the water. “That was amazing,” Jay enthralled as he ripped his mask off.

The other three settled on the deck, backs slumping onto the railings of the vessel as they heaved to catch their breaths. Their masks were thrown beside them and their wetsuits slipped down their torsos. Jake ran his hands through his hair, trying to restyle its shape; Jason forced himself to stand up so he could make his way to the shower; Y/N sat there, unmoving, staring at her bare hands like she’d just woken up from an unbelievable dream. Then, she lifted her head to look at her surroundings, meeting her gaze with Jake as her head turned. He cracked a smile at her and she turned away, embarrassed.

Nine days. It had been nine days since the Basking Shark incident and they were nowhere close to seeing a whale- Blue Whale, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale… nothing. There was a moment where Jay was convinced he’d picked up the sounds of whales singing but the noise ended up being interference from debris. However, it wasn’t to say that nothing good came out of the past empty days.

The equipment they were testing had come around wonderfully. Everyone, with due time and patience from Jake, started learning how to use the technology and were on their way to perfecting the techniques. One day, a curious Green Sea Turtle surfaced next to the vessel and stared at them for a full minute before diving away. While hauling one of their retrieval baskets, they realised they'd caught an Isopod and it made Heeseung recoil in horror due to its eerie similarity to cockroaches- that day, they found out Heeseung had a huge phobia of insects. Y/N caught a glimpse of a pod of flying fish through her binoculars. Jake caught a glimpse of a Thresher Shark while everyone else was in the lab and he had headed up for some fresh air.

Sunghoon seemed to be some sort of octopus whisperer. A few days ago, he’d spotted a tiny translucent octopus stuck to the side of the vessel and he stretched himself to reach it. It was small enough to fit on his pinky and wrap its tentacles to cover his fingerprint. It was almost transparent, apart from specks of pigment that floated in its body like dust. Its body pulsed softly in his hand, delicate tentacles fanning out onto his palm to test the surface. Then, he slowly lowered it back to the water. On one of their dives, Sunghoon spotted a Blanket Octopus, a rare sighting that would get the media riled up when the footage was released, and he swam after it until he was too far from the vessel.

That morning, Jay woke up to the sight of a pod of dolphins swimming past the vessel, jumping into the air to create dark outlines onto the orange and pink sky. The rhythmic splash of their bodies against the water seemed to stir the rest of the crew from their sluggish morning routines. One by one, they emerged onto the deck—first Jason, then Heeseung and Sunghoon, followed by Y/N and Jake. The usual grumbles of early wake-ups were quickly replaced by soft gasps and murmured excitement as they took in the sight before them.

“That’s what I call a wake-up call,” Y/N gasped.

“Maybe that’s a sign of luck, guys,” Jay offered. “We should do something tonight.”

“Like what?” Sunghoon asks.

Jay perked up. “Like a night dive?”

Sunghoon, who had been taking a sip of water, nearly choked. “Diving?” He coughed. “At night?”

“Why not? We’ve been out here for weeks, and we haven’t done one yet,” Jay reasoned. “The bioluminescence, the different marine life—it’d be an entirely new experience.”

Jason nodded in agreement. “Plus, it’ll be a good change of pace. We’ve been so focused on the whales that we haven’t really taken in everything else around us.”

Heeseung, ever the cautious one, sighed. “You do realize diving at night is way riskier, right? Low visibility, stronger currents—”

“We’ll take precautions,” Jay cut in. “We’ve got the lights, safety lines, and we won’t go too far from the vessel. It’s a controlled dive, not some reckless plunge.”

A moment of silence passed as Heeseung weighed the risks, scanning the eager faces around him. Finally, he exhaled through his nose and shook his head. “Fine. But if anything even remotely goes wrong, we call it and get out. No heroics.”

A round of nods and murmured agreements followed.

“Then it’s settled,” Jay grinned. “Tonight, we dive.”

Excitement buzzed like static as the sun dipped below the horizon. The group prepared for their night dive with thick dive suits and dive computers strapped to their wrists. Jason, ever meticulous, went through each regulator one by one, testing for air flow. "If your regulator sputters, switch to your alternate immediately and signal me," he reminded the group.

Sunghoon handed out waterproof dive torches while Jay and Heeseung secured backup glow sticks to their vests, just in case their primary lights failed. “If it gets too dark, stick close and don’t panic,” Jay advised. “This is a controlled dive, no one goes deeper than 30 meters. Stay within sight of your buddy at all times. If anyone gets separated, stop where you are, shine your light upwards, and wait for us to find you. Do not ascend alone unless it’s an emergency.”

Jay paired with Jason, Sunghoon paired with Heeseung and, like fate had it, Y/N paired with Jake.

Slowly, they approached the edge of the deck, staring down at the ink-black water, the reflection of the stars rippled into infinite nothingness and for a moment, just for a moment, they felt themselves regretting their decision, letting fear conquer their senses. Sunghoon looked at Heeseung, panic and fear glistening against his eyes. Jake, catching his expression from the other end, assured him with a thumb raised in the air and adjusted his mask.

“We got this, guys,” Jake announced, trying to lift everyone’s spirits. “It’s gonna be an experience of a lifetime.”

As the words left his lips, Y/N’s gaze lifted to meet his through the hazy plastic of her mask, her lashes fluttering as hesitation creased her brow. Even through the dim glow of their dive lights, she could see the warmth in his eyes, the way his expression softened—like he was seeing only her in the vastness of the ocean. Then, as if drawn by an unspoken pull, his fingers brushed against her wrist before slipping lower, finding her hand with effortless ease. Slowly, deliberately, he wove his fingers through hers, his grip gentle yet certain. Her breath hitched as she glanced down at their hands—at the way they fit, tethered in the silent depths—before letting her gaze drift back up to him. He wasn’t looking away. He held her there, in the weightless moment suspended between them.

“Just stick with me, yeah?” He whispered to her. “I promise it’ll be the best time of your life.”

“Alright, everyone,” Jay hollered. “Everyone dive in three… two… one.”

What followed were a sequence of splashes and bubbles rising to the surface of the water due to the impact. The first thing they saw was blackness, their eyes still adjusting to the minimal light of their flashlights. As they splashed around, disturbing the calmness of the water, they saw specks of blue- little emeralds glistening at their friction.

“It’s plankton,” Y/N squealed. “It’s bioluminescence!”

“Can’t get better than this, huh?” Jake squeezed her hand, tuning out the excitement everyone else was emulating.

“This is unreal,” Heeseung moved his hand to trigger another spark of bioluminescence, mesmerized by the living light show.

As they descended further, with patience and caution, they saw the silver body of a Barracuda flash by. Startled, Y/N moved closer to Jake, wrapping her wrist around his bicep. Jason, Jay, Heeseung and Sunghoon had moved deeper and the pair followed, eyes spotting clusters of coral reefs with their blooming polyps. From the reef emerged a biofluorescent Hawksbill Sea Turtle, snapping its mouth open and closed in hopes of finding prey. It moved languidly through the water, ignorant of the divers coming closer to it.

“Didn’t think we’d see this today,” Jason said. “Biofluorescence is common in corals and sharks but it’s only been seen in turtles around 2015. Take it in, everyone.”

As everyone tried keeping their eyes on the turtle, already on the verge of leaving their sight, Jay signals everyone to look towards a rocky outcrop. A flash of pale white flickering into deep brown and they hover in place, watching as a cuttlefish pulsated with shifting hues, blending seamlessly into the seafloor before striking at an unsuspecting shrimp. Just a few feet away, a small octopus stretched its arms along the coral, its skin rippling from sand-colored to a deep maroon as it crept toward its prey.

Y/N, captivated, gestured excitedly at the display, her bubbles rising in bursts. Jake caught her expression and grinned behind his mask, watching as she pressed closer to the scene, eyes wide with childlike wonder. Sunghoon, playing the photographer, raised the underwater camera to capture the display of nature’s most skilled shapeshifters. When the creatures finally retreated into the shadows, the group exchanged excited looks before continuing their dive.

As they moved deeper, the ocean’s silence felt heavier, interrupted only by the sound of their own breathing. It felt like they were in a sharksploitation film, the Jaws background music being the only thing missing. As though Y/N’s thoughts were being read, Jason, who had been slightly ahead, froze and pointed his light downward in a startled haze.

Whatever it was that caught Jason’s attention, it was huge and left a trail of bioluminescence in its wake. They could feel it looming just beyond the reach of their lights. A ripple of tension passed between the group as an immense shadow suspended in the water. No one moved- they were sure not one of them was breathing.

Jay’s fingers curled around his dive knife out of instinct, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Heeseung, usually calm, hovered frozen in place, his eyes darting between the dark shape and Sunghoon, who was holding onto his camera for dear life. Jake exhaled slowly, bubbles escaping in a steady stream as he tried to make sense of what they were seeing, Y/N clinging to his arm to comfort herself. Steadily, Jason tightened his grip on his flashlight and angled the beam forward. The light cut through the darkness, catching the edge of something vast and smooth. The shape shifted, its outline rippling like a ghost emerging from the abyss.

It was a Manta Ray.

At the realisation, their muscles loosened and Jay kept his dive knife away. They watched it swarm past them, its wings stretching impossibly wide. Just like a ghost, it glided through the water like it owned the place, its pale underbelly flashing in the light. It moved like a specter, unbothered by their presence, its cephalic fins unfurling like delicate ribbons as it turned. With the added effects of the blue bioluminescence, it felt like they were watching a dream. Y/N say them all the time in the aquarium but to see them alive, gliding in their natural habitat, was a different kind of sight.

“How big do you think that is?” Jay murmured.

“Five meters?” Y/N answered. “Easily six… she’s huge.”

Jake felt Y/N’s grip on his arm loosen and like instinct, he turned towards her in. He was met with the sight of her in awe, watching the Manta Ray disappear into the void. As they hovered in awe, Heeseung was the first to react. He gestured frantically, his flashlight beam cutting through the water and landing on something just below them. His wide eyes and rapid pointing sent a jolt of confusion through the group. Jay followed the direction of Heeseung’s light, angling his own beam downward.

A Vampire Squid.

It wasn’t supposed to be here. These creatures lived far deeper, in oxygen-minimum zones, not a mere 20 meters below the surface. Yet there it was, its deep crimson body illuminated in their lights, its webbed arms curling inward as it drifted.

Jason exhaled a string of bubbles, exchanging a stunned glance with Jay. Y/N's mind raced—was it sick? Disoriented? Had something forced it to the surface?

Before they could react, the squid suddenly pulsed its body, releasing a shimmering cloud of bioluminescent mucus—a defense mechanism against predators. Tiny blue specks scattered around it like an underwater firework before the creature vanished into the blackness.

The team remained frozen, the eerie afterglow of the squid's defense lingering in the water.

“What the hell was that doing up here?” Jason finally asked through their comms. No one had an answer.

“I’m not getting a good feeling from this,” Heeseung announced. “We’ve seen plenty. I think it’s time to go.”

With steady nods and eager movements, they swam back toward the vessel, an unspoken unease settled between them. A buzz of confusion filled their dialogue when they broke the water and fatigue settled into their bodies. Some looked back at the Manta Ray and awed, others still concerned about why they saw a Vampire Squid so far up the surface, questioning if they should be worried. Jason theorised that it was probably nearing its life-cycle; from what he could see in the passing moments, it looked quite old.

In practiced silence, they stripped off their gear. Masks clattered onto the deck. Wetsuits peeled away with sluggish motions. Someone yawned. One by one, they disappeared below deck—some for a quick shower, others just to sit and breathe.

Y/N, clad in her bikini and a flimsy shirt, found herself sitting on the edge of the deck, her bare feet skimming the water. Each ripple sent a flicker of blue light swirling around her toes—the bioluminescence responding to her every movement. She could hear the guys deep in a conversation on the other side of the deck, discussing the next morning’s regime. She didn't listen in. She just watched the reflection of the stars, absentmindedly swirling her foot through the water, watching the glow chase her movements.

Then, footsteps. She didn’t have to look to know who it was. The air around them shifted as Jake settled beside her, resting his forearms on his knees. For a moment, neither of them spoke, just watching the light dance beneath them. She could see him pouting from the corner of her eyes, a habit she noticed in him before they even started the research expedition.

“Dinner?” She asked, not breaking her gaze away from whatever was in front of her.

He turned to look at her, damp hair falling in front of his forehead. “Yeah, yeah,” he nodded.

“Hey, I have a question,” Y/N found herself chuckling before she could ask him. Slowly, she turned to look at her, shifting her position so that she could lean back on the palms of her hands. “Heeseung doesn’t know you hooked up with his little sister, does he?”

At the question, Jake found himself cackling, too. “What?” He laughed. “No way,” he shook his head. “I think he’d murder me.”

“Yeah, he definitely would,” Y/N agreed. Then, she let a moment of silence pass between them, mustering up the courage to ask him her next question. “What is it about hookups with you, anyway? Just… why so many?”

“Is that who you think of me as?” Jake’s chuckle never left, his eyes widening as he continued. “We just came back from that… interesting dive and you wanna talk about this?”

“It was a bit scary,” she admitted. “I loved it, but I don’t wanna think about it until tomorrow.”

“Fair, fair. Alright, I’ll indulge you,” Jake bit his lip- another one of his many habits- and allowed his gaze to meet hers.

In that moment, in a fleeting split second, the wall that Jake built to keep caution around her had crumbled. All these months, Jake spent trying to be respectful around her, walking on eggshells to try and gain her respect. And somewhere along the way, she started looking at him like he was his own person- not the annoying little brother Jason complained about and not the disappointing son Henry seethed about. She could see the effort he put in, not only for his work or his family, but also for her. She wasn’t sure why. She almost missed his cocky demeanour.

“I don’t know why you’re so against it-”

“I’m not against it,” Y/N defended. “I’m just not that kind of person.”

“Right,” he breathed. “But I guess… well, I suppose I should begin from where it all started,” at that, Y/N chuckled and nodded to coax him to continue. “So, it was the second semester at college and as usual, I was at some house party. By this time, I’d lost my virginity in high school and everything, right? But I hadn’t really slept with anyone in college. So that night, I met this girl- really pretty, really flirty-”

“And you slept together.”

“And we slept together,” he said. “And me, being the fool I was,” Y/N continued laughing, finding his narrative style quite comical. “Thought that maybe she wanted me to call her the next morning. But apparently she didn’t want that. And nineteen year old Jake was heart broken-”

“And he started going to the gym, came out a cocky ass and started sleeping with everyone because some random girl broke his heart-”

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t make fun of me,” Jake nudged her side, leading her to continue laughing. Her eyes struggled to stay open and her smile refused to die. Jake bathed in her joy. “And to be fair, I started going to the gym in high school,” he pointed a finger at her.

“Yeah, okay, whatever,” she grinned and rolled her eyes.

“But, yeah, anyways,” he continued. “I was hurt by it, obviously. And then I told my friends about it and they were all assholes, by the way. Not the kind you want to have long term relationships with. But, yeah, I told them and they kinda brainwashed me into thinking that I got lucky that this was a no strings attached thing. And to be honest, a few days later, I kinda liked the whole idea, too, I guess? And the party I went to after that- hooked up with another girl. And I guess, the cycle just continued.”

Y/N blinked at him for a second, bringing her bottom lip between her teeth. “No one gets hurt?”

“No one gets hurt,” he assured with a shake of his head.

“How would you know, though?” She asked. “The girl in the context- what if-”

“You just kind of know,” he breathed. “You always kinda know. It’s like a sixth sense… only hook up with people you’re sure who want the same things as you. But don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t ever want to settle down. I mean- I’m pushing thirty. It’s just that… I don’t think I’ve found anyone yet.”

Y/N hummed. “The sex is that good?”

Jake’s grin returned, this time a little mischievous, dangerous. His eyes had a sparkle in them, his pointy teeth peeking behind his smile. “Y/N, the sex…” he rumbled, voice low and breath fanning against her ear. He leaned closer to her. “You wouldn’t believe it.”

Y/N gulped.

Assuming his previous position, his grin still plastered on him, he looked her up and down, taking in the tips of her toes that were still touching the water and running his gaze back to her eyes. Perhaps he was being delusional, clouded by the conversation they were having, but he was sure he saw the spark in her- the spark that manifested through her hooded eyes and flushed cheeks. He could see her squeeze her legs together, nails digging into her palms as she chewed her bottom lip. Her gaze stayed on his hands- his hands that were pulsating with his veins, fingers long enough to wrap her around him.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never-”

“No, I have- Jake, I’m pushing thirty, too,” she rolled her eyes, shaking herself out of her daze. A cool wind breezed past them and she could feel her nippled perking through her shirt- she was sure Jake had noticed. “Dated this guy a couple years ago. I met him as a customer in the aquarium, actually. We dated for, like, a year. The sex was good. Jason hated him, though. Said he acted like a frat boy and looking back, I guess he kinda did.”

Watching her shrug and look away, he licked his lips. His breath was near her neck now, his presence ghosting against hers. “Y/N, you deserve better than good sex- whatever that was.”

“And you’re some expert on sex?” She teased.

They didn’t know when the air between them had changed.

Maybe it had started in that moment- when the world was nothing but rolling waves and flickering bioluminescence. Maybe it had started long before that, slipping in between stolen glances across the vessel, lingering eye contact that lasted just a second too long, and quiet moments between chaos that neither of them dared to name.

They’d be lying if they said there was absolutely no tension building between them over the past few weeks. It had been there, simmering just beneath the surface, waiting.

It was in the way he always seemed to be nearby—not in an obvious way, but in a way that made it impossible for Y/N to ignore. If she was adjusting equipment, Jake was there, his arm brushing against hers as he reached for something. If she was rinsing off after a dive, he’d pass by, running a towel through his hair, his skin damp and glistening with seawater. It was the way she felt his presence before she even saw him.

It was the way their bodies gravitated toward each other—shoulders bumping when they worked side by side, fingers grazing when they passed tools back and forth. The way she’d instinctively reached for him during dives, her hand wrapping around his forearm in the darkness, trusting his steadiness as they maneuvered through the water. It was the way he never pulled away.

Maybe it was the way his eyes lingered on her lips when she spoke, or the way she caught herself staring at his hands—the way they moved, the way they curled into fists when he was frustrated, the way they rested so naturally on his neck when he was deep in thought.

It was everything.

Slowly, silently, inevitably, it had been building up to this moment.

Jake found himself hoisting himself back on his feet, rubbing his hands against his thighs to brush off any dust. “I’m gonna try sleeping,” he said, ignoring the laughter that the rest of the boys started filling in the air. Yet, he didn’t move, eyes fixated on her and the way she seemed to curl further into herself. He waited for her to say something- anything that gave him a hint on what was to come next.

“Okay,” she said, finding herself getting back on her feet as well. “I’m gonna sleep, too.”

“Okay.”

The pair stared at each other for a brief second, his eyes darting between her features and hers fixated on his eyes. The air between them was charged with something neither of them dared to put into words. It was a quiet understanding, an unspoken decision made in the space of a breath. Then, with a nod, Jake led her back to the sleeping pods. They moved quickly, their strides quick and deliberate, as if slowing down would give them time to second-guess. Jake barely spared a glance at the others—Heeseung and Sunghoon talking near the railings, Jason and Jay checking something on the equipment—he breezed past them like they didn’t exist.

By the time they reached the sleeping pods, her heart was hammering against her ribs. She watched as Jake stripped off his shirt, catching her widened eyes of shock and explaining to her that he always slept this way. And she watched as he climbed onto his bed, running his hands through his hair and clenching his jaw from what she assumed was frustration. Then finally, finally, after pretending like they weren’t there for a purpose, he looked at her. He looked at her with conviction, slender eyes coaxing her and lips begging for her.

“Y/N…” his exhale spelt out her name.

His rand reached out for her to hold and she looked at his palm- his empty hand that was waiting to be filled with hers, his empty fingers waiting to wrap around her. So, she complied and took his hand, climbing into his bed and adjusting her straddle on his lap. There was silence, mostly just their heavy breaths filling the air, wondering if this was the moment they’d been waiting for- if this is what Jake was hoping for.

She felt his hands creep up her thighs, slowly and surely attaching themselves to her hips, dipping under her shirt to find her waist. His fingers danced on her skin, almost like he was playing a piano, waiting for her to do something other than to hold onto the hem of her shirt.

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

He could feel her pulsating through her bikini and his dick twitched in his shorts. He gulped as he watched her hands move towards his chest, the cold of her fingertips sending a jolt down his spine. He let her stay that way, her hands exploring the crevices of his chest. Lifting his head that was resting on the wall, he found his neck moving towards her, and she did the same. Their heads tilted, lips parted and eyes hooded- they knew what was to come. They couldn’t wait for it to come.

“I promise you won’t get hurt,” he whispered, just as his lips brushed against hers, their noses touching. His hands moved higher up her torso, touching her ribs just as she let out a ragged breath-

And just as fast as their moment came, it left when they jolted away from each other. They heard footsteps and grumbled murmurs of the rest of the group mumbling it was a good day and goodnight to each other. Panicked, they scrambled off of each other and Y/N was rushing out of his pod and back into her own- anything to make the predicament seem normal, unusual. Before Jay had burst the door open and everyone piled in, Y/N’s head was already on her pillow, pretending to be asleep.

She could hear Jake greeting everyone and wishing everyone a goodnight- she paid no mind. That night, she couldn't sleep.

The group of six had spent almost two months out on the ocean, in the middle of nowhere, on a metal vessel that they’d been calling home, and they’d still hadn’t spotted a whale. However, they felt no sense of discouragement, focusing on testing the new equipment and going on more dives and collecting more samples for research. They collected samples of plankton blooms, recorded the eerie songs of distant marine life, and encountered creatures they never expected—an elusive blanket octopus, a deep-sea jelly drifting near the surface, even a rare oarfish shimmering like a silver ribbon in the depths. The once-crisp excitement of the expedition had softened into something quieter—a steady rhythm of work, patience, and anticipation.

That day was like no other. The air felt no different and the ocean, as usual, stretched infinitely around them. The sky was a perfect, cloudless blue. Jason was at the research station, analyzing the latest data from their dives, his brows furrowed in concentration as he scrolled through results. Sunghoon and Heeseung were near the stern, arguing about whether or not a gull that had landed on their railing was the same one they’d seen three days ago. Annie sat cross-legged on the deck, flipping through her notebook, jotting down observations while absentmindedly twirling a loose thread on her sleeve. Jake was beside her, leaning back on his elbows, quietly watching the sun reflect off the water.

The late afternoon had been slow, peaceful, the kind of moment where time stretched lazily—until Jay stiffened, his head snapping toward the hydrophone. His heart kicked against his ribs as the sound hummed through his headphones, low and distant but unmistakable. Impatient, he holler for Jason who came running to him, questioning what was so important.

“Do you hear that?” He sucked in a breath as he handed the headphones to Jason.

Jason, eyes widened with hope and shock, nodded. “No way,” he breathed. “No way!” He yelled which caught the attention of the rest of the group.

“What is it?” Y/N craned her head to examine the ruckus, watching as everyone had gathered around the deck. Jay came over with binoculars, waving it around in the air. Somehow, without needing any explanation, everyone understood what the excitement was about. It was happening. It was finally happening.

Keeping her notebook aside, she made her way towards the rest of the group, leaning against the railing in anticipation.

“I think they’re a few kilometers away, we should be able to see them soon,” Jay concentrated on his sight through the binoculars, face squirming with concentration.

Everyone simply watched the horizon, waiting for a disturbance to break the surface of the ocean. For a few moments, they saw nothing and Y/N went back and forth from listening to the sound on the headphones, a melody so ancient and otherworldly that it sent shivers down her spine, and looking back at the horizon. She was on the brink of losing hope, watching as Jake and Sunghoon broke apart from the group with their heads hung low, looking at everyone like they were fools for thinking they were lucky until-

It finally happened.

Gasps of awe filled the air as the others scrambled to grab their binoculars and cameras. Sunghoon nearly tripped over a crate in his rush, and even Jake—usually calm and composed—had an unrestrained grin on his face as he followed Y/N to the railing.

A towering column of mist rose into the air, catching the evening light like a shimmering ghost. The sound of the exhale followed a second later, a forceful blast from beneath the waves. The water churned violently as the massive shape surged upward. For a split second, the ocean seemed to hold its breath—then, a whale erupted from the surface. A colossal Humpback Whale launched skyward, water cascading off its slick skin in torrents. The sheer size of it was staggering. Its massive pectoral fins spread wide, and for a breathtaking moment, it seemed suspended in midair—a creature far too large to belong anywhere but the sea, defying gravity itself.

Everyone froze. No one breathed.

Then, in a heartbeat, everyone burst into a rumble of excitement as the whale slammed back into the water, sending an explosion of white foam and waves rippling toward the vessel. The force of it sent their stomachs lurching, but no one cared. Y/N’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes blown wide.

“Oh, my God,”she said, unable to get her feet to move as Jay had scrambled back to the computer to see what the hydrophones had managed to record. “It’s singing!” Heeseung had screamed repeatedly as Jay fought to not let excitement shake his posture.

Sunghoon bolted for the camera rig, yanking the telephoto lens into place. “Holy shit, that was a full breach! I need a better angle—someone hold this steady!” Heeseung grabbed the tripod as Sunghoon adjusted the settings.

Jason scrambled toward the data log, frantically typing timestamps and environmental conditions into the system. “We need to record the water temp, salinity, GPS coordinates—someone grab the readings!”

As the crew erupted into action around them—rushing for cameras, hydrophones, and data logs—Jake didn’t move. He barely even breathed.

He was watching her.

Y/N stood frozen at the rail, her hands gripping the metal so tightly that her knuckles had gone white. Her eyes, wide and shining under the soft glow of the afternoon sun, stayed locked on the spot where the whale had breached. She looked completely lost in the moment—like the world had narrowed to just her and the ocean. The excitement, the rush, the frantic calls of the others—it all faded into white noise for Jake. He saw her throat move as she swallowed hard, lips slightly parted like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. She didn’t even reach for the binoculars or her notebook. She just stood there and let everything happen.

Jake had seen her fall in love with the ocean over and over again these past few weeks. On the night dive, when she saw bioluminescent creatures flicker to life for the first time. In the quiet hours before dawn, when she let her fingers trail through glowing waters. Each moment had stripped away something guarded in her—had pulled her deeper into the thing she loved most.

And now, as she stood there, wholly consumed by the sight before her, Jake felt something in his chest tighten. She was beautiful like this—untethered, weightless, alive. In a moment of fleeting adoration, Jake wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his chest without hesitation, mouth still agape, eyes still locked on the sea. Jake felt her exhale, felt the way her body melted into his. Slowly, confidently, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. His lips lingered, his eyes closing like he wanted to keep this moment exactly as it was. The weight of unacknowledged moments, flickering electricity had shifted into something else over the past few weeks- something, softer, lighter, deeper.

Y/N had stopped second-guessing the way she naturally gravitated toward him, the way her body angled toward him whenever they stood together, the way she reached for him without thinking. And Jake? Jake had stopped holding back.

He still teased her, still challenged her, still made her roll her eyes—but now, his affection was deliberate. When she handed him something, his fingers would brush hers and linger. When she got caught up in her work, he’d bring her water without a word. When she sat alone at night, tracing patterns in the bioluminescence, he’d sit beside her in silence, just to exist in the same space.

Finally, Y/N tilted her head up to look at him, her expression open in a way it hadn’t been before. No teasing smirk, no quick remark—just something warmer, something unspoken but completely understood.

Jake’s lips quirked into a quiet smile. “A lot of firsts for you these days.”

Y/N exhaled a small laugh, nodding.

“Think we should get to work now,” he offered and she meekly nodded.

Jake let her go and moved with quick precision, checked the equipment on deck, making sure the hydrophone was secured and that no water had splashed onto their more sensitive instruments. “Sunghoon, tell me you got that on camera,” he muttered.

“Barely!” Sunghoon yelled.

Y/N stayed close to the railings, keeping her eye out on the huge mass of shadow moving past the surface of the waters, just in case a whale surfaced again.

After spending days with whale songs filling the air, making their mornings, Sunghoon sent out his drone again and detected an entangled whale. After debating whether they were allowed to intervene, something about rules and regulations, they agreed to help the creature. Fear that it would die without sooner intervention and the excitement of being inches away from a whale, possibly being able to touch it, the group devised a plan of action.

Heeseung and Sunghoon stayed on the vessel as look-out through binoculars as the rest manoeuvred a small boat towards the hurting whale. It was only a few feet meters away from them but reaching it through the rough waters seemed like a task, all of a sudden. The waters were usually never this rough- first time in all the weeks they’d been on the ocean.

The water was colder than expected as Jake, Jay and Y/N descended, the massive form of the whale looming beneath them. Up close, the entanglement was worse than they’d thought—thick netting dug deep into the whale’s pectoral fin, restricting its movement. Y/N and Jay worked swiftly, slicing through the strands while Jake positioned himself to keep them steady. The whale remained eerily still, its eye just barely visible through the shifting blue.

Then, without warning, it thrashed, perhaps because of the sudden attention it was getting from foreign presence or perhaps from the pain of entanglement. The sudden burst of movement sent a powerful current surging around them. Y/N was thrown backward, Jay barely managing to steady himself. Jake instinctively reached for her, pulling her close before she could drift further. For a tense moment, they remained suspended in the water, waiting to see if the whale would calm. Slowly, its movements settled, and they resumed cutting. One final slice, and the last of the netting unraveled, drifting away into the depths. The whale hovered for a moment before, with a flick of its tail, it surged forward- free at last- and the three watched as it swam away from them.

“I can’t believe that just happened,” Y/N said. “I can’t believe I just did that- we just did that.”

Upon arriving back on the vessel, the team moved on autopilot—securing equipment, hauling themselves aboard, and stripping off their dive gear. A string of celebratory huzzas were passed around as Y/N slumped against a chair. The air was thick with exhilaration and exhaustion, breaths still uneven from the dive. Sunghoon handed Y/N a towel as she squeezed the seawater from her hair, her mind still in the depths, replaying the whale’s final surge to freedom.

Jason was already hunched over the laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard as he analyzed the recordings. "The change in vocalizations—it's real," he muttered, half to himself, half to Jay, who leaned over his shoulder. Jay's grin was unstoppable. "We’re really hearing this in real-time. That’s insane."

The others busied themselves cleaning up, but the adrenaline was still too fresh to settle. Heeseung cracked open a bottle of water, while Sunghoon replayed drone footage on his tablet, scrutinizing every frame. "We actually did it," he murmured, half in disbelief.

Y/N, however, found herself drifting away from the commotion. She was exhausted and desperately needed rest for her eyes. Her arms went slump and legs felt heavy and when Jake spotted her heaving breath, he made his way towards her, offering himself as a pillow. The pair slumped on each other, Jake running a hand up and down her arm as she drowned out the commotion around her.

“Just a few minutes,” she mumbled and nuzzled deeper into his chest, hugging his torso. Jake chuckled.

Their peace didn’t last long, though. Jake felt it before he saw it, the subtle shift in the air, the way the horizon darkened like spilled ink bleeding into the sky. A low rumble rolled across the sky, so distant at first that no one paid it much mind. But then came the wind—sharp, biting, and sudden. The gentle lull of the ocean turned erratic, the once-glassy surface growing restless beneath them.

A storm was coming. Fast.

“Storm’s rolling in,” Heeseung called from the helm, voice edged with urgency. “We need to secure everything—now.”

Y/N’s eyes shot open as her mind registered what was going on and everyone started moving in sync, doing what their training had taught them to do. Like it came out of nowhere, sheets of rain lashed against the deck, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. The ocean had turned violent, monstrous waves slamming into the vessel with enough force to send them stumbling. Sunghoon and Jay held onto the railings, Jake and Y/N barely finding a way to make it to safety as Heeseung and Jason controlled the steering. They could see them, their faces contorting with strain as they helped each other manoeuvred the wheel.

A rogue wave—towering, relentless—rose like a wall before crashing down onto the deck. The impact sent equipment flying, knocking everyone off balance. A sickening crack sounded through the storm, followed by a sharp, agonized cry.

“Jay!”

As Sunghoon hollered, he ran towards Jay on the unsteady vessel, fully equipped with the knowledge that they could be thrown overboard by the waves and the wind any second. Jay was crumbling against the rain, body twisted in pain as he held onto his forearm. “I think I broke it,” he repeated over and over again as Sunghoon carried him towards Jake and Y/N.

Jake and Sunghoon exchanged a look that Y/N couldn't decipher, a sort of language the two friends had accumulated through their years of friendship. When the vessel rocked again, Sunghoon grabbed Y/N’s arm and tried his best to get them inside- to safety, hopefully. Jake dashed the opposite direction, towards the wheelhouse.

“Where is he going?” Y/N yelled over the winds and the thunder that started to crack, crouching out of instinct though she knew it wouldn’t be much protection. Another wave crashed against the vessel, water flooding the deck. The rain fell harder above them, leaving them no mercy. They were being tossed around like a

“Distress signal,” Sunghoon shouted back, holding Jay in place amongst the imbalance.

The storm swallowed the horizon whole, a monstrous force of wind and water that turned the sky into an endless void of grey. The waves surged like biblical monsters, heaving and crashing against the vessel with relentless fury, each impact rattling through steel and bone alike. The world had shrunk to chaos—water seeping into every crevice, bodies thrown against railings, desperate hands gripping whatever they could to keep from being flung into the abyss.

“Sunghoon, we’re not gonna make it,” Y/N could feel her tears, tears of fear and defeat, mixing with the rain, eyes squinting as she searched for him amongst the fog.

“No, Y/N,” Sunghoon yelled. “We’re gonna make it.”

Somewhere, through the deafening roar of the storm, a voice crackled through the radio—a lifeline lost in static—before the darkness was split apart by a piercing beam of light.

The helicopter had arrived.

The harsh fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, a stark contrast to the wild, untamed darkness of the storm they had just survived. The six of them sat scattered around the hospital room, their bodies aching, their minds still reeling from the chaos that had led them here. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air, but beneath it lingered the salt of the ocean, a reminder that no matter how far they were from that vessel, the sea was still etched into their skin.

Jay sat in the center of it all, his arm immobilized in a sling, bruises painting his skin in deep purples and sickly yellows. He looked exhausted, but there was a ghost of his usual grin on his face as he tried to downplay the pain. “I guess this means I get out of heavy lifting for a while,” he joked, but no one laughed.

Because they all remembered.

They remembered the way the waves had swallowed the vessel, tossing them like rag dolls. The helplessness of gripping onto whatever they could, praying they wouldn’t be swept away. The panic when Jay had been thrown across the deck, a sickening crack cutting through the chaos. The way he had screamed. The frantic, trembling hands trying to keep pressure on his injury, the desperate voices yelling into the radio for help, the sheer terror that, for a moment, they might not all make it out.

Sunghoon sat at the edge of his hospital bed, staring at the floor with his elbows on his knees, fingers interlocked so tightly his knuckles were white. Jason and Heeseung murmured in hushed tones with a doctor at the doorway, nodding stiffly at whatever instructions were being given.

And then there was Y/N.

She sat beside Jake, her head resting against his shoulder, eyes open but unfocused. Her hands were clasped together in her lap, like she was grounding herself, trying to convince herself that they were safe now. That it was over.

Jake hadn’t let go of her since they had been pulled out of the storm. His grip on her hand was firm, like if he let go, she might disappear. The adrenaline had long worn off, leaving behind only exhaustion and the silent, heavy weight of everything they had endured.

For the first time in months, there was no vessel beneath them, no swaying of the ocean, no distant songs of whales humming through the water. Just the quiet hum of the hospital and the echo of a storm that still raged inside them. For the first time, Y/N wondered, had they all gone crazy without knowing it? She’d seen documentaries about this- how people stranded in a single environment could descend into a state of psychosis. Did that happen to them, sickness right under their noses?

When the doctor made her way towards the group, everyone lifted their heads and sat straight, reacting as though a professor had just walked into the classroom. Dr Ryu looked at them sternly, an absence of sympathy and solemness in her demeanour. Perhaps that is exactly what they needed. “You guys got lucky,” she said. “It could have been worse.”

Everyone responded with a sequence of nods, Jay wincing as he moved the wrong muscle. Jason shifted to his side, resting his hand on his back as support and comfort.

“Physically, you all should be fine. A quick recovery- Jay included,” Dr Ryu continued. “However, I highly recommend visiting a therapist. By the looks of it, this wasn’t something easy that you all had to go through and you now show increased vulnerability to PTSD or any related disorders. Please do take my advice seriously.”

Again, she was met with a sequence of nods and mumbles, assuring her that they would do their best in taking care of themselves and each other.

“We will keep Jay in for the night for observation,” Dr Ryu said. “Any of you can stay with him. The rest of you- go home. Go home to your families and just be in a more familiar space. Try to sleep- staying awake all night and mulling over it will not help. Your bodies are exhausted. Give it a rest and come back tomorrow.”

As she walked away from the group, a moment of silence fell over them as they went over what the doctor had said. PTSD? Who knew this was the turn their lives would take? To be fair, she only advised a therapist- there was no guarantee for anything at the moment.

“I’ll stay,” Jason said. The decision was made without much debate. Friends since a trip went wrong during university, it made sense that he stayed back. While working on a coastal biodiversity project, their boat engine failed during a data collection run, leaving them stranded at sea for hours. They were rescued by helicopters that day, too and looking back, their situation now looked eerily similar- just without the injury and the trauma.

Jason had already straightened in his seat, his expression leaving no room for argument. Jay rolled his eyes but didn’t protest. “You guys should go get some actual sleep. My apartment’s closer to the hospital anyway- you should spend the night there, give each other company.”

No one had the energy to argue.

Sunghoon sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “I’m gonna pass out the second I hit a bed.”

“Same,” Heeseung muttered, already gathering what little belongings they had brought with them.

Y/N glanced at Jake, who had been uncharacteristically quiet. He still hadn’t let go of her hand, his thumb absentmindedly running over her knuckles. His eyes flickered toward Jason, something unreadable crossing his expression.

Jason caught it. “Don’t even think about staying, Jake,” he said, voice softer now but still firm. “You look worse than Jay.”

Jake huffed a quiet laugh, but Y/N felt the tension in his grip. He didn’t want to leave. None of them really did, but Jason was right- they needed rest, and Jay was in good hands.

Y/N squeezed his hand, a silent reassurance, before standing up. “We’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

Jason gave a small nod. “I’ll text you if anything happens.”

With that, they filed out of the room, exhaustion making their movements sluggish. The police drove them to Jason’s apartment and the second they opened the doors, Heeseung and Sunghoon occupied the guest bedroom and Jake dragged himself into Jason’s bedroom. Y/N found herself frozen in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror. She felt like a fool for feeling the way she did, for being naive enough to think that she could get past this like it was a bad birthday party.

Upon entering the room Jake was in, she found him sitting cross legged on the bed, back hunched over as he toyed with something on his phone. When he felt her presence, he kept his phone away and shifted his gaze to her. He patted the empty space beside him, coaxing her to sit with him and she did. She let her head hit the pillow and Jake leaned against the headboard, eyes falling on the ceiling. It was weird not catching sight of a night sky filled with stars- almost unfamiliar.

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” he whispered, almost as if saying it quieter would make their predicament lighter.

“I know,” she responded. “It doesn’t feel real,” she rested her hand against his shoulder, softly rubbing his back in hopes of comforting him. He leaned his cheek against her hand, raising his own to hold hers and closing his eyes to find solace in the moment.

“Everything’s gonna be alright,” he mumbled.

“Everything is alright,” she tried. “We’re all here, alive and safe. Jay is fine.”

“Jay is fine,” he repeated.

“And we are fine.”

“You almost died.”

Y/N leaned up and rested against the headboard with him, deliberately keeping her face close to his, breaths syncing. Jake’s eyes stayed close, his cheek still on her hand. “But I didn’t,” she said, with conviction.

“You were slipping away.”

Y/N didn’t know how to respond. The weight of it sat between them, heavy and unspoken. She knew that feeling. The terror of helplessness. The way it lingered in your bones, no matter how many times you tell yourself you survived.

She shifted, sliding closer, until their knees brushed. “But I’m here,” she murmured.

Jake lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her palm, and something inside her stirred. “I need to feel it,” he said, almost to himself. “That you’re here. That this is real.”

His hands found her waist, tentative and fragile at first like that night in the sleeping pods, testing the waters, walking on eggshells. When she moved closer to him, finding herself straddling his waist again, Jake found no motive to stop. He leaned upwards to find her lips, mouths colliding without hesitation- there was no adultery, no ploy of teasing or hurting, no uncertainty. They were two people, finding an anchor within each other, desperately holding on.

When he finally kissed her, Y/N wondered why it took so long for them to be in this position in the first place. And he kissed her with caution, slow movements memorising her crevices and making sure she remembered him. As their mouths opened and closed in sync, his hands roamed underneath her shirt, tracing her skin and counting her ribs before lifting her shirt over her head. In that moment, while he held her, she didn’t feel lusted over or sexualised- she felt as though she was being protected, cherished… loved.

“Y/N… I don’t just want you,” he breathed against her, lips moving down her throat and hands roaming her legs. “I need you.”

Slowly, wrapping his arms around her back, he flipped her over so she lay on the bed and he hovered over her. For a brief moment, he stopped to look at her face- her eyes that were filled with curiosity and anticipation, lips parted in waiting for him, hair strewn across the pillow. Then he kissed her again, one hand roaming towards her nippled and the other swiftly unzipping her jeans. In this moment, though he usually wouldn’t prefer to, Jake wasted no time- he didn’t want to tease her or waste his time with foreplay. He just wanted to feel her, know that she was living in his arms, breathing and letting her heart beat against him.

His hand shifted to move her jeans off her legs and Y/N shimmied out of them, chuckling in the process. “This isn’t that attractive,” she murmured.

“Shut up,” he said with a grin and kissed her again.

He let his fingers hook under her underwear and touch her clit. Y/N moaned into his and he moaned back, feeling the wetness of her folds and letting her back arch into him. Her hips grinded against his hand and he complied by exploring her folds, slowly and desperately getting her to whine and moan more under him.

“Heeseung and Sunghoon are sleeping,” Jake mumbled against her skin, lips exploring the nape of her neck and moving to the curve of your breasts. “You’ve gotta try to be quiet, yeah?”

“Okay,” she heaved and Jake could feel her nod, her chin touching his hair.

He slipped a finger into her hole and she squirmed, biting her lip to adjust to the length. Her hands flew towards his hair, tugging and pulling at the silky tufts. He moved his finger in and out, languidly and deliberately, eyeing your reactions and expressions as he did so. His thumb flew to her clip, rubbing steady circles only for more wetness to ooze out of her.

“Higher, Jake,” he heard her moan and he increased his pace. The sound of squelching filled the room, mixed with their moans. He kissed her again, his other hand continuing to toy with her nipples while he fingered her- now, fast and dirty, aiming towards a goal. He could feel her clenching on his fingers, clamping down everytime he pulled out too much, whimpering every time he curled at the right spot.

Jake moved so he could kneel between her legs, his fingers now moving slower as he brought his face closer to her heat. She could feel his breath on her, only making her ache for him more. She whined for him to hurry up and was only shut up when she felt his mouth on her. He sucked on her clit as his finger picked up pacing, adding a second one as her breath got heavier. He could see her chest heaving, her hands flying upwards to grip the headboard.

When her knees started closing instinctively, his shoulders kept them apart, one hand gripping her hip so tight she was sure she’d have bruises the next morning. And he kept going, sucking and flicking at her clit with his tongue, fingers moving in and out of her so fast that she’d forgotten how she ended up here in the first place.

“I’m so close,” she moaned. “So close.”

And just as she felt her high crashing down on her, he’d withdrawn himself completely and she let out a gasp. Her brows furrowed, she tilted her head to find Jake stripping his own clothes and she stared at the way his chest glistened under the moonlight, his dick springing out of his boxers as he moved to hover over her again. His hair fell onto his forehead and her hands moved to tuck it under his ear. She placed an innocent peck on nose, cheeks, forehead and chin before moving to his lips again, waiting for him to do something before getting annoyed at her lack of orgasm.

“Brace yourself, alright?” He whispered into her mouth and she felt his tip aligning to her entrance. He looked at her before going any further, waiting for a confirmation. When she nodded, he pushed himself into her and the pair moaned in unison.

“Is this the great sex you were referring to?”

“You can’t deny it.”

As he thrusted into her, sharp and with purpose, she regretted wanting to tease him or get a laugh out of him. She let out a gasp, followed by an incoherent string of moans as he thrusted in and out of her, his hand caressing the back of her head and her nails scratching his back. She wrapped her legs around his waist, a desperate way to feel him deeper inside her. He buried himself in the nape of her neck, peppering kisses behind her ear while she did the same to his shoulder.

“Faster,” she moaned and he complied, forgetting the slow and romantic pace he wanted to go with and pounding into her faster, harder- anything and everything to get her to cum with him. He let a hand slip in between their bodies, fingers finding her clit and rubbing briskly and whispering sweet lulls into her ears.

“You gotta cum with me, yeah?” He said and she could only nod, throat too preoccupied with the moans she couldn’t hold back.

She felt the knot in her stomach building again, back arching further and pussy clenching harder onto is dick- he could feel it too, that she was close. She threw her head back, waiting for the moment to fall upon her, waiting for him to say something. He only went faster, letting the hinges of the bed creek.

“Y/N?” She responded with a frustrated hum. “Cum with me- cum for me.”

And she did, letting her orgasm spill over her body and she could feel him inside her, filling her up to the brim. Jake moaned, feeling her body shudder at the way he fucked her, her eyes meeting his with desperation and ache.

“Jake…” she whined as he placed her body comfortably on the mattress again, falling on the empty space beside her and wrapping his arms around her torso. “So good,” she breathed, unable to unclutter her thoughts.

“I know that was supposed to be depression sex, but wow,” he said into her neck.

Y/N raised a lazy hand to hit him on the head. “Stop being funny,” she groaned and he laughed.

Jake, Y/N, Jason, Heeseung, Jay and Sunghoon stood in a line in front of Henry Sim. Over the past few weeks, they’d met with him a plethora of times- just to talk, not even about technical things, just talk. It was his way of looking out for them, taking care of them in whatever way he could. He offered to buy them meals, pay their therapy and hospital bills and even offered them a stipend if they needed it- all out of guilt and desperation to help them heal better, not knowing what else to do.

He was never critical, even praising their work to a large extent. And in all honesty, he was proud- it was great work. “This information that you all have gathered is valuable, I hope you know that,” he said to them, holding their report in hand.

“Yes, sir,” they answered in unison.

“It still feels unreal. Like we’re supposed to wake up tomorrow and check the equipment again,” Sunghoon said.

Jay chuckled, adjusting the sling on his arm. "Speak for yourself. I’d rather not get thrown around another boat for a while."

Heeseung smirked. "You’re just mad the whale was stronger than you."

Sunghoon, who had been absentmindedly fidgeting with the strap of his camera bag, let out a small laugh, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The energy in the room had shifted, nostalgia seeping in through the cracks.

Henry exhaled through his nose. "The ocean doesn’t let anyone walk away the same. You six will carry this experience with you—whether you realize it now or not."

Jake, who had been quiet until then, glanced at Y/N. She met his gaze, and for a moment, the past months condensed into something unspoken but understood. The storm. The breach. The long nights and quiet moments. The feeling of something beginning even as something else ended.

Noticing their interaction, Henry cleared his throat. “The least I was expecting was the pairing of these two,” he pointed between Jake and Y/N. The rest of the group cackled.

“They thought they were being so slick,” Heeseung laughed. “We noticed everything.”

Rolling their eyes, Jake and Y/N continued to grin at everyone's smiling faces. The aquarium lights flickered slightly as a school of fish glided past the large tank beside them. It was a strange, almost poetic parallel—them, sitting still in this room, while life outside moved on without waiting.

Jason grimaced at the idea of his brother and best friend dating. Attempting to change the conversation, he cleared his throat. “So what now?”

The question hung heavy in the air as the group of six looked at each other. They knew what was to come- a set of interviews, press releases of what they experienced and perhaps even a short YouTube documentary. But what was to happen to their lives? What were they to expect?

No one wanted to answer that question. All they knew was that outside, the ocean awaited their return.