#-someone better than you already tried that .

[cosmosluckycharms]

idk if u wanna write this but spider!bat reader x miles? like maybe after atsv they get totgether

Bug Like Angel

Sweet / I thought you wanted to dance

sorry this is so ass im writers block rn and its so late rn im so tired but ive been starving u guys from works sigh uhhh this is not canon to the actual storyline this is a what if

this is so ass sorry its also short cause again writers block is not fun

sorry if this is ooc im so tired

It was 9:19

You were getting ready for your first gala.

A week earlier, Alfred had promised you you'd finally get to spend time with your father.

Better late than never.

As soon as he told you about it, you went ahead and told all of your friends.

Everyone from school and the spider society.

Sure, lately you were starting to give up on Bruce being your father, but there was a tiny part of you that hoped this was what could fix your relationship.

This could be a way to finally connect with your family.

They would all see you as a sibling.

Most people would assume that you would hate galas like most people your age.

And the truth was, you did.

Even though you'd never gone to one, some of the people there would come over to the manor for visits.

You hated how all the stuck-up rich people would always talk about things that didn't interest you.

The way they would poke fun at you over never being acknowledged.

The way that they'd tell you how you looked so much like Bruce.

You shook your head and tried to get rid of the thought.

Tonight would be the night that your father would tell everyone you were his daughter.

He would boast about all your hobbies and achievements.

That everyone would finally get to see you, as Bruce Wayne's daughter, and not just a forgotten Wayne.

You spent the whole week preparing yourself for this day.

You got your nails done by Miles' mom in a way that perfectly matched your dress.

You did your hair so very perfectly, the way Peter B's MJ had taught you.

And your dress was personally done by someone in the spider society who was a fashion designer.

You had some jewelry you borrowed from Pav's aunt.

A pearl bracelet and necklace, along with some earrings.

You were so excited.

You checked the time, it was 9:32.

You had to be ready by 9:35.

Shit.

Why were you always late?

You started speeding up and putting the finishing touches.

By the time you were done, it was 9:36.

You sped down the dark miserable halls and the huge flights of stairs, being careful using the new heels you went and bought with Miles' mom.

Once you got downstairs, you were out of breath.

Once you caught it again, you saw Bruce and Tim already heading out the door.You walked up to Bruce and pulled on his sleeve, confused.

"Why is Tim coming? I thought it was just us?" you tilted your head in confusion.

Tim spoke up "You were taking too long, he decided to take me instead."

You balled up your hands in anger, but managed to calm yourself down "But Alfred told me-"

You got cut by Bruce "I don't have time for this, we're running late."

You flinched at Bruce's sudden cold tone.

A slight feeling of guilt passed through Bruce. "I'm sorry, I forgot. Maybe next time."

They started making their way out the door once again.

Tim made a stupid joke that made Bruce let out a chuckle.

You felt angry tears well up in your eyes as you stood there, frozen, as you watched them both walk away.

You furiously stomped your way back to your room, throwing your fancy purse onto the floor.

You cried at the edge of your bed, which left a stain of makeup on there.

After half an hour of pathetically crying, you sat up.

You should've known.

You should've known how Bruce wouldn't wait for you.

You should've known that he wouldn't care enough to wait for you.

Of course wouldn't, you weren't worthy enough for your father's love.

You would never be.

Bruce's love went to his other children, his sons.

You'd never be equal to them.

The more you thought about it, the more mad you were.

You had to get out of the manor before you got even more pissed.

You put on your web shooters, ignoring how you still had your big gala dress on.

You opened your window and snuck out.

You ignored how someone was most likely gonna see you swinging around without a costume.

You got to a random rooftop and sat down.

You noticed how across the building was the gala, playing loud, classical music.

You started crying once more.

You couldn't tell if it was out of sadness or anger.

Your dress was now slightly ripped and your heels were scuffed.

Your makeup was running down your face and everything was going wrong.

You just wanted to go home.

A familiar buzz and ringtone went off.

You checked your phone and checked the contact.

It was Miles.

Your heart skipped a beat and you fumbled with your phone a bit, quickly clearing your throat and picking up.

"Hello?" you said, a tad bit too excitedly.

"Hey, it's Miles."

"Oh, yeah. right."

An awkward silence passed on both ends.

"Why'd you call? I mean, it's not like I did want you to call; you're cool and all, and I do like you. I mean-! Not like, like like you, I mean like-" you rambled on for a couple more seconds before finally shutting up.

"I got a feeling I had to check up on you," he replied

"I'm fine, great even!" you spoke, obviously not fine.

"You only say that when you're not fine. I'm on my way."

Fuck.

He was on his way and you looked a mess.

You quickly tried your best to clean yourself up.

Sure, Miles wouldn't judge you for your makeup that was running down your face or your ruined dress, but you didn't want him to worry.

You cleaned yourself up as much as you could, which didn't do much.

You felt a familiar tingle in your skull.

You turned around and saw an orange portal.

As soon as Miles walked through, you got excited.

Only for that excitement to fade out to realize you still looked bad.

He looked at you, noticing how you looked like a mess "Y/n? You look like hell."

"Yeah, I just got back." you chuckled.

After yet another moment of awkward silence, you ran and tackled him into a hug, awkwardly.

He spoke up, sitting down "You look upset, what's wrong?"

"Nothing serious." you sat down next to him

"Was it your family?"

"Yeah."

"They're all assholes."

"I know, right?"

"What even happened?"

"Fucking Tim happened." you threw a random pebble at the floor.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Dude, for the last like, week I've been so excited over finally being able to go bond with my father, only to be forgotten again."

"At least you look pretty."

"You're pretty too! I mean, like, Uhm, yeah." you stuttered, face growing warm

You both talked for a while, mostly filled with you both awkwardly flirting like two middle schoolers.

After an hour or two, you could hear the gala's music blasting a romantic slow song.

You both hummed along to the slow song, you didn't notice how Miles looked at you like you were the light of his life.

He got up, making you look at him confused.

He pulled his hand out, and you took it.

You've never been a really good dancer despite being in dance at a young age.

And what made it worse was that you kept fumbling around, accidentally stepping on his shoes every 10 seconds.

Instead of just giving up on you though, he kept going.

After a minute or two, you finally got it. All you could hear was both of your laughter and the loud, slow music blaring from the gala.

Unbeknownst to you, there were a lot of people who could see you and Miles.

Luckily for him, he had his mask on.

Unluckily for you, they saw you dancing with him.

They took a lot of pictures, and you would've known if it wasn't for someone having their flash on their camera.

You can already see the headline for tomorrow's gossip magazines.

"Forgotten Wayne, seen flirting with new vigilante?"

As soon as you both noticed the flash, Miles spoke up.

"I think it's time to get you home."

Before you could protest, he picked you up bridal style and started swinging you back to the manor.

Great, the paparazzi ruined a moment with your stupid crush of a year or two.

He dropped you off at your windowsill, which had always been a blind spot for cameras.

You started turning around to go to bed, only to be turned around and kissed by Miles.

You felt your face heat up.

You both stared at each other in shock.

"Goodnight!" Miles quickly blurted out, rushing away.

You processed what happened and threw yourself onto your bed, giggling and kicking your feet.

You couldn't believe this.

The guy you've liked since you first met him 2 years ago liked you back!

It was like a fairytale dream!

The next morning you got up and ready for the day.

You knew you were most likely going to see your family eating breakfast, which made you feel nauseous with anxiety.

You didn't wanna face them.

Not Alfred.

Not Bruce.

And certainly not Tim.

You didn't understand why Bruce preferred him over you.

You didn't want to get upset all over again, so you pushed away the thought.

All you wanted to think about was the night before.

You felt like a lovesick puppy every time you thought about Miles.

You made your way to get breakfast, still in your pajamas.

You could slowly overhear some of your family's conversation.

You were nosey, so you eavesdropped.

"I just can't find anything about this guy!" you heard Tim saying

Bruce spoke, clearing his voice "Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure!" you could practically see Tim stressing from a mile away. "it's like he's not from here."

You finally got to the kitchen, about to pour some cereal for yourself.

"What did you do?" Tim barked

"Huh?" you looked at him, trying to act dumb

"Last night, 11:47 pm. where were you?" he glared

"Out and about." you tried to act natural

"Be specific."

"wouldnt you like to know weather boy?" you reached for the cereal

"You're being so stubborn." he crossed his arms

"I was in the manor." you lied

He slammed the pictures of you and Miles dancing together.

Shit.

"Hop off my dick," you spoke, angrily.

"And what about these?" Bruce placed down a picture of Miles kissing you, with the bottom of his mask lifted slightly.

A drop of sweat rolled down your face "Uhm.."

"This is dangerous! You can't be doing this. you shouldn't be dating other vigilantes." Bruce took a sip out of his coffee

"you guys do it all the time," you argued

"That's different!" he slammed the coffee mug down.

"How?"

"We know how to take care of ourselves."

"As if I don't?"

You could feel their angry stares on you.

"Listen, I'm fine now. I don't get what the big deal is."

"The big deal is how this is ruining how people see you. How people see all of us." Tim lectured

"That's all you care about? How the public sees us?" you put your hands on your hips

They went quiet for a moment and you spoke up again.

"This wouldn't have happened if you both just let me go to the gala for once," you uttered.

"This is about the gala?" Bruce asked.

"No, it's not about the gala, it's about how I've constantly been treated." You explained, trying to keep your composure "You guys only care when I'm doing something that harms you socially."

Bruce was about to speak up only for you to walk back to your room, still hungry.

"Just let her be," Tim said, looking at the pictures yet again.

He couldn't help but wonder,who was that boy?

im sorry this is so ass omg

no taglist this time bcs this isnt canon

[woso-story]

Better Boyfriend Than Him - Part Thirteen

Alexia Putellas x Reader - Other Parts

The weekend was meant to be simple.

No games, no obligations—just you, Alexia, a stack of movies, and way too much pizza.

You were halfway through an action movie, and while Alexia was completely captivated by the explosions on screen, your mind was somewhere else entirely.

You needed to talk to her.

“Alexia,” you said, but she didn’t react.

You tried again. “Alexia.”

Without looking away from the screen, she waved a hand at you dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, take the last slice of pizza.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. How could someone not listen at all like that?

Shaking your head, you nudged her side with your foot. Once. Then again.

She finally grabbed your ankle to make you stop, turning to you with a confused expression. “What’s wrong?”

You suddenly felt nervous under her gaze. Too intense. Too close.

You swallowed, willing yourself to just say it. “I, uh… I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Alexia immediately let go of your ankle and shifted closer, her focus now entirely on you. “Okay,” she said, voice softer. “I’m listening.”

That didn’t help.

Your heart pounded as you tried to find the words, but the way she was looking at you made it impossible to think straight.

Alexia frowned. “Is something wrong?”

You opened your mouth, then closed it again. Then, without really meaning to, you blurted out, “You haven’t brought anyone home in weeks.”

Alexia blinked, clearly caught off guard. “…What?”

You cleared your throat and forced yourself to keep going. “I mean exactly what I just said. You haven’t brought anyone home. You don’t have to hold back just because I’m… alone right now. Because I got cheated on and everything.”

She still looked perplexed. “I—what?”

You kept talking before she could say anything else. “It’s probably best if I move out soon anyway. You should be able to go back to your old life without me as a burden.”

At that, Alexia reached out and placed a firm hand on your knee. “Stop.”

You swallowed hard.

Her touch was warm, grounding, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside of you.

“You don’t have to move out,” she said firmly. “And me not bringing anyone home has nothing to do with you.”

That wasn’t entirely true.

Over the past few months, Alexia had found herself looking at you differently. She told herself it was wrong. That you were still healing, still getting over Luis. That she couldn’t—shouldn’t—let herself feel something for you.

And besides, Mapi had warned her. She’s off-limits, Ale. Don’t even think about it.

So she had tried.

But then you looked at her like that—your eyes wide, vulnerable, unsure—and it took everything in her to stay still.

“I like having you around,” she admitted. “It’s nice to have company. Someone to share ice cream with.”

You let out a small laugh at that, thinking back to that night, how calm you had felt beside her.

Alexia’s expression softened. “I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

You dropped your gaze, staring at her hand on your knee.

And that’s when it hit you.

The way your stomach flipped. The way your skin burned where she touched you. The way your heart ached at the thought of her with someone else.

You were so far gone.

But you were nothing to Alexia. Just a friend. Just someone she had taken in when you had nowhere else to go.

She didn’t see you that way.

And one day, she would bring someone home, and it would break you.

You were already in too deep.

Alexia saw the shift in your expression, saw the way your eyes grew distant, lost in thought.

She hated seeing you like this. More than anything, she wanted you to be happy. She wanted to be the one to make you happy.

Then, suddenly, your eyes filled with tears.

You tried to wipe them away before she noticed, but it was too late.

Alexia cupped your chin gently, tilting your face toward her. “What’s going on?” she asked softly. “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head. “It’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t seem like nothing.”

Her voice was so quiet, so full of concern, and she was so close, only inches away.

Her hazel eyes searched yours, and before you could stop yourself, before you could even think, you leaned in and kissed her.

The second your lips met, a jolt of electricity shot through you, warmth flooding your entire body.

But then reality crashed down.

You pulled away like you had been burned, jumping to your feet as panic took over.

You just kissed Alexia Putellas.

Your friend.

Your roommate.

You needed to get out. Away from her. Away from this moment.

You turned to run, but Alexia was faster.

She stood up and grabbed your arm, spinning you back around to face her.

Your chest heaved, your eyes still damp with tears.

For a moment, neither of you moved.

Neither of you spoke.

Then, slowly, like in a dream, Alexia stepped closer.

Her hand cupped your cheek, thumb brushing away a stray tear.

And then she leaned in.

Was she really going to kiss you?

And more importantly..

Would you let her?

[woso-writing]

Secret Supporter

Renée Slegers x Arsenal!staff member

A/n: I know that some people enjoy reading Renee fics and I am one of those people so I thought I would make one.

You had been with your wife for nearly 10 years now and yet no one other than her family knew about the pair of you. You and Renée met when you were both playing for Linköping and you both instantly hit it off and became great friends before long the friendship developed into more than that and then after being together for 3 years, Renée asked you to marry her. A few years after you got married you both retired from football because you knew you wanted to start a family with Renée but unfortunately, the latter was forced to retire because of a knee injury. But through the unfortunate circumstances it did also mean that you now have two beautiful children called Anneliese and Lucas. After she retired, Renée was adamant that she wanted to go into the managerial side of the sport and you supported her through the whole process when you both got offered a job at Arsenal, Renée the manager and you the head physio, you both knew that you couldn't turn down the offer. So that leads you to where you are today, you have been at the London club for nearly three months now and still no one knows about you two, or the fact that either of you have children, well not yet.

Y/n: *Answers the phone* Hello, how can I help?

AT: Hello, is this Anneliese Slegers' parent?

Y/n: Yes speaking.

AT: Ok, well I am Anneliese's teacher and I am afraid that you will need to come and pick your daughter up as soon as you can.

Y/n: Ok I will see what I can do, it may not be me or her mum as we are both at work but I will try and get in contact with a family member, can I ask why? Is she ok?

AT: Anneliese said she was feeling ill and then she was sick a few times when we were taking her to a quieter room to give her some time, she seems to be feeling a bit better now but because she was sick she will need to stay at home for at least 48 hours.

Y/n: Ok, thank you for calling me, someone will be there to pick her up as soon as possible.

AT: Thank you and sorry to disturb you at work.

You hung up the phone and tried to get into contact with Renée's sister as she was meant to be over from the Netherlands for work but it turns out the trip got cancelled and she is still at home, slightly panicking you leave the physio room and walk up to Renée's office, knocking on the door when you get there.

Renée: Come in, oh hey you, what has Kyra done now?

Y/n: It isn't Kyra.

Renée: Oh ok serious, what's wrong?

Y/n: I have just been on the phone with Annie's teacher.

Renée: Oh god, is she ok?

Y/n: Apparently she said she wasn't feeling well and then she ended up being sick a few times and they need one of us to go and pick her up, which I can do but then I am going to have to bring her back here and I didn't know what to do.

Renée: Ok, well either way we need to go get her, do you have any girls in this afternoon or is it meant to be pretty quiet?

Y/n: No I have Caitlin and Leah coming in, as well as a few of the girls after training.

Renée: Ok so there is no way I can get you out of that then.

Y/n: No, I mean I am happy to bring her back here, she can lay down in there and just sleep if she's still not feeling well.

Renée: And she does look exactly like you so they probably wouldn't pick up on anything.

Y/n: Ok I will go get her now, I'll keep you updated babe.

Renée: Ok, I need to get to training but if anything happens you know where I am.

You walk out of the office and quickly go to your car, leaving and driving to the school as quickly as possible, when you get there, not only do you see Anneliese waiting for you but your eldest, Lucas is also sat there playing with his sister.

Y/n: Hello you two, are you not feeling well either Lucas?

Teacher: Yes sorry we didn't phone because we thought you would already be on the way but Lucas has also been sick so we assume it is something that they have picked up outside of school.

Y/n: Ok, well thank you, come on you two let’s get going.

Anneliese: Where's Mama?

Y/n: She's at work baby, do you want to go see her?

Anneliese: Yes please, can you pick me up please mummy?

Y/n: Of course I can baby, come on Lucas.

You get them back to the car and into their car seats before driving back to the training ground, when you get back you go into the physio room which you expect to be empty but when you get to the door you can hear people inside.

Y/n: Right you two, no one here knows that me and your mama are together so try not to mention her and we will go see her soon ok?

Lucas: Ok mum.

Anneliese: Ok mummy.

You walk in to see that the noise is coming from Kyra who is arguing with Alessia over something.

Y/n: What have you done this time Kyra?

Kyra: Umm that can wait, who's this little one? She is adorable.

Y/n: They're mine, this is Anneliese, and this is Lucas, wait Lucas where have you gone, buddy?

Lucas: I'm here mum *sitting in your spinny chair* 

Y/n: Of course you are, right Kyra let me just put this one down and then I will be right with you.

Anneliese: No me stay with you mummy.

Y/n: I'm sorry baby but I need to help Kyra, I promise you can have loads of cuddles later.

Kyra: How about you come and sit next to me whilst your mummy does what she needs to do?

Anneliese: Yes please

Y/n: Thanks Kyra, now what is the problem today?

Kyra: Well a certain someone called Alessia was being too rough and stood on my foot when I was getting ready and I didn't have my boots on yet so yeah.

Y/n: Right ok I can fix that.

You wrap up Kyra's foot and ankle and tell her not to train today just because she lost quite a bit of blood and it is quite bruised but she should be fine for the next training. The younger girl decides to stay in your physio room and plays with Anneliese which cheers your daughter up now that she is feeling better, Lucas just sits there on your phone watching one of his shows because he still isn't feeling his best, luckily no one has noticed how much your son looks like your wife so you haven't had to have to awkward conversation about that.

Beth: Hello my favourite physio, you are needed on the pitch.

Y/n: But training finished like 20 minutes ago why is anyone still out there?

Beth: Well I wanted to practice my free kicks a bit more and Renée said she would help me and I don't know but she kicked it and I think it was her knee.

Y/n: God ok, that woman needs to know when to stop, right Kyra can you stay here please with these two, I'm sorry to put it on you.

Beth: I'll stay here too, don't worry about it.

Y/n: Thanks, guys.

You say buy to the kids before walking out and practically running out to the pitch, meanwhile back in the physio room.

Beth: Who are these two little cuties then?

Kyra: Y/n's kids, you were both a bit ill so had to leave school didn't you little one?

Beth: Aww bless, she looks exactly like Y/n.

Kyra: I know, and I know it isn't possible but Lucas over there looks like a little Renée.

Beth: He does.

Anneliese: That's because she is our mama, silly Kyra.

Kyra: Wait what?

Lucas: Annie! Mum said not to say anything.

Anneliese: Sorry I forgot *starts to cry because she thinks she is in trouble*

Beth: Hey kiddo come here *Picks Anneliese up* It's ok you aren't in trouble, it can be our secret, me and Kyra won't tell anyone ok?

Anneliese: Ok.

Meanwhile back outside with you when you get to Renée and luckily she is the only one out there now other than Daphne who goes in when you get to your wife

Y/n: What have I told you about being careful, you can't keep up with the girls anymore babe.

Renée: I wasn't even doing anything that hard, I just kicked the ball a few times.

Y/n: You still need to be careful babe, do you think you can walk on it?

Renée: I'm not sure.

Y/n: Right ok, I'll go get some of the girls so that they can help us get you inside, I will be right back ok?

You don't wait for her to answer and just make your way back inside to ask Kyra and Beth for help, not knowing if any of the other girls are still there. Once the girls have helped Renée inside they both say they need to leave and that they'll see you both tomorrow, as soon as they leave the door you feel a gentle tap on your leg.

Anneliese: I go see Mama now?

Y/n: Of course baby, she's just over there, be gentle though please Annie, mama has hurt herself a little bit.

Anneliese: Ok mummy *runs over to Renée* hello mama.

Renée: Hello Annie, are you feeling better now?

Anneliese: Yes, mummy said you hurt yourself, are you ok mama?

Renée: I am going to be just fine baby, it is just my silly knee.

Y/n: Yes your mama was just being silly and forgot that she is not a professional athlete anymore.

Anneliese: Silly mama.

Y/n: Yes Annie she is very silly, anyway I think we should get all of you home *you hand Renée some crutches*

Renée: I don't want to have to use them again.

Y/n: Well, I am afraid you do not have a choice, maybe this will teach you to be more careful in the future.

Renée: Fine you're probably right.

Hope you enjoyed :)

[rosierin]

stem wars | atsumu, osamu, suna

synopsis; osamu can tie cherry stems with his tongue so atsumu, suna and (y/n) try to one-up him.

this fic is part of the off-season quartet™ series! for more, click here :)

It started innocently enough.

The four of them were gathered around the dining table, bowls half-full of fruit, the soft drone of an animal documentary playing on the TV in the background. The narrator’s voice was mellow, British, and mildly bored:

“The leopard uses stealth to approach its prey, crouching low in the tall grass…”

Atsumu had one leg propped up on the chair, slowly chewing on a cherry, fully engrossed in the program. Suna sat opposite, slouched with his hoodie half-zipped, eyes flickering idly between the screen and the bowl. (Y/n) had a cushion behind her back and one of her legs tucked under her, snacking contentedly. Osamu was methodically pitting cherries and lining up the seeds on a napkin like some sort of serial killer.

The mood was calm. Peaceful. Nobody saying a peep—until a rogue thought crossed (y/n)’s mind.

Then—

“Hey,” she piped up, chewing thoughtfully.

She earned a chorus of hums, all varying in pitch and interest.

“Can you guys do that thing where you tie a cherry stem with your tongue?”

The documentary kept droning in the background.

Atsumu blinked. “That’s a thing?”

Suna glanced over. “Can’t say I’ve tried.”

Osamu didn’t even look up. “I can.”

(Y/n)’s eyes lit up, her grin spreading like wildfire. “You can??”

Atsumu looked personally offended, cast his brother a judgemental stare. “Since when?”

Osamu shrugged, picking out another cherry. “Since I’ve been eatin’ cherries.”

Suna nodded slowly, twirling one of the fruits between his fingers. “That’s pretty impressive.”

“I ain’t buyin’ it,” Atsumu scoffed. “I don’t see how it’s even possible.“

“No,” (y/n) insisted, leaning forward now, “it’s a legit thing! Some people can just do it.”

Osamu raised an eyebrow and plucked a stem from the bowl. “Wanna see?”

All three of them responded in unison:

“Yes please.”

“Yeah.”

“Duh.”

With all the nonchalance of someone tying their shoelaces, Osamu popped the cherry in his mouth. His jaw shifted slightly. A few seconds passed.

He stuck out his tongue.

The stem was tied in a perfect little knot.

Atsumu dropped his cherry pit onto the table. “What the actual hell—”

Suna blinked. “Damn. He can actually do it.”

(Y/n) let out a breathless laugh. “That’s sick!”

And just like that, the table descended into silly competition.

Everyone suddenly had a cherry stem in hand.

Atsumu was determined. He shoved one in his mouth, brow furrowed like he was solving a math equation.

“How the fuck are ya supposed to—”

“Don’t choke,” Suna warned, already working on his own attempt.

(Y/n) giggled. “Okay, wait—how do you even start? Do you fold it or just like… twist it around?”

“Use your tongue, obviously,” Atsumu snapped, still mumbling around the stem. “What else are ya s’posed to use?”

She snorted. “It’s harder than it looks!”

Osamu leaned back with his arms folded, watching like a proud sensei. “Just takes practice.”

Then, without warning, Suna casually stuck out his tongue—and lo and behold, his stem was perfectly knotted too.

“WHAT?!” Atsumu practically shrieked. “How’d you do that?!”

(Y/n) gave him a look, mocking his tone. “By using his tongue, duh. What else are ya s’posed to use?”

Atsumu shot her a glare.

Suna shrugged, completely unfazed. “I’m multi-talented.”

(Y/n) gasped. “Okay, what is this? How are the two of you so good at this?!”

Atsumu spat his stem onto a napkin, clicking his tongue irritably. “Mine broke. This is rigged.”

Osamu, grinning now, lazily spun his tied stem between his fingers. “Guess I’m just better at usin’ my tongue. No big deal, guys.”

(Y/n) choked on air.

Atsumu’s head whipped around. “Fuck off—”

Suna’s smirk grew three sizes as he brandished another perfectly knotted cherry stem on his tongue.

(Y/n) gawked, cheeks hot as she looked between the very smug Suna and casual-as-ever Osamu.

“What?” he said, too innocently. “Just statin’ facts.”

Atsumu looked personally attacked. “Nah. You both know what yer doin’.”

Osamu bit into another cherry, lips quirking. “Can’t help it if you’ve got a dirty mind.”

(Y/n) giggled helplessly, chasing the less-than-appropriate thoughts from her head.

Atsumu reached for another stem, undeterred. “One more. I swear ’m gonna do it.”

“Give up, 'Tsumu,” Osamu drawled. “Some people just don’t got it.”

Suna tossed a cherry into his mouth, casting a sly glance at (y/n). “Then there’s those who do.”

Atsumu groaned at his third failed attempt, lobbing the seed at the wall like it was the cherry’s fault.

Osamu clicked his tongue. “Ya better pick that up.”

Atsumu huffed, picking up another cherry with unnecessary force. “Not until I figure this shit out.”

(Y/n) stilled, tugging on their sleeves. “Guys—guys—the leopard is hunting.”

Nobody paid attention.

[grayson-nn]

Height Struggles

pairing: Mark x Rex x GN! Reader

Category: Fluff

Synopsis: You can't help it that you're short

Requested c/c: 4.9k

You couldn't help that you were short. You didn’t choose this height—life chose it for you. And as if that wasn’t enough, life also threw two annoyingly tall menaces into your daily existence: Mark and Rex.

They were always teasing you about your height. Every. Single. Day. It didn’t matter where you were or what you were doing—if there was an opportunity to remind you of your lack of inches, they took it.

And today was no exception.

You stood in the kitchen, staring at the top shelf where your precious bag of chips was sitting, completely out of reach. You had already tried stretching, jumping, and even climbing onto the counter, but somehow, it was still just barely too high.

After a long, deep sigh, you knew what had to be done. You had to ask for help.

You turned to see Mark and Rex sitting at the table, scrolling through their phones, completely oblivious to your struggle. You debated just not asking them, but then Mark glanced up and caught you looking. That was all it took. A slow, knowing grin spread across his face.

"Need something?" he asked, already sounding entertained.

You hesitated. "No."

Rex looked up next, raising an eyebrow. "You sure? Because that’s the face of someone who needs something."

Damn it. They knew.

You sighed, crossing your arms. "Fine. Can one of you help me get something off the top shelf?"

Mark smirked. "Let me guess. Can’t reach?"

"No, Mark, I just enjoy asking for help," you deadpanned.

Rex chuckled and stood up, stretching dramatically. "Man, it must be rough being so tiny."

Mark joined in, standing as well and towering over you. "Yeah, how do you even function down there?"

You rolled your eyes. "Okay, okay, we get it. You guys are giants. Can we move on now?"

Mark, of course, wasn’t done. He stepped closer and—like the absolute menace that he was—rested his elbow on top of your head.

"Perfect height," he said with a smirk.

You swatted his arm away. "STOP USING ME AS AN ARMREST!"

"But it’s so convenient," Rex teased, now ruffling your hair like you were some kind of small pet. "It’s like having a built-in shelf for my arm."

"I am not a shelf!" you huffed, stepping back. "If anyone’s the shelf here, it’s you two. So why don’t you use that ridiculous height of yours and get my chips?"

Mark smirked. "What’s the magic word?"

You groaned. "Please."

Rex shook his head. "Nah, we need a better magic word than that."

Mark grinned. "Yeah, how about… ‘Oh great and mighty Mark and Rex, masters of the high shelves, please grant me access to my snacks.’"

You stared at them, dead inside.

"I hate you both."

"Aww, come on, it’s just a little fun," Mark said.

Rex nodded. "Yeah, we’re providing entertainment while graciously agreeing to help you."

"Graciously my ass," you muttered.

Rex shrugged. "Alright then, no chips for you." He reached up effortlessly, grabbed the bag, and waved it in front of you like a prize.

You immediately jumped for it, but he lifted it higher.

"Oh, come on!" you huffed, trying again. Nothing. It was so unfair how easy it was for them to just hold things out of your reach.

Mark, of course, decided to make things worse by holding out a hand and pressing it against your forehead to keep you from getting any closer.

"Wow, look at that," he said with a fake thoughtful expression. "Still can’t reach. Crazy."

You smacked his hand away. "You two are the worst people I have ever met."

Mark grinned. "Flattery won’t get you your chips."

Rex tapped the bag. "Only the magic words will."

You groaned dramatically and glared at them before finally muttering, "Oh great and mighty Mark and Rex, masters of the high shelves, please grant me access to my snacks."

"Couldn’t hear that," Mark said.

"Yeah, needs more desperation," Rex added.

You clenched your jaw. "I swear, I am this close to committing a crime."

Mark shrugged. "Guess we’re keeping the chips, then."

"FINE!" You took a deep breath and shouted, "OH GREAT AND MIGHTY MARK AND REX, MASTERS OF THE HIGH SHELVES, PLEASE GRANT ME ACCESS TO MY SNACKS!"

Silence.

Mark and Rex stared at you, then at each other, then—finally—handed over the chips.

"See? That wasn’t so hard," Mark said.

You snatched the bag and hugged it to your chest, giving them both the deadliest glare you could muster. "One day," you said in a low, menacing voice. "One day I will grow taller, and when that happens, I am going to DESTROY you both."

Rex laughed. "Sure, short stack. Keep dreaming."

Mark ruffled your hair again. "Yeah, let us know when that happens, okay?"

You turned on your heel, stomped out of the kitchen, and shouted over your shoulder, "One day, you’re BOTH going to regret this!"

Mark and Rex only laughed as you stormed off. But deep down, you knew the day would come. One day, you would get your revenge. And when that day arrived…?

Oh, they were in for it.

[bullet-prooflove]

What Puts You On That Ledge: Jack Abbot x Reader

Tagged: @kmc1989 @dizzybee03 @noxytopy @flyinglama @yousigned-upforthis

References to:

Masochist - You and Jack have an indepth understanding of one another.

Companion piece to:

Boston - You reflect on the past after your ex-husband makes an appearance on a trying day.

This God Damn Fucking Day - Jack steps into the fray with things get messy between you and you ex-husband.

Misdemeanour - Jack's forced to step in when you get arrested because of your ex-husband.

Fishtail - Jack helps you decompress in the aftermath of your ex-husband.

Love Language (NSFW) - Jack has his own unique love language.

Jack tries to hide the magazines, the ones with your ex-husband’s face on the cover. He doesn’t realise they even exist until he starts his shift and sees Myrna sitting there in her wheelchair engrossed in the glossy pages.

“You have got to be fucking with me.” He mutters as he snatches one up off the counter and flicks through it.

The main feature is a tell all article by one of the celebrities he fucked, Madeline Jaeger. She details the salacious affair that started when she was a patient of his, undergoing treatment in his recovery centre. The light touches that turned into a hand up her skirt, the hour long ‘sessions’ on his couch, then there’s the other stuff, the depraved stuff that Jack knows featured in your own bedroom throughout that marriage.

Did his wife come into your mind any point, the interviewer had asked.

Yes, Madeline had answered. He told me she couldn’t give him what she needed. She was emotionally cold, frigid. She didn’t enjoy the things that he wanted, not the way that I did. 

His stomach drops because your secrets are right there in print, for all the world to see. He wants to scream, to maim something, to destroy every single part of the man that hurt you but he can’t because the asshole has sequestered himself into one of his friends rehab clinics. Sex addiction he claims. It has your mother’s handiwork written all over it.

He destroys the magazines instead, collecting every single one of them he can find before he sets fire to them in the dumpster outside, an extinguisher in his hand as he watches the pages turn to ash.  

“You may have burned the physical evidence.” Myrna reminds him when he sits back down at his work station. “But the internet is forever Sweet Cheeks.”

“Fuck.” He hisses because that article is the first thing that comes up when he Googles your name. All of your achievements, the papers you’ve worked on, the journals you’ve submitted to it’s all pushed down underneath the weight of this story.

“You’ve got to tell her.” Myrna counsels, squeezing his arm lightly. “Better coming from you than anyone else.”

As much as he wants to protect you from this bullshit she’s right, he doesn’t want you to get blindsided by this mess, to have someone throw it in your face. He takes the elevator up to Psych, his heart palpitating in his chest with every floor that ticks by.

The moment he sees your face, he knows it’s already too late. Your jaw is clenched, your expression completely impassive. You’ve shut down completely, he understands. It’s the only way you can contain the damage to your psyche.

It’s how you got through your first marriage, don’t react, pretend it doesn’t touch you, that it doesn’t hurt you.

He finds you on the roof after his shift, standing on the same spot that he does from time to time. He hasn’t realised how terrifying it is until this moment, how there’s nothing to stop you from taking that step and hurtling over the edge.

“I understand now why you do this.” You say as he approaches you, his hand tangling in your lab coat, gripping it tightly. “How sometimes it can be the only thing that makes you feel alive.”

He understands the reality of what’s happening in this moment, you’re suffering the same affliction that he does. You’ve numbed yourself so much to what’s going on around you that you can’t seem to be able to flick the switch back on.

“It’s not the only thing.” He tells you as he lands a sudden sharp pinch on your ass.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” You yelp and he tugs you back against the safety rail with his grasp on your labcoat.

“Hurts doesn’t it?” He murmurs, his breath ghosting in your ear. “Makes you irrationally angry?”

“Oh you fucker.” You mutter as you turn to face him and he can see the fire in your eyes, the life flooding back into you. “You just shrinked me didn’t you?”

“I learned from the best honey.” He says as he takes your hand and helps you back over the railing. “You’re the only one that’s ever been able to get me off that ledge.”

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[wosospacegirl]

should’ve called me

Summary: Y/n's on her period and having a hard time during training and Millie drives her home

Warnings: millie is the sweetest girlfriend ever

Word count: 2.3k

Masterlist

..

Y/n shifted restlessly in bed, rolling over the tangled mess of pillows and blankets. Her stomach throbbed, the dull ache twisting deep in her lower abdomen, making sleep impossible.

It was 4:30 a.m., and she still had time before she needed to get up for training. Just a little more sleep–that’s all she wanted. Enough to avoid dragging a headache around all day.

But her body had other plans. It was the second day of her period…the worst day! Cramps, back pain, mood swings, and of course, blood.

She hated training during her period. The ache in her stomach made everything uncomfortable; her back always felt stiff, and even the simplest drills felt ten times harder.

People always talked about "empowering your body" during your cycle, but Y/n couldn’t bring herself to care about all that when she was the one bleeding out.

If someone asked her in an interview about playing football during her period, she'd say all the right things: "It's normal, it’s natural, we push through". But actually being the one running around the pitch while her uterus staged a full-on rebellion? No thanks.

Y/n turned onto her right side, clutching her stomach tightly. The pain dulled a little, but her back started to ache. She sighed and flopped to her left instead, tucking a pillow between her legs and closing her eyes. It didn’t fix everything, but it was better, warm and comforting, almost like when Millie hugged her.

She missed that. It had been a while since she and Millie spent proper time together. Chelsea’s schedule had been relentless lately–training, physio, media duties–and now, with the season winding down, no one had time to even breathe.

Y/n and Millie had been dating for a few months now. When Y/n first joined Chelsea, Millie had been the one to show her around.

She made sure Y/n was comfortable, helped her settle in, and made things easier. Somewhere along the way, their friendship blurred into something more–coffee orders memorized, late-night phone calls, kisses stolen in quiet corners of the training ground.

But right now, they weren’t speaking.

They’d had a fight–a stupid one–on Friday night, and Y/n had spent the whole weekend avoiding Millie. Well... Millie had tried to talk. Y/n was the one being stubborn. 

Looking back now, the whole thing felt ridiculous. Y/n had snapped when she saw Millie hugging one of the girls from the team, they’d looked too close, too comfortable. Jealousy had flared, and with her emotions already heightened, she lashed out.

Millie had just been comforting a teammate who’d had a rough training session. Y/n knew that now, but at the time... well, blaming it on PMS sounded a lot better than admitting she'd been unreasonable.

Maybe it was time to apologize. But she wasn’t going to text, she would wait until training.

..

The locker room was empty when Y/n walked in. She changed quietly, tugging on her training kit and pulling her hair into a ponytail. The sharp tug on her scalp made her wince, pain shooting down her temples.

She was pressing her hand to her stomach when the door creaked open. Erin walked in, her training jersey already damp with sweat and grass.

"Hey, Y/n!" Erin grinned. "How’s it going? How was your weekend?"

"Horrible," Y/n mumbled, sitting down to pull on her boots. "I was... kind of a bitch to Millie, and then we had a fight. And now I’ve got cramps, so... yeah."

"Oh," Erin nodded knowingly. "That’s why Millie’s been walking around like a lost puppy."

Y/n’s stomach twisted with guilt.

"Lucy asked me what happened, but I didn’t know," Erin added. "But don’t worry, baby–talk to her. I’m sure it'll be fine." She patted Y/n's back.

"Yeah," Y/n sighed. "I will."

Erin started toward the door but paused. "You coming?"

Y/n pressed her palm firmly to her stomach. "Cramps... just waiting for the medicine to kick in."

"Oh, I’m sorry," Erin said, her smile softening. "Maybe you could hit the gym instead of training today?"

"No, I need to be on the pitch," Y/n muttered. "Don’t you remember the last game? That shot I took? It went flying over the goal... It was embarrassing."

Erin grinned. "Happens to the best of us."

"Yeah," Y/n snorted, "but you’re annoyingly good at everything."

"That’s because I am the best."

Erin ducked out the door just before Y/n’s shin guard came flying her way.

Unfortunately, the smile didn’t last long. Another wave of pain knotted her stomach sharply. She glanced at her watch–30 minutes late already. Erin had probably told Sonia she was in the changing room, but Y/n knew she couldn’t put it off any longer.

She sucked it up and headed to the pitch.

Her teammates were already running drills; Y/n eyes quickly found Millie running, but she wasn’t in her natural spot upfront, instead she was behind the other girls. Her eyes were focused on the floor as she ran, clear sadness on her face.

Yep, Y/n needed to apologize. Fast.

But not right now, Y/n had responsibilities to fulfil first, and that meant talking to the manager.

She saw Sonia standing in the middle of the pitch, scribbling notes on her clipboard alongside her assistant coaches. Y/n considered slipping straight into training, but she knew she owed an explanation to Sonia first of why she was late.

"Hey, Y/n!" Sonia was greeted warmly when she approached. "Everything okay? Erin said you weren’t feeling well."

Y/n shifted on her feet. "Yeah... cramps."

Sonia’s expression softened. "I’m sorry–feel free to sit this one out if you need. I know how tough it gets for you."

The good thing about being in a club that cares about your health? The best doctors, physios, and support staff were always available. The downside? Everyone knew way too much about your body.

Even the manager.

“No, it’s alright– I’m sure I’ll feel better soon,” Y/n said, even though she wasn’t actually sure about it. She just didn’t want to feel like the odd one out. 

What was the point of coming to training if she wasn't going to train?

“Just want to give you a heads up that my performance will be poor though,” Y/n said with an awkward laugh, while fidgeting with the hem of her jersey.

“Don’t worry about it, do your best.” Sonia gave her an empathetic smile. “And take some water breaks, alright? Don’t overwork yourself.”

As Y/n jogged beside Millie, she kept sneaking glances at her. Y/n’s chest tightened. What if Millie wasn’t so quick to forgive her this time? What if she was tired of Y/n’s moods?

“Hey,” Y/n said softly, voice tight with nerves.

Millie turned her head, and to Y/n’s surprise, she smiled– small, but genuine. “Hey,” Millie said back.

Y/n exhaled, guilty in her voice. “I-I’m sorry for ignoring you the whole weekend and…well, for being kind of a bitch really.”

“What got you so angry, huh?” Millie’s teasing smile softened. “Spent the whole weekend thinking, what have I done to get on your nerves?”

Y/n felt even more guilty, even though Millie seemed to have forgiven her already. She always did. Millie was patient and understanding; two things Y/n was still learning.

“I got my period so…hormones,” Y/n said. “I’m sorry about that, I know it’s not an excuse.”

“Oh, are you feeling okay?” Millie asked while cleaning sweat off her forehead. “How are your cramps this time?”

“Bad, very bad,” Y/n said. “I was waiting to see if the pain would alleviate a bit with the medicine, but it didn’t work.”

The assistant coach blew the whistle twice, which meant everybody had to start running faster, so Millie and Y/n did so. Although Y/n’s cramps were getting worse and worse.

“You should’ve called me,” Millie said. “I would’ve come to your house, we would cuddle– you know medicine doesn't always work for you.”

Millie was right. Y/n had such bad cramps that not even the strongest medicine could get rid of them, but she still tried to take them and hoped for the best every time. 

“I know, I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it,” Y/n mumbled, slightly out of breath.

“It’s a big deal if you’re in pain,” Millie said gently.

Y/n smiled sweetly at Millie as they ran laps quietly, the drill becoming too intense for them to have a conversation.

As the team ran, Millie’s eyes kept flicking toward Y/n. Every time Y/n pressed a hand to her stomach or slowed down for just a second, Millie noticed.

She shifted closer, gradually shortening the gap between them until her elbow brushed Y/n’s arm.

“You sure you’re okay?” Millie asked quietly, like she didn’t want the other to overhear, since Y/n didn't like when others knew she was in any type of pain, even her teammates.

“I’m fine,” Y/n muttered, trying to pick up her pace– but Millie stayed beside her, watching the girl carefully.

As if it were the bells of the angels themselves, the assistant coach blew the whistle, indicating the running drill was over, after an hour and a half of running, in between breaks, obviously, the girls were free to carry on with their day.

Now each player had their own schedule– the goalkeepers had their own training session, some girls had physiotherapy, others pilates, while Millie and Y/n, alongside some other players, had a gym session.

Y/n trudged in the direction of the gym, her head pounding and stomach still aching. She was halfway through peeling off her boot to change it into her sneaker when Millie pulled her shirt, catching Y/n’s attention. 

“I’m driving you home,” Millie announced, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“I’m fine,” Y/n protested.

Millie scoffed. “Yeah, sure,” Millie snorted. “Because you’re totally the type to clutch your stomach like that for fun.” 

“I’ve got gym,” Y/n mumbled.

“Not anymore.” Millie grabbed Y/n’s bag, slinging it over her shoulder like it weighed nothing. 

“C’mon,” Millie added, her voice softer now. “I’ve already talked to Sonia– we’ve got the rest of the day off.”

“I can–”

“You can barely stand up straight,” Millie interrupted, her hand finding Y/n’s elbows gently. “I saw you dragging your feet out there. And don’t even think about arguing. You’re pale and sweaty. You look like you haven’t slept well in days.

“I always look sweaty after training,” Y/n tried.

Millie arched an eyebrow. “Not like this.” Her grip on Y/n’s arm tightened slightly, trying to get the girl to stand up from the bench. “I’m serious, babe. Just let me take you home.”

Y/n wanted to argue, but honestly, she didn’t have the energy. Her stomach twisted again, and she grimaced, a frown on her face.

“See?” Millie’s face softened immediately. “I knew it– you’re miserable! With all the respect.” 

She shifted Y/n’s bag higher on her shoulder. “You’re getting on my sofa with a blanket, a hot water bottle, and we can watch whatever movie you want. Non-negotiable.”

Y/n groaned at Millie but followed her until they were in the parking lot. Millie opened the door for her, and Y/n got in as Millie began driving.

Y/n was feeling more and more pain. The sharp tugged in her lower back was getting stronger, too. They didn’t talk on their way to Millie’s house. Instead, they were in a comfortable silence.

Millie gently placed her hand on Y/n’s thigh as the girl lay her head against the windows, closing her eyes.

..

By the time they reached Millie’s house, Y/n was practically dragging herself out of the car, but Millie was at her side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Alright, no arguments,” Millie muttered, her voice softer now. “You’re going straight to the sofa.”

“I can walk,” Y/n grumbled, even as she leaned heavily against Millie.

“Yeah, yeah,” Millie said teasingly. “You’re walking, I’m just steering.”

Once inside, Millie guided Y/n to the sofa and immediately began fussing–like Millie usually did–tossing blankets over Y/n and adjusting pillows and practically tucking her in like a kid.

“You comfy?” Millie asked, getting down on her knees in front of Y/n.

“Uhm,” Y/n mumbled, eyes half-closed.

“You’re a bad liar, baby,” Millie muttered, kissing her forehead before disappearing into the kitchen.

Y/n let her eyes fall shut, barely registering the sounds of cupboards opening and closing. Soon enough, Millie was back, pressing a heating pad to Y/n’s stomach and placing a glass of water on the table.

“Here,” Millie murmured, coaxing Y/n into sitting up just enough to hand her some more painkillers. “Take these.”

Y/n swallowed them obediently, letting her head fall back against the pillows with a groan.

“You want tea?” Millie asked. “Or soup? I can make soup–or maybe you want something sweet? Huh?”

“Millie–” Y/n’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I just wanna sleep.”

Millie chuckled softly. “Alright, alright.” She tucked the blanket higher over Y/n’s shoulders, then grabbed the remote. “But when you wake up, I’m making you eat something.”

Y/n hummed in agreement, her breathing already slowing as the heating pad eased her pain away. Millie’s presence was also comforting, making her relax.

Millie stayed close, sitting on the floor with her back against the couch. Every few minutes, she’d reach up and gently squeeze Y/n’s calf–just enough to remind her she was there.

“You’re such a good girlfriend,” Y/n mumbled sleepily.

“Yeah?” Millie grinned, giving her leg one more squeeze. “Good. Now go to sleep, grumpy.”

..

Notes: Hope u liked liked it! Please like and reblog <3

Masterlist

[ninetailedfoxmanchi]

Mafia! BTS - You Work Late Together

A/N: This is part 2 of the "You're their assistant series". Part 1: Mafia! BTS - You Get a Job as Their Assistant

Warnings: profanity, mentions of sexual harassment

MASTERLIST

You've worked for the company for about a month now. You thought it would be hard getting used to the job but a week in and you realized it wasn't so bad. Once you learned where everything was and how to manage your boss's schedule it was like riding a bike. Besides, the pay was more than generous, which is why you bought yourself a very special black dress that you had had your eye on for some time now but couldn't really afford. You took the opportunity when your friend invited you and the rest of the girls out to a birthday dinner to wear it. You were already in front of your building when you received a phone call from the company. "Come on, not today," you sighed to yourself but answered anyways. There was an emergency at the company and there was no one who knew the job better than you by now.

Jin

As if the traffic weren't a s sufficient enough of a disaster, your heels made it impossible for you to hurry. You finally reached your desk when you heard voices coming from your boss's office. The door was left open. You came closer and waited.

"Fix this," said your boss in a voice you had rarely heard from him before; it was dark and raspy as if there was a razor in his throat. "Or losing your job will be the least of your concerns come morning."

You stared at the two people who you'd only seen coming in and out of Mr Kim's office but had never directly spoken to. One was the head of IT and the other worked in the legal department. Your boss towered over the first as he spoke the words that made your stomach churn. Mr Kim was always calm and composed no matter what the emergency or issue. You had never met anyone who was more polite or soft-spoken than him and yet for a moment you wondered whether he was only like that to you.

"Out," he almost growled as he glared at the legal expert as well. The two employees bowed their heads and scrammed past you. One was fuming and the other threw you a sympathetic look.

Jin's eyes snapped to you like the lash of a whip. Your mouth dropped as you tried to find something to say but your thoughts were nothing but an empty mess. For a moment, you considered that he will do the same to you as he did to the IT guy and the legal professional. His frown fell, however, realizing it's you and his lips parted at the sight of you outfit. Just as you had never seen him in anything other than a suit, he had never seen you in an evening dress. Your boss, in turn, wore a pair of tailored linen trousers and a loose shirt that looked just as good on him as any suit.

"You, um... You called for me?" you said after a moment. Your heart was beating madly as you waited for him to fire you or worse - grill you for your mistakes and incompetence and then fire you.

"I'm glad you could make it, Ms Y/N," said your boss instead, his voice shifting towards its usual self. His shoulders lost some of the tension as did his frown. Jin gestured at the seats in front of his desk.

"I'm afraid your boyfriend will have to do without you tonight," he said as you both took a seat, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "I'm in desperate need for someone with a sharp brain and the rest of my employees clearly have none."

"Boyfriend?" you asked confused, your eyebrows raised. Heat rushed to your cheeks although you couldn't tell whether it was from the idea that you weren't single or whether because one of the smartest men you had ever met just praised your cleverness.

Your boss glanced at your stunning dress and you blushed even deeper. Apparently, you looked dressed for a date.

"I was just meeting my friends," you explained and fixed the top of your sleeve. Your boss's gaze burned through your eyes as something shifted in his handsome features. The cut of his silken shirt revealed the outline of his chest that made your breath hitch in your throat. Since the day you started work in this company, you have been doing everything in your power not to think about your boss, but in moments like this you couldn't help but feel your stomach flutter beneath his gaze.

"So, what happened?" you cleared your throat and changed the subject. A dark shadow returned to your boss's face but now you knew it wasn't directed at you. There was a problem with a merger of one of the office's most important sub-companies. There was a breach of classified financial information enabled by a series of mistakes by the IT security department. Some documents needed to be refiled, meetings scheduled and the damage assessed with contingency plans drafted.

"Right," you sighed and got up, smoothing down your dress. You finally realized why your boss was so livid at his team. "I'll get started right away." You made for your desk when Jin called you back.

"Use my computer," he ordered and got up from his leather office chair. "I'll be faster if we work together." He opened a drawer and pulled out his laptop.

You hesitated for a moment before you sat down in your boss's chair, feeling completely out of place. He took a seat on the sofa and began typing away. You battled the tasks together one by one and the hours passed faster than you thought. After 2 a.m not even the coffee helped anymore. Your neck gave a quiet crack when you stretched your arms above your head before you leaned back in the massive chair.

Your boss was looking at you when you opened your eyes.

"Sorry," you said quickly, for a moment forgetting you were technically at work although it was closer to the morning than it was to the evening.

"I should be the one apologizing to you, Ms Y/N," said Jin and closed his laptop. He poured two glasses of whiskey from the ornate crystal bottle that always stood on the end table. He offered you one of them.

At first you hesitated but the world did seem to pause at this hour and allow for your worth ethic to go out the window for a moment. You got up and came around the desk. "Thank you."

"To containing this emergency," you said and clinked your glass against your boss's.

"To..." he paused and measured your eyes, "More nights spent together."

You smiled as your heart jumped. "With all due respect, if they're like tonight, I truly hope not," you laughed but still took a small sip of your drink. The whiskey was smooth with no bite at all.

"No," he agreed, a beautiful smile crowning his lips that made butterflies flutter around your stomach. "A dinner perhaps," he suggested, his voice as gentle as silk. "To make up for a Saturday night spent at the office."

You watched Jin, taken back by his proposal. A part of you wanted to say yes immediately and yet a whole other was being rational and cautious.

You shook your head a little, "I don't think that's a very good idea."

Jin's smile disappeared but his eyes remained soft and watchful. You allowed him to see how much you wanted to say yes but you couldn't. He was your boss and it would complicate everything. Although the contract you signed didn't prohibit coworker relationships, you knew how complicated things could get. Besides, Jin was a powerful man. If he wanted to, he could make sure you never get a job anywhere else and that part of him scared you.

Jin studied you. "I can put it into the contract."

"Sorry?" you stared at him.

"That I can't hurt you," he explained and took a sip of whiskey, "As you employer. I figured it might be a concern for you."

You tried to read him. "So you've done this before?" Your stomach dropped and you slapped yourself mentally when you realized you were probably just another girl and he already had a plan for these kinds of situations.

"No," he stated clearly, drawing your eyes back to him. "But I've been thinking about you." His soft and deep voice gave you goosebumps as your mind became a mess you couldn't detangle. "As I'm sure you know."

"I..." you cleared your throat as the gap between you and your boss seemed to grow smaller. Thinking about you branded into you mind and you couldn't believe your ears.

"I wouldn't presume..."

"You should," assured Jin with such confidence that it made your eyes lock with his. A breath hitched in your throat as you stared up at him, finally seeing the look in his eyes for what it was; and it was one he always reserved just for you.

Namjoon

You were fidgeting when your taxi took you to the office. A large black car was already parked in front of the main door. The driver got out and opened the back door. Your boss got out of the car and buttoned his suit jacket, a look so somber on his face that you didn't want to leave your taxi.

His eyes narrowed at you when he noticed your presence. You took a deep breath and reached for the handle but Mr Kim had already opened the door for you.

"Thank you," you breathed as you got out and smoothed down your dress. Your heart was beating harshly against your throat as you waited for him to give you the news that you were the one causing the emergency by misplacing some documents or something.

"Thank you for coming," he said instead. His tense posture relaxed some as you walked into the building together.

"I see I've interrupted your plans," said your boss in the elevator. Its back wall was a mirror where your reflection reminded you of the dinner you were supposed to attend.

You ran a hand through your hair. "It's okay," you said although you couldn't hide the weight in your voice. The older you got the more difficult it was for your friends to find the time to meet up.

"I mean, it's not okay, but... it's my job," you explained and clutched to your evening handbag. You could feel his eyes on you and you met them. He didn't look away and neither could you. Your stomach fluttered and your knees went weak.

"Anyways, what happened?" you asked as the elevator finally opened and you headed for your boss's office. If it were your fault, you were sure Mr Kim wouldn't have bothered even letting you come into the building with him.

Your boss was about to explain when you reached the conference room next to his office. There was Lee from the legal department and two of his colleagues and Choi from the PR branch. You looked at your boss, whose pace slowed down. A shadow was cast over his handsome features. His eyebrows furrowed into a dark frown and his tongue was in the corner of his cheek - a habit you've learned to recognize whenever your boss was angry or frustrated.

A silence feel among the employees no matter how high their positions when Mr Kim walked into the office. Soon they became a scrambling mess of mumbling excuses and tried to blame one another for the PR crisis that involved a breach of information caused by the legal team.

You couldn't do much but wait for the meeting to be over as you took in every bit of information. You didn't even want to think about what it would be like if your boss were staring you down and grilling you like he did your now former colleagues.

"Get out," said Namjoon coldly. His voice was quiet but so authoritative that it sent shivers down your spine as you watched the guys grow silent.

"If you don't fix this," warned Namjoon as he got up from his chair and buttoned his suit jacket. He didn't say a word more, only glared at Lee until he had no choice but to look down although you knew him to be one of the most arrogant people in the company.

"Out," said Namjoon when the group didn't dare move. They scrambled out in a hurry.

Your boss's cold gaze slowly turned to you. He only watched you for a few moments although it seemed like hours before his tense body relaxed with an exhale.

"Come on, we've got work to do, Ms Y/N," he spoke at last, resigned to the mess that was made.

You followed him into his office where the long and tedious task of mending the damage extended far into the late night. You had to come up with a strategy to help contain the information, select a team to oversee the projects in place, build a plan to deal with the press... There was no end to the work.

By 4 a.m, you were curled up in one of the armchairs in front of your boss's desk, your bare feet resting in the pair seat. Namjoon had his sleeves rolled to his elbows and his hair was messy from running his hand through it so many times. You were leaning your head against your palm, your eyes threatening to close over and over again as you reread the statement for the press and made some final corrections. Only when you reached for your coffee cup you noticed that your boss was watching you. His razor-sharp eyes had softened; you couldn't tell whether it was from the lack of sleep or if it was something else.

"Maybe we should call it a night," you suggested quietly. You didn't have an ounce of energy left and it showed even in your voice.

Namjoon nodded. "I'll give you a ride home."

"It's okay," you said as you hid a yawn behind your hand in search of your black heels, "I'll just call a taxi or something."

You put on your shoes when your boss handed you your handbag.

"No," he decided and there was no room for arguing.

Namjoon had his own driver. Sometimes that was your friend Lucas, but most of the time it was a man you had simply come to know as Yun. At first, you thought it was strange that your boss didn't drive himself but you wouldn't dare ask why.

You sat in the back seat with your boss. Although you had just spent the night in close proximity of one another, the car ride seemed more intimate than that.

"So," said Namjoon, his voice deep and quiet with tiredness, as he found your eyes, "Who did I steal you away from tonight?"

The idea that his tone suggested sent a blush to your cheeks. You smiled and shook your head. "No one," you said, "I was supposed to meet my friends for a birthday dinner thing."

Namjoon stared at you, his eyes suddenly awake with thousands of thoughts. "It's your birthday?"

"No," you smiled reassuringly when you saw a shadow of guilt cross his face. "My friend's."

He nodded slightly. You leaned back in your seat as the driver took you to the other side of the city. It was fast when you took the subway but it took longer by car, especially with all the construction and the road blockages.

You were only going to rest your eyes for a moment but quickly lost the battle. You couldn't see it but Namjoon had his gaze on you the entire time as you slept. When the car stopped in front of your apartment building, your boss gently caressed your cheek. You frowned and opened your eyes. The fragrance from Namjoon's wrist gave you goosebumps.

"Sorry," you said and sat up whilst the driver went to get your door.

"It's okay," said your boss, almost whispering. There was a warmth in his eyes that he had never shown to anyone else but you.

Yoongi

There was no way you would make it to the office in less than an hour if you took a taxi. The city was a complete mess as everyone migrated towards the center for shows, concerts and dinners on a Saturday night. You only took a taxi to the nearest subway station before you hurried downstairs and caught the first train that would take you right to the company's door. Still, the subway was packed as well. You had to stand, which you didn't mind, but you did mind when a man decided to stand right behind you. At first you thought it was a coincidence. He seemed like an ordinary guy; he wore a nice polo shirt and a pair of jeans. But soon, you could feel his breath on your neck as he came closer and closer, pressing himself to you. You slipped away from him and made your way closer to the exit, losing him in the crowd.

You got off at your station and tried not to think about the guy. Somehow you could still feel his gaze on you. He followed you to the street where you finally noticed him. You hurried towards the office and managed to get inside before he could follow you into the building. He remained standing outside. There was a smile on his lips that gave you the chills.

You quickly hurried for the elevator, your stomach in knots and your mind a mess. You went to your desk and put away your handbag.

"Good, you're here," said your boss but you didn't hear him over the noise in your mind.

A loud gasp escaped your lungs when you finally noticed Yoonigi beside you. Your body only relaxed when you saw it was just your boss.

A dark frown fell onto his eyes. "What's wrong?" asked Yoongi. You looked as pale as a ghost.

"Nothing, sorry," you shook your head, "My thoughts were somewhere else."

Yoongi studied you, his lips parted and his eyebrows in a permanent frown. You licked your dry lips and forced your heartbeat to calm down.

"What happened?" you cleared your throat, eager to distract yourself.

You could tell by the look on your boss's face that he wasn't content with your silence, but he let it go, especially when he noticed your stunning outfit. His gaze grazed down all the way to your black heels before it returned to your face.

"I, um... I didn't have the time to change," you apologized and crossed your arms over your chest. Yoongi nodded as he cleared his throat, gesturing you to his office.

Apparently, there was a cyberattack on the company and important information was leaked. Whilst the IT team was already hard at work, there still needed to be people notified, contingency plans to be made if the information reached the media, documents to go over and just about a dozen other things.

Instead of working separately, you both worked together in your boss's office. It was no use going back and forth every five minutes to discuss something. You picked a spot on the sofa and began tackling mountains of documents, which needed to be revised. Before you set for the office, you even had a bit hope that you would catch the dessert part of your friend's dinner but it wasn't happening. Hours went by before you even made it through half of the workload. By 3 a.m you were leaning your head against your arm, your legs curled up on the sofa as you read through the final stack.

Some documents slipped from your hands and made your boss to look up. You fell asleep. He made his way over to you and picked up the papers. He placed them on the coffee table but his attention was on you. Yoongi gently caressed your cheek and brushed your hair behind your ear.

"Y/N, wake up," he spoke softly, his thumb stroking your cheek, "I'll take you home."

"Hm?" you asked, leaning into the warm palm. Realization hit you and your eyes blinked open. You sat up quickly, doing your best to hold back a gasp.

"I'm sorry," you shook your head quickly, not even remembering when you fell asleep.

"It's okay," said Yoongi gently. His voice was raspy from tiredness but there was a softness in his eyes that made your stomach full of butterflies.

You went to grab your handbag before you headed downstairs together.

"It's going to be okay," you said as the elevator slowly took you to the ground floor. Yoongi found your eyes. His gaze shifted as he took in every last detail of your face.

"I know," he said quietly but he was grateful. You nodded and gave a small smile. Although you struggled to deny it, you couldn't help but let your heart flutter whenever you heard Yoongi's voice. There was something about how he was always so calm and in control that attracted you so much to him.

The elevator door opened with a chime and you headed out. You stopped on your tracks out of the sudden, your legs as heavy as lead.

"Oh my god, he's still here," you gasped and grabbed your boss's hand. Yoongi's features flashed with surprise as he frowned and looked down at your hand holding his. You pulled him to the side, hiding behind a solid wall among countless of glass ones.

You shut your eyes tightly for a moment as your stomach dropped and you thought you were going to be sick. Your skin was crawling with fever.

"What's going on?" demanded Yoongi. You looked down at your fingers balled around his hand.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," you said quickly and released him. Your face grew burning hot as you peeked from behind the wall. The young man who harassed you on the subway was sitting on one of the benches just outside the office, showing his back to the entrance.

"Y/N," your boss finally drew your attention back to him. Your hands were shaking as you tried to think of something.

"I- We- We should call the police," you suggested, your mind a mess. "O-Or Lucas, he's your bodyguard, right?"

"Why? What's going on?" asked Yoongi. He glanced behind the wall just enough to see a guy now pacing outside before you pulled him back.

"Who's that?" demanded your boss.

"Some psycho who followed me from the subway," you explained quickly and took a glimpse of him before hiding behind the wall again. "I can't believe this, it's been like six, seven hours." You clutched your hand to your chest as anxiety gripped at your lungs.

"What?" asked Yoongi. His frown grew even deeper and darker. Something shifted in his pitch black eyes that you had never seen before. Thoughts stormed behind his irises and he realized why you were behaving strangely when you first got to the office.

"I'm calling the police, this is insane," you concluded and grabbed the phone from your purse.

"Don't," ordered your boss. "I'll take care of this."

"What? No, you can't! What if he's dangerous or something?" you hurried and grabbed Yoongi's hand again.

"He's not dangerous," said Yoongi as he watched your fingers wrapped around his much larger hand.

"How do you know?" you shook your head.

"Because I am." His eyes met yours for just a moment as his dark quiet words sent shivers down your spine. Although you had only worked for him for a month, you knew your boss's wasn't just an ordinary businessman. He was far too young to have built such a fortune on his own and to have others respect him like they did.

You watched as Yoongi walked outside, not a hint of hesitation in his step. The guy from the subway turned around when the front door opened, expecting to see you there. The horrifying smile dropped from his lips at the sight of your boss. They were talking but you couldn't hear them. The guy's shoulders tensed around his neck like that of a trapped animal. Suddenly he launched forward and threw his fist but missed miserably. Yoongi pulled his hands out of his pockets in less than an instant. His fists flew into the man's face like a flash of lightning, again and again and again, as if he had done this a thousand times. He was in complete control of his body and the guy's.

The man staggered, holding his jaw in his hands as blood sprouted from his cupped hands. You gasped as you saw his face mashed from just a few hits. He somehow picked himself up and scrammed like rat. Your boss watched him disappear into the shadows before his gaze fell to the floor. He slowly turned to you, finding your big eyes staring at him. Yoongi's lips were parted slight as he waited for you to come outside.

"Why did you do that?" you whispered as you came to him. "I could have called the police." Your gaze dropped to Yoongi's bruised hands and you noticed he was wearing brass knuckles on one of them. You looked up at him astounded.

"If you had called the police, they wouldn't have kept you safe," said Yoongi, his voice deep and quiet as he towered over you. "Now, you're safe."

Hoseok

You clutched to your purse as the elevator took you up countless of floors. You were bouncing your knees. If you managed to solve this crisis quickly, maybe you could still make it to some of your friend's birthday dinner.

The elevator bell chimed and you made your way to your desk but the office door was propped open and there were people talking. You opened the door and looked inside. There was your coworker from the legal branch of the company and another even higher up the chain from the IT sector. The latter was explaining something to your boss, whose arms were crossed over his broad chest and his eyebrows hung in a deep frown that made you want to turn on your heel and go home. Just as you were about to return to your desk instead, his dark eyes flashed at you.

"Good, you're here," said Mr Jung. "Finally, someone with a brain," he glared at his other two employees and threw a stack of papers on his desk. An invisible blush crept to your cheeks at a compliment from someone as demanding as Jung Hoseok.

"You can go," he dismissed the other two coldly. They looked down in shame and headed towards you as you were still waiting by the door. "And Han," said Mr Jung at his legal expert. She turned around wide-eyed. "I don't want to see you here Monday morning."

"But sir-" she tried to protest and apologize but your boss gave her a look so dark you couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman. Your colleagues left and you came in and closed the door behind you. Mr Jung sat down and gathered the stack of documents. When he looked up, his current of thoughts was interrupted by your outfit. His dark eyes fixed on your stunning black dress.

"What happened?" you asked, trying to get the work started as soon as possible.

"You need to retype and edit this," said your boss and handed you a stack of documents. You took it instinctively yet as realization hit you frowned.

"Retype it?" you shook your head; there must have been fifty pages. "Shouldn't there be a digital version that we can edit?"

Mr Jung watched your eyes and for the first time since you started working at the company, you noticed how tired he looked. Suddenly you realized it wasn't only your Saturday night that was ruined but his as well.

"There was, but it's gone," said Mr Jung and stood up. "I need you to do this," he almost asked, which was another first. You were so taken back by the gentleness of his voice that you could only nod. You turned around to go to your computer when he called you back.

"Use my desk, you're going to be here for a while," he said and grabbed a laptop from one of the drawers. "And remind me to get you a different chair." He sat down on his office sofa and fired up his laptop as you stared at him puzzled.

You wondered how he knew that your desk chair, although aesthetically very pleasing, was terribly uncomfortable after a few hours of work. You had to stretch your neck several times just to make it through the day.

You sat down in your boss's leather chair, feeling utterly bizarre taking a seat at his desk. You started working on transcribing the text, however, and left out the marked places which needed to be edited later. An hour went by and then another and soon you realized you weren't going to see your friends not even for a minute.

Resigned, you got up. "I'm getting some coffee, do you want some?" you asked your boss although your tone was much more casual than normally; probably since it was in the middle of the night.

Mr Jung looked up from his laptop. "Thank you," he agreed and reached for his wallet.

"It's okay, I've got the company card," you offered a small smile which he returned to your surprise.

You went to the 24/7 cafe which was just down the street from your office. You grabbed two extra strong iced Americanos and left the barista a tip, if nothing else, as a gesture of solidarity that you both had to work that night.

"What's such a pretty lady doing alone at night?" asked a man the moment you returned to the street. A sharp gasp caught in the back of your throat as you jumped around and came face to face with the stranger.

"Please leave me alone," you said as politely as you could and hurried towards the office but he had no intention of leaving you alone.

"Where are you going? You should keep me company," the guy insisted and grabbed your wrist. You managed to slip and away and ran to your office that was just around the corner. You let yourself in with the keycard and the door locked behind you. The man staggered outside, clearly drunk.

You fixed your dress in the elevator as tears forced into your eyes. This was far from the first time a man harassed you on the street and you doubted it was the last time. You managed to calm down by the time you reached the executive floor although your mind couldn't return fully to the task at hand.

"Here," you placed one of the drinks on the coffee table in front of your boss. He thanked you as you put the other one on your desk and threw the paper tray away.

A loud gasp escaped your lips when you turned around and came face to face with Hoseok. His mouth was parted slightly and his eyebrows hung in a formidable frown. His perfume filled your nostrils, which was a welcome distraction from the hard liquor on that stranger's breath.

"What happened?" asked your boss, standing barely a foot away from you. You stared at him frozen.

"Nothing," you said quickly. He took your hand and your face turned pink until you looked down at the dirty handprint smeared around your wrist.

"Oh, that's so disgusting," you whispered to yourself as your stomach churned with revulsion. "This guy... He followed me to the building... It's fine, nothing happened," you explained as you grabbed some wet antibacterial wipes from your purse.

Hoseok's eyes burned through you as he watched you wipe another man's touch off your hand. His shoulders tensed and his right hand balled into a fist as it became clear to him just how much he cares about you.

You sat back down at your boss's desk when you noticed the tension of his body language. Once your gaze met his, his eyes shifted and he went back to work but something made you feel like the matter wasn't closed at all. The look on your boss's face gave you goosebumps and made your knees go soft.

Jimin

The traffic had taken you forever to get to the office. You must have cursed yourself half a dozen times for not just taking the subway instead of a taxi. But as you got out of the car, you came face to face with none other than your boss.

"I thought I was late," you breathed but your boss only stared at you. His dark frown dropped to your stunning black dress before it hesitantly returned to your face.

"I was going to a dinner... I didn't have the time to change - they said it's an emergency," you explained as blush rose to your cheeks.

Jimin nodded, his body tensing beneath his dark shirt. "Come, there're people to fire and a merger to fix," he said darkly and opened the door of the building for you. You stared at him wide-eyed but he couldn't have been more serious.

"What exactly happened?" you asked carefully as you cleared your throat. Although the elevator was fast, there were still thirty more floors to go. Your boss's perfume mixed with yours, creating an ambiance of musky notes that made goosebumps rise on your arms.

Your heart fluttered when he looked at you and for a split second your boss's eyes fell to your lips. He returned his gaze to the door and explained. There has been a massive breach of information which lead to an important merger to nearly fall through.

You had never seen your boss as livid as that evening. He was so furious that he was already calm. The people responsible for the disaster were already waiting in the conference room by the time the two of you reached the executive floor. Your stomach churned as you imagined half a dozen people getting fired but your boss wanted you in the conference room with him.

The crowd fell silent when you entered. Once Jimin sat down and you to his right, they began explaining everything that had happened and how it happened. Soon everyone was putting the blame on others until there was nothing but a mess of buzzing excuses. You noticed the look on your boss's face grow darker by the second. His eyebrows fell hard on his hard gaze and his shoulders were as tight as a bow. His eyes found yours and you both knew this meeting was pointless.

"Enough," he said. Although his voice was quiet, the room fell silent in an instant and all eyes turned to him.

"Come Monday morning, you don't work here anymore," announced your boss as he stood up and you followed. The employees faces fell. None of them seemed to be expecting it as they were all in high positions. "Now get the fuck out," he ordered in a voice so cold it gave you shivers.

Everyone scrammed except for an older man who you knew all too well. He was the head of the legal department and he always harassed you and the girls whenever you had lunch at the company's cafeteria.

"Mr Park," he said patronizingly, "Surely you can't mean-, we can fix-"

"No, Baek," said your boss, glaring down his employee, "You are going to fix this and you are going to make sure something like this doesn't happen to my company again..."

Mr Baek's tiny eyes flickered behind his glasses as your boss controlled his anger.

"Or I'm going to kill you with my bare hands," growled Jimin through gritted teeth. "Now get the fuck out of my face."

You watched as the man couldn't grasp what was happening. His face filled with fear soon enough and he scrammed through the door like the rest of them.

Jimin cursed under his breath a ran a hand through his hair. He turned around, his face changing all expression. His dark glare softened and his frown loosened.

"Come, there's still a lot of work to do."

You sat up camp in your boss's office, him at his desk and you in one of the armchairs. There were emails to be written, reports to be filed and information contained, but most importantly, you had to save the merger.

After working for hours, you couldn't help but look at Jimin. He was focused on some documents when his eyes found yours.

"What is it, Ms Y/N?" he asked, not ungently. The expression on his face softened each time he looked at you, making your skin prickle with heat.

"I'm glad you fired Baek," you confessed. Something came over you. Perhaps it was the late - or better yet early - hour or just the way Jimin made you feel safe despite it all.

He waited.

"He was always harassing the girls," you explained, not including yourself in the equation. A dark look obscured Jimin's eyes as his eyebrows fell into a frown.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" he asked, trying to be as gentle as possible although his anger was getting the worst of him.

"I wasn't sure that I could," you gave a small smile although in truth you wanted to cry. In every single one of your jobs, there were always men who thought they could take advantage of women and harass them. They could do so without consequences because the institution did nothing to prevent it. If you said something, you suddenly wasn't a team player anymore. The fact that one of such men just got fired before your eyes, even if not for that reason, made you feel slightly better about the world.

"Why not?" asked your boss. You shrugged your shoulders. Shallow tears filled your eyes but you didn't let them come close to falling. Jimin got up and took the armchair beside you. You looked at him surprised.

"If you'd told me, I wouldn't have just fired him, Ms Y/N," said your boss. You licked your dry lips as you studied his deep brown eyes and wondered if he was being genuine

"I thought I made it clear from the start," said Jimin as if he could hear your thoughts. His eyes dug deep into your soul and made your heart grow light. Words eluded him but not actions. He sat up in his chair and took your hand. You watched him as he leaned down and gently kissed the inside of your palm.

No matter how hard you tried to fight them, the tears forced back into your eyes. Jimin held your hand gently in his. A storm gathered behind his dark irises, but one not meant for you. For you, there was only adoration.

Taehyung

The traffic was insane. It was Saturday night and everyone was either going to a concert, a dinner, to the club or to the opera. You could barely convince your taxi driver to take you to the very heart of the city where the company was. He agreed to take you for extra money and you coincided, putting your company card to good use.

Your heart was beating madly as you waited for the elevator to reach the top. They didn't tell you what the emergency was over the phone and a part of you couldn't help but overthink that it was you who made a terrible mistake. You were dealing with important documents and even more important people every day.

Finally, the elevator opened and you immediately came face to face with a group of colleagues some from the legal departments, others from IT and cyber-security. None said a word but you could tell by the looks on their faces that nothing good had happened. One of them even pushed past you into the elevator and began to slam his hand at the button aggressively. You frowned at him but didn't bother getting into an argument.

Your boss's office had the lights on and the door was cracked open. Your heart in your throat and your palms clammy, you made your way to the office. You gently pushed the door open. Kim Taehyung was leaning his long arms against his desk, a glass of whiskey next to his hand. He could feel your gaze on him and looked up like the strike of a whip. The cold hard look in his eyes began to shatter as he took in your appearance.

"Is everything okay?" you asked carefully, not even knowing whether you really wanted to hear the answer. You clutched to your evening handbag and waited by the door.

By the look of your boss, he must have been one of those who went to the opera tonight. He wore a classic tuxedo but his bow tie was undone, his black jacket hanging over the armchair and the sleeves of his shirt rolled almost to his elbows.

"Come in, Ms Y/N," said your boss and stood up straight. He finished the contents of his crystal glass and gestured for you to take a seat. You did as he asked but when his eyes returned to you, a frown gathered on his face once again.

"What's wrong?" he asked just as you prepared yourself to be fired.

"I'm sorry?" you blurted, your eyes wide and your eyebrows raised.

"Were you somewhere important when you got the call?" your boss asked you as he measured your features. You stared him bewildered.

"I-I, no," you stuttered, caught completely by surprise.

"What is it then?" Taehyung insisted. His eyes were piercing you to the soul.

"I thought I was getting fired," you said at last although your statement sounded more like a question. Your boss stared at you.

"They told you you were getting fired?" he frowned even deeper as he took a seat at his desk.

"No, but I just presumed..." you shook your head and gestured towards the elevator. "I saw the cyber-security guys and they looked like... When I got the call, they said there was some sort of emergency, so..."

"You're not getting fired, Ms Y/N," said your boss. "I'm not firing the only competent person we've hired in years. I've called you to help me mend this crisis."

A soft blush crept to your cheeks at the compliment. Your chest lightened and you could finally think straight.

"I see," you licked your dry lips.

Your boss filled you in the disastrous leak of financial information caused by the IT department's negligence and in part to the legal team. The leak had to be contained as best as possible, which included preparing a statement for the press, calming down the partners involved and ensuring the minimal amount of consequences caused by this disaster.

You worked in his office together. It was much easier than shouting from one room to the other or even calling one another every few minutes. Taehyung was at his desk and you with a laptop on the sofa. You had taken off your heels, knowing full well you wouldn't leave for hours.

"Maybe you should do an interview," you suggested when you reached the part with the PR crisis.

Your boss rose his eyes to you, "I don't do interviews."

"I know, but this isn't wouldn't be a PR stunt or something, and I don't think a statement will be enough to calm down the press," you reasoned. "And it wouldn't be with just anyone. It should be with someone that has a lot of credibility."

Taehyung considered it. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Maybe Phia Park," you thought. She was one of the most prominent journalists at the national newspaper.

Your boss stood up and joined you on the sofa. He leaned against the headrest and closed his eyes. You hadn't noticed it before but up close you could tell he was dead tired.

"Alright," he nodded, his eyes still shut. "But I don't know how you're planning on getting through to her."

"I have her number!" you beamed, making Taehyung open his eyes. He sat up and leaned his arm along the headrest as he turned to you.

"I used to work with her for a little while," you explained. Even if it was just a part-time job during college, you did have Phia Park's contact.

"She's not as impressive as she looks," you leaned in and smiled, "But she does have a pretty good standing in the media."

"I'd say it's not easy for anyone to look impressive next to you," said your boss quietly, his gaze branded into you. Your eyes locked as a sharp breath hitched in your throat and your cheeks grew red.

"I don't know about that," you shook your head a little and smiled.

"I do," said Taehyung and the look in his eyes made sure you knew it too.

Jungkook

You got to the office as soon as you could but apparently it wasn't soon enough.

"What took you so long?" snapped your boss when you showed up in his office. He looked up from the documents scattered on his desk, a deep frown on his face. His eyes suddenly glided down your body and his breathing paused as his mouth parted slightly.

"I came as soon as I could," you protested, nearly out of breath from hurrying in heels out of all things. Clearly your evening wasn't the only one getting interrupted as you saw Jungkook in a pair of elegant black trousers and a crisp white shirt. His sleeves were rolled up almost to his elbows and exposed his tattoos whilst his suit jacket hung over one of the armchairs. Then you remembered his schedule - it was the banquet night.

"What happened?" you asked and came closer to the desk. There were so many documents you didn't even know where to look first but you surely recognized some of them.

Your boss briefed you on a major investor threatening to pull out of a deal on the grounds of some issues found in the contracts. The meeting was tomorrow followed by a classic Sunday lunch as you well-knew - you scheduled it. You didn't know how much help you would be, though, but you did as Mr Jeon asked. Each of you grabbed a stack of papers and a marker. He sat in his leather office chair and you settled on the sofa.

A part of you secretly hoped it was a minor crisis that would be solved in an hour at the latest and you could attend the dinner but the files in front of you were endless.

After an hour and hardly any work done you couldn't help but take off your heels. You massaged your sore feet with one hand and highlighted the text with the other. A pair of dark eyes fixed on you but when you looked at your boss, he simply leaned back in his chair and started working through another file.

Several hours and cups of coffee later you could barely see the letters anymore, much less read the sentences comprehensively. There were more than a dozen issues you and your boss found in the contracts that the legal team didn't notice.

"Why does this one look like it was made it AI?" you mumbled, now sitting on the floor and leaning your forearms against the coffee table. You looked at Jungkook, whose eyes were already following you. What you said actually made sense although at the same time the idea of his employees, particularly the legal branch, not doing their job properly filled your boss with rage that he managed to contain in his eyes for the time being.

You checked your wristwatch. It was coming on three in the morning.

"Somewhere you need to be?" asked your boss in a voice that was a mixture tiredness and curiosity. If you didn't know better, you could swear there was a hint of jealousy there too.

"Yes, seven hours ago," you said and leaned back against the foot of the sofa. You were done with your stack and he was revising what he had already read through.

Your eyes were soft and tired when you looked at your boss. He was tired as well no matter how much he tried to lead by example.

"Let me push the meeting - dinner maybe," you suggested and drew your boss's attention to you. He put down the documents. His gaze consumed you and made your heart beat faster but you were too tired to fight it.

"No," he said without blinking. He must have been the most stubborn man you have ever met.

You sighed and got up. You picked up your heels in one hand and the documents in the other before you walked to his desk where you set down the papers next to his.

"Am I allowed to go now?"

Jungkook stared at you, the wall in his dark eyes slowly breaking down. "Yes."

You nodded. You grabbed your purse and made for the door.

"Y/N," called your boss, making you turn around. There was a look on his face you had never seen before, a softness. "Thank you."

For a moment, you couldn't so much as breathe and your body grew weak all over. You stared at your boss and savored the gratitude in his words as well as his eyes.

"Of course," you smiled.

[redhoodlover1]

Richard Grayson x Reader

⋆★ synopsis: Barbara's new apprentice taking over her role for the time of her absence seemed to spike Richard's curiousity

⋆★word count: 828

It was unlike Barbara to take a break willingly with her tendency to overwork herself. And Richard was pleased when she admitted that she's taking a short break from being Oracle. Of course, the bats would do fine enough without her for some time. But Barbara surprised him by saying that her apprentice would replace her in her absence. He had no idea she even had an apprentice.

Dick also had no idea who the person mentioned by Babs was. "You know we could manage everything without someone new," he pointed out. "Oh, don't complain, they'll be helping you on patrol for a while. It's not such a big deal."

And the patrol was when Dick first heard your voice. He stood on the roof of a building in Gotham. His escrima sticks seemed strangely heavier that day, as did the silence that surrounded him.

He waited until his comms finally catch a signal, and then he heard a simple "Hello."

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

What Dick did not know, however, was that Babs' break would be longer than he thought. He had no idea what you looked like, except for your name he theoretically knew nothing about you. However, your voice continued to be with him on most patrols.

Today was no different. You gave him the locations of some criminals with nefarious intentions, he got on with it and that's how you spent the rest of the night. Sometimes he even felt watched, and it totally wasn't like you were watching him through the city surveillance. 

Dick sat on the edge of the roof and listened as you tapped your fingers on the keyboard for some time. "So... Jiminy, you won't even tell me that I did a good job?"  Dick didn't need additional conscience, he already had pretty good morals. Still, you were a bit like Jiminy Cricket to him, talking into his ear, even if, more often than not, you did find yourself mocking him at times like those.

"So now you're waiting to get praised? Nope, that's not like me." you hum. "And I'm not your Jiminy."

"I know, I know... But do you have to be so mysterious?" Dick said the last word in a strange and hushed voice, trying to mimic your behavior through it. "Oh, come on. You know who I am without me telling you! And you won't even tell me what you like to drink. You start to act like a creep," he whined in your ear. He did that just to figure out what makes you tick.

"I'm not a creep," you denied with that unbothered tone of yours. "Why do you even need to know what I like to drink?"

"Because, maybe I would like to buy you a coffee or tea or whatever, for your help. I'm trying to show my gratitude here." 

You couldn't help the way the corner of your mouth lifted at his words, but you'd rather keep playing. "A thanks is enough..." you said simply. "Just a thanks?"

And that's when the silence that Richard usually tries to fill came. However, when he was ready to open his mouth he heard you say something that was probably not directed at him. "Ace... Hmm."

"Ace? Hold on, are you playing solitaire right now?"

“Possibly...” you hum. “Anyway, the sun is about to rise, so I'm going offline in an hour.” You didn't give him time to answer when his comms went quiet. Dick knew he had an hour to talk with you, but it was pointless. Seemingly his charms aren't working on you, which made him sigh.

__________________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

Dick was a man of action, a simple thank you was not enough for him as it is for you. Today he had a day off from patrol, so he had no chance to ask you pointless questions again. He liked to know things, but you didn't give him the satisfaction of knowing anything about you.

Of course, what would be a better place for such musings than the park with coffee in hand. But first he had to get the coffee, and that's what he was heading for.

He was greeted on the spot by the cashier. Dick walked up to the counter and their voice made him stop for a moment. “What can I get for you?” they asked, face kind, but a little tired and unbothered. "Hello? Sir, is everything alright?"

"Ah yes, you just sound really familiar... One Americano with a shot of espresso, please."

They nodded and Dick didn't even notice when the coffee was handed to him. His name was elegantly written on the cup. "That'll be... $4.25." "Thank you," he muttered and placed the money on the counter, taking the steaming cup.

When Dick found himself outdoors again, his thoughts again returned to you. However, this time he tried not to bother his head with it too much. He just took a sip of his coffee and started walking.

A/N: That looked better in my head, but that's alright I guess. Dick Grayson the man you are...

[nathanbatemanfucker]

Fault Lines Ch. 2

request: wanted to know if you could write something where the reader is a ex-winter solider (just like bucky, but maybe she doesn't lose her arm) and how she struggles to accept Joaquin. An overall angst to fluff.

pairing: joaquin torres x ex-super soldier!f!reader

contents: canon typical violence, illusions to abuse and torture, ptsd and other mental illness, enemies to lovers, angst

wc: 1,383

an: this series is based off of this request here! this is definitely a slow burn/fluff if you squint type beat so just bear with me <3

fault lines masterlist

The safe house is quiet, save for the low hum of the overhead light and the occasional rustle of movement from Joaquin as he leans against the wall opposite of you. He knows better than to box you in—that’d only make you more restless than you already are.

Post-meal and shower, you sit on his cot, arms crossed, gaze fixed somewhere past him like you’re already planning your exit. The space smells of antiseptic and metal despite the warm paint and comforting art. Someone had tried to make this as home-y as they could and failed.  

He doesn’t doubt that you are.  And you are. You’re on edge, always hypervigilant for the worst. That the two men in front of you that promise to stand on decency and honor are liars just like everyone else you’ve ever encountered. 

There’s only one door and a few windows, but you had immediately noticed the door under the rug in the bathroom. Its doable.

Sam’s outside, making calls, searching for loopholes to clean up the mess you’ve already made. That leaves Joaquin with what he does best—talking. But tonight, that skill is failing him.

Something about you is making the words sticky in his throat, unable to flow as usual. He doesn’t know what to say to you to make you understand, to make you change. Though he’s not really sure that’s his goal given what you’ve suffered.

“You look like you wanna be anywhere but here,” he observes, arms mirroring yours.

“What a shocking observation, baby bird,” you mutter, voice steeped in sarcasm.

Joaquin exhales through his nose, tilting his head. “Ok, ouch. But let’s be real—you could’ve run already. Hell, you could’ve fought harder. So why are you still here?”

Your fingers curl in your lap, like the truth will slink into your hands if you don’t force it out; it isn’t something you're ready to touch. You flex them once before stilling. “Just because I’m here doesn’t mean I trust you,” you say eventually, voice quieter, more measured.

“Fair.” Joaquin watches you, gaze steady. He hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you unless he has too– he chalks it up to your dangerous capabilities and nothing more. “No one’s asking you to, querida. But you want something. You can tell me what that is, I won’t use it against you.”

Something stirs at his pet name, something you thought was dead and rotted. Its easy to shove it back down in the wake of what you see is a lie. He would use it against you, that’s what everyone does. If he didn’t then Sam would. You know the game. 

You let out a breath, eyes meeting his. “You’re after Hydra and so am I. But I don’t trust that you’ll actually do what needs to be done. In fact, I know you won’t.”

Joaquin frowns. He knows what you mean but asks anyway, “And what’s that?”

“You tell me,” you challenge. “You really think you’re gonna dismantle them by playing by the rules? By arresting a few low-level pricks and calling it a day? Hydra isn’t just an organization—it’s a disease. One that’s smart enough to outmaneuver every cure. You cut off a limb, and another grows back.” Your voice lowers, darkens. “I go for the heart.”

Joaquin studies you. The shadowy certainty in your tone. The way your hands have curled into fists, nails pinching into your skin before you even realize it. He should be alarmed, maybe even afraid of you and what you can do with those hands. But mostly? He just feels tired for you and all the baggage you have to carry. He wishes there were more he could do more for you, but he knows the oath he’s taken. His values, his morals—they won’t be compromised.

“I get it,” he says, voice softer now. “You think we’re a waste of time. That we’re too soft.”

“You are,” you say, like it’s obvious and with no remorse. “Your Captain? He’s trying to lead a world that doesn’t even know what to do with itself. One that hardly wants him. He’s gotta play politics. Me? I don’t have to play anything. I owe nothing to no one but myself.”

Joaquin shakes his head. “That’s not a life. That’s a war you never get to leave. That darkness won’t let you go.”

Your jaw tightens, and you look away. You don’t deny it.

For the first time since bringing you in, Joaquin feels like he has something solid to work with. You know that your past is controlling you but you won’t let it go. With their help, you could finally be free. He lets you sit with his words, grabbing a water from the mini-fridge before settling across from you on Sam’s bunk.

Silently, he offers it. Begrudgingly, you take it, careful not to touch him.

“Look, I know what it’s like to be made into something you didn’t ask for,” he says. “To be trained to survive, not to live. And I know that once you start thinking like that, it’s almost impossible to stop.”

Your fingers tighten around the bottle, the plastic nearly giving out under the pressure. The sound brings you back to the present and you loosen your grip letting the bottle fall to the ground. Joaquin says nothing, letting you be.  When your eyes meet again, he can see that you recognize that. That you believe him when he says that he understands. You let it fade away as quickly as it appeared.

Joaquin presses forward anyway. “You don’t trust us? Fine. But what if we can help? What if we can end this without you burning yourself out trying to do it alone?”

You shake your head. “God, baby bird, you don’t fucking get it.”

“Then make me fucking get it,” Joaquin challenges, matching your energy. He hopes that in doing so you'll level with him.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. The space between you is heavy with something unspoken, pressing down on your chest. Your breath is too sharp, and his is too shallow, like being stuck in each other's gaze has sucked all the air out of the room before either of you could even think. You exhale sharply, pulling back, re-centering yourself just as another presence fills the doorway.

"There's a name," you mutter, almost reluctant. "One of the last remaining heads of Hydra. He’s been running a black ops division off-grid. And if you think what was done to your precious boy was bad, what they’re doing is worse."

Joaquin barely has time to process before your gaze flicks past him, landing on Sam, now standing in the doorway, arms crossed.

The two men exchange a look. “How do we know you’re not leading us into a trap?” Sam asks.

You scoff. “I’m not like them and you thinking I would walk you into a trap is like them. If you don’t believe me, I can happily do this on my own. And I wouldn’t have either of you slowing me down.”

Sam meets Joaquin’s gaze again; its pleading, laced with the idea of giving you a chance. A long beat of silent communication passes between them.

Sam rolls his eyes, exhaling reluctantly. He knows what its like to be an advocate, the one who’s seeing more than others. He’ll let Joaquin take his chance on you. “You’re lucky he likes you,” he mutters, jerking his chin toward Joaquin before turning back toward the door. “We’re wheels up in an hour. Try not to make me regret this.”

Joaquin looks back at you, and you could swear that you see some warmth in his cheeks. “That makes two of us.” He barely catches it—the slight quirk at the corner of your mouth. It’s smug, not quite a smirk, but it’s something. An attempt at humor. He softens again, seeing the effects of what Hydra put you through.

What had they done to you where you can’t even smile? Laugh? See yourself as more than just their pawn? The thought makes him sad, yes, but it also makes him angry. You deserve better than that.

“Three of us.” You shake your head, pushing to your feet. You’re tired of being cooped up. “Guess we’ll see.”

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> ch. 3

[midnightwerewoolf]

Apothecary Diaries season 2 episode 12 SPOILERS!

I'm rambling here but I do touch on Maomao herself and a little bit about Jinshi.

The way I love those two absolute IDIOTS.

I think there's something interesting about how Maomao tries so hard to keep herself out of trouble by pledging ignorance in front of the most crystal clear answers.

Jinshi's identity as a eunuch should have been doubtful from the moment she partially saw how well toned his body is by comparison to others of the same position, the fact that he definitely holds more power than he's supposed to, that he can get his hands on rare medicine for her sake, that he's so clearly close to both the dowager empress and the emperor himself and even more so the fact that he has to go around wearing fake identities in front of other people.

But Maomao is stubborn, this is something that could mean trouble to her if she delved too deep into it so she decides to ignore it, even when she already knows the answers it isn't something she is going to be messing with to keep herself in a safer position, but quite frankly just by virtue of being in the same proximity as Jinshi we know that's not going to happen any time soon.

But we also get something small about her, that answers something that a lot of people don't get... Maomao isn't outwardly emotional not because she doesn't care about others or because she lacks empathy... It's because she KNOWS that being too expressive with her wants and needs won't necessarily work her way, because this is something she forcefully LEARNED by simply growing in the Verdigris House, because the courtesans could not take their time to look after a little girl so no matter how much she cried for attention, nobody would be running to her side to give her what she needed.

So instead Maomao is careful with the way others act around her, trying to foresee how they will react and deciding what to do in return as to not get in trouble.

A brothel is not a place for a child to grow up, and we can see the consequences on Maomao in the present.

As for Jinshi? Poor guy was STRUGGLING this episode.

There was nothing more hilarious than seeing them actually bicker and act closer to their actual ages, they are both extremely close in age with just a year of difference, so seeing them being so childish about something like that (the FROG) was absolutely beautiful.

You can really tell he can easily be more of himself around Maomao, prideful, dramatic, childish and reckless but at the same time the fact that he fears what she would think of him about his secret is really interesting.

Jinshi/Kousen and finally Ka Zuigetsu.

All of them are the same person, but much like the moon they are different facets of the same man. Always different but ever the same.

And by hearing Maomao say that no matter what secret he holds she will always think of him as the same person genuinely makes him feel better, makes him feel like there's someone who will accept him for himself.

... Too bad he hands her the ox bezoar so soon, that instantly made her go through tunnel vision and not hear anything else while she was on cloud nine with the promised gift.

These two make me happy, they are both interesting and silly. I love them and I really want to see how far they go.

[strangevynl]

back to friends

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ :･ childhoodbsf!felix x afab!reader ɢᴇɴʀᴇ :･ angst

June 12 2006

The summer heat was relentless, baking the pavement under the afternoon sun. You ran ahead, laughter ringing through the quiet neighborhood, feet pounding against the sidewalk. Felix trailed behind, breathless but determined, his arms pumping as he tried to catch up.

“Slow down!” he called out, voice full of frustration.

You glanced back with a teasing grin. “Not my fault you’re slow, Lix!”

Felix scowled but kept running until the two of you reached the small park at the end of the street. Both of you collapsed onto the swings, panting, the only sound between you the creaking of metal chains.

“One day,” Felix huffed, wiping sweat from his brow, “I’ll be faster than you.”

You tilted your head, pretending to consider it. “Mmm… doubtful.”

Felix pouted, nose scrunching up in that familiar way that always gave him away. He was terrible at hiding his emotions—not that you minded. It was part of what made him Felix.

For a while, neither of you spoke, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. Then, without warning, Felix’s voice broke the silence.

“Hey,” he murmured.

You turned toward him. “Yeah?”

“We’ll always be best friends, right?”

The question caught you off guard. Felix had always been the sentimental one, the type to hold onto things long after everyone else had moved on. It was one of the many things about him that you never really understood—but you didn’t need to.

“Of course,” you answered easily, nudging his shoulder. “Even if you somehow get faster than me—which, by the way, isn’t happening—we’ll still be best friends.”

Felix’s smile was instant, bright enough to rival the sun. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

You linked pinkies, the way you always did, sealing a vow you both believed would never break.

Back then, it had been simple.

Back then, you thought forever was real.

You had no idea what was coming.

—🍵—

August 25 2025

The coffee in your hands had gone cold, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

You had been staring at him for too long.

Felix sat at the far end of the café, surrounded by people who had taken the space you used to occupy. He was laughing—head tilted back, eyes crinkled, dimples pressing into his cheeks like nothing in the world had ever hurt him.

Like nothing had ever changed.

Like you hadn’t spent years by his side, only to become nothing more than a familiar stranger.

The hollow feeling in your chest was one you had grown used to, but some days, it still ached. Some days, you could still feel the echoes of the past clawing at the edges of your mind, whispering all the things you never said, all the things you never did to stop this from happening.

Jisung’s voice pulled you out of it.

“You’re doing it again.”

Your fingers curled around your cup. “Doing what?”

“Looking at him like he’s the sun and you’re the idiot who flew too close.”

You scoffed, but the sound felt empty. “That’s dramatic.”

Jisung raised a brow. “Is it?”

You didn’t answer. You couldn’t, because deep down, you knew he was right. This wasn’t just about Felix making new friends or drifting away. It was about you standing at the edge of something breaking and doing nothing to stop it. It was about the weight in your chest when he stopped looking for you in crowded rooms, stopped texting first, stopped treating you like someone worth holding on to.

It was about the realization that maybe, just maybe, he was better at letting go than you were.

“Talk to him,” Jisung said.

“It’s not that simple.”

“It is.”You shook your head, but before you could say anything, Jisung grabbed your untouched coffee and stood.

Panic flared in your chest. “Jisung, don’t—” But he was already halfway across the café, walking straight toward Felix’s table, straight toward the boy who had spent years fitting himself into the gaps of your life, only to slip through the cracks when you weren’t paying attention.

Felix noticed him immediately, brows furrowing as Jisung placed your cup down in front of him and said something low, something that made his expression shift from confusion to something you couldn’t quite read.

And then Jisung pointed.

Right at you.

The air in your lungs turned sharp.

For the first time in months, Felix’s eyes met yours.

And it felt like drowning.

The moment stretched too long, too thin. You should’ve looked away. Should’ve grabbed your bag, pretended you hadn’t been staring, pretended Jisung hadn’t just thrown you under the bus in the worst way possible. But you didn’t move. You couldn’t. Because Felix was looking at you, really looking at you, and for a second—just a second—it felt like the world had rewound itself, like you were sixteen again, tangled up in late-night conversations and inside jokes only the two of you understood.

But then the recognition in his gaze flickered, replaced by something unreadable. His lips parted slightly, as if he might say something, but one of his friends nudged him, pulling him back into their conversation.

Just like that, the moment was gone.

Jisung flopped back into his seat across from you, looking way too pleased with himself.

“You’re welcome,” he said, stealing a fry off your plate like he hadn’t just set your entire nervous system on fire.

You exhaled sharply. “What the hell was that?”

“That, my dear emotionally constipated friend, was me helping.”

“Helping?” You let out a dry laugh. “You just made things worse.”

Jisung shrugged. “Felix was gonna notice you eventually. I just sped up the process.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose, willing the heat in your face to fade. “He didn’t even come over.”

“He will.”

Jisung said it with so much confidence that it made your stomach twist. You hated how much you wanted to believe him.

But Felix didn’t come over.

He didn’t even glance in your direction again.

By the time you left the café, your chest was tight with something ugly, something close to regret.

It was raining by the time you got back to your apartment. The kind of rain that made the world feel heavier, pressing down on your shoulders, making everything colder than it should be. You should’ve gone inside. Should’ve let the door click shut behind you and drowned out the thoughts swirling in your head with a shitty TV show or an assignment that was due way too soon.

But instead, you found yourself standing on the sidewalk, watching as the city blurred under the downpour, feeling the way the damp air clung to your skin.

You weren’t sure how long you stood there.

Long enough for the streets to empty. Long enough for the rain to soak through your hoodie. Long enough for a voice—his voice—to cut through the storm.

“What are you doing out here?”

You froze.

Slowly, you turned.

Felix stood a few feet away, hood pulled up, blonde hair sticking to his forehead. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes—God, his eyes—still made something in your chest crack open, something you had spent too much time trying to bury.

For a second, neither of you spoke.

Then, quietly, you asked, “What are you doing here?”

Felix shifted on his feet. “I saw you leave the café.” A pause. “I thought you might—” He cut himself off, shaking his head. “Doesn’t matter.”

But it did.

It mattered more than anything.

Because despite everything, despite the months of distance and unspoken words and aching silence, he was still here.

Still chasing after you.

And for the first time in a long time, you let yourself hope.

The rain drummed against the pavement, a steady rhythm that filled the silence stretching between you. Felix shifted slightly, his hands buried in the pockets of his hoodie, shoulders hunched like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to step closer or turn around and walk away.

You should’ve said something. Anything. But your throat felt tight, like every word you had swallowed over the past year was lodged there, refusing to come out.

Felix sighed, tipping his head back to look up at the sky. “You always did like the rain.”

His voice was softer than you remembered. Or maybe it had always been like that, and you had just forgotten the sound of it when it wasn’t filtered through a phone screen or echoing in your head late at night.

You swallowed hard. “Not really.”

His gaze snapped back to you. “What?”

You forced out a small, humorless laugh. “I don’t like the rain. I just… I don’t know. Sometimes, it feels like the only thing that makes sense.”

Felix studied you for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he took a step forward, just enough for you to see the way the streetlights cast shadows under his tired eyes.

“You’re mad at me,” he said quietly.

It wasn’t a question.

You let out a slow breath, pressing your lips together. “I don’t know what I am.”

Felix exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “I didn’t mean for it to happen like this.”

You felt your fingers twitch at your sides. “For what to happen?”

His jaw clenched. “For us to become strangers.”

The words hit harder than you wanted them to.

You turned away slightly, staring at the water pooling in the cracks of the pavement. “You didn’t mean for it to happen, but you let it.”

“I know.”

There was something in his voice—something close to regret, or maybe guilt—but you didn’t know if it was enough.

“Then why are you here, Felix?”

Silence.

You finally looked back at him, heart pounding. He was already watching you, his expression guarded, but there was something raw in his eyes.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just—” He let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. “I saw you leave. And suddenly, nothing else felt important.”

The rain blurred the edges of everything, made the world feel quieter. It was just you and him, standing on the edge of something that had already fallen apart, something that could never go back to what it was.

Your chest ached.

“That’s not fair,” you whispered.

Felix’s breath hitched. “I know.”

And yet, neither of you moved.

Because despite everything—despite the pain, the distance, the silence—he had come back.

But you didn’t know if it was enough.

Not this time.

The rain didn’t let up. It soaked through your hoodie, clung to your skin, made everything colder than it should be. But none of it compared to the chill settling in your chest as you stood there, staring at Felix like you were still trying to figure out if he was real.

If this moment was real.

His words echoed in your head. I saw you leave. And suddenly, nothing else felt important.

It should have meant something.

It did mean something.

But it wasn’t enough.

Because if he had really cared—if you had really mattered—he wouldn’t have needed a reminder. He wouldn’t have let you drift so far away in the first place.

Felix shifted again, eyes darting across your face like he was searching for something. Some kind of answer, some kind of permission to step closer, to fix what had already cracked beyond repair.

“I never wanted to lose you,” he said

“You have a funny way of showing it.”

Felix flinched, like he hadn’t expected you to say it out loud. Like he thought you’d keep pretending that everything was fine—that this wasn’t breaking you in ways you didn’t know how to fix.

His mouth opened, then closed. His fingers twitched at his sides, restless, uncertain. He looked like he wanted to take a step forward, but he didn’t. Maybe because he knew he had no right to.

“I never wanted to lose you,” he said, voice barely audible over the rain.

Something sharp curled in your chest. You let out a quiet, bitter laugh. “You say that like you didn’t let it happen.”

Felix exhaled, frustrated. “I didn’t mean to.”

“But you did,” you shot back, the words slicing through the air between you.

A beat of silence. Felix’s brows knitted together, and his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked down at the wet pavement, like the answer he wanted was somewhere between the cracks in the concrete.

You swallowed past the lump in your throat, heart pounding against your ribs.

“You didn’t even try, Felix.”

He looked up then, eyes searching yours like he could find a different truth hidden there—one that made this easier, one that erased all the months of distance and silence. But there was nothing. No way to rewrite what had already happened.

“I did try,” he whispered, but even he didn’t sound convinced.

You stared at him, rain dripping from your lashes. “No, you didn’t.”

Because trying wasn’t just sending a late-night hey, hope you’re doing okay text after weeks of silence. Trying wasn’t brushing off missed calls with sorry, got busy. Trying wasn’t letting you feel like you were the only one who cared enough to hold on.

Trying meant fighting for you.

And Felix hadn’t done that.

Felix had let go.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “I thought you didn’t need me anymore.”

That made something in you snap. “Are you serious?”

Felix blinked, startled by the edge in your voice.

“I needed you, Felix,” you said, each word trembling with the weight of everything you had never said. “I needed you, and you weren’t there.”

His face twisted in something close to regret. “I didn’t know—”

“You didn’t ask.” The rain filled the silence that followed, a steady, relentless downpour.

Felix’s gaze fell to the ground, his shoulders slumping under the weight of it all.

“I miss you,” he admitted, so quiet you almost didn’t hear it.

Your breath caught in your throat.

God. You had waited so long to hear those words. Had imagined them in so many different ways, in so many different scenarios where things still had a chance to be fixed.

But now?Now, it was too late.

You let out a shaky breath, eyes stinging. “I miss you too.” Felix looked up at you, something raw and desperate flickering across his face. “Then—”

“We can’t go back.”

It hurt to say it. Hurt even more to watch the way Felix’s entire expression shattered.

But it was the truth.

Because even if you missed him, even if you would always care, you couldn’t keep breaking your own heart waiting for him to choose you first.

Felix sucked in a breath like he was going to argue, like he was going to find some way to fix this—but then he stopped.

He saw it in your eyes.

This was the end.

Felix nodded once, barely perceptible. His lips parted, but whatever he was about to say died before it could reach you.

And then—just like that—he turned and walked away.

You watched him go, rain soaking through your clothes, through your skin, through the hollow spaces he had left behind.

You had spent so long being afraid of losing him.

You never realized he was already gone.

Even as Felix disappeared into the rain, you stood there.

Frozen.

Drenched.

Ruined.

The streetlights cast long shadows across the pavement, stretching toward the place where he had just been. Like even the world itself was reaching for him. Like even the universe didn’t want to let him go.

But you couldn’t chase him.

Not this time.

You sucked in a deep breath, but it didn’t feel like enough. The air was thick with something heavy—regret, grief, the ghosts of every moment that led to this. It settled in your lungs, made it impossible to breathe.

You wiped a hand over your face, but it was pointless. Your tears mixed with the rain, indistinguishable from one another. Maybe that was a mercy. Maybe if you stayed out here long enough, you could convince yourself that you weren’t falling apart, that the cold biting at your skin wasn’t loneliness, that the ache in your chest wasn’t the shape of him.

But it was.

It had always been him.

And now, for the first time, you had to figure out who you were without him.

You forced yourself to move, every step heavier than the last. By the time you made it inside your apartment, your limbs felt like lead. The door clicked shut behind you, but the silence was unbearable. Suffocating.

Your phone buzzed on the counter.

For one stupid, hopeful second, you thought it might be him. That maybe, just maybe, Felix would still fight for you, even after everything.

But it wasn’t.

It was Jisung.

Jisung (11:47 PM): You okay?

Your fingers hovered over the screen, but what were you supposed to say? No? I just lost the most important person in my life? I don’t know how to be okay without him?

Instead, you typed out the safest lie you could manage.

Y/n (11:48 PM): Yeah. Just tired.

You stared at the message, then shut off your phone before Jisung could respond.

Because if you saw another text asking if you were okay, you might actually break.

You moved on autopilot, peeling off your soaked clothes, dragging yourself into the shower. The hot water burned against your skin, but you barely felt it. Your hands pressed against the tiles, head hanging low, eyes squeezed shut.

You had done the right thing.

Hadn’t you? Your breath shuddered out of you.

If it was the right thing, then why did it hurt so much?

The water kept running, steam curling around you, but it didn’t wash anything away. The ache sat deep in your bones, untouched, unmovable.

You weren’t sure how long you stood there, forehead pressed against the tiles, listening to the steady rhythm of the water hitting the floor. Long enough for your fingers to wrinkle. Long enough for your mind to spiral back to every memory you had tried to bury.

Felix laughing, eyes crinkling at the corners, head tipped back like he had never known a bad day in his life.

Felix waiting for you after class, leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world.

Felix on your bedroom floor at two in the morning, telling you about his dreams like they were something tangible, something he could hold in the palm of his hands.

Felix, Felix, Felix.

Always him.

And now, never again.

You sucked in a sharp breath, forcing yourself to move. The shower was supposed to help, supposed to make you feel lighter, but when you stepped out, you only felt emptier.

You went through the motions.

Towel. Clothes. Lights off. Bed.

But sleep didn’t come.

You lay there, staring at the ceiling, rain still tapping against the window like it refused to let you forget what had just happened. Like it wanted to remind you that Felix had stood in front of you, close enough to touch, and you had let him walk away.

Your phone buzzed again.

You didn’t check it.

Couldn’t.

Because if it wasn’t him, then that meant he had really let you go.

And if it was him—if he had reached out, if he had found the words that had been missing tonight—then you didn’t trust yourself not to answer.

Didn’t trust yourself not to fall apart all over again. So you turned your phone face-down and let the silence swallow you whole.

The next morning, you woke up feeling like you had spent the entire night drowning.

Your head ached. Your body was heavy. The space beside you in bed felt too cold, even though Felix had never been there, even though it wasn’t his place to fill.

Jisung was waiting for you at the café, two cups of coffee already sitting on the table.

He took one look at you and sighed. “Yeah, that bad, huh?” You sank into the chair across from him, rubbing at your temples. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Jisung snorted. “That’s cute. You think I’m giving you a choice.”

You shot him a glare. “Jisung.”

“You,” he shot back, mimicking your tone. Then he leaned forward, expression softer. “Just tell me, did you at least say what you needed to say?”

You hesitated.

Because what did that even mean?

Had you told Felix how much he had hurt you? Yes.

Had you told him you still loved him, even now? No.

You swallowed, fingers tightening around the coffee cup. “I said enough.”

Jisung watched you for a long moment, then sighed. “Okay.”

He didn’t push. Didn’t tell you that “enough” wasn’t the same thing as closure.

And maybe that was why you had always loved Jisung in a different way. Because he understood when to fill the silence, and when to just let it sit between you.

But you also knew him too well to miss the way his eyes flickered with hesitation before he spoke again.

“So,” he said, dragging out the word. “You didn’t check your phone this morning, did you?”

Your stomach twisted. “Why?”

Jisung winced, like he already knew how this was going to go. Then he reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and slid it across the table.

You stared at the screen.

At the text from Felix.

At the words that made your entire world tilt.

Felix (3:12 AM): I’m sorry. I should’ve fought for you. I should’ve fought harder.

Your breath caught. Jisung shifted, watching you carefully. “So… what are you gonna do?”

You didn’t know.

Because Felix was too late. But you weren’t sure if your still even heart cared.

[screaminglygay]

Natasha headcanons for my long fic!

an: I still haven’t finished the fic, so here’s some little headcanons!:) fic will be out next week!!!

opposites attract just fine

Natasha is all sharp smirks and dry wit, while you’re the warm presence that lights up every room. She rolls her eyes whenever people call you sweet, but secretly, she agrees with it especially, when you flash that radiant smile at her after missions.

everyone loves you (and Nat pretends to be jealous)

You’re the golden child of the team, everyone gravitates toward you. Natasha acts annoyed when other agents steal your attention, thinking, “she’s mine, find your own ray of sunshine.” But deep down, she loves how easily you bring people together.

silent protection mode

You’re an agent, just as capable as she is, but Natasha still has this black cat habit of lurking around you, subtly making sure you’re okay. If you so much as wince after a mission, she’s dragging you to medical with an unreadable expression. “I’m fine, Nat.” - “You’re bleeding, try again.”

mornings together

Natasha is a morning person, she wakes up with the energy of someone who slept for a full eight hours (even when she didn’t). You grumble and hide your face in the pillow while she tries to coax you out of bed with coffee and forehead kisses.

you definitely bring the soft side out of her

She has a reputation for being intimidating, but when it comes to you? She’s soft. You’re the only one allowed to ruffle her hair, steal her hoodies, or get away with poking her sides.

training together

Sparring sessions are a mix of you using agility and speed to keep up with Natasha’s precision, and her playfully taunting you when she gets the upper hand. “Come on, sunshine, you can do better than that.” - “I’d be better if you weren’t distracting me with those arms” ;)

Natasha pretends she isn’t a romantic (she totally is)

She’ll say she’s not into grand gestures, but then she’ll casually remember your favorite coffee order, patch you up after missions with the gentlest touch, or leave little notes in your gear that say “Don’t die. I’ll be pissed.”

protective, but in very Natasha way

She doesn’t hover, but if anyone dares to look at you wrong, she’s already analyzing the best way to end them. “Nat, I can handle myself.” - “I know. But they don’t know I won’t let them live if they mess with you.”

your sunshine is rubbing onto her

She claims she doesn’t do cute things, but suddenly she’s making you tea when you’re stressed, sitting closer just to feel your warmth, and allowing herself to smile more because you bring out the best in her.

[kaivenom]

One piece dilfs with a marine reader (like high up in the marines) who they recently had a BAD break up with because marines and pirates can’t really make it work but then the reader turns up at their door telling them that no matter that they can’t help but love him. Marines and their dubious morals be damned! Like real romcom style (but more angst with a happy end)

(Or in smokers case , a prolific pirate leaving their crew to be with him)

OP Dilfs with an enemy!reader

Characters: Doflamingo, Mihawk, Crocodile, Smoker, Shanks

Warnings: alcohol, angst, depressing episodes (but with a comic relief)

A/N: someone also requested Smoker x pirate fem so this is perfect to satisfy anyone. I love this idea cause i am a fan of miserable whiny men.

Masterlist

Dracule Mihawk

He was a very careful and scrupulous men, he knows how to keep his cool no matter what.

So how is he on the liquor pantry of the castle with all the bottles of sake and wine around him.

He loved you and tried to do everything to make it work. He stoped killing people (that often), he made renewals on the castle, he even tolerated being a sichibukai... and still you broke up with him.

Then he heard the door knocking.

"I am sorry that the sichibukai disolved." you said, trying to break the ice.

"I didn't stand them, i hate being there" he was dragging syllables.

"Are you drunk?"

"No" clearly his red cheeks were saying the opposite. "What do you want?"

"Marine values are good but the institution is rotten to the core, i realised that your cross guild stuff was better justice than ours so... i quitted. And if you want we can try to make it happen again, better and longer this time."

"You on cross guild would be my worst nightmare," he was having a mental crisis, "but i still want to try again with you, just... i think i am going to throw up. Tell me again in a couple of hours."

Apparently alcohol made him really honest.

Donquixote Doflamingo

He asked you to be his queen, how could he be so stupid... or that's what he thought for the two next months of your broke up.

How dare you broke up with him and make him feel so sad and miserable.

All the citizzens of Dressrosa knew this cause they weren't tortured like usual, instead they were forced to hear Doflamingo talking about you.

He wasn't giving up on this and that got to your eyes thanks to the marine's spies.

Hearing this things made you reconsider everything on your life and you finally decided to quit.

You went to Dressrosa and you didn't have to identify yourself to enter the castle, everyone wanted you to finally shut up Doflamingo.

"Doffy, i am here to make things right, be with you, all in..." he was petrified like a statue, and the he crossed his legs."

"No." his forehead vein was popping out.

"What? i quitted and came all the way here."

"I already got over of our little thing."

"Don't lie to me Mingo, i know you've been crying like a baby."

"No, i am a king, i don't cry like a baby and if you try to dismiss my reputation again i am going to execute you."

"Fine, i am going out." his facade falled out as fast as light.

"No, please don't go, i am sorry, i was angry at you but i really wanted you back." he hugged you.

"Fine, you have ten more seconds to complain and then we can make out." he noded.

Sr. Crocodile

He was so sad and wanted no one to know about it that he runned away.

He moved out of his place and left all his bussiness on town to other people.

He then started to become a "little" obssesed with the idea of trying to erase everything that reminded him about you.

And then people asked him "Why do you buy this...? and why did you buy that store...?" but he couldn't admit that was just to close it so he didn't have to revive memories with you.

He lost millions of berries but he was sad and tried to cope with this.

You tried getting to him but his address changed, you had to get to the underground mob bosses to know where to find him.

You showed at his door just to see him with the robe you gifted him and a beard of a whole week.

"I don't have bussiness with marines." he turned around to close the door.

"Good for me that i am no longer one." his neck almost snapped.

"You what?"

"I quitted, but like two weeks ago... i've been trying to contact you but nothing, you moved out and then i started to see a pattern. Really? you've been buying the places we liked together?" he started to feel guilty.

"I was sad."

"Me too. But you got to much out of the line. You should call all this places and make them open again."

"And why is that?"

"Cause otherwise we won't be able to go there on dates anymore." you smiled shyly and he spent all night calling places with you on his lap.

Smoker

He even had to take days off for personal issues on work, he felt like the weakest men ever.

He was the vivid image of a sad wet puppy looking at the window while it's raining outside.

All he did those days was eat, watch movies that you both liked, cry on the shower, sleep and repeat.

His house was a mess, he was a mess, how could he betray the marines codes so much that he even loved a pirate... and worse, the pirate broke up with him and he is the world's saddest person.

Right now he was crying on the shower again, for like a whole hour.

You trespassed the garden and entered into his house thanks to an unlocked window.

You entered and all the mess you saw was more than disgusting and alarming.

You heard the shower and then the water closing, you took a seat and waited for him to get out.

"Smoker, why is your house like this, this isn't how..." you had to stop when you saw him shocked and with red eyes, "you've been crying?"

"No." he took his weapon while pointing at you, "a pirate is tresspassing my property, i should arrest you."

"I thought you would be glad that i am trying to get on the marine's recruit's program, " you showed him some papers, "but i don't konw how to fiil this documents, i wanted to ask you for help and maybe... take a coffe or talk about us."

He really needed a chair right now. He couldn't talk for the next hour, but since he still helped you and served you the coffee, things were going into the right direction.

Akagami Shanks

He got the most drunk he has been in all his life and did the most uncivil crimes he has ever did, he definitely broke his record.

He throwed up on the street, dranked alcohol in public, yelled at people, supposedly he also showed his private parts to some of the passengers but the report didn't inform more about it.

You were so sad by seeing this like him that made you reconsider the approach you gave the situation.

He otherwise was alone, he wanted to be on his own to just feel miserable without no one looking.

You got to the ship and you had to confront all his crewmates, they were really mad at you, but you explained the new situation and they decided to give you a change to explain yourself to his captain.

You entered the room that smelled like a liquor store and he saw you.

"Not the visions again, i've been lying for one hour now."

"It's not a vision captain, it's really her."

"Don't put jokes on me, i am not in the mood."

"You hadn't been on the mood for a week it looks." you got to the side of his bed. "Shanks, i came here to tell you that i am no longer a marine and that my door is open."

"My door is really open and the light is getting in, close it." his words were full of pain but tried to hide it.

A long pause got behind you both and he looked at you, finally getting up but tripping midway.

"Are you really saying it? no jokes?"

"I would never joke about this. I want to be with you."

His mood lifted up instantly and tried to kiss you but you had to stop him and oblige him to take a long shower first.

[midnightslark]

BREATHE

Pairing: Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter x reader

Warnings: Panic attacks, teensie bit of angst

@nocturnal1slut asked “Maybe something with dex having a panic attack and reader comforting him?💕”

Summary: You return home to find Dex curled up beside his bed, broken glass littered everywhere. In a moment of self deprecating panic, you comfort Dex.

Notes: First post! I hope you enjoy, please leave your thoughts and any requests you have! ^^

────────────────────

The silence of the apartment was unexpected as you unlocked the door and stepped inside, the lack of lights being on casting the rooms in a shadowed darkness. A frown furrowed in your brows as you took a step further inside, pausing at the sound of glass crunching beneath your shoe.

Broken glass? This was a sight that didn’t come often, but when it did, you knew that something was wrong.

“Dex?” You softly called out, leaning down to place your bag by the door, softly shutting it as you kept your eyes darting around the place. You couldn’t help the way your stomach nervously clenched, your chest following suit in the same tight, anxious manner.

You carefully stepped around the broken glass the best you could, eyeing the glint in the darkness as you navigated your way through. You knew that if there was danger, your best bet would be to keep the lights off.

If anyone ever breaks in, keep the lights off. No one knows the apartment better than you. Dex had once told you that, before rambling on about how he’d protect you and if anyone tried to hurt you, he would deal it back but a thousand times worse. You knew he wasn’t lying and it it’s own way, it was sweet.

You slithered past the counter, quietly slipping a knife out of the holder as you eyed the place further. If someone had a gun, you’d be screwed, but it was better than nothing. At least Dex would be proud that you tried to defend yourself but also really, really mad that he couldn’t be there to defend you himself.

You checked behind the couch, found nothing and quietly headed towards the bathroom. Before you entered, the sound of a sniff from the bedroom made you stop in your tracks, your lips softly parting as you listened out for the sound once more. When it came again, you knew you hadn’t imagined it.

And how much it sounded like Dex.

“Dex?” You softly called out again. You didn’t hesitate to head towards your shared bedroom, freezing in your tracks at the sight before you.

Dex sat curled up against the side of the bed, his head in his hands as his breathing came out in shudders, like he was struggling to pull air through his lungs.

“Dex-“ You breathed out, quickly sliding into the floor in front of him, placing the knife down and lightly grabbing at his wrists, feeling the way he was shaking beneath your hold.

“D-don’t.” He whispered, keeping his head in his hands, not daring to meet his gaze.

“What’s wrong?” You softly asked, your thumbs reassuringly rubbing across the skin of his arms. He was shaking beneath your hold.

“Don’t do that- don’t ask me that.” He lightly snapped. You softly frowned, knowing this. Knowing him. This projection, this self deprecation was something familiar to you. You’d seen it many times.

“Hey.” You softly spoke, tapping the backs of his hands that covered his eyes with your thumbs. “Hey, look at me.”

He let out a soft, defiant noise. A sense of conflict in his tone as he took a deep, shaken breath in, his whole body shaking. He softly shook his head, fighting himself before he pulled his hands away, his eyes still shut. He took another shaken breath in before meeting your eyes with his red ones from between his brows.

You tried not to have a reaction to the sight of blood across his features, a black eye already forming around his left eye. Speckles of blood across his cheek that was likely not his. You kept a soft expression, keeping his eyes on yours.

“Hi.” You softly smiled, grabbing his hands in your own, his grip loose. “You wanna talk to me?”

He stared at you for a moment. His gaze flickered between your eyes and the floor before he softly shook his head, a scowl forming on his lips. His chest kept its rapid pace, breathing hard through his nose as he fought through his emotions.

“No- just- I don’t wanna do that.” He whispered. Your chest lightly ached at the look on his face, the lack of trust. As if he didn’t recognize you, as if you had betrayed him.

You understood why he felt that way. He’d been abandoned by so, so many people. Just as many had betrayed him, made him think he wasn’t worth anything. You’d never let him feel that way again, not as long as you were around.

“Hey- hey. It’s me.” You whispered, trying to place yourself in his view so that he could see your eyes. See the truth within them. “It’s me.”

“Y/n- I can’t-“ He whispered again, desperation clear in his voice.

“That’s fine.” You gently squeezed his hands, relieved when he returned a soft squeeze back. “You know what you can do for me?”

He met your gaze.

“Breathe with me.” You softly smiled. “Come on, handsome.”

You removed your right hand from his grasp, placing it in the middle of his chest. In a motion of demonstration, you took a deep breath in before letting it fall from your lips in an equal manner. You could see the reluctance in his eyes before he took in a deep, but unequal breath, but he was still trying.

You took in another deep breath, feeling the way his chest raised beneath your palm before easing into a more even release. The shuddered nature of his breath slowly eased into a normal pattern, the tension in his features fading away as the panic in his body released.

“There we go, that’s good.” You whispered.

He placed a hand on top of the one resting against his chest, curling his fingers around it and pulling it to his lips, his eyes falling shut for a moment as he just breathed deep, taking in every drop of you as it brought him back to calm. He gently brushed his lips against your knuckles, the warmth of his breath tickling your skin.

Before you could say another word, his hands wrapped around your hand and upper arm and he tugged you towards him, pressing your cheek against his shoulder as your legs collapsed under you and your body fell subject to his needy grasp. You let him hold you close, finding your own comfort in the action.

You couldn’t help but softly smile as he let you back in. You knew this, you knew him. It wasn’t anything personal. He’s just been hurt a lot.

His fingers delved into your hair, drawing gentle circles as if he was comforting you in return. Your eyes trailed across his features. His now open eyes were staring ahead and the panic across his features seemed almost entirely gone, his breathing now steady. His heart was beating softly under your ear, a steady and even pace.

You placed a gentle hand on the bicep of one of the arms that was wrapped around you. You drew gentle circles, bringing him to a state of calm. Your breathing came to a sync, a guiding force to ground him. To show him that there was someone here to care for him. That you cared for him.

His head finally turned to meet your gaze, the tension in his face gone and replaced by something softer. The furrow in his brows was now because of something deeper, a grateful expression that filled his entire demeanor. He took in a deep breathe, bringing his hand stroke his knuckles against your cheek.

You softly smiled, leaning into his touch.

He leaned forwards, both of your eyes fluttering shut for a moment as he pressed his lips against yours. You relished in the feeling, glad to have him back with you in this feeling of trust and care. He let the kiss linger before slowly pulling away, pressing his forehead to yours for a moment before pulling back to meet your eyes.

“Th-thank you.” He softly uttered.

“You wanna talk to me?” You softly tried again.

He softly nodded, pulling his gaze away from you for a moment as he took in a deep breath. There was a clear hesitation on his face. He knew that he should say it, say what he was feeling even if it was hard, really hard.

“Today was… really bad. I had a job to do and I promised that I would succeed, that i’m worthy. I can handle anything. I never miss, I never ever even waver but today..” He took a deep breath in, his breathing shaken. “I failed. It was a stupid mistake. And these thoughts.. they were in buzzing around in my head about- about-“

“It’s okay.” You softly encouraged, gently stroking a line across his jaw to tell him to keep going, but to breathe.

His eyes met yours and that look in his eyes made your heart ache. He softly frowned. “I started thinking about you. How I felt like I hadn’t just failed the FBI but also you. I should have done better- I could have. It should’ve been perfect. I wanted it to be perfect for you.”

You softly smiled. “Dex, I don’t want you just to do things to make me happy, you know that. You didn’t fail, not to me. It’s just a small mistake-“

“It’s not small- it matters to me. Okay?”

“Okay.” You whispered, gently dragging your finger across his jaw again.

His eyes had reddened, his lips parted as he fought to stay composed. “I thought that it would cost me. That I’d lose you because of it. When I came home- you weren’t here. You were gone for so long and I thought… I thought that i’d been right. That you’d left.”

“I didn’t. I’m here, i’ll always be here.” You softly promised.

“I know.” He whispered. “But a part of me didn’t believe it and I felt like I deserved it. That it was gonna happen eventually. You’d leave, just like everyone else.”

You frowned, turning his gaze to meet yours with a gentle nudge. “Dex, I’d never do that. I promise you. I know you’ve been hurt a lot and I would do anything to fix that, to give you the life you need. I can’t change anything but i’ll do everything in my power to make sure you know that I care about you. More than you realize.”

He let out a sigh of relief, gently nodding. You really hoped he believed your words entirely, you wanted him to see that you really meant those words. That every utterance was a declaration of truth.

“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.” He breathed out.

“I do.” You lightly teased. “And it’s a good thing i’m not going anywhere.”

“You better not.” He spoke. You could sense in his tone that he was serious, a darkness in it that only you really understood. You knew what would happen if you somehow left him, if he was left alone. The chaos that would unfold. The people that would get hurt.

You leaned forwards to press another soft kiss to his lips, letting your fingers curl around the back of his neck and into the short hairs that sat there. You could feel the small shiver as he melted into your touch. His hand curled around your hip, his fingers pressing into the soft meat.

His hand pressed to the floor between you two and his movements paused as he touched the handle of the kitchen knife you had brought in here as a method of self defense in case of some crazed intruder. He pulled away, eyebrows comically furrowed as he glanced down.

“Why did you have a knife?” He softly asked, a light sense of worry in his tone. He was worried you’d brought this in to defend yourself against him.

“I thought someone broke in.” You sheepishly admitted.

He smiled, his eyes scanning your face with an amused admiration. “You and I both know they’d be dead before the window opened.”

You smiled and nodded, letting out a gentle laugh in unison with his as you leaned forwards to press your lips to his again and let your bodies melt further into each other. You let him guide you downwards, your spine pressing to the cold floor as he cupped your face.

You would never hurt him. You would never let him face abandonment again. You’d show him the love he deserves, no matter what it took.

[hokusu]

#dabihawks Hawks, who's not the fastest hero who sits at number two, but the people's fastest vigilante, who crashes hero galas and every overly lascivious extravagances and press conferences that top heroes hold, to steal the food and all of their riches to distribute to the poor. His prime target, the number two flame hero.

And rising pro-hero Dabi, who watches him do it without fail, every time. Something between annoyance but impressed and confusingly fond, another purposely slowed step to not catch him.

(He could catch him if he tried, is what Dabi tells himself.)

But it is his father, so maybe vigilante Hawks is on to something. He's never approved of the waste that top heroes spend. Most definitely not his father's annual celebrations, so if he turns a blind eye, there's really no harm here, right?

And if Hawks lounges against a table at the annual bash, no eyes' on him except for Dabi's, as he bites into an apple, Dabi can't deny that he looks good doing what he does.

"Here to rob the poor old man again?" Dabi greets, for the hell of it. Not because he's not already sure of the other man's intentions. Innocent until proven guilty... except Hawks is always guilty.

Hawks snorts as he throws out a hand and props up a knee, leather pants stretching against the pose and Dabi's eyes stray too long between his legs. His hand dangles off the knee as he waves, "This what you guys call poor?"

Dabi laughs, sloshing the liquid around the glass of champagne in his hand. "Nah, but someone's gotta give him a little pity. He'll be bled dry someday if you keep coming for him."

"Will he?" Hawks muses lazily and takes another bite of the apple, the crunch of the fruit catching its juices against the corner of his mouth. Dabi licks his own lips. "And what of the people outside, already empty? I rather think I'm not bleeding him dry fast enough."

Dabi agrees, he does, but he's also a hero who's supposed to discourage criminal behavior. And yet the words don't come out that way.  "So work faster," Dabi offers. "You're the fastest out there, aren't you? Or is that name just the press getting it all wrong?"

"Who knows?" Hawks' lips quirk into a grin. "But if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're encouraging stealing, Dabi."

"I'm a hero," Dabi repeats flatly, but it sounds weak even to his own ears. He doesn't move to arrest Hawks. He doesn't step in to stop him, not even with the chance that presents itself. He doesn't have an answer either, to generational poverty and the poor that don't have enough to eat. He wished he did, wishes Hawks, wasn't right in his own fucked up way.

Hawks jumps off the table, finished apple core tossed into a nearby bin. And then he's at Dabi's side lightning fast, blink and he'd miss it, voice sliding temptations like the gravest of a deadly sin against his ears. "Guess I'd better get to work, lest you get any other ideas. But if you're ever having a change of heart, you could... join me."

Dabi blinks and there's a whirlwind of feathers and a gust of wind, something more than the beat of his heart and the twitch of arousal that's distantly confused. Hawks is gone, a single feather left behind. His glass of champagne and the wallet against his pockets, missing.

The entirety of the banquet table too, stripped bare. All that remains, the polished wood but not a single bite.

The crowd in the background break out in gasps and uneven chatter between shock and disarray at the sudden lack of food, their missing wallets and expensive jewelry. As if they'd attended without noticing the annual reputation that these events often held now. Daylight robbery, from theirs truly.

Join Hawks.

That's crazy talking though, isn't it?