#... sigh... after friday we will know my fate...

[seariii]

The weird mix of being stressed out, happy and exhausted... Gonna have to organize once more to get all of this sorted

[adelliet]

Wolverine x f!reader

STRIP-TEASE SECRETS

Summary: You work as a stripper at a local club. It's a normal busy Friday, but fate has other plans for you, when you spot a handsome man, sitting at the bar.

Warnings: MDNI 18+, strong language, anxiety, nicknames, stripper work, inappropriate touching, fingering, oral sex (f receiving), unprotected sex (p i v), creampie, flirting, sensitive themes, aftercare

A/n: Hi pookies! I want to apologize for any grammatical mistakes or nonsensical sentences. English is not my native language! Thank you and enjoy <3

"Come on dude, when was the last time you had a good fuck?" Wade asked with a bit of curiosity in his voice, but all he got was a frown that instilled horror. "Ugh come on sugarbear! You'll enjoy yourself for a while and then you'll be out in no time!" Wade didn't take Logan's warning look seriously and still tried to convince his annoyed friend to go to the strip club with him.

"This is not for me" Logan finally answered, although it was a very cutting and strict voice. Wase sighed again, but decided to keep trying. "Okay, well, at least walk me in and then do whatever you want. You know I'm only going there for Vanessa" Logan knew how much that asshole loved the stripper. He talks about her all the time. Although Logan had seen her just few times, he felt that she was a perfect match for Wade, the two complement each other and, after all, opposites attract.

"Fine, but I'll just accompany you, nothing else" Logan hated when his roommate brought out his kind and helpful side. He hates to admit it, but he really likes that bastard. As soon as Logan said that, Wade’s eyes lit up and he formed a huge, slightly terrifying, grinning from ear to ear. He looked like a kid that got a lollipop.

He recklessly lunged at Logan and hugged him tight, really tight. Logan grunted in annoyance and held his hands to his sides as he was trapped by the male body of his roommate. After a few seconds, Logan tried to break free from the hug, but it wasn't that easy. After a few more stronger attempts, he finally jerked and pushed Wade away from him. It was a bit of a personal move, but Wade didn't mind, he was still smiling like a clown.

"Okay, I'm going to change and then we can go" Wade said contentedly and immidiately disappeared into his room. Logan sighed and shook his head. Wade is really a teenager trapped in an adult body and everybody knows it.

When they both arrived at the parking lot right next to a small building with a pink glowing sign that has a silhouette of a naked woman on it, Logan was already fed up. Even if you were blind, you could tell by the loud music coming from the bulding, that this was some kind of club. Women's laughter added spice to it and especially the last hint that it was a strip club.

"So, we're here " Wade excitedly pulled out the car keys and checked on Logan, who didn't look thrilled twice. "Come on, don't be so grumpy" He nudged him lightly with his shoulder, which only made him angrier. Wade just let out a disappointed sigh as he still tried to talk Logan down with his puppy dog ​​eyes.

"There's no fucking chance you're going to get me there" Logan growled angrily, looking away from Wade, so he couldn't manipulate him anymore with his stupid face. "Sure, of course…only that there is a bar with drinks and many types of beer” Wade smirked, knowing the alcohol would work on Logan, and it really did. "Seriously?" Logan jerked his head and looked at Wade. "Yep, there's ale, lager, stout, porter and many more. There is also way more stronger liquids and-" "5 beers and I'm leaving" Logan made a statement and left the car in rapid speed. Wade happily pulled down a fist and quickly ran after Logan.

Loud music tickled your ears while you were backstage, getting ready to replace your colleague on the stage. “Girl be careful, they are quite…aggressive today” Vanessa advised you while you were adding last details to your makeup. You looked at at Vanessa with worried expressions through the reflection in the mirror.

Fridays were always the roughest. The club was full of men of all ages, married or single, no one really cared till' they paid, but you kinda did. Whenever you saw a guy with a ring on his hand while his tongue is almost falling out and his eyes are full of lust, it made you disgusted, but you can't just get out of the role and stop dancing. This is just one of the negatives of being a stripper.

The positive thing is money, lots of money. Plus, there are specific rules there that customers must follow, otherwise they will be kicked out by security guards. One of the biggest and most important rules is not to touch the dancers. You'd be lying if you said you've never been touched by a guy while dancing, but luckily, it wasn't anything serious and when it was, security always took care of it. You and other strippers kind of came up with this rule and it was a damn great idea. It gives you a little peace in your head, knowing that your back is guarded by massive bodybuilders.

"Like every Friday" you sighed and pressed the lid back on the lipstick. Vanessa just nodded in agreement and gave you a supportive look, as you got up from your chair and walked over to her. "Oh and my boyfriend is picking me up today" "Wade?" you added and Vanessa's eyes immediately lit up. You've never actually met or see Wade on your own, but you heard about him a lot. Vanessa just won't stop talking about him and even tho it annoy you sometimes, you find it sweet. She is so in love and you hope that one day, you'll have what she has.

"You remember!" she smiled and you chuckled. "Of course I remember, you talk about him every day" Vanessa nervously laugh and blushed, as you accused her of something, that is clearly obvious. She then gave you apologetic eyes. “Don't worry Van, I don't mind” she immidiately smiled and breath in to say something, but before she manage to do that, you heard your name and command to go on stage.

You took a deep breath and gave Vanessa one last warm smile, before opening the curtains and revealing yourself. You put on your typical sexy smirk and slowly walk over to a shiny pole with grace. During your cat walk, you already obtain a lot of whistles and creepy growling.

You looked around, smiling at the men sitting around you, staring at you like hunters for their prey. When you got to your pole, you gracefully turned around it, showing your back and your ass, receiving another wave of whistles. You always loved this beginning, when everything was just getting started, but you adored the dance itself the most. It didn't even matter that all the men admired you and wanted to fuck you, you lived for pole dancing and for money.

The music slowly started to pick up, and so did your movements. You wrapped one leg around the pole and turned slightly on it like a swan. Your hair fluttered softly with the movement of your head and body. On every beat of the song, you made some sexy move, rough and nimble, that drove all men crazy. Your confident face was the icing on the cake for the whole dance and before long, you had a pile of cash on the stage.

Your dance moves were getting hotter and hotter, your facial expressions were extremely flirtatious and you were enjoying it as much as you could. Money poured in to your feet, some of the men stood up and reached out to touch you, just a little. You played with them, the power on the stage always gave you plenty of confidence and the sight of the males beneath you, made you feel mighty.

All the stress and fear of men was gone and the whole area, where you were present, smelled of feminism, strenght and bitter sex. All signs that gave men erection in a second. You yourself noticed that some of them already had a tent in their pants, but you couldn't decide if you were flattered or disgusted. Either way, there was no time for this, there was no time to think. When it comes to striptease, thinking always goes by wayside.

The song was approaching an end, your choreography was slowing down but still had some sort of passion and spiciness in it. You bite your lips as you were laying on your back, your hand traveling from your neck lower and lower. When your hand was close to your sensitive spot between your legs, your eyes quickly flicked at the bar. It was a natural instinct to find out if the men at the bar were also looking at you, or at your colleague, that was dancing on the other side of the club.

Your eyes caught a target. There was only one man sitting at the bar, middle-aged with long brown hair and a beard. You didn't have time to analyze him in more detail, but nevertheless he stuck in your memory, because he was really looking at you, but not in a creepy hungry way. This guy had a neutral expression, not moving a single muscle as he watched you. This was not usual.

You had to admit that he caught you off guard, but you still had a few seconds left to complete your choreography, which you did perfectly. In addition to loud applause, whistles and male deep shouts, you also received another avalanche of money. You smiled as you bowed and went to grab the money, but one of the men crawled onto the stage and aggressively grabbed your hair.

You immediately dropped the money and gasped loudly, trying to break free from the man's grip, but luckily the security guards stopped him, before anything worse could happen. You moved away from the edge of the stage with lightning speed and when you saw those hungry faces, your confidence disappeared and was replaced by fear again. Anxiety began to besiege you and you quickly ran backstage in a panic.

"Hey hey hey darlin' what's wrong?" Vanessa immediately took care of you and stroked your back while you still had terror in your eyes. "You were right, they are aggressive" you said and Vanessa hugged you, rubbing your hair and calming you down. Sometimes you think you weren't made for this. Yes, you love dancing and yes, pole dancing even more, but you also have these anxious moments whenever something like that happens. Being a stripper means having courage, strength and not being a pussy, but you don't exactly have these properties.

"It's okay, I'm fine, I just had to calm down a bit" you broke free from the hug and smiled softly at Vanessa, who didn't quite believe you, but didn't want to burden you with questions. "'Kay but you know what would help? A really strong drink." you rolled your eyes and shook your head in disbelief, as Vanessa tries to make you an alcoholic again.

"No I'm serious! You will relax and it'll help you!" you knew she was right, she is always right. Whenever you get this anxiety attack, or whatever that is, alcohol is the best cure. "Thanks Van" she gave you a warm smile and then checked the clock. "Shit! I gotta go" her eyes widened and quickly grabbed her purse. "Bye darlin' be safe!" she shouts at you as she was disappearing into the distance.

You were shaking your head as your lips left a soft giggle and decided to take Van's advice. You just quickly check your make-up in a mirror, if it's not ruined and then change your clothes into a less revealing suit. There is another, kinda strict rule, that dancers are not allowed to change into non-striptease clothes, until they left. It was a little uncomfortable, walking around all those men in the sexy revealing fabric. You were little too close to them and since almost everyone were higher than you, even though you were wearing heels, you felt like a sheep among wolves. Easy to catch and security wouldn't even notice you among the heavy crowd.

Still, despite the danger, you decided to risk it and go to the bar for a drink that would boost your energy. You were already thinking which one you'd choose, when you noticed that there was no one sitting at the bar, not even the guy whom you saw during your seductive dance.

You felt little dissaponted, because he seemed fine, even though you saw him just for a second from a distance. You wanted to get to know him, but fate apparently had other plans. You didn't bother with it for a long time and sat down on one of the barstools.

"One martini please" you raised a finger at bartender Kevin, who is a gay therapist for strippers and a very good friend. "Someone attacked you again?" he asked as he was cleaning glass with a cloth and analyzed your frustrated face. You felt chill down your spine, as Kevin said again. The worst part was, that it was true, this isn't the first and probably not the last time some asshole touched or attacked you while dancing. On the other hand, this is the best reason and excuse to get drunk.

“Okay baby don't worry, I'll double the gin shot for you” he smiled and you smiled back, even though you were completely bushed.You turn around on your seat and by the time Kevin was preparing your drink, you watched your colleague dancing on the stage you were just standing on few minutes ago.

She was breathtaking, her moves were graceful and delicate and her make-up perfectly suit her dress. She was your inspiration and you watched her not only because she danced amazingly, but to catch some of her moves and add them to your own choreography. She dazzled you so much that you didn't even realize how quickly time passed and Kevin already slide your glass to you.

“Thanks” you whisper to him and nod your head while you took a sip from your glass. Woah, it was really strong. You winced, squeezing your eyes as you felt the burning liquid sliding in your throat. When it finally reached your stomach, you put the glass back on the bar table and breath out. This was exactly what you needed. But before you could take another sip, you were interrupted by a large male hand on your waist. You jumped on your seat and looked behind you, surprised and confused at once.

Anyway, the sight did not satisfy you at all. An older man around 40s with a long beard smiled at you like a creep. He walked around you and sat right next to you at the bar. Unfortunately, Kevin was on the other side of the bar, far away from you, talking with someone and it looked like a long conversation. "So babygirl, how much?" he scurrilously asked you and stroked your shoulder with his finger, which you jerked instantly.

“Excuse me?” you offendedly furrowed your eyebrows and checked the guy up and down. When you notice a golden ring embracing one of his finger, it made you sick. "Come on sweatheart, I got the money just tell me how much" his deep voice makes your heartbeat quicker, but not from excitement, from fear.

"Sir I don't know what you're talking about" you knew very well what he was talking about, you just hoped he meant something else. "Come on, don't play dumb" you knew it's getting serious when you felt his hand on your thigh, squeezing and massaging it. Your whole body was surrounded by goosebumps, your hands and legs started to shake.

"Sir, get your hand off me" you still tried not to fully panic and convince the guy, but you slowly started losing hope. "Or what?" he smiled mockingly, sliding his hand upwards. You breathed in and closed your eyes, still trying to stay calm and act formally. "Or the security guards will kick you out" this warning didn't scare that creep at all, on the contrary, it made him laugh even more. "Oh really? You think they'll see you through all the people in here?" the answer was clearly no, you knew that and that made you feel even more stressed.

You nervously look around, trying to find even one security guard nearby, but it was in vain, everyone was paying attention around your fellow dancers and not others. "Don't be scared, we're going to have a good time together" he squeezed your thigh again, really hard this time, making you gasp. "Sir, I'm begging you for the last time, take that hand off me and go away" you voice was shaking, clearly showing that you're afraid, but there was also a clear warning in your voice, which he still didn't take seriously.

"And I'm telling you for the last time, be a good girl and do what I tell you" he hissed through his teeth. You could notice he was getting angrier that you were still refusing him and you've already thought about a plan how you're going to ran away from him. Suddenly, you heard another man's coughing behind that bastard, who was still holding your leg tightly.

You both looked after the sound and reacted differently. When you realize it was the guy that watched you during your dance, your eyes lit up with hope and a tiny smile appeared on your face. That idiot next to you just gave him a nasty look and groan. “Get lost” he turned his head back to you. "I'm afraid you're sitting in my seat" Your hero snarled, still standing behind the creep. "Not anymore, now leave us alone" you just watched them with anticipation.

"You know you're breaking a rule?" this was the last straw for that asshole. He swiftly turned around and stood up, so that he was on the same level as the pretty looking guy, except he wasn't. The married one was smaller and he just embarrassed himself by this move. You tried your best not to laugh. "I'll repeat it for the last time, get lost" the creep growled angrily, as if it was supposed to instill a fear.

"I'll also repeat it one last time" that handsome suddenly grabbed the other man's shirt and pulled out iron claws from his knuckles, making you jump in shock. He was almost touching the tip of the claws by his neck, just a centimeter in and he would cut his throat in a half. "You broke the rule, don't touch the dancers" that idiot was shaking and sweating in fear, you'd bet he just pooped his pants.

"So it'll go like this bub, you'll apologize this lady, you'll leave and you'll never come back" you couldn't help but smirk and blush a little, his voice was strong and low, he sounded like a wolf and when you were thinking about it, he kinda looked like one. His haircut was formed into ears and his jawline was surrounded by beard, it really gave him that wild-animal look. You had to admit it, it looked really hot.

"Understood?!" he jolted with the guy, when he still didn't receive a response. "Y-yes" that bastard quickly nodded and as soon as he was released, he quickly and quietly apologized to you and bolted from the club in lightning speed. All fear and worry washed away from you, when that wolfie, who just saved your ass, sat down next to you.

You admired him for a sec, before you finally gain enough courage to talk to him. "Thank you" you beeped quietly but he heard you very well. "Sure thing, these guys are disgusting" he looked to the direction that creep ran away and then, without any warning, looked into your face, making eye contact with you. You got lost in his coffee brown eyes almost instantly. For a while, it felt like there was nothing and no one but just the two of you. The music was muffle, vision blurry except from him.

You shook your head a little when you notice his lips moving, clearly saying something to you, but you were too lost in your thoughts. He had to repeat himself again. "You're pretty good dancer" he waved at Kevin to take his order. His simple compliment, which definitely wasn't your first one, made you butterflies in your stomach.

"T-thank you" you stuttered a little, earning a small scuff from him. "I'm Logan, by the way" he finally introduced himself and before you could say your name too, Kevin interrupted you. "Okay Logan, what would you like?" "One beer" Kevin nodded and handed him a green bottle. It took Logan one swift move to open that lid, you knew you would struggle with it for at least fifteen minutes.

You watched him drinking from that bottle, his head slightly threw back, his adam's apple sticking out of his neck and whenever he swallowed, you could hear it and even felt it inside you. Now you felt like a freak. You tried to remember him, analyze every detail on his body and face, because even though you had barely met, you wanted to engrave his sexy face in your head, just in case. Who wouldn't want to remember such a handsome man, that you don't see every day.

"What's your name?" Logan caught you lost in your thoughts again and brought you back to earth. Fortunately, you finally heard his words and answered him. "Y/n" you smiled proudly, when you finally manage to say something without stuttering. "That's a lovely name" he smirked and took another sip from his bottle, while watching you. God this guy was something else.

"I haven't seen you here before..." you break the eye contact out of nervousness and start making circles around your glass with martini. "Maybe because it's my first time here" you look at him surprised. "Really?" he nodded. "Yeah, no offense but this is just not for me" well, you felt a little offended but you also knew how he meant it.

"Right, then why are you here?" "I'm just waiting for my friend" you paused for a moment, squeezing your eyes until you put puzzles together and realized. "Wait, are you Wade?" he looked at you with confused look and furrowed eyebrows, like you just said the nastiest insult that exists.

"No? Why on earth would you think that?" his sudden change in voice caught you by surprise, but when he realized the impact his words had on you, his eyes softened and he cleared his throat before explaining himself. "Wade is my friend, the one I'm waiting for..." you formed your lips in an O shape, when you realized. This made much more sense, not that Van wouldn't pull out this beast, but he's definitely not her type at all.

"...well, was waiting. He texted me few minutes ago that he's goin' to sleep at his girlfriend's house, so I don't have any reason to stay here anymore” he took another sip of beer and you gave him a disappointed expression. "Right..." you sigh and finally took a sip from your own drink too. "Well, maybe I could find a reason to stay" you harshly turned to face him and had to smile, when he clearly indicated that the reason was you.

"So, tell me something about yourself" he asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing. You were already red as a tomato when Logan showed interest in you, even though it was just a normal question without any other intention. It was hard to describe what you felt, but it was some kind of excitement, joy and, above all, safety. You don't even remember how long you felt like this with a man.

"What would you like to know?" you raised your eyebrows flirtatiously and took a sip from your martini, while maintaining eye contact with him. It was a pretty hard task, but you managed to do it ravishingly. "Everything you want me to know" he gave you something between cute and devilish smile, that sends incredible waves of pleasure right between your legs. You placed your glass back on the desk and moved your ass a bit, to lower the vibration in your panties.

“Well I suppose you're wondering, how I got…here” you motioned to the club around you and Logan nodded in agreement. You clear your throat before starting to tell your life-story, which almost no one knows, but you feel a special energy from this man that directly forces you to confide in him.

“My dad left me when I was five and my mom died two years after, so my uncle, who happened to own this club, took me into care” you were too nervous to talk about your difficult childhood and looking into Logan's face the whole time. But whenever you looked at him, he gave you one hundred percent attention and his eyebrows were a little furrowed, how much he concentrated on your every word. "A few years later, I got acquainted with pole dancing, which I started to enjoy and I even won many awards" you giggle as you remembered your cups and medals lying in your room. "But then we had a problem with money, mainly me so I started working here and since then, I was hooked and never let go"

After your lifestory-telling, you finally worked up the courage to look at Logan, who was giving you sad expression. "I'm sorry..." he dropped his head with a deep voice, before an awkward silence appeard for a moment, where only the background music could be heard. "You don't have to, I'm fine!"

You smiled at him and you were truly having a good time right now. You were sitting next to a handsome guy, who saved you from a creep just few minutes ago, you're telling him about yourself without being afraid or regretting it afterwards, you don't need anything more. "Fine? Working here is fine?" he was looking at you through his bushy eyebrows, little frustrated. You didn't know what to say. "Look, you look like a beautiful and talented girl, who has much better potential than parade around in front of horny guys"

"It's not just that..." you lied to yourself, it was exactly about that. That pole dancing was only a bonus, that actually keeps you in this career. “Oh really?” he angrily propped himself up on his elbow and watched you deeply. You looked at him cautiously. "Come on, you know there are much better places than this" he confronts you and you already knew everything he was saying, but it was just hard to suddenly leave when you've already put so much into it. "I know, but it's hard to throw away a thing that's been a part of your life for such a long time" you played with your glass and felt tears creating in your eyes.

"I see..." he sighs. "But change is nice sometimes” he gave you a comfortable smiled and you returned it to him. Maybe he was right, maybe this was all fate and a sign that you should pack it in and finally do something more formal and finally have some pride. "And what about you Logan? What's your backstory, hm?" you turn your whole body towards him, making him scoff at your question. "Well...this is gonna take a long time”

A few hours passed and you knew Logan so well,that it felt like you had known him for years. You told each other stories, trite and funny, told some basic facts about yourselfs and drank one shot after another. Your head was spinning a little, but you still managed to speak and hear clearly.

"You know, you're the first mutant in my life" "Oh really?" he gave you a cocky smile and you nodded. "Yeah, it's great" Logan was already noticing the effect the alcohol had on you, that's why, when you reached for another shot, he grabbed your hand quickly, before gently putting it onto your legs. "I think that's enough" you whined and gave him puppy dog ​​eyes, which did indeed work, but Logan cared about your health more.

"Do you have a ride home?" you shake your head. "Alright, come here" Logan stood up from his seat and offered you a hand for help. You refuse it at first, but when you almost fell down as you climbed off from the barstool, you actually appreciated his help. "Easy baby, easy" you heard his subtle addition of the nickname very well, but you were too drunk to react to it.

Logan held your waist tightly to keep your balance, as you slowly but surely pushing your way through the crowd towards exit. "Do you have everything you need?" Logan looked down at you and it was this moment you actually realized, how tall and big he was. You looked up at him and nodded your head in amazement. His hand on your weist was massive, and so was his body, that entirely hide yours. This was the security you always wanted.

When you finally made it out of the club and into Logan's car, you were asleep within minutes. You didn't perceive your surroundings, nothing at all, all you had in front of you was darkness and dreams. Logan watched you for a moment, before he started the engine and drove away from the parking lot.

A ray of sun shining right into your face woke you up. You groaned and rubbed your eyes until you opened them. Surprisingly, you didn't have a hangover and felt fresh, but there was a small issue, you had no idea where you were.

The blanket you were covered under was not yours, the bed underneath you wasn't yours and last but not least, the room you were in was definitely not yours. Where the fuck are you?!

However, before you could analyze the environment and form an opinion about where you might be at, your answer came, knocking on the door and then slowly opening it. The cracking sound was killing your ears. "Hey, did I wake you up?" Logan asked softly, as his eyebrows rised and he was half out.

You were too stunned to speak, so you just shook your head and gave him a cute little smile. "Good..." he whispered silently and walked fully in. You watched him as he approached you, with a glass of water in his hand. "Here, though you'll be thirsty" he handed you the glass and stood in front of you, waiting until you hydrate yourself.

"So um...you were pretty drunk yesterday" you almost choke as those words tickle your eardrums. "D-did I say something…inappropriate?" you asked cautiously with concern in your voice. "No....no" he scoffed and shook his head, making you exhale from the relief.

"You just kept telling me how handsome I am" your eyes widened and you immediately started turning red. You gave him an are you serious look, but unfortunately, he wasn't kidding. You put the glass next to the bedside table and dropped your head into your hands. "Sorry" you whined into your palms, earning another scoff from Logan.

“Don't apologize darlin'-" he cut his sentence with coughing, which helps you think about other things than how you totally embarrassed yourself yesterday. "Um…it's pretty late for breakfast, what do you want for lunch?" he quickly changed the subject, but you didn't forget that nickname he just called you by. "Lunch? No wait I don't want to bother you" you got out of bed and only then you realized, you were still in your sexy outfit and forgot to change at the club.

Logan's eyes quickly checks you out before looking away like a gentleman, even though he literally saw you in this dress yesterday. He cleared his throat to ease the awkward situation, but that didn't really help. "Um I'm just gonna-" you wanted to walk past him but he grabbed your wrist tightly and pushed you back in front of him. "I won't let you out with hungry stomach" he said while directly watching into your eyes. It felt like he hypnotized you, so you agreed.

"There are some of my t-shirts in the closet..." he said, scratching his neck as he made his way to the door. "Then come to kitchen" these were the last words before he closed the door behind him. You stood stiffly in place, trying to process this whole situation.

It felt like a dream, yesterday you were at a bar with a funny, gorgeous man and in the morning, you wake up at his house, dressed and safe. What kind of fanfic is this?

Putting on one of Logan's dark green shirts, that reached your knees, you carefully walked out of the room into, what appeared to be the kitchen. Logan wasn't there though, but you quickly turned behind you, when you heard sounds of fabric and floor creaking. Logan stood up from the couch and checked you out again. He don't even try to hide it.

"It suits you better than me" he pointed at you, making you blush and giggle. You felt like a 10 years old again, the most comfortable feeling. Logan walked over to you, not too close but close enough. You were glaring at him, your neck hurting from keeping your head up, looking into his coffee coded eyes. "What do you want for lunch?" "W-what?" you got a little lost in your thoughts and had to recap what Logan just asked you.

“Oh…I don't know, anything” you didn't want to look demanding and at the same time, you didn't want to busy yourself with talking, when you could watch this handsome guy. "Have you ever had sushi?" you furrow your eyebrows, trying to remember the taste of it. "No..." you shake your head, surprised by yourself that you haven't had that before. "Really? You have to try it" Logan raised his eyebrows in disbelief and made a decision.

He walked around you and picked up the phone, ordering a sushi and some sodas with it. During his call, you had plenty of time to admire him again, how small that phone looked in his hand. How did his hair look so silky and divine, what kind of shampoo is he using? And his eyes? God his eyes are your new favorite series.

When Logan hung up, you had to come back to reality and act like a normal person, not some creep who constantly admires him. "Now we'll wait" his corners lifted up and you had to lean on the counter to keep your balance. Does he even realize what he's doing to you? Or is it just a hangover from yesterday...hard to say.

“So you're telling me you've never had sushi before?” Logan leaned against the counter you were also leaning on, making the distance between you smaller. "No!" you laugh out, making Logan shake his head in disbelief accompanied by a tsk tsk tsk. "I can't believe it" he dramatized the situation and you made an ironic-offended expression. You were holding eye contact for a few seconds, before both of you broke and laughed.

"Um...by the way" you said when you calmed down a bit. "I wanted to thank you for everything, actually" you nervously played with your fingers, waiting for Logan's reaction. You were stressed over nothing, because Logan used a warm smile to let you know, that you had nothing to be thankful for.

Suddenly, his phone rings, announcing that the food is here. "And now you gonna find out how heaven feels like" he winks at you as he leaves the apartment quickly. You giggle and cover your face, feeling the heat coming from your cheeks. You must look like a tomato right now.

It wasn't long before Logan returned with a brown paper bag. He looked so excited. Without any further words, he quickly came to the counter, unwrapped the sushi and opened it. Before you blinked twice, he was already holding one roll between his fingers. "Open your mouth" he guides you, waiting for your lips to part away.

You obediently did as he told you. Logan slowly pushed the roll into your mouth, his eyes twitching between your lips to your eyes. You wrapped your lips around his fingers, sucking the remains, until a pop sound came from you. He jerked his head to get over his dirty thoughts and eagerly waited for your reaction. You kept him tense for a while, chewing loudly with a focused expression.

A proud smile started forming on his face, when you close your eyes and groan in pleasure of the taste. "How's it?" he asked to make sure you 100% liked it. "It's...delicious" he clapped his hands and screamed in excitement, right after you said that. He was satisfied and glad, throwing one sushi in his mouth as a reward.

"Damn it's really good" you giggle as you keep chewing. "I know!" Logan happily shouted and grab another roll, waiting for you to take it from his fingers. You did, sucking on his fingers again and couldn't lie, teasing him a little by that move. “Mhmm” you grunted and threw your head back. Logan watched you, taking a deep inhale, trying really hard not to create unchristian scenarios in his head, but you were making it really hard for him.

“Come here, you have to try it with this sauce too” he waves at you, giving you a signal to come closer to him. You didn't hesitate any further and spawn right next to him in a matter of seconds. Even though you were already close enough and able to grab the sushi roll yourself, Logan took it into his own hands anyway.

He grab the roll, dip it into sauce and put a hand underneath it, to not soil the floor. He turned to face you. "Mouth" Logan ordered again and you opened your mouth with a smirk on your face, keeping eye contact with him the entire process. Once again, when his fingers touched your lips, you cupped them and sucked everything off them until you pulled away and made a little POP sound.

You hummed in pleasure again, the taste tickling all the taste buds on your tongue and you absolutely loved it. "That's my favorite food from now" Logan chuckled and watched your hand reaching for another roll and effortlessly put it into your mouth. You looked up at him, smiling as you chewed.

Suddenly, Logan stopped smiling, so did you. He slowly and gently grabbed your chin and used his thumb to wipe a bit of the sauce that was left on the corner of your mouth. He sucked the finger, grinning as your eyes were full of lust, anticipation and hungry.

"Fuck" he groaned before grabbing your jaw and kissing you. It was passionate and long kiss, just to test how you'd react, but you responded very positively. You kissed him again, wrapping your hands around his neck while tasting his thin lips. His hand slides around your body, stopping at your hips, giving them a gentle squeeze. You rose on tiptoes and moaned into his mouth, as he squeezed you again.

"You have no idea how long I've been craving for this" he growled between breaks in kissess and pounced on you mercilessly. The kisses were hungry, rough, and he even bit you from time to time, which only made you much more hornier. You could already feel the wetness in your panties during the kissing and your need for Logan was becoming unbearable.

Your fingers slipped into Logan's hair, finally feeling the softness of his hair. Sometimes you tugged them, as revenge for Logan squeezing your waist. After a long make out session, he lowered himself down, so that he could grab your legs and wrapped them around his pelvis. You giggled and gasped a little as you felt Logan's already hard cock trapped in his pants. It automatically excited you that much, that your wet core started pulsating.

Logan put you on top of the counter, messaging your thighs while still passionately kissing you. You were already whining silently, because of the incredible vibrating you felt between your legs. You instinctively started moving your hips against the flat surface, but you were literally longing for any friction.

Logans hands started exploring your body, squeezing some spots, since he couldn't control himself anymore. He stopped kissing you and moved his mouth to your neck and at the same time moving his hands underneath your, actually his, shirt. You petted and scratched Logan's head as he left purple bites on your neck.

His hungry bites forced you to throw your head back, leaving more space for Logan's teeth and tongue. Your whining started getting louder and you had to bite your lips to keep your voice quiet, but that didn't help much. "I wanna hear you darlin'" Logan grumbled and slid his finger under your panties. You instantly threw your head back and looked down, unfortunately didn't see his hand under your t-shirt, so his next moves were surprise for you.

He really did want to hear you, because without any warning, he quickly put the fabric to the side and started rubbing your wet folds. Your passion got the better of you and you couldn't keep quiet any longer. Your jaw fell open and your hips were keeping moving to the rhythm of Logan's fingers. He couldn't help himself and pulled away from your sore purple neck, looking into your pleasent face. Your voice and the way your body react to him sends countless hits to his twitching dick.

"You like that baby?" he devilishly smirked and inserted one finger in, making your breath catch in your throat. You had to drop your head and close your eyes to keep your senses, but Logan just made it harder for you. "Look at me" your nails were digging into Logan's hair, his finger twirling inside you in a rapid speed. "Look at me" Logan's voice was way more strict. He didn't relay on his voice anymore, so he grabbed your chin with his free hand and made you look up at him. "That's it...just like that" he bit his lips, seeing you like this is making him leaking with precum already.

Your eyes were keeping closing and opening. You were trying so hard to look at Logan but also wanting to enjoy the pleasure this man was now giving to you. If that wasn't enough, he added another finger, stretching your walls even more. You wanted to throw your head back so badly, but Logan wouldn't let you. He wanted to see your face when you'll come onto his fingers. He giggled as your moans started getting louder and your legs were shaking. He knew you were close, you both knew that.

But this guy was a complete monster, because as soon as your walls began to clench against his fingers, giving clear sign you are about to cum, he removed them. You gave him a confused and disappointed look while he just grinned devilishly and licked all the juice off his fingers. "You taste so fucking good" he mumbled and closed his eyes. "I need more" he got on his knees and chuckled slyly, watching you through his eyebrows.

The realization, what he's about to do, made your core pulsate even more frequently. You inhale deeply, tightly holding the edges of the counter to get ready for what's about to happen. He grabbed your panties by his teeth and elegantly take them off, revealing your wettness. His eyes widened a little and a devilish grin appeard on his face.

"Bet you taste better than sushi" you giggle and shake your head at his question, but that laugh of yours didn't last long. Your soft laugh transformed into a loud moan in one second, as Logan disappeared under your (his) shirt and you felt his hot tongue against your folds.

You finally had the freedom to throw your head back and give in to your body's natural response to Logan. You grabbed his head and gently scratched him, as he was softly licking you. Whenever his nose accidentally bumped into your sensitive clitoris, you tugged his hair and strongly bit your lips. Logan was attentive and therefore his "accidental" bumping into your clit started being more frequent.

You moan his name, tug his hair and tense your legs, whenever he made any interaction with your clit. But he also added his skilled tongue, which he subtly inserted into you. In that moment you drop your hat and shut your eyes, already aware that you won't last long. His tongue was twirling and curling inside you, moving up and down and tickling your walls. Your hips started ridding against his face, not beacuse you wanted to, but rather needed to.

Everything was connected, Logan's tongue makes you ride his face, while this made Logan groan against your pussy and that sends pleasent waves of pleasure right into your clit. His sideburns were tickling and prickling your delicate skin, which added even more adrenaline to your blood.

"Logan" you whine and moan his name, feeding his need to fuck you properly. His tongue picked up incredible speed and when he felt your walls clenching again, he added even more. He hold your thighs, to hold your body still in one place. It took a few more flicks with his tongue to make you shake, throw your head back and release all the tension you've been suppressing in yourself until now. You came all over Logan's face, before shame washed over you, as you came back to your senses.

You've had sex with men before, but none of them ate your pussy like Logan did. When his face found itself in your vision again, you started turning red as you noticed your juice remaining on his lips. "Don't be shy honey" he cupped your cheek and smiled. "You definitely taste better than sushi" You laugh and shake your head, the awkwardness disappearing when Logan said these things.

After that, he didn't even let you breath in and glued his lips to yours, making you taste yourself. He immediately wanted to fight with your tongue, so he gently squeezed your leg to make you moan, thus you improved his way into your mouth. Your tongues battled for dominance in which Logan was clearly winning. Your saliva and the remnants of your cum made a strange salty mix, that you both couldn't get enough of.

You wanted more, you wanted to see him in his full glory, so you grabbed the edges of his shirt and pulled it up. Logan helped you take it off and when he did, he didn't even give you a chance to get a good look at him, before starting to stuff his warm tongue inside your mouth again.

Still, you wanted to feel him somehow, that's why your hands explore his upper body, whining as you felt the muscles and sixpack, which unfortunatel, you couldn't see yet. Your fingers prints sends shivers down Logan's spine, breaking his last straw by that. His instincts began to prevail over his mind from now on.

You started being more excited and your pussy started throbbing over nothing again, when you heard a sound of unbuckling belt. It didn't take long before you heard the impact of not only the belt, but the fabric as well. You immediately realized that Logan had also taken off his pants as his erection began poking you into your inner thigh, dangerously close to your, once again, wet core.

"You're driving me crazy" he said between the pauses in the kiss and you couldn't properly answer, so you just moan softly. The feelings were from both siides, he was also driving you crazy. His disgustingly massive hands surrounded you almost entirely and his body was like a gigantic shield. You wanted nothing else, than to be fucked by this beast.

Although Logan is quite patient, your moaning and body language bothered him so much, that he decided to finally relieve you both and do what he had to do. He gently grabbed your hips, pulled out of the kiss and checked his way into you. Your heartbeat was racing and whole body shakes with impatience.

Suddenly, he looked at your face and without any warning, he started slowly pushing into you. Your jaw immediately dropped and your eyes tightly shut. The stretching was painfully pleasurable, finally feeding your hungry core. Your nails were digging deep into Logan's skin and you were worried about hurting him too much. However, you didn't know about his healing factor. The truth is that you should be the one who should be scared, because Logan's dick was nowhere near as small as the others.

"Good girl, breath for me" he was holding your body in place, while incredibly slowly pushing into you. If he could, he would've thrust himself aggressively into you a long time ago, but he didn't want to hurt you. He read from your face that it wasn't twice as pleasant, but it was just the beginning. The flow will be much better.

He was almost balls deep. You were hissing through your clenched teeth pretty loudly, trying hard to ignore the pain and focus on the pleasure. “Just like that princess…you're doing so good” he kept praising and supporting you to make you feel more comfortable and it worked. You felt your cheeks getting hotter and your breathing kept getting stuck in your throat.

Logan groaned intensely, when his balls finally touched your ass and he was fully inside you. It felt unreal. His dick was already touching your cervix. You knew you won't last long again. You stand no chance to ever last long with a man like Logan, it's just impossible.

"Good girl...my good girl" he put his forehead on yours, his hot breathing pleasantly shimmered on your nose. Before long, you got used to him and your natural reaction forced you to create some pressure. That's why you started moving your hips, giving Logan a clear sigh you are ready for him.

"Oh? Someone's eager huh?” he chuckled. You gave him a hungry eyes, full of lust. Logan therefore didn't wait for another signal and slowly moved his hips, as he squeezed your hips firmly. You were so tight around him, so wet, just absolutely perfect. You both felt incredible passion and heat coursing through your blood.

"God you're...fucking perfect" Logan cursed under his breath as his pace quickened and so did his pulse. The wet juicy sound began to surround the entire apartment. The atmosphere around you started to harden and the kitchen smell like sex. Your moans rhythmically mixed with Logan's grunts, creating a wonderful melody.

You hissed as Logan was hitting that perfect spot, deep inside you, that you could never reach on your own. You throw your head back, the sound of Logan's balls clapping against your soft ass only made you both more excited and eager to reach your climax.

"Yeah, just like that babygirl..." his voice was low as husky, his hands still firmly attached to your weist. He felt his cock twitch inside you while you felt your core tighten around him. Physics was no longer a burden for Logan, as he rammed into you with incredible speed and force, making your eyes rolled back. He quickly found your back and pressed you closer to his body, sniffing your honey scented hair.

"L-logan I..." you tried to warn him, to tell him that you are on the edge, but your mind was out of order to focus on words. "I know...I know" Logan dropped his head as he lost his control in his hips. From now on, he was just trying to catch up his orgasm.

Your lower belly started to rumble and you suddenly felt the outrageous urge to pee. You tensed up, every muscle in your body tensed until you relaxed and let it all out with a loud gasp. The relief was indescribable, but Logan hadn't reached his time yet.

When he felt and saw that you came all over his dick, he tried intensely to reach his climax. It only took a few hard merciless thrusts, before he pushed himself as deep as he could and growled loudly. He squirted into you, making you so full, that the white mixture was dripping from your core.

Logan moved his hips few more times to ride off the intense orgasm, before his forehead collapsed on yours. You both breathed heavily, trying to catch up your breaths and calmed your pulse down a bit. “You're amazing" he breathed out and you giggle, turning even more redder than you already were. He put a gentle kiss into your soft hair, giving you a great feeling of safety.

"You two..." you manage to let out two words, but all your energy was drained by saying that. Your legs were vibrating, evidence of a post-orgasm, feeding Logan's ego by showing him that he did an amazing job.

"C'mon baby, let's clean you up and then we'll enjoy that sushi" you laughed and nodded in agreement. Logan was still holding you, making sure you won't fall as you slowly jumped off the counter. Unfortunately, your legs were so weak that you couldn't keep your balance and Logan had to hold you really tight and really close to him.

However, you barely take a step forward, before you heard the door open. Logan quickly hid you behind him to cover you, thus sacrificing himself. After all, you had your shirt on, he was fully naked. You held tightly to his hands, which he held behind him as a support for you. Luckily, the counter was covering his most intimate part, so it wasn't that big of a sacrifice.

You froze in shock and waited to see who entered the apartment. "Oh Jesus Christ cover yourself! We indulge in this every Wednesday, remember?" you heard a man's voice, quite annoying, but you deduced from the sounds that he wasn't alone. "Is this how guests are greeted pookiebear? I didn't teach you that" you kept hearing the guy speak but your curiosity got the better of you.

You peeked a little, seeing a tall man with weird skin, but who was standing next to him shocked you more. "Vann?!" you couldn't hold back and shouted quite loudly. All attention was now on you. "Y/n?!" she surprisingly shouted back, her eyebrows rose and her jaw dropped. "Wait wait...there's a lot going on at once" that weird-skinned guy spoke again. You realized that he definitely loves talking and being the center of attention.

He ponited at Logan. "You had fun here with a random girl?" he moved his finger to Vanessa. "And you know that girl?" Vanessa nodded. "Yeah, she's my coworker" you awkwardly kept hiding behind Logan's back, which was so huge that it covered every part of your body except from your head.

You were all anxiously waiting to see what the guy would say. "Wait but you work at strip-club-" When he finally put the puzzle together, he gasped dramatically and turned to your direction. "SO YOU HAD FUN AT THAT CLUB AFTER ALL!" he excitedly shouted. "No that's not-" Logan tsk's and tried to explain himself, but it worthless, because that guy wouldn't let him talk. "You took it so far that you bring her here and fuck her in your own shirt?! WOW!"

"It's not like that-" Logan shook his head and you could tell from his tone, that he started getting furious. "Oh hell yeah it is! C'mon just admit it-" "Wade, stop it" Vanessa placed her hands on the chest of the guy, you just found out was the famous Wade Wilson. You imagined everything under his name, but definitely not this guy.

"Fine fine sorry...oh my god you guys had sushi! Have you shoved them up your ass-" Vanessa slapped Wade a little to finally shut him up and made him move forward, so that you and Logan would finally be alone. As she walked past you she quietly whispered "we'll talk about this" and went into one of the rooms with Wade.

Logan sighed in annoyance and dropped his head as he shook it. He turned to face you. "Look, I really don't want you to think I used you" he hold your hands but this time romantically. He gave you the cutest and most honest puppy eyes that a man ever gave you. "I...like you. I really do and I want to get to know you better and-" he didn't even finish his monologue, before you stood up on your toes, using all of your newfound strength to put into your feet. You kissed him, deeply, with love and with passion.

It was slow and soothing, so Logan reciprocated and you would have kissed longer, but you had to think about Wade and Vanessa. You also had to think of the cum dripping from your core and of Logan being completely naked. "Let's go" he smiled and nodded his head in the direction you were headed. Logan was the perfect man for you, he was mean and cruel to everyone while he had that sweet spot in his heart only for you.

You couldn't wait to spend much more time with him and get to know him much more deeply…

[new-fandom-scene]

Speechless

Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!reader

Warnings: none

Summary: Tim's lights are on, but nobody seems to be home.

Word Count: 1,572

By the time Tim and Angela made it out and into the bar, the usual nine to five crowd was already deep in "weekend mode". Groups of girlfriends were giggling while taking shots of cheap tequila. Packs of guys were working their way through pitcher after pitcher of beer. Weaving through the loud and lively crowd, Wesley already had their usuals sitting at their table for them. Lopez hums in content as she greets Wesley with a kiss and a grateful smile. "This is how it should be at the end of every week", Lopez declares before raising her bottle and clinking hers against Wesley and Tim's glasses.

"So now you're expecting me to be sitting pretty nursing the first round, just waiting for you guys to get here every Friday?" Wesley looks to his wife incredulously and rolls his eyes. "I think I'll pass". Angela shrugs dismissively, taking a sip.

"Obviously not every week, Babe. You and Tim's next lady can alternate every other week". Now it's Tim's turn to roll his eyes.

"Right, because a beer wench is all I'm looking for in a partner. No offense, Wes". Wesley shrugs.

"Since I have no choice but to accept this fate, maybe I can help find my new coworker? There's gotta be a single girl somewhere in my department. I can ask around on Monday". Angela takes her turn to roll her eyes.

"I so need my husband to ask around about the single women at his office", sarcasm dripping with every word. Lopez tips her bottle all the way up, getting the last drop, before setting it back down on the table. "Timothy will get a pretty lady soon enough. But right now, he's gotta get the next round."

Stiffly, Tim stretches his arms out wide and lets out a sigh before pushing himself up from the table. "Next round comin' up". Turning swiftly, Tim makes his way to the center of the bar, but not before bumping right into someone walking the opposite direction and back towards their table. Instinctively, Tim catches the victim of his unwareness by the waist, steadying her before fumbling any further.

"I am so sorry!" You say, rubbing your hands together anxiously. "I definitely thought I was paying attention, but there are so many people, I- I'm so sorry!" You try to search for any signs of anger or frustration on Tim's face, but you don't find any. In fact, you don't even think there's anyone home upstairs, from the looks of it.

Tim's mouth hangs open slightly as he stares at the woman in front of him. A million thoughts running through his head as none of those thoughts are actually making it to his mouth as tangible words. He doesn't think he's ever seen anyone as breathtaking as you, or stunning, as he is literally stunned in front of you. "Ar-are you okay?" You ask again, bringing him a little back to reality. Tim nods, still frozen in place from the shoulders down. "Umm, okay then. Since we don't need to exchange insurances or anything, I should be heading back". The last thing Tim wants is for you to leave his space, but those words are still taking their sweet time getting to his mouth. "Sorry again, have a good night!" You say as you awkwardly shuffle around him and head back to your table of friends. Tim still stands there, analyzing everything, until Angela begins to laugh and Tim's defense mode starts to kick in.

"Someone better be home up there before the squatters try to break in!" Angela jabs while Tim slowly brings himself down to sit at the table.

"Was it- was it that bad?" Tim looks to Wesley, who grimaces. Tim clenches his jaw.

"She might as well have been Medusa with how stonely you stood, man" Wesley shakes his head. "But you know, there's always room for bouncing back". Angela throws her head back with laughter.

"Next round says you can't come back from that", she challenges. Tim swallows hard. It couldn't have been bad beyond recovery, right? He shakes himself out of it and the adrenaline starts to course through his body. Looking out beyond their booth, Tim spots your head bobbing as you weave your way back to the bar. Time to man up, Bradford, he thinks to himself.

"Get your card ready, Lopez", Tim smirks as he pushes himself back up and towards the bar. Angela smiles to herself.

"It'd be Wesley's card anyways!" She calls back, but her voice gets lost amongst the sea of people Tim wades through to get to where you're standing and waiting to be served. You can do this, Bradford. You're a very handsome boy." Shaking any anxieties out of his body, he taps you on your shoulder. You turn around to investigate, blushing nervously with a shy smile. Tim can feel himself begin to seize in front you, and, for not knowing him pretty much at all, you're starting to feel that he is too.

"Let me guess, you have an injury and we actually do need to exchange insurances?" You chuckle. Tim opens his mouth to speak, but is met with, yet again, an empty house. You're usually never this forward, but you've got a couple of drinks under your belt. Guess you gotta taken the reins on this one, you think to yourself. "You know, what? I've actually got the shittiest insurance, maybe we should just exchange numbers instead so I can make it up to you? Think grabbing dinner could compensate for the value of your injuries?" You suggest, rocking back and forth on your heels. "I-I'm (y/n) by the way", you add and stick your hand out for him to shake. "Guess I should have said that earlier". You pray that your hand isn't sweaty as you hold it out for him, simultaneously searching his face for any signs of life.

Her hand! Shake her damn hand! Tim yells at himself internally and pushes himself to stick his hand out to meet yours. Tim notices how perfectly your hand fits with his, memorizing the softness of your skin. "T-Tim", he says to you, which comes out more as cough or gasp for air. Your shoulders visibly lower in relief that you hadn't stuck yourself out there for nothing.

"Nice to meet you, Tim", you smile and continue to shake his hand. Tim can't keep his eyes off you, taking in every sparkle in your eyes and how your smile could honestly fix any hard day's work that he's ever had. He notices how there seems to be one piece of your hair that's about to fall in front of your gorgeous face and he resists the urge to reach out and stop it from happening. What else can I say? Think, handsome boy, think. Shit, we're still shaking her hand! He drops your hand more abruptly than he liked to, a rigid smile and nervous chuckle following.

"I like burgers!" Tim says loudly, also more abruptly than he liked to. Your smile widens as you let a hearty laugh escape.

"I like burgers too!" You say with just as much energy. Now it's your turn to make him chuckle. You watch as his body relaxes into a more comfortable stance. "Easing up a little bit, I see?" You tease, stepping slightly closer to him. Tim shakes his head and smiles, his gaze returning to yours with an amazed smile on his face.

"I don't believe I've ever met anyone that has actually left me speechless", he admits to you. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable in any way". You smile and swat your hand playfully dismissive.

"Don't worry about it," you smile. "I just hope burgers are enough to compensate for taking away your personal space and your breath away". Tim rolls his eyes playfully.

"Hey, I was still breathing" he lazily defends. "But a burger and some more of your time would certainly be a good start towards my compensation". You nod, impressed, and motion with your hand for Tim's phone. He opens it and places it into your hands for you to enter your phone number.

"How about your people talk to my people, and we can discuss proper reimbursement?" You hand the phone back to him with a smile. Tim reaches out and gets a hold of the phone, his fingers lingering over yours for just a moment before putting it back in his pocket.

"Sounds like a good start to me," Tim agrees, reluctant to leave your area of space. "I'll call you, (y/n). And I'll actually have more words this time", he promises and watches your smile get brighter and cheeks get rosier. He swears he'll do whatever he can to always make you look at him like that.

"I can't wait to hear them," you say. "It was nice to meet you, Tim". He smiles and nods before waving a small goodbye and heading back to an expectant Angela and Wesley.

"Where's my drink at?" Angela asks. Tim shakes his head slowly while pulling out his phone to show them your number. The husband and wife clap slowly, very impressed and surprised by the turnaround.

"So, where's my drink at, Lopez?" Tim shoots back, teasing. Angela looks to Wesley, eyebrows raised. Wesley sighs before pushing himself up from the table.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm on it".

[aemondapologistfrfr]

Book Club - Pt4

modern!aemond x fem!reader 

Previous Parts

Summary: Your relationship continues to grow and so do your feelings for one another. You spend more time together and make it clear that you both care for each other deeply.

Warnings: 18+ swearing, wine, fingering, p in v, unprotected, emo bc i’m emo

Authors Note: nah fr this man has to spend time and $$ keeping his hair looking the way it does and I’m actually jealous

Word Count: 3.9k

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I slowly slip out of the bed, making sure Aemond stays asleep. I make my way to the kitchen and begin pulling out things to make pancakes. I pull the recipe up on my phone and silently pull things out of the pantry and begin to mix the ingredients. I pour the batter into the pan and sit there waiting for anything to happen. 

“Of course.” I mutter turning the stove top on. As the batter begins to bubble I flip it and groan that the side is burnt. I let that one finish and try again on the next one and the first side comes out perfect and I groan as the other one side comes out burnt. “Gods..” I sigh ready to try again. 

“Turn the heat down.” Aemond hums from behind me and I turn and look up at him with a frown. 

“I wanted to do this for you.” I sigh and he pulls me against him. 

“Can I help you?” he kisses the top of my head. 

“I guess since I ruined it.” I mumble against his chest. 

“You didn’t.” he holds me tighter. “Show me the recipe.” I groan as I pull back to hand him my phone. “It’s not your fault they could’ve added better steps.” he tsks setting my phone back on the counter. 

“So I couldn’t even pick a good recipe?” I furrow my brows. 

“No no,” he cups my cheeks shaking his head. “That’s not what I meant, I’m sorry.” he pulls me against him. “Come on, let’s make them together.” he smiles down at me and pulls me back over to the stove. 

“What do I do?” I frown looking at the pan. 

“Turn the heat down a little bit.” his voice soft. I turn the knob and scold myself for not learning basic cooking skills. 

“Now?” I look up to him.

“Pour some in the center.” I make my circle and set the spoon back into the batter. His arms wrap around me and I lean back into him while we wait. “When it bubbles like that, flip it.” he hums and I use the spatula and look up to him with a smile at the color. 

“How will we know now?” I lean back into him. 

“This side is quicker. You can check in a minute or two.” I check the side after a minute and breathe out relieved it still needs to cook. I give it one more peek and smile as it’s perfect.

“Aemond, look.” I turn with the plate and smile widely. 

“Good job.” he smiles. I turn back around and try again. He sits on the other side of the counter after the second perfect pancake. I keep going and turn to him after a couple minutes with a full plate. “They look perfect.” he smiles at me and I feel my cheeks heat. 

“I hope they taste okay.” I nibble my lip and he gets up and comes to my side and helps me plate them. He offers me syrup and we sit at the counter. “Let me try them first.” I grab his hand looking at him worriedly. 

“Whatever you wish.” he smiles at me encouragingly. I take a bite and look at him with a smile. “Are they good?” he watches me nod. He takes a bite and smiles and we continue to finish our plates. 

“Thank you for your help.” I pull his lips against mine. 

“Of course.” he murmurs against my lips before pulling me against him again. We pull away and begin to clean up the dishes and kitchen before we start our day.

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You: Do you want to go to a midnight release for a book with me? Unless that’s past your bedtime 👀

Aem: What day? I can make an exception and stay up past my bedtime for you. 

You: On Friday and aww Aem 🥹 you’re so sweet to me. 

Aem: That works. You’ll be here for dinner anyway. What book is it for?

You: One of my fated mate ones that you think is just porn. 🫣 

Aem: It is just porn. 🙄 

You: You seemed to like it just fine when we were the ones doing it. 🤭 

Aem: This is not an over text conversation. 

You: 🫢🫡 

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“Why don’t you host one of these at your store?” he hums from the driver's seat. 

“I don’t want to work after. I want to start reading right away. Gods I’m so excited.” I’m practically bouncing in his passenger seat as he drives us to the store. 

“I honestly didn’t know they still did these.” his eyebrows raise as we turn into the gradually filling parking lot. 

“I’m so thankful they do. It’s so fun to be surrounded by people who are excited about the same thing as you. And we get to shop for books at night.” I play with the rings on his fingers as he parks. 

“I’m sorry I didn't read the book with you.” he turns to me and scrunches his brows. 

“No no.” I shake my head. “I just want you here because I like your company and you’re so pretty and I want to hold your hand and give you kisses and buy books with you.” his face gets redder the more I go on. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way you treat me.” his words cause me to frown. 

“The way you deserve to be treated? Adored? Cared for?” I place kisses across his knuckles. 

“I don’t, I..” he shakes his head with flushed cheeks. 

“Let’s go buy some books.” I place one last kiss on his palm. We get out of the car and our hands slip into one another. The bookstore is filled with people but it’s not overwhelming. We walk down the main aisle and start looking at all the different sections. 

“What do you want to look at?” I hug his side looking up to him. 

“Anything you want.” he kisses the top of my head. 

“We’re already here for me.” I purse my lips. 

“Well there is a book I wanted to look at.” he hums. 

“Then lead the way.” I nod smiling. 

“I don’t want you to make fun of me.” his words soft and I shake my head looking at him. 

“When have I ever?” I scrunch my brows. He sighs leading me into the history section. I stay glued to his side as he looks around for the title. “I didn’t know you were such a nerd.” his head turns to me quickly. 

“See?” he says exasperated, starting to pull me out of the section. 

“I’m kidding,” I giggle trying to haul him back. He exhales deeply with pink cheeks. “Aemond, I knew you were a nerd, it's not some revelation I just had.” his eye widens and he successfully pulls me out of the history section. “Aemond,” I whine, pulling him back. “Let’s get your history book.” I look up to him trying to hide my smile and he flares his nostrils. He pulls me back into the empty history section and I watch him look around for it. He pulls a book from the shelf and turns to me with a content smile. “I didn’t-“ 

“Not another word.” he holds my chin and I blink up to him. 

“I’m sorry.” I bite my lip trying to suppress my smirk.

“You aren’t.” he hums pursing his lips.

“I can think of a couple ways to make it up to you.” he lets go of my chin and tugs me to get in line to get my book. “Well tell me about your history book while we wait.” I try to pull the book out of his hands and he tightens his grip on it. He glares at me and I pull him into a hug, squeezing him tightly.

“I stayed up late for you and all I get is you teasing me.” he wraps his arms around me pulling me closer. 

“You get to hold my hand and kiss me too. Seems like a fair trade?” I tilt my head with a smile. He leans down and I start to close my eyes thinking he’s going to kiss me. 

“Only good girls get kisses.” he whispers into my ear and stands back up watching my cheeks flush. 

“Aem,” I pout. 

“Turn around, the line is moving.” I huff as we start to shuffle up to the register. After we check out we make our way back to his car and I settle into the seat and pull my book out of the bag. 

“Look how pretty.” I coo showing him before he starts our drive home. I pull out his book and start to look through it and he groans. Once we get back to his place he grabs the book out of my hand and hauls me out of the car with him. After he seals us inside he turns and looks down at me. 

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” he raises his eyebrow.

“I still think you’re a nerd.” I smile and his eye widens. 

“You are in quite the mood tonight.” he shakes his head and starts to pull me down the hall.

“You’re not going to offer me a snack or tea?” I giggle wrapping my fingers around the doorframe as he tugs me past the kitchen. 

“I’ll give you something else to put in your mouth to keep you quiet.” his voice low. 

“Not even taking me to the library?” I drag my feet pulling him back and he turns, pressing me against the wall. 

“What is it that you want tonight because I’m ready to put you over my knees.” he boxes me in with his hands. 

“I mean I was gunna read but I like your offer more.” I smirk up at him. 

“Then go read.” he steps back and nods me into the library and I frown scrunching my brows. 

“But I want-“ 

“What makes you think you’re getting what you want tonight?” he smiles watching me pout. 

“Are you going to read your nerdy history book with me?” he clenches his jaw at my words. I look up at him waiting for his reaction. I step forward and he watches me intently. “No?” I tilt my head looking up at him and he grabs my wrist and tugs me into his room. 

“Was it your plan to just tease me all night?” I try to hide the amusement on my face. 

“No,” I shake my head, avoiding his gaze. 

“If you’re going to lie, at least try to make it convincing.” he tilts my face up to his with his hand. 

“I wasn’t teasing you.” I whisper and he starts to chuckle. 

“Mm,” he purses his lips. “Want to try one more time?” he smirks, dipping his hand below my skirt. I look up at him with wide eyes knowing he’s- “Where are your panties?” he looks down at me with a dark eye as he slides a finger up my slit. “Do not tell me you forgot them.” his voice low. 

“But I did.” my voice breaks as he circles against my bud. He pulls my skirt further up my waist before dipping his fingers into me. “Please.” I softly gasp and he starts to pull off my shirt with his other hand. He removes his fingers from my core and looks down at me. “Aemond please,” I reach out for him. 

“Enough,” he says through his teeth and quickly turns me around. He pushes me onto his bed and I start to lift myself up only for his hand to keep me down. I hear him fumble with his clothes and feel the bed dip. I try to turn my head to look at him but he brings his hand from my back up to my head to keep it placed on the bed. “Be a good girl and I might let you come.” I whine at his words as he chuckles. 

“Please,” I arch my ass up. He chuckles and slides his hands down my back to pull my skirt further up my waist. I feel him lean back while his fingers dig into the tender flesh of my ass. He spreads my cheeks roughly and I whine, leaning back into his hands. One of his hands comes down hard before he starts to alternate. He lands his hand on me particularly hard and I mewl leaning back into him. He trails a finger down my slit and chuckles. 

“Gods, you’re so fucking wet.” he dips a finger into me and I sigh pressing my face into the pillows. “What’s got you so worked up?” he twists his finger and adds another while I whimper pushing back into him. “I asked you a question.” he presses his thumb against my bud and I groan rolling my hips. He lands his other hand on my ass and I clench around his fingers. 

“You,” I pant breathlessly. “You, Aemond, please.” I whine reaching back to grab his arm. He starts to push his fingers into me quickly and I claw into his arm. “Yes, please,” my voice breaks as he swirls around my bud. He pulls his fingers out of me and I lift my head up for him to slam into me a moment later. He grabs my hand on his arm and my other one before placing them behind my back as he hammers into me. My face slides against his sheets as he hits a spot that has me seeing stars. He leans over trapping my hands between us. 

“Nothing to say?” he chuckles in my ear as he grinds into me slowly. I mumble incoherently into the pillows before his hand buries in my hair turning my head to the side. Small gasps fall from my lips as he slowly pushes into me. I’m being smothered by him and my stomach coils as he continues to whisper into my ear. “I can tell you’re going to come. Ask me nicely and I’ll let you.” his lips press against my neck. 

“Aemond,” my breath catches as he starts to move his hips faster. “Aemond please, can I come?” my toes curl as I tremble beneath him. “I’m- Aem, please I’ll be good, please,” pleasure slurred pleas fall from my mouth as my body sits on the edge. 

“Come for me.” I fall apart at his words and he lets out soft curses as I pulse around him. “Fuck,” he pants. “Always so good for me.” he spills his pleasure inside of me and collapses on the bed next to me. He pulls me against his chest and smooths my hair back. He leans down and places his lips softly on mine and I cling onto him. He slowly takes my skirt off and my bra and then pulls me back against him. He places kisses across forehead and I hold him tighter. 

“Aem,” my voice soft as I pull him down to me. He hums as I hug him closer. I press my lips against his neck and reach up to whisper in his ear. “I still think you’re a nerd.” his fingers dig into my sides. I place a couple more kisses on his neck before laying back down against his chest. 

ততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত

You: I really want to braid your hair 👀

Aem: I guess I could let you do that. 

You: Yay!! I really thought it would take more convincing. 

Aem: I’d probably let you do anything you ask. 

You: Anything? 🤔 

Aem: Within reason, yes. 

You: Interesting. I’ll keep that in mind. 

ততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত

I thought he would be more reserved about me braiding his hair since he seems to keep it so well groomed. He didn’t have an issue showing me all his products and tools although he did seem a little shy. I reassured him that his efforts paid off and he handed me a brush and an elastic with a smile. I have him take a seat in front of the mirror and he watches my movements in the mirror as I remove his eye patch. I begin to untie the previous elastic and slowly run my fingers through his hair.

“Gods, your hair is so beautiful.” I hum watching my fingers glide through it with ease. “It’s so soft and so smooth.” I look at him in the mirror and see his cheeks flushed. 

“Thank you.” his voice hushed as he leans back. I forgo the brush and continue to allow my fingers to lightly smooth out the rest of his hair.

“You’re just so ethereal.” I start to part his hair in three sections and begin at the top. He leans back into my hands as I start the plait. I take my time enjoying the silkiness of his hair. 

“Your fingers feel divine.” he hums. I continue to place each strand over the last making sure to keep them neat and clean. When I glance up at him he’s already looking and I look away with a smile as I finish up his braid.

“I’d be more than happy to brush your hair everyday.” I place a soft kiss on the back of his head. I place a small elastic at the end of the braid and let it rest over his shoulder. “All done.” I get up and stand in front of him. “You look absolutely perfect.” my eyes roam all over him. 

“Thank you.” he nibbles his lip and goes to put his eye patch back on. 

“Let me.” I hum and he hands it to me skeptically. I feel his eye on me as I focus on placing it right. “Why do you wear it at home?” I fix a couple of his fly aways and sit back to admire him once more. 

“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” he starts to fiddle with his fingers. 

“Why would I be uncomfortable?” I tilt my head. 

“Because it’s grotesque. It’s scary. It’s-“ 

“Hey,” I grab his hands in mine with a furrowed brow. “Don’t talk about yourself that way.” he looks at me with a scrunched brow. 

“They’re just facts.” he sighs, folding our hands together. 

“They are not.” I shake my head. “You have a beautifully sculpted sapphire in its place. I personally,” I tilt his chin to look at me once more. “Think your scar is very attractive.” his eye searches mine. 

“You don’t have to say that.” he shakes his head. 

“I mean it.” I nod my head. “Gods, Aemond. You literally look like the fantasy princes I read about. The first time I saw you I was speechless. I was sure you knew how handsome you are. The way you carry yourself. Your demeanor. Just, you.” I grab his hands. I wipe the tear that slips from his eye. 

“I shouldn’t act like this in front of you.” he scolds himself, sitting back and wiping his face. 

“I want you to feel safe and comfortable around me. You can be yourself.” I nod at him and watch his eye look me over. 

“It’s not very fantasy prince like of me.” he tries to form a smile but ends up frowning. 

“I want you as you are.” I cup his face. “I like you as you are. I lo-“ 

“Don’t.” his voice breaks. “You don’t have to say that because I’m crying.” he covers my mouth. I slowly pull his hand away and offer him a reassuring smile. 

“I want to say it because I mean it. Unless it’s too early or if you don’t feel the same way. Or if I’m being overbearing.” I scrunch my brows suddenly self conscious. I try to control my breathing as the silence grows between us. 

“I love you.” his voice is soft and my head snaps up to his. 

“I love you.” a smile spreads across my face. I scoot closer and he pulls me into his lap.

“I’m so lucky to have found you.” he hums, wrapping his arms around my waist. “You’re so beautiful and so sweet to me.” I cling against him and he starts to press his lips against my hairline. “And now you’ve told me you love me.” he sighs, tightening his arms around me. 

“I do love you, Aemond.” I press my lips against his chest. 

“Gods know why.” he murmurs above me. 

“Because you’re smart and thoughtful. You cook me the best meals I’ve ever had and you read books with me. You listen to me ramble on for hours and then take me to your bed and worship me. How could I not love you?” I hum trying to hold him impossibly closer. 

“Ever since I was a child I was convinced no one would love me.” his soft words cause my eyes to tear up. I pull back and look at him with watery eyes and pull him into the tightest hug I can. His arms wrap around me and I feel my tears slip down my cheek onto his neck. “Why are you crying?” he hums, rubbing my back. 

“Cause I’m sad for baby Aemond.” my hand rests on the nape of his neck. 

“It wasn’t my intention to make you feel bad for me.” he tries to pull back but I cling onto him. 

“I didn’t mean it like that.” I shake my head. “I just, you deserved better, sweet boy.” his arms squeeze against me. 

“It’s okay.” he pulls me back and wipes my eyes. “I’m okay.” he nods. 

“Tea?” I tilt my head untangling myself from him. 

“Wine?” he raises an eyebrow and I nod, pulling him up off the ground with me. He leads us into the kitchen and pulls down two wine glasses. He grabs down a bottle and retrieves his opener. He passes me a glass and walks around the counter with his own. He leads us back out to the couch and we curl up together with our wine. “They made a movie of your favorite book.” he hums, grabbing the remote. 

“I know. They actually did a pretty good job.” I lean my head on his shoulder. 

“Do you want to watch it? With me?” he’s hovering over the rent button and I nod my head and the open credits begin to play. Our wine glasses slowly empty and we curl up under the blanket. I rest my head against his chest and let the steady beat of his heart lull me to sleep. 

                                         ᓚᘏᗢ

“I’m sorry.” Aemond mumbles, kissing my head as I wipe my eyes. He’s carrying me to his room and he sets me on the end of the bed and starts to slip our clothes off. We crawl under the blankets and face each other just taking each other in. He takes his eye patch off and offers me a small smile and I scoot closer. He kisses my forehead and pulls me against his chest. I kiss across his chest before leaning back to look up at him. 

“I love you.” I pull him down into a soft kiss. 

“I love you.” he murmurs against my lips before we drift off. 

ততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত

masterlist 🔌

i yell at myself everyday to write more and maybe i’ll actually listen 🥲

book club tag: @anukulee @aeryqueen

taglist ✍️

@clarityisnofun @gabriella-aesthetic @callsignwidow @llynx7 @violetiss3lfish @ka1afbr @akiko-oo @papichulo120627 @lizzylovebooks280501 @thatgirl101blog @1-fuzzy-squirrels @arya-brooke @ashovertheriver @zanygot7straykidsbonk @moonymoo1 @malfoycassimalfoy @april-notthemonth69 @anaviieiraaa @p45510n4f4shi0n @neocockthotology @thereaderwitch @hardkiddonut @faenyra @hiimava11 @daintylittlesunflower @primroseluna @fiction-fanfic-reader @povofjustme @multilover19 @alexxavicry @cedstars @fuckalrighty @mrsmunson-harrington @misspendragonsworld @nz2004

[britany1997]

Fate Yields For No One

Chapter Four

Were you wondering what the boys were doing while reader and Maria were bonding at the video store those two weeks? Wonder no more! Here’s what they were up to lol

I strongly recommend going back to at least read chapter 3 before reading this one, as some of the scenes will be the same, but from Paul’s perspective:)

Poly Lost Boys x Max’s Daughter Reader

FYFNO Masterlist

California, 1986

Paul’s eyes widened as he realized who you were to him. You wished you could have stopped the word that fell from his lips.

“Mine.”

Paul stared at you, his eyes raking up and down, taking you in. God you were beautiful, the others would love you. As his shock wore off, Paul felt a giddy feeling bubbling in his chest.

He had a million questions to ask you. Your favorite food, your favorite color, your favorite band. Paul had to know anything and everything. (Even if you liked Tiffany or something, he could get over it…eventually.)

As your lips parted, Paul prepared himself to be enchanted by whatever honeyed words you’d speak to him. He reached forward to caress your cheek.

Instead of leaning into the touch as he’d expected you to, you recoiled. His brow furrowed.

“Oh my god I totally forgot I have to go stock things in the back, so nice to meet you, bye!” He heard you blurt out before you moved away from him.

There were few times in Paul’s life when he was actually rendered speechless. This was one of them.

Paul’s brow furrowed, “what?” He whispered as he moved to stand in front of the desk’s swinging door you’d been headed for. Surely he’d misunderstood (wouldn’t be the first time), you had to at least talk this out.

He watched your face twist into a glare, “you’re in my way…” you bit out at him.

Paul’s confusion turned to frustration. “What?!” He repeated, “but we’re…I mean we-” he stumbled over his words, desperate and utterly flabbergasted.

“I know what we are,” you told him, “and I don’t care. So can you please move aside so I can do my job?”

Paul’s jaw dropped.

You…didn’t want him? Didn’t want a mate? Someone who’d love you unconditionally for eternity? Who’d do anything for you? God what was wrong with you?

He stumbled a bit as you pushed past him. “Hey!” He called after you, his ego more bruised than it’d ever been.

“This isn’t over you know,” he promised, resolved to win your heart, even if he had to recruit some…reinforcements.

You scoffed, oblivious to Paul’s plotting. “Seems like it is,” you replied before slipping into the back of the video store.

“What the fuck just happened,” Paul murmured to himself as he rubbed his forehead.

Maria whistled “tough break Paulie.” She bumped him with her hip before she went back to returning DVDs.

Paul scoffed. She didn’t know the half of it. “I gotta go Maria,” he muttered, stalking off with his tail between his legs.

She snickered softly as she watched him go.

Paul shook his head, he was gonna be in for one long conversation when he got back to the cave.

Paul slunk across the boardwalk, hands in his pockets, as he made his way back to his bike.

His head nodded along to the beat of the music playing over the speakers. Paul started to tap out a four count on his thigh as he walked and hummed.

“Are you going to that bonfire Friday?” “I dunno, is Jason gonna be there?” “Ugh, probably” Paul huffed a laugh as he eavesdropped on the vapid boardwalk talk.

A bonfire on Friday did sound fun though. Should he and the guys throw a party? Who would they even invite? Maria? Maria, who worked at the video store with his new mate. He sighed. What a mess.

As he walked, his mind wandered to her pretty face. He wished she would have let him touch her. She looked so soft. He just wanted to hold her. He could be gentle!

He huffed.

Didn’t she realize he was hers? Didn’t she know he’d do anything for her? He’d be anything she needed? He’d probably even cut his hair for her if she asked. As long as she let him hold a memorial service after.

She was pretty, and soft (probably), witty and fiery, and she was right there at the video shop and she didn’t even want him. How fucked was that.

Paul frowned as he finally reached his bike, looking back over his shoulder in the shop’s direction. It’d been a while since he’d felt that hollow longing feeling of being alone.

But he wasn’t alone, not anymore. And whatever had happened back there, he and his boys were gonna fix it, he knew they would.

Paul revved his engine with renewed determination. ‘Just wait pretty girl,’ he thought, ‘cause we’re comin back for ya’

When Paul arrived at the cave, each of the boys were too immersed in their own activities to notice.

On the couch, Dwayne was two-hundred and twelve pages into his thirty-first reread of Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov and from the way Dwayne was hunched over the book, quite literally on the edge of his seat with his brow furrowed, Paul could tell it was just starting to get good.

Though Paul could barely think over the harsh whirring sound of Marko’s sewing machine. He’d been occupied with making patch-work vests and skirts lately to expand his wardrobe. And while Paul appreciated having some extra pieces around he could borrow, after weeks of hyper fixated, non-stop sewing, the sound was worse than nails on a chalkboard.

David’s constant foot tapping didn’t help either. He was perched in his wheelchair throne, seemingly reviewing some ancient documents. By the way he was squinting and underlying, it seemed to be pretty important stuff.

But none of this was as important as what Paul had to tell them. He cleared his throat pointedly.

The whirring of the sewing machine slowed before coming to a stop, Dwayne looked up from his book expectantly, and a little annoyed, David continued his work, ignoring Paul entirely. “I’m calling a meeting,” Paul stated confidently.

“You don’t have the authority to call a meeting,” David said without looking up from his papers, “only Dwayne and I do.”

Paul wondered if he could explode David with his mind if he tried hard enough. How would he know if he never tried?

“Well it’s an emergency,” Paul gritted.

David met Paul’s frustration with a mocking pout. “Dealer’s out of the good stuff again Paulie? Tragic.” He turned back to his papers.

Dwayne seemed to sense Paul’s desperation, “what’s wrong Paul?” he asked.

“I have another mate,” he said hesitantly, “which means that you guys probably do to.”

David stilled at the same time Marko gasped, the curly haired vampires lips curling up into a bright smile.

“What are they like? Are they nice? Are they funny? Are they hot?” The shorter vamp bombarded Paul with questions, making him cringe.

Dwayne frowned, “Paul…” he began gently, “why aren’t they here with you?”

A broken look crossed Paul’s face, “she…doesn’t want me.”

Marko’s excitement was extinguished as he came to Paul’s side, lacing their fingers together. Dwayne softened, quietly reflecting on Paul’s words. David frowned.

“What do you mean she doesn’t want you?” he narrowed his eyes.

“Exactly what I said dude,” Paul strained, “she said she didn’t care!”

David leaned back, unconvinced. “Tell us exactly what happened, start to finish.”

Paul nodded and painfully recounted every moment from the excitement of meeting you, to the pain of watching you leave as he picked up his jaw from the floor.

David stroked his chin, “are you sure she’s a vampire? Human mates are rare, but they’re not unheard of,” he mused.

Paul scoffed, “duh she’s a vampire! She said, ‘I know what we are, and I don’t care.’ How would she know we were mates if she wasn’t a vampire?” He threw his hands up in frustration.

“Did she say, ‘I know what we are,’ or did she say, ‘I know what you are,’” Dwayne chimed in.

Paul scratched his head, what did she say? He’d been talking about what they were, but had she? He couldn’t quite remember. “She could have been saying ‘I know what you are,’” he decided.

David’s hands clapped together, “so she’s human, but she knows we’re vampires, or at least that you are Paul. Unsurprising, you and Marko have the combined subtlety of an airhorn at the opera,” Paul rolled his eyes. “That’s an easy enough fix,” David reasoned.

“Makes more sense too,” Marko added. “If she ran off, it was probably because she was scared. If I was a human I wouldn’t wanna fuck around with us to get bit either.”

“Why don’t we give her some time,” Dwayne suggested, “prove we’re not going to rush into the video store and drag her out to hurt her or anything. We could give her some space to calm down from her confrontation with Paul, and then we can all go meet her together.”

The boys nodded slowly, considering Dwayne’s plan.

“And,” Dwayne added, “if she’s human, we all need to be on our absolutely best behavior,” he shot a pointed glance at David.

David rolled his eyes, “I’d teach her to be on her best behavior,” he mumbled.

Dwayne sighed. “Let’s just give it two weeks, then we’ll go check in on her,” he paused his voice taking on a gentle tone once more, “I think we could all take some time to cool off.”

Paul tensed at that last part, but he knew Dwayne was right. You were a human and you didn’t understand. You couldn’t! They’d have to show you, go slow, ease you into things, be gentle…you were basically made of glass after all.

He sighed, ‘two weeks,’ he thought, ‘I can do two weeks.’

He could not do two weeks.

Not gracefully at least.

By the end of those two weeks, Paul was practically feral. The second the Sun began to fade into the horizon, Paul was awake and attempting to drag David out of the cave.

As eager to meet you as they were, the boys had grown tired of Paul’s impatience.

Dwayne’s evenings consistently began and ended with “has it been two weeks yet?” The dark haired vampire had come so close to just buying Paul a damn calendar.

Marko had had to stick to Paul like glue to stop him from wandering off to the video store every night. On two unfortunate occasions, Marko AND David had to drag him back to the cave to stop him was barging in to talk to you. Paul was like a dog with a bone when he wanted something, and he wanted you bad.

But Dwayne has assured him last night that today was the day, and Paul was chomping at the bit. “Let’s go,” he groaned, annoyed and excited.

“Paul.” Dwayne chastised.

“Dwayne.” Paul mocked.

“Paul,” it was too early for this shit. “I know you want to see her, we all do,” Dwayne reminded him. “But I think we should wait until closing.”

“What?!” Paul huffed, “I’ve been waiting two weeks! Now we gotta wait longer? No way man!”

“Paul listen,” David groaned, “we can’t have a long, intensive conversation with her about vampire mates with random human customers running around, get it? It’s a private conversation.”

Marko nodded in agreement, “it’s doesn’t seem fair to drop all of that on her while she’s still at work either,” he added, “it’s better if we get ‘er as she’s leaving.”

Paul rolled his eyes, “whatever, I bet Fishy’s on my side.” He grumbled as he stalked off to his room.

“You think we should invest in one of those backpack leashes for him?” Marko asked, only half joking.

David scoffed a laugh, “don’t tempt me.”

When closing time finally came, Paul’s eagerness had wavered. What if they explained everything and you still weren’t on board? Humans had tons of reasons to fear vampires after all, you might want nothing to do with them.

He shuddered at the thought.

He looked to his left to see Marko biting his thumb, equally nervous.

“A human mate,” he muttered under his breath, “what are the odds.”

David rolled his eyes, “if she’s a human I can use my thrall, why are you idiots so worried.”

Paul and Marko shot him dirty looks, but Dwayne placed a hand on his shoulder. As tough as David liked to pretend to be sometimes, Dwayne knew he was nervous too.

“No use waiting any longer,” the dark haired vampire reasoned, “c’mon.”

Dwayne lead the way, pushing the door to the video store open and letting the bell ring softly as the other boys filed in behind him.

The vampires maneuvered to the desk together, passing through aisles they’d walked through a million times over.

The silence was deafening as the boys’ thoughts whirled with what they’d say to you. How they’d explain the significance of vampire mates to a mere human.

Dwayne sighed, they probably had nothing to worry about. Even as a human, there’d still be a pull for you. And he could work with a pull, no matter how small.

He’d show you, he decided. Show you how amazing it could be to be cared for, to be protected. He’d treat you like a princess, he’d worship you if you let him.

God you must be his if he was already thinking this way. The tug at his heart grew stronger and strongernwith every step. If you only knew the effect you had on him, on them all. If you only knew you could have him wrapped around your finger.

When the boys finally reached the front desk, Dwayne’s musings were shattered by the vision of your tongue down Maria’s throat.

He watched as David’s jaw dropped when he was met with the sight of one of your hands tangled in Maria’s curly locks, the other caressing her hip.

He’d felt it, and by the looks of it, David and Marko had too. You were theirs, but you were tangled in Maria’s embrace.

The boys were too stunned to speak.

Until Paul abruptly broke the silence with a resounding “what the fuck.”

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[gunilslaugh]

Building Blocks

Oh Seungmin Summary: It seemed like your whole life you were destined to live in your older brother’s shadow. Although there are still people who have the ability to see you, one of them being Oh Seungmin, your brother’s best friend. WC:~10.1K  Warning: Inaccurate information about architecture.  Note: Reader is Gunil’s younger sister.

photo not mine credits to owner.

It was your first day of your second year of college tomorrow and you were just the slightest bit hopeful that people would stop comparing you to your older brother. 

“Goo? Like Goo Gunil? You’re Gunil’s little sister aren’t you?” Your sprinkle of hope was quickly crushed upon those words being the first thing your professor asked you. 

“Yes, Goo y/n…Gunil’s little sister” you say a bit reluctantly. 

“I expect great things of you then,” your professor tells you. You nod and go take a seat. 

“So you’re Gunil’s little sister?” A fellow classmate is quick to turn to you. 

“My name is y/n,” you inform them. 

“Right, you’re gonna have it easy,” they said. 

“Huh?” you ask. 

“Oh come on, your brother is Goo Gunil. He’s a legend and like the ultimate cheat sheet for you. If you ever need to help you can just go to your brother. I’d kill to be you man.” 

So you’d rather be referred to as Gunil’s sister more than your own name? You want to have 95% of people who approach you talk about your brother? You’d rather be seen as an extension of your brother rather than your own person? These are all things you want to say, but instead you brush the person off, turning to face the front. 

“Y/n!” your best friend Jiseok, one of the few people who sees you as your own person, excitedly greets you. He slides into the seat beside you. “I was scared they would try to separate us,” he joked. 

“No way. I don’t think I would survive if we got separated. The first thing the professor asked me was if Gunil was my brother,” you state. 

“Already?” Jiseok looked at you sympathetically. 

“Why would my second year of college be any different than the rest of my life?” you say halfway joking. 

“Don’t say that. I’ll come into class shouting your name everyday till people get it through their skull that you and Gunil are two different people.” 

“Thanks” you smile at Jiseok appreciatively. 

“Alright it seems like the last of you have filed in, so I’ll get on with it. Welcome to Architecture 102. For your first assignment I’d like to create your own house model. Don’t worry about it being perfect, I just want to see where you all are at. What your styles are. To get to know who you are as people through your work. Submit your sketch to me by Friday and the model will be due the week after,” your professor announces to the class. 

“You gonna stick to your signature look?” Jiseok asked you. 

“I think that’s the point of this assignment” you chuckle. 

“Yeah, but still figured I’d ask. We’re starting out fresh. Thought maybe you’d want to try something new,” he said. 

“We’ll see,” you say, pulling out your supplies. You and Jiseok get to work, working on your sketches. 

Arriving home after your first day you feel exhausted. Knowing that you have another three years ahead of you fighting against what seems to be your fate of being stuck in Gunil’s shadow. It feels like the title of “Gunil’s little sister” weighs heavier on you than it used to. You really thought college would be better. Everyone was adults now, so certainly they would have more things to care about than who your older brother was, but alas it somehow seems that the comparisons of you and Gunil are about to reach an all time high. 

“Hey y/n you’re back,” Seungmin smiles at you from the kitchen table. “How was your first day?” he asked. 

“I think half the campus knows me as Gunil’s little sister. All the Architecture majors do at least,” you sigh. A frown tugged at Seungmin’s lips. He knew how tiring of a feat it was for you to always be casted into Gunil’s shadow.

“Should I start picking you up from campus everyday yelling your name till everyone gets the idea that you are your own person,” Seungmin suggested. You let out a chuckle. 

“Jiseok said something similar,” You told Seumgmin. 

“What did he say?” he questioned.

“He said that he’ll come into class shouting my name everyday till people get it through their skull that you and Gunil are two different people,” you relay Jiseok’s words. A small smile graced Seungmin’s lips. He looks at you with a sincere look. 

“There are people who see you for you y/n and I-”

“Y/n when did you get back?” Gunil entered the kitchen. 

“Just a bit ago. How was today's meeting?” you questioned before he could ask you about your first day. 

“With the help of your planning and preparations it was smooth sailing. Wasn’t it Seungmin?” Gunil responded. 

“Went off without a hitch. We’re just tying up the loose ends of it now.” He gestured towards their open laptops. 

“You better hurry up and graduate quickly cause as soon as you have your degree I’m passing the business over to you. I love architecture, but being the head of dad’s company was never what I envisioned. He always talked about handing the business over to you and that was certainly for a reason.” Gunil rubs his thumbs over his temples. 

“Dad would be proud of you if was still around,”You tell Gunil. 

“He’d be proud of you too,” Gunil says. You and him exchange smiles of solidarity. 

“Well I have a sketch to work on, so I’ll leave you guys to finish tying up your loose ends,” you  say with a hint of playfulness in your tone. You walk out of the kitchen and head up the stairs. 

Once you’re out of earshot Gunil says, “I wish y/n was the first born sometimes. She’s way more cut out for this than I am. A better architect too.”

“You’re doing a good job Gunil. Plus you’re not alone, you have y/n and me,” Seungmin comforts him. 

“I know and I’m very grateful because I would be at such a loss right now if it was just me.” 

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

“Your style is much different from your brother’s,” your Architecture 102 professor notes upon viewing your sketch. 

“Well we are different people,” you point out. 

“Right, of course you are,” he says offhandedly. “What did your brother say about your sketch?” your professor asked curiously. 

“I didn’t show him,” I state. 

“You didn’t show him?” he chuckles. “You don’t have to lie. Honestly it would be silly of you not to, so what did he say?” he pressed. You let out a small sigh. You really didn’t show Gunil your sketch, nor did he ever ask to see it. 

“He said it reminded him of our father’s work,” you lied. 

“It is very reminiscent of your father’s work. The old cabin based framework. It’s nice to see. I look forward to your model.” Your professor approves of your sketch. 

“If he brings up Gunil everytime I submit something I’m not going to survive,” you tell Jiseok, slumping down in your seat and letting your head fall onto the desk. Jiseok reaches over and pats your back. 

“I can ‘accidently’ whack him with my carrying tube if he keeps it up.” Jiseok’s insinuation successfully makes you laugh. 

“I might like to see that even if he discovers that there is no need to continually bring up Gunil whenever he speaks to me.” 

“Guess he better watch out for me then,” Jiseok said mischievously.

You and Jiseok are sitting at a table discussing working on your models together when a dirty blonde haired guy approaches the two of you.

“Hey Jiseok, can I get my notes back?” he questioned. 

“Oh yeah, of course.” Jiseok begins to dig through his bag. 

“Who’s this?” the guy asked Jiseok, tilting his head towards you. 

“Oh right. Jungsu this is my best friend y/n. Y/n this is Jungsu he’s in my business management class,” Jisedok introduces the two of you and hands Jungsu his notes back. 

“You major in architecture too?” Jungsu asked, pointing to your sketch that laid beside Jiseok’s on the table. 

“Yeah,” you smile. 

“Jungsu is in his last year. He’s gonna open a flower shop after he graduates,” Jiseok informs. 

“Oh, that’s nice. Jiseok and I will have to stop by once you open it,” you say. 

“Thanks, what are your plans after graduation? Or is it too stressful to ask sophomores that?” Jiseok laughs a little. 

“It’s cool man. I’m gonna work at y/n’s company,” Jiseok states. 

“Who said I’d hire you?” you joke. Jiseok gives you an offended look.

“How could you not hire your beloved best friend?” You shake your head playfully. 

“I’m gonna take over my dad’s company. My brother is running it right now, but he’s more than eager to pass the position over to me,” you inform Jungsu. 

“Who’s your brother?” Jungsu questioned. A shocked expression quickly covers your face. 

“W-who’s my brother? It’s possible for me to be asked that.” You look at Jiseok. Jiseok chuckles at your shocked expression while Jungsu grows very confused. 

“You just made her month man,” Jiseok states, making Jungsu grow even more confused. 

“Sorry,” you say slowly, coming out of my state of shock. “I get compared to my brother a lot. In fact most people know me as his little sister rather than my name, so…thank you.” Seeing how shocked you are and after hearing your words, Jungsu feels a bit of a tug on his heart. He is still a bit confused though. 

“You don’t need to tell me who he is then. I should get going now, but it was nice to meet you y/n.” Jungsu takes his leave. 

“I seriously didn’t think that was possible,” you say, still feeling taken aback. Jiseok laughs again. 

“Looks like Gunil is only a legend in the architecture world. Outside of it there are plenty of people who have no clue who he is.” What just happened gave you some hope that maybe you aren’t fated to be stuck in your older brother’s shadow forever. 

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

“You always look so at peace whenever you’re working on a model.” The voice breaks you out of your tranquil, yet focused state. You turn around to see Seungmin sitting on the couch behind you. 

“How long have you been there?” He’s been there a good fifteen minutes. Seungmin has always liked watching you work. You always looked so calm and focused. There was this light in your eyes that showed how much you loved building models. It made Seungmin’s heart feel warm. He thinks that he could watch you work for hours. 

“Not long,” he replied. He gets up from the couch to join you on the floor, taking a good look at the model you're currently working on. 

“Does it get the Seungmin stamp of approval?” you jokingly question. 

“Your own stamp of approval is way more valuable than mine, but yeah I’d give this my stamp of approval.” He gives you a thumbs up. 

“Why are you over so late?” 

“Gunil needed some help with investment paperwork.” 

“He could’ve asked me. You didn’t have to come out here at night.” 

“Ah yes cause the five minute drive between your house and mine is just so intolerable,” Seungmin jests, making you chuckle. “He knew you were working on your model, so he didn’t want to bother you,” Seungmin explained. “Are you nervous about having to present it?” You shake your head. 

“No, I’m not nervous, but I’m not looking forward to the comments I’ll get about how I probably asked Gunil for advice or whatnot,” you voice. Seungmin places a hand on your shoulder, giving it a squeeze. 

“You and Gunil kill me sometimes,” he states. 

“What?” Laughter rumbles through your chest at his unexpected comment. 

“You found yourself stuck in Gunil’s shadow, always getting compared to him. Getting your own talent downgraded because ignorant people just assume you must’ve turned to Gunil for help. Meanwhile Gunil is constantly comparing himself to you. Trying to improve himself to be more like you. It’s like this weird cycle that doesn’t make any sense,” Seungmin informs. 

“It’s oddly ironic in a way,” you say, a solemn feeling stirring in your chest. 

“Finish up your model,” Seungmin gives you a smile, giving your shoulder another squeeze before pulling his hand away. He gets up from the floor and takes his previous spot back on the couch. 

“Shouldn’t you be heading out?” you questioned. 

“I like watching you work,” he said. 

“O..k?” you let out a mix of a scoff and a laugh turning back to put the finishing touches on your model. You quickly fall back into your tranquil, yet focused state as does Seungmin as he watches you work with a small smile etched onto his lips. 

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

“Alright, now we're gonna do a fun little group project. Working with the people sitting behind you. You will work together to build a framework that can withstand an earthquake,” Your professor announces. You and Jiseok look at each other first before turning around in your seats to face the two people behind you.

“Ooh we get to work with Gunil’s little sister.” One of your project partners immediately comments upon you and Jiseok turning around. 

“Her name is Y/n,” Jiseok states with a hint of annoyance in his voice. He too has grown tired of the constant use of your nickname. 

“I-I know, but she is also his sister. It’s not wrong to refer to her as that,” they defend themselves. Clearly a bit taken aback by Jiseok’s tone. 

“It may not be wrong, but it does get annoying when I hear that more than my own name,” you voice. 

“Aye come on why are you two being so uptight? I didn’t mean any harm, I was just having fun,” they said. 

“Let’s just get started on the project,” your other project partner cuts in. The four of you begin to design the framework. 

Later towards the end of class the groups took turns setting their designed frameworks on an earthquake simulator to see if their created design was strong enough to withstand an earthquake. When it came time for your group's turn you placed the framework on the simulator and stood back, watching anxiously as your design shook. The shaking of the simulator came to an end and the framework you and your group created was still standing tall. You and your group exchange celebratory high fives.

“I didn’t expect anything less of the group that had Gunil’s sister, but very good job nonetheless,” your professor compliments. However, even in your own victory Gunil’s name was still being brought up. It made your victory feel less sweet. Your happy smile falters slightly and Jiseok notices it. It makes his own happy smile falter as he watches you try to brush it off. Replacing your once happy smile with a fake one. Your group heads back to your seats. 

“Should we have lunch with Jungsu today?” Jiseok suggested. A genuine smile makes its way back onto your face that makes Jiseok feel at ease. 

“Yeah I like eating with Jungsu and we only have five more months with him before he graduates,” you say.

“Precisely, we need to bother him while we still can. I’ll text him,” Jiseok said, pulling out his phone. 

After finishing up your last class for the day you make your way off campus. You walk by a crowd of people. You’re a little curious about what they could be crowding around, but not interested enough to find out. 

That was until,”Y/n!” you hear your name being called. You turn around to see Seungmin emerging from the crowd and hurrying his way over to you. The crowd of people watch and almost follow him making you realize that he was what the people were crowding around. 

“Seungmin, what are you doing here?” you ask.

“I met with a client in the area. Figured I would pick you up afterwards,” he tells you. 

“And create a crowd?” you poke lightheartedly. 

“I didn’t think that after graduating three years ago that I would still be popular on campus. I would’ve stayed in the car if I’d known,” he chuckled. 

“You and Gunil are legends. Top two of your class,” you say. 

“That’s because of you.” Seungmin bumps his shoulder with yours. He escorts you over to his car and opens the passenger door for you. 

“Thank you,” you say, slipping into the car. He closes the door behind you and jogs over to the driver’s side, opening the door and settling in. 

“Have you thought about interning yet?” Seungmin asked. 

“Seungmin I have five, well four cause you need to send in the application a month ahead of time, but still four months before needing to decide where I’ll intern for the summer,” you chuckle. 

“It never hurts to be prepared. I was scrambling at the last minute to figure out where to intern.” 

“I appreciate your concern. I was planning on deciding after we have the intern fair,” you tell him. 

“Speaking of that, I need to prepare for it,” Seungmin notes. 

“You’re having a booth?” you question. 

“My father decided to let me represent the company this year, yeah,” he answers. 

“Represent or draw people in with your pretty face.” You playfully reach your hand out to cup his chin. 

“Behave, I am driving.” He grabs your hand with one of his, taking it away from his chin. His hand remains holding yours for a few moments longer than necessary before letting go and bringing his hand back to the wheel.

“Because holding your pretty face is so distracting,” you snicker. Not knowing how distracting it really is for Seungmin. The way he had to try and control his racing heart the moment your hand cupped his chin. How he wanted nothing more than to turn over and look at you. Too see the cheeky smile you probably had on your face. The sparkles in your eyes. 

He knew that you would have pulled your hand away from his chin on your own accord. Probably only in a matter of seconds, yet he could not fight the urge of wanting to feel your hand in his.

Seungmin has actually long had feelings for you. He may be best friends with your brother, but you were actually the sibling he saw first. His father had some business with yours and just so happened to bring him along. They were walking up to your father’s office when he saw you through the window. Sitting on your dad’s lap helping him with a model. You looked so at peace and content it stirred something inside Seungmin’s little nine year old heart.

“Mr. Oh you are here, welcome,” your dad greets Seungmin’s father. Standing up from the chair and lifting you from his lap, setting you on the ground. “This is my daughter y/n and son Gunil.” Your dad placed a hand on your shoulder then with his free arm gestured over to where Gunil was sitting on the couch. It was only then that Seungmin noticed the presence of your brother. 

“This is my son Seungmin,” his father introduced him. 

“How about you kids go acquaint yourselves over there?” Your dad points over to the couch sitting area where Gunil sat on the couch. “I believe our sons are the same age, nine?” your father checked. Mr. Oh nodded in confirmation. 

“And your little one?” Mr Oh asked, looking at you.

“Six!” you answered proudly. “Come on, let's leave our fathers to their business.” You take a few steps over to Seungmin grabbing his hand and leading him over to the sitting area. Seungmin smiled at the feeling of your little hand holding his. 

“Wait ,does that mean Gunil is going to do a booth for our company too?” you questioned. Seungmin waits a moment before nodding.

“He is, but he doesn’t know if he’s going to go himself or have another company staff go,” Seungmin tells you. 

“He can go,” you say. Seungmin glances at you. He’s about to say something, but you beat him to it. “It’s because of me right? I’m the reason he’s unsure about going himself.” You fiddle with your fingers. 

“It’s not just that. You know he’s still not really comfortable with all the business stuff. He’s worried about not doing a good job at representing the company,” Seungmin discloses. You let out a sigh. 

“Why is he such an overthinker? The intern fair isn't solely about talking business. It’s a lot about talking about the stuff he loves about architecture. Plus most students will just want to intern there because it’s his company. His name on its own will be enough to fill an intern list,” you ramble. Seungmin chuckles lightly at your rambling. 

“Tell him that yourself then,” Seungmin insists. 

“But do I mention that I’m ok with him doing it or do I just smack him upside the head and tell him to stop overthinking it?” Seungmin can’t help but laugh. 

“Do whatever you want,” he says while giggling. 

Soon enough Seungmin pulls up in front of your house.

“Are you coming in?” you asked. 

“Of course I am.” Seungmin smiles at you. The two of you get out of the car and walk up to your house. You and Seungmin enter the house together and your feet stop in their tracks. 

“Mom!” you called out excitedly, dropping your bag onto the floor. Your mom just as excitedly opens her arms rushing over to hug you. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” you asked, whilst you two sway side to side, embraced. As far as you knew your mom was supposed to be on her business trip for a few more days.

“I wanted to surprise you,” she says, pulling away to look at you. “How’s college going? I can’t believe you’re already halfway through your sophomore year. Growing up so fast.” She rubbed your shoulders. 

“If you think she’s growing up fast then what am I?” Gunil appears through the front door. Your mom immediately goes over to hug Gunil. 

“Oh don’t worry you make me feel very old. Seeing you run your dad’s company,” your mom said in a playful tone.

“Does Seungmin make you feel old too?” you jest, resulting in your mom chuckling. 

“Yes, of course he does. He is like a second son to me. I watched him grow up with you and Gunil.” Your mom then goes over to give Seungmin a hug too. “Thank you for keeping my house standing,” she tells Seungmin. An offended look falls over both yours and Gunil’s faces. 

“Mom we’re literally architects, how can you imply that we would knock the house down? That’s one problem you shouldn't have to worry about” Gunil states.

“Ok, so maybe you two wouldn’t knock it down, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I walked into it and it was completely remodeled one day.”

“You say that like it’d be a bad thing,” you remark. A warm chuckle erupts from your mother.

“Oh, I’m sure you two would do an amazing job.” She slings one arm over either of yours and Gunil’s shoulders, pulling you each into her sides. “But I like the house how it is right now.”

After your cute little reunion you all settle in. Your mom going off to her room for a bit. You were about to go off to your room to work on whatever you needed to get done, however before you can Seungmin stops you by gently grabbing your wrist. Before you can question what he’s doing his eyes shift over to Gunil, who was sitting on the couch, typing away on his laptop. You remember the conversation you had with Seungmin in the car about the intern fair. Then you nod in understanding and make your way over to Gunil. You sit down beside him and knock him with your elbow.

“What?” He turns to look at you. 

“Stop overthinking it and do the intern fair,” you tell him. 

“How did-” Gunil looks at you puzzledly then looks over to where Seunmgin is sitting at the kitchen table. Seungmin shrugs in response and Gunil sighs. He knows Seungmin must have told you about his troubles concerning the intern fair.

“You showing up only would be enough to get people to sign up for an internship,” you state. Gunil sighs again. 

“But that’s not what I want. I want to show that Building Blocks is a really good company. I want people to apply for internships because they want to work for the company. Not work there because it’s my company,” he explained. 

“Still we spent probably more than half of our childhood inside of those walls. You know what to say to show how great of a company Building Blocks is. Stop overthinking it.” Gunil remains silent for a few moments, letting your words sink in. He knew that you were right, but his head was still filled with doubts. 

“But what if it doesn’t sound professional enough?” Gunil voiced his concern. 

“It’s an intern fair not a business proposal. It doesn’t have to be the most professional thing ever. You’re just talking about the company, what they would do as interns there. Just explain how you would to a friend,” you tell him. 

“See, you’re so much more cut out for this than I am,” Gunil says. 

“Gunil I’m honestly not. You just get too caught up in your own head.” You poke your finger into his head. “Look if you’re too stressed about it I can help you put in together ok?” you offer.

“If you’re offering help I could probably use it too,” Seungmin says in a lighthearted tone, joining you and Gunil on the couch.

“I helped y’all through college, now I’m helping you run companies.” You shake your head jokingly.

“Just think of it as practice, cause Building Blocks will be yours soon enough,” Gunil says. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re more than eager to pass it over to me, but in order to do that I need to graduate. So if you excuse me I’ll be going to work on my assignments now.” You stand up from the couch. “But seriously. Don’t. Think. About. It. So. Much.” You pat Gunil’s head a little harder than necessary in between words. Gunil smacks your hand away from his head. 

“Go do your assignments,” he sends you away. You chuckle at his bossy tone as you walk away, heading to your room. 

“So you can tell y/n about my problems, but you can’t confess your long time feelings for her?” Gunil turns to face Seungmin after you disappeared off to your room. 

“First off, we both know you wouldn’t have been able to do the fair without her telling you too. Secondly, I can’t just confess to her. I’m pretty sure she only sees me as a brother too. She doesn’t really treat me any differently than how she treats you,” Seungmin said. 

“‘Doesn’t really’ isn’t ‘the same’ now is it?” Gunil points out. 

“We have an intern fair to get prepping for,” Seungmin adverts. 

“Seungmin,” Gunil said sternly. “Are you just never going to tell her?”

“Shouldn’t you be going all protective big brother. ‘Stay away from my sister!’ right now?” Seungmin again tries to escape the conversation. 

“Seungmin, let's be real you fell in love with her the second her little six year old hand grabbed your little nine year old one. I’m shocked she hasn’t caught on to how you really feel about her,” Gunil states. 

“Fortunately she has other things preoccupying her mind,” Seungmin says. Gunil lets out a heavy sigh. 

“I don’t think I can just watch you be silently in love with her for the rest of my life man,” he says. 

“So what? Are you gonna rat me out?” Seungmin questions. 

“Unfortunately, ratting out somebody’s feelings for someone else isn’t really cool, so no. However, I will start bothering you about confessing to her,” Gunil declares. 

“Gunil please, I will tell her how I feel one day. I just don’t think now is the right time,” Seungmin states. 

“No time like the present,” Gunil pokes. 

“Just give me some more time,” Seungmin says. 

“How much more time? Till we’re forty?” Gunil folds his arms. 

“No, not till we’re forty. Just till I get it fingered out,” Seungmin defends. 

“So forty,” Gunil sassed. Seungmin sighed, dropping his head. 

“Not forty,” he refuted again. He doesn’t really know how to go about confessing to you though. How was he supposed to tell the girl that he had been in love with his entire life, that he had been in love with you his entire life? He wanted nothing more than to tell how he truly felt, but at the same time he had no clue how to get the words out. 

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

It was the day of the intern fair and frankly as you stood outside of the double doors you seriously debated turning back and just ditching it. Despite the fact that you were so supportive about Gunil doing the intern fair, you were actually dreading it. Mainly because you know that once you walk in through those doors you will be no more than Gunil’s little sister. People won’t want you to intern at their company because you’re you. It will be because you’re Gunil’s little sister. With a deep breath you put on a brave face and walk in through the doors. 

After entering the room your eyes scan the room, looking at all the different booths set up. Your eyes fell on where Seungmin was standing talking to a small group of students. A small smile graced your face as you watched Seungmin interacting with the students. He looked so natural as he went over the information in the pamphlet about his company. 

“I’m a little shocked to see you here,” the voice of one of your classmates pulls you from your trance. 

“Why?” you asked, turning to look at them. 

“I just assumed you’d intern at your brother’s company. Seems like the simple thing to do,” they say. 

“I’m not interning there. I don’t need people gossiping about how I was handed an internship,” you state. Your classmate nods understandingly. 

“But with your last name companies will still probably be quick to offer you an internship you know?” they said. You let out a sigh. 

“I know, I’m cursed into being Gunil’s little sister,” you responded. Your classmate’s lips draw into a line at your words. 

“I’m sorry by the way,” they apologize. 

“For what?” You gave them a slightly perplexed look. 

“I just viewed you as Gunil’s little sister too, but after seeing you work in Architecture 102. I can see that you are a really good architect on your own. You don’t need your brother,” they expressed. 

“Thanks, that means a lot actually. Most people don’t ever bother to try to get to know me after finding out Gunil is my brother,” you say. 

“I will reluctantly say that I was one of them too, but then I overheard you explaining to your group mates during the earthquake simulator and I realized that you really did know what you were talking about,” they tell you. 

“Thanks,” you say once more.

“Well, enjoy the fair,” your classmate tells you. You nod telling them a quick “you too” and part ways.

Admittedly the fair was already going better than you expected. However the real battle had not yet begun. You stand there for a few moments looking around the room, trying to decide which booth you should start with. 

“If you don’t start with my booth I might be a little offended,” Seungmin spoke from over your shoulder making you jump. “Sorry,” Seungmin chuckles, placing his hand on your shoulder. 

“Where did you come from?” you asked, eyes darting over to where his booth was and back at him. 

“I saw you and wanted to say hi,” he tells you. 

“Yet you didn’t start with that,” you said jokingly, making Seungmin laugh. 

“You’re right, my bad. Hi y/n,” he greeted you properly. 

“Hi,” you return with a subtle chuckle. “Show me your booth,” you add. Seungmin nods and leads you over to where his booth was. Once you’re at his booth he humors you by handing you a pamphlet and going over the information with you. 

“Any questions?” he asked you playfully after he finished. 

“Just one I suppose.” You pause for a second before continuing. “If I intern at your company do I get to see your pretty face everyday?”

“I know you’re saying that as a joke, but you’re actually not the first person to say that today,” he informs you. 

“Are you serious?” you asked in disbelief.

“I wish I was joking,” he replies in all seriousness. 

“How’s Gunil doing?” you change the topic of conversation. 

“You can go over there and see for yourself you know?” He gestures over to where Gunil’s booth is set up. “He’d probably appreciate you popping in over there too.” 

“Yeah I should,” you state, looking over at Gunil’s booth. Watching him as he organizes the pamphlets on the table. Despite knowing that you should. You find yourself feeling nervous about going over there. 

“Go on,” Seungmin says, giving you an encouraging smile. You smile back and turn to walk towards Gunil’s booth. It feels like you can hear your steps echo throughout your ears as you approach Gunil’s booth. 

“For someone who was so nervous you look pretty composed right now,” you say announcing your presence. Gunil looks up at you, letting out a breathy laugh. 

“I’ve been managing, but you were also right. This isn’t as serious as it seemed in my head,” he states. 

“See you just need to relax,” you say. 

“That’s easier said than done. Have you checked out the other booths? Any ideas where you want to intern?” he questioned you. 

“Not yet, I only stopped by Seungmin’s,” you tell him. 

“Now who needs to relax,” he used your own words against you. 

“Very funny,” you remark sarcastically. “Plus it’s not like I’m scared about going over there and talking to the people. It’s like how you want people to intern at our company because it’s a good company. Not because it’s your company. I want companies who want me to intern there because I’m me and not because I’m your sister,” you explain. A bit of a glum look took over Gunil’s face, but he perked up pretty quickly to say. 

“Seungmin’s company would gladly take you for you.” A smile tugged at your lips. 

“Yeah they would, but I feel like that’s taking the easy way out,” you voice.

“You can decide that after you check out the other companies,” Gunil tells you. You nod. Your conversation with Gunil ends shortly after that and you find yourself walking to the first booth in the line of booths. 

Unfortunately visiting the other booths seemed to go just as you thought that they would. Once they found out you were Goo Y/n, Gunil’s sister they became ten times more interested in you and the topic naturally shifted over to him as well. You were able to keep up a foe happy persona for the first four booths, but by the eleventh and final booth you felt completely drained. 

A big sigh fell from your lips as  you sat outside in an empty courtyard. You stared at the mess of pamphlets in your hand, recalling all your conversations with the representatives running the booths. 

“We would love to have Gunil’s little sister interning for us.” “Even if you’re half as good as your brother. You’d still be an amazing asset to us.” “Not that we wouldn’t be more than glad to steal you away from your brother, but why aren’t you interning there?” 

“Are you ok?” a voice asked. You turn your head to see Seungmin standing a couple feet away by the door. He makes his way over to you, taking a seat beside you. 

“None of them cared about my preferences or skill set. Once they found out my name was Goo they instantly were ready to offer me an internship,” you vent. “I really should hurry up and graduate. I don’t know how much longer I can put up with this.” 

“Y/n,” Seungmin starts. 

“No, I mean like I’m fine. It just feels really exhausting every now and then and I can’t even really blame Gunil, cause he hasn’t done anything. He actually is a really good brother. I guess it’s my fault, in a way, actually. I’m the one who helped him become the aritech that he is. I set the expectations upon myself really. It's just really frustrating that everyone assumes I get his help, you know? Like they’re constantly discrediting me. Is it really hard to believe that I can be a good architect on my own? Seriously, you know when I showed my Architecture 102 professor my first project he asked what Gunil thought of it? When I told him that I didn’t show him he didn’t believe me. He said that it would be silly to not show him. Others essentially have the same reaction when I say I don’t go to Gunil for help. They think I’m lying. I try my best to not let it bother me but it does,” you let out all your pent up feelings. Some tears gloss over your eyes. 

“Y/n,” Seungmin says your name again. 

“That too.” You take a breath. “I feel like I hardly even get called by my own name,” you say. A sniffle leaves your nose and a tear slips from your eye. 

“You’ve always been y/n to me,” Seungmin tells you. He cups your face ever so gently in one. Almost as if you're made of glass. He swipes his thumb across your cheek, drying your tears. “Ever since I saw you sitting on your dad’s lap all those years ago.” 

“I really miss my dad,” you smile sadly. “We were supposed to be architects together…and I was really looking forward to it.” Seungmin pulls you into a hug. He lovingly cradles the back of your head and rubs your back. 

“I know,” he soothes you. “But you know he would be so proud of you. He talked about you being the future heir of Building Blocks when you were only seven. I’m sure he knows how amazing of an architect you would become.” He pulled away from the hug to look at you. “Plus you know what else?” 

“What?” you ask. 

“You inspired me to become an architect,” Seungmin tells you. Your eyes widen in surprise. 

“I did? Weren’t you always going to become one because of your dad?” you asked. 

“My dad wanted me to become one to eventually take over the company, yes, but I didn’t really want to be one until you,” he informs. 

“What did I do to make you want to be one?” you question. 

“You were so passionate about it and you always looked so at ease when you were drawing sketches or working on models. It made me think that maybe there were things I was missing. You made me want to fall in love with architecture.” 

“And you did?” you smile. 

“So hard and-” The words “and I fell even harder for you” were right on the tip of Seungmin’s tongue, yet he held them back. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to confess to you. You were already upset. A lot of your pent up emotions came spilling out of you. He didn’t really want to confess to you when you were feeling vulnerable. 

“And?” you urged him to continue. Seungmin takes a breath and grabs the mess of pamphlets from your hands. 

“And, I think this company would suit you best for interning.” He hands you the pamphlet for Archway Architecture. 

“I was half expecting you to give me your company’s pamphlet,” you say with a slight chuckle. 

“Oh if you want to come to Construct Creations I will welcome you with open arms, but this company's preferences and style are similar to yours. I think you would be a good fit there,” he tells you. 

“Thank you,” you sincerely thank him. 

“Don’t mention it. You know I’m always looking out for you,” he reminds you. 

“I do and I appreciate it. Know that I’m here for you too,” you say.  Seungmin smiles. 

“I know and I appreciate that too.” 

“And since I look out for you. It’s probably time for you to head back to your booth and draw more students in with your pretty face,” you lighten up the mood. 

“Yeah, I probably should be getting back,” Seungmin stands up. “You sure you’re alright? I can leave Hyeongjun to fend for himself. His pretty face does a good job at bringing in people too.” 

“I’m ok now Seungmin.” You stand up. “Get back to work.” you playfully shove him. 

“Ok, ok, I’m going.” He raised his hands in defense. “But.” He turns around to face you and places his hand on the side of your head. “Let me know whenever you’re having a hard time, ok?” 

“I will.” you nod. Seungmin nods as well and removes his hand from your head. He then turns to go back inside, taking one last look at you before he disappears behind the door. 

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

“It's just really frustrating that everyone assumes I get his help, you know? Like they’re constantly discrediting me. Is it really hard to believe that I can be a good architect on my own? Seriously, you know when I showed my Architecture 102 professor my first project he asked what Gunil thought of it? When I told him that I didn’t show him he didn’t believe me. He said that it would be silly to not show him. Others essentially have the same reaction when I say I don’t go to Gunil for help. They think I’m lying.”  Gunil overhears your words from the other side of the door. He feels a heavy weight tug on his chest. He knew that you had a hard time due to being his little sister. That you could get casted into his shadow, but he didn’t think it was this bad. Certainly people could see how great of an architect you were? If people paid any attention to you at all it would be easy to see that. 

“Oh Gunil it’s you. I was hoping I would get to see you today when I heard you were coming.” The Architecture 102 professor greets Gunil. 

“Yeah, long time no see,” Gunil greets back. 

“So how’s it been running a company now?” the professor questioned.

“Oh I can’t wait to pass it over to y/n. The business running side of things has never really been my forte,” Gunil answers. 

“Pass it over to y/n?” the professor repeats. 

“Yes, she’s so much better at working the business side and she’s a better architect in general. She has been helping me since I started college. You know that first project you have us to do? Building the model.” 

“Yeah it’s my mandatory first assignment, but are you telling me y/n helped you with yours?” the professor checked. 

“She tried,” Gunil chuckles as he thinks back at the memory. “I showed it to her the night before and she told me that the doors didn’t match with the overall style of the house. That they looked out of place, but at that time I was in my first year of college and she was still a mere highschooler. I pulled the I’m a college student I’m sure I know better than you card. And you know what you said to me about my model?” Gunil tells the story. 

“That the doors looked like they didn’t belong,” the professor finishes. 

“It was quite the humbling moment. I always listened to her after that though. I had to get the y/n stamp of approval before I turned anything in.” 

“And you graduated top of your class,” the professor notes. 

“Owe it all to my sister,” Gunil says proudly. “I can only hope that I can be as good as her one day,” he adds. Your Architecture 101 professor feels a great amount of guilt stirring in his stomach. Here your brother was talking so highly of you, so proudly of you and all this time he was thinking that you were going to Gunil for help. It’s not like he didn’t think you were a good architect. He’s seen how you work in class, but he definitely thought that Gunil was playing a part in your skills.

“So she’s the brains behind the operation?” He asked with a bit of a self-reproached tone.

“You could definitely put it like that,” Gunil chuckles. 

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

“Y/n can I speak to you for a moment?” your Architecture 102 professor asked you after class.

“Did he just refer to me by my name?” you look at Jiseok with a surprised and confused look. 

“I think he did,” Jiseok replied with a just as confused and surprised look. 

“Well, let’s catch up after,” you say. 

“For sure,” Jiseok said. Jiseok makes his way out of class and you head over to your professor's desk. 

“You wanted to talk to me?” you state. 

“Yeah I talked to Gunil at the fair the other day,” your professor started. You nod along. “I owe you an apology,” he told you. 

“For what?” you ask. 

“Gunil told me that you were the one who helped him through college and that you’re still helping him now,” he discloses. “So I’m sorry for thinking that you needed your brother’s help to be as good as you are,” he apologized. 

“I learned most of my skills from my father,” you state. 

“That shows a lot in your work honestly. Your style actually differs a lot from your brother’s, so thinking back on it I’m not sure why I was so convinced that you were using him for help,” he says. 

“Once people assume that I’m using him for help they don’t really think about it,” you said. “Once they cast me into his shadow, they don’t care about actually getting to know me,” you added. 

“I’m sorry that I was one of them too. I especially feel that as a professor I should have known better,” your professor apologizes again. 

“I really appreciate your apology sir,” you express. 

“Gunil is really proud of you too, you know?” he checks. You let out a bit of an awkward chuckle.

“I mean surely there is some part of me that knows he is, but it is kinda awkward to have those kinds of sentimental talks with your sibling,” you say. Your professor chuckles at your words. 

“Yeah I get that. Somedays I wouldn’t be caught dead telling my brother I love him,” he laughs lightly. 

“Well if that’s all, I’ll get going now,” you dismiss yourself. You walk out of class feeling lighter. Like maybe you weren’t destined to spend your whole life stuck in Gunil’s shadow. 

When you met up with Jiseok to tell him what just happened his eyes grew as wide as saucers, but he recovered quickly to throw a humorous comment. 

“So I don’t have to accidentally whack him with my carrying tube anymore?” he played. 

“I still think that that would be a funny sight, but no I suppose there is no reason for you to accidentally whack him anymore,” you reply. 

“This is a good thing, but it feels really weird,” Jiseok notes. 

“Oh I know,” you chuckle.

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

“My Architecture 102 professor apologized to me the other day,” you notified Gunil. The two of you were sitting at the kitchen island working on getting stuff done. 

“He did?” Gunil asked. You nod. 

“It was because of what you told him at the intern fair,” you say. Your statement makes Gunil think back to the internfair, but not the conversation he had with your Architecture 102 professor. The one he overheard you having with Seuingmin. 

“You know I have been meaning to talk to you, but I didn’t really know how to bring it up,” he says. 

“Bring what up?” you question, feeling a bit confused at his words.

“I overheard you talking with Seungmin a bit. About how people always assume that you get help from me when it comes to architecture. That it feels like they’re constantly discrediting you,” he speaks with a hesitant and careful voice.

“You heard that?” you ask, feeling a little bad. As frustrating as it was to go through it was never Gunil’s fault either. 

“I never realized how hard of a time you had because of me,” he tells you with a sorrowful look in his eyes. 

“It wasn’t your fault. You are a good brother,” you say. 

“Then why did you never tell me?” he questioned. 

“I didn’t want to stress you out any more than you already were. Plus what really was there for you to do?” you explain. 

“Something, I don’t know what, but certainly I could have done something.” You could hear the upsetness in his voice. 

“Gunil this is why I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want you to be upset,” you tell him. Gunil takes a calming breath. 

“I’m not upset…No I am, but how could I not be? You’re the best architect I know and you’re telling me that no one has been acknowledging your skills. It is upsetting,” he firmly states. 

“Not no one. Jiseok has always acknowledged my skills. He became my best friend for a reason you know and obviously Seungmin treasures my skills. He’s always been there for me,” you smiled. Gunil smiles too. He’s glad that you have people around you who support you, but he still wishes that you got the recognition you deserve.

“You know sometimes I can’t help but think that if dad was still here how different things would be,” Gunil admits. The atmosphere of the room falls to a more somber mood. 

“I think about that too,” you share. “My dream wasn’t just to be an architect, but to be an architect alongside him. I wanted to work with him on projects. I mean I know technically did, but like I wanted to do it when we were both professionals,” you disclose. Gunil nods. 

“I know, you were practically dad’s right hand man. I kinda regret not spending more time with him,” Gunil reveals. 

“Gunil you were being a regular kid, running around and playing. I was the weird one who would rather work on models than play with toys,” you laugh. Gunil can’t help but laugh as well. 

“That’s true you were a weird kid,” Gunil jokes. “I still wished I spent more time with him though. Then I wouldn’t have to rely on you so much.” 

“He left us suddenly, so there are lots of things we didn’t get to do,” you say in a voice filled with penitence. “But I think he would be super proud of us,” you try to bring the mood back up. 

“He would be proud of you for sure, but I feel like a let down sometimes,” Gunil disclosed. 

“Do not say that!” you smack him upside the head. “You are not a let down,” you tell him. 

“I struggle so much with running the company though. It’s hard to not feel like a let down.” He rubs the back of his head. 

“Dad never expected you to run the company. He knew you were never into that. He would be so proud that you still took the task of running Building Blocks on,” you state. “You know I’m right, so don’t even try to say otherwise,” you quickly say before he can argue with you. Gunil sighs, knowing that he is at defeat. 

“This was supposed to be about me confronting you for hiding your struggles from me. How did you flip the tables on me?”

“Cause I’m ok Gunil. It does get rough from time to time and I do have my moments, but I always pull through,” you say. 

“I just wish it wasn’t like that for you,” he said. 

“It’s fine, Seungmin was really good at picking up when I was having a hard time. He always knows how to make me feel better too,” you told. Gunil smirks and lets out a mix of a smirk and a scoff. 

“Obviously he is. Seungmin never wants to see you sad. He always wants to make you happy,” he said. 

“He does,” you replied without thinking much of it. 

“He’d be very pleased to hear that,” Gunil remarks with a hint of something in his voice. 

“What do you mean?” you questioned. 

“Are you really that oblivious?” Gunil remarked. 

“Huh? Oblivious to what?” you shrug your shoulders. 

“Do you see Seungmin as another brother?” he asked. You paused for a moment to think. You didn’t really understand why Gunil was asking you this, but it did make you realize that you didn’t view Seungmin as another brother. 

“No, I don’t. He’s…Seungmin” you chuckle. “Why are you asking though?”

“Cause I don’t wait till I’m forty,” Gunil answers, but it only makes you more confused. 

“What?” Gunil shakes his head as he sighs. 

“You should understand soon, hopefully,” he replies. You and Gunil’s focus returns to the work in front of you, but a piece of your mind is still wondering what Gunil was talking about. 

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

“Congrats on finishing your second year of college,” Seungmin says, taking a seat beside you on the couch. It was nighttime and you were just basking in the feeling of not having to get any work or studying done.

“Thanks, I got two more to go though,” you say. 

“You got it no problems.” Seungmin nudges you lightly.

“I wouldn’t say no problems. You know I had a few moments this year,” you chuckle. Of course Seungmin knows that. Cause it became increasingly harder for him to keep his feelings for you in each time he watched you go through a hard time. 

“Yeah, but I was always there for you wasn’t I?” he reminded. 

“You’re always here for me,” you nudged him back. Seungmin was quiet for a moment, seemingly thinking about something before he answered. 

“Cause I care about you,” he spoke. 

“I care about you too,” you return. 

“No, I mean…” he trails off. He wants to tell you how he feels so bad, yet he also doesn’t know if this is the right time. Should he make it more special? He feels like telling the person that he’s loved for his love life that he loves them should be more special. However, he also kind of thinks that special enough doesn’t exist. That if he keeps holding himself back he may actually turn forty before he ever confesses to you and that would be much too late. 

“You mean what?” you asked. 

“Do you remember the first day that we met?” he questioned you. 

“Of course it was at my dad’s office. I was sitting on my dad’s lap working on a model with him when you and your dad came in,” you recalled. 

“You held my hand too.” Seungmin placed his hand over where yours rested on the couch. 

“Yeah I did, so that our dads could talk,” you state. 

“I barely knew your name then, yet I still didn’t want you to let go of my hand once you held it,” he tells you. 

“Seriously?” you ask. Feeling very aware of his hand that was on top of yours, especially as he wrapped his fingers around your hand to hold it. 

“Mhm” he hummed. “And remember how I told you that you made me want to be an architect? That you made me want to fall in love with architecture,” he checked. You nodded. “As I fell in love with architecture I also fell in love with you too. Actually I probably fell for you first,” he confessed. 

“You love me?-Like love love me? Romantically?” you check with a bit of a shocked stutter. Seungmin smiles and holds your hand tighter. 

“Yes, I love you romantically. Has that really not been obvious?” Suddenly you recall your conversation a couple months back. 

“He’d be very pleased to hear that,” Gunil remarks with a hint of something in his voice. 

“What do you mean?” you questioned. 

“Are you really that oblivious?” Gunil remarked. 

Maybe you really were that oblivious. Seungmin’s care for you always did feel different from how Gunil’s felt, so that’s probably why you never viewed him as a brother, yet you never picked up on the real reasoning behind it either. Now you feel a little stupid for not realizing it. 

“I really was that oblivious,” you laugh lightly. 

“Yeah, you were. I don’t know if I'm grateful for it or not,” Seungmin laughed too. “Maybe I would have confessed sooner if you picked up on it,” he adds. 

“I mean you did it before you hit forty,” you say jokingly. 

“How did you know that?” questioned with his eyebrows raised. 

“It really confused me at the time, but Gunil said something about not wanting to wait until he was forty,” you explained. 

“Dude tried to out me,” Seungmin played. 

“Yeah, but I was dense as a rock apparently, so it didn’t do anything,” you say. Seungmin laughs, squeezing your hand tighter and you realize that you quite like the feeling of his hand holding yours. “And even though I was as dense as a rock. You always made me happy,” you tell him. 

“Then are you saying?” He looked at you with hopeful eyes. 

“Maybe I obliviously fell in love with you too,” you reveal, making Seungmin’s eyes light up. 

“So, I can ask you to be mine then?” he questioned. You smiled, squeezing his hand.

“Yes, I’ll be yours,” you answer.

“I’d say that I’ll be yours too, but I’ve already been yours for a long time,” he says. 

“Ok, that was cheesy,” you lean away from him, but Seungmin pulls you into a hug now instead. 

“Whatever, I’ve been in love with you since I was nine. Let me be a little cheesy,” he said, resting his chin over your shoulder. You wrap your arms around him too and lean your head against his. 

“I guess I can let it slide considering that” you say playfully. Seungmin feels his heart fill with warmth, just as it did when he was nine years old and you grabbed his hand. Only this time it was so much better. You were his now. His to hold and love. He surely was never gonna let you go. 

Gunil happens to walk down stairs seeing you and Seungmin embraced. 

“If that’s not a we’re dating now hug. I’m going to be very disappointed,” he says, breaking your and Seungmin’s cute little moment. The two of you pull away from each other to look at where Gunil is standing, leaning against the chair diagonally across from the two of you on the couch.

“I told you I’d do it before we were forty,” Seungmin responded. He holds your hand in his again, lifting it up. 

“I honestly doubted that, but I’m very happy to have been proven wrong,” Gunil said. He stands there for a few more moments before standing up straight. “Ok, I’ll leave you two alone now,” he excused himself. 

“At least don’t have to worry about him being an overprotective ‘stay away from my little sister’ big brother,” you joke. 

“Oh, I think he was ready to shove you into my arms if I didn’t confess soon,” Seungmin says. You chuckle at the mental image of Gunil doing that. You and Seungmin sink against the back of the couch, your head falling onto his shoulder. 

“You know I think I feel as at ease as when I work on models when I’m with you,” you voice after several minutes of silence, just enjoying one another’s company. The warm feeling spreads even farther across Seungmin’s chest. His heart filled entirely with happiness.

“I think that’s the biggest compliment you could ever give me.” He wraps his arm around you, letting you fall into his side. 

“Maybe.” You adjust your head to lay on his chest. That’s where the two of you stay for the rest of the night and if Seungmin could have his way he would have you to stay like that for the rest of your lives. He loves nothing more than having you be by his side and you could say the same.

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A/N: I'm back! Did you miss me? lol I worked really hard on this fic so I hope that you guys like it. I know it's more slice of life than romantic, but I hope I added enough romance to make you all satisfied.

[captainsophiestark]

History

Jack Thompson x Reader

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Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: Marvel

Summary: Jack's ex-fiance left New York and moved to LA to start fresh after she realized he would never see her as an equal. Now, however, their paths might be crossing again, and Jack Thompson's managed to have a lot of growth since the last time they saw each other.

Word Count: 5,152

Category: Angst, Fluff

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I hummed to myself as I steeped my tea, soft music floating through the kitchen. I'd finished eating my favorite dinner before now preparing to settle in for my favorite radio program. A calm, perfect evening after a long day. All torn to shreds by the ringing of a phone in my living room.

I closed my eyes and sighed, but left my tea on its own and moved to answer the phone. Hopefully, whatever this was could be dealt with quickly, and I wouldn't miss any of my radio program.

"Hello?" I asked, resting the phone in the crook between my shoulder and neck and reaching for a pad and pencil, just in case. I froze mid-reach when I heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"Hey, uh, this is Agent Daniel Sousa. With the SSR. I don't know if you remember me-"

"Of course I remember you, Daniel," I broke in. "What do you want?"

He hesitated, and I couldn't help feeling just a little bad. My tone had turned from friendly to harsh in a split second, and Daniel and I had always been friendly. But if he was calling, it must've had something to do with my ex, and I certainly didn't want anything to do with that.

I'd met Daniel through the course of dating Jack Thomspon, who I later learned was actually Agent Jack Thompson. I'd met him when I was young and in love with the idea of being swept off my feet by a tall, handsome man, and Jack had more than fit the bill. It wasn't until much later, after he'd proposed and come home from the war, that I'd realized I wanted so much more.

I wanted a partner. Someone to have my back and build me up, to support me through life the same way I supported them. Jack wanted a maid that he could also sleep with, a picture perfect housewife with no external life or ambitions of her own. So I'd left him.

Before that, though, we'd gotten far enough that I'd found out about the SSR, and met Daniel in the process. We were friendly, and had even been on our way to being friends before everything between Jack and I had fallen apart. Since then, however, we hadn't spoken.

"...I'm sorry to do this to you, but I need your help."

Daniel's voice brought me back to the present. I sighed, sparing a longing glance for the tea in my kitchen before plopping down in the seat next to the phone.

"I assume this is about Jack? Is he... alright?" I almost choked on the word, surprised to find I actually still cared about the answer. I gripped the phone a little tighter as Daniel responded.

"Yeah, he's fine. Look, it's a long story, but we don't have a lot of time. There are some very bad people putting the fate of the world at risk, and I'm working with another agent to try to stop them. We have a plan we're in the process of enacting, but... we need your help to make sure it goes off without a hitch."

"Who's the other agent, Daniel?"

"Agent Peggy Carter. She's one of the best we have."

I paused. I'd been fairly confident he was about to say Jack, and to have him say a female agent's name instead was a nice surprise.

"Okay... but aren't you in New York? I don't know if you remember, but I moved pretty far away after things ended between Jack and I."

"And landed in LA, right?"

"...Yes... How did you-?"

"It's not important right now, just... how quickly can you get downtown? To the parking lot behind the hotel hosting Calvin Chadwick's campaign event?"

"Daniel, I haven't even said yes yet! I haven't talked to you in years, and I honestly don't think I want to get involved in this."

"I wouldn't be calling you if it weren't important. Meaning end of the world important. Please."

I paused, letting out a long, heavy sigh. I could practically hear Daniel waiting impatiently on the other end of the line, but I ignored the pressure. Unfortunatley for me, I believed that he really wouldn't be calling me if it weren't an emergency. And I didn't want to leave the world out to dry just because I didn't want to see Jack.

Which, also unfortunately for me, I knew this would involve. Daniel had very carefully danced around the subject of my ex-fiance, and I knew that dodginess was intentional. One way or another, Jack would be involved. But damn it all, I wasn't willing to blow off Daniel's cry for help on behalf of the world just to avoid Jack.

"...Fine. Dammit, fine. I can be there in fifteen minutes. I'm on my way."

"Thank you, serio-"

I hung up on him, giving myself one moment to relax back in the chair with a heavy sigh before launching into motion. I'd just have to make myself a new cup of tea when I got home, and ask someone at work tomorrow what I missed on my radio program.

Just under fifteen minutes later, I pulled into the back parking lot of the hotel hosting the campaign event. Carefully, I stepped out of my car, on high alert for a certain blond SSR agent. I whirled around at the sound of a door flying open only to find Daniel Sousa climbing out of an undercover van. He looked basically the same as the last time I'd seen him, although he'd apparently traded in his sweater vests for a Hawaiian shirt and a blazer.

"Thanks for coming," he said, crossing the parking lot to meet me. I nodded, my gaze going to the woman behind him. Daniel noticed my attention shift, and nodded to her. "This is Agent Peggy Carter."

"Pleasure, I'm sure."

I nodded and took Peggy's offered hand for a shake, but didn't say anything else as I quickly brought my attention back to Daniel.

"Alright, Daniel, why am I here? Specifically, not just 'to help'. And where's Jack? Don't try to tell me he's not here, you wouldn't have been so dodgy and nervous on the phone if he weren't."

"Dodgy and nervous?" Daniel asked, sounding more than a little offended. I just raised an eyebrow at him, so he sighed. "Fine. Here's the thing... we actually need you to go in there and distract Jack."

I didn't respond right away. I just stared at Daniel, waiting for him to say 'suprise' or 'gotchya' or some variation of the same thing. He just stared back, grimacing slightly. I finally came to the conclusion that he was being serious.

"I'll... pop back into the van and make sure Dottie and Mr. Jarvis are alright," Peggy said much too casually as she backed away from us. I never took my eyes off Daniel, my stare cooling considerably from when I'd first arrived.

"Daniel. Do you want to explain to me what's happening here, please? And why you need to distract a fellow agent, and especially why you think this is something you ought to be involving me in?"

Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then shifted slightly closer to me. He lowered his voice, then spoke again.

"Look, here's the thing. You should know Jack's had some growth since you left. He's changed enough that I can actually stand to work with him, and I might still say I want to kill him, but I probably wouldn't follow through if I got the chance anymore. But recently, he's got his head up his ass again."

I snorted. "I really hope this is not going to involve you asking me to talk to him or get him to come around or whatever."

"Not quite. Recently, he's decided to take the side of some pretty bad people, although I don't think he realizes just how bad. A few of those people are in that event tonight, and we have operatives inside who need to get something from one of them. But Jack's in there, too. And he'll recognize our operatives if he's aware enough to see them, and since he doesn't seem to know better, he'll stop them. We can't let that happen. Which is where you come in."

I stared at Daniel again, then after a moment, started shaking my head. I was frankly a little speechless, which gave Daniel an opportunity to keep talking before I could get a cohearant thought together.

"Look, I know this won't be easy for you. I know it's unfair of me to ask, to call you out of nowhere. And I know the only reason you showed up at all is because we used to be friends. But please, please do this. I promise it's important, and if it weren't this important, I never would've asked. I... I've been out in LA for a while now, and I thought about touching base, but I figured you'd want your space, since I'm probably tied up with Jack in memories for you. But we need your help with this one."

I shook my head, holding up a hand to stop Daniel's pitch.

"Alright. I came all the way down here, and because it's you asking and I know that means this thing you're involved in is actually, seriously important... I'll still help. But then you are not going to speak to me for at least a month, after dragging me into this mess to manipulate my ex-fiance, and then we're going to go to lunch. And you're paying, because it's ridiculous that you've been out here this long and haven't talked to me, noble intentions or not."

Daniel huffed a laugh, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a smile. "It's a deal. Promise."

"Great. So... where exactly am I going to do your dirty work?"

"Just in there," said Daniel, gesturing for a set of doors at the back of the hotel. I nodded and turned to face the doors in question, intending to head in. But for some reason, I couldn't make myself start moving. "Uh... you alright?"

I cleared my throat and nodded, although I knew I wasn't convincing either of us.

"Yes, yeah, I'm... I'm fine. Just gonna... go in there. And see Jack. For the first time in a few years."

"Hey." Daniel shifted closer to me, resting one hand on my shoulder and lowering his voice. I huffed and closed my eyes, but didn't pull away. "Look, I'm sorry to put you in this position... if you really don't think you can do it-"

"No. We're not going down that path. I know you wouldn't have asked me if it weren't a legitimate emergency, so I can't afford to think about an out. Just... maybe you could give me a push?"

I didn't turn to face Daniel, but even out of the corner of my eye I perfectly caught the judgey, raised-eyebrow look he gave me.

"Are you serious?"

"Daniel, I am about to go in there and distract my ex-fiance. I am dead serious."

"...Alright. You ready then?"

"No, I'm not! That's the whole point of requiring a push!"

"Okay, okay! Geeze."

A moment later, I felt Daniel's hand on my shoulder, gently moving me in the direction of the ballroom. It had nowhere near the amount of force I'd been hoping for, but the thought at least was enough to get me moving.

I crossed the parking lot at a steady pace, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. I pushed open the door to the ballroom without letting myself hesitate, striding through without looking back. I tried to ignore the sound of it slamming shut behind me as I strode confidently into the room, head held high despite the warring storm of emotions swirling in my gut. It took every ounce of strength I had to walk into that ballroom, but somehow I managed it.

And then I saw him.

I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting, but the moment I saw Jack, my heart stopped in my chest and my knees threatened to give out. So much history stood between us, and even though we'd ended on fairly bad terms and I knew I'd made the right decision, my heart still couldn't completely ignore everything we'd been through. Everything he'd meant to me.

I took a deep, shaky breath. Apparently, a lot of the world was counting on me keeping Jack from interfering in whatever Daniel had going on tonight. I'd agreed to come in here, and now I couldn't afford to fall apart.

I squared my shoulders, then strode across the ballroom, past dancing couples and schmoozing politicians. Everything faded away the closer I got to Jack, until I was standing next to him, just out of his peripheral vision, and we were the only two people in the world.

I reached out a hand to tap Jack on the shoulder, and time nearly stood still. He turned towards me in slow motion, and I watched his face go from one slightly raised eyebrow to wide-eyed, gut-punched shock. The moment our eyes met seemed to stretch for years, until Jack finally broke it, saying my name in a breathy voice that shouldn't have been audible over the sounds in the rest of the ballroom. Surprisingly, I didn't have to fake the slight smile pulling at the corner of my mouth.

"Hey, Jack," I breathed. He blinked at me a few times, maybe expecting me to disappear like some hallucination. When I didn't, he managed to find his voice again.

"Wh... what are you doing here?"

"I feel like I could ask you the same question," I said, voice soft. Speaking anywhere near normal force or volume felt like it would shatter something about the peace of the moment, or bring our problems back to the forefront of our minds. "I thought you were still in New York."

"I was. Am. Still in New York, that is. I, uh... they made me Chief."

My eyebrows shot up. Daniel hadn't bothered to mention that.

"Wow. Well... congratulations. When did that happen?"

"A little over a year ago," he said, shrugging his shoulders and glancing away like it was nothing. I knew him much too well for it to fool, me, though. He was beyond proud, and he wanted me to be impressed.

"That's great, Jack," I said, not entirely sure whether I meant it. "So is that what brings you out here?"

"Something like that," he huffed. He shook his head, staring off at the wall of the bar, apparently snapping out of the moment we'd found ourselves in with something else hovering over his head. It didn't bother me to be a part of that something, although maybe it should have.

"I take it this is more of that highly-classified, highly 'over my head' stuff you always refused to talk to me about?"

Jack's eyes slid back to mine, looking genuinely sad in a way I hadn't expected. Honestly, I'd been expecting to spark some anger. Instead, he looked like I'd just punched him in the stomach.

"I... wasn't great at communicating with you back then, was I?"

I snorted. "That's an understatement."

Jack sighed and took a sip of his drink, nodding slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah, it probably is. Look, I don't know why you're here right now, but..." He cut himself off abruptly, glancing away from me again with a shake of his head. I raised an eyebrow, just waiting for him to work up the courage to say what he wanted to say. The longer he took, the easier it was for me to help Daniel with whatever this was, anyway. Jack took a deep breath, shot the rest of his drink, and set the glass down on the bar before looking at me again. "I was gonna look you up, while I was out here. I've been putting it off, because, well, I wasn't sure you'd want to see me. But... since you're here now...?"

I started shaking my head. I couldn't help it. Jack, apparently undeterred, stepped forward and took my hands in his. I wished I could say helping Daniel was the only reason I let him.

"You hate me. I get it, alright? But I'm not the same man I was the last time I saw you."

"Oh really, Jack? Then what kind of man are you now?" I asked, unable to stop myself. "What are you doing here, schmoozing at some party with a bunch of shady guys in suits? How different is that to the last time I saw you?"

"Very different! Listen, I get it now. I understand what you wanted from me, and I understand why you left. You wanted respect, and I... I wasn't willing to give that to you."

I frowned, scanning Jack's face for any hint of inscenserity or rehearsed speech. All I found was an honest, open expression staring back at me, my ex-fiance looking more open and interested in talking about the hard stuff than he'd been once in the time we were together.

"But sweetheart," he continued, after a brief pause to let his words sink in. I met his gorgeous blue eyes that I'd fallen in love with so long ago, and a hand clenched around my heart. "I get it now. And... I want a shot at giving you that respect, knowing what I know now. Being who I am now."

I huffed a disbelieving laugh, shaking my head as I broke Jack's intense stare.

"Jack... are you kidding me right now?"

"Not even a little bit." He squeezed my hands lightly, stepping even closer to me. The hand around my heart dug its claws in. "I... I love you. I never stopped loving you. If you give me a second chance... I promise, I won't screw this one up."

A choked sob forced its way out of my mouth as the room started spinning under me. I pulled my hands away from Jack, shaking my head fervently as I did.

"I... You can't... I can't think about this right now. After everything you can't just..." I huffed, shaking my head again and moving out of the way as Jack reached for my hands again.

"Baby-"

I turned on my heel and ran before he got another word out. Hopefully, that was good enough for Daniel and his friends. One way or another it would have to be. I couldn't stay there for another second, and it was starting to feel like it'd been a mistake to come in the first place.

I'd been expecting some slightly charged conversation, maybe even some arguing. Breaking off an engagement wasn't usually amiable, and our situation had been no exception. I hadn't been expecting to see real pain on his face, or real regret, or real love still lingering there. And I definitely hadn't expected to feel the faintest hint of the same emotions in my own chest.

Whatever the hell that meant, I couldn't face it right now. Not when I was standing in that ballroom in the first place to trick and lie to the man giving me the apology I'd wanted for years before finally excepting I'd never get it. The guilt started creeping in like a knife to the heart, another thing I hadn't been expecting.

I didn't check to see if Jack was following me as I headed straight for the parking lot, back out the door I'd come in. A thousand different emotions and thoughts screamed through my head, and the only thing that seemed clear was that I needed to get as far away as possible from here, now.

"Hey!"

I don't know why I hadn't been expecting to run into Daniel, but I'd barely gotten a breath of the cool night air in before he called out to me, moving quickly from the back of their undercover van to where I'd parked my car.

"Hey! Are you okay? We didn't mic you up, but one of our agents inside said they saw you running out-"

"This was a bad idea, Daniel," I said, shaking my head and pausing to talk only because Daniel was in the way of the driver's door of my car. "I shouldn't have agreed to this. I didn't... I don't know what I expected. The same asshole I broke up with, I guess. An argument. Not... not what I got."

I moved to push past him, but he put a hand on my shoulder to stop me in my tracks. His eyebrows knit together as he scanned me up and down, concern radiating from him in waves.

"What happened in there? Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "It was a mistake to get in the middle of this, with you and him. He said some stuff... I don't know. I don't know, okay? This was stupid, I should've just stayed home. I need to go home, Daniel. So please, get out of my way."

Daniel hesitated again, looking me over, this time with a more critical eye. I huffed.

"I promise I'm not hurt, and that I'm fine to drive, alright? I just... I need to get out of here."

After another second, Daniel finally nodded and stepped out of my way. I didn't bother sparing him another glance as I got into my car and pulled away, putting as much distance as possible between me and Jack and everything to do with that ballroom.

When I got home, I replayed the conversation I'd had with Jack over and over again in my head, on an endless loop. I didn't hear another word from Daniel, or from Jack, which I tried to convince myself was for the best. When the radio silence stretched on for days, however, my arguments to myself became less and less convincing, and every additional day of silence was another day to overthink myself into a frenzy. Had something gone wrong with whatever world-ending threat they were dealing with? Did something bad happen to one or both of the SSR boys? Or was there some other reason the SSR agents continued to give me space?

By the end of the week, I'd just about decided to go track down Jack or Daniel or maybe Peggy, although I'd only met her in passing, myself. Finding a secret agency probably wouldn't be easy, but I'd been reeling and replaying everything in my mind for days, and I couldn't go back to pretending none of them had ever been part of my life again. I'd just started flipping through a phone book over my morning coffee, looking for any businesses that looked like feasible fronts for the SSR, when someone rang my doorbell.

I sighed, marking my spot in the phone book before standing and moving to the door, my cup of coffee in-hand. I almost dropped my favorite mug when I opened the door to find Jack standing on my doorstep in a nice suit, holding a bouquet of roses.

"Before you say anything, Sousa's the one who gave me your address. So if you didn't want to see me... blame him."

I couldn't hold back a laugh, at least half the weight on my chest lifting off with the knowledge that Jack and Daniel were both okay. I bit my lip, trying to keep control of myself, as I looked Jack over.

"I... I'm really glad you're okay," I finally sighed. "When I didn't hear from you for a while, I got a little worried..."

"We had... some stuff to deal with. But it's dealt with now. I'd love to come in and tell you about it... if you'd be willing to have some company for breakfast."

My eyes shot up to Jack's. He tried to look calm and collected, but I could see the way his hands fidgeted around the stems of the flowers, and the way his eyes searched my face for any sign of an answer in either direction. I sighed.

"Listen, Jack... I don't know..."

"Alright, look. I'm technically supposed to be leaving for the airport to catch a plane back to New York in about half an hour. But I also got Sousa to agree to let me stay with him for a while, if... if I need to stay in LA for a bit longer, for whatever reason. But if you don't want me here, if it's too little too late for you..." He clenched his jaw, swallowing hard and steeling himself before continuing. "Then I'll head to the airport and get out of your hair. And I won't bother you again."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, looking down and shaking my head to try to clear it. I'd sworn to myself when I moved out here that I wouldn't let Jack Thompson back into my life. I'd been confident it was for the best. But he really did seem different than he had the last time I'd seen him. And I couldn't ignore the way my heart still skipped a beat when I looked at him, or how badly I wanted to believe what he'd told me in the ballroom.

Finally, I looked back up at Jack. I met his ice blue eyes, the same ones I'd been staring into since we were basically kids, before he'd served in Japan and a thousand other things in our lives had changed. And I knew I couldn't send him away without at least hearing him out. I knew it might mean I got hurt again, badly, but I also knew the regret of never knowing for sure would eat me alive for the rest of my life.

"Jack... there's something you should know first."

"And that is?"

"It wasn't fate that brought me to the ballroom, or whatever else you thought it was. I... was actually there because Daniel called me to ask for my help."

Jack sighed. "I know. He and Carter told me. They seemed to have a guilty conscience about it. But I'll tell you what I told them: I don't care. It brought you back into my life, so... I'll take it."

The corner of my mouth tugged up again, and I tried not to let the excitement take over too much as Jack leaned a little forward.

"So... does that mean I can come in?"

I bit my lip again in a failed half-attempt to stop the smile rapidly spreading across my face. Finally, I let it win, and gave Jack a nod.

"Oh, thank god," he sighed, sagging and flopping over the doorframe, the flowers falling to his side for a moment until he looked back up at me. "You really had me thinking I was gonna have to race to make my plane for a minute there, sweetheart."

I laughed and shook my head, taking the flowers from Jack as I motioned for him to come inside. I shut the door behind him, then turned to lead him from the entryway into the kitchen.

"So... do you want some coffee?" I asked, moving to the pot before Jack answered. I knew he did.

"That'd be great." He paused, and I heard him sit at the table himself me as I added sugar and milk the way I knew he liked (although he'd never ask anybody else to add it in). "This place looks great."

"Thanks. It's been a labor of love, for sure. I learned how to fix just about everything in here that could break, since it started out that way."

I shot Jack a little smile as I sat down at the table across from him, sliding his coffee over. The statement was a test, and whether or not he knew it, he smiled back.

"If only you'd known all that stuff when we were in our old place. Maybe you could've saved me from breaking the sink beyond repair."

"If I remember right, I did try to help with that. And you told me to let you handle it while I made something nice for dinner."

Jack grimaced, taking a sip of his coffee. "Yeah. I do remember that. And... I'm sorry. I was an idiot back then. I wish I'd known then what I do now."

I nodded thoughtfully. He seemed sincere, which truly might've been a miracle-level personal shift. I still tried to keep my hopes from running wild, but it was getting harder by the minute.

"Thanks for the coffee, by the way," he continued. "I haven't had anything this good since... well, in a long time."

I gave him a rueful smile as he bailed out of "since you left". I sighed, taking a sip of my own coffee before looking at Jack again.

"So... why don't you tell me about all this stuff that kept you from visiting earlier? When I talked to Daniel, he said it was end of the world-level."

Jack nodded, running his hand through his hair. "I mean, it sure wasn't good. Might've been one of the worse things we've had to deal with. You're gonna like this though, since we saved the day. One of my best agents who helped solve all this stuff is a woman. Peggy Carter, she said she met you?"

"Only briefly," I said, smiling into my coffee. "She seemed pretty cool."

"She's damn good at her job. And so were you, by the way. You covered for her and Sousa perfectly when you showed up at that fundraiser. It took one of the people you were covering for walking straight into my path for me to realize something was up, and even then I didn't suspect you. Masterclass."

I huffed a laugh, but my smile grew so big I couldn't hide it behind my coffee mug anymore. Jack smiled back.

"Alright, so, this is kind of a long story. Especially if I start from the beginning."

"I want to hear all of it," I decided. "If you're up for it... including the stuff that came before this mission. I want to know about what you've been up to since... since I left."

Jack nodded, a hopeful smile pulling its way onto his own face. I could see him wrestling with himself to keep his cool, and I was happy to see him losing.

"Deal. As long as you promise to tell me everything you've been up to once I'm done."

"Sounds like we have a wonderful plan for the morning," I replied. Jack absolutely beamed back at me.

"I've never been happier to miss a flight in my life."

I laughed, and for a moment, I got a glimmer of the parts of my life with Jack that had made me stay for so long. His humor, and all the good in him that he worked to hide, but now, without the layer of separation that came from him not seeing me as an equal.

It had barely been ten minutes total of time spent with this slightly older, slightly different Jack Thompson. By far too early to say anything difinitively. But that little seed of hope in my chest had bloomed into a full bouquet since I'd opened my door this morning, and I couldn't help feeling that this time, things actually were different. Jack was different. And this time, maybe things would work.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen

Marvel Taglist: @valkyriepirate @infinetlyforgotten @sagesmells @gaychaosgremlin

[bearbirth]

For the build a birth 0: 🤰(male but we dont havw the male.pregnant emoji aa) 4️⃣🚗👖🧠

I had always had a bit of a chubby belly.

Unfortunately this fact led to this fateful night. I didn’t think I could get pregnant as I had been told I was infertile years ago by some bullshit doctor. I hadn’t seemed to notice my belly getting slightly larger over the months. It hasn’t popped however.

The last few days I’ve been having some issues with cramps. I had thought maybe it had been something I ate. Oh how wrong I was. I could never have foreseen having four babies inside of me all this time.

It’s a Friday and I’m driving back to visit my family for the weekend. I’ve been in some pain all day but I’ve pulled through even when a tums didn’t help. I breathe out as another cramp rocks my body and I shift forward in an attempt to alleviate my discomfort.

“ohhhhh….”

I let out a groan. The pain has been getting worse. I put a hand on my belly and rub it, trying to sooth the pain. I grip the wheel tighter. The pain subsides again and I sit back with a sigh.

“Fuck…. Ohhh god another….”

The next cramp comes so soon. I strain a little, feeling the urge to push. I just assume I have to use the bathroom. I’ll need to find a rest stop quick. The pain peeks then dies down again. But once more it starts up after just a few breaths.

“OH GOD!!! HHRGGGG!”

I cant stop myself. I’m pushing the head down my birth canal. I’m panting hard as I lift my ass up a little when the pressure suddenly intensifies. How could a man be pregnant without knowing?

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH…! OH IM ABOUT TO POOP!!”

I cry out in pain as something nestled behind my entrance. I grip the wheel, sobbing as I push hard. With a scream and another push the head gushes out of me and into my jeans. I scream again, is that a baby?! Oh god it’s baby! I’m giving birth! The head turns and the baby rushes out of me and into my tight pants with a gush. I yank the wheel and pull over. I unzip my pants and shakily draw out the baby who has already started to cry.

“W-What…?”

I stare at it in shock, but I don’t have time to think. Suddenly I scream, there’s another. I place the first baby in the seat next to me and I sit back, my legs on the dash board. I sob as I try to pull my pants down a little but I’m having to push.

“NO I CANT BE PREGNANT!! OH IT HURTS SO BAD!!” My legs shake as I try to get the baby out faster. Suddenly the head shoots out then the shoulders and body. But as soon as it’s out I’m pushing once more. I grip the seat. I don’t have time to get the first baby out of my pants. The next baby is smaller and has already started to crown.

“AGGGREREGGGG AAAAAAH!!!! GET OUT OF ME!!!!!” I screech as the baby slips out into my pants next to its sibling. Finally I’m done… or so I think. I lower my legs and get the baby’s out. There’s a little twinge of a contraction but I ignore it. I call 911, and as I’m explaining what happened I have to push.

“Yes I’m on the side of the road, I- OHHH OH GOD THERES ANOTHER BABY!! OH PLEASE PLEASE HELP I CANT DO IT AGA-AAHHHHH AHHHHH!! OH IT BURNS!!”

I scream down the phone. The baby forces its way down me. I half stand up, pulling my pants down just as the baby crowns. It shoved my boxers down as it moves out painfully.

“ITS HHUUUUUUUUUGGEEEEE! ITS COMING OUTTTT OF MEEEEEE!”

Suddenly the baby pops half out. I’m sobbing with the baby half in me when the ambulance finally reaches us. They watch me give birth again as they pull open my door.

[blackroseguzzi]

FATE part 6

summery: Colin reminds himself of the reasons he knew you were the girl for him while also becoming increasingly stressed over this case.

Colin’s POV

I parked my cruiser in back of the station, letting it idle as thoughts ran through my head. I was now the lead investigator on Erin’s case now that Mare was on leave, and I don’t want to fuck this up. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, my body wanted to turn out of the lot and just keeping driving away from this town, just like she had. This case. Fuck, The situation in yet I tangled myself in yet again with her. I knew by Friday this week that my heart was going to be blasted into a million pieces but maybe I was a glutton for punishment. She’s addicting, I am so drawn to her as if she’s a magnetic field. I had always been sucked into her vortex since the first time I ran into her at that coffee shop. She was always effortlessly beautiful, especially the way her eyes squinted up when she smiled. My mind slowly drifts to a memory of her in the days I knew I was going to marry her.

My alarm had gone off, I had to work that whole weekend and snuck in just a few hours of sleep. I remember the way the sunlight cast over her body that lay tangled in our sheets. I had come home that evening to her unpacking her work bag on the counter, her hair in that messy bun I loved so much. I had snuck into the kitchen and wrapped my arms around her waist, feeling her jolt into awareness of my body now pressed against her back.

“What are you doing home this early?” She turned around, pressing her hands on either side of my face, bringing it down for a quick peck on the lips. Her soft lips always plagued my nightmares after she left. Those kisses lingered on my lips as I woke up and realized that she wasn’t there, that she didn’t love me anymore.

“I pulled a few strings, and I got an interview set up in the mornin’ with a witness. So I got out at a decent hour, but I gotta be outta the house early in the mornin tomorrow.”

Her face fell, knowing we wouldn’t get to spend some time together before another work week resurfaced. I hated that she missed me, even thought I wasn’t gone. I realized after she left that I asked her to be extremely patient when it came to my work hours. She never complained due to the nature of the work I did, but her face usually had the hint of disappointment in it when I explained how many hours I’d have to clock in each week.

“Hey, I’ll make it up to you. I have a few days off for Christmas. Okay?” I sprinkled more kisses on her cheek and felt her wrap her hands around my body and sigh. 
“We have forever together, I know you’re working hard to find that missing kid.” I hated that you turned away in that moment, returning to getting your things out of the overnight bag and organized.

Your voice rang through the kitchen as I started to loosen the tie on my shirt, ready to unwind. “What do you want for dinner?”

“You know, Pizza sounds great but I have this craving. It’s been on my mind all frrrrreakkkinggg week.”

You had turned to me, your eyebrows pointed together quizzically.

“And what might that craving be, Mr. Zabel?”

“Well, Ms. Y/l/n, Its something I daydream about often. Spread out on the kitchen table, ready for me to savor every last bite.”

Her eyes wandered across my face, and as our eyes met, I knew she had caught on to the kind of craving I was looking to fulfill.

“Oh, you daydream about this craving often, huh?” A little teasing grin emerged from her face.

I smirked and let out a small chuckle as she started to undo the buttons of my dress shirt.

“Yeah, now we’re cookin’ with fire baby,” I growled, reaching down to cup her ass in those black buttery soft yoga pants I loved her in. The first kiss tasted like candy, and just got more and more delicious as they came. I could feel the heat in between her legs as she pushed me into our dining room with her hips as our tongues still danced together.

“Shit,” She breathed out as I felt her fumble slightly as I tugged at her sweatshirt. We broke apart so I could peel it over her head, making her bun flip to the other side of her head, and stray hairs falling around her forehead. Nobody ever looked that good in a messy bun.

I let out a small moan as her hands worked quickly to unhook her lace pink bra. Her breasts tumbled out of the cups with ease, and my hands couldn’t contain themselves. I reached up to her chest and feverishly messaged, and delicately twirled her nipples. When she bit my lip, man that’s when it was all over.

“You always crave dessert before dinner?” She whispered in that low raspy voice I only ever heard in the bedroom. 
As my hands worked her chest and my mouth occupied the crook of her neck, I could feel that ache in my groin when she started to tug away my belt and unbutton my pants.

She watched as I pulled my pants down, left in boxers. I started to pull my undershirt off when I heard her giggle at the fact my socks had in fact not matched.

I smiled at her, and she pushed a large pile of her papers off the dining table and onto the floor in a hurry.

“I’m going to fucking ravish you, baby.”

She shook her head as she pushed me away from her playfully.

“No sweetie, I get the first taste,” She moved my body as if I was a puppet, placing me laying down on the dining room table - bare assed with my cock straight up waiting for you.

I loved watching her give me head, the way her eyes rolled in the back of her head and her hands gripping my thighs. I let out a deep moan, letting her know the pleasure was going to be short lived if she keeps on using her tongue that way.

She licks the full length of my penis before climbing up on the table, straddling me from above. I pulled my hands to cup her ass again, squeezing her thick soft cheeks as she kisses me. “My turn,” I whispered as we quickly and gracefully rolled into switched positions on the table. Her perfect body now laying down, legs spread as if inviting me in. I felt her breath hitch as I guided myself inside of her. Fuck I will never forget that feeling. That tight squeeze, wet and so fucking warm. I whispered that I loved her, loved her body, loved everything about her as I thrusted my dick inside of her. She was not a quiet girl, but she was reserved and laid back for the most part, but man in the bedroom she was an animal. It surprised me at first, and then once I realized it was exactly what I needed that addiction was intoxicating. I don’t think any girl could ever make me feel half as good as she did.

Her quiet voice pulled me from my drunken pleasure, “I’m gonna cum, Colin.” Her hands found mine and we slowed our intensity. I loved the way her neck and face flushed a perfect pink color as we edged ourselves to completion.

“That’s it baby,” I whispered in between thick breaths as she road out her orgasm- just watching her face scrunch with pleasure pushed me over the edge and I spilled myself inside of her. God, I was done for. She was my forever, it was Fate that brought is together the same coffee spot the day we met.

I closed my eyes, reliving that memory a small smile on my lips when suddenly a knock was at my window.

“We gotta talk Zabel, “ Mare’s harsh voice was muffled by the car window between us.

I turned off the car, taking a deep breath before opening the door.

I was surprised to see her here after getting kicked off the case for some reason I wasn’t able to have as knowledge. “What‘a going on? I thought you were on leave?” I questioned her. Her permanent frown was deeper than normal today. It gave me a slight anxious feeling.

“Why are you talkin’ with Deacon Mark?”

Of course she was here to talk the case, but I knew the shit I’d be in if I continued to let her in on what was going on in the investigation.

“I’d love to chat but this doesn’t really concern you anymore, Mare. we got it handled. Promise.” I placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her nerves, but she shrugged it off.

“ No, it concerns me because I need to find out if there’s a connection with Erin’s case and Katy’s.”

Her tough exterior was something I wasn’t used to. She had only shown me a softer side once or twice, but learning a bit about her past I understand why the guard was ALWAYS up.

“Look, Mare…”

“Shove it, Zabel. You’re talkin’ to a fucking reporter but ya won’t talk to me?”

I gave her a confused look, not understand why she would bring that up- but something was fishy.

“Wait how did you know I was investigating Deacon Mark?”

Mare signed, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

“An unknown source saw ya talking.” She replied.

I wanted to push it further but I had work to do and she was making me late. I know she wanted information but i just couldn’t risk it.

“Sorry Mare, you’re not on the Case.” I started to walk away when I heard a mumbled out of her.

It sounded a lot like “ Well have fun on your date tonight.” But I didn’t want to push it, because there was no way she knew I was going to dinner with you tonight, or was there?

[cissyenthusiast010155]

Pomegranate Lips Ch 4: Tipping Point ~Sub!Larissa Weems xFem Fallen Angel!Reader

Part 4 of Pomegrante Lips!! Larissa and Reader falling for each other slowly… The sexual tension finally snaps between the two… Part 5 to include smut 😏

Link to Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

Mommy…Master List

Requests & Prompt-List

Warnings: NSFW, angst, implied smut, teasing, nudity, etc.

Enjoy (:

After that latest and fateful coffee meeting, Larissa had become determined to not let you break her any more than you already had.

She was determined to not give in.

But her plan immediately crumbled the second you started to ignore her.

It was all part of your own plan…

Since that fateful day in the cafe with Larissa’s unraveling, you gave Larissa no mind, avoiding her in the halls, not speaking at meetings, not teasing her in her office. And sure enough, you chipped away Larissa’s resilience bit by bit.

You could feel the longing glances she gave you as you turned your head in the other direction. Her face dropping slightly when you didn’t stay after a staff meeting to chat her up.

Had she done something wrong?

Larissa couldn’t stand it anymore, the not knowing. One minute, she had been your entire view, and the next, she doesn’t even exist to you?? Larissa’s thoughts spiraled for days over this, until a Friday night when she had so much paperwork to go through but couldn’t touch any of it…

Because of you…

You wouldn’t leave her mind.

You were invading it in fact.

She shut her laptop rather hard with a groan falling from her lips.

She had to confront you.

And the thought made her shudder and go weak in the knees.

But she had to. She couldn’t take it anymore.

With a sigh, Larissa got up from her chair and left her office to head to your classroom. She knocked on your door, her hand shaking and her breathing already uneven.

“Come in…” you purred.

You could sense that it was Larissa…

Larissa entered and closed the door behind her.

“We need to talk.” She firmly stated.

You quirked your brow, finally looking up at the tall blonde, and putting your work down.

“Oh?”

“Yes. Do you have a moment?” she matter of factly asked.

“Yes. What is it?” You said, still remaining in your distanced play, while waiting for Larissa to crack.

Larissa took a deep breath.

“What we are doing needs to stop. It’s highly innapropriate and is affecting our job performances. I think it’s best if it comes to an end.” She stated.

She played her cards, now it was your turn…

“Oh is that so…?” You taunted, getting up from your chair and coming around the your desk so that you were only mere inches away from Larissa.

Larissa froze as you entered her space, her mind short circuiting.

“So you have no want to be my good girl…?” You taunted, purring in her ear.

Your words sent shivers down Larissa’s spine.

“No, you obviously have no interest, and you’ve made that quite clear…” Larissa gritted out, a tear threatening to spill, a sudden anger overtaking the blonde for all the times you’d ignored her.

You circled the blonde slowly as she spoke, stopping in front of her and cupping her chin to direct her eyes to yours.

“You’re that desperate, aren’t you…?” you purred, “If my good girl wants my attention, all she has to do is ask… But, according to you, this needs to end…” you tutted, throwing her own words back at her.

You began to retract, when Larissa grabbed your arm, “No wait!” She whimpered, “I’m sorry. I want this. I want you. Please. I wanna see you.” she pleaded.

You chuckled and hummed in delight, “Already begging… such a good girl…”

God, that nickname made Larissa go feral…

You then began to strip slowly in front of the blonde, until you were completely nude in front of her. (Well almost).

“No, I wanna see all of you…” Larissa whispered, coming over to you and running one hand over your curves while the other fidgeted with your glasses.

“You… You wouldn’t like what you would see…”

This shocked Larissa. For once, you sounded unsure and insecure.

So in response, Larissa began undressing herself, until she was just as nude as you were. A light smirk graced your lips at her stunning curves.

Larissa then embraced your hands, “Please, I want to see all of you…”

You bit your lip and looked up at the blonde, “Follow me.” You breathed out.

~~~

Part 5 with smut is here 😏

Larissa Weems Masterlist

Tag list @wierdpersonononelikes @principal-weems09 @sapphicobsesssion @xx-state-of-mind-xx @constantanxiety @poorwritingandstalecoffee @thoroughly--confused @walkethisway @gaydonutdino @yourfavoriteweirdo19 @justcallmelittleone @gwendolinechristieiscute @larissaweemsgf @enchantressb @magicalprofessorpastacash @ness029 @larissa-weems-chokehold @keepcalmandlistentoit @bxtrflyr @wifeymaterialsstuff @a-queen-and-her-throne

[mechaknight-98]

Gathering CEDH Edition: Mana Confluence

Author's note: insert funny self-deprecating joke here to appeal to the audience

"Hey, Um Hiro can I ask your advice on something," Connor asked me stuttering.

"You're asking your youngest friend for advice. Well, then you must be desperate. I am not judging let's see how I can hopefully help," I respond.

"Well it's about Yunjin..." Connor begins

"Oh yeah that reminds me, did you get my photocards signed," I asked hopeful.

"Yeah," Connor said as he handed me the cards signed by Le Sserafim's ridiculously popular it girl Chaewon.

"Oh sick you used the metallic Sharpies and everything," I smiled

"Yeah, she loved that they were Pokemon cards too," Connor replied.

I smiled but quickly remembered why he approached me.

"While I'd love to marvel at these. I do believe you had a question friend," I reply.

"Oh yeah, it's about Yunjin...I think I have a crush on her," Connor replies and my eyes go wide.

After Connor's fated Gathering with Giselle of Aespa or as she liked to be called by him Aeri. their relationship blossomed significantly. Both Professionally and Personally, which is why Connor found himself sitting with her in the general room of SM Entertainment. They had recruited Connor to do some filming with them after a very strong recommendation from Karina. Which is why Connor is in South Korea instead of New York right now. Connor was discussing various scenes for an upcoming music video for the group with the leader who had taken an interest in Connor. While Connor sits with Karina discussing various aspects of filming she breaks the flow of conversation to take a detour into something more personal.

“Okay Infinite sounds good, but I have something to ask,” Karina says to Connor, when she uses Connor's discord tag Connor knew it was serious/ or personal.

“ Karina we have been through this you can call me Connor in real life, but yeah what’s up?” Connor says and asks in return.

“It’s about Giselle. She has been in distress recently due to some comments on social media.” Connor scratched his head. Mean comments were par the course for any person in the public eye. Seeing his skepticism, and with Karina being the great leader she handed him a phone with some of the comments. he read them and watched in terror as they went from a little nippy to downright vile. he winced

“See. Someone who isn’t a part of this or her leader needs to talk to her. Maybe a close friend” Karina suggested confidently

he sighs, “I am not good at these types of things. I am much better suited to hyping her up.” is his follow-up. Karina holds firm

“Sorry, but you are the oldest you have to take responsibility. Also hyping her up is probably what she needs right now.” Karina says with a sly smile. So he sucks it up.

Later in the day after completing his shoot for Le Sserafim, he heads back to the SM building. On his way out of Yunjin, the Le Sserafim vocalist approaches him. Her bright hair billowing as she saunters over, “Hey Jen. Connor says to her.”

“Hey, Connor! how’s my fellow American?” Yunjin aka Jenifer asked

“Oh, you know getting busy living before I get busy dying,” Connor responds

“Good, good. Oh by the way we should like hang out. You seem cool enough and I need someone who isn’t a part of all this (She gestures around herself.).Plus I don’t often get the chance to interact with Americans out here so it’s great to see more.” Jen says. Connor laughs

“Jennifer, I am Korean as well … you remember that right? Also, are you asking me out? Because it sounds like it.” Connor teases while raising an eyebrow.

Jen laughs and says, “Yeah I know Who knows maybe.” He responds in kind and goes on his way. He arrives in time just before Aespa leaves for the end of the day. The girls look exhausted, especially Giselle who looks miserable. When Giselle sees Connor her eyes brighten.

“Friday Night Magic?” Giselle asks hopeful

Connor nods and Winter sighs relieved. “Ugh, you have no idea how annoying she’s been about it. Please take her. Maybe beat her again.” laughs ring out from all present.

“I don’t know she’s gotten a lot better.” Connor quips

“Only because you throw the most insane things at me,” Giselle said.

“You’re lucky you’re playing against me and not my friend Dexter.” Connor chides. Aeri looks at Connor with surprise.

“Oh and what does he play, and why haven’t I?” Aeri inquired

“Some evil and powerful stuff( Mostly in Temur Connor doesn't mention this but I am because it will be relevant later). Also to answer your second question…he doesn’t like coming out of his zone, but we may be able to coax him out later as he also likes K-pop as well.” Connor explains and replies.

Connor laughs as the duo gets into his car. He is careful to appear extra staff like today because one of the comments read “Who is that Dumb looking redhead? Is that her boyfriend.” (Connor has vibrant red hair…again will be relevant later). When they get into the car Connor is silent for a moment as the comments he saw earlier rush through his head along with Karina’s charge to him. He could see Giselle fidgeting with various parts of her bag while she got in.

“Yo Aeri. Are you okay? I saw some comments the other day that were less than on your recent comeback and wanted to check in to make sure you are doing alright.” Connor asks casually

Giselle sighed. “Can we not talk about it?” She asked. Connor nods. he knows from experience that this can’t end well but he lets it go for the time being. He wanted Aeri to be comfortable. He knows what it was like to have a well-meaning friend pry into your life. He sends a reassuring smile at Aeri and drives to the shop.

When They arrive Aeri smiles weakly, the Talk about her, Her weight her personality finally cracks her and she breaks. before entering Aeri looks at Connor with a serious face. “I can’t do this Connor. Can we do something else tonight?” He nods giving a thumbs up to his friend. She smiles sincerely this time. He takes her to a K-BBQ place that He wants to try. She is elated (I get it food is the easiest way to ease the soul.) to get into said Korean BBQ place. Surprise, surprise guess who’s waiting there is Jen and her unnie Sakura. Sakura is the first to notice Connor. Her eyes are always scanning and when she sees him, she squints, and then her eyes go wide and she smiles. “Oh Oppa come on over,” Sakura says giddily. Connor smiles and walks over with Aeri. Sakura shakes Yunjin who still hasn’t noticed Connor yet Letting her know their table is ready.

“Hey, Jen. Hey Kkura.” Connor says pleasantly. Jen turns around and her eyes go wide

“Ah, what?” she yells excitedly. Connor waves and Aeri smiles.

“Ah, you just couldn’t stay away from me.” Jen teases. Connor goes to introduce Aeri but Jen says “Dude we already know Aeri.” he nods and sits with them.

“you guys came just in time. It was originally supposed to be all five of us but Eunchae, Kazuha, and Chaewon unnie bailed on us.” Jen said as Aeri and Connor nodded and sat with them. Jen looked at Connor with just the happiest smile and brightest eyes, she turned to Aeri and said to her, “Hey Giselle Unnie. You look great today, but if I remember correctly I thought you were supposed to be hanging out with Connor tonight..alone.” Connor notices that Jen is not giving him his proper honorific which is weird since she is doing it for everyone else. he wonders if that’s personal like he has done something to upset her.

“Oh well it’s just a lot going on you know?” before Aeri could continue the waitress came to the table with menus. While Aeri and Jen talk Connor chats to Sakura and informs her of what’s going on discretely.

She looks at him and then Aeri with wide eyes full of concern. After he finishes she says to him, “Oh don’t worry about it I’ll talk to her.

Connor nods his head and says “Now don’t mention anything directly just try to make her feel comfortable.” Sakura puts her index finger to his lips.

“Allow me to work my magic,” Sakura says politely. Connor shrugs.

“Ah, what are you two whispering about?” Jen says suspicious of the two.

“Oh, Oppa and I were just discussing how amazing Giselle’s performances have been. She has been improving so much.” he nods excitedly eager to get the heat off himself. Both Aeri and Jen look at Connor confused. When the waitress rearrives at the table they order. Connor orders with Jen and Aeri with Sakura. He moves after ordering in his seat as he sits across from Sakura who looks around his neck area. “Hey oppa what’s that.” he noticed she was pointing toward his Gingaman tattoo on the right side of his collar that was slightly sticking out. he moves your shirt collar to show Sakura. Sakura looks at it for a moment… Aeri begins to chuckle.

“is that the starbeast sword?” she says between chuckles. Connor nods, and her chuckles grow to full laughs

“I knew I recognized it,” Sakura says with a smile. The two Japanese ladies begin to converse in the original tongue while Connor and Jen look at each other. they both roll their eyes when they hear the word American come from the two of them. Connor turns to Jen but she is watching the two girls talk with interest. so He sat “alone”, waiting for the opportunity to speak again. After about ten minutes of order, Aeri speaks to you, “Hey Connor why didn’t you make a Korvold paper deck?”

Connor looks at Aeri confused and answers, “I do have a paper Rocco Caberetti Caterer CEDH deck.”

Now Aeri looked confused asking, “Then how come I have never seen you play it?”

he claps your hands together, and responds “Well It has a lot more bite than Narset Enlightened Exile.” Aeri looks at him confused still.

“What do you mean by more bite?” She asked. This makes Connor realize even for all of her excellent English skills some things don’t translate. Connor tried to figure out how to translate until Jen came to your rescue.

“He means it’s stronger than his other one (she turns to Connor) that is right?” she answers and asks.

Connor’s reply is a simple nod. “in this context I mean it’s less fun to play against, and more geared towards stronger player’s play.” He fully clarifies. Everyone nods to his point, except Sakura who looks at Connor with interest.

Sakura turns to Aeri and asks“ Rocco that name sounds familiar. What’s that from?” Aeri explains to her how they both play Magic The Gathering, and as soon as she says Magic her eyes go wide, and she turns to him. “Oh, Oh, I play that… I played (Sakura snaps her fingers twice for recollection)…

“Arena?” Connor Suggests. Sakura nods

On the phone… yeah I taught Yujin, Yena, and Hyewon. Yujin is good and still plays. She would always complain about someone playing against Rocco. I stopped playing because they kept updating the game too fast but I guess she never did.” You look at Sakura confused, and point to Yunjin (Jen) who also looks at her confused.

“OH YUJin-ah, not YUNjin-ah.” Sakura clarifies and this brings alacrity to everyone present except Connor who forgot about Izone for a moment.

“Wait how do you know Yujin,” Connor asks Everyone looks at him for a moment. It still doesn’t click. A few minutes pass and then he remembers. “Oh right, you used to be in a group together. I completely forgot. Hmm, that’s weird considering how much my roommate loves Izone. He is the one who got me into Magic the Gathering. I got him into K-pop.” Connor says. Everyone present begins to laugh.

Sakura looks at Connor intrigued, “Oh what’s your roommate’s name?”

“Oh Dexter but I call him Dex for short. We also have this crazy guy who's like our little brother named...” Connor answers.

"Hiro is the name you were about to say right," Sakura asks. Connor nods

"Yeah, Chaewon mentioned him and how she signed some K-pop cards for you that were Pokemon cards," Sakura explained. Yunjin's eyes went wide

"Oh so that's who got the Chaewon cards," She replied. Sakura nodded

Aeri snaps her fingers in recognition of the names. After that the food arrives and The group eats and converses about various boring topics I won’t go through the tedium of repeating here. (I am trying to keep this somewhat engaging after all). Afterwards, they finish up Connor pays for the meal. (Like a boss)

“Thanks, Oppa,” Sakura says to Connor and he gives her a thumbs up as he leaves with Aeri.

When they arrive at Aespa’s dorm she smiles and says, “Thank you, Connor. I appreciate it.”

He says “No worries“ as he's going to leave before though can Aeri grabs him.

“Hey Oppa what do you do when you think you’re not good enough?” Aeri asks Connor pleading.

Connor considers her words, he doesn’t often falter for confidence (Like the previously mentioned boss he is). So he has to think for a moment and then respond. “As much as I want to say just be yourself I can’t bring myself to. It boils down to not listening to critiques that aren't genuine. For example, Hiro is always critiquing my work, but it comes not from a place of tearing others down but to refine them. Those I listen to. I don't listen to insincere critiques like "Why did you use that actress she's a fat pig. Those are insults and we don't listen to them. Eventually, you'll get better. besides didn't you have the least amount of training of your group? I wouldn't worry about the criticisms too much,” Aeri looks at Him and smiles.

“Okay, I will keep that in mind.” She says as she smiles and leaves. He drives his little blue rental back to his hotel to get ready to fly back home.

Two weeks later Connor’s back to work filming with Le Sserafim for promotions in the States. The staff and the girls for the most part are kind and gentle people. Connor enjoys working with them. As he is finishing up for day 1 Jen corners him along with Sakura. “Hey, you’re pretty good at Magic right?” Jen asks. Connor nods. “Good then can you teach us? Giselle has been trying to get us to learn because she wants people she can play with besides Yujin, and Sakura doesn’t remember how to play.” Connor strokes his chin.

“That’s a lot of work. Like a lot of work.” He explains.

The girls smile at him and Jen says, “Well then it’s good we are going to be together for a few weeks.” Connor sighs.

“Okay then, but if we do this… we are doing it my way. Do you understand?” Connor asserts.

Both Kkura and Jen nod.

“Okay well then first things first set aside 250$ each. I want you both to be able to build both fun and functional decks so I need you to do that. I also want you both, if you haven’t already download mtg Arena and just play with what they give you. This will be the easiest way to teach the basics and give you both a net of general play styles you enjoy. Please for the love of God Almighty do not spend any money on the app. You are both too inexperienced to know what’s worth purchasing and will not have fun in the long haul. please don’t be like me. Dexter tried to warn me but I didn’t listen. Also, I feel like I should mention this check out Dice Try’s YouTube channel and watch the videos on shards and wedges it will give you all a very clear view of what each one is about, and potentially what you align with,” Connor says before both nodded and leave for the day. After that Connor finished packing up all of his cameras, and other film gear and went home.

When he got home he got a discord call from Scorpion-love-00. “Hey Connor I need your help. We need a third for our commander game.” Connor (who hates 3-player games) sighs and responds

“Skippy you know how I feel about three-player games.”

Scorpion responds, “I know but we just need a third to change up gameplay, at least for tonight.” this turns out to be untrue as for the next two weeks you are playing arch-enemy against Scorpion and her new friend Ujinnie… Sometimes there’s a random 4th that joins. Who’s good but also kind of non-verbal (It’s me…I am that person, but I haven’t officially met Aeri, or Yujin yet, but spoilers it’s me… the narrator. Or it's another character you will meet later who plays Esper shenanigans) Connor tries not to be annoyed as his off time is becoming dominated by mtg. Eventually, he ropes his roommate; Dexter, who was a magic savant in his eyes.

this makes the experience more fun for everyone involved. Your friend hit it off with Giselle, and Ujinnie when she can play as well. Which was funny because were at each other’s throats at first. This would lead to one of the later “game nights” when Connor invites Dex, and me to Help with filming. Which brings us back to the present.

"So you like Yunjin...what about Aeri," I ask inquisitively

"Aeri and I get along great but it feels like she's my sister at times," Connor replies. I nod

"Well my take is that you figure out your feelings first, but I am also aware that honestly, you may just be in love with Yunjin," I reply. Connor nods and then says, Also thank you for helping me film fearless Kura when the girls come out here," Connor said. I looked at him blinked thrice and replied

"What do you mean help?"

"You are going to help with deck building and filming of course," Connor replied. I blinked again trying to process the insane information being thrown my way. I a rando would be helping Megastar Sakura Miyawaki film Magic the gathering content.

"Um Okay sure," I reply as I give Connor a thumbs up

A few days later we all arrived at the film location. As we set up with their decks the Fimmies + Giselle approached us surprised. “Oh, Connor Oppa who is this?” Sakura asked as she approached.

“Oh, this is Dexter. My friend who is a director and also a camera guy. He is good at mtg, and the other is Hiro...We don't know his real name just his social media handle. He is also really good at MTG super versatile as a player as well. We were playing together against Aeri and this girl named Ujinnie Yesterday and it was late so I figured they could help me today.” Connor clarified

Dexter and I looked up when we heard our names called before quickly going back to work.

“Wait is he the one who goes by Stealth Dragon Daihouzan?” Aeri asked pointing at Dexter

Connor shakes his head. I raise my hand, "No that's me," I reply to them. Connor looks at me surprised

"why didn't you say anything," Connor asked.

"I didn't think anything of it. I just play the game, and you guys were almost always online when I wanted to play," I replied shocked I was playing with my friend and two K-pop stars.

“Oh Yunjin ah ask him your question," Sakura replies Connor feels a pang of Jealousy as he watches Jen smile as she goes up to me. while Dexter and I on the other hand are focused on setting up the set.

“Oh, so your Daihouzan... Can I call you something shorter," Jen asks. I nod and reply "Hiro" Jen smiles at this point I notice Connor's sour look (His poker face was good I just knew how to read him specifically) I have heard a lot about you.”Jen exclaims

I nod and respond skeptically, “That's potentially worrying, but ah what the heck, how can I help you?”

“So I love typal decks and Aeri says you’re scary good at building them”

I cringe as Dexter looks at Yunjin hesitantly (we both dislike the term typal for various reasons), and then we look at Connor for guidance. Connor gives the thumbs up, and I respond, “What creature typer were you thinking and how do you want to play it?”

“I want an aggressive angel deck in white red black,” Yunjin responds. I sigh exasperatedly and die a little on the inside before he responds. Connor knew what I was about to recommend and he knew how much I hated to do so.

“Then you’re probably going to want to run Kaalia of the Vast,” I say dejectedly. Connor knows that was hard for him because I hated Kaalia so to see him suggest that for Jen made Connor laugh uncontrollably Envy fading into the back of his mind.

Jen was confused “What’s wrong with Kaalia?” She asked noticing the shift in atmosphere between her friend and his buddies.

“Nothing I just have a personal vendetta since my friend whom, I first played a lot against played her a lot, and well I was not a fan. She is wildly powerful but also super obnoxious,” I responded

Aeri's eyes narrowed at me looked at me and replied “You have a weird idea of obnoxious. I complained so much about your Omnath locus of creation deck,( Aeri doesn’t explain this but for those who are curious it’s The 4 color nonblack one, and one of my signature decks)” Connor watches as Dexter laughs, as he finishes setting up to face Kkura.

“Well to be fair I also did beat up on her because she was playing Yuriko, but the reason she is probably more upset is that she may be an enfranchised player, but she isn't entrenched,” Dexter responds. Connor looks at Dexter disappointed knowing the ensuing conversation that would follow.

“Listen just because you run free mana spells, lotuses, and og duals does not make you a better player,” Connor says to Dexter

“No, what makes me a better player is that I no-life this game. Same with Hiro,” Dexter responded which caused a laugh from all present Except Jen. Jen looked at him with surprise.

“No-life the game?” she said with her near trademarked confused face.

“Oh, Yunjin-ah he just means that mtg is the only game he plays,” Sakura responded

“That and Hunt Showdown.” Dexter clarifies. He lifts his sleeve to show his tattoo from the mentioned game.

"I play Warframe, and Monster Hunter," I interject

“Oh, that’s cool. so the two of you must be good,” Jen responds.

Dexter and I laugh knowing being "really good" is relative

Connor smiles as he looks at his friends getting along so well together. after finishing up chatting with the Fimmies Connor, Dexter, and I went to finish getting ready for the shoot. the shoot proceeds smoothly, and after the shoot; Connor, Dexter, Jen, Aeri, Kkura, and I go to hang out.

“So we saved our 250$ Connor,” Jen says to Connor after the shoot. Dexter and I begin to laugh in his seat while Connor is driving. He sighs knowing the two of them are going to have to help them learn the game in earnest.

“Hey before you do this. have you two thought of turning this in content? like YouTube videos. I know Sakura has her YouTube channel and this could be a funny episode.” Dexter suggested absent-minded Sakura looked at the Native Alaskan/Russian and her eyes widened.

Two weeks days later Jen, Aeri, Connor, Dexter, Sakura, and I were all on the set of Sakura’s YouTube (Fearless Kkura, which will become the interchangeable name for her now) channel which today happened to be a Studio that Dexter and Connor found. Dexter is acting as an assistant director for the episode, but also helping Kkura learn her deck. We all had input in construction. I was in charge of making playable mana bases because I never falter in those. Kkura is a bit distracted looking at Dexter’s shirt. It was Godzilla Vs. Great Ape Vegeta. “Okay so after you get a good mill chain going you’re going to want to start reanimating your big threats,” he said with a relaxed smile. Connor knows that Dexter loves Le Sserafim Sakura was his bias (Mine as you probably assumed is Chaewon) so he is trying his best here to not fanboy. Despite his worries, Connor sees he’s doing well. He’s relaxed. Jen and Aeri sneak up behind him.

“They have really good chemistry, Just like us,” Aeri says. Connor turns around surprised to see his two friends leaning against each other as they watch Dexter and Sakura discuss plans.

“Yeah, Kkura unnie likes his vibe,” Jen said with a bit of a laugh.

“Yeah, Dexter is a good guy,” Connor says.

“Oh, that reminds me. How’d you meet him Oppa?” Aeri asks. Connor notices Jen’s confused look at Aeri as she walks back to the table. Again he wonders if you did something to annoy Jen causing her issue with the honorifics.

“Oh that’s easy we are roommates in college and now kinda permanently. He also helped me get through some really bad times by being like an older brother to me,” he responded

“Oh, how old is he?” Aeri asks.

“he’s Eunbi's age,” Connor replied

“Oh wow, I guess he is an Oppa too. It’s so weird he and Kkura unnie feel younger.” Giselle states

"Wait how old is Hiro then," Yunjin asks. I happened to be walking by doing set up and casually said

"I am a month and 13 days older than Kkura," as I spoke I moved other cameras to where they needed to go. Yunjin smiled

"Thanks, oppa," Yunjin said. I gave her a thumbs-up as I continued on my way

“Well I don’t know Kkura that well but I do know Dexter, and that stems from his immense sincerity. Out of all of the players I know who play MTG, I have only seen two that embody a wedge and he is one of them. He plays a lot of simic x color decks but he is Naya boy through and through in terms of mentality and temperament.” Connor explains

Aeri laughs, “You know I see that. He is so focused and meticulous but also extremely kind-hearted and empathetic.”

“Also and you didn’t hear this from me, his best deck is not Maelstrom Wanderer but his Zaccama deck that's the real killer. That deck is nasty to play against.” Connor adds

“Oh really that’s surprising I would have figured it would have been Maelstrom based on Yujin’s complaints.” Aeri jokes

"Nope! Gishath has all of his crazy cards," I said as I walked past again

"Like what," Aeri asked

"Og duals, fast mana, and free spells," Connor explained

As I walked by again Yunjin grabbed me. "Stand still, will ya," she teased

"What's up," I asked

"No we just want you here as you're our friend too now," Aeri replied. My eyes went wide and my throat became dry.

"So you play green black blue right?" Aeri asked and I nod

"You helped with Kkura's deck right," Yunjin asked I nodded again

"What would be your pointers for helping us against Kkura's Kess dissident Mage deck," they both asked. I shrugged and replied.

"Most of your all's decks are commander-centric. so consistently removing said commander is going to be your best bet." the girls nodded and then turned to Connor

"So what about you guys' decks since you guys haven't shown us what y'all are playing," Yunjin said

"Wait we are playing? I thought the decks we built were just meant to be alternates," Connor and I asked

Aeri looked at Yunjin who just realized she spoiled the surprise.

"Yeah you guys are playing this episode," Aeri explained annoyed, "It was supposed to be a surprise but I guess the cat is out of the bag now," I nodded and took a step back then at Connor. a billion thoughts raced through my head but instead of worrying about them I just locked in on work. Yunjin dragged me off to have me help her get microphoned and Giselle dragged Connor with her

Connor and Giselle watch Dexter, Sakura, Yunjin and I all interact. "Crazy group we have," she said. Connor nods

"Yeah crazy to think it's been almost two months since we became friends," Connor states

"Yeah you're the older brother I always wanted," Aeri says. Connor winces a little before saying,

"Thanks" Connor replies

"Wait did I say something wrong," Giselle asked

"No I just didn't know what we were and this I guess is confirmation," Connor replies taking a page out of my book and scratching his head.

"Dude...Yunjin has your heart. I see the way you look at her. You should go for her. She is so smitten with you and would love it," Aeri says.

A huge wave of relief washes over Connor as he looks at Yunjin who is currently teasing me over the signed Chaewon card on my phone case

"Wait Hiro do you have a crush on Chaewon unnie," Yunjin says teasingly

I scowl at her and consider my response carefully, " I think all of you are super talented and I love all of Le Sserafim equally besides Eunchae, and that's only because I feel weird saying I love a minor," Yunjin laughs

"You're so silly. You and Chaewon will hit it off so well," Yunjin says

"Wait really," I say excited my mask slipping.

"So you do like her," Yunjin said victoriously. I sighed and nodded.

"No worries. I think she'll like you too. Now where did you get this card of Chaewon, and do they make one for all of us," Yunjin asked me. I nodded and replied

"Yeah there's this guy on Instagram who makes the cards, They're super cool. I can get one for all of you guys," I reply

"Oh that would be so cool," Yunjin says as we finish getting microphoned. Giselle and Connor laugh as they watch my stumbling and go over to a similar scene playing between Sakura and Dexter.

“So I hear you are a Wizone. Who was your bias?” Kkura asked Dexter intently

“Eunbi-noona I love her personality,” Dexter says flatly trying again not to Fanboy too hard

Sakura groans, “Really? Ugh”

“Wait wait wait. Aren’t you going to ask my Le Sserafim Bias?” Dexter responded realizing he made a mistake.

“Oh let me guess Chaewon?” Kura asks dejected

“While I do think she is cute, nope. It’s Sakura Miyawaki. Maybe you’ve heard of her.” Dexter said teasingly. Sakura began to blush and then lightly hit Dexter’s shoulder.

“We’ll talk after filming,” she said with a glare.

Before the episode started Dexter gave everyone super nice alter/proxies made by the online artist “Atomic Ashes”, but it was then revealed that we would also be in the episode him and he froze. he quickly recovered and got set up next to Kkura.

The Episode starts as we are rushed off the screen.

"Welcome to Fearless Kkura, and today I have some new faces," Sakura says in perfect Korean (I am told it's perfect by Connor who comments on how good it is.)

as Kkura mentions the new faces we are ushered back on screen, along with Yunjin and Aeri

"For those who don't know you all introduce yourself and what we are doing today," Sakura says. Dexter and Connor freeze I don't

"Hi, my name is Hiro these are my partners Dexter and Connor and together we are the Collective called DECOHI Productions. we make short films and other small productions, but I forget what brings us here today maybe Connor can help us out,"

Connor has now thawed and steps up, "Yeah We are here to help Sakura, Giselle, and Yunjin learn Commander, a subsection of Magic The Gathering,"

Dexter now finally calmed builds off of Connor, "Yeah we all helped them build decks and choose their commanders but before that, we have to teach them the basics, and maybe a few tips and tricks so stay tuned," he replies. We step back to the applause of Jen, Kkura, and Aeri.

"Wow great intro," Sakura said "Now let's get into it," she added. The cameras stopped as we moved to another set where there were seats and the other producers and directors asked us to sit.

The cameras start rolling and I lock in again.

"So what are the basics of Magic The Gathering Dexter," Sakura asks

"Well, Kkura the first thing you need to know is that Magic is a game of resources. everything is scare and limited,"

"Until it's infinite," I interject cooly,

"Huh," Yunjin asked confused

"Long story we'll get to that later, Now Connor please tell the lovely ladies about the game basics...Lands that is," I say

Connor and Dexter instantly know what I am doing and start riffing off of me from then on, "Well Magic has 8 card Types as of right now; Battle, Lands, Enchantments, artifacts, Soceries, instants, creatures, and planeswalkers. For commander, you may only have one of each card with a few exceptions. Basic Lands being the first. I think Hiro is best suited to explain the exceptions as he plays to many of the exceptions of MTG," Connor said

I looked at Connor surprised, "What's that supposed to mean," I say

Connor smiles trying to rile me up as he says, "It means you're a cheater,"

"But it's in the rules," I reply

Dexter smugly adds, "Doesn't make it fair,"

"Fair is relative, but I digress. In magic, there is a resource called mana. The easiest way to get it is to play cards like basic lands which tap for one mana usually. These can be played once a turn and tap for one of the 5 colors of Magic," I answer

"Oh this game has colors what are they," Aeri asks

"Oh green white blue black red," I reply, "Each color focuses on something different, and can be attributed to a virtue or vice,"

"Well now you gotta explain which is which," Yunjin said

"Green is Growth and Gluttony. White is Order or Inflexibility. Blue is change/Condescension. Black is Sacrifice or Pride. Red is passion and wrath. These colors can be combined with others to further their in-game strengths or shore up their weakness. the most common for commanders being two or three-color. Connor, Dexter, and I prefer three colors as they are the most consistent and most well-rounded the game has to offer."

"Oh really," Kkura asks, and the three of us nod.

"Well what have you built for us and what are your color combinations," Kkura asks.

"Well, I am blue red White, or nicknamed Jeskai. Jeskai is cunning and calculating but also warm and kind. except on the battlefield so enjoy it now friends because when we enter the field of battle I will crush all my enemies." Connor monologued

Dexter waved humbly and replied, " Red Green white is my combo. it's known for a lot of creature-based value. I like creatures so the combo works for me."

"Oh wow of course you two leave me with the hard job...(I turn to the camera.) Red players" I scoff which gets a laugh out of Kura and Aeri.

"For Sakura, we built a recursion-heavy Kess dissident mage deck that uses the colors Blue, Black Red, and hopes to utilize its graveyard as a second hand to push to an insurmountable advantage. This color combo is commonly known as Grixis. Next, we have Giselle on a White black Green (Abzan) Anafenza of the foremost deck. its goal is to keep the other players honest by limiting the amount of crazy shenanigans they can do. Lastly, we have hot girl Jen with an absolutely hot deck of Dragons and Angels helmed by Kaalia of the vast, red white black deck that seeks to cheat big beefy creatures into play to beat her opponents into submission." I relayed before taking a breath.

Eventually, Sakura asked the Magic words, "What are you playing Hiro?"

"Oh just the best color Combination," I reply.

[lemoncrushh]

The Entertainer II - Track 09 - Something in the Stars

Summary: What if it wasn’t the end? What if Sky did actually see Harry at the Forum in the early 80s, and he saw her too? What if fate took hold of them both, and they realized their journey was not over? Set in 1981, Harry and Sky’s story continues with more music, more romance, and a few more twists and turns.

STORY PAGE

Track 09 Word Count: 4.2k+

Read The Entertainer

“What are you wearing tomorrow?” Donna asked me Friday afternoon.

I was seated on the floor next to a filing cabinet, trying to get the last of my filing done before I left for the day.

“It’s…a red dress,” I answered vaguely.

“Ooh, red’s a sensual color!”

“It’s also the color of Christmas,” I scoffed over my shoulder.

“Even so,” Donna shrugged. “I bet Harry will like it. I was afraid to go with red myself. Joel might get the wrong idea.”

“I thought you liked Joel,” I remarked, sliding a client’s file into a tight spot.

“I don’t know…” Donna sighed. “I like him enough to go to a party with him. But I’m still not sure if I like him enough to go all the way.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed, probably a bit too loudly. Then I cleared my throat. “So you haven’t…um…”

“Nope,” she replied. “Not that he hasn’t made a move or anything…I just…I don’t know.”

“Hey, it’s okay to wait as long as you need,” I assured her. “Also, he may just not be worthy. It’s okay to say that, you know?”

“It is?”

Closing the filing cabinet with my hip, I returned to my chair and faced her.

“Of course. This is the eighties. Women should be able to speak their mind when it comes to sex. And we don’t need to put out just because we think the man wants it. Give your body when you’re good and ready, and to someone who deserves it.”

Donna rested her chin in her hand as she clicked a pen in the other.

“I take it Harry was worthy,” she said.

I felt my face flush before I even sputtered a word.

“Wh-what? Am I that transparent?”

Donna grinned at me. “I just know how you’ve been acting since you told me about him. He must be something special.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “Yeah he’s…”

I let my mind wander to him for a second, trying to think of the words to say without giving too many details.

“Harry was always worthy,” I finally answered. “That’s really the only way I can describe it.”

“Hey babe, I’m sorry to call so late. Did I wake you?”

“Yeah,” I yawned. “But it’s okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Harry,” I insisted as I sat up in bed. “I told you it doesn’t matter what time you call.”

“Hmm, I have a feeling you could change your mind eventually.”

“Eventually? Does that mean you’re gonna continue to do this?”

“I hope not,” said Harry. “But this week hasn’t shown much promise.”

Since Tuesday night when Harry had called me from the party and then stayed the night, we hadn’t had much chance at conversation. Wednesday I hadn’t heard from him at all after he’d left that morning, and Thursday night he’d called me just after I’d gone to bed, but I hadn’t been asleep yet. I’d assured him then that I looked forward to our nightly talks, no matter how late or how short. I’d stayed up late tonight in case he called around the same time, but by midnight, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

“What time is it?” I asked, my eyes still adjusting.

“Just after one.”

“Oh.”

“Are you angry?”

“No. Just tired.”

“I’m sorry, babe. Go back to sleep,” he sounded defeated.

“No. No, it’s fine. I wanna talk. I missed your voice,” I added at the end to smooth things over.

“I miss all of you,” Harry declared.

I had to admit, that smoothed it over for me. I felt bad for being a little curt with him. I wasn’t adjusting to this inconvenience very well, and I was mad at myself for it. I had to laugh.

“Why’s that funny?” Harry asked, clearly not aware of my inner thoughts.

“It’s not,” I said. “It’s absolutely adorable. But listen to how ridiculous we sound. We’re acting like we haven’t seen each other in weeks.”

“Feels like it,” Harry chuckled. “My days are running together.”

“How was it today?” I inquired.

“Good, actually. Got a lot done. One song’s nearly complete.”

“That’s great! I can’t wait to hear it.”

“Yeah, I think you’ll like it. How was yours?”

“Nothing you’d wanna hear about,” I quipped. “So are you home now?”

“Yeah, in bed. Wishing you were here.”

“Harry…”

“What? I told you I want you all the time. If I’m not working on the record, I’m thinking about you. If I am working on the record, I’m thinking about you.”

“Get out!”

Harry chuckled again, the vibrations tickling my ear and down to my toes.

“I’d ask you to come over, or I’d come to yours if I didn’t have to be at the studio early,” he added.

“Mmm, that would be nice,” I commented. “But it’s okay. I’ll get to sleep in a little.”

“Rub it in,” Harry scoffed.

“Tomorrow we can be together all night,” I reminded him.

“I can’t wait to see you, angel.”

When we ended the call, I felt much better. Harry was coming to pick me up at six. I was just as excited to see him dressed up as I was for him to see me. I just knew it was going to be a magical night.

“Playin’ with the Queen of Hearts Knowin’ it ain’t really smart The Joker ain’t the only fool Who’ll do anything for you…”

“Alright, doll,” said Kimberly, my hairdresser. “Let’s have you sit under the dryer for twenty minutes.”

As I followed her to the row of hairdryers, I hummed along to Juice Newton.

“There ya go, doll,” Kimberly called as I began to feel the heat on my scalp. “I’ll be back to check on you.”

Sitting back in the vinyl chair, I spotted a magazine on the table beside me and began to flip through it. There was a lot of nonsense I couldn’t care less about. But when I turned a page after reading a blurb on Jane Fonda, a photo of a familiar face caught my eye.

There on page twenty-six was a photo of Harry with a woman I didn’t recognize. My heart began to beat faster in my chest, and a lump caught in my throat.

“Harry Styles, 27, pictured here in June with model Mitzi Lambert at the film premiere of For Your Eyes Only,” it read, “is rumored to be working on an upcoming solo project as well as being extremely available. Though sources say he’s been seen out in L.A. recently with someone, we have yet to confirm if this is true.”

I flipped back to the cover of the tabloid to confirm the date. It had just been released. So that “someone” it referenced could have been me.

Turning back to the picture, I looked at Mitzi. She was thin, tall and glamorous. Everything I was not. She must have been that old girlfriend who knew nothing about him, although the photo suggested they were having the time of their lives.

Closing the magazine, I decided there was no need to feel jealous. He was mine now. I smiled at the thought.

Kimberly finished my hair, and I felt like a million bucks. As I stepped into my apartment, I was on cloud nine. I flipped on the stereo and sang along while I finished getting ready. Slipping my red halter dress over my head, I got tingles all over as I imagined Harry’s gaze and his hands on me later.

“Tonight’s the night we’ll make history Honey, you and I…”

I stepped into my gold shoes that matched my gold clutch handbag and stood in front of the mirror. I watched my eyes dance before I even smiled - a crystal blue color that I’d rarely seen. My makeup, applied just a bit heavier than I usually did, appeared sexy and sultry. My lipstick, the same Christmas red as my dress, made my lips look like cherries. For the final touch, I placed a gold barrette with holly on one side of my head. Then I stepped back again and giggled in the mirror.

“Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime We’ll take the best, forget the rest And someday we’ll find… These are the best of times…”

I was so excited, I couldn’t sit still. I tried watching TV while I waited for Harry to arrive, but my mind just wanted to wander. I grabbed my guitar, but my fingers kept fumbling, as though they were frozen with ice. I paced around the apartment until it was finally six o’clock, my stomach doing somersaults. The only thing left to do was sit at the table and stare at the door.

I waited.

And waited.

By six-thirty I felt nauseous, so I dialed Harry’s number, but I got his machine. I felt partial relief, believing he was on his way. Perhaps he was caught in traffic.

Six-forty-five rolled around and I thought I might pass out. Frantic, I considered calling Halo, but I didn’t want to tie up the line.

He promised, I thought.

My mind started whirling around all of the possible scenarios, the bad and the worse. I sat still at my dining table for another ten minutes. I was just about to give up and head to the bedroom to take off my dress when the phone rang.

“Hello?” I barely made a sound, let alone accentuated the two syllables.

“Baby! Baby, I’m so sorry!” he said sincerely. “I know I was supposed to be there an hour ago.”

“What happened?” I asked, my hands shaking.

“I got caught up in a session. It ran longer than we thought it would.”

“Oh.”

“Please forgive me.”

“Okay,” I mumbled.

“Listen, I haven’t left the studio yet. And I still have to stop at Irving’s.”

“What?” I was teetering on the edge of livid.

“Yeah, he has my suit,” Harry chuckled nervously.

“Why does he have your suit?” My words sputtered out like bullets.

“Long story, babe. But he was getting things ready for me.”

“Probably should have given you a watch,” I spat.

Harry sighed. “I know. You’re mad, but I deserve it. I’m really sorry.”

“Yeah. So when will you be here?”

“Actually, babe, why don’t I meet you there? I can send a car for you. You’re already late.”

“I have my own car if I’m not going with you,” I commented.

“It’s the least I can do, baby. Please don’t be so upset with me.”

I had so many things I wanted to say - to yell at him. But I figured on the phone, when I was already hurt and late, was not the time to convey them.

“I’ll send a car to come get you, okay? Right now.”

“Okay,” I said.

“I’ll meet you at the hotel.”

“Fine.”

“Sky…”

“Hmm?” I sounded, not willing to say much else.

“It can still be a wonderful night. I promise.”

Inhaling a jagged breath, I let it out. He was right. We still had the rest of the night together.

“Okay. See you there.”

“There’s a party going on right here…”

The car that Harry had sent for me had dropped me off almost thirty minutes ago. Donna and Joel had pulled me out of my seat and dragged me to the dance floor. I was not in the party spirit. I’d stopped watching the door, but I wasn’t in the mood for dancing. I just wanted to go home.

“Smile, Mary!” exclaimed Donna. “He said he’d be here, right?”

I nodded, managing a tiny smirk. I hadn’t wanted to tell my friend the whole story, so I’d just told her Harry was running late and would be there soon. I figured it was best to at least act like I was having a good time, so when the Kool and the Gang track prompted everyone to “woo hoo”, I lifted my arms in the air. By the end of the song, I felt a tiny bit better.

“I wonder what’s going on,” I heard Donna say when the next song started.

“Where?” I asked.

“Over by the door. There’s a bunch of people crowded around.”

Almost like Moses parting the red sea, the group of people near the door dispersed, revealing the cause for commotion. I stood frozen on the dance floor, my knees locked.

He looked breathtaking.

I watched him for a minute or two, waving and shaking hands with strangers - my coworkers. He was dressed all in black except for the single red carnation pinned to his lapel.

“Holy shit, isn’t that the singer from Wildfire?” I heard Joel ask.

“Really?” squealed Donna. “What’s he doing here? Is he staying in this hotel?”

“Didn’t that band break up?” Joel interjected.

“Mary’s the music fan,” said Donna. “She probably knows. Mary?”

I heard my coworker’s inquiry, but she might as well have been in another room. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. And when he weaved through a few more people and stepped closer to the dance floor, his eyes finally found mine. Stopping three feet in front of me, he clapped his hand over his chest.

“Be still my heart,” he murmured, his lips mouthing the words more than actually voicing them.

My own lips slowly spread into a smile as he took another step and grabbed my hands.

“My God, baby…” he shook his head. “You look absolutely stunning.”

“Do I?” I tilted my head.

Harry chuckled. “Yeah, you do.”

Slipping his arms around me, he pulled me to him.

“Am I allowed to kiss you?” he inquired in a whisper.

“Why wouldn’t you?”

Harry shrugged. “Seeing as this is a business affair. I wouldn’t wanna be improper.”

I grinned at him and shook my head. “Stop saying words that show off your accent and kiss me.”

I hadn’t been aware of anyone else around us until our lips met and I heard a howl. Harry lifted his head, his expression halfway between embarrassed and baffled. My face, I was sure, matched my dress.

“Sorry,” Harry smirked, not missing a beat. “I swear I asked her first.”

The crowd erupted into both laughter and claps. I rested my forehead against his shoulder until I heard the deejay announce the next song was for “lovers only.”

“Perfect timing,” Harry whispered in my ear.

I hardly had a second to question him with my eyes when the familiar words started.

“My love, there’s only you in my life…”

“Oh God, this song…” I groaned.

“You don’t like it?” asked Harry as he took my hand and led me into a dance.

“No, I do…” I nodded. “It just…makes me feel a lot of things.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“Like…”

“And your eyes, your eyes, your eyes They tell me how much you care…”

Harry mouthed the words as he stared into my eyes, then lifted his hand to cup my cheek.

“Yeah, like that,” I confessed, already feeling my eyes getting wet. “It just gets to me.”

“Music’s supposed to do that. Isn’t that one of the first things we ever talked about?”

I nodded, unable to say anything else. I could feel myself swimming in his eyes, and I knew that if I dared to move, I could drown.

“‘Cause you, you mean the world to me…”

Harry continued to serenade me as we swayed on the dance floor. My eyes still locked on him, I felt myself falling even more.

“Jesus, baby,” he sighed. “You’re so fucking pretty.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Your eyes are like diamonds,” he added, sliding his fingers down my cheek.

I grinned. “You’re really making up for being late, aren’t you?”

“What?” Harry furrowed his brows. “No. I’m not trying to make up for anything. I’m being honest.”

“Okay. You’re right. That was unfair of me to say.”

“You get very suspicious when I’m trying to be romantic,” Harry accused. “Why is that?”

“I’m not, Harry,” I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I ruined the moment. Let’s forget it.”

Harry continued to glare at me until I slid my hands up his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck. His face softened, and he pulled me tighter. I laid my head on his shoulder while he returned to singing along with Lionel and Diana. I sang along too towards the end.

“‘Cause no one can deny This love I have inside And I’ll give it all to you”

I lifted my head then to look at him again, his green eyes silently confessing to mine as his lips mouthed the words.

“My love, my love, my love My endless love…”

I thought he might kiss me again, but the deejay came back on the microphone, interrupting the moment.

“Alright! Love is in the air this holiday season! A big thanks to Harry for that special request. Now, let’s get things moving with this request from Sasha. Shake your groove thang, Sasha!”

The dance floor filled with more people as I stood and stared at Harry. Then with a turn, I weaved through people to get to the buffet.

“Baby?” Harry called after me. When he caught up to me, he grabbed my arm. “Sky. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I said. “Just needed some air. It got crowded fast.”

“Sky…”

“Have you eaten?” I asked, turning back to the buffet and grabbing a plate. “I nibbled a little earlier, but now I’m starved.”

“Sky!” Harry exclaimed. “Stop it. Why do you keep doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Avoiding the obvious.”

“There she is!” I heard to my left. “Why didn’t you tell me your Harry was a rockstar?”

I grinned at Donna shyly, setting down my empty plate.

“Sorry," I said. “I guess I didn’t wanna make it a big deal.”

Donna scoffed. “Kinda late for that. He walked in and swept you off your feet. I thought I was watching some romance movie.”

I giggled and slid my hand hesitantly around Harry’s arm, hoping he wasn’t too upset with me. But when I looked up at him, he beamed down at me.

“Harry, this is my friend, Donna. Donna, this is…my boyfriend, Harry.”

I watched Donna exchange nervous greetings with Harry, which only made me smile wider. Once again, Harry was ever the gentleman, making my friend feel special. He asked her about her job and how we became friends. It was a little awkward, but pleasant just the same.

“Well, I won’t bother you anymore, but feel free to join us at our table once you get your food.”

“Where’s Joel?” I asked, noticing he was nowhere near.

“Dancing with Sasha,” Donna pointed to the dance floor. “I wanted to sit this one out. In fact, I may sit out the rest of the evening.”

“Oh,” I chuckled.

“Lovely to meet you, Donna,” said Harry.

“You too, Harry,” she smiled. Then she pointed at me. “You I will have words with later.”

“Oops,” I laughed as she walked away.

I felt Harry’s hand on my back then. I looked at him and noticed he was inspecting the food.

“I am pretty hungry, actually,” he commented, rubbing his belly. “Haven’t eaten all day.”

“Harry Styles,” I shook my head, handing him a plate. “You can’t be an entertainer if you don’t keep your strength.”

“Yes, love.”

“Ooh, they have shrimp!” I announced, helping my plate to some.

I watched Harry out of the corner of my eye as he scooped some vegetables onto his own plate.

“You know, you look incredibly sexy,” I blurted. “Sorry I didn’t mention it before.”

Harry smirked. “Not as sexy as you. Can’t wait to get you out of that dress later.”

With a look, I grabbed the big spoon and scooped more vegetables onto his plate.

“Strength, Harry, strength!”

Harry cackled like a kid, making me smile so big my cheeks hurt.

“You two seem meant for each other,” said a woman who had just walked up to the buffet.

“You think so?” Harry asked her.

“Oh, yes. I was watching you while you were dancing. You looked like the perfect couple. And here you are laughing with each other…that’s so important in a relationship, you know.”

I beamed at Harry. “Yeah, we laugh a lot.”

“That’s wonderful. I hope you don’t mind my asking, how did you meet?”

Harry and I looked at each other, then back at the woman.

“Um…we actually met years ago,” Harry replied.

“Yeah, then he went away…” I added.

“Oh! A reunion story!” exclaimed the woman. “How wonderful.”

“Yeah,” Harry grinned.

“Well, that’s when you know it’s true love, don’t you? Something in the stars,” said the woman. “It was meant to be, for sure.”

Harry and I stole another glance at each other, and Harry winked at me.

“Well, I won’t keep you,” added the woman, giving Harry a pat on the arm. “I’m Delores Blake by the way. Charlie’s wife.”

“Nice to meet you,” Harry and I said in unison.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

When Delores left, her plate barely half full, I gasped.

“What?” asked Harry.

“That was my boss’s wife,” I cringed. “I didn’t even know.”

“Have you met her before?”

“Maybe?” I shrugged. “I have no idea. I was pretty drunk at the last party.”

Harry chuckled. “Don’t worry, love. She definitely thinks highly of you now.”

“Thanks to you, Mr. Romantic.”

I felt Harry’s eyes on me as I finished filling my plate. Donna was thrilled when we joined her at her table, and I introduced Harry to Joel. He was a nice enough guy, and it seemed that Donna had warmed up to him as well.

We had a lovely evening. Harry and I danced a few more dances, some slow, some fast, even a Christmas song or two. Several more people came up to him as the night grew on and they felt more comfortable - meaning they probably had taken some liquid courage. Harry took it all in stride. I actually enjoyed watching him. He taught me a bit about myself and how I approach and talk to people. He always looked them in the eye, whomever was speaking to him, and listened intently. I wondered if that was something that came natural to him, or if it was taught. He was never cocky or arrogant, like the rockstar stereotype. And some of my coworkers I knew better than others came to me to whisper how nice he was, and that they were happy for me.

By the end of the night, and after a few glasses of wine, I was feeling good. I was happy. I’d pretty much forgotten about Harry being late. We, along with Donna and Joel, were some of the last people remaining.

“Hey you two, we’re gonna head out,” announced Donna.

“Oh, okay,” I said.

“We’ll walk out with you,” offered Harry.

“That’s nice of you,” said Donna. “But you can stay.”

“No, we’re leaving too,” Harry insisted.

“We are?”

Harry slipped his hand around my back, his rings touching my bare skin, and I jumped out of my chair.

In the lobby, I turned to Donna while Joel and Harry were out of earshot.

“Did you change your mind about him?” I asked.

She merely shrugged.

“I don’t judge,” I said.

“I know,” she smiled. Then she leaned closer to me and whispered, “Keep this one though. He is mad about you.”

I looked at her, wanting to ask questions, but I felt Harry’s hand on my back again.

“I can tell!” Donna mouthed before she turned toward Joel who held the door open.

“Have a good night!” she called with a wave. “Nice meeting you, Harry! See you Monday, Mary!”

As she walked outside with Joel, I heard her say, “Harry and Mary. That’s so cute!”

Harry’s chuckle in my ear made me turn and look up at him.

“I sometimes forget that other people call you Mary. It’s so strange to me.”

“It’s my real name,” I scoffed.

“Nope,” he said, taking my face in his hands. “It might be your given name. But your real true name is Sky.”

“‘Like the color of the sky just before the rain,’” I quoted.

“Not tonight though,” Harry shook his head. “Tonight…I swear they look like diamonds.”

I smiled as I took his hands in mine.

“You ready to go?” I asked him.

Harry seemed to ponder my question, his eyes darting around the lobby.

“Mmm…not yet. I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” I asked.

Harry nodded. “Come with me.”

With a sly grin, he took my hand and guided me past the large Christmas tree and toward the elevators. I gasped when he pressed the up button.

“You got a room?” I exclaimed. “Here?”

As soon as the lift doors opened, Harry pulled me inside. I felt my stomach flip as we ascended, and not from the elevator. I looked up at Harry as he brushed my hair back from my shoulder, his touch sending a shooting thrill down my skin.

The look in his eyes was the same as the one on the dance floor. His lips twitched and he licked them as though he was about to say something, but he didn’t.

I wasn’t sure which floor the elevator opened on as I hadn’t been paying attention. But with my hand still in Harry’s, I followed him down to the end of the hall where he stopped and pulled a key out of his jacket.

A loud gasp escaped my throat again when Harry opened the door.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” he said.

Songs mentioned:

Juice Newton - Queen of Hearts

Styx - The Best of Times

Kool and the Gang - Celebration

Lionel Richie & Diana Ross - Endless Love

Taglist: @fkinavocado, @daphnesutton, @freedomfireflies

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

[daechwitatamic]

I. Your Wild-Running Heart || KNJ

(banner by @/itaeewon)

Title: My Feet to Follow, and My Heart to Hold (Masterpost)

Rating: NSFW - minors dni

Genre: college!au, roomie!au, angst, s2l, the absolute slowest of burns

Pairing: Namjoon x female reader, unrequited Taehyung x reader

Beta'd by @/kookstempo, @/casuallyimagining, and @/toikiii - thank you endlessly!

Summary: You know a lot about the many types of love thanks to Kim Taehyung. You love him as the only person you see as “family”, you love him as your very best friend, and you love him as the beautiful, funny man he’s become. But when a twist of fate during your senior year has you rooming with his good friend Kim Namjoon, you just might find that you have plenty left to learn about love. 

Lesson One: there are such things as a right way and a wrong way to love and to be loved.

//

When your roommate bails last-second and leaves you completely in a bind for the new school year, your best friend Taehyung mentions that his friend Namjoon needs a place off-campus, too.

Section Warnings: language

WC: 7k

The world is mine: blue hill, still silver lake, Broad field, bright flower, and the long white road A gateless garden, and an open path: My feet to follow, and my heart to hold. - Journey | Edna St. Vincent Millay

Friday August 28 

“Please, no,” you beg. “Please tell me this is a joke. I can’t live with a man. Do you know what men are like?”

Taehyung, quite a specimen of man last time you checked, cocks an eyebrow at you. “Y/N,” he says flatly. “You’re doing it again.”

It meaning being dramatic, and you resent that implication.

You whine, shuffling your feet unhappily. “But Tae,” you say - okay, you whine. “If my roommate is a guy, then I have to wear a bra in the apartment, like, all the time.”

“Oh my god,” he says, throwing his hands in the air, completely over you. “Do you want my help or not? What are your other options right now?”

How nice of him to ask. 

You’d been so excited to lease an apartment off-campus for your final year of university, even more excited to share it with a girl in your writing program named Penny. You hadn’t thought twice about putting the lease in only your own name, but when Penny texted you - the audacity of her to not even call - to say she wasn’t going to return in the fall after all, you were stuck with the responsibility.

So, since Taehyung asked, your options are this: pay the entire rent by yourself (impossible), or find a roommate, fast. 

“Namjoon’s a really good friend of mine,” Taehyung tries again. “I am personally vouching for him that he’s not a weirdo or a creep. His building flooded and he’s in a bind - just like you. He’s nice, he’s smart, and he’s normal.”

“What about clean?” you prod. 

Taehyung shrugs. “Cleaner than me.”

You sigh. You know Taehyung is right - you need someone quickly, and at this rate you’re bound to only find creeps. At least this guy - even though he’s a guy, which is your main issue - has been vetted.

“You’re not very clean,” you tell your best friend.

He grins at you, guilty as charged. 

“Could we talk first?” you suggest, nerves churning. “Like, can I meet him?”

Taehyung narrows his eyes at you. “Did you think I was going to drop the key off at his place and say ‘okay, have fun!’?”

“Maybe!” you cry, feeling a little hysterical. 

Taehyung rolls his eyes at you. “Want me to see if he can swing by the place tomorrow?”

The plan for the next day was originally for you two to load up your car through the morning, grab lunch somewhere, and then start moving your stuff into the apartment after you ate. 

“Yeah,” you answered. “That actually sounds like a good plan. Then he can see the apartment, too. And you’ll be there with me.”

“Actually a good plan,” Taehyung parrots with a scoff. “Please.”

After your lunch date, Taehyung drops you back home so you can finish packing. You’d packed a lot already - all of your big pieces of furniture were there already, your bedroom now just a mess of random piles of clothing and your bare mattress on the ground. A lot of what you still had were things you knew you’d need to use again during the days you were starting to pack - toiletries, electronics, that kind of thing. With a sigh, you turn on some music and start pulling hangers out of your closet. 

You think about your situation as you work. You’re disappointed about Penny - you’ve lost a roommate and a good friend, somehow. You’re nervous about meeting Taehyung’s friend Namjoon. You’re somehow both excited for and dreading the academic year starting - your final year, complete with a senior thesis course you’ll have to pass in June. And you’re excited for the apartment - your first one that isn’t an on-campus dorm. 

No campus security knocking on the doors, no RA going through your fridge for forbidden liquor bottles, no shared hallway bathrooms. With your own bedroom in the apartment, you’re guaranteed a space that is just yours, a sanctuary where you can have the quiet you crave and aesthetic you want, your own four walls that are completely your own. 

Taehyung’s apartment, which he shares with two friends, isn’t far from your new one - walking distance, actually. He’d offered you his couch there when Penny first bailed. But even if you took his offer, you’d be charged for breaking your lease, and you’d still have to find something more permanent - which would mean another security deposit, not to mention rent. As long as you kept the optimism that you’d successfully secure and keep a roommate, staying was the cheaper option.

You won’t talk about how you wish Taehyung would offer more than his couch.

You won’t talk about how when he’d said, “You know, you could stay with me,” in that deep, comforting voice of his, your heart had run wild. 

Then he’d continued, “That couch isn’t too bad to sleep on, I’ve done it before. And the guys wouldn’t mind. Then you’d have time to find something new, maybe something you can afford alone?”

And your wild-running heart had stuttered, stumbled, caught its footing, stood still. 

You can’t even get mad at him. He’s trying to help. It’s not his fault - at all - that he doesn’t know that your imagination leapt off a cliff at his words, was already picturing snuggling in his bed, those strong arms tight around your middle, was already picturing waking up to his sleepy smile. 

You don’t pretend for even a second that it’s anyone’s fault but your own. 

--

Around ten pm your Aunt Lin comes and knocks on your open door, looking down at the scene before her: you, sitting cross-legged on your bedroom floor, surrounded by half-closed boxes, miscellaneous items strewn around the floor around you, clothing piled up like mountains around you.

“You don’t look very ready,” she remarks.

“That’s helpful, thank you,” you say. 

Lin has raised you ever since you lost your grandmother, who had taken care of you before that. Your grandmother and Lin are the only parental figures you can really remember, but Lin’s technically only ten years your senior and has always felt more like a big sister than a mother. You can’t fault her for it; she was still quite young when she took over raising you. She certainly didn’t have to take you in, but she had, and she’d done her best. 

Lin chuckles. “Why isn’t Taehyung here helping?”

You roll your eyes. “He’s my friend, not my servant. He’s helping me move all this in tomorrow, that’s plenty.”

Lin shrugs, already disinterested. “Okay,” she says lightly. “Well, I wanted to say good luck with the move, and good luck with school this year. Let me know if you need anything.”

You look up from your packing and take in her appearance. She’s in scrubs, a huge thermos of coffee in her hand. She’s got work tonight, then, and won’t be here in the morning when Taehyung picks you up. You should have figured. 

“Thanks,” you say. 

She shifts, looking down the hall instead of at you, suddenly. Lin’s not great with emotions; it’s where you get it from.

“Okay,” she says. “I’ll see you for winter break? If not before?”

“Yeah,” you say. “Yeah. Definitely by then.”

She nods, tells you goodbye, and heads down the hallway. You hear the front door close, and you’re alone with your boxes. That’s about as mushy as it gets with Lin.

[11:44 PM] Tae Bear 🧸: what time tmrw?

[11:45 PM] You: you drive the car, you tell me

[11:51 PM] Tae Bear 🧸: 10?

[11:54 PM] You: you think that’s enough time to pack up the car and drive there before lunch?

[11:58 PM] Tae Bear 🧸: 🙄 this is why i asked YOU what time

[12:01 AM] Tae Bear 🧸: 😤

[12:02 AM] You: 9:30 

[12:03 AM] You: and bring me iced coffee 🤗 plsssss???

[12:06 AM] Tae Bear 🧸: 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

[12:08 AM] You: love u tete

[12:11 AM] Tae Bear 🧸: yeah yeah love you too 

You press the top of your phone into your forehead, closing your eyes. Letting yourself pretend, for just a second, that he could mean it the way you do.

Saturday August 29

Taehyung shows up in the morning - at ten, not nine-thirty, but he has an iced coffee for you in his car, so you let him live. 

It takes you over an hour to load up the car, the boxes and suitcases and garbage bags squished together, shoved impossibly tight, the world’s most desperate game of tetris. Taehyung declares it impossible no less than five times, bemoaning that he’ll have to make the hour drive a second time in order to fit all of your shit. 

In the end, you make it happen. It just takes a little determination. 

The drive to your university is around an hour, depending on traffic. You and Taehyung both don big, goofy aviators and blast music as you sail down the highway, the backseat loaded floor to ceiling. The car is so stuffed, you even have boxes between your feet and on your lap. 

The sun shines brightly down on you as you and Taehyung sing and groove your way through the drive, and you feel… so content, so sure that this is right, that you’re meant to be next to him, like this, forever. Like everything in the universe just clicked together to give you the perfect snapshot of how things are meant to be. 

What if you said it? What if you told him? 

Sometimes, moments like now, you just can’t fathom how he doesn’t feel it too. 

But you know better. You know he doesn’t - doesn’t want to. Something deep inside you tells you to tread carefully with this best friend of yours. Something instinctual tells you that the dysfunctional friendship you’ve crafted together is a Jenga tower and if you so much as nudge the wrong brick, it’s all coming down. 

You eat lunch at a table out in front of a cafe, people watching and basking in the sunlight. It’s the last, trickling days of August, but today’s breezy and cooler. It’ll warm up again before fall comes in full force, you’re sure, but you appreciate the reprieve from the scorching heat, since you’re about to spend several hours hauling boxes up a stairwell.

After lunch, Taehyung drives to your new neighborhood and finds a street-parking spot close to the front entrance of the tall, brick building.

“Okay,” he says. “Now the fun part.”

You giggle. “Have I told you yet that I appreciate you?”

“Elaborate, please,” he says, which is so typical for him. He looks over at you, sunglasses low on his nose.

You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling. “I appreciate you helping me move in. I appreciate you driving me. I appreciate the afternoon you’re about to spend carrying boxes and shit.”

“You’re forgetting something,” he tells you sagely.

You want to whack him in the belly for being so obnoxious, but you can’t risk him dumping all your stuff on the sidewalk and fucking off to let you deal with the stairs on your own. 

“I appreciate you finding me a roommate so I don’t have to sleep on your couch,” you add.

“There we go.” Satisfied, he unbuckles, and you both get out and examine the backseat for whichever Tetris piece seems like it could be removed easiest. Arms full of boxes, you make your way up the steps to the little lobby that houses a wall of mail slots, and then up a second set of stairs to your second-floor apartment.

You set down the box you were carrying and dig out the key, opening the door to your new home.

You really do love this apartment. Through the open space - past the kitchen and through the living room - sunlight streams in through the large front windows that overlook the city block below. You can already see in your mind where you’ll put plants on low tables, or hanging from the ceiling.

You had done the big stuff days ago, with both Lin and Taehyung’s help; Lin had rented a little moving van and you’d loaded up the big furniture. From Lin’s house, you’d taken your bedframe and boxspring, leaving just the mattress in your old bedroom at Lin’s house. You’d also loaded up your low dresser, a nightstand, and two bookshelves. You’d gotten a few pieces from a local repurposing store - a desk to work at and a little swiveling chair to go with it. Your final splurge was an expensive mattress; the one in the store had felt like damn clouds. It was set to be delivered sometime this afternoon. 

You’re already looking forward to going to sleep later.

You and Taehyung try to just put boxes where they’re meant to go. Two boxes end up in your bathroom, another two in the kitchen. You split the books between your bedroom and the living room, where a lone bookshelf is the only current piece of furniture. You heave bags of clothes and linens into your closet, determined to deal with them later. 

The mattress delivery goes smoothly, the truck arriving as you and Taehyung are about halfway done unloading the car. You leave the building’s front door and your apartment door propped open and both teams do their thing: the delivery guys carrying the mattress up the steps, you and Taehyung behind them with garbage bags full of your clothes or boxes of books. 

“You,” Taehyung pants, “have way too much stuff.”

You grin sheepishly, as in the other room your new mattress is removed from its plastic wrap and placed atop your awaiting boxspring. You’re itching to dig out your linens and make the bed; that’s always what makes a room feel ready to you, even back when you were just setting up a little dorm. Once the bed was made, everything else slowly fell into place. 

Once the delivery truck rolls away, you throw yourself bodily onto the mattress, letting out a series of happy groans as you let the pillowy goodness envelop you. 

“Taehyung,” you call tantalizingly. “Come feel it.”

You hear him drop a box in the living room with an audible oof - it must have been more books - and then he comes into your new bedroom and flops sideways across the bed next to you, the mattress jumping and settling again under his weight.

“Wow,” he says, rolling on his back and then turning to look at you, his legs bending to touch the floor. “This is nice. Let’s trade, I’ll bring mine over.”

“Nope,” you say, smiling. “I bought this one with my hard-earned summer money. It’s just for me.”

“Yeah,” he says, voice wry, “for you and your guests.”

Now you do whack him in the belly. He grunts, hands covering the spot, then lays still again.

“That wasn’t nice,” he comments mildly. “No hitting.”

“What guests?” you pout. “I haven’t had a guest since–”

“Ah, spare me the Great Drought of 2022 story,” he begs. He sits up, reaching into his pocket. As his hand retracts, you realize his phone is buzzing with an incoming call.

“Bro,” he says as a greeting, and then listens. “Yeah, we’re here now. That’s fine. Sounds good. Okay.”

He taps to hang up and looks at you. “Namjoon is almost here. That’s fine, right?”

“I was right here,” you huff. “Yes, it’s fine, but you literally could have asked me.”

Taehyung ignores you. “There’s one more box. I’ll go get it, and then I’ll stay while you meet with Joon, and then I’m gonna go, okay?”

“Oh,” you say, heart sinking a little bit. You’d kind of hoped he’d stick around, just hang out and goof off while you unpacked boxes and organized your stuff. “Sure.”

He reads you like a book; he always does.

“Don’t pout,” he says, and there’s something apologetic in his tone. “I just have to do some stuff today. And I really need to shower, this got me all sweaty.”

Well, you don’t need that mental image. Luckily, you’re saved from yourself by a knock at the front door. This strikes you as so polite, because not only is Namjoon going to literally live here, but also because the door is still propped wide open.

You sit up, fixing your hair from where you laid on it. Taehyung has already made his way through the living room and is giving a one-handed bro-hug to the guy at the door. You make your way over, heart thumping. 

You notice a few things right away. He’s tall - taller than Taehyung, and you don’t see that often. His eyes are absolutely striking - there’s sharpness to them, something that makes you want to see the world how he does, something that makes you want to keep looking, something that makes you curious about how he’d see you. 

When he smiles, each cheek dimples, the perfect size for the pad of your index finger. He’s all in browns except for a pair of light-wash jeans. He’s got a dark brown beanie tugged low on his head, and even his thin, wire-frame glasses seem to be chosen for the vibe above all else.

“Hi,” you say, sounding a little shy even to your own ears. Taehyung moves out of the way and you reach to shake Namjoon’s hand. “I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you. Taehyung promised me you’re normal.”

The guy lets out one big laugh, surprised. “He told me the same,” he says conspiratorially, “but really, that’s such a subjective thing.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes, and you step back to let Namjoon in, preparing to show him around. 

“Kitchen and living room are here,” you say unnecessarily, since he can see for himself. “Your bedroom would be on this side.” You push open the door and Namjoon sticks his head in. The room is completely bare, the empty closet door standing open. 

“You get your own bathroom,” Taehyung points out. Namjoon nods appreciatively, still looking silently back and forth across the room that would be his as soon as you pass him a key.

“Is it okay?” you ask, suddenly feeling nervous. If this guy backs out, you’ll be back at square one, and now with less time to solve the problem.

“Oh,” he says, as if remembering he should communicate. “Yeah! It’s great.” He turns and peers at the living room, which is empty but for your lone bookshelf and several boxes of books, unopened.

“I have some stuff we can put here, if you want?” he asks, his tone a little uncertain. “Specifically, I have a couch and coffee table, plus a TV and a console to put it on. It should all fit.”

“That would be great,” you say enthusiastically. “I was already stressing out about saving up enough for a couch.”

He nods easily, looking around the room thoughtfully. Taehyung has wandered over to the large windows and is looking up at the tree that stands right outside, the branches waving lightly in the afternoon breeze. With the sunlight coming in, he looks like a painting. 

“I have a rug, too,” Namjoon muses. “Would you be interested in that?”

“Definitely,” you tell him, tearing your eyes away from Taehyung’s back. There’s something knowing in Namjoon’s face as he watches you, and you flush, feeling weirdly caught.

“Okay,” he says, “I’ll bring it. What about kitchen stuff?”

“I don’t have a ton,” you admit, pointing to the two boxes - not very big ones - that you’ve left on the kitchen counter. “If you’ve got more, that’s probably good. I don’t cook that often, to be honest. I’m not very good at it.”

Namjoon smiles at you, leaning over a little like he’s letting you in on a secret. “I can barely boil water,” he admits. “So you’re all good.”

You stand together as you discuss how you’ll be splitting the monthly costs for the utilities, not to mention the high-speed wifi that’s getting set up in two days. That leaves you to work out the rent, what day it’s due and how you want to handle paying it. In the end, you decide that he’ll electronically pay you, and you’ll pay the landlord, since it’s your name on the lease. He pays you right there on the spot, and you pass him the key that was meant for Penny.

“Is it okay if I start moving my things tomorrow?” he asks you.

You shrug. “This place is yours now, too,” you say easily. “You can honestly do what you want.”

“Okay,” he says. “I’ll probably start in the morning then?”

“I can’t promise I’ll be up,” you laugh, “but don’t let that stop you!”

“Should we…” he pauses, adjusts his glasses. “Should we exchange numbers?”

Taehyung makes a face you know well; it’s the face he makes when he wants to laugh or make fun of something, and he’s doing the Good Person Thing by keeping the thought to himself, but he wants to make sure you know by his face that he is holding it in. He wants credit for doing the Good Person Thing.

You honestly hate him sometimes. It’s the only thing keeping you from tipping straight into insanity. Sometimes, I really hate Taehyung. 

“Yes, we probably should,” you say, because someone in this room needs to act like they aren’t twelve years old, and it’s not going to be Kim Taehyung, apparently.

You do, and then Namjoon tells you both goodbye, making his way back out to the hallway and down the steps. You can hear his footsteps fall away into nothing. 

Taehyung looks at you, smiles angelically. “See?” he says. “I told you he was nice.”

He reaches for his keys on your kitchen counter. You frown, detecting his imminent departure. 

“Will you come over tomorrow?” you ask, a little pitifully. 

He considers this, and nods. “For dinner?” he suggests. 

“Yeah,” you say. “We still won’t have wifi yet. We’ll be bored.”

“Only boring people get bored,” Taehyung says sagely, holding up one finger like a wizened philosopher. Then he comes to hug you goodbye, pulling you into a sweet embrace. You want to live there, in the spot between his arms. 

Once he’s gone, you look around your new home. Alone, you decide to put on music and start tackling boxes. You start in the bathroom, finding towels so you’ll be able to shower in the morning, unpacking all your toiletries, setting up your toothbrush just so. You do the kitchen second; the sun sets outside as you find places for your battered pots and pans. 

You stop for dinner, getting take-out from a place nearby that delivers. Then you dive back in, setting up your bedroom. It feels cozy already, once the bed is made and you’ve plugged in your little lamps. Calmer, you start folding clothes to put into dresser drawers. At one point you wander out of your room to get some water and you freeze in your bedroom doorway, struck by how lonely it feels. 

The rest of the apartment is lit only by the yellow glow coming from your bedroom, plus the thin, white light that filters in from the streetlight below the living room windows. You hurry into the kitchen and turn on the light over the sink, which vanishes some of the bad feeling for you. You pour your glass of water and lean heavily on the counter, looking out at your empty living room, and the dark doorway of Namjoon’s untouched room. You wish Taehyung had come back over, or that some of your university friends had moved back into the area sooner.

You rinse your glass and head back into your room, ready to distract yourself with more unpacking until you’re tired enough to sleep.

Sunday August 30

Bumps and crashes wake you in the morning. It takes you a few minutes to figure out where you are - ah, the cloud bed, in your new room. The morning sunlight is strong; apparently the windows on the front of the apartment face the east. You make a mental note to shop for some good blackout curtains, and check your phone. Not much waiting for you - Lin texted around 1 am asking if you got settled okay, probably while she was on a quick break. You answer her, check your socials, and then lay back, just looking around. 

You got a lot done yesterday, but you still have more unpacking to do. It also occurs to you that not only is there no coffee waiting for you in the kitchen, there’s no food of any kind in the whole place, unless you count your container of leftover takeout from last night. 

You shower and get dressed, figuring it's best to stay out of the way - you can hear the grunts and huffs and loud bumps that indicate Namjoon’s got some friends helping him move things in. But eventually, the growling in your stomach and your body’s clamoring for caffeine send you out into the living room.

The low entertainment center is in place across the room from you, a flatscreen tv situated on top. There are now two stools tucked beneath the breakfast bar in the kitchen, and a pretty, wooden coffee table sits in the center of the living room.

There’s a guy on the floor surrounded by furniture pieces, a screwdriver, and a packet of instructions in his hands. You can hear a lot of shouting, bumping, and cursing floating in from the stairwell down the hall. 

“Hey,” the guy on the floor says. “You’re Y/N? I’m Namjoon’s friend, Yoongi.”

“Hi,” you say, a little bewildered. “What are you… building?”

He sighs, squinting at the paper in his hand. “It’s supposed to be a bookshelf. Eventually.”

You’re about to respond to this when the noise from outside the open door gets infinitely louder. You see Namjoon’s expansive back as he shuffles backwards through the doorway, one end of a faded, grey couch in his hands. 

“Okay, you have to turn,” he coaches whoever is on the other side.

The couch makes it through the door, and you’re surprised to see that you know the other person carrying the couch. He’s one of Taehyung’s best friends, and you’ve hung out together as a group plenty of times over the last three years.

“JayKay!” you call happily. “Welcome to my house!”

He laughs, nose scrunching with delight. “Y/N,” he crows. “Where should I put the couch?”

“Across from the tv,” Namjoon answers for you, sounding a little breathless. They shuffle through the room, and you notice for the first time that they’ve already put the rug in place, covering most of the warped, wooden floor of the living room. The couch settles over top of it, and Namjoon slides the coffee table to a more centered position.

One more guy comes through your doorway, carrying a nightstand and a lamp. He’s got quite possibly the widest shoulders you’ve ever seen. He disappears into Namjoon’s bedroom, and you hear the quiet thump as he sets the nightstand down in there.

“Wow,” you say. “You’ve got a whole moving crew.”

“Notice who’s not here helping,” Jungkook grumbles.

You smile to yourself. If you know him at all, you’ll guess Taehyung isn’t even out of bed yet. 

“In his defense,” you say, and Jungkook snorts, as if it’s so typical that you’d defend Taehyung, which… it might be, “he did a lot for me yesterday. We had his car packed with my stuff.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jungkook mutters and turns to - presumably - get more stuff from downstairs.

“You have a lot left?” you ask Namjoon, who seems to be catching his breath for a minute, perched on the arm of the couch. “I’d offer to help, but I was just about to go get groceries - there’s very literally no food here.”

“We’re about done with the heavier stuff,” he says, looking at the open door, like he’ll find an inventory there that he can reference. “But still plenty of assembling left.”

“Hooray,” Yoongi deadpans from the floor, holding the instruction packet up in the air like a different angle will help him decipher the directions.

You find your little foldable cart and make your way to the grocery store a few blocks away. By the time you’re done scouring the aisles, you’ve loaded the cart to the top and still have to carry some of the bags. But at least now you’ll have food to eat, things to drink besides tap water. 

Getting up the stairs with your groceries sucks, but you make it, panting like crazy as you finally unlock the front door and let yourself in.

You’re greeted with silence; it’s clear the guys are all gone. The living room looks completely different than twenty-four hours ago. The couch and table look great, and it seems like Yoongi’s bookshelf is mostly complete - it’s upright, just missing a few shelves near the top. You set the groceries down in the kitchen next to three unopened boxes - it seems like Namjoon’s gameplan was the same as yours yesterday: get the boxes into the appropriate rooms, do the rest later. 

You peek into his bedroom - he’s left the door all the way open, which feels nice, like he trusts you, and you make a mental note that you should probably do the same. You notice that it looks like the furniture is all in place there, too. It doesn’t differ much from yours, actually. The bedframe is put together, the boxspring and mattress leaning against the far wall. He’s also got a tall chest of drawers, a wicker hamper, and in the corner, a desk. Namjoon’s furniture is a lot more modern looking than yours, sleek and matching. You bet he didn’t get half of his from the thrift store. 

You put the groceries away and make yourself a small lunch, eating it on the couch in the quiet of the apartment. You’ve got about twenty-four hours to go until there’s wifi and you can stream shows when you’re home alone. You’re just cleaning up your lunch when you hear a key in the lock, and then the cacophony of boys’ voices as they reenter the apartment. 

“-far superior, I’m telling you,” Jungkook is saying emphatically. The smell of greasy burgers and fries hits you in the kitchen along with the sound of his voice.

“I hear what you’re saying, and I respect your opinion,” a flat voice responds that you think might belong to Yoongi. “It’s just that you’re wrong.”

“Hey,” Namjoon says, noticing you standing in the kitchen. The guys pass through, heading into the living room, Jungkook already digging in the bag. They surround the coffee table, handing out burgers and fries, filling the room with delicious smells and noisy chatter.

You take this opportunity to head back into your room, sitting on your bedroom floor and opening one of your boxes of books, starting to put them on the small shelf beneath your window. You pop in your airpods and turn on music, losing yourself in the monotonous movement of digging out a new book, then turning to place it on the shelf. Rinse, and repeat.

When you finish, you move into your closet. You put your little wire shoe rack back together and locate your box of shoes, lining them up neatly. Then, you tackle another garbage bag full of clothes that go on hangers, flapping each shirt or dress to relieve it of wrinkles before hanging it up. After that, you find a box of miscellaneous dresser items - jewelry boxes, perfume bottles, headbands - and put those where you want them, too.

By the time you decide you need to sit down and take a break, it’s nearly evening, the light outside reaching that golden hour. You really do love the natural lighting in this place. 

You take out your airpods and set them to charge, listening carefully. You’ve had your bedroom door open this whole time, but the guys had left you alone and you’d minded your own business. Now, the apartment is filled with silence again. They must be gone.

You text Taehyung for the first time that day, which strikes you as weird. He must have been busy today, too. It’s odd for you two to make it until almost dinner without speaking.

“Dinner?” you text, and then wander out into the living room. 

“Hey,” a voice says from near the floor, and you practically leap out of your skin. You startle so violently that your phone slips from your hands and clatters to the floor.

“Holy crap,” you breathe when you realize Namjoon is sitting on the floor next to his newly assembled bookshelf, an open box of books before him. He seems to be sorting them into piles before putting any on the shelf.

“Sorry,” he says, eyes wide. “I didn’t mean to--”

“No, you’re fine,” you assure him. “I’m just… a jumpy person. You’ll get used to it.”

You watch him sort books for a minute, then eye your own empty bookshelf, your boxes still closed on the ground next to it. You decide if it’s Bookshelf Hours, you might as well, right? You set your phone on the coffee table and settle in, opening your first box and starting to place books on the bottommost shelf.

“So,” you say, because it feels weird to be sitting four feet from your new roommate and not speaking, “Taehyung said you’re a grad student at the university?”

Namjoon nods wordlessly, eyes on the books he’s sorting. “Yep,” he says finally. “And you’re a senior?”

“Mhm,” you confirm. 

After that scintillating conversation, you both lapse into silence as you work. You continue like that for some time - long enough to reach the middle shelf - before you realize you hear your phone buzzing on the table. You stretch to reach for it, missing how Namjoon glances sideways at you, at how an inch of your stomach is revealed as you lean over. 

“Hi,” you say, pressing the phone to your ear.

“Took you long enough to answer,” Taehyung gripes.

“Sorry,” you say. “We were putting books away.”

Taehyung’s silence is just one beat too long. “We, huh?”

You laugh, once. “I mean? That’s what each of us is doing? So? Yeah?” From his spot a few feet away, Namjoon glances over his shoulder, frowning slightly.

“Anyway,” you say, “dinner? Do you want to come over?” 

“Yes,” he says decisively. “Order us something and I’ll head over?”

“Sure,” you say, already hanging up. You don’t need to ask what he wants; no matter where you order from, you know what he likes. 

“Do you want to order with us?” you ask Namjoon mildly as you scroll through the local delivery app. “I was thinking pizza.”

“Yeah,” Namjoon says slowly, like he was deep in thought and has to process what you’d said to him. “That would be nice. Thanks.”

The place you’d order from back when you lived in the dorms is actually closer to this apartment than campus, which is the most beautiful, serendipitous thing that’s ever happened in your life. You place the order for delivery and continue putting your books away. Once all the books are on shelves, you’re essentially done - finally, after two days - unpacking. 

This gives you exactly one whole day to relax before you have to start going to classes again.

Taehyung arrives before the pizza, knocking on the door in a silly rhythm. You pound back on your side of the door, echoing his rhythm, before opening it, greeting him with a big smile. You’d missed him; of course you had.

“Wow,” he says, genuinely impressed, as he peers around you. “It looks so much different in here.”

“Right?” you ask, filled with joy. Taehyung pokes his head into the kitchen, which is arguably the least “ready” room, as aside from putting your things into drawers and cupboards, neither you nor Namjoon had really done much to it. No hand-towels hanging by the sink, no magnets on the fridge, even the counters were empty, save for the two sets of keys resting there. Taehyung adds his own to the key pile and moves into the living room, which is much more impressive.

“Hey, man,” Namjoon says from the floor. It seems like he’s done sorting his books into piles and has started actually putting them on shelves now. “Looks good, right?”

“It does,” Taehyung answers from the doorway of Namjoon’s room, where he's peeking nosily. “The guys helped you?”

“Everyone except you and Jimin,” Namjoon says innocently. 

Taehyung smiles guiltily. “I helped Y/N the entire day before, just the two of us,” he argues. “And what about Hobi? He’s on--”

“--on vacation with his parents,” Namjoon finishes agreeably, “so he’s off the hook. Where was Jimin?”

“Where do you think Jimin was?” Taehyung scoffs, reaching down and touching the rug absently.

“Sleeping,” you and Namjoon say at the same time, both of your voices wry. You smile at him, and he looks away. 

The pizza arrives and you all sit around the coffee table to eat. Conversation flows better with Taehyung in the mix; he talks so much, it almost doesn’t matter if anyone else does. 

“I was thinking of making a list of things we need for the apartment that wouldn’t necessarily belong to either of us - cleaning supplies, stuff like that,” Namjoon says to you. “I thought I could buy it and we could split the cost?”

“Buy the cheap stuff,” Taehyung advises. “Y/N’s summer money is gonna go fast, especially the way she orders out instead of cooking.”

“Thank you, Taehyung,” you say flatly, shooting him a look. “I start work in like two days. I can handle it.”

After the pizza’s done, Namjoon goes back to working on his bookshelf, obviously wanting to clear the floorspace of his book piles sooner rather than later. You and Taehyung sprawl across the couch opposite each other, his feet resting near your elbow, both of you on your phones. 

You stay like that until nearly midnight, talking occasionally but mostly just happily coexisting in your own little bubbles. At some point, Namjoon finishes the bookshelf and wanders into his bedroom, pausing to look at you two on the couch before disappearing. He pushes his door almost shut, leaving it open a few inches. You hear the subtle sounds of music playing from behind the door, but not loud enough to discern what it is. 

Taehyung hugs you before leaving, and you snuggle into the embrace, body exhausted from the moving process. He rests his chin on top of your head, swaying you around a little bit. 

“Thanks for helping me,” you murmur into his chest. Sometimes the only time you can get Taehyung to be serious for a conversation is when you’re like this; in each other’s arms, your walls come down - in his case, deflecting with humor and sarcasm, brushing off everything like it’s a big joke. In yours, saying what you really mean, and not a more delicate version of it.

“You’re welcome,” he answers, squeezing you a little. “I’m glad everything worked out. It really does look good in here. And I think you guys will get along.” 

Once he leaves, you deadbolt the front door and head to the kitchen to wash the plates and cups you’d used for pizza. Behind you, you hear the squeak of door hinges, and Namjoon pads into the kitchen behind you. He pauses, scanning the cupboards.

“I don’t remember which one I put my cups in,” he laughs a little, and then starts opening each one until he finds what he needs. Once he has a glass, he rummages in the fridge, taking out a juice carton and filling his glass about halfway. You finish washing the last plate and turn the water off, rummaging through a drawer for a dish towel to dry everything.  

“So…” Namjoon says between sips of juice. “You two are pretty close, huh?”

“Yeah,” you say, shrugging easily. “He’s my best friend.”

Namjoon hums, nods, purses his lips thoughtfully. If you knew him better, you’d push - ask him what that face means, or why he’d asked in the first place. 

But, you don’t need to. You know already. You’re used to being interrogated by others about your relationship with Taehyung. Sometimes people are trying to see if you’re a threat in their quest to worm their way into Taehyung’s heart (or pants) - and in your own weird way, you kind of are, at least for the former. 

Taehyung definitely sleeps around, but he’s surprisingly tight-lipped with you about it. You’re not sure if he’s sparing you, or he’s actually just a gentleman. Could go either way. But when Taehyung considers dating someone - rare, to say the least - he always has you vet them first. You never like any of them, surprise surprise. 

You’re used to girls approaching you in bathrooms, sometimes aggressively, sometimes meekly, to ask if Taehyung’s your boyfriend. You’ve had girls come apologize, saying they “didn’t know about you”. Once you’d had a girl nearly shove you down a staircase for talking to “her man”, but luckily, said man was walking next to you and helped shut the whole thing down. (You two had had a serious talk after that one about communicating with his partners about his relationship status. Things have never gone that far again, to date.)

Less frequently, you’ll get asked about Taehyung by guys who are interested in you, who are trying to figure out how much of a lost cause it is. That one’s a little trickier. How do you tell the cute guy at the coffee shop that no, you’re not dating Taehyung, but you are secretly so in love with him that it really isn’t worth their time? 

Anyway, usually you just tell guys that you’re not dating Taehyung but that you’re not interested in dating anyone. It usually does the trick. It’s not that far from the truth, either.

That leaves the last category of people who ask about you two, and this is where you feel Namjoon falls: the people who watch your weird, boundary-pushing friendship and are just genuinely curious how it could possibly work. 

And you get it, you really do. You know how this looks from the outside. Hell, you’re sure that from the outside it’s fairly obvious how gone you are for him. Is it just as obvious to the outside that he sees you more like a sister than anything datable? 

Probably.

You’ve had friends ask you what keeps you around. You always say the same thing - regardless of your feelings for him, he’s also your absolute best friend.

Your friendship is precious to you, sacred. It sometimes feels like the only thing you have, in a life where you generally don’t have much. Your family is Lin - that’s it, end of the road. Your girlfriends are nice, but Penny was the closest you had and she’s across the country now. You only have Taehyung. And what you have with him, as special as it is, it’s also precarious. 

If you lose him, it isn’t just that you’ll lose him - and trust, that would be devastating - it’s also that you would be deeply alone. 

Finished with the dishes, you bid Namjoon goodnight and head back into your room for the night, planning to change into pajamas and wait for Taehyung to text you that he made it home safely, wait for Taehyung to text you goodnight. Namjoon murmurs goodnight, but you feel his calculating gaze on your back until you close your door softly behind you.

Next ->

Thank you so much for reading! I started writing this in August, it feels amazing to finally postttttt. Please consider some type of feedback - I'd love to hear anything you want to share! Section II will post on Friday, January 27th - hope to see you there!

[melanatedkink]

Forget About It

Pairing: Y/N x Sero Hanta

Quirkless AU

Warnings: Angst, mentions of sex, trauma dumping if you squint, impulsive writing, love confession, implied happy ending

What had started out as an undisputed, best one night stand of your life, quickly devolved into a rollercoaster of unrequited turmoil. You breaking your own rule, falling in love with a man you met strictly to have sex with. A man who had been coming to the bar you worked for with his friends. A man who had won you over one night with a wink and a challenge. You remember when he first offered, you smugly blew him off.

"Every guy thinks he's unforgettable in bed. What makes you different?" you scoffed.

Hanta shrugged," True. But if you are able to forget me after tonight, it would definitely be because of the alcohol,"

A cheesy line. You were well aware, but it was a Friday night, and you were getting out of closing the bar so you took him up on his offer. He made sure you felt comfortable in his home, starting up a healthy conversation before getting intimate. He asked questions about what you were into. You never met a man that thorough. And anything you didn't like would be swept away in favor of your desires. He followed your lead, complimenting your drive harmoniously through the night.

The next few days, you chewed your lip whenever you saw his number at the top of your message list. It was so tempting to text him. But, you didn't need him saving face. He probably didn't even remember you. God, you couldn't convince yourself to not send that text. One that effectively sealed your fate, when he invited you over that night.

Those few times festered into a pastime. You began meeting with his even if he hadn't showed up to the bar. You would chat, go out with his friends, and ultimately spend more time in house just talking rather than ripping each other's clothes off. You couldn't deny the way he perked up at your suggestions to see him, nor could you hide the anticipation you felt everytime you set up a meeting.

"Y/N?" You glanced up to find Hants offering you a glass. It was a coktail you two had been sipping on as you lounged on his couch. You offered a smile, and took it. You hoped he didn't notice how awkward you were being.

He smirked, tilting his head as he rounded the couch and sat on the floor. He looked up at you like he was trying to figure something out without saying anything.

"I don't get you, sometimes," he began.

You furrowed your brows at is observation," What's not get?"

"Get this, okay," He turns so he can lay an arm on your knees as he speaks,"We meet up. You text me back days later proving me right by the way." He accents his statement with a wink before continuing," We hang out. You meet my friends and...you're still sitting here like it's our first night together. If you think I'm attracted to shyness, well, I got news for you,"

You fiddle with the cup. Of course you were well aware of the way you acted. It was almost obsessive how you kept tabs on everything you said in a single conversation, combing every word for a reason to be cast out. You chest tightened. Cast out. Forgotten. It was easy to keep up appearances at a bar. Being awkward in the midst of tipsy patrons was low risk. Getting to know someone was much harder to do. Because for you, the deeper the rabbit hole went, the more alone you'd end up feeling. Those starter conversations didn't hold up too well, and your personality...well forget that. Nobody was gonna take the time to understand that.

"I-I...what an observation," You faltered.

Hanta sighed, his flirty tone losing its dominance.

"You're really gonna make me say it first, huh?"

You stiffen," Say...what?"

"I get that where we met wasn't conventional but I do like you. I thought that taking you out might get you to be a little more comfortable with me but...it doesn't seem to be helping,"

You go to set your cup down, willing all the sobriety you could muster for this.

"But, if telling you that I like you and I want to be your lover helps then-"

"I have to go,"

Hanta stuttered as you rose from the couch. He scrambles to his feet, inserting himself between you and the front door.

"Woah woah, you're not going anywhere after drinking. At least let me take you home,"

"Y-you don't have to. I can call a ride-"

"Okay, what is it?" he softens his tone," What is it that I'm doing that's making you so...distant?"

Of all the times a little white lie would have sufficed, you couldn't lie to Hanta. He wasn't a stranger at this point. You cared about him. But the idea of him getting close...finding something about you that he couldn't put up with. You couldn't deal with that again. You couldn't untangle that emotion with Hanta.

"L-look I...I hate being alone. I've had to be alone for so long because I just don't really know how to connect with people. I'm too intense. I want to be close and learn things about them and show them I care. But one too many times, people just...they don't really want that. At least, not from me," You lock eyes with him," I don't just like you. I care. And if you think that's gross or weird just tell me,"

He shook his head in disbelief," Who the hell made you think like that? You think that...that getting close makes you lonely?"

You shrug,"I can't help it,"

"Okay but, one that doesn't make you the problem, and two that is exactly what I want from you," Hanta states," Do you really want to be alone, again?"

You consider his words. It was a novel idea, one you had never seen in practice. Logically, you couldn't risk it, but emotionally, you were exhausted. You couldn't go another day tormenting yourself with the idea that yet another person didn't want you as close as you wanted them. You shook your head, readying yourself for a plot twist to confirm your reality. Instead, you were met with a gentle kiss on the top of you head. Hanta gazed at you filled with conviction. He didn't know what you had been through, but he was sure going to find out. If not tonight, then on a date where you would officially be together.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Hellfire's Mama fox Chap. 9; A Munson Christmas

*Author's note*

Since the last chapter was pretty short I give you guys a longer chapter to digest and enjoy. Kinda had difficulty with this cause writing a Christmas fic when it's summer time just doesn't feel right, especially when there are days when the humidity is too high to get into the Christmas spirit. But I hope you all enjoy this chapter nonetheless and until the next update my lovelies :)

NEXT CHAPTER

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@queen-paladin

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@remussl0vers

@sweetpeapod

@assassinsasha23

______________________________________________________

Another thing about the holiday season is that we don’t just get a half week off for Thanksgiving, but our two week of Christmas and New Years also happens right around the corner.  After getting through our midterms everyone from freshmen to seniors could breathe a sigh of relief as this past week was a relaxing time before the Christmas holiday.

And as mentioned before, every Friday when hellfire met, I brought out my oneshot campaign of ‘The Wrath of the Snow Queen’.  Today was our final day to wrap up the entire story then Eddie had said he had an announcement about our New Year campaign.

“The freezing cold of the fortress has weakened your strengths. Though you all have fought bravely and valiantly, it would seem the Snow Queen’s wrath was too great for you all to handle. Do you yield and become part of her Winter army? Or does one of you have the guts to try one final time to finish her off?” I announced as I looked to the boys.

“Time out!” proclaimed Jeff as he and the boys huddled up.  “Guys I hate to say it but we’ve got to surrender.”

“I concur.” Agreed Gareth.

“Now hold on! If we yield now we’ll become eternal white walker zombies.” Eddie stated.

“He’s right. We’ve still got 15 hit points left we can’t just give up now!” exclaimed Dustin.

“We got lucky last time, maybe we can have a luck of the dice again.” Mike suggested.

“Unlikely Mike. The Snow Queen has frozen my sword unbreakable and Gareth’s scepter. Without our most powerful weapons we’re fucked!” said Lucas.

“Hey!” I interjected.  The boys turned to me as I then spoke as Jadis, the Snow Queen.  The motherly-like tone that held an icy, chilling tone.  “While I commend your efforts to defeat me, it’d be wise to heed the words of your comrades. Come and stand at my side. You know you have no hope of winning this.” I extended my hand out to them and gave them a sinister grin with a lustful, hypnotic look in my eyes.

“One sec.” Dustin held his finger up to me before the boys came back into their huddle.  “What do you think Mike?”

“Who here has at least enough hit points to go against her?” asked Mike.  They were silent before Eddie said.

“I guess that’s me. But it’s only 10.”

“Alright Eddie. I know it’s risky as hell but you’re the only one with enough strength to fight. So it’s your call.” Eddie pondered before coming up from the group huddle and he sneered at me.

“This isn’t over until the last one stands you bitch.” My smirk widened.

“Foolish mortal.” I taunted.

“Eddie, are you sure man? There’s no shame in running.” Jeff said to him.

“If we don’t win this, the entire kingdom will be engulfed in an eternal winter. And I can’t let that happen.” He said to Jeff before holding out his palm. “Give me the D20.” I picked up his black and red dice and tossed it over to him.

Eddie brought the dice up to his lips and blew into it twice before slowly rolling it between his palms then really began to shake it up.  The boys gathered around him all waiting with anticipation and anxiety as their fates came down to this last roll.

Finally Eddie let the dice go onto the board.  It skipped and rolled across the board until it started to slow down and finally land on it’s number.  Unlucky number 8.  The boys exclaimed in disbelief and fear as my grin went wider and I did a few hand movements, bending my fingers or flexing them like a dancer’s before whispering.

“Frozen heart.” I then shot my hands outward and Eddie froze to where he stood before collapsing onto his chair.

“NOOO!! BEREN!!!” the boys exclaimed.

“Do not weep for him gentlemen, you shall soon join him.” I spoke as Jadis before speaking once again in my Dungeon Mistress tone.  “You soon feel an icy chill on your feet, slowly inch by inch ice begins to encompass up your bodies until each of you are nothing but frozen statues. With a few waves of hands, you all soon awake but all any of you saw was a vision of a world of eternal ice and snow. You all have now become part of Jadis’ White walker army. And have failed in saving the Kingdom from an eternal winter.” I then laughed as Jadis before switching off the lantern.  “And thus ends our winter campaign Hellfire.”

“Damn Roxxi, you really showed no mercy on any of us.” Said Dustin.

“Can’t have you boys winning all the time.” I shrugged as I turned on the main lights in the drama room and started packing everything up.

“Alright my little sheepies. Before we depart on our Winter solstice holiday, I’d like to make an announcement about next year’s campaign.” The boys all turned to Eddie giving him their full attention.  “I want all of you to prepare new character sheets by January 6th because this new campaign will be the biggest one that Hellfire’s ever known. For we are about to embark on the Cult of Vecna.”

The boys cheered and high fived each other all talking about the well-known history of Vecna and his cult.  I too was excited and couldn’t wait to help Eddie with this campaign.

“Happy Christmas you guys, see you next year.” I bid farewell as the boys all packed up their stuff before leaving the drama room leaving Eddie and I alone to place everything back for the holiday break.

“You really were a brutal Dungeon Mistress with this campaign my Queen.”

“You’re not the only one who can be cruel when she wants to in her campaigns. You have no idea how hard it took me to try and make sure that none of you was going to come out on top. The rewrites I had to do.”

“Well if I’m honest sweetheart, this was probably better than your Halloween campaign. I mean don’t get me wrong, you went above and beyond for Halloween. Far more than you’ve ever done. But this campaign…..” he let out a low whistle.  “You had me sweating my balls off.”

“A little too graphic there babe.” I grimaced.

“You knew what dating me would entail. Explicit language and innuendos.” I rolled my eyes and playfully shoved him with my shoulder as I walked past him but he quickly caught me by the waist and pulled me onto his lap as he sat down on his throne.  Our noses grazing against one another’s as he let out a soft moan.

I pressed my forehead to his before capturing his lips with mine in a soft, loving kiss.

“And I wouldn’t have you any other way my Lord of darkness.”

“Good to know I surpass Ozzy Osbourne in your eyes.”

“Please, Ozzy don’t hold a candle to you. Plus he’s way too insane for me. No offense babe.”

“He may be absolutely bat-shit crazy.” He eyed me on that pun to which I gave him a slap to the chest for the terrible reference.  “But the man in a music god.”

“I thought that was Metallica?”

“Don’t get ahead of me sweetheart.” God I love it when Eddie gets so passionate about his favorite musicians.  “So, shall it be the usual Christmas at the Munson residence?”

“Not completely. I’ve got something special for you and Wayne this year.” His eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas.

“What is it? Come on tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!” he pleaded as he bounced in his throne happily jostling me around before burying his face into my ear as he spoke as low as his voice could go, “Tell me.”

“Nah-ah-ah-ah. Not until Christmas Eve. Plus you and I still gotta decorate the trailer. We promised Wayne we’d help out this year.” Eddie groaned.  “Come on please. Please?” I gave him my best bunny face with cute nose twitch.

“You know I can’t resist the bunny face.” He pecked my nose.  “Okay, okay. For the old man.” I smiled and pecked his lips once again and we continued to clean everything up and pack up our D&D folders and figurines before finally shutting all the lights off and locking up the drama room for the winter break.

We drove into downtown Hawkins and gathered up the groceries for the Christmas dinner I would soon prepare for the Munson boys.  And with the recent rise in paychecks Wayne’s been getting, we got ourselves a decent 16lbs turkey.

I also gathered up some eggnog, beer, potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob.  After paying for the groceries and as we came out of the store, we saw how the snow was beginning to fall.

“And just in time too. And thank god I got the essential groceries two days ago. Weather man was saying this could be our biggest snowfall of the Christmas season.” I said to Eddie.

“Well let’s get this stuff home and hunker down before the roads get too icy.”

“Yeah, with your driving we’d never survive.” Eddie gawked offended.

“Have I ever got us into an accident?”

“Yet. But there’s time, there’s time.” I felt a pinch to my butt as I let out a squeal before hitting Eddie in the arm.  Once we loaded the groceries into the back of the van, I took the cart back to the pickup area and got into the passenger seat as Eddie drove off.

“You’ve got snow on your hair.” Eddie chuckled as he reached over and took a strand of multi-colored hair and stroked the snow that had landed on the pink and blue parts of my hair.

“Both hands on the wheel Munson.” I gently reprimanded him as I pushed his hand towards the wheel and used the visor mirror to brush out the large snowflakes from my hair.

Once we got home, we unloaded the groceries and I packed them away into the fridge when I saw Eddie just standing in the middle of the trailer lost in his head.

“Eddie?” I walked over to him and took his arm which made him jump slightly and he looked down at me and seemed to relax.  “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare yah.”

“No you-you didn’t.”

“Where’d you go Eds?” I asked him.  He was about to argue but with a raised brow he sighed and said gesturing towards the trailer.

“This time of the year always makes me feel depressed. No matter how much Wayne works, we can only ever have a smidge of what a real Christmas is like once every few years. I can’t even remember the last time I decorated a Christmas tree. I see all throughout Hawkins how people can have these big trees, hell there’s one at the center of downtown every year for Christ’s sake!” he scoffed.  “But we Munsons……we don’t have that luxury.”

“Trust me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Putting up the tree and decorations may be fun and exciting but packing them up after the holidays. That’s where the fun stops. It’s a pain in the ass packing it all back up again and having to store it somewhere or just throw it away. Not to mention all the pine needles that fall from some trees, or the tinsel that you still find in your hair when it’s the middle of April.” Eddie softly chuckled.

“Still…..it doesn’t change the fact that I have to have the Christmas traditions and their seasonal looks shoved down my throat and I can’t do anything about it.” I leaned against his arm and rubbed his back.

“You still got Georgie’s number right?”

“Right on the side of the fridge, why? You know he’s not in Hawkins anymore.”

“I know but I was thinking. You were one of the best auto-mechanics he ever hired here in Hawkins. Maybe he’d give you a job in his new shop in Chicago. I’d find a job there as well and along with your night gigs with the band, we might be able to finally afford a yearly traditional Christmas that you’ve always wished for. We could even get Wayne to come up and enjoy it every year.”

“You think we should move to Chicago once we graduate?” he asked me.

“It’s an option. Do you not like it? Is it too specific?”

“No, no. Just—this is why you’re the brains and I’m just the arm candy.” He said as he nuzzled his nose against mine.  I scoffed softly and pecked his nose.  “I mean it. All I had in mind was just us getting the hell out of Hawkins in general. No destination, no plan, just you, me and the open road.”

“I don’t think I’d be cut out for full on open road life. At least not until you make it big as my metal rockstar.”

“By day I’m an auto-mechanic at Georgie’s Tire shop. But by night, I’m Eddie Munson metal God of rock.” I nodded as I softly laughed.

“Exactly babe.” I then felt Eddie pick me up and swing me around before setting me down.  “Now come on, let’s get the lights strung up.” I took Eddie’s wrist and lead him towards the storage closet where he kept the fairy lights that he’ll sometimes decorate for either a special ‘at home dinner date’ or for our pillow forts that is required at least three times a month (at least according to him).

Together we strung up the lights all over the living room and we also got into the old Christmas packages that were stored under the crawlspace of the trailer and brought out some of Eddie’s old homemade Christmas decorations that were made by Little Eddie.

You know those snowmen and mittens you used to make back in elementary school during the Christmas season.  Apparently Wayne was given some of those by Eddie’s mom back in the day and only until I had moved in and discovered them did I want them to also be put up around the trailer.  Even when Eddie gets embarrassed of having these things be put up on display, I think its adorable seeing little five year old Eddie’s first cutout snowflake and Christmas trees.

Once the decorations were all put up, Eddie and I stood side by side and admired our handy work.

“Not bad.” I complimented.

“Not bad at all.” Eddie agreed as he wrapped his arms around me as he stood behind me.  “Plus I think the old man missed having some sort of Christmas spirit in this trailer.”

“Really?” I asked turning to look up at him.

“Oh yeah. Told me how ever since you came along, the holidays seemed to seep its way into our humble little trailer.”

“I think he also once said at our first Christmas together of how you’d managed to stop acting like the Grinch.” I teased with a giggle.  I felt Eddie poke me in the ribs making me jump but he made sure to keep a firm grip around my waist.

“You’re lucky I’m feeling merciful tonight. But push my buttons any further and I’ll tickle torture you until the New Year.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.” He darkly chuckled into my ear as he brought my closer to his back.  I squirmed in his hold but he kept me close as I felt him kiss my neck trying to subdue me.  It would’ve worked too had it not been for the front door suddenly opening up and in came Wayne with patches of snow on his shoulders.

“Wayne!” I exclaimed as I pushed Eddie’s face out of my neck.  “You’re home early.”

“The factory decided to let us off early due to this snow storm. Been getting updates from every station that it’s gonna be a big one in years.” He said as he locked the door behind him and took off his winter gear.  It was then he finally took notice of the fairy lights we had stringed up and the decorations we had set up.  “Now it’s starting to feel like Christmas in this place.”

“Roxxi’s idea. And thanks to her quick thinking, we’ve got plenty of food to get us through the storm.” Eddie said as he rocked us from side to side.

“Thanks Roxxi. We don’t know what we’d have done if not for your organized preparations.” Wayne thanked me.

“You boys would be living off on canned food and beer. Growing men need more than that.”

“I get me by why include Wayne?” Eddie teased.  I elbowed him in the stomach making him let out a grunt.

“Eddie, behave.” I reprimanded.  “So Wayne, do you think you’ll be getting a few days off work due to this upcoming storm?”

“Who knows. I’ll get word about it from the office sometime tomorrow.”

“I think it’d also be best to just stay home even if they tell you to come in. The slippery roads aren’t worth driving, especially at night.” I advised him.

“I’ll keep that in mind Roxxi.”

“Now then, how’s about I make us some grilled cheese and tomato soup for supper?” I asked them as I got out of Eddie’s arms and headed over to the kitchen.

“Sounds good to me.” Said Wayne.

“I can go for that.” Added Eddie.  I gave them a nod before gathering the stuff I would need to make them what we all had agreed to have for the night.

Once all of it was made, we gathered around the dinner table for the first time in a few weeks since Wayne’s been doing some overtime lately to try and get that Christmas bonus this year.

“So, in case we do end up being shut in from the storm, what’s the plan for Christmas Eve?” asked Wayne.

“Well like Eddie said. Thanks to the babysitting money I’ve been getting from Ms. Mayfield and a few of the other trailer moms around here, the savings Eddie’s had since his work at the automobile shop two years ago, I was able to get us a decent size turkey. Figured we’d cook that up, along with some mashed potatoes and gravy and corn on the cob.”

“Sounds like the perfect Christmas meal.” Wayne praised.  “Think you can help out this time without burning anything Eddie?”

“I swear on Metallica themselves.” Eddie said holding up his right hand followed by crossing his heart with his left.

“If you do good this time, I might just take that ban off of you so you can help cook more food besides soup.” I told him.

“Walking on thin ice there sweetheart.” He threatened playfully.

“Don’t back sass her boy. Be thankful she gives you as many chances as she does.” Wayne told him.

“I’m just too nice I suppose.”

“Yeah haha, maybe I should ask the big guy in red to give you both lumps of coal in your stockings this year for your attitude tonight.” I giggled and wrapped my arm around his shoulders before pecking his cheek.  “If that’s your way of bribery my love, you’ll have to do better than that.”

“No bribes, just to let you know we’re both teasing. Right Wayne?” he nodded with a hum as he kept eating his dinner.

Once our dinner was done, Eddie did the dishes and put them up to dry and we all decided it was best to hit the sack since it had been a long week for all of us.

A few days later and after helping Wayne for a few days of clearing out the snow from the trailer when it would snow every couple of days in between and the big day finally arrived.  Christmas Eve.

And like every year when Eddie and I started dating I made my Munson men my grandmother’s special Christmas chocolate chip cookies.  Every year she always made sure to make a whole bunch of them for me and Steve.  Of course mother dearest always tried to make her own mother stop feeding me fattening foods but gran-gran was always one step ahead of her own daughter when it came to spoiling me.

“I swear babe, did your grandma put some sort of drug in these cookies?” asked Eddie as he had his fifth cookie.

“No drugs whatsoever. And don’t talk with your mouth full, you’ll choke.” I reprimanded as I bopped his nose.

“So Roxxi, about what time you thinking about cooking our Christmas feast?” asked Wayne.  I let out a soft hum before looking at the clock to see that it was just past 11:30.

“Well the turkey’s gonna be the longest to prep. At least I’ve been letting it thaw out since six this morning. I’d say about…..2ish. That way we can eat by 6-7ish at the latest.”

“Works for me. I can handle the turkey prep. You kids handle the rest.” We nodded then Eddie proposed that the two of us should head out to do one final snow day before the Christmas day crowding.  So he and I got on our winter gear before heading outside with Wayne telling us to be careful out there.

If you’d like to compare just how much snow we’ve gotten for this year; using Eddie as a measurement the snow that had been shoveled away to clear a path from our trailer to the cars was up to his knees. 

As for the rest of the neighborhood when the snowplows came through the road, the piles alongside the road were well past every trailer.  I’m told there’s even been a call for this area to have some construction trucks up in and take some of the snow away like how they do with dirt sometimes.

But whether or not they’ll end up doing it that’s up to the politicians, which usually means they won’t cause they’ve got other important things to take care of.  Eddie took my hand and led us towards the woods just behind Max’s trailer, or I should say almost dragging me to the woods.

“I swear you’re like Bambi when he saw his first snow, Eds.”

“Hey it should be a crime to lose their inner child when it comes to playing in the snow! And anyone who does….” He trailed off before releasing my hand and got a handful of snow and just shot it at me making me shriek.  Suddenly I felt a snowball hit my face.  “Is punished by the Lord of snowballs.”

I spurted out the snow and wiped it out from my brow before turning to Eddie with a harsh glare in my eyes.

“So, you think you can take on the Snow Queen, foolish mortal?” I said lowering my voice to the tone I had used at my Winter’s D&D session.  I readied a snowball in my hands and took aim before firing at him and managed to get him in the arm.  He let out a groan before exclaiming.

“A flesh wound! Nothing but a mere flesh wound your highness!” he ran towards a tree while I kept throwing snowballs at him, some getting him in the back but most I ended up missing him completely until he got to his shelter.  I took shelter behind a large snow covered bush and readied my arsenal with as many snowballs as I could.

“This be war foolish creature! Once this war is over, I shall be the victorious one and you shall join my army of the frozen empire!”

“Nay! It is I that shall be victorious and free all that you have ensnared ice witch!” Eddie’s voice cried through the woods.  We soon began throwing snowballs at each other as viciously as we could but then Eddie made a suicide attempt as he came out from his hiding spot and began to charge at me.

“A foolish maneuver. Attack my White walkers!” I then proclaimed as I imagined Jadis’ white walker army marching out to meet Eddie head on.  He maneuvered with skill pretending to decapitate each of them (the only way to kill a White walker) once he got close enough to me, he revealed a hidden snowball and threw it right at my chest sending me falling backwards into the soft powder of snow.

“Hear me now. Eddie the Banished have doth vanquished the evil Jadis the Snow Queen! And spared this forest from her eternal winter.” He said as he stood over me victoriously.

“You may have defeated me…..but I’ll—be…..back.” I playfully choked and coughed out before closing my eyes and lying still in the snow.  I heard Eddie chuckle and heard the snow crunch beneath him as I felt him hovering over me.  I opened my eyes and saw the gleaming look in his eyes as he looked down at me in pure adoration.

“Hi.” He greeted me.

“Hi.” I echoed back with a giggle as I reached up and brushed the hair out of his face.  “Really wish you had worn a hat at least. Your ears won’t be too happy with you later.”

“I know a girl that can warm them up later.” I playfully shoved his shoulder as he reached up and took my beanie off and brushed the tangles out from underneath the hat hair I would have.  “This tri-colored pattern really makes it pop out in the snow, especially the blue.”

“You don’t think I overdid it do you?”

“Hey, if it makes you happy, I’m happy sweetheart. Plus I think each of these colors represents who you are.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. The yellow tips represent your beautiful creative mind. Usually girls only think about makeup and boys and the current fashion trend. But you my beloved Elf-witch; you think beyond materialistic things. You create beautiful words and stories that I’ve only ever dreamed of. Which leads into the magenta middle, and since it’s part of the red family. It shows your fiery passion to achieve those goals. And you don’t let anyone stop you. And at the roots, this deep blue shows your empathy and maternal instincts towards those that need it. You will gravely defend those who are closest to you and won’t take anyone’s crap for it.”

“If you’re trying to win brownie points from me Munson, know that it’s working.”

“I’m not looking for anything. I’m just stating the facts.” He took a strand of my hair and twisted it around his index finger gently before letting it slide off.  “You’re one hell of a woman Roxxi Murdock. And I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather be with.” I smiled lovingly at him before bringing him down into a soft, passionate kiss in the snow.

After awhile we both grew cold and decided it was time to head back and get warmed up before we’d prepare our Christmas eve dinner.  Once the time came around, the Munson men and I got to work at our stations and worked for the next couple of hours to prep, cook and set the table up.

Once the turkey was good and prepped, Wayne set it down at the center of eating table while I lit the candles and set down the mashed potatoes while Eddie set down the gravy.

“Shall we?” asked Wayne.

“I can lead this time.” I volunteered.  Now Eddie and his grandpa weren’t all that religious like most of the people in this town were.  And I had lost my faith shortly after being kicked out of my parent’s room but deep down I felt like every holiday there still needed to be a Grace spoken to bless the meal and this holiday.  So I was fortunate that the Munsons had allowed me to indulge in this small favor after them taking me in when I had nowhere else to go.

We sat down at the table and held hands with each other across the table and bowed our heads as I spoke.

“It hadn’t been easy this past year Heavenly Father, but somehow we managed to pull through and make it another full year. Bless this food and the hands that helped prepare it. Give us warmth, love and hope as we try to get through the remainder of this year and into the new year. Bless these fine men who helped me in a dark time and give them praise for all their hard work. In your son we pray, Amen.”

“Amen.” Wayne and Eddie softly echoed as we let go and ate our well deserved Christmas meal.  “Mmm I swear sweetheart, without you we’d be feasting on beer and bean dip. This is the best mashed potatoes and gravy I’ve ever had.” Eddie praised.

“It’s not that hard to mess up mashed potatoes and my granny’s recipe for gravy is pretty easy. But you gotta give Wayne the credit for the turkey. Not even my aunt’s turkey could compare to this.”

“The key is proper spicing and some good old melted butter.” He said as he took a bite of his turkey.

“And mixing it with some gravy is just as good, if not better.” Eddie said as he dunked his spoon into the gravy bowl and poured it over his turkey.

“Can’t argue with that. Now quit hogging the gravy Eddie!” I said reaching out for it but he pulled it away from me.

“Not here and now you two. Gravy’s delicious but it’s a nightmare to clean up if it stains the carpet.” Wayne warned us.  After that, we didn’t say much of anything else as we continued to eat and enjoy our Christmas eve meal together.

Once we were full and packed away the leftovers in the fridge, as Wayne went to go get our presents, I went over to his old record player and grabbed a Christmas record and placed it into the record player.  Soon the trailer was filled with the soft gentle piano playing of ‘The First Noel’.

Wayne soon came out with two wrapped presents and handed them to me and Eddie.

“Merry Christmas kids.” Eddie quickly unwrapped his gift and stared wide eyed as it was the new Iron Maiden album that had came out back in October.

“No way! Iron Maiden’s Live after Death album. Been waiting to get my hands on this for months!”

“Good thing you didn’t.” Wayne said as he took a sip of his beer and sat down on his chair.

“Thanks Wayne. Really I—thank you.”

“It was nothing boy. Jerry at the record shop owed me for helping him when he got that flat tire back in the spring.” I unwrapped my gift and saw that it was a couple of X-men and Daredevil comics that I didn’t have in my collection.

“Oh my god Wayne. This is…..these comics are almost nearly impossible to find. How did you…..”

“You’re not the only comic book advocate. I’ll teach you the network and how to get your connections to all the good stuff.”

“Thank you. Guess I’ll go next.” I stood up and jogged over to Eddie’s room to find my presents to them.

Boy I’ll tell yah it was not easy to keep these gifts hidden away especially from Eddie.  Guy always like to peek and poke around especially as the holidays get closer to see if any presents are hidden away.  But thankfully I managed to find a good hiding spot for each of them.

I pulled out the long rectangular one out from behind the dresser where Eddie keeps his hand-me-down guitars gifted to him by Wayne then pulled out the smaller box out from one of my old shoeboxes.  I came back and handed Wayne the small box while Eddie got the big rectangular shaped one.

I watched as both boys unwrapped their gifts and hold their gifts up.  For Wayne I did a handmade mug that I personally hand sculpted and painted myself with the word’s GREATEST UNCLE written across.  And for Eddie, I drew him his own personal Rockstar poster.  Him with his infamous Sweetheart guitar standing at the edge of a volcano with smoke, ash and lighting dancing behind him as he shredded on his guitar.

“While I was away at the rehab center, they had an art and pottery making class. So I signed up for lessons and made you guys those. Do you like them?”

“Roxxi this is about the best mug I’ve ever received. Thank you darlin. I’ll find a special place for this mug to hang on.” Wayne said.

“That mug there was the fourth one I had to make. The first two ended up having cracks after they were baked, and the third one got broken by my roommate.” I then turned to Eddie and reached out to touch his shoulder.  He slightly jumped and I asked him, “You okay babe? You’re pretty quiet.”

He set the charcoal picture down and grabbed my face before placing his lips firmly against mine.  I was shocked at first but succumbed to his kiss as our arms wrapped around each other.  After a bit he separated from me and said.

“Roxxi, is there anything you can’t do?”

“Changing a car tire and taxes.” He booped my nose and picked up the picture.

“I swear, this could be an actual cover for Iron Maiden or even Metallica.”

“Well, when Corroded Coffin makes it big, you can use this as your first cover album picture. I give you the rights to it.” He looked at me in awe.

“Sweetheart—”

“I’m serious Eddie. Take it and promise me you’ll use it one day.” I held out my pinkie and he softly scoffed but wrapped his pinkie around mine sealing the deal.

“I swear.” He kissed our interlocked pinkies before standing up.  “I hope you now know that your gift to me will be inadequate to yours.” He said disappearing towards the storage closet.

“You know what I always say! It’s not about the price but the amount of thought and care into a gift that matters.” He soon came back and handed both Wayne and I our presents.  I opened mine up to see that it was a new handmade t-shirt.

It was the same color pattern as everyone else’s Hellfire t-shirt but when I went to unveil in, across the front it read:

HELLFIRE’S MAMA FOX. With the D20 dice acting as the O and a proud nine-tailed fox standing below the lettering with it’s paw resting on top of the Tiefling’s head and each of the fix tails were on fire.

“Eddie…..”

“Put it on, I wanna see how it looks on you.” I set the box aside and put the shirt over my current one.  I gave it a bit of a stretch so that it fit a bit more before turning to Eddie and asked.

“How’s it look?”

“Perfect. And I don’t just mean the shirt.” I rolled my eyes at him before pecking his lips once more and thanked him again.

“A free admissions ticket to the Hideout for an all-night Happy hour.” Wayne said.

“Figured you and I could go together or something. We’re hard working men after all. We deserve some nights off, right babe?” Eddie asked me.

“Agreed.”

“Even though I can’t condone you both drinking underaged. I know there’s nothing I can say to stop either of you. But then again this town could care less about high school teens drinking underaged at times. How long till these expire?”

“We got till the end of the year to use them. Figured we’d go the day after Christmas?”

“Sounds good to me. Do you mind if I steal my boy for the night Roxxi?”

“He’s your nephew, I got no leash on him. I can man the palace whilst you two are on your quest.” And with the gift exchange now complete, the only thing left for us to do was enjoy a little Christmas movie marathon starting with the greatest movie of all, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Eddie and I were cuddled together on the couch while Wayne remained in his chair.  A glass of hot chocolate sat in front of us thanks to Wayne and I took my last sip of hot chocolate before cuddling close to Eddie and falling asleep somewhere during the start of A Christmas Story.

*Eddie’s POV*

Somewhere during our Christmas movie marathon, I felt Roxxi doze off against my shoulder and the second I heard her moan tiredly and snuggle deeper into my chest, I knew that she was now in that state between awake and deep sleep.

Very carefully I picked her up from the couch and took her into our room and set her down on the bed.  I covered her up and stroked the strands of hair out of her face, all while staring down at this gorgeous goddess before me.

I know I say this every time but this time there’s no question about it.  Roxxi is it for me.  She’s the only girl who I see being my endgame.  I want her to be the last thing I see before I go to sleep, the first thing I see when I wake up. 

She’s never once denied me of my dream to become a metal rockstar but she also encourages me to find roots before achieving that dream so that way we’re already on steady ground instead of going off of nothing.  After all she’s been through these last few years, she deserves a better life and I promised her I’d give it to her.  I leaned down and softly kissed her cheek and whispered to her.

“Merry Christmas Roxxi.” I soon shut the bedroom door behind me and returned back to the couch and let out a sigh.

“She really means that much to you, doesn’t she Eddie?” Wayne said.

“I still sometimes can’t grasp why she’d choose me out of any guy in Hawkins.” I told him.

“Because boy what you lack in ego and pride, you make up for in empathetic intelligence. You were the only one to stay with her when she had no one left.” I turned to my uncle and told him.

“She’s it for me Wayne. Once we graduate, I…..I’m gonna ask Roxxi to marry me. I know we might be too young but—I can’t wait any longer. She’s my wife and I want to make it official. Even if I can’t prove it with a ring, I still want her to be mine.” Wayne stood up without another word then went over to one of the cabinets and started rummaging through it.

I tried to look over to see what it was he was trying to find until he pulled a small black film canister out and came over to me.  He held out the canister and I looked at him confused.  He gestured for me to take it and I hesitantly took it.  I gave it a small shake and heard something rattling in it.

I popped the top open and turned it over and soon falling into my palm was a beautiful engagement ring.  I turned to Wayne in shock as he sat down next to me.

“This was my Mama’s engagement ring. Your paternal grandparents were married for 56 years. My mama gave me this ring hoping I’d find a girl to give this to. But as you know I’ve never been the one to settle down, and your old man would’ve sold this to get his next fix. But you Eddie, I see in you a man who knows what he wants. And if you believe with all your heart that that girl is a part of that dream, you give her this.”

“Wayne I—I don’t……this is……”

“Say no more son. But don’t give this to her until you both graduate. Let this be another motivation for you to get off your lazy ass and graduate.”

“Thanks to her I managed to pass my quarter classes, and get by with decent grades in my yearly ones. All that’s left is the spring term and then we’re done.”

“She’s good for you boy. Keeps you in line better than I ever could.” I placed the ring back into the film canister and pocketed it into my black leather jacket. 

This was never leaving this pocket, if I were to put it somewhere in my room I’d know either it’d be lost forever or Roxxi might stumble across it while cleaning up or reorganizing my stuff.

“Thank you uncle. For everything.” Wayne and I never really were much for sentimental feelings.  As men we just sorta—I don’t know just know when we love and appreciate each other.  But ever since Roxxi came into our lives, I guess I’ve been….wanting to show it a bit more lately.  Especially when Wayne agreed to have her live here after her parents kicked her out.

Hesitantly I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around my uncle and embraced him tightly.  I immediately felt his arms wrap around my back as we both gave each other a pat on the back.

“Merry Christmas son.” He told me.

“Merry Christmas, old man.” I told him giving him one last pat then separating from our hug.  “Think I’ll head to bed. Promised Roxxi I’d help make breakfast for you in the morning, don’t tell her that I told you that.”

“My lips are sealed.” He gave me a nod.  I nodded back before getting up and headed back towards my room and saw that Roxxi was still asleep.  This time she was on her stomach curled closer to the wall.  I walked over to her, got undressed and carefully got into the bed and cuddled close to her before falling asleep holding her in my arms.

Oh yeah, she’s definitely the one for me.  I hope the end of the school year comes faster than this first half of the year did.

[cocrante]

I Start Over With You

[SOLANGELO FANFIC]

summary: After the great battle against the forces of Gaea, Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter had formed a long-lasting alliance. Everything had gone well, and everyone was ready to start anew. This included Nico, who, after confessing his feelings to Percy, was prepared to open a new chapter in his life—perhaps the happiest one the Fates had ever written.

note: the chapters will be updated every Wednesday. If you want to read upcoming chapters of the fanfiction in advance, I invite you to follow me on Patreon. Subscribing is not necessary, these chapters will be added for free on the platform on Mondays and Fridays. Following me there is just a kind and free gesture to support my work c:

Reblogs are highly appreciated c:

[CHAPTER 14]

THE CAMP JUPITER WAS JUST AS HE HAD LEFT IT, with the only difference being the new temples being erected, following the architectural patterns indicated by Annabeth. The Roman camp couldn't look better. It still bustled with nature spirits, lares, and fauns trotting through the camp's streets, occasionally hindering a hero in training. Some demigods strolled through the paths, discussing the upcoming war games. Others stopped and pointed at Nico, wondering why he had returned. With all eyes on him, he headed towards where Reyna was waiting.

The hall was bright, the tiles reflecting the sunlight, and the marble columns giving the building a regal appearance. Sitting there, waiting for his arrival, was Bellona's daughter, his adventure companion and trusted friend. She stood up, walking towards him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Welcome back to camp, Nico" Reyna greeted, leading him outside. "I found a decent place in the city, and you can come to camp whenever you want" she said, heading towards the Roman city that mimicked the style of the Italian Rome, with its warm and round colors, making it almost feel like being on the same European peninsula.

Bellona's daughter told him - during the journey - that things at the camp had improved since the new agreement with the Greeks. She had received messages from Camp Half-Blood that summer, announcing that in the fall they would receive visits, so combat techniques could merge along with culture and lifestyles. "It wasn't easy" the girl explained. "Many are tied to the Mos Maiorum, the senate itself started by saying it was sheer madness" she sighed. "But even they cannot go against the will of our gods" Nico nodded, understanding the difficulty of accepting something different. He had been through it himself, and only the gods knew how long it would take for others to accept him as a camp member.

"But enough about the camp" Reyna said, noticing a certain silence from her friend. "It's been a while since we talked, besides that conversation the other day"

"I've been busy" he briefly recounted the past few weeks at Camp Half-Blood, mentioning something about Apollo's son, avoiding telling her about the Capture the Flag game and especially the kiss on the hill. The girl didn't make a sound, just let him tell, noting a slight and thinly veiled smile every time he mentioned Apollo's son. "He's a good friend" he concluded, letting out an imperceptible sigh.

"Just a good friend?" she dared to ask, as she had seen well beyond the tough exterior that protected him.

The boy took some time before responding. "Well, yes" he confirmed, though not entirely convinced. Reyna simply pursed her lips, not asking him more about that boy. If he wanted to tell her, he would, she thought. "Okay" she said, stopping in front of a building. "First floor. Your school is just a block away, you can't miss it. I've also taken the liberty of getting your books"

Nico was truly speechless; he hadn't imagined she had done him such a big favor. "Thank you, Reyna" he looked at her with deep gratitude.

"Don't mention it! For anything, you know where to find me" she handed him the keys, giving him a final pat before returning to the Roman camp.

Nico twirled the keys between his fingers, anxious and terrified to go in. He opened the door, dragging his suitcases behind him, climbing up to the first floor. There, he entered the comfortable apartment Reyna had found for him. It was a bright and warm room, the walls painted in a matte yellow and divided in half by charming Roman motifs. It seemed completely the opposite of his gloomy cabin.

Having found the bedroom, he unpacked his belongings there, hiding the box he had taken from camp in a drawer. He put away all his clothes, the few that he had, in the wardrobe, and having emptied the suitcase, he flopped onto the bed with a sigh. He didn't stay there for long because as soon as he touched the mattress, someone rang the doorbell, forcing him to go and answer. It was a real joy when he realized it was his sister, who had just knew about his arrival at camp. The two greeted each other warmly; Hazel had been missed more than anyone. Along with her was her boyfriend, the son of Mars, who seemed to have grown a couple of inches during those weeks.

Frank gave him a pat on the shoulder, quite happy to see him again. They had never really talked, but he was still part of Hazel's family, and that was enough for Frank to like him.

The son of Hades invited them both into the still-empty apartment, making them comfortable in the living room. He had a lot to tell his sister about those weeks at Camp Half-Blood, avoiding dwelling too much on Will and what had happened before arriving in New Rome. He also told her about Jason, who seemed to have completely rebuilt his life. "I'm really happy about that" exclaimed Hazel.

"Piper is such a good girl, those two make a beautiful couple" she told him, with Frank nodding in agreement.

"How's Percy?" asked Frank. The son of Hades just shrugged.

"Well, at least he hasn't gotten into any new trouble" he then told them about the absurd climbing wall challenge, of Jason being determined to win and not faint every two seconds.

The three spent the afternoon together, inviting Nico to join them for a bite to eat. The son of Hades agreed willingly, following them outside the building.

There were still many things Nico wanted to tell his sister, all carrying the same name. However, it was difficult to talk about them with Frank around.

They mostly talked about the Roman camp and how it had evolved in such a short time, telling him the same things Reyna had hinted at earlier: some problems that had arisen at the beginning, the decision to build more temples dedicated to minor and almost forgotten deities. "You should have attended the council" sighed Hazel, squeezing Frank's hand. "The Senate didn't want to hear any reason. According to them, we had to continue with our traditions" she briefly recounted what had happened after their return to camp.

"Some demigods thought the same, obviously" explained Frank. "Centuries of tradition thrown out the window" he grimaced.

"But even they had to bow to the will of the gods" Nico guessed. The son of Mars nodded.

"Thanks to the gods, they opened their eyes, our societies cannot survive if we don't collaborate. This was evident even this summer" added the boy, getting a nod of approval from Nico.

Frank began to speak freely, monopolizing the conversation a bit. He cared deeply about New Rome now that he had become praetor, telling them about the boring Roman bureaucracy that Jason had mentioned that morning, the holes to fill, the people to meet, all the supervision needed during the construction of the temples. "We could rely on Annabeth, she's a real architect!" exclaimed the boy.

The conversation gradually dwindled with the setting sun, coloring the green hills and the tips of the tallest buildings. Under that light, the city of New Rome seemed like a replica of the authentic Rome. "See you around" said Frank, bidding farewell with a nod.

"Of course" replied Nico, finally managing to spend five minutes alone with his sister, who had not missed the agitation and urgency to talk only with her. She was really good at reading body language. "Let's talk about what you forgot to tell me tomorrow, okay?" the girl smiled kindly, speaking near Nico's ear, who simply nodded and thanked her.

She walked away, the smile on her face leaving him in the driveway, which was slowly darkening.

The son of Hades returned to his apartment, finally lying down on the bed he had longed for all day. His mind was strangely empty, yet so full of thoughts that he didn't exactly know which ones to grasp.

He ran a hand over his face, forcing himself to get up, put on pajamas, and set the alarm for the next day. It was while turning the red hand that the air seemed to fold on itself, gathering the light like many small tiles, then opening into a window of light. On the other side, there was a brightly lit bedroom, although it was clearly night outside. The walls were covered with band posters, along with some photos and concert tickets now weathered with time. At the center of that window made of light was the boy who had been at the center of his thoughts all day.

"Hey!" Will was radiant as usual, but his smile faded when he noticed that Nico might be getting ready for bed. "Did I disturb you?" he hurried to say, regretful for not being able to call him earlier. Nico shook his head, placing the alarm clock on the nightstand.

"No, it's fine" he replied, unable to hide a certain embarrassment.

"Okay—" he tried to smile, but it was clear that something was wrong. All day, Will had berated himself for giving him that cheek kiss; he shouldn't have done it. Who knows what Nico thought now. "So, school starts tomorrow, huh?" he said the first thing that came to mind, even if it was rather mundane and predictable. Nico sighed, still not believing that he would really be picking up paper and pen again. "Yeah" he replied. "I'm kind of nervous" he hinted at a smile, sitting on the bed.

"It's normal" Will tried to cheer him up. "At least you won't have the fear of being expelled eight times" he joked, tilting his lips sideways. Nico stared at him, realizing that for the entire time, that was the first time he had looked him in the eyes.

"Then I guess they'll be more prepared for hyperactivity and dyslexia issues there" the boy continued. Nico struggled to imagine Will with such problems—at camp, he seemed like such a normal guy that Nico often forgot that, like most demigods, he suffered from hyperactivity and dyslexia. Life in mortal schools was often challenging.

"Do you start tomorrow too?" Nico asked then, breaking his silence.

"Yeah" Will sighed. "If it weren't for my friends, it would be a torture" It wasn't the first time he had said that, even during the days spent together at camp, Will always talked about his school and how heavy the schedules were, thankfully lightened by his two friends he had made during the past year. "Did you already get the list of extracurricular activities?" he asked, just to liven up the conversation. "It arrived yesterday, mom already signed me up for that music course. May she be blessed, I wouldn't know what to do without her" he said, unable to hold back a clear laugh. Nico thought about how it must be to have a mother; the only memory he had of his was of a faded smile, and maybe it wasn't even real. At that thought, he became saddened.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Will asked, concerned to see that dark expression.

Nico simply shook his head, coming out of his thoughts. "Nothing" he lied, trying to look at something other than Will's blue eyes. "Just tired, I guess" he said, trying to convince him with that excuse. Apollo's son tried to believe it, without delving too much into the details. "When does the course start?" he asked the next moment.

"Next week, while auditions for the choir are this Friday" he replied, and at that thought, he immediately became enthusiastic.

"A smile will be enough to get you in" Nico weakly smiled, imagining him auditioning for the school choir.

"Do you think so?" Will laughed.

"I think so" Nico answered so seriously that Will didn't know if he was really joking or being serious. He decided to take it as a joke.

The two continued to talk for a while, avoiding touching on the "hill kiss" topic. It seemed that both were fine with it, yet they couldn't deny to themselves that after that morning, a kind of strange tension had arisen. Will would have liked to explain, give him a reason for what he had done, yet something prevented him, perhaps the current situation. He thought that maybe it would be more appropriate to talk to him about it in person. Yes, he would do that when he returned to camp. However, he had not taken one thing into consideration:—"Remember during the game in the woods?" Nico suddenly reminded him, wanting to get that thought out of his mind that had been buzzing around all day. Will swallowed, hoping he hadn't heard it. "Yes" he replied, torturing his lips.

"You were about to tell me something" Nico continued, hoping he could talk to him about it now. Apollo's son nodded; he didn't want to tell him like this, via a message, but actually, at that moment, there was no one who could interrupt them. Will parted his lips, ready to tell him the truth. "Well, the thing is that..." he stammered, trying to find the right words, and as he struggled, the message was slowly dissolving.

"You'll tell me tomorrow" Nico hurried to say.

"Goodnight, Nico," he said just as quickly, before the window of light disappeared, leaving the son of darkness in the shadows.

"Goodnight, Will"

[CONTENTS]

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