#AND DAMMIT I POSTED TO THE WRONG ACCOUNT SO HERE WE GO AGAIN

[jadewritesficshere]

Steve, reformed mean girl, sitting at home one Saturday night in '86 bored out of his mind. Robin had to work, and he didn't really want to go back to Family Video. So, Steve turns on the TV. He stays on a channel a few moments before flipping to another, then another, and another. Lands on some older women at a dining room table. He's about to switch it when he hears such a cutting remark, he is tuned in. Steve is enamored and turns the volume up. He watches the full episode and is immediately planning to watch again (he grabs the newspaper to check the TV guide to ensure he doesn't miss an episode airing). The Golden Girls becomes a staple in the Harrington House every Saturday night.

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Great Hunt! Chapter 44: Five Will Ride Forth

Well we're reaching the end of the second book folks, so that's exciting! Soon my posts will only be unreasonably spoiling thirteen Wheel of Time books instead of fourteen - not that I don't spoil book one mind you, just that it's hardly fair to complain about spoilers for that in a post on book two. Is this sufficient warning not to keep reading for such folks or must I go on?

We get the Aes Sedai flame in this chapter because of Bornhald's delusions and Verin's machinations, though ironically the latter are much more about grabbing fate in the saidin-style I discussed a few chapters back.

Perrin decided it was not lack of interest in strangers on the villagers’ part; they were carefully avoiding looking at him and the others. These people had learned not to show curiosity about strangers, even strangers who were obviously not Seanchan. Strangers might be dangerous these days on Toman Head.

Not only that, but under the Seanchan regime, knowing about strangers can be dangerous. Much better to be able to say to the secret police that people came and went but you don't know anything about them than to risk conversations where you might learn just enough to seem like a person of interest.

“Who knows why they do anything?” Mat muttered. “Seanchan don’t seem to need a reason for killing people. None I can figure out, anyway.”

Mat will figure it out going forward and really I don't think he'll much like having the knowledge.

Perrin kept an even closer watch than the other two; he had his own reasons for not wanting to meet Whitecloaks. The axe in my hands. Light, what I wouldn’t give to change that.

And yet Perrin doesn't actually mean it yet. He could toss the axe away at any time after all, to at least change potential future atrocities and also the real one that'll happen in book ten. But he keeps it, knowing what he's capable of it with it, and it's not good that he does.

“They aren’t following,” he said. “How can you be sure?” Mat demanded. “I am!” he snapped, then more softly, “I just am.”

Since Mat has no context for understanding how Perrin might be able to know this without the obvious wrong guess, I wonder if he's worried that he's going to start channeling at any moment himself. They are all three of them connected after all.

Put the prisoners in the inn with as much food and water as they can carry, then nail all the doors and shutters closed. Make them think I am leaving some men to stand guard, yes?

The Whitecloaks might not have any a'dam of their own, but they still love committing what atrocities they can. Balefire the whole fucking peninsula and let the Wheel sort it out I say.

No wait that's an atrocity too. Dammit.

He was still not sure which of the two arrow-riddled women he had stared at afterwards had been the Aes Sedai.

Nice and subtle foreshadowing here.

Be sure he understands that we can no longer count on the Tar Valon witches being content with manipulating events from the shadows. If they fight openly for the Seanchan, we will surely face them elsewhere.

And here we see how damaging an irrational hatred is. For all the flaws of the White Tower, the women of Tar Valon will not engage in any battles for quite a long time. If Bornhald had been able to understand that the Seanchan had their own channelers and that they weren't aligned with the Tower, his warning might have been quite different. Hell, his whole approach might have changed.

“Whoever it was, he is not accounted for, no? And he may carry word of us to the Seanchan.” “A Darkfriend would surely do so, my Lord Captain.”

Wrong again! The Whitecloaks very impressively manage to live in a world with black, white, and occasional gray morality and still manage to oversimply the fuck out of it. They could have done so much more for the west if they'd been capable of critical thought.

Far above their heads, a huge, winged shape circled, unnoticed.

Thinking two dimensionally against a three dimensional enemy.

“Heron Wading in the Rushes,” Ingtar said. He sat with his back against a tree, sliding a sharpening stone along his sword and watching Rand. “You should not be bothering with that one. It leaves you completely open.”

Ingtar betrays his own character flaws here. Besides showing that he has no thought for sword forms except for how they can help him inflict violence upon others, he shows he doesn't understand the worth of self-sacrifice to get victory. It was this very short term thinking that led to his fall to the Shadow after all, and this is why he had to die to redeem himself.

“It’s only for balance, Ingtar.” Rand wavered on one foot, and had to put the other down to keep from falling.

Meanwhile Rand foreshadows his own issues metaphorically pretty well. He tries to spend all of his time in a sword form over the course of the story and it's only when he gets back to standing upright that he can succeed.

“With ta’veren, what happens is what was meant to happen. It may be the Pattern demanded these extra days. The Pattern puts everything in its place precisely, and when we try to alter it, especially if ta’veren are involved, the weaving changes to put us back into the Pattern as we were meant to be.”

Verin will be dealing with this one the hard way later!

“To help Mat find the dagger,” he said sharply, “and Ingtar find the Horn.” And Fain, he added to himself. I have to find Fain if it isn’t already too late.

Two outta three ain't bad, Rand.

“Five ride forth,” she murmured.

It's a good thing no one pays attention to Verin or they might get a lot more nervous.

No, Loial, you must stay behind, too. There are no Ogier on Toman Head. You would attract as many eyes as all the rest put together.

Thank goodness Verin is here to do the thinking for them. They probably would have ridden, all twenty of them, if she hadn't been.

Rand peered at the sketched wheel as Ingtar went on with his instructions. It was a broken wheel, now, with only four spokes. For some reason that made him shiver.

The Seanchan would probably say it was a bad omen to tally your soldiers before combat and then to partially destroy the tally too and the Pattern is about to demonstrate why that is.

Next time: Nynaeve and Rand become masters of terrible weapons.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

What would you say to Harry? by u/Economy-Alfalfa-2241

What would you say to Harry? So, in a hypothetical world where we all have an opinion, what would you say to Dimbo if you could? Or Meghan? Or the kids?I'm going to do my annual nice because I'm running out of year soooo...Don't get me wrong, I *despise* his behaviour. He can't even begin to comprehend the wider ramifications, we should have reeled him in and chloroformed him if necessary, don't even get me started on Ghastlywife etc etc. But ahead of all that - which I would shout a lot, repeatedly, later. So just for now and probably for ever, "*you can always go home.*Yes, it will be embarrassing. Yes, you will have to eat Humble Pie with a heavy slosh of Mortified Custard and yes, it's all a bit bigger than family. But when you've thunked your thunkings, taken your accountabilities and sorried your sorries, a heartfelt regret voiced to one gets you absolution from the whole. We don't want to dislike you, we really don't. It's so much easier when we're not up the snotter with the RF; most of us like to hold you in a kind of benevolent ignorance and you must admit, it's a good deal. And yes, you have a LOT to rebuild but again, goodwill really does grease the bearings.Harry. Ask Siri to help with the big words, but they don't really matter. The words that matter are:You can always come home.​And that goes for anyone - if you understand this, you'll understand why. "Spare" should never have been published because its a voyeuristic nosy around in someone else's mind that might've slipped its gimbals . That's nothing to do with Americans being more open or whatever bollox he's been led to believe cos I don't for one minute think any one of you would think it appropriate outside your closest friends ears or those of your therapist. How Harry went from conservative to vomiting up every second of every injustice for the entire world is...worrying (any psych people in here?)But I think Scobie's new shlockfest slammed the door for him. Or he may think it has. Some - well, most - of his slights were over such minutiae that I think they're maybe misperceptions rather than memories, and the obvious culprit is depression. He really does seem to have this bleak outlook that the distorted lens of depression casts across everything; every memory, every occasion, every event. But Scobie's book really removes any of what little nuance that remained after the rest of the whining and it draws a line much harder than any Harry has wanted to so far. It just seems like an aggressive move whereas Harry really relies on the passive-aggressive, he receives offences that haven't been sent. But if you get to the point where you can't see a way forward you always have to know there's a way back. I think I might be at the point of worrying about whether he knows that.​I dunno. Praps I've been boiled too long and am going soft, but it's hard enough to do the accountability thing for any reason. It's hard to realise your perceptions were skewed, your memory the faulty one. So if it's hard when it's just a family who want to forgive and don't really see much to forgive anyway.....imagine what it's like thinking a whole country is against you. Yeeesh.On the other hand, it'll be that country paying so you can concentrate on screwing your head on straight with no teensy little worries like the mortgage or which box you left the kids in (dammit! I was determined to be snark-free. Huh!) so there's that. Swings n roundabouts. post link: https://ift.tt/y7Ogbs5 author: Economy-Alfalfa-2241 submitted: December 11, 2023 at 08:42PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[sleepy-vix]

Sup.

I'll rarely visit Tumblr from this point onward, because I initially made this account to view fanart of my favorite series. But since new fanart for it is hardly ever created, and I ain't no Da Vinci yet, I've decided that there's no point continually visiting here. I have an entire life I want to start living outside of the four corners of my laptop screen.

But before I "go", I want to tell you something.

I barely know you at all, so forgive me if what I'm saying is inaccurate. You seem to be filled with ideas. Lots of them. Big ones and small ones, like heavy rocks buried under infinite grains of sand on the beach. And you appear to want to DO something with them. You WANT to write something. But with school, and now work, and everything else you're supposed to do, there just never seems to be enough time.

Again, I don't truly know you. But IF that is the case, IF you want to write something, then do it. If there is no time, then try for at least 10 minutes a day. 10 minutes is a grain in the hourglass of life, but you can get at least SOMETHING done, maybe an atom of work. But if you put an atom in place every single day of every single year, over time those minuscule molecules may accumulate into something you can be proud of.

Based off your posts, you seem to hate the stuff which takes up most of your time. But you do those things anyway because you need them to survive, and because the world expects you to do them. SCREW! THE! WORLD! The world has said so many things in the past millennia: that the Earth is flat, that the internet was a fad destined to die out, and that if you don't meet the requirements for what the world thinks a human being should be down to the last millimeter, then you can never be worth anything.

But YOU KNOW those ideas have been blown to the ground and buried in the sand! We know now from the different stars which are visible at different hemispheres, various calculations, and from literal photos and videos of our planet that the Earth is a spheroid (but not a perfect sphere). I don't even NEED to explain the internet part.

What the world considers "perfect" keeps changing all the time. But there are so many people who accomplished so much even if they weren't what the world wanted them to be! Hedy Lamarr, an actress during Hollywood's Golden Age, who invented the technology which made the internet possible and is in the Inventors' Hall of Fame. Alice Ball, a black chemist who, in the 1940's, created the most effective cure for leprosy at the time (and was not credited for it until much later). Alan Turing, who cracked the enigma code and is widely considered to be the father of computer science, and was prosecuted at the time for homosexuality. Need I keep going?

In fact, forget accomplishment for a second. What about just... being a person? Of having regular meals to eat and a place to sleep at night? So many people whose names we don't even know were told by everyone that they couldn't even be human, but they went ahead and did it anyway! The entire WORLD has been wrong about things all at once! What about all the wars and genocides which were justified before? What about the ones which are justified now? The world is not infallible, even if it pretends it is!

You'll die one day. And when you die, do you want to honestly say to yourself that it was the WORLD who decided who you could be? The WORLD, no matter how illogical, brutal, and pointless some of its rules are? Why should it be allowed to do that? To make your last breath a sigh of resignation? If you WANT to write, if you want to do ANY good, then DO IT, dammit, even if the world doesn't want you to! If the world doesn't give any time, then after doing what you need to survive, dig up time from the deepest trenches, take in your fist, and shove it in the world's face and say that you did it, that you became who you wanted to be despite all its efforts! And even if you never live to see the fruits of your work, at least you can say you died fighting for them!

Once again, I don't know you, so I am probably wrong about your condition. If that is the case, then I apologize. If I have caused you any degree of discomfort, then I apologize again. That was not my intention. Do whatever you want to in your life, as long as it is the right thing to do. Also, you've probably already thought about all of this already. You're that kind of a person. But, in my experience, hearing something you've already thought about mirrored by another makes it more real.

I wish you all the best. Take care.

I'm so speechless right now. i could cry, because this is so kind and so wonderful and so infinitely thoughtful i feel like its changed the trajectory of my life. You might be right about my underlyng wish to create, or you might not be. Right now, even i'm sure what i want to do with myself.

It's been a depressing and stressful past few months and weeks, and i'm just so thankful someone had been watching me the whole time (i thought i was just talking into the void, but the fact that you noticed that i just got a new job recently means so much to me T-T)

Really, thank you for this. I'm never going to forget your words, and if i ever do end up writing a book, you're definitely going to be acknowledged 😭 (imagine, "dedicated to tumblr user ijustdidthissoicouldscroll")

I'm sorry to see you go, especially after all this. :(

You've given me so much insight again and again and i feel like honestly i havent done anything in return

I understand completely though, and won't ask you to stay selfishly, but just please dont delete your account. And, have fun and enjoy your life beyond the four corners of your laptop screen.

I wish you all the best aswell. Take care.

Carpe diem & carpe noctem, etc. ✮ 🫡

ps. i really did not write enough to express my awe and gratitude, sorry 😭. i feel undeserving, but i know i shouldnt speak negatively about myself like that much more, so i'll focus on my gratitude- thank you. I'm so glad we met. Also, at this point, you should write your OWN book, because damn you have such a way with words.

[thebackroomshost]

These are old and from my main account- however- reposting them on here since i never did lol

I have a story i'm still working on and plan to post reaalll soon btw :]

Agoti: Pregnancy tests are Maybe Babies Tricky: Socks are Feetie Heaties Ruv: Forks are Stabby Grabbies Agoti: Defibrillators are Heartie Starties Tricky: Nightmares are Dreamy Screamies Ruv: Stamps are Lickie Stickies Tabi, annoyed: You are disappointments

Whitty: WHAT’S YOUR TYPE Ruv: Anything, honestly, but nerds especially Whitty, desperately, as Ruv bleeds out: YOUR BLOOD TYPE Ruv: Oh! B positive. Whitty: DON’T TRY TO CHEER ME UP JUST TELL ME YOUR BLOOD TYPE Ruv:  Whitty: Okay, truth or dare? Ruv: Truth Whitty: How many hours have you slept this week? Ruv: Ruv: …Dare Whitty: Go to bed. Ruv: I don’t like this game. Whitty: Ruv, keep an eye on Boyfriend today. They’re going to say something to the wrong person and get punched. Ruv: Sure, I’d love to see Boyfriend get punched. Whitty: Try again. Ruv, sighing: I will stop Boyfriend from getting punched.

Ruv: Am I going too far? Whitty: No, no, no. You went too far about seven hours ago. Now you’re going to prison.

Ruv: What the fuck is wrong with you?! Whitty: Wow, you could start with a ‘good morning’. Ruv: Good morning. What the fuck is wrong with you?!

Ruv: We need more help. Maybe I should call my friends. Whitty: … Your what? Ruv: My friends. Tricky: Are they saying “friends”? Tabi: I think they’re being sarcastic. Agoti: No, no, no, this is delirium, they’ve cracked from being awake all night. Hey, Ruv! All of your friends are in this room. Ruv: I have other friends! You asked me to make new friends, I made new friends! It was a task. I complete tasks.

Ruv: Favorite horror movie? Whitty: It Tricky: Saw Tabi: Annabelle Agoti: High School Musical. after watching it I spent all my middle school years terrified that the entire school would start singing something and I’d be the only one who didn’t know the lyrics

Ruv: I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff. Whitty: I witnessed the dumb stuff. Tricky: I recorded the dumb stuff. Tabi: I joined in on the dumb stuff. Agoti: I TRIED TO STOP YOU FROM DOING THE DUMB STUFF!!!

Ruv: What did you guys get in your yearbook? Whitty: 'Prettiest Smile’ Tricky: 'Nicest Personality’ Tabi: 'Most likely to start a bar fight’ Agoti: 'Least likely to start a bar fight, but most likely to win one’

Steve: *Gently taps table* John: *Taps back* Ted: What are they doing? Skittles: Morse code. Steve: *Aggressively taps table* John: *Slams hands down* YOU TAKE THAT BACK-

Ted: Dammit, Steve! Steve: What?! It wasn’t me! Ted: Sorry, force of habit. Dammit, John! John: Not me either. Ted: Oh…Then who set the house on fire? Skittles: *whistles*

Ted: *Screams* Steve: *Screams louder to assert dominance* Skittles: Should we do something?! John, observing: No, I want to see who wins this.

Ted: Why are you on the floor? Steve: I’m depressed. Steve: Also I was stabbed, can you get John, please.

Ted: John, my old arch enemy. Steve: … I thought I was your arch enemy? Ted: I have a life outside of you, Steve. Ted, driving Steve and John: So how was your day? Steve: We almost got surprise adopted! Ted: What? John: We almost got kidnapped. Ted: Oh, okay. Ted: *slams on the breaks* WAIT WHAT?!

[acowardinmordor]

Flip the Board - pt 3

Part One - Part Two

This is going to have to migrate to Ao3. I'm incapable of keeping things short. I'll try to catch everyone in tags when I post part four, which will flip this to posting by chapter, rather than by scene.

----

Eddie didn’t skip as he rushed out the side door of the school, headed for the parking lot, but it was close to it. Dustin was standing with his back to the school, next to the van, imitating Harrington’s frustrated mom pose, with a lunchbox hanging from his left hand, and his backpack over his shoulders. Max was leaning against the van, while Lucas argued, and Mike glowered. 

Good progress, but they needed to get moving and were two party members shy of a successful departure.

Eddie hurried over, clapping to bleed off the excess energy, then flung open the door. Ignoring the random stuttered confusion, he snagged his supply and shoved it under the driver’s seat, then reached for bags and whatever else they had on them. 

“What the hell?” Max asked as he yanked the skateboard out of her hands.

“Chill, Red, I’m not stealing your board, you’re coming too.”

“No, really, what the hell?” Lucas added. 

“Shh, Sinclair. Hold your questions til the end of class. Dustin, you’re three for five. Did they not want to skip out? I don’t care. They have to. Do I need to go back for them? Come on. Chop chop. Where’s Robin and Wheeler?”

“I’m right here?”

“Wheeler the Elder,” Eddie amended with a flap of his hand, “You, Sir Michaelmas, are already accounted for.”

“Okay, Dustin, what shit is this?!” Mike snapped. He turned to face off with Dustin, and Lucas turned with him. “You said this was Code Red.”

Dustin was his favorite. 

Kid didn’t blink, didn’t hesitate, didn’t even glance at Eddie for confirmation. Which was one hell of a thing since it was Dustin, who can, did, and would question everything he encountered -- all at the top of his lungs. It wasn’t like Eddie took the time to explain a damn thing after telling him to get the others. Yeah, Dustin tried to ask something after Eddie told him to get the others, but lunch was ending and step one had to start immediately, so Eddie sprinted out of the theater and trusted that Dustin would listen. 

“It IS a Code Red.”

“How the hell would he even know to say that? He probably just overheard you talking about something and thought it would be a good joke.”

“It isn’t a joke,” Dustin insisted. “This is real. He knows something, and it’s serious.”

“Nancy graduated last year, but we’re supposed to think this is real?” Lucas said.

Oh shit. 

“Just because he doesn’t know everything doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Steve gets things wrong all the time and we still listen to him!”

Maybe this meant that the vision thing wasn’t real. Eddie scrambled backwards in his head, trying to figure out if he knew that or not. He saw her around all the time. Around the school all the time. She was in Hawkins during spring break. 

Whoops? 

Apocalypse canceled?

Oh wait. 

No. Dammit. 

He remembered this. He already knew this. Wheeler mentioned it after a couple campaign sessions. Damn. So much for hope. For a second he thought he hadn’t received some insane prophetic revelation.

“She’s working for the paper right?” Eddie interrupted before Mike could yell. “I knew that, sort of. A bit. I knew she was in Hawkins. That counts. It isn’t relevant to this. Got confused. Don’t complain, Wheeler junior, would you rather I know everything your sister does? I know you hate it when Steve talks to her, would you rather it was me?”

Mike’s eyeroll was the most ridiculous, but Lucas and Max joined in. 

Dustin was officially Eddie’s only child now; steadfast little shithead.

Eddie clapped again. 

“Right! Dustin! Where are the other two?”

“Okay. I told the others.” Dustin scowled a promise that all this good behavior was going to be repaid with the mother of all favors, but he answered, “Robin wasn’t sure when Steve finished his shift. She only knew it was before class ended today. She went to call him and see if Nancy was in the newspaper office. She’s either gonna show up with Nancy in a minute, or she’s going to be out here to let us know where Steve and Nancy are.

“And,” he continued, “The rest of Hellfire is pissed at you. Gareth said he was going to plan a coup for Hellfire and for Corroded Coffin. I am being very patient right now. It is taking everything I have to sound This Calm, but, Eddie, Dude, you need to start answering questions before I think you’re a Russian spy.”

Eddie blinked. 

“Uh.” Blinked again. “What do Russian spies have to do with demo-monsters and the Upside Down?” The kids all jumped when he said that name. He waved his hand, clearing it like a bad smell. “Dammit. Okay. Never mind, gotta learn about the communist infiltration later. Mayfield?”

“What now, Munson?”

“Don’t with that tone, Red. You have your walkman with you? Put it on. Kate Bush. Running Up that Hill. It’s your favorite song. Keep rewinding and listening until we can make you a loop tape.”

“What the hell?”

“Just put the headphones on.”

“Why should I listen to some dipshit who didn’t even know about the Russians?”

“Because you’re in trouble. The life-in-danger kind of trouble. Not the ‘you’re grounded’ kind.”

She snorted. For a second, Eddie saw how the others hadn’t noticed. She was good at fronting, if he hadn’t seen her before, he would believe it. 

“Have you been having headaches? Have you been having awful nightmares and thinking you’re hearing things and been thinking about how maybe it would be easier if--” He stopped before he outed any secrets. She heard what he didn’t say, and the suddenly serious look on her face was confirmation. “Just do it. It’ll keep you safe.”

Lucas had her walkman out already, skipping past the need to understand and lunging for her bag the second Eddie persuaded him. Good. That was good. Lucas would be good at this, and if he stuck with her, that was better odds on saving a second one. Their plan, using her, using a kid as bait for the interdimensional hell wizard was bullshit, and he wasn’t doing that again. No fucking way.

He knew the bats dropped, but he also knew the ground shook and there was a noise like the world tore apart right at the end. 

That was the last shot of the movie that arrived in his brain half an hour ago. A sound like the world screaming, louder than Dustin’s yelling, and then; a cafeteria. 

Maybe Max and the others pulled it off. Maybe they didn’t. He wasn’t gambling on this stuff.

“Eddie.”

“Dustin.”

“Are you going to explain stuff? Cause I’m trusting you right now, but even if I was okay not knowing what the hell, and I’m not, and you know that, even if I was going to be okay with it, no one else is going to be.”

“Yeah. You don’t know about this stuff,” Mike added. 

“I didn’t,” Eddie tossed back, stressing the past tense.

“And you learned about all of this while standing on a table in the middle of the cafeteria?”

For once, Nancy Wheeler’s ability to instantly override any conversation she entered was a blessing. Eddie didn’t know how to answer Mike’s question except with a plain ‘yes’ which would do exactly nothing to clarify any of this.

“Munson, if this is some kind of a joke, I will personally ensure that you do not graduate,” she announced as she joined them, deadly serious. “You have no idea how serious this is, and you can’t decide to use it as a prank the day before Spring Break because you think it’ll be funny.”

Eddie turned and smiled, “Ms Nancy Wheeler, you’re looking as delightfully felonious as ever.”

“Munson.”

“Not a joke,” he cut her off. “Robin, where’s Steve right now?”

“Well he was at Family Video, but I called and told him Dustin called Code Red, and I think he tried to spontaneously teleport to the school to help before I finished the sentence. Luckily he smacked into the edge of the counter, so he stopped to listen for a sec, so I told him to go home and we’d meet him there. But that was a couple minutes ago, so he’s probably breaking driving laws and freaking out right now. By the time we get there, he’s going to be at least half as freaked out as I am right now.”

“What is going on?” Nancy hissed.

“Normal Hawkins shit, apparently,” Eddie said, “It’s the end of the world and I know what’s coming.”

“Bullshit. This isn’t a joke. I don’t know how you found out about any of this, but this isn’t one of your games!” 

The fizz of victorious energy he floated on tempered by a few points. Eddie heard the sharp edge of Nancy’s voice, and held it up against the fear as she described Vecna’s plan. There were similarities. She didn’t believe him yet, but she believed it was possible. 

The others continued bickering while he and Nancy squared off. 

“He isn’t joking,” Dustin repeated stubbornly.

“Oh, so our DM suddenly knows about the Upside Down and we’re just supposed to trust he isn’t making it a story?” Mike yelled.

“It’s Eddie! Of course we trust him!”

“Well,” Robin dragged out the word, “some proof would be nice.” 

“You want proof that I’m not joking, Nancy?” Eddie hummed a little, and kept his focus on her. Goddamn, at least this bullshit was giving him some top shelf opportunities for dramatics. He waited until the quiet got a tiny bit tense, then quietly, simply, said, “In 1983, your shoe boxes were full of shoes. Now they’re full of guns. Pick them up on the way to Harrington’s, would you? All of them.”

“What.” Her face froze, blank.

He had more things he could say, but if he could convince Nancy, he figured the kids would shut up until they got everyone in one place. She was scary enough to buy him a little more time.

“Am I wrong?”

“How do you know that?”

“Told you. End of the world and I know what’s coming.” 

She nodded once, cautious and serious.

Eddie clapped his hands loudly to break the mood, and turned back to the gremlins. “Max, Lucas, Robin, you’re with me. Dustin, Mike, go with Nancy. ”

“No, get back here, Munson, how do you know that? How do you know any of this?”

“Yeah, sorry, I would, but we’re on the clock. I’m not gonna waste time doing this song and dance twice aaaaaaaand, tragically, for me, but excellent news for Henderson; I need Harrington.”

[honeymoonjin]

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ot7 x reader || ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 5.9k || ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: smut - rated 18+

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ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: cursing, panic attack

A/N: apologies for my tgm crimes here but i gotta keep you on your toes since you have the old plan. also i'm not going to spoil anything but day 25 has one of my fav scenes in the show so far ;;-; so please enjoy this chapter and i will continue to work hard to finish the following one and get back into the posting routine!

DAY TWENTY-FOUR

You’re roused from sleep by the feathered sensation of fingertips on your jaw. Twitching slightly, you try and move away from it, burrowing deeper into the warm, gently rocking pillow your head is propped up on.

Before you can slip back under, however, the fingers give one last attack: a sudden flick to your cheek that echoes with a thwack. You flinch and furrow your brows, grumbling your displeasure since your words haven’t quite found you yet.

“Get up, sleepyhead, unless you’d rather I just piss in the bed.”

That’ll do it. You shoot up so quickly your vision swims, one side of your face feeling cold without the comfort of Yoongi’s chest. “Fuck you, go pee,” you slur, eyes still half-closed, the morning glare peeking through a gap in his curtains.

Yoongi happily but hurriedly trots off to the bathroom, giving you a moment of respite to collect yourself. It takes a few moments to recall the previous night, not just the way Yoongi’s voice had made you cum in your room, but also the way it later lulled you to sleep as he told you hushed stories of his childhood or anecdotes from his days as a sex education teacher.

You can even hear his voice now, just barely slipping under the crack of the door, humming and singing under his breath as he washes his hands.

When he finally exits, you’re propped up by pillows, duvet tucked over your knees and eyes crinkled fondly at his bedhead.

“Oh, no,” he starts with a frown, “you better get that look off of your face.”

Your smile drops. “What?”

Taming his hair with a few flat strokes, he shakes his head. “I need somebody sane in this house to talk to. You aren’t allowed to fall in love with me, it’s conflict of interest.”

Mouth dropping open, it takes you a few minutes to note the subtle curl to his lips. “You dick! I’m certainly not planning on it, don’t flatter yourself.”

“Hey,” he defends in a drawl, no attempt at modesty as he shucks his pyjamas before browsing his chest of drawers, “it’s been done before. You come for the massive dick and stay for the massive heart.” He pauses, shoulder muscles flexing as he reaches in to a drawer, pulling out a pair of dark wash jeans. “Stop looking at my ass, I’m trying to lecture you.”

On the contrary, you lower your gaze and narrow in on it. “You’re starting to develop a little bubble butt, Yoongi. It’s very cute.” Not leaving him time to protest, you barrel on. “Besides, your dick isn’t that big.”

“That’s only because you’re comparing mine to hyung’s. And Namjoon’s. And… And Jungkook’s, I guess. And-” Suddenly he cuts himself off, throwing himself back on the bed with his back hunched in despair. “Fuck, do I have a small dick?”

“Mm, not really,” you dismiss easily, deciding to finally get out of bed and pick out your own clothes - selecting them from Yoongi’s drawers, of course. He makes no protest, still staring blankly at the jeans in his hands. “You just have steep competition here. There’s nothing wrong with small dicks, either. They’re cute.”

Now visible from your angle, Yoongi’s face twists in a grimace. “But my dick isn’t small, right?”

You shrug, slipping on one of his FG shirts and a pair of sweatpants loose enough that you have to knot the drawstrings. “If it helps you sleep at night.”

He spares one somber glance down between his legs before he slips on a pair of underwear, finally stepping into the jeans. There’s a brief period of comfortable silence, before he lets out a small sigh. “Can I… Can I confess something to you?”

Although a quip would be easy enough to say, you sense the joking is over. “Of course, Yoongi,” you assure instead, sitting cross-legged on the unmade bed beside him. He doesn’t meet your eye, busying himself with slipping a shirt over his head. “What’s up?”

Once he’s fully dressed, he still keeps his eyes low. “When you- On Monday, when you voted out Jin-hyung. I was so glad.”

You pause for a moment. “Because you wanted him out of the competition?” you venture, but he shakes his head dully.

“Because I thought he might look at me again if he didn’t have you.”

Something sinks in your stomach, cold enough to make you shiver. The guilt in Yoongi’s voice doesn’t conceal the open vulnerability of his expression as he fiddles with his bitten fingernails. “What do you mean, Yoongi?”

“What him and I had earlier wasn’t healthy, I know that,” he defends to himself, “but… I still miss it. I miss him. But even when I spoke to him after the elimination, all he would talk about was you. And I can’t even be mad, because I get it. And I- If I’m honest,” he murmurs, feet scuffing restlessly on the carpet, “I don’t even know what I’m wanting to achieve by telling you this, but I couldn’t stand not having anybody know about it. I never wanted it to get this messy. I told myself I wouldn’t let my feelings get caught up. But I think a little heartbreak would be worth it, for him. Is that stupid?”

You feel so unanchored, like there’s nothing for you to grab onto to steady yourself. More so, you feel entirely incapable of helping your friend like you so desperately want to. “It’s not stupid,” you begin, reaching out to cup one of his hands snugly between the two of yours, head resting on his shoulder in solidarity, “and I’m so sorry. Does he- does he know you feel this way?”

“I don’t think so,” Yoongi admits in a low voice, leaning into your touch. “If he does, then he must not like me since he’s not acknowledging it. And if he doesn’t, then he must have never even considered me like that. I know I was a distraction at best.”

You knit your brows together, deep in thought to try and find the right words to say. “Or perhaps he knows and he’s respecting your boundaries by letting you initiate, especially since he was the one who took advantage of you last time. And perhaps he doesn’t know, and it’s only because he’s so caught up in his own feelings that he hasn’t considered that you may feel the same. You just don’t know these things, Yoongi. I didn’t know how you felt either until you told me.”

He nods slowly, jerkily. “Yeah,” he says weakly. “Jungkook said almost the exact same thing, actually.”

You pull back slowly, curiosity colouring your tone. “Jungkook?”

Yoongi manages a shy smile, cheeks colouring slightly. “He approached me. We- we talk a lot, way more than hyung and I ever did. I know Kookie has a crush on me, and we said we’d take things slow, but dammit, I can’t help but like the kid.”

You let a surprised laugh bubble up your throat. “That- I was not expecting that, but I’m so glad, Yoongi. Even if you don’t have Jin, I’m glad you’re letting yourself be happy with others.”

His smile falters. “Is it greedy that liking Jungkook doesn’t make me want Jin-hyung any less?”

You go still, thinking of your own blooming feelings for... Well, for most of the people in this house, if not - at least a little bit - all of them. “I don’t know,” you answer honestly. “I’d like to think not.”

Yoongi lifts his gaze to you, carefully studying your face. “Do you ever worry,” he begins, so softly that you have to strain to make the words out, “that our feelings have been set up. By the show, I mean.” His brows furrow deeper. “We’re living in a practical paradise - luxurious house with no real jobs, our food is paid for, we’re literally getting rewarded to have sex. It’s so artificial, you know? So who’s to say that our feelings are artificial, too? I- I’ve been thinking about that a lot,” he admits with a pensive stare.

You can’t lie. You nod. “I’d like to think not,” you repeat hollowly, “but… I mean, yeah, this feels like some alternate reality, and thinking of any of you in normal, mundane, real-life scenarios seems so strange. Like, can you picture Hoseok sitting down and doing his taxes?”

Yoongi snorts, shaking his head in bemusement as a line of tension eases from his shoulders. “I hope he hires an accountant. I certainly wouldn’t trust him with my money.”

You let out a deep sigh and fall backwards onto the duvet, air punched out of you on impact. “The thing is, Yoongi,” you declare in a matter-of-fact tone, “we have no way of knowing what life will be like once all this is wrapped up so why even bother worrying?”

He turns slightly, just enough to watch you warily over his shoulder. “Maybe because I could get my heart broken?”

You pout at him. “Tell me how that’s any different from developing a crush in real life?”

He opens his mouth, furrows his brows, and closes it again. “I- Ugh. Fuck you for being correct.”

Pleased with yourself, you hide your grin as you playfully knock his side with your foot, making him recoil with a groan. “Be as cautious or as impulsive as you want, but even if all this is fake, you could’ve just as easily developed those feelings outside of the show. Like come on, if you saw Jin in the grocery store don’t tell me you wouldn’t fall in love on sight!”

Yoongi shakes his head again, a wry smile playing at his lips. “I see your point… and now I’m picturing Jin getting groceries and looking hot doing it...wow.”

You cackle at the dazed look on Yoongi’s face, using his arm to pull yourself up off the bed, patting him on the shoulder. “Good talk, champ. I’m off to chow down on the leftover pork from last night. Care to join me?”

His eyes glitter, but the doctor declines. “Yoonji said she blackmailed one of the production team to bring her fried chicken from her favourite place. She’s hiding it in the bunk room, but you didn’t hear that from me. She’s selling some to me for a small fortune, the little devil.”

“Less than half a week here and she’s already set up a black market,” you muse, “I think I may be in love with her, Yoongi.”

“Don’t you dare.”

--

While the kitchen is empty when you first arrive, it only takes the sizzle of pork belly in a saucepan to draw your roommates down.

Jin is first, silently rummaging in the pantry and fridge for some side dishes to add to the mix. In return, you begin boiling some hot water, adding instant coffee mix to two mugs.

As the others join, the line of mugs and glasses on the kitchen island grows, until even the two Min twins are hovering in the kitchen, looking suspicously still hungry after their illicit breakfast.

There aren’t enough chairs at the table to seat you all, but luckily Taehyung and Jungkook are happy hunched over the bench in the kitchen, sharing a set of Airpods and snickering at a seemingly endless stream of TikToks.

At the table, Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi chow down on their meals, the latter with a considerably smaller portion made up mostly of meat. Yoonji and Jimin are on either side of you, with Jin on one end, chewing slow to savour each bite.

It’s the first time in a while that you’ve all shared breakfast at the same time, and you’re struck with a deep feeling of fondness at this little family-like group you’re living with.  Jimin sneaks extra strips of meat or spoonfuls of rice into your bowl when he thinks you’re not looking; Hoseok listens enthusiastically to Namjoon’s explanation of a summer school course he’s taking, even as he has to ask for clarification just about every second sentence; Yoongi splits his time between checking up on the two maknaes with a soft look, and scowling at his sister’s teasing comments.

“Any plans for the day?” Yoonji asks suddenly, tugging you out of your musings. She’s dressed sleekly in a black velvet mock neck shirt and high waisted denim shorts, her face as stark a resemblance to her brother as ever, with two sharp lines of black on her lids being the only visible makeup. “Except, I suppose, the mandatory fucking.”

You huff with pink cheeks, never growing used to hearing it so openly. “The days kinda blur together a little when you have no real responsibilities,” you admit, “I should probably find a hobby or something.”

Yoonji’s eyes crinkle in faux empathy. “Oh, honey, you’re gonna be so out of it when you return to the real world. You all will,” she adds, before shrugging, “except maybe Namjoon. Seems like academia doesn’t stop for anyone.”

You can’t help but agree. “He has more brain cells in his pinky finger than I do in my own body,” you swear, “he could break an arm and still type a thesis one-handed.”

Halfway through a mouthful of food, you’re rewarded to the ungraceful yet endlessly endearing sound of her snorting, a hand cupped over her mouth. After swallowing, she turns towards you to respond. “I haven’t known him for long, but that seems to check out. He’s quite the character, huh?”

You don’t miss the meaningful lilt to her voice, nor the quirk of a sharp brow. “He’s a good guy,” you reply under your breath, gaze darting down the table to where the man himself is engaged in an intensely enthusiastic discussion (okay, closer to a TedTalk) with Hoseok, now using pieces of meat to create an abstract diagram in his otherwise empty bowl. The latter looks bewildered, but is nonetheless paying deep attention to every word.

It’s impossible not to feel soft inside as you look at the pair of them, all complementary contrast. Hoseok with his slender nose and harsh facial structure and Namjoon with a round, gentle face. One of them dressed in sleek black and the other in oversized earth tones, the typically reserved one animated and the bubbly one focused in. It had taken you barely a month of shared living to become completely fond of these men, not just Namjoon and Hoseok but all of them, and as much as it was nice to have someone new in the Villa for a while, Yoonji’s presence makes you more aware of the fact that you and the seven guys had developed a certain equilibrium that seemed slightly off-balance with the change.

It makes you worry about what other disturbances this delicate system could hold, and if returning to the real world would be a shift large enough to permanently upend it.

Wishing to dispel the pessimistic narrative beginning to form, you focus in on Yoonji again. “Anyways,” you start, “how are you finding the Villa so far?”

“Certainly an interesting look behind the veil, though it’s really not ideal having to-” Yoonji’s cut off by the chirp of an incoming message on her phone. “Sorry, one sec,” she mumbles absentmindedly, but you don’t miss the way her face falls when she reads the message, immediately glancing directly across the table to where her brother sits.

To your growing concern, Yoongi is also reading a message on his phone, and he quietly excuses himself from the table, leaving his bowl half-eaten. He jerks his head towards the front door, and Yoonji manages a quick apology before they’re leaving the room.

All startled out of their separate conversations, the remaining members of the household sit in confused silence, enough that even Taehyung and Jungkook turn around from their phones.

“What’s going on?” Jungkook asks in a worried voice. “Where’s Yoongi-hyung?”

Nobody replies, Jin just shaking his head with a grim frown and leaving the table himself, going after them.

“Guys,” Taehyung says more insistently, eyes not leaving the empty seats at the table.

“They both got a text,” you say with furrowed brows, “Yoongi and Yoonji. Must’ve been bad news, judging by their faces.”

“Jin-hyung’ll find out what’s going on,” Namjoon assures, though it sounds more like he’s trying to convince himself, “let’s just clean up for them and wait for an update. Yeah?”

The two youngest nod solemnly, still with a single Airpod each bobbing in their opposite ears.

For a while, the group of you remaining sit in silence, as if caught up in some spell that would only be broken once Jin returned with some answers. The absence of Yoongi at the table is so much more pronounced, and you can’t help but feel the sickening worry swirl inside you when you look at his bowl, chopsticks strewn carelessly beside it.

Everyone is just waiting for bad news. You’ve felt this looming dread before, and it either came with a swoop of relief or a blow of despair. Your teeth find your thumbnail as you wait helplessly to see which one it’ll be.

It feels like an eternity before the door finally opens, making everyone jump, but only a few minutes have really passed. Jin is panting slightly, like he ran back from wherever Yoongi disappeared to.

“He’s-” he starts quickly, before a tremor passes over his face and he grimaces, jogging over and falling heavily into his chair at the table, face in his hands. “Their dad is in hospital. Heart attack.”

“Oh my god,” Namjoon breathes, brows knit together in sympathy. “Is he okay? Was it serious?”

Jin shrugs, looking up enough to run his hand over his face and take a shaky breath. “He’s alright for now, but apparently they need to make sure it doesn’t repeat anytime soon. If he settles, he’ll be fine, but there’s a chance that he might suffer another attack. Yoongi and Yoonji are going to the hospital now to stay with him until they’re more certain he’s stable. Just in case.”

“When is he coming back? Yoongi-hyung?” Jungkook’s eyes are wide, shiny. He can’t stop fiddling with his fingers, self-soothing.

“Not for a while, I don’t think,” Jin divulges with a pained expression. “He needs to be there for his family right now. That’s all I know, I’m sorry.”

The front door creaks, and all of you instinctively whip your heads towards it, as if Yoongi himself might be returning already, but you’re greeted with the weary face of Producer Sejin, joining you at the table, taking Yoongi’s old spot. Taehyung frowns deeply at the choice, turning his face away.

“What’s going on?” you ask quickly. “What happens to Yoongi? And us?”

“Yoongi is… He was in a rush to get going, understandably, so we didn’t speak in great depth. But he in short stated that he’d return when his father was in better health if the place was still open for him. I’ve got in contact with the higher-ups, and we’ve agreed to put the show on a temporary hold.”

“On hold?” Jungkook asks in a nervous voice. “What does that even mean?”

Sejin clears his throat stiffly and clicks his tongue. “Well. It means we’re putting a stop to the game for now, in short. If Yoongi is able to return by the end of the week, we’ll resume as usual. Otherwise, we’ll consider him to have permanently left the competition, and we’ll be forced to continue the game without him.”

You frown, fighting the urge to cry. This all feels so wrong, like he’s been taken from you with little hope of reunion, and discussing it like administration feels so clinical. “So we’re just sitting here, not knowing if he’s going to come back home, waiting around in limbo?” As soon as you finish, it feels like the word home lingers in the air longer than the rest of them. And perhaps this house doesn’t feel like home to you, but it certainly seems like six of the seven pieces of home are around you right now, and it’s not the same without him away. By the way the others are solemn and red-eyed, you probably aren’t the only one that’s begun feeling that way.

Sejin just shakes his head slowly, as subdued as you all are. “Listen, I know this isn’t ideal. The boss wanted to film it, make a big drama out of it, and then kick him off the show for views. I’m doing the best I can here to compromise and give him some dignity.”

Eyes widening, you stare at the round eyes of the cameras in the living room. “Are you- are you even allowed to say that?”

“I cut the camera feeds,” Sejin says in a defeated tone, “the show is officially off-air for technical difficulties. You can do what you want here while you wait - hell, you can leave if you want, just please be prepared to come back on the Sunday. We’ll have a discussion about whether Yoongi can return, and what we’ll do if he doesn’t. Understood?”

“Understood,” Namjoon offers up for the group, and the producer leaves with another sigh and an attempt at a comforting smile. You can’t help but feel bad for him, working such an emotionally draining job, especially when you’ve heard nothing but bad things about his employer.

Once the room falls into quiet again, Jin stands up, chair legs scraping against the floor. “Okay, I think we should decide as a group what we’re wanting to do. Stay or go?”

You open your mouth to give your two cents, but before you can, Jungkook suddenly chokes on a sob and covers his face with his hands, Jimin immediately scooting his chair closer to wrap an arm around his shaking shoulders.

“Hey, what is it?” Jimin asks quietly, but the room is so silent that you all catch it. “Talk to me, bun. What is it?”

Jungkook takes a few stuttering breaths to compose himself, sniffling. “I don’t want you all to leave too,” he confesses, Jimin’s thumb catching a tear dangling on the tip of his nose, “isn’t Yoongi-hyung enough?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” the elder promises, pressing a kiss into his hairline before looking up at the rest of you, eyes widening intentionally. “We’ll stick together through this until he comes back, yeah? It’s not all bad. The cameras are off, remember? We can have a break now, we don’t need to worry about the show. Isn’t that nice?”

After a moment’s considering, Jungkook nods slowly. “‘t is nice,” he admits begrudgingly. “But only if everyone stays.”

You can’t help but smile fondly, getting up yourself to come behind him, stroking his hair back. “We’ll stay, of course we’ll stay. Let’s spend some time together tonight, we can put on a movie and snuggle, how about that?”

He perks up at the thought of this, glancing around the table as the others nod in affirmation. “I’ll bring down the blankets,” he bargains, cracking a small smile, and the rest of the room relaxes, immediately bursting into sound as everyone arranges the necessary supplies for a good quality movie night, almost back to normal.

Jungkook, as the member of the Villa in most urgent need of a pick-me-up, is given movie choosing privileges, so the seven of you tuck in for a rewatch of his favourite Spiderman movies, perhaps the only thing that can keep him glued to the screen.

At first, the absence feels overwhelming to you. Try as you might through the opening sequence, you can’t shake it. Your mind counts heads without thinking, keeps looking at the space on the couch where Yoongi liked to put his feet up. Even though you know it’s his father who is unwell, not him, there’s the sick swelling in your stomach that makes you feel like his departure is final, and shortly after the title card plays out, you’re quietly excusing yourself and stumbling to the back door, in desperate need of fresh air.

It’s cold outside, a brisk wind cutting through you. You barely make it around the corner out of sight before your legs buckle, and you let yourself fall into a pathetic crouch, your weight propped up against the side of the house as you try to suck the chilled air into your lungs.

The panic creeps up on you in swells, the irrational fear that Yoongi would leave the show and you’d never see him again and everything would fall apart suddenly feeling like a whole tsunami crashing against you. Your fingers claw at the exterior wall as you fall back onto your behind, unable to even keep yourself in a crouch.

More so than the intrusive thoughts, it’s the image of Yoongi’s face falling, of him rushing out of the house in frantic distress that replays in your mind and leaves you suffocating. He looked so scared, your calm, reliable Yoongi. He was like a pillar, but that news was a fell swoop he couldn’t stay strong against. Your heart burns for him, cramping and aching in your chest.

For a moment, you picture yourself staying out here, gasping for breath until the sun goes down. You feel alone, more than ever since coming here, and even as the thought spooks you, there’s no energy in your body to do anything about it.

Just as your breaths start to sound more like death rattles and you curl your face towards the ground, a warmth envelopes your back, arms circling your middle and lifting you up.

“Hey, breathe, breathe with me, Y/n. I’m here.”

You recognise the voice. You recognise the built torso holding you steady, but your mind isn’t putting the pieces together, and so you simply squeeze your eyes shut and allow yourself to be maneuvered around there are hands on your face and a deep voice instructing you to look at me. I’m here; look at me.

You crack your eyes open, body heaving with the effort it takes to get any oxygen in your lungs, but you’re met with the soulful brown eyes of Kim Namjoon, narrowed in concern.

His hands are warm despite the frigid air outside, and you let yourself melt into him, eyes sinking to watch his lips mouth instructions, demonstrating exaggerated breathing for you to follow.

You feel distinctly like you might vomit, but you force yourself to match his breaths. The shuddering in and stilted out aren’t as fluid as his, but slowly your heart doesn’t thud in your ears and your body doesn’t shake as violently.

You feel damp, sweating all over, and your whole body aches, but your hearing begins to properly tune in again, coherence creeping back. “Na-Namjoon,” you gasp, wishing you had the energy to grab his arms or hug him or something other than lying limp against the wall of the house.

“Shh, hey, don’t strain yourself. Take it easy. I’m here.” He’s crouching in front of you, eyes locked onto you as he continues to hold you steady, jaw kept aloft by his hands. “Keep breathing, and it’ll go away. It’s a panic attack, I’ve had my fair share. You’ll come right.”

Trusting him despite the persisting burn in your chest, you let him coach your breathing for several more minutes, the heightened air influx making your head go light and floaty.

Once a counted breath turns into a yawn of exhaustion, you know the worst has passed. It leaves you boneless, not a single ounce of power left in your muscles, but you can breathe again, and it’s all thanks to the man across from you.

“I’ve never had one before,” you manage, voice cracking, “not like that.”

Namjoon’s lips press together in sympathy, and he turns to prop himself against the side of the house beside you, letting you continue breathing independently. “Is it Yoongi-hyung?”

You nod weakly, and the academic hums in confirmation. “I used to get panic attacks a lot in university. I used to hate them, thought they meant I was weak. Like I couldn’t handle the pressure as much as I thought I could. But, you know, these days I just figure I’m only panicking because it means so much to me. And I don’t think that makes me weak at all. It just means I care. Don’t feel ashamed about this, Y/n. All it means is that you care about hyung a lot.”

All the breath in your lungs leaves you in one rush as you prop your head in your hands, knees tucked towards your chest. “Yeah.” You wish you had something more appreciative to say, but your mind is waterlogged, weighed down and not functioning.

Namjoon doesn’t seem to mind the curt response. “I care about him a lot too. He’s like the glue for us, isn’t he? I’m worried to fall apart without him here keeping us in line. But we survived before we knew him and we’ll survive now. What’s better is supporting each other and waiting to see how we can support Yoongi-hyung, too.”

“You’re right,” you admit with a heavy breath, wiggling your toes to will energy back into them. “We’ll be okay.”

Namjoon bends sideways to bump your shoulder warmly. “That’s the spirit. Now; I’m happy to stay out here as long as you need, but Jungkook was the first one to notice you had been gone for a while, and I think he’s probably getting concerned by now. If you’re up to it, I can give you a hand to get inside and join the others again. What do you reckon?”

You lean your head back against the wall, taking a moment to consider. “What movie is he putting on next?”

“He mentioned wanting to check out Paw Patrol on Netflix.”

“Let me die out here,” you plead weakly.

Namjoon laughs, the sound like comfort itself, and stands up, offering you a hand. “Come on, kitten, up we get.”

In the end, the Netflix viewings manage to distract you for the rest of the night. When your limbs are tangled together and snacks are flowing, it’s easy to tune out of reality a bit and focus on the television screen in the comfort of shared company. Jungkook clears space on the couch for you the second you return, and clings to you for hours, his chin on your shoulder. You don’t complain, feeling soothed by the physical closeness. But the hours pass, and when the majority of you can no longer hold in your yawns, Seokjin gets up to turn the lights back on and clean up.

“Let’s get some rest,” he decides, and it’s that return to the real world that immediately dampens the atmosphere again, the group of you turning solemn. You pause to pull out your phone, sending Yoongi a quick message of support, and that you all missed him already, but no reply comes.

Without words being spoken, the seven of you remaining find yourselves flocking together as you make your way up to bed. Jin flanks the maknae as Namjoon and Hoseok lean heavily into each other, the four of them disappearing into Jin’s room. You naturally fall into step with the remaining two men, Taehyung linking his arm into yours and holding you close all the way to Jimin’s room.

Somehow, the house is too quiet. Even though Yoongi wasn’t a particularly noisy housemate, his absence cloaks the air.

You have no energy to shower. Washing your face is as much as you can manage, and Taehyung is even more despairing than you are, slumped on the toilet seat as Jimin cleans his face for him.

The uncertainty is what makes your heart flutter on edge, unable to wind down, and you know from the restrained looks of fear and distress in the guys’ eyes that they feel the same. The show would be undoubtably ruined if Yoongi couldn’t return. But more important than that, Yoongi would be ruined if he lost his father so suddenly.

Knowing Yoongi is hurting makes you ache, and you cling to your lovers like they’re your anchors in a churning sea, tucking your face firmly into Taehyung’s shoulder. It soothes you a little to be pinned between them, but the three of you still lie awake as the minutes blink by agonisingly slow.

At some point, you must fall into a fitful sleep, because when a sudden noise fills the room, it rouses you aggressively, and you almost kick Jimin’s shin in the process. Grunting, the half-asleep man rubs his face and twists around, fumbling on the nightstand for the offending noise.

It’s Taehyung’s phone, vibrating against the wooden table, and once Jimin blinks twice at the glaring screen he gasps and yanks the charger out, sitting up in bed. “It’s hyung,” he declares in a voice more vulnerable than you’d ever heard from him before. “Wake Tae.”

You force yourself to dispel those last few wisps of sleep from your brain, and gently shake Taehyung awake. According to the clock on the nightstand, it’s almost two in the morning, but your heart leaps as Yoongi’s face fills the phone screen, looking right at the three of you.

“I thought you would be together,” he states with a rueful smile, though you can see that it doesn’t quite reach his reddened eyes. “Sorry for calling so late.”

“Don’t apologise, hyung,” Taehyung whines, half of his weight on you as he leans in close, “we were so worried about you. How’s your dad?”

Yoongi’s brows furrow beneath mussed hair. “Not great,” he admits. “A little more stable, at least, but he’s pretty confused right now. Nurses worry that it might have affected his brain.”

Your heart sinks, both at the thought of a relatively young man suffering such awful health complications, but also at how Yoongi was trying to hide his exhaustion and distress. “Oh my god.”

“Mm, we should know soon what the damage is,” Yoongi explains further, rubbing his eyes with the hand not holding his phone aloft, “and if he’s alright I can head back h- head back to the Villa. He’s just been sleeping a lot today so… We don’t really know how he’ll be until he’s conscious for enough time. Yoonji’s with him at the moment, I just wanted to duck out and give you guys an update. Where are the others?”

“Jin-hyung’s room,” Jimin answers, even as he’s throwing back the covers. “They’ll want to hear from you themselves, just hold on a minute.”

You hear Yoongi’s voice echoing from the phone and strain to make out his words as Jimin heads to the door. “No, no, don’t wake them. I actually wanted to ask if you’d like to come visit? Of course none of you know my dad, and he doesn’t know you, but- Well, Yoonji and I could do with some company.”

You jump up, rushing to Jimin’s side. As he naturally accommodates your presence and pulls you flush against him, you lift your face up to the phone. “We’ll be there,” you assure Yoongi, “just please get some rest tonight. It’s been a rough day.”

Yoongi’s pained smile breaks your heart, and Jimin leads the phone back to the bed so that Taehyung can say a final goodbye before the three of you hang up and crawl, exhausted but somewhat relieved, back into bed.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 301: All My Todorokis

Previously on BnHA: We learned that when a bunch of superpowered villains are suddenly set loose with nobody around to stop them, things get fucked pretty quickly. Old Man Samurai and a bunch of other useless people decided to make “I pretend I do not see it” their new mantra, and resigned. Endeavor had a moment of despair on account of being crushed by the guilt of having ruined the lives of himself, his family, and basically everyone else in the entire world. For various reasons the heretical notion of “person who has done bad things feels sorry for doing them” sent fandom spiraling into a meltdown, so that was fun. The chapter ended with the entire Todoroki clan descending upon Enji’s hospital room to have a dramatic chat about Touya and All That General Fuckery.

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi is all “here’s the story of how Baby Touya slowly went insane trying to win his father’s love.” It’s a tale full of subverted expectations and heartbreaking inevitability, and also like twenty panels of the cutest fucking kids who ever existed on planet earth, who are so fucking cute that I can’t stop thinking about their cuteness even with all of the horrifying family tragedy unfolding around them. It is absolutely ridiculous how cute they are. Touya is out here pushing his tiny body past its limits because he inherited the same obsession as his dad and neither of them can put it aside even though it’s destroying them, and yet all I can think about is Baby Shouto’s (。･o･｡) face. Anyways what a chapter.

so I have to confess that even though I managed to avoid being caught off-guard by the early leaks, the number of people reblogging my Endeavor posts from earlier this week and using the tag “bnha 301” kind of gave me an inkling that this chapter will include more Tododrama lol. that said, I don’t know anything else about it, so we’re still good spoiler-wise

AHHHHH FLAHSBAKC AHHHH. omg I know I typoed the shit out of that, but I’m just going to leave it lol I think it’s fitting

holy shit holy fuck. so this is Rei and Enji’s first meeting, then??

yepppp, oh shit

so wait, I know this is not even the slightest bit important, but are they meeting at Enji’s home or Rei’s? because I always figured that Enji was the one with the super-Japanese aesthetic, but maybe that was Rei’s side of the family all along

(ETA: from what I found during my very brief google search, omiai meetings are often held at fancy hotels or restaurants, so maybe that’s what this is.)

there’s such a period drama feel to this setting. like it’s so outrageously formal fff how can anyone stand this kind of atmosphere though seriously

OH THANK GOD

I mean they’re still stiff af but at least they’re not rigidly sitting in seiza and staring at each other unblinkingly anymore lol. Enji’s actually got his hands in his pockets now. why is this somehow almost cute

oh damn it’s the flowers

Rei seems so subdued and it’s so hard to get any idea of what she’s actually thinking. I want to see her side of this dammit

but anyway, so at least from Enji’s perspective it seems like even though the marriage was arranged and he picked her because of her quirk, he still loved his wife and wanted to do right by her. the fact that he was watching her and noticed that she liked the flowers, and remembered that detail for all these years -- there’s a reason why Horikoshi’s showing us this. we know what’s going to happen later on; we know how much fear and violence and breaking of trust is coming up ahead, and while it may seem like this scene is serving to soften Enji’s character further -- which to be fair it is -- it also helps drive home the full impact of his abuse. that it’s so terrible not only because of the trauma of the abuse itself, but also because of the way it retroactively destroys all of the good things as well. this could have potentially been such a sweet scene, but it’s inescapably tainted by the knowledge of what’s to come, at least for me. and that’s just brutal

anyways, shit. is the whole chapter going to be like this?? feel free to toss in something I can actually make a joke about sometime, Horikoshi

oop, back to the present

omfg lol

“are you all right” “NO I’M NOT ALL RIGHT WHAT THE FUCK.” “oh, right, because of all the stuff that’s happened with me abusing you and you having a mental breakdown and being hospitalized for ten years and then our son coming back to life and killing thirty people, right, right. I almost forgot.” whoops

omfg you guys I’m loving this new and improved steely-eyed Rei. I’m loving her a lot

and what do you mean “part one” fkjds how long is this going to be. TOO MUCH DRAMA FOR ONE CHAPTER TO HANDLE

oh, hello

yeah I’ll say you did. didn’t seem to bother you much at the time, though

HMMMMMMMMMMMM

Dabi Is A Noumu intensifies even further. anyways though would you fucking look at this boy lounging on this moth-eaten couch doing his best DRAW ME LIKE YOUR FRENCH GIRLS impression wtf

Dabi what if you actually had killed him??? what would you feel?? satisfaction?? regret?? anything at all?? tell me your secrets goddammit

who are you talking to buddy

Fuyumi-chan, Natsu-kun (is it common for brothers to address each other as -kun?? can’t recall seeing that in many other anime, but hey), and “dot dot dot,,,,,, SHOUTO” lol thank you so much for this bountiful heaping of Tododrama Horikoshi we are blessed

AH, WHAT DID I SAY THE OTHER DAY

ULTIMATE MELODRAMATIC THEATER CHILD. “I’M JUST GOING TO LIE ON THIS COUCH SHIRTLESS AND ALONE AND MAKE SPEECHES TO MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO AREN’T THERE AND SAY THINGS LIKE ‘WATCH ME IN THE PITS OF HELL’ WITH A STRAIGHT FACE BECAUSE NO ONE’S THERE TO JUDGE ME.” WELL JOKE’S ON YOU MISTER CHATTERBOX BECAUSE I AM IN FACT JUDGING THE SHIT OUT OF YOU LOL

(ETA: and on a more serious note, it’s interesting to see that “look at me”/”watch me” theme being used again though, because we see that same sentiment uttered repeatedly by the younger Touya in the flashback. well kid, you definitely got your wish at last. don’t know what else to say.)

OKAY HORIKOSHI HAS DECIDED THAT’S ENOUGH FUN, TIME FOR MORE FLASHBACKS

oh my sweet precious lord

just as cute as we left him. giving us a child this cute when we all know full well what’s going to happen to him is just unspeakably cruel though

HOMG

I’m fucking speechless. you broke me, congratulations. what am I even supposed to do with this

I can’t get over this. moving forward my life will be split into two distinct parts, B.P. (Before the Pout) and A.P. (After the Pout)

and meanwhile there’s ALL THIS BACKGROUND ANGST BUILDING UP, AND I CAN’T EVEN FOCUS ON IT. Touya’s arm and cheek are covered in bandages (I’m guessing this is shortly after that “ouch!” panel we got some chapters back), and Enji is deliberately avoiding training with him because he doesn’t want him to hurt himself further. I can’t fucking get over the irony that all this time everyone thought Touya had died because Enji pushed him too far in his training, and it turns out that it’s the opposite -- the tragedy ultimately happened because he didn’t want to push him. but I’m jumping ahead of myself though I guess

by the way,

remember this?? just wanted to remind you that it exists just in case you forgot

so now someone is talking and basically saying that Touya is the exact opposite of what Enji was hoping for when he decided to start playing with quirk genetics

-- okay hold up

...lol no, never mind. for a second I thought “holy shit he looks kind of familiar WHAT IF IT’S UJIKO OMG” before I remembered that Enji would have recognized him during the hospital capture mission if that was the case. so NEVER MIND, PROCEED

IMAGINE THAT, ENJI DOESN’T QUITE SEEM SATISFIED WITH THIS SUGGESTION OF QUITTING NOW

(ETA: how the fuck did this man go around saving 62 towns in a single day what even is All Might.)

[clicks tongue several times] trouble a’brewin’

MEANWHILE BABY TOUYA HAS UNFORTUNATELY INHERITED HIS DAD’S STUBBORN STREAK

KLDIHWOEIJFL:KSDJ

!!!!!!!!!!!

oh my god. oh my god. what is this chapter. WHAT IS IT

so now Touya is all “YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND MY MANLY DESIRE TO BURN MYSELF ALIVE” well you got her there champ

THEY’RE TOO CUTE. OH MY GOD. HIS FURIOUS LITTLE TEARS. HER CHUBBY LIL FACE. HIS STUBBY LIL FISTS. SOMEONE HELP ME

also are they just home alone lol or what. “hey Touya, you’re what, like six now?? do us a favor and look after your baby sister for a couple hours for us would you? make sure not to set yourself on fire or anything.” WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG!!

now it’s nighttime and Enji and Rei are arguing, presumably about his decision not to train Touya anymore

whew. okay. so, a couple of things here

1. first of all I think this conclusively shows that Enji really was trying to do the best he could for Touya. he stopped training him as soon as he realized it was hurting him, but Touya was still determined so he tried to make it work anyway, and even visited doctors to try and figure out if there was anything they could do. then, once they were absolutely sure that it wasn’t going to work, he tried multiple times to explain to Touya why they had to stop. he didn’t just abandon him out of the blue, which is really important to note. “no matter how much I tried telling him...”

so yeah, that debunks another common fandom accusation. so by the time he finally makes this decision, which we all know is going to turn out horribly, it’s basically because he’s already tried everything else he could think of. which, by the way, still doesn’t mean he handled this right. but at the very least he was taking Touya’s feelings into account and he was trying, and he didn’t just abruptly toss his son aside (at least not yet)

2. buuuut, then there’s this panel right below all that

which is the other side of it. if he’d just quit like the doctor person advised him to, that would have been the end of it. Touya would still have been upset, but he would have eventually gotten over it and the family would have moved on and possibly even been happy. but what happens next happens because Enji can’t let go. he still has this maddening urge to surpass All Might, and so he and Rei keep having more children, and then Shouto is born, and Enji finally has a kid he can start projecting all of his hysterical ambitions onto once again, and everything starts spiraling out of control soon after

though p.s. none of that is Shouto’s fault though!! he’s one of the few good things to come out of this whole mess and I’m very happy that he exists. the tragedy is that his dad fucking lost his mind over his quirk and fucked everything up. but that’s on him, not Touya or Shouto

anyways, SLKFJLSHGLKJL

I CAN’T FUCKING TAKE THIS YOU GUYS??? LOOK AT THAT LIL BUTTON OF A NOSE??? I’M LOSING IT HERE???

AND TOUYA JUST SEEMS DEVASTATED OMG

because children aren’t stupid, after all. he understands that his dad is still looking to surpass All Might. and so he feels like a failure, and feels like his dad is trying to replace him because he wasn’t good enough. and even now, isn’t that what the adult Touya is trying to prove?? that he was good enough after all?? “I’ll show you what happens when you give up on me, dad”?? “I’ll show you what I can do”?? fuck my life fuck everything

AND YOU CAN SEE THE TOLL THAT IT’S ALL TAKING ON REI GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AS WELL OH GOD

really nice touch here with the panel outlines becoming all shimmery from the heat of Endeavor’s flames (and/or becoming more unstable as the family gets closer and closer to their breaking point). but man, Horikoshi I can’t handle this, please show us more cute kids or something I can’t

GKELKWFJLDKSHFLKL

WITTLE BABE. BEEB. BUBS. SMOL. lkj; oh ouch a piece of my heart just detached and latched onto him huh look at that

TODOROKI “I’M SO SMALL AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON AND I DIDN’T ASK TO BE HERE” SHOUTO AHHHHH

crazy how they all just seem to know right off the bat lol. kid doesn’t even have object permanence yet, let alone a quirk. but do they care?? IT’S THE HAIR, RIGHT. WE’RE ALL THINKING IT, I’M JUST GONNA COME OUT AND SAY IT. they knew the minute they looked at him lol

AND MEANWHILE TOUYA IS OFF HAVING UNSUPERVISED TRAINING/CRYING SESSIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS OR WHATEVER, AND, UH OH

are those blue flames yet?? they seem pretty close

(ETA: this is one of the few cases where the manga being in black and white is infuriating lol.)

OH MY GOD AND STILL

so it’s not like he was so disinterested that he didn’t notice what was happening, and he was still trying to stop it and get through to him. trying to reassure him that it wasn’t the end of the world and there were other things he could do with his life, but this one particular thing just wasn’t going to happen

fucking hell. it’s agonizing seeing how close they actually were to fixing it. if he’d only said the right words, or if he’d realized at this point how destructive his obsession could be to his kids, and backed off from putting that same pressure on Shouto. we came so close to possibly having a happy ending

AND ALSO THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING BUT PLEASE LOOK AT HOW TOUYA IS LIKE THREE AND A HALF FEET TALL AND HIS DAD IS LIKE NINE AND A HALF FEET. Touya barely comes past his knees flkjlkg. the Todoroki household must have been so filled with like plastic stepstools to reach the bathroom sink and all the little baby toothbrushes, and baby gates to keep the kiddos out of the important grown-up rooms and stuff. and also days-old half-empty cups of water and stale crackers and hot wheels and my little ponies strewn everywhere

“BUT EVERYONE AT SCHOOL SAYS THEY’RE GONNA BE HEROES” a wild Deku parallel appears?? how bout that

I know this is like a pivotal moment in the Todo Tragedy and all, but fucking look at this lil dumpling

“sup bro, it’s me, the manifestation of your fears of inadequacy and lack of fatherly affections. a GAAA. ba-baAA-baa [gurgling baby sounds]”

OHHHHH IT’S THE SOUND OF MY HEART BREAKING OH NO

HE WANTS TO BE LIKE YOU ENJI. good lord somebody please just get this family some therapy

“DAD YOU IGNITED IT IN ME” flkjslkj nope, nope. not ready for this pain here

baby Shouto, would you like to weigh in on this affair? “DA!! ba-ga-daaa, [pacifier chewing noises]” oh my, you don’t say. so insightful for one so young

OH MY GODDDDDD

IT’S SO DRAMATIC BUT ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT ARE THE SHOUNEN WOOSH LINES SURROUNDING FOUR-MONTH-OLD SHOUTO LOL HE WAS LIKE THIS FROM BIRTH OH MY GOD I AM DYING HELP

SHOUTO YOU’RE RUINING THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER!?!?!

“yo, the fuck kind of family was I fucking born into” oh, son. if you only knew. IF YOU ONLY KNEW!!

(ETA: lmao I got so distracted by the ridiculous cuteness that I glossed over the fact that Baby Touya seems to possibly be aiming at him?? it’s hard to tell because he’s also super out of it from heatstroke and may just be losing control in his attempt to show off his upgrade.)

ANYWAY THAT’S THE END EXCEPT WHAT’S THIS LAST LINE OMG

ffffff. and we’re in for ANOTHER chapter of this next week?? MORE drama?? MORE BABIES?? MORE OF EIGHT-YEAR-OLD TOUYA’S SLOW DESCENT INTO MADNESS. MY HEART CAN’T TAKE IT, BUT ALSO YES PLEASE SIGN ME UP

[brookecuzyes]

three years of you. — tear myself apart

Damiano David x GN!Musician!Reader

Main Masterlist — 3yrs Masterlist

Summary: it’s only been a couple of days, which were full of tears and regret. however, that regret wasn’t on their part until a simple comment was made. (Part 3 of a series)

Word Count: ≈3.4k

Warnings: cursing, alcohol intake, angst (Anyone drinking alcohol in this chapter is of the legal drinking age in the United States, which is 21.)

A/N: thank y’all for reading! this has already gained a lot of readers and so i am happy about that. love you guys sm 💕 songs included in this fic are not mine. any characters mentioned are not mine, and belong to their respected owners. and ofc, i don’t own the celebrities either. i do check comments/reblogs, so please be respectful!!

———————————————————————-

You’ve got this, you can do it.

You tried consoling yourself. Normally, he would be here to help calm you down— or at least call if he could physically be there. He’d be there if you were about to have a panic attack, he’d be there to make sure that you were OK.

But you aren’t.

An entire audience full of strangers who listened to the songs, who listened to your heartbreak. Now, they get to watch your heart break live.

He wouldn’t— no, couldn’t— be there to comfort you. He couldn’t be there to tell you that everything will be fine. He fucked up, he’s the one who messed up that relationship…

“…then why did you show up?”

——

Glasses clinked. Chatter was taking place all around. Honestly, it was a little overwhelming.

You sat down at the booth with the whole band. Saturday had rolled around, which you hadn’t noticed since you were lost in an almost depressive state where time was non-existent. However, the karaoke bar definitely woke you up.

“Alright, guys,” Luke, the lead guitarist, said, holding a couple of drinks in his hands. “Tonight is the night! The tradition kicks in once again, and Monday we start recording. Let’s celebrate and relax.” Julie, the lead singer and the girlfriend of Luke, followed behind him, setting more drinks down on the table. Flynn, the unofficial manager of the band, let out a loud, “woo!”, making everyone laugh. All of you grabbed a glass and clinked them together, all taking a sip at the same time. Your face crunched when you processed the drink.

“Jesus, Luke, what is this?” you questioned.

“Alcohol,” he said blatantly.

“Yeah, no shit,” you shot back, shaking off the effects.

“I just said that we’re relaxing— that’s exactly what alcohol does!”

“Or maybe you're just an alcoholic?” Alex joked, taking a sip of his drink.

“I don’t drink that much.” Luke defended.

“That’s what an alcoholic would say.” The whole band started laughing at the ongoing banter. It isn’t often when Alex made witty remarks like that, and everyone always enjoyed it when he did.

On another note, you felt as if you absolutely needed this drink. Given what’s been going on this last week, you felt like you deserved it. Though, you knew you’d regret this tomorrow. You knew Alex was keeping an eye out for you. The rest of the band didn’t know yet, they just knew that something happened, which is why you left Italy so early. They were all confused, but didn’t ask upon it when Alex glared daggers at them when they tried. So, thankfully, they did back off. But, it doesn’t mean that they weren’t concerned.

You had been talking, making it seem as if everything was fine, but Alex’s heart broke when he picked up on it. However, with the alcohol about to course through your veins, it would be harder from him to be able to pick up on whether you were drunk or going through it. Regardless, he was going to make sure that you were having fun and not thinking about your ex.

“Hey,” Flynn said, “why don’t we start the karaoke? I think we all have enough alcohol in our systems to do this.”

“I vote for Alex to go first!” You said, raising your hand. “Do Micheal Bublé.”

“Woah, hold up, I never even said-“

“It doesn’t matter. What I say goes. Now go.” He sighed, laughing as he stood up from the booth. He went over to the guy and told him what song he wanted to do. They got everything set up, and Alex got on stage.

“Let’s go, Alex!” You cheered on, making him smile and blush just a bit— though that wasn’t entirely visible from where you guys decided to sit.

The song started playing, and Alex started singing. It took you a few seconds to recognize the song but you figured it out.

“Oh, he’s singing Feeling Good. I love that song,” you whispered to Reginald, the bassist, who was sitting next to you. He looked to you over his shoulder, smiling. He hadn’t seen you so “out there” since you got back. It was nice to see you getting back to normal. Though, he didn’t actually know why you weren’t normal to begin with.

And I’m feeling… good.

You cheered Alex on again, dancing along to the beat with the whole band. Alex didn’t sing much, but when he did you cherished those moments. That’s why he songs Now or Never and Stand Tall on the band’s very first album are your favorite.

“God, I love his voice,” Reggie said, as if he read your mind.

“Yeah, and look at him,” you pointed out the way his body is moving with the music. The way he was just lost in a musical haze. It was enchanting. “That’s what his anxiety covers up.”

Alex soon finished, hopping off of the stage with an embarrassed smile on his face.

“Oh, don’t be embarrassed, babe,” you said, noticing his expression. “That was the best performance tonight by far. Not even Julie could compare to how amazing that was.”

“Thanks, Y/N,” she said, drawing out the ‘thanks’ in a sarcastic way. You raised your glass to her.

“Anytime, Jules,” you replied, raising your eyebrow and taking a sip. She laughed, letting the comment you made slip— for now at least.

“Hey, I have an idea!” Flynn exclaimed. “How about we take a couple photos and post them to our accounts? Y’know, to celebrate this very special moment.” Everyone collectively agreed. Pictures were taken left and right— and others were taken throughout the night, too— and each person had a different photo that they were each going to post. You had decided that you were going to post yours now, not wanting to forget later on tonight or tomorrow.

You captioned it:

Just continuing a small tradition tonight with music and alcohol. maybe if he lets me, i’ll post Alex singing Feeling Good 😏🤍

It was perfect and you posted it, after letting everyone see it to make sure it was OK. Within minutes people already saw it and were liking and commenting. You made sure to turn your phone off before it started going crazy. Julie and Luke decided to go up and do a duet with each other. They choose Little Do You Know. Their voices were beautiful singing the song. They mashed just so perfectly. You recorded them, knowing that you would 100% show them this at their wedding. (They aren’t engaged, but it’s bound to happen sooner or later.)

You weren’t paying attention to the notifications spamming the top of your screen, though you did look back once to see if the camera was aligned with their bodies. That’s when you saw a specific notification. One thing that you absolutely forgot when you posted that photo was that Måneskin could still see your posts. The only reason you remembered was because Victoria responded to your post.

Ahhh you look amazing!!!😘

The second you saw it, you put your head in your hands, mentally slapping yourself. If Victoria saw it, then the rest of the band is going to see, meaning Damiano would see it. Fuck, you thought to yourself.

“Hey, Y/N, are you alright?” Alex asked, placing a hand on your arm. You looked up at him showing him the comment. “I don’t understand.”

“Victoria commented. Meaning Damiano’s probably gonna see it.”

“Not if he’s blocked.”

“I didn’t block him, we’re still mutuals.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, Alex. Maybe I just haven’t gotten to it yet.” You realized the angered tone in your voice, not meaning to be rude to Alex. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.”

“No, it’s okay. Hey, maybe if he does end up seeing it, he’ll just be jealous. Damiano will see everything he’s missing out on.”

“What is Damiano missing out on?” Julie asked, sitting back down with Luke.

“Oh, it’s nothing-“ Alex started, but you cut him off.

“I left Italy because Damiano was talking to another girl. It caused too many problems, so I left.” Everyone went silent. Everyone’s eyes softened at you, unsure of what to say.

“Y/N…”

“It’s fine. I’m here now. It doesn’t matter.” Silence fell once again, especially on Alex’s behalf. He knew you weren’t fine, he knew it mattered— whether you said it or not. “Sorry if I kinda killed tonight’s vibe.”

“N-No, you’re fine,” Reggie said. “You did nothing wrong.”

“Yeah, you didn’t ruin anything. I am glad that you told us, though. We’ve been worried.” Luke said, putting his arms on the table and leaning forward just a bit. You felt your phone vibrate but didn’t think anything of it— probably just another person on Instagram.

“Sorry that I made you guys worry. I just wasn’t sure how to bring it up. It’s just been a hard couple of days. This shit isn’t easy,” you explained, mumbling the last part. Everyone stayed silent, none wanting to make something worse.

“Luke, why don’t you and the guys go grab some food?” Julie suggested, placing a hand on Luke’s back, turning her attention back to you.

“Oh, yeah. Guys, let’s go,” Luke said, getting the hint. The boys got up and left, each giving you a sympathetic look. The girls, on the other hand, all stayed behind.

“Alright, listen up,” Flynn started. “Tonight is not the night to mope around. You can do that tomorrow when you’re hungover.”

“Right now,” Julie jumped in, “you’re gonna forget about that asshole, get your ass out there, and sing your heart out, dammit!” Your eyes widened at the girls’ sternness. A smile started creeping from your lips, Julie and Flynn following behind you. Soon enough, the three of you started laughing your asses off.

“Ok, ok, I’m convinced. I’ll have fun tonight. Thanks,” you said, trying to shake off the laughter so you can speak. You grabbed your drink, taking a sip of it. It was the same drink Luke got you earlier. Damn it, Luke. You shook your head to shake off the kick the drink had. Flynn chuckled at your antics, taking a sip of her, not as strong, drink. The guys soon came back with some snack-type items in their hands.

“Are we all good now?” Alex asked, setting down the plate on the table and looking your way.

“Yep, we’re all good now,” Julie answered, taking a sip of her drink. You chuckle at her, reaching for some of the food on the table. “But, Y/N’s about to sing for us.”

“Woah, wait, now?”

“What did I say? You’re gonna sing your heart out.”

You groaned, slumping back in your set in a joking— yet, not entirely joking— way. “Julie, I didn’t realize that you meant right now.”

“Ok, so? Get up there, Y/N! C’mon it’ll be fun.” You contemplated. I should go, you thought, it could be fun.

“Fine, I’ll go,” you announced, getting up from your seat. Reggie and Flynn got up from theirs so you could get out. When you got up, you turned to Reginald.

“C’mon, you’re doing this with me,” you said, grabbing his arm and dragging him over to the guy supervising the karaoke.

“I didn’t really wanna sing right now. Nerves, y’know?” Reggie explained.

“So? Reggie, I get that nerves are real, but there’s no way in hell I’m doing this alone.” You opened up a book full of songs, and was going through the selection.

“Why couldn’t you just get someone else?”

“Because I think our voices clash very well together.” You turned your head to him and gave him a smile. He shyly smiled back. You looked back at the book and held it up to Reggie. “What about this one?” you asked, pointing to a song. Reggie read it and smiled.

“Yeah, let’s do it,” he said, grabbing the pen and marking off the song and writing your names. You stood back, waiting for him to finish. When he did, he turned around.

“Alright, I’ve got us down. Wanna head up?” He asked, holding his hand out with a playful smile.

“Let’s do it,” you said, grabbing a hold of his hand, him taking you up the stairs and into the stage.

When you walked up, you saw the screen in front of you turn on, switching to the lyrics of the song. The lights were bright, but it wasn’t anything you weren’t used to. You saw some people stare at you, but it was mainly the rest of the band. Reginald walked to the microphone set up on the far left, you took the other. The song started playing, immediately relaxing you. Maybe this isn’t as bad as I thought. The song you chose was a favorite of you and Reggie— Meet Me At Our Spot. Of course, the band loved it too, but they got bored with it after a while since you two were always blasting it wherever you went. You actually had some inspiration from this song and wrote a little tune, but you had no lyrics at the moment.

When I wake up

I cant even stay up

I slept through the day, fuck

I’m not getting younger

——

“Victoria, you don’t understand-“

“No, you don’t understand, Damiano!” Victoria raised her voice at him. They never argued. They’ve known each other since childhood and nothing had ever caused an issue, except for this.

“I did nothing wrong.”

“Really? ‘Cause it looks to me that you broke your lovers heart.”

“Y/N left me,” he said, trying to reason.

“They might have physically left, but, Damiano, you were gone a long time ago.” She started towards the front door of his house, grabbing her keys.

“Where are you going?” Damiano asked.

“Home. But, let me tell you something first, Dami.” She put her hand on the doorknob. “It doesn’t matter how you try to defend yourself, you fucked up. You broke Y/N’s heart. You were talking to someone else. The damage is done. If you’re gonna try and get them back, you’re gonna have to try really damn hard. You want to get Y/N back, right?”

Silence followed. Victoria gave him a second to compose himself, but ultimately feared the worst. “Dami…”

“I mean, yeah, but-“

“No buts. You shouldn’t be saying ‘but’, you have no reason to.” Damiano just looked at her. “Wow… unbelievable.” Victoria opened the door and walked out, slamming the door behind her. Damiano walked up to the door and locked it. He headed back to the living room and heard his phone ding. He picked it up and saw that you had posted a photo.

Just continuing a small tradition tonight with music and alcohol. maybe if he lets me, i’ll post Alex singing Feeling Good 😏🤍

He sighed. He unlocked his phone, and went to go see the photo you posted. You looked nice. Happy. What was the tradition again?

Right, karaoke. The weekend before the band records an album, everyone goes to a karaoke bar. He scrolled down a bit and saw a comment. He saw Victoria’s comment.

Ahhh you look amazing!!!😘

He figured that she saw the post before she pulled out of his driveway. He debated on what he should do.

Yeah, he fucked up. But, it really wasn’t that bad. It’s not like he cheated. It was just talking. He wanted to tell you that you look great, but wasn’t sure how you would feel about it. Like Y/N would care what I think, he thought to himself. You never broke up, though. Plus, he needs to know what’s going on, how you’re doing. He’s concerned. Couldn’t be the worst thing— it’s not like the internet knows yet.

Ok, I’ll just just comment.

——

Caught a vibe

Baby, are you coming for the ride

I just wanna look into your eyes

I just wanna stay for the night, night, night

You and Reginald were jamming out to the song, as per usual. Everyone was loving it, even the rest of the band. It was the most fun you’ve had in a hot second.

When we take a drive

Maybe we can take the 405

Hypnotized by the light

Man, this must be the life

As the song ended, everyone cheered you two on. You went over and hugged Reggie on his side, him giving a small hug back. You guys walked back to your booth, the whole band full of excitement. Alex got up from his seat and let the two of you in, you sitting in the corner of the booth.

“That was amazing!” Luke exclaimed.

“Thanks, we had fun,” Reggie said, practically reading your mind.

“Definitely.”

“Your voices go so well together,” Flynn remarked.

“That’s exactly what I said!” you said, hitting Reginald’s shoulder so he knows your point is proven.

“Ok, we don’t have to be violent about it,” he joked, smirking just a bit.

“Yeah, whatever. I’m gonna go to the restroom real quick. I’ll be back,” you said, waiting for Alex and Reggie to stand up so you can go. You grabbed your phone, stood up, and made your way to the restroom. When you got to the restroom, you went to one of the stalls but checked your phone before you did anything else. However, you almost immediately regretted it because you saw that Damiano had commented on your photo.

What the hell does he want?

You read what he had commented, and, honestly, you wanted to laugh.

You look great tonight, as you do every night, amore

You couldn’t believe it. Amore, really? you thought to yourself. You looked up from your phone, looking at the stall door. You contemplated what to do next:

For starters, keeping the comment wouldn’t be out of the norm for your followers. They knew about you and Damiano. However, if you deleted (which you really wanted to do), everyone would notice. People would speculate. Or, you could just go off on Damiano privately. That would be too harsh. But, this is your account— your decision. Do you want to have your cheater boyfriend compliment you the way he did?

You know what, do it later, you thought, turning off your phone and finally, actually, using the restroom.

Once you finished, you exited the stall and walked over to the sinks. You washed your hands, not able to get that damn comment off of your mind.

You walked out of the restroom and back over to the booth, but you didn’t sit down.

“Alex,” you said, standing next to him. “Can I talk to you?” He looked up at you, unsure of what you wanted to talk about, but got up anyway. You grabbed his hand and pulled him outside.

When you two got out there, you sat down on a bench, Alex following your move.

“Is everything alright?” You opened your phone and went to Instagram, showing Alex to comment Damiano left. “Oh.”

“Yeah. I just don’t know what to do, and it is tearing me apart. Do I delete it? Do I keep it? Do I argue with him?”

“Delete the comment, and, Y/N, please, block him on social media. You don’t have to block his number, but you should block him everywhere else.”

“Why not his number,” you asked.

“Because you need closure. At some point, you’re gonna want to text him or call him and try to get some understanding as to why he did what he did. You haven’t actually broken up yet. Maybe that’s how you finish off?”

After a moment of contemplation (again), you nodded your head slowly.

“Ok. Yeah, ok, I’ll do that.” You lowered your head and searched through your following to find Damiano’s account. You clicked the three dots at the top, and looked for the block button.

“You sure this is the right thing to do?”

“Yes. Want me to do it?”

“No, no, it’s fine. I can do it.”

You looked at the button for a second. You’ve never even thought of blocking him before. I’m your mind, he was the one. Now? Well, you’re blocking him because he cheated on you, so obviously your idea of him completely shifted.

I can do this.

Your hands started shaking slightly, your heart was beating like crazy.

I can do this.

Slowly, you moved your finger over the button.

Click it, it’ll be fine.

And, so, you did. You clicked the button.

You felt free.

———————————————————————-

Taglist for 3yrs — i’m so sorry if i couldn’t tag you!*

@mywritingonlyfans @nientedaridere @pingpongchamps @fairysums @kkjk @blackbluerose666 @thatmeganthing @teenyweenynightghost @ccweasley @lilchickie @katyldamusic @fanfictioncafe @tiaamberxx @butkutee @aboredassho @story-scribbler

*(for those who want to be tagged, please have stuff posted onto your blog and make sure that your blog isn’t censored <3)

[astaroth1357]

Unpacking the Angel Event (Through My Own Perspective)

Okay so uh… this was a very uncomfortable seat the Devs have offered us today and like all things that give me moral uncomfiness, I HAVE to analyze it. Blame the ethics classes. A full disclaimer, this is not spoiler-free and is pretty much entirely just me unpacking my own feelings here. What may bother or not bother me could really affect you and there is nothing wrong with that. You are entitled to your own perspective. This is just me trying to walk through all the stuff in this event that just… rubbed me the wrong way. So let's get to it.

The Costumes

So. Let's start at the beginning. Diavolo apparently had the bright idea to put everybody in magical costumes of their angel forms (or something like it in Satan's case). This is… problematic.

The reason the brothers lost their angel forms was because they fell after the Celestial War… who's greatest causality (in their eyes) was their sister, Lilith. So one could imagine that their memories as angels aren't particularly happy ones… By this point in the "continuity" (this is Post-Attic, more on that later), they would have known that Lilith didn't actually die which may soften something like this a little. I dunno, I'm not one of them and trauma is uniquely personal to the individual, but the bigger issue is that Diavolo thought this was a good idea to start with to which I say! - I'm not at all surprised by that. Hear me out.

Diavolo is heavily implied to have had a huge ass crush on Angel Lucifer. He's also uh… probably a little sheltered (as sheltered as the royalty of Hell can be) and probably not used to think of his subjects' feelings on the things he does before he just does them. This is fairly evident in other events where he'll order the brothers to do XYZ task even if they want no part in it. It doesn't surprise me at all that Diavolo would want to see them (Lucifer) as angels again and not take into account how that could affect them. I don't think that'd be malice on his part, just shortsightedness, and he likely would have apologized if any of the brothers expressed an emotional problem with it to him directly.

Do they have problems? Yes. But since the event kind of wipes them of their true selves, that's better discussed elsewhere. Moving on.

The Bangles 

Holy fuck, how do we even approach this? So Simeon, in conjunction with Michael (probably, at this point I have to wonder if he's telling the truth about this) gives the brothers jewelry, presumably to wear to the party, that would… I'm not even sure. Curb their impulses? Force them to be mannered? The important thing is he did not tell them about that little detail before they put the bangles on…

This is… also problematic. First, we can try to establish Simeon's intentions versus what actually happened: 

The bangles were (likely) intended to be removable. It was the mixing of the magic that locked them in place so we can assume he didn't mean this to be a permanent change.

The magic on the bangles was probably amplified by the angel costumes. What this means is though we can assume that Simeon never intended them to become quite so… different, we'll never know just how much influence he was actually trying to put on them. It could have been anything from suppressing their sins to full blown force you to say please/thank you. We'll just never get to know now… 

I won't be the first person to liken this to mind control (nor the last) because… that's kind of how it turned out. Even worse still, it would have been completely involuntary on the brothers' part. Simeon DID NOT tell them what the bangles were going to do. Now, he claims later that he would have eventually, but we don't get to know when that would have been. I presume at some time after the party, because like. These are our boys. They're not going to consent to wearing something like that, they're just not.

This poses all kinds of questions and problems ranging from issues of consent to anatomy and even the worth of good deeds done out of obligation vs. free will and… I mean quite literally when I say Jesus Christ, Simeon, what the hell?!

I could write a completely different post debating whether or not what Simeon did actually had any moral merit but I won't because it'd be very dry and boring. I think the most interesting thing to take away here is that Simeon thought it was okay to do like, at all, and with approval from Michael (maybe) no less… That reflects something on angel society that I doubt will get explored but I need to ponder farther…

This section is all kinds of sticky so we need to move on.

The Development(?)

First off, to new players, don't worry this probably isn't canon (at least to the main story continuity). The Brothers should be back to normal in the new chapters and this won't have a long term effect on anything (aside from maybe a tie in to the next event ala Beach event-> Games). That's how Obey Me has always treated their events it seems and I sure hope they stick to it now. But, these are still the same characters going through a unique situation and that can offer some insight so… Let's discuss.

I mentioned earlier that the brothers had problems with this… Unfortunately, I think we only get to see Lucifer and Satan's thoughts in any detail because everyone else is too far gone by the time we reach them… Lucifer can pretty much be summed up as troubled and unhappy because (you know) not a lot of great memories as an angel. I presume that his wounded pride after the fall may also contribute. 

Satan is… more complex. I’m honestly more bothered by his change than anyone else’s because even he expresses how weird this is for him... (We get confirmation that he never in fact had an angel form, btw). Poor baby is going through a full on identity crisis and there’s a certain part of his mind that he’s not even allowed to use right now... Anger. The Avatar of Wrath, born from Wrath, can’t get angry and… Something about that just bothers me at a deeper level, not even I can express properly…

Everyone else is too far gone once we reach them. Their personalities are completely different and they can’t even acknowledge that’s the case. They think that they’ve turned a new leaf but we know that’s not the reality, that leaf was very much turned for them and it doesn’t make anything feel any better…

This may be my own opinion, but part of me thinks that this portion (and only this portion right here) was actually what the Devs were going for. They wanted us to be uncomfortable by all of this for like, story reasons. It’s a narrative trick. Think of the phrase “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” I think they were trying to use the absence of the brothers’ usual flaws and traits as a weird way of celebrating them. Kind of like saying, “We could have given you guys these perfect brothers, but they’re not perfect and we know that’s why you like them. Look at these perfect guys, doesn’t it feel wrong?” The answer is, yes. It does feel wrong. And under other circumstances, it would be affirming like they’d be intending, “I don’t want this emotionally-open non-otaku, give me Levi dammit!” But when you add this intended discomfort with the already sketchy way we got here it just makes it all the worse… 

And absolutely NONE of this is helped by...

The… End?

I think the thing I hate about this event the most (actually legitimately hate) is how it ends. In that it doesn’t. It kind of just… abruptly stops right after Lucifer starts coming to himself again. Though I suspect that’s because they’re putting incentive into getting the event cards, this in NO WAY does the narrative any favors.

Most people are not going to get those cards. Even with Lonely Devil as an option, it’s a huge time/resource commitment to get there. Because of that, the majority of people are not going to get to see the aftermath of what happened. We don’t get to see how the brothers feel about what happened. We don’t get to see if they do, in fact, come to and if they have any takeaways from the experience or if they’re utterly disgusted by it. The player character doesn’t even get the option to comfort them after something that was probably terribly traumatic. It. Just. Ends.

What that means is all of that discomfort that we had just lingers… There’s no resolution or pay off. It just… stays… This is the worst possible thing they could have done. If you want your audience to feel uncomfortable, that’s one thing, but unless you’re telling like, a psychological thriller you gotta settle them back down again! Deep moral conflict is not a turn on!!!

Personally, I don’t hate that this thing exists. I don’t. The part of me that majored in Philosophy loves analyzing media like this so I can’t say that I didn’t get anything out of it. I don’t think all media should play it safe, it’s okay to leave the audience with no good answers or a feeling of unease, but you really got to be self-aware of it. The biggest flaw of this event, in my opinion, is that it rarely comes across as self-aware of its own horror. You get a very brief glimpse of it from Solomon when he comments on how creepy things are, but Simeon’s happy. Diavolo’s happy. And though he’s a little uneasy, Luke’s pretty content, too. Add that to the abrupt ending and we never get to know if ANY of them realize how awful of a thing this was to do to the brothers... It makes it all come off as an endorsement of mind controlling your friends into better people and (to me) that feels really, really wrong.

So in conclusion… I dunno. If the next event isn’t something along the lines of “Angelic Demons Part 2: Fixing What We Fucked Up!” then I think they really botched this one guys… I hope somebody was taking notes.

[anothertimdrakestan]

Burn (Tim Drake x Reader) angst????

Words: 1.6k

Req: Hello!! May I request Tim x reader angst?? The song “Burn” from Hamilton is stuck in my head so why not put it into context with Tim cheating on reader?? Thanks and bring on the pain..

omg i love this song and im shit at angst but you only get better from trying right??? so lmk how i did i tried lmao hope you enjoy!

You dove into Bart’s chest as the tears began falling. “Just say it’s not true, say I’m wrong. Just say it” you clutched the fabric of his shirt while he stayed silent, his arms rubbing your back. “I- we- we all thought you guys were over I didn’t realize I would’ve said something but he was so secretive” Bart murmured while you let the sobs wrack your body. 

“All the nights he didn’t come home from the tower he was with her?” You began, pushing Bart away while you felt like tearing your hair out. “Every time he left me on read he probably wasn’t even the person I was texting” you continued spitting out the words in such a way that Bart was flinching at your delivery. “And now, when he needs a fucking reason to be out of Gotham he’s on a trip with her? Just leaving me here like it’s nothing? Like everything we had was just a fun little power trip for him?” you were yelling by now. 

“No- I mean yeah, Tim’s an idiot. But maybe it’s not true, maybe you just need to talk to him or something” Bart piped up, your head whipped around. “Yeah? Who am I gonna talk to? Mr. Taking My New Girlfriend On A Getaway Trip? You know he didn’t take me anywhere. Months. I begged for a day together and he was just too busy. He’s not too busy for her though, clearly she’s everything I’m not.” your anger was seeping from you slowly, the realization that every time he told you he was yours he was probably sharing rooms at the tower with her. “god FUCK how long has this been going on? It’s been like a month since he moved in to the tower- dammit! My friends told me this long distance bullshit doesn’t work but ‘oh y/n we’re perfect it’ll be fine! I’ll fly home all the time! We can call every night’ that turned out great didn’t it.” you felt the hot angry tears get replaced with the slow rolling tears that reminded you once again you weren’t good enough to be kept around.

“Do you- maybe- wanna talk to him?” Bart was clearly terrified of you but you appreciated his help. “B, what good is that gonna do? You know Tim as well as- better than me. He’ll give me a shitty excuse that it was ‘for the greater good’ or that I’m ‘just looking at it wrong’ you know he’s better with words than either of us he could run- dammit he has run circles around me like a fucking toy” you had begun scrolling through your phone wondering how many texts got copied and pasted to another text thread with someone he probably cared about more than you.

“So, what are you gonna do then?” Bart had sat next to you on the floor, letting you rest your head on his shoulder while you scrolled through text after text noticing every red flag or lazy text. “Y/n that’s not good to be looking at, you’ve gotta block him or something” Bart whispered, staring at your screen probably reading every message in slow motion. 

“It’s not just the messages I’ll be blocking” you whispered, letting the seething anger slide back in. In what Bart would describe as almost super human speed you began the descent to freedom, blocking, unfollowing, and deleting almost everything that was reminiscent of you and Tim. Then you got to your main instagram account. “Fuck it” you whispered, unfollowing him knowing that tabloids would be starting the smear campaign now. 

It felt like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders at an immeasurable price- the price of heartbreak which you’ll be indebted to for a long time. 

~a week later~

“I have really got to buy myself some damn pajamas” you groaned to yourself, pushing down the little lovesick demon in your head that was telling you it was okay to keep sleeping in Tim’s hoodies and sweats because maybe he’ll apologize and you can take him back and be in love again and- not gonna happen. The celebrity magazines had been lurking near your apartment for days now, waiting to hear the newest gossip and find out what truly happened as you’d been radio silent- only adding to the interest of the paparazzi. As you realized you had to go outside today you prepared yourself for the onslaught of questions. 

“Y/N L/N WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOU AND MR. DRAKE-WAYNE?” “MISS Y/N WHY THE UNFOLLOW?” “HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING HIS RECENT POSTS? WHO IS THE MYSTERY GIRL?” you cringed at the last question, reminding yourself that his actions didn’t matter as he hadn’t truly been a part of your life for months. 

Before you could get into the black SUV waiting for you, you were stopped and trapped until you spoke into the microphone in front of you. “Anything you can give us on Tim Drake-Wayne and you?” you took a small breath, willing yourself to stay calm. “I’m sorry I simply just don’t know who that is” you smiled between your words, using the confused moment on the questioner’s face to slip into the car and drive off, finally letting you exhale the breath you’d been holding in. 

~two weeks later~

You almost threw up at the sound of a once familiar knock on your door. 

“Y/n, y/n I know you’re here let me in we’ve gotta talk” his voice pleaded from your hallway. After three deep breaths and promises to yourself to stay strong you opened the door. Tim looked normal, it was horrible. You had been fighting to look that normal and were barely holding together but here he was, wearing the shirt he wore the night he told you he loved you with the ever present stern look like nothing had ever gone wrong. He moved to come inside but you blocked his path. “We can talk out here. I don’t have much to say” you hissed, watching him sheepishly back off. “Y/n I just wanted a chance to explain and give my side and-” you cut him off. “Apologize. You’re here to apologize and if you aren’t you’d better leave now” you were screaming and sobbing and melting down internally but you held your composure. 

“Well, yeah, that too. But also we need to issue a public statement because yaknow it’s kinda been going so fast and I think if we could just sit down and work everything out we could stay on better terms because I am so sorry love” you flinched against your own will at the familiar nickname. You took a second to remind yourself that he was again just using his words to get the better of you, you were not going to fall for the same trick twice. “There’s no statement Tim, I’m not clearing your name or coming to your side- hell, I’m going to go work with fucking lexcorp so you won’t even have to worry about seeing me at the office. You and I are separate entities, you broke that relationship when you began the lies and the goddamn cheating, there’s no public statement I’d make that would put you in a better light you’re lucky as hell that this is all I’m saying got it?” you watched him flinch at your words and against all your control you could feel your body begging you to hug him and kiss away the pain like you’d done for months on months. 

“Y/n I want to apologize, I should’ve never- it- it was a lapse in judgement but I want to make it right” Tim pleaded, you watched his facade falter, like he truly felt sorry. “That’s great Tim, I’ll try to remember that when I remember all the nights you said you were stuck at the tower with work when you were with her okay? Sound good? You have a good one okay?” you feigned a smile, shutting the door and crumpling to the ground. 

You let yourself cry silently, burying your head in your hands. Your heart was heavy, it had been learning to beat on it’s own now, not to the beat of Tim’s and it hurt. But it was done? Not really. Not when you’re in the public eye, running a business that would eventually have to work with Wayne Ent. it wouldn’t ever truly be over. Your body was practically turning in on itself, your throat burning as you held in sobs, refusing to let anyone know how deeply this wound would scar. A scar so jagged and deep you feared if would keep your heart permanently broken. 

So how does it end? Because this was supposed to be the closure everyone said you needed. Where you give him a slap in the face for hurting you, telling him to ‘fuck off’ and instantly the pain subsides. But the pain was so intense and raw nothing felt soothing anymore. In a span of weeks you’d lost friends, hell- you’d lost family, and you’d lost love. Because no matter how hard you try to pry the words he said from your brain they creep back in. Nights when he’d call you from the Tower and explain how much he missed you and how perfect you were, days when you got texts about how he missed kissing every inch of your face, memories of the beautiful moments you’d had together that you figured you’d be telling your kids about. Those don’t just die with the relationship. They fester and they boil into your skin, they run through your veins, they flash in your head, reminding you that even when you gave every ounce of love you could muster you still weren’t enough. That’s what will forever stick. So it doesn’t every truly end does it?

Because you can’t burn away scares without leaving a deeper wound. And your wounds were deeper than you could fathom. Your wounds had just simply broken you. 

Tim Drake had broken you. 

So how the fuck do you get fixed?

[yehet-me-up]

Content Tag Game

Tagged by EXO sister-wife Kat @yeoldontknow​ <3 1. what fandoms have you written for (but do not currently)?

2. what fandoms are you currently writing for?

3. how long have you been writing? on this blog?

uhhh I definitely wrote half of several harry potter and lotr fanfics in HS but that was ‘the dark times’ many moons ago. so as an adult this is my only fandom! just stumbled into kpop and stumbled onto fanfics in the most backwards way possible (was sent a meme of a 1D ‘imagine’ and was like hey I wonder if they have these for kpop and then I found them and they were not a meme, but were fucking incredible AND NOW 4 YEARS LATER (started August-ish 2017???) here we are hahaha)

4. on which platforms do you post your stories?

oh dear god i just remembered I have an AO3 account..... WHOOPS, shit 😅 might need to, y’know, update that at some point. jfc adhd object permanence is something else.

5. what is your favorite genre to write?

Personally it’s sci fi/fantasy, but here in the fanfic space I’d say..... uhh slice of life, romance, angst but make it a happy ending?? fanfic is a way for me to share all the sort romantic hopeful feelings I have about love and life and friendship and purpose 💕

6. are you a pantser or a planner?

Used to be a pantser when I started this (and when fics used to be like ?? 3k-5k) now that fics in general are longer for one-shots and series my good lord I need an outline. Especially for exo mall which is *insert meme of crazy guy with the bulletin board* a lot for my brain haha

7. one shot or multi-chapter?

8. what is the perfect chapter length in your opinion?

I’d say mine are usually 5k or so?? some series were shorter per chapter, depending on subject matter. I tend to write like... interconnected long as frick oneshots, so i don’t count those as chapters ☠️

9. what is your longest published story? is it complete?

uhhhhh good question haha. my book was 95k and I think exo mall is like *dammit math* 140k or something that has significantly gotten out of hand. I have two more fics so it will probably be like 180ish when it’s done?? not including the drabbles to come haha 

10. which story did you enjoy working on the most?

I loved No Quarter and torturing Kat with her husband, also staying up all night to finish Chanyeol’s exo mall knowing kat had NO idea it was coming was a BLAST. Kyungsoo’s exo mall was one of the most ‘in the flow’ writing experiences i’ve ever had. I wrote this Baek oneshot at like 3am when i couldn’t sleep once and tbh it felt like I wrote it in a dream. ja;slkfjasd I love so many of these this is like a trip down memory lane, so I’m going to be a wh*re and say two more haha.  This is the most honest and close to ‘real life’ thing I think I’ve written on here (and also one of the only sex scenes I didn’t lose my goddamned mind trying to write a;sldkfja;sdf). And lastly Ablaze, which was the longest thing I’d written (I think) and let me know that hey? maybe I could write a book someday <3

11. favorite request you’ve have written and why (if any?)

This request for Exo Mall Baek was such a joy to write! And for some reason this Taeyong drabble makes me wish I had the time/energy to write it into a full story, it gripped me so much when I wrote it, like a movie had fully downloaded into my brain out of nowhere.

12. are there reoccurring themes in your stories?

For sure! I’d say found family is a big one. Trusting that you’ll find your place even if things don’t make sense or you feel unsure. Believing that love is worth the risk and fear of trusting someone ;laksjdfal;sd. That love can be big gestures and super intense, but that after that fades away it’s the small daily moments that matter most - the people who stay and listen when you’re sad, holding hands and forehead kisses, taking care of people when they’re sick or scared or just need company, showing up to try again or to communicate even when things are hard. 

Someone commented on a fic of mine ages ago that I helped them see that real love (of that small, daily, consistent kind) is possible and MAYHAPS I cried because underneath it all, that’s what I’d want people to take away - that love of all kinds is scary, but it’s always worth it in the end <3

13. current number of wips?

Surprisingly just ... 3? wow how time has changed hahaha. I have Jun + Baek for exo mall (plus some drabbles but that will be something people write in about, so I wouldn’t consider them wips) and then I maaaaay continute on here with the Jun + Min regency baes series. We shall see :)

14. three things you have noticed about your own writing?

1. I can’t NOT write Baekhyun as the biggest cheesy dork in the entire world 2. That I’ll always have endless fantasy world to live in. I have to try actively to not start new WIPs because it’s so damn easy to be inspired. If I’m ever bored I know that I can jump into some story and let myself be carried away for a while 3. that who and how i am in real life is not usually the same person that i am when it comes to the vibe of my writing, and that that’s totally okay <3

15. a quote you like from a published story.

“I wish it had been with someone like you, though,” you say, squeezing his hand.

“Someone like me?” he says, raising his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.

You look down at the floor, trying to figure out how to put how he makes you feel into words. “Yeah, someone strong, and steady. And safe.”

He lets out a laugh. “Safe? That sounds awfully similar to boring.”

“No, no. You don’t understand,” you say emphatically, coming to stand fully in front of him, grabbing his other hand as well. “You never ask me to be anything but who I am. You’re patient, kind, caring. For the longest time I thought that falling in love would be stifling. That it would… I don’t know, take my independence. Take my spirit. Make me into someone I don’t recognize.”

You step closer, holding his face in your hands. “But I can’t think of anything I want more than to be with you. You make me the best version of who I am. I don’t know how it is for you, being with me. But when I’m with you, it just feels like… home,” you finish gently.

- from Kyungsoo’s exo mall because THIS is how I feel about falling in love now, and this story was me working out what I believed about the process (like a goddamned emo bish haha)

16. a quote from an unpublished story.

For a moment you allow yourself this weakness. It won't destroy you to admire the strong lines of his body, the intensity and focus in the set of his brows, the deep, warm color brown of his eyes as they - oh lord, he's looking directly at you. As he notices you watching him his lips press into a small smile, inclining his head towards you.

'Oh no,' you say, mortified. In a breath you've blinked and drawn your arm through Maggie's, weaving your way through the crowd and dragging her with you.

'What's wrong?' she hisses in your ear, slightly off-kilter from the drink and revelry. 'You're going to tear my arm off.’.

'Sorry, he -' With a hand you push through the front doors, gulping in the cool night air and breathing deeply to steady the erratic pace of your heartbeat. 'Maggie, what's happening to me? He looked at me and I felt so... naked. I can't explain it.'

She realizes you aren't in actual distress and laughs. 'Good. About time you fell in love. I'm delighted.'

- From perhaps a future chapter of Jun and Min regency baes series....

17. space for you to say something to your readers.

Thank you so much. Truly, from the bottom of my heart. This fandom brought writing back into my life after such a long time away and I had no idea I would love it so much. The friends it’s brought me and the kind words that made me cry or cheered me up on a shitty day or made me laugh out loud and the watching other writers grow on their journeys. Getting to hear how something I made could help you feel less alone or less sad on a shitty day is all I’ve ever wanted from sharing all this. Thank you for being here and thank you for sharing parts of yourself with me <3

Tagging anyone who sees this who would like to do it, even if you don’t consider yourself a “real writer” yet (yes you are, stop doubting yourself!!!!) 😘

[arzuera]

Here you go to help your writing itch ^~^ A scenario where Malroth and the builder seem to have something more then just friends and don't seem aware of it yet the townsfolk obviously see it and are betting on who realizes it first and makes the first move

I thought I posted this one but apparently I didn’t. I’m so sorry!

Malroth caught the Builder as she fell off a block stack about twenty feet up. One that she built so that she could get the ‘lay of the land’. Whatever that meant. The hair on the nape of his neck was on end with the adrenaline coursing through his veins. “What the hell was that? Why did you ever think that was a good idea?”

“Would you rather me climb a mountain and fall off of that? Seriously, this was way easier.” the Builder had a cheeky grin on her face as she spoke. “Plus this isn’t the first time I’ve done it. You just didn’t notice because you were always fighting monsters.”

“Why am I not surprised by that?” Malroth stated as the Builder hopped out of his arms with minimal effort and pointed to the north.

She chuckled at his response. “I think we’ll need to make a bridge up on that cliff to make everything easier to traverse. C’mon! Let’s get a better look!” The Builder snatched his hand and pulled him off to where she wanted to go.

“...and they are off again,” said Bonanzo as he watched Malroth and the Builder go about their bizarre day. “Seriously, how are those two not a thing, yet? It’s obvious that they love one another.”

“Because despite having a quick wit, they both are surprisingly dense,” Rosie replied with a smirk as she watched them as well. “I wonder who will realize it first?”

The bearded man laughed heartily. “Definitely the Builder. Once her mind gets goin’ it’ll hit ‘er like a punch from a werecat.”

“I don’t know... Malroth’s instincts almost never prove him wrong. One of these times he’s gonna put two and two together...” Rosie said with a smile.

A loud crash was heard and both Rosie and Bonanzo looked up to see the Builder being chased by Malroth with a wickedly mischievous smile on her face.

“GET BACK HERE!” the dark-haired youth roared.

“HAHA! NEVER! You’ll never take me alive!” the Builder yelled with glee. Once she was a fair distance away, she pulled out a large stack of dirt blocks and built a long single stack straight up.

“Dammit, not again!”

“Hehe! You can’t get me up here!” she jeered before sticking her tongue at her best friend.

Malroth glared at the Builder atop her dirt stack. “Did you seem to forget that I’m the fucking God of Destruction? I’ll just demolish the damn thing!”

Bonanzo snickered. “Ten of Lillian’s homecooked salads that the Builder realizes it first.”

“One week of you taking on my chores that Malroth figures it out first,” Rosie replied.

“‘ow’s about ten drinks at the bar if Malroth is the one who does it?” Babs cut in as she joined everyone in watching the pair.

“Oooo... this little wager is beginning to get interesting.” the bearded man stated just as Perry sidled up with Wrigley.

“I’ll wager some cabbages on the Builder!”

“Mind if I join in?”

More and more people on the Isle of Awakening joined in, with the pot growing bigger and bigger with each new person.

Another loud crash had everyone looking over to see Malroth looking flabbergasted at the Builder. Her dirt stack was entirely destroyed.

Save for one block.

She stood upon the floating dirt with pride. “W-what? How??” Malroth flailed his club while gesturing to her and her nonexistent dirt stack.

“Mal, we’ve been hanging out, building and destroying things, for a long time. If you, seriously, didn’t think that I don’t take your destructive mannerisms into account when we work together then you need to get the scallywinkles out of your brain.” the Builder said while smirking victoriously.

“Wait... So you’re saying that you figured out my destructive range?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Just by hanging out?!”

She giggled. “Yes~. I did!”

Malroth’s eyebrow twitched in irritation before he collected himself and shot her his own smirk. “Oh well. that doesn’t really matter since you are trapped up there.”

The victorious smirk vanished on her face for a moment as she took in her situation. “huh... I guess you’ll just have to catch me then.”

“Who says I’m going to catch you? If you fell then you damn well deserve it for dropping that bucket of starfish on me!” Malroth said as he glared up at his best friend with his arms crossed.

“We’ll see then won’t we?” the Builder replied as she stepped off the floating block and began to fall.

Malroth swore as he dashed under her growing shadow and caught her with ease. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

“I knew you’d catch me.”

“I hate you.”

Bonanzo chuckled. “Well, this is going to be fun. Regardless who wins.”

“Agreed. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.” Rosie said as Malroth and the Builder looked up the hill to see the crowd that had formed.

“Why the hell are you all watching us like that?” Malroth called out and everyone scattered without a word. Leaving the Builder and God of Destruction bewildered. “Weirdos.”

[akitokihojo]

Cruel Summer

A couple notes before you read:

Did I really just write a 33,805 word, 61 page fic and post it all in it’s entirety? Yes, I did.

Could I have broken it into parts? Probably. Should I have? No. I firmly believe this story is stronger in one. With that being said, take snack breaks if necessary. Don’t forget to stay hydrated.

This is a soulmate au.

While this fic has got it all, please heed the title. You're in for some fluff, smut, and a healthy dosage of angst. Because, would I really be me without my infamous flare for dramatics?

Alright, that’s all. See you on the flip side.

----------

She’d never been a fan of summer. Heat waves, sunburns, uncomfortable nights, sweat, bugs, and you could only strip so much before it was deemed inappropriate. If she had her way, Kagome would be sitting in front of the air conditioner of her apartment, marking off day five of August to continue the countdown to Autumn.

But, no.

Her best friend coerced her to take a trip - and by coerced, she literally emptied her underwear drawer and hid every pair of panties she owned while Kagome was in the shower, and the only way she’d give them back was if Kagome agreed to immediately go on this month-long outing to her family’s vacation home at the beach with a couple other friends. She’d been against it. She was about to start her final year of college, and she wanted to rest before the most stressful year of her life, but the promise of margaritas, the view of the ocean, a break from the norm, and the return of her undergarments was persuasive enough to get her to fold.

Three hours later, and here they were, the call of seagulls acting as their cliche welcome to, as Ayame deemed it, the summer of their dreams. 

“God dammit!” Sango bellowed, kicking her suitcase, and Kagome immediately beamed, hopping over the bed they’d agreed to share and running for cover. She’d been watching her best friend search her bag for a few solid minutes, waiting for her to blow her top. “Kagome, where the hell is my underwear!?”

“I told you, you were playing a dangerous game!” She laughed, using the island counter as a guard between them, Sango hot on her trail chasing after.

“Where are they!?”

“Don’t know!” She squealed, running to use their friend, Miroku, as a cover. “They’re definitely not in the cooler, though!”

“You -“ Sango stopped in her tracks, her jaw dropping wide. “You put -“ Her head swiftly turned to look at the cooler of drinks. “You put my - my panties in ice!?”

“Yeah, she did.” Miroku laughed, giving her a mock cheers with the beer he held in his hand.

“Kagome!” She guffawed, mostly of shock.

“You threatened to give a pair of mine to Hojo, even after I agreed to come! It was fair!” Kagome doubled over laughing, her best friend throwing the top of the cooler open and digging out the ziplock baggy of her underwear, sighing in relief when she realized they weren’t sopping wet in ice cold water.

“We’re even now, right?” She asked, hitting Kagome in the arm with her baggy.

“We’re even! We’re even!” Kagome laughed, holding her hands up defensively.

“Okay, then get ready!”

“Tonight, we party!” Their red-headed friend cheered, her cheeks already pink from the harsh rays of sun.

Kagome rolled her eyes humorously, dragging her feet back to their room to get dolled up for their planned night of barhopping - which usually meant Ayame was going to attempt to be ambitious, but they were all going to settle for the first place they landed at. She wasn’t the least bit surprised that they were itching to go out on the first day, and quite frankly, she’d grown to be excited, herself. It had been a long time since Kagome had let loose and allowed herself to just have fun.

She emptied the clothes from her suitcase, quickly following Sango’s lead and putting them away as neatly as possible before shifting through dresses to decide on one to wear for the night. It was between a dark blue one with straps across the back, or a glittery, black one that was low-cut in the front.

“Straps.” Sango chimed, waggling her brows.

“Oh my god, guys!” Ayame cried, running in their room with a teddy bear in her arms, squishing it tightly to her chest. “Look what Koga slipped into my bag! Isn’t he the cutest!?”

“Oh, no.” Sango groaned, looking at Kagome with the same, apprehensive grimace she wore. 

“What?”

“You guys are gonna have FaceTime sex, aren’t you?”

“And, miss the opportunity to pretend we’re in a long distance relationship?” Ayame scoffed.

“Ew!” Kagome wined.

“Are you in the furthest room!?” Sango asked, laughing. “You better be in the furthest room from us!”

“Listen, if you hear some moaning, mind ya business!” The red head teased, rolling her eyes with extra sass. 

“Awe, man! She’s in the room next to me!” Miroku complained, stomping through the common area noisily. Kagome and Sango both laughed loudly, showing no remorse for the only guy brave enough to go on a long trip with the three of them.

Sango kicked the door shut as Ayame left, stripping off her tank top and unbuttoning her shorts in preparation of changing into her chosen dress for the evening. A form-fitting, little cocktail that she usually saved for a third date with a guy - her third date dress, if you will. She smoothed it over her body, pulling it lower down her thighs and swiveling on the heels of her feet to get a full look at herself in the lengthy mirror on the wall. “Shit.” She hissed.

Kagome glanced over, her shirt already removed and hanging from her wrist, waiting for Sango to explain her vexation. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve been on a date, I forgot you can’t wear underwear with this dress.”

“Good thing they’re all frozen, anyway.” Kagome joked, throwing up a finger gun with a click of her tongue.

There was a loud, inarticulate groan from Miroku in the living room, just outside their wall, and Kagome stifled her laugh with her shirt when Sango turned bright red, not realizing how loud they’d spoken.

“In what world!? In what world would we ever happen!?” Sango shouted at him, giggling when all he did was groan loudly again.

“This world.” Kagome teased, keeping her voice hushed as she slipped her dress over her head.

“No, way.”

“Oh, please! You and I both know you’ve got the hots, and you’ve only been resisting because you’re mad at yourself for liking him.” Sango pursed her lips, fighting off the smile that would give her ruse away. “I’m willing to bet, by the end of this trip -“

“Don’t say it! You’ll jinx me!” Sango silenced her best friend, rummaging through her makeup bag in a feeble attempt to blow off the topic.

—

The music was loud, the dance floor was packed, and Ayame was lost in the crowd somewhere with Miroku. Kagome and Sango sat at a table they’d managed to snag, sipping their margaritas as a waitress walked over, smiling, placing two shots of tequila on the table. Sango laughed as Kagome shook her head, staring at her like she was crazy, but still, she took the little glass that Sango happily handed over to her, Sango holding her own up to say something to cheers to.

“Final year of college is about to begin! We deserve this time, okay! I don’t want to hear a single word about buying books for the next twenty-eight days, do you hear me!?”

“To not buying books!” Kagome laughed, gently tapping her glass to her best friend’s and taking the shot, scrunching her face, but always proud of herself for never needing a chaser while Sango took a bite of the strawberry on the rim of her margarita glass to drown the harsh taste of her alcohol.

“So,” A guy crouched next to their small table, bracing his forearm on the edge of the fake wood to balance himself. The two girls looked over to the man, a little surprised but giggling when they stole a little peek at each other. He was handsome. Ungodly handsome. His hair was short, tousled, and a light shade of silver that had Kagome’s initial attention, transferring to the dog ears atop his head that seemed to fit him better than she suspected normal, human ears would have. He wore a charming, crooked grin that fit him too well, and his golden eyes glowed richly, the lights from the bar, or club, or whatever Ayame had dragged them to, bouncing off of his irises and only shading them slightly. “I usually start off with something corny, like a pickup line, to flatter the both of you before I make any sort of ballsy moves, but I have a feeling that wouldn’t work on two ladies that look the way you do.”

Kagome couldn’t resist her light laugh, turning her head away from him so he wouldn’t receive the satisfaction of making her smile. One sentence in, and she could already tell the guy was good at smooth talking.

“Depends,” Sango started, leaning forward with a flirtatious grin. “Which one of us are you here for?”

The man pointed his thumb at Kagome, keeping his eyes on Sango all the while. Kagome smiled, rolling her eyes and propping her chin in her palm, her elbow supported on the surface of the table. 

“But, I know when two friends, such as yourselves, are with each other, neglecting one will only dock you points. Nor, would I ever want to make a pretty girl like you feel put out.”

She smirked, colored impressed. “Yeah, see, you’re not wrong. On any account. My friend, Kagome,” Sango emphasized her best friend’s name so the handsome man would be sure to remember it. “Hates pickup lines. Thinks they’re the worst. Me, on the other hand? Boy, you could spend all night buttering me up and calling me pretty, and I’ll be putty in your hands.”

“Noted.” He grinned, rightfully shifting his attention back to the girl he favored. She was giving him an expecting and amused expression, tapping a finger along her cheek, and cocking a brow as she waited for him to say something. “I’m just gonna cut to the chase. That good with you?”

“Go for it.” She said, and it almost seemed like a challenge.

“I’m gonna buy you two a drink.”

“No, thanks. We’ve already got one.” Kagome couldn’t help but giggle.

“Well, the cool thing about drinks is if you drink them, they empty, and then you can drink another.”

“And, you’re hoping for…?” It was an open-ended question, meant to put him on the spot.

“For you to drink them.” His crooked smirk kept, amber eyes never leaving her face, though she half expected if she looked away, they’d travel down to the bold amount of leg she was showing.

“But, you haven’t told me what you get out of it.”

“Ah,” He chuckled, sparing her best friend a side glance as she watched them go back and forth, entertainment painted in the red on her lips. “Would it be difficult to believe that I literally just want to spend my money on you?”

“Yes.”

“Thought so.” He chuckled again. Even through the loud music, the people chatting, the generally boisterous atmosphere, Kagome enjoyed the deep sound of his voice. “Look, I’m not gonna ask if I can sit with you, I’m not gonna ask if I can see you later, and I’m not gonna ask for your number. I wasn’t even going to ask for your name, though I do have to thank your pretty friend here for that bit of knowledge.”  He gave a smile in Sango’s direction, and she sat back in her chair, fanning her face with her hand, her brows raised in surprise. “I just want to buy you a drink.”

Kagome debated, giving him the moment to relish in her contemplation. He was good. He knew he was good. But, good didn’t do it for her. “I’d say yes, but I’d only be giving you false hope. You’re wasting your time. We’re not from here.” 

“See, you missed the part where I told you I was happy leaving empty-handed.” He leaned a little closer, still minding her personal space but wanting her to hear the rumble in his tone. “I’m not here to bother you, and I don’t expect anything out of this.”

“Strawberry margarita!” Sango said, slapping her hand against the table as if she’d sold something.

He laughed, nodding, then turned back to Kagome. She was recovering from the audacious glare she gave her friend, looking back at him, her brown eyes challenging him all over again. “I’m not from around here either.” He added.

“So, you’re further proving my point.”

“No. Not at all. You stated an irrelevant fact, so I returned the gesture.”

Kagome’s jaw dropped, surprised but laughing from the jab. 

“Look, my friends and I are about to leave. I didn’t want to shut my tab until I offered to get you two something.” He said, politely waving his finger to an approaching waitress. “I’ll leave without saying another word if you let me buy you a shot on top of it, because it was pretty impressive watching you take that shit straight.”

“Well, aren’t you persistent?” Kagome teased, licking her bottom lip before taking it between her teeth.

“Yes.” He smirked.

“You’re also unbelievable.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Fine. Not another word.”

The man sealed his lips, the crooked smile that he began with taking over and taunting Kagome better than his voice did. As the waitress came over, he silently pointed to both margarita glasses and both empty shot glasses, confirming that he wanted her to bring doubles on his tab when she asked. And, he got up, gave her best friend a wink, and walked away.

“I think I had an orgasm.” Sango said as soon as he’d left, straight-faced, slightly perplexed as she stared at Kagome. 

Kagome laughed, thankful the lights in the place would thoroughly hide her blush. He was insanely charming, good looking, and holy hell, she’d never met someone that left looking so satisfied when he literally got nothing out of a conversation but her name. Maybe it was the alcohol she’d already consumed, but just that increased his attraction factor exponentially.

The waitress returned just minutes later, two blended margaritas and two shots of tequila sitting on her wet tray, and she kindly set the drinks before the girls. Kagome looked around after thanking her, seeing if the guy had already left or if he was sitting somewhere nearby. At the far end of the bar, she spotted him leaning against the edging, his light hair a dead giveaway, and his attention swung from the friends talking in front of him to her, as if he felt her eyes on him. She cocked her shot glass an inch higher in his direction, taking the swig and turning away when her nose crinkled.

God, his smile was going to be her undoing.

His friends began to head out the door, and he gave her another glance before heading out with them. She didn’t know what had come over her. It had to be the alcohol; she didn’t exactly have the highest tolerance level. Truthfully, she felt like she was giving him something he’d wanted, but she couldn’t help herself. Kagome watched him as he walked out, and as she’d hoped, he spared her one last glance. And, when he did, she waved him back over. He didn’t hesitate, separating from his peers and walking back towards the two girls, skillfully dodging people like he knew his way around the joint. When he leaned against the side of the table, he didn’t say anything, keeping his earlier promise not to talk.

“I didn’t get your name. I can’t properly thank you without your name.” She said, her tone unintentionally on the sultry side.

“It’s Inuyasha.” He said, leaning a little closer.

Just his name shouldn’t have had any sort of sensations flooding through her stomach, or warmth spreading over the surface of her skin, but it did. It made her drag in a breath and hold it, it made her eyes shy down to the dip in his shirt where she could see the very edges of his collarbones, the hollow of his throat, the even tone of his flesh, it made her force herself to remember she was supposed to actually say something now. Kagome smiled, looking down at the placement of his hands on the table, the tips of the fingers of one very close to hers, then she glanced back up to him, meeting his amber eyes.

“Thank you for the drinks, Inuyasha.”

“Don’t mention it.” He grinned, leaning even closer. His tone was husky, thick and deep and heavenly to Kagome’s ears as he spoke once more. “By the way, I lied. I just got exactly what I wanted.”

“And, what was that?” She asked, furrowing her brows speculatively.

“For you to be so interested that you wanted to know something about me. We both know you didn’t need my name to say thank you. You just wanted the excuse to ask. Because, I bet you’ll be thinking of me tonight almost as much as I’ll be thinking of you. Isn’t that right, Kagome?”

She didn’t answer. He didn’t give her a moment to. He tapped his hand against the table in a simple gesture of goodbye, turning on his heel and heading out. Kagome met Sango’s wide, brown eyes, the straw hanging loosely from her lips, blinking away the tension.

“Oh, yeah. Bad day to not wear underwear.” Sango remarked, sighing heatedly before she sucked down a huge gulp of her fresh margarita.

“What just happened?” Kagome murmured, and she was surprised her best friend had even heard her in order to reply.

“I think you just fell under a spell.”

“Holy shit.” She breathed, taken aback by the way his intense gaze had burned into her immediate memory, golden eyes blinking at her behind thick lashes, telling her a story where words weren’t necessary for description. She was enticed. Curious. And, he was completely right. There was no way he wouldn’t be stuck in her head tonight.

“Need some water?” Her friend laughed. “Some fresh air? You gonna be okay?”

Kagome buried her fiery blush behind her hands, laughing at how ridiculous she must have appeared and then grabbed her gifted beverage, taking little sips in the hopes that she could wash her embarrassment away.

—

Kagome awoke abruptly. It took a moment, a solid, deafeningly quiet moment, for her to hone in on her surroundings, where she was, what day it was, what time of day it was. It was bright, unlike the room she’d just dreamt she was in. The strong aroma of the ocean wafted through the vacation house, soft voices fluttering through the walls, helping to ground Kagome in present time.

“Hey, good morning.” Sango greeted, entering their bedroom just as Kagome peeled herself from the sheets, sitting up and brushing the messy bangs from her head. “I was getting a little worried about you.”

“Why?” Kagome asked.

“Well, it’s passed eleven. You’re a pretty early riser. I even tried waking you up for breakfast earlier, but you wouldn’t budge.”

“It’s passed eleven?” She quirked, reaching for her cell phone on the nightstand to double check the claim. 

“You feeling okay? You hardly drank last night, so you’re not hungover or anything, are you?” Sango asked, closing the door as she walked further in, fishing through the top drawer of the dresser.

“No, I feel fine. Must have just been tired.” Kagome brushed off, clearing her social media notifications. That dream always did this to her. She was held captive by the reoccurring illusion, and lately, as the dreams had begun coming to her more and more frequently, only loud noises could startle her out of them or else she’d be stuck riding it out until the very end. They left her dazed, confused, lost, and slightly lonely. The person behind the blurred veil was someone she was supposed to know, or was supposed to find, she knew this, but she couldn’t see his face and the only identifiable feature was the birthmark that stood out more vividly than any other part of the vision. A faded spot on his chest. She could hear him speaking, but his words were muffled, like she was submerged in a bubble, the walls of which so unforgivably thick that even his voice couldn’t be recognizable. 

A notable dream, the meaning well-known to anyone who’s had them. Who’s heard of them, even.

That was her soulmate.

There was no telling when you’d meet, or where in the world they even were. Additionally, there were never guarantees that you’d find each other. It was just fate’s way of letting you know you’ve got an inexplicable bond shared with a person somewhere, and here’s an unclear indicator of who they are - an insignificant marking of some sort or another somewhere on their body, never the same for two people. It was cruel and unusual to most. Kagome did her best to dismiss it. If it was actually meant to be, as some insisted, then they’d appear before you someday. Until then, she wasn’t going to put her life on hold if the guy she was interested in at any point in time didn’t share the same mark. It wasn’t a healthy way to live. Not with the billions of people inhabiting this planet. It just didn’t make sense to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait for a moment that may never come. So, she never spoke of the dreams or got remotely excited whenever they happened. She didn’t want to focus on the tan, uneven circle on the man’s left pectoral, and otherwise unblemished skin of his toned torso. And, she tried so hard not to check on the partners she’d had in the past. But, she always did. She always, always, grazed her fingers over their clear chest, hoping one day it’d appear.

And, that was the harsh reality of the dream. You knew your person was out there, and every time you laid with someone and realized it wasn’t them, the most difficult part was pushing through the heavy disappointment to enjoy what you’ve, instead, found.

“Good. I made pancakes this morning, and saved a couple for you. Eat and get ready to go. We’re hitting the little shops today before the beach.”

“You cooked?” Kagome teased, climbing off the king-sized mattress.

“Ha-ha! Yes, I cooked! I figured after a few days of being here, I should do my share in the kitchen.”

“And, pancakes are Miroku’s favorite?”

Sango narrowed a playful glare at her best friend, punching into her open hand to wordlessly say she was gonna hit Kagome if she didn’t stop, and Kagome laughed, not threatened in the least as she picked out a bikini from her own drawer.

“Can we stop for coffee?” Kagome asked, heading to the master bathroom they shared to change. “I think I’ll keel over if we don’t.”

“All that sleep and you’re still tired?”

“There’s such a thing as too much sleep.”

“Not to college students.”

“Coffee!” “Okay! Coffee!”

Truthfully, no one would ever have an objection for stopping for coffee. They were all caffeine addicts, but somehow, their first morning there, Miroku had brewed the worst pot in existence, making the four of them swear off of home brew for a while. He swore it was a malfunction with the machine, which very well could have been true, but the girls were perfectly fine blaming him for the thick, murky concoction all of them refused to even sip after watching his own face go green.

The little shop was busy, chiming with the soft rumble of conversation mixed with the light jazz music coming from the speakers. Her friends had ordered first and were all sitting off to the side at a small table, waiting for their drinks to be called. Kagome ordered her usual drink she’d get while out and about, opting for iced instead of hot, given the weather.

“Add a medium black coffee to that, please.” He stood close, but still minded a respectable distance where Kagome didn’t feel it was necessary to back herself away in her subtle surprise. In his extended hand that hovered near her face, he held out his card for the barista to charge, his amber eyes focused on the woman at the register, but the smile on his face was for her, and Kagome knew it. The barista happily complied, swiping his debit card and kindly handing it back. 

“You.”

“You.” Inuyasha echoed, notching his head to the side so she’d follow him out of line and towards the end counter where they’d receive their drinks.

“Is this gonna be a normal thing; you randomly appearing to buy me a drink?” She chuckled, slightly teasingly.

“If I have my way.” He replied, shrugging his brows. “Unless you have any opposition.”

“A simple hello will do, you know.”

“What if I’m not just trying to say hello?”

“What else could you possibly be trying to say by paying for my coffee?” Kagome asked skeptically, crossing her arms over her chest.

“A multitude of things, like ‘you should always have your drinks paid for,’ ‘you look gorgeous in that dress,’ even though I’m pretty sure you’ll dismiss it as a loose summer one you’ve had in your closet for years - but you deserve to know it’s something special on you - ‘I’m happy I stumbled into the same coffee shop you just so happened to be in,” is another, and ‘for some reason, ‘hello’ seemed like a drab way to greet you but I needed an excuse to talk to you, and a two dollar coffee was well worth it.’ But, mostly I was going for the surprise factor here. I like your face when you’re taken off guard. It’s cute. If it makes you happy, though, hello. It’s nice to see you again, Kagome.” Inuyasha grinned crookedly.

Her face had heated considerably, and she hoped her skin was still rosy from their recent walk in the sun so that her flush was concealed beneath the one that hadn’t been caused by him. Kagome wasn’t the type that fell for flattery and flirtatious quips. For some reason, in this case, she honestly couldn’t tell if Inuyasha was being genuine or if he was just a professional sweet-talker. Either way, she surprisingly liked it. A lot.

It was crazy that she was entertaining any thoughts of flirting with a guy right now considering the circumstances. She was on vacation, she lived hours away in a shared apartment at her university, and this guy, this incredibly attractive guy, was a stranger. It wasn’t the safest scenario, but god, why did she want it so bad? 

It was as if an unnatural force was creating this aura around him, causing him to stand out warmly in a crowd of people. No one’s smile affected her like his did. No one’s. She could easily dismiss it as the summer heat playing with her head, but she wondered, if he kept showing up out of the blue, how much more would she have to make up an excuse for? It was unreal how she kept thinking that the longer they stood by each other, the tighter a knot began to form between them. Absolutely unreal. Illogical. She needed coffee to think straight, because clearly she wasn’t doing so well without. 

Because of this, because of the two interactions they’d had so far, she already felt like the moment he disappeared through those coffee shop doors, she’d begin to constantly search her surroundings to hope she’d spot his short, silver hair. She’d begin to hope he’d pop up and say hi, he’d grin at her, he’d say her name. 

Yikes, when Sango forced her to come out here, not a single part of her had prepared to have a Grease moment. Yet, here she was, knowing she should probably thank him and walk away, but not a single part of her body, heart, or brain intended on doing so. Suddenly, she felt adventurous. She wasn’t so weary about the obvious lack of rationality behind something so silly or potentially reckless. If he was into it, why couldn’t she be?

“That’s a lot to say with a coffee.” Kagome said, softly nibbling her bottom lip.

“Imagine what I could say with an entire meal.”

Yeah. There was no use even hoping her blush was hidden now. She had to look away at the suggestion, smiling.

“So, I recognize your friend over there, but who’s the guy next to her giving me a dirty look?” Inuyasha asked, inching his chin up in gesture of their direction. Kagome turned around, noticing her three current housemates watching she and Inuyasha intently, Sango and Ayame looking rather pleased.

“Oh, that’s Miroku. You should be careful, he’s very protective of us girls.”

“Ah. Is he your…?”

“Ew, oh god no. He’s into Sango.” Kagome grimaced sourly. 

“And, which one is Sango?” She couldn’t help but notice his expression seemed to relax a smidge.

“The one you met.” Kagome said, realizing he’d never gotten her name at the bar. “Here, come meet the others.” She turned on her heel, guiding the hanyou to her small table of friends. Kagome gestured to the red head on the left, the girl enthusiastically bouncing up to her feet to shake Inuyasha’s hand. “This is Ayame. That’s Miroku. And, you remember Sango.”

“That’s right. How’s it going, beautiful?” Inuyasha smiled, wanting to offer his hand in a polite shake but unable to as Ayame actively refused to let it go, still shaking as if her own greeting wasn’t yet over.

“Hey, choose a girl and stick with her, dude.” Miroku spread his hands in a what the fuck manner, giving a small gesture between Kagome and Sango.

“Sorry.” Inuyasha pinched his lips together, trying not to chuckle, especially as Sango’s face twisted in displeasure toward the man beside her.

Kagome locked eyes with her best friend, hoping she’d miraculously learned to read her mind by now. She even subtly flickered her eyes in Inuyasha’s direction to indirectly communicate, adding a tiny nod for assurance. Sango, understanding, gave an eager approval, and as Miroku got up to get the drinks that had been called for the girls, Kagome took her opportunity to ask without their “protectors” disdain glaring Inuyasha down.

“So, what are you doing tonight?” She started. His golden stare landed on her, completely and charmingly unbothered by the fact that her friend was still holding his hand.

“What should I be doing tonight?” Inuyasha countered.

“Well, we’re having a little party - if you can even call it that. There’s fireworks tonight, and Sango’s vacation home has a beachside view, so we don’t even have to go anywhere to see the show. It’s just gonna be the few of us, music, drinks, and we’ve got a jacuzzi. Oh, and Ayame’s boyfriend is coming into town to join in because apparently they have separation issues.” Kagome said, slapping the red head’s hand so she’d finally let him go. Her expression fell from adoring to bummed out, dropping her hand and plopping back down to her seat as she mumbled a “dammit” beneath her breath. “You’re more than welcome to come if you’d like.”

“I’d love to. What should I bring?”

“Just your pretty-little-self.” Sango chimed, pulling a receipt out of the chest pocket of her overall shorts to write on the back of, and fishing her pen out of her purse. “Here’s our address.”

Kagome bent over the table, taking the pen from Sango as she finished and quickly scribbled her phone number beneath. She folded up the receipt, standing tall and sliding it into the front pocket of his gray, button up shirt. “In case you get lost.”

Inuyasha smiled, his attention being stolen for a millisecond as his and Kagome’s drinks were called and Miroku rejoined the table with his, Ayame’s, and Sango’s. “What time?”

“Six or seven.”

“Or, whenever you’d like, let’s be real.” Ayame added, pursing her lips before taking her straw into her mouth to silence herself with a large gulp of coffee.

“I’ll see you later.” Inuyasha said to Kagome’s friends, chuckling. He gave Kagome a notch of his head as he headed back to the counter, and she followed, gratefully taking her drink as he handed it to her. “See, now I’m really glad I stumbled into the same coffee shop as you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Tell me why I wouldn’t be after getting to see you again.”

Kagome smiled shyly, trying not to bite her lip. “Thank you for the drink. Again.”

“Anytime. I’ve gotta get going, gorgeous. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.” He gave her the smallest, humblest smile, taking his own drink from the counter and heading out the door. 

And, so her madness began.

“Is that the guy you met at the bar?” Miroku asked as she rejoined the group.

“Yeah, that’s him. Inuyasha.” She confirmed, taking a deep breath as she tried to regain her bearings. 

“And, you invited him over?”

“You bet.” Sango answered.

“Are you stupid?” He questioned, crossing his arms as they all rose to leave and giving Kagome a stare of disapproval. “Do you know anything about him besides his first name?”

“Isn’t this how you get to know people?” She countered.

“Yeah, in public settings. You don’t give people your address. The guy probably just wants to get into your pants, Kagome.”

“I’d let him.” Sango plainly agreed.

“Oh, yeah, me too.” Ayame nodded. 

“I promise, I’ll learn his favorite color before I let him hump me. Happy?” She joked, sipping her iced coffee as they walked out.

“This. This is why I didn’t let you guys come alone.” He griped, rolling his eyes at how the girls completely disregarded him.

“You’re one to talk! You’re the guy who sleeps with any girl who will spread her legs. If anything, it’s you who we shouldn’t trust here.” Sango laughed, swerving around Kagome to hide from him as he threatened to flick her.

“Okay, but hear me out,” Ayame started, walking backward down the street as they headed to their first shop. "This is literally the safest environment for Kagome to get to know the guy in! We’re all gonna be there, watching -“

“Ogling.” Sango added.

“- and if anything bad goes down, you’ll have Koga here to help kick his ass.”

“God, now I feel like you guys are chaperoning me on a date.” Kagome grimace.

“It’s not a date.” Miroku rebutted.

“It’s kind of a date.” Sango said.

“No, it’s not a date!” Kagome agreed. “It’s definitely not a date. He’s just coming over to hang out. Therefore, don’t hover.” She directed that comment toward Miroku, narrowing her stare in warning. He rolled his eyes in return, the tiniest shakes of his head only noticeable when the ends of his shaggy hair wiggled back and forth, and she quickly pinched the back of his arm, causing him to jump away from her.

—

The sun was setting, and their little vacation spot was lively. The television was on with some sport or another playing, but the sound was muted - and would have been drowned out by the music and everyone talking, anyway. Even more so as a Taylor Swift song began and the three girls started dancing as dramatically as their favorite pop star, making the two guys groan from their spot on the couch, heads rolling back as they slumped further. Naturally, they weren’t a fan and always begged the girls to skip, but that only prodded them to annoy them further by turning it up louder and ignoring their complaining. In all fairness, it was a random playlist on a music streaming site. And, as Sango had said, they didn’t choose the music, the music chose them.

“I will give you each five dollars to at least turn it down.” Koga pleaded, fishing his wallet out of his pocket.

“Deal!” The three girls concurrently beamed, all of which holding their hands out to accept their bribe.

Ayame twisted the volume nob down a tad, the music now at a tolerable level, though Miroku still looked as miserable as ever. Kagome resumed her place in the kitchen, checking that the water was boiling before dumping two boxes of macaroni and cheese noodles into the pot, and Sango hopped in behind her to finish throwing the ingredients into the blender that she’d momentarily interrupted herself to dance for, popped on the lid, and pressed the button to run it. Just as she turned it off, they heard the doorbell ring, and Kagome looked over, shocked. She was still in the dress from earlier, but she was currently wearing it indecently. Much like with how Sango had unlatched her overalls and allowed the top portion to hang freely down her body, trusting the shorts to stick snuggly to her hips, Kagome had pulled the halter top strap of her dress over her neck to hang loose, the skirt portion bunched enough to not fall from her hips and her chest only covered with her bathing suit top. She hadn’t realized he’d get here so quickly after texting he was on his way.

“Not yet, not yet, not yet!” She called, sprinting from the kitchen, across the living room, and to the master bedroom she shared with Sango, slamming the door and trusting one of the others to let Inuyasha in.

Sango stifled her laugh, the noise coming out as more of a snort as she headed toward the front and opened the door. “Hi! Welcome to my parents’ humble abode!” She greeted, immediately allowing him entry. 

“Thanks.” Inuyasha grinned, walking in and presenting a bottle of Patron. “I know you told me not to bring anything, but I figured you guys might be low on the good stuff by now. And, if not, you’ve got extra.”

“Boy, you are an angel! We’ve been stuck using the cheap rum Koga brought because no one wants to go to the store!” Sango playfully directed her loud jab toward the living room where the guys were congregated, listening to the beautiful sound of their droned and synchronized groans again. “Come on in, Kagome will be right out. She had to take a phone call.”

Inuyasha followed the girl inside, taking note of the familiar red head sitting on the lap of, what was probably safe to assume was, her boyfriend. The guy who’d stared him down earlier sat on the far side of the couch from them, a beer in his right hand that was mostly empty, and he notched his chin up toward him in an informal hello. Honestly, Inuyasha understood his dissent completely; he’d be like that with any of his female friends, too. Probably even harsher; he wasn’t exactly known for being kind to anyone he didn’t necessarily like. It was good that Kagome had people looking out for her, but he meant no harm. She was interesting, she was stunning, he could already tell she was sassy, which he fucking loved in a woman, and he couldn’t help but want to see what, exactly, it was about her that called to him in the first place. And, who didn’t seek a little thrill when they were in an unfamiliar place for a limited amount of time? 

It was a really lax environment, and although it was awkward as the newcomer and stranger, he felt it wouldn’t take long to ease in, especially when Kagome would emerge. It was like his presence didn’t dampen anything or cause anyone to stiffen, the friend group continuing to bicker lightly as if that was the normal way they communicated. Which, very well could have been true.

Ayame stood to greet him, and Miroku immediately started laughing boisterously, swinging her attention back to him as she swiveled on her heel to see what his deal was.

“Ayame, how? We were on the beach for, like, an hour! How did you get a sunburn that bad!?” Miroku pointed, bringing Ayame to visibly pout, knowing he was referencing the redness of her back that showed through the rear of her cropped tank top. Even her boyfriend leaned to see the evidence, covering his mouth with his fist to prevent himself from laughing and embarrassing her. “You’re a demon, I thought shit like this never happened.”

“Yes, I am a demon, but I’m also -“ Ayame lifted her foot to sit on top of the coffee table before the couch, presenting her leg that was hardly covered by the pair of shorts she donned. Her voice held a mocking tone, and she cocked her head with attitude. “Pale.”

“It’ll fade by tomorrow.” Koga assured.

“Does it hurt?” Miroku asked.

“I don’t know, touch me and see.” She dared.

“Oh, do it! I want to see what happens.” Kagome encouraged, leaning her shoulder on the frame of the bedroom door she’d finally appeared from. She was now donned in jeans - her favorite jeans that worked wonders for her butt - and a loose top that hung off her shoulders; nothing too dressy that gave away that she was trying to impress, still looking casual while flattering her figure in a modest way. She turned her attention to Inuyasha who was already looking at her, amber eyes glowing with the hues of the sunset that shined through the glass that made up the back wall of the house.

“Hi, you.” She greeted, sauntering over to him.

“Hi.” He grinned.

“He brought tequila!” Sango announced, framing the bottle with her hands from the side of the island counter, next to the blender.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that! Thank you so much!” Kagome smiled elatedly, gently grabbing his hand to lead him into the kitchen so he’d stick by her. She gave the macaroni noodles a stir so they wouldn’t stick, before heading to the fridge, leaving him by the stove. “Water, beer, or something blended?”

“Beer.” He said, accepting the bottle appreciatively after she popped the top for him.

Sango’s phone started ringing, and she snagged it, looking at the unknown number and then giving an apprehensive yet excited expression to Kagome before bolting from the room and locking herself in the bedroom. Stealing a peek, Kagome peered over the island, watching Miroku’s lips set disappointedly, his indigo eyes on the closed door before he hid it all behind the beer bottle he took a swig from.

“What’s wrong with him?” Inuyasha whispered, leaning closely next to her.

“He always assumes when she does that she’s on the phone with a guy. Really, she’s been waiting to hear back from a specific company for an internship. She’s gotten other offers, but she’s weighing her options first, and I don’t know how many times I have to explain that to him.” She replied, matching his low tone.

“Aren’t they together?”

“No, he wishes.” She shook her head, ducking down into the cupboards to fish out the colander. As she stood straight and set it up in the sink to strain her noodles, Koga appeared on the outer side of the island counter.

“Hey.” He said to Inuyasha.

“Hey.” Ayame smoothly curved over, propping her forearms on the counter, her voice taking a flirtatious hint.

“Hey!” Koga pushed her face away, causing the girl to stumble backward and giggle. He sighed, rolling his blue eyes before glancing back at the newcomer. “Nice to meet you. Apparently, you’re a god of some sort?”

“What?” Inuyasha blinked, chuckling out of surprise.

“Oh my god,” Kagome grieved, humiliated by every single one of her friends’ lack of tact. “Inuyasha, this is Koga. Koga, Inuyasha.”

They shook hands, and Koga once more playfully pushed his girlfriend away, even though she was only reaching to pour the drinks from the blender. Miroku joined them then, an even stare given to the hanyou as he propped his upper body on the counter, ignoring the abundance of steam that rose as Kagome poured the boiling pot of noodles into the colander.

“You a rapist?” Miroku carelessly asked.

“Miroku!” Kagome reacted, shocked.

“No.” Inuyasha answered, meeting her protective friend’s eyes as honestly as possible.

“A serial killer?”

“No.”

“You got a wife?”

“No.”

“Kids?”

“No.”

“A girlfriend?”

“No.”

“You think Kagome’s cute?”

“Very.”

“How many questions can I ask until you get annoyed?”

“Probably three more.”

“Alright, he’s chill.” Miroku held out his fist to bump with Inuyasha’s, then finished off the beer he had in his hand before making his way around to the fridge to grab another. “So, I’ve gotta ask, man. What’s your secret?”

“What do you mean?” Inuyasha asked in return, flinching out of the way as Kagome chucked a Hawaiian roll at Miroku.

“Hey, I was done!” He defended, holding his wounded side before picking up the small roll of bread from the floor and carelessly taking a bite. “Watch out for her, she’s got a hell of an arm. Anyway, I mean what’s your trick? What’s the line you use to get a girl interested in you so quickly?”

Kagome blushed furiously, ducking her face as she dumped the strained noodles back into the pot.

“I don’t have a line.” Inuyasha smirked, trying to hide his amusement.

“Bull.” Koga attested from the side. “Even I had to use a line to get this chick.”

“Ew, don’t say it like that!” Ayame smacked his arm, pushing Miroku aside from the island counter so she could pour the blended drinks into three cups, meant for the girls who didn’t even like beer.

“I really don’t have a line.”

“Kagome?” Miroku called, wanting her side of it.

“He didn’t use a line on me. In fact, he said he could have but he didn’t want to.”

Miroku and Koga both looked at each other, dumbstruck, their jaws dropping dramatically as Inuyasha took a huge swig of his beer to stifle his laugh.

“That’s the line, you idiot!” They both shouted. “Oh my god!”

“It’s not a line, I swear!” Inuyasha said to her. “It’s an anti-line!”

“An anti-line is still a line, and holy fuck, that’s genius!” Miroku applauded, ignoring Kagome’s worsening blush as she stirred the butter into the noodles.

“You guys are making me look really bad.” Inuyasha grumbled.

“You look like a hero to us.” Koga raised his beer in praise.

“I hate you all.” Kagome stated simply, pursing her lips and going back to the food.

“Drink up, Kagome, you’ll get over it in a second.” Ayame slid a glass for Kagome to catch, reaching far over the bar and the guys to clink her cup to Kagome’s before backing up to tuck herself into her boyfriend’s arms.

“Tell us more. Enlighten us with your ways.” Miroku urged with a wave of his hand, as if beckoning him forward.

Inuyasha chuckled, slightly embarrassed. “In case you guys haven’t noticed, I don’t technically have the girl yet. And, my chances are lessening the more we talk about it. If you’re asking for specific advice for yourself, though…” He trailed off his sentence, glancing over to Kagome to see if she was okay with it.

She swallowed the large sip of the blended drink she had sitting in her mouth, her nose wrinkling at the over abundance of alcohol Sango had mixed in. “Oh, go for it. Miroku needs all the help he can get.”

“Um, rude.” Her friend said, laughing. “I’m not that bad.”

“Right.” She stated sarcastically. “And, Sango is talking to who?”

“Alright, yeah, help me.” He grimaced, swiftly changing his mind, turning back to Inuyasha.

“Does she know you want her?” Inuyasha asked.

“Oh, yeah!” Everyone boasted, a little too earnestly.

“Ah, so you come off too strong.”

“I wouldn’t say too strong. I mean, I’d sooner say you came off too strong on Kagome in order to get her to invite you over after only meeting two times.”

“Actually, I let her call the shots. Women don’t like having shit shoved in their face. Nobody likes that. I was a bit persistent in buying her a drink at the bar, sure, but I never forced her. The option was always hers. If she gave me an adamant no, then I would have left her alone.”

“It’s true.” Kagome nodded. “He was mild at best.”

“I’m going to assume you’ve known Sango for a while and that you’ve wanted her for a while. She knows. So, don’t repeat yourself. What you need to focus on is making her want what you have to offer in return. First way to do that is to intrigue her. Don’t put it all on the table at once, it’s overwhelming. Subtly do something genuine or sweet, then give her space. Walk away. Leave her curious for more. And, most importantly, do not touch her unless she invites you to. It’s the quickest way to deter her.”

“You mean to tell me you haven’t once touched Kagome?” Miroku asked skeptically, cocking a brow as he took a sip of his cold beer.

Inuyasha shook his head with a prideful, little smirk.

“Oh my god.” Kagome murmured, her brows furrowing in realization. “He hasn’t; I touched him.”

“You grade A slut.” Koga joked, chuckling. 

“Were you, like, a woman in a past life? How do you know what we like so well?” Ayame inquired.

“I was raised by a single mom. And, I listen.” He chuckled.

“That’s hot.” She nodded, sipping her drink.

“What are we talking about?” Sango asked, emerging from the bedroom. 

“Just learning a little about Kagome’s new friend here.” Ayame covered. “He’s very respectful of women.”

Sango nodded approvingly, even a little impressed, holding up the okay sign with her fingers as she rejoined the group. 

Kagome began to mix the little packages of cheese into the macaroni, noticing Inuyasha’s nonchalant nod toward Miroku to try something out, and Kagome had to bite her lip to remain appearing as nonchalant as possible. As Sango approached the counter, Miroku scooted her awaiting beverage toward her, sparing her a small glance. She gave him the smallest of smiles, more in thanks for handing her the glass and shifted her attention to Kagome and the almost-done food.

Miroku stood from the island, walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, sauntering back her way and gently placing it before her.

“You’re looking a little flushed from the sun. Drink some water before the alcohol, okay? I don’t want you dehydrating.”

And, then he walked away, taking his beer and sitting on the couch to watch the muted sports program.

Sango’s brown eyes stayed glued to his back as he walked, then flashed to the water bottle in front of her, then back to him in the most inconspicuous of manners before she tapped her fingernail along the countertop. She opened the bottle of water and took a small sip while she pretended to listen to the small talk between Koga and Ayame for a meager moment until it seemed suitable to get up, following Miroku over to the couch and sitting a foot or two away.

Both Kagome and Ayame had to cover their mouths to prevent themselves from laughing, Ayame tucking her face into Koga’s chest to play it off. Kagome looked at Inuyasha who was only grinning crookedly at her, shrugging his brows.

“I’m not sure if I should actually be impressed that you’re so good with women.” Kagome mentioned, reaching up to grab six bowls from the cupboard.

“Don’t think of it that way.” He said, helping her. “I meant what I said back at the bar. I expected nothing then, and I expect nothing now. I didn’t buy you a drink and bank on it helping me to score or anything like that. I just wanted to buy you a drink.”

“And, make me want to know something about you.” She giggled.

“Where’s the harm in that?”

There was none. Kagome could do nothing in response but grab a bowl and scoop a serving into it, offering it to him with a smile. 

Night had set in and Koga, Sango, and Ayame made home in the jacuzzi - despite her sunburn and the discomfort she initially hissed from upon entering - waiting for the fireworks to begin. Miroku leaned on the fence railing that separated the back patio from their private pathway to the beach, and Kagome, having just shrugged on a sweater, pulled Inuyasha to the side.

“Want to go for a walk?” She whispered, trying to keep the others out of her business, because she just knew some of them would hoot and howl inappropriately. 

“Absolutely.” He grinned, quietly following her out the side gate and down the path to the sand.

They kicked off their shoes as they reached the beach, peacefully walking side-by-side close to where the waves rode up, the night tide following the pull of the moon.

“What’s your favorite color?” Kagome innocently asked.

“Black, I guess.” He answered with a one-sided shrug.

“That’s a shade.”

He laughed lightly. “Red, then. No, blue. Blue’s better.”

“Blue is better.” She agreed, nodding.

“Is that yours?”

“Mhm. How old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Ah. I’m twenty-two.”

“Is this the question game?” Inuyasha chuckled, his smile growing larger as she nodded again, grinning sheepishly. “Got it. Carry on.”

“Are you out here on vacation, too?”

“Nah, work. I’m stuck here for a couple months to monitor the transition of one of the new firms we acquired.” He answered, tugging her shirt his way to pull her out of the path of a wave that rode up higher than expected.

“That makes sense; you were a little dressed up this morning.”

“Eh. I’m supposed to do more than that to set an example, but I fucking hate putting on a suit. Since my brother’s not here to micromanage me while I micromanage others, I can get away with dressing down a bit.”

“So, you work with your brother?” She glanced at him, watching the small grimace he gave while facing forward.

“I work for my brother.” He politely corrected. “For now, at least. Still relatively new to the field. How long are you here for?”

“About three and a half more weeks.”

Inuyasha stopped walking, turning to her. The moonlight shined on her dark, wavy hair, emphasizing the mysterious, blue shading no one would ever be able to notice in the sun. The wind tousled her long locks, blowing strands she’d already tucked behind her ear around her jaw and the front of her neck. She was positively beautiful, radiant in this element, and he wondered if she knew. He wondered, if he told her, would she believe him? Kagome was something dangerous, her thick lashes hiding the brown shade of her eyes, her plush lips curved upward in curiosity, and he didn’t even bother to further question what had been coming over him since the moment he spotted her sitting at a table with her best friend. 

“Would it be okay if I wanted to see you again?” The hanyou asked, his voice taking on a husky note.

“You still want to see me?” She inquired honestly.

“Why the hell wouldn’t I?”

“Because, we have a time limit.”

“Maybe.” He bobbed his head to the side, agreeing. “But, personally, I’d like to use that time wisely. There’s something about you that has my undivided attention.”

“You don’t think it’s crazy?” Kagome asked, her tone dwindling slightly as her eyes dropped to his lips.

“I do, actually. It’s pretty crazy. But, is crazy always bad?”

Why was it, the first answer that popped into her mind was, not when it comes to you? Why was it, her inhale was shaky and tentative, and her chest filled with fluttering warmth instead of the nippy, ocean air? Why? Why was she so pulled to him, entranced by his eyes, willing to trust this man so easily after such an insignificant amount of time together? Maybe she was growing naive, because she wasn’t drunk nor was it hot anymore. Through it all, despite the lack of an answer to the riddle dancing in her mind, she shook her head in reply to him.

“If you say no, I’ll understand completely. You know that, right?” Inuyasha continued. 

And, for some reason, she did.

“But, if there’s a chance that you’re interested, I’d love to take you out one of these nights. Anywhere you want. That, or, if you’re feeling gutsy, you can come to my place and I’ll cook you dinner.”

“You can cook?” She asked, stepping in closer.

“Hell yeah, I can cook.” He smiled.

“I think I’m feeling gutsy.” Kagome said after a moment of consideration.

“Good. Friday night?”

“Friday night.” Her grin gleamed brightly, her skin glowing with the radiant colors that flashed overhead from the firework show beginning.

As she turned to face the booming explosions, her smile only seemed to grow larger, happier, delighted, and Inuyasha felt a hard and thunderous thump in his chest that threatened to bring him groveling to his knees. It could have been the fireworks, but he knew it was something else. Something inexplicable. Which was insane for him, because he wasn’t this type of guy. He didn’t do this shit. He didn’t believe in love at first sight, and he didn’t get wobbly on his feet just from seeing a beautiful woman. But, when he first spotted her, heard her laugh over the music and chatter, he was captivated, and for something mystical and powerful like that to take over him, he didn’t really want to put energy behind discovering the science of it. His energy belonged to figuring out who this girl was as quickly as he possibly could so he could evaluate just what he’d be missing when she left.

—

Despite the rampant butterflies in her stomach, Kagome managed to make it to her front door without crumbling. She took a moment to smooth her short, summer dress over her hips, hoping the light cardigan she donned over it made it look suitable for a first date. She’d packed for a vacation, not for wooing men, so she’d been stressing over what to wear for the last hour and a half. A good portion of her clothes smelled like sunblock already, the few skirts and dresses she packed for nights out with her friends were a little too skimpy for comfort, and the others were too casual for the evening. The happy medium was this white, flowy dress that dipped a little low in the front. The pink cardigan tied it together, and she spritzed a little body spray over herself to try and mask the scent of sunscreen.

Opening the door, she found Inuyasha standing on the other side, a charming grin appearing when their eyes met. He was donned in a black button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the top couple of buttons sitting open and the hem remaining untucked from his jeans.

“Ready?” He asked, holding his hand out, and she quickly double checked that she had a spare key to the place, her wallet, and her cell phone in her purse before nodding eagerly and taking his hand.

“You look beautiful.” He mentioned as he opened the car door for her, and it took all of Kagome’s willpower not to stand there in utter bafflement at his gentleman-like behavior. He wasn’t a stranger to compliments, she was aware of that by now, but coming to the front door to get her instead of texting that he’d arrived? Opening the car door for her? Was he also the type of guy who asked a woman how her day was and stuck around for the detail? Because, if he was, she was damn near ready to offer him her body on the spot.

“Thank you.” Kagome smiled, blinking away her admiration as she smoothed her dress to cover her butt in the leather seat. When her legs were out of the way, Inuyasha shut the door for her, making his way around the front and into the driver’s side.

“Before we go anywhere,” He began, starting the engine of the vehicle. “You should share your location with your friends. That way they know where you are and don’t worry too much.”

There was no biting back the shock in her expression as her lips parted and her jaw hung slightly agape. Holy shit. She was fucking done for. 

Recovering as he glanced over at her, Kagome pulled her phone from her purse, opening her text messages with Sango. “My location’s already on, actually.” She said, showing him the proof.

“Good. Keep it that way.” He smiled, shifting the stick into gear as he drove off down the neighborhood.

Kagome wasn’t sure she’d ever been this attracted to a person. It was one thing to look the way he did, which was unfair on its own, but it was another to have a good personality to back it up. And, he could cook. Inuyasha was a living, breathing triple threat. Suddenly, she felt like anything she could say to spark conversation was stupid, or would come out stupid because there was no way she wouldn’t stammer thanks to how nervous she now was. All she could do was try to appear normal while literally chewing on her bottom lip, and hope he didn’t catch onto her current disposition.

“You know how to drive stick?” He spoke, peeking over at her after adjusting the gear shift.

Timidly, Kagome shook her head in answer. “I never learned.”

Inuyasha shifted it, then quickly reached for her hand, placing it on top of the stick.

“Wait, no, I don’t -“

“I got you.” He promised, resting his hand on top of hers and moving the stick to switch gears. He kept his palm there, doing all the necessary work but letting her feel the effects of it, the vibration, the heat from his hand, involvement. It was such a small act, but she smiled gleefully and he was struck by the comforting sound of her giggle.

“My turn for the question game.” He said, giving a little squeeze to her hand. He saw her look at him expectantly in his peripherals, keeping his eyes on the road. “What do you do for work?”

“I’m a full-time student in college. I’m going into my last year as soon as we get back, with an internship to balance out to boot.” Kagome answered, still a little nervous for the months ahead of her.

“Are you fucking kidding me? That’s awesome! You’re so close!” His tone, his expression, the way his grip tightened on her hand for a moment before he shifted gears again all seemed so genuine. He didn’t even know her, and his excitement for her was real. “I remember having to do that shit. Didn’t have time for anything outside of it.”

“Yeah, pretty much. And, I thought this last year was hectic. I know I’m in for a shock this coming year for sure. No extra time for anything fun; which is why it only took a little leg twisting to get me to agree to come out here.”

“I’m surprised it took any at all.” He remarked, chuckling.

“Keeping up with Ayame and Sango, and sometimes even Miroku, can be exhausting. I was planning on kicking back and binge watching Netflix series after Netflix series this summer, but then Sango said the magic words, so here I am.”

“Lucky me.” He said sincerely. “What were the magic words?”

“‘I’ll give you your underwear back.’”

Inuyasha blinked at her, safe to remove his sights from the road at the stop light they sat at. 

“She took them all. Hid them from me. Threatened to even give some away.”

“Ah, the leg-twister. Remind me to thank her later.” He laughed, getting back up to speed quickly once the light turned green. “Alright, what’s your favorite food?”

“Bread.” Kagome said, grinning.

“Bread?”

“Bread.”

“What’s your favorite food that’s not a carb?”

“Nonexistent.” Kagome finally answered, having to have thought it through.

“You’re that easy? I could just give you a loaf of garlic bread and you’d be happy?” Kagome groaned in ecstasy at the thought, slumping back into her seat, and Inuyasha laughed again. “So, yes.”

They pulled up to the curb, and the hanyou finally released her hand, shutting off the engine and unlatching his seatbelt. He’d noticed her brows furrow inquisitively while looking at the cottage-like home he currently resided in, but instead of responding to it, he chuckled and exited his car, meeting Kagome on her side as she’d just opened her door to get out.

“I thought you were only here for a small amount of time.” She said, stepping out of the way so he could shut the door and lock it.

“Yeah, two months. Less than that now, but still.” He replied, leading her through the small gate and up the two porch steps to the front door.

“Did you Airbnb this place?”

“Kind of. Something like that, I guess.” Inuyasha answered mindlessly, unlocking the door and letting her enter first. “Were you expecting a hotel room?”

“Not gonna lie, that’s exactly what I expected.” Kagome remarked, surprise etched into the expression of her face. 

“And, how am I supposed to even try to impress you in a hotel, Kagome?” He asked, shutting and locking the bolt. He guided her through the little entrance area, welcoming her into the comfortable and furnished living room, then to the open kitchen area.

“Impress me? After all this, you’re still trying to impress me?”

“What do you mean? I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“That’s a joke, right?” He didn’t answer, instead leaning forward on the opposite side of the counter, cocking a brow. “Oh my god, you’re not joking?”

“I literally have no clue what you’re talking about. All I did was pick you up, you dork. I can’t cook in a hotel room. In fact, I’m convinced you’d only be uncomfortable there.”

“So, did you get this place specifically so you could impress ladies?” She countered playfully, leaning toward him along the counter just as he was.

“My brother’s assistant booked it, so no.” Inuyasha smirked. “I would just never dream of trying to bring a girl back to a shoddy hotel. Especially, a girl like you.”

“A girl like me, huh? And, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Red or white?” He softly asked as he turned around and pulled two bottles of wine from the fridge, not disregarding her in the least.

“White, please.” Kagome answered happily.

“It means, you’re someone worth putting effort into.” Inuyasha answered, uncorking the bottle and pouring her wine into a glass he’d pulled from the cupboard. “You’re someone a guy should have to sweat to try and impress.”

“Why should I believe these aren’t just lines you’re serving?” Again, her tone was playful, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she smiled.

“Technically, they are.” He said, sliding her glass toward her as he finished pouring his own. “But, it’s also the truth. And, whether you believe that or not is all up to you, but the blush on your face tells me you already do.”

Quickly, Kagome ducked her face to the side, shielding herself with her palm. “You’re not supposed to point something like that out, you butt.”

He laughed, “Sorry.”

“Besides, you speak pretty boldly for someone who hardly knows me!” 

“Ah, and that’s what the question game is for, isn’t it?” Inuyasha pointed, sauntering back to the fridge to pull some vegetables out to chop. “You know how I know you’re worth the effort? This is part of the game, so don’t think I’m still flirting.”

“How?” She giggled.

“Because, when we first met, instead of giving in for the drink without thought, instead of just taking the courtesy, or even blowing me off, you challenged me. You looked me dead in the eye and made me work just to convince you to say yes. You basically told me right then and there that if I wanted any sort of response from you, I had to rise to the occasion. And, fuck, I loved it.”

“First of all -“

“How could you possibly have a counter for that!?” Inuyasha’s jaw dropped, clenching his laugh behind feigned shock.

“I’m argumentative, you’ll get used to it.” Kagome dismissed with a wave. “First of all, I don’t understand how me giving you a hard time made you see that there was more to me. Usually, I’m told I’m just being a little shit.”

“Maybe I’m into that kind of attitude.” The hanyou shrugged, pulling out a cutting board and a knife.

“Remember you said that if I ever frustrate you.”

“If we have enough time for you to piss me off, I’ll consider myself lucky.” He grinned, absentmindedly rinsing the bell peppers beneath the running faucet in the sink.

Kagome didn’t expect to be so taken aback by a single comment. Hearing him say that, seeing his smile, knowing he wanted whatever time he could get with her was flutter-inducing. All over, she felt warm, the budding sensation originating in her abdomen and expanding to cover every inch of her body. It was like he knew all the right things to say, and she dropped any ounce of skepticism she had remaining in her head. Because, doubting anything from this point on would only prevent her from enjoying this time that was proving to be valuable and already the best summer of her life. She’d met plenty of smooth talkers in her adult life, and while a couple may have scored, none of them ever made sure she felt safe and comfortable, seemed to put her first, and successfully made her feel some type of wonderful way. 

Skillfully, she hid her expression behind her wine glass, taking a small sip before continuing on. “Second of all, has any girl actually blown you off?”

“Oh, yeah!” He confirmed, bringing the now-clean vegetables back to the cutting board and laughing. “Plenty of times.”

“What!? No way! You!?”

“Don’t make me relive it, beautiful. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea.”

“Boy, you are iced tea coated in sugar. Yes, you are!” Kagome passionately and unthinkingly protested, brows pinching together and lips sealing shut as she realized what she’d spurted out. Inuyasha glanced up from the vegetable he’d just begun to cut, surprise, bewilderment, and amusement all painted onto his growing smile. Ducking behind her glass, Kagome took a large gulp to wash her embarrassment away. “Good wine.”

“Glad to know you feel that way.” Inuyasha said, tongue slowly sliding out to lick his bottom lip, his teeth lightly dragging over the moistened area as his tongue glided back inside.

“Next question.” Kagome urged.

“What are you majoring in?” He asked, the smug grin still on his face while he went back to chopping the veggies.

“Interior design with a minor in communication. Can I help?”

“Nope. What are your hobbies?”

“Binge watching shows and sleeping past six a.m.. Give me a bell pepper.”

“You can’t help me. It defeats the purpose of me cooking for you.”

“Don’t you think it would be better if we cooked together, though?” Kagome playfully argued.

“I don’t trust your cooking. You’re a college student. Your expertise lies in instant ramen.” Inuyasha joked.

“That’s not true; my expertise is in cereal, but that’s irrelevant. I think I can manage helping you out.”

“You literally just convinced me otherwise.” He laughed, moving the cutting board away from her as she reached across the counter. “I’ll let you help next time, so back off.”

“Oh, next time? Are you already asking me out on a second date, Inuyasha?” Her tone held the hint of flirtatiousness, and she propped her chin in her palm, her elbow braced on the counter.

Inuyasha couldn’t describe what he felt when he was with her. It was trivial. It was fucking thrilling. The glimmer in her brown eyes set him on edge and the natural pink of her lips had his undivided attention. Her voice was soothing, her hands fit perfectly in his, her scent was almost enough to hypnotize him, and what made it all so much sweeter was how natural everything seemed to flow between them. Sure, he was a bit nervous and she seemed shy at certain points, but that didn’t hinder anything. That didn’t turn off any switches or stiffen the atmosphere. It, instead, made it so much more pleasant; like, the air in the room became warm and comfortable as they talked and got to know one another with organic reactions, their muscles relaxing as they quickly grew more in tune.

With all that in mind, he couldn’t begin to explain what had suddenly come over him. It was like the answer to her question had to be an action. Like, he wanted to prove how crazy he already was for her. The way her lips shifted from a soft smile to a relaxed shape as she took a sip of her wine had him captivated. Inuyasha gently set his knife down, sauntering over to the sink to rinse his hands and dry them on the small rag on the counter. Then, he walked her way, slowly, stopping just inches from her body, and she turned to fully face him, receive him. Her cheeks flushed lightly, and he couldn’t resist the pull to touch her, tenderly brushing rogue strands of hair behind her ear.

“One last question,” Inuyasha said, his voice low. “May I kiss you?”

When her lips parted ever so slightly, and her lashes seemed to flutter from how she looked from his eyes to his mouth, he took his cue, leaning down to softly kiss her.

In that moment, there was a grip on her soul that tugged her closer to him. It was powerful yet calming, not the least bit unsettling, her mind blanking as she breathed him in. The kiss grew more heated, more curious, Inuyasha’s hands gliding into her hair as her own gripped at the sides of his shirt, her fists furling and bunching the fabric as she was completely enraptured by the moment. Lost in his kiss. Held hostage by his taste. A sensation climbed through her, something she’d never experienced before, her sigh coming out as unsteady as his. The hanyou backed her up, their bodies never breaking away from each other, nor their craving lips,  trapping her between himself and the counter.

With a wavering breath, Inuyasha continued to kiss her, his body firmly against hers, and still, Kagome found herself wishing he was closer. She was completely taken over by whatever unearthly power was at play, entranced by this force, by him, by everything. Her fingers trembled against him as they uncurled along his shirt, gliding up his sides to clutch again just to satiate her restless hands. When his mouth slowly pulled away, Kagome blinked her eyes open, focusing on the awe expression on Inuyasha’s face. Had he felt it, too?

And then, he took three steps back, almost seeming to try to appear composed, though his eyes spoke his truth. Maybe she should have done the same, but she was still held tight by what had just happened, and like a greedy devil, she wanted more. She never wanted it to end in the first place. What she felt was pure bliss. Invigoration blended fervently with a fierce desire to connect and stay connected, remain touching, never let go, never turn away. So, why had he? What was he thinking? What a stupid, stupid, stupid man. If he felt exactly what she had, he must contain the strongest willpower she’d ever encountered, because she was shaken to the core by the minor separation.

There was a bout of silence, the space filled by the soft sound of their slightly heavy exhales. For once, even he didn’t appear to have anything smooth to say. Good. If he spoke, Kagome would only shut him up. She wanted more. She needed it. That sensation hadn’t yet completely captivated her, made home in the center of her chest, and she wanted it to. Imagining this was the one time in her life that she’d be able to feel something so intense, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to soak every ounce of it up. And, she was fully convinced she’d only experience this with Inuyasha.

Rectifying the mistake he’d made, Kagome pushed off of the counter she leaned upon, stepping toward him without a trace of apprehension to reclaim his kiss. That seemed to be all the encouragement Inuyasha needed, as his hands, once more, were on her, in her hair, cradling her jaw, gliding down the sides of her neck to hold her solidly to him. Again, he backed her against the counter, but his fingers swiftly slid down to grasp her waist, bouncing her up to seat her against the counter’s surface. She felt so hot, that exciting sensation filling once more, like a hose left in a kiddy pool to fill to the brim, rocking her with shudders and trembling as the levels grew higher and higher, centimeter-by-centimeter, more and more. She’d spread her legs so Inuyasha could stand between them, his hands gripping her hips to pull her closer to the edge and solidly against him. His kiss was heated and hungry, a small reverberation rumbling through his chest and bringing Kagome’s uncontrollable fingers to grip the collar of his shirt to bring him impossibly closer, finding the noise utterly irresistible. 

One of his hands flew to the nape of her neck, gripping there as his hips gave a small grind between her thighs, and as she released the tiniest whimper, Inuyasha raked his fingers up through her hair, furling, clutching but not yet yanking, only asserting enough pressure that caused her to release the real heat of that noise while her hips gave a little roll of their own. He would have probably muttered a curse if he remembered how to speak, but no such luck. It was all he had not to have his way with her right then and there, especially as her fingers began fumbling against the buttons of his shirt, undoing them one-by-one, only pausing when he tightened his grip in her hair just an inkling and created the smallest of spaces between their mouths as he lightly dragged his lips over hers in a teasing motion. As if already well-versed with his ways, Kagome seemed to smile, waiting him out, letting him do as he pleased, and when he released his grip on her dark, thick locks, she closed the scant distance with a whispered but most melodic moan he’d ever had the pleasure of hearing, continuing her venture down the alley of buttons as if there was no inconvenience in the first place.

Just as she unlatched the final loop, Inuyasha pushed her hands away, refusing to let her immediately remove the garment as he clutched her thighs and picked her up, her legs instinctively hooking behind his back as he shifted an arm around her waist for further support. Carefully, he made his trek out of the kitchen and down the hall, pinning her against the wall along the way when she daringly stroked one of his ears. He’d never found himself weak for the sensation, but here he was damn near crumbling away when she did it, and her joyful giggle didn’t help any. Inuyasha ground against her, gripping into the plush skin of her thigh as he tasted her tongue, and when she gave a breathy gasp in response, her hands fell so her arms could circle around his neck, pulling herself closer to him.

He continued down the hall, his growing erection painful against his jeans, but simultaneously hot and wonderful. Not once had he ever been this turned on, this ready to make a woman his own, and no matter how badly he would no doubt end up aching from the anticipation, he was going to take his damn time with her.

As soon as they reached the doorway of the bedroom, he set her down, his hand gripping behind the back of her neck again to prevent her from separating from his kiss. Inuyasha tried to get the light switch but only ended up smacking the wall a few times before giving up, the room darkened by the blackout curtains that prevented the rays of setting sunlight from entering through. Fuck it, it didn’t even matter at this point. Their eyes would adjust, and he planned on feeling every inch of her to do all the seeing necessary, anyway.

Guiding their way toward the mattress, he utilized the space between to push the cardigan from her shoulders, allowing her to drop it to the floor as he reached for the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head, discarding the article of clothing entirely before reclaiming her soft lips with his own. Kagome finally pushed the opened shirt from his arms, her hands scaling over the toned ridges of his torso before landing on the button of his jeans.

She wasn’t quick enough to get the job done, though. They’d reached the side of the frame of the bed and Inuyasha pushed her down on top of it, taking off her strapped sandals and then quickly climbing over her as they both crawled further toward the center of the mattress. Kagome arched her back as his hand snaked beneath, his lips hovering over hers as she felt the smallest amount of pressure before her bra was snapped loose. She’d have shown her shock at his level of skill - or lack of a struggle, really - if she’d had it in her, but she was so enraptured by this man that his bewitching movements, his body weight, and the way he pulled the straps of her bra down her arms to throw to the floor only aroused her more. 

God, she wanted him so bad. She was nearly breathless just from the tantalizing way he kissed her, and now he was paying special attention to the curve of her neck, a palm of his skimming over her breast as the other supported the majority of his position on top of her. It was hard to speak, to make any noise, really, unless he, himself, brought it out of her. His body heat felt so comforting, yet teased her all the same as he pulled away to stand on his knees, placed perfectly between her thighs to unbutton his pants and pull them down a smidge so that it was cotton grinding on cotton, masterfully preventing the chaffing from his jeans when he leaned back over her to give her more. 

Inuyasha’s mouth was currently devoted to her clavicle, and Kagome felt as if she would melt, a whimpered sigh leaving her lips as he rolled his hips against her. Everything he was doing was so perfect. It was everything she’d discovered she loved and more. Like, he had a window into her cravings and was expertly utilizing all the information he had at his disposal, amping it up a little just to soften things back so the sensations didn’t become too much too fast.

“Condom?” Kagome finally forced out, her tone feeble and whispered.

“Don’t worry, baby.” He murmured against her skin, his own voice deep and vibrational. Just that, alone, made her moan, but he begrudgingly stopped.

Inuyasha breathed out slowly, bringing himself back up to hover above her lips. He dragged them over, not allowing her to kiss him as he traveled to her cheek, planting a sweet kiss there. One to her nose, her other cheek, then her jaw. It was like he was taking his time, his lips lingering against her skin as he skimmed downward, his hot tongue coming to play when he reached sensitive spots along her neck. Her collarbones were tended to delicately, then her chest was kissed before he made his way to her breasts, one hand taking residence over the right as his mouth made home on the left.

She was beginning to ache with how slow he was going, taunting her with languid kisses, avoiding her nipple as he gave the soft plush of her tits special attention that no one had ever taken the time to give before. He switched over to the right, his warm hand now squeezing the left, and once his lips landed on her nipple, kissing softly, Kagome reactively arched her back to feel more from him. Inuyasha chuckled, the sound damn near sending her reeling, and then took the perked bud into his mouth, sucking slightly before flicking it with his tongue. She shuddered, biting her lip to attempt to silence the whine that escaped, but as if he was determined to make her fold, he sucked a little harder, teasing her opposite nipple with the pad of his finger.

Inuyasha was diligent to make sure both breasts were treated equally, driving Kagome mad, and she especially found it insanely sexy when he could no longer bring himself to play with the tit in his hand, having to drive it between them to massage his hard cock for a moment, his knuckles rocking up and down along her pelvis. Still, despite his own grunts from the attention, he didn’t seem to be in any sort of hurry, his lips focused on her sternum, little parts of her ribcage, her stomach, the underside of her navel, then the hemline of her panties. As soon as his fingers curled within the garment at the sides of her hips, Kagome was swift to comply, lifting upward so he could drag the cotton down her legs to completely forget about once dropped.

He kissed along the front of her hips, his hands traveling up and down the outside of her thighs as he made himself comfortable between them. Kagome thought she couldn’t think straight before, but now she was completely captivated by him, her thought process muddled, useless, and debilitated. Hell, whatever this man wanted from her, he could have. He could take. He could have his way with her, and she’d fucking thank him at this point.

Inuyasha kissed her inner thighs, watching the way her chest heaved slightly. Something told him she’d never been worshipped before. It added fuel to his fire. He was dead set on personally showing her the treatment she deserved. Providing it was the true pleasure here. Her inner thighs seemed to be a sweet spot for her; he could tell by the way she clutched the blankets above her head in anticipation of each nip, kiss, and lick he served, switching from one leg to the other so she wouldn’t get too comfortable. Tempting her to make one of those gorgeous mewls, Inuyasha gently bit into the plush, witnessing the way her body contorted slightly, clearly out of her control, her chest rising higher, her hips leveraging away from him, the breathy sound from her mouth taunting him to reach for more. He held onto the outer sides of her thighs, making it impossible for her to squirm away as he did it again, sucking to apply the perfect amount of pressure, the keen she released in response music to his ears. Each time he bit into her, sucked on her inner thighs, squeezed his hands against her tensed legs, he inched his way toward her core, noticing how breathless she seemed to be. He debated slowing down even more, but figured that would only be cruel. He was king at teasing, but she was the queen that deserved all of the deliberate attention he could give. 

Tenderly, he kissed her lips, not wanting to shock her by diving right in, though he’d been dying to taste her. Another scant kiss and then he lightly dragged his tongue within her pussy, his hands shifting to hold her hips still instead of her thighs as she curved her spine for more. She tasted like a decadent desert, forcefully shoving him further into his trance. God, he wanted to hear her voice, hear how mad he was driving her, and he flattened his tongue, licking up to her clit in a way to beg her for the pleasure her satisfaction provided. Kagome’s hands flew into his silver hair, gently combing her nails through as she panted, her fingers slightly quaking along his scalp. He was working his way to build her up, lapping her up like the delicious treat she fucking was, his mind running absolutely wild, a groan leaving his own throat when he finally gave in to gift a mild suck on the bundle of nerves. Her hips bucked and Inuyasha tightened his grip, pinning her there, and she gave a shuddering moan, clutching his hair. He followed the cues from the noises she’d make, switching between licking her up to sucking her off, so fucking pleased by her stammering breaths, the way she’d inadvertently pull him closer by her grip on his hair, and the absolutely erotic way part of his name fell from her lips before she audaciously stroked his ear. As if she hadn’t learned her lesson from before. He fucking loved it; how she still attempted to give him attention while he ate her out like the goddess she was, how, even though she had a wonderful grip on his tousled hair, she was delicate with the appendage atop his head, how she managed to laugh a little while he moaned from how good it all felt, the reverberation no doubt tickling her pussy while she was simultaneously proud of herself for getting that reaction from him. The little, fucking vixen. Her giggle had been half joyful, half titillating, and like adding charcoal to a fire, he was fueled to drive her wild. Inuyasha dragged his tongue from her entrance to her clit multiple times, noticing how much she shook from his tedious and heavy attention. Then, he began to avoid her nerves at all costs, even exploring back to her thighs, biting, sucking, holding her still as she wriggled and whined. He went back to her pussy, evading her clit as he slowly lapped her up, then transferred his affection to her thigh, intent on giving her a hickey from how hard her couldn’t help but suck. Inuyasha trapped her wrists against her hips, multitasking in the way he made it impossible for her to do anything but accept what he gave. Kagome couldn’t beg from how her breath kept hitching, her whimpers clenched and strained as she obviously was close to climaxing. Eagerly, he gave her what she needed, licking the swollen bud and then finally sucking it into his mouth, listening intently to the way her breaths became short, shallow, laced with keens as her thighs tensed along the sides of his head. Inuyasha never stopped, and he would have fucking smiled from how heavenly this entire thing was if his mouth wasn’t preoccupied, focused entirely on her. He shifted his hold on her wrists to grasp her hands, entwining their fingers so she could shakily clutch him, her body progressively growing more and more taught. Only a little more and she quaked, squeezing his hands, her lungs hitching completely as she came.

Inuyasha slackened the intensity of his attention, little-by-little, not immediately pulling away so he could ride out her orgasm until her body decided it was done. When she began to breathe again, heavily at that, the hanyou released her, kissing her lips in finality and letting go of her hands. She was spent, her eyes closed as she regained some form of composure, her arms limp on her stomach, and if he hadn’t begun to crawl over her, he was sure her legs would have closed and fallen to the side. He gave her a moment, stroking her hair at the sides of her temples and behind her ears, treating her with the utmost amount of care until she came to.

Kagome fluttered her eyes open, landing on Inuyasha’s patient expression. His features were shadowed from the darkness, but still, with her adjusted sight she could appreciate how handsome he appeared in the low hues. Like, any form of lighting complimented him gorgeously. She licked her bottom lip, raking her teeth over the moistened area in the hopes that he’d catch the hint and kiss her, but instead he gifted her with one of his crooked grins, his fingers softly raking down the side of her neck to gently curl around her throat. There was no preventing her obvious joy from the motion, her sigh pleasurable as she notched her chin upward to give his large hand room to claim her, her heart like a force of thunder beneath her ribcage that she was positive he felt.

“Stay here.” He said huskily, and she had no choice but to oblige.

She missed his body heat as soon as he removed himself from the bed, and she noticed, as her knees fell together, no longer separated by his hips, that her thighs still shook minutely from her previous orgasm. She could hear the rustle of clothing as he removed his pants and boxers, hear a drawer opening, a tiny crinkle of a packet, then his weight administering back onto the mattress as he gently situated himself over her once more, guiding her knees open to welcome him back in. Kagome was quick to find him with her hands, his weight braced on his elbows as he laid over her, and she stroked up the sides of his waist, feeling each curve and edge of the sculpted muscles beneath his skin. She could feel the warmth radiating off of him, soaking into her, his chest pressed to hers as he gave a soft grind of his hips, no longer hindered by his clothing. Just wonderful, blissful, searing sensations as his cock glided along her core. Finally, he kissed her, his lips so sweet and tender, and she wanted him closer, arching her back to feel the way his chest hitched when he breathed her in, her hands roaming over his sides, his defined back that flexed as he rolled his hips again, up to his shoulders and then his arms, massaging the biceps that supported him. 

One of his arms slipped away from her as he slid it between them, positioning himself perfectly, and he broke apart from the kiss, just enough to hover an inch or two above her face while he pushed inside of her. Slowly. Kagome felt his abdominals tense as he glided deeper, his sigh hot as her body happily accepted him, but when he released a clenched groan, almost sounding like a meager whimper of his own making, her mind blanked and a flush trickled through each vein of her body, threatening to cause her to melt on the spot. It was the sexiest sound she’d heard from him yet, so small and so genuine, so pleased and erotic, more rewarding than anything she’d experienced up until then. 

There was no stopping her loss of control, because frankly, she wanted him to take it. Kagome whined for more, her hands fumbling as he barely bucked against her, gripping, releasing, and gripping his biceps again as they were both now back where they needed to be. Inuyasha shushed her sweetly, chuckling as he ducked close to her ear, applying more fervency into his thrusts.

“Calm down, baby, you’ll get it.” He whispered before dipping to kiss her neck, exploring until she pinched her nails into his skin, clearly locating the key spot and sucking tenderly. He retaliated against her eager fingers, laughing breathily against her flesh when he pulled from her grasp one arm at a time, capturing her wrists to pin above her head in the clutch of one of his hands. Her wrists were so small compared to his palm, it wasn’t even a chore to keep her captive, taking his time as he built his rhythm to drive her mad. He gave the reddened mark on her neck a little nip, loving the vibrations that came through her throat as she moaned. 

Steadily, he fucked her a little harder, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room, and it seemed to be almost exactly what she wanted as he watched her eyes flutter closed and her teeth drag along her bottom lip. Begrudgingly, he released her hands, opting for a grip over her throat, never hindering airflow. Inuyasha kissed her jaw, not failing to notice the way she opened herself up for him, how she kept her hands above her head for him, how she mewled seductively when he took a moment to push as deep as he could inside of her, rubbing his pelvis against her pussy to change up his rhythm, to tease her clit, to see just how much this woman could handle. Fuck, she was so alluring. He wanted more of her. He wanted all of her.

Kagome clenched her fists, enjoying the delightful sound of his heated breath in her ear, the way his pace slowed to an uneven grind. His fingers held her neck in such a perfect manner - not too tight but not too soft; enough to let her know he was there and could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He grunted, muffling the sound as he ducked his face into her shoulder, his breath so hot and blissful. Wanting more, wanting to do something for him, wanting to please Inuyasha, she gave the edge of one of his shoulders a small shove, lifting her hips into him as he hastily complied, wrapped one of his arms behind her waist and rolled over, never separating from her.

The hanyou seemed almost breathless beneath her, especially as she pushed herself up to hover over his lips just as he’d done to her before. She smiled, taking a moment to stroke aside the silver strands of hair that stuck to his face, clinging from beads of sweat she also took the liberty of wiping away, taking particular care of the area around his eyes. His golden irises were so bright, they almost glowed in the darkness, bewitching her fully. Inuyasha reached for a kiss, and she would never refuse him, breathing him in as she deepened the motion. Her hips tediously rocked, and she couldn’t believe that the softest movement still brought a clenched groan out of him, one he’d intentionally tried to subdue, one that made her sigh in response. Kagome rose to sit straight, dragging her fingers down the center of his chest to his abdomen where she lightly braced her hands - more for balance than to utilize his frame to increase her tempo. She could do that all on her own. Inuyasha’s hands gripped the plush of her hips, squeezing slightly as he followed her grind, his head falling back into the comforter as his eyes closed in utter enjoyment. She increased her pace into a mild bounce, eating up the way he clutched her hips tighter, the way his own hips seemed to leverage higher so he’d hit deeper, the way he breathed and tensed beneath her. 

Inuyasha looked back at her, completely enthralled by the woman on top of him. He glided his hands to her thighs, feeling the way they flexed as they worked, then up to her waist to give attention to the beautiful curves, then to her bouncing breasts as he claimed them as his, massaging, needing, and observing how a sinful, little pout formed on her face when he tended to her nipples. That look, alone, could have potentially been his downfall, but instead it amped him further, determined to never forget the way she looked as she rode him perfectly.

She started going a little harder, his mind once more growing muddled as the sensations built. Kagome was so goddamn irresistible like this, but he wasn’t going to let her finish this on top. He let her have her fun. He let her have her way for a moment. Now, he was going to send her into the best sleep of her life.

Inuyasha reached behind her neck, pulling her to his chest so he could hold behind her back, quickly rolling her over and never ceasing the rhythm. He took over immediately, thrusting against her, harder and harder, her little body bouncing beneath him as he watched it all on his hands and knees. His pelvis slapped against hers, the sound so fucking erotic, mixed with her moans and whimpers that pushed him to a ledge. He knew she was spiraling closer, he could tell, he could read her language easily - as if he’d already had it memorized like the back of his hand. His own grunts and groans were growing louder, almost growls as he fucked her even harder, faster, and when he noticed her pussy clench against his cock when he actually did let out an accidental growl, and the way she made the most delightful mewl and practically rolled her eyes into the back of her head in absolute gratification, he was just about done in. Inuyasha  braced himself on an elbow, never faltered in his bucking, utilizing his free hand to tenderly stroke her neck, her cheek, and push the hair out of her face while growling lowly in her ear, coaxing her with gentle words in between to get her to cum for him. Oh god, her body grew incredibly taut, her voice muffled as he kissed her, riding her out harder than he should have as he tumbled into his own orgasm.

The afterglow was peaceful, and he was welcomed to lay on top of her for a sweet moment when, despite her shaking fingers, she softly stroked his sides, then his back, giggling as she had to wiggle one arm free so that she could rake the hair out of his face again, massaging his scalp with her nails as he came down. He got to listen to the sound of her heart pounding, focusing on the melody as it steadily calmed, soothing him.

Worried he was crushing her, Inuyasha rolled off, taking residence on his back next to her. He found her hand, manipulating his way beneath it so he could entwine their fingers, feeling the desire, no, the necessity to touch her in some meager manner.

“Still think it’s silly if I ask you out on a second date now?” Inuyasha asked. The two of them fell into a fit of laughter, happy and content and amused all the same.

It took almost too much effort to maneuver off of the bed, and maybe it shouldn’t have boosted his pride so, but seeing how much more she seemed to struggle than he, it was nothing short of a compliment. Kagome appeared almost groggy, hardly speaking aside from the soft, little thanks she gave when he helped her climb down from the mattress, and the tiny sound she made when she turned about aimlessly in search of the bathroom. He hastily disposed of the condom in the small trash bin by the nightstand, then took her hand, personally walking her to the bathroom to make sure her legs weren’t too unsteady. 

“If you touch that dress, I’m throwing it away.” He said jokingly as she reached for it after emerging from the bathroom, though it was also genuinely easy to take him seriously in that moment. She glanced up at him, perplexed but smiling, and he sauntered over to her from the dresser, now donned in a pair of sweats. Delicately, he leaned down and kissed her, simultaneously kicking the white summer dress away, swallowing her giggle. “Text Sango. Let her know you’re staying the night.”

Kagome blushed. After all that, she blushed. She didn’t want to argue, but even if she did, she purely didn’t have the energy for even a feigned attitude. To stay over with him, sleep with him, wake up to him, she didn’t know why but the idea made her happy. In a silent response, she waltzed over to his old, discarded shirt from before, picking it up from the floor and shoving her arms through the sleeves, so much looser on her than it appeared while it was on him. 

The hanyou gifted her with that crooked smile she loved so much, looking her up and down as she buttoned it up to her mid chest. “Good girl.” He whispered, and holy hell, that was just playing dirty. That, alone, made her knees damn near wobble, and she blinked at him, enchanted and in awe.

“Get back in bed, babe. I’ll be right back. The tv remotes are on the nightstand.” Inuyasha said, leaving the room.

She searched the floor for her panties, finally finding them in the dark before slipping them on and dropping her body facedown on the mattress, exhausted, ready to fall asleep right then and there before her favored hanyou came walking back in, chuckling at her lifeless form. She heard him set something on the surface of the bedside table before he sat next to her, leaning over to stroke her messy hair.

“What do you want on your pizza?” He asked softly.

“Cheese.” Kagome mumbled.

“Nothing else?”

“More cheese.”

“Got it. I brought you water. Drink it, okay?”

“There’s a twenty in my wallet in my purse. Put it towards the food.”

Inuyasha gave her butt a small spank. “Shut the fuck up.” He laughed, leaving the room again. “Where’s your phone?” He shouted from the kitchen.

“Purse.” She replied lazily, hoping he’d magically catch what she said because she sincerely didn’t have it in her to talk any louder. Surprisingly, he came back a brief moment later, playfully sliding her cell next to her face, picking her hand up, and planting it on top. 

With a forfeiting sigh, she clutched the device and rolled over to her back, sending her best friend a quick message saying she was staying over before pushing herself to a sitting position. Inuyasha sat next to her, handing over the bottle of water he’d brought her before gently stroking her leg.

“You okay?” He asked, warmheartedly.

“I’m perfect.” Kagome responded honestly, leaning in to give him a small kiss.

—

Kagome awoke the next morning, embraced in comfort and wonderful body heat. After eating pizza and getting three-quarters of the way through a movie, Kagome had cuddled up to Inuyasha, the both of them indulging in lazy conversation and affection throughout the night before they finally drifted off. Not once in her afterglow stupor did he tease her or complain. Inuyasha, in fact, was incredibly affectionate and caring. He massaged her scalp and combed her hair with his fingers, he stroked the skin of her thighs and her waist, he placed kisses to her forehead. She was on cloud nine, really. There was a point where, though exhausted, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, and he’d unbuttoned her shirt, never stripping it off of her, but opening it up so he could touch and taste her at his leisure. She’d never experienced something so beautiful, where there were zero obligations, just two people in a trance, exploring slowly, sedately, soaking up the way muscles flinched when touched in certain manners, the way breathing increased in the peace of the night, the way it was so remarkably comfortable kissing someone, learning about someone until sleep overtook you.

He’d parted the blackout curtains a bit before crawling into bed with her to let the moonlight in, rays of sunshine filtering through now, painting the white walls in dull shades of yellow and orange. It was early. She could tell by the chill in the air and the way the colors weren’t blinding. Inuyasha’s breathing was deep and rhythmic, his arm draped over her as he was snuggled to the curve of her back. 

As if sensing she’d awoken, the man kissed the nape of her neck, pulling her a little closer to his chest as he littered the area with slow, sleepy kisses. His hand pushed within her shirt, parting the two sides so he could softly rub her tummy, grumbling a husky, “Good morning,” in her ear. Kagome hummed contentedly in response, feeling the shift as he began to adjust his position, pulling her to lay on her back as he lazily rolled over her, pushing the blankets off of them as he went. She was almost too pleased to comply, welcoming him in between her legs as his sweatpants lightly chaffed against her inner thighs. She could tell he still wasn’t completely awake, his lips dragging and lethargic, but his intention remained.

Inuyasha serenely sighed against her neck, sluggishly making his trek down her body and peppering her in kisses along the way. Kagome’s eyes were closed, savoring the affection he so willingly bequeathed. He made his way over her sternum, then traveled to her ribcage, kissing to her waist, then her stomach, then the opposite side of her ribs for evenness. He kissed above her bellybutton, below it, then again on each side of it before coming back up to take her lips as his, evidently a little more awake now. 

As he propped himself above her on one hand and further pushed her shirt open with the other, Kagome took an opportunity to soak in the visual of him, the way his short, messy hair fell downward with gravity, the way certain muscles in his arms were flexed from supporting his weight, the way the early rays of light complimented his skin tone. For a brief moment, as she usually allotted, she focused on his chest, her fingers painting over his toned muscles to fully appreciate him until her heart stilled. His chest. His left pec. There it was. The faded and tan, uneven and circular birthmark she’d envisioned. She was so focused on it, she’d hardly remembered to breathe, the pads of her fingers tracing the small blemish that linked her. Then, her attention shifted to Inuyasha’s stunned expression, and he looked almost fearful as he seemed to process what was going through her mind.

“No.” He spoke lowly. “No. No, no. Have you had the dream?” Inuyasha sat back on the mattress, staring at her with indiscernible concern as she rose to sit, as well.

“The… it’s you.” Kagome breathed. The small smile he gave, though still riddled with some sort of disturbance, was laced with a modest percentage of anguished relief as he tilted his head and reached to tenderly caress her cheek.

“Yeah. It’s me, Kagome.”

“Wait, did - did you know?”

“Since last night. I opened your shirt to see if what I’d dreamt was there. The small arrow tattoo on your ribs. And, the freckle beneath it.” Inuyasha admitted.

It was taking a moment to sink in. All of it. Kagome was in a state of stiffened shock and confusion. He’d known since last night, but she didn’t remember any sort of significant reaction coming from him; not a typical one you’d expect at least, much like the one she was giving now - though, now that she thought about it, she realized he had been paying fine attention to her tattoo. Truthfully, she’d gotten it for her eighteenth birthday and forgot it was there the majority of the time. It was a tiny and basic design. But, yet, it had been his indicator to find her. With the freckle beneath. Still, while he kissed it over and over in the moonlight of their romantic evening, nothing particularly tipped her off. Not a gasp, not a jolt of any sort, not a sign of hesitation. In fact, she’d never felt more adored in her life.

So, why did he not seem happy? This was supposed to be exciting, wasn’t it? A good thing? Wasn’t it?

“I-I don’t get it.”

“Kagome -“ He dropped his hand.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know if you knew.” Inuyasha said.

“It doesn’t really seem like you wanted me to know, either.” She wasn’t defensive, she was just bemused.

“I didn’t. I didn’t want you to know. Not yet.” When she didn’t say anything, her brows furrowing further, and brown eyes unable to confidently stay on him, flickering away unsteadily, Inuyasha continued on. “Kagome, listen. It’s bad timing. Really fucking bad timing. We both knew this thing between you and I had an expiration date. I figured if I was the only one that knew, I could handle the weight of it on my own. I didn’t want you to have to deal with the pressure. I didn’t want you to have to deal with any of this. Not until we stood a chance.”

“But -“ Kagome felt a little tongue tied, having a difficult time trying to wrap her head around anything. She closed her shirt, fastening two buttons in the middle to keep her body remotely covered, scooting herself off the bed so she could pace the room in a meager attempt to process and focus. She pushed her disorderly, wavy hair away from her face at the sides, discovering the uneasy, prickling sensation expanding in the pit of her stomach was anxiety. Her heart was beginning to pound erratically, and she felt a diluted series of jitters coming over her. “You’re my soulmate?”

“Yes.” Inuyasha answered, turning his position on the mattress to face her, his expression still ringing of concern, but most likely due to her incapability to rationalize as quickly as he seemed to.

“I thought - I thought finding each other was supposed to be romantic and happy. So, why is this not?”

“Because, you have a full agenda, and it’s not fair to be forced to balance out a new relationship on top of it. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know, but -“

“No, Kagome, I’ve been there. Going into your final year of college is hard enough, let alone maintaining an internship schedule, finding a moment to eat something and do laundry, and managing to get all of your homework done while attempting to get more than four hours of sleep a night - if that! And, it’s not just as simple as throwing a new relationship you weren’t prepared for in the mix. It’s a long distance relationship. Once I’m done here, I’m going to Europe for god knows how long.”

“Europe!?” Kagome’s face twisted, surprised, completely unsuspecting of how much worse this could get.

Inuyasha heaved a tedious sigh, propping his elbows on his thighs and ducking his head into his hands to gain his bearings. She’d stopped pacing, but he could fully sense her apprehension and unsteadiness while she waited for him to respond. When he was ready, he dropped his hands, still leaning on his legs, looking at her with as much mercy as he could manage in the moment. “Yeah. My dad passed when I was a kid and left his company to my brother and I. And, as much as I hate working for my brother at the moment, I can’t find it in me to walk away from what my father created. It’s a good corporation. We help kids in the system, and little-by-little, we’re taking over shit places and turning them around completely to better care for children in foster homes. Europe’s the big step for me in becoming a partner, and believe you me, despite my attitude at times, I’m the one with the heart necessary to balance out my dad’s legacy. Sesshomaru’s the brains.”

“Oh.” Kagome breathed. There was nothing more to question; that was as solid a reason to not be able to commit to anything as her senior year was. In fact, to her, his situation carried greater validity.

Inuyasha stood from his seat, carefully crossing the room to her. “Look at me.” He quietly said, cradling her jaw in his palms and tilting her head back so she’d comply. “Be honest, okay? Logically thinking, did you ever expect anything from this after you went home?”

Kagome shook her head in his hands. “No. I was the one to say we had a time limit.”

“And, is there even a sane part of you that thinks you’d be able to find a healthy way to manage your schedule and a long distance relationship?”

“No.” She admitted, chuckling disbelievingly. She pulled herself out of his hold, having a better grasp on the situation, but still a question weighed on her. “What were your plans? If I hadn’t had the dream yet, and you were the only one aware that we were soulmates like you wanted, what was your next step?”

“I was just gonna take what I could in the time allotted.”

“And, then what?”

“Business, as usual.”

“That’s it?”

“What else could I do?” He inquired, perplexed.

“I don’t know.” Kagome slightly stammered. “Ghost me? Wouldn’t that be easier on you?”

“Wait, excuse me? You want me to ghost you?” His tone piqued skeptically, his expression twisting.

“No! Nobody wants that! But, given the situation, it’d be more than understandable! You’d be saving yourself a lot of stress!”

“Stress isn’t what I’d label it.” He remarked.

“Okay, whatever! But, why would you willingly put yourself through this? It doesn’t make sense!”

“Well, what would you do, Kagome!?” Inuyasha snapped, raising his voice. “Honestly! Tell me! What would you do if you knew a person was your soulmate and you were only given an insignificant amount of time with them!? Would you take it or run!?”

Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushing dully, bottom lip trembling from the unforgiving truthfulness before them before she pinched her lips together in a measly attempt to keep her emotions grounded. 

It was his turn to incredulously chuckle as he cocked a brow at her. “You’d run?”

“I - no! I don’t know! This is a lot!”

There was a moment of silence between them where Kagome’s eyes uncontrollably shifted from the floor to his birthmark and Inuyasha stared out the open part in the curtain. She heard him drag in a deep breath, his chest noticeably expanding before he gave in and looked back at her.

“I was scared. When I saw the tattoo on you, I was fucking terrified.” Inuyasha spoke, his tone surprisingly level. “Everything seemed to click, though. It all made sense; why I was so attracted to you, why I understood you, why I felt so connected to you, why I wanted to see you as much as possible no matter what came of it. Maybe I’m impulsive in quickly deciding to live it up, but can you blame me? It’s you. I fucking found you. I was up most of the night thinking it through, and the thought of ignoring the opportunity for something made me want to puke.”

Kagome’s heart sank deeper, unable to monitor her expression as she huffed, her fingers shaking from her spiking anxiety levels. “How cruel is this?” She cynically asked. “This is the biggest ‘fuck you’ fate’s ever served.”

“I know.” Inuyasha agreed. “I stand by it, though; what I said. I still want to be able to say I took the chance with you than say I missed it.”

Kagome nodded, not quite sure what she was acknowledging but still giving him the acknowledgment, nonetheless. She scoured the ground, searching for her clothes and found them on the arm of the corner chair where Inuyasha had neatly placed them, tracking over to them and scooping it all into her arms. “I’m - I’m gonna get dressed and call an Uber, okay?”

“What? No. If you want to go, I’ll take you.” He said, brows pinching together.

“No. Thank you, but no. I don’t think I can handle the awkward and silent car ride back to my place on top of all this.”

“Kagome, I brought you here. It’s my responsibility to get you home.” Inuyasha stated with steady resolve.

“Can you just - I need to digest this, Inuyasha. On my own.” Kagome argued, swiveling on her heel and heading straight to the bathroom to change.

When she came out, donned in her dress and cardigan from the night before, the bedroom was empty. The air in the place, though, was tense and heavy. She felt horrible. For the way she imagined Inuyasha was feeling right now, for the way everything was turning out, and for the way she figured she was only making everything worse by not spontaneously jumping into his arms to accept the terms and conditions of destiny’s bullshit. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, and her sandals by the chair, slipping them on her feet and reaching behind to hook the strap around her ankle before leaving the room to seek out her purse. She’d prefer to call and wait for her ride home at the corner, anyway. That way, she could remove herself from the discomfort and begin to breathe somewhat easier again as she allowed the situation to sink through her skin.

Inuyasha was standing by the counter in the kitchen, a shirt now covering his torso. She could see the tribulation written on his face, but when he noticed her, he still attempted a small smile.

“I ordered you an Uber that’ll take you home.” He said, gesturing to the cellphone illuminated directly in front of him on the counter. “That way, I know you’ll get there safely since I can watch the trip, and you won’t have to text me or anything.”

The guilt felt like a dense liquid in her abdomen, overwhelming each organ one at a time. “Can I give you money for it?”

“No.” Inuyasha shook his head. “I don’t want your money. I just want you to think about what I said. Deal?”

“Deal.” She agreed, giving a meager nod. Like an invisible force pulling her forward, Kagome closed the space between him, hugging him and burying her face in his chest, and Inuyasha didn’t hesitate to hold her, kissing the top of her head. This wasn’t his fault, and she was scared the next words out of his mouth were going to be an apology. She could see it clearly in his ember eyes. And, all she wanted was to make it go away.

Being held by him was soothing, and it almost felt like he was soaking up as much of the disconcertment she was muddled with as he could. He really was willing to cope with this on his own, wasn’t he?

The app on his phone dinged with the common notification that the driver had arrived, and Inuyasha arched back slightly, cradling her jaw once more as comfortingly as possible, then leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her lips.

“It’s gonna be okay, alright? No matter what.” He stated confidently, pushing some hair behind her ear before releasing her and reaching for her purse to hand over. She nodded appreciatively, resting the strap over her shoulder and heading to the door as he walked her out to the car.

Kagome sighed heavily as she reentered her best friend’s vacation house. The living area was empty. Silent. The clock on the wall ticking away seconds as she, for the first time that morning, realized just how early it was. It was barely seven-thirty, still a little chilly from the ocean breeze as the summer sun steadily rose higher in the sky. Not wanting to wake Sango by entering the bedroom they shared, she decided to think things through on the back patio until people rose.

With how jumbled her mind was, Kagome only managed to make it to the kitchen counter, a glass of water in hand to sip, listening to the never ending ticks of the moving clock hands while everything she learned this morning replayed in her head. While she felt less jittery now, she was still disturbed, unable to determine what the right thing to do was. Her soulmate. It was him. It was Inuyasha. He was within reach, yet soon would be so far. Was all this worth it? Or should she protect herself?

Lethargic, shuffling feet came from down the hall, growing louder as her best friend appeared in a large shirt that didn’t belong to her. Kagome and Sango locked eyes, Sango looking like a deer in the headlights, probably not actually having heard Kagome come home. Her long, brown hair was a mess - normally pretty straight but wavy and unruly at the moment. The most peculiar part of it was, Sango had stumbled from the hallway that led to Miroku’s and Ayame’s rooms. Given Koga was here, it wasn’t hard to determine which room she’d settled in for the night.

“When did you get home?” Sango inquired as innocently as possible, her voice small. 

“Two minutes ago.” Kagome couldn’t stop the slow-spreading smile on her face. With a small notch of her head, she silently asked her best friend if she’d come from Miroku’s room.

Sango followed the motion of her gesture, grimacing slightly before answering with a bashful. “Yeah. Let’s go get coffee and talk about it there.”

Kagome laughed, following her into their bedroom so they could both change into fresh clothing before heading to a nearby coffee shop. 

“So, what’s up? You’re not the cheery, I-got-laid version of Kagome I expected to see this morning.” Sango mentioned, taking a seat at a round, empty table at the cafe as they waited for their iced coffees.

“Oh, um, you first. I want to hear your story before I tell mine.” Kagome deterred, not even bothering to put too much effort into a feigned, joyful tone, knowing her best friend would see right through it.

“Kagome, what happened?” There was a little more concern that time, Sango’s head cocking to the side.

“Nothing bad, I promise! It was a good night! But, more importantly, you came out of Miroku’s bedroom this morning wearing Miroku’s shirt. Care to explain?” She giggled, teasing her embarrassed friend. Her cheeks were a vibrant red, and she hid the side of her face behind a hand so passerby’s wouldn’t see.

“Take a wild guess.”

“Did you have sex!?” Kagome hissed, laughing.

“Oh, like you didn’t already know!” Sango reached over and slapped Kagome’s forearm, laughing from her own humiliation. “I don’t know what came over me, dude! Or, him! He’s been acting kind of different with me for the past few days, and I don’t know, I like it! So, we all went to a bar last night, okay?” She said, prepared to get into the story. They weren’t far from the counter at all, so when the barista called their names, she got up to retrieve their coffees, only pausing her retelling to thank the girl that prepared them, and waltzing back over to rejoin Kagome at the table. “It was a good time, we all had fun and got a little buzzed. Ayame and Koga went straight back to their room as soon as we got home, and Miroku and I stayed up talking for a little. Maybe it was the alcohol, which is a cheap excuse on my behalf, but he seemed so sweet and mindful. And, girl, I was weak. Seriously. I was the one that kissed him.”

“What?” Kagome inched forward, absolutely dumbfounded.

“Yup.” She shrugged her brows, nodding. “I made the move. Then, one thing led to another and here we are. I did not hear you come in this morning, and you caught me on my walk of shame back to our room.”

“Sorry.” Kagome laughed. “Your secret’s safe with me. Promise.”

“Alright, your turn. Spill. You were home way too early, so what gives?”

In preparation, Kagome took three large gulps of her iced coffee, hoping the caffeine would make her bolder in the admittance she was about to give. “Okay, look, um, just try to keep an open mind to what I’m about to say. It’s a bit extreme.”

“What, did you do anal or something?”

“Sango!”

“So, no. Sorry! Go on! Open minded!” Sango raised her hands at her sides defensively, her expression humorless and sincere.

“Promise?”

“Of course. It’s me.” Sango assured.

“Alright, so for a few years now, I’ve been having that dream.” Kagome emphasized the words in the hopes that Sango would immediately catch on to what she was talking about. While it was typically well-known, it wasn’t altogether common. Not everyone experienced this sort of connection, so when Sango didn’t clue in, Kagome wasn’t offended. “The soulmate dream.”

“Woah, what?” She seemed sort of astonished, leaning forward minutely. “You’ve got a soulmate? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because, what were the chances of me even meeting him?” Kagome answered with a disappointed shrug.

“Right. That’s right. It’s sort of a fickle thing, huh? Not really something people boast about nowadays.” Sango bit her lip unsurely, her shoulders sagging. “But, so, is he…” She trailed off, apprehensive about potentially pouring salt in Kagome’s evident wound, but all the while hoping Kagome would pick up on where she was going with her question.

“Yeah.” Kagome confirmed, with one steady nod. “He’s got a birthmark right here,” She grazed the general area on her chest with the pads of her fingers. “And, he dreamt of the arrow on my side.”

“Wait, okay, back up. Start from the beginning. I need some perspective, because you are far from happy. This isn’t what I pictured happening when someone found their person.”

“Right?” She giggled disbelievingly. “The date was nothing short of perfect. Thinking about it now, it’s kind of embarrassing, because we weren’t even together for an hour before he kissed me. Don’t laugh, but when he did it, it really felt like the whole cliche fireworks sort of thing. Which then turned into the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve never felt the way I did when I was with him. I was a bit preoccupied to notice his birthmark, though, so I didn’t see it until this morning. Cue the freakout.”

“Oh, no. Did he know?”

“Yeah, he knew before me. He saw my tattoo last night. He just didn’t say anything in case I wasn’t aware.”

“Wait. He was chill and you were the one that freaked? It wasn’t a mutual thing?”

Kagome groaned, taking another drink from her coffee. “Pretty much.”

“Why?” Sango pressed, completely invested in Kagome’s situation.

“Because, it’s complicated. This wasn’t supposed to be anything passed a fling.”

“And, you’re mad that it is?” She slowly asked, trying to gain an understanding on her point of view.

“No. Not at all. The circumstances are what get me. At first, I felt pretty safe when I realized who he was. Honestly, as crazy as it sounds, if there was someone that was going to be labeled my soulmate, I’m kind of happy it’s him. He’s a really good guy. But, then I saw how afraid he was at discovering I’d had the dream, too. He didn’t want me to know. Because, we can’t be together.”

“Why not?” Sango’s voice was small, like she, herself, felt the weight of the sadness.

“He’s out here for work, and once he’s done, he’s going to Europe. He doesn’t know when he’ll be back, but this is his father’s company, so I understand the importance of it and how busy he’ll be. With both of our workloads and the distance, it’s not fair or realistic for us to try to commit to anything or anyone else. And, neither of us should drop our lives and what we’ve worked for.”

“So, that’s it? It’s done?” She asked, her shoulders somehow managed to droop further. She wore a sympathetic frown, her brows raised as she reached across the table to gently stroke her best friend’s arm.

“I don’t know. That’s where it get’s dangerous. Inuyasha wants to take advantage of the time we have left so that we get something out of this, but don’t you think that’d be risky? I mean, I’ve already grown fond of him, imagine the attachment that’ll develop by the end of our stay.”

“So, what? Go for it.” Sango insisted supportively.

“Like it’s that easy.”

“Isn’t it?” She countered. “He’s your soulmate.”

“It’s only going to hurt him and I.” Kagome grieved. “I’m not sure it’s worth it.”

“I’m actually surprised that you don’t. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. Honestly, I think you’ll end up more heartbroken if you left it as it is. Imagine you didn’t see him again after today, and this was it. You’re so fucking close to each other, but you didn’t go after him. The moment we get home and the time is lost, how will you feel? How will you feel when you’re knee deep in homework and course information you’ll never use after this year, and your mind wanders back to the chance you didn’t take? And, when you graduate and you’re wondering if he’d still take you if you met again? Because, you’re out of your mind if you think it’ll be possible to never think about him after this. Come on, Kagome. Don’t do this to yourself. It’s bad enough life and fate are standing in your way. Are you going to let fear hold you back, too?”

It was as if clarity punched Kagome in the gut. She pictured a scale before her, the chance to experience a small window of time with her soulmate on one side, and hiding from it all on the other. By a long shot, the former won. Because, not only would Kagome be running from pain, which had a tendency to mute all other aspects of the scenario, but she’d be running from Inuyasha. Talking to Inuyasha. Kissing Inuyasha. Touching Inuyasha. Laying with Inuyasha. Anything with Inuyasha would be gone, and if she turned away from him now, she’d also be turning her back on fate. If she turned her back on fate just because the opportunity was inconvenient, how could she expect kindness from it in the future?

How could she expect to potentially find him again one day?

“You’re right.” Kagome gently admitted, worrying her bottom lip.

“Spend as much time with him as you can.” Sango said. “Don’t let him go until you absolutely have to.”

“But,” Kagome sighed, bowing her head in minor defeat. “You guys… the trip…”

“Babe, we’re the people you have to deal with until graduation - if not longer. Forget about it. If he tells you to come over, drop what you’re doing and go.”

“Miroku.” Kagome’s tone was uncomfortably stiff, nervous for the shit she’d get from her close  friend that was a little too protective for his own good. He was a skeptical one, so bringing up soulmates might only make him scoff and ridicule, and she didn’t need that right now.

“I’ll handle him.” Sango shook her head dismissively, as if she would take him down in an instant if he talked even a little crap. “I’ll explain it to them, and I can guarantee you won’t hear a thing. You’ve got enough to worry about, so let me deal with them, okay?”

—

She really should have texted or called him before showing up out of the blue, but Kagome had been so focused on maintaining her courage to do this in the first place that she’d completely forgotten about the entire, necessary communication aspect. 

It had been over twenty-four hours since it all happened, and soon after returning from coffee with Sango, she began to visualize what it would be like if she didn’t take her shot. Much like Inuyasha, she felt like she was going to vomit. She also felt like she could have broken down into an irrational fit of tears. Though she’d already decided to chase after him before it was too late, the envisioned, negative scenario solidified her move.

Getting back to his place wasn’t difficult in the least, but as she approached, she noticed his car wasn’t there. Despite that, her stomach was still in shambles. Not for a single moment had she stopped thinking about Inuyasha. All she wanted was to see him.

In case his car was in the shop, Kagome forced herself forward, entering through the gate and heading to the front door. With a deep breath, she gave two raps to the surface, waiting a moment until it was clear he really wasn’t home. Texting him earlier would have avoided this mess. He would have given her a time to come over, and she wouldn’t look like a doofus standing on his front porch.

She debated going for a walk and coming back later, but a pull in her gut made her not want to go far. The pull was so dominating, in fact, that it took less than sixty seconds to get her to resign the idea to leave at all, bringing her to remove her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and take a seat on the top step. Mindlessly, she scrolled through social media, trying to keep herself distracted while she waited. It was Sunday. Realistically, he was most likely out with some friends - like the ones he was with when she met him. Given he wasn’t from here, his friends were most likely coworkers or management he found cool. It was almost five, so it was too early to party. Most likely, he went out to dinner with them. Though, he could have started partying early. In a town like this, it’s anyone’s prerogative. 

Kagome decided she’d wait thirty minutes. An hour, tops. Any longer than that, and it’d officially be considered weird and desperate.

Lucky for her, it was only another ten minutes before the rumble of his car pulled up to the curb in front of the gate. Unlucky for her, a nearly-debilitating flurry ruptured in the center of her abdomen, inadvertently sending a series of goosebumps over her entire body. Her moment was now. Through the semi-tinted window, she saw him notice her before even shutting off the engine, though it wasn’t until he stepped out - sort of hurriedly, she observed - that she noticed his overtly concerned expression. Kagome stood as Inuyasha slammed his door in his haste to cross around the car to her, pushing through the gate and meeting her halfway up the small walkway.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asked before she could get a word out. The hanyou was dressed about as professionally as he was the day she ran into him at the coffee shop, the white button up tucked into his slacks and hugging his body comfortably.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I promise. I should have called first, I’m sorry.” Kagome said, slightly embarrassed for worrying him. For everything, really. “I just - I wanted to see you.” To her surprise, his cheeks tinted with a subtle pink.

“Were you waiting out here long?” Inuyasha inquired, attempting to seem as composed as usual.

“Not really.” Kagome shook her head, taking another slow, deep breath to back up her courage. “Look, it was important for me to tell you this in person. I want it, too. So, if you still feel the same, I’m all yours.”

Those words rooted into his heart quicker than a sponge absorbing water. Still, Inuyasha let them hang in the air for a moment until he physically felt the weight-decreasing effects of them before replying with, “I still feel the same.”

With a sigh of relief, Kagome smiled lightly. “I know you’ve got a pretty busy work schedule. Just let me know when you’re free or want me to come over, and I will.”

“I’m not going to keep you all to myself. It’s a two-way street; just like anything. You’re on vacation, so we can -”

“I want you to. To keep me all to yourself. I can see them whenever I want, but I can only see you…” Kagome’s sentence remained incomplete, the notion of where it was going obvious. “This is about you and I now.”

“Your friends are okay with that?” He had to physically keep himself from smiling, forcing his compassion to come forward before he showed how pleased he was.

“Yeah. They’re supportive.” She said, loving the way his grin steadily appeared. As if his happiness triggered her own, she smiled, biting her lip as an ounce of shyness fluttered in her chest, replacing the nerves that had her stomach a mess just mere moments ago. “So, yeah. That’s all I came to say. I’ll let you actually get inside now. I’ll see you later.” Kagome said, turning on her heel to head out the gate.

Before she could get far, Inuyasha snagged her wrist, gently yanking her back over to him. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Home.” She giggled, stumbling into his chest. “I came over uninvited, and you might have had plans.”

“I don’t. I just came from work. Which means, I’m free, I want you, and because I got suckered into going today, I don’t have to go in tomorrow. So, you’re all mine. That’s how it goes, right?”

“Well, yeah, but I didn’t bring anything with me.” She laughed a little harder, seeing the cocky amusement in his golden eyes. “No toothbrush, no clothes -“

“Bold of you to assume you’ll need clothes, but come on.” He playfully grumbled, leading her by the hand to his car.

“Where are we going?”

“To get your shit. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

—

Kagome sighed out contentedly, re-syncing her breathing to the deep rhythm of Inuyasha’s. He laid on his side next to her, his eyes closed and expression lax, the most peaceful he’d ever appeared in the short time she’d known him. Placidly, the hanyou stroked his fingers up and down her bare back while she rested comfortably on her stomach, incorporating his nails here and there, and soothing away any tension she may carry. Their hips and below stayed covered by a light sheet, the warmth of the day still tarrying in the evening air.

They’d briefly discussed the minor terms of their arrangement on the car ride to and from her place. Inuyasha’s schedule was decided on by the way the prior day went. If there were issues, he’d head in early the next day to make sure management beneath his guidance properly followed instruction to rectify them. Sometimes, that involved late shifts, too. Rarely, he’d have to work late and then come in early the next day, but it has happened. On days such as those, he wouldn’t be able to steal time with Kagome. Which she more than understood. Additionally, since he wasn’t able to set his time as one would with basic employees, he promised to keep her updated as days went along. She didn’t ask him to make that commitment, nor had she expected it in the least. It was him. He’d said he didn’t want to keep her waiting, or leave her hanging. He’d said he was going to do his part to make sure their time together counted toward something.

Truthfully, it helped her forget the dull ache in her chest. The little throb that came whenever she reminded herself that this was temporary. That she couldn’t keep him. When he smiled, when he laughed, expressed joy in any manner, when he touched her - which he seemed to never stop doing, it was impossible to focus on the reality that was to come in a day over two weeks. And then what? That was her biggest question that he didn’t want to concentrate on just yet. Would they become penpals? Text buddies? Send emails every now and again until they slowed and dwindled to a stop because the romance died off? It scared her. All of this scared her, and while Inuyasha was good at concealing his feelings, she felt it was safe to assume he was scared, as well. If they kept up some sort of virtual communication, considering the circumstances and their irrevocable connection, it was almost as good as keeping up a relationship. Which would apply pressure for them to find moments in their incredibly busy days to come to respond, update, show the other that they’re still thinking of them. While the aspect of it all seemed so simple, realistically it held the potential to increase stress and tensions. Something they needed to avoid. So, then, what? What would happen to them? How would they find each other again? Was this really it? Come the day she headed back to her university, did all things Inuyasha and Kagome cease? It was hard to believe. Then again, so was the entire situation. Almost laughably so. How could she have a person she shared such an astounding bond with presented before her too soon? What was fate’s message? It was one thing to never find your person, but it was another to find them and have them ripped away because it wasn’t the right time. Yes, they had resources, but how could they responsibly use them without crossing boundaries or instigating expectations from the other? That was one way to demolish things before they really had a chance to start.

Kagome was up so late the night prior thinking about every little thing standing in their way. The fact of the matter was, a relationship just wasn’t doable. It just wasn’t. That was easy to accept; relatively speaking. If it was her own schedule that caused the conflict, there would be no question about it. Kagome would do whatever necessary to make things work with him. But, that wasn’t the case. He had a goal of his own. A very important, passionate goal. One she grew to respect on the spot, just as he had her own. What became the hard pill to swallow was that everything would just stop once they separated. That couldn’t be the case. It was impossible to believe that she couldn’t be with her soulmate one way or the other. With Inuyasha. There had to be a way. A way to support him from afar. They were already tied by a red knot before they even knew each other; proclaiming themselves as the other’s significant other was irrelevant in retrospect. No matter how stressful and terrifying it would no doubt end up to be without him for a large bout of time, even if they stuck to bi-weekly emails, she’d do it. No question about it, she’d do it. She’d do anything for him.

How insane. Maybe it was the romanticization of their particular and special predicament, but the moment she kissed him, she swore she fell harder than she’d ever had before. Was it just the idea of having him? Was she just on an out-of-her-mind level of smitten? Or was this part of having a soulmate? Did the moment you physically connect make you fall hopelessly in love? That was something a Google search definitely couldn’t tell you.

But, she was, wasn’t she? She was already in love with Inuyasha.

“I’m glad it’s you.” Kagome whispered ever so softly. His roaming fingers never stopped, and he didn’t even bother to open his eyes, though his brows scrunched just the slightest.

“You’re glad I’m what?” His tone was groggy, deep and gruff, and she loved it so much she giggled.

“You’re so sleepy. Why are you still awake?” Kagome kept her voice as a sweet whisper, not wanting to offend his sensitive ears or alert him to come out of his sedated reverie.

“I’m not sleepy.”

“Oh, yeah?” She teased.

“Shut up. I could do this all night.” He feebly argued, the gruffness still hanging heavily in his words.

“And, what if I do it to you? How fast do you think you’d fall asleep?”

“Touch me and die.”

“I’m so scared.” Kagome mocked, giggling again when amber eyes parted, looking at her with feigned annoyance. It didn’t last long, his lazy grin taking over as he scooted himself a little closer to make it impossible for her to proceed with her plan.

Inuyasha kissed her shoulder, one intentional kiss unintentionally turning into multiple, slow ones that made him never want to stop. It didn’t matter how tired he was, he never wanted to stop worshipping her in whatever matter he could manage in any moment he was lucky enough to have. Having her so close was a gift from the universe. It livened his nerve endings and made even the tiniest touches sensational. His heart would calm, and even he, a half demon, a supernatural creature with the born ability to protect, felt safe.

This was a side to himself that even he had never known before. One filled with overwhelming adoration. Hope, even. Hope that he could eventually love her forever.

Leveraging himself up, Inuyasha rolled over to prop his hands and knees on either side of Kagome, lowering himself as necessary to spread deliberate, lingering kisses over her back in sporadic places. Though her hair had already been pushed over her shoulder from his recent attention, he swept his fingers through rogue strands that dared to impede his path over her beautifully soft skin, pushing them away only to unconditionally be unable to resist the temptation to rake his fingers all the way through to her scalp, her black waves bunching in his hold as he gently gripped until he heard that smooth sigh he’d expected leave her lips, then released.

“What were you so glad about?” He rumbled, kissing down her spine. She hummed questioningly in response, clearly distracted. Forgivingly, he repeated the question, physically feeling the shudder that traveled through her body at the way the reverberation in his chest pleased her. “You said you were glad about something a minute ago. What was it?” 

Kagome smiled, enjoying the tickle of his lips as they skimmed over her low back so he could plant kisses over the little dimples there. His mouth was so warm, so wonderful on her naked flesh, organic and sweet, and more than deserving for her to echo her honest statement. “I’m glad it’s you. I’m glad you’re the one I dreamt about.”

He stopped, golden eyes flickering up to peer over the curves of her back, her expression hidden by the angle. But, he knew. He could hear it in her voice, laced with exquisite honey. Such an easy statement for her, and it was going to be the death of him.

Inuyasha made his trek back up her spine, a little more haste in his movements, but he continued to pepper kisses to her flesh. As he reached her head, he gave the softest of kisses to her cheek, her already-there grin growing wider while her brown eyes remained closed, absorbed in his affection.

“I’m glad too, baby.” He whispered blithely.

Every worry was gone after that, forced away by such ardency. They spent hours over coursing days learning about the other, completely enthralled in stories and reminiscence, joking and playing, touching, feeling, laughing and sighing tranquilly. Kagome was captivated by his smile, his history, his touch and how he didn’t only have one mode; how just a little motivation in subtle ways could make him go from tender to rough.

The best part of all of it, that absolutely topped the calming effects he brought whenever he was near, was how natural everything just continued to flow between them. Neither felt the imperative need to impress. Yes, they still worked toward each other, but their energies ultimately went toward just being. With their limited allowances, it was silently, yet unanimously decided that neither party needed to bother with such trivial advances. Their hill to climb came when they’d separate. Until then, the two’s efforts went toward making things as easy as possible.

After days, he finally let her cook for him - mostly because she brought the ingredients, herself, and refused to let him help. It was one of her mom’s recipes that had always stuck with her; pretty simple, but delicious. All the while, he tried to play around the kitchen to make it hard for her to get anything done; flicking water her way, gently shoving her aside while she stirred the food in the skillet, kissing her neck and nibbling the tickle spot at the curve of her shoulder to make her laugh. She’d fight back, of course. It wasn’t hard to locate his own spot that made him gasp and flinch away in retreat. But, after she served their plates and he poured their wine, and they sat down on the couch to eat and watch a movie, he took a bite, smiling as he swallowed, leaning over and giving her a kiss to thank her for the meal, and unpredictably, she fell deeper in love.

She awoke one afternoon, comfortable on the mattress but chilled by the lack of body heat she’d grown accustomed to. It was an extremely hot day, so Inuyasha had lowered the air conditioner, making it blissfully snug in the little home he rented. He was first to fall asleep for a nap, curled into her chest while she serenely stroked his ears, and after a while of feeling the rhythmic way his breathing filled his lungs, she succumbed to the pull of slumber. So, where the heck was he now?

It didn’t feel like she was out for too long, she wasn’t in that panicked state of confusion that normal happened after napping for two or more hours, and reaching for her phone to check the time, she discovered that it had barely been an hour since they’d initially laid down. Kagome pushed herself to sit up, blinking away her drowsiness in the darkened room, the blackout curtains really doing their part. The door was cracked, but she could still hear muffled voices coming from the living room, one of which belonging to her Inuyasha. Still in a vague stupor, she scooted herself off the bed, silently leaving the room to scout him out. She found him on the couch, his phone in hand and set to speaker as a deeper voice came through, relaying information that was easy to deduce was business related.

Ember eyes landed on her and his disgruntled expression shifted into a soft smile as he mouthed the word, “Sorry.” Kagome cocked her head to the side with a grin of her own, not at all bothered. She was seconds away from heading back to the room to give him privacy when he beckoned her over with three curls of his finger. Happily, she sauntered from the hallway to the far couch he resided on, following his cue to straddle his lap when he muted the mic of his phone and opened his arms for her.

“It’s my brother. Last minute conference call. Be quiet, okay? It shouldn’t be much longer.” He said as she adjusted the skirt of her dress so it wouldn’t get uncomfortably caught between them. 

She nodded compliantly, snuggling into his chest and tucking her face in the curve of his neck, and he unmuted himself at the perfect time to answer Sesshomaru’s question. With a mind of its own, Inuyasha’s free hand roamed over her back soothingly, paying close attention to the skin above the top hem of her dress. He mindlessly pushed the spaghetti straps off her shoulders so his palm had nothing standing in its way to massage the area, his girl taking the liberty to shift her hair aside. He knew she would, and he had to stifle his chuckle.

“No, I don’t think he’s fit for the job. We’ve gotta replace him.” Inuyasha said, and his brother hummed in obvious contemplation. Kagome hoped the meeting went on a little longer. She loved the absentminded attention and the rumble from Inuyasha’s chest as he spoke. In an effort to give him some attention of her own, she gave a tiny kiss to the area of his neck immediately before her, and like a trigger, he rested his phone on a cushion beside him so he could fully devote both hands to her. He stroked her lower back a little, shifting down to pull her closer by the ass. She was sure it was innocent. She was sure he was just being completely attentive to her. But, the devious side of her liked it.

“Your reasonings?”

“He’s a piece of shit.” Inuyasha replied, continuing his massage.

“Inuyasha.” His brother held a stern tone, almost coming off as a reprimand.

He rolled his eyes, not even bothering to hide his gruff sigh. “He’s got sloppy work ethics, he’s always reluctant to implement our changes, his management skills are worse than subpar - do I need to go on?”

“No. That’s enough. Is there someone at that location you think would be a better fit? Or should we bring someone in?”

“Not sure yet. Things are just starting to turn around in our favor. In the meantime, I’d say things would go smoother without him.”

Playfully, Kagome scooted her butt back to her original position, and she practically felt his smirk when he played along and pulled her back, his hands slipping beneath her sundress to caress her skin and keep her where he wanted. The conversation kept going between he and his brother, and Kagome pressed languid kiss after languid kiss to the length of his neck, silencing her giggle when he tensed. Honestly, she was waiting for her cue to stop, waiting to see how far he’d really allow her to go, but he elongated the area for her, giving her free rein.

She continued her venture, nipping his sensitive spots, sighing out hot breath over areas she was kind enough to suck and feeling his fingers flex over her ass in response. While this was enjoyable to him, she could tell he wanted to laugh, not at all blind to her little ruse. Which then, in turn, made her almost laugh, because she loved the feel of his abdomen clenching from having to stop himself.

In an attempt to let him know she was serious, Kagome traveled up to the crook of his jaw, a sweet spot for him, waiting for the perfect opportunity in the brothers’ conversation to sensually nip in the exact way he liked it. Carefully, she covered his mouth with her palm to reinforce his rule to remain quiet just as he tensed rigidly. And, when he was clear, she leaned back, smiling proudly when he glanced at her with adamant surprise on his face. She stuck out her tongue teasingly, allowing her hands to roam to the bottom hem of his shirt and drift beneath, returning to her ministrations along his neck. Her fingers playfully skimmed along his warm skin, pushing his shirt up as she pleased, but when she heard his brother ask a question and Inuyasha, too distracted, didn’t answer, she pulled a hand away and waved it in front of his face, pointing down to his phone. Inuyasha was quick to excuse himself, asking Sesshomaru to repeat the question because the line broke out momentarily, to which the guy huffed in annoyance.

It was so hard to prevent herself from giggling, especially as he gave a tiny swat to her butt for getting him in trouble. But, she knew he didn’t want her to stop. She knew she could do whatever she wanted to him.

Kagome pulled back, winking and holding a finger to her lips to tell him to keep silent. His shocked expression grew to one of humored disbelief as she crawled off his lap to kneel between his legs, pushing his shirt out of the way of his belt buckle while he adjusted himself for a better position. Slowly, she slid the end of the belt free, careful not to make the metal clink as she unlatched it and pulled it all the way out of the pant loops so it wouldn’t be in her way. Inuyasha had to arch his back to help, highly amused, his smile painted with his quiet laugh as he pressed the side of his fist to his mouth to make sure he didn’t make a sound, then skillfully answered Sesshomaru without a single hitch in his tone. When the belt was finally out and placed on the floor, Kagome took to undoing his button, pulling down the zipper, then Inuyasha muted his mic so the sound of rustling clothes wouldn’t be received as he leveraged himself up so she could pull his pants and boxers down as far as necessary.

She bit her bottom lip as she was presented with his erection, peeking up at him after he unmuted his mic with a short answer, clearly trying to wrap things up on that end. Having too much fun, Kagome wasn’t going to bother on waiting. She dragged her tongue up the length of his shaft, flicking away at the head, loving the effects she had on him. He’d dropped his head back to rest on the cushion, smiling still but totally weak for her. Knowing she couldn’t get too crazy with her teasing, she only licked up his shaft once more before implementing a hand and taking him into her mouth. 

The poor guy could hardly stifle his grunt, but thankfully his brother didn’t seem to detect it, continuing to discuss things that didn’t necessarily need to be discussed in that moment. Rushing him would only piss the stubborn bastard off, and hanging up on him just purely wasn’t an option. But, Kagome was so fucking good at this, and she wasn’t even doing her worst yet. The girl was just getting started, and he was already having a hard enough time keeping his breathing lax. When she got down to it, he was fucking screwed. Sesshomaru needed to end this call if he knew what was good for him.

She took a moment to spit a little on his cock, using the saliva as lubrication for her pumping hand, then went right back in to suck his dick delightfully. He threaded his fingers through her hair, doing his part to keep the thick, black waves out of her face. The bonus was feeling the motion of her head as she took him in, seemingly more and more each time.

“Inuyasha? That wasn’t rhetorical.”

Fuck. “Oh, my bad. You sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown for a moment, so I tuned you out.”

“Dick.” His brother spoke dryly, repeated himself with more firmness. It was a struggle to focus on anything his stupid brother said, captivated by the vibration of Kagome’s giggle on his cock. Still, he forced himself to answer the question, figuring the end to the meeting was near.

He’d had to grip her hair to lessen her pace, the only way to properly control his own reactions to this perfect girl. That didn’t stop her from attempting to take him all the way into her mouth, his head lolling back, his entire abdomen tensing, and mouth pinching shut at the amazing feeling. Kagome pulled back, usually needing to catch her breath immediately after, and took over with her hand for the moment. Her lips were pink and plump, her cheeks were flushed wonderfully, and her smile was the most sinful he’d ever witnessed. Leaning forward, Inuyasha captured her mouth with his, eagerly stealing a lingering kiss from her before settling back into place and allowing her to absolutely wreck him.

Empowered by his kiss and his hand in her hair, and the fact that he’d just muted his mic once more, Kagome bobbed her head a little faster, her hand moving in perfect synchronicity to make sure his entire length was tended to. The grunts and heavy breaths he finally allowed himself to make only fueled her fire, coercing her to once more deep throat, grasping his thigh with her free hand at the sound of his torrid groan, then pulling away to gasp.

Inuyasha stopped her from continuing then, his amber eyes glowing heatedly as he bent forward and kissed her, one hand still in her hair while the other gently grasped her throat, pulling her up with him to a standing.

“Grab my phone. Careful not to unmute it.” He huskily instructed, and she smiled, obliging and holding it up at a perfect level while he kissed her, his tongue diving into her mouth to entice her further, leading her backwards. She’d assumed he was taking her down the hallway, but he swerved toward the kitchen, causing her to stumble slightly, and he chuckled at her before spinning her around and bending her over a kitchen counter.

Inuyasha lifted her dress over her ass to bunch on her low back, his girl a little too happy for her own good. Oh, but he’d be a fucking liar if he said he didn’t absolutely love that joyful, little moan she did with that gorgeous, sultry smile. Quickly, recognizing the tone his brother was taking, he snagged the phone from Kagome’s hand, unmuting it as he’d caught the tail end of the inquiry and pieced the rest together.

“No, Jaken cannot come out to this location. This is my project, and I don’t need him trying to tell me what to do.” He rolled his eyes, making sure to never halt his attentions to Kagome. He’d pushed her panties to the side, stroking her pussy with his fingers to test just how wet she was. Kagome practically melted in his palm, soaked, and while he spoke, he continued to lightly massage. “I don’t know why you hold him in such high regard. Even Myoga is more reputable than him.”

“He has more experience under his belt.”

“And more shit on his nose, the fucking ass kisser.”

“Inuyasha.”

“I said what I said. I don’t need help. Got anything else for me? I’ve got errands to run.”

“I’ve got a budget sheet for you. Five more minutes.”

“Hit me.” Inuyasha said levelly, muting his phone once more and placing it on the counter. Kagome was peeking at him over her shoulder, brown eyes large and doe-like. Giving in to the pleading stare, as if he had any will to resist, he quickly spit into his hand, rubbing the lubricant over his cock and pushing inside of her.

His beautiful girl sighed languidly, the edge rearing off into a breathy moan. He, himself, couldn’t bite back his own drawn out groan, her pussy hot and mind-rattling, engulfing all of his aching erection. He leaned forward, inadvertently pushing a little deeper as he whispered in her ear. “Not a noise, baby. Or, I’ll stop.”

Before she could nod in agreement, Inuyasha slid the phone directly in front of her face, tapping the mute button to release. Appalled, Kagome looked back at him, and the jerk winked, giving her a cheeky grin. He steadily rolled his hips against her, keeping the pace agonizingly slow, and while it was easier to maintain control over her voice, it was torturous. How did it still feel so incredible? Little-by-little, he increased his pace, but he never passed a certain point. He never fucked her. Whenever she’d think he was getting there, he’d slow down, progressively returning to his initial rhythm to build himself back up again. Nonetheless, Kagome found herself holding her breath, terrified that each time his brother paused it was because he’d heard any sort of hitch in her lungs. 

“I’m going to email this to you in a moment. Be sure to read it over. Understood?”

“If you were going to email it in the first place, why the hell did you have to sit here and read it to me?” Inuyasha retorted, leaning forward to cover Kagome’s mouth as he ground deeply into her, surprising even himself when he managed to keep his reaction to the mind numbing sensation in check. She’d arched her back, her hands planted on the counter surface, bending into his slight pull.

“Because, I can.”

“Prick.” He damn near grunted, having to stop all motion as he held his breath to regain composure. 

“Let me know who you want to fill in the role of manager. The sooner that’s decided on, the better.”

“Yeah. By the end of the week. Good?”

“Good.” 

Without a goodbye, the line beeped three times, signifying Sesshomaru had hung up, and Inuyasha wasted not even a second in sliding his fingers down from her mouth to her neck and thrusting into her. Hard. She moaned, the sensational noise laced with pent up aggravation from all she’d had to withhold the moment he’d taken her.

“What a good girl.” He taunted, now gliding his fingers through her messy hair to grip just the way she liked it. “He didn’t suspect a thing.”

“You’re so mean.” She whined, half smiling, half pouting from wanting more. “He could have heard me.”

“I knew you wouldn’t make a peep.” Inuyasha bit his bottom lip, the devilish grin doing something indescribable to her. “Besides, this is your fault. You did this to yourself. Didn’t you?”

“No.” Kagome coo’d.

“Didn’t you?” Inuyasha repeated, giving another deep thrust. The poor girl could only reply in a broken moan, and he released her hair, cautious of not pulling too hard, so he opted for a firm hold on her hips. With a couple more thrusts, she crumbled forward, her upper body sprawled over the counter as she took him in, her mouth hanging open and breathing erratic. 

Deciding to see how long he could get away with driving her mad, he lightened his touch, his tempo dragging, pushing the sundress further up her back so he had more skin play with. He could see it written all over her face and the way she raked her teeth over her lip, the way she tried to push back into him, and the way she still attempted to swallow her whines. He didn’t know how long he’d be able to keep this up thanks to the simple way she looked. He could feast on her for days, listen to her voice endlessly, making his mind whirl and his insides boil. Her messy hair was spread about, even somewhat covering parts of her beautiful face, and as she finally released her bottom lip to give a tantalizing whimper, he realized it was him that was being driven mad.

“You seemed to really like fucking around while I was on the phone.” He teased, bending over her slightly as he increased his rhythm a smidge. She sighed in response, and he knew his voice was doing something for her in that moment. She was tensing beneath him, trying to push back against his hips as a sign, but he pinned her still. “Maybe I should make another call.”

Swiftly, Kagome snagged his phone, still next to her head, sliding it clear across the counter where it was too far out of reach in a big fuck you. Inuyasha laughed, the move of hers completely unexpected, and when she reached back to playfully smack his arm, he reactively grabbed her wrist, bending her elbow and pinning her hand behind her back. She gave an airy gasp and without any further instigation, he grabbed her other wrist the same way, holding her captive and watching a beguiling and evocative smile grow on her face, her eyes coming alight.

Now, that was just unfair. He should have known she’d like something like this, but still. Who gave her the fucking right to be this goddamn jaw dropping? He’d stopped completely, taking every inch of her in, licking his lips at the delectable sight.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome breathed, barely peering over her shoulder.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Fuck me.”

Shit. How the hell could he say no to that? To her? “As you wish.” He grinned sinfully, using his grip on her arms as the perfect leverage to anchor himself while he built back up his momentum, done with his taunting as he finally surpassed his original stopping point. She felt so fucking good, sounded so fucking naughty, welcomed each buck and grind he had to offer with mindless and perfect reactions. Their skin clapped together, and he was gradually losing himself, clenching his grunts as he stirred her up.

He knew he was going to have to pull out soon. Kagome’s fingers quaked before him, furling and unfurling, her throat releasing melodic keens to how hard he fucked her. Inuyasha planned to go until he absolutely had to stop, his groans shifting to growls, shifting to husky gasps as it felt too fucking phenomenal. Harder. Quicker. He fucked her into the counter to the point where she held her breath, her jaw hanging agape and hands clenched shut, gratefully accepting the few sharp rolls of his hips before he pulled out, ready to jerk himself the rest of the way. Unsuspectingly, Kagome pushed off the counter and spun around, dropping to her knees and taking his cock into her mouth, pumping her head and hand back and forth. She’d caught him by surprise, bringing a feverish groan from his lips as he grasped her hair, cumming into her mouth.

His touch softened as he gradually came down, barely catching his breath while he watched her slide his dick out of her mouth, swallow, then glance up at him with a sweet smile. Inuyasha stroked back her disorderly bangs, leaning down some to cradle her jaw in his palms and guide her to stand before him, his lips immediately claiming hers in a well-deserved kiss. He pushed her back against the counter lining, swallowing her breathy gasp as his kiss intensified, one hand still holding her to him by the nape of her neck and the other lightly drifting over her shoulder, the straps still loose and fallen. She hadn’t finished; he wasn’t done with her yet.

Skillfully, Inuyasha grasped both sides of her waist, easily hoisting her up to sit on the countertop and pushing himself between her legs, stroking his fingers along her bare thighs as he went straight back to kissing her, his tongue gliding passed her lips to taste and lap her up. Kagome clung to him, her hands around his neck, not yet settling on placement as they dove into his short hair, grasped, skimmed down to his shoulders, his arms, his chest, clutching his shirt, then drove back to his neck. He shifted her dress higher up her legs as he slid beneath, teasing the flesh of her pelvis with a whisper of a graze and then fixing her panties to sit off to the side again. She couldn’t even get a sound out as he softly stroked his fingers within her folds, her body slightly tensing as she inhaled sharply. Her clit was swollen, and he gently rubbed it to see how sensitive she was. Kagome’s head lolled away from his kiss, exhaling dreamily, and the sound was so blissfully erotic. Inuyasha took to her neck, nipping and kissing, avoiding her sensitive spots completely to save them for last. Like her own personal expert, he massaged her, careful of his nails, shushing soothingly in her ear as she soon began to breathily whimper. His body was close, and he yet again held her at the back of her neck as he rubbed her clit, slowing here and there before increasing his attention slightly to help her build and build and build, and it was impossible for her to squirm too much, impossible for her to get away. She slurred a curse, one he’d never heard from her lips, and he took that as his cue, diving straight to the curve above her clavicle and sucking, licking, kissing. Kagome was beginning to shake, riding his hand where she could, her head falling back to accept all he offered and accidentally slamming against the cupboard door. She’d hardly reacted, unable to, but he laughed into his ministrations, adoring the way she couldn’t even jokingly smack his head to get him to shut up. A little harder, he rubbed her, pinned her to him, forcing her to take it all, biting slightly into her neck, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, breathing erratically, her whimpers hardly audible as her thighs clenched against his hips and her pussy convulsed beneath his touch. 

He chuckled as he was forced to stop riding out her orgasm, her clit clearly growing too sensitive too quickly when she jolted and squeaked. Letting her rest on him as she came down, catching her breath, Inuyasha softly kissed her head, raking his nails over her back to calm her.

“Better?” He murmured. She replied with a lazy hum, sitting straight and finally acknowledging the bump on the back of her head by rubbing her hand over it and scrunching her nose. Again, Inuyasha laughed, bringing her forward to inspect the area, himself. “You okay?”

Another hum of affirmation meshed with her own giggle, and he helped her down from the counter so she could stumble her way to the bathroom. And, when she emerged, he catered to her every want and need without decision, without thought; it all just came so naturally.

Because, truthfully, sadly, their end was drawing near. His goal was to not allow her to think about it as much as he did. He didn’t want her feeling any degree of stress while with him. He just wanted her happy. He desired her smile and laughter more than food and water. He wished for her tranquility more than he ever considered his own. If presented with an opportunity to shoulder the total weight, the hardships their separation was bound to bring, the sadness he feared, the anxiety, in exchange for her not feeling a morsel of it, he’d do it in a heartbeat. No questions asked, he’d do it.

But, that wasn’t possible, was it? He couldn’t take that away from her. He couldn’t protect her from this.

In the meantime, it was effortless to give her all of him. Like he was in a trance, wholly enraptured by Kagome, it was impossible to fight off any impulse to steal kisses or touch her soft skin. It was unacceptable to deny himself the simple pleasure of listening to her talk about little things that held her interest. Picking her up from her vacation spot was exciting, and taking her back always held the promise of later. When she ran to him from her own elation, jumping into his arms, he rapturously realized he was a sucker, and when she fell asleep beside him, sedated by his tender touch, he honestly felt like he couldn’t do this. How could he leave her? How could anything be more important than his soulmate?

Multiple nights in a row, Inuyasha had to rationalize with himself. He had to put together a mental list of why he had to do what he had to do. He was stuck in his own head, so much so he hadn’t even noticed Kagome’d awoken, notified only when she smoothed her finger over his crinkled brow as he stared intently at the ceiling. Immediately, he relaxed, glancing over at her, bemusement swiftly changing to a crooked grin. She laid on her side, continuing to lightly glide her fingers between his brow and over the bridge of his nose.

“What’s wrong?” She spoke softly, never ceasing her calming motion.

“Nothing. Go back to sleep.”

“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“Course not.”

“Liar.”

“Kagome -“

“Talk to me.”

“No.” His tone was almost pleading, wavering slightly.

“Talk to me.” She remained level, comforting, a simple smile pushing her cheeks, and she shifted her hand to caress his cheek.

Observing the sincerity in her eyes, he eventually conceded, rolling to his side to allow her affection to engulf him. Inuyasha scooted a little closer, pressing his forehead against hers, resisting his unstable shudder while he pushed the sheets aside and pulled up the shirt she borrowed from him, tracing the backs of his knuckles over her warm skin.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, almost brokenly.

Physically feeling his sadness, Kagome’s heart grew heavy in her chest. She had no idea why he could possibly need to feel apologetic. “For what?”

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to fix this.”

“Baby -“

“I don’t know how to protect you, Kagome.”

“You don’t need to protect me from anything.” She shook her head against his, pushing softly into him to remind him she was right there.

“I don’t want you to be sad -“

“And, I don’t want you to be sad, either. But, think about it. What would it mean if I left with a smile? Being apart from you is going to be scary, and hard, and heartbreaking because being with you was more than I ever dreamt it would be. But, there isn’t a single part of me that believes this is the end for us. Do you?”

“No.” He breathed without an ounce of hesitation, the exhale alleviating some of the tightness in his chest. “No. Fuck, no. I could never let you go forever.”

“I hope not.” She smiled, ignoring the tears brimming in her eyes as she pressed a delicate kiss to his lips. “I understand, you know that right?”

He nodded, eyes closed, basking in her scent, the heat of her breath against his lips, his fingers tracing the exact spot he knew her tattoo was in thanks to the slightly raised lines from the heavy hand that’d inked her. “You know I’m not just going to drop you, right?” He countered. “I may not currently be able to commit to the amount of attentiveness in a relationship that you deserve, but I’m not going to leave you high and dry just to come back when I’m good and ready. I want updates from you. I want pictures. If I don’t respond, it’s only because I’m busy, but don’t ever think I’m ignoring you. Got it?”

Kagome nodded, smiling. “And, you’ll do the same for me?”

“Of course, I will. You’re as good as mine. Nothing’s gonna fucking change that. Literally nothing can.”

She hadn’t wanted to go to sleep after that. He could tell she was feeling it while covering her anxiety with a sleepy smile. He knew that no matter how much he swallowed so that she wouldn’t feel an ounce of disconcertment, she’d still wake up in the morning knowing it was her last, full day in town. And, he had to work through it.

He spent all hours of the night and early morning stroking her hair, caressing her skin, and she finally succumbed to sleep when she cuddled into his chest, right against his birthmark, and listened to his heartbeat until it lulled her away. Inuyasha remained awake, holding her, soaking her in as much as he could. No matter what she said, the promises they’d made, the question still repeated in his head to build torment in his chest: How could he leave her?

Inuyasha had turned off his alarm before it went off around six in the morning, slowly and gently rolling out of bed so as not to rouse the person who held his soul. His steps were silent as he crossed to the walk-in closet, and he hung in the doorway of it, leaning against the frame while he stared listlessly at the shadowed contents - not having bothered to turn on the light. He wasn’t sure just how long he’d stood there, the question so heavy in his gut that it threatened to make him sick. His fingers were unsteady, his throat felt like something thick had developed in the center, his chest ached, and then arms wrapped around his waist from behind, clearing his mind instantaneously.

He glanced over his shoulder, hardly able to see her from the way she hugged so close to his back. “You’re not supposed to be up yet.”

Kagome, still holding around his waist, maneuvered her way around him, and he lifted his arm out of her path so she could tuck her head into his chest. The pain he felt was gone, pushed aside by her angelic aura, and Inuyasha held her to him, kissing the top of her head.

“You okay?” He whispered. Kagome nodded, hugging him just a little tighter. He’d be a fool if he thought he’d be able to concentrate at work today, and an even bigger one if he let her go. He slipped a hand into the pocket of his sweats, pulling out his cell phone and calling the manager under his lead at this location. “Hey, I’ve got a pretty nasty case of food poisoning. Can you handle it on your own today?”

Kagome peeked up, surprised, ember eyes meeting hers contentedly.

“Good. I’ll check my emails here and there. Let me know if you have any questions.” And, he hung up the call, sliding his phone back into his pocket. He placed a sweet kiss to Kagome’s forehead, his fingers threading through her hair above her ears. “I’m all yours today, baby.”

Kagome smiled gratefully, her hands gliding to his waist where she gave him a little pull, getting him to guide her back to the bed. Their moments throughout were bittersweet, appreciated but anxiety-inducing as time ticked away, both of them content to make the best of what they had left. She’d never imagined she’d see Inuyasha look as wounded as he did, and never in her life did she ever want to see him have to mentally remind himself to smile again. Both of them were putting all they had into keeping composure, distracting the other from the obvious with playful remarks and endless love making.

She knew she was bound to cave soon. Bound to break. She just didn’t want it to be around him. His character would force him to want to make it better, and why should he try to take her pain away when she could hardly do the same for him?

Their sleep through the night was broken, pleasantly so. If one awoke, commonly due to their restless minds and straining hearts, they smoothed away their fears by kissing the other until they felt better, satiated for the moment. How could she leave him?

Come morning, as he drove her back, he’d offered to help her and her friends pack up, but she knew that would be the moment reality really set in. Her heart was pounding at the mere thought of seeing the house in the distance; she could only imagine what seeing the car packed up would do to her. Kindly, she declined, saying it wouldn’t take long and she’d come back to say goodbye before they hit the road. He seemed to understand, but still, the hitch in his tone caused her chest to throb.

“Promise?” Inuyasha asked, pulling up to the curb. Kagome unbuckled her seatbelt, leaning over the center column to kiss him, lingering, her sigh heated as she tried to solidify her assurance to him.

“I promise. I’ll let you know when we’re on our way, okay?” As she went to get out of the car, Inuyasha reached for her jaw, pulling her back to him as he deeply kissed her, stroking his thumb over her cheek as he felt her lean further into him. 

Each step toward the front door was heavy and forced, like the closer she got, the denser the invisible pool of sludge she wafted through became. With a deep breath, Kagome coerced herself inside, swallowing thickly to hide her troubles and sauntering through to the living area. Ayame, Sango, and Miroku all looked up at her, and though they attempted to appear casual, she could see the caution written all over their faces. 

“Where’s Koga?” She asked as normally as possible.

“Oh, uh, he had to head back a couple of days ago, remember? Football training is starting tomorrow, and he still needed to get a few things.” Ayame replied, smiling.

Kagome sighed, laughing lightly at herself. She’d forgotten. She’d even said goodbye to him, and she’d forgotten. “That’s right. What can I help with?”

“Well, we’ve got almost everything covered.” Sango mentioned softly. “I even started packing up your things a little bit for you. We can handle the rest.”

“Yeah, we’re almost ready to go.” Ayame added. Kagome froze, trying not to reveal her panic. She’d counted on spending at least a couple of hours getting things organized and strapped in the car, she’d counted on at least a couple of hours of cushion before she had to say goodbye.

She was reaching the end of her rope, her abdomen tensing as she struggled to seem put together in front of everyone, and she nodded with a forced smiling, saying she’d go get her things packed up before turning on her heel and heading to the bedroom. It was pretty clean, but she was so desperate for time, Kagome nearly debated on wrecking the room so she’d have no choice but to clean it up again. She wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready.

Silencing her thoughts, Sango followed her into the bedroom, wearing a careful smile that she forced herself not to look at. “Hey, how’d it go?”

“We haven’t done it yet.” Kagome said, cursing herself for her inability to prevent her obviously wavering tone, lifting her suitcase onto the bed and throwing it open so she could empty the dresser of her clothes. “Is it okay if we stop at his house on the way?”

“Of course.” Sango firmly agreed with zero hesitation. She watched her friend’s unsettled movements, how her chin quivered, knowing she was hurting. She seemed antsy, shaky even, brown eyes bouncing unevenly from the dresser to her suitcase to the bathroom. “You want to talk about it?”

“I really, really don’t.” Kagome admitted, turning her head as her face scrunched with bottled anguish. She could see her best friend nod in her peripherals, taking a few steps back before heading out the opened door.

“I’ll be out here if you need anything, babe.” She offered, shutting it behind her.

“How is she?” Miroku asked, worried, stiff.

Sango shook her head, sighing, helplessly glancing to the floor, then to him. “Not good. She doesn’t want to talk.”

Ayame bit her bottom lip in concern, returning to the kitchen to continue packing up the leftover snacks. The tension in the house was sliceable, gloomy, all of them feeling sympathetic for the girl with the soulmate she couldn’t yet be with. Sango was about to begin putting the miscellaneous electronics they’d brought together, and as Miroku stood, catching her attention, she could tell by the look in his eye that his focus was glued to the person who definitely needed it most. He shook his head at her in a silent way to say not to stop him, and he made his way over to the closed room, walking through quietly.

Kagome could barely hold it in any longer, trying to blink away hot tears as she gathered the few bathroom things on the sink counter. Her features were crumbling as the ache in her chest increased more and more by each passing second, with each item she grabbed, with each step she took further away from him.

“Hey.”

She spun around, sniffling to clear away the immediate distress and sloppily wiping her hands over her cheeks. Miroku stood in front of the closed bedroom door, observing her with straight-laced empathy. She hadn’t even heard him enter. Still, she smiled weakly, about to veer the subject away from herself when he plainly shushed her, quickly closing the space between the to pull her into a hug.

Immediately, Kagome broke, wracked with sobs she couldn’t silence as she quaked against Miroku’s frame. His arms wrapped around her tight, supporting her, his chin propped atop her head as he let her cry, let her shatter with no pressure whatsoever to feign her equanimity. 

“It’s going to be okay, Kagome.” Miroku promised, never loosening his hold, and she, herself, tightened hers. “You’re soulmates; neither of you guys are going anywhere. Just as your time with him now was temporary, so will be your time apart.”

That seemed to calm her a bit, her breathing heavy and unsteady. Still, he didn’t let go, perfectly prepared and willing to stand with her as long as necessary.

“So many people are desperate to know their futures. They go to psychics, they read tarot, they spend money online for cheap, fraudulent readings only to walk away with virtual hope, but you don’t have that. You’re so fucking lucky, Kagome, because you know your future. You know where you’re going, and you know who you’ll end up with. Nothing’s for certain for most people, but for you, one thing is. One person is.”

Kagome was progressively stilling in his arms, sniffling but taking in every word he said. When she felt okay enough, she leaned back, glancing up at him, and her friend cradled her jaw compassionately.

“You guys have got your own things going right now, and that’s okay, but consider this: When he’s done and he comes back from Europe - or whatever the hell he’s doing - think of how much time he’ll have to devote to you. He seems smart. I mean, he knows how to pick ‘em.” Miroku smiled, cherishing his friend’s meek giggle. “That guy’s gonna sweep you off your feet and steal you away the moment he’s able to. You just have to be patient. And, that’s the hard part, I know. It’ll all work out, though.”

Kagome, though tears continued to fall, breathed in recovery, nodding in acknowledgment as she tucked herself back into his chest for another hug. She felt better, but weight still clung to her shoulders. The hardest part wasn’t over yet.

They locked up the house after several more walks through the place to make sure nothing was forgotten, and got themselves situated in the car; Sango and Ayame up front, and Miroku and Kagome in the back. With Kagome’s direction, she led them to Inuyasha’s place where Sango pulled up to the curb across the street, putting the gear in park, rolling down the windows, and then shutting off the engine. Ayame turned back to Kagome from the passenger seat, giving her a sympathetic smile.

“Take your time. Don’t rush anything.” She said, and Sango turned back to nod in agreement.

Kagome thanked them, jumping out of the car and safely crossing the street to enter his front gate, her heart throbbing with each step she took up the small walkway, up the two porch steps, and to the door where she knocked and waited. It was mere seconds before Inuyasha opened up, giving a friendly and subtle wave to her friends across the street and moving aside for Kagome to enter through.

He shut the door, a burning in his throat as everything became too real for comfort. She didn’t travel far at all, staying very close to his side in agonizing silence, her brown eyes not even able to meet his face. And, he didn’t fucking blame her. He knew this would be hard, but fucking shit, this was nothing short of brutal. 

Grabbing her hand, he guided her towards the living room so there was more room to breathe, though the thickness in his chest had made home for good. “Look, whatever you say, just don’t let it be ‘goodbye.’” He finally spoke, gruffly.

“I’m gonna miss you.” Kagome whispered, her bottom lip trembling. She began to fold, the pressure of her sadness robbing her of her breath and her stability. Inuyasha smoothed some hair behind her ear, seeming to attempt a meager smile, but he couldn’t. Still, his bright eyes met hers with honest sincerity, and his brow crinkled sorrowfully.

“You have no idea how much I’ll miss you.” He said. She began to cry, her cheeks flushing and her inhales broken. It hurt so much to see her like this. It hurt so much that in just a moment or two, he’d have to let her go. It hurt. It all hurt so fucking much, and his composure became increasingly rocky.

“We’ll still talk, right?”

“Of course, we will.” He reassured.

“And, you won’t forget about me?” Fuck, she sounded so fractured, it was killing him.

“What kind of a stupid question is that? Listen to me, Kagome.” Inuyasha started, pressing his forehead to hers. He softly wiped her tears away with his thumbs, cradling her face in his palms as she gripped the sides of his arms. “It’s going to be impossible to forget you. You are my soulmate. You’re my person. Distance isn’t going to change that. I promise, I’ll come back. I promise, we’ll make things work. We’ve just gotta get through this.”

“I know.” Kagome breathed, nodding against his head as she swallowed for some calmness. “I’m just scared to leave.”

“Why?”

“A part of me is terrified I’ll never see you again.” She cried, losing all sense of stillness as her body shook.

Inuyasha broke, because that’s exactly what he feared, too. He pulled her into a kiss, unable to stop himself from shaking against her body, his eyes burning as he shut them even tighter to prevent his own tears from spilling, but he failed. How could he leave her?

It was like she read his mind, shuddering and breaking apart from him, but never pulling passed an inch, her breath hot on his mouth. “You have to do this, though, and so do I. You have to become a partner at your father’s company, and I have to graduate from college.” She smiled, and though her cheeks were red and blustery, her cheeriness was still genuine. God, Inuyasha almost broke again. “When you come back and tell me you did it, I’m gonna be so proud of you! Just make sure you come back, okay? Come back. I’ll be waiting.”

“I’ll come back. I promise.”

“And, I’ll send you updates and pictures.”

“Good. That’s exactly what I want.” He chuckled, kissing her again as he pulled her impossibly closer. “You gotta be strong for me. This is gonna fucking suck, and we know it, but you don’t have to worry. You’ll see me again. I fucking swear it. I’ll send you pictures, too. We’ll video call when we can. I still have so much more to learn about you, you think I’m gonna pass that up?” Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as he tucked her into his chest, soaking in her scent in the hopes that it’d never leave him. Kagome’s arms encircled his waist, clutching the back of his shirt desperately as she breathed deeply to try and stop crying.

“I’m gonna miss you.” She repeated waveringly.

“I know, baby.” He shushed, holding her tighter. “Me, too.”

When they were ready, and he’d cleaned the evidence of her tears from her face, taking his time to be as tender as possible, he walked her out to the car, holding her hand the entire way. Her friends were quiet, playing respectful by not staring directly at them as Inuyasha twisted Kagome around before her car door, placing a lingering kiss to her forehead.

“Eventually, my forever.” He whispered.

A ripple went through Kagome’s chest, challenging her steadiness as she glanced up at him, smiling, and poking him right where his birthmark was beneath his shirt, whispering in return, “Soulmate. Forever.”

Inuyasha grinned, opening the door for her so she could climb in, and once her legs were out of the way, he shut it. He braced a hand on the open window, grazing his knuckles of the other under her chin so she’d look fully at him.

“I love you.” Inuyasha said. She smiled, her faltering giggle showing how close she was to breaking down again.

“I love you.” Kagome stated, placing her hand on top of his.

“You ready?”

“No.” She shook her head, chin quivering as her face slightly crinkled from fighting the tears.

Placidly, Inuyasha waited, knowing not a single person was bothered, and uncaring if they would have been. “Will you text me when you get home so I know you’re safe?”

Kagome nodded, squeezing his hand.

“Take care of her.” Inuyasha said to Sango just as she’d looked at him from her window.

“I will.” She replied with a gentle tone.

Kagome leaned toward him for one last kiss, and her soulmate didn’t pause in giving her what she wanted. What she needed. Parting bittersweetly, he wiped her tears again, taking every bit of her in as she took a deep breath.

“Ready.” Kagome whispered.

“That’s my strong girl. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay.” She smiled weakly.

Their hands separated slowly, and when he was no longer there to touch, backing away to cross to his side of the street, Kagome began to feel completely empty. Blindly, for support, she reached over to Miroku and he quickly took her hand, squeezing it tight. Sango started the car, and Kagome’s eyes never left Inuyasha’s. He looked sad. He looked broken. He smiled.

“Ready?” Sango asked, looking back at Kagome.

She trembled, crying, then held her breath, giving Inuyasha the sweetest smile she could muster as she waved. “Yeah.” She whispered, and Sango shifted to drive, pulling from the curb.

She began to sob, trying to keep it to herself but Miroku pulled her to him, stroking her hair for as much comfort as he could provide.

Inuyasha watched until their car disappeared in the distance, tormented, terrified, loathing the universe and the cruel card they’d been dealt. How quickly he’d fallen, how quickly he’d shattered. He forced himself back inside, the furnished house feeling empty and lonely, and he feared that’s what life would be without her. His heart had sunken deep, and giving in, unable to bite it back any longer, Inuyasha cursed loudly with a choked sob, grabbing the nearest glass in the kitchen and smashing it against the wall.

| Epilogue |

[demivampirew]

Keep Calm and Go to London Chapter 23

Synopsis: This is the story of (y/n), a successful actress,   musician, musical producer and songwriter. After battling depression and  breaking up a long relationship, she seeks for a change of air,   escaping LA for a while going to visit some friends in London and there   she meets Henry. -Disclaimer: some chapters are mostly smut.

Previous Chapters in the masterlist

Triggers: talking about anxiety; quarantine; cursing.

Tag list:  Here’s the incredible people who showed me support (thank  you    so  much for that) and people who asked  me to tag them too  ☺️   (I    think  I will write a few chapters of  this story, if you want me to  tag     you, tell me ☺️   ) @cavillanche @mary-ann84 @henry-owns-these-tatas @yespolkadotkitty @dancingwendigo   constip8merm8      penwieldingdreamer iloveyouyen  littlefreya  wondersofdreaming     alyxkbrl solariumss  sweetybuzz25 @thethirstyarchive @agniavateira   @honeyloverogers @hell1129-blog   @lunedelorient​  @michelle-1185​  @madbaddic7ed​     @summersong69​

When you accepted to go with Henry to the gym, you planned to sit and watch his beautiful ass workout, but your boyfriend had other plans. While he worked on his legs, he made you lift some weights and later practice some boxing. He made you punching in his palms as hard as you could, but he was so strong that your hand almost broke when it collided with his. Dammit! His hands were like rocks. He wanted to help you train better for your role because you needed to gain some strength to be successful in the stunts. After a hard workout session, you decided to go back to the house walking to catch some air. It felt odd. It's been a few months since the quarantine started that now it was strange to go outside. It truly felt like if it was another world. You felt a little anxious, even if both of you were wearing masks because they're more effective in terms of preventing you for spreading a virus if you have it than to catch it; but, in the same time, it felt marvellous to be outside. You took a few deep breaths, allowing your lungs to feel the oxygen that entered your body. Henry was grabbing Kal's leash with one hand, and yours with the other. The little bear has always been his emotional support for his anxiety and your boyfriend was yours. You felt how he stroke your hand with his thumb. You pressed your head against his arm and then give him a big smile. Even though both of you were wearing masks, you knew that he noticed your smile and that he smiled back at you. The world might have gone crazy and thing could never be like they used to, but one thing was undeniable and that was that your life was a thousand times better since you met Henry. You were beyond in love with him and since the beginning, your cold and dark mind was full of light and warmness. And he was the main reason why you felt that way. Therapy was great, but also having someone that praise you and made you feel loved and try hard to help you see how wonderful you were was incredible. After a nice shower, you prepare tea for you and a coffee for Henry and went into his office to give it to him. Before you entered the room, you heard him talk over the phone. "Oh, great!" You heard him said; "Yes, I cannot wait to get back to work. But, I really need to ask for a favour. If they decide to change the date and start earlier, it's ok, but I need to be free by the 28th and 29th of July. The 28th is my girlfriend's birthday and I want to be with her that day," he pleaded and then thanked the person on the other side of the line. You felt tingles and butterflies in your stomach. The fact that he'd beg no to work on your birthday to be able to be with you melted your heart. You waited until he finished the call and then knock on the door. You entered the room and he announced that production was set to restart in August. You pretended not to hear the conversation and acted excited - you weren't faking, though. After all, The Witcher was one of your favourite shows. You spent the rest of the day laughing with him while he played videogames. Later he decided to go prepare something for dinner and you used his laptop to check your social media and listen to some music. To your surprise, you saw your name in second place of worldwide trends. "The fuck happened now," you thought. And then you saw that Henry's name was also trending as well as your ex-boyfriend's. You clicked on yours and saw that a site dedicated to gossip Daily Mail, posted pictures of you and Henry while you exit the gym and walking with Kal with your hands together. The headline said "New hot couple alert: Y/N and Henry Cavill". The article said "The famous actress, musician and producer y/n (age) is seen leaving a gym with British actor and heartthrob Henry Cavill (37), famous for his roles as Superman and Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's The Witcher. (...) The star ended a relationship with actor and musician Jared Leto -who recently was seen walking in the streets of Hollywood with Russian model Valery Kauffman-. The couple walked together grabbing hands while walking his dogs, an American Akita named Kal. (...) Not so long ago were rumours of a possible reconciliation between y/n and Leto, given the fact that she continued to share love song in her Instagram stories, but now it could be assumed that those songs were actually dedicated to Mr Cavill. (...) We tried to contact their agents to get a confirmation of their romance, but there are not comments at the moment. (...)" "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" you repeated in your head. You took a deep breath and went back to Twitter to look at the comments. To your surprise, there were mostly supportive. There were some jealous and aggressive ones, from both sides - your fans and his fans- but were mostly supportive. You then realized why Jared's name was also trending. A lot of people, especially comics and dc fans, were uploading memes about Superman stealing Joker's girlfriend. Some of your fans posted some new selfies from your Instagram account saying "this is a woman who left a toxic relationship for a better man. Be like her"; some fanboys were saying things like "Henry Cavill is the only man allowed to steal my wife," "I don't know who I envy more," and a lot of memes with pictures of Henry and Jared from the Comic-Con mocking Jared because Henry "stole" his girl.

You had to admit that most memes were really funny. After having a good laugh, you were stressed again. How was going to react Henry to the news? You panicked. You felt guilty like you should have stayed in the house and the secret would be protected. You went into the kitchen and delivered the news to Henry. He sighed in a sign of defeat and you apologized again. He looked at you and you felt a lump in your throat; he seemed angry. You knew it, he was mad at you. - Stop it! - he ordered.- Stop apologizing! You didn't do anything wrong! - he exclaimed and you looked at him confused. - Are you mad at me for going with you? It was my fault, I should have stayed here.- you prompted - No, it's not your fault. It isn't anybody's fault because it's not a bad thing. So, people know now, so what? They were going to find out sooner or later. We cannot spend the rest of our lives behind these walls to protect a secret. I don't care that people know that I'm happily in love with a wonderful woman. And, by the way, it was my idea to get out, not yours. - he reminded you. He came closer to you and cupped your face with his hands - The only thing I'm angry about is the fact that you keep blaming yourself for everything and that you'd think that I could be mad at you for that. You should know me better by now. I'm not him. I don't want us to live a secret for the rest of our lives, like if it was something bad. On the contrary, you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm more than proud that people know that I'm awesome enough to get a woman like you. Like I just gained hundreds of cool points.- he smiled at you and kissed you.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 291: The Endeavor Pamphlet

Previously on BnHA: Dabi showed up atop Gigantomachia’s back and was all “you’ll never guess who I really am!” and the readers humored him and were all “who?” and he was all “TODOROKI TOUYA” and we were all “WOW └(・。・)┘ OH MY GOSH I WOULD NEVER HAVE GUESSED”, except for Shouto and Enji who were GENUINELY SHOCKED. Anyway so Touya was all “and guess what I’m doing right now!” and before anyone could even try, he was all, “STREAMING MY EMMY-NOMINATED MINISERIES ‘HELLO, I’M EVIL BUT ALSO TRAGIC AND SEXY, NOW LET ME TELL YOU ALL ABOUT MY DAD WHO SUCKS’’, THAT’S WHAT.” And everyone was all “oh my god” and Touya was all “ヽ(⌐■_■)ノ♪” for basically the rest of the chapter, and that’s pretty much it! Oh, wait, except for the part where he also doused himself in bleach in a fit of pure theatrics, which is actually pretty much the main takeaway from the entire chapter really because it was just wild af. ANYWAYS.

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi introduces Baby Touya, the world’s most enchantingly sweet character, and is immediately all, “I sure can’t wait to tell you guys all about how his fucking jaw burnt off.” Thankfully he doesn’t (YET), and we cut back to the present pretty quickly, where Dabi explains how he took all of his brain cells that should have been used to stop him from pouring bleach over his head, and instead put them all toward his big brain plot of releasing an elaborate video detailing Endeavor’s various abuses and crimes, and even throwing Hawks under the bus as well because WHY NOT. He then leaps off of Gigantomachia’s back (like I said, no brain cells) all set to blast them with a Prominence Burn, only to be stopped by none other than THE LEGEND HIMSELF, MOTHERFUCKING BEST, PRETTIEST, NICEST, MOST OUTSTANDING MOTHERFUCKING JEANIST. Who’s no doubt outraged by the crime against hair he witnessed only moments earlier. GO GETTIM JEANY BOI.

so I haven’t had time to answer any of them because this has been the stupidest week, but I just wanted to tell you guys that I received no fewer than nine asks about Dabi’s hair. which, in a week filled with election memes and tumblr’s most cursed fandom briefly rising back up from the dead, is a pretty impressive feat for him if you ask me. like, I know I was making fun of it basically nonstop, but it sure did generate a lot of discussion so maybe I should rethink my opinions on Dabi’s PR strategies now, idk

anyway. it’s Saturday. time to catch up on this shit. let’s see how fucked the Todorokis are

OH NO HE’S CUTE

HOLY SHIT THIS IS TOO MUCH TO FUCKING PROCESS. I’M JUST TRYING TO ENJOY MY DAY HORIKOSHI, ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO TRAUMATIZE THIS POOR CHILD RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY SALAD

“thanks for being all right” the fuck

who allowed this child to be so cute. I’m serious. who signed off on this

how could a child this adorable possibly want to murder his equally adorable baby brother. please, your honor. there must be some mistake here

guess how prepared I am to read all about Touya’s tragic past. mm. that’s right. zero ready. none ready

anyway. TWO THOUSAND DEGREES LOLOLOL. NO TRACE OF A CORPSE HOW CONVENIENT. A PIECE OF HIS LOWER JAW BONE FFFFMSGHKLSh. LOVELY. LOVELY

LMAOOOOO

listen you guys. I just want to take a moment to appreciate that Horikoshi Kouhei did one of two things here. either (1) he planned it out FROM THE VERY START that Touya would be born with red hair Because Fire Powers, but would then have his hair turn white due to trauma, thus making the Dabi/Touya connection very slightly less obvious, although Let’s Be Real Who Are We Kidding. OR, (2) the anime got it wrong and gave him red hair, and rather than allowing this plot hole to continue to exist, Horikoshi took it upon himself to concoct this elaborate storyline and pretend it was never a plot hole at all! in which case I sure hope someone at Bones is sending him a VERY nice Christmas card this year. got this man sweeping up all your messes for you. you’re just lucky he has some sort of wild compulsion to address these things

anyways!!

FATHER AND SON. how sweet. :| still zero percent ready for any of this btw

STOP BEING CUTE

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I’M SO MAD RIGHT NOW. HE IS THE SINGLE CUTEST CHARACTER IN THE ENTIRE SERIES, and do you even know how many other baby characters I’m betraying in order to say that?! baby Kacchan, baby Deku, baby Ochako, baby Shouto, Eri, baby Hawks. I’M LOOKING YOU DEAD IN THE EYE RIGHT NOW AND TELLING YOU THAT BABY TOUYA IS CUTER THAN ALL OF THOSE PLEBS. AND YOU’RE LOOKING BACK AT ME RIGHT NOW ALL “YEAH IT SURE IS A PITY ABOUT HIS JAW MELTING OFF THOUGH.” THAT’S IT, I QUIT THE SERIES

and Enji’s smiling at him. he’s so proud of him. but then Touya won’t be able to do it, and Enji’s gonna stop training him, and Touya’s gonna feel like a failure and keep pushing himself in order to try and win his dad’s affections back, because that’s all kids fucking want, all they want is just love, that’s fucking it, you couldn’t just give him that?? and then he’s gonna immolate himself fflkdlskfh THERE YOU SEE HORIKOSHI, I KNOW THE WHOLE STORY ALREADY, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE “SHOW THEM THE DEAD DOG” THING YET AGAIN YOU PIECE OF SHIT

OH SNAP THERE GOES THE TWIN THEORY. R.I.P.

BABY FUYUMI. PRETTY CUTE. NOT AS CUTE AS TOUYA THOUGH. HEY LOOK, NO REASON TO GET MAD AT ME I’M JUST STATING A FACT HERE

YEAH THIS IS GONNA GO REAL WELL OH BOY

I keep pressing the emergency stop button but this industrial tragedy machine just keeps on chugging along anyway, I’m pretty sure this thing is not up to code

:| I am so sorry sweet boy, Horikoshi is only getting started with you

FUCKING HELL WITH THIS NARRATION

but he wasn’t actually a child to you, he was just a little puppet child for you to live vicariously through!! and then you went and did the same fucking thing with Shouto afterwards and never learned your lesson until just six months ago!! fucking hell, Enji

so now he’s all “Touya is dead, that’s an unforgivable lie” fflkdhflk motherfucker does he look dead to you. if you really think that, tumblr and twitter have got a little over five years’ worth of archived theory posts to show you

oh shit Touya’s countering with “it’s an unforgivable truth”, which, damn. I actually think Horikoshi’s dialogue is one of his weaker points as a writer a lot of the time, but that comeback was snappy as fuck

actually guys, now that I’ve seen how ridiculously fucking cute baby!Touya was, I can almost understand why Shouto and Enji never put the pieces together before lol. any passing similarities would have easily been dismissed on account of he’d need to be at least 10x more adorable in order to get the full resemblance

OH MY GOD

NOW YOU SLEEP??? SO YOU POINT BLANK REFUSED TO PASS OUT WHILE YOU WERE BUSY MAIMING ALL OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS, BUT NOW THAT THERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOUR REACTION TO THE “YOUR LIEUTENANT WAS SECRETLY RELATED TO ONE OF YOUR WORST ENEMIES THE WHOLE TIME” BOMBSHELL, YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO GET YOUR FORTY WINKS. I SEE

WOW DABI

I’M SURPRISED YOU DIDN’T ALREADY HAVE YOUR ANCESTRY.COM RESULTS PRINTOUT READY TO FOLD INTO A PAPER AIRPLANE AND ZOOM ON DOWN TO HIM

LOL NEVERMIND

gotta say, so far The Endeavor Pamphlet is just about as spicy as I could have hoped

(ETA: Natsuo’s face as he watches his beloved dead brother come back to life only to literally and metaphorically set everything on fire in one fell swoop is :/. why must you do this to me Natsu. can’t you see I’m trying to throw a Welcome Back Jeanist party here.)

HAVE YOU READ THIS?! TODOROKI ENJI ABUSED HIS OWN HEIR, AND DABI WROTE IT DOWN RIGHT THERE

WELL HE’S NEVER GON’ BE NUMBER ONE NOW / NEVER GON’ BE NUMBER ONE NOW / THAT’S ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT / THAT’S ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT

btw I neglected to mention this last week, but yes I do recognize and appreciate that this is Can’t Ya See-kun himself whom Horikoshi has chosen to be the face of this existential crisis which the general public is about to experience. rip CYS-kun

OOF

excuse me. putting aside the implications of Dabi sharing this context-less murder video of Hawks with the entire world for a moment, I just have to pause for a sec here, because when exactly did he get a chance to edit this all in?? complete with voiceover that seamlessly ties in with the prerecorded footage of him with DNA test results sans shirt?? you’re telling me this motherfucker, with all the smoke that was in the room thanks to his own quirk, somehow got a PERFECT SHOT of the PRECISE MOMENT when Hawks drove his feather knife into Jin’s back, using his MAGIC CAMERA THAT HE I GUESS HAD THE ENTIRE TIME IN THE POUCH RIGHT NEXT TO HIS BLEACH BOTTLE, and then immediately somehow got this very next shot as well FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ANGLE

ALL THE WHILE IMMEDIATELY RUNNING THROUGH SCRIPT REVISIONS IN HIS HEAD, WHICH HE THEN PROCEEDED TO RECORD... WHERE, EXACTLY?? WITH SKEPTIC, WHILST RIDING ON MACHIA’S BACK??

AND THIS IS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF???

and this after I just wrote that whole long paragraph positively GLOWING about this man’s ability to plug up a plot hole. jfc. just scratch out every damn word I said lol. just forget all of it

are you fucking kidding me, the footage was from the cameras Skeptic planted on Hawks??

that’s... actually... okay you know what, it still doesn’t make any sense in the slightest, but the determination to address it nonetheless... just, dammit... I feel like I’m constantly at war with myself over whether or not I want to shake this man’s hand or slap him lmao. whatever, then!!

anyway, since Shouto and Enji can’t actually see the damage that Touya is dealing to the hero industry even as they speak, Touya is taking it upon himself to give them the highlights

I think it’s a testament to how much Endeavor cares about Hawks that he managed to zero in on that comment even amidst all the craziness of his eldest son returning from the dead to announce how he’s been carefully plotting their destruction for years and years. like, he heard “Hawks” and his face immediately went like that. you think he’s worried that Dabi did something to him? because he’d be right to worry lol

so the Endeavor Pamphlet narration is now explaining all about how Hawks totally killed the Number 3 Hero Best Jeanist as well! yep... he sure did... totally...

OH MY GOD WE’RE CUTTING TO HIM AHHHHH

Hawks, that is. lol. not Jeanist. NO, JUST MY POOR HALF-DEAD WINGLESS BABY SON

NOOOOO HIS LITTLE WING STUMPS. BUT SOMEHOW HIS FACIAL HAIR IS STILL INTACT. OH TO BE AN ANIME PRETTY BOY BEING SET ON FIRE. “HEY, TAKE IT EASY, WATCH THE FACE”

EXCUSE ME WHAT

interesting! we suspected as much, I think, with the clues that Ending dropped, and the little flashback right after the name reveal. still not clear how Dabi found out about it though!

looooool okay here we go, breaking out the heavy-handed holier-than-thou shit now

you know, I do find it interesting how trying to model themselves after All Might’s noble Symbol of Peace image has kind of ended up being the heroes’ undoing here. like, I could write a whole essay on this, but what it basically boils down to is that they were all trying too hard to be perfect. All Might went out there and did his thing and was amazing, and so the powers-that-be built an entire system centered around this seemingly-infallible person, and they acted like the system was infallible as well. and so most of the population ended up becoming complacent over the years, and meanwhile the people who were unfortunate enough to fall through the cracks understandably wound up disillusioned and perceiving the heroes as these false idols

anyway, but I think one positive takeaway from this is that the new up-and-coming generation of heroes represent a breakaway from that system. like, imo what we’re witnessing is the downfall of the Perfect Hero, and the rise of the imperfect hero. and this new generation doesn’t shy away from their failures or pretend like they never happened. they pretty much can’t pretend, because their failures are all right out there in the open for everyone to see. Bakugou Katsuki, just to name one example off the top of my very biased head, has had his own personal character journey basically play out right in front of the media’s eyes. his humiliation at the sports festival, his kidnapping by the League, and all of the fallout afterward. this isn’t someone who can ever go out there and convince the world that he’s perfect. but what he can do, instead, is show the world that he’s trying. that he’s trying with everything he has to do his best, to be the best. rather than this untouchable godlike image, it’s instead the image of someone painfully human who is nonetheless striving with everything he’s got to keep moving forward, flaws and all, and work his way to the top

and ultimately I think that’s going to be a much more positive image to send out to the world when all’s said and done. because rather than merely inspiring awe, heroes like that inspire people to take action themselves. or at least that’s what I hope! and not just Bakugou, but the others as well. we’ve got Shouto, whose own personal trauma is being aired in front of the whole nation even as I sit here ranting. we’ve got Deku, who cries at the drop of a hat, and who fought to become a hero despite being quirkless (and I think it’s only a matter of time before that eventually becomes public knowledge as well). tl;dr because I’m getting way too long-winded here, but these kids have effectively been humanized in a way that the old generation never was, and I think that’ll go a long way towards building trust between them and the people they’ll someday be protecting, and inspiring the next generation in hopefully a much healthier way

anyway so where were we. ...oh yes, Dabi was explaining that heroes only protect themselves, and is presumably building up to his grand conclusion of “therefore you should all just let the villains take over and burn down the world”

omfg. YOU GUYS

DOES CAN’T YA SEE-KUN’S SHARK FRIEND ACTUALLY CALL HIM “CAN’T YA SEE-KUN.” HE HAS A NAME YOU KNOW!! UNLESS HE LEGALLY GOT HIS NAME CHANGED TO CAN’T YA SEE-KUN. OH MY GOD

ALSO, IS THAT CAN’T YA SEE-KUN CRYING IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE OMG. GIVE THIS CHILD A HUG. EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND HUG HIM

BAKUGOU IS BARELY HANGING ON THERE LOL. GOTTA STAY CONSCIOUS... SO MUCH TEA BEING SPILLED... FOCUS... CONCENTRATE

IIDA’S ANGLING HIS HEAD IN A WEIRD WAY, LIKE DUDE. LOOKING SUSPICIOUSLY SNUGGLY THERE. MMM THESE IIDABAKU CRUMBS

HADOU IS ALL “WHAT EVEN IS ACTUALLY GOING ON” LMAO

LASTLY, POOR SHOUTO OMFG. WHEN YOU’RE ALL FINISHED HUGGING CYS-KUN THIS CHILD NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION!!

so now Dabi’s leaping off of this ninety-foot-tall gargoyle man like that’s a normal, smart thing to do. unless he can fly too now? saw his dad doing it back at Fukuoka and was all “hmm”

OH MY GOD SOMEONE TELL ME RIGHT NOW WHAT WORD SHOUTO IS USING TO ADDRESS ENJI, THESE TRANSLATIONS LOVE TO MESS WITH MY HEAD

ENJI GET MOVING DO YOU NOT SEE THOSE TEARS!!! SNAP OUT OF IT YOU BIG TREE

AHHHHH

OH KACCHAN YOU WOKE UP A LITTLE MORE THERE, HUH

lol he and Deku both look so determined but they’re basically sitting ducks. their “oh shit” faces do look remarkably like their “TIME TO SWING INTO ACTION” faces but don’t be fooled, they have one good arm and about six pints of blood left between the two of them. looks like this one’s all on you Shouto

-- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH --

BAH GOD... WHAT’S GOING ON HERE... THAT’S BEST JEANIST’S MUSIC

y’all. can’t even talk right now, my brain has completely shut down lol. just. ...

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