#Bring her all the dirt noodles

[deathinfeathers-a]

//She would love you MORE if you were a worm tbh

[hannieween]

closing night | backstage series | l.sm

He felt like home. Like coming home after a tiring day, you can finally relax and unwind. The comfort of his affectionate embrace is everything you've been longing for in the last few days.

♡︎ pairing: lee seokmin x afab!reader ♡︎ genre: fluff, smut mdni you'll get blocked ♡︎ aus: theatre performer seokmin, fake dating with benefits ♡︎ word count: 12.8k

↣ part 1, part 2, part 3, navi post

₊🎧: show me - devita | slow dance - shownu x hyungwon

₊ tagging: @aaniag @madein97line @cottoncheol ty ty ty ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ♡︎ ₊ nsfw tags under the cut

♡︎ warnings: swearing, pet names: noodle, baby (hers), smut with plot, soft dom seokmin, big dick seokmin, dirty talk, making out, multiple orgasms, unprotected sex, creampie, oral sex (m, f), swallowing, a bit of praise kink (f), a bit of hand kink. | again, this is not proofread so i apologise for any mistakes or inconsistencies

part 4

Three years before.

The gentle sounds of the nearby river flowing lulled you into a peaceful nap.

As you slowly woke up again, confused as to why you were in a park, you felt gentle fingers brush your hair. A warm voice singing a tune over and over again.

You were lying on the grass, your head resting on Seokmin's lap. Then you remembered that you were on the park with your friends to wind down after a long practice session for a course that was important to you.

There was a small mark on Seokmin's jeans where your drool had landed. Ashamed, you reincorporated in the grass, the back of your hand wiping away the drool on the corner of your mouth.

"I drooled on you," you muttered, feeling a bit groggy still.

"I know, I felt it. Disgusting," you heard him say with a chuckle.

You turned to see him. His dark brown hair was hiding beneath a green cap.

"Sorry," you mustered a shy smile.

"I'm only joking, noodle," he reassured.

You noticed that Soonyoung and Seungkwan were nowhere to be seen. And the sun was no longer at its highest point in the sky.

"How long did I sleep for?" you asked, fumbling on the grass for your phone.

"I don't know. You have a very deep sleep, though," he commented with a chuckle. "Some kids came here with loud speakers to do a dance challenge and you didn't even budge. Was funny."

Embarrassed, you found your phone in your backpack. "Haven't been sleeping lately. I've been pulling an all-nighter this week for finals."

You saw that it was already 4PM. So you had slept in Seokmin's lap for about 3 to 4 hours. You felt your heart drop.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" you asked, horrified that you had slept for hours on his lap.

His lips pressed in a small smile, he shrugged. "I thought you'd needed it," he went to grab his things, and stood up. "Hungry? D'you wanna go grab something to eat with me? I'm buying."

"I uh... thank you," he held out a hand to help you stand. "But I should go home. I have to keep studying," you muttered shyly, brushing the dirt and grass off your clothes.

Seokmin had been a very attentive friend lately. After months of you being in their friend group, you had grown really close to him. And besides letting you sleep on his lap for hours, he'd been making sure you eat, that you get home safe and sometimes he brings you coffee when he knows he'll find you in the library.

His usual response was that you had helped him a lot with homework and assessments at university, and that he felt the need to pay you back all the time. As much of his explanation was correct, you did not want to dig any further.

"That's okay," he shrugged again. "But you've been pushing yourself too hard lately. I don't want our noodle having a burn out for being an overachiever," he cooed, dropping an arm on your shoulders as you walked through the park, beside the river.

"It's this stupid art history final 'm worried about," you mumbled, trying not to think too much of his arm draped in your shoulders.

"Don't worry, noodle. It's just a test. It won't matter in a year, or in a month," he chanted carelessly.

"But–maybe you're right. But it matters to me now," you mentioned.

"I can help you study," he suggested, dropping his arm from your shoulders.

"The last time you helped me study you fell asleep in the library," you reminded him, but couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"And you let Soonyoung paint my face with your markers," he pouted. "You're right, I shouldn't help you."

You laughed, remembering the pictures of him asleep on the library with doodles on his face.

"We can grab milkshakes and you help me study for a bit. Fair trade?" you suggested.

"Or, I can help you study today and you come with me for the job fair next week," he countered.

"I'll go with you to the job fair either way, we don't have to trade that," you said.

Seokmin has been anxious about that job fair for weeks now. Apparently some theatre companies and different acting agencies will be there and he wanted to make some good impressions, but he couldn't do it alone.

"Promise you'll come with me?" he asked.

You suppressed a smile. "Sure."

He held up his pinky finger out to you and you scoffed, he held it closer between you, insisting. "You've been standing me up lately, don't wanna risk it."

You intertwined your pinky with his. "I promise."

"Good. Now, milkshakes..."

Your chuckle was interrupted by your phone buzzing in your pocket, pulling it out from your pocket you went to check it.

[4:19 PM] youngho ♡: bbgirl [4:19 PM] youngho ♡: wya? [4:20 PM] youngho ♡: i'm outside your building

"Oh, crap," you muttered, and Seokmin leaned to peek at your screen. "Sorry, can we move our study sesh to tomorrow? I totally forgot I had a date with Youngho."

Seokmin coughed, masking his chuckle. "Sure, I'm free tomorrow," he muttered awkwardly. "I thought you said you called it off with Youngho 'cause he was a mess."

"He is," you muttered. "I decided to give him a second chance."

"Why?" Seokmin's frown deepened.

You shrugged. "He's kinda cute. I don't know."

Seokmin snorted.

"What?" you asked, a shy smile appearing on your lips.

"Nothing, nothing," his smile faded as he looked at the ground while he walked beside you. "Can I ask you something?"

You were taken aback for a minute, seeing that Seokmin got serious all of a sudden. "Sure, what is it?"

He was biting his lower lip, looking at the sidewalk as you continued walking toward the bus stop. "Do you see this thing with Youngho going somewhere?"

"Oof. Don't know. Don't think so," you shrugged. "Maybe it's just a fling. Why?"

He bit his lower lip, looking a bit lost in thought. "Dunno. I was just thinking that's kind of difficult for me to date lately."

"That reminds me," you mentioned before crossing the street with him at your side. "Didn't you tell me you were going to ask Seoyeon out?"

"Who?" he muttered, his mouth pouting. He shook his head slightly. "Ah, yeah. I didn't."

"Why not?" you frowned. His face looked deep in thought.

"I forgot," he muttered.

You narrowed your eyes as you both waited for the bus for you. "Did you chicken out, Lee Seokmin?"

He smiled sheepishly. "No," he mumbled. "I just forgot."

"She thinks you're cute! You should get to know her," you landed soft slap on his shoulder. "She is nice. I like her."

"Maybe you should ask her out," he muttered, the tips of his ears bright red.

"That's not what I meant!" you whined. "Come on, Dk!"

"What if I don't like her at all? I want to ask someone I know I like," he murmured shyly.

The bus was approaching the stop. The screech of the brakes almost drowned out his voice, but you managed to catch his words.

"Then you should go ahead and do it," you replied simply with a smile. "That's me. I'll see you later, Dk!"

You waved goodbye as you boarded the bus, choosing a seat where you could still catch a glimpse of him. He smiled back at you, a bittersweet smile.

Present day.

It has been just a few days since you last saw Seokmin. But he's been living in your mind every day, making you miss him with every second that passed.

You attempted to maintain your daily routine, and keeping yourself occupied proved effective, for the most part. However, there were days when you felt terrible, and Seungkwan couldn't help but notice, persistently badgering you about it until your shift at the coffee shop concluded.

It was the last week of your season before the last night of show. It's been six weeks since you and Seokmin started fake dating. And four days since he called it off, confessing that he had broken the promise he made to you.

That promise meant that your fake relationship would be only just for fun. No real feelings.

You tried to keep your mind off the memory of him. You were in the middle of brewing coffee, since you haven't been sleeping well for the past few days.

The buzzing of your phone snapped you out of your train of thought.

[10:21 AM] soonie: i got the role [10:21 AM] soonie: ╥﹏╥ [10:22 AM] soonie: did u get the role too [10:27 AM] soonie: don't leave me on read

Those were the messages you had already read. Ignoring him was not always easy, given his insistence. However, his rapid-fire texts sometimes gave you a headache.

[10:40 AM] soonie: sigh [10:40 AM] you: i got the role too soonie [10:41 AM] soonie: we're kissing ig 🤮🤮 [10:41 AM] you: it's just 1 night every week, chill [10:41 AM] soonie: FOR 7 WEEKS [10:41 AM] you: it's just a simple kiss soonie [11:42 AM] soonie: WHAT WILL I SAY AT YOUR WEDDING FEAST [10:42 AM] soonie: scratch that [10:42 AM] soonie: how will i be able to look at dk in the eye after i kiss his girl ? [10:42 AM] soonie: 🤮

Soonyoung obviously didn't know that you and Seokmin weren't in a relationship, he didn't even know that it was all completely fake. You didn't know how he'd react. But you decided not to tell Soonyoung anything yet.

You got an email confirming you had gotten the role earlier in the morning. So you'll be Satine for 7 weeks. And not only that, you'll have to extensively prepare for the shows.

Now that the company recently acquired a bigger production team and acquired the permissions and rights to adapt more popular works into theatre, you had the opportunity to get bigger roles.

This was a big opportunity for you. It meant bigger audiences, larger shows, larger runs. Training, classes, reading, learning scripts, work, work, work.

But it was okay, you needed to be busy.

The reason why Soonyoung was freaking out was because you'll have to kiss him for one particular scene. From what you knew, it was a passionate kiss. But you two were actors, kissing people for a scene was normal.

When you kissed Seokmin for the first time, you were acting. You were pretending to be his girl for a night to make your friends see that you were over your ex.

But even going back to the memory, it wasn't like acting on a stage. You felt something. Whenever Seokmin touched you, kissed you, you felt things that you usually didn't feel on stage.

Did he feel the same things you did when you first kissed?

The mere recollection of him caused your body to ache, and you physically recoiled from the memory. This same feeling had been happening ever since Seokmin left your apartment that night he confessed his feelings for you.

Pain. Fear. Regret.

But you couldn't quite put your finger on why.

Seokmin was your best friend. He has been for years now and you were in the brink of losing him to your bad choices. You knew that having sex with him blurred the lines of your friendship with every encounter you had. But you didn't seem to care in that moment, now you regret it.

You never intended for this to go so far. In the beginning of it all, you just thought it was a fun little secret you had with Seokmin. A fake relationship between two friends who like to fuck. The first time you had sex with Seokmin, it was purely that. Just sex.

All because you wanted people to shut up about your cheating ex. You didn't even feel something for your ex anymore, so you didn't think that you were using Seokmin as a rebound. But it felt wrong.

So, it was a particular shitty day for you. You didn't even felt like celebrating the news of your new important role.

Later that day you had your shift. You dragged yourself to the coffee shop, when you arrived fifteen minutes late, you knew what would happen.

"There you are," Seungkwan said, putting his phone in his pocket. "I've been calling you. Are you okay?"

Your brow furrowed. "I'm fine, Boo," you searched your pockets. "I think I left my phone back in my apartment. Sorry."

He eyed you up and down for a second, a worried look on his face. "You look like shit."

You scoffed. "Thanks, man."

"I mean it. Are you sure you're okay?"

You rubbed your face with two hands. "I'm just tired, that's all."

He pursed his lips for a second. But decided to continue his task for the moment. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Boo, I'm fine," you insisted.

"I'm worried!" he exclaimed, annoyed now.

"Don't be," you muttered, taking your position at the cash machine. "'m fine."

You heard him scoff, but didn't say anything else anymore.

The shift was difficult. You didn't think of Seokmin for hours, but you felt the echoes of your worries affect you in other ways. You'd forget simple things, mix orders and make minor mistakes that cost you time.

It was starting to annoy you. This failure in your mind due to your stress from the idea of losing your best friend. He told you he wouldn't go anywhere. But what if he did? What if he backs out seeing your apparent indecisiveness?

The shift ended after long hours of you fucking up. Luckily no one told you anything, in fact, you felt a bit annoyed that no one said anything. Instead, your co-workers seemed to be giving you the pity treatment again. But now for a new reason unbeknownst to them since you weren't saying anything.

You just looked like you're close to breaking. You looked like you were holding back tears and you might as well be.

Keeping secrets could be like that–weighing heavy on the heart. You realized that there was nothing wrong with opening up about what had been tormenting you for days.

And you just needed to let it all out.

"Seungkwan," you muttered as you were closing the shop.

"Yes?" he lifted his gaze from his phone almost instantly.

"Can we talk?" you asked and your voice sounded small.

He put his phone in the pocket of his jacket. "What's wrong?" the tone of his voice was soft. So soft that you felt like breaking into tears.

The pavement where you were standing was empty and the streets equally desolate, except for the occasional passing car that interrupted the silence with the sound of tyres on the wet pavement. The night was still, as if it had fallen silent to listen to the words you were about to say.

"I fucked up," you muttered in a shaky tone. "With Seokmin."

His gaze softened and he gently pulled you into a warm embrace, his hand resting on your shoulder. It was at that moment that you could no longer contain your emotions. You broke down in tears for the first time since Seokmin left, tears ran down your face in his comforting embrace. It was an abrupt release, and the intensity of your tears took you by surprise, as if it was proof of the depth of your emotions and the relief of finally sharing your burden with your best friend.

Broken sobs were muffled in Seungkwan's shoulder as his hands caressed your back, soothing you. "That's it, let it all out," he hushed.

"I– I'm sorry Boo," you sobbed.

"Why? What happened?" he asked, still in a soft tone.

"I lied to you. We never had a relationship. It was all fake," you mumbled, trying to get the words out as fast as you could, cringing with every single one of them.

"What?" his hands on your shoulders pulled you from the embrace. "Why?"

You wiped your face off your tears. "It was a stupid thing we came up with on the opening night. We pretended to be a thing, but we messed it up."

His eyes unfocused from yours, his mouth parting a bit. "Ah, I see. I knew there was something off," his brow furrowed, eyes locking on yours again. "But why lie? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was tired of people asking me about Youngho, I just wanted to make it stop," you sobbed.

"Why not just tell me to stop asking?" he shook his head and blinked rapidly. "Fuck, I know you did tell me, forget I asked that. But, why did you say you fucked it up?"

"We had sex," you mumbled shyly. "A lot."

He cringed visibly. "Right. That I did know," his brow furrowed. "But you made it seem like it was normal."

"We promised it would only be that, a no strings attached thing. No feelings, we would remain as friends only."

Seungkwan listened intently, but you saw something in his face that he could tell where the story was going.

You inhaled deeply, trying to calm yourself down but the tears wouldn't stop coming. "Seokmin called it off last saturday," you mumbled.

"Let me guess, he's looking for something serious," he inferred, nodding at your reaction. "And you don't want that?"

"That's what I don't know," you sighed. "I can't deny my feelings for him, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for that step."

"Why's that?" he ask, a genuine curiosity in his voice. "Didn't you just said you had moved on from your ex?"

"I have moved on," you insisted. You paused, your thoughts gathering as you considered your response. "It's not about my ex. It's about me. I don't know if I'm truly ready for something more with Seokmin."

He nodded, seeming understanding. "I get it. It's important to be sure of what you want. But I thought you really liked him. You seemed really happy with Seokmin."

Your heart twinged with pain. "I do like him, Kwannie. I really do and it drives me crazy," you shuddered. "What if I fuck this up again? I don't want to lose him."

Seungkwan rolled his eyes. "You're annoying. You won't fuck this up, you know why?"

Your best friend wasn't really annoyed, but he looked like he wanted to whack you in the head.

"Why?" your voice still sounded small.

"Because you love him. You won't fuck it up. You're just scared and that's completely okay. It's human," he shrugged and patted you in the back.

You didn't stop at the word again, but it did had an effect on you. Love.

"God, I hate when you're right," you sniffed, wiping your face with the sleeve of your sweater.

"You're not off the hook yet. You did lie to me, for weeks," he pointed a finger to your face. "There will be repercussions."

You laughed at his fake-serious expression. "I wouldn't expect any less from you, Kwannie."

"Are we going home now?" he asked, motioning to walk toward the street.

"I'm taking a detour, is that okay?" you turned to the other direction from where Seungkwan was motioning.

To where Seokmin lives.

His shoulders slumped down a bit. "Right. Keep me updated!" he said, pulling you into a last hug. "For real this time."

"Yeah, for real this time," you hugged him tightly and pulled away.

You knew where Seokmin lived, since you all had a group chat where you shared your address, so you had learned your best friends' addresses and you all lived within a 6km radius.

Seokmin lived in a building that was the farthest, and the fanciest. He apparently had found a great deal with one of his closest friends. This 'deal' was that the building was directly across a large LED Samsung billboard that pointed directly to his and his roommate's bedroom windows.

You got in to his apartment door, a strange reassuring feeling filled you as you rang his doorbell.

For a moment you thought you might've rung the wrong door. You glanced at the number before the door and then the man that was opening the door.

"Oh, hi. You must be Seokmin's roommate?"

A tall man of deep black hair nodded, flashing a polite smile at you. "I'm Joshua. You're looking for him?"

You nodded once, then you started feeling really nervous.

"Sorry. He flew to visit his family a couple of days ago. Might come back on friday," his brow furrowed. "Do you want me to tell him you stopped by?"

Your heartbeat faltered for a second. "Uh, no, it's okay. I just wanted to tell him something."

Joshua grinned, one of his eyebrows–which was pierced, arched up. "You could've texted him. Save you the walk all the way here."

"Didn't bring a phone," you mumbled, feeling deeply embarrassed.

You felt like you could use a hug. You were feeling a bit like something's missing, like you're not entirely alone but you were. And a hug would help.

His big curious eyes studied you for a second, his grin vanished and his hand moved from the doorframe. "You okay there? D'you need to come inside? I can get him on the phone if you want."

"'m fine," you brushed off. "Thank you, though."

There followed a quiet moment between Seokmin's roommate and you. It was really brief, but it gave you time to eye behind him, toward the interior of the apartment where you caught a glimpse of Seokmin's denim jacket.

You might be going insane, because the first thought you had was to ask Joshua if he could give you Seokmin's jacket. Anything close to him would work.

Joshua gave you a knowing look. "You're her, right? The girl Dk's been seeing lately."

You shook your head. "Not anymore, at least."

He rolled his big eyes. "You theatre kids can be dramatic," he smiled. "If it's any comfort, Dk's been a soppy mess too."

"Oof, that is really comforting," you chuckled ironically. "I'll be going now. Thank you for the comforting words, though."

Joshua smirked playfully. "Anytime," he nodded with his head once. "Get home safe!"

"Thanks," you waved at him and walked towards the elevator.

The closing night of a show can stir up a lot of emotions. After performing for five weeks straight, you had grown fond of your newfound routine.

And you were excited for the next show, too. But right now you couldn't focus on anything else but this night. It marked something special in you.

You had started this season feeling lost. Wandering in the dark not knowing how to navigate in your own body after your life was changed upside down.

A lot of things happened during this season.

Even now, you still didn't know how to deal with the pre-show jitters, as you called them. You were bouncing on your feet, pacing back and forth in a hallway that led to the emergency exit. Your makeup and hair were already done, after weeks of doing it yourself, you had mastered doing them in under ten minutes now.

So you were just dealing with the emotions before the show, listening the chaos that happened every time before a show. Some dancers were late, and apparently there was something wrong with the sound system but those problems usually would be solved the moment the show started.

All you needed to do was relax. You knew your lines, you knew your queues. Why were you so nervous?

You knew it had something to do with your mood lately. You weren't as bad as when you started this season, you felt different. But still, you felt like you still needed a hug.

The side of hallway you were hiding at was deserted, you actually had to take a turn to the right to return to the dressing rooms so no one really knew you were here. You leaned back in the wall of the hallway and looked at the ceiling for a moment, you felt a bit dazed.

You sighed heavily.

Your phone buzzed in the pocket of your dress. Reluctant, you fished it out and at glancing at it, immediately your attention was caught.

It was Seokmin.

[7:41 PM] seokminnie: noodle where r u [7:41 PM] you: working. u? [7:41 PM] seokminnie: i know you're working [7:41 PM] seokminnie: i'm here [7:42 PM] seokminnie: you're not backstage?

He's here. Your heart stopped.

[7:42 PM] you: why r u here? [7:43 PM] you: ??

No reply. You stared at your phone screen for what felt like forever, but Seokmin went offline.

You thought of searching for him and just as you were raising your head from your phone, you saw Seokmin turning on the hallway, as if knowing already that he'd find you here.

Your heart raced so fast you lost the ability to speak for a second. You hated it. Hated that you felt so much that you couldn't even utter a single word.

The first thing you noticed about him was that he had dyed his hair again. His hair was now styled in a rich, deep shade of black that matched his sweet chocolate brown eyes.

He smiled softly, the dimples beneath his mouth showed and you knew you were done for.

"Hi, noodle," he mumbled.

A shudder went down your spine. "Hi, Seokmin," you swallowed hard, trying not to cry.

Then you practically leaped into his arms, and he welcomed you right in. His arms encircled your body as a sigh was muffled in the crook of your neck, your feet left the ground for a second before he put you back in the floor.

"You're okay?" he muttered, still hugging you tightly.

"'m better now," you sighed, your voice sounded shaky and that made him break away from your embrace.

"No you're not," he countered, his hands cupping your face, looking at you intently. "What's wrong?"

You sniffed and looked up to try and control your tears. "Nothing. I just missed you," you laughed sheepishly.

"I know, noodle," he replied in a soft tone, pulling you back to his warm arms. "I miss you too. Everyday."

Seokmin's scent triggered a flood of emotions, bringing back memories. The fear and pain you have felt these past few days were long gone.

Seokmin felt like home. Like coming home after a tiring day, you can finally relax and unwind. The comfort of his affectionate embrace is everything you've been longing for in the last few days.

"Why are you here?" you asked, and pulled away to see him.

He was all dressed in black, all except for his white t-shirt, which you had already ruined with your tears and make up.

"Sorry," you whispered, trying to clean off the pink make up from his shirt.

"Don't worry about it," he brushed it off. "I'm here to see you."

You blinked. "You are?"

He rolled his eyes, yet he flashed a smile that tugged at your heartstrings sharply. "It's your closing night, noodle. I wouldn't miss it."

You felt your body relax under the wave of warmth his words caused. "And how did you know I'd be here?"

He shrugged, putting his hands on the pockets of his jeans. "A hunch," he laughed with a resigned sigh. "Soonyoung told me."

He heard you chuckle and a glint of joy appeared in his eyes.

"I was dealing with some pre-show jitters," you explained, trying to get your undereye to dry without smudging your makeup further.

"I imagined. Do you still feel nervous?"

You inhaled deeply. "A bit," you said. "But for a different reason now."

He cocked his head, pursing his lips slightly, showing the dimple beneath the corner of his mouth. "What's that?"

Suddenly your mouth went dry. You were drawn to him so much you couldn't keep your hands to yourself. You pulled him into a hug again but this time you didn't hide your face on his shoulder, you faced him and he didn't pull away.

Seokmin swallowed thickly, his eyes locked on yours briefly before resting his forehead on yours, his eyelids fluttering a bit as he sighed weakly. His hands found your waist, pulling you even closer to his frame.

"We need to talk," you whispered, your hands found his face, fingers touching his jawline gingerly.

"Right now?" you felt his brow furrow.

"After the show?" you asked, your voice sounded shaky.

"Let's talk tomorrow. Would you like that?"

You shook your head slightly and you heard him smile.

"We'll talk tomorrow," he insisted. "Tonight is yours, baby."

You shuddered again, him calling you baby would never feel old.

"But–," you started.

"I told you I'd be patient," he mumbled softly as he moved his hands from your waist and cupped your face.

"But I can't be patient," you whined, seeing his face again after he pulled back.

"I know," he smiled, his thumbs caressed your cheeks softly, seeming to shudder when your hands fell from his face and found the sides of his neck. "Try to enjoy tonight. Do that for me, will you?"

You nodded, giving him a reassuring smile.

He returned the smile. "That's my good girl," he sighed and angled your face so that he could press a loving kiss on your forehead.

The shiver running through your body made your eyelids flutter and sigh.

Then you heard commotion back in backstage that usually let you know that you needed to be stage ready soon. You looked up at Seokmin's sweet brown eyes, and he seemed to know too.

"Go. You got this, baby," he whispered with a nod of his head pointing toward the hallway.

You saw his eyes and his mouth for a brief minute, resisting the urge to kiss him. Seokmin saw you hesitate and sighed under a soft smile, using his hands on your face he kissed your forehead once and then your cheek sweetly.

"Go. I'll see you right after," he giggled.

You gently released yourself from his embrace and, just before you pulled away, you slyly kissed his cheek, eliciting another soft chuckle from him. With a quick step, you made your way back to the dressing room. Quickly, you touched up your makeup and prepared for your show.

You got this, you repeated to yourself.

As the stage lights come up, the murmur of the room died down. Taking a deep breath, you braced yourself for the start of the show, where the voices of your fellow cast members got ready for their cue too.

Everything in your head, every worry and anxiety quickly died down when you entered your scene on a dimly lit stage, your chest rose and fell with each controlled breath. As the orchestra's crescendo rose, your body became fluid and controlled at the same time, ready to reflect the passion of the character you have been portraying for weeks.

Your voice carries the weight of the character's struggles, resonating across the stage. The power and freedom you experience when projecting your voice makes you feel truly alive.

As your last scene came to its end, your voice rose, filling the space with a powerful resonance that reverberates throughout the room, the lights on you died out, the curtain fell.

And then a standing ovation erupted for you and your fellow cast members and the rest of the crew.

After regaining your composure, your chest heaving with pure adrenaline, the curtain rose again, showing you standing hand in hand with your cast and crew.

With a shared smile, you raise your clasped hands and take a deep bow, expressing your sincere thanks for the overwhelming support you received.

The staff crew swept in, you were clapping your hands together with the crowd at the same time that someone from the crew thrusted a bouquet of fresh flowers into your grasp.

You looked at the flowers. They were not roses. You didn't exactly like roses and someone was aware of that. Your fingers reached for the card tucked among the yellow and white daisies and you looked out into the crowd.

Seokmin was in the front rows, clapping proudly with a big smile. When you saw him, he waved at you with a sweet smile.

For my noodle. Let's cherish this beautiful night as you return fully on the stage again. From Seokmin.

Your eyes filled with tears and you felt yourself breaking down in a sob that was quickly muffled by the commotion in the theatre. You smiled and waved at Seokmin as a form of thanks.

But you wanted to do more. Your body urged to feel his embrace again.

What ensued next was a session for the press. It was something you have definitely done before, but it was your first as a lead. It felt long and arduous, as you were trying to get it done as quickly as possible without coming off as rude or indifferent.

You wanted to go back off stage, remove all your makeup and costume to find Seokmin again.

The flashes from the cameras blinded you briefly as you spoke, answering the questions from the press and other few people who had the opportunity for a quick commentary or feedback.

When you rushed off stage, everything was a blur. You just had finished your first season run in what felt like an eternity. It was your first season since you and your ex broke up. And it felt just so good to come back.

The jitters you had felt before were yesterday's worries. Now, you continue onwards.

There was no big after party on closing night. And you were okay with that. Some people from cast and crew were gathering at a bar afterwards but it wasn't something special or out of the ordinary, just like every friday night.

So the clothes you brought with you before the show were just comfy. Leggings, a tank top, sweater, hoodie and sneakers. Your outfit was just mean to keep you warm and comfy after the show. And you felt totally unprepared for a night out.

Seokmin was waiting for you outside the dressing rooms. Some guys from your cast were crowding around him, as it usually happened. Seokmin was a particularly shy guy, but had a lot of friends. A lot of people seemed to know him so, a small crowd followed him whenever he went.

He was chatting with a guy, looking interested but you knew it was a façade. He'd nod with his head and go 'yeah, yeah' and smile politely.

When you appeared in the hallway, flower bouquet in hand, his face lit up, apparently pulling him out from his trance. He seemed to excuse himself from the his friend group and strolled toward you, extending his arms in his way.

"You killed it, noodle," he muttered once he hugged you, his arms lifting you from the floor again, effortlessly.

"Thank you for the flowers," you mumbled in his shoulder.

"You liked them?" he asked, putting you back on the floor.

"They're beautiful," you nodded, smiling up to him. "How did you know I like yellow daisies?"

He blinked, looking back to the flowers and then your eyes. "I think you mentioned it. A while ago, I don't remember," he explained, scratching the back of his head shyly.

"I did?" you asked, feeling confused and then shrugged.

He nodded with his head, smiling softly at you. "D'you want to go where everyone's going after this?"

"Uh... no. Not really. I wanna go home," you muttered.

"Can I... walk you there?" he asked, and the look in his eye made you think that he was feeling shy.

You nodded eagerly and that made him smile broadly.

"Let's get you home then," he muttered, grabbed your duffel bag from your shoulder and threw it on his.

You kept your free hand in the pocket of your hoodie for two reasons. The first one being that it was starting to get really cold already, as the autumn died out day by day. The other reason was so that you kept your hands to yourself.

You wanted to touch Seokmin. To hold his hand as you walked on the side walk in direction to your apartment. But you knew that you had to wait until you two talked, you didn't want to cross a line again.

"I got the role," you told him after a minute of silence. You had started to feel tension in your walk, as if Seokmin were thinking what you were thinking too.

"You'll be Satine?" he looked at you with a proud smile on his face. "That's awesome, congrats."

Your fingers caressed a soft petal of one daisy. "Thanks. Soonyoung will play Christian, though. He's mortified."

Seokmin's brow furrowed. "Why? I thought he wanted this role. Something about proving himself that he can sing on a lower register."

"He's worried that we'll have to share some kissing scenes," you mumbled, and then you started to get why Soonyoung was worried, because an uneasy warmth crept up your cheeks.

"I see," he pressed his lips into a smile. "And how do you feel?"

"I'm annoyed," you replied. "I don't care that I'll have to kiss him. I'm annoyed that he's making such a fuss about it and we haven't even started script readings."

"Yeah, he can be a bit dramatic," he chuckled. "But I'm glad you got the role, though."

Seokmin stopped walking and you almost felt confused until it dawned on you that you were already outside your building. Your heart faltered a little, seeing that you'd probably had to return to your apartment alone after spending your closing night with him.

"You're sure you don't want to come in?" you asked sheepishly, pointing a thumb towards the building.

Seokmin glanced up at the building briefly, appearing to be reconsidering it. "I'm sure, noodle," he muttered with a low tone.

Your shoulders slumped down a little. "Okie dokie," you whispered, still grabbing your bouquet of flowers with one hand.

"But we'll talk tomorrow, remember?" he asked, seeing your reaction.

You made a small pout, aware of your own childishness, but going with it all the same. Seokmin responded with a soft laugh, wrapping you in a comforting embrace.

"Don't make it more difficult for me," he hummed, his head resting beside yours gently. "If I go to your apartment with you right now, I might not come out. We need to talk first. And you know it."

Your whole body burned with anticipation and your arms clung to him, pulling him close to your body. You couldn't think of what to say and it seemed words were inadequate. You simply longed for his presence beside you.

He pulled his head back, a hand cupping the side of your face. "Baby, you're killing me," he muttered, a tortuous smile creeping on his face. "Can't you wait until tomorrow?"

"Not when you call me that," you muttered, still pouting.

His gaze softened. "My bad," he sighed under a small smile that looked content on his face, even though you were pressuring him. "Let's talk tomorrow, alright? Get some rest. I'll text you."

"Fine," you mumbled, and the hand cupping your face pinched your pouting lip gently, making you smile in response.

"C'mere," he whispered, pulling you closer to kiss your forehead, his lips pressing kisses gingerly on your face.

His forehead rested on yours, the proximity of his face to yours made you close your eyes briefly and you heard him sigh deeply.

"Text me when you get home?" you asked, feeling that you just needed to get anything he'd give you.

He chuckled. "Sure thing," he muttered, not quite making a gesture to leave. "Anything else?"

"Mmm, dunno. Let me think about it," you pretended to ponder over it, only to cling to his body for a while longer.

After a brief moment, you pulled away from his embrace reluctantly. His arms relaxed around you and his sweet brown eyes found yours.

He was right. As much as you wanted to drag him into your apartment, you needed to talk first. It was necessary for you to have some order in your friendship before you could do something with him again.

It was the right thing to do. You hated it. But he was right.

"Alright," you muttered. "See you tomorrow, then."

He handed you your duffel bag back. It wasn't heavy, but being the gentleman that he was, Seokmin always offered to carry it himself.

"Thank you for the flowers," you repeated with a shy smile.

Seokmin shrugged, putting his hands on his jean pockets and eyed you up and down. He blinked slowly, his lips pursing a little.

"They look good on you," he said warmly, a predilect glint on his eyes.

A small sigh escaped you. He was just so fucking beautiful. You had to resist the urge of pulling him into a kiss right there and then. He was also making it difficult for you by just existing.

"Thanks," you whispered, feeling yourself blush a little.

"See you tomorrow, noodle," he pulled you into a last bear hug, patting your head playfully before walking away.

When you got home, the first thing you did was look for a flower vase, or something remotely useful to put the bouquet in. In view that you didn't have a flower vase, you found a jar and decided that it was good enough in the mean time until you bought an actual vase.

You found yourself smiling as you looked for a place to put your flower bouquet, deciding that the little coffee table in your living room was perfect for it.

Your phone buzzed a little while after.

[11:44 PM] seokminnie: i'm home [11:44 PM] seokminnie: gnight noodle

A smile crept on your face, feeling a tight warmth fill you in.

[11:44 PM] you: goodnight seokmin :)⁠♡

The day seemed pale and gloomy, as autumn slowly reached its peak with a frosty air. The pavements were covered with fallen leaves as you approached the park. Despite the chill, the atmosphere was pleasant.

You dug your hands deep in the pockets of your jacket. Having a but of fun with the puff that your breath created in the cold winds as you drew closer to where you and Seokmin had agreed to meet up.

It was the park you used to visit to wind down after exams when you were in university. The same park you had taken a long nap in Seokmin's lap years ago.

Did Seokmin remember that same event? You weren't entirely certain, but it seemed plausible that he chose this location because it was strategic, being a midpoint for both of you.

You were just arriving to the park when you realised that you had forgotten your phone yet again. But now it was something that made you panic a little. The park was so large that you didn't know where Seokmin might be arriving through and if he relied on his phone to find you, he could think that you had stood him up.

You looked around, thinking fast. Despite the cold weather, people were gathering at the park to walk, do exercise or just socialise. So it was a bit crowded, a bit difficult to stand out.

But then, you decided to trust, and walked toward that same tree you use to gather with your friends. The same tree Seokmin sat at when you fell asleep in his lap. You didn't think he remembered, but you had no other choice.

The walk over there gave you a chance to look around, to see if you spotted his familiar frame.

Until you saw that tree in the distance, it was located close to the lane you were walking, and it had a clearing of leaf covered grass surrounding it. It stood alone.

You caught sight of Seokmin, strolling with one hand in his pocket, the other clutching his phone, his brow furrowed in concentration as he seemed absorbed in whatever was on the screen, his steps aimless.

He had his dark hair tussled carelessly and wore a cosy looking oversized navy blue sweater, jeans and red converse. You took a second to breathe again, looked so cute, almost threw you back to your university days.

He was so absorbed in looking at his phone screen that he almost bumped into you. "Oh, I'm so sorry–," he said startled as he looked from his screen to you. "I was looking for you," he gasped. "I tried calling you and texting–"

"I forgot my phone," you mumbled shyly.

He sighed, and then smiled warmly. "Noodle, you scared me for a minute," he circled your body with his arms. "I thought you wouldn't come."

"I wouldn't do that," you said, catching a small whiff from the smell of his sweater.

He hugged you tightly for a second, rocking his body from side to side gently and taking you with him.

"Do you remember when we'd come here?" you heard him mumble and felt him rest his cheek on the crown of your head.

"Of course I do," you whispered. "I once slept on your lap for hours."

"You did?" he asked and you felt your heartbeat falter a little.

"And drooled on your leg," you giggled.

"Mmyeah I think I'm starting to remember. Disgusting," he chuckled, but he sounded fond of the memory.

He stopped rocking your bodies, pulling his head back to cup your face in his hands.

"Joshua told me that you were looking for me a few days ago," his brow furrowed a little.

You sighed. "I told him not to tell you," you whined a little.

"Why? What happened? Why didn't you call me?" his eyes searched yours.

You swallowed thickly and breathed in deeply as if gathering strength. "I needed to talk to you," your voice was shaky. "I needed to tell you how much I... missed you."

"But why didn't you tell me anything?" his hands dropped from your face, as if giving you space to talk freely.

"I... think I was scared," you mumbled feeling like you'd soon start to shake from the chill air. "I needed time to think and reflect about what I wanted but my own feelings scared me."

He listened attentively, his gaze shifting from your eyes to your mouth, a habit you had noticed he used whenever you spoke to him.

"I went to find you because I needed to tell you that I feel the same way about you," his eyes widened slightly as he took your words in, and you could almost sense the shift in his breathing. "I want to be with you too, but I've been scared to fuck this up because..."

You swallowed thickly again, the knot in your throat making it impossible to utter a word without your voice breaking.

"...because you mean a lot to me," you continued despite feeling vulnerable. "I don't want to fuck up what we have. You're my best friend, our friendship is too important to me."

His gaze softened and he tilted his head to one side, a gentle, affectionate gesture. "Why would you fuck this up? There's nothing you could ever do that would drive me away, you know that."

Your eyes filled with hot tears, and you felt your lower lip quiver under the wave of emotions commanding your body. "I know. I panicked. I–just, I want us to work."

His sweet brown eyes seemed to glint with emotion. "You do?" he mumbled.

You nodded, wiping your tears with your sleeves. "I looked for you because I couldn't stand keeping this to myself any longer," you admitted, your voice trembling. "I… I also want to see where this could go."

Seokmin looked at you with a mixture of surprise and relief, and his initial tension slowly faded into a warm smile. "I'm glad you found the strength to tell me," he said, his voice full of affection and warmth. "I also felt scared. I didn't want to rush it, I didn't want to rush you because I know you. I knew you'd need some time to think."

Your body shook with cold and nervousness. It took a lot from you to speak your feelings, let alone to confess something as important as this to Seokmin. But you felt alright, as it dawned on you that you had finally taken that step, and it felt so right.

"Can you..." you mumbled, choking with emotion, "can you forgive me for panicking?"

He blinked, perplexed. "What?" he smiled sweetly, his warm hands cupping your cold cheeks again. "Don't be silly. I have nothing to forgive."

Your hands grabbed his wrists, thumbs caressing his skin as Seokmin rested his forehead on yours. "I didn't mean to hurt you. It was never my intention to mess with you," you explained, pondering over what he said on that dark alley last saturday.

"I know, and I understand," he whispered. "You have nothing to apologise for, baby."

A shiver ran down your spine, and you closed your eyelids, savouring the moment and his comforting warmth.

You heard Seokmin sigh softly, his hands cupping your face and tilting your face slightly before his lips locked onto yours and you swore you might have melted into the kiss. You felt your whole body shudder under a wave of joy and affection as his lips pressed over yours sweetly, kissing your lower lip and cheek with such predilection that your eyes began to water a little.

As you stood there, hands intertwined, the world around you seemed to fade away, leaving you and Seokmin alone, wrapped in this new reality.

"Are you cold, baby?" he asked, his tone wrapped in a gentle warmth.

"A bit, yeah," you replied.

"Mm, I can get you somewhere warm," he muttered, pulling away and you saw his face beaming with joy. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"

You smiled and felt his thumb brush the tears from your face. "I'd love that."

"Right now?"

The smile turned into a giggle. "Of course."

You started walking to the opposite direction of the park to which you got in. Seokmin grabbed your hand, locking his fingers with yours and with that brought you hand to kiss your knuckles with a smile that made his eyes beam.

The day was cloudy, with a gentle drizzle lightly sprinkling you with drops of water. The rain was gentle and intermittent, not enough to be bothersome, so you both paid little attention to it, immersed in the moment and in each other's company.

"Are you hungry? We could go to a restaurant that's not far from here," he said, as you walked hand in hand with him through the park where you used to walk as uni students.

"Sure," you said, feeling like it didn't really mattered where he took you, as long as you were together.

"Or we could go to watch a movie, if you're not hungry," he suggested, eyeing you with a smile still plastered on his face.

You laughed and that drew his attention back to your face. "You call the shots, mister."

"Would'you like to go to the aquarium sometime?" he asked, speaking so fast that you had to take a second to process what he said. "I've heard they have aquarium nights."

He spoke so fast that his thoughts seemed to be racing, a revealing sign of his excitement. This image made your heart flutter in your chest. Happiness sweeps over you, a joy so deep that you can't contain the broad smile that spreads across your face.

Droplets of water splashed in your forehead and shoulders, so icy cold that they made you flinch. Then the rain started to pour on you, washing over the park and river so sudden that took you by surprise. You had been ignoring the soft drizzling, not thinking that it was a warning of the upcoming downpour.

"Or we could run to cover," he suggested, chuckling a little. His nose wrinkled a little as the rain fell on his face.

Seokmin held your hand tight as you ran through the park and into the city streets, trying to find somewhere to cover as you quickly found a tall building that offered some roof for you to cover yourselves from the downpour.

"We could go to mine and wait," Seokmin said, his chest heaving from running, pointed a finger to the next corner of the street from where you stood. "It's the closest."

It was true. Since you both ran the other way to which you got here from yours. You nodded, your body starting to shiver from the cold water that already had your hair all wet.

"We have to run again," he said, surveying you.

"I'm okay with that," you nodded.

"Okay," he breathed and took your hand again, leading the way through the downpour toward his building.

Amidst the downpour drenching your entire body, a sudden thought struck you. "Wait!" you called out, your voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.

You tugged at his hand, making him stop, and turned to face you, concern shown on his burrowed brow.

He stared at you as you pulled him close, fingers cupping his face and a smile slowly crept across his lips. He took you by the waist, understanding your and your gazes met.

Your noses bumped lightly and you noticed Seokmin's soft chuckle, his warm brown eyes shifting from your gaze to your lips. Then he leaned towards you and his lips met yours in a gentle kiss, as your hands pulled him even closer.

The kiss was brief, but you tried to savour every second of it. You saw his eyes again when you pulled away, his hands on your waist not quite letting you go, his heavy lidded eyes looking at you with so much love that made you shudder.

"Let's go," he muttered softly, leaning to press a loving kiss on your forehead before walking to the lobby of his building.

It was really hard to keep your hands off him. When you were on the elevator, you had to settle for just kissing his face softly, eliciting some sweet chuckles from him.

His apartment was dark and empty when you got there. Seokmin turned the lights on, realising that his roommate wasn't in.

"You want to take a shower? I can lend you some clothes and dry yours on the dryer," he said as he removed his shoes.

You could only nod, feeling so cold that your whole body trembled. Seokmin saw you and gave you a soft smile, taking your hand to swiftly lead you to the bathroom, he got the shower ready as soon as he got you in.

"I'll bring a towel for you," he said, exiting from the bathroom and probably leaving you to have some privacy to remove your heavy soaking wet clothes.

You heard him return when you were already beneath the warm water from the shower.

"I left you dry clothes and a towel here, noodle," he announced quickly before going out again.

The clothes were his, a wide black t-shirt and grey sweatpants. The sweatpants were too baggy for your frame, but you could adjust the waist to fit.

He laughed a little when he saw you coming out of the bathroom. "You look tiny," he chuckled. "Are you okay with those? I can lend you other things if you want."

"I'm okay with these," you assured him, looking at your body with his baggy clothes. Your legs did look shorter.

"Okay," he said and then he removed his sweater in a swift movement, revealing his lean torso. "You can wait in my bedroom if you like," he suggested.

"Okie dokie," you muttered, without taking your eyes off him.

He sighed under a cheeky smile, bending down to give you a chaste kiss on your mouth. "I'll be there shortly, baby."

You found his room intuitively, since the two doors down the hall from the bathroom were facing each other, one was closed and the one opened revealed Seokmin's things.

His curtains remained open, allowing the bright city lights to cast a range of colours on her bed and the nearby bedside table. The bedside table held a small, softly glowing lamp and a book, which made you think of his reading habit before sleeping.

The window offered a glimpse of the source of the light illuminating his room. The building opposite his window was of a shorter height, revealing the rooftop within view. Perched atop it was a broad LED billboard displaying various advertisements in vibrant hues.

There was a dresser that had a bunch of clutter on top of it, caps, hats, fun glasses, sunglasses, fake glasses, and a pile of screenplays from past roles he had.

But a certain object caught your eye, and your heart fluttered a little when you saw something that once belonged to you. It was a black and yellow bracelet, the yellow beads were painted with smiley faces by you.

You thought you had lost it a long time ago. It just turned out Seokmin had it all along.

After that, you took the liberty of lying on his bed. His creamy white duvet was soft and you could smell the detergent on the pillows. You closed your eyes, hearing the soft cacophony of the rain patter on the windows.

When Seokmin returned, he was draped in a navy blue bathrobe and was using another smaller towel to dry his dark hair. He saw you lying in his bed a soft smile tugged his lips.

"I forgot to tell you," you muttered, sitting up on the edge of his bed, "I like your new hair."

He hummed with a smirk. "You do?" he asked as he closed his bedroom door.

"Mmyeah, you look good," you smirked too.

His fingers tugged at the knot of his bathrobe but he stopped. "Close your eyes, noodle," he chuckled, making a gesture with his hand.

You rolled your eyes. "Nothing I haven't seen before," you muttered while smiling at him.

"But what if I'm shy?" he said while pouting cutely and you noticed that he was joking.

He tugged at the knot of the bathrobe, undoing it at the same time that Seokmin smiled at your eager eyes. The robe parted and a shudder shook you slightly when you saw his body completely naked as he removed the robe from his shoulders and hanged it on a hook on his door.

"You don't close your curtains?" you asked, seeing his body covered by the vibrant colours that the billboard projected.

"What for? No one else is watching," he smirked, turning to look for something on his drawers.

You bit your lip, still watching his body move, every muscle of his legs that tugged with his walk as he pretended to search his drawers. He looked at you through the corner of his eye, letting out a soft laugh.

"Baby, stop eye fucking me," he muttered shyly. "It's making me hard."

You bit your lip harder, trying to suppress a smile, but your core was already throbbing at the sight of him–his large cock was stirring up, stretching up slowly.

"Can I help you with that?" you asked eagerly, practically drooling at the sight of his cock getting harder by the second.

Seokmin turned to face you, still some steps far from where you were sitting on his bed. "Mm, I was thinking of waiting until we actually started having dates and stuff," he confessed, but the tip of his cock was already darkened in a reddish pink.

You smiled sweetly at him, looking riddled with the dilemma he came up with himself. "We can start dating tomorrow," you suggested innocently.

He chuckled softly, moving from his drawers to you. "That bad you want me, baby?" he asked, closing the distance until his knees where brushing with yours. His cock so fucking hard that was pointing upward and inclining to the side a little.

You couldn't resist any further. Your hand grabbed his cock, which was completely hard now and pumped it a few times, making him sigh shakily. You saw his face, as he tilted his head to one side when you used a hand to rub the tip of his cock that dripped in his precum, smearing it all over his soft and warm skin.

"Yeah, that bad," you replied before guiding his cock to your lips.

You slid your tongue around his cockhead, tasting his precum before you took him inside your mouth, your tongue gliding across his length as you tried to take him to the hilt. But you decided to take it slowly, your hand pumped at the length you couldn't reach with your mouth, starting to move your head back and forth slowly.

"Fuck," he whispered, grabbing your hair at your scalp his hands, tugging gently. "You take me so well. So fucking good."

The sound of his voice made your core pulsate a little, and you hummed on his cock as you pulled your head back, hollowing your cheeks before swirling your tongue on his tip and pushing your head as far as you could, until you felt the tip of your nose touch with his pubic hair.

Your darted a look at his face, he was looking at you, his throat bobbed and moaned softly when you pulled back again while hollowing your cheeks and swirling your tongue around his cockhead before pushing in again.

"Mmmfuck. Keep doing that, baby," he muttered, one of his hands moved from your hair to clean drool from the corner of your mouth, his other hand worked on grabbing your hair as efficiently as he could.

You complied, but you started doing the same movements faster. The sounds coming from your mouth as you sucked him off resounded on his bedroom, mixing with the soft sounds coming from Seokmin.

"That feels so good, baby," he hummed and you could sense that it was taking all his strength not to move and start thrusting his cock in your mouth himself.

You kind of wanted him to. To grab your head and start fucking your mouth hard and fast but you knew you weren't ready for that. Each time his cockhead reached your throat you had to breathe in through your nose, his cock so big that you could barely work your mouth on it without gagging.

He cleaned more drool from your chin, using that same hand to get some tears from your eyes. "Can you swallow, baby?" he asked in a strangled tone.

"Mmm-mmph," that was all you could make out in agreement while you still had his cock stuffed in your mouth.

His hand moved from your chin to join the other one grasping your hair and you knew he was about to cum from the taut look on his face. His breath hitched and his mouth parted a little, letting out a groan, blinking slowly as he dumped hot spurs of cum on your throat and you swallowed every single drop of it.

"Good girl," he whispered, gathering more tears from your cheeks with one hand. He let go of your hair gently to cup your face and slowly pull out from your mouth.

He bent down and sealed your lips with a kiss. You moaned in response, thinking that he would taste himself in your tongue as his slid in your mouth. But he didn't seem to care and moaned softly, pushing his body on top of yours, making you lay in his bed.

"Your turn, baby," he groaned, taking the shirt you were wearing on his hands and you arched your back for him.

He removed it and quickly went to get the sweatpants he lent you, which were already ruined in your own arousal. Seokmin saw the glistening streak smeared all over the crotch of the inside of his sweatpants and smiled before throwing them on the floor.

He got up from the bed and knelt before it, your body shuddered with a warm eagerness when you knew what that meant. He yanked you down on his bed, grabbing you by your thighs and you placed him on his shoulder, earning a proud look on his face when he saw you anticipate him.

His hands pressed gently on your lower belly before he dipped his head down between your thighs, licking a stripe on your wet pussy. You moaned loudly and took his head with your hands, your fingers tangling on his wet hair.

Seokmin immediately knew how to work his tongue on your cunt, so he wasted no time and started lapped his tongue in your folds, wet sounds coming from the interaction of his tongue on your core, licking your arousal as if it were his favourite meal.

You cried out, arching your back on his bed. Your legs were already shaking, your body building up towards your release. The tip of his tongue made its way to your clit, teasing it and nibbling at it with his lips until he got it to swell before he expertly started sucking at it, pressing his tongue on it and moving his head up and down lightly.

"Seokmin–," you called in a high keen whimper, "f-fuck, don't stop. Please, baby, don't stop."

He hummed gently, complying as if it were the only thing that mattered. Your body started trembling more as your orgasm shook you, washing over you in warm waves of pleasure that had you arching your back and calling his name loudly.

You breathed hard, body twitching on his bed uncontrollably as his mouth worked on you until he felt your limbs relax. He planted sweet kisses on your thighs and removed his hands from your lower belly.

Panting, you opened your eyes, feeling your lashes wet in tears and blinked until you saw Seokmin's body hovering on top of you.

"You're okay?" he asked and you nodded. He dipped his head again and kissed you softly. You hummed in his mouth, tasting your taste on his tongue as it lapped your lower lip and tongue, dominating the kiss.

"Seokmin," you mumbled in his lips.

He pulled away with a wet sound from breaking the kiss.

"I want you," you whispered, using a hand to push his wet bangs away from his forehead.

He smirked. "How do you want me, baby?"

You rolled your eyes, a smile spreading on your face. "Fuck me, Seokmin. Make love to me," you mumbled, searching his face.

"In that order?" he asked with a breathy laugh.

"In whatever order you want," you muttered as he bent to plant open mouthed kisses on your mouth, then down on your jaw. "I just need you inside me, please."

"Mmm," he hummed as his mouth reached your collarbones. "My pretty girl, so impatient as always," he muttered as he reached your tits.

His hand and mouth teased your nipples, kissing and tugging at them softly. You moaned, your hands finding his wet hair again.

"Please, baby," you whispered. "Jus'need you."

He chuckled, moving his mouth to the crook of your neck. "Keep calling me that and I might give you what you want."

You were still placed in one side of the bed, your ass almost hanging at the edge of the mattress, your legs wrapped around him. Seokmin had one of his knees placed on the bed and one foot down on the floor for support. It seemed an odd position but, you decided not to budge.

Then his lips pressed a wet kiss on your sensitive spot, gentle kisses trailed from the crook of your neck to your ear lobe. He heard you moan and sigh as his lips travelled back down to the crook of your neck, kissing your tender skin gently.

"I want you to mark me too, baby," you whimpered, grabbing the back of his neck as he licked your neck swiftly.

He hummed and complied almost instantly, his lips starting to suck at your soft skin, making you moan in pleasure and approval that you'd have his mark on you.

Seokmin marked you on both sides of your neck, just in the points he knew you liked the most and then you felt his hips come down and rest the lower half of your body on top of yours and between your thighs. Then he pushed his hips on yours, his cock sliding between your pussy lips, practically gliding in your arousal.

You bit back a moan at the feeling of his hard cock smearing your pussy in your own slick as his lips marked your neck.

"Seokmin, please," you whimpered when his cockhead pushed at your entrance briefly, sloppily before resuming to slide between your pussy lips, teasing your clit too.

He smirked, you could feel his lips on your neck as he hummed, again, as if he were actually considering your pleas. He pulled his head back, placing an open mouthed kiss on your chin.

"Please, baby. Fuck–fuck me. Make love to me. I need you so fucking much," you pleaded, thinking that you might sound dumb in your high keen whimpers and sobs.

But his cockhead stopped at your entrance again and pushed in slowly. You were so wet that he practically eased himself in, stretching your gummy walls and making you moan in the process of sheathing his cock inside you to the hilt.

His mouth parted a bit, looking at your face attentively as you cried out in pleasure, the feeling of him inside you was so good that it made your eyes water. Then he took both of your legs, and you knowingly helped him place them on each of his shoulders.

Seokmin stroked one of your legs as he eased himself in again shallow thrusts. "You take me so well, baby," he said, pulling his hips back and thrusting in with more depth.

You could only utter a half moan in agreement as his hips rutted against yours, then he pushed his body forward, pressing your legs against your chest as he thrusted his cock inside you, filling you up so deliciously that you couldn't help but cry out in pleasure.

"You feel so good," Seokmin whispered through gritted teeth.

He took one of your legs and rested it on his shoulder, pushing inside you again so deeply that you felt your body melt in a wave of pleasure. "Mmm, you too, baby," you whimpered. "So fucking good."

Then he started to pick up his pace, plunging his cock in so hard and fast that you felt your breath escape from your lungs. You cried out, your hands holding on his duvet in fists, feeling his cockhead hit a spot within you so deep, so deliciously that your eyes welled up in tears.

"F-fuck. Seokmin–," your voice came out in a broken moan. "Right there, baby! Don't stop, please."

You heard him groan and your eyes found his sweet ones. The plunging of him inside you felt so good and so controlling that your sanity started to slip from your mind. The pressure from your orgasm taking over you so hard and so unannounced that you didn't have a chance to warn him.

But he could tell from the loud cries that left your mouth, and the clasping of your walls around his cock, so erratic and tight around his girth that had him groaning your name with a raspy voice.

Through teary eyes, you watched him blink slowly, the tip of his tongue hung slightly on the corner of his mouth as he cursed and moaned softly before cumming inside you. His cockhead buried in the glorious spot inside you as his hot spurs of cum coated your gummy walls.

But he was still on a mission.

He eased your legs back down. "Scoot back, baby," he commanded and you obliged, moving your body to the centre of the bed for him.

You used the movement of your bodies to look at his body. Painted under the lights of the billboard in front of the building, you could see that his cock was still hard, glistening wet in both your cream and his cum.

You swallowed hard at the sight of him as he placed his knees on the bed, his tall body standing in front of you.

"You're so fucking beautiful," you muttered, still feeling like you were coming down from your high.

Seokmin chuckled breathily. "You too, baby. So fucking beautiful," he muttered as he slot himself between your thighs, pressing loving kisses on your face.

He slid himself back inside you, eliciting a moan from you that was muffled by his mouth on yours. Your hands were down on his lower back, feeling his hips rutting on yours slowly, almost lazily but it still felt so good, so perfect.

"You're okay there?" he asked softly when he pulled back from your lips.

"Mmmyeah, 'm okay baby," you muttered, moving one hand to cup the side of his face as your eyes absorbed his soft features under the pretty lights from outside.

You bit back a moan, hearing the squelching noises created by his cock pushing deep inside your cunt, the wet noises of your juices and his cum inside you sounded so good that you felt the need to see it too. Seokmin heard your low whimpers and the movement of his hips stuttered a bit.

Seokmin took your hand from his cheek, intertwining your fingers in his and placing it beside your head. The thrusts of his hips against yours were methodical, and almost like clockwork he started to rut on you faster.

You wrapped your legs around him, your other hand found the back of his head, caressing his soft dark hair before pulling his face to yours.

Seokmin rested his forehead on yours gently, his breath brushing on your lips. "I can't get enough of you," he muttered in between hot kisses he planted on your face. "M-might never do."

A moan escaped you, feeling a wave of both pleasure and warmth flood inside you. Your lips crashed with his, kissing him fervently as he made love to you. Passionately, hard and fast.

"I feel the same way," you sobbed. "I need you so much. It drives me crazy."

He moaned in a mixture of pleasure and agreement, a soft smile spread on your lips, feeling your breath hitch before Seokmin pulled his chest from yours, letting go of your hand to grab your hips without stopping his ministrations on you. "Cum with me, baby," he muttered, moving his hips against yours lazily.

Your hand slid where your bodies were still connected, your two middle fingers found your clit that was so covered in your slick that it was almost hard to rub it without your fingers slipping. But you pressed hard on it, your walls clenching hard on his cock as you let out a long moan.

You succumbed to a sweet, long orgasm, crying out loudly as his cock kept pushing in, riding your high and causing his. Seokmin also groaned loudly, thrusting hard and deep as he dumped his load inside your walls for a second time, his face and collarbones covered in a faint layer of sweat, chest heaving heavily.

You felt your body pulsate with his as you came down of your high. You too were breathing hard, your body slumped on his soft duvet, feeling also covered in both your and his sweat. You watched Seokmin still on his knees before you, slotted between your thighs.

It was so fucking hard to tear your eyes from him. Hell, the mere experience of being apart from him for even a few days was unbearable. Also, the care and consideration he demonstrated showed the depth of his feelings for you, too. So, maybe he was just as crazy about you too.

The lights of the billboard outside painted Seokmin's face in shifting shades of blue and pink. As you watched him, his lazy eyes, his sweet smile spread and the dimples under his mouth became more pronounced.

He was so fucking beautiful that it made your chest ache.

"God," you uttered in a broken sob. "I love you so much."

♡︎ a/n: waaaa i love seokmin sm i wanna hug him heheh. hi everyone! this one took me a couple of days to write cause i had to move but i hope you guys like it. i'm sorry if there's any mistakes, i posted this as soon as i finished it u-u

if u like this, show it sum love? pls pls i'd appreciate it ♡ and stay tuned for next part!!

btw thanks to all that have sent messages and comments, i love u all. ty ty ty

also, this fic belongs to a shared au so i'll be posting more fics with the rest of the boys soon stay tuned!

my taglist is open! just send me an ask and tell me if u want to be tagged in the other fics too and i'll add u :) toodles

[janicekao]

Your Choice (bwam)

Pairing:Gong Yoo x Black OC (dark smut) Summary: Based off of the details in season two of the series "Squid Game." Bella Haven,a fellow gambling addict, close friend, and neighbor to Gi-hun helps with tracking down the recruiter who once played Ddakji with Gi-hun many years ago. That one game of Ddakji changed his life for the worse and ultimately sent him to the Squid Game after receiving a business card that starts it all. When Bella finally catches the recruiter for her friend, she gets caught up in a gamble like none other... far from a game of Ddakji. Warnings:age gap, bdsm, weapons, violence, r0ugh s3x, smut, gambling, mental illness, fanfic, dubc0n, etc. 6367 words Wattpad link:

Enjoy my babies <3 -------------------------------------

"The recruiter is six feet three inches tall." Bella Haven seems to have a knack for making odd friends. She sits on the floor of her friend Seong Gi-hun's apartment as they share two piping hot ramyeons. Gi-hun being twenty-six years her senior, activates his fatherly instincts as he lets Bella get full off of the majority of the rice cake and shrimp that they share. She reminds him of his daughter that he hasn't seen in years, both smart and beautiful girls... surely Bella can help him with this problem that he's been having, he could really use her craftiness.

Gi-hun continues as Bella listens in while slurping back noodles. "The man I need you to look for wears expensive suits with his hair neatly pomaded back into a style. But what stands out about him the most is his actions. He carries a briefcase of money and asks people to play Ddakji with him. The whole game is a gamble, if you lose, he slaps the taste out of your mouth... if you win he'll begin to hand out money. He preys on the poor, the citizens in debt! People who will foolishly continue to play with him. At one time in my life, I was one of those people."

"Sweetie, I don't think you're listening to me." He pouts. "This man hands out a card that entraps people in the Squid Game after calling the number on it. Out of 456 players I was the only one who made it out alive, Bella if I don't find this man, he will do it again. The recruiter will continue to give innocent people this card and usher them into the games where they have no idea that their life is at stake! Bella please!"

"Gi-hun, I hear you." She sighs with slight defiance.

Insanely worried about the mental health of her friend and neighbor, Bella hates when Gi-hun talks about his time at what she believes was a mythical place where the in-debt citizens of South Korea risk their lives playing deadly children games to get a large lump-sum of cash. If he were the winner, and the only one who made it out alive, where is his huge stack of money? "I just don't understand what I have to do with this? I mean really, what can I do? Aren't you paying some of Seoul's biggest gangsters a lot of won to find this man at the subway station? If they can't do it, what makes you think that I can?"

"Because Bella..." He insists. "I still remember what happened with that American fiancé of yours. When he was stationed here in Korea and the asshole tried to leave you. He tried to take the money you both saved up together and go back to the States without you. I don't mean to bring up old dirt my dear, but the way you tracked him down in days before he could even book a flight, that's the kind of person I need on this."

The memory of being nearly left at the altar three years ago makes her cringe. But he's right, Bella has the unnecessary skill for tracking.

Taking a pause on their meal, she sighs. "Fine... So I'll go look for the tall handsome guy playing Ddakji at the train station and slapping people around, happy?"

"You're the best." Gi-hun finally smiles. "You find him, and I'll have a hundred-thousand won waiting for you."

She immediately refuses it. "Not necessary, keep your money, that's what friends are for."

Gi-hun nods with a warmed heart. "Right, friends."

"But you can pay me in that last rice cake however." Already nearly swallowing the rice cake whole, she doesn't await an answer. Watching the cute twenty-six year old with full cheeks of rice cake makes Gi-hun chuckle.

...

"Bella?" He asks, suddenly becoming curious. "I'm glad you stayed in Korea, but can I ask why you never went back home to America?"

Bella ponders for an answer... Truthfully, why would she want to go back to the States where the men are spineless and her family hasn't reached out to her in years? Most of all, how would she even get there? Her money has gotten low and having the same addiction to gambling as Gi-hun does, really doesn't help with the fee of a plane ticket... Honestly, for the meantime it might just be best for Bella to stay exactly where she is— keeping an apartment with low rent and a decent landlord, and surrounded by people that actually care for her.

Finally she shrugs. "Go back to America? Have you seen the president they elected? I think I'm fine right here in Seoul."

———

A week of time passes and with Bella's incredible luck and skill she finds a man who fits Gi-hun's description of the recruiter just right. At first she wasn't sure if it were the man he was looking for... Do you know how many men wear nice suits and carry a briefcase in Seoul? A lot. But it was the man's actions that lead her to believe that he was exactly who she was looking for.

As Bella trails him, the man stops at a local bakery where he makes a purchase of a hundred pieces of bread and a hundred lottery tickets.

He walks to the nearest park with pride and an uneasy smile on his face as he presents the homeless people who live in squalor there the choice of choosing bread that they are starving for, or a lottery ticket...

A gamble, a game.

The impoverished dumbly all choose the lottery ticket instead of feeding themselves today. And when they are given a coin to scratch the ticket, to no surprise they all are duds, no winners at all.

Although Gi-hun and Bella are both a victim to the greed of money and gambling, seeing starving people choose a lottery ticket over food that they need really shows how bad the hidden side of poverty in Korea has gotten.

After the homeless have made their choices, the recruiter does the unthinkable. With bags still loaded and full of bread, he pours it onto the concrete and stomps the pastries to absolute mush.

The hungry onlookers watch in disbelief, but who is there to blame when they chose the lottery ticket instead.

As the recruiter slicks back his hair, taking himself out of the wild outburst, Bella realizes how psychotic he really is. The man seems to be proud of himself. Having enjoyed teaching people a lesson and forcing them into difficult choices.

He laughs... he's excited, maybe even aroused.

Bella thought that the man she is spying on couldn't be crazier, but after a few more hours of researching him, he surely proves her wrong.

After the incident at the park, Bella continues to follow carefully after the man when she recognizes a familiar face that sneaks behind him. One of the gangsters. She recognizes the man as one of the gangsters Gi-hun also hired to help look for this man. But the recruiter isn't pleased by their company. Unimpressed with being followed around, he attacks the gangster, leaving him limping and bruised by the brutal beating of his briefcase...

Bella knows now that coming into the man's space isn't the best idea and she decides to give Gi-hun a call about the good news... Even though the man is dangerous, at least they have finally found him.

During the call, Gi-hun clearly worries about Bella's safety. "Don't approach him!" He warns. "I'm on my way, just stay on his tail but stay hidden!"

And so she does. Bella keeps her distance as she follows the man to his next destination, and sure enough he enters the subway station offering the poor and vulnerable a game of Ddakji.

From a distance, she watches the recruiter play this game one after the other. People continue to play the game and accept his slaps each time that they lose, all in hopes of winning a hundred-thousand won in the next round... After a while of watching from a far, it gets to be too much for Bella. She can't stand to watch him take advantage of another financially irresponsible person again! Clearly these people need help! Not to be assaulted and humiliated for their greed of money.

She takes Gi-hun's advice with a grain of salt, soon ignoring his pleads for her safety and approaching the man after all.

"Hey! You!" Bella's blood warms to a near boil off of her courage alone. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Finally crossing the train track and entering the platform on his side, she soon realizes that the man is much taller than she expected... finding herself cranking her neck upwards to try and talk 'down' on him.

"Me?" He asks sarcastically. "Just playing some Ddakji."

She scoffs. Bella looks towards the slapped-red faced gambling victim and tells him to scram. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself you know." Her scorning continues, "how dare you take advantage of people in a bad situation!?"

"It's you." His head cocks to the side as he finally recognizes her. "Yeah, you've been the one trailing me, haven't you?"

Never having made eye contact with the man the entire time she spied on him, she isn't sure how he knows exactly what she has been up to... a lie spills from her tongue. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

He gently chuckles at her terrible fibbing. "Is there something that you want? Who has you spying on me?"

"What you do is no secret." Bella snaps in a hushed tone to keep from onlookers. "I know about the Squid Game. Gi-hun told me—"

"Ahhh..." He coos in interruption. "Player 456."

Damn it... Maybe great at tracking someone down, but holding her tongue? Not as much.

"How old are you?" The recruiter asks.

She gulps. "Twenty-six."

He bites his lip at the unsure thought of their near twenty year age gap, however Bella's spunk and eye candy appearance surely is amusing. "I'm glad to see Player 456 is spending his earnings well." The man instantly assumes that Bella is paid for... Gi-hun's play toy that is.

Offended is an understatement. "Excuse me?"

He snickers. "Well how else would you know Gi-hun? He's twice your age."

"He's my friend asshole!" Bella scoffs. "Which is why I know everything about you... and your employer too!"

"Oh do you now?" The man questions. "And you actually trust everything your friend has told you?"

...

For years now Bella has thought Gi-hun's talk about the Squid Game were only a crazy delusion of his... But still she rather trust her friend than this lunatic that she has witnessed today. "Without a doubt in my mind. He's on his way here by the way, he needs to speak with you. I want you to stop your running and listen to what he has to say. A meeting with you has been on his mind for a long time now."

"I'll meet with him." The recruiter agrees. "What's better than seeing an old friend again. But first, would you like to play a game with me?"

"I've sat here watching you play this same game over and over again with people... No thanks, I'd rather not be slapped and humiliated." Her tone comes out harsh, just as she means it.

"Slap you?" Diamonds glimmer from his expensive watch as he lifts his hand to Bella's face, lightly caressing her cheek and tucking her fro behind her ear. "A face this pretty? Never."

The compliment was unexpected and Bella blushes red hot. 'Games' she tells herself. 'Don't let him get to you, all he plays are games.'

"Not even an attempt at a hundred-thousand won?" He opens his briefcase to the sight of money, trying his hardest to convince the girl with hopes that she too is a gambling addict.. Little does he know, Bella is.

She licks her lips at the sight of the money thinking that maybe one game wouldn't hurt. With an unhealthy love for lottery and games, she finds it impossible to say no. However she still knows his ploys and tactics. "Fine I'll play, but I don't want a card to the Squid Game. I know all about it, I'd never go."

As Bella reaches for the Ddakji pieces, he instantly refuses her. "No Squid Game, just a night with me."

He doesn't want to play Ddakji, this causes Bella utmost confusion. "A night of what?"

"A night of more games." He persuades with a handsome smile. "So, what do you say?"

———

The Pink Hotel.

One of Seoul's oldest and most well known hotels although currently it's closed and going through renovation.

"Here is fine." The recruiter insists.

Bella looks around at the street becoming uncomfortably empty now that night is falling. "Here? Isn't this place closed?"

"I have a room." He begins to cross the street. "Are you coming?"

...

She'd be such a fool to go into this building with a man who's done the most atrocious things today... From assaulting people, to belittling them... What could he have planned for her?

Rain begins to fall, soaking Bella and her rags of clothes as she stands with a stranger on a corner of a strange street. "You'll get sick out here, the rain is ice cold. What are you waiting for?"

"Maybe we should go back, Gi-hun expects you and I to be at the station still..." As rain pounds them, Bella raises her soft voice to be heard over the sound of the rain's drum.

"I've told you once before, if Gi-hun would like a word, I'll be sure to come to him. We can go back after this storm." The man uses his sly tactics to get Bella exactly where he wants her. "Sorry, I just thought you'd want the chance to make a few hundred-thousand won."

"A few?" Mind back on money, she doesn't think straight any longer. "I thought I'd earn only one hundred-thousand if I won... I'm a few million won in debt, so what are you saying? I could actually earn more?"

His slick hair with partnered raindrops drips and compliments his chiseled jaw. Instead of answering, another handsome-toothy chuckle escapes the depths of his baritoned voice. He continues towards the hotel, and instead of staying out in the cold becoming drenched by rain, Bella follows right behind him.

The two enter the hotel and just as Bella thought, the building is clearly under reconstruction. The place is absolutely empty tonight with not even an employee behind the lobby's desk.

Together they enter a sketchy elevator, taking an awkward and quiet ride to the fourth floor. At their stop, Bella follows behind the man as she tries her best to keep up with his steady stride and long legs. He uses a key to unlock the room's door and as they enter, Bella doesn't realize that he locks the door behind them.

"Can I get you anything?" He asks. "Water, Soju maybe?"

"No thanks... I'm fine." Bella takes notice to the stale smell of the old room. Although it's not exactly warm and polished, it still very clearly untouched. Is this really his room? Or is it also the first time he's been here himself? "So what's your name? What do I call you?"

"Hmm." He ponders slightly as he pulls a chair out at a small circle table for Bella to sit in, and soon sits in one across from her. "Call me whatever you and Player 456 have been calling me."

"Fine." Bella shrugs. "The salesman, the recruiter, the devil..."

He chuckles. "Then that'll do just fine. Let's play."

Bella awaits their game of Ddakji, however the recruiter has something else in mind as a gun is suddenly pointed at her.

Her first response is to immediately jump up from her chair.

"Sit down." His voice, a usually calm and collected tone has quickly become a demanding threat.

Afraid of being shot, Bella slowly lows her body back into the chair. Tears stain her cheeks and frustration clouds her head. She's just as bad as the rest of his victims today... Just as naive and money hungry, and now look what has happened.

The recruiter stands from his chair and loads his gun with one bullet. "The game is Russian Roulette." He begins. "My revolver holds six bullets, yet I've only filled one round. I'll spin in it, and the both of us are clueless to where it landed yet we have equal chances of being shot. Shall we begin?"

"The fuck?" Bella fumes. "I thought we'd spend the night putting money down on a card game o-or having the loser take shots of soju if they lose in Ddakji."

"Child's play." He shrugs.

"Fuck you, I won't play." She snatches her teary eye contact from him and it injures his heart.

For her, he'll even switch up the rules a little. "Fine, I won't be so rough on you. I'll allow you to skip your turn, by doing this enough, you'll never have the trigger pulled on you... you would end up winning. You could have the entire million won in my briefcase right now and it would be rightfully yours."

A million won? If Bella had a million won, she'd finally be out of debt.

Seeing that she's already here and in his possession, she pokes at seeing exactly what she'll have to do for it.. "What do I have to do to skip my turn?"

"Endure the gun." The recruiter states clearly. "...Between your legs that is."

...

She nearly chokes.

Did he really just ask that?

"You're sick." Teeth gritted together, Bella could absolutely spit on the lunatic for asking something as vile as that.

Onto his knees, the man nearly begs for her participation. His voice begins to tremble with desperate need and desire. "Five million won?"

Her eyes widen into dollar signs. Five million won? It would pay her debt, her bills, and keep money in her pocket.

Five million won to play this game, and risk getting shot, or to just go and fuck his gun.

After taking it into consideration, Bella decides to go for it and when the night ends, she'll place this evening behind her and live a wealthy life with an erased memory of it.

Standing from her chair, the recruiter watches the trembling young minx lower her denim shorts along with her lace panties— sitting back into her chair with the bottom half of her body completely bare.

He catches a glimpse of her womanhood below, nearly salivating and drawing his eyebrow up in tempted curiosity.

"So let's play." Back into his own chair, the man points the gun at Bella's chest and pulls the trigger.

The gun clicks... no bullet.

With a heart beating out of her chest, Bella screams bloody murder. How could he!? How could he pull the trigger on her without even giving her the choice!? "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"I knew you were lucky." He states calmly. "There wasn't anything to worry about. Now we are down to the probability of two out of six. My turn."

The recruiter comes across the table, not even an inch from Bella's face as she watches in horror. Her nostrils fill with his handsome cologne and the sight of stained blood on his cheek from beating up the gangster earlier becomes even more prevalent.

The man refuses to break eye contact as he opens his mouth and deep throat's the barrel of his gun.

So close to this man that if the bullet decided to land this round, his brains would absolutely drench her. "Please don't." She begs.

He does it anyways.

Click... no bullet.

He chuckles... a laugh that is overly maniacal. "Your turn again, what will you choose?"

He begins to tease her. "You see, it really isn't all that difficult."

Bella gulps.

Knowing that she isn't about to aim this gun at her head, she trembles as she slowly widens her legs.

"Ahhh I see..." He groans in clear utter excitement.

The recruiter walks in her direction and eases his free hand into her lap. She watches the large palm with handsomely long fingers ease between her thighs, biting her lip at the infatuation of how a man's veiny hand looks paired with an expensive watch on his wrist between her legs.

His two most middle fingers invite themselves to her cunt. Circling softly and bringing her to quiet moans. Bella grabs his wrist. "What are you doing to me?"

"Shhh." He hushes. "You wouldn't want this to enter you, unwarmed, now would you?"

Bella pushes his hand away. "I can do it myself."

Her defiance is breathtaking. His infatuation with her grows to an astonishing high. "Then maybe I'll just help from behind."

As Bella leans back and widens her thighs for better access to playtime within her folds, the man watches from behind her and begins to assist.

His freehand slides down the front of her blouse, touching at her breasts and slowly teasing her hardened buds. As Bella plays with herself, her eyes loll closed from the high adrenaline of her two most favorite things, sex and a gamble.

The recruiter begins to slowly kiss her cheek, whispering lewd nothings in her ear as his lips trace her curly sideburns and edges. "Isn't this fun?" His strong grasp chokes her throat and causes Bella to moan out loud. "And don't tell me it's not, I hear the stirring of your cunt as if you were cooking sticky ramyeon. You fucking love this don't you?"

Beginning to notice her uncomfortable stirring in her seat, the recruiter refuses her orgasm unless it's on the tip of his weapon. Interrupting her masturbation, the man steps between Bella and the table, hiking her legs around his waist as Bella gasps and watches above her.

Her legs are spread wide around his large frame and shame fills her as she fails at an attempt to close them. "No, please."

"Shut up." The barrel breaches her entry causing Bella's back to arch from the chair. The metal is cold, unrealistically hard, and slightly sharp in some areas. But it's all part of their agreement.

He fucks her with it. Forcing at least four inches of cold steel in her each pump so he can find his satisfaction at the slight tug of her snugness around his barrel.

Her breathing is so rapid, she can't take her eyes off of what he's doing to her. Never in her life has she been fucked by anything but a cock or a vibrator, but tonight she watches an actual revolver pump into her as if the gun were to breed her with bullets.

"God!" She weeps from his brutish behavior. "S-Slow down!"

The recruiter grins. Although his wrist is becoming tired, the last thing he'll do is slow down. His eyes glue on the sight of pretty brown pussy soaking his gun and fingertips as it reddens each time he thrusts inside her. His jaw falls open and quickly tightens clenched shut as his erection against his dress slacks aches him like nothing before.

"Nuh-mmm!" Bella tries to refuse it and shout out 'no' but feeling so full has never felt better, instead of her refusal, a moan of clear thrill and discomfort fills the room, however the web of arousal soaking the black metal says otherwise about her enjoyment.

Feeling her climax beginning to fall over the edge, Bella grabs his wrist to end her torture.

"I wouldn't do that." He warns, sweating and brain short-circuiting with how turned on he is. "One little slip and I could pull this trigger, if you're not lucky this third time around, it could be you having a hot bullet soaring through your insides and splitting you in half."

She can't believe the thrill that trembles through his voice. He's loving every second of this.

Watching up at the older gentleman who has started to lose himself— sweating his pomade out and panting in desperation. Bella's eyes widen into fear and disbelief. "You—You frighten me."

He catches Bella by her throat, lifting her from her seat and into his gaze. The pumping of the gun as if it were a dildo quickens and roughens into deeper blows as she dangles in front of him. "And isn't being frightened absolutely exhilarating?"

He catches her gasps for air with his tongue kiss. He kisses her so well, Bella jolts feeling as if she is being fucked in a second place.

Pulling from the kiss he's given, the man notices his gun finding a harder time fucking her as Bella's hips buck and her walls tighten around it. She makes a strangled noise as her soul ascends, orgasming and falling limp into the recruiter's chest. It was never the steel of the gun that got her there... it was who was conducting it.

"You are just so pretty aren't you?" His grin is everlasting as he holds up his play toy of the night in his arms. For a taste of her fear and exhilaration, he licks a salty tear from her cheek. "Gripping this gun like you should, you might just be my best girl. Hm?"

Dumbfounded, sore, and fucked out, Bella nods with half-lidded eyes. Her legs are no good, trembling like a baby deer as she is placed back in her seat.

The recruiter wipes his weapon with his suit's handkerchief, soon wiping his own shot of cum as he reaches down his belt to adjust the erection that has been plaguing him for the last half hour.

"If you want to fuck me, you should've just lead with that." She watched his indecent adjustments. Bella catches her breath, biting the inside of her cheek as her nostrils flare with anger and hatred for the man.

"That would be nice, yes, but I want your fear and desperation just as much." He swipes his hair backwards and back into place, shooting Bella's round at the ceiling to find out it was just another empty shot and her time of being fucked by a weapon was for absolutely nothing. This alone makes him chuckle as Bella falls into even more disgust with herself. "It's all about the choices we make, isn't it sweetheart?"

He sighs with the gun to his head. "Well, I guess it's my turn again."

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The recruiter falls back into his chair as if he were drunk, maybe high off their kinky sex. He aims the gun at his skull and crosses the table back closely into her face. He begins to shake maniacally. The fourth shot. The probability of getting the bullet is much higher than it ever has been now. He knows the risks, however he's crazy and doesn't exactly give an entire fuck.

The fourth shot clicks, firing no bullet.

He takes a deep breath, nearly moaning as he sighs in relief.

It's time for the fifth shot... Bella's turn again.

So eager for another round of fucking her with his gun, it's clear that he's excited to pull the trigger and waste her shot on the ceiling so they can begin their fun again... But to his surprise, Bella has had a change of heart.

Embarrassment has eaten away at her during his turn. Twenty-six and living a life of gambling and debt so bad that tonight it's gotten to the point of allowing a strange man to fuck her with his weapon.

"Shoot it." Nearly suicidal and over this game of Russian Roulette, Bella hopes that the gun goes off.

...

"What?" His expression has changed to fear and worry. He attempts to keep up with his poker face, but he doesn't actually want to fire the gun worried that it could be the shot that kills her. This alone makes him angry. No one has ever made him come out of his character, never in his life has he second guessed a decision during a gamble.

"Sorry." She tilts her head in curious sarcasm. "Were you enjoying yourself too much when I'd skip my turn instead?"

He scoffs with a light chuckle, frustrated yet intrigued about her sass and defiance.

"This is stupid." He refuses. "Don't make me do this."

The recruiter's hand begins to tremble as the gun points in her direction.

She ignores him. Bella clutches her eyes tightly shut and awaits her last fifty-fifty chance. "Shoot it."

It pains him to pull the trigger without a clue if this could be the last time he ever lays eyes on the girl he has become infatuated with, but being that he is an employee of the Squid Game... no game should ever go unfinished.

The recruiter pulls the trigger...

They both sigh in relief being that the gun didn't go off. However, that only means one thing. The bullet is in the last round, and it's also his turn.

Beaten at his own game. How embarrassing, yet how impressive.

He begins. "The last shot... this bullet is going to kill me."

...

Bella refuses it. She doesn't want to see anyone die, she just wants it all to end. "Don't do it."

"You win." His smile now seems more like a goodbye instead of his mischievous smirk. "It's been a pleasure playing with you. I'd like to admit to having had one of the best evenings of my forty-five years of life with you tonight. I have found you to be incredibly delightful, it is sad that our time has come to its end. Call it a crush if you will."

"I don't even know your name!" Bella exclaims, trying her best to buy time. "You don't even know mine!"

"The code to my briefcase is four zeros." The recruiter ignores her. "Goodbye now."

The raised gun to his temple makes Bella panic.

He can't... She won't allow it.

With his finger on the trigger, Bella takes the opportunity to flip the table and smack the gun out of his hand as the shot fires. Bella and the recruiter watch the bullet shatter the hotel's glass mirror as the smell of both of their fright fills the entire room.

...

Able to breathe again, Bella realizes that it's finally over. No care for the money or there being a winner in the end, it's finally just over.

It's done and no one is dead. As Bella takes a moment of air to realize this happy ending, the recruiter quietly takes in her image instead.

In his line of work, there aren't happy endings. They usually end in a selfish moment with opponents who would have gladly taken his life for the briefcase full of money... but not her. Not Bella.

Without a selfish bone in her body, he watches the beauty who put his life before the money that she needs and he's never desired anything more than her. "I want your name."

Finally taking her eyes from the shattered glass mirror, she turns towards the recruiter in curiosity. "What? Oh— it's, Bella."

"Bella." He repeats with eyes swelling into full beating hearts. "Bella, Bella, Bella."He presses his lips to her neck with a gentle kiss. The most gentle and stable he's been all night.

The man lifts Bella's top from over her head, leaving her completely bare in his presence. His touch is soft as he pulls her closer to him with earth-shattering kisses against her lips, Bella accepts them without any hassle. He begins to strip out of his clothes, revealing a handsomely toned body with an enticingly long erection pressed against her belly. In the very moment, actions become much more important than words. The recruiter cherishes her body like gold, thanking her with heaven like caresses and gratitude. Their lips unlock for only a moment in time, as the man lifts her and places Bella gently on the bed, he licks his middle most fingers and slowly brings her back into heated passion with his gentle petting.

Biting her lip so hard that she tastes faint blood, Bella arches her back as the fingering collides with his tongue. Groaning in her pussy the man reacts to her taste as if he were starved. His breath and lapping tongue on her pearl brings her to hysterics. Wanting only to cum this next time on his cock, Bella's fingers dive deeply into his jet black hair as she slowly guides him towards her face with a hair pull. Together they share Bella's taste within their kiss and Bella widens her thighs, stretching open with need to feel his penetration.

Her hands reach down his washboard chiseled abdomen until her palm is wrapped around his rod directing him into her entrance. As his cockhead breaches her, the recruiter's jaw laxes into an opened drop. "Fuck..." He dissolves into pleasure as his most sensitive body part weakens him. The tip of his cock is no match for how well Bella is soon to make him feel.

Plummeting inside her cunt for a first stroke tightens his muscles as he begins to buck his hips upward, sleeving himself in the tightness of her heat. Bella wraps her arms around his neck as she quiets her own hushed sobs of pleasure.

His strokes are absent-minded power drives. Enamored and rushed with the feeling of perfect sex as he already wishes to relive this moment every day for the rest of his life. The recruiter takes a firm hold of Bella's ankle and places it over his shoulder, nailing her to the mattress as his cockhead continuously kisses at her cervix.

"Sweet baby." He complains. "God, I'm so close." Bella's purrs are throaty and weak, a spring in her core tightens and nears its release each time he makes a complaint— a beg from a fully grown man, like music to her ears.

"Faster, cum for me." Feeling his cock quake and pulse makes her world stutter on its axis, Bella explodes into oblivion. Moaning as a gasp of air drains her of all energy. Covered in her nectar, his cock even glistens in the moonlight. He pulls out once more and rams his erection inside for a finale. Her pussy spoils him with a lewdly tight hug and begins to drain him of cum, he pulls out a second too late, feverish and skyrocketing a design of his jizz from her cunt towards her belly button. A failed attempt, being that Bella's sex blew his mind and silenced the room into nothing but blank white noise.

A moment to stare at his mess nearly makes him dizzy. Not a day of work goes by ever this phenomenally. In this very bed, a deliciously gorgeous young woman continues to moan for more of him with his semen already trailing down her skin...

His Ddakji duties at the subway will just have to wait another night. Tonight the world has completely stopped, and well, the Squid Game will just have to wait.

The recruiter lifts the comforter over his head as he lays on top of a hypnotizing giggly Bella and swallowing her whole. Their bodies intwine beneath the covers and as Bella arches her back again for his taking, the recruiter realizes that the night is still young, extremely far, from being over.

———

Morning light wakes the two through the blinds of the hotel room's windows. Both too afraid to look at their phones knowing that Bella's will be filled with calls and messages from Gi-hun and the recruiter's will be full of his employer having long awaited for an update by now... they decide to just dress instead.

The tension is awkward. They are both sure they'll never experience a night like that again in their entire lives... but Bella is even a bit sad from the lack of eye contact and communication. After a night of being a man's toaster strudel and repetitively receiving his icing, makes it feel a bit impossible to just become strangers again.

Although silent, the recruiter still acts as a gentleman although he has now returned to his business like ways. He holds the door for Bella and even assisted in dressing her, however he can't bring himself to look at her in the eyes from the fear of wanting something that he knows in his line of work he can't have... a companion.

Out of the vintage hotel and back on the streets, the two begin to part ways... but the recruiter can't bring himself to do it. "Before you leave, I believe you still deserve the money you won from our game of Russian Roulette last night." He craves one more conversation from her, even if it means giving her everything that he has in his briefcase.

Hearing his voice is nice, but to Bella it's also a bit heartbreaking and bittersweet. He seems to be strictly back to business with no regard of what happened last night. "Double it and give it to the next person." She shrugs, voice cutely hoarse from a night of shouting from his sex. "Just don't give them as hard as a time to get it as I had."

He's again dumbfounded by her surprise response. Again reminded of how selfless the young woman truly is as his heart begins to swell. "Really?"

"Really." Bella begins to kick rocks in her baby blue pair of dusty old high-top converses, boredly waiting by her lonesome for the next bus to come her direction.

The recruiter tries his hardest to leave her as he continues to walk ahead, but something stops him, forcing him to turn around to her with a hand proposed outwards. "I'm looking for a business partner, are you interested?"

...

Staring at the handsome outstretched hand, she's strangely interested in taking it.

"Well, I can't say I like what you're doing." Her honesty is a breath of fresh air to the man who is used to constant finessors.

He chuckles. "You don't have to like it, just me."

...

She can't argue with that, because indeed she does.

Bella Haven thought that the biggest gamble she'd ever have to take was having her life on the line during a game of Russian Roulette, little did she know her biggest gamble would be to accept this man's hand and see where it takes her...

She does it anyways.

Fitting into his hand like a glove and against the side of his body as if she were made to be there, Bella accepts his offer to continue what they had started. "And your name?" She frowns in disbelief that they still have yet to be on a first name basis. "What should I call you?"

The recruiter gently tugs her closer to him, staring down upon her with a smile, he finds comfort in her being there beside him. "Call me yours."

[certifiablyinsanez]

I’ll come out and say it. I preferred season 2 of GO over season 1 and here’s why:

For starters, season 1 was great. Of course, it was our introduction to this marvelous story and world. But here’s my problems with it:

Too many characters, most of whom I don’t care about.

Anyone who says they don’t watch for Crowley and Aziraphale would be liars. We all love them and absolutely crave content surrounding them and their admittedly perfect love story. So with all the characters fit into season 1, several of which I couldn’t stand, it’s somewhat difficult for me to get through without constantly rolling my eyes. My problems with the characters stem as such:

The relationship between Anathema and Newt. Anathema is a strong, smart woman and Newt is honestly an absolute loser. To me he’s got the personality of a wet noodle and his biggest character trait is ‘make computer explode’. It’s like if Seamus from Harry Potter was given a role past his station in the story. They know each other for all of an hour and they end up kissing and having sex which to me is just weird and out of place. I’m fully convinced that wouldn’t have ever happened if Agnes hadn’t mentioned it. And even though I like Anathema, her purpose in the story feels a little…meh. Like sure she and the human computer virus stop nuclear Armageddon but like…I feel like Adam could’ve just been like “stop” and it would’ve had the same result.

Shadwell and Madame Tracey. Again, what do they even do other than provide comic relief and give Aziraphale a body to possess? Also, how is it that Crowley and Aziraphale have the best love story I’ve ever seen and yet in the same story there’s a ‘couple’ where the man, for years and years screams at you, calling you names and treating you like dirt and you….like it? Like, it feels like something an incel would think of as a cute relationship.

The Them. Honestly I can’t be too mad over this, they played annoying little 11 year olds very well, but like, they were irritating. Like Pepper, supposedly a feminist but then says pick-me stuff like “tHeY bOuGHt mE A giRLs BiKe”. Also says that if she were an alien she “wouldn’t bring messages of peace and harmony” but bring violence instead and then later against war says “I believe in peace”, like??? Brian was just so bland he doesn’t even deserve mentioning. Wensleydale? I dunno, the line “I believe in food, and a healthy lunch” like fuck you mean you believe in food???? He could’ve said something like “I believe that all people deserve food�� or something that, idk, actually made sense? And then there’s Adam and I’m sorry but the ENTIRE BUILD UP OF THE SEASON ENDING WITH “you’re not my dad”…really? He makes it seem like he loves his dad but Mr. Swindon Ambassador is a total TWAT. That whole bit was just anticlimactic to me.

Overall I feel like a ton of screen time on these characters just don’t do it for me. Season 2 on the other hand? Completely eliminates non essential characters. I’ve heard people complain about “lack of depth” in the new season and honestly, idk if they were just on the toilet or watching their phone for the whole season or what but here’s what I LOVE about season 2 that missed the mark in season 1.

The characters were just *chefs kiss*. They bring back Gabriel, an absolutely abysmal character from the last season and somehow make us love him. They introduce Muriel, who is just a peach! People seem mad over the fact that their character is just “cheerful ditz” and I will FIGHT YOU FOR THEIR HONOR. Their character is so much more than that for a start, and it’s very clear that their presence is important for the story. They took Beezlebub who had no depth in the previous season (negative depth actually), and gave them purpose and a role. If anything Nina and Maggie aren’t really my faves but at least they were more human in representation than season 1 relationships. But my favorite bit?

None of the characters on screen felt like wasted time.

Not once didn’t I roll my eyes or wish they’d get to the good bit. I enjoyed watching all these characters interact towards the greater story. But even better? We were fed with aziracrow content. An absolute feast! And I can’t believe y’all are complaining. I could genuinely just watch an entire series of their antics over the millennia I love them so much, so for people to say it was slow, boring and lacked depth is borderline offensive.

For a transitional piece, it was masterful.

[duhdumb89]

A Forbidden Happiness | Chapter 48

The food spread over Shen huang gui fei's dining table was rank. There were plates of fatty, slimy meat, a bowl of strange fried noodles, greasy barbecue, and stinky mutton and camel dishes. The servants had to open every window and door so the sour smells didn't linger in her palace.

"Huabao," Shen huang gui fei said, cringing as her daughter slurped down a cup of sour yak milk, "Wouldn't you like something else to eat? His Majesty and I had lunch yesterday, and the food was so lovely. Should I send for some?"

Shaking her head, Huabao said, "Maybe later. This is all I've wanted since I returned! Ah! Thankfully, Royal Grandmother let me borrow her chef. A-niang, you don't want to try?"

Huabao placed a piece of slimy mystery meat on Shen huang gui fei's plate, a bright smile on her face.

Shen huang gui fei turned away from the sight with a strained laugh, "What about birds nest's soup? Jingse will make a fresh batch for you,"

Huabao wrinkled her nose before turning to the handmaid she'd dragged back to the palace, Tuya. Tuya was short, squat, and dark. In any other circumstance, Shen huang gui fei would have never let her set foot in Zhongcuigong.

"Are there any more of the sweet milk curds?"

"No, First Princess," replied Tuya.

"I'll just have Royal Grandmother's chef make more," said Huabao, returning to her meal.

Who was this girl sitting across from her? This wild thing? This stranger who nodded her head quietly as The Empress Dowager promised her a crop of maids to bring with her into her new household?

As the days passed, the distance between Shen huang gui fei and her child grew. Gone was the daughter who clutched her skirts and hung on her every word. Now, there was a woman who often stank of the stables and didn't care to even look at the portrait of her future husband. Huabao barely cared a lick about her marriage at all. Whenever Shen huang gui fei tried to guide Huabao about running her new household, the girl found an excuse to run away. Not to mention that her attitude during any of the pre-marriage ceremonies bordered on apathy. Huabao turned her nose up at the embroidery and calligraphy they had so much fun with, instead opting to run off, race horses, and shoot arrows with her brothers.

With each wall Huabao was determined to put up between them, Shen huang gui fei grew angrier. Her daughter would have never ended up like this if it wasn't for The Empress. Her daughter would still be her little girl and His Majesty's precious pearl if The Empress hadn't sunk her claws into her. Shen huang gui fei was sure that the bitch had something up her sleeve for Huabao's wedding. Why wouldn't she? Her maternal cousins were married to His Majesty's favored brother, she had two sons, and soon, she would have a direct connection to the Fuca clan.

If The Empress struck now, everything Shen huang gui fei had worked so hard for would go up in flames. Shen huang gui fei wasn't going to wait around and let that happen.

✺

Shen huang gui fei had never paid much attention to to Bai gonggong. He had been Fung gonggong's deputy eunuch for as long as she had been in the Forbidden City. Fung gonggong had always been the bigger fish, but he was, unfortunately, unswayable. As old as he was, he had no family to support or possibly hold hostage. He was an eunuch in all senses of the word, so a beautiful woman was as good as dirt to him, and he worshipped no one but the man under whom he rose to power: The Late Emperor. His Majesty was a close second, but the eunuch did everything in his old master's name. No concubine could push him to one side or the other, as he would defer to The Empress or The Empress Dowager as the rules permitted. Trying to bother with him was a waste of time and energy.

Bai gonggong, however, from what Jingse could gather, was nothing of the sort. He was easy to ignore and, for the right price, could get a servant where they needed to go. None of the concubines paid him notice, but he managed to collect a tidy sum from the other eunuchs and maids to switch departments or to keep secrets secret. It was rumored that the only reason he became Fung gonggong's deputy was because he was the cause of the front runner's violent end with a wild horse.

"Your Highness," he said, gesturing to the painted porcelain pots that his eunuchs held behind him, "I scoured the Storage House to find the finest gift for First Princess's wedding,"

The pots were fine. Certainly, nothing that Shen huang gui fei found to be up to her standards, but that wasn't the real reason she called him here anyway. If her intuition was correct then Bai gonggong wouldn't be opposed to helping Shen huang gui fei with her little problem.

"That one there," she said, pointing to a yellow and blue gourd-shaped pot, "Bring it closer,"

Before the eunuch holding her choice could even lift his head, Bai gonggong snatched it away and brought it to Shen huang gui fei.

Obedient. Good.

"Did you pick this one yourself, gonggong?" She asked, pretending to inspect the craftsmanship.

"Of course, Your Highness,"

A liar as well. Very good.

"You have a very good eye, gonggong,"

"This slave doesn't deserve your praise, Your Highness,"

"I'll take this one," Shen huang gui fei said, handing the pot to A'Fang, before nodding at Jingse, "Give Bai gonggong his reward,"

Bai gonggong's eyes glittered at the sight of the silver tael in Jingse's hand.

"Your Highness is too kind," he said, not hesitating to take the money. He bowed low, "We'll take our leave,"

"Stay a moment, gonggong. There's a task I'd like you to help me with," said Shen huang gui fei.

"I'm only a lowly deputy, Your Highness," Bai gonggong replied, "Perhaps Fung gonggong would be better suited to serve you?"

As deferential as the words were, there was no mistaking the way his grip tightened on the reward in his hands.

"No, you'll do just fine,"

Bai gonggong eagerly shooed the other eunuchs away.

"How may I serve you, Your Highness?"

✺

As the candles burned high and bright, a trickle of sweat slid down An pin's temple and nestled itself in the fabric of her collar. It was the height of summer now and she usually wouldn't subject herself to being steamed like a piece of fish, but she hunkered down in Dafuge for a reason. Cao taiyi had finally become worth An pin's while.

"Your Highness," Weiwei hissed as she hurried back from the courtyard facing windows, "Limei is here,"

Immediately, An pin began to poke at her thighs with a sharp pin to help the tears fall from her eyes. By the time Limei walked through the doors, An pin would have worked herself up into a respectable crying fit.

From what Weiwei could gather, Limei had been Guang pin's dowry maid and her closest confidant. Since Guang pin's death, the girl haunted the Forbidden City like a pale ghost, skulking from her new post at the Ice House to the Dafuge to pray for Guang pin's soul and back again.

The door creaked open.

"Meimei," An pin blubbered, "Meimei, I'm so sorry,"

"Your Highness?"

An pin pretended to be startled and whirled around.

"Your Highness An pin!" Limei said, dropping to her knees to bow.

An pin sniffled and rubbed the tears from her cheeks, "Rise,"

Limei glanced at Guang pin's memorial tablet, "Are you here to speak with my mistress?"

An pin nodded before gazing at the shrine, "Do you come here very often, Limei?"

Limei's eyes opened wide, as if she couldn't believe that An pin knew her name at all before nodding her head, "Yes, Your Highness. We never went a day without seeing each other...before, so it's become a habit,"

An pin sighed, "I came here because my heart is heavy. I was hoping meimei could ease my sorrows,"

"I didn't know that you and Guang pin were close, Your Highness," replied Limei.

Shaking her head, An pin pressed a hand to her heart, "We weren't. But I wish I could back and change things,"

Her voice dropped to a low whisper, "Maybe then I could have protected her,"

Limei reared back as if she had been struck, her pale face somehow going even whiter.

"What?" She croaked out?

An pin shook her head and scrambled to her feet, making a point to stumble even as Weiwei buoyed her.

"Nothing," An pin whispered, "I won't keep you from your conversation,"

An pin began ambling to the door.

"Your Highness, wait!" Limei said, running in front of her, "What did you say just then? What did you mean?"

Limei clawed at An pin's sleeve desperately. An pin snatched her arm away.

Weiwei pushed Limei to the side, "How dare you put your hands on An pin?! Get out of the way!"

An pin squeezed out more tears and brought her handkerchief to her mouth to muffle her sobs. It was a good performance but unfortunately, Limei looked defeated. She stood there quietly, not bothering to come after An pin again. What a waste!

However, just as An pin thought the whole endeavor wasn't worth her while, Limei sprung back to life. She planted herself in front of the door and kneeled.

"Your Highness, I beg you! I beg you! Please tell me! Please tell me so I can honor my mistress!"

Each cry was punctuated with a dull 'clunk' as Limei bashed her head into the ground.

Ah! Finally!

"Weiwei, help her up," said An pin.

Weiwei did as she was told.

Limei lifted her head as a thin stream of blood dribbled down her face. An pin pressed her handkerchief to it.

"You shouldn't hurt yourself like this, Limei,"

Limei shook her head, "This body is nothing. I'm only here to honor Guang pin's name,"

An pin released a theatric sigh, "If I tell you what I meant, do you promise to act sensibly?"

The girl nodded frantically, obviously lying.

Putting on a nervous tick and fiddling with her nail guards, An pin began, "When Wang Rong was alive, she was my dearest friend after we entered the palace together. We grew close for a time, but as His Majesty acquired more and more women and her favor wasn't so everlasting, she grew bitter and angry. Especially at your mistress,"

An pin paused for dramatic effect.

"One night, I thought to drop in and have dinner with Wang Rong. I didn't bother to announce myself because it was so late. She was talking to her maids and I heard her say... I...I didn't do anything about it because I couldn't imagine she would do something so drastic. And I couldn't imagine that Shen huang gui fei would help her,"

Limei's lips wobbled but no sound emerged.

"I didn't think of it again. After meimei's death, so many things happened. But a few months ago, she came to me in a dream and begged me to find the truth. She wanted me to know that it wasn't just the childbed that...that the labor didn't take her,"

"I began asking around," An pin continued, "I even sent a physician around to ask Guang pin's servants about her food and drink,"

"That was you? You sent that doctor?" Limei said before biting her lip, "What...what did he find?"

An pin blinked away a new set of tears, "Do you remember when a gift from Wang Rong came for your mistress? Herbs to keep her beauty?"

Limei, thankfully, caught on quickly to what An pin was implying.

"But, we sent it to the Imperial Hospital," Limei said, her voice shaking, "They said it was safe,"

"Do you know if they tested the entire jar or just the top?" An pin said, pulling a lie out of thin air.

Limei shook her head and pursed her lips, "I-I don't know,"

"That night, Wang Rong told her maids that she knew you sent the medicine for inspection and was glad she listened to Shen huang gui fei about filling the top of herbs with something harmless,"

"It was poison? She poisoned Guang pin?" 

"In a way. Guang pin was taking bu gu zhi. If you and I were to take it, even for years at a time, it wouldn't harm us. But for a pregnant woman, it's fatal,"

Limei crumpled to the ground and stared at An pin, in a dazed silence.

For an uncomfortable stretch of time, the girl sat there, slumped at An pin's feet without a single blink. An pin fought the scowl that was desperate to be on her face. This wasn't the response she expected. She was hoping for righteous anger or woeful tears! Not this corpse.

Instead of slapping her, An pin said softly, "Limei? Are you alright?"

"Why,"

An pin paused.

"Why?"

Limei spoke again, "Why would Shen huang gui fei do this?"

An pin knelt on the ground before grabbing Limei's hand, "The back palace is a glittering slate of beauty that masks the evil of the mind. I thought we were close but after finding out the truth. I don't know what to think,"

"Do you think she did it so she could finally have a prince?" Weiwei asked, skillfully inserting herself into the conversation.

"I," An pin said, her lips quivering, "I can't believe that. Shen huang gui fei couldn't have know that meimei would even give birth to sons,"

"Your Highness, didn't you think it was strange that out of the blue, everyone was banned from visiting Guang pin, except for Shen huang gui fei? Could it be that she wanted Guang pin to think that no one but her cared for her?"

An pin shook her head, "I don't know what to think, Weiwei. I don't want to keep thinking of these things in such a holy place,"

She swayed to the side to make a point.

"Your Highness, you've gone pale. I'll take you back to Chuxiugong,"

An pin nodded, but before she let Weiwei lead her away, she kneeled to grab Limei's hands again.

"Don't lose your head over this Limei. Wang Rong and Shen huang gui fei may have wronged your mistress, but she was only the bottom rung in the ladder of this cruel place. If you truly want to honor Guang pin, you'll live a good, long life with her memory in your heart,"

Limei sagged to the ground as if her shoulders weighed a thousand pounds.

"I will, Your Highness. Thank you for your grace,"

"Your Highness," Weiwei said as they began their trek back to Chuxiugong, "Do you think she'll be able to do anything without your help? What if this was a waste?"

An pin shrugged, "I have faith in her. Though, if it amounts to nothing, I still have plenty of things in store for Shen huang gui fei,"

✺

Jiayi was broke. Absolutely emptied out. She would probably have to sell one of the gifts Xiang pin gave her to be able to send something back to Wei Jiayi's family. As perilous as the situation was, Jiayi didn't feel anything but the outrageous amount of butterflies in her stomach. Before Xiang pin had laid down for her afternoon nap, Jiayi asked permission to drop by the clothing house and pick up some fabric for a dress. It was only half a lie. She did pick out some fabric–a few bundles of rich black silk–but it wasn't for a dress.

It was for Prince Han's gift.

Jiayi had thought long and hard about what she could possibly give to someone like him and the idea finally came to her as she watched Xiang pin 'ooh' and 'ahh' over a brocade pajama set that The Emperor had sent her before declaring that she would sew a set for him as a gift in return. The thought nailed itself to the flesh of Jiayi's brain.

She and Prince Han were together. Those were the sort of gifts people gave to one another, right? Before she could lose her courage, Jiayi had spent the money and bought the fabric. The sight of it folded innocently in the basket on her arm made her heart race. She wouldn't just give Prince Han the pajamas, obviously. That would be too much! She would paint him something with her Hubi. Maybe when she asked Sang'er to give her Prince Han's measurements, she'd ask if Prince Han had any favorite poems or sutras so she could paint something to hang on his wall. Jiayi was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the sight of Shen huang gui fei's and First Princess's raised chairs. She moved herself to the side and kneeled as the entourage passed by.

Since First Princess's return, Shen huang gui fei's time revolved entirely around the wedding. While things had been quiet, they all knew better than to count Shen huang gui fei out. They were as vigilant as they could be. Jiayi rose to her feet as the servants passed her by. She paused as a familiar yet unfamiliar face brought up the rear of Shen huang gui fei's line of maids. She had seen the maid's face before, somewhere, but never as a servant of Zhongcuigong. Before she could bring a face to the name, a eunuch stopped in front of her.

"Wei guniang?"

Jiayi clutched her basket tightly. She had never seen this eunuch before, "Yes?"

"Fung gonggong has asked for you,"

Jiayi's throat dried up in an instant. She croaked out a laugh, "I'm sorry gonggong, but I have to return to my mistress–,"

"Her Highness Xiang pin has already been informed," he replied, "This way. Quickly," 

[hughungrybear]

Me watching Dangerous Romance Ep.7:

1. I'm excited! Who's excited? We'll finally know the aftermath of the kiss. I mean, after Kanghan explicitly told Sailom that all he feels for him is guilt, how would he explain the kiss??? 😤😤😤

2. Waaaaait, hold up. Is grandma sick??? Also, Sailom is back in Kang's house eating dinner with the family but the two still seems a whole lot of awkward with each other. 😶

3. Oh, so Kang and Sailom didn't get to talk? Dammit, Guy and Auto. Also, that's no fair, Kang - telling Sailom you don't want to see him with anybody else but still have not retracted the part that all you feel is guilt and pity for him.

4. I almost forgot that they have connected bedrooms via a shared bathroom. Oooh, the possibilities lol 😅😅😅

5. Kang: "Give it to me straight". Me: "He can't. He is gay/bi." 😂😂😂 Yeah, I'll see myself out 😅😅😅

6. I laughed when Kang asked if Sailom wants to be his boyfriend. I mean, really? Really? Just the previous episode you were ready to punch Sailom for breaking Pimfah's heart and has also broke his heart in the process. No apologies? No backsies?? WTF. 😭😤

7. It's awfully quiet back there that if I'm the car driver, I would be suspicious 😂😂😂 Also, look at Kang's smile when Sailom opened the (bathroom) door for him.

8. Okay, Kang being completely honest about his feeling for Sailom is 😭😭😭😭 but his way of flirting is 😅😅😅😅😅 .

Guys, I died laughing. I already ascended to heaven (or descended to hell, am not really fussy about these things lol)

9. On the bright side, having Kang as a boyfriend means Sailom (and his friends) will never be hangry as he kept buying food/feeding Sailom tasty treats lol

10. Oooh, so Kang decided to start gaining Sailom's friends' trust by bringing them food? What are Guy and Auto, alley cats??? Lol.

11. Oh no! Grandma, be well 😭😭😭 Why were you lifting heavy objects? You are rich! Call someone to do it for you next time 😭😭😭

(Sidenote: My Grandma did something similar. She went ahead and used a ladder to change a lightbulb in her house but the ladder collapse under her weight and she hit her hip. After that, her hip deteriorated as she did not go to a doctor because she didn't want to 'waste' money. She was never able to regain her ability to walk and had to use a wheelchair until she died.)

12. Lightning striking just as Saifah swearing that he will never manipulate Kang's grandma to buy him things is peak comedy 😂😂😂 Also, yeah I don't trust Saifah. No offence but he hasn't done anything (in this series) that paints him as trustworthy lol

13. I forgot that Sailom's fave dish is grilled fish and veggies. But how did Kang know? Lol. See, told you Kang is treating Sailom's friends like pets 😂😂😂 Ngl though, I would have eaten the snacks and still not trust Kang to pull a prank or two lol

14. Wait, did Pimfah really asked Kang or is that an excuse? Also did they tell Pimfah about what is happening them or did they just let her figure things out? 😑

15. I would ignore the fact that Kang raided Sailom's drawers (without asking, mind) to get that shirt, but focus on his relentless cheesy flirting in a public transportation lol

16. Another sidenote: I cannot believe, not even for a second, that Kang's noodle is NOT spicy. For better or for worse, authentic Thai food is almost always spicy even without the chilis. Lol. Also, not related to the plot or story, if it's available in your local Asian grocery and don't mind spicy food, try the MAMA and MAMA OK instant noodles (esp. the salted egg flavour).

17. Tbf, I don't think it is just the spicy noodles. I doubt Kang has any experience shopping in a crowded public market. I mean, as a kid, my mum also used to drag me to our country's Chinatown market (because that's where all the cheap goods are) to shop and hated every minute of it because of the crowd, the heat, and the smell of wet goods exposed under the hot sun.

18. Auto: "We are not down to earth. We are just dirt poor". Harsh, but extremely accurate lol

Also Auto: We don't mind that (Kang spending money on them). Throw it all you want. We're all for it. Throw it this way. Screw dignity! Keep throwing! Don't hold back! 😂😂😂😂

19. Kang's road to romance is a bit rocky. It's a given that Auto and (more specifically) Guy will have a difficult time trusting Kang after the bullying incident in the first episodes. However, Kang's friends are also bonafide a**holes, even without Kang's prompting. 😅

20. Where is my Guy and Nava ship??? I swear if GMMTV does this like they did TiwPor in MSP (as if an afterthought), I WILL RIOT. 😤😤😤

21. Wait a freaking minute. These are high school students. I'm not saying I was a saint at that age, but I drunk beer in the privacy of my friend's backyard lol. Pretty sure underage drinking in a public place like a bar is illegal even in Asia.

22. It turns out, Auto is the worst kind of drunk lol. Also, I believe Chimon when he said Sailom cannot dance. You'll understand if you have seen an episode of the School Rangers 😂😂😂😂

23. Uhm, Miss, stop grinding. He is gay. Lol.

24. I mean, alcohol is not the best relationship starter, but if it will set my GuyNava ship to sail, I will take it (as long as everything is consentual, ofc) 😅😅😅

25. See, it is illegal. But Auto, learn to run faster, gawd dammit. Also, what would happen to Kang? Will his father scold him? I highly doubt it since they have been painting the man as "doting" to the point that Kang cannot disappoint him because he does not expect anything great or good from Kang. However, this might ruin his political dreams, so we'll see.

26. The dad finally getting angry with Kang only because it can potentially ruin his election run is all kinds of messed up. 😑

27. At this point, Sailom has displaced Kang as the favourite grandson lol

28. Ugh, Saifah. What are you planning??? Don't ruin this for Sailom 😭😭😭😭

29. Oof. The cheerleader outfits are cute. They look like Sailormoon's transformation outfit. 😍

30. Why are you flirting in front of everyone's salad, Kang? 😅😅😅 You have a game to play. Focus. 😆😆😆

31. I know people have been pointing out the similarities between this series and BBS. I guess the true test of acceptance is when your bff learns to play well together with your (not-yet) bf in a football match 😂😂😂

32. Kang being anxious that Guy (and Auto) will never like him for missing that goal is 😔😔😔 Also, I commend Guy (and Auto) for being so sharp, it hurts lol. Unlike some "friends" (looking at you, Wai) 🙄

Officially boyfriends!!! Will Kang ramp up his cheesy flirting? Also, Saifah being on Ms Ging's medical team CANNOT be a good thing. The man is not above stealing from patients. I can smell trouble.

[nirikeehan]

Oh my gosh, it’s Friday already? Amazing! Since you’re in the mood for prompts this week, I’d love to read your take on Thalia and Rylen’s friendship. Something sweet along the lines of sharing a favorite food?

Hi Aby, thank you! Just noodling around here, trying to get a feel for Rylen's voice and doing some fun scene setting in the Western Approach. Oh and Thalia gets awkward about her crush on Cullen. 🤷‍♀️

For @dadrunkwriting

WC: 1622

---

The blazing sun hung low on the horizon, washing the forbidding landscape in hues of blood red. Thalia retreated slowly from Griffon Wing Keep’s battlements. As much as the Western Approach fascinated her, she was grateful the day of scouting was done, and she could get out of the scorching heat. 

The Inquisition had set up camp in the fortress, making use of the near-ruin as best it could. Few locations inside the Keep were structurally sound enough to be occupied, but the courtyards and baileys had been deemed fit. The place was alive with tents filled with personnel, stalls for vendors, drilling soldiers and laboring craftsmen, all under the billowing sunshade erected to keep out the elements. 

Thalia had learned quickly no place in the Approach was free from the heat, not really — not until the sun went down. Then the brutally high temperatures would drop, and the night winds would rise, bringing with them the cool respite that escaped them all day. Thalia constantly found herself yearning for nightfall. 

Her stomach rumbling, she walked to the shaded pavilion that served as a mess hall. To say food in the Approach was scarce was an understatement. The Inquisition relied on supply lines to import most anything edible, and even then, it was difficult to keep perishables for very long. For the last week everyone in the keep had been subject to deathroot salad and rock-hard loaves of bread, which had many of the soldiers grumbling. Only cracking open an additional cask of ale had prevented a riot, Thalia suspected. 

Thalia got in line with a mix of soldiers and agents, grabbing a wooden trencher and nodding politely in the direction of the salutes from those who recognized her. She was dirt-streaked and sunburnt, her hair messily gathered at the nape of her neck because she couldn’t bear the effort it took to braid it in the morning with the sun upon her. She certainly wouldn’t mind if she wasn’t recognized right now.

She accepted her meager fare and retreated to one of the long wooden tables to eat. Usually she passed the time with her companions, but had decided to give Varric and Hawke sometime alone to catch up; Dorian was neck deep in some magical research he promised to share with her as soon as he had a breakthrough; Blackwall complained of a headache and excused himself from her presence early. She suspected there was more going on there — he’d been even testier than usual ever since their confrontation with Livius Erimond out in the sands. But as always with the Grey Warden, when he sheathed himself in his own mental fortifications, it was hopeless to attempt scaling them. 

Thalia dug at her listless bed of greens with a fork and sighed, wishing for the catered comforts of Skyhold. 

“This seat taken?” asked a voice that was at once familiar and foreign. 

Thalia squinted upward. Standing before her was the leader of Griffon Wing Keep’s battalion. 

She straightened. “Knight-Captain Rylen.” 

“Inquisitor.” He saluted. “Forgive me if I’m interrupting.” 

“Of course not,” Thalia said. She smiled ruefully. “Though I’m surprised you recognized me through all the dirt.”

“With all due respect, my lady, it’d take a little more than dust to render you unrecognizable. And it is my job to keep eyes on you at all times.” 

Thalia hesitated, wondering if she should allow herself a chuckle. Rylen had a blunt, pragmatic affect, and she was often unsure if he was slipping in a sly joke amidst the monotone. 

“Fair enough, Knight-Captain. Please, you may sit.” 

Rylen nodded in gratitude and removed his helmet. Beneath was a head of closely cropped dark hair. Some of it stuck to his scalp with sweat. He had a face tanned from the many weeks spent out in the Approach, honest and not unattractive. The tattoos lining his features, which Thalia had noted upon their first meeting, stood out ever more prominently. She bit her lip, thinking of her own tattoo adorning her right eye. He had not remarked upon it before, out of what she suspected was courtesy, and she had done the same to him.

Rylen sat down across from her, stripping off his leather gloves, the chainmail on his shoulders clinking. 

“Is it terribly hot in all that armor?” Thalia found herself asking. She’d taken to wearing linens and silks to stave off the scorching heat, and could hardly imagine anyone standing that much leather and mail. 

“Like standing on the surface of the sun, but I’d rather sweat my bollocks off than be caught unawares if Corypheus decided to pay us a visit.” Rylen hesitated, adding quickly, “Begging your pardon for my language, Your Worship.” 

Thalia snickered. “It’s all right. I am not so offended by a coarse lexicon.”

“Well, thank the Maker for that.” Rylen smiled good-naturedly. “When Cullen first wrote me about you, I worried you’d be too prim and proper for words. Don’t get me wrong, you are prim and proper, but I met a few highborn Ostwick girls back in the Marches, and they were — easily offended, I dare say.”

Thalia knew the type well; she’d spent her childhood with such girls. Despite being estranged from her family for over a decade, she suspected her sister Laela and that ilk hadn’t changed much. “And you said you were from Starkhaven, yes? Do you miss it?” 

“A little, here and there,” Rylen admitted, digging through the leather pouch slung through his belt. “Though working for the Inquisition has been a good deal more exciting than being a Starkhaven Templar ever was.” 

Thalia had nearly forgotten. She remembered Rylen and Cullen were colleagues, but the distinction of Templars and mages seemed so away, with the Circles dissolved and the threat of Corypheus on the horizon. “I can only imagine,” she murmured. 

He set down a flask heavily on the table between them, and beside it a wrapped package. Thalia frowned, her eyebrows shooting up as Rylen unwrapped a pristine wheel of cheese, plump and veined with red wine. “Is that— Tantervale gruyere? All the way out here?”

Rylen shot her a vaguely guilty smirk. “Aye. Been waiting for the requisitions delivery for weeks. And the flask’s got Marcher honeywine, about as chilled as I’ve been able to get it down in the cellars.” He pushed the flask toward her as he broke off a hunk of cheese. “Care for some?” 

“Care for some? I’ve been wasting away on deathroot and scrubgrass salads.” 

“Well then.” Rylen wiggled his eyebrows. “Consider this a humble offering for the Inquisitor.” 

Thalia knew the diplomatic thing to do was politely refuse. But she snatched up the flask and drank in the sweet, cool tang of the honeywine, and was instantly reminded of summers spent at her family’s country estate. She sighed wistfully, handing the flask back to Rylen. “I thank you, ser. This is most kind of you.”

Rylen shrugged. “It’s the little things, right? Keeps you sane.” 

They fell into easy conversation, each nibbling on the crumbly cheese and taking sips from Rylen’s flask. As dusk fell, bringing with it a wonderfully cool breeze, and Thalia’s head was pleasantly fuzzy, she said, “Could you tell me more about Commander Cullen? What he was like when you knew him in Kirkwall? He doesn’t speak of it much.” 

Rylen ducked his head, like he was both unsurprised she’d asked and reluctant to speak of it. “It was a dark time, Inquisitor. At this point, people have heard much about the destruction in Kirkwall, but it was nothing compared to seeing it firsthand. The entire infrastructure was in ruins. Everyone who could possibly be put in charge of city leadership was dead. There was no viscount, no First Enchanter, no Grand Cleric, no Templar Knight-Commander. Chaos. Just bleeding chaos, that’s what it was.” He gestured vaguely with the flask in hand. “I’ve never seen anything like it, and we’re at war. I stayed because Cullen seemed to be the only one who didn’t give a rat’s arse — pardon my Orlesian — about the bureaucratic posturing. Just wanted to make the place safe again. Just wanted the civilian suffering to stop.” 

Thalia pressed her lips together. Rylen’s impassioned speech had stirred something within her; certain fluttering admiration she felt when thinking of the Inquisition’s commander. “I have seen those qualities in him as well.”

Rylen tilted his head at her. “Are you sweet on him or something?”

Thalia’s eyes widened. “No!” She lowered her head, hoping he couldn’t see her face redden in the gathering dark. “I mean you don’t— I don’t know what you mean.” How much honeywine had she drunk, to be this inarticulate?

“Forgive me, Inquisitor. I fear that was too bold of me.” Rylen sat up straight, rubbing a calloused hand over his  hair, leaving it sticking up in short spikes. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you were, is what I’m trying to say.” 

“Oh?” Thalia said faintly. “Really?” 

“Really. Poor man’s too closed off by half. I suppose that’s what happens when you spend so much time staring into the abyss, but…” Rylen trailed off. “Never mind. That wine must’ve fermented more on the trip here, to have my tongue this loose.” 

“It’s all right, Knight-Captain.” Thalia cleared her throat. “I… appreciate your counsel.” 

“Don’t tell him I said any of this?” Rylen shot her a guilty look. “I fear he’ll court-martial me if he knew.” 

Thalia let out a surprised laugh. “You don’t have to worry.”

Besides, to tell Cullen any of this, she would have to admit to him that… well… how did she feel about him? She grinned sheepishly. 

“Your secret is safe with me.”

[sarah-sandwich-writes]

Woolen Hollow sounds so intriguing and draws me in!! Tell me about it!!

Okay so Woolen Hollow is my fantasy novel that I got 10k into and then realized it was boring so I set aside the draft and started over but this time in 1st person POV (which I've never written in before) to give it a more engaging voice and I started with them already on the road rather than dinking around at home and I like it sooooo much better now. Unfortunately I've only written just over 1k because other things have the priority rn

But there is magic! The kind you control and the kind that controls you. And there is love! The kind between siblings (for better or for worse), between two boys lost in the woods and the world, and between a girl and her sheep. And there is a conniving lying cheat of a fiance who thinks she's hot shit but is ultimately going to be taken down by a closeted shut-in who will carry the guilt of scrambling her noodle for the rest of his life. There will be choices and consequences and lots of bickering and banter because I'm still me.

Anyway, meet Midge and Jax!

*

“Sweet soil, Midge. Keep it down or they’ll think we raised you with the sheep.”

I don’t pause my cursing for a second as Jax squats in front of me where I’m sat, filthy and tear-stained, at the base of the tree that did me wrong. He reaches for my arm but a hard boot to his knee knocks him on his ass and gives me precious seconds to come to terms with the hot, sharp pain radiating from my forearm.

Jax shakes his hair out of his eyes and glares. “The longer you drag this out, the further behind we’re going to fall and you know none of them will wait for us.”

“You’re not even supposed to be here,” I spit. I draw my arm against my chest and press back into the tree as he gets to his knees. “This is my thing. You should be at home in your closet.”

“Did I hallucinate your last ten birthdays? You sound like a child.” He reaches for me again. “Hold still. I need to see how bad it is.”

With grit teeth, I hold very still.

Jax sighs. “You are the most obstinate— Let me see it.”

With great reluctance, I uncurl from around my arm and hold it aloft for him to see. It looks fine. Normal. There’s some blood on my sleeve but that’s from earlier when I had to chase Sarsaparilla out of the bramble. I’ll be up for hours tonight combing the stickers from her wool while she’s too drowsy to put her usual fight.

With deft fingers, Jax unties the leather cord that keeps my sleeve flush against my skin, both for insulation and to keep from leaving tattered bits of cloth all through the forest, and rolls back my sleeve.

I suck in a sharp breath and look away. Blood I can handle. Feces, fine. Snot, sweat, sheep urine, and other various oozes and slimes—bring it on.

But bodies bending where they should not? Lumps that speak of damage unseen under the surface, broken with no clear simple treatment? It makes my skin crawl.

Jax clicks his tongue. “You got yourself good, smidgling.”

“Take your dirt nap, jaxass.”

He ignores me. “I have some [APOTHECARY STUFF] in my pack. It’ll help with the pain and swelling. If you take [MORE APOTHECARY STUFF] and let me splint it, it should be usable by next week.”

“That’s forever. There’s so much I have to—,”

“I can’t work miracles,” he snaps. “I’m telling you what I can do.”

He juts to his feet and towers over me, but not in an intimidating way. More like a stick bug—all bones with no meat—or a single reed in a field of clover, doomed to be slapped around in the wind without the protection of a bed. If he didn’t hole himself up with his cauldron day in and day out, he’d be as broad as Ham. Instead, he’s thin, whippy, and about as threatening as a cooked noodle.

I stagger to my feet and don’t bother trying to swat away the dirt that clings to my pants. Sudden movement makes a shooting pain fly up my arm, through my shoulder, and into my teeth. You only chew tin foil once before you learn to not fucking do that.

“Let’s catch up to the group. Maybe Ham can grow me a new arm. I bet it’ll only take a minute.”

Jax makes a sour face and turns on his heel. His long-legged stride takes no consideration for my short quick steps. “If we’re lucky he’ll grow you a new head while he’s at it.”

The rock I kick ricochets off his ankle and disappears into the forest but he doesn’t give me the satisfaction of looking back.

Brothers.

[victorluvsalice]

But of course, Victor and Smiler had to dress up too! So, once they'd completed their pumpkins -- both excellent quality, I'm proud to reveal -- I had them pick their costumes! Victor stayed with Alice's space-related theme and put on an astronaut suit, while Smiler ended up as a cheerleader as I wanted to see what the masculine form of the outfit looked like. Kinda -- dull, honestly. I was expecting something with brighter colors. *shrug* Ah well, at least I'm sure it was comfortable! They headed inside to noodle around on their instruments -- Victor working again on that damn song that's been in his inventory for AGES because songs take TOO LONG TO WRITE; Smiler just singing someone else's song on their guitar -- while Alice headed upstairs to nuzzle Kelly and give her some love --

AND THEN, A POSSESSED CHILD APPEARED. O.O Well, more specifically, a random kid came up on the porch (the game didn't label her a trick-or-treater, and she didn't have a costume, so I guess she was just a random visitor), knocked on the door -- then pulled out a digital sketchpad and started sketching. And I'm guessing that's an item that kids aren't actually supposed to use, as she promptly did that thing where the legs stretch out and the kid starts hovering because the game's trying to use the adult skeleton or something. *facepalm* Sims 4, why are you like this sometimes...

However, something else appeared on the porch as well, as the possessed child finished up her sketching and eventually wandered off -- a specter! I figured that you HAD to give specters a gift on Halloween and had Smiler offer it their latest batch of skin balm. The specter was NOT appreciative -- possibly because it doesn't have skin. Smiler's attempts to communicate didn't pan out either, and I had them head inside to instead do something else Spookfest-related --

Namely, watch a terrible horror movie about a killer bunny-man with a chainsaw. At least, I think that's the intended plot of Moonlight Massacre III in-game. XD It took me a bit to get everyone settled properly on the couch, and there was another interruption from a trick-or-treater midway through(which I didn't mind, as it allowed Smiler to give them some candy and tick the tradition on their list), but they did get through it, and they all seemed to enjoy it well enough. Victor and Alice then had some cake and went to bed while Smiler went to jam on their guitar (getting skill level 9 out of it, yay), all while the jack-o-lanterns burned merrily in the front yard and the fish swam merrily in their little tank. :) It seemed to be the perfect Spookfest...

And then Alice woke up shortly before the 2 AM cut-off time with her Fury RAGING, despite an earlier Somber Howl and the fact that it was a new moon. Once again, I figured it was easier to tip her over the edge than try to bring it down, and so she ended her Spookfest with another brief rampage, marking her territory and digging in the dirt. I mean, at least this time she didn't change uncontrollably under a full moon in the middle of a party full of Smiler's friends? :p Maybe Alice going on a little werewolf fury-fest is gonna be another Spookfest tradition around here...

Anyway -- next week, we have a brief break from the Chill Valicer Save so I can show off another one of my builds here! And then the week AFTER that, it's back to farm chores and store stuff! See you then!

[indigo474]

-Merry Christmas-

It's a beautiful day. Work was slow- I'm waiting for Madison to get out of bed. I'm pretty sure she is feeling blah. She wanted cheddar broccoli soup last night so we took a ride. I told her I wanted hot chocolate and for her to drive me around so I could look at all the pretty Christmas lights. I am sick and feel like dirt. she got me a chicken noodle soup-we drove around and drank our hot chocolates and I was able to look at the lights. I ran into Santa 3 times this season. really just 2x- once was long distance. I'm glad I didn't make any plans to be around my Mom today because of how sick I feel. I scheduled to go into the office tomorrow and i'm already dreading it. Madison opened some gifts last night.i got her the official era's tour book- I think its limited edition- someone actually got up at 3 am to go to target to get herself one and she asked me if I wanted one for Madison- she was not expecting it all and was so surprised she let out a gasp. We looked at it together and it is a nice book- I felt they dropped the ball with it only because there is no telling what show any of the pictures are from- it would have been nice had they noted under each picture where it was from-or even if they had something in the back of the book- were we at that show? by the outfit its possible but we will never know if any of the pictures were taken at the 2 shows we saw- is it a big deal- no , but it would have been a nice touch. if my life depended on how much kindling wood I collected I would be dead- oops. I had my review- way better than last years review and honestly a lot better than I expected- I rated myself lower than my manager. again I thought it was a fair review and its nice she thinks i'm doing better than I think i'm doing. I did bring up how I would like to start working on specific goals and I how I would like to start exploring what is next for me within the company. She was all for it and we are going to meet in the middle of January to discuss. I think 2025 is going to be a great year- I can feel. i'm just excited about life in general I don't think the year so much matters. I was thinking today if I could relive any part of 2024 it would be our trip to London. it was so exciting and so much fun and just wow! 2024 the year I became a Taylor Swift fan- i kind of started in 2023 at the Philly show. i set up my work phone because i could no longer live wiht the stress and anxiety trying to work off my cell phone was creating in my life. I tired in the past to set up my work phone with no success. i took it into work and told the front desk lady in charge of the at home equipment that i thought my phone was messed up. she did something and told me nope the phone works it user error. she was right.

[caelwynn]

What Could Have Been Phase 2

This is where my writing shifted from quick little blog-post type things to an actual narrative. Written in first-person, nearly everything is from Callie's point of view, though in the last draft from this phase I incorporated scenes from both Sterling's and Shane's perspectives as well, though in third-person.

In previous games, I almost always romanced Shane, and I had every intention of doing so again. To that effect, I'd gone on a mod spree looking to flesh out/add to his plotline and discovered Immersive Shane, the Ranch Expansion pack, and Mr. Ginger, none of which I'd ever played with before. This also led to me downloading East Scarp, and that, in turn led to Always Raining in the Valley because Sterling's plotline was billed as intertwined with Shane's prior to Shane's 6-heart event.

I bring this up because, as I mention in the Phase 1 post, I paused at the end of each in-game day to write down a recounting from Callie's point of view. This also meant that I, the player, was discovering all of the new content at the same time as Callie. No foreshadowing here, folks, just good ol' "what the hell?!"

Things to make note of in this version as opposed to what appears in Choices:

Callie starts off dirt-poor in the canon one-room shack. The only non-canon luxury I gave her in my writing was a small water closet.

This means that if she wanted to eat hot food outside of instant noodles or oatmeal, she had to hit up the saloon. I also reflected this in my gameplay, requiring her to buy something from the saloon every day.

Reece was Rhys, and depending on the draft was either Callie's fiance or brother

Paul, her abusive ex-husband, was already a part of her backstory

This particular Callie suffers from more regular/intense flashbacks and panic attacks

Sterling and Shane have a different feel from their later iterations, as I, the player/author, did not know their backgrounds ahead of time

In Shane's case, this means I was unaware of how lemurkat had added in Mona being his sister and their relationships with Tristan

With Sterling, I knew nothing going in. In fact, my first mention of him in Phase 1 concerned how much he whined about missing Zuzu. If only I knew....

Marnie detests Sterling because of how he enables Shane

Mia, Henry, Gus, and especially Emily have more prominent roles in this phase

Jean and Jorts exist

[takashimakato]

Two of Us

The warm night air swept across Noodle's face as she stepped out of the dilapidated house into the darkening sky. The stars glittered above, illuminating the landscape in their soft glow.

Noodle caught the familiar silhouette of her friend 2D outside, standing near the edge of the cliff. A gust of wind blew through her hair, causing her to wrap her cozy hello kitty robe tighter around her body. She knew the warm tea would help to bring some comfort to her friend.

She walked up to 2D, her bare feet making no sound on the sandy dirt. She held out one of the mugs to him, the garfield theme on it catching the light of the setting sun.

"Here, have some tea," she said softly, her voice comforting and warm. She took a seat next to him, the two of them gazing out at the expanse of the ocean below. The waves crashed against the rocks below, the sound a steady pulse against the stillness of the night.

2D took a sip of the tea, the warmth spreading through him like a calming balm. He let out a sigh, closing his eyes and leaning back against the cliff face. Noodle knew the weight of his struggles all too well, and she wished she could take some of the burden off of him.

The tears streamed down 2D's face, his lip quivering as he sobbed deeply. Noodle could see the pain in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. She reached out and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close in a comforting hug.

"It's okay, we've all been through a lot," she said softly. "But we're still here, and that's what matters. You've always been there for me, and now it's my turn to be here for you."

Noodle could feel the weight of his guilt and grief, and she wished she could do more to help. She knew it was a long road to healing, but she was determined to stand by her friend every step of the way.

2D's breathing slowly began to steady as he leaned his head on her shoulder, the sound of the waves against the rocks below a soothing backdrop. They sat there in silence for a while, the quiet comfort of each other's presence a balm for their aching hearts.

She turned her gaze back to the stars, the world feeling a little less dark with her friend next to her. She knew that no matter what happened, she would always be there for him, and she hoped that he knew that, too.

2D wiped away his tears with a shaky hand, a small smile forming on his face.

"Thank you, Noodle," he said, his voice still thick with emotion. "I don't know where I would be without you."

Noodle smiled back at him, a warm feeling spreading through her chest.

"You're not alone, Twochee," she said, giving him a tight hug. "I'm always here for you, no matter what."

They sat in companionable silence for a few more moments, enjoying each other's company in the quiet stillness of the night. The only sound was the constant crashing of the waves against the rocks below, a reminder that despite everything, they were still here, still alive and still fighting.

A feeling of calm washed over them, the sound of the waves and the breeze the only sounds to be heard. As they looked out at the moon rising over the horizon, a sense of peace settled over them. 2D felt a sense of hope for the future, knowing that no matter what came their way, they would face it together.

"Let's go home, Noodle," 2D said softly, taking her hand and leading her back to the house. As they walked together down the path, Noodle felt a sense of contentment and fulfillment, knowing that they had faced their demons and come out stronger on the other side. The future was still uncertain, but they knew they had each other, and that was all that mattered.

[coiledqueen]

The intensity of this battle between Lucy and Takehiko seemed to rise to a fever pitch in no time flat. Both of these trainers were bringing everything they had, and both had clearly planned to leave nothing behind. Not today. Hyper offense met hyper offense, and--as flames, steam, and dust kicked up in waves around the fanged arena--Lucy fully reveled in this electrifying moment, finally free to go all out against an even match. Even as sweat poured from her brow, even as wordless commands and meticulous strategies swam dizzyingly around her brain...Lucy was having the time of her life. (What good fortune to clash with this mysterious challenger--whoever she was...!)

Takehiko and her team moved with rare speed--she was matching, even exceeding Lucy's frenetic pace at times. Not even Shuckle, the disarming mildew noodle specifically prepared as a roadblock for the aggressive challenger, could hold up in the end. In this fight, time seemed to pass in an exhilarating rush...and the whole tension-filled ordeal concluded much too quickly for the Pike Queen's liking.

Still, the resounding thud of Lucario's Zen Headbutt finally sounded the death knell for Lucy's victory chances, the gigantic Seviper rattling the earth as she collapsed in a fold of gleaming scales.

This glorious battle--rife with a lightning pace and explosive tactics, courtesy of both parties--was over.

"Ah...fuck...!" Lucy hisses breathlessly, flushed, bitter, and never too dignified after a loss. The normally stoic queen returns her Pokemon before spitting and angrily grinding her heel into the battlefield dirt. "...Damn it!"

Still, the Pike's monarch remains on the clock, and so she waits--stewing in silence--as an equally winded Takehiko makes her way across the sundered arena. The challenger never once looks away--still focused as ever--and Lucy readily returns the favor with a narrowed, piercing stare of her own, a flicker of begrudging respect shining through the severe expression.

"Yeah...not bad," she admits, eyes betraying the edge of a smile as she digs for something in her pocket: the Battle Pike's elusive Luck Symbol. (The reward seems to shine in Lucy's gloved hand, emblazoned on a heavy, glittering coin. With a casual flick of her thumb, the Frontier Brain sends it spiraling through the air for Takehiko to catch. She's absolutely earned this precious bounty.) "Good job. Can't blame luck for that one, either."

The Pike Queen tilts her head at the challenger, now more curious than upset.

"...You look like you could use a drink. Join me?" she offers after a pause, already starting to turn on her heel. "I'd like to know more about the trainer who just beat me out of nowhere." (Lucy scoffs to herself as she half-beckons Takehiko to follow, her mind already made up.) "I mean...Thunderpunch on a Blaziken--ha. Unbelievable."

there's the start of a question at the front of her mind, she's able to arrive at a conclusion before lucy offers it: luck was not to be relied upon solely for progression through the pike, as adequate skill was necessary to ensure survival even should fortune favor those traversing the branching rooms & unknowns laying beyond curtains. to get this far without a full set of gym badges / those things that the league utilized to judge an individual's capability … it was likely as unimaginable to other contestants vying for the challenges this facility held as it was to those aforementioned registrar.

fingers twitch slightly as the pike queen dismisses the standards to which challengers are held, and the flash of red before her reveals the small shuckle lucy chose for her first contender. ( a wall… ) there's a sense of dread that churns within the challenger, but it does not discourage her -- instead she races through what she's managed to scrape together in terms of knowledge regarding the petit mildew noodle. they could be found in the safari zone if one was lucky… able to hide beneath rocks ( hardy, ) by dissolving the minerals utilizing juices from their body ( slow-acting offensive measures? ), and ultimately preferred not to move around unless it had to ( slow… ).

it's as she tosses her dive ball toward the arena that she reaches a conclusion on what she thinks she's able to expect from this opponent's first choice. something to draw the battle out & make it more than slightly aggravating / a test of patience much as it was one to set the minimum requirement for damage against a sturdy pokemon such as shuckle. a cerulean beam leaps from the ball / into the water & takes form of her kingdra, eyes of the dragon immediately finding its landlocked opponent.

for one whose blaze of determination all but seared the pike's halls, a water-type to begin was more than slightly ironic.

-- the battle waged, long and hard.

though takehiko's kingdra had managed to take out lucy's shuckle, exertion claimed the dragon's consciousness moments after the yellow body of shuckle went limp.

-- 1-1

the next set had seen takehiko's blaziken face the gorgeous milotic. intimately aware of how troublesome they could be, the challenger opted for immediate mega evolution / two solid fists delivered, electrified ( based on lucy's face, much to her surprise -- takehiko would relish it later ) while enduring injury. fitting to the tender pokemon's endurance, a recover had bought the woman some time, but a critical hit from another [ thunderpunch ] brought concerning damage before blaziken ultimately succumbed to the type differential.

-- 2-1

reliant upon the final pokemon in her belt, takehiko's lucario had taken the stage with an [ extremespeed ], finishing off lucy's milotic before it had the chance to recover once more.

-- 2-2

it was then the pike's face made its appearance: lucy's seviper / that which she was arguably most well-known for. a battle as intense as milotic-blaziken, yet all the same grueling like shuckle-kingdra took hold, but ultimately pulled the challenger to victory with a final, well-aimed [ zen headbutt ] / lucario's forehead crushing squarely into the diamond upon the fang snake's.

-- 2-3 -- match

as the serpent fell unconscious, its thick coils slough off of lucario's body -- the aura pokemon trembles for its stance. one forepaw falls to the ground betwixt its hind feet, but after a moment spent on claiming stability, it stands tall, arms by its sides and a victorious bark sounding out.

… it's that noise that drives the victory home for takehiko, pushes it into her psyche in a manner needed for her to wrap her mind around the fact she'd done it. her own knees buckle and hit the cement beneath her, arms limp by her side & an expression of shocked disbelief rendering a jaw slacked (she'd call it stupid later, but… that would be later).

"i did it… ?" it's as the lucario, sensing its master's wavering, leaps back to her & offers a head-tilt of concern / quiet rumble of questioning that gold eyes are able to focus on the figure at the opposite end of the field. "… holy shit." another sound from lucario (this one encouraging more than questioning/worried) allows takehiko to take a steadying breath, palms finding the cement in front of her before she pushes herself to stand. shoes securely under her, she slowly traverses the multi-terrain battlefield, periphery granting her evidence of their conflict in the damaged landscape, but she never once looks away from the pike's queen 'til they're in front of one another.

the challenger victor is able to find her words first, "that was good."

@coiledqueen [ con't ]

[imsodishy]

Relationship Chicken(Soup)

Read On AO3

Steve’s not being clingy. He’s not. 

Billy going radio silent for four days isn’t even weird. It hadn’t even pinged on Steve’s radar. Was Steve sulking at home waiting for his phone to ring? That’s nobody’s business. 

And he didn’t seek Max out as some way to get to Billy through his sister. No, he ran into her and Lucas, totally organically , at the grocery store when he was on a snack run. And she mentioned, completely unprompted , that Billy wasn’t cavorting with a series of gorgeous men, like Steve’s brain sometimes tried to convince him was the case whenever Billy was out of his direct line of sight for too long. On the contrary, Billy was sick with the flu. 

And, well, Steve was already at the grocery store, and chicken noodle soup isn’t even that hard to make. 

So, he’s not being clingy. He’s being thoughtful. Bringing his... long-term booty call? Fuck buddy? Friend with benefits? Whatever. Bringing Billy soup when he’s sick isn’t hovering, it’s just nice. 

So, it’s fine. He can knock on Billy’s door.

And once he’s done that, he can’t flee because ding-dong-ditching someone with the flu would be a dick move.

It takes a while, but Steve can hear shuffling inside the apartment and some faint coughing. Finally, the door opens. 

Billy shouts, “Fuck!” and then the door slams shut in Steve’s face. 

Not great. 

There’s an intense coughing fit happening on the other side of the door though, and that’s also not great. And Steve has soup. 

Once the coughing subsides Steve knocks again. “Billy?” he calls out through the door. 

“What are you doing here?” he sounds rough. Weak and sniffly, and like there’s another cough lurking. 

“I heard you were sick.” Steve explains. 

“What?” 

“Max said you’ve got the flu.” There’s an aggrieved moan and then a thump from inside the apartment, “Did you just die in there.” 

“Gonna kill that shit-bird.” It’s muffled like he’s muttering, but Steve’s pretty sure he’s got his face smushed to the door, so he can still hear it pretty clearly. 

“Come on, open the door.” 

“No.” He sounds so petulant even through the door that Steve actually feels encouraged to push a bit. 

“No? Why not?” 

There’s a long pause before he answers, “M’gross.” 

Steve laughs, “Well, yeah. You’re sick, dumbass.” 

“M’not supposed to be.” 

Steve frowns at no one, “You’re not supposed to be sick?” 

“Not supposed to be gross.” 

“What does- Billy, I feel like your neighbors are going to come out to gawk at me in a minute, and Mrs. Bursett already has more than enough dirt on me.” The old lady across the hall caught him half dressed in the hall the very first time Billy brought him over for sex. Or rather, immediately after, when he kicked Steve out. “Will you please open the fucking door? I brought you soup!” 

The door cracks open, and yeah, Billy is gross. His nose is red and raw looking, and his face is both pale and flushed in patches. He’s sweaty, and his hair is a greasy mess, pulled up in what was probably a ‘messy' bun at one point but is now just a messy bun. He’s wearing a Motörhead sweatshirt that’s about two sizes too big and black sweat pants that should probably have been thrown out a while ago. He’s got a quilt Steve’s never seen wrapped around his shoulders like a cape. 

He also looks utterly confounded. “You brought me soup?” 

Steve holds up the bag with the container of soup inside, “Homemade.” 

Billy looks, if possible, more confused. He squeezes his eyes shut like he’s really struggling to process the information being presented to him. “You... made me soup?” 

“Good for what ails ya.” Steve says like he’s not embarrassed at all by the fact that he cares. Billy just stands there staring at him kind of dumbly, which is odd, because he’s usually so damn sharp. Keeps Steve perpetually on his toes. 

Eventually Steve prompts, “Are you gonna let me in?” Billy sniffs and shuffles aside, hanging on to the door for a bit of support like he’s feeling weak. “Why don’t you go sit, I’ll heat you up a bowl.” 

Billy groans and rubs harshly at his face. “Everything is a mess.” He grumbles, but he does shuffle off towards the couch. Where, Steve can see, he’s built himself a little wallow. It’s dotted with the all the hallmarks of illness, mostly tissues and various packs of over-the-counter meds. 

In the kitchen there’s a sink full of mugs and bowls. From the looks of things Billy’s been subsisting on tea and cereal. First things first: Steve tips a serving of soup into a small pot and sets it to heat on the stove, then stores the rest in the fridge. While the soup warms, Steve sets to work on the dishes, so by the time it’s ready he’s filled the drying rack and has a clean dish to serve it in. He goes for a mug, easier to hold, less chance to spill. 

Billy seems to have made an attempt to tidy the living room, he’s piled all the used tissues on the coffee table anyway, before turning himself into a grumpy lump of blankets on the couch, watching Steve like a hawk in his nest. 

“Soup.” Steve says unnecessarily when he presents Billy with the mug.  Billy glares at him miserably, and cradles the mug to his chest with one hand. 

Steve detours to the bathroom and grabs the bin from under the sink and a new box of tissues. He sweeps all the tissues off the coffee table into the bin and plonks it down next to Billy’s knee. Then he plonks himself down on the couch and sets the box of tissues on the cushion between them. There are commercials playing on the TV, “So, what are we watching.” 

Billy is staring at him like he’s an alien. Slowly, like he’s expecting something (though Steve can’t even begin to guess what), Billy extracts his other hand from his blanket nest and takes hold of the spoon sticking out of the mug, it clinks as he stirs. He only looks away from Steve at last to supervise the spoonful he scoops up, careful not to drip. “Bewitched marathon.” he says, just before he shoves the spoon in his mouth. 

“Cool.” Steve starts humming the theme song. 

Billy cracks a tiny smile, half hidden by his raised mug, “That’s I Dream of Jeannie.” 

“Is it?” As if on cue a new episode of Bewitched starts up with the correct tune, “Oh, right. I always preferred Jeannie, I guess. This is good too though.” 

Billy just hums around another mouthful of soup. He’s wedged in to one corner of the couch turned mostly towards Steve, and over the next half hour Steve becomes ever more aware that Billy isn’t really watching the TV much at all. Every time Steve turns to him to make some little joke it’s to find Billy already watching him over the brim of his mug. Watching him almost suspiciously, like he thinks Steve might swipe his ashtray if given half a chance. 

It’s weird. They've watched stuff together before, here and there. Between rounds, recuperating afterwards, just killing time. Billy doesn’t always kick him out right away anymore, Steve’s even spent the night on purpose a few times, as opposed to the times they just passed out on each other. Usually, they talk over whatever they’re watching though. Billy especially never shuts up. Talks shit about the crappy late-night movies. Explains to Steve, in detail, how they do the awful gore effects. He smiles when Steve says something stupid by accident and cackles when Steve says something stupid on purpose. 

But tonight Billy is silent, and Steve can’t think of a single stupid thing to say to break the tension. 

Even while Steve keeps his eyes riveted to the screen, watching Samantha try to use magic to fix whatever problem magic caused before the last ad break, he’s keenly aware of Billy’s gaze boring into the side of his face. By the time a second episode is wrapping up he’s struggling not to squirm under the scrutiny. 

When he hears the slurp of Billy polishing off his mug of soup Steve can’t help himself anymore. “How’s the soup?” he asks still facing the TV. 

Out of the corner of his eye he watches Billy shrug and set the mug down, “Can’t really taste anything.” he says, and Steve nods along. “Can’t breathe through my nose, so I probably can’t blow you tonight either.” 

Steve stops nodding. Whips around to stare at Billy, who’s still fucking studying him. 

“Um, what?” Steve squeaks. 

Billy swipes at his nose with his sleeve, like there isn’t a box of tissues right there next to him. “I’m just saying. The ‘thank you' is gonna have to wait.” 

“Or, here’s a thought, you could just say thank you, you weirdo.” 

“Thank you .” he says, and Steve hears fuck you loud and clear. 

“Are you pissed at me?” Steve asks, pretty redundantly. Billy’s obviously pissed. 

“No.” Billy drawls. 

“Because I can leave if you don’t want me here.” 

“No.” he growls, then tries to suppress the coughing it causes. 

Steve scoffs, and turns back to the TV a little at a loss. The two of them hunker down to watch an old sitcom in stubborn silence. Steve can hear Billy snuffling and what he thinks is him biting his nails, though he absolutely refuses to look at him and check. 

They make it about five minutes through the tensest ever viewing of Bewitched before Billy huffs, “What are you doing here?” 

Steve stands up, “Oh my god! Fine, I’m going.” 

“No! What are you doing here?” Billy demands. He tries to stand too but he’s tangled in blankets, and Steve feels a pang of sympathy for the loss of dignity Billy suffers trying to shed his cocoon quickly. “You brought me fucking soup? Soup?! Like some kind of asshole grandma.” 

So much for the sympathy. 

“Do you even know what are you’re mad about right now? Because I have no idea.” 

“You. And your fucking soup .” 

Steve laughs, “This can’t actually be about soup. That’s insane.” 

“Fuck you.” Billy snaps, swiping angrily at his face with his sleeve. It’s not his runny nose this time though. Christ, he’s crying. Steve has somehow made him cry. 

“Billy… I’m sorry about… the soup?” 

Billy flops back down on the couch, face hidden in his hands, which are hidden in his too long sleeves. “Why?” he croaks. 

“Because you seem really upset about it.” Steve says helplessly, and Billy coughs, or chokes, or maybe, maybe , laughs. 

“Why are you here?” Billy says into his sleeve mittens. 

Steve sits gingerly back down on the couch, rubs at his own face. “I heard you were sick, and I thought soup might help,” he feels like he explained this already. “And-“ 

Steve flounders, but the pause has Billy looking over at him. His eyes are red rimmed and glassy, and it’s from being sick and from crying, but it makes them looks so goddamn blue. He looks like he’s expecting a killing blow. Steve has no idea if he's about to deliver one.

“-and I missed you,” Steve ruffles his hair. “Look, if I crossed a line showing up like this, I'm sorry. I know we’re not like that. But, I just…” Steve looks at Billy’s sweaty, snotty, blotchy face, and smiles, “I wanted to see you.”

Billy sniffs hard, rubs at his face with his gross sleeves, “My head hurts.” he whines. 

Steve sighs. “You due for any meds?” 

Billy shakes his head no, then keeps shaking his head. He seems lost. “I wasn’t expecting you. I’m not,” he gestures at himself jerkily, “Equipped. This is hardly the fantasy.” 

“Who’s fantasy? My fantasy?" Billy looks miserable and Steve figures in for a penny, "The thing is, it kind of is.” 

Billy gives him a flatly unimpressed look, “Your fantasy is parking it on the couch while I drip snot all over everything?” 

“Well, maybe not the snot part all the time. But people do get sick sometimes, so you’re allowed to get sick.” Steve laughs, Billy doesn’t. Steve studies his face for a minute, “You’re allowed to be a people. A- a person, I mean. You’re allowed to- you know what I meant.” Billy does laugh at that. He’s so gross, and he’s so beautiful. “And, yeah. You’re a person I want to sit on the couch with.” 

“No one’s ever made me soup before.” Billy sounds sort of helplessly lost, Steve thinks he gets it now, a little bit at least. He’s fidgeting with his sleeves when he asks, “You wanna stay the night?” 

He coaxes Billy into the shower, because everyone feels better after a shower, and Steve tackles the bedroom while he’s occupied. He clears out the tissues that are in there and a couple more mugs to be washed. He changes the sheets, which he’s done here before, just usually due to a wet spot not the general sad funk of illness.

Once Billy’s out of the shower, and in clean pyjamas, and medicated (still looking slightly grumpy and befuddled), Steve bundles them into bed together. As Steve wraps around him like an extra blanket, Billy says, “You’re gonna get sick.” like he just can’t stop himself from being a contrary little shit. 

“It’s fine,” Steve smacks a kiss to his temple, “We've got soup.”

[fandomwriterlover]

Uh- If you ever have the time, could you do a headcannon of Sun Wukong, Macaque, Red son, Mei and Mk having a s/o who can control the earth? so basically like an earthbender?

Dating an EarthBender

Sun Wukong

Meeting an actual earthbender sure it catched his attention. He's been interested in you since day one. He'll follow you around watching you how you practice, till he ask if you would like to train in Fruit Mountain. It is a great place to practice.

He'll ask you once for a while to help MK to training; nothing to much, just thtowing rocks, greating lil fisures...

... And after the training, you two would practice too. He wasn't very fond with rocks since he was trapped under a mountain for 500 years; so, please go easy on him.

He likes when you do SandBending in the beach. It's such a relaxing and gently sight of you doing it. So, yes you guessed right, he'll ask for sand beds.

Macaque

He found you cute when you tried to knock him out with a huge boulder, that he dodge easily; when he was attacking your friends.

When you literally rumbled the ground and throw him part of a mountain...! Ok, NOW he is impressed! The power you show when you are angry... Just WOW!

He's becoming more interesting on you. He'll show up when you are alone to talk... About how would you like to make an alliance with him. He'll try to sweet talk to you, in a tone that it is really tempting.

BUT you trapped him in a quicksand as a negative. That just made him likes you even more.

Red Son

You came to the Demon Bull Demon Family's palace as a trainee to develop you earthbending skills. It was arranged by your father and DBK. Red Son weren't so welcoming tho; he considerated earth bending ultery inferior to the power of control fire.

He sure was the little (annoying) push you needed to take serious your training. He just kept porclaining that fire it's more destrutive and powerfull in comparation to 'moving some rocks and dirt' and stuff. Oh ho ho, but he would flip out when you finally dominates...

LAVABENDING! Yes, you finally dominated this tecnique. You wrecked the training room and melted all the robot bulls with orbs of magma and hot rocks. His parents were impressed by you, and Red Son? Girl, you also melted his heart.

"I'm so in love with him/her right now...😳" "What did you say, son?" "NOTHING!"

Mei

Your families knew eachother, but you didn't. The reunion on the Dragon garden was nothing but dull conversations and politics; Mei was in a brick to went into a comatose boredom... Until, she noticies your hand spining and how a few peebles were moving at you guidance.

She directly asked you how are you doing it, and you explained that you're an earthbender. You two fastly clicked and talk to eachother about this and more thing that you found out you have in common.

The other day Mei found you in the city while she was on her motorcycle, and encouraged you to hop on to take a ride. You two had a blast! ... Until you missed the 'Brigde Under Construction' signal and Mei couldn't hit the break on time.

You use your power to bend the road, creating a loop to go up and turn. Landing in the wheels. That was a frighten situation. "...that... was... AMAZING!!" Now the dragon girl would never let you go; you're a lovely adrenaline fuel source to her.

MK

"How are you doing this?!" The boy startled you, while you were levitating millions of rocks in the beach, dropping all of them in the process. It's a miracle that you missed him!

MK has never seen earthbending before and he was amazed how you can do it, even tho you're a trainee. You humbly said that it wasn't a big deal, but he was still impressed by you.

Since both of you were in training he suggested to practice together. Don't try to take down your offer, he would insist... And his puppy eyes would melt you.

You had fun times together. You improves levitating the rocks while he practice his balance and jumpkicks using them. And ocasionally brings some noodles from the shop he works on. You tease that the training sesions seems more like dates. "😳Wh-What? Uh, huh.. WHAT? Come on, it's just training... Us Training together. I a I just... brought some food because...It's good to eat and... Is it getting hot in here?"

[decayseason]

She lays her rifle down on its side as she sits more comfortably, settling on a pretzel position to alleviate some pressure off her back. Nothing's gonna fix how hard the dirt feels, though. How long had she been surveying that deer for? Too long, far too long, for her not to have gotten it. Kisa looks up at the hat that's offered her way and sighs, an actual sound leaving her chest as she goes through the motion, reaching for a handful of dandelions. Pops them in her mouth like popcorn.

"You know I only offer fine dining and nothing else," she shoots back. At least the dandelions are honey-sweet; she isn't sure she can stomach another pot of boiled mushrooms. Still, it all tastes earthy and provides little to no nutrients. She's craving food from home, or at least, the home that once was—her father's beef bulgogi, her mother's kimchi noodles, her sisters' salmon bowls, and her own rushed rolls of veggie kimbap. Anything sounds good right now.

She watches as Benji takes the spot beside of her, and subconsciously, she nudges him with her shoulder. A welcome breeze blows through the trees and she listens, for a second, to the birds. "Yeah, maybe." A beat. "It's been a while since she left, right? It's only going to get darker. Whatever it is... I hope she comes back soon."

Sure, the three of them are no world-end superteam, but they've got each other—and Kisa has to hold onto that or she has nothing else. Her heart pangs; she's thinking again about her family. Where they could be right now if they're alive. That restless feeling crawls back into her stomach that she should be looking for them, not wasting time like this. She glances over at Benji to ground herself, and as if they're communicating telepathically, he brings up the subject she's pondering.

Her gaze remains steady on him despite the way he hides his face. "Do you think that's where everyone went?" As in, their family. "You think they're thinking the same thing?" Because she can't accept the fact that he's bringing this up as a means to say they should give up on looking, and move on without them. She doesn't wait for his answers before adding, "We could try. If we can confirm what national park we're in right now, then that'll help me locate any rivers or big lakes nearby... and we can decide where to go from there." || @endingsfated

benji isn't incredibly thrilled by their choice camp — being out in the open these days makes him a touch skittish ( it might be easier to run, but in the darkness anything can creep up on you ). it's only the potential promise of real food ( of fresh meat at that ) instead of their lingering cans or worse still, more mushrooms or dandelions, that keeps him from kicking up a fuss. if kisa isn't successful, they'll move on and try their luck elsewhere in another day or two ( it seemed they were always moving, just like the undead ).

when aiyla had departed that morning with the promise of returning with supplies, he'd admittedly watched her leave with a hint of skepticism ( how many people had he assumed he'd see again, only to be left in the dark on whether they were still alive or just... reanimated? ). he did contemplate going to the nearest road and trying his luck with one of the cars that were scattered about. siphon some of the gas and see if he couldn't get one started. at least then, they could consider really moving about. where, however, always remained a bit of a question. the duo ( now trio ) were like a ship without its captain — drifting without a destination or plan.

as tempting as the idea of a car was however, benji had stuck near camp — not wanting to leave kisa alone ( not after they'd both lost everyone else — something he was almost certain was fact at this point ). he'd busied himself for a while, wandering within shouting distance behind her ( plucking the few edible flora that was about — careful to select the correct mushrooms this time around ; that was a mistake he'd only make once after the ribbing he'd received for the massive mistake ).

coming to an end of his foraging, the man climbed back up the hill and cringed when his foot caught a loose branch ( the snap of it apparently lost on the woman before him given her statement ). "i'm sure you'll have another chance," he assures with a mutter once he's approached. the hat he's taken off his head to fill with the few handfuls of edible flora is offered out in her direction. "dandelions and beans for dinner? you spoiled me kis." he quips before plopping beside her with a huff. "maybe aiyla got lucky in town and found a bit more of a selection?" what he was hoping for is a bit of a mystery. canned anything was beginning to all taste the same at this point.

"i know we've talked about continuing to look for the others but..." drifting off, benji ran a hand over his face ( a gesture that was a mix of frustrated and purely exhausted ). "maybe we could consider heading to the coast after this... we might have a more consistent food source — try for fish or something, you know?" // @decayseason