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yutahoes · 3 years ago

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‘Mark me in your heart’

This was supposed to be my birthday special for Mark but a lot of things happened so this came out late. 😅 This is in connection to my Sakura series and requested by @cosmiclatte28

characters : babysitter! Mark Lee, Yuta, Yuta’s wife, Cherry, Jae, the girl Mark likes

word count : 2k words

genre: fluff

summary : Cherry and Jae tried to help Mark with the girl he liked.

warnings : Mark being bullied by two kids and their dad

a/n: I didn’t use Y/N here to avoid confusion and sorry for the endless conversations.

Mark tapped his foot along the concrete of the front of the Nakamoto household’s door. Maybe it will be Yuta who would open the door for him since he was the one who asked him to come. Maybe Jae since he liked visitors so much or even Cherry, when the other three are focused on what they usually do. So it was a surprise when his hyung’s wife opened the door for him, “Hi Mark,” she greeted, opening the door wide for him. “Thank you for agreeing to babysit.”

He shook his head. He had nothing to do anyway. And it’s fun spending time with the two kids. They both stopped in the living room of the house seeing the youngest in the household jumping on the couch, next to his dad. The older girl visibly sighed as Cherry can be seen on another chair, reading a book. “Mom is already angry.” She warned but Yuta kept jumping on the squeaking couch making Jae giggle.

The guest shook his head at the visible annoyance of the woman beside him. “I swear I’m taking care of three kids.” She whispered before calling Yuta’s name and giving him a glare.

“We really should have bought the trampoline,” he said, jumping on the couch then landing on the floor. “Hi, Mark. Thanks for agreeing to this.”

“No problem, hyung.” he whispered while bumping their fist together. Jae did the same, bumping fists with Mark, before returning to jumping on the couch that made Cherry roll her eyes. “I hope the check-up goes well.”

Cherry put down her book on the table. “Can’t I really not come, eomma?” She asked, pouting at her mom. “I want to see the baby.” She whispered before touching the older’s stomach bump.

The older woman shook her head, smiling at her. “We talked about this, right? We can come and see the baby later.” Cherry nodded that made her giggle then kissed the top of her head. “Don’t give Mark samchon a hard time.” Cherry nodded before kissing her on the cheek. “Jae.” The youngest boy went down the couch and kissed his mom’s cheek. “Behave yourself.”

“Can you buy me ice cream when you get back?” Jae asked that made his mom shake her head. He turned to Yuta who only nodded, making his wife hiss at him. “Also buy donuts for noona, she likes chocolates.” Yuta chuckled, nodding at him. “Mark samchon likes watermelons and buy apples for the baby, appa.”

“I swear you’re more pregnant than your mom.” Yuta joked before giving him a kiss on the top of his head. “Jae, no playing with anything flammable. And Cherry…”

“Yes dad, I know where the fire extinguisher is.”

Mark laughed. They’re a weird family. The couple bid farewell, again thanking Mark for looking after the two kids. He even heard Yuta apologizing although he doesn’t know why. Jae kept on jumping on the couch, Cherry lying on the small chair and still reading her book.

“Appa said you shouldn’t read against the light, noona.” Jae warned in between huffing breaths.

“And eomma will scold you if you keep jumping on the couch.” she claimed before flipping the page of her book, “Are you a monkey?”

Jae huffed and sat on the couch with a pout. “I swear you two are just like your parents.” The two kids made a disgusted expression, Jae explaining that they’re always hugging each other while Cherry claimed that Jae doesn’t shower so she doesn’t want to hug her brother. Mark only laugh at that.

“Samchon, don’t you have anything else to do today? It’s Saturday.” the younger boy asked and Mark shook his head, asking Jae what he wants to do while sitting next to him. “I’m a little tired. Can we just sit down?” Totally weird.

Cherry closed her book with a loud thud that made the two look at her. “Samchon, don’t you have a girlfriend?” Jae started bouncing on the couch, asking him repeatedly if he is seeing someone. Really, what’s wrong with these two? Mark shook his head. “Do you want me to introduce you to someone? My art teacher...”

“My Math teacher is pretty.” Jae stopped Cherry on her words then smiled as if proud of what he did. Mark just chuckled when the older glare at her brother. “She’s also hot.”

“Hot? Do you know what that means?”

“Pretty? Appa calls eomma that.” Mark shrugged. “Do you like someone, samchon?” A smile crept up Mark’s lips then masked it with a cough. “You do? Noona is good with love stuff. Appa comes to her for help.”

Cherry looked sideways with a smile on her lips that looks very much like her dad’s. They’re becoming too alike. "So who is this girl, samchon?" the girl asked, book forgotten on the table.

Mark sighed before leaning on the couch, the two kids on both his sides listening attentively. "She works in the coffee shop opposite the office building."

"Have you talked to her?" Jae asked.

"Did you ask for her name?" Cherry chimed in.

"I ordered coffee from her. And her name is written on the name tag." Cherry whispered that he's no fun and Jae just scoffed at him. "I just find her pretty. Like a crush."

Again, Jae laughed. "All girls are pretty. That was what appa says." Wow, Mark thought, he didn't know Yuta is that romantic. "You should talk to her. Cherry noona can help you."

He does want to strike up a conversation with her and not the usual 'I'll get a watermelon shake' or 'My name is Mark'. He wanted to know her name and what she likes for coffee. "You can help me?"

The younger girl smirked then lightly coughed. "The first step is to get her flowers." But he doesn't know what flowers she liked. And isn't it awkward? They haven't talked before and giving her flowers will be too much. "Pink roses are good, they mean admiration."

"How do you know these about the flowers?" Mark lightly glanced at Jae who just shrugged, whispering that it's a girl thing. "Pink roses. Got it."

"Then ask her out for a date." Jae claimed.

"That quickly?"

"It can be a dinner or movie," Cherry noted. "But samchon, don't ask her for coffee. She works in a café, she's probably sick of coffee." Mark nodded, that's right. Why didn't he realize that before?

So flowers then dinner or movies. "Then walk her home." Jae continued. Walk her home, got it.

"Don't kiss her yet." Wait, what? "Ask her if she wants to go for another date."

"What if she doesn't want to?"

"Then it's game over, samchon." Jae teased, tapping his shoulder.

Cherry smiled. "You'll do great, samchon. My technique is tried and tested by eomma and appa." Mark chuckled. "How are you going to introduce yourself to her?"

"I'm Mark…" he said hesitatingly, "You can mark me in your heart."

Jae giggled while Cherry just stared at him in surprise. "You do need a lot of help, samchon." The youngest exclaimed.

--------

The house is quiet, too quiet, that Yuta and his wife had to look at each other before entering the house. Did something happen? Yuta shouted for the kids and it was Jae who answered that they're upstairs. The pregnant woman sat on the couch and noticed the book Cherry was reading earlier as her husband put the snacks and fruits in the kitchen.

Footsteps can be heard followed by Jae jumping next to his mom and hugging her, whispering that he missed her. Yuta's laugh echoed through the whole room when Mark came down the stairs, his white hoodie filled with different colored stains that looks like make-up. His lips are red, eyes highlighted with thick eyeliner that he looks like a panda. There's a red circle on his cheeks and a colorful hat that is probably Jae's with a colorful scarf wrapped on his neck that is owned by Cherry.

"What did the two of you do to Mark?" the older girl asked, standing up to get some towels for the younger guy. He thanked her then wiped the color on his face, surprised that they put too much makeup on him.

Both Chery and Jae looked so guilty seated on the couch. "He's going on a date but samchon is really clueless." Cherry answered and Yuta bit his lip to prevent from laughing. Mark was surprised, he suddenly felt called out.

"He even said that she can mark him in her heart because his name is Mark." Jae chimed in.

Their mom sighed. "I know you two care about Mark samchon but isn't it better for him to be himself when he wants to date a girl?" Both Cherry and Jae nodded, apologizing for what they had done.

"And we can mark him in our hearts." Yuta teased that earned a glare from both his wife and Mark. He's really childish sometimes.

"What happened to the check-up?" Mark asked, sitting beside Jae on the couch and still wiping his face. The cap and scarf have already been removed. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy!" Jae exclaimed.

"A girl," Cherry claimed calmly. "And appa you said you're going to give us money if we guessed right."

The older girl glared at Yuta who took out his wallet and gave each kid a bill. Mark's eyes widened in surprise, "You have twins?" The pregnant girl nodded. "Congratulations noona!"

"I hope you won't get tired of babysitting." She whispered and Mark swore he saw his life flashed in his very eyes. Another boy and girl after Jae and Cherry? This will be chaotic as hell.

Jae handed him the two bills Yuta gave that startled the adults. "Samchon, you need this money to date." Cherry claimed that made the younger boy nodded.

"Thank you for saving me money to give Mark." Yuta exclaimed that made the two kids revolt.

"You pay samchon for playing with us?"

"I won't be a soccer player when I grow up, I'll be like Mark samchon instead."

Mark laughed. They're a handful but being with them is fun. Maybe he can still take care of them in the long run.

-----

Mark blew large breaths to regulate his breathing while staring at his reflection from the doors of the café. “Introduce yourself, ask her name, ask her for dinner.” he repeated to himself before blowing another heavy breath. “You can do this Mark. Cherry’s plan is foul proof.” With another heavy breath, he opened the door that created a small bell sound.

She was already smiling, welcoming her. “I’ll get an iced latte.” he started, twirling his fingers.

“Not the usual watermelon shake, Mark?” the girl asked that startled him. She knows his name? Knows what his order is? Of course, Mark. You always drink watermelon shake. He shook his head, not knowing what to say. She already knows his name, he doesn’t have to introduce himself. What now? “And thank you for the pink roses, Mark.”

Wait, what? “Pink roses?”

She gestured to the vase behind with three pink roses. “Your nephew and niece are really cute.” She smiled while writing his name on the cup. That took Mark’s attention. Nephew and niece? He looked at her in confusion and she pointed at three customers by the window of the coffee shop. Of course, it’s the three of them.

“I’m sorry. It might have confused you.” He said rubbing the back of his neck. “But I think you’re really pretty.” The girl lightly giggled. “Do you want to have dinner with me after your shift?” He lightly glanced at her nametag and mentioned her name.

“I’m here until six pm.”

“I’ll wait,” Mark claimed then handed her the payment for the coffee and his loyalty card.

“Samchon, buy me a carrot cake,” Jae shouted and Yuta hushed him up, pulling the cap down his face in an attempt to hide from Mark. He even heard Cherry whisper that the plan will get ruined because of him. Really, those three.

“They’re really cute.” The girl whispered, smiling at them.

Mark smiled. “You’re cuter.”

He rolled his eyes when Yuta faked vomit and Jae laughed. “At least it’s better than ‘mark me in your heart’,” Cherry claimed that made the two boys laugh.

The girl laughed at his defeated look. “No worries Mark, I already marked you.” She claimed before handing him the coffee and the card with the sticker.

Mark smiled. This might be the start of something new.

#mark lee #mark fluff #mark lee fluff #nct mark #mark lee scenario #nct mark fluff

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yurtletheturtlehenderson · 3 years ago

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COSMIC - S3:E4; Chapter Four, The Sauna Test - [Pt. 2]

A Will Byers x Reader Series

𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘌𝘭, 𝘔𝘢𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘠/𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘯, 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘺𝘯𝘹.

📝: lmaooooooo this just gets gayer and gayer 💀💀

||𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

"Do you copy? This is a code red."

The rising sun makes its way through the blinds in Max's bedroom, its gentle yellow rays split into several thin beams and casting out over the three sleeping bodies splayed over one another on the floor. El's body still curled into Y/n's arm, her hair a mess. Y/n was splayed out on her stomach, crooked, as her head had edged its way onto Max's pillow and her legs fell over El's. All the while, a sleeping Max had resorted to using the back of Y/n's shoulder as a pillow.

And they were snug as can be, tucked away in sleep, drool threatening to drip from their parted mouths as Lucas's desperate voice rings out from Max's super com.

"I repeat, this is a code red."

The device seems to grow louder with every word, slowly but surely pulling the girls from sleep.

"Max. Do you copy?" Max lifts her head from Y/n's shoulder, scooching back onto her pillow, and begins palming the ground under her bed. "This is a code red."

Her hand finally finds the comms and she senses El lazily rise up onto her elbow. She presses the button and seethes into the microphone.

"Shut. Up."

She slams the antenna down and shuts off the device, throwing it back under the bed. Y/n hums into the pillow, eyes still closed.

"Mm... what's red?" She asks through clenched teeth, still much too tired to even move her jaw.

"Nothing," Max yawns.

She turns over in bed, nestling back into the rainbow sheets and finding herself nearly nose to nose with Y/n as El rubs the sleep from her eyes, finally joined them. El just settles her head back into her pillow, her tangled hair still falling over her face and blocking out the sun. She let out a soft yawn, letting sleep return to her as she snuggled back into Y/n's arm happy and warm.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Lucas stares at his super com in light shock as he looked between his friends perched on either side of him on the basement couch.

"She turned it off."

Simultaneously, Will, Lucas, and Mike's eyes all jump to the phone hanging on the wall.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The blaring ring of Max's telephone is the next thing to wake them, and Y/n groans. Max shoots up in anger, her long red hair falling over her glaring face.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." She seethes, pulling herself up to her feet.

"Tell him we're not home," Y/n mumbles, still fighting a losing battle with sleep and a foggy mind.

Max stomps across the floor, strategically maneuvering around her friends, and rips the phone off its receiver.

"I'm sleeping. Go away,"

"Max, this is Will—" her hand caught mid-air, the boy's words barely registering to her in time. Reluctantly, she brings the phone back up to her ear. "I need you to stay on the line, and please just listen."

When Will doesn't hear the click of the dial tone, he breathes a sigh of relief. His eyes dart over his shoulder at his waiting friends trying to feed him the words but he ignores them, turning away.

Max frowns into the phone at what he says next, his voice going pleading.

"Is Y/n there?" There's a pause, and Max frowns down at the phone when she thinks she hears light shushing. "And El? Are you guys all together?"

Okay, now she was bugging out a little.

"Why?" She asks, an edge gradually returning to her voice out of concern.

She glances over her shoulder at her two best friends; Y/n had finally opened her eyes and was trying to make sense of her surroundings as she squinted through the sunlight and El was flowing up at her, worried.

"Just, stay together, okay? Something bad happened, is happening, whatever. We don't really know, but we can't take any chances."

"Okay, what are you talking about? What's going on?" She presses.

"Just meet us at Mike's house, and I'll explain. We all will. Just get over here, quickly."

"What?"

"Hurry!"

And then the line went dead.

Max held the phone in her hand, her stare drifting off as Will's words echoed in her mind.

"What'd he say?" El asked.

"Yeah," Y/n yawned, finally pulling herself into a sitting position, her face puffy from sleep. "is everything okay?"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Try Dustin again," Mike says, turning to Lucas.

"He's not answering," Lucas says.

"So, try him again,"

Lucas bites back a sigh and returns to his comms with a sigh. Will picks the phone back up, shooting Mike a knowing look.

"I'll try their house,"

Lucas shoots him a thankful look before returning to his mindless search.

"Dustin, do you copy? I repeat... this. is. a. code red."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Dustin watches from the very same ledge as Lynx Transportation hauls a cart full of shipments from Kauffman Shoes and Imperial Panda. But his mind was still spinning, trying to formulate possible answers as to just what he was dealing with as he scouts for their routine.

His eyes had caught on the third armed officer who approached the keypad holding a small plastic card, and Dustin made a mental note.

"That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately the Russian with this keycard has a massive gun,"

Sure enough, the metal doors swung open and the cart is pushed inside. Apart from his cautious glare on the armed guard standing watch, his eyes try to catch whatever lays beyond the threshold.

It looked to Dustin to be a storage room no bigger than his living room, stacked with similar boxes.

"Whatever's in this room, whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody finding it," Dustin concludes as he paces the back room of Scoops Ahoy.

Robin and Steve sit opposite one another in thought.

"But there's gotta be a way in," Robin mutters.

"Well, you know..." Steve stops twirling his hat, quickly reshaping the top with a quick puff of air before dropping it on the table and leaning in with a serious tone. "I could just take him out,"

"Take. Who. Out?" Robin blinked.

"The Russian guard," he answers obviously.

Robin leans back in her seat, nodding sarcastically at him through wide eyes and Steve scoffs.

"What? I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It's easy,"

"Did you not... hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin asks with crossed arms.

"Yes," Steve snarks, surprised. "Dustin, I did. And that's why I would be... sneaking."

"Ahh," Dustin nods. "Well, please, tell me this, and be honest, have you ever actually..." Dustin gives an all too casual shrug, knowing exactly what button he was pushing. "won a fight?"

"OH-kay, that was one time—"

"—Twice. Jonathan. Year prior?"

"Uh, listen. That doesn't count,"

"Why wouldn't it? Because it looks like he beat the shit out of you."

Robin finds herself laughing, lazily rolling her eyes across the shop as the two continue to bicker.

"It was—"

Her grin slowly falls when her eyes catch something in the corner.

"—You got a fat lip, crooked nose, swollen eye, a lot of blood,"

"...things all added up, yeah they sound bad but..."

As the thought grew into an idea, the grin returned to Robin. "That just might work,"

She was out of the backroom, hand diving into the tip jar faster than they could blink. They scrambled to the window in a baffled frenzy.

"Robin,"

She didn't answer, and when she made a break for the exit, Steve and Dustin tumbled out from the back room.

"Hey, Robin! Hey, what— what are you doing?"

"I need cash," she explains, backing out of the store.

"Well, half of that's mine," he pouts. "Where're you going?"

"To find a way into that room, a safe way. And, in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don't get beat up," she says with an excited smirk. "I'll be back in a jiff!"

With a quick two-finger salute, she had disappeared into the crowd leaving her privately self-proclaimed Dingus Duo at home base.

Steve sighs, looking to Dustin only to find him licking the scooper.

"Oh, dude," he scolds, yanking it out of his hands and returning it to his sling with a twirl. "Come on, man, not my scooper,"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

The trip to Mike's house had indeed been a quick one. When Max had relayed the message, a grave face became all of them. El and Y/n looked at each other and knew; their fears were being realized. And Max knew there was no more denying it, no matter how much she wanted to. No matter how much she needed to.

"I didn't think it was anything at first," Will says.

He was before his friends - most of them anyway - all of them seated around the coffee table in Mike's basement. He hadn't realized how much he had missed Y/n until he had seen her, nor her him. And neither had left each other's side since they gathered. She was sat beside him on a low footstool, El to her right on the upholstered chair, and him on her left; perched on the arm of the couch to the far right of Mike and Lucas.

Concern was etched on her features, as it was on all of them as they listened intently.

"I mean, I think I just didn't want to believe it." He sighs, locking eyes with Y/n knowingly. "The day I first felt it was at Day of the Dead,"

《•••》

And not unlike only months short of a year prior, when he felt himself ensnared in the terror and icy grip of the monster that lurked in shadows only he could see, Will Byers could feel his skin tightening painfully as goosebumps gripped his neck. It was a chill he hoped he'd never feel again, a chill that had nearly destroyed him and his family and friends. And Y/n. The passionate, fiery, hatred for the girl was the only thing about this icy monster that burned brighter than the horrifying memories it left with him.

"Will?"

Startled, his head is ripped to her direction, arm already slipping away from his neck as she stares at him in worry. She recognized the look in his eyes all too well, and immediately she knew something was amiss.

"Will, what is it?"

《•••》

"The power went out that night, too," Mike says in realization, and Will nods.

"And then I felt it again at the field near the Nelson farm the next day."

《•••》

Will stopped suddenly when the world plunged away from underneath his feet and the dark feeling returned. All the while, Y/n's voice faded into the distance as he gripped his goosebump-covered neck, looking fearfully out onto the horizon.

"Think they'll carry me if I fake a leg injury?" She chuckles, her voice far away and fleeting from him.

Despite the steady burst of hot air carried through the breeze and the sun beating down on his skin, he felt a total absence of warmth. And like almost like a phantom limb, all he can feel is panic and something dark, and desperate... Something angry.

"Will?"

《•••》

"Then again, yesterday outside Castle Byers,"

《•••》

As Will mingled with the dirt beneath him, the storm pounding against his back soaking him to the bone, he feels it again.

The same feeling he had felt the night before Dustin's return, the day of, and now...

Well, there was no denying it. No more running. This was real, and it wasn't something so easily shaken.

A great change was upon him and his friends, a change none of them were prepared for.

Shakily, he pulls himself to his feet, not entirely sure if the voice calling his name was real.

"Will?"

With a faraway look in his eyes, Will turns to his awaiting friends as his stomach plummets beneath the earth.

《•••》

"What does it feel like?" Max asks from her spot across the coffee table.

"It's almost like..." everyone watches patiently as Will draws on a thoughtful face, for once it seems, struggling for the right words. "You know when you drop on a rollercoaster?"

Y/n, Max, and Mike all nod.

"Mm-hmm,"

"Yeah,"

"Sure,"

"No," El says, still listening intently.

"It's like... everything inside your body is just sinking all at once, but this is worse," Will says, a faraway look in his eyes that Y/n knows all too well. "Your body... it goes cold. And you can't... breath."

Will's eyes jump down his wringing hands when he feels Y/n entwining her left with his right, interlacing their fingers and giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. He feels his shoulders slack at her warm touch and he sends her a thankful look before continuing, feeling just a little braver.

"I've left it before," he says through a wavering voice. "whenever he was close."

《•••》

He fearfully crept towards the front door. He came to a stop when he heard the dreadful sound of wood creaking and he watched in horror as the front door slowly swung open to reveal a reddish-purple sky, and the violent winds were carrying leaves and other debris with it. Something strange was growing around the outside of the house and he felt the familiar sensation returning.

He felt his blood run cold and his skin shriveled up, goosebumps breaking out all over. His breathing picked up and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he watched frozen in terror.

《•••》

"Whenever who was close?" Mas asked, fearing the answer she already knew.

Will tried to remind himself he was in the presence of his love and his friends but fear still gripped his lungs and threatened to steal his voice. Finally, with a trembling breath, he spoke the truth none of them wanted to hear, changing the rest of their summer - and possibly the rest of their lives - forever.

"The Mind Flayer."

《•••》

"Go away!"

It got closer. It was swooping in like a vulture but Will didn't give in.

"Go away! Go away!" Tears were streaming down his face, and the monster got closer.

《•••》

Y/n's eyelids fall closed at the mention of the monster that brought so much harm and grief to her and the lives of her loved ones as the truth hits her completely. Just the sight of his convulsing body and his weeping mother that day out on the field when the Mind Flayer got him was traumatic enough. Her eyes flicker back open, back onto the equally horrified looks of her friends and her grip on her boyfriend's hand tightens.

"I closed the gate," El reasons.

"I know, but," for a moment, WI loses his voice again and he clings to Y/n's touch like a lifeline bringing him back. He fears the words he is about to speak, not only for his sake but for everyones. For Y/n's. But the fear was too great to keep quiet. If it was even a real possibility, it had to be stopped. As soon as possible. "What if he never left?"

Shakily, he looks around the room with horror hidden within his hazel irises until they land on Y/n, full of grief. His voice was soaked with apology, unable to contain his worry.

"What if we locked him out here with us?"

Y/n's head turns to meet El's eyes, the two share an equally concerned and knowing gaze from beside one another. Her stomach was twisting into knots, the horrible, sickly feeling of dread that had been building for the past two nights was finally realized.

||𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

"This is him," I say, throwing a spare piece of paper on the D&D table before us all. The six of us all stood together, finally surrounding the D&D table for all the wrong reasons but there's no time to think about that now. I grab the charcoal in hand and began frantically scribbling an all too familiar shape in charcoal. "All of him,"

"But that day on the field," I explain. "part of him attached itself to me,"

I fight the intrusive memory trying to overwhelm me, bringing back the phantom chill that has always lingered since that day.

《•••》

He stood frozen, now trapped in the swirling fog. Several black tendrils spawned from the mass and invaded Will and he could feel the evil presence as it possessed his body and settled in his very soul.

《•••》

I yank my hand across the page, pulling up my dirtied palm to show my friends before nodding to my left.

"Y/n got him out of me,"

《•••》

"I think it's an earthquake!" Mike cries.

A light breeze picks up in the tunnel from where they're headed, carrying with it a warm toasty wave of heat that answered their question.

"No, not an earthquake!" Dustin's eyes went wide from behind his goggles as he looked to the others excitedly. "It's Y/n!"

•••

The Henderson child had managed to pull herself from unconsciousness, and she now stood across the bed. Her arms were stretched out before her and a blazing fire resided in her eyes, a grunt pulled from deep within her throat. Three bloody lines where his nails had caught her ran diagonally down her vein-covered face. Each vein protruded from her skin as blood poured from her nose and ears.

Like a broken dam, all that raw power trapped inside her burst free. Y/n was a supernova, a sight to behold as everything inside her exploded all around her.

•••

Will's mouth opens in another scream and a billowing cloud of inky black smoke escapes. It twists and unravels out from between his lips like a pitch-black tornado.

《•••》

"and El closes the gate,"

I flip the page back over and my eyes trail across my friends' faces thoughtfully, the last of the pieces falling into place as I explain.

"The part that was still in me, what if it's still in our world?"

《•••》

It grows larger and larger, circling over the boy and looms over the entire room as it had the last few days. Will's body goes limp, falling back onto the mattress as the dark mass zips across the room and through the front door breaking it open.

Nancy quickly recovers her footing and chases it out of the door to assure it's leaving for good. Sure enough, when she reaches the porch she spots the black dust circle the trees before disappearing into the sky.

《•••》

I plant my charcoal-dusted hand on the paper, leaving behind a faint trace of black.

"In Hawkins," I conclude.

"I don't understand," Max began. "The Demodogs died when El closed the gate. If the brain dies, the body dies,"

Y/n shook her head gravely from beside me, standing up a little straighter after leaning against the table.

"But the brain didn't die," she sighed heavily in realization. "Not all of it. So the part that was in control, lost. And so did the army, but, enough must have survived... And now after all this time..." She trailed off.

Mike nodded from beside me.

"Exactly," he said. "We can't take any chances. We need to assume the worst... The Mind Flayer is back."

I feel Y/n shift uncomfortably from beside me, her eyes drilling holes into the paper as she chews on her lip and I feel a tug in my chest. But the others were still looking towards me, waiting, and so was she so I continued.

"And if he is," I begin, hesitant to tear my eyes away from her. "He'll want to attach himself to someone again. A new me,"

Once again my eyes meet with all my friends as the very air around grows thicker, and Lucas finally concludes what we all fear.

"A new host,"

I nod and the room falls quiet again at the challenge laid before us.

It was difficult enough facing an enemy as powerful and ruthless as the Mind Flayer, but I think it helped our chances considerably he attached himself to me; someone who already had some insight on his territory, the Upside Down. Not only that, but I was indescribably lucky enough to have the people I have in my life who fought for me. The chief, Bob, my friends. Jonathan and my mom, and of course Y/n.

But his next victim could be anybody, and that's what makes him even more dangerous.

Finally, Y/n broke the silence - the second time she had spoke since the news had been broken. If I thought she was terrified before, I was dead wrong. I saw pure dread growing in her eyes as they trailed from El's and up to mine, widened and shining. It was with a plunging stomach I knew she had our first clue.

"Oh, no,"

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atsuminthe · 4 years ago

Text

Random Kita headcanons

note: just some kita appreciation bc he's soft and cute and i love him uwu; thank you @izhyperfixates for flooding my dash with your selfship, this one's for you babie <3

nsfw under the cut!

taglist: @nakizumie;

SFW

yes, he can cook; no, he can't bake; absolutely cannot prepare desserts for the life of him, please handle the cakes and pastries for him

early riser, wakes before sunrise because of his work, but will always press one kiss to your temple before he gets out of bed, and another before he leaves the room

woodworks!! ikea master, he knows how to assemble those impossibly complicated pieces of furniture without instructions, and makes his own furniture from time to time! a shelf or a little table for your veranda, or a kiddie chair; it helps him relieve stress

osamu sends him prototype onigiri from time to time (since he's the rice provider) and he insists that you take the first bite since he knows whatever his friend made, it's very good

if you crochet/knit, be sure he'll wear anything and everything you make. pink mittens because that was the only wool you had left? they're comfortable and very fuzzy, of course he'll wear them. a panda hat? it's his new favorite since it matches his hair. that fox scarf you gave him for Christmas? never goes anywhere without it in winter

can get a little insecure from time to time since he works as a farmer, thinking that maybe you deserve something better, or might want to live in the city again. please reassure this pretty baby that you're perfectly content and happy living in the countryside, because you are with him and he makes you loved like nobody else can (and you can't raise ducks in an apartment)

big spoon, but likes to be the little spoon on particularly hard days that exhaust him; run your hand through his hair, massage his tense shoulders (bonus points if you sing a lullaby for him), give him a little kiss on the top of his head and he'll fall asleep in no time

will remember every date and anniversary, no matter how insignificant you deem it; once celebrated your cat's 3rd anniversary with a can of tuna for the little one and your heart melted when he thanked them for making you happy and keeping you company in his absence

please marry this man, best husband 11/10

NSFW

so so so caring during sexc times, he'll pay so much attention to your needs and wants and will make you feel like you've made it into Heaven

please spoil him, he works vvv hard and deserves rewards >:(

his groans are so pretty, and when he actually moans it's a blessing for your ears

will eat you out for hours if that's what you want, the man lives to please you. he got off your moans and you calling his name in that cute whiny voice on several occasions, and is not afraid to do it again

usually on top, but doesn't dislike the idea of you in his lap, taking whatever you want and going at your pace; he loves you too much to say no to you

pretty dick squad!! he has such a nice dick it's insane. not too thick, just enough to make you whimper with just the tip, long enough to give you the best dicking ever, and the amount of veins on it is just [ chef's kiss ]

whenever you give him a blowjob he ascends. likes to pat your head and praise you: "such a good little one, suckin' me off like that", "just a little more, baby", "you're doin' so good, my love"

haha praise kink go brrr

that doesn't mean he won't degrade you, if you want it. can be very very mean and will spank you if you misbehave, harsh slaps echoing in the room. that, and bad darlings don't get to cum (and good luck with that bc he'll edge you for what feels like hours while whispering dirty things in your ear)

that being said, he still prefers the more vanilla sex. loves peppering your face with kisses and holding you in his arms foe a little before he makes sure to clean you up. sleepy cuddles ensue, and he never once lets go of you once you nuzzle your face in the crook of his neck or his chest

oh to be kita's cute little housewife and cook for him in nothing but an apron, things can go south very quickly

#haikyuu!!#haikyuu!! x reader #haikyuu fluff #kita shinsuke #kita shinsuke x reader #kita shinsuke fluff #[ minty’s kitchen treats — chocolate syrup ]

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vindicatedvirgil · 4 years ago

Note

035: “Your stray red item turned my whites pink.” Roceit plz? - theo-lord-of-love-and-rage ( bc I can't ask with my sideblog and that makes me a sad panda )

@theo-lord-of-love-and-rage

decided to keep this one pretty short and sweet!

---

Janus had been trying to branch out with his outfit choices lately, since Roman always looked so nice and put-together when they went out on dates or had their friends over for dinner parties. Instead of his usual 20’s inspired coat, capelet, and hat, he decided he wanted to try wearing some white skirts with yellow button-downs, or white shirts and yellow pants. Roman had liked the change, and the truth was, so did he. He loved the way that Roman’s eyes trailed over his body with every new outfit he bought, and the color white looked good against his tanned skin.

Janus had always tried to be very cautious when washing his white clothing. Roman often wore a rainbow of colors, so they always both tried their best to separate the laundry in their shared apartment. Janus was a bit more detail-oriented though, and on one Sunday when Roman was the one who did the laundry, the unthinkable happened.

“ROMAN JULIUS PRINCE!” Janus’ voice echoed throughout the small apartment, his hands full of what used to be his beautiful white skirt and shirts. He heard his boyfriend come tumbling into the room, socks sliding on the tile floor.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Roman’s voice was panicked, and for a half second Janus felt bad about making him think that something was terribly wrong. But that feeling went away instantly as he spun on his heel, dark eyes meeting Roman’s as he threw the pinkified clothing at him.

“Your stray red item turned my whites pink!” Janus exclaimed, frowning deeply, holding out a pair of Roman’s red lacy panties. “Now I’ll have to buy all new white clothes or go back to wearing all black.” Roman pouted at this, dropping the clothes and scooping his partner into his arms.

“I’ll buy you all the pretty white skirts you want, love. But… maybe pink will look good on you, too?” He suggested, nuzzling his face into Janus’ hair. “Maybe just for me? You’ll be so beautiful, Jan.”

“Ro, don’t try to butter me up. I’m still mad,” Janus tried keeping his face firm, but melted when Roman began to press kisses against the scars on his cheek. He whined softly, then sighed, eyes rolling a bit. “Okay fine, fine, I forgive you!” Roman let out a triumphant noise and captured Janus’ lips in his own, the two collapsing to the floor together amongst the pink garments.

#amanda writes sanders sides fic #amanda answers asks #ask prompt #roceit #roman sanders #ts roman #ts roceit #ts janus #janus sanders #drabble #cutesy #fluff

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firefly-in-darkness · 5 years ago

Text

GOTG: Christmas Vol.1

Characters: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot (Platonic).

Prompt: Secret Santa

Word Count: 1.6k

Warnings: Nothing really, a bit of fluffiness..

A/N: This is for @holy-captain‘s challenge for reaching a follower milestone - congratulations! It’s the first time I have written for the Guardians of the Galaxy, hope you enjoy it!

Firefly’s Library & Masterlist

The Milano had started to look festive; tinsel was draped around the spaceship’s panels, baubles were tentatively hooked over bolts and a sprig of mistletoe hung above one of the doors.

Y/N hummed along to Step into Christmas as she decorated stockings with glitter glue until she was distracted by the scene unfolding beside her. She watched Peter approach Gamora, his cockiness oozed into the atmosphere from the way he stretched and leant against the wall, his arm braced above the assassin’s head.

Thwack! Peter held his cheek with one hand and pointed above them with the other, “It’s mistletoe, you big turd blossom!”

After the catastrophe of mistletoe, the Guardians were given a rundown on different traditions including the nativity, advent calendars and gift giving. Rocket’s ears pricked up at the idea of gifts and Y/N suggested they all participate in Secret Santa.

“But what if I like the gift I get for someone else more than they will?” Rocket questioned.

“Well, you’re supposed to give it to your recipient. Not keep it for yourself.” Y/N smiled as his thoughts flickered across his face.

“But what if I want it more?” Rocket held out his hand as an ultimatum.

“Then I would keep it and get them something different.” Y/N patted Rocket on the head and returned her focus back to the decorations.

Peter was not impressed about ugly christmas jumpers, the offence was evident on his face as Y/N handed him a jumper, not too dissimilar from the one he wore as a kid.

“Ha!” Rocket barked and shook his head.

“You must be so embarrassed!” Drax pointed at Quill, his body rocked with his laughter.

Groot huffed, rolled his eyes and continued to play the gameboy without any further response.

Y/N couldn’t help the happy tears that dropped as her hand held out the hat with each of the Guardians’ names on folded paper. “Enough guys, you need to pick someone!”

They all separated to various parts of the spaceship, thinking about what the recipient would like from their Secret Santa. Over the course of several days, the Guardians visited various planets to make sure they were prepared for Christmas day.

Y/N had picked Gamora and immediately knew a leather cuff would be a perfect addition to her outfit. At different times, the presents were left under the decorated arm that Groot had donated.

Today was the day that the Guardian’s of the Galaxy would receive their gifts from their Secret Santa. Y/N and Rocket ate breakfast together in their matching reindeer antler headbands and were soon joined by Gamora wearing an elf hat. Y/N flicked on the music and the Jackson 5’s I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus filled the room.

“Drax, why aren’t you ready for Secret Santa?” Y/N was puzzled, she had left a christmas themed outfit for everyone and had picked Drax to be Santa.

Drax’s unblinkingly responded, “You said I am Santa, so if I wear it, it won’t be a secret anymore.”

Rocket put his head in his hand, “Urgh, this is like the time you thought you were invisible because you were standing still.”

“Drax, just put the hat on.” Gamora sighed and handed over the red hat with the white fluffy trim and bobble.

With one look at Y/N’s face and her crossed arms, he had learnt it was best to try and make her smile so Drax pulled it onto his head, “Ho ho ho! Is that right?”

She giggled and relaxed her arms before she called out to Groot, “Time to put the game down.”

With a huff, Groot put it away and adjusted the handmade star on his head. The unenthusiastic action did not go unmissed but Y/N chose to ignore it.

“Cmon, it's supposed to be fun and a family thing.” Y/N tried to jeer him into the festive spirit before she turned to place the presents on the table.

“I am Groot.” Mumbled the teenager.

“At least you don't have to wear these stupid antlers.” Rocket whispered to Groot.

“This hat is itchy.” Complained Drax as he pulled it around his head.

Y/N could hear the conversation behind her and tears pricked in her eyes. Before they could fall, she rushed past Peter and down into the sleeping quarters.

“What did you do?” Peter glared and questioned the other guardians.

Rocket raised his arms in defense, “Why are you looking at me?”

“Because upsetting Y/N is something a trash panda would do!”

Groot shrugged and continued to play his game whilst Drax ate his Zarg-nuts.

“You're all a bunch of idiots.” Gamora sighed, “Y/N wanted a special day and you've ruined it.”

Rocket scratched at the back of his neck, Drax hung his head in shame and Groot kicked at the ground. The three of them uncertain what to say or do.

“Alright, Guardians, don’t forget this is for Y/N. Let’s put on our happy faces!”

Y/N could hear Quill’s pep talk and stifled a giggle behind the closed panel to the sleeping quarters, what were they up to?! She pulled the panel to see her friends dressed up in their christmas outfits holding various shaped presents.

Quill rubbed the back of his neck, “We realised you deserved better so you don’t have a Secret Santa, you have us crazy bunch of jerks.”

Y/N’s chest swelled with pride at the thought they had put into this, her smile didn’t falter as they walked to the table and chairs. “Thank you. Now let’s open these gifts!”

The Guardians took to their assigned seats with their stockings draped over the chairs and crackers set down on the table. Peter flicked on the sound system, Bruce Springsteen echoed through the speakers; You better watch out, you better not cry…

They all revealed their presents at once. Rocket was given a box of scrap metal and Groot had a new watering can. Gamora placed the cuff on her wrist with a twinkle in her eye, Drax had nearly munched his way through the pack of different flavoured Zarg-nuts as Peter placed his new troll doll at the front of the spaceship.

Y/N looked at her gifts, Groot hadn’t wrapped his present but that did not make it any less perfect. Y/N placed the woven twigs and flowers on her head and kissed his cheek. She was uncertain which one to open next when Rocket nudged his closer and she snorted as he winked at her. The paper was ripped away to a metal box with a clasp at the front as she opened it, music filtered into the room. A soft melody played and tears welled in her eyes. She grabbed Rocket into a big hug and refused to let go as he squirmed.

“Thank you Rocket,” Y/N eventually let him go and placed a kiss to the top of his head.

He blushed and turned to the side, “You’re welcome.”

Gamora stood beside Y/N and handed her gift over. It was neatly wrapped and a bow had been placed at the top. She pulled at the string and unravelled the paper to reveal a jewelled dagger. Similar to Gamora’s one, yet, the red stones were dotted with Y/N’s favourite colour gems. Y/N clutched it to her chest in happiness and silently thanked Gamora with a huge smile then leant against the assassin’s hip.

Gamora stroked her hair, “You needed something more, you when we fight for the galaxy.”

Drax walked around from the other side of his table and leant on the back of Y/N’s chair and held out the present he had wrapped with his other hand. She took it from him, it was oddly shaped and squishy. It made her hesitate to open it and she peeled away the paper slowly at first but as soon as she saw the purple of the fruit from a village they had visited recently visited, she tore the paper apart. Even though the present was the equivalent of an orange on Earth, it was the best fruit in the galaxy she had ever tried.

Y/N squeezed Drax’s hand, “This is really thoughtful. Thank you.”

Drax grinned then patted her head as he left to go back to his seat. Quill shuffled in his seat to face Y/N and placed a surprisingly neatly wrapped present on the table in front of her.

She raised her eyebrow, “Did you wrap this?!”

He scoffed and shrugged his shoulders but did not give her an answer.

With pursed lips, Y/N loosened the taped corners to reveal a worn copy of Mary Poppins. The pages were dog-eared and stained in places, yet, the smell of the pages filled Y/N’s senses and it felt like home.

Y/N thought of how different her life could have been if she had been brought up on Earth, not in space. Or if she didn’t spend all of her time with a bunch of criminals. Yet, here she was, with the best family she could have wished for.

The Guardians noticed the way Y/N’s smile returned and she began to glow once more.

She was the star of their Christmas family tree.

#Livs1.2KWritingChallenge #Guardians of the Galaxy #gotg fanfiction #Marvel Fanfic #GOTG Fanfic #Peter Quill #Star Lord #Gamora #Rocket Racoon #Drax #Groot #Secret Santa

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insfiringyou · 5 years ago

Text

BTS - A Celebration to Forget (All Members)

Contains: Fluff. Smut. Humour. Cheating. Breakups. Fingering in public. Oral sex. Presumed vaginal sex. Angst. New relationships forming.

V throws his girlfriend Cassandra a surprise party at a suburban hotel to celebrate her getting a part in a stage production of Cats. The alcohol-fuelled party acts as a catalyst for regretful acts, a breakup and a new relationship being formed. This is set after the events of ‘The Play’ but before Suga desperately proposes to Jeong-sun in ‘Stranded’, prior to their breakup.

This is a major chapter in our headcanon universe (find out more about our headcanon universe plot and characters here) and involves all members of BTS and most of their headcanon girlfriends: Cassandra (V’s gf), Angel (Jimin’s gf), Jeong-sun (Suga’s gf), Ji-eun (RM’s gf) Min-seo (Jin’s gf) and Young-soon (Jungkook’s gf). Supreme Boi is also here and this fic introduces Ara (Jimin’s second girlfriend).

To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here: RM / Jin / Suga / J-Hope / Jimin / V / Jungkook

& Our full masterlist can be found here

Rated content below cut

PART ONE

The low murmur of chatter from the kitchen drifted through the hallway and Jungkook clutched his cell closer, shifting a little to the left to allow Yoongi to bypass him on the stairs. The older male was likewise talking on the phone and, while he would never ask, Jungkook had some idea of who might be on the other end of the line. He had not yet spotted the dark-haired girl he had once seen kissing Yoongi here tonight, and wondered if his band-mate was feeling as sad about her absence as he was his girlfriend’s. They had been in China for the past week and he hadn’t yet had the chance to visit Young-soon since returning to Seoul the previous evening. While he had spoken to her on the phone throughout the trip, all he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and see her smile as he picked her up and spun her around in the hallway of her apartment. He also couldn’t wait to give her the giant stuffed panda he had bought for her at the sanctuary in Sichuan.

“Are you sure you can’t come later?” Jungkook asked his girlfriend for the third time that evening. He was seated on the third step of the grand staircase which adorned the foyer.

“The conference doesn’t finish until midnight.” She sighed on the other end of the phone. “They’re doing it on FaceTime with someone from America. I’ve got to watch the desk until then.”

“What are you doing?” He asked, thinking she sounded incredibly bored.

“Playing Solitaire.” She smirked. He could just about hear the low noise of the computer game in the background and couldn’t help but smile sweetly to himself. His cheeks had been rosy since she had answered the phone ten minutes before; the sound of her voice comforting him. “You could always come here.”

He shook his head although she couldn’t see him. “Taehyung would kill me. He’s been planning the surprise for over a week.”

“What musical was it again?”

“Cats.”

“Does she have a big part?” Young-soon was referring to Cassandra, Taehyung’s girlfriend. The news had come shortly before their visit abroad and the older member had been unable to stop himself from talking about it almost non-stop all week.

“Not really, but it’s her first time in such a big venue.” He moved against the wall to let a couple he didn’t recognise squeeze past him. “Taehyung says she’s really excited about it.”

“Tell her I said congrats.”

“I will...” His voice drifted off as the sound of laughter from across the hall caught his attention. He peered through the slits of the banister to look through the doorway where he could just about spot Cassandra and Taehyung talking to Donghyuk by the drinks counter in the kitchen. The woman had dyed her hair from its natural brown to a deep cherry red colour, matching the rose, deliberately or otherwise, which adorned Taehyung’s lapel. While Jungkook had spoken to her on a number of occasions, he always found himself tongue tied. She seemed perfectly nice and easy to get along with; at least Yoongi and Hoseok never seemed antsy around her, but the image of her completely nude on stage with her pale body streaked in artificial blood, always seemed to come back to him at the most inopportune moments. Young-soon had laughed when he explained this to her, saying he shouldn’t get so wound up whenever he sees a pair of breasts, but he had to protest that she hadn’t been at the play, and therefore had no idea just how intense the plot had been.

On the stairs, Jungkook groaned. “It’s no fun without you. Everyone else has brought their girlfriend.” He complained, picking at a loose thread in his jeans with boredom.

“You’ve got Hoseok...and Yoongi.” His girlfriend reassured.

“Yoongi’s on the phone to someone.” He said, not correcting her on the fact that, if his suspicions were true, Yoongi wasn’t as single as he once assumed. “And I can’t find Hoseok.” He thought about it. “I’ll probably go home soon anyway.”

“Well, I’ve got to go.” Young-soon said. The sound of the computer game in the background had ceased and Jungkook suspected her boss had just walked through the door. “Try to have fun.”

“I will.” He said without much confidence, bottom lip sticking out a little. “I love you.” He finished.

“You too. See you Tuesday.” She hung up.

Upstairs, Yoongi heard Jimin and Angel approaching the spare bedroom he was currently occupying, voices raised. He had been looking for somewhere quiet to speak to Jeong-sun, with the downstairs area being too rowdy and raucous, but most of the second floor rooms were already taken. He stood up from the edge of the bed and slipped out the door, giving them both a brief wave with his spare hand as he entered the first guest bathroom he found and closed the door behind him.

“Where did you say the hotel was?” Jeong-sun asked, her voice clear on the other end of the phone despite the hundred miles or more between them.

“It’s near Hwangsong Park.” He murmured, pacing the small room a little. The suburban hotel, which was typically used to host weddings, 21st birthdays and anniversaries, boasted a quiet back garden, fifteen en-suite guest rooms and a mini golf course.

“That’s quite far...did you get a taxi?”

“I drove Hoseok and Jungkook.” He explained. “Supreme Boi’s been renting it on Air BnB for the past month.”

“You’re company are clearly paying him too much.” Jeong-sun said, the smirk in her voice obvious.

“I think he won the jackpot on a scratchcard.” Yoongi shrugged. He had heard this from Jimin and suspected it was likely true. Over the past six months, Donghyuk had not been shy when it came to flashing his cash at every possible opportunity. His girlfriend echoed his suspicions a second later.

“That would explain the party on the yacht.”

There was a moment of silence as Yoongi smiled to himself. There had been no real need to call her other than wanting to hear her voice. She was already in Gwangju when he returned from China and the need to have her close to him, in some way or another, was overwhelming.

“This bathroom has heated flooring...” He murmured, sliding off his sneaker to feel its heat against the sole of his foot.

“Are you that bored?” He gathered she was rolling her eyes and grinned, knowing she was right.

“I just like talking to you...” He shrugged to himself. “How’s your dad?”

“The usual. He wants to take me fishing tomorrow.”

His lips widened in a toothy grin. He couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the thought of his girlfriend in a body warmer and wide-brimmed hat, sensing it was the last thing she wanted to spend her time off work doing.

“It’s not that funny...” She sneered.

“I know.” He calmed himself down. “You might enjoy it...” He suggested, predicting her answer before it came.

“I doubt it.”

Outside the bathroom, Jimin and Angel headed back downstairs, edging against the banister to avoid Jungkook who was playing a darts game on his phone without much vigour. They walked across the foyer and stood in the kitchen doorway, glancing around the crowd of guests.

“Which one is she?” Angel asked, brushing her dyed blonde hair over her shoulder casually. It had gotten a little tangled during their brief tryst in the bedroom where she had attempted to get him worked up with the palm of her hand. Frustratingly, he had protested that he wasn’t in the mood. Despite it being so unlike him to turn down the opportunity for a quick release, she had felt somewhat relieved.

“Don’t you recognise her?” Jimin frowned as he pointed at a girl with red hair in the centre of the room.

“She’s changed her hair.” The comment came out a little cattily. “Where’s she from again?”

“Holland I think...”

“What language does she speak?”

Jimin shrugged as they entered the room, moving automatically towards the counter which boasted a number of alcoholic drinks. He had only heard Cassandra speaking in his own native tongue. “Korean?”

Angel ignored his answer as she looked around the room, a little bored. She noticed a white man in the corner who seemed to be the focus of attention with a group of men and wondered if, like Cassandra, he worked in the theatre. “Do you think he’s got a girlfriend?” She murmured to Jimin, pointing discreetly at the man.

“I don’t know. Why?” He glanced at the figure with an air of indifference.

She shrugged. “He seems quite popular.”

“I don’t recognise him.” Jimin said, making Angel frown. She had expected a different type of reaction from him. Jimin walked towards the marble counter and was bumped into by a short woman wearing a baby blue camisole and matching shorts who appeared to be likewise making a beeline for the alcohol.

“Sorry...” He apologised, stepping aside to allow her to go first. He turned back to Angel who was unintentionally watching the woman as she poured herself a glass of vodka and orange juice, her eyes fixed on her tanned legs, visible below the short hem of her shorts. There was something strange about her outfit which Angel didn’t quite have the inclination to focus too much on.

“Do you want a drink?” Jimin asked his girlfriend.

She nodded, blinking. “Something strong.”

Across the room, Namjoon and Ji-eun stood opposite Cassandra and Taehyung as they sipped their glasses of red wine. The two couples could not have looked more different, with the older pair dressed smartly in matching black. In contrast, Cassandra wore a long, floaty paisley print maxi dress and Taehyung boasted a suit in a dizzying, royal blue; the red rose in his lapel complimenting the splash of colour well.

“How many weeks is it running?” Ji-eun asked the other woman politely as she drank from her glass. Namjoon’s hand brushed her hip gently, holding her beside him.

“Just twelve.” Cassandra replied. “The original cast member dropped out with an injury, so I got the call back two weeks ago.” She glanced at her boyfriend with a relieved smile. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Taehyung smiled back, his pride in her evident.

Ji-eun placed her hand on top of her boyfriends and met his gaze, inadvertently mirroring the pose of the couple opposite. “That’s great. We’ll have to get tickets...” She tried to sound enthusiastic but it came off a little awkward. She knew that, like herself, Namjoon would be thinking of the last play they had seen together, where Cassandra had stripped off completely on stage.

The other woman didn’t seem to notice the slight apprehension in Ji-eun’s voice. “I’ll sort something out. There’ll be plenty of tickets for everyone at the matinee.” She beamed.

Taehyung looked at her hungrily, sneaking his hand across her shoulder. “I don’t want Jungkook seeing you in that little leotard...” His fingers brushed through the ends of her red ponytail in a gesture which seemed surprisingly intimate for the public space they occupied. “And that tail as well.” He purred, gazing down at her beneath thick black eyelashes.

Namjoon shifted uncomfortably. “Is it a singing part?” He asked

She nodded, looking at him. “A duet. Macavity.”

Taehyung smirked, moving her hair over to her other shoulder playfully. “It’s about a very naughty cat.” He sensually skimmed her neck with his fingertips.

Namjoon nodded. “I know. I’ve seen it on Broadway.”

Ji-eun moved from foot to foot beside him, clearly feeling just as awkward.

Brushing her cheekbone with his knuckle, Taehyung smirked. “Shall we go and find Eric Shun?” He murmured, making her giggle loudly. Her cheeks turned pink as she clasped his hand in hers.

“Yeah...I have to thank him.” She nodded, letting him lead her from the room.

“See you later.”Ji-eun called after them before turning to her boyfriend, quizzically. “Who’s Eric Shun? Is he foreign?”

Namjoon sighed, watching as the young couple headed up the staircase, just visible through the open doorway. “It’s a made up name.”

“Oh.” She thought for a moment. “I thought he just had cruel parents.”

Namjoon grinned and pulled her by the hips to nestle closely against him. She sighed loudly, feeling his fingers move along the curve of her waist beneath the silky black fabric. “I feel overdressed.”

He shook his head, skimming upwards until he reached her spine. The dress was incredibly low cut at the back, exposing her smooth, condensed milk coloured skin. “Don’t be silly.” He protested, murmuring quietly against her ear. “That dress looks really sexy on you.”

She couldn’t help but smile as his low voice vibrated through her body but quickly moved away when she spotted Jin and Min-seo walking into the kitchen. Jin approached them looking a little dishevelled and warm; unbuttoning the top button of his white shirt beneath his suit. His girlfriend trailed closely behind, tugging the hem of her knee-length lilac dress and smoothing out the crumples which had formed in the delicate material.

“Sorry we’re late, the taxi broke down.” Jin explained, dabbing his perspiring forehead with the back of his hand. “Is everyone already here?”

Namjoon nodded. “We got here about an hour ago.”

“Where’s Taehyung and Cassandra?” Jin asked.

“They went to see Eric Shun.” Namjoon said blankly.

Jin threw back his head in laughter as Min-seo clutched at his sleeve, smiling shyly. “What, what?”

He shook his head and reached for her hand, taking it gently. “It doesn’t matter.” He recovered himself. “I’ll tell you later.”

Ji-eun, glad to see Min-seo, stepped forward. “Do you want to get a drink?”

The younger woman smiled and nodded, stepping away from the two men. Ji-eun linked arms with her easily. Since their first meeting on Donghyuk’s rented yacht several months before, they had gone on several double dates together with their boyfriends as well as one memorable solo shopping trip where Ji-eun had tempted Min-seo into buying herself a new set of underwear and nightgown to wear for Jin. The younger woman had protested a number of revealing garments with a polite and awkward blush, but had agreed on a silky pink night dress which, she had to admit, accentuated her cleavage nicely while covering her stomach and thighs. She had yet to wear it for Jin, feeling bashful whenever she thought of donning it.

Ji-eun led her towards the drinks counter, only stopping to nod her head at a shorter woman who had left the table when she saw them approaching. “Is she wearing pyjamas?” The older woman asked, picking up on the strange detail that Angel, earlier, couldn’t quite place. The matching blue shorts and cami the woman was wearing was certainly not designed for everyday use and looked out of place at the party. Min-seo turned to watch her leave the room as she walked towards the foyer. She shrugged easily and Ji-eun shook her head with a frown.

“I don’t recognise her.” The older woman said. “She must know Supreme Boi.”

Min-seo smiled as they passed another of Jin’s band-mates she recognised. His hair was dyed bleach blonde and was wearing a patterned white shirt and a pair of well-fitting navy trousers; somehow able to look both formal and casual. “Hi Yoongi.” She smiled, timid and mouse-like. He turned politely to say hello.

“Did you come with -” Min-seo started, meaning to ask about Jeong-sun. Despite only meeting her twice, she had found her instantly likeable; a calming and reliable respite from the intimidating people she usually ran into at parties. While she had grown to feel more comfortable around Namjoon’s girlfriend as they spent more time together, she couldn’t help but still be a little anxious when they were alone, particularly when Ji-eun asked her questions regarding her sex life with Jin. She knew it was only natural to be curious and that it was something most women discussed with their friends, but she still felt that it should be kept private. She couldn’t help but speculate that Jeong-sun would have the same reaction if asked and that, like herself, she would want the details of what happened in private with Yoongi to stay that way. She wondered if they could invite her the next time they went shopping. She had never heard Ji-eun mention Jeong-sun, but then again she had never heard her talk about Jimin’s girlfriend either.

“Do you want a cocktail?” Ji-eun interrupted, pointing towards the variety of bottles which littered the counter.

“Oh, what?” Min-seo’s thoughts were scattered as she turned to look at the older woman.

“They have plenty of mixers.”

“Oh yeah, thanks.” She turned back to Yoongi, realising he was still waiting patiently for her to reply. She waved a little awkwardly as Ji-eun pulled her away towards the counter. “See you later Yoongi.”

He smiled at her before weaving his way through the crowd and into the foyer. Ji-eun watched him go. “I always see him on his own. Never with the others...” She commented, unfastening the screw-top lid to a bottle of clear liquid.

Min-seo followed her gaze, noticing the way he clutched his phone to his ear before he left. “I think he’s just shy.”

“Namjoon doesn’t seem to think so. He told me he writes a lot of their songs.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.” Min-seo watched as Ji-eun poured a couple of cap-fulls of the liquid into a red plastic cup. She hovered the bottle above a second cup.

“Do you want vodka?”

In the hallway, Yoongi grasped his phone, struggling to be overheard over the clatter of noise. “Hang on Jeong-sun, I can’t hear you...I’m just going to step outside.” He noticed the front door had been propped open and walked towards it, stepping past the staircase. Jungkook had since left his spot on the third step but Yoongi could hear his voice, protesting quietly.

“I’m not drinking...”

“Come on JK. It’s a party, you have to drink!” Donghyuk complained. Yoongi glanced around the hall, looking for the source of the voices.

“Yeah, it’s a party...” He heard Hoseok echo, agreeing with Supreme Boi. He figured they must be upstairs, just out of sight. The vastness of the foyer was making their voices bounce in strange directions.

“I made some punch I think you’d like.” Donghyuk offered.

“Oh, the punch is great!” Hoseok exclaimed, clearly a little tipsy himself. “It tastes like mangoes!”

Yoongi rolled his eyes as he stepped out the front door. “Better.” He pressed the phone back to his ear and began to follow the curve of the building around to the spacious garden at the back.

“I said he uses a spinning rod.” Jeong-sun said, carrying on the conversation they had started in the foyer.

“For fishing?”

“No, for pulling girls.”

Yoongi grinned at her dry reply and took a seat on the patio. Several sets of metal tables and chairs adorned the space around the back of the building and he chose one with an ashtray.

She continued. “He got his bait mixed up with his beef sandwich filling the other day, he keeps it all in the freezer.”

“Your dad sounds fun.” He smiled.

“He ate it anyway. Apparently it doesn’t taste too bad with brown sauce and garlic.”

Yoongi could hear the grin in her voice. He paused, thinking. “How long are you in Gwangju for again?”

“A week.”

He sighed. “I’ll be in Tokyo when you get back...” He said sadly.

“I figured.” Her voice had a tone of acceptance to it which Yoongi found hard to swallow. There was a pause before she spoke again. “Why aren’t you with the others?”

He remained silent as he turned around to glance through the window behind him which looked into one end of the kitchen. He could just about make out the two figures in the corner. “Jimin and Angel are arguing.” He murmured. Even from this distance, he could see the way she was avoiding his touch and, earlier on, he had heard them bickering upstairs.

“I know, she told me.” Jeong-sun confirmed.

“How bad?”

“I wouldn’t buy your best man suit just yet.” She grimaced.

“He’d ask Tae first.” He murmured, thinking. “I think she’s a bit much for him.”

“Yeah.” There was a pause before she spoke. “She’s a bit much for me sometimes.” She admitted reluctantly. In the background, Yoongi could hear the loud sounds of splashing water and the huffs and puffs of a man struggling with something. If he didn’t know better, the noise could be interpreted as something vulgar. He grinned, despite himself.

“What’s your dad watching?”

“Deadliest Catch.” She said drolly, making Yoongi laugh.

“Why’s it so loud?”

“He refuses to get a hearing aid. I told him he could use my discount.”

Yoongi smirked, knowing it was no good. From what she had told him about her father, he seemed ridiculously stubborn. Turning to face the garden, he heard Hoseok’s loud, echoing laughs from somewhere around the corner. In the other direction, he observed a lone figure walking around the side of the house, clutching a red plastic cup.

“Jungkook’s wandering around like a lost puppy.” He commented, watching as the maknae stumbled on a piece of loose AstroTurf and almost lost his footing.

“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?” Jeong-sun asked, curiously.

“Yeah. She couldn’t make it.” The younger male turned back the way he came, realising the garden was almost deserted, and disappeared back into the house.

“What about Hoseok?” Jeong-sun asked.

“I can hear him but I can’t see him...” He smirked and, as if on cue, his best friend turned the corner from the opposite direction he had seen Jungkook leave. “Here he comes.” Yoongi grinned as he climbed the stone steps onto the patio and stumbled over drunkenly. The younger male slipped the phone from Yoongi silently and pressed it to his ear.

“Hi Jeong-sun!” He exclaimed noisily, immediately knowing who was on the line. “Why aren’t you here?” He tottered from foot to foot on the paving.

Yoongi could hear his girlfriend’s voice on the other end as he got up from the patio chair. “I’m in Gwangju at the minute.”

“Wow!” Hoseok proclaimed. “How’s the weather?”

“Humid. My dad’s taking me fishing on the river tomorrow.”

“Oh, I used to love going there! Make sure you take mosquito repellent.” He blurted, stumbling a little over his own feet.

“I will.” She agreed easily.

“What have you been drinking?” Yoongi grimaced, his lips tugging upwards in an abashed smile.

“I don’t know, Donghyuk gave me it.” Hoseok admitted as Yoongi took the phone from him.

“That’s a bad idea.” He moved the cell to his ear.

“I’ve just had one!”

“Go get some water.” He instructed before sitting back down on the chair.

“He sounds like he’s having a good time.” Jeong-sun chuckled.

“He won’t be in an hour.” Yoongi observed him on the decking by the edge of the garden, standing beside Donghyuk who swiftly handed him another cup of punch. Hoseok sipped it greedily, making Yoongi roll his eyes. He turned back to the phone. “I miss you.”

“Don’t think about it.” His girlfriend advised. “I’ll see you soon - after Tokyo.”

Yoongi smiled softly. “I’ll bring you back some Matcha.”

“Don’t bother, it tastes like snot.”

He snickered under his breath, not wanting to draw Donghyuk’s attention. “I love you.”

“You too. Take care of Hoseok.”

He smiled and shook his head, reluctant to hang up. “I’ll try.”

PART TWO

“I kept the leotard on for you...” Cassandra breathed sultrily as she finished unfastening the final button on Taehyung’s white shirt. The blue suit had been discarded in the next room on the double bed along with her tights and shoes. He smirked, brushing the wide sleeves of her dress from her shoulders and stretching the elasticated bodice down her body. The ginger and white tabby stripes of her Lycra costume became visible as he uncovered her, pulling the loose bust of her oversized dress away from her breasts and allowing the fabric to pool at her feet. The small en-suite they were currently occupying was in the room Donghyuk had taken as his own. They figured, after testing several of the guest rooms and finding them locked, they were less likely to be disturbed in the master suite.

“You forgot to bring the ears.” Taehyung murmured as she turned herself around to grind slightly against his crotch. He let out a low, carnal moan at her touch and she stepped away, teasingly. Frustrated, he hooked his forefinger beneath the elastic at her bottom and pulled her closer, making her gasp loudly.

“I didn’t know you were throwing me a party.” She smirked, her breath increasing as he brushed his hands along the partially exposed curves of her fleshy backside and up along her ribs, gliding easily along the smooth fabric. “Why does Donghyuk have pineapple capsules in his bathroom?” She muttered in a breathy voice as his hands cupped her breasts and pushed them together. They were facing the glass cabinet above the toilet, watching each other’s expressions in the mirror as he slipped his fingers beneath the bust of her leotard, running his fingertips gently along her cleavage. The bottle of capsules, placed on the shelf below the mirror had caught her eye.

“Why do you think?” He smirked, meeting her gaze in the glass as he slowly pulled down her top, stretching the material over the fleshy roundness of her breasts until her pink nipples were visible. His lips moved to the side of her neck where he kissed along the flesh sensually, opening his mouth against her skin and making her whine as his palms cupped her chest. He massaged her bare breasts erotically in circular motions.

“Won’t he be mad?” Cassandra moaned as Taehyung took a nipple between his thumb and forefinger, pinching it briefly.

In reply, Taehyung reached forward with his spare hand and tugged on the draw below the mirrored cabinet, opening it. Cassandra glanced down at the array of condoms which filled the draw. Every brand and variety she could think of were represented there and she couldn’t help but smirk at Donghyuk’s blatant confidence as she pulled one out at random.

“Glow in the dark?” She grinned, meeting Taehyung’s eyes in the mirror once more.

“In case the lights go out.” He breathed against her neck, touching his tongue to the skin there briefly before he let go of her body and shuffled in front of her, getting down on his knees between the cabinet and the toilet. She smirked as he ran his palm along her exposed thigh, easing her leg onto the closed lid of the commode to gain better access as he slipped his finger under the gusset of her leotard and eased the fabric to the side. His head slipped between her thighs easily as he ran his tongue along her exposed core, savouring her the taste of her pink slit as he ate her out hungrily.

Watching as he crouched beneath her, she grasped her large breasts in both hands, massaging them and snapping her head back in pleasure at the feel of his mouth on her quickly-swelling clitoris. He moaned into her wantonly as he opened his mouth wide against her pussy, assaulting her with quick, sloppy motions as he slipped his arms around her back to pull her into him by the arse. Needing more, she grasped a handful of his brunette hair and pushed his face desperately into her crotch; savouring his animal-like grunts as he stuck out his tongue and lapped at her like she was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

They almost didn’t hear the bathroom door open, if not for the cries of “Oh god! Occupied!” which echoed around the tiled room. They both turned in unison to look at the source of the outcry and found Hoseok jolting backwards in a desperate attempt to close the door.

Taehyung, his lips and chin glistening with Cassandra’s juices and his fingers still hooked around her leotard and holding the gusset away from her slick pink opening, grew increasingly frustrated as Hoseok fell backwards onto his backside as he scrambled into the bedroom next door. Cassandra watched on, too shocked to move and cover herself, as the older male made an attempt to grasp the inside handle and failed miserably.

“Close the door!” Taehyung called out, heatedly. Hoseok nodded and pushed the door with his feet, managing to get it shut.

“What’s going on?” A female voice asked from the bedroom doorway. Cassandra thought she recognised it as belonging to Ji-eun.

“Don’t go in there!” Hoseok cried as he got to his feet. “Tae’s in there!”

In the bathroom, Taehyung rolled his eyes as Hoseok ratted him out. He moved back in to kiss Cassandra, pulling the stretchy fabric further aside as he closed his lips around her clitoris, pecking it a couple of times.

“Is he okay?” She asked above him, her hand resting awkwardly on her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“I don’t care at the moment...” He murmured bitchily, pressing his pout against her wet nub. “I hope he broke something.” He continued to capture her clit, alternating between chaste, closed-mouth pecks and gentle nibbles.

Sighing above him, she reluctantly pushed him away. “Come on. Let’s get dressed.”

Outside the bedroom, Ji-eun followed a very startled Hoseok down into the foyer where they separated. Hoseok went into the kitchen to find some more alcohol in an attempt to forget the sight he had just witnessed while she side-stepped the woman in the blue pyjamas who was munching on a bread stick. She looked around the downstairs rooms for her boyfriend, not noticing the stranger walk out of the open door and into the garden. The woman followed the terrace around the building until she came to the wide patio outside the kitchen.

Yoongi was alone at one of the tables, smoking a cigarette. He flicked the ash from the end into the terracotta tray indifferently, thinking about nothing in particular, when the short woman caught his eye. She smiled softly and sauntered over to the circular table, the knitted boot-style slippers on her feet making no sound against the pavement. Her features, while not unattractive, were slightly unremarkable and forgettable; the fact she was a couple of inches shorter than average being her only truly discernible feature other than her bigger than average bust which jutted over the top of her low-cut camisole. While he was sure he had never seen her before, she reminded him of someone.

Slowly, she sank down onto the chair opposite him, wincing a little as the cold metal connected with her bare thighs. Yoongi took a deep drag of his cigarette, closing one eye against the pillar of smoke as he watched her reach out for the half-full packet he had left on the table. Her eyes never left his as she smirked and took a cigarette from the packet before lighting it with his purple clipper. She returned it to the table and inhaled slowly, wanting a reaction from him.

Yoongi glanced at her, unimpressed. “Sorry, I’m taken.” He said.

She blew out the smoke messily and stood up. Yoongi’s eyes followed her nonchalantly as she walked back the way she came across the patio, blowing out frustrated columns of smoke as she disappeared around the corner. She skulked past Namjoon who was seated at another table near a flower bed of fragrant roses and threw a cold look at Ji-eun as they passed.

Namjoon watched this exchange with amusement. “What was that about?” He asked as his girlfriend joined him behind the table.

She shook her head. “No idea. Did you see she’s wearing pyjamas?”

Namjoon smirked. “Maybe she’s a guest at the hotel. Donghyuk didn’t say whether anyone else was renting along with him.”

“Maybe.” Ji-eun agreed listlessly as she placed her palm on his knee. “Min-seo and Jin went home. She has work tomorrow.” She began to stroke his thigh softly. “What are you up to?” She asked.

“It was too hot inside.” He explained while watching her hand. “It’s a nice night.”

She murmured in agreement and he touched her slender waist, encouraging her onto his knee.

“You look really sexy...” He murmured, pressing his lips against her dark hair and inhaling her raspberry scent along with the soft floral of the fragrance she wore. His hand ran across her exposed knee as she wrapped her arms loosely around his wide shoulders, feeling secure.

She smiled at him, embracing his desire as he echoed her movement and stroked her thigh. “I’m glad you think so.”

He nodded, refusing to drop her gaze as he slipped his hand higher, brushing it under the black hem of the fabric. “It’s really short.” He murmured in a low voice as he felt between her thighs, teasing her soft, cool skin before pressing upwards, slipping his fingers along the smoothness of her labia. His breath hitched. “Too short not to be wearing underwear...”

She smirked, pressing her nose to his with a grin. “I was wondering when you would notice.” His hand was paused against her slit and she sighed, quickly looking around to check that nobody was looking. “Don’t stop...” She whispered against his lips, gasping when she felt two fingers push between her folds and find the tight ring of her entrance.

Across the terrace, Yoongi finally stood up from his seat, feeling his backside and thighs growing numb from the cold metal and knowing if he stayed where he was he would be tempted to call Jeong-sun again. He decided to take a walk. He spotted Namjoon and Ji-eun seated around the corner in a shady part of the garden, locked in an embrace and kept his distance, his gaze fixed on the dim gravel pathway which snaked its way through the AstroTurf. Ji-eun noticed his presence and briefly pulled Namjoon’s hand away from the space between her thighs, tugging down the short hem of her dress until she saw his blonde hair disappear behind the garden wall.

Jungkook was seated alone on the steps which led to the back door, chin resting against his knuckle in a pose which looked eerily like the statue of the thinking man. Yoongi offered a small wave as he joined him. The sight of Namjoon and Ji-eun being so affectionate together in public had brought another stab of longing to Yoongi’s chest as it occurred to him that even if Jeong-sun had been able to come tonight, they would have found themselves sneaking around like horny teenagers afraid of being caught necking by their parents, in an attempt to not be seen. Now, here was Jungkook sulking and drunk because Young-soon had been at work. Yoongi tried to remind himself that they were both alone and gloomy for the same reason, but he found it hard to feel as sorry for the maknae as he was currently feeling for himself. At least the other members knew about Young-soon.

“How are you feeling?” He asked Jungkook, pulling another cigarette disinterestedly from the pocket of his jeans. The night was warm and pleasant; the sweet and heady scent of flowers drifting on the air around the large brick building.

The younger man shrugged, clearly intoxicated. “I wasn’t going to drink.” He protested, sitting up and watching as Yoongi lit his cigarette and exhaled. His eyes followed the silver plumage of smoke and hesitated. “Can I have one of those?”

Yoongi shook his head. “No.”

“Oh.” Jungkook accepted this without question and got to his feet. “M’going to get some fruit juice.” He waved, taking the stone steps one at a time.

“Good idea.” Yoongi murmured as Jungkook entered the building, leaving the back door open a fraction behind him. He turned back and finished his smoke in silence, gazing up at the stairs ahead. There were hundreds visible in the navy sky now they were away from the light pollution of the city. The soft tinkling of laughter brought his attention back to the door behind him.

He could see through the pane of single-glazed glass that Jungkook was speaking to the strange woman who had taken one of his cigarettes. They were standing, side by side, in the narrow and otherwise deserted hallway at the back of the property, drinks in hand. Yoongi suspected Jungkook had forgone the fruit juice in favour of some more of the mango flavoured punch which had gotten Hoseok so giggly earlier in the garden.

Yoongi sighed as he stood up and walked a little through the garden, passing the fragrant and pretty flower beds as he followed no route in particular. He thought of Jeong-sun, away in Gwangju with her dad for the next week and, after that, when he she got back he would be playing the Tokyo Dome. He knew he should just invite her; pay the measly 144,000 won it would take to get her to Japan and have her stay with him in the hotel. Hell, they could even rent an apartment together. The others would never have to know. He could fake a sickness; not have to perform on stage and instead spend the week alone in solitude with her while they ordered takeout, not even having to leave their bed for more than ten minutes at a time.

He realised he had ended up back at the door where he started and glanced through the glass. The hallway beyond was empty; there was no sign of Jungkook and the short woman. With a knowing sigh and a surprisingly large amount of frustration, he reached for his phone and found the maknae’s number in his recent messages. He typed quickly with his thumb and pressed send: Don’t do anything stupid.

He was right in knowing he had never met the short woman before, but her familiarity suddenly became clear. It was something in her smug confidence and the way she held her hips when she walked. Jungkook had met someone like this before on the same day Yoongi had been paired with Jeong-sun in a closet during a game of seven minutes in heaven. This woman was shorter and did not have burgundy hair, but her intention was just as clear.

PART THREE

“Aren’t we going home?” Angel asked, finishing the cup of Strawberry Daiquiri Jimin had brought with them.

He shrugged, looking around the kitchen and seeing that the majority of the guests were still in attendance. “I want to stay for a bit.”

Angel sulked but remained silent as she put some distance between them, walking over the kitchen counter and pouring another cup of pre-mixed cocktail. Her face lit up when Donghyuk walked over from the doorway, looking her up and down slowly, visibly admiring her. They had been friends, and occasional fuck budies, for years and, unlike Jimin, he actually knew how to have a good time.

“You look really good in blue.” The man smirked, ignoring Jimin’s glances as his gaze fell to the deep crevice of her dress. “Is it cold in here?” He smirked.

She grinned widely, looking down at her aquamarine dress. “You can see my nipples, I know.”

“I’m not complaining...” Donghyuk looked briefly at Jimin, waiting to see if the younger man was going to do anything, before slipping in closer.

The loud crash of heavy glass hitting marble filled the room and Jimin, thankful to be getting away from Angel and Donghyuk, rushed over to the source. A young woman was crouching on the floor, trying to soak up the pink liquid she had knocked over, with a tea-towel. Jimin glanced at the cabinet, seeing it had been his half-full bottle of Daiquiri.

“Are you okay?” He asked, rushing to her side. She was petite and delicate looking, with a heart shaped face and big, expressive eyes.

She glanced up at him, meeting his gaze apologetically. “I’m sorry, I’m so clumsy!” She fretted, her cheeks staining pink. She looked up at the overturned bottle which, thankfully, hadn’t broken. “Was it yours?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jimin said, standing up. “I’ll grab some towels. He returned a moment later clutching a wad of kitchen paper and started to blot at the sticky fluid, mopping the floor haphazardly. The girl continued to fuss over the accident, growing more and more flustered and upset with each passing moment.

“I’m really sorry!” She cried out, trying her hardest to clean her side of the mess with the now sodden towel.

“It’s honestly nothing, don’t worry.” Jimin put on his softest voice, feeling guilty that he had inadvertently made her feel this way. He took a quick glance over at Angel and Donghyuk and observed them both peering at him and the girl from across the room.

“I brought some wine if you want it. It’s in the fridge.” The girl said as way of repayment and Jimin shook his head; he had drunk enough that evening anyway. Cassandra came walking across the kitchen towards the pair.

“Ara, is everything alright?” She asked, bending down to help with the spill.

“I made such a mess!” The girl moped as the older woman methodically dried the last remnants of the alcohol, eventually standing up to discard the soaked towel in the washing machine. As Jimin watched Cassandra leave the room towards the pantry he saw Angel and Donghyuk trailing after her, holding hands. He wondered why he hadn’t bothered saying anything to them earlier, despite them blatantly flirting in front of him, and why he didn’t feel jealous now. He guessed he had known that things were over between him and Angel before they had even stepped foot out of the taxi that evening.

“Are you alright?" The girl asked, following his gaze towards the doorway.

Jimin turned back to her, meeting her big brown eyes. “Fine...” He smiled and held out his hand. “I’m Jimin.”

Her expression lit up her entire face as she returned his smile, transforming her previously anguished features into something beautiful. “I’m Ara.” She held out her sticky hand and began to shake before she noticed. “Oh!” She exclaimed bashfully, flashing her teeth in a smile which looked, to Jimin, both a little goofy and adorable. “I’m sorry, I smell like strawberry daiquiri!”

Directly upstairs, the lady in the pyjamas led Jungkook by the hand into the master bedroom.

“Is this Donghyuk’s room?” Jungkook asked, peering around the dark space. The moonlight outside illuminated the laptop and speakers on the desk in the corner.

“Who?” The woman perched herself on the edge of the double bed, pulling open the draw in the bedside table.

“Supreme Boi.” Jungkook clarified to a shrug. “Oh, aren’t you friends?”

She shook her head absently, rummaging through the pairs of socks and wires in the draw with interest.

“Do you know Cassandra?”

“No.” The woman peered at him. “I live across the street.”

“Oh.” His drunken mind took a moment to figure this out. “How did you get in?”

She shrugged once more. “The front door was open.”

Jungkook laughed, suddenly finding this funny. He stepped over to the bed, leaning past the woman to close the draw. She stuck out her bottom lip and turned to look up at him. He hovered by her, still letting out a few amused giggles. She reached out and touched his waist softly.

“Do you work out?” She asked with a surprising amount of curiosity as she ran her hands along his stomach.

“Sometimes.” Jungkook smiled timidly.

“I can tell.” She smiled wisely, as though revealing a secret. She slowly pulled up the edge of his un-tucked shirt, revealing his bellybutton. It took him a moment to realise what she was doing before he quickly tugged it down, grinning with embarrassment.

“No!” She exclaimed dramatically, smiling. “Let me see!”

Jungkook thought for a moment, his better judgement battling wildly and struggling against the several cups of mango punch Donghyuk had concocted before the party. The woman gazed up at him beneath her eyelashes; her expression deliberately soft and harmless.

Jungkook smiled. “You promise not to touch?”

She nodded innocently, taking a quick, cheeky peek under his shirt in a slap-sticky way which made him chuckle, before sliding the shirt completely from his muscular body and dropping the fabric to the floor. He looked at her as she stood up beside him, a toothy, child-like grin on his lips. She couldn’t help but tweak his nipple a little.

“Don’t!” He squeaked, but his grin remained.

“You show me yours..I’ll show you mine.” She smiled, before placing her palm flat on his right pectoral with a dramatic sigh. “There’s nothing wrong with you! You’ve got a great body.” She exclaimed, talking in the educational tones of someone who knows best. Although he had not declared otherwise, her tone confused him, making her compliment stand out as something exceptionally kind.

“Do you think so?” He asked, wide eyed as the woman slowly eased him onto his back. “My girlfriend says I spend too much time at the gym.”

“Is she crazy?” She asked theatrically.

He shook his head, peering at the woman as she began to straddle him. “She’s perfect.”

The comment took her off guard and she suddenly found herself worrying. “Is she here?”

Jungkook shook his head. “She’s got to look after the desk.”

The woman relaxed. Jungkook wasn’t making much sense, but at least he seemed sure his girlfriend was not at the party. “What’s wrong with it?” She mocked.

“No, she’s an administrative assistant.” Jungkook spoke, pronouncing the words clearly, as though incredibly proud of her.

The woman shrugged as she settled against his crotch. “Sounds boring.” She reached towards the centre of his jeans and squeezed him gently through the fabric. Jungkook let out a low moan as she moved her palm back and forth. “Are your jeans tight?” She whispered.

Jungkook shook his head. “No, they’re okay.”

Continuing her motion and basking in the small, breathy sounds he made beneath her, the woman paused briefly to slip her breasts from her camisole, pulling them up one by one over the lacy trim of the fabric. Jungkook licked his lips unwittingly at the sight of her large raisin coloured nipples as they appeared above her baby blue top. She didn’t need to encourage him; his hands automatically moved to push them together, squeezing them in sexy, kneedy motions as his mouth lulled open absently.

“Do they feel good.” She asked, returning to his crotch, popping open the button which held them together.

“Yeah...” He moaned in a breathy voice. “They’re big...” He sounded completely entranced as he continued massaging her.

She smirked. “You can suck them if you want.”

He frowned; his expression momentarily uncomfortable, as though something incredibly painful had occurred to him. The thought seemed to dissipate and grow smaller in his eyes as his eyes moved along her naked breasts. “Are you sure?”

She nodded and shifted off his knee, moving backwards to cradle his neck as he moved on top, their roles reversing as he pushed her down into the covers. “Knock yourself out.” She said as his lips puckered around the hard bud of her right breast. He seemed to lose himself in the motion, moving from one breast to the other as he gently sucked her nipples. She wondered, after a few minutes, whether he would ever grow bored of the act and gently encouraged him away, growing a little restless. Instead of backing off completely, he pressed his head between her cleavage, using his palms to brush her breasts together as he kissed along the inside of her flesh, moving from the right to left, back and forth as he nuzzled her a little with his nose. As his eyelashes brushed against her softly, she slipped him out of his underwear and squeezed his length, holding him in her hand and working him up.

Eventually, he pulled away so suddenly the woman worried he had finally sobered up enough to come to his senses. Instead, he looked down at her body, running his dark eyes along from her breasts to her curvaceous legs.

“Are you wearing pyjamas?” He frowned.

Her lips curled up at the corners and she rolled over onto her back, reaching back to unhook her bra beneath her camisole. “They’re Victoria Secrets.”

Behind her, his expression darkened momentarily as they battled with a memory. She didn’t see and instead wasted no time in sliding her shorts and panties down her thighs, revealing her soft, round arse.

“Do you want to fuck?” She asked in a breathy voice.

Jungkook frowned. “It’s not our room.” He protested.

She shrugged. “We can be quick.”

Two hours later, the grandfather clock in the foyer struck 2am and Yoongi walked into one of the spacious living rooms, finding Hoseok nestled into a sofa fast asleep. He sighed, reaching down to nudge him gently.

“Hoseok!” The younger man stirred. “It’s time to go!” Yoongi said quietly, not wanting to wake the other guests who had also found themselves dozing.

Hoseok opened his eyes with a grimace. “Is it late?”

“2am.”

Hoseok groaned, curling back into himself. “Can’t I just stay here?”

“No. I’m driving back.” Yoongi started to walk away and Hoseok quickly got to his feet, grimacing at the pain in his head. On the porch outside, Yoongi checked his cell for any missed messages and found none. As he walked back to the Hyundai he had parked in the gravel drive, he found himself gazing along the windows on the second floor.

Luckily, Hoseok fell asleep as soon as Yoongi pushed the passenger door shut, meaning any questions about why they were waiting so long for the maknae could be avoided. The night had finally started to cool off and Yoongi turned on the heating, directing it at Hoseok who clutched his jacket to himself as he snored.

Eventually, a dark shadow crept out of the front door and sank down against the stone steps outside. Yoongi could see, even from this distance, the younger man rubbing his tired eyes. He had fallen asleep following his climax, rolling over onto his side and away from the woman who had taken him to bed. The sound of the door-handle rattling had jerked him awake and a pair of voices he thought might have belonged to Angel and Donghyuk drifted through the crack under the door as they searched for a spare room. He left the room minutes later, dressing quickly on the descent down the staircase. Now on the porch step, he clutched his shivering body against the chilly night air.

Yoongi sighed as he realised the maknae had not noticed him and honked the horn, making Hoseok jump. Jungkook’s head snapped up, squinting as the headlights were turned on. Slowly, he walked over to the car and got in the back, fastening his belt automatically.

Yoongi glanced at him through his rear mirror, noting the way he appeared to be sobering up by the second; the blurry, confused look leaving his eyes and being replaced by a dark sense of awareness and understanding.

“Did you get my text?” Yoongi asked in a low voice as he turned the key in the ignition. Beside him, Hoseok had already started to drift again.

He watched in the mirror as Jungkook removed his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. Jungkook was silent as he pocketed the device and covered his face in his hands.

***

Thank you for reading. To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here: RM / Jin / Suga / J-Hope / Jimin / V / Jungkook

& Our full masterlist can be found here

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clayandstuff · 4 years ago

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I was tagged by @usersoph - Thanks for tagging me! 😊

3 ships: I have 2 ships that are my obsessions - Becho (Echo and Bellamy from The 100) and Deanoru (Nico and Karolina from Marvel’s Runaways). It’s so funny, I wouldn’t even say I’m a shipper (LOL at all my Becho content tho) because usually I don’t care for romances in shows or movies, but something about these pairings just gets to me. They are special. They are legitimately the only pairings I would say that I ship and actively root for. I’m racking my brain trying to think of a 3rd ship to include... I’m gonna go with Korrasami (Korra and Asami from The Legend of Korra). Watching that happen live was a moment™. But Becho and Deanoru are my all-time favs and have a special place in my heart 🥰

last song: This is not a song but it’s what I’ve been listening to: Calming Nintendo Music Mix for Fall / Autumn 🍂 the first song in the mix is SO good! Very relaxing, I highly recommend it.

last movie: Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban (in the middle of a Harry Potter movie rewatch Becho Hogwarts AU perpetually on my mind, Panda the owl 🥺 ). For fun, the last movie I saw in a theater was over a year ago and it was Birds of Prey... (I miss movies)

currently reading: I’m actually rereading the Avatar Kyoshi novels (The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi) by F.C. Yee because of the very exciting announcement that Nickelodeon is launching Avatar Studios, and I really want them to make a show or movie about Kyoshi since the books were so good.

currently watching: I have been tuning in to Walker for Lindsey Morgan. It’s enjoyable, I like her character a lot (every character wears a big cowboy hat because Texas and it’s silly to me). Since I’m staying home all the time, I’ve been watching old seasons of the Amazing Race (going from the most recent season to the oldest) and I can’t tell if I’m loving or hating the experience. The episodes are so anxiety-inducing and the teams yell at each other and are extremely cringe at all times, yet I can’t stop watching. I like getting to see different parts of the world while I’m currently staying home as much as possible. Ever since The 100 ended, I’ve been picking random episodes from seasons 4 and 5 and watching them before bed (like a bedtime story 🥰, one day I will be able to lucid dream myself giving Echo a hug).

(me @ me: hey try a new show, book, or movie will ya?) (me @ me in response: no ❤️)

currently craving: A hug from Echo! A snuggle with my cat. Being able to hug my friends (I don’t like that the pandemic took away hugs). Chinese food. I have the urge to work on a new custom funko pop is that a craving? I want to try to make butterbeer for my HP movie watching. Going out to dinner and then seeing a movie, or seeing an early movie and then going out for lunch.

Tagging: @theworldisbeautifulandcruel @captainofawakedreams @nuk-terrible @reggieshamster 🥺 👉👈 (thought I’d be brave and tag some people this time... crawling back under my rock now), if you see this and would like to respond as well, please do!

#this was really fun #soup sent me #thanks so much for thinking of me #(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ #Becho #Deanoru

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imnotcameraready · 6 years ago

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chivalry is dead (3)

A/N: MEET THE ROMANS !!!! i actually drew All the romans, but you only meet the first one in this chapter! gonna upload his pic in a Hot Sec but, anyway, i love him and i love you! <3 this entire story turned real big

WARNINGS: Sympathetic Deceit, arguing, yelling, panic (no panic attacks but Virgil is incredibly on edge, as is everyone), heights/possibly falling two floors off a tall ladder — if i missed anything, please please let me know!! also, OCs? ? gonna talk more about that in the Tags but let me know!

Words: 2916

Pairings: why do i keep adding this? idk. nothing yet! I guess you can read patton being Platonically Flirtatious™ to Logan but? DLAMP endgame, but i guess you can call this a slow burn because i forgot how much i write on the regular

Part 1 (chivalry is dead) — Part 2 (i’m wishing) — Part 3 (the bells of notre dame) — Part 4 (honor to us all)

AO3 link!

@starlightvirgil @forrestwyrm @daflangstlairde @marshmallow-the-panda @askthesnake @k9cat

enjoy!!

The room had changed, yes, but it hadn’t gone back to being Roman’s bedroom.

In fact, the room appeared more like a long walk-in closet. Deceit closed the door a little and looked at the front again — yep, the sign was still there, this was still Roman’s room. He let the door swing all the way open in a silent invitation to the other Sides to peek in. Logan was the first to join him in the doorway, standing right besides Deceit, only a few inches away from the threshold.

From the doorway, they couldn’t see the end of the narrow hall. Both walls were packed with clothes pressed against each other, like some sort of unreasonably long walk-in closet. There was a second shelf of clothes above that, just as packed. In the hallway’s center were some benches, of varying aesthetics. The one closest to the door was plush, with seating on both sides and red cushions, but the one next to it and farther in looked like a football stadium bleacher. Strewn about, too, were many, many shoes. Not all in pairs.

Deceit leaned his head into the room and, with one hand on his hat, looked up. The ceiling continued forever as well, with even more shelves of clothing stretching up as far as the eye could see.

“This is certainly a change,” Logan commented, a slight tremor in his voice, “Though it’s a far cry from the black abyss you’d claimed to see.”

“What’s it look like?” Virgil shuffled behind them both, the tensions of earlier now replaced with a stifling dread.

Deceit glanced back at him, just to check. Old habits die hard. He was holding Patton’s arm tight, breathing nearly nonexistent, off-hand twitching every so often. Virgil’s hair was matted down, too, as he and Patton examined the room. The concern was leaking into Patton, as his hand seemed just as tight on Virgil’s. He pushed up his glasses without taking his eyes off of the room, and Deceit could see some tears sparkling behind the lenses. Virgil’s mounting panic plus Patton’s deep concern was creating an intoxicating brew of ‘we should get on with this.’

Deceit turned to Logan and nodded to the room. They’d have to go in to find Roman.

There was nothing else to be done. Logan lifted a foot.

“Don’t go in there,” Virgil said, nearly shouted.

“Well, we must, if we’re—”

“Hang on, hang on, first,” Patton leaned forward, nudging his face between Logan and Deceit while keeping his feet firmly planted behind them as Virgil tugged him closer. He cupped his other hand around his mouth. “ROMAN? HELLO?”

Silence was his answer. Not even an echo. Patton’s nose scrunched up. He pulled back, wrapping an arm subconsciously around Virgil. “That usually works,” his words laced together quietly.

Logan shot him a quick confused glance. Internally, he was considering the possibilities at a breakneck pace. Roman’s room was the most volatile, susceptible to constant change depending on how the creative side felt and what his most recent project was. It made sense that the room wouldn’t look exactly how it did the last time they’d seen it, especially given how long it’d been since the door had last been opened.

Something was still unusual, however. Even though its theming was impermanent, there were certain constants: a bed, a wardrobe or closet, a desk, often a window or two, Roman’s fairy lights, some posters. Even when period themed, Roman kept a laptop on his desk and a speaker besides his bed. Now there wasn’t even a bed. There were just rows and rows of clothes, some unwearable for daily use. Logan could definitely see a hoop skirt over there on the left. And….was that a full military uniform? Why would Roman need outfits such as those?

“A costume room!” Patton exclaimed, causing everyone else to jump.

Virgil calmed himself down first. “Can’t you give a guy a warning before your lightbulb moments, Pat?” he stuffed his hands into his hoodie pockets, glowering at Patton.

“Sorry, kiddo,” Patton rubbed the back of his neck and smiled thinly back, “I just thought, this whole set up….it looks a lot like a big ole’ dressing room, doesn’t it? With the costumes and the benches?”

The other three glanced back around the room. “I suppose you’re right,” Logan said, drawing out his words.

Before another silence overtook, though, he cleared his throat and straightened his tie. “I don’t think we’ll learn any more about Roman’s sudden room change without going in,” his voice was stiff, trying to hide whatever nervousness he felt.

“I don’t know. I don’t like this,” Virgil grumbled, eyes locked on the darkness at the end of the hallway.

It was dimly lit but not difficult to see in. They could definitely search around in here, but there wasn’t a boundary between the Imagination and Roman’s room. For all they knew, they could be walking straight through the Imagination, which would be chaotic. They couldn’t control it like Roman could. Sure, Virgil’d made a fair nightmare or dark daydream, but it always got out of hand or was overseen by Roman himself, usually inspirational fodder for some bigger project he was cooking.

Actually, now that he thought about it, Virgil didn’t think he’d ever been in the Imagination without Roman. He hadn’t heard of any of the others entering Roman’s “kingdom” without him and, honestly, he wasn’t keen on finding out what’d happen if they didn’t have a guide.

Oof.

“Are you going to stop glaring at the hallway any time soon?” Deceit’s voice pulled Virgil from his thoughts and another spiral.

Before he could retort, Logan stepped back from the room to face him. “I hate to admit it, but he’s right. We should enter and find Roman ourselves,” he crossed his arms as he explained. “This room doesn’t bear resemblance to any sort of bedroom and, if Patton’s assumption that this is a costume room is correct, then we must ask why Roman’s chosen to, er. Switch things up. There are different interpretations we could derive but it’s better to hear it from him, as well as pull him out of his room for a meal and check-in.”

“And if he gets mad that we barged in on his personal space and doesn’t want to see us again?” Virgil asked, crossing his arms to mirror Logan’s stance.

“Then we acknowledge that Deceit lied, and we ask why he hasn’t left his room in a week. I find the second part of your statement highly improbable as well. Considering our concern and confusion over Roman’s absence, I think we are well-warranted in entering without permission.”

“Wow, check out Logan, finally coming to his senses about the constructive nature of personal space,” Deceit followed Logan away from the doorway, a sneer on his lips.

Logan and Virgil now both glared at Deceit. “Me agreeing that I’m confused by Roman’s sudden departure doesn’t mean I agree with your explanation that he fell into a hole — a hole that is no longer there, mind you.”

“And we can probably find Roman without you stinking up the place,” Virgil waved his hands at Deceit, gesturing for him back up, “How about you drag yourself back to whatever hole you crawled out of, and—”

“Guys! I found my old cardigan in here!”

All three of them looked up, noticing that Patton was a fair way into the room, and all of them tensed. As much as Deceit and Logan were talking a big game about entering the room, it seemed they were just as nervous as Virgil was.

Patton didn’t react to their concern, perusing the costumes lining the left side of the wall. In his defense, Patton already knew they were gonna have to search for Roman in here. He didn’t distrust Deceit more than he was worried about Roman isolating himself, and the collection of costumes was a lot more interesting to him than debating the morality — he snorted to himself — of the situation. Besides, Virgil’d get the hint that the morals of going in were fine if Patton and Deceit were agreeing.

Now, the cardigan was the same as his. Patton would have thought Roman’d just taken it if he hadn’t felt assured that his cardigan was in his closet, in his room. Plus, THIS cardigan didn’t have a dollar in the pocket! Or, wait, he’d given that dollar back to Roman, since he owed him. Okay, well, he was still pretty certain that HIS cardigan was back in HIS room!

“You shouldn’t be touching Roman’s clothes, Patton,” Logan had entered the room.

Patton didn’t look up, though he could tell by Logan’s voice that he was standing just behind him. “Awh, but there’re so many outfits! Who knew Roman had so many!”

Something blue caught his eye. Patton reached for a hanger just a few spaces down from the cardigan and pulled out Logan’s old outfit, with the black polo shirt and periwinkle tie. “Hey, look! It’s you!” He grinned at Logan, laughing at Logan’s cute little surprised expression, “Talk about a blast from the past!”

Logan took the hanger, lifting it up to inspect. It was just the shirt and tie, but….well. He felt a twinge of nostalgia. “I do prefer my current tie,” he said.

“An’ I think you look great in anything,” Patton nudged him with his elbow, “Just thought you’d wanna see! Looks like Roman’s stocked up on all our old outfits.”

“C’mon, guys, we shouldn’t be in here,” Patton and Logan turned and saw Virgil slowly follow Deceit past the threshold, steps slow and careful, as if the ground were going to fall into the pit Deceit’d described.

Once Virgil was two steps in, though, the door slammed shut behind him. He whipped around, screaming in surprise and launching himself backwards into Deceit, who then shouted and fell forward onto the red couch.

Patton screamed, too, and flung himself into Logan, who actually caught him. His arms wrapped around Patton’s shoulders as he hoisted him up.

They all watched as the door sank beneath the deep red carpet, standing still as statues as it slid down and left a blank white-wallpapered wall.

Trapped.

Logan let go of Patton slowly, arms dropping to his sides. He could feel a headache coming on. Patton unraveled himself from Logan, too, stepping more towards Deceit and Virgil as the shock wore off. Deceit nearly flung Virgil off of himself, probably would have succeeded if Virgil hadn’t jumped off of him first.

The shock of what had happened was definitely wearing down on Virgil, hands shaking at his sides. Patton placed a hand on his shoulder — an offer — and Virgil took it, hugging Patton tight, burying his face into his chest. Patton wrapped his arms around Virgil too, just as tight. “Sorry,” Patton looked up, mouthing to Deceit.

Deceit seemed nonplussed, though, as he stared down the hallway. Logan’s body was turned towards them, seemingly halfway through approaching, though he too faced down the hall.

“Do you hear….” Logan’s voice, a hushed whisper, “Singing.”

Patton frowned, but carded his hand through Virgil’s hair and listened harder.

“You can lie to yourself and your minions,” that voice was unmistakable, verse echoing faintly from down the impossibly long hall.

Virgil gripped the back of Patton’s shirt and perked his head up as the voice grew slightly louder.

“Roman,” Deceit’s shoulders relaxed, “That must be Roman.”

In a non-spoken group decision, the four began to slowly walk down the hall. Deceit led the way past the hanging costumes, each closet packed with outfits, and didn’t stop. Virgil was at the back, still holding onto Patton’s shirt, checking behind them every so often.

Things were even more disorganized as they continued down the hall. Costumes were on the ground, as though fallen from their hangers. Patton’d stopped to fix the first few, but as they saw more and more dishevelment, he gave up. The shoes were strewn about still, some on benches now, some with full costumes sitting on the bench besides them.

“You can claim that you haven’t a qualm!”

There were some outfits that they recognized. Thomas’ Dr. Emile Picani costume was sitting on a bench, laid out neatly, as though they’d be shooting Cartoon Therapy the next day. His trenchcoat from playing JD was crumpled in a lump with a single thick boot next to it, from the same outfit. Deceit pointed out a balled up copy of Virgil’s current hoodie, sat in the middle of their walkway.

“He must be in a block. Making all these costumes must’a been a real good creative exercise,” Patton tried to keep his voice light and airy.

Virgil shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a block. It reeks of manic panic in here,” he scowled around, “We gotta figure out what’s wrong with him.”

“But you never can run from,” Roman’s singing continued, growing louder, closer.

“Of course. Before he disappeared, would you consider that Roman was acting odd? I thought his demeanor was fairly typical for a creative block, hence it wasn’t incredibly worrying,” Logan hummed in thought, then added, “He had been a little more subdued. But, that too could be attributed to the lull in productive creative content plus the incoming tax season.”

“I mean, locking himself in his room was pretty in character,” Virgil said, “But….”

“Was leaving him in his room in character for you all?” Deceit looked back just long enough to catch the glare Virgil shot him, “It’s a fair question, after all this.”

“....How do we know you’re not just leading us into a trap here?” Virgil hissed, without the bite he’d had earlier.

“For the last time, I’m not tricking you. Even you can feel how scared Roman is, you said it yourself,” Deceit stopped, letting Logan walk past him as he argued with Virgil.

“Yeah, but—”

“Nor hide what you’ve done from the eyes~!”

Logan held up a hand, stopping all of them. “I can see the end of the hall,” he said.

“And there’s Roman!” Patton let go of Virgil, letting the anxious side finally unravel himself from Patton’s chest while he moved besides Logan.

Instead of a bench, there was a large table in the center of the hallway, papers strewn over it in piles and disorganized stacks. On the opposite walkway side from the other four sides was a ladder and, up two levels of closet, was Roman. He had a stack of costumes in his arms, hanging them up one by one, voice echoing downwards.

“The very eyes of Notre Dame!” he leaned backwards on the ladder, spurring Virgil to swear loudly, jump towards it, and hold it steadier.

Roman didn’t notice them, though, continuing to sing and hang clothes. Patton, Logan, and Deceit all shared a look while Virgil just looked up at Roman and held the ladder. At least they’d get some answers now.

Logan cleared his throat first. “Roman!”

No response. Roman just continued to sing. “And for one time in his life of power and control,” he waved one of the costumes — a black cloak with blue trims — and spun on the top of the ladder.

“Stop spinning,” Virgil barked, holding the ladder with white knuckles.

The others crowded around the bottom, Patton now holding the other two legs. “Let’s try a little kindness — Roman, kiddo, can you come down here?” his voice was soft, inviting and loving, gazing up the ladder.

“Frollo felt a twinge of fear!”

“Well,” Patton looked back down at the other Sides, “I’m shattered.”

Deceit rolled his eyes as Logan sighed, “He’s ignoring us.”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious.”

“For his immortal sou~l!”

“Roman—Roman, stop,” Deceit shook the ladder, trying to not throw Roman’s balance off, “What’s happening?”

“Yeah,” Virgil shouted, shooting Deceit a deadly glare quickly, “Get down here and stop singing! You’ve got a lotta explaining to do!”

Roman didn’t turn around, but he stopped dancing, singing, and shifting the ladder. “You’re all interrupting the audition,” he snapped as he hung the last costume and began to descend.

As he came closer, the other four could see the differences in his outfit. Gone was the white uniform and red sash, replaced with a white shirt and a tight red vest. Though they could only see his back, the others could see a scroll decal across his shoulders, similar to the one on Roman’s crest. This was certainly a change.

“Roman,” Virgil started, voice quiet, leading to more, but Roman cut him off.

“Stop calling me that. Haven’t won the callback yet,” and he laughed to himself, landing and pivoting at the bottom of the ladder.

The vest buttoned double-breasted in the front, and a bright red tie was tucked into the vest, which had golden lapels. The others watched him push his own pair of black-rimmed Warby Parker glasses up his nose, hair pinned back from its normal waves with one glittering gold pin. A golden pen was tucked behind the ear his hair was, too. On the bottom, he wore black pants and a black dress shoes with whitened Oxfords.

He took notice of their confused looks and bowed with a flourish and a large, proud smile. “As you can all see, I’m definitely not the Prince, and am not Roman YET. For the time being, you may call me the Playwright.”

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