#First time I went to college I got caught up among them

[subconsciousmysteries]

i hate to be Edgy but sx-blinds actually creep me out so much. Like they think I'm the weird one but they're the weird ones. There's only so much surface level "uwu this is my freeeend because we hang out and consoom together" bullshit I can take. But that seems to be the way they interact with each other and the world. Sx blinds have these stable friend groups where they call each other friends but nobody actually seems to know anyone on a deeper level, they just go out and do things together and have laughs and that's enough for them. It's ok that nobody really knows anybody beyond the details of each other's lives because they're all basic. It's cute I guess but also mind numbingly boring when you try to be a part of these groups because you're trying to hang out with one of the SX blind people and get to know them.

Sp-blinds are so superior at least for my needs because they come with big friend groups, but also with the SX need to bond 1-1. Ime they see themselves as "in it but not of it" when it comes to how they relate to the SOC world (regardless of sx/so or so/sx). I'm not creeped out or bored to death by the way sp-blinds interact with their friends let alone with me. and because they have SX they also tend to understand my need to withdraw, as opposed to the SX blinds who see my boredom / detachment / issues with their group as some sort of rejection of them individually. because sad fact is they have over-identified with the group they are a part of and often can't even tell themselves apart from it. Sorry Sx-blinds but you feel robo to me

[theinfinitedivides]

wi papa look a thing there for me. awa.

prefacing this with a PSA that i'm going to try and keep short but basically regardless of anything i say here let me make it known that i do believe he should apologize. whether or not he's still actively saying that word in 2024 it is something he's used in the past even if he isn't performing said play anymore/saying things like that so flippantly. granted if he does apologize there's always going to be a section of fandom that's like 'he only apologized bc he got caught' yes?????????? that's what always happens????????? lbr you're not going to get on IG and announce you killed your ex two decades ago and you'll be turning yourself in when there's an entire true crime community in the depths of the internet who will dig up the cold case + the suspiciously convenient alibi anyway without you lifting a finger. politicians who get called out for blackface in college do not go around telling people they did blackface in college. celebrities who were homophobic on this hellsite in high school back in the early 10s before they realized they were gay are not going to let you know what their handle was. this is how the world works.

that being said i must confess i caught wind of the stirrings of this a bit early bc during the clusterfuck that was the Jam vs Zamasian RPF poll (i did not go in the notes. rancid ass shit) someone had taken a screenshot of a reblog made as a 'gotcha' to Zamasian voters by implying that they were anti-Black for voting for a ship featuring an actor that said the n-word in a play he hasn't performed for several decades since, with a short taped example that the general public was not going to know how to find unless they were on a mission. i poked around, saw a couple hints here and there that implied that the clip actually existed, marked that down for future ref and went about my business. disappointing? sure. run of the mill especially among people his age in the industry from that time period who are perceived to benefit from white privilege? absolutely. the former bird identified app dragging all of this back into the light (including the interview with Chris Rock. which i have not seen though there's no way it was within the last few years for AMC to still hire Eric if they had seen it. correct me if i'm wrong pls) is unexpected but tracks for the fandom on there.

generally i don't believe in cancelling someone for things they said or did more than ten years ago if they are no longer the same person they were back then. i don't believe Jacob or Assad or any one of the staff of color who may have been working behind the scenes would have agreed to continue interacting with Eric if he had the same attitude as he did when he first wrote and performed the play. i don't believe his Black comedian niece would continue to talk about him and share photos with him if he was calling her or the Black side of her family the n-word. i am willing to give the 'Eric Bogosian n-word' reply tweet he reportedly made before deleting it shortly after the brief benefit of the doubt bc it was 1. supposedly under someone else's tweet talking about the play incident and 2. i cannot count how many times i have accidently commented/almost posted something on here or YouTube or Reddit or ao3 bc i was on mobile and once the keyboard's open the app/browser flips the fuck out and puts the search bar and the comment box too close together. now if his ass shows up and shows out and stands ten toes down while he's currently on time-out or doesn't address any of this we're dealing with a different story. if more examples of him acting like this come out i'll drop him faster than you can call the election it will be that serious.

anyway for now i'm choosing to keep an eye on this while acknowledging that us Black folks do have the right to be upset and pissed as fuck. we deal with enough racism/microaggressions in fandom spaces as it is we definitely don't need new ones, and we don't need them from the past career choice of the main cast of a show a lot of us enjoy. amen

[lemoncrushh]

Faithfully

Summary: Harry shares the story of how you two met and fell in love.

Warnings: Syrupy sweet fluff

Word Count: 1334 words

A/N: This is written from Harry's POV. The woman originally had a name, but I've changed it to Y/N. Obviously inspired by the Journey song, written in 2017. This is interesting to read again since he mentions tours and albums that hadn't happened yet.

I'd met her just after the first leg of my first solo tour. Even then, I don't think she knew how into her I was, or perhaps she'd played it so cool that I didn't think she was that into me. She wasn't a fan, at least not in the sense that she was there to meet me. She wasn't a celebrity either, though I found out later that she'd won a beauty contest in her hometown at the age of seventeen, and she was later on a local news program in a segment about college protests on campus. I'd found her small-town fame endearing, among other things, which ultimately lead to my falling for her. She was a normal girl. Just a sweet, stubborn-as-all-hell, normal girl.

She was sat in a corner booth at the cafe when I walked in. She hadn't seen me, nor had I seen her. I'd just gotten my drink and was prepared to take a seat when a young girl squealed and asked me for a photo. Then another. And another. I was used to it, nothing new. I think one of them's mum even got in on a picture. But it wasn't until I was on the fourth or fifth selfie that I saw her. I caught her grinning above the fan's cell phone as she aimed it and snapped. As the next fan stood next to me, the mystery girl started to giggle, quickly lowering her face behind her arm. I raised my brows for a second, wondering what was so funny. She blushed when she looked at me again, catching me eyeing her. She was really cute.

I continued my fan obligation until every girl had left except the one in the corner booth. Grabbing my tea, which was now cold but I didn't care, I made my way to her table. She fiddled with her own cup, pretending that it was warming her hands underneath her sweater paws. I asked her if I could join her. She gave a half smile and a shrug, which I also thought was cute. Sliding into the seat across from hers, I introduced myself. She told me her name was Y/N.

We talked for three hours in that corner booth, Y/N and me. I would have gladly talked longer if she hadn't said she had to get home. I got her number, which she gave to me reluctantly before quietly slipping out of the cafe. I never told her that as she passed my window, I saw her smile at the ground and bite her lip.

I called Y/N the next day. She seemed surprised. She confessed that she'd known who I was, but didn't know that much about me. I'd told her that was perfect because she could get to know me, as I was excited to get to know her.

Three months. We had three months to get to know each other before the second leg of my tour, the arena portion of the tour. And in actuality, it was less time than that because I had a lot of work to do to prepare, more promo, more obligations. And, if I'm being honest, I barely count the first month. No matter how often I called or texted her, no matter how much I tried to show her I was interested, because truthfully I was very interested, she remained apprehensive, skeptical, and even a little cold. I was just about to give up and call it a day when she confessed that she'd listened to all of my music. A little lightbulb went off above my head, and my hands went clammy. I asked her to elaborate. When she admitted she liked it, I felt a weight lifted off my chest. But when she said my solo album was the best thing she'd heard, maybe ever (her words), I wanted to kiss her right there through the phone.

Any free time I had between then and the tour was spent with Y/N. I couldn't get enough of her, and if you had asked me then if I was in love, I might've said yes. But neither of us were ready to say it to each other.

Once the tour recommenced, things happened, the inevitable that happens in any long distance relationship. But because we hadn't really yet established what we even were, let alone call it a relationship, I suppose it hurt a little less. At least at first.

I didn't call her. I didn't call her for six whole weeks because I'm an asshole. I did text her a few times, just as sort of a check-in. How are you? Fine, you? Fine. Tired. How is Germany? Cold. Lots of rain. That sort of thing. It wasn't until I was on my way to Australia that I manned up and gave her phone an actual ring. I dunno what exactly happened, and I told her as much. I apologized profusely. Y/N said I was probably just feeling lonely being so far away, and maybe she was right. But Jesus, I missed her. And I would have given anything to be with her in that moment.

I called her every day after that. Every fucking day. I probably learned more about her then than I'd learned in the first three months. I had ten days between my last show in Japan and my South America shows, so I returned home to London to refresh, re-energize. I asked Y/N to fly out and see me. She told me she couldn't afford it right then. I told her I'd pay. She insisted she couldn't take off work. I asked her how she felt about me.

Two weeks later I flew Y/N out to Dallas to see me. That short time together was all I needed to confirm my feelings for her. She might tell you that the end of the tour, that second night in L.A. was when we fell in love. But I think it was in Dallas. At least on my part. And if I'm being honest with myself, I had been falling all along.

It hasn't been easy for Y/N and me. Two years, another album, a film and tour later, we got married. But immediately I was back in the studio again to record album number three. Then another tour. We decided to start trying for kids. I made another movie, but Y/N put her foot down after that. She got pregnant, I was overjoyed and wanted to stay home with her as much as I could. And I could. For a while. Then my job called again.

As I look back on this now, I dunno how Y/N did it. She's a fucking saint is what she is. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it. I love her. So much.

Being on the road is hard. On anybody. Add a relationship, a family especially into the mix, and it's a million times harder. There were nights I would wake up and wonder where I was. I'd get this sick, empty feeling in my gut and I'd have to call her, even if it was three a.m. at home. I feel so lucky to have someone that has stood by me.

I'm pretty sure Y/N knows how I feel, but just in case, I wanna say that she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. More than the music. More than the films. Even more than the fans. Fans can be true blue, but they can also be fickle. I know I lost some just by getting married. But I don't regret that one bit. I wanted the world to know how happy I was and to share in my joy. Because she is my joy. No matter where I am, I know I can count on her, and she can count on me right back. We're forever, I know this in my heart. She's mine and I'm hers...faithfully.

If you enjoyed, please like, comment, reblog or send me a msg!

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[dawnstudies]

Some HC's for Harry Potter - Weasley family (can you blame me? I love them)

Ginny was usually the manliest among all the Weasleys and had a hardcore tomboy phase during her fifth year in Hogwarts, however one thing that she absolutely adored which is usually found "girly" was flowers. All sorts of flowers. They were just so colourful and beautiful and that's where her relationship with Luna came from. They both loved flowers. Exotic flowers. That's why Ginny also loved gardening.

After the war, George wasn't sure how to run the shop alone - obviously, even before Fred died the two barely understood the "managing" and complicated "paperwork" part of it - so a reconnecting part for him and Percy was when Percy showed up one day to offer him help with managing the shop. With Percy's knowledge of law George got things sorted easily.

When Fred & George were first opening their shop, Percy helped them sort out the paperwork, and when the two asked why exactly he would help out of all people, Percy straight out admitted that he thought the idea was "brilliant" and "badass" (George almost passed out from shock when he heard his brother swear like that).

Law actually caught Ron's interest too and even after he quit as an auror and went to George's shop to help, he still kept it as a hobby and gave a hand to George every time Percy couldn't; after a while Ron decided to go to Law College and got a degree.

By the way, I'm really thinking about making a fanfiction based on an AU I was thinking about, where Percy would become a doctor at St Mungo's (a fanfiction including that HC is already finished and on my Wattpad account), Arthur being a psychologist instead of a ministry worker, Ronald becoming a lawyer and it would basically include a lot of fluff and angst. My favourites :)

What do you guys think? Would it be a good idea?

[cheynovak]

A Soldier's past

Soldier boy x F/Reader  

Warnings:  none I guess

Side note: English isn’t my first language.   

*Does not follow the boys timeline* 

--

Y/N is a museum clerk at the old Vought Museum on the edge of town. The only and old exhibition about Soldier Boy standing will end in a few weeks, Vought found a new purpose for the museum. Meaning the exhibition will end and Y/N will need to search for a new job. 

She takes one last tour around the museum before locking it down, seeing a man in the shadows.  

-- 

Y/N sighed as she gazed around the dimly lit museum hall.  

The old exhibition about soldier boy came to an end, marking the end of an era for the museum and for her. She had spent countless hours organizing artifacts, answering questions from curious visitors, and preserving the stories of brave men who had fought in the war.  

She started as a college student but became more and more invested in Soldier Boys past. Getting to know the man behind the mask. When she eventually got her degree Vought offered her a fulltime managers function. Which she accepted with pride.  

As the clock struck midnight, signalling the end of a long last day, Y/N decided to open the museum till now, hoping some last costumers would step in to say goodbye. But per usual, the rooms were empty part from one high school tour in the morning.  

She had known this was to happen, fewer and fewer people came to see him, schools went to see the new museum where all of Vought's greatest heroes were presented.  

With a heavy heart she takes one last tour of the exhibition before locking up for the night. The soft glow of the display lights cast yellow shadows on the walls, giving the room an otherworldly feel.  

She loved to walk around after closing time. As she walked among the relics of battles gone by, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling of melancholy that hung heavy in the air. These artifacts told stories of courage and sacrifice, but they also held memories of loss and pain. 

Lost in thought, Y/N almost didn't notice the figure lurking in the shadows near the back of the hall. It was a man, tall and imposing, his features obscured by darkness. Instinctively, Y/N's hand went to the panic button on her belt, but something stopped her. 

"Hello? Sir... are you okay?" she called out, her voice echoing in the empty hall. 

The figure stirred, stepping forward into the light. 

He stood tall, his muscular frame evident even beneath the fabric of his green jacket. Broad shoulders tapered down to a trim waist, giving him an aura of strength and athleticism. 

The dim light of the exhibition hall cast shadows across his rugged face, accentuating the sharp angles of his jawline. His eyes, green, once bright with determination, now held a world of pain and regret, their intensity piercing through the darkness. 

Y/N's breath caught in her throat as she recognized him, how could she not... It was Soldier Boy, the legendary hero whose exploits were immortalized in the exhibition. 

As their eyes met across the silent expanse of the exhibition hall.  

"I'm fine," he muttered, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Just needed a place to... forget." 

Y/N found herself drawn towards Soldier Boy, her footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floors. With each step, the distance between them narrowed, until finally, they stood mere inches apart. "Forget what?" 

"Forget everything," he replied turning back to his statue, his voice barely above a whisper. "The battles, the bloodshed, the lives lost... the pain I've had over the years.”  

As his heavy words lingered in the stillness of the exhibition hall, a sudden interruption broke the fragile silence. The ringing of the phone echoed through the room, its shrill tones startling Y/N, her heart racing as she realized she had neglected her duties.  

"I'm sorry," she said softly, her voice tinged with regret. "I need to answer that. I should make sure the doors are locked too. Soldier Boy nodded in understanding, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features. "Of course," he replied, his tone resigned. 

Y/N offered him a reassuring smile saying he was welcome to stay as long as he needed, before hurrying towards the reception desk, her footsteps echoing against the polished marble floors again. With trembling hands, she picked up the receiver, her heart pounding in her chest. 

"Hello?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 

On the other end of the line, a familiar voice greeted her, its warmth a welcome balm to her nerves. It was her colleague, Sarah, calling to check in before the end of her last shift. 

Y/N quickly assured her that everything was fine, offering a brief explanation for her delayed response. After confirming that the doors were securely locked and the museum was empty, she bid Sarah farewell. 

As she hung up the phone, Y/N felt a sense of relief wash over her. With the doors secured and her duties fulfilled, she could finally devote her full attention to Soldier Boy, the mysterious stranger who had stumbled into her life on this fateful night 

Y/N's heart skipped a beat with worry as she returned to the exhibition hall, only to find it empty. Panic in her mind, hoping he didn’t leave, as she scanned the dimly lit room, searching for any sign of him, her eyes darting from one shadowy corner to the next. And then, amidst the flickering glow of the display lights, she saw him. 

Soldier Boy stood before a massive painting, his gaze fixed upon the canvas with a mixture of reverence and regret. The painting, his team, Payback, frozen in time like ghosts from another era. 

Y/N approached cautiously, her heart heavy with concern for the troubled hero. She could sense the weight of his memories pressing down upon him, threatening to consume him in their relentless grip. 

"Soldier Boy," she called out softly, her voice a gentle whisper in the stillness of the night. Y/N stepped closer, her hand reaching out instinctively to touch his arm. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern. 

“Hm” was all he reacted, she saw his emotions in his eyes. Piercing at the painting. "What happened in 1983?" She asked him. 

Soldier Boy's gaze flickered with a mixture of emotions as he turned to face her. There was a haunted look in his eyes, a sadness that seemed to stretch on for eternity. Anger blazing through those beautiful green eyes.  

“These fuckers betrayed me. Vought betrayed me. Made me a fucking lap rat for the Russians. After all I did for those fuckers.” He turned back at the painting. She could see the pain etched into every line of his face, the weight of his regrets pressing down upon him like a heavy burden. 

"Is that why you're here?" she asked gently, her voice filled with compassion. "To confront the ghosts of your past?" Soldier Boy nodded solemnly, his gaze still on the painting of his team. "I thought coming here would help me find closure," he admitted. 

Y/N reached out a comforting hand, her fingers brushing against his arm. "Sometimes, confronting our past is the only way to find peace," she offered softly.  

“What are you doing here?” He asks stern. Y/N took a moment to gather her thoughts before responding, her gaze meeting Soldier Boy's. She gestured towards the surrounding exhibition hall, the artifacts and relics of wars long past serving as a testament to her words. 

"This museum holds a special place in my heart," she continued, her tone turning more serious. "It's a sanctuary of sorts, a place where the echoes of history can still be heard if you listen closely enough." 

He rolls his eyes. “This are pieces of shit and dirt. Half of it isn’t even real.” His words made her feel a sting in her chest, a sense of pride swelling within her. "I like to think it is of import," she replied, her smile widening.  

"Every artifact, every story... they all have a part to play in shaping our understanding of the world and our place in it." “Is that why they are shutting it down.” It wasn’t even a question. 

"Let me give you a grand tour," Y/N offered with a warm smile, gesturing toward the museum's exhibits. Soldier Boy chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "I know my history, doll," he replied, a touch of playful arrogance in his tone. 

Y/N arched an eyebrow, her lips curving into a teasing grin. "Fine then, let me tell you what I see when I tell your story," she countered, her voice tinged with a challenge. 

And so, they went on a journey through time, with Y/N serving as the guide and Soldier Boy as the reluctant but intrigued traveller. With each artifact they encountered and every story they uncovered, Y/N wove a tapestry of Soldier Boy's past, painting a vivid portrait of his journey through the ages. 

She spoke of his triumphs and his failures, his moments of heroism and his moments of weakness. She delved into the depths of his soul, exploring the complexities of his character and the struggles he faced along the way. 

As they walked, Soldier Boy listened intently, his gaze fixed upon Y/N with a newfound sense of appreciation. He found himself increasingly captivated by Y/N's passion for this place. 

 He saw himself reflected in her words, not just as a larger-than-life hero, but as a flawed and vulnerable human being searching for meaning in a world fraught with uncertainty. 

Her enthusiasm was infectious, igniting a spark within him that he hadn't felt in years. He watched in awe as she spoke, her eyes alight with excitement. It was as if she breathed life into the artifacts.  

In that moment, amidst the hallowed halls of history, Soldier Boy found himself drawn to Y/N in a way he hadn't expected. Her passion, her knowledge, her unwavering dedication, it all spoke to something deep within him, stirring feelings he hadn't dared to acknowledge. 

She knew him without knowing him. The real him, and yet isn’t scared. 

And as the tour drew to a close, Y/N turned to Soldier Boy with a smile, her eyes alight with excitement. "So, what do you think?" she asked, a note of anticipation in her voice. 

Soldier Boy chuckled softly, attempting to lighten the mood with a playful remark. "Well, I must admit, you certainly know your stuff," he teased, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You are either a nerd or some sort of paid stalker, creepy.” 

His attempt at humour masked a deeper truth, he was afraid to let Y/N see just how much he had enjoyed listening to her. The vulnerability of opening up to someone, his emotions behind a facade of strength and stoicism. 

But as he watched Y/N's smile falter ever so slightly, a pang of regret pierced through his jest. He realized that his attempt at humour had fallen flat, and he cursed himself for his lack of tact.   

“I’m sorry. I asked too much of your time. I’ll leave you to it.” She said before making her way back to the front desk. He watched walking away.  

Soldier Boy's footsteps echoed softly in the museum as he made his way to the front desk where Y/N stood, her gaze still fixed on the ground with a hint of disappointment. 

Clearing his throat, Soldier Boy took a deep breath to steady his nerves before speaking. "I'm sorry," he began, his voice gentle yet filled with sincerity. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad.” 

Y/N looked up, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "You don't need to apologize," she replied softly. "I understand."  

“I realize I never asked for your name." He said still trying to meet her eye.  

Y/N's lips curved into a small smile, touched by his gesture. "It's Y/N," she answered, her voice warm. "Y/N," Soldier Boy repeated, the name rolling off his tongue like a whispered promise. "Thank you, Y/N, for everything. " 

He hung over the desk. “I’m Ben.” “I know” she said, now looking in his green eyes. 

With one last smile, Soldier Boy turned to leave but decided not to. Turning back towards Y/N, who still stood behind the front desk, he found himself unable to walk away just yet. The thought of leaving without knowing when he might see her again felt like a missed opportunity he couldn't bear. 

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" he found himself asking, the words tumbling out before he could fully process them. Y/N's eyes widened in surprise, a hint of curiosity flickering in her gaze. "Um, nothing in particular," she replied, a touch of uncertainty “It’s my last night here.” 

"Would you...” A nervous energy coursed through Soldier Boy's veins as he searched for the right words to say. “Like to grab dinner with me? 

Her eyes grew wide “Me?” He nodded slow. “You don’t have to... I mean you don’t own me or need to make up or something.” Mischief dancing in his eyes as he looked at her with a playful grin. His gaze lingered on her, taking in every detail from the way her hair fell to her soft plump lips. 

"I love your stories, doll," he said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. “I want to hear more.” Y/N couldn't help but blush at the compliment, feeling a warmth spread through her cheeks. 

“So, dinner it is?” He asks. 

“I’d love to.”  

-- 

What do you think... Do we need to continue this story? Or is the idea of having a date with Soldier boy enough?  

[2chopsticks2eyes]

What You Deserve: Part 1

This is part 1 of a three part series, please be sure to start from part one!

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

Pairing: Lee Minho/Lee Know x Fem Reader

Themes: Smut, Angst, Fluff

Word Count: All parts are ~67k | AO3

Warnings: Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, mentions of non-con, PTSD, Anxiety, Alcohol, Cussing, Come Eating, Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Vaginal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Loss of Virginity, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, References to Drugs, Drug Dealing, Alternate Universe - College/University, Eating Disorders, Childhood Trauma, Vaginal Sex, Protected Sex, Unprotected Sex

Summary: After unfortunate circumstances, you pack up and move to Korea with your best friend Bang Chan to attend college. After falling into Chan's group of friends he had established, you find yourself getting a little too close to the mild tempered and snarky Lee Minho.

Author's Note: I am probably spoiling the whole story with the warnings, but I like to be safe. I originally was only on AO3, but I wanted to link platforms with Tumblr and Twitter too. Hope you enjoy!

________________________________________

Part One: Moving On

None of them had ever treated you any differently than the rest of the group. Even though you’re a girl, to them, you were always considered ‘one of the guys’ and you were grateful that being the only girl among a group of 8 boys never made things stupidly awkward. Picture fucking perfect, really. Although, this was mostly thanks to Bang Chan, your best friend and self proclaimed little brother.

You had met Chan in primary school and grew up with him all the way to Newtown High School of the Performing Arts way back when he still lived in Australia. You two were extremely close, you were even considered as a sister to him within his family with how much time you spent hanging out with him. Everyone always called him Christopher or Chris, but with as much time you spent around his family, you got accustomed to calling him Chan. After all, you were closer to his family than you ever were to your own due to your hapless home situation. If you had one choice in life, it would be to jet the hell straight out to anywhere but there, but reality isn’t that kind.

Your mom and dad fought round the clock, no matter what time or day, you couldn’t remember a day where they hadn’t fought. It didn’t help that they were constantly shooting cocaine and getting blackout drunk any chance they got, making it virtually impossible for them to hold a job. This kept them in constant poverty and living in a shitty one bedroom apartment, making you have to crash on the couch or Chan's place. All the money they made from dealing was used to either buy even more drugs and alcohol or to gamble. You consider yourself lucky that you didn’t have any siblings that would have to subject themselves to that shit lifestyle.

They used you mostly to transfer drugs and collect money, subjecting you to the most seedy situations that a teenager should never have to deal with. You had to learn major self defense tactics in case things had gone awry, which happened to be often. You didn’t have a choice though. It was mostly your father that had threatened to subject you to unspeakable scenarios - that you’d rather not think of - if you didn’t cooperate.

Chan never once judged you, even when he first found out, even when you confided in him, even when you begged for him not to tell anyone, he was always there for you. Whether you were kicked out of the house for a day or your dad had beat you again, he was always there to help you get through it. He definitely worried about you though, especially when he saw that you had to skip out on school lunch again due to lack of money or he discovered you had even more bruises. He didn’t realize that you had caught him staring at your protruding ribs on the days you went swimming at his house.

His family was fairly wealthy. Actually, disgustingly wealthy. How someone so popular and loaded chose you to be his best friend would forever be an unknown mystery. But you always refused his help when he offered, you hated feeling like you owed anyone anything despite his insistence that you didn’t have to pay back. You were raised to believe there is no such thing as free help.

The only time you had involuntarily accepted his help was when you had passed out in class from lack of energy. He had dragged your tiny, malnourished ass to the nurse and bought you more food than you had eaten in days. He chewed you out for weeks for letting yourself get to that state. 

He really was too good for this world. He was the only beacon of light in your life.

However, your entire sense of happiness was demolished when he had decided to go up to Korea for college to grow in music production. He wanted to stay because he knew you weren’t safe, but - even though it tore you to pieces - you insisted he follow his dreams.

You were studying dance at the time, however you had given up hope for any chance of going to college due to lack of funds. You were a year older than Chan, so once you graduated, you at least still got to hold on to your best friend for a moment longer before he moved. Even if that year was filled with you working three jobs only to pay for ‘your share of the living expenses’ to your parents and to save up enough money to get the hell out of there.

The farewell with Chan was the hardest thing you had done up to that point. Harder than being beaten to a pulp by your dad. Harder than being told by your parents that you should go kill yourself. Even harder than not eating for three days.

You talked and video chatted almost every day, but that still didn’t fill the ache of missing him. Before he left you rarely cried, numb to your whole fucked up situation. But after, you had cried yourself to sleep almost every night, trying to escape the nightmare that had made its home in your life. This continued for four whole years. On the nights you were kicked out of the house again, Chan's family would still welcome you with open arms. Most friends would have drifted apart and lost connection, but not you and Chan, nor his parents. You were family.

One night, when everyone was asleep, your dad had walked into the living room and woke you up from the couch. To say you were surprised to see him pointing a gun at you would be quite the fucking understatement. He smelt like piss and enough alcohol to make him at least 80 proof.

“If you make a single fucking noise, I will shoot that worthless, ugly cumdump of a mouth of yours.”

You were frozen from his words, and in your half-asleep daze, you were extremely muddled. That was until he made his intentions painfully clear when he straddled you and took the hand that wasn’t holding the gun and started to desperately pull off your sleep shorts. Your skin turned to ice and your gut felt like a ton of bricks dropped through your ass. You started to squirm in attempts to get him to stop, but he just painfully pinned your hands under his knees on each side of your hips and held the cold metal barrel of the gun to your temple.

“Don’t fucking move you stupid slut.” He spat his venom on your face and you had to restrain yourself from vomiting on the spot.

At this point, the tears were streaming down your face and you felt like a complete dumbass in distress disorder. “Dad, please s-stop…” You sob in the quietest voice you could muster. He promptly backhanded the side of the barrel over your right cheek with a blinding amount of force and your vision was momentarily clouded with white hot searing pain. He returned the gun to your head and you could feel the warm, sticky substance of blood drip from your cheekbone. He gave you a final warning look that sent a crippling sense of fear down your spine and then continued what he was doing.

Your eyes kept scanning your surroundings looking for anything that could help you escape. The only opportunity you saw was when your demon of a father had pulled your shorts and panties down to your knees and started shoving his hand into your bone dry pussy painfully . You felt humiliated and violated, but you used his distracted state to promptly knee him as hard as you could in his dirty, perverted balls.

The man shrieked like a fucking banchee as he dropped the gun to cup the rattled testicles in his hands. You quickly retrieved the firearm and ran to the front door, yanking your bottoms up in the meantime. You had always kept your backpack fully stocked by the front door in preparation of the days that you were briefly thrown out. You were silently praising God that you had kept that habit as you grabbed it and bolted out of the apartment, your father screaming limping after you. You heard the sound of his quickly fading stomping as you rounded the corner and hauled ass out of sight, ensuring to leave no trace of your whereabouts.

You ran faster than you had ever run in your life, not even stopping to look back. You didn’t know where you were running to, you just ran where your feet took you. It wasn’t much of a shocker that your feet took you to the only place you ever knew as a safe haven. You had apparently run five miles at one in the morning to find yourself standing at the door of the Bang residence.

You had probably rang the doorbell around twenty times before the exhaustion hit you and you dropped to your knees on the pavement, the gun laying at your side on the ground. It took a few minutes, probably due to waking them up, but the door finally opened to a very bewildered Mr. and Mrs. Bang. You instantly threw yourself into their arms and let out loud, choked sobs, clinging onto them for dear life. You were finally home.

- - - - - - - - - -

After explaining everything to them, not only about that night, but every grizzly detail of your entire family situation, they refused to let you go back home, fearing for your safety. You tried to refuse, but they eventually forced you to tell Chan. 

Tell Chan? The man already had a full fledged death wish for your father! And they expected you to tell him as if you were giving an update on the crisp Australian weather? Well this should be fun...

It would take all but the convincing of God to keep him from reporting him. You could already tell a shit storm was waiting on the other end of that dial tone.

It was probably the most emotional phone call you had ever had with him and he was so damn ballistic that he was about to hop on a flight home to come ‘kill that motherfucker’. It took some desperate convincing and ass kissing to change his mind.

You stayed with the Bangs for about a week - staying in Chan’s old room - before Chan’s mom and dad sat down to have a serious talk with you. This is it. You thought. They are going to tell me to find somewhere else to live. You hadn’t saved enough money from your jobs yet to find a place because just about everything you had earned went directly to your parents. You were hardly prepared to start sleeping in cardboard boxes and panhandling.

Mrs. Bang let out a big sigh and rested her hand on your knee. “Dear, you already know that we have always considered you a part of this family. We love you and we want to keep you safe.” The tears started welling up in your eyes and you looked down at your restless hands to hide your face. Fucking why emotions? “And to keep you safe, you can’t stay here any longer.” You couldn’t help the uncontrollable shakiness that came over you, wrecking your body with silent sobs.

“That is why…” Chan’s father held your hand. “...we are going to send you to go to school with Chan in Korea. If anyone can protect you and be there for you, it’s him.” You craned your head up with wide eyes.

“W-what…?” You just sat there looking at them with a frozen, gobsmacked look. Nowhere in your mind had you expected that. It was certifiably insane.

“Well, we know how much you wanted to go with him and how distraught you were when he left. Only now, we know just how deeply that fear was grounded. We had no idea you were going through all of that, sweetie…” Chan’s mom held your other hand and you saw that she, too, had tears rolling down her graceful features.

“N-no… no no no! I can’t do that! I can’t afford it! Please I–” You couldn’t hold back the hyperventilation that was formed by your tits-for-brain emotions.

Mr. Bang cut you off. “You don’t need to worry about that, we just need to do what’s best for you Y/N. And there is no use arguing with us, we have discussed this thoroughly and our decision is final.” His voice was stern and his expression set in stone.

You were gasping back your sobs. “I-I-I c-can’t–” One hundred percent ugly crying, no doubt about it.

Chan’s mom enveloped you in a tight hug. “Please Y/N! We wouldn't be able to live with ourselves if we let you stay anywhere near that hellhole. You deserve a better life than this, sweet girl, and we love you as our own. Please do this for us.” You hugged her back and sobbed into her shoulder violently.

“If it makes you feel better…” Chan’s dad said from the side of your vision. “...you can pay us back with monthly payments. Would that make you feel better about this?” Chan’s mom sat up and lightly slapped his arm.

“Honey! I don’t want her to have to worry about th–”

“Yes! That would make me feel much better.” You interjected her protest eagerly. “If this is something I have to do, I would much prefer not to do it for free.” You had been backed into a sticky, bittersweet corner and you needed to make rational decisions.

They smiled at you. “And you won’t even have to worry about that until you find a job, or if you can’t pay at any point in time, please don’t worry about it.”

You meekly nodded and looked down at the frayed edges of Chan’s sweatshirt that enveloped you, stretching the worn out fabric and releasing it to watch the way the fibers scrunched together again. “I really don’t know what I can do to thank you guys… I really don’t deserve you two…”

“Oh enough of that!” You received another hug from Mrs. Bang. “You deserve every wonderful thing in this world and more.” You sat back and looked at your newly self proclaimed parents and smiled, tears never once stopping as you were overwhelmed with how surreal everything felt. You would finally be free.

- - - - - - - - - -

You were extremely grateful that you grew up learning Korean from Chan and his family because if you hadn’t, you would look like an utter dinktwat in this country. You weren’t perfect, but you figured you would learn fairly quickly from constant exposure.

You squinted your eyes as you tried to see past the hustle and bustle of the busy airport, looking for the right face. Finally, you saw a hand raise up to wave at you across the sea of faces. You looked down to the owner of the hand and there he was, your dirty blonde haired beacon of light, smiling brilliantly at you with his deep-dimpled grin. You instinctively pushed past the barrier of bodies and threw yourself into his arms, burying your face into his warm, familiar scent. You could hear him lightly chuckle at you as you were squeezed tightly.

“Hey my little Kiyomi. I’ve missed you so much” You teared up as you smiled into the crook of his neck. You had always loved the nickname him and his family gave you. They had told you it basically meant cutie or a cute person in Korean and, at first, you laughed at the name, but now it was as natural as saying your actual name.

“I’ve missed you too Channie… so much.” He held you tighter momentarily before letting you go. He stared at you with a sad smile on his face, caressing his thumb over the large, scabbed gash on your cheekbone. He gave it a small peck and smiled down at you.

“You ready to go home?” The words sounded weird coming from Chan’s mouth, but you nodded earnestly in reply. He grabbed your luggage from you and slung you over his other shoulder, ignoring your protests and turning to push past the onlooking travelers while you laughed and covered your face in embarrassment.

- - - - - - - - - -

When Chan opened the door to the three bedroom condo, you took in the surroundings of the area that already looked three or four times the size of your previous apartment. It had a narrow entryway with a coat closet on your left with an area to leave your shoes. You saw a pair of white fluffy slippers with a sticker bow placed haphazardly on top like a present and you smirked back at your new roommate. “Housewarming gift?” Chan said with an awkward smile. You just chuckled at him and plucked the bow off to stick on the middle of his forehead, making him scoff, and you slipped on your comfy new slippers.

You took a step inside and saw a wall on your left with three doors lined along it, slightly ajar, to show a couple of bedrooms and a bathroom in between. To your right, there was the living room adorned with a couch, a loveseat, and a lounge chair surrounding a coffee table. An unnecessarily large TV sat atop a table scattered with various video game consoles and anime figurines in front of it all. Walking further in, the living room was attached to an open-floor planned kitchen lined across the back wall with a large, granite counter island separating the rooms diagonally with a small dining table pressed to the wall on the right. 

The floors were completely dark hardwood minus the kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms. The bedrooms with plush, off white carpet and the bathrooms and kitchen with sleek, stone tile. You walked in a little further to peer into the open doors and, at the end of the wall that held the bedrooms, there was a door holding a huge utility room with a washer, dryer, and wash basin for the laundry. The condo was fucking unbelievable. Sure as hell too nice for your impoverished ass.

There was a single closed door on the wall to the left of the TV, between the living room and dining area. “Now, don’t argue with me, because I already know that you will. But Felix and I already decided that you deserve the master bedroom because you need your own bathroom. He said something like ‘A lady needs her own space’. If only he knew how un-ladylike you really are, he might have rephrased that.” Chan rolled his eyes, using air quotes for effect.

You scoffed at him and shoved his shoulder with a fond smile. I mean he wasn’t wrong per-se. “Chan… Chan. You do realize I’ve never needed my own room, right? As far as I’m concerned, you could make me sleep on the washroom floor and I’d be down-right giddy.”

He threw his head back and let out a hardy laugh. “Maybe if you’re in one of your bitchy moods, I will. But no, that’s just even more reason you need that bedroom. You need to be able to have some sense of normalcy. Plus, since you don’t exactly have many belongings, I already decked out your room with all of your favorite things.” He raised his head slightly to the ceiling with a smug face and his fists on his hips, looking like the proud little brother he was.

“Damnit Chan! I told you not to spend money on me!” Another harsh punch to his shoulder.

“Ow! Get over it! If I want to give my best friend a present, I’m going to do what I want! And stop hitting me, you fucking ogre!”

Much to your dismay, your eyes got watery again. You honestly didn’t know what you did in your past life to deserve this man. “Damnit Chan, stop making me be an emotional bitch baby…” You quickly wiped away an escaped tear. He didn’t say anything, he just wrapped you in one of his big bear hugs.

When he let you go, he wiped away your tears and grabbed your luggage again. “C’mon, let me show you your new room!”

When you walked in, the edge of the ceiling was lined with fairy lights, bathing the room in a soft glow. This was punctuated with a large salt rock lamp sitting atop a beautiful antique nightstand. Thankfully not everything was super grand or expensive looking, just a simple wooden desk with a chair and bed frame with an ornately carved headboard, both painted white.

It was only when you walked into the master bathroom that your jaw dropped. There was a large vanity stretching all the way down the length of the wall with two sinks attached to the left of the room and a separate jet tub and standing shower. There was a partition wall hiding the toilet and the far wall had the most massive closet you had ever seen.

The closet was filled with all sorts of women’s clothing. Ranging anywhere from formal attire to loungewear. You turned to Chan with a bone-chilling glare. “Chan, what the actual fuck is this?”

He hid behind the luggage he was still holding as if to protect himself. “That’s part two to your gift. Trust me, I know your tastes.” You looked inside one of the drawers and pulled out a pair of black lace panties and held them between two fingers to show them to Chan with an incredulous look on your face. “Okay okay that was NOT me! That was Lix! He supposedly wears that kind of stuff for Hyunjin all the time so he volunteered to shop for the… um… delicates?”

You rolled your eyes and covered your face with your hands. As you moved on, your eyes continued to roam the area as you made your way back to the living room, claiming the lounge chair. “By the way, where is Felix? I want to meet this other Aussie boy.”

“Ah.” The brunette rubbed the back of his neck. ”He said that you would probably be overwhelmed once you got in so he went to hang out with the guys until a little later tonight so you could get accustomed.”

Ah, yes. The notorious group of boys that Chan had befriended over the years that he has been gone. He had talked about each and every one of them several times and you really already felt like you already knew them, despite actually meeting them. “Oh yeah, the guys, yours and Felix’s friends from Uni right?”

“Yeah, but Jisung and Changbin also work with me at Eunsincheo.” You vaguely recalled Chan mentioning this. The word meant ‘The Hideaway’. It was a music and reading lounge where he spent his days serving shitty coffee and organizing small performances for up-and-coming artists. It really was a cool gig, and he absolutely loved it. He said he could get you on the team, but you wanted to find your own job without all the help that he was already giving you.

“Nice. When will I be introduced? I want to meet the guys that are competing for my best friend spot.” 

Chan scoffed from his spot on the couch. “Psh, as if there is any competition. I’m afraid you, Kiyomi, are stuck with me.”

“Awww little baby Channie. You’re so sweet!” You leaned over and gave him an annoying pinch on the cheek.

“Okay okay, that’s enough of that! As for meeting the boys, we didn’t think it was a good idea for you to meet them on your first day here. They can be a little… overwhelming…”

“Well that just makes me want to meet them more! I need to start my socializing skills to get used to the language. Can’t we all go out for dinner or something? I want some authentic Korean food and see if it rivals your mom’s cooking.”

“Okay, first of all, nothing rivals her cooking. And secondly, I’ll have to message them and see if they are all up for it.” 

“Great! While you do that, I’m going to go shower and see how much of a trainwreck you made of my wardrobe.” You heard a small ‘hey!’ as you wormed your way into your room. You laughed behind your closed doors and let out a big sigh, looking at your own room and feeling as if you were dreaming. After 23 years of your life living in hell, all of it was really too good to be true.

- - - - - - - - - -

You decided, since you were just going to a simple bar and hot pot place, you opted for some ripped blue jeans, a Totoro t-shirt, and some checkered Vans. You pulled your hair up into a half ponytail and just lightly brushed on a natural shade of eyeshadow and mascara to the corners of your eyes as best as you could since you weren't accustomed to wearing makeup. You tried desperately to hide the wound on your cheek with concealer, failing gloriously and inadvertently huffing in frustration.

As you and Chan neared the restaurant, you could hear a rambunctious bunch from the front of a small, humble building. “Ah, sounds like the band of misfits are already here.” Chan said before you could even see the patio. For some reason, you could feel the nerves bubble up inside you. Partly because your Korean was extremely rusty, but also because you desperately wanted Chan’s friends to accept you like the insecure chicken-shit you were.

“Do you all always have to disturb the peace wherever we go?” Chan spoke loudly over the loud group of boys once the two of you stepped onto the small patio that the men invaded. The group went silent and turned their attention toward you, making your heart fall out of your ass.

You gave a deep bow and pulled out the most confident Korean words you could muster. “Hello everyone, I’m Y/N. Lovely to meet you all.” You cringed at yourself and Chan sputtered out a laugh, immediately slapping his hand over his mouth when you glared daggers back at him. You could feel your cheeks warm up in embarrassment, but then several of the men stood up with smiles on their faces to come and greet you.

The first one was skinny with a shaggy, but surprisingly stylish bleached mullet and cute freckles that scattered across his cheeks and nose like stardust. He had a grin that spread across his entire face, making his eyes disappear behind his blinding, sunshine smile. He unexpectedly enveloped you in a hug. “OHMYGOD HI! I’m Felix! I've been SO FUCKING EXCITED to meet you! You will probably hear some of the guys call me Lee Yongbok, but that's just my Korean name. You can call me whatever you like!”

“Good to finally meet you!” You hugged him back and released with a warm smile. You instantly felt warm in his presence and you already knew you would be fast friends.

“I’m so glad you wanted to meet everyone today! I’m going to bake some cookies in the morning to welcome you as our new roommate. I know we will be best friends in no time!” He had a thick Australian accent as he spoke in English and you couldn’t help but smile in his presence.

“Hey!” Chan shoved the smaller boy away from you. “The best friend position is already taken! Find your own!”

“Jealous much?” You smirked up at Chan who just rolled his eyes at you petulantly.

The next boy walked up to wrap his arm around Felix. He was slightly taller than the rest and he was also fairly lean, but his arms were very toned. He had long black hair that he had tied in a half ponytail. His face was incredibly beautiful with plump lips and a beauty mark underneath his left eye, surely making even the coldest hearts swoon. He slightly bowed his head and squeezed Felix to his side. He started to speak in very broken English. “Hello, my name is Hwang Hyunjin. It is nice to meet you. I am Felix’s boyfriend. My uhhhmm… my English is not… too good?” He said it as if it were a question, as if he didn’t know if what he said was correct or not. Cute.

You decided that you should start to try and speak Korean to the group so they would feel more comfortable. Confidence is key right? “Nice to meet you as well, Hyunjin. I suspect I will be seeing a lot more of you now that I live with your boyfriend.” You waggled your eyebrows at Felix and that seemed to lighten the tension in the air as everyone started chortling.

The two headed back to their seats as a short, muscular (more like completely ripped) man with black hair walked up to offer a handshake. “Nice to finally meet you, I’m Seo Changbin. Chan-hyung talks about you non-stop, he’s been giddy like a school-girl for the past week waiting for you to get here.” The two of you turned and smirked at the dirty blonde Aussie, his ears slowly reddening.

“Shut it, bada kokkili.” Your confused look indicated you had no clue what the fuck that meant. Chan smirked at you knowingly. “Walrus. He hates it when we call him that.” You giggled behind your hand and Changbin punched Chan’s arm.

“Please tell me you’re nothing like this asshole?” Changbin said to you as he kept glaring at Chan.

“No, he wishes he was as badass as me.” You shrugged with a matter-of-fact look on your face.

“Have I subjected myself to a life full of verbal attacks by introducing you guys?”

“Hmmmm, yes. But you still love me.” You smiled smugly up at Chan and he poked his tongue out at you like a child.

You heard someone clear their throat next to you and you turned to see a doe eyed boy with round cheeks and a sharp jaw bone. His frame consisted of a broad chest that tapered down to a teeny tiny waist. “Oh! You must be Han Jisung!” He looked at you with an astounded expression and you realized it was probably weird how you came to that conclusion. You nervously scratched behind your ear. “Oh, sorry. Chan had told me that you looked like a quokka so I kind of assumed…”

“Hah! I can’t believe you got it right with that description!” Changbin guffawed from where he had left to sit at the table. 

“Well unfortunately your assumption was correct. I had just hoped he would have described me by my stunning good looks instead.” He gave you a huge, cheesy grin and stood proudly, his mousy brown hair swaying slightly. You giggled at him and accepted his offer for a hug. He was so fucking adorable that you wanted to stuff him in your pocket and keep him.

“Okay okay, out of the way.” The quokka was pushed aside by another animal looking man. This one, for some reason, looked incredibly like a puppy. You almost cooed at how adorable the boy was. He had fluffy brown hair like Jisung's and he was fairly tall as well. “I’m Kim Seungmin, I would run now before you subject yourself to this awful group of human beings.” He spoke in fairly good English and you laughed at his statement. 

“Did you say that in English so they wouldn’t protest?” You said amusedly.

“Maybe, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He shrugged and retreated back to his seat.

The next one was obviously younger than the rest, even if he stood taller than Chan. He had eyes like a fox and dimples deep enough to swim in. He was a bit timid as he shook his black hair out of his eyes. “I’m Yang Jeongin–”

“Baby Bread!” Hyunjin yelled across the table.

Jeongin glared back at him. “Anyway, nice to meet you.” He bowed and went to sit down.

That just left the man still sitting at the opposite end of the table.

“Min, come meet Y/N.”

The man looked up from his phone and you could feel his eyes pierce through your soul. He sighed dejectedly and stood up, walking slowly over to you like a cat stalking its prey. He was fairly tall and his movements flowed like water. He had intimidating cat-like eyes and cheekbones you could cut yourself on. His fiery, orange-red hair glowed warmly in the dim outside lighting, black leather jacket complimenting his entire look. He offered a muscular, veiny hand out to shake, which you timidly shook. This beautiful man’s presence intimidated you without reason.

You only marginally started to relax when he offered a small halfass smile and when he spoke, it punctuated his cute overbite. But as quick as it came, it left, leaving him with a bored face. “I’m Lee Minho. Hopefully you will adjust soon enough.” You watched as his eyes flit to the cut on your cheek and you slightly lowered your head in embarrassment. Without another word, he headed back to his seat. You wondered what you had done to put his panties in a twist until Chan threw an arm over your shoulder.

“Don’t worry about him. He only cares about eating, sleeping, and Han Jisung.” The boys laughed at the redhead while you and Chan took your seats as well.

“Oh, are you two also a couple?” You genuinely asked the two boys at the other end of the long table who just stared at you with dumbfounded looks. They looked at each other momentarily, then burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs while cackling, the rest of the group following in the laughter. You just sat in the chaos, wondering if you missed some sort of joke. Your eyes scanned over to Minho’s laugh and smile which was stupidly mesmerizing, probably because of the contrast to his previous behavior.

Minho started making kissy faces at Jisung as the younger pushed him away with a jokingly disgusted face. He had to wait until he stopped laughing, but Jisung finally spoke up. “No no no, we like to think we are soulmates, but only in a best friend type of way. No, the only happy couple here is Hyunlixie over there.”

Felix hid his smile and flushed cheeks behind his hands and Hyunjin flung his arm around his shoulder with a proud grin. Your subconscious wished you could experience that kind of feeling.

“So… Chan-hyung said that you are a year his senior, does that mean we should call you noona?” Jeongin spoke up from next to where you were sitting.

“Oh god.” You chuckled nervously. “That is very sweet Jeongin, but not necessary. Please speak casually. 'Noona' makes me feel like an old lady.”

“Well you’re not far off…” Chan muttered which earned him a flick on the ear. “Just call her Kiyomi! That’s what me and my family always call her!”

“Cutie, huh?” Seungmin said in English with a cute grin.

You exaggerated a sigh. “Much to my dismay, but yes. I’ve gotten used to it.” You said with a bemused face and the rest of the boys nodded with understanding.

“I like it!” Felix raised his glass. “To Kiyomi and her new life!”

The rest started to raise their glasses until Jisung halted them. “Oh shit, you two need drinks! We need to get you wasted ASAP.”

“Oh no no no, you do not want to see me drunk.” You waved your hands in front of your face in protest. Getting plastered would definitely not make a good first impression.

“Yeah, she is an absolute mess. Last time we got sloshed, I had to carry her ass three miles back to her house while she was singing the Macarena nonstop.” Chan rubbed over his eyes with one of his hands, overemphasizing his mortification.

“Shut it Chan!” You whisper-yelled at him.

“Oh-ho-ho now we HAVE to get you drunk. Get her a bottle of soju, stat!” Hyunjin slapped Minho on the back and the cat-like man glared at him as he stood up to go to the bar.

“I’m only doing this because I may or may not be interested in seeing this for myself.” He grumbled as he walked away.

“I’ll go help him carry the other drinks!” Jisung jumped out of his chair to chase after Minho. As the rest of the boys chatted, your eyes naturally gravitated to the window of the restaurant, revealing the two boys inside at the bar. You watched as Jisung threw his arm over the shoulder of the statue of a man next to him and yelled for the bartender. Minho slapped Jisung’s ass and the younger whispered something to Minho and they both cracked up laughing, showing glistening white teeth and bright smiles from the pair. You felt your stupid stomach flip upside-down in your gut.

Throughout the night, you looked around at the group of gorgeous men, Changbin and Minho screaming loudly across the table at each other as Hyunjin and Seungmin stirred the pot. Felix and Jisung laughing about something completely unrelated and Jeongin watching it all with an amused smile. You felt a weight lifting off your shoulders you didn’t know was there. They all seemed to welcome you with open arms and you felt your heart swell with warmth as your sights swiveled across the table and landed on Chan who was smiling brightly at you. You felt like you were finally home.

- - - - - - - - - -

Fucking lightweight. Two bottles of soju in and you already started to feel bubbly and light as if you were floating. The rest of the group wasn’t in much better shape though.

“Okay okay! What about this? Chan-hyung, have you two ever done the dirty deed?” Changbin shouted from the seat next to him, waggling his eyebrows at you two.

Jisung drunkenly elbowed him. “Binnie *hiccup* hyung! Too far! Tooooo far!”

You and Chan made gagging noises and disgusted faces. “What the fuck Bin? No! She’s like a sister to me! That’s disgusting!”

“OKAY I agree with Channie, but don’t call me disgusting you asshole!” You shoved his head to the side and he rolled his eyes.

“Ssshe is a bootiful woman you monster! Kiyomi, f’you efer needa real maaan, just cm’to me!” Jisung slurred heavily and pointed at you with a winky face.

“She could do so much better than any of your lame asses.” Chan laughed and slapped you on the shoulder, making your body wobble.

“Okay enough enough! My turn! Noona, if you could describe all of us as a type of animal, what would you pick?” Sweet Jeongin, of course, had such a humble question.

“Booooring!” Hyunjin rolled his head back in dramatic annoyance.

You poked your tongue out at him and turned back to the maknae next to you. “I would definitely say that you look like a fox. Seungmin looked like a puppy when I first laid eyes on him. Changbin looks like a mix between a rabbit and a… pig?”

“Yah!” Changbin looked at you with an offended frown, the whole group cackling in the background.

“Not in a bad way! I mean like one of those cute little teacup pigs!” He smiled in content, making an aegyo-like bashful face and poking his cheek. “Jisung obviously looks like a quokka. Hyunjin… hmmmm… a llama maybe… or a ferret? Felix looks like a baby chick and I always thought Channie looked like a wolf.” You turned your sights to the man at the end of the table. “Minho looks like… bunny? No no no, a cat! He definitely seems to have the mannerisms of one.”

The man looked up at you with wide eyes. “A cat?”

“Yeah! You are stand-offish, but I feel like if someone were to pet you, you would purr and pass out.” Everyone started laughing but the man looked stunned. Maybe you did have a little too much to drink. You just met this man and you were talking about petting him. “It’s a good thing! I promise!”

“Mhm, sure. Maybe I should call you a mouse to make it known that you shouldn’t fuck with me.” He gave a crooked smile with a glint in his eye. You internally shivered. Well… hot damn.

“Oh give it up, hyung. *hiccup* Y’ve got nooo claws! Anyway, it’s funny y’say that, noona ‘cause Minnie-hyung owns 3 *hiccup* cats himself!” Jisung slapped him on the back and chuckled at his grumpy friend.

“I don’t own them, they own me. They are my babies.” Minho grumbled.

Your eyes lit up and you leaned in closer. “Oh my god I looove cats! You have to let me meet them!”

“U-uh s-sure…?” The fiery haired man turned his face away and you couldn’t tell if his red cheeks were from your comment or from the alcohol. Where the hell did that reaction come from?

“Noona, you are going to go to Uni with us, right? When will you start?” You brushed off the use of honorifics Seungmin and Jeongin kept using, accepting that they all are just trying to be polite and it was probably second nature to them.

“Two weeks from now, I still need to settle in, get registered, and find a job.”

“Ooo! Work with us! I’m sure the *hiccup* boss would hire you f’we asked!” Jisung raised his hand to get your attention.

Chan interjected before you could respond. “Yeah good luck with that one, Han-ah. I have been trying to convince her of that ever since I found out she was moving here and she isn’t budging. Something about ‘I need to do this on my own’ or whatever bullshit she said.” The air quotes he made came with an annoying mimicking voice.

“Hey shut your gob, dumbass. So what if I want to be independent?”

“Ahhh an independent woman *hiccup* I like it!” Jisung winked at you and you giggled at his drunken flirtiness.

Minho grabbed onto his ear like a mother would to scold her child. “Cut it out, she is going to get tired of you before the night is even over.”

“Okay okay! I get it! M'sorry!”

“It’s okay Jisung, I think it’s cute.” You exaggerated the statement by saying it in baby talk and cooing at him. He blushed at your words and chuckled nervously as the rest of the group laughed at his flustered fumbling.

“Okay my turn!” Seungmin announced…

- - - - - - - - - -

You decided it was time to stop drinking when you could feel your emotional side take the reins of your brain, the feeling of the welcoming new friends overwhelming you. You, Chan, and Felix parted from the group and Chan had to help you walk down the street to get home with you yelling your farewells to the giggling group retreating behind you. Once you got home, Felix immediately went to his room and slumped down, only halfway on his bed, completely wiped out from the alcohol.

Chan took you to your room and sat you down on the bed. “Chaaaannie!” You held onto him with tears building in your eyes as he removed your makeup for you. “Channie *hiccup* I love you so fucking much Channie! I’m so happy to be here and meet your *hiccup* frieeeeends.” He chuckled at your idiocy and handed you a glass of water.

“If you're happy, then why are you crying, you big baby?” You threw a tiny fist at him.

“I am just sooo happy, I don’t deserve you! I don’t deserve this life! It doesn’t even feel real to be here right now….” He froze as you crossed your eyes to focus on sipping your water and bent down to level his face to yours.

“Y/N, don’t you ever say that again. You deserve all of the happiness in the world and more and I wouldn’t give you up for a goddamned thing, alright? I want to hear you say that you deserve happiness.” You just whined and shoved your alcohol-flushed face in his chest. “Say it Kiyomi…”

All you could think about was the huge fucking piece of your heart this man had claimed. “I… I deserve happiness.”

“There we go, girl. Now let's get you into bed.” He pulled back the puffy white comforter and tucked you into the softest sheets you have ever felt. “G’night sis, love you.” He kissed your forehead and you were out like a light.

- - - - - - - - - -

The first month of getting used to university was hard, you were older, but you started behind the rest of your group of new friends. But thank God that dumb luck got you to join some of their classes.

Chan was in your music theory class, Jeongin and Minho were in your fine arts class, and Hyunjin, Felix, and Minho were in your dance class. You managed to find a job at a local café as a barista close to Eunsincheo where Chan worked. Things were falling into place for you remarkably fast and you threw yourself into your studies, not wanting to squander the opportunities that were gifted to you.

“Do you ever stop studying?” Seungmin leaned in close to where you were sitting on the ground next to the coffee table to examine what you were noting down from your second-hand textbook. Chan and Changbin were at work, but the rest of the boys decided to come hang out at the Aussie flat for movies and snacks.

“Well, not only does my Korean suck ass, but I also have to make up for all the lost time these past years. I need to work extra hard if I want to get past basic courses so I can become a choreographer.” You were, in fact, currently brushing up on your Hangul at the moment.

“Hey, that’s Minho-hyung’s major too! Maybe you guys can study together!” Jisung looked at Minho next to him on the loveseat expectantly. He just stared at you with a blank face.

“Depends, can the mouse keep up with me?” He smirked at you and leaned forward as if he was challenging you.

“Well now there’s no way I can back down. Bring it on MeanHoe!” You sat up straight, proudly, as you reached out your arm to shake hands as if you were making a business agreement. His grip was strong, but softened as it lingered there.

“Hyung’s in advanced courses, aside from the dance class we all have together, he has two or three intermediate and advanced classes too.” Hyunjin blankly stated as his focus was directed at picking at a hangnail, long limbs sprawled across the couch and on Seungmin’s lap.

The feline grew a smug grin. “I won’t go easy on you noona, get ready for an ass beating.”

“Ooo kinky!” Oh god, please don’t conjure images, brain! You could feel your ears getting red at Jisung’s statement. Minho was quick to slap him over the back of the head. “Ow!”

“Han Jisung! Can you stop being dirty minded for two goddamned seconds?” Minho crossed his arms, obviously embarrassed too as he looked away.

“I’m sorry hyung, I’m afraid that’s impossible. He is utterly helpless.” Jeongin sighed from his spot on the floor on the other side of the coffee table.

“He’s just like a child, just start up a video game for him and he’ll shut up real quick.” Felix yelled from the kitchen where he was pulling the delectable smelling brownies out of the oven that he had made for everyone.

“That’s not… entirely true…” Jisung meekly mumbled as he scratched the back of his head.

“Minho-hyung really helped me with my Korean when I moved here, maybe he can help you too?” Felix looked at Minho who just hummed in response.

He lifted himself off the loveseat and sat next to you on the floor, examining your work. “Your handwriting is shit.”

You just scoffed and narrowed your eyes at him. “Thanks, Min. Very insightful.” You turned back to your work and kept writing in chicken scratch font. “Do I really want your help? I’d rather not have my pride filed down more than it already is.”

He just shrugged and plucked the pen from your hand, mid-character. He wrote down what looked like a pangram with his left hand and erased and re-wrote a mistake with his right hand. That threw you for a hot loop. “Repeat writing this until your writing is actually legible.” You glared at him and shoved him slightly, making him chuckle. “Don’t worry, even if you have an extremely thick accent, you seem to have an easier time talking than you used to.”

“Yeah, your accent is even thicker than mine when you speak Korean, and that’s saying something.” Felix said while he placed the neatly arranged plate of brownies and napkins on the coffee table. The boys crowded around to grab their treats and Minho placed the yummy, gooey, center piece on a napkin and handed it to you. Well that is suspiciously out of character.

“Awww but I wanted that piece!” Minho flipped off the whiny Jisung.

“Maybe you should’ve been quicker, then, Sungie.” Minho turned back to grab himself a brownie.

“Thanks, Min. What is it that you want from me to deserve this kindness?” You smiled to yourself as Minho narrowed his eyes at you.

“Would you like me to take it back?” You hid your chocolaty treat from his field of vision followed by an attempt of an intimidating expression. You felt a modicum of success when he turned to hide his suppression of a laugh.

Once Felix finished his duties of serving brownies and popcorn to everyone, he turned the TV on for everyone to watch Howl’s Moving Castle upon Jisung’s repetitive insistence. You turned your head to see that Minho was still sitting in his spot he took next to you on the floor. Stupid stomach for its stupid flippity flops.

You contemplated your actions for a minute, but then decided to go for it. “Hey Min.” You leaned in with a hushed tone so you wouldn’t interrupt the movie. He leaned his ear closer to hear you better. “You really want to help me study? I really am kind of at the ass-end of the curve when it comes to my studies.”

He shrugged. “Sure, why not? Do Tuesdays and Thursdays after art class work for you?” You eagerly nodded your head and he gave you a crooked smile.

“Thanks Minnie! I owe you!”

“Yes you do.” He chuckled and leaned away, indicating the end of the conversation. Well shit.

- - - - - - - - - -

You aren’t sure when it happened, but apparently you had fallen asleep because the next thing you knew, you were waking up in a dark room - lit only by the TV that had some random YouTube video on - with Chan shaking you awake. You were still on the floor in the living room, but everyone was gone save for Chan and Minho which you had evidently fallen asleep on. Not just on, in his fucking lap . Head fully rested on fully-jacked, muscular thighs. God, kill me now.

You had never sat up so fast in your life. “Ah shit!” You rubbed your eyes and tried to shake off the lightheadedness you felt from getting up too fast. “Shit, Min, I’m so sorry! Why the hell didn’t you wake me up?!”

He shrugged his shoulders as the two of you stood up. He slightly stretched his back and his neck and you felt mortified that he had stayed behind just because of your lazy ass. “It’s whatever, I was just entertained by watching videos and hearing you blab about something in your sleep.” He said nonchalantly.

“WHAT? Oh no. No no no, what did I say?” You hid your face in your hands as the two boys laughed at you. This is hell.

“I couldn’t really figure it out, it was in English.”

“Oh thank god.”

“Tell it to me, I’m sure I can translate!” Chan said with a chipper voice.

You grabbed onto your best friend’s shirt collar. “Do you want to die tonight, pup?” He sheepishly laughed and held his hands up in surrender.

“I sounded like you were having a nightmare, but don’t worry little mouse, I’m sure I’ll figure it out one way or another.” You looked back at Minho’s winking face with terror in your eyes. You side-eyed Chan and saw he was looking at you with worry. You knew what he was thinking and silently prayed he wouldn’t say anything, but you just huffed and marched off to your room like a petulant child.

“Good night!” The two shouted after you in unison as you slammed your door.

Behind the cover of your bedroom door, you ran your hands over your tired face and prayed that you didn’t say anything too embarrassing. You didn’t know how long he had stayed there after everyone had left, but the thought of him staying behind so he wouldn’t disturb you made your core throb. That’s stupid, he probably just wanted to wait until Chan got home. You convinced yourself to stop having a weird imagination, and with that, you showered off to rid you of your thoughts.

- - - - - - - - - -

The next Thursday afternoon around four in the afternoon , you were lounging on the couch scrolling through your phone when you heard someone knocking at your front door. When Chan opened it, the both of you were surprised to see Minho standing in the doorway with that damned stereotypical leather jacket on.

“Uh, hey Min, what’s up?” Chan looked confused as he gestured for Minho to come inside.

“Study sessions, remember? Tuesdays and Thursdays? Please don’t tell me your memory really is that bad or else this is a lost cause.” He said pointedly at you in response to Chan’s question.

You sat up quickly with a sheepish grin. “I didn’t forget! It just may have… slipped my mind…” Shit memory strikes again.

He rolled his eyes and threw his backpack down on the dining table and shucked off his jacket, flinging it over the back of the chair. “Well are you coming or not?” You quickly realized what he was indicating and you hastily grabbed your textbooks and papers from your room and sat down next to him.

“Well I guess I will leave you two to it, I’m going to go to the gym.” Chan walked out without another word. And you suddenly found yourself in an empty apartment with only your studies and Lee Minho to keep you company. Fuck, I should have thought this through.

“Okay, so where should we start?”

- - - - - - - - - -

It was probably around 8pm and studying was completely forgotten about about an hour and a half after you two started. You had asked to see a picture of his cats and it all went downhill from there. The two of you discussed anything from favorite foods to childhood memories. However, you elected to opt out of mentioning your family situation in favor of reminiscing your time with Chan. No one wants to hear about that shit show.

This was until Minho verbally backed you into a corner. “So what do your parents do for a living?” You could feel your blood turn ice cold. What should I tell him? ‘Oh yeah, they sell and smuggle drugs for a living. What about yours?’ 

Yeah, fuck that. “Oh, they just get odd jobs here and there.” You tried to be as vague as possible.

“Oh okay cool, did you live near Chan-hyung?”

“Nah, I lived about 5 miles from him. But I basically lived with him half the time.” You said with a nervous chuckle. He leaned his elbow on the table, laying his cheek on his fist as he was fully facing you in his seat.

“Your parents didn’t mind? My mom would worry herself to an early grave any time I spent the night at a friend’s house for more than a night. She definitely used to baby me.” He chuckled, not breaking eye contact with you, making you extremely flustered and intimidated. Stupid cat man. Your eyes couldn’t meet his for more than a couple seconds before they looked elsewhere in attempts to escape the inexplicable nervousness.

“No they didn’t mind… They weren’t those kinds of parents.” You looked down and played with the hem of your shorts. It was silent for a second and you were afraid you had maybe said too much. But as you looked back up into his eyes, you think it was possible that he realized that it was a sore subject by the way he was searching your eyes.

“Well that’s cool, no wonder you and Chan-hyung have so many experiences together.” He suddenly decided to stand up and make his way toward the kitchen. “I’m making dinner, any requests?”

You breathed a sigh of relief with the end of the previous conversation. “It’s our kitchen, Min. How do you know we even have the stuff to make what you want?”

He turned his head over his shoulder from where he is standing in front of the pantry and gave you a crooked smile. “I told Yongbok and Chan-hyung that they need to be adults and actually keep their kitchen stocked, even if it only gets used when I come cook for them.” He turned back to look in the walk-in pantry, speaking a little louder so you could hear. “I probably screwed myself by saying that, though, because now I cook for them all the time. ”

You moved from your position at the dining table, abandoning your schoolwork, and sat on the barstool at the island. “Am I really going to get the great Chef Lee Minho to cook for me? I am honored, but I'm not really a big eater.” You were used to eating nothing for days so your appetite wasn’t huge. Even if you were accommodated with three meals a day now, you were always painfully full before you finished your serving.

He walked out with a deadpan face and a few items in his hands. “Well if we are going to be friends, that is going to change. No arguments. How does chicken fettuccine alfredo sound?”

Your mouth starts watering at the mention of it. “My lord, that sounds amazing. You’re my hero .” You said the last part wistfully as if you were a damsel in distress and dramatically leaned your head back with the back of your hand draped on your forehead.

He scoffed at you and pulled a small bowl out of the fridge after he put on a pot of water to boil for the noodles. Once he placed the bowl in front of you, you looked at him with a confused face. “Kimchi for a starter.” He looked at you expectantly.

You looked warily at the delicious looking snack. “Min, if I eat this, I won’t be able to finish my pasta.”

He didn’t respond, instead, he pulled out a pair of chopsticks and raised a bite of kimchi to your mouth. “Say ‘ahhh’ little mouse!” He waved the food around and made airplane noises as if you were a child. You couldn’t help but laugh loudly at his antics and he used that opportunity to lightly press the tip of the food to your lips. You gave in and wrapped your lips around the chopsticks, cleaning it of the kimchi juices.

You were a little surprised to see him use those same chopsticks to pop a bite into his mouth for himself. You figured it was a perfectly normal thing to do between friends. Hell, you and Chan have shared almost everything, but something about the action coming from Minho made you feel different.

Once he tried to feed you another bite, you spoke before he could shove it in your face. “Aren’t you supposed to be cooking?”

He shook his head and continued his movements toward your mouth. “Water Isn't boiling yet. Open up.”

You couldn’t help but huff at the stubborn little shit. “Do you not want me to eat your alfredo? Because if I eat a starter, I’ll be too full for dinner!”

“That’s just the first step to get you to eat more!” As the food got closer, you had planned to just slightly push his hand away. However, as you realized that life still hated you, you accidentally whacked the chopsticks out of his hand and the kimchi flew directly onto Minho’s white shirt, trickling the red juices down the length of it. Of fucking course.

The two of you were silent for a moment, processing what just happened. He looked down at his shirt and then back up at you with an indistinguishable expression. “Oh shit. Oh fuck. I’m sorry, Min! I’ll go get you a new one! Just give me one sec!” You stood up to go grab one of Chan’s shirts but Minho stopped you in your tracks, standing right in front of you and looking down menacingly. You instinctively took a couple of steps back because you, of course, were a piece of chicken shit.

“Mouse. Come here.” He started stepping forward and, for some reason, you felt fear and excitement jolt up your spine. You continued to step backward as he grabbed the small bowl and chopsticks in one hand.

“Minnie. Min-min. Buddy-ole-pal, listen, I really am sorry! Lemme just–” You were cut off when you felt your back hit the wall next to the kitchen. He kept prowling toward you and you froze in place. He stepped until there was about a foot of distance between your faces.

“I said. Open. Up.” His voice was colored with intimidation and a touch of dominance that made you quiver. You meekly opened your mouth and he gently placed the kimchi on your tongue, slowly pulling back the chopsticks once your lips were wrapped around it. He smirked at you, mockingly.

You decided that if he wants to play games, you will too, you already ruined his shirt after all. As Minho was still holding up the bowl, you decide to throw caution to the wind as you dipped your hand straight into the bowl, pulling out a long string of kimchi and promptly rubbing it over the side of his face and mouth and letting the remaining cabbage leaf fall to the ground, splattering on the tile.

He looked at you, utterly gobsmacked while you cackled, using his momentary shock to escape the spot where you were caged in. Once you were out of reach, he spun around with a bone chilling smile on his face. “So that’s how you want to play? Fine.” He started to walk toward you swiftly, bowl in hand, and determination in his eyes. You were still chuckling as you ran on the other side of the island, making the two of you dance around it (ironically) like cat and mouse.

He then did something you hadn’t expected him to do, he grabbed some kimchi with his own hand and flung the dripping, red snack across the island. And of course, the fat, juicy piece landed directly on your chest, slithering from your collarbone right down to your cleavage and under your shirt.

You shrieked at the cold contact as Minho cracked up on the other side of the bar. As you squirmed your hand under your shirt and bra, Minho had found an opportunity to set the bowl down and lunge at you, only to tackle you to the ground with more kimchi in his palm. “Caught you, you neanderthal!” You couldn’t control your laughter as you hopelessly tried to push off the man hovering over you, bracketing you to the ground with his limbs. “Now, little mouse, open up.”

He dangled the piece of kimchi over your mouth between his two fingers. You giggled, but sucked your lips into your mouth, sealing off the entrance. You shook your head in defiance, letting him know full well that you weren’t giving up that easy. Not chicken shit anymore, huh?

“Gonna be a brat? Okay, fine.” He then took his free hand and started poking your side, making you flail in ticklishness. Your hands immediately flew to the hand trying to tickle you to push them off, but to no avail.

“Ack! Min– *heh* Minho! *haha!* S–stop! *gasp* I– *heh* I give up!” you almost had tears running down your face in laughter as he finally relented. Once you felt the relief from him halting his assault, your arms fell to the ground to the sides of your head. Your eyes locked onto the feline above you. His smirk was full of playfulness, but something else showed in his eyes that you couldn’t quite place, making your useless heart skip.

“That’s what I thought.” He held the piece up to your mouth once more and you kept eye contact as you licked your lips and slowly opened your mouth. You waited as he slid the kimchi into your mouth slowly, releasing it, and briefly catching his thumb on your lower lip. You felt your brain short circuit momentarily until you realized you needed to start chewing. “Yummy, yeah?” You nodded your head slowly. “There’s a good girl.”

He stood up and it took your frozen limbs a moment to clamber up to accept his offered hand, pulling you up and onto your feet. Once you stood, the cold, sticky feeling running down your chest made itself known again. As if on cue, the two of you look down at your ruined shirts and back at each other, bursting out laughing and clutching your stomachs.

You dug the remaining piece of kimchi out of your shirt as he politely looked away. “Let me go get you a new shirt.” You chuckled out after you could catch your breath.

“Bet. I’ll clean up our mess once I put the noodles on to boil.”

You started to wonder where Chan was once you entered his room to grab Minho a new shirt. He said he was going to the gym, like what? Three hours ago? Surely he’d be done by now. As you walked back into the kitchen to give Minho the shirt, you were frozen solid, dropping the shirt at the sight in front of you. Good LORD.

Standing in the middle of your kitchen was a completely shirtless human statue. Minho had stripped himself of the soiled cloth, leaving him clothed only from the waist down. You tried to get ahold of your bearings, but the man’s back was turned away facing the sink to clean his clothing, leaving your subconscious to stand and gawk over the expanse of skin.

You had seen Chan shirtless countless times, so why did this particular moment affect you so much? Minho wasn’t as jacked up as Chan was, but you could clearly see the bands of toned, lean muscle just beneath the surface of his milk and honey skin. Your eyes skimmed the muscles of his arms and drifted down to his deliciously veiny forearms and hands. If your eyes hadn’t had enough of a feast on his back, it was absolutely gorged when he turned to face you. Two toned pecs and a lean stomach that adorned a small scar. Your attention was snapped back to reality when your gaze lingered on the hem of his pants. Wait, shit, fuck, he turned around!

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Your eyes flew up to his face to show that same annoying smug grin. 

You huffed and quickly grabbed the shirt off the floor and threw it at his face. “No need. I was only thinking of how gross it was to be half naked in a room where we EAT, let alone cleaning your nasty shirt in my kitchen sink.” You snatched his shirt from the sink and started to head to the laundry room.

“Yah! I’m not gross! And where the hell do you think you’re taking my shirt?” He grabbed your arm before you could get too far and spun you around to, once again, face his shirtless body. You refused to look anywhere in his general direction as you could feel your cheeks warm up. He must have picked up on your demeanor, because you could hear him lightly chuckle, forcing you to glance at his amused face. “Do I make you uncomfortable little mouse?”

“No… I just–”

“Juuust what?”

If you weren’t already being tortured by the current situation enough, life decided to rear it’s ugly head again. Before either of you two could react, the front door swung open and in stepped a suspiciously well dressed Chan. “What the FUCK?”

Now, you wouldn’t necessarily call Chan an irrational or violent person, but with Minho’s grip on your arm, his shirtless body, and an undistinguishable wet spot down the front of your shirt, you could definitely see cause for misinterpretation. “You motherfucker.” Chan started to march toward the two of you and you could see terror morph in the, typically unwavering, eyes of Minho. 

“Hyung I can expla—“ You watched in horror as you saw Chan’s fist fly through the air. You expected to see the innocent man get pile driven into the ground, but thankfully, Minho was quick enough to dodge the blow. You bolted over to Chan, jumping on the man and grabbing his arm to hold him back. Unfortunately, your tiny body failed to make him even budge. You might as well have thrown a teddy bear at him for how little it affected him.

“Chan stop! It’s just a misunderstanding! Please!” He looked down at your pleading eyes and back at Minho suspiciously. 

“Explain. Now.”

- - - - - - - - - -

After Minho put a shirt on and Chan calmed down, you briefly explained the situation. You excused yourself to shower off the kimchi juice as the boys talked it out. You felt awful that Minho had been subjected to that because of your own childish fuckary.

“God, why am I such an idiot?” You groaned at yourself as you pulled sweats and a tank top on, dampening the cloth with your wet hair. You stepped out into the living room and, to your amazement, Minho was still there. The two boys looked up at you in tandem with smiles on their faces and you let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank god, I was afraid I was about to walk out into a bloodbath.”

“Not today, Kiyomi. But you really need to stop being such a lunatic. You almost made me kill a man today.” Chan stood up from his spot on the couch next to Minho to come hug you.

“You almost committed murder and I’m the lunatic?”

“Yes.” The two boys said at the same time. You glared at the pair when the embrace was broken.

“You–!” You accusingly pointed a finger at the smirking redhead on the couch. “--aren’t any less guilty, mister!” You glared each other down, neither backing down for an instant. Little shit.

Chan let out a heavy sigh. “Well I’m utterly wrecked from the gym so I’m going to go shower. Goodnight guys.” The color of the tone in his voice sounded somewhat off.

“G’night!” You and Minho both said, still staring each other down.

After a moment of awkward silence, you cleared your throat in preparation to say something, but Minho beat you to it. “Pepperoni or cheese?”

“Uhm... wha—?” You were completely thrown. You searched your brain to think of what the hell he was talking about.

“Or supreme? If you’re into that. Just no pineapple or we can’t be friends anymore.”

“Did I miss something? Should I leave and come back? Because I have no clue what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Pizza.” He said with his gaze down, simply scrolling through his phone. “The pasta got overcooked so I’m ordering pizza, now what do you want?”

Ah, yes. The dish that started this whole tiff. “Ummm I guess meatlovers?” You said as you slid over next to him on the couch.

“Hell yeah, a woman after my own heart.” Sir, don’t even. He tapped away at a few things on his phone and sat it down. “Placed, should be here soon.”

“Sorry I ruined dinner, Min. If it’s any consolation, I really was looking forward to trying your cooking. I guess that’s why I was so determined to save my appetite…” You looked down at your hands in embarrassment. All I can fucking do is cause trouble for people.

“Hey.” You felt a gentle hand being placed on your shoulder and you looked up to lock eyes with the redhead. “It’s no problem to me, it just means I’ll get to cook for us on Thursday.” His eyes are soft and he was sporting a gentle smile that you had never seen before.

You unattractively snorted at the comment. “You mean you’re still going to help me study after the trainwreck I led you to?”

“Of course, as long as you keep your dog at bay.” The two of you shared a lighthearted laugh and you silently thanked God that things aren’t awkward now. I mean, as long as you didn’t fuck shit up again.

- - - - - - - - - -

That following Saturday you had to go to work. You had already worked a few shifts before so you were almost getting the hang of it. Since you weren’t one hundred percent confident in your Korean, you didn’t take orders, you only made the coffee and handed it to the customers. You were fine with this because you didn’t have to talk to people (because the general populous of all humans suck ass), but you would still get to make tasty drinks and listen in enough to advance your Korean. 

It was around 7:50pm, about ten minutes away from the end of your shift when you heard the entry of a large group ringing the bell of the front doors that announced their arrival. You internally groaned at the sound, (not looking so you could focus on the current task at hand of making a vanilla latte that had WAY too many modifications asked for by a particularly picky customer) knowing how you were about to have to stay late to make all of those people's plethora of drinks. You didn’t completely mind though, more work meant more money.

You turned around to hand off the last customer’s latte and once it was handed off, you froze as you looked on at the rowdy group of men. Eight, gloriously bright smiling faces were all directed at you, you could feel yourself flush as you walked up to them in a hushed tone. “What the hell are all of you doing here?”

“What? We can’t come see our favorite barista?” Changbin pouted, most of the rest following in mimicking his exact expression. You rolled your eyes at the group. You felt like a damn adolescent being picked up from school early.

“How do you know I’m your favorite? You haven’t tasted my coffee yet, it could taste like shit.”

“Then shitty coffee will be my new favorite!” Felix replied cheerily. What a sweet little lying son of a bitch.

“Speak for yourself.” Seungmin smirked at you and left to find the large group a couple of tables. 

The order was easy enough, seven iced americanos and a caramel macchiato for Felix. After that, your shift was already done and you accompanied your rambunctious friends, all gulping down their delicious drinks.

“You down to go for some karaoke tonight? We are all planning on getting trashed because there’s no school or work tomorrow.” Hyunjin said with a dramatic blissed out expression at the end of his sentence.

“Except for boring ass Chan-hyung that is about as interesting as a wet sponge. For some reason, he needs to go meet up with a person from a group in his class to study.” Changbin shot a disappointed grimace at Chan.

“Yah! I already had that planned! You guys sprung this on me last minute!” Chan crossed his arms defensively. Interesting, you didn’t recall him saying anything about that…

“Whatever you say, hyung.” Minho spoke up for once. He looked at Chan with feigned belief, then his sights automatically locked onto yours. “What do you say? Coming or not?” 

You internally pondered to yourself. Would I rather go home and get an early sleep after work? Or would I rather hang out and go get sloshed with my friends? One hundred percent the latter. “I am in desperate need of a drink, let’s go.”

As you followed the boys out, Minho grabbed your arm. “You’re riding with me, Felix’s car is full.” You hesitantly let him pull you around the side of the café and your heart stopped beating. The man sat down on a fucking crotch rocket. As he straddled the motorcycle, he patted the seat behind him. “Well, are you coming or not?”

You realized that your eyes were still bulged out of your head as you shook yourself out of your stupor. “No no no, no fucking way am I going to get on that death trap! I’d rather walk there barefoot on hot stones before I subject myself to that contraption.”

He rolled his eyes into the back of his head and groaned. “Oh come on, I’ve been riding this thing forever. I’m a really good driver I swear.” He picked up the helmet behind him and got off the bike. When he walked toward you, he promptly lifted the hard shell of safety over your head and stuffed your head in it, gently fastening it tightly under your chin.

“M-Min… I don’t know about this…”

“Would you rather walk alone? It’s getting dark out and the place is pretty far. I’m sure we will be done and gone by the time you get there.” He grew that stupid smirk that you could see through the eye socket of the full-faced helmet.

“Fine, but my ghost will haunt you for eternity if you kill me.”

“I think I’ll take my chances.” He went to straddle the bike again and you hesitantly hopped on behind him. “Hold me tight.” You are flabbergasted when he daringly grabbed your hands and wrapped them around his waist. His leather jacket felt cold around your arms and your body pressed up against his back.

When you heard the motor start, you looped your fingers together to squeezed onto him for dear life and you felt him squirm in your grasp. “Geez, don’t fucking crush me!” He yelled over the sound of the motor, but you only let up a miniscule amount.

Your breathing accelerated as he kicked off and drove out of the lot. It was stupid really. You had experienced a lot more dangerous things than this. Maybe it was because you weren’t in control of the circumstances here. You were putting your full trust in this man and trust is something you were not accustomed to.

The ride was terrifying and exhilarating all the same. The wind whipping around your body and through your hair was an experience you have never felt before. Adrenaline ran through your veins and - it was hard to explain - but you felt... free. You couldn’t hold back the laugh that bubbled up in your chest and you saw Minho slightly turn his head with a smile on his face. You threw your head back and let your mind ease itself of it's worries.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was about 11pm and you were currently singing ‘DDU-DU DDU-DU’ by Blackpink with Jeongin and Jisung, mostly laughing and stumbling into each other in attempts to dance. Normally you danced phenomenally, but at that moment, you were hammered enough to just let loose and flail your body in whichever direction fate had decided for you. The group was all laughing and taking videos of you three, but you didn’t care, you were lost in the moment.

When the next song came on, you slumped back onto your seat next to Minho on the long booth, circling around the small room to accommodate everyone around a couple tables. You felt hot from all of the dancing and laughter as your limbs and head laid limp against the seat. “Have fun?” Minho turned his gaze to you from where he was sitting by your side.

You let your head fall to the side from where it was leaned back against the head of the booth. The colorful and flashing lights flickered across his face, creating little dancing sparkles in his already gorgeous eyes. “Hell yeah, w’should do dis more offen.” Your drunken body leaned towards him and glared at the man. “Why didn’t y’look like y’were hav’n fun when I was *hiccup* singin’ and dancin’?” You bumped a tiny fist against his chest that somehow looked like it was getting closer. “You just sat there ‘n stared like y’hated me!” Your lower lip moved to jut out in a deep pout. You felt like you were sitting on a boat, waves rocking and wavering your movements.

He stared at you with a cheeky smile on his face for a moment. “Psh, I don’t hate anything, too much effort. I just wanted to watch you from behind.”

Now you weren’t sure if that phrase was misinterpreted in translation, or if you were just too drunk, but that definitely sounded pretty damn flirty. “You’re a teeease Minnie! Why’re all of y’guys sooo handsome? I feel like a nasty wart in th’group!” You twisted your eyebrows in confusion, already forgetting what just came out of your mouth.

He belted out a melodic laugh that made you swoon from your inebriation. “That’s sweet, but I wouldn’t say you’re quite like a wart. Maybe more of a mole.” He cackled when you shoved him over. “What?! A mole is more permanent!” You refused to let up your glower. Cheeky little asshole. “Kidding! Kidding! You’re gorgeous, little mouse.” His gaze was a little cloudy as well and you could see the indication of the five shots of soju everyone took on his red cheeks.

“Nooo y’r jus drunk ” You slurred out, poking your tongue out at him.

“Oh I’m the one who’s drunk?” He fully faced your staggering body in the booth to challenge you.

“Yeah!” You leaned forward, puffing your chest out to attempt intimidation. He let out a small chuckle and the both of you realized just how close you were as your eyes met each other. However, for some reason, neither of you moved away. Is the alcohol making us abandon all reason? You could've swore that his eyes had flit down to your lips, but you could’ve also imagined it. After all, you were a stupidly high level of plastered.

“Do... do you think you would wa–” Minho’s statement was cut off by a drunken Jisung sprawling his body over both of your laps.

“I looove y’guys sooo mush!” He was clinging onto Minho’s waist. “Wan’it t’always be like this…”

The two of you giggled. “Me too, Ji…” You smiled down at the quokka, but you refused to turn your attention back to Minho for the rest of the night.

- - - - - - - - - -

After a few months of you working and getting used to study sessions with Minho, the two of you had gotten extremely close. That also meant that you got extremely close with Jisung too, because those two men were just about attached at the hip. Minho was even comfortable enough now to hang out with you aside from classes and study sessions. However, the topic of the karaoke night was never brought up.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were your days scheduled for your dance class, and Tuesdays and Thursdays were scheduled for your art class right before tutoring. This meant that, unless you spent the weekend holed up doing shit-all, you would see Minho every day. You didn’t necessarily mind it, but it did absolutely no help to quell the germinating feeling in your gut of pure tension any time the two of you were alone.

Dance classes were the hardest. Not the dancing of course, you loved the dancing, feeling your inhibitions fly out the window as you moved to the beat of the music. You revered the art of it. No, the burdensomeness of it came from your fiery-haired classmate that was a dance god .

Hyunjin wasn’t kidding when he said Minho was well ahead of the curve when it came to dance. During your long, late-night talks with Minho, he had said he had been dancing ever since the start of middle school and never stopped. Any chance he could - unless he was working at his job assisting the local performing art’s center as an intern, or hanging out with friends - he was dancing.

You could never fully focus in class as you watched his stupid graceful movements with his stupid unholy physique like he’s a fucking stupid dance statue from hell. The worst part is, when you had decided to be taken under his wing before all the tutoring crap was decided, he had taken to assisting you with your technique in dance on top of helping with your other classes.

First it was simple instruction, a little ‘higher’ here and a ‘more powerful’ there, no problem at all. Welcome even. That’s until he started physically guiding you. Small touches to fix your posture which then turned into lingering hands that were full-on spotting your moves. You didn’t protest. How could you? When his hands felt like god’s fucking homemade buttermilk and melted you down to the faux-wooden padded flooring.

“It needs to be more angular with your posture, but not stiff.” You had taken a day from your tutoring to go to the round-the-clock student accessible practice rooms. You thought it was a good idea to get ahead in your class in order to achieve your choreography dreams sooner. It all made sense on paper, but your fatal mistake was your choice of instructor.

Minho gently placed his hands on your shoulders - while you were frozen in your previous dance pose - and pushed them down to relax them (as if you could possibly relax). This was followed by him gently placing his solid hands lower. One on the lower dip of your back and the other on your abdomen as he straightened your posture. 

“You need to be able to feel the tension in your core.” He said, squeezing your abdominal muscles for emphasis. Trust me, I’m feeling the tension, you ungodly son of a bitch. You wondered if he knew what he’s doing to you. If he thought was fun making your breath hitch any time he touched you. Well two can play at that game, asshole.

You grabbed his forearm and held it in the proper position for the score, trying to look as unaffected as possible. “Should I roll my arm like this?” Your hand slowly glided up to rest on his shoulder. “Or should I just roll my shoulder back?” His mind looked staggered at your sudden boldness and a light pink dusted over his cheekbones. Your expression stayed utterly neutral. Pro move.

You looked at his lips twitch in an attempt to hold back a smile. “I think you should focus more on moving this.” He abruptly stood behind you and put a hand on your shoulder blade, pushing forward while holding your upper arm to roll back. The small stretch you felt from the pull brought a sensation of euphoria through your muscles. Embarrassingly, your mouth let out a small sigh of relief without warning.

“Feel good?” You heard him say in a low, husky voice, suspensefully closer to your ear. You felt stirring heat shoot straight to your lower abdomen. You could smell the pure sweat and testosterone oozing from his body and you felt like you could get high off of it with how lightheaded it was making you.

“Heh, yeah. Maybe I should have stretched more.” You found yourself leaning into the touch, not realizing the intimacy of it all. He started rubbing small circles with his thumb on your bare arm, still looming behind you like a predator. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

“Maybe we should call it quits for today.” You could feel his hands leave you and you wanted to cry from the loss of the delicious sensation. “Let’s go eat.” You internally fumed at the feline, feeling like he was just playing with his food. Stupid cat.

- - - - - - - - - -

On Saturday after your shift, it was around eight at night and you were more than happy to get home and get in an early sleep. However, when you gently opened the door to your flat, your eyes were scarred beyond repair. Chan and some random girl - as naked as the day they were born - were sucking face on the couch. They obviously hadn’t heard you enter because the chick was still riding Chan’s dick like her life depended on it. Your cheeks flushed with unparalleled embarrassment and you immediately turned around and gently shut the door behind you. You would rather sleep anywhere else than interrupt that mess.

You shivered slightly from the cooling weather (and partly from what you just witnessed) and thought of where you could go. Jisung and Jeongin shared a room in the university dorms as well as Changbin and Hyunjin. Seungmin still lived with his parents so that only left Minho. Of fucking course. Why does it have to be Minho? You groaned as you pulled out your phone.

“What's up?” Minho mumbled on the other line sounding like he’s eating something.

“Hey, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“If it involves heights, it's a hard pass.”

“No I nee– wait, you’re afraid of heights? Awww what an adorable little kitty.” You mockingly cooed at him.

“Yeah yeah, I’m a scaredy cat, I get it, I get it. What’s the favor?” You heard him take another bite.

“Well, I just witnessed the most horrifying scene I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t think I’ll be able to burn it out of my memory for as long as I live.” You knew you were being dramatic, but this particular occasion called for it.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Worry colored his voice and your heart swelled. Damn you, don’t be sweet to me.

You lightly chuckled. “It depends on what you classify as being ‘okay’. I just found Chan and some chick butt-ass naked on our couch fucking their brains out.”

“Awh nasty, not cool, hyung.” There was the faded voice of Jisung in the background saying ‘hell yeah, get it hyung!’

Your heart sank. “Oh shoot, you have Ji over, sorry! I’ll just ask someone else.”

“Wait–” He halted you, slightly choking on the food he was swallowing. “What did you need?”

You sighed dejectedly. “I was trying to find a different place to sleep tonight and you’re the only person who has a couch I can crash on.”

“Well Ji was just about to leave, actually.” You could hear a faint ‘No I was n–’ and a thud, followed by an ‘ow!’. For your own sanity, you pretended you didn’t notice the background exchange so your brain wouldn’t break from over processing.

“I don’t want to impose.” You said politely, only half meaning it because, let’s be real, you were really desperate.

“No imposition at all, come on over. I even have a spare toothbrush if you want it.”

Before you knew it you had already started walking. “You’re a fucking saint, I owe you Min. Just text me the address.”

Luckily, the bus stop next to your condo was a direct line to Minho’s apartment. You knew you had the right building when you saw his bike parked in the lot next to the complex. You knocked on the door tentatively, hoping it was the right flat and you heard rustling on the other side. Once the door swung open, you were met with a disheveled and panting Jisung.

“Do I want to know why you look utterly fucked out?”

Minho blushed as he walked up, looking the same as Jisung. “I just had Ji help me clean up real quick, my flat was a landfill.”

“Dude, I’m the one that’s barging in at nine at night. I already feel bad enough springing this on you, let alone subjecting you two to last minute spring cleaning.” You stepped inside as they gestured for you to come in.

“Like I said before, it’s no problem.” Minho looked down at you with a contagious smile.

“Well I really need to get home and do… things? Dishes? Yeah, dishes. See you guys later!” And with that, Jisung was out the door and it was just you and Minho. Shit this was a bad idea. Your stomach turned with nervousness. You’d been alone with him before, but you felt a lot more tense when you were alone with him in his private living space.

“Want something to drink? I have… water and… water? *heh* Oh! And gin.” He started walking toward the kitchen.

“Ew, who the fuck drinks gin?” 

He shrugged. “No one, but I have it nonetheless.”

You sauntered inside behind him and took in your surroundings. One bedroom and one bathroom on the wall on your right, and the space that stretched out on your left first held a kitchen. Small, but big enough to have counter space and an island. The far wall had two small windows with a TV setting between them, sitting atop a simple, long coffee table. The couch stood a few feet from the island behind it, leaving just enough room between the TV and the couch and couch to the island to squeeze through comfortably.

Overall, it was probably only slightly larger than your apartment in Australia. “Why the hell not, I need my mind to escape Chan’s fucked out image from my head anyway.”

“A well deserved reason.”

“By the way, where are your cats? I wanted to meet them!” You walked over and took a seat on the couch, searching for them as Minho brought over two glasses of ice and a large bottle of Tanqueray.

“Back at home in Gimpo, I can't afford a place big enough for them yet.” You silently nodded your head, slightly sad you wouldn’t get to meet them. “Maybe I can take you there some time to meet them, mom’s a really good cook.” Your mind went haywire and as you looked over, his expression is extremely blasé. Calm the fuck down, your just like any of the rest of the guys in the group, no need to make it weird.

After the drinks started flowing and you two conversated about shit-all on the couch, you started to get less tense. “Uhk this stuff is disgusting, but I think I’m starting to get used to it.” You took another gulp of gin with a disgusted face.

“No shit Sherlock, that’s your third– no, fourth glass tonight.” There was that melodic laugh again that made warmth shoot up your spine.

“Well you’re not any better, you thirsty little kitty!” You coo at him and pinched his cheek that was reddening to match his ears. He didn’t protest like you thought he would though, he just froze and stared into your eyes with a fond expression. Your heart started beating fast and the nice, air conditioned apartment started feeling extremely hot.

The moment of silence made you clear your throat before speaking. “So, um, your apartment… it’s really nice.”

“Heh, yeah right, this place is a shithole. I’m just living here so I can save money.”

“No really!” You flushed from your suddenly loud outburst. “This place is ten times better than the flat I lived in back in Australia, and that was a one bed, one bath too.”

“One bedroom? Did you share the room with your parents?” He looked dumbfounded.

“Ew, GOD NO. I slept on the couch most nights. Some nights I would just go to Chan’s when my parents needed me gone for a day or two.”

“Needed you gone?” His expression turned from dumbfounded, to outright bewildered. This was when you realized that the alcohol had gotten to the point again where your mouth would blab out words without allowing you think about them first.

“Oh… yeah… But that’s why I don’t mind a night away from my flat, sleeping on the couch is no stranger to me.” You chuckled and tried to sound lighthearted to relieve the tension in the air, to no avail. His face fell. Shit, you let too much slip again.

He stared at you with two black pools of eyes, holding galaxies in each one. His expression was indiscernible. The air was knocked from your lungs while looking at his gorgeous face, flushed with alcohol. His eyes sank down to your lips just like last time during karaoke, but this time, they lingered there. Your eyes flit to his too, taking in his plump bottom lip, overlapped with the steep incline of his upper lip that tapered up to two round peaks at the center.

You wanted to blame the alcohol, the lack of sleep, the hard day’s work, anything. But really you just wanted to see what he tasted like, felt like. Apparently he had the same thoughts as your lips gently collided with one another with just a whisper of a kiss. It was sweet, humble really. Until it wasn’t. 

Once his hand reached up to cup your face, you tilted your head to deepen the kiss. You flung your arms around his neck, one hand running through his fiery hair, and the other caressing his back. You could feel the hand on your cheek slide its way down to your neck as his other hand took purchase on your waist. His tongue sneaked out to gently seek out your bottom lip and you eagerly allowed its entrance, exploring and tasting each other’s mouths freely. He tasted like alcohol and something sweet that you couldn’t quite put your finger on. He smelt like heaven with his earthy and citrus scent as you felt fire run down your abdomen and both of your breaths started to get heavy. 

You pressed closer to him, chests touching and bodies turned to face each other on the couch, knees interlocking. The kiss started to get hungrier as you ran your fingers through his hair, giving soft little tugs. His hands traveled from your waist to your hips, feeling his fingers on your skin where your shirt was riding up. His hands felt like fire and you relished in the intoxicating sensation.

You had abandoned all better judgment when you sat up to straddle Minho, lips never breaking contact. Your kisses began to get sloppy and he groaned as he moved from your lips to your jaw, to your ear, and to your neck. Oh god, yes. You gasped at the light sucking you felt on your pulse point. You instinctively pulled yourself closer, wanting more, needing more, moving from his lap to being flush against him. Also flush against… something else…

You were probably soaking in your panties as you felt the bulge beneath his jeans. Against all reason, your body naturally grinded against it. Both of you moaned in tandem and your head flew back in ecstasy, giving him better access to your neck. His gentle sucking turned into wet, open-mouthed kisses that trailed further and further down. 

You knew that you should probably stop, but it all felt too delectable to even consider that. Your nerves were vibrating from the feeling of his tongue and hands against you. You wanted to feel him everywhere. You couldn’t find the will to stop grinding your sensitive clit over his erection, making you ever wetter and the bulge ever harder. The both of you were a panting mess and the sounds of obscene moans filled the room as you grinded faster. “M-Min–” You could start to feel the warmth of his hands travel up your back under your shirt and you keened . “M-more…” You could feel his shaky hands act upon your whispered words as he started to fumble with the clasp of your bra…

The loud sound of the vibration of your phone on the table made the both of you jump and look at each other in realization of your current position. You flew off of his lap as if he were made of fire and looked at your phone. Chan .

“Oh fuck, he’s probably wondering where I’m at.” You ran your hand through your disheveled hair.

“O-oh y-yeah… go ahead, I’ll, um… I’ll go get some things together for you...” Minho stumbled into his room and closed the door in a rush.

You took a shaky breath and pressed your palm to the beading sweat on your forehead. It took a second for you to collect yourself and answer. “H-hey Channie.”

“Where the fuck are you? I’ve been worried sick!” He sounded mad, but you knew it was just because he had been overthinking your safety again.

“I’m at Min’s place, I… um… saw that you had someone over so I’m staying with him for tonight.” Silence followed.

Followed by more silence.

“Hello–?” You’d wondered if you lost connection.

“What did you… *ahem* see exactly?” He sounded terrified.

“Oh nothing much…” A sigh of relief from the other end. “Just your disgusting naked ass on our couch with some chick riding your dick like she was late on her rent.” You stated matter-of-factly, knowing he was probably dying on the inside.

“Noooo, fuck! Shit, Kiyomi, I’m so sorr–”

“Please, Chan, it’s fine. Having roommates doesn’t mean you have to hold back on getting your dick wet.”

“Ew.”

“Don’t ‘ew’ me! Your not the one who had to see your best friend fucking on your damn sofa! Which, by the way, gross . I expect you to disinfect that thing immediately.”

“I know hun, I’m sorry… I didn’t mea–” He sounded absolutely ashamed of himself.

“I know, I know. It’s done with, just fuck on your own bed in the future please?” You rolled your eyes even though you knew he couldn’t see it.

“Of course, Kiyomi. I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

“Damn straight you will.”

“So are you coming home now or staying there?” He sounded apprehensive and the previous actions between you and Minho flit through your mind.

“Chan, it’s like, what, eleven at night? No way I’m going home at this hour.” You said as you looked at the time on your phone.

“Yeah, you do sound pretty exhausted.”

“Work and drinking a fifth a bottle of gin will do that to you. Gross, I know.” You obviously hadn’t completely sobered up yet either because you had no idea why you said that.

“Wait, the two of you are drinking?” He started to sound like a riled up father-figure. Why were you not surprised?

“Calm down Chan. It’s Min we’re talking about here, he’s fine.” More than fine. Wait. Stop thinking these things stupid fucking brain!

“Yeah I guess you’re right, just make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep okay?”

“Okay.”

“And don’t forget to drink plenty of water and brush your teeth.”

“Okay! Okay! I get it mom .” You muttered at him with a condescending tone.

“Good… Well… love you sis. I’ll see you tomorrow, kay?”

“Kay, love you too. G’night Channie.”

“Good night little Kiyomi.” You smiled to yourself as the call ended, heart warmed with affection for your best friend.

You were dragged back down to reality as you heard a small clearing of a throat behind you. You braced yourself for the worst as you turned around to face him. He was holding a towel, some clothes, and a toothbrush stacked in a neat pile.

“Everything cool?” He mustered up the courage to talk.

“Yeah, I told him to clean up whatever…” You shivered in disgust.”... mess they made and now he owes me.” You said with a smug smile. You walked up and grabbed the stack of items in his hands. “Thanks.” You tried to make a beeline for the shower but he stopped you with a hand on your shoulder.

“Hey, um, sorry about… earlier… I think we both just had too much to drink.” He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck. “I really hope things won’t be weird between us now.” Your heart ached with these words, wanting to erase any uncertain feelings.

“Of course it’ll be weird. But we are always weird so it comes with the territory right?” You joked to try and ease the tension. He still locked eyes with you with a nervous expression. You sighed and put a friendly hand on his own that was still placed on your shoulder, making him go rigid. “Don’t worry Min. We’re friends, no drunken mistake is going to change that.” Mistake, that’s all it was, a mistake. You internally tried to drill that into your brain. “It’s only weird if we make it weird, right?”

You felt him physically relax under your hand. “Right…”

“Cool, I'm go gonna get ready for bed and use all of your hot water. Good night!” You said with a convincing lilt of your voice.

“Heh, good night little mouse.” You could feel your face flush and you quickly turned to lock yourself in the bathroom before he saw.

You took an almost painfully hot shower and attempt to overpower the heat in between your legs as your mind unintentionally floated back on yours and Minho’s… encounter earlier. You tried to escape the thoughts as you got changed into Minho’s clothes. You tried to escape the thoughts as you brushed your teeth. You tried to escape them as you walked out to fall asleep on the couch. It was almost working, until you rounded the back of the couch to be met with the beautiful, fiery haired man that had been plaguing your mind, clad in nothing but some tattered sweatpants and sprawled along the length of the sofa.

You, once again, stared in awe at his beautiful naked and sculpted torso and had to shake yourself back to reality. “What’re you doing, Minnie? I want to go to sleeeeep.” You whined and nudged the arm that was holding his phone up to his face.

His eyes flicked over to his clothes that you’re wearing and then back at his phone as he responded. “You’re not sleeping on any damn couch ever again. Take the bed, the sheets are clean.”

You got slightly annoyed. “Damnit Minho, I told you that I’m perfectly fine with the couch. Now move your ass!”

He glared back at you. “Make me.”

Make him? God, he was being such a child. You played his little game and grabbed him by his ankles to swing them off the couch, but he didn’t budge an inch. You could see his thigh muscles clench beneath his pants so he could plant himself into the cushions. “Ugh! Minho!” You sat on top of him and tried to squeeze your butt in between Minho and the back of the couch, attempting to roll him off of it. He started laughing heartily at your struggling attempts.

“Tsk, you’re so stubborn.” You heard him mutter before he rolled out from under you and grabbed your wrists. Before you knew it, he was hiking you up over his shoulder like a ragdoll and carried you to the bedroom.

“Minho! What the hell?!” You threw tiny fists at his back but couldn’t stop the giggles that were bubbling up in your chest. You suddenly felt that same warmth in between your legs at the prospect of being manhandled as he pulled back the covers and threw you on the bed, wrapping you tightly into the sheets.

“Stay.” He pointed at you like an owner training his dog. You glared and poked your tongue out at him. Seeing as you weren’t trying to get up, he smiled. “Good girl.” A shiver wrecked your body from hearing the words. Go straight to hell, Lee Minho . He proudly walked out the door and gently shut it behind him, leaving you alone in the darkness, buried in his scent.

- - - - - - - - - -

Fortunately, things weren’t super awkward between the two of you after that. Yes there were times where physical contact was followed by blushing faces and study sessions where the two of you were alone seemed a bit... tense. But other than that, everything was completely fine. More than fine actually. And it seemed Chan had noticed as well.

“What’s going on between you and Minho?” The two of you were snuggled up under the blankets on the couch one Monday before bed, watching a classic anime you both loved when Chan questioned you out of the blue.

“W-what do you mean?” You nervously chuckled, being thrown completely off guard.

“I mean that you two seem to be getting pretty close lately.” He eyed you suspiciously.

“Channie.” You laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’ve already told you, you don’t have to be jealous, hun. You will forever be the top spot amongst my friends.” You exaggerated your consolation.

He rolled his eyes at you and shrugged off your hand. “That’s not what I mean, Kiyomi. You two just…” You looked at him more intensely, scanning his features for a hint at what was going through his mind. “...I mean, okay. For example, he told me he was worried about you and your family situation. He obviously means something more to you if you are telling him about that shit.”

Your eyes widened in disbelief. “He said that?” He nodded in a demeanor that screamed ‘well duh’. “You didn’t tell him anything did you?”

“No, he didn’t ask.”

“Good.” You replied immediately. “I might have told him about my ‘couch’ situation growing up due to idle chatter and a dizzying amount of alcohol, but that’s it. I don’t ever want our friends to know more than that. I’d rather that life be dead and gone.” He sighed and held your hand.

“I know, hun. I know. I just want to protect you. I trust all of our friends unconditionally, so when it comes to anyone else, I don’t think you are quite ready for any… commitments yet. I don’t want you to feel backed into a corner ever again.”

You pulled your hand from his grasp. “What do you mean commitments?”

He looked at you like you had taken away his puppy. “I- I just mean I don’t think you’re ready for any kind of relationshi–”

“Channie, please. I know what I am and am not ready for. Are you seriously telling me not to date?” You huffed and looked away with a disbelieving smile.

He glowered at you and his voice became more stern. “No, I’m just saying that you shouldn’t tread in unknown waters. People are dangerous–”

“Oh please, drop the whole ‘father figure’ act, Chan. I can protect myself.” You started to feel hot steam rise up in your ears, ready to burst.

“Y/N, you are defenseless when I’m not with you and are nowhere near experienced enough to make that judgme–” His harsh voice popped your self control like a bubble.

“Oh, inexperienced because I’m a virgin? Or defenseless because I was almost raped? Which one is it Chan? Because as I see it, I am still older than you. My ‘defense’ comes from my willingness to attack a fully grown drug dealer and my ‘experience’ comes from years of hard work and intuition. Not just from getting someone's dick shoved in me, not Minho’s or whoever the fuck else’s you think I’m slutting around for.” You felt hot tears run down your face that you quickly wiped away. “Stop trying to baby me, Chan. If I want to date, I’m going to date. If I want to fuck around, I will fuck around. Whatever it is, it’s none of your goddamn business!”

You stood up and marched to your room. “Y/N, get back h–!” You slammed your door behind you before he could get in another word. You were fuming. Why did he always have to act like he was the big brother? Why in the world should your love life be dictated by what your past experiences were? And why the fuck did he have to bring Minho into that conclusion?

An image flashed through your mind as if to answer that last question. An image that was completely unwelcome while you were this heated and riled up. An image consisting of you and said redhead drunkenly grinding on his couch in your sploosh-drenched panties. All other thought processes flew out of your mind like dandelion seeds as more obscene images continued to invade your thoughts. You shook your head to try and get rid of them, although they were definitely more welcome than the encounter you just had with Chan. 

You decided to start up a hot bath in hopes of relaxing all of the tension buzzing around in your body. However, as you sunk into the much needed seamy pool of water, your mind drifted back to Minho. Why was he so infuriating? It’s my mind, I should at least have control over that. He had no right to make himself a home there, rent free even! You huffed in annoyance and closed your eyes, trying to think of the sudsy water surrounding you. 

You tried to meditate on your slow, controlled breaths. Listening to the foam of the bubbles dissipating in little crackling noises. Feel the warmth of the water encasing your legs, thighs, hips. Hips . His hands were even hotter than the water you were currently soaking in. The hands that ran over your neck, your waist, your hips, and under your shirt up your back.

Fucking Chan. If only Chan hadn’t called, you would finally find out what Minho felt like in other areas. You subconsciously dipped your hand down to your aching core, flicking the pad of your thumb over the sensitive bead of your clit. You let yourself be swallowed by pleasure as you felt your mind wander. Fuck it.

Could he have been thinking of going further too? He had been working on your bra, so you had a pretty good guess as to where it was leading. Your unoccupied hand snaked up your torso to rest on your breast, tweaking the red bud at the tip and rolling it between your fingers. You let out a long sigh. His hands would have held them so much better than you could. The rubbing on your clit took you back to the feeling of you grinding it against his rock-hard bulge. You added a bit more pressure to your efforts and let your imagination run rampant.

You envisioned yourself being pressed against his silky sheets and imagined being touched where you most wanted him. You let the finger that was circling your clit glide down in between your folds. You moaned as you entered yourself, imagining all the while that it was him entering you, curving right up into your sweet spot. Staring down at you with that intimidating gaze and those long, dark eyelashes that fanned over his cheeks. Drinking in your moans as if to quench his undying thirst. Ramming hard into you faster and faster and faster until you were cumming. And you were cumming. 

Your body went rigid through your orgasm, then completely limped overall as you came down from your high. You could call it ‘post-nut clarity’ or whatever, but you wanted Minho. You wanted one of your close friends more than you’ve ever wanted anyone. And that scared the shit out of you.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was a few days after your’s and Chan’s fight and you still refused to discuss it with him. You knew it was childish, but you were too proud to say anything until he apologized. So here you sat, completely devoid of all emotions in your art class next to Lee Minho, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

It was Thursday and the two of you had finished your individual assignments, yours being a self portrait and his being an abomination of a drawing of a cat. Or as he liked to call it ‘Lee-caso’s latest and greatest masterpiece’. The professor bathed the room in darkness as she projected a film of some sort of historical piece of art or whatever, and you could see Minho lean into you from your peripheral vision.

“Hey little mouse.” A shiver ran down your spine as you felt the blow of the warm whisper coming from his lips.

You leaned in closer as well, keeping your head facing forward so as to not arouse suspicion from the professor (and so you wouldn’t have to face him at this proximity). “You know you sound extremely creepy when you say that? Especially while whispering?”

He chuckled and you could swear you could hear a darkness behind it. You stiffened as he leaned in even closer. “Would you rather me whisper something else, Kiyomi?” Fuck… Shut the fucking fuck up… fucker.

White hot pumping started to feel painfully evident in your veins and you felt your ears burning bright red, hoping he, and Jeongin across the table, wouldn't notice. You jabbed your elbow at him in annoyance. “What do you want, Min?”

“I just wondered if you were going to Seungmin’s new place tomorrow night? I know you’re not working and he wanted us all to stay the night and get shit-faced to celebrate the liberation from his parents.”

You tore your gaze from the front of the room to face him, suffocatingly close. “A-all of us are going?” 

He flashed a crooked smile at you. “Yeah, you in?”

For some stupid ass reason your stomach was doing somersaults and you wanted to dunk your head in an ice bath from how heated you were. Why the fuck did this infuriating, beautiful piece of meat affect you so much? Stupid piece of meat.

You knew it wasn't not his fault, not really. He was only being himself, even if it wasn't at all fair that his natural self looked like a goddamn masterpiece every time you saw him. “For sure, I could definitely go for a little inebriation right now.” More than a little really.

“Cool, I’ll let him know. Oh, and you won’t see me for tutoring today or in class tomorrow ‘cause I have plans and an appointment during those times.”

“Oh, okay cool, what appointme–” You were cut off by the flickering of the lights being switched on and the professor announcing the dismissal of class.

“See you at Seungmin’s, Kiyomi.” Minho pinched your cheek briefly and jet straight out of class without another word. You cursed at yourself when even that tiniest touch affected you.

“You okay, noona? You’re looking kind of red.” You had an internal breakdown from Jeongin’s observation.

“Nah I’m fine, Innie. Just kind of hot in here.” Thankfully he just nodded his head and walked with you out of class. Whew, dodged that bullet.

That tutorless night was filled with you locking yourself in your room, away from Chan.

_________________________________________

Click here for Part Two

2chopsticks2eyes - Masterlist

[jayzioxx]

I reblog things more than I actually post someting so here's a lil something

Conglomerate!Kazuha and average joe office worker!reader;

First met when [name] was in 1st grade.

[Name] was anxious about his first day of school, and in his little mind, among all those other kids, he was the only one who felt that way!

[Name] didn't exactly go to pre school, it wasn't a legal requirement, so his parents didn't see a reason to send their child to education so early and spent the first few years of [name]'s life making memories with just the three of them.

[Name] wanted to cry when he saw his mummy waving at him with a smile on her face, but he promised her he would have fun at school and a big boy doesn't break promises! So he held back the tears threatening to fall down his chubby little cheeks.

[Name] looked around, trying to find someone to talk to, but everyone already seemed acquainted with each other... Would they be mad if he bothered them? He didn't want to take chances, he'll just figure out the school thing himself! It won't be that hard, right? School was, in fact, not fun. Everyone had friends and seemed to fit in, and [name] was the odd one out. An acorn in a bowl of dog food, a duck among swans, whatever. He missed hiking with his parents and exploring old (publicly available and safe) ruins within the woods (sectioned under the community park).

As lunch time rolled around, everyone ran to play with their friends, and [name] didn't want to stay cooped up inside the classroom either, so he, too, begrudgingly walked outside to at least stare at nothing.

When [name] looked around for a quiet place to sit, a huge tree in the corner of the grass field caught his eye. He ran over to that perfect place he spotted, but as he got close, he noticed another boy, laying down on the grass and observing the sky.

[Name] turned around to quietly leave before the other boy spoke. "Do you want to sit with me?"

[Name] didn't say anything and just looked at the other boy, slightly intimidated. He seemed older. He wanted to say,'It's fine, I won't bother you' but instead blurted out, "Which grade are you in?" filled with embarrassment, he slapped his hands over his face, almost expecting the other boy to be angry, but instead, he just laughed.

"I'm in second grade. Is this your first day?" [Name] nodded and stayed silent.

"If you're alone right now, you can sit next to me. I'm also alone." The older boy said, and feeling a bit more comfortable, [name] sat next to the him.

"What's your name?" He asked from his new found friend. "Kaedehara Kazuha."

It was only in third grade, did [name] find out that Kazuha was in fact not a loner like him, and was very popular.

Went to the same secondary school too.

The hardest year for [name] was his last year of primary school. It's not like he didn't have any friends, but still, his first friend had already finished primary and transferred to another school.

When he finally finished that long year of school and transferred, he was scared. What if he had already found new friends? What if he didn't want to talk with him anymore?

Any thoughts that bothered him quickly vanished as a blonde haired boy came barreling towards him, trapping him in a hug.

"Hello!"

Had to part ways before Kazuha finished secondary school.

At some point, Kazuha just stopped showing up at school, or the library, or the park. It was like he vanished. [Name] tries contacting him, but every time the phone only spoke in its robotic voice,'the number you have dialed is not in service.'

Years passed, and [name] ended up in college. Not a prestigious university or anything, just a community college, got a half decent job with a half decent salary, and continued to stay in the same monotonous office just because the job market was too competitive to find a better job. By then, Kazuha was just a distant memory from a happy childhood.

Met after a team dinner.

[Name] was so dizzy by the time he reached the toilets, barely able to keep himself from puking all over his clothes, but hey! Just because the team leader forced him to drink till dead doesn't mean he should die before washing the damn stench off his clothes. It's not like clothing was getting any cheaper....

[Name], with all the strength he had, kept himself from face planting anywhere till he got to the sink, splashing the cold, surely dirty tap water onto his heated face.

"Fuck this..." was all he could say. Not like he could quit. Or call HR, or beat his loser of a boss dead. He still needed the paycheck and the job.

Every step he took felt like an iron ball was chained to his ankle, oh he was drunk alright. So so drunk and so so annoyed.

He somehow made it out of the crappy restaurant and decided that was enough before letting his jelly legs collapse. Maybe the pavement would be comfortable.

He shut his eyes, expecting to fall face first onto the concrete, yet a strong but slender arm stopping him from toppling over completely.

[Name] turned his head with widened eyes, the face he saw between his hazy vision was all too familiar, yet distant at the same time.

"Am I hallucinating?"

Took a while to get more comfortable with each other.

"You up?" A strangely familiar voice asked as [name] rubbed his temples, barely opening his eyes from the headache crashing into his head.

The smell of coffee radiated throughout the unfamiliar, comfortable room.

"I made you some coffee." The other person said, and only then did [name] snap back into reality. He was in an unknown person's house, in an unknown person's bed, wearing an unknown person's clothes, just the morning after he was drunk to his limits.

"What the hell happened..." he spoke, almost to the stranger, but mostly to himself. He dreamt about seeing the face of an old friend.

"At least look at my face." The man spoke again, and when [name] did look, he didn't think he'd forgive the other one again.

(They did nothing freaks)

Had their ups and downs.

It's been almost a year since [name] reunited with his old friend. A year since Kazuha did everything he could to at least hang out with [name] a bit more. His younger friend was a bit more rough, a bit more ill spoken, and a bit more pessimistic than he remembered. But gosh, was he beautiful.

But when he gets angry... I guess rage is also a beauty?

"And WHEN exactly were you going to tell me?!" [Name] kept a tight pincer grasp on Kazuha's ear as he let out a series of 'ow's.

"Soon-" Kazuha tried to weasle his way out of [name]'s grasp but was cut of swiftly.

"Yeah, and exactly how 'soon' were you going to tell me you partnered with my company's boss, specifically requested creative team B for a task specifically catered to have me work at your company?"

"Soon-! Hey that hurts!" Kazuha complained, trying to put on his best puppy eyes, but alas, it is useless.

"Right, and I'm Elon Musk, your point?" [Name] sighed and continued. "If I didn't accidentally turn to the wrong office I wouldn't have known that was your company in the first place." He raised a brow, finally releasing Kazuha's red ear.

"I can't even get mad at you because you're cute... You're abusing your power..." Kazuha pouted, rubbing his ear.

"YOU'RE the one abusing power here!"

And never confessed to each other either.

Kazuha barged into [name]'s room. The ivory walls and wooden shelves were decorated with a few photos and trinkets to the younger man's liking.

"There's a thing called knocking?" [Name] sassed as he went through a work document before he could hit submit. It's been about a week since [name] moved into Kazuha's apartment (against his will), and Kazuha made it his personal goal to invade [name]'s privacy every few hours with drinks and snacks.

Kazuha placed the mug of coffee on the table as he pressed a quick kiss on the other's cheek before grabbing another chair and sitting beside him.

[Name] suddenly paused his work and took off his reading glasses, placing them on the table. Kazuha, confused, didn't inquire but sightly tilted his head, quite like a bird.

"What are we?" [Name] asked.

"What do you want us to be?"

But still, they love each other.

A/n I'm too lazy to type out the individual headcanons rn. Maybe I'll do a part 2 if yall want me to...

Yeah anyways cringe culture is back and I'm pulling kdrama ceo x poor man gay homosexual uwu fanfiction out my ass. Yay.This one specifically was inspired by every kdrama I've watched and every manhwa I've read

[rosexhart]

Waiting For Sunset

————————————————————

Gekko x Reader

• Accidentally running into the agents of Omega Earth, you are taken hostage. Hostages aren’t common for them, but you seem to be the exception. So much for your first time in L.A.

Word Count: 1.4K

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

————————————————————

The day was already beginning to warm up. I was visiting L.A. to see if I would like the colleges here rather than back home. A lot of them having very interesting programs so it was time to see them in person. I took the trip alone despite the protest of those around me. The whole First Light event made everyone anxious still. It didn’t bother me though.

I walked around three colleges, all of them huge, and all of them way more than I could ever dream of. It was going to be tough picking between them. I sat down outside of a boba shop and sighed out. It was then that I noticed it. One of the places of the radianite explosions occurred. Parts of the building affected, free floating in the air, which meant the crater was also nearby. I decided it might be worth trying to go see it. Even if I got caught I could feign ignorance. I stood up and started towards the building. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, not quite yet providing that golden hue. It was a bit of a maze getting closer to the building. Only able to use it as a landmark to guide myself. Finally I spotted a taco stand, long abandoned, and smiled to myself. What I wasn’t expecting were five people standing in a small grass circle right near by it. I ducked down, hoping to not be noticed. They whispered among themselves. They seemed strange, like they weren’t meant to be here. I stayed hidden as one of them disappeared in a haze of purple smoke right before my eyes. I glanced around looking for them only to have a hand grasp my arm tightly.

A slight yelp escaped me, as they pulled me to a stand and threw me almost effortlessly forward towards the other four.

“A spy,” The voice was low, and toned in a way that unsettled me. Chills racing down my spine.

“I doubt she was sent by them. She doesn’t even seem Radiant.” One said kneeling in front of me. She had long dark black hair that was tied up into a pony tail.

“We can’t risk it regardless.” Another woman with white hair tied up in a short pony tail.

“Agreed. Tie her up, we can deal with her after we detonate the spike.” The long haired woman stated as she stood to her full height.

“Hey, wait! Look I’ll leave I was just trying to see the area.” I argued but the five didn’t seem to care. A woman with red hair pushed you down and held you while a lady with slicked back black and pink hair, zip tied my hands. They sat me back up and took a triangular looking object away with them as they went down a path on the left. Leaving me sitting in the grassy circle they previously occupied.

Gunshots rang out from the direction they went. Some were in more rapid bursts, others slow, calculated and loud. After a while, everything became quiet again. Then the same man who had disappeared into purple smoke came running towards me. A large gun in one hand, the triangular device hanging from their hip. They came over to me. Picking me up roughly. Their shoulder oozing a bit of blood as they did.

“Change of plans. You’re collateral now.” Their voice said and I stumbled forwards towards the right instead of the left like they did before. He pushed at me, making me go forwards as I rounded past a phone box, and up a slight gravel incline.

“Listen, there’s got to be a better way of doing-“ I started but was quickly cut off.

“Quiet.” They said as we rounded a corner by a box. A gun shot rang and the person pulled me flush against their body like a human shield.

“Hold fire!” Someone called out from the crates far in front of us.

“You shoot at me again and I’ll make sure you shoot them instead.” The voice garbled out. There was silence as we continued onto a hard metal surface. The figure shoved me behind a technician box and then took the triangular device and started fiddling with it. I couldn’t just sit here. I swiftly kicked at the device and watched as it spun out their hands. I smirked at my achievement as I heard footsteps behind me. The person disappeared in a haze of purple smoke and I backed up quickly, trying to prop myself up using the box. Gunshots rang out and I held my place behind the box for a minute as the voice I had come to know cried out. Then a rush of footsteps.

“Are you alright?” The same woman with long black hair came from around the box. I backed up.

“Get away from me,” I said moving backwards best I could as a small creature came running at me. It was yellow and tilted its head at me.

“No, no, we are the good guys.” I looked up to see a man with neon green hair, holding a small blue creature with some type of shell on its back. The small yellow creature garbled out something.

“Hey, dude come on. It’s not their fault.” The man said as he picked up the creature.

“Who are you people?” I questioned and the black haired woman took a breath and came closer. Cutting the ties at my wrist with a knife.

“We are Valorant.” She said helping me to stand.

“And you were not suppose to be here.” The same voice from before said coming around the box next to the neon haired man.

“What the hell,” I growled out

“Hey, it’s a lot to take in. Sage, we should take her back.” The neon green haired man said.

“I agree. She has seen too much.” The woman with the black hair said. I suppose she was Sage.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I started but I didn’t get much of a say as a neon blue haired girl rounded a corner.

“Can we go? I’m tired of just sitting around here.” She stretched out her shoulder.

“We have a situation.” Sage said

“Relájate chica,” The green haired male said to her.

“You relax after having to run through fire to get their Skye out.” The blue haired girl said

“Enough,” The purple smoke person said.

“We are probably confusing her more.” Sage said, helping me to stand.

“Do you want me to handle her?” The smoke person said as he came closer.

“Probably for the best. We will meet you back on the helicopter.” Sage said and the person grabbed my arm roughly just like the other.

“Hey hands off!” I cried out before I felt the world disappear around me. There was a haze of purple smoke, and I felt like I was weightless. As if I was in my dream like I was falling from some great height. When it came to an end we were on a helicopter bigger than I had ever seen. The person sat me down and strapped me down in a chair.

“Get off! I’m not going anywhere this is kidnapping!” I yelled and tried to keep them from continuing. They held my wrist tightly and came close to my face. Three slits of light stared back at me.

“It’s not kidnapping if you were breaking the laws.” They said and my blood cooled. I was strapped in and I suppose they were on some type of locking mechanism because I couldn’t release them. Soon enough the others came aboard. Sage, the neon haired male, the blue haired female, then someone I hadn’t seen yet. Another male with jet black hair, and a blue jacket.

“Yo, Yoru, you got lucky. I was one away from beating you.” The green haired male mentioned to the guy in the blue jacket.

“You can never beat me Gekko. I always am on top.” The male- Yoru, said.

“God you guys are insufferable.” The blue haired female said.

“Where are you taking me?” I questioned and they all looked at me.

“Who the hell is this?” Yoru questioned looking around at all the different people.

“Uh.. I don’t think we ever actually got a name.” The neon haired male said.

“(Y/N),” I stated pulling at the belts again.

“(Y/N), welcome to Valorant.” Sage said before the helicopter took off. They placed a headset on my head but silenced it. They all took turns talking but I couldn’t hear much of anything beyond the drone of the helicopter. I sat back. Realizing there was nothing I could do. So much for those colleges.

[bangobeep]

A Love Letter to Jazzpunk, by Ed

It's crazy how fast time can go by when you're enjoying yourself. It's been about three years since I first encountered this game, and I could not be happier with where it's brought me. I've learned so much and met so many wonderful people through it.

For a game that can be played in 2 hours and a half, it sure is complex; so full of jokes and content that can take literal hours to be taken apart. It's brought me closer to an appreciation of things like abstract art, the cyberpunk genre, analog tech, vintage clothing, suits, among a few others.

I remember my first interaction with the game. Funnily enough, it was not through Ranboo like what I usually tell. Back in the day, 2021, I was a mere high school student who, to cope with the horrors of the pandemic, used to be into the DSMP. Woo. Yeah. No shame in admittance. Well, only a little bit.

There was this one cosplayer I used to follow on TikTok (if I recall correctly, their name is Fern [they/them]); mainly because of their c!Foolish cosplay. I was drawn to them and their energy and the way they portrayed characters! So, naturally, I followed them and interacted with their videos every now and then.

On the 23rd of June of 2021, I found myself doom-scrolling on the app (as one does), and I came across one of their videos, though this one was not from any media I knew or was used to watching from them.

The song spy? by WHOKILLEDXIX started playing, and there he was. Glasses and (makeshift) orange tie. Business card. Coat. A little unhinged, yet classy. The Editor.

I feel as if I was so drawn to him because of what I wanted to do after high school. I wanted to study literature in college to become an editor myself! I wanted to correct people's texts, be annoying about it and get paid for it! And would you look at that, the name of the guy is quite literally The Editor. LOL.

As the days went by, I found myself going back to the video, waiting for them to upload more, to feed into my curiosity. I loved the video I saw so much I saved it to my gallery the exact same day I saw it.

Then came the second one, with actual footage from the game. "Quick, look behind you." The Director says, and the camera cuts to the ground, and Fern's shoes. I heard their voices for the first time. "Improvise, I know you'll do well by me." He says again, and I grow ever so drawn to it. Five videos are more than enough. And while I don't look it up just yet, it's in my head.

Until the 25th of July 2021! Like I said, I used to be into the DSMP, though by then, the fixation was fading, and I found myself in that limbo where nothing quite caught my attention. On that day, Ranboo tweeted something about a Jazzpunk stream, and it instantly caught my attention. I was quick to put down anything I was doing to find out what it really was.

And though I was not particularly interested in them, or their streams anymore, I was hooked! I was not the kind to stay for an entire stream, yet there I was. Two hours and thirty something minutes of being beamed in the brain with pure madness.

And then it was over. And I found myself gripping every single piece of fanart I could find with my bare hands, screaming because there had got to be more, right? There had to be more.

And there was! That's when Tumblr became my main form of internet presence. First was Instagram, then came Twitter, and well, would you look at that, I made it here.

I started drawing. I must admit, my first few drawings were atrocious, but looking back on them now, I feel proud. People say that when you fixate on something, your art develops as you go, and they're right!

A year and a half are all my prior account lasted. By the same name. I made a stupid joke to my boyfriend, sending one (1) spam message in their ask box and it was gone! And so, bangobeep 2.0 came to fruition. But that's not the point.

Back when I first got into the game, the need for connection was strong. I found myself craving the partnership; the long, late-night talks about little details of the game, the roleplaying, the scenario thinking, and so the Jazzpunk server came to life on the 13th of August 2021. Named Jazzpunk Moment. I sent a DM to the people I saw most often in the tag back then: Pangolin-404 and Vendotlover, both of which I admired very much!

I remember looking at their art and reading their fanfics and thinking to myself: 'Wow, what I'd give to be able to talk to the cool kids!' And well, I did! I talked to both, and they both agreed to give me their discord, after which they (and a few others with time) joined the server.

Some time after that, I befriended them personally through our mutual love for the game and similar interests, as well as through general chitter chatter about me being hyperactive when on caffeine, 404/Caligula telling me about Sammy Lawrence from Bendy and the Ink Machine, and Ven telling me of xeir OC whose name came from Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss. I’m happy to say nowadays I still talk to both Caligula and Ven very often. In fact! I consider Cali one of my best friends, and I am kinda gay dating Ven. So, you know. Fun things bring fun people together. :)

Then came around people like Jazz Jazzanon, Zippy Zippycup, Jazzhands, Noah, Wither, and a couple others that, while I won’t mention, made this experience something wonderful for me.

I can’t quite find the words to express this something so dear to me. Jazzpunk, as short as it is, changed my life in ways I could’ve never imagined. I’ve started researching things I thought I’d never be into, started books I loved, got into music I had never listened to before, and it all helped build me as a person these three years. It’s brought me unimaginable amounts of comfort and joy, and I don’t think I’ll ever find something else that will make me feel this whole.

I could go on and on about how I have projected so many little aspects of my life onto my interpretation of it. About how the way I interpret Polyblank is highly influenced by those I love. About how the paintings in The Editor’s house fit him and his personality, but those are topics for another day.

The world out there is wacky and crazy, and Jazzpunk does a great job at feeding into the fact it can be strange, it can be difficult, and it can be fun.

So, to 10 years of community, 10 years of happiness, 10 years of a game that will stay with me forever, and many more to come!

Thank you, Jazzpunk.

[panicroomsammy]

for made up fic title: rough night

My first thoughts were crack fic ones, but I’ve been on such a dark fic kick when it comes to my own writing lately that I think I’d have to go with something angstier.

Um okay so I just spent almost an hour writing this ficlet???

Sam is past the point of feeling tired. His eyes just hurt, that gritty feeling that people describe as sandpaper, and sure, that’s not wrong, but it doesn’t feel strong enough in Sam’s opinion. Gravel, maybe. Not sandpaper. The feeling that used to be “tired” is now just a state of dissociation, a numbness that makes the world around him a little blurrier but that doesn’t really impact his ability to interact with it. He knows he wouldn’t be able to sleep right now if he tried - he’s had nights like this his whole life. High school - staying up late to finish home after training drills all afternoon he would start out angry and lose all ability to feel by midnight, and when he got that way he knew sleep would be impossible - even if his homework wasn’t either. College - all-nighters that he hadn’t meant to be all-nighters. He’d tried to go to sleep but his heart kept racing and his brain would convince him that the rattling AC was a ghost on instinct every time he’d almost drifted off. So he knew well enough by now that he could keep reading the lore book in front of him and in fact he really didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. This wasn’t a problem, really. His body sometimes went into a panic mode where it would stay awake and this had surely saved his life more than once; what it meant now was really just that he could get more done.

Under normal circumstances, Dean’s hand on his shoulder would have made him jump. He fully registered the touch, but right now he just barely turned his head, the dissociative numbness itself seeming to have calculated that Dean was not a threat.

“Hey,” Dean said, voice scratchy with disuse - they’d been reading for hours without saying a word. “Put that down for a moment.”

Sam turned more fully to look at Dean. He tried to speak and his voice caught on the first word. He cleared his throat.

“What time is it?”

“2:00 AM.”

Dean tugged Sam out of his chair to sit on the floor and followed him down, communicating with his touch rather than words. For things like this they barely needed words - they each knew when they other was having a rough night, among a million other things that were so intrinsic there wasn’t even a need to think about them - and right now neither of them felt all that much like talking.

Dean sat behind Sam, Dean’s back against the table leg - uncomfortable but it’s not like either of them have been paying attention to their own discomfort for the last several hours anyway - Sam in the V of Dean’s legs, and his own bent, hands clasped between them and head down, thumbs pressing into the bridge of his nose.

Dean’s hands stroked over Sam’s hair, gentle and soothing and familiar. Just the right balance of new sensation and not so foreign as to be immediately filtered out by the dissociation. Something Dean had done for him since they were kids. Dean’s big, calloused, strong hands that were so a part of his grown-up body doing this simple gesture from childhood. Something in Sam started to wake up. Dean was here with him. Dean had always been with him and he was here with him now. A glow of warmth started in his chest and a smile started to tug at his lips. He sat up from where he had been hunched over and then leaned back so that he was resting against Dean’s chest. He knocked his head against Dean’s jaw and Dean rubbed his face into Sam’s hair.

They sat there like that for a moment before Dean grunted and pulled them both so they were lying on the floor. It wasn’t comfortable but it was better than the table leg. They fell asleep like that, curled loosely around each other.

[senka-mesecine]

What do you think all the boys in Platoon did before the war professionally speaking, job-wise? What were they?

---

― Chris Taylor was a student and he pretty much says so himself. After that, he was a college dropout by choice --- another bit of information he's open with; but once upon a time there was probably the firm assumption that he'd graduate and take up, say, an established family business of sorts or something hereditary everyone in his family was involved with one way or another with where a prestigious trade is concerned --- something that could've been generationally attached to his surname and passed down from father to son, his path in life well-paved out for him in advance with not too much wiggle room for anything else and certainly not for self discovery. For lack of a better descriptor, his parents probably excepted him to become something as fancy and typically upper to middle class as a lawyer or a doctor --- one of those 'safe' jobs where you'll be settled for life --- and he undeniably went and earned their disappointment and even anger when he went on to leave everything behind, voluntarily enlist and become anything but.

― O'Neill seems like someone who genuinely had the most commonplace life of all pre-Nam; managed to graduate high school on time. Might've done a sport or two. Red on the small time local wrestling team with his O'Neill death grip. Wasn't poor but he wasn't some fat cat either --- being perfectly middle ground common in every regard. Got briefly employed at some, say, mom-and-pop type business and he developed all the manners of a slightly nervy civilian with slightly nervy civilian problems. Then came the war and his slightly nervy civilian problems turned into properly agitated and anxious O'Neill problems. Man's undoubtedly the poster child of being perfectly average in every regard; not too hardened by his civilian life to be able to be some kind of fierce leader but certainly neurotic enough to tactically brownnose whoever is top wolf in order to have a tiny vestige of power through them and survive. Wouldn't surprise me if he was an irritated grocery clerk before the war.

― Bunny was unemployed for the simple reason that he was far too young to even properly get educated and actually find a career of any genuine and lasting variety by the time he was drafted and shipped off overseas; meaning that he never had enough time to actually ponder a future, a trade, a profession, how to make a living or anything of the sort --- almost like being in the army and in Vietnam literally freed him of the burden of thinking of that whole nonsense in general, which is, among other less savory reasons, precisely why he likes being there in the first place. It's a big rock off of his back, really. All he has to worry about there is not dying (and even if he does, he won't know it's happening) and he says so himself. He does what he wants which is exactly the way he enjoys it best, like a kid let out of a cage without proper parental supervision. If a profession would need to be assigned to him he'd probably just label himself a soldier because he isn't like to relate to anything else.

― Much like Bunny, Junior was probably too young to actually have a job; they're extremely similar in that regard, except the sole difference is that I can envision is Junior thinking that he was an amateur political activist fighting against 'the man' back home --- which isn't an unusual phase for a teenager turned young adult to have, this proclivity to being overly imaginative and for the lack of a better word, overblow their own importance. He might've been at a rally once or twice, got arrested for the simple reason he got caught being at the wrong place at the wrong time and for a commonplace act of boyish stupidity, he probably ended up enlisting to avoid getting the slammer, which is both hilarious and slightly tragic. Not that he admits to it when asked. He thinks of himself as a bit of a dissident back home; this is something he swears by. The white man's holding him down and that's why he's here. But, when he gets back? He'll be a politician and then they'll all see who Junior is.

― Rhah Vermucci was a small time street dealer since forever. Heroin. Crack. Opioids. Weed. Pills. You name it. Whatever was going big in the early 60's in lieu of the wider spread addiction and narcotics epidemic, he was peddling. Not so much for the profit of it but because he genuinely believed drugs are the answer to everything or at least most of anything --- that they open the mind and the senses to new, unexplored horizons and that he's basically preaching a message of general enlightenment by selling to people, just as likely to give out samples for free, not unlike a preacher converting individuals to a whole new religion. He might've at one point very seriously considered something unhinged like travelling the overland Hippie trail through Afghanistan, Pakistan India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and all the way to Thailand for the simple reason of wanting to find out what other elixirs he can sample Far East but it never quite panned out for him like that because he either ended up jailed or he got drafted. Or both.

― King was probably too impoverished for even the basics of education, too impoverished to hold down a job, too impoverished to self improve, too impoverished to do much of anything or have any chances of betterment and upward mobility in any sense that mattered in the long term and so really, him being a prime candidate for the draft was really a given and he's probably aware of it too. With no opportunities behind him in the past and no opportunities in front of him in the future, it's really a shocker how he maintained such a positive, friendly and genuinely kindly outlook on the world as a whole, being someone Not in Education, Employment, or Training. By extension of not getting any major privileges or having been dealt good cards his plans post-war would more or less involve simply...living, regardless what he does. Maybe working in some factor a couple of months and then hitchhiking to a Bob Marley concert only to do some moonlight in case he's strapped for cash. Wherever the road takes him so long as he's home and free --- everything's gravy compared to what he left behind.

― Wolfe was an Ivy League graduate of sorts or undoubtedly someone from a well respected military academy like West Point and a family background just as affluent; he's the type of guy you'd nonironically see at a golf course wearing a white polo shirt with a cashmere pullover tied around his shoulders in the middle of a work week or decked out in a white uniform, socializing at an officer's joint, shooting the breeze with a pinkie ring on his finger, like someone who's part of an exclusive club. And he was. His profession is as such simply that he's on the downlow wealthy and well educated enough to not need to have a clear cut job, but rather being something of an army office jockey; someone perhaps unfairly and continuously earning his stripes and rank unearned promotions through the mere fact that he might've known the right people and that he kept getting recommended for a position he was underqualified and under experienced for in the practical sense. Suffice to say, if we had to put an actual label on it, Mark Wolfe is what we'd call a Nepo Baby today.

― Elias struck oil in Oklahoma somewhere and he was, as unlikely as that sounds now with how carefree, enlightened and liberated from the material he seems, a millionaire and a businessman in his own right for a while. So much so that he moved to LA, upgraded on his social class practically overnight, splurged on everything ranging from a mansion, expensive cars, luxurious things, an overly spending prone celebrity woman who bankrupted him and got him hooked to some of the worst habit imaginable, costly drugs and other experimental opioids and he went through said newfound wealth as quickly as he acquired it, somehow burning himself out in no time at all, landing himself embroidered in a police raid, arrested for possession of vast quantities of narcotics, ending up in jail and cutting a deal to be drafted instead of rotting behind bars for years. Somehow, Grodin's life story is so incredible it almost sounds made up. Thing is, I don't figure there's much of anything he'd go back home to in the first place because he lost everything, which is why he kept re-enlisting for three years in a row even though he doesn't believe in the cause he's enlisting for anymore.

― Barnes seems like he would've been something in the vein of being a road construction worker, a sharecropper, someone putting down railway tracks, a miner, day laborer, a welder, a tool pusher, an oil driller or anything and everything that demanded hard, grueling physical labor on a daily basis or him being a roughneck through and through from a young age, which means that by the time he ended up in the war tour after tour he was already as tough as nails by default. Being a soldier almost came naturally as a result seeing as how he was already used to difficult conditions and adversity way before he was ever given an uniform, meaning that his temperament could've been that of a hard-ass from the get go as well. That's just about how he more or less always was like to some extent, give or take. He, outside of someone like, say, King, probably comes from the most impoverished background of all the men in his platoon and by extension, he's the keenest survival skills of them all as well. Suffice to say, life wasn't easy and tremendously nice for Barnes and as a result, he isn't an easy or a nice man either. Not that he's looking for any sympathy or handouts.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Turtle doves; Eddie Munson x reader

*Author’s note*

Okay in light of the fact that Christmas is just one week away (and that I missed both Halloween and thanksgiving fic ideas I could’ve done), I figured now was the time to do a Christmas theme fic for this beloved metalhead who stole my heart this year. At first I was gonna do a mistletoe one but I’ve been seeing a lot of them lately but after re-watching Home alone 2 and I saw the turtledoves I thought BINGO DING DING DING DING!

Not much warning except maybe some swearing, insecure Eddie and TONS AND TONS of fluff!!! 

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@queen-paladin​

@queensdivas​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@gay-and-ready-to-cry​

_________________________________________________________

Up in Indianapolis, the city was bustling with excitement but also chaos because it was that time of the year again, Christmas time.  Hundreds among hundreds of people crammed into the stores to not only get the best deals, but also get the gift before their fellow man can.  The airports packed with families waiting for the arrival of extended family or friends.

“Eddie? Oi Eddie!” Dustin snapped Eddie out of his trance.  Eddie shook his head and looked down at his favorite (even if he thinks he’s a little shit at times) freshman member of his Hellfire club.

“What?”

“You were miles away. Thinking about (Y/n) again?” Dustin teased.  Eddie smacked the boy in the back of his head and said.

“You wish Henderson.”

“You are like bright red in the face right now.” Laughed Dustin.

“Shut your mouth Dustin. That’s your final warning.” But Dustin wasn’t wrong.  He was thinking about said girl, in fact he’s thought about her all year.

Ever since she took that study abroad program for her Animal Biology major in college, she hasn’t had much time to talk with Eddie. Letters were scarce and phone calls were even rarer.  And even though he was happy for her going all around the world studying wild animals, he wished that she wouldn’t be so far away from him all the time.

Eddie Munson and (Y/n) (L/n) had been friends since they met in the 6th grade when Eddie had his bike stolen by some asshole 8th grade jocks and (Y/n) threw sticks at them to get them to retreat. There she shared his first animal facts that chimps in the wild would throw sticks and stones at pythons to dive them away from their territory.

(Y/n) had always loved reading and learning about animals and she dreamed of one day venturing out into the world to study them and see how they behave up close.  That’s why Eddie always called her his venturous She-elf.

When she got to graduate in 84 and he didn’t, it didn’t deter their friendship.  Every weekend and holiday she visited him and would tell him all about how college has been treating her and what she’s learned that she hadn’t before.  But Eddie had been harboring a secret that not even she knew of.

Since the start of their high school years, Eddie had fallen in love with his adventurous Elf.  Not only for her looks but for her passion for what she wanted in life. Like him, she had a goal and she was reaching it, achieving it, and trying to own it.  She was indeed a darer but he feared that if he ever told her how he truly felt, he’d be holding her back.

Hell he couldn’t even graduate from High school, twice! What could he ever offer her?

“Eddie?” Dustin said trying to get his attention.  “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just wondering what stories she has for us this year.”

“Oh yeah. I hope she brought home some cool souvenirs. Like this one time when her and her family went vacationing in Nepal and she got me this really cool face mask of an elephant. I still wear it to scare Lucas every now and then.”

“Thanks for the leverage Henderson to use against him next time he ditches us for his laundry baskets game.”

“You know I still can’t believe that you and (Y/n) know each other.”

“We do have lives outside of you Henderson, the world doesn’t always revolve around you yah know.” Soon their eyes caught sight of her plane landing and Eddie’s heart started to beat a little faster than normal. As quietly as he could, he took a deep breath before exhaling and they waited a few minutes as the passengers all began to depart the terminal gate.

Soon they spotted a young woman with (h/c) hair and prescription glasses on the bridge of her nose.  She rolled out with her carryon to see two boys holding up a sign that was decorated and spelled out: WELCOME HOME LADY TAURIEL, her D&D’s character name. She smiled and came up to them and first embraced Eddie.

“Well this is a surprise, I thought I’d have to get a cab to your trailer.”

“What and leave you in this craziness by yourself? Absolutely not.” Eddie said as they parted but they both kept their arms around each other just a little bit longer.  Dustin began to notice not only the lingering embrace they were doing, but also the look in both their eyes as they looked at each other.

“So what am I (Y/n)? Chopped liver?” asked Dustin.  The two young adults separated from each other and (Y/n) shook her head.

“You would think all the times I spent babysitting you would mellow you out Henderson, but you’ve gotten an even bigger ego than when I left.” She said.

“It’s his tone right?” Eddie asked her.  Dustin grumbled as he crossed his arms.  (Y/n) shook her head laughing as she walked over to Dustin and embraced him before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Eww! You know I hate it when you do that!”

“Whatever you little shit. Now let’s get the rest of my bags and back home. Being on a plane for over 24hrs is not as enjoyable as it sounds.”

“Right this way then, Lady Tauriel.” Eddie said with a gracious bow.  They went over to the baggage claim, gathered up all her bags and then headed on out to Eddie’s van to drive back to Hawkins.

It was a bit of a drive thanks to the traffic and the snow starting to fall, but they managed to reach Hawkins safe and sound.  After dropping Dustin back at his place, Eddie and (Y/n) finally arrived at his place.

“You sure it’s okay for me to stay here? Mrs. Henderson offered me one of the spare rooms over at their place.”

“As sweet as the old lady is, how could I live with myself knowing you’d be stuck with Henderson 24/7. Plus I know you do have something for him that he says he’s been dying to see.”

“True. It’s just….I don’t want to run you out of house and home.”

“You aren’t. Besides Wayne’s been asking about you, I swear he loves you more than he does me.”

“Shut up Munson, Wayne loves you with all his heart.”

“Yeah I know. Well let’s get inside before the snow really starts piling up. Weather man’s been saying it’ll be the heaviest snowfall in 10 years.”

“Even though I’ve grown up with Indiana weather, it’s nothing compared to Nepal, or Tibet, or even Antarctica ugh. Never will I go down there again, even if I wanna see the cute penguins. I’ll take the ones in South Africa.”

“There aren’t any penguins in Africa!” Eddie objected as he grabbed one of her suitcases as they both exited the car.

“There are too and I’ve got the pictures to prove it.”

“You do not.”

“I do so!” the two of them continued their playful banter as they unloaded the van and placed all her things in Eddie’s room.  “I’ve noticed you guys decided to do some indoor decorating this year.”

“Yeah. Wayne’s come into some really good money lately, and with some of the paid gigs the band and I have done, we decided why the hell not?”

“So it would seem my own personal Grinch finally found the Christmas spirit again ehh?” she teased as she poked his belly making him curl inward.

“I never lost it!”

“Mm-hmm.” She hummed skeptically.

“That’s it! C’mere!” he lunged at her, the two of them falling onto his bed and he proceeded to tickle her sides making her thrash around in laughter.  “You know I think I finally know where Henderson got his sass from. After all, you’ve known him longer than either Harrington or me. We have you to blame for his behavior.”

“Nohohoht mehehehe!”

“Yes you! Now admit it or the tickling continues.”

“I don’t…..stohahap! Please!”

“Nope. The begging and puppy dog eyes won’t work on me this time.” As (Y/n) continued laughing, a voice soon called out.

“Eddie? You better not be killing someone in there boy.” Eddie was forced to stop as his uncle had arrived home earlier than normal.  He got off of (Y/n) and said in a low, menacing yet playful tone,

“Saved by the old man. But don’t think you’re getting out of this just yet missy.” (Y/n) shoved him back to the bed and Eddie let her do it as she went out and said.

“Sorry Wayne. But if I had to be killed, death by tickles wouldn’t be too bad of a way to go.”

“Well as I live and breathe. Ms. (Y/n) (l/n) back from her time around the world.” (Y/n) smiled and walked over and asked Wayne.

“Permission to hug?”

“Permission granted ma’am.” The two of them embraced each other and after awhile he let her go.  “Bout time you got here, Eddie wouldn’t shut up about how many days left till you arrived.”

“Wayne!” Eddie groaned from his bedroom door. “Why are you home so early? Usually you don’t get off this early unless it’s a holiday and Christmas eve is 2 days away.”

“The weather son. Boss decided it’d be best for us to all head home so that we wouldn’t get snowed in.”

“Well that was nice of him. Oh speaking of which, I have a surprise for you Wayne.” (Y/n) said as she raced back into the bedroom and grabbed both her scrapbook and a neatly wrapped present.  “I was almost worried I wouldn’t be able to give this to you, or see your reaction when you’d open it.”

“Ain’t we supposed to open presents on Christmas though?” he asked her.

“Normally yes but this really isn’t a Christmas present. I saw it when I was in Tanzania and I thought one person had to have it.” Wayne took the box and unwrapped it before opening it up to reveal a beautifully hand-crafted and painted bowl.

The background was painted like the African sunrise with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background and up front and center was a large African rhino (his favorite animal).

“I know it’s not a mug but it was the closest thing I could find to a cup.”

“Don’t go saying things like that, I love it. Thank you sweetie belle.” He wrapped an arm around her bringing her in for a one armed hug.

“Don’t I get a present too (Y/n)?” asked Eddie.

“Yes but you have to wait until the Christmas eve party at Steve’s. It is still happening there, right?”

“Yeah. You know Harrington.”

“Now go easy on that boy Eddie, sure he may have started off as a jerk to yah but you two really have become good friends thanks to that kid of yours.” Eddie waved it off before going to the kitchen to find himself something to eat.  “So darling, what do you think of the decorations we got up?”

“I love it. I especially like the light up penguins over there by the tree.” She said pointing to the small decorated Christmas tree and by the nightstand stood a lit up penguin lamp.

“Eddie said you’d like it. In fact this was all his idea to begin with that we’d decorate the place special for you.”

“Oi Wayne! Since you’re here how’s about you cook dinner for once instead of having to do fend for yourself night!?” Eddie shouted trying to change the topic.  Wayne rolled his eyes getting the hint of what his nephew’s behavior meant while (Y/n) was left perplexed.

Did—did Eddie feel the same way as she did? Did she hear that right? Or is this just Eddie being Eddie? One thing’s for sure, she was gonna try and tough it out and admit her feelings for her best friend at the Christmas eve party and hope she doesn’t humiliate herself doing it.

Two days later and after clearing up the roads after the snow storm they had when she first arrived, the gang was all gathered at Steve’s place for the party.  Now this party was extra special to the group because throughout the entire party, each guest would present a tradition that was done with their families on Christmas day.

As per Robin’s family tradition, everyone had to come in wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater they could find.  And the first activity was Christmas musical chairs as per Wheeler tradition.  Mike decided to be the DJ and as Chuck Berry’s ‘Run Rudolph Run’ played over the speakers the rest of the gang began to circle around the chairs, and the first one to be out was Steve.

“Wait hold on that’s not fair! Munson kept stopping!”

“Just take the loss with pride Harrington.” Eddie told him. Steve rolled his eyes but took one of the chairs after everyone stood back up and the game resumed.  One by one the rest soon began to fall until the final three came down to Dustin, Eddie and (Y/n).

“Remember, third place gets this giant Hershey’s bar.” Nancy said holding out the fairly large chocolate bar.  A decent prize but it’s nothing compared to the giant family/party size M&M bag that was up for first prize.

The music started up and all three of the remaining players began to fake the other out by either pausing in front of the chairs before moving again, or trying to sit in the chairs while the music was still playing before moving on again.  The song stopped and Eddie and (Y/n) ended up being the final two.

“Aww nice try Dustin but you still get the chocolate bar.” Nancy said.

“That’s fine.” Dustin said taking (Y/n)’s chair away and as Eddie and (Y/n) stood over the final chair, they stared each other down.

“That bag of M&M’s is mine Munson.” Boasted (Y/n).

“Don’t make me laugh (L/n). You know I kill for m&m’s. The only thing you’ll be getting is the three musketeers packet.”

“Alright enough flirting you two, get to walking!” Mike groaned as he started the music back up and the two friends began to battle it out for the chair.  Once again the pair would stop in front of the chair trying to delay the other before racing around it, taunting the other to distract them from the song, until finally the song stopped and after a squabble that lasted for what felt like a minute, (Y/n) won the pot!

“Yes! Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Ha! In your face Munson I won the pot haha!” (Y/n) rejoiced as she claimed her prize, a full year supply of M&M’s while Eddie was given the three musketeers bag. Even with his wounded pride, he accepted the prize and was happy that his girl got the big prize.

The traditions continued with watching ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ and ‘How the Grinch stole Christmas’ (Sinclair tradition), playing a few Christmas songs (the Munson tradition), and acting out a chapter or two from ‘A Christmas Carol’ (a Henderson tradition).  Next up was (Y/n)’s family tradition, ‘Santa Exchange’ as the gift opening was about to happen.

“Okay let’s see. This here is for Robin.” She said holding up a beautifully wrapped gold and red box with a red bow.  Robin took her present as (Y/n) grabbed the next one when another hand reached up and grabbed a snowman packaged present bag.  She looked up to see Eddie and he said,

“Figure Santa needs a little helper?”

“Santa appreciates it, thank you.” Soon the two of them worked together passing out all the presents to everyone until they were all set up in their own areas throughout the living room.  “Okay so every year my family mixes up the order in how we each open up our presents so this year I say we go from oldest to youngest. Sound good with everyone?”

“Yep. Yeah.” Everyone answered.

“Alright, but before we start that, I want everyone to take my gift to you and open it. It’s all the same thing that I had done when I was in Japan.” Everyone went through their gifts until they found (Y/n)’s gifts and they all began opening them.

When everyone opened their gifts, it was revealed to be a traditional, authentic Japanese painting of her friends.  Not only were they in the picture, but next to them was an animal she felt like was their spirit animal.

Nancy had an crane on her picture, Steve had a dog specifically the Japanese breed Akita, Dustin had a tiger, Robin had a white cat, Lucas had a phoenix, Mike was a koi fish, and Eddie had the traditional Japanese dragon.

“I found a traditional Japanese artist and in the span of the 4 months I was there with my team filming the Japanese Alps, I asked him to do this for you guys.”

“Wow (Y/n) this is—incredible.” Robin said admiring her painting.

“Easy for you to say, I’ll bet none of you are a fish.” Mike whined to which Nancy hit her brother in the arm making him exclaim in pain.

“It’s wonderful (Y/n), thank you.” Everyone else soon thanked her for her gift and she smiled as she sat back down at her area next to Eddie.

“Now that that’s out of the way, Eddie why don’t you start us off?”

“Yes!” Eddie softly cheered as he grabbed the first gift he spotted which was from Dustin.  He opened it to reveal the new Led Zeppelin cassette.  “Ha-ha! I knew you’d come through for me Henderson!”

“You’ve only been talking about it since Halloween. But I knew you’d like it, Merry Christmas Eddie.” Eddie continued to open up his gifts and he got some more cassette tapes, some new pins for his jacket, a new red flannel, and the new D&D manual book that had recently came out.

Up next was (Y/n).  She opened the first gift that was from Steve and Robin.  She unwrapped the paper before looking at the box to reveal what exactly it was before opening it.

“Oh my god, you guys.” It was the new Panasonic VHS camcorder.

“We figure you might wanna record some of your trips instead of just taking pictures. 3 hours of film this thing can do.” Steve said.

“This must’ve costed you guys a fortune. And I knew Keith don’t pay you much.”

“Worth every penny. Besides I expect some videos of tigers with that camera next time you go to India.” Robin said pointing at her.

“Alright, it’s a deal. Thanks you guys.” Seeing that camcorder made Eddie sick to his stomach.  He wasn’t rich nor did he have enough money to buy her expensive gifts, all he had was his small little surprise that he had made for her.  But he began to second guess himself, would she even like it? His stomach continued to turn in knots as she grabbed the next gift which was a new scrapbook from Nancy.

“Figured your old one was getting full so I figured it’s time for a new one. There’s also some little stencils in there so you can decorate it as you wish.” She told her.

“Aww I love it, thanks Nancy. Okay whose next?” she hovered her hand around the remaining gifts until she picked up Dustin’s.  “Henderson’s next.” She unstapled the bag and pulled out the green paper stuffed inside and pulled out a journal that read across the cover (Y/N)’s ENCYCLOPEDIA.

“My encyclopedia?” she asked him.

“Thought it would be cool to get real animal biology from a real animal biologist. Someone who actually knows the facts and doesn’t keep editing it, I swear you’re smarter than any science book that talks about animals and how they behave and operate.”

“Is this some excuse to help you with future science homework?” she teased.

“What? No, no! No way! I just wish for you to write down what all you know and what you didn’t know before about all the animals you help document and study.”

“Well that’s sweet of you Dustin, thank you. Okay Michael, you’re up next.”

“Why must you insist on calling me that?”

“Cause I know it embarrasses you. And as your former babysitter it’s my job to embarrass you.” She opened up his gift and it was a small animal calendar.  “Alright! Now I’ll be able to see what day it is. I swear those guys don’t carry calendars with them like at all. They tally the days like cavemen in their journals. Thanks Mike, really I appreciate it.”

She then went for Lucas’ present and he got her a mini-figurine that his sister made of her character Lady Tauriel.

“Now Erica would claim she made it all herself but I was the one that bought the figurine in the first place and I told her your description of her. She painted it and that’s all.”

“It’s a team Sinclair effort and I love it. Tell your sister when you see her thank you too.” She placed her D&D character back in the container before saying. “And last but not least, Eddie—” but as she reached out for it, Eddie snatched his gift back and pocketed into his leather jacket.

“Dude what the hell? You can’t just take back your gift.” Steve said.

“Shut up Harrington!”

“Eddie what’s wrong? I want to see what you got me.” She asked him.

“No you don’t. it’s not even ready.”

“Why would you give her an incomplete gift?” Mike asked.

“Hey Mike cool it, I’m sure Eddie has a good reason. Final exams were a bitch this year so I can see why he wouldn’t have time to finish his gift.” Dustin said trying to get Mike off Eddie’s back.

“It’s nothing like that Henderson, and I can defend myself thank you very much!” but his tone was harsh.

“Geez Eddie no need to snap. I know Dustin can be a bit much but there’s no need to go that far.” Said Robin.

“Will you guys just leave me alone alright!? God this is why I hate Christmas! Everyone making a deal about presents that just end up in the trash a couple weeks if not the day after Christmas!” he soon stormed out of the room and the house echoed a loud slam from the front door.

“I’ll go talk to him.” (Y/n) said as she got up and followed after him.  After putting on her coat, boots and gloves, she followed Eddie who was leaning against his van smoking with a furrowed brow.  “You’ll catch your death of cold if you stay out here like that.”

“I’m fine. Never bothered me anyway.”

“You may have everyone convinced that you’re this stone, cold metalhead but not to me. Sure you’re a metalhead but you’re not stone cold.”

“Well you wouldn’t know considering you haven’t even been here for over a year and a half!” he snapped.  It shocked (Y/n) to hear Eddie snap at her like that but as soon as he looked at her shocked expression, he sighed heavily and stomped out his cigarette.  “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have shouted.”

“I know.” She walked up to him and took his hand between hers, not only in comfort but to warm them up.  “You wanna tell me what’s really going on in that squirrel brain of yours?”

“I don’t have a squirrel brain.”

“Yes you do. You always have a million things going through your head, and its twice as intense when you’re stressed or upset about something. So c’mon tell me. We’ve always been able to tell each other everything.” Eddie looked into her soft, gentle (e/c) and he felt his heart melt but also grow heavy into his stomach.

“Everyone else got you such amazing gifts. Gifts that’ll either help your future career or that you can personalize. Hell the Sinclair’s made your D&D character come to life, and all I got you was……this.” He took out his gift which was just a plain old small white box with a golden ribbon tied to it.

He couldn’t even look her in the eyes as he held it out to her. Once he felt her take it from his hand, he crossed his arms over his chest as his breathing grew sharper and heavier and she could see just how fast it was from the cold breath that escaped his lips and danced into the air.

She looked down at the plain white box and untied the ribbon before opening it to reveal inside two chain necklaces and attached to them were what appeared to be hand-carved wooden turtle doves.  Or that’s what they seemed to be, it was a bit mish-mashed but even with the faults in the sculpting, she knew it must’ve taken Eddie a long time to do these twice.

“They’re supposed to be turtle doves. I know they look shitty, the woodshop instructor couldn’t teach me for shit and the chain is nothing special. Just from some old chain necklaces Wayne doesn’t wear anymore so I got rid of what was on those and he helped me attach the birds to the chain.”

Tears formed in her eyes as she pulled the necklaces out of the box and held them in her palm.  She looked up at Eddie and immediately embraced him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder blades.

“What?”

“Eddie,” she released him so she could come around and cup his face which was already turning red from the cold, and even his nose was starting to go a bit red.  “This, this is the sweetest, most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me.”

“Really?” he asked insecurely.

“Really, really. And knowing that you did your best, I don’t care if the turtledoves look perfectly hand sculpted or like a woodchipper went to town on them.” They both softly laughed.  “But there is something that is wrong with this gift.” At hearing that statement, Eddie’s brief moment of happiness once again turned back to fear. He felt her take his left hand and she placed one of the turtle dove necklaces into his palm before closing it up. “You need to keep one, so that way we each have one, and that we’ll always come back to each other.”

“Each other?” he asked her.  She nodded as she slowly got closer to him whispering.

“Together forever, meleth nin.” She then took her chance and kissed her best friend/secret crush.  When she felt him tense, she feared that maybe the kiss was too much and began to pull away but it wasn’t until she felt Eddie’s arms wrap around her waist pulling her close and even lifting her up.

She was stunned but wrapped her arms tighter around Eddie’s shoulders as their kiss slowly deepened until he set her down and they separated for air.

“My Christmas wish came true this year.” She whispered lovingly.

“Agreed. I’ve only dreamed of this a thousand times since middle school. Merry Christmas Lady Tauriel.”

“Merry Christmas Lord Beren.” They smiled at each other lovingly before they hugged each other so tightly it was like their bones would pop, before they looked at each other with their noses brushing against each other’s and their lips met in another sweet kiss.

“ABOUT DAMN TIME!! I’VE BEEN SEEING YOU MAKE GOO-GOO EYES AT EACH OTHER SINCE SHE GOT HERE!!” Dustin’s voice exclaimed in the night air. Eddie rolled his eyes before bending down and grabbed a big chunk of snow and quickly raced towards Dustin.

He let out a scream before racing back inside with Eddie at his heels holding the snow patch in his hands.

“No! NO don’t you dare stuff that down my back!”

“Get over here Henderson!”

“HEY NO SNOW TRAILS IN MY HOUSE GUYS!!” (Y/n) shook her head as she went back inside and closed the door as the chaos continued with Dustin exclaiming and trying to get the snow out of his back, Steve trying to mop up the wet patch of water from said snow that had been dropped on his good carpet, and Eddie and (Y/n) sitting close to each other exchanging kisses every now and again.

[raquellemonsta]

the sweet things in life (tsukishima kei x reader)

next

chapter 1: first day

(this is my new fic for my favorite haikyuu character, in which you are a karasuno first year as well)

The walk to Karasuno High School was a little bit nerve wracking, but that was to be expected. You adjusted the tie that was part of your uniform, before pulling your phone out to see how far away you were.

It was the first day of your first year of high school. You had been placed into class 1-4, which was one of the college prep classes. You did decently well in school, so it was no surprise and you weren't really concerned about your abilities. You weren't too sure what to expect though, but you were excited overall and only had minor first day jitters.

Making your way to the entrance area of the school, a large crowd of people were gathered right out front of the school. You decided to investigate a little further, and figure out where you were supposed to go.

You were put into a group of fellow classmates for new student orientation. They grouped you off by class, so you went to the man holding the sign '1-4'.

You met two girls from your class, Nakahara Mei and Yoshida Moriko. After getting to know them a little, you found Yoshida had a brother who was a third year at Karasuno, and as such she knew a lot more about the school than you did.

Looking around at the other people in your group, you caught the eyes of a tall, blond boy with glasses. You smiled at him, something which he did not return and merely looked away from you. 'Rude but whatever I guess...' you thought.

"Alright everyone, follow me!" the guy holding the sign yelled back to you. You all started walking behind the guy as he showed you the grounds of Karasuno. There were several gym buildings for sports clubs, and even a garden in the back.

The guide lead you inside, where you got to see the cafeteria and library, among other random rooms. Then, you went upstairs to see the different wings, obviously stopping the longest at the first year area and peeking inside of 1-4. Then you got to see the second year wing, which the second years had class in session while your tour was happening. One of the guys in class 2-1 made a commotion when he saw first years, explaining about how you all needed to respect you upperclassmen and some other nonsense. You quietly chuckled at his absurdity and again caught the gaze of that blond boy from earlier, along with his friend you hadn't noticed before, though the friend snickered along with you.

After that, they showed you the third year wing, which was much more chill than the second year one. They spent a lot more time planning for their adult lives quickly approaching.

"You'll actually get to talk with third years about their experiences, advice, and anything else you'd like to know about Karasuno" your tour guide told you. There were several third years stationed on either side of the next hallway you turned down, leaving opportunities for first years to interact with anyone they'd like.

You decided to walk up to a girl who had a few students (all of which were boys) around her, asking her questions that didn't all seem school-related. She was strikingly beautiful, with nice black hair, and alluring eyes behind her thin-framed glasses.

Making your way to her, you waited for her to get to you. You didn't have to wait long, as she dismissed the boys who were somewhat embarrassingly trying to make moves on her.

"Hi there, welcome to Karasuno. I'm Shimizu Kiyoko, it's nice to meet you" she politely greeted. You bowed a little bit to your senior and introduced yourself.

"I'm (l/n) (y/n) of class 1-4, it's nice to meet you Shimizu" you replied. She gave you a kind smile.

"Anything in particular you'd like to know about?" she asked. You thought about it for a little. Did you want to know about academics? No offense, but that sounded kind of boring. Plus, you didn't want to ask her a dull question and waste her time. Maybe you should ask about school wide events, but you had a feeling you would find out more about that later anyways. Clubs and things to do around the school? There you go.

"What kinds of clubs do you guys have here? I'm interested in joining one" you asked her. That seemed like the right kind of question to ask her because she smiled to you.

"Well, there's quite a lot of clubs to choose from depending on what your interests are. Art club, academic clubs, student councils, and sport clubs. Actually, I'm the manager for the boys volleyball club" she told you.

That piqued your interest. You knew some stuff about volleyball, since you would sometimes watch it when it came on TV. There was something exhilarating and calming all at the same time. It was easy to fall into a trance watching the ball go back and forth over the net, while also holding your breath on close plays.

"Is there a way that I can get involved with that?" you asked her. "I've always been interested in volleyball but don't really think I want to play it myself".

She nodded in understanding. "You could be my assistant manager, if you'd like. It's just what we need after last year" she said somewhat cryptically. You decided not to ask what exactly she meant by all of that, and instead happily accepted the opportunity to be a part of the club. You were excited to be a part of something so soon into your time there.

"I'll do it!"

"Great, practice is after school today, in the third gym. See you then" she said before turning to another student. Soon enough, the third year Q&A was over, and it was time for you to go to your classroom and review the syllabi for each class.

You couldn't keep your mind from drifting to the pretty girl from earlier, and just what was waiting for you after the school day ended.

[tea-and-secrets]

Sharing because I saw that someone admitted to cheating their way through high school. I cheated my way through college.

I was an accounting major (against my will but that is a different story), there are certain classes that are considered speed bump/core courses, because they're difficult classes of the major and cause lots of students drop out. There is also a school policy that if you flunk the course 3 times, you get kicked out of the school completely and need to pick a different major.

I flunked the first bump class, it hit me a lot hard that I was very much in a major I didn't enjoy, but I had to keep pushing. I was able to pass it the second time because I cheated during the exam, I waited until I was among the last few students still taking the class and pulled out my phone that I hid under my clothes to check formulas and answers.

Honestly this devastated me that I had to resort to this to pass the class. If caught, I would have been automatically failed and it would even be worse for me. I was in a bad state already between family issues, mental decline, and even work mixed into the mix.

Then I failed the second time on the second speed bump class. I got an email telling me that I have to see a college counselor to be able to pick my next classes for the next semester. I went to talk to them and they explained that they need to see students that failed twice to see if they are okay. Perhaps even offer some studying advice on how to proceed before I get dropped from the program.

No matter how much I studied, things were not clicking. Or if I understood them, the anxiety I get during exams would make me forget and doubt myself, which results in me completely tanking my grades.

The only way forward was to cheat. So I tested the boundaries. There was no way I could pull out a phone again. I got lucky last time because it was a small classroom, no one to rat me out and the TA don't play attention. I found they don't care if I have my pencil case with me during the exam period. They don't check it at all going into it. The main rule is bags at the wall or in front of the class and water bottles have to be clear. During the entire year, I would have my big pencil in front of me and would often play with it or change mechanical pencils or erasers. During the exam period, I would do the same but instead I'm actually checking the flash card that I have written full of formulas and other necessary set ups. It had helped me class every other class I have in my major. I still studied but I reduced the items on the card down to things I need to double check on.

I never told anyone else that is what I did until after I was completely done with the major. Because if it slipped out to a classmate there is a chance they'll report me. Perhaps I was paranoid but I did everything I can to make it the last thing they would suspect.

I am several years into the accounting field now, and I don't have a single reject cheating.

.

[jakes3resin]

Yes!! modern reincarnation au I love it so much, I've been thinking about it for days!! Would you ever write something about how Jack and Chick got together? Did they have their memories when they met again and were they together in the past? How does Jack feel about Bucky when he meets him again; about parenting Bucky with Chick once he realizes that Bucky doesn't remember? I have so many feels about their little family! Love your writing and I'm sending a million kisses!💋

Thank you! I also have so many feelings about their little family as well, and I'm so glad others do too!!

I have thought about how Jack and Chick get together, but I currently have no plans to write their story (though that could change, my writing plans are less plans rn and more along the lines of just post whatever gets finished). So buckle up and prepare for my Modern Jack & Chick lecture.

Jack and Chick were together in their past lives the same way Buck and Bucky were. They were a little less 'if anything happens to you I'm going to set the world on fire and die' about each other, but honestly that's most likely best for everyone.

In their modern life, Jack and Chick meet while both are in the air force, but when they met neither had their memories back. They also don't start dating until Jack leaves the air force to go work as a chief of staff and campaign manager for a variety of different political figures. Its a few years before the pair meet up again as both go about their lives completely unaware of their old life but still feeling like they're missing something (a bit of right person wrong time). During that time, Chick adopts Bucky and after a few years retires. He settles in DC and starts making a few of his own political connections, liaising with the State Department among other things. (BTW I don't know if anyone caught this in the previous installments but Chick is the Secretary of State when Bucky meets Buck) Nothing serious yet because he's choosing to focus on being a dad for Bucky, but he's keeping himself relevant in the world for when Bucky hits high school/college and leaves the nest. This is when Jack and Chick meet again at some DC social party where Jack asks Chick out to dinner because goddamn neither of them have to worry about fraternization laws anymore (and being a dad outside of the air force looks good on Chick). Its not until their fifth date that their memories come back, so their relationship has a foundation not completely built in their first life. Less stress than we see with Buck and Bucky, but again I don't think anyone does it like them tbh.

Now, onto Jack and Bucky. Look, there's a reason Bucky refers to Chick as his father but calls Jack by his name in this au. Jack never adopts him even after he marries Chick. They're family don't get me wrong, but its complicated.

Jack in all honesty starts off very conflicted about Bucky. At first, he sees him as his boyfriend's kid, someone he liked and could see himself maybe parenting if things with Chick went that route, but after his memories come back, that's what he struggles with most because Bucky is the only person he's met besides Chick from their past lives. He ends up pulling away from Bucky, acting stiff and cold to the kid. Bucky, in turn, does not like Jack at all at this point. He's dealt with a lot in his short little life, and for a bit, he acts like a brat around Jack as he thinks the other is trying to steal Chick from him and leave Bucky abandoned and alone, which would never happen Chick would never leave his kid nor would Jack ever allow that to happen. Jack eventually comes to terms with seeing Bucky as the person he is now instead of the man he was (a very big theme for me in this au) which helps settle some of the discord between them. Bucky also gets sat down by Chick to figure out why he has such a problem with Jack, and all of Bucky's fears about being abandoned come out. They eventually grow to care for each other, and their relationship is really cute.

Modern Reincarnation AU has such an intricate universe in my head I won't lie. I have so many thoughts about every aspect of it, and I am so glad someone asked because I love to yap.

[novelmonger]

For the Book Asks:

2. A book that was difficult to get into, but turned out to be good.

5. A book you love that it seems like no one else has read.

9. A book that you found yourself thinking about a long time after you finished it.

21. A book that improved upon reread.

Thank 'ee kindly! ^_^

2. A book that was difficult to get into, but turned out to be good

So I have this rule of thumb when it comes to reading a new book: You have to read at least the first hundred pages, and if you're not hooked by then, you're allowed to give up, but not before. That rule is in place because of Lord of the Rings. It's hard to believe now, since it's been my favorite book for the past two decades or so, but the first time I encountered it, when my dad read it to us, I thought it was rather boring until the first Black Rider showed up. That happened on page 100 in that publication, so I decided I had to give any book at least that much chance to grab me, because otherwise I might pass up on something as amazing as LotR!

5. A book you love that it seems like no one else has read

I never hear anyone talk about The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. I loved it practically from the moment I first cracked it open, and found myself identifying very strongly with the eponymous Charlotte Doyle by the end - even though I have no love of ships or sailing. I know somebody must have read it, because it's a Newbery Honor Book, but I can't recall anyone talking about it unless I recommend it to them first. It's about a girl traveling across the ocean from England, where she was in school, to join her family in America. She was supposed to be traveling with a family, but ends up being the only passenger on board. Along the way, she discovers that a mutiny is brewing among the crew, and gets caught up in it herself. The book is exciting, tense, and taught me so much about nautical terms and what life on a ship is like. I'm still bummed the movie adaptation never got made, and now Morgan Freeman is too old to play the role of Zachariah :C

9. A book that you found yourself thinking about a long time after you finished it

I don't think I'll ever forget Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse, which I wrote a paper on for an Asian lit class in college. It's about the effects of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, particularly in the early days immediately afterward. The stark descriptions of the suffering, both acute and long-term, the utter devastation, and the abject poverty of so many of the Japanese people haunt me to this day.

21. A book that improved upon reread

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. My mom read it to me for school back when I was 7 or 8, I think, and I hated it. I liked the beginning, but then her father died and she had to give up her doll and her pretty clothes and her tiger-skin rug, and I decided I hated it. But when I went back to the book as an adult, I realized what a lovely story it actually is! Sara Crewe is such a beautiful and inspiring character, and there's so much hope and joy in the story despite its tragic beginnings.

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