#High-performance SUV | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kvysvdilla · 3 months ago

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𝑩𝑬𝒀𝑶𝑵𝑫 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑷𝑶𝑻𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻

idol/Jk x supermodel/reader -Aria Jeong-

GENRE: Romance | Fluff | Celebrity life

Chapter 06

The last chords of the song reverberated in Jungkook’s mind as he stepped off the stage. Soundcheck for his solo performance at the AMA had gone flawlessly, leaving him in high spirits. The massive arena had been mostly empty, save for the crew and production team, but he could already imagine the roar of the crowd that would fill it tonight.

“Great work, Jungkook. You’re all set,” one of the staff members said as he handed him a water bottle.

“Thanks,” Jungkook replied with a polite nod before heading to the waiting SUV that would take him to the hotel. Tonight’s event was enormous, and the hotel was bustling with stylists, makeup artists, and managers, all ready to ensure everything was perfect for his red-carpet debut.

As he climbed into the backseat, the city buzzed past him, the golden California sun streaming through the windows. Jungkook pulled out his phone to scroll through Twitter, expecting to see updates from fans about the AMAs. His thumb stopped abruptly as he stumbled upon a trending photo.

Aria.

The image hit him like a lightning bolt. She was stepping out of a sleek black car, flanked by two towering bodyguards who framed her petite figure protectively. A black hoodie—his black hoodie—draped over her, its oversized fit making her look smaller, yet effortlessly striking. The hood was pulled up over a black cap, and her face was partially obscured by a pair of oversized sunglasses.

What caught him most was the subtle way she covered her face with her hand, lifting the hoodie’s sleeve to shield herself from the cameras. She looked effortlessly cool and cute at the same time, like she wasn’t trying at all—and yet she still managed to exude that magnetic, untouchable aura that had captivated him from the start.

He couldn’t stop the soft smile that spread across his lips.

She’s really wearing it.

His mind wandered back to when she first grabbed the hoodie. Now, seeing her in it in the middle of LA, as if it belonged to her, made something stir in his chest.

“You’re smiling a lot at your phone lately,” Hyunwoo’s voice broke the silence, startling Jungkook out of his thoughts.

Jungkook looked up, his ears burning red as he fumbled to lock his phone and slip it into his pocket. “I’m not,” he muttered quickly, but the sheepish tone in his voice betrayed him.

Hyunwoo, seated across from him, smirked knowingly. “Don’t even try to deny it. I saw the look on your face. Let me guess—Aria?”

Jungkook sighed, leaning back into the seat. “It’s nothing,” he tried again, though the faint smile lingering on his lips told a different story.

“Nothing, huh?” Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow. “You’ve had a crush on her since forever, Jungkook. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

He looked away, staring out the window as the massive hotel loomed closer.

“She’s just…” Jungkook started, his voice quieter now, “Aria.”

“Exactly,” Hyunwoo said with a chuckle. “And that’s why I know it’s her. I’ve never seen you act like this over anyone else. You think you’re good at hiding it, but you’re not.”

Jungkook’s hand instinctively went to his hoodie’s drawstrings, tugging at them absentmindedly. “It’s not that simple,” he said finally. “I don’t want to ruin things.”

Hyunwoo shook his head, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You’re overthinking it, as usual. You don’t need to be perfect, Jungkook. Just be real with her. Trust me, you’re already halfway there.”

The SUV rolled to a stop in front of the grand hotel entrance. The massive glass structure towered above them, and a team of staff members was already waiting to escort Jungkook inside.

As he stepped out of the car, the photo of Aria lingered in his mind—the way she looked in his hoodie, the effortless cool she carried herself with, and the way she unknowingly made his heart race.

Maybe Hyunwoo was right. Maybe he was waiting too long.

Jungkook walked through the grand hotel lobby, the buzzing energy of the AMAs just hours away. Staff scurried around him, murmuring into headsets and gesturing towards elevators, all working to ensure everything ran seamlessly. He followed Hyunwoo to the private suite prepared for him, ready for the whirlwind of preparation to begin.

As he settled into the spacious suite, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, Jungkook’s lips curved into a small smile the moment he saw the sender, Aria.

Ari: Just about to get ready. How was soundcheck?

He reread her message. Yes, he change her contact name from Aria Jeong to Ari. His smile widening unconsciously. Her texts always had a way of lightening the weight of the day, no matter how chaotic it got.

“You’re smiling again,” Hyunwoo remarked, narrowing his eyes at Jungkook.

Jungkook chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You’ve been way too observant lately.”

Hyunwoo folded his arms, sitting on the couch besides him while crossing his arms. “Is it her?”

Jungkook paused, glancing up at his manager with a sheepish grin. “Yeah.”

Hyunwoo sighed dramatically, though the teasing smirk on his face was impossible to miss. “I have to know—how on earth did you even get her number? You don’t exactly talk to people much outside of schedules.”

Jungkook hesitated for a moment, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. “It just… happened,” he admitted. “Remember the first rehearsal? I bumped into her at the restroom entrance.”

Hyunwoo blinked. “The restroom?”

Jungkook laughed, a little embarrassed. “Yeah. We both apologized at the same time, and it was awkward. But then we ended up talking, and we just kind of… clicked.”

“And exchanged numbers?” Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Jungkook shrugged, trying to play it cool. “It wasn’t a big deal. I said we might need to coordinate later for the upcoming photoshoot, so we exchanged contacts.”

“Uh-huh.” Hyunwoo’s tone was laced with sarcasm. “Sure, that’s the only reason you exchanged numbers.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hide the small laugh that escaped. He turned his attention back to his phone, thumbs hovering over the keyboard as he typed his reply.

Jeon Jungkook: Soundcheck went well. Just finished, heading to get ready now. You’ll kill it tonight, don’t stress too much.

He hit send and leaned back against the plush couch, waiting for her reply.

As the buzz of preparations filled the room, Jungkook found himself momentarily distracted. His thoughts were no longer on the AMAs, the massive crowd he’d be performing in front of, or even the countless staff running around the suite.

For now, all he could think about was her.

Aria sat in front of the vanity mirror in her private hotel suite, wrapped in a luxurious gold silk robe embroidered with the initials “AJ.” The makeup artist and hairstylist worked seamlessly around her as she smiled softly at her phone, fingers tapping away at a message.

The videographer, capturing her preparations for the AMAs, noticed her grin and zoomed in slightly. The makeup artist caught the moment too and jokingly spoke to the camera, “Looks like someone’s in love.”

Aria immediately turned off her phone, setting it aside with a playful eye roll. Before she could respond, the doorbell rang. A staff member opened the door, and two tailors entered, carefully carrying a garment bag.

a staff member stepped into the hallway and called out excitedly, “The dress is here!”

A round of cheers erupted from the team outside. Aria, still seated at her vanity, couldn’t help but join in, raising her hands in a playful cheer. “Finally!” she said with a laugh. “I can’t wait to wear it.”

Turning toward the other staff in the room, she gestured eagerly toward the wardrobe. “You guys have to see it,” she said with a wide smile.

The videographer shifted focus as the tailors unzipped the bag, revealing Aria’s stunning gown. The sleeveless, backless black dress shimmered with delicate gold, black, and silver diamonds adorning the bodice. The sheer black fabric along the legs created a bold yet elegant contrast, while fur embellishments and sparkling details along the edges. The thigh-high slit balanced sexy and elegance perfectly, allowing for graceful movement.

Gasps and murmurs of admiration filled the room, the shimmering dress dazzling under the suite’s soft lighting.

Aria leaned slightly in her seat, craning her neck to get another look. “It’s even more gorgeous than I the last time i saw it,” she said, a mix of awe and pride in her voice.

The tailors carefully hung the dress in the wardrobe as Aria remained seated, her glam session still underway. The anticipation in the room grew as the preparation for the night’s big moment continued.

The clock on the wall ticked to 4:48 p.m., Claire clapped her hands, catching everyone’s attention. “Alright, team! We’ve got just over an hour before the red carpet starts. Let’s move!”

Aria had just finished her makeup, enhanced by sharply defined contouring that sculpted her features to perfection. Her eyes were framed by a slick black eyeliner, winged to a sharp point, intensifying her gaze with dramatic precision. A bold dark red lipstick completed the look.

Her long brown hair is styled into a sleek, polished bun with a loose strand elegantly cascading down the right side of her face, framing her face complementing her glamorous look.

Her makeup artist stood back, hands on their hips, and declared with pride, “Makeup is done!”

Aria stood up from her chair and turned toward the videographer’s camera, playfully striking a pose. “How do I look?” she asked, tilting her head dramatically as the camera captured her confidence.

Moments later, it was time to slip into her dress. The tailors helped her step into the gown, their hands careful with the delicate fabric as they zipped it up and adjusted the fit. The dress hugged her figure like it was made for her, its shimmering details sparkling under the suite’s bright lights.

As the staff swarmed around her, making last-minute adjustments to the dress and smoothing her hair, Aria casually asked, “Is there still any of those leftover nuggets?”

The whole room burst into laughter at her unexpected question, lightening the tense atmosphere. “Only you would think about food at a time like this,” one stylist teased, shaking their head.

A staff member handed her a small box of nuggets with a grin. “Here, Your Majesty.”

Aria happily took a nugget and began munching as the team continued to work around her. The sight was almost surreal—her standing tall in the dazzling dress, surrounded by a flurry of staff adjusting every detail, while she casually ate a nugget.

The photographer couldn’t resist snapping a candid shot of her mid-bite, a mischievous smile on her face. “You’re going to break the internet with this photo,” they joked, and the entire room erupted in laughter once again.

Despite the chaos, Aria remained calm, cool, and unapologetically herself—a perfect mix of elegance and relatability.

Aria stepped into the hotel hallway, the full glam makeup completed the transformation, and the gown, glittering with diamonds, seemed to shimmer with every step she took. The photographer, standing at the far end of the hallway, adjusted his lens and gave a nod.

“Alright, Aria! Let’s get a few shots here,” he called out.

She turned toward the camera with a graceful smile, her confidence palpable. She stood tall, one hand resting delicately on her hip, the other resting on the wall besides her, showcasing the sleek lines of her dress.

The camera clicked rapidly, capturing her in various poses, her gaze intense but warm, the gown’s delicate fabric glittering under the lights as it moved with her.

After a few minutes, the photographer lowered his camera, nodding in approval. “That’s it! We’re done.”

The staff, who had been waiting anxiously nearby, erupted into applause, cheering for Aria’s stunning performance. “You look incredible, Aria!” Claire called out. “You're gonna kill it!”

Aria beamed, her eyes lighting up as she waved at her team. “Thank you so much, everyone!” she said, her voice a mix of gratitude and excitement.

As the cheer died down, she turned towards the elevator, Claire following closely behind, and her two bodyguards trailing.

The elevator doors chimed softly as they slid open, and Aria stepped out into the hotel lobby.

Aria walked outside the hotel and as soon as she stepped into the sightline of the paparazzi, the noise intensified. Camera flashes erupted like firecrackers, and a chorus of voices echoed as the photographers scrambled to capture her in her stunning black gown.

“Aria! Over here!” one photographer shouted.

“Can you give us a smile, Aria?” another called, snapping pictures with rapid succession.

But Aria kept her focus ahead, her posture regal and her steps deliberate. Her two bodyguards were flanking her, walking in sync, keeping the photographers and fans at a safe distance.

Questions from reporters flooded the air, but Aria remained unfazed, choosing not to acknowledge them. “Aria, who are you wearing tonight?” “What’s your favorite part about the AMAs?” “Can we get a word on your upcoming projects?”

She ignored them all, her gaze fixed firmly on the path ahead. But then, amidst the barrage of questions, one voice cut through, a question that made her pause.

“Aria! How do you feel about seeing Jungkook tonight?”

Aria’s steps faltered, just for a split second. Her eyes shifted toward the source of the question, and for the briefest moment, a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips. The smile was barely noticeable—a fleeting, almost imperceptible expression—but it was there. A moment of warmth, a hint of something personal.

But just as quickly as the smile appeared, she focused again on walking toward the awaiting black car. Her bodyguards moved in sync with her, creating a barrier between her and the press, guiding her forward to the black SUV.

The question hung in the air as Aria made her way toward the car, and the scene unfolded in real time—photographers snapping photos of her every move, capturing the soft smile that had graced her face for just that split second. Fans cheered, others shouted her name in excitement, and the moment was immortalized in countless pictures and videos.

Aria kept her expression calm, her steps graceful, and as she slid into the car, the door closed behind her with a soft thud, cutting off the chaos outside.

The black car glided smoothly through the streets, the soft hum of the engine providing a gentle backdrop to the conversation between Aria and Claire.

Aria, her phone in hand, took a quick selfie, her reflection in the window catching the light just right.

As she was about to set her phone down, a text notification popped up on her screen. It was from Jungkook. Aria’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly unlocked her phone and opened the message.

He sent a photo of him sitting in a car, the angle slightly angled down. His hair was partially parted, a few strands falling over his forehead. His lips were adorned with his signature lip ring, adding just a touch of rebellion to his otherwise polished look. He wore a sleek black tuxedo, the fabric shimmering slightly.

Aria couldn’t help but notice the silver diamonds scattered across his tuxedo, reminiscent of the sparkling details on her own dress.

Jeon Jungkook: I’m on my way. Can’t wait to see you 😉

Aria’s smile widened as she quickly snapped a selfie of her own, holding her phone with the same angle as his photo, her dress shimmered softly in the reflection. She sent the picture back to him with a message.

Ari: You look amazing! Can’t wait to see you too.

Claire caught the smile on her face. She raised an eyebrow, a playful look on her face. “Is that him?” she asked softly, her voice teasing.

Aria couldn’t help but smile even more, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Yeah,” she replied simply, her fingers brushing against the phone screen absentmindedly.

Claire’s expression softened, a knowing look in her eyes. “Well, as long as you’re happy, then I’m happy too.”

Aria’s heart fluttered at the sincerity in Claire’s voice, and she nodded, a small but contented smile on her lips.

Her phone buzzed again. She quickly glanced at the new message notification, seeing that it was from him once more.

Jeon Jungkook: I have to admit, I think the real star of the night is the one wearing that dress. You’re making it hard for me to concentrate over here.

Aria couldn’t help but laugh softly. She quickly typed out a reply,

Ari: I’m sure you’ll manage to focus once we’re finally together. But I won’t lie… you’re making it hard for me to concentrate too.

Claire, watching her with a knowing look, leaned back in her seat. “I’m glad you’re having fun. You deserve it.”

Aria couldn’t help but feel the warmth of her manager's words, but her attention was quickly drawn back to her phone when it buzzed again.

Jeon Jungkook: I’ll be sure to give you my full attention when I see you. I can’t wait to see how stunning you are in person.

Aria bit her lip, her smile widening. Jungkook was definitely making this night even more unforgettable.

Aria’s car pulled up to the venue, the sounds of cheering fans and the flashing of cameras growing louder with every passing second. The door opened, and Aria stepped out, her heels clicking on the pavement as the bright flashes of paparazzi cameras blinded her for a moment.

Claire stood close by, adjusting Aria’s dress as the staff worked swiftly to ensure everything was perfect, "You got this Aria."

Aria took a deep breath, ready for the moment she’d been preparing for all day. She smiled brightly as she started walking forward, the cameras following her every step.

As she approached the staircase leading to the main event, the person in charge quickly stepped in, guiding her to stand in the center of the carpet. “Please pose for the camera here,” they instructed, and Aria confidently struck a pose. She turned her back slightly, exposing the backless design of her dress, and turned her head over her shoulder, giving the camera a stunning look. The crowd cheered, their excitement growing as Aria kept her poise.

The person in charge said, nodding toward her to continue walking toward the AMA’s backdrop.

Fans cheered louder as she walked past them. The staff directed her to step to the middle for more photos. As the photographers yelled for her attention, the flashes filled the space. Aria struck another perfect pose, looking over her shoulder as the cameras clicked rapidly.

The crowd cheers, and she smiles graciously, posing for photographers as her dress and glam look shine. She makes her way to the first of many interviews lined up.

Billboard Interview:

Reporter: “Miss Aria, you look absolutely breathtaking tonight! What inspired your fashion look for the AMAs?”

Aria: [Grins softly] “Thank you so much! I wanted something that felt powerful but also elegant. The dress has these amazing details, and I love the backless design—it gives off such a strong, yet graceful vibe.”

Reporter: “You’re always giving us amazing looks. Can you tell us how do you decide what to wear for such a big night?”

Aria: “It’s a mix of inspiration and collaboration with the designer. I trust them to know my style and personality. Together, we go over different ideas until we find something that feels like the right choice for the occasion.”

Spotify Interview:

Reporter: “You’re presenting an award tonight. We’re all dying to know, what’s one thing about presenting that you’re most excited for?”

Aria: “I think what excites me most is just being able to celebrate with the artists and fans. It’s such an honor to be involved in recognizing so much talent, and I can’t wait to see who wins!”

Reporter: “So, you’ve been on a whirlwind journey lately. What’s something people don’t know about your preparation for tonight?”

Aria: “It’s definitely a team effort. I didn’t do this alone, and we’ve all been working really hard behind the scenes to make sure everything goes smoothly. There’s a lot of fun and laughter in the process too, which helps keep the nerves in check.”

iHeart Radio Interview:

Reporter: “We know you’re a style icon, but how would you describe your personal style outside of events like this?”

Aria: “On a normal day, I’m all about comfort but with a little flair. I love to mix casual pieces with something unique, like statement accessories or cool shoes. I like to keep it effortless but interesting.”

Reporter: “Let’s talk music for a moment—what’s one song that’s currently on repeat for you?”

Aria: “Lately, I’ve had a lot of Billie Eilish’s tracks on repeat. She’s such an incredible artist, and her music speaks to me on so many levels. But I’m also really into some new stuff from Olivia Rodrigo.”

E! Entertainment Interview:

Reporter: “So, we know you’re here to announce an award tonight, but we’re all curious—can you tell us which one?”

Aria: [Laughs softly, winks] “I’m keeping that a secret for now! You’ll just have to wait and see. But trust me, it’s going to be worth the wait for my fans.”

Reporter: “Exciting! Now, is there any performance you’re most looking forward to tonight?”

As she's about to answer, a wave of loud screams erupts from the fans in the distance, cutting through the interview. Aria and the reporter both glance curiously in the direction of the sounds.

Aria chuckling lightly “What’s happening over there?”

The reporter leaning in and laughing softly “Oh, no wonder! It’s the one and only Jungkook. He’s just arrived on the red carpet.”

Aria quickly composes herself, trying to act nonchalant, but a faint smile tugs at her lips as she shifts slightly in place, pretending to adjust her dress.

She keeps her composure as the screams grow louder, and the interview continues, though a glint of amusement lingers in her eyes.

He laugh lightly after the fans’ screams interrupt “Wow, they are really going wild out there. Let’s get back to your answer—so, you were saying? Is there any performance you’re most looking forward to tonight?”

Aria she laugh softly as she answer the question, “Definitely Billie Eilish. I’m a huge fan of hers, and oh—and of course, Jungkook. It’s my first time seeing him perform live on stage, so that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

Reporter: smiling warmly “Well, Aria, it’s always a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us tonight.”

Aria: smiling politely “Thank you for having me.”

Reporter: glancing at her with admiration “And can I just say, you look absolutely stunning tonight. That dress is a showstopper.”

Aria: grinning “Thank you so much, that means a lot.”

Reporter: offering a soft hug “Good luck tonight, and have so much fun! We can’t wait to see you inside.”

Aria: hugging back briefly “Thank you, have a great evening!”

As Aria made her way toward the entrance of the venue, the cheers and flashes from the red carpet still buzzing behind her, she couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder. The crowded red carpet was alive with staff, bodyguards, and other celebrities making their grand entrances, but despite her quick scan of the chaos, she couldn’t spot him.

Her eyes lingered for a moment, but it was no use. Jungkook was nowhere to be seen—or perhaps he was just lost among the crowd of people swarming the red carpet.

Claire gently touching her arm, speaking softly “Aria, it’s time. We need to head inside now.”

Aria turned back, nodding slightly as she refocused. A small smile crossed her lips as she let Claire guide her into the venue, leaving the flashing cameras and excitement of the red carpet behind.

Aria entered the AMA’s venue, her heart fluttering as she took in the grandeur of the event. She gracefully walked to her assigned seat, a smile spreading across her face as she noticed Zendaya seated beside her. Aria sat at the end of the row, with the walkway on her right and more seats further down the line. Behind her, Claire waved subtly, giving her an encouraging nod.

“Hey, Zendaya,” Aria greeted, her tone warm yet slightly nervous.

Zendaya turned to her, flashing a welcoming smile. “Aria! You look stunning tonight. Are you excited?”

“Excited and terrified,” Aria chuckled softly, adjusting her dress. “It’s my first time doing something like this, and I’m hoping I don’t trip or mess up my lines.”

Zendaya leaned closer, her voice reassuring. “You’ll be fine. Just be yourself. The audience is going to love you.”

Before they could continue chatting, the lights dimmed, signaling the start of the show. Aria straightened in her seat, feeling a mix of anticipation and nerves.

The event went smoothly until a staff member approached her, whispering, “It’s time. You’re up next.”

Aria nodded, inhaling deeply as she was ushered backstage.

As the MC’s voice boomed, “Please welcome to the stage, the international supermodel, Aria Sinclair!” the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.

Aria walked out gracefully, cue cards and the winner’s envelope clutched in her hands. Her heels clicked against the stage floor as she approached the microphone stand, her elegant demeanor captivating the audience.

“Wow,” she began, her voice steady but tinged with awe. “This is… surreal. First of all, let me just say that being here at the AMAs, in front of all of you, is such an honor.”

The crowd cheered again, encouraging her.

Aria smiled nervously. “I’ll be honest—when they asked me to present an award, I thought, ‘Why me?’ I’m used to walking runways, not stages with microphones. But here we are. And I promise I won’t accidentally announce the wrong winner.”

The audience erupted in laughter, and even a few artists chuckled.

She grinned, getting carried away. “Honestly, though, you all look incredible tonight. I feel like I’m hosting a fashion show instead of an awards ceremony.”

The laughter grew, and Aria quickly caught herself. “Okay, okay, back to business!” she said with mock seriousness, earning another round of laughter.

Turning her attention to the prompter, she continued, “Tonight, I have the privilege of presenting the award for Best Male Solo Artist. And the nominees are…”

A montage played on the big screen, showcasing the nominees:

Harry Styles

Shawn Mendes

The Weeknd

Jungkook

Joji

Pink Sweats

Aria held the envelope in her trembling hands, her nerves catching up with her. “And the winner is…” she paused, dramatically opening the envelope.

She smiled softly, covering her face with the cue cards for a moment before lowering them. Taking a deep breath, she let a few seconds of silence hang in the air.

“Jungkook!” she finally shouted, her voice filled with genuine excitement.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Jungkook stood from his seat, flashing his signature shy smile. Aria couldn’t help but clap enthusiastically, her smile widening as she watched him make his way to the stage.

Grabbing the trophy from the assistant, she stood at the center of the stage, waiting for him. As Jungkook arrived, he immediately hugged her, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her close.

“Congratulations,” she whispered softly, her lips near his ear as her head rested lightly on his shoulder.

“Thank you, princess,” he murmured back, his face partially hidden from the cameras by her head.

They pulled away, and Aria handed him the trophy, earning a warm smile from him. He turned to the microphone to give his speech.

Jungkook stood at the microphone, holding the trophy tightly in one hand. He looked out at the crowd, his gaze briefly landing on Aria before returning to the audience. A soft smile spread across his face as he took a moment to compose himself.

“Wow,” he began, his voice warm yet steady, “this is truly unbelievable. First of all, I just want to thank the AMAs for giving me the honor of standing here tonight. To all my fans, ARMY, you’ve been my foundation from the very beginning. Your love and support mean the world to me, and I wouldn’t be here without you. This is as much your award as it is mine.”

The crowd cheered loudly, and Jungkook took a deep breath, letting his fingers lightly brush over the engraved plaque on the trophy. “To my team—thank you for always pushing me to be the best version of myself. You believed in me even when I had doubts, and that means everything. To my family… I hope I’ve made you proud.”

He paused, his smile softening as he glanced down at the trophy, choosing his next words carefully. “You know, it’s been a journey to get here. A lot of long nights, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of moments where I questioned if I was doing enough or if I was enough. But someone recently reminded me that as long as you’re giving your heart to what you love, you’re already more than enough. And that’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”

There was a faint cheer in the audience, but no one seemed to pick up on the subtle weight of his words except perhaps the person they were meant for.

Jungkook smiled again, his tone shifting into something more playful. “Also, I’m incredibly grateful for the people who keep me grounded. You know who you are. Whether it’s a simple text, a shared meal, or someone just sitting next to you, those moments remind you of what really matters.”

The crowd cheered again, and Jungkook glanced sideways at Aria, who was clapping along with everyone else, her face bright with pride.

“As for this award,” he continued, lifting the trophy slightly, “it’s not just a milestone—it’s a reminder that dreams do come true when you work hard, when you stay true to yourself, and when you have people who believe in you. I’m endlessly grateful for all of it. Thank you so, so much.”

After wrapping up his heartfelt speech, Jungkook stepped back, giving a small bow.

As Jungkook began to walk off the stage, he suddenly paused and turned back toward Aria. Closing the distance between them in a few steps, he leaned in and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her into a quick but firm hug. The move was subtle yet intimate, making it seem like a congratulatory gesture to everyone watching.

Aria’s lips twitched slightly into a soft smile, but she kept her composure, her face remaining turned straight toward the audience. She couldn’t risk breaking her professionalism, not now. As Jungkook pulled away, he gave her a small, knowing smile before walking confidently offstage, his trophy in hand.

Aria exhaled subtly and adjusted the cue cards in her hands before stepping back to the microphone. Her smile returned, this time brighter and professional, as she prepared to keep the show moving.

“And now,” she said, her voice steady, “we move on to the next category—Best Afrobeats Artist. The nominees are…”

After stepping off stage, Aria was met with an outpouring of praise from the backstage staff.

“You were amazing out there, so natural!” one of the crew members exclaimed, clapping for her as others joined in with cheers.

“Thank you so much!” Aria replied with a warm smile, bowing slightly as she walked through the bustling backstage area.

As she made her way down the hallway, she noticed the door with Jungkook written on the nameplate. She paused for a moment, debating whether to knock. The rehearsal draft from earlier flashed in her mind—she knew his performance was coming up soon. Finally, with a deep breath, she knocked softly on the door.

The door creaked open, and one of Jungkook’s staff peeked out. They froze for a second before gasping. “Oh my gosh, Aria!”

The staff inside turned toward the door, equally surprised, but they broke into wide smiles and cheered. “Wow, it’s Aria! Welcome!”

She greeted them warmly, bowing slightly. “Hi, everyone. Sorry for the sudden visit—I just wanted to stop by for a moment.”

At that moment, Jungkook, who had been seated at his dressing table scrolling through his phone, heard her voice. His head shot up, and he called out, “Aria?”

Standing up quickly, he made his way to the door, his face lighting up when he saw her standing there. “I wasn’t expecting you to come here,” he said with a surprised smile.

She returned the smile as they leaned in for a warm hug. The staff around them clapped playfully at the interaction.

Jungkook stepped back, gesturing toward the room. “Let me introduce you to everyone,” he said, his voice friendly and calm. He pointed to each of his staff members, introducing them by name.

“Hello, nice to meet all of you,” Aria said politely, bowing again. “I just wanted to stop by to congratulate Jungkook on his award earlier.”

Jungkook smiled softly at her. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

As she glanced at him, she noticed his outfit had changed from his earlier red carpet suit to a black short sleeves button-down shirt—unbuttoned—revealing his toned abs and chest. He paired it with baggy dark blue jeans. Her gaze lingered for a split second before she quickly realized and stammered, “Are you—are you going on stage like this?”

The room erupted into laughter, including Jungkook himself. “Yeah, this is the outfit,” one of his stylists said, grinning.

“Is this allowed?!” Aria asked, turning to the staff with a playful expression, making everyone laugh again.

Jungkook shook his head, his laughter echoing in the room. “What’s wrong with it?”

She playfully waved her hand. “Nothing, nothing. It’s just—well, I hope ARMY can handle it!”

The videographer, who was capturing the moment, chuckled as Aria turned to them and said something funny off the cuff. “Please, make sure you edit this part out,” she joked, winking.

The entire room burst into laughter again, Jungkook included, his loud laugh filling the space.

Realizing she needed to leave, she straightened up. “Alright, I really need to go now. Have fun on stage, Jungkook,” she said, addressing both him and the room. She bowed slightly again. “Good luck to everyone, and thank you for letting me stop by!”

Jungkook moved closer for a side hug, wrapping one arm around her waist. His head leaned close to hers, just out of the camera’s frame. In a low voice, he whispered, “I’ll see you at the after-party later.”

Her face remained composed as she nodded professionally. “Good luck out there,” she said softly, stepping back.

As she walked out of the room, she glanced back briefly, giving a small smile and wave to everyone. The door closed behind her, leaving the room buzzing with light laughter and energy.

As soon as Aria walked out of the dressing room, the atmosphere shifted into chaotic excitement. Some of the female staff, who were secretly (or not-so-secretly) fans of hers, let out muffled squeals.

“Did you see her in person? Oh my god, she’s even prettier than in her pictures!” one of the stylists gushed, clutching her chest dramatically.

Another chimed in, “I can’t believe she was here! Like, in this room!”

Jungkook, who was smiling ear to ear, walked back toward the chair in front of the dressing table to let the team finish touching up his makeup and hair. The videographer followed closely behind, capturing the candid moment for his upcoming solo vlog.

One of the staff turned to him, still star-struck. “Jungkook, we had no idea you were friends with Aria Jeong. You’re telling me the Aria Jeong just came here casually to wish you good luck?!”

Jungkook smirked as he adjusted his position in the chair. “Who said we’re friends?” he said, his tone teasing.

The entire room froze, gasping dramatically.

“No way—are you serious?” one of them asked, wide-eyed.

Jungkook couldn’t hold back his laugh anymore and waved them off. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” He leaned back with a playful grin. “Aria and I are good friends. A really good friend.”

Hyunwoo, one of his close staff members who had been quietly laughing in the background, suddenly chimed in, his voice full of mischief. “Yeah, a good friend. Sure. Totally believable, Jungkook.”

The entire room burst into laughter at Hyunwoo’s sarcastic tone, and Jungkook shot him a playful glare through the mirror.

“Hyunwoo-hyung, you’re gonna get me in trouble,” Jungkook said, chuckling as the makeup artist leaned in to fix his eyeliner.

Hyunwoo leaned against the wall, arms crossed, still grinning. “I’m just saying, Jungkook.”

Jungkook shook his head, letting out a breathy laugh, while some of the staff exchanged knowing glances.

The videographer caught every moment, the camera still rolling as Jungkook tried to redirect the conversation. “Anyway,” he said, clearly trying to change the topic, “she’s really cool. We’ve got a project coming up soon, so you’ll probably see her around more often.”

One of the hairstylists, still fangirling, placed her hand over her chest. “If I see her again, I think I might cry. She’s like a goddess.”

Jungkook chuckled, shaking his head at their enthusiasm. “She’s really just a normal person, you know. No need to get all worked up.”

The stylist gave him a deadpan look. “Says the Jungkook of BTS. You’re one to talk about being a ‘normal person.’”

The room laughed again, and Jungkook smirked, glancing at the camera lens. “ARMY, you see what I have to deal with here?”

The videographer laughed behind the camera, keeping the focus on Jungkook as he finished his touch-up, still grinning from the lively banter.

As the laughter in the room began to settle, Jungkook suddenly looked at his reflection in the mirror and adjusted the unbuttoned black collared shirt he was wearing. He tilted his head slightly, as if deep in thought, then glanced at the stylist standing nearby.

“Hey, do you think I can wear a white singlet underneath this?” he asked casually, tugging at the edge of the shirt to emphasize the open style.

The stylist blinked, momentarily surprised by the sudden question. “A white singlet? Beneath this?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook said, nodding. “I feel like… I don’t know. Maybe it’ll make it look less… bare?”

Chapter 07 --- Back to Series Masterlist

#bts #jungkook #jungkook au #jungkook fanfic #kpop fanfic #new fanfic #celebrities #jeon jungkook #fluff #jk fic #romantic #supermodel #idol life #idol #kpop #jk

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weaponizedgems · 5 months ago

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here’s a blurb about rachel i wrote while i had the flu / it was supposed to be a prologue to a fic i never ended up writing / forgive my adhd stream of consciousness she makes no sense sometimes

The Great Impersonator - Rachel Amber

Rachel Amber wanted to be many things.

When she was seven, she wanted to be a ballerina— wanted to be adored as she twirled around the floor every night in pink satin. When she was twelve, she wanted to be a rockstar— like Alanis Morissette or Dolores O’Riordan, performing in a different city every night to crazed fans. A dazzling actress on the red carpet. A model enchanting the lens of a camera.

She felt so deeply, inside her bones and across her muscles, that she could be anything. A hero, a villain; big, small; fleeting, eternal.

So much more than she was now— a high school theatre kid in a dying town.

Though, no one else saw her that way. To the rest of the world, Rachel proved to be so much more— she was a magician, of sorts. And her most captivating trick was one everyone had a front row seat to. It was immersive, enthralling— leaving the crowd to wonder of the girl when they laid their heads down at night. It was art.

But all good artists are tortured by their own creations; always unsatisfied. And Rachel was deemed exceptional.

In the gaps between roles, she felt nameless. Faceless. Dangling over a void of anguish so fiery it rivaled the sun’s rays; burning questions lingered that would never be answered; how and why.

How could this be it? Why couldn’t it be enough?

In another world, she knows, one role is enough. She doesn’t need to feel larger than herself. She doesn’t need to get high, or perform, or implode. In another world she knows peace. Forgiveness.

(She’s thought about it before. Of course she has.)

On the top of a hill in Northern California, a house with a blue door and white panels. Three bedrooms, plenty of windows, an SUV in the driveway. Behind every wall is evidence of love; carvings in the walls, wrinkles in the sheets, laughter in the air. She knows it’s love, because despite herself, she’d know love anywhere, in any lifetime—

(Chloe is in every corner of the house. Rachel doesn’t think Chloe would like the house, or the color of the paint or the SUV. But it was her world and so she got to decide what was there.)

Piles of laundry and taxes and bills and dentist appointments and grocery shopping and God it would suck but it would be real. It would be real, and it would be theirs. And no amount of obsession or money or greed would ever interfere with that.

In the gap between roles, she is angry because she’ll never be at peace folding laundry. And maybe she could be at peace loving Chloe all her life but she would never find out, because she wasn’t in that world. She was in this one.

So she’ll keep performing her show. Mirroring people, giving them what they want— showing them what they want— often what they expect of her. She’ll feed off the thrill of their excitement and admiration, hoping it’ll be enough to distract her from falling into the void forever.

Even if it kills her.

#rachel amber #life is strange #life is strange bts #amberprice #chloe price #lis bts #before the storm #rachel amber you’ll always be famous to me

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mariacallous · 5 months ago

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Let me start with the following principle: “Energy is the only universal currency: One of its many forms must be transformed to get anything done.” Economies are just intricate systems set up to do those transformations, and all economically significant energy conversions have (often highly undesirable) environmental impacts. Consequently, as far as the biosphere is concerned, the best anthropogenic energy conversions are those that never take place: No emissions of gases (be they greenhouse or acidifying), no generation of solid or liquid wastes, no destruction of ecosystems. The best way to do this has been to convert energies with higher efficiencies: Without their widespread adoption (be it in large diesel- and jet-engines, combined-cycle gas turbines, light-emitting diodes, smelting of steel, or synthesis of ammonia) we would need to convert significantly more primary energy with all attendant environmental impacts.

Conversely, what then could be more wasteful, more undesirable, and more irrational than negating a large share of these conversion gains by wasting them? Yet precisely this keeps on happening—and to indefensibly high degrees—with all final energy uses. Buildings consume about a fifth of all global energy, but because of inadequate wall and ceiling insulation, single-pane windows and poor ventilation, they waste at least between a fifth to a third of it, as compared with well-designed indoor spaces. A typical SUV is now twice as massive as a common pre-SUV vehicle, and it needs at least a third more energy to perform the same task.

The most offensive of these wasteful practices is our food production. The modern food system (from energies embedded in breeding new varieties, synthesizing fertilizers and other agrochemicals, and making field machinery to energy used in harvesting, transporting, processing, storing, retailing, and cooking) claims close to 20 percent of the world’s fuels and primary electricity—and we waste as much as 40 percent of all produced food. Some food waste is inevitable. The prevailing food waste, however, is more than indefensible. It is, in many ways, criminal.

Combating it is difficult for many reasons. First, there are many ways to waste food: from field losses to spoilage in storage, from perishable seasonal surpluses to keeping “perfect” displays in stores, from oversize portions when eating outside of the home to the decline of home cooking.

Second, food now travels very far before reaching consumers: The average distance a typical food item travels is 1,500 to 2,500 miles before being bought.

Third, it remains too cheap in relation to other expenses. Despite recent food-price increases, families now spend only about 11 percent of their disposable income on food (in 1960 it was about 20 percent). Food-away-from-home spending (typically more wasteful than eating at home) is now more than half of that total. And finally, as consumers, we have an excessive food choice available to us: Just consider that the average American supermarket now carries more than 30,000 food products.

Our society is apparently quite content with wasting 40 percent of the nearly 20 percent of all energy it spends on food. In 2025, unfortunately, this shocking level of waste will not receive more attention. In fact, the situation will only get worse. While we keep pouring billions into the quest for energy “solutions”—ranging from new nuclear reactors (even fusion!) to green hydrogen, all of them carrying their own environmental burdens—in 2025, we will continue to fail addressing the huge waste of food that took so much fuel and electricity to produce.

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vmantras · 5 months ago

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Lotus Eletre R: The Ultimate Luxury Electric SUV

₹2.99 Cr The Lotus Eletre R represents Lotus’s foray into the luxury electric SUV market, merging cutting-edge technology, superior performance, and a premium design ethos. Here’s a detailed breakdown of its features, strengths, and unique selling points. Performance and Powertrain Power and Acceleration: With a motor power of 675 kW and a maximum output of 905 bhp, the Eletre R is among the…

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myseungsunglove · 2 years ago

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Do Something | Ksm

Pairing: Kim Seungmin x Reader

Warnings: angst, but fluff to wrap it up

Word Count: 2.5k

𖠫Summary: The reader can’t keep her feelings to herself anymore when it comes to Kim Seungmin. After a particularly trying day busy with practices and an impending concert, she explodes on her best friend, spilling her feelings for him but doesn’t exactly go about expressing those feelings in the best way.

✎A/N✎: I seriously meant for this to be a short drabble. This story has been in my head for weeks and I thought I could tell it quickly before laying down to sleep. Here I am 2.5k words later and this is anything but quick and short. I should have known. My biggest brain thoughts happen in the middle of the night. I’ve been reliving this story over and over on my own for weeks, now you guys can share in the drama with me. Sorry bout you. :p

◠ ◡ ◠᭚ιαᵕ̈

「© September 10, 2023 by mysweethannie」

It had been a long day of rehearsal and prep for your upcoming performance at Lollapalooza with the boys. You had been on edge all day because it had really felt like you had been going non-stop for much too long. As a result, your nerves were fried and your patience was thin.

Your best friend, Seungmin, was always in tune with your mood. As the nine of you walked to the cars waiting for you outside ready for Lee Know and Changbin to drive you to a mini retreat before your next busy schedule, Seungmin grabbed your hand as a comfort as he always did when you were exhausted or having a rough day.

Today though, you had no patience for it. You had harbored feelings for your best friend for much too long and with your emotions on high alert after an exhausting day, the last thing you needed was comfort from your best friend who was never going to feel the same way about you that you did about him.

As he grabbed your hand starting to interlace his fingers with yours as he was so accustomed to, you ripped your hand away. You could feel his eyes rise up to look at your face, and you just knew that stupid puppy look was plastered on his face. You refused to look at him because you knew if you did, your resolve would crumble and you would cave. So you ran ahead, leaving Seungmin to walk by himself and grabbed Chan’s arm, leaning up against him, resting your head on his shoulder as you walked. You were certain that Seungmin was very likely burning holes in the back of your head with his eyes as you walked.

“Hey, Y/n-nah,” Chan smiled down at you, placing a comforting hand on top of yours. “You feeling any better than earlier?”

“It’s been a busy few weeks, Chan,” you sighed. “My battery is more depleted than I thought. I’m sorry for taking it out on you.”

“Hey! Don’t apologize. I think we’re all a little on edge. Maybe this tiny bit of time we are getting away will help?” he offered.

“Yeah, maybe,” you mused, your head somewhere other than the conversation you were having with Chan. You reached the back of an SUV and Chan opened up the trunk. You took your backpack off your back, and set it into the vehicle. As soon as the bag was discarded into the car, there was a pair of long arms wrapping around your waist, the clean smell of soap filling your senses as Seungmin rested his chin against your neck. You could feel his warm breath against your skin and goosebumps prickled up in response.

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t just get absolutely rejected by my best friend and let you sit by me on the trip,” he teased, his words dancing across your skin.

You visibly shook him off and turned quickly to face him. There was a look of utter confusion on his face as you spoke.

“Seungmin, are you ever going to do something about this or are we going to be forever stuck in this cycle of will they won’t they?” you blurted out. He stared at you, opened mouthed, his hands now resting on your waist as you looked into his eyes, searching them for any hint or clue that he felt even the tiniest bit of something for you. All you saw was confusion.

“Do something?” he questioned dumbly, his eyes darting back and forth between yours as if he were trying to read your mind, desperately seeking an answer to a question he wasn’t comprehending.

You pushed away from him then, your impatience flaring into anger and you couldn’t stop the next words to come tumbling out of your mouth.

“Yeah, fucking do something about this,” you gestured between the two of you as you took another step back. “This constant tension that is bubbling just below the surface between us every time we touch,” you rambled. “Which, by the way, is all the fucking time,” you add, gesturing wildly. “Or are you just not even remotely interested in doing anything with me and you just like that you can hold my hand and cuddle up to me without the obligation of anything more?” you accused. You felt bad the minute you said it, but there was no turning back now.

“What are you…” Seungmin started but you cut him off.

“No, don’t. It’s obvious we are not on the same page. I can’t do this right now. Fuck. How could I have thought there could be… anything more,” you trailed off walking away. “Chan, I’m switching cars,” you told him as you walked by, making a beeline for Lee Knows car where Jisung and Felix had already climbed into the backseat, IN opening the front door to take his place.

“Y/n, wait,” Seungmin pleaded desperately trying to follow after you.

“Chan, do not let him follow me,” you growled as you walked around the back of the car and swung open the back door of the car where Felix was settling in. “I mean it,” you glared at Chan.

He immediately put an arm up to Seungmin’s chest, stopping him from following you. The look on his face was nothing short of panic and confusion. You wanted so bad to make that go away, but you knew he had to get there on his own. Whatever that looked like.

You looked down at Felix and tears started falling immediately.

“Oh god, what’s going on?” he asked, his big, soft eyes staring up at you.

“I just,” you started, but couldn’t continue as you dissolved into uncontrollable tears.

Felix was immediately up and out of the car, his arms wrapping around your shoulders and pulling you tightly against his chest. You slumped in his hold and cried. You could feel him placing a hand on the back of your head, stroking it softly. You also felt the vibration of his deep, calming voice as he spoke, but you were so lost in the flurry of events that had just happened, you didn’t hear a word he said. He pulled you into the car with him, guiding you to sit in the middle seat and slid in behind you, pulling the door close.

“We can’t all sit back here,” you mumbled, sniffling pathetically as you looked from Han to Felix.

“Shut up, yes we can,” Han said, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you into his hold. “What the hell happened?” he asked Felix as you cried in his arms.

“I’ve got no clue,” he said as Lee Know climbed in the driver’s seat.

“So you finally said something?” Lee Know asked as he put on his seatbelt and started the car.

You nodded in response to Lee Know’s words, not brave enough to look up at him.

“Hmmm,” he responded. “He’ll sort his shit out,” he added.

“Oh shit,” In mumbled from the front seat. You had forgotten he was there. “Noona, what did he say?”

“Nothing. Fucking nothing at all,” you said, wiping your tears away as you pulled away from Jisung and sat up in the seat. You ran your fingers through your hair, before you brought your head to rest against the palms of your hands while your elbows rested on your knees. “He looked at me like I had grown two heads,” you added.

“You fucking idiot, Kim Seungmin,” Jisung mumbled from beside you, rumbing your back softly.

You shook your head.

“No, I’m the idiot.”

“Fat chance,” Felix interjected. “You finally tell him how you feel and he does nothing? You’re not the idiot here,” he reassures you.

You looked up then, looking around the car. All eyes were trained on you. Even Lee Know was glancing back at you as he headed for the gas station to fill up before driving on to the condo you guys had reserved for the night.

“I didn’t exactly tell him,” you said, shaking your head. “I more accused him of wanting to benefit from the physical intimacy of our relationship without having to invest emotionally in it.”

“Whoa,” Jisung whispered beside you.

“Ugh, I know,” you choked out. “God, why can’t I be normal for once in my fucking life?”

“The day I speak perfect english,” Lee Know sassed as he got out to pump gas. It made the atmosphere shift a little in the car, everyone laughing.

“Come on, let's run to the bathroom and grab you a drink,” Han said, opening the door and grabbing your hand, dragging you from the car.

You walked past the other car where Seungmin was filling up the SUV. He looked up as you passed, his eyes somewhat red rimmed and a brooding look on his face. When your eyes met, his glance softened, and you could see words dancing across his lips that were dying to come out but he didn’t say a word.

You quickly used the restroom. When you came out, Felix was shaking two waters at you and handed one to you, then grabbed your hand and walked back to the car with you. Han was quickly there too, an arm thrown over your shoulder as the three of you walked together. It was like they were your protectors. If only they could protect your heart from yourself, you thought as you climbed into the car. Seungmin had already returned to the back seat of Changbin’s car.

The rest of the trip went on, the boys doing their best to distract you from everything that had happened before you left. This day was supposed to be about STAYs and here it had turned into a complete disaster. Lee Know drove through McDonald’s, ordering everyone food and IN played DJ in the front seat. As you cruised down the dark road, Han sleeping soundly beside you and Felix singing along with the song, you glanced down at your phone to see that you had a string of messages from Seungmin. You didn’t open them. You just shoved your phone back into your pocket, and tried to shove down your feelings as well.

The other car beat you to your destination, but none of it’s occupants, save Kim fucking Seungmin were waiting for you. He stood in the parking lot with his hands shoved in his black pants, black framed glasses resting on his face, a blue plaid shirt clinging to his broad shoulders. His eyes watched as Lee Know parked the car. Immediately he made a beeline for the car.

He pulled open Felix’s door just as harshly as you had back at the company.

“Out,” he said, his voice low and gruff. “Now,” he added with a warning.

“Down boy,” Lee Know said from the front seat, but got out all the same. “Let’s go, fellas,” he called after the rest of the car.

Han squeezed your leg and pushed open his door.

“Just tell him the truth,” he whispered against your temple before placing a quick kiss there and getting out of the car.

Felix looked over at you, a look on his face that said he thought he would betray you by getting out of the car and leaving you alone with Seungmin.

“It’s okay,” you assured him.

He climbed out reluctantly, shoving past Seungmin a little more roughly than usual.

You saw Seungmin’s jaw clench and his shoulders bristle, but he didn’t respond to Felix, he just climbed into the car and sat where Felix had.

“Seungmin, I…” you started but you were abruptly cut off.

You barely had time to register that the two of you were alone in the car before Seungmin’s hands were delicately cupping your cheeks, his lips crashing less delicately and more desperately against your own. At first you were shocked, your eyes wide, your body tense. The moment your brain caught up with what was happening, you reached out for Seungmin, your hands wrapping around his small waist and pulling him against you, the kiss becoming more intense as his tongue tangled with yours.

After many breathless moments, how long you weren’t really sure, Seungmin pulled away from you, his lips swollen from their first encounter with yours.

His forehead rested against yours and he sighed heavily.

“Are we on the same page now?” he asked, his breath fanning across your face. “I did something about it,” he added, almost more to himself than to you.

“You definitely did do something,” you agreed. You moved your hands from being wrapped around him and placed them on the sides of his face. “Seungmin, are you sure that was something you wanted?” you asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“I love you,” he let out in a whisper. “I have for so long. I have no fucking clue you ever wanted anything more,” he admitted.

You couldn’t help but laugh a little.

You pressed your lips against his again, this time it was soft and comforting a stark difference from the desperate first kiss from before. His lips moved against your like they were made to do so.

“Most best friends don’t act like we do, Min,” you tell him. “We’re so close. How was I ever going to do anything other than fall in love with you, you idiot?”

He smiled then, his eyes lighting up for the first time.

“Really?” he asked.

“Really,” you confirmed. “I’m so sorry for what I said back there. I’m exhausted and I lashed out and before I could stop it, I had made a big fucking mess with my stupid ass words and I didn’t know how to take it back.” Your hands fell from his face then, into your lap.

He immediately grabbed both of your hands, holding them in his.

“I’m used to your messes,” he said gently. “You usually tell me what you’re thinking,” he added. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“The same reason I guess you didn’t tell me,” you shrugged. “I was afraid you didn’t feel the same.”

“I’ve felt this way from the moment I first met you,” Seungmin admitted. “I’m gonna be here waiting even through the shitty times if you’ll have me.”

You pulled him into a hug then, your face falling into his neck and breathing him in. Everything about him was comforting and you were wishing like hell you had just talked to him instead of blowing up at him, but you couldn’t change that now.

“If you can put up with me, of course I’ll have you Kim Seungmin,” you say. “It always has been and always will be you.”

#kim seungmin x reader #kim seungmin #stray kids fluff #seungmin #seungmin x reader #Kim seungmin fanfic #kim seungmin imagine #kim seungmine one shot #kim seungmin angst #kim seungmin fluff #kim seungmin fanfiction

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sims4cars-breezemotors · 8 months ago

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“The new shape of performance”

2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe 🇰🇷

Boasting a dramatic silhouette, the first-ever 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe embodies the perfect blend of coupe DNA and SUV prowess. With its plunging roofline and aggressive contours, this bold new vehicle is the ultimate expression of Genesis athletic elegance design inspired by high-performance sports cars.

Available exclusively for “No Limits” and “All Inclusive” tiers this September. Since October 1’st. Available for All Inclusive tier only.

Model with HQ interior, open/close doors, trunk and functional light.

Go and join my Patreon!

#the sims 4 #sims 4 #sims4 #sims4car #the sims 4 cc #the sims 4 custom content #thesims4cars #the sims 4 cars #sims4vehicles #the sims

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carsthatnevermadeitetc · 2 years ago

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Seat Proto C, 1990, by Italdesign. Volkswagen Group chairman Thomas Schäfer has said “The future of Seat is Cupra” at the IAA Munich Motor show. Seat cars will disappear as they come to the end of their model lives. Cupra has become Europe's fastest growing auto brand, most of the Cupra range are high performance versions of Seat's cars and SUVs. The Proto C was an aerodynamic compact concept (Cd 0.25 and 4m long) that influenced Seat's styling in the 1990s and beyond though it never made it into production. Seat is an abbreviation of Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo and was established in 1950, initially building Fiat cars under license in Spain before being taken over by Volkswagen in the 1980s. The brand will not disappear completely but will no longer be used on cars

#Seat #Seat Proto C #Italdesign #concept #design study #Cupra #Spanish market #1990 #aerodynamic

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sweetmidnights · 30 days ago

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A Tentative Ellipsis (the parting of your lips and the ache in your eyes)-- Chapter 6: I thought your heart was stone, I thought you never let your feelings show

Pairing: Agatha Harkness/Rio Vidal

Summary: The band's first interview is supposed to be a softball to get them used to the attention. Things don't go quite as planned.

Warnings: 18+, drug use, drunk driving, graphic descriptions of injuries, manipulation

AO3

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Before she left the house that morning, Nicky handed Agatha a picture he had drawn in school. On the white paper were two stick figures with bright smiles: a taller, purple one with long hair and a shorter, orange one with what she assumed was a bunny in his arms. The sun was high in the sky, and the grass was bright green below their feet. One cloud, one butterfly, and three too-perfect music notes floated in the sky (which may or may not have been the teacher’s handiwork). When he gave the drawing to her, he said, “It’s you singin’, Mama. Look how happy it makes the world.”

If her eyes watered a bit, that was between Agatha and her gods.

With the paper folded into four and tucked into the inside pocket of her blazer, Agatha felt a measure of comfort as she climbed into the SUV that would be taking her and the rest of the band to their first interview for the tour– a segment on a Stark-affiliated radio station downtown. Rehearsals had been going a bit more smoothly since that first one, but Agatha certainly wouldn’t say they were ready for the stage. It was a small mercy that their first foray into media wouldn’t include a televised performance of any kind, just a sit-down talk about the tour to get some good press.

That didn’t make the idea of doing an interview any easier for Agatha to stomach. She had done very little press since the band ended, and none of it in the years since Nicky was born. Her hands had a slight tremble in them as she tucked them into her armpits, crossing her arms on her chest as she slid into the backseat of the car. Behind her were Jen, Alice, and Billy; Mrs. Hart got passenger privilege because of her self-proclaimed seniority, which left Agatha and Rio to sit together in the middle with Lilia on the other side of Rio, stating that she needed to be sitting near the window for carsickness. Perhaps in another life, Agatha would reach out to hold Rio’s hand or sit closer so that she could lean against her to quell her nerves. But this was now, so Agatha wrapped her arms around herself tightly and stared thoughtfully out the window.

Agatha could feel Rio looking at her before she turned her head to catch her gaze. What she saw staring back at her was something unexpected and familiar. Rio’s lips were curved down, ever so slightly, her eyebrows furrowed like she was trying to solve a puzzle. Dark eyes looked deep into Agatha’s blue, and she had to look away, unable to handle the weight of being seen.

Could Rio still see her after all of these years?

“This should be a simple interview, everyone,” Sharon said, breaking the aimless chatter in the back. “Just some talk about dates, stops, getting the band back together, things like that. Shouldn’t be too invasive or uncomfortable. A warm-up interview before we start the big hitters.”

Agatha raised an eyebrow and said, “And what exactly are we saying about getting the band back together. I’m a little unclear, myself, about why exactly we are doing this.”

Next to her, Rio and Lilia shared a look, and Billy cleared his throat uncomfortably. The air shifted around Agatha in a way that she could not explain but felt acutely. She unfocused her eyes as she listened around the vehicle, noticing when Jen shifted uncomfortably in her shimmery skirt, when Alice sniffed, when Sharon hummed and smacked her lips together, she heard all of it. What weren’t they telling her?

“We wanted to get together as a group while we still could,” Lilia said, interrupting whatever Sharon was going to say. Something in the back of Agatha’s mind perked up at her words, latching onto what she said and how she said it.

“There was so much potential there that you never got to tap, and when the opportunity arose, you couldn’t pass it up,” Sharon continued, nodding her head resolutely. “Good enough?”

Before the band could reply, the driver slammed on the brakes so hard that Agatha had to brace herself on the seat in front of her, an arm shooting out to stop Rio from sliding into the empty space in front of her. A loud, screeching sound echoed around them, and horns started to honk. Somewhere ahead of them, the distinct sound of metal crushing metal rang out, and Agatha immediately froze.

2015

No one had seen the other car coming before Agatha’s Porsche was smashed into by a semi truck, sending it rolling off the road and into an open field in wine country. The sound of metal crashing into metal, bending and snapping and crunching together was something that Agatha wouldn’t forget for the rest of her life. Alice was screaming in the passenger seat for only a few seconds before she went terrifyingly silent, Agatha panicking as she felt her collarbone snap under the force of a locked seatbelt.

“Alice!” Agatha shrieked as the car rolled to a stop. She couldn’t move; she was stuck, the door was shoved into her side, and everything tingled. “Alice, are you okay?”

Her screams were met with silence, only the hissing of the engine giving any sign that Agatha’s hearing was still unharmed.

Agatha turned her head, slowly and painfully, to try and get a look at Alice. Tears sprang in her eyes as the fractured bone jostled in her shoulder, and she used a shaking hand to unbuckle the belt, nearly screaming when she realized the belt had been holding it together somehow, and burning pain radiated through her whole arm. When she finally faced her friend, she was nearly vomited at what she saw.

The pianist’s body was contorted in ways that Agatha didn’t know that bodies could bend, blood pouring out of her nose and dribbling out of the ear that she could see. Her hand was mangled in the crushed remnants of the door, shattered glass sticking out of her flesh– or was that a bone? Oh god, that’s bone…

Agatha turned away, about to be sick, screwing her eyes shut as she breathed through the pain and nausea. What was she going to do? Panic gripped her mind like a vice, grinding all of her thoughts to a creaking halt. Was Alice breathing? Where was her phone? Fuck, she needed to call for help.

A trembling hand patted around Agatha as she searched for her phone, desperately trying every nook and cranny she could reach from where she was pinned, but not finding anything.

“Fuck. Fuck! I need to get out of here!” she cried out, squirming in her seat as she tried to free herself. She was making so much noise that she didn’t hear the footsteps coming up behind her or the man clear his throat before looking through Agatha’s broken window.

“Are you ladies okay?” the gruff voice asked, startling Agatha from her panic. “Help is coming, I just called.”

“No, I don’t know if my friend is breathing. Can you check? Can you please check? Oh my god, did I kill Alice?” Agatha pleaded, squinting her eyes to get a good look at the man. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, but she could feel the fuzzy incoherence coloring the edges from the drugs, from the alcohol.

She really hadn’t had that much, she had driven so much worse and made it just fine. Why was this time any different?

“Fuck, are you Agatha Harkness?” the man asked, eyes going wide. “Oh god, I hit Agatha Harkness. I’m going to be fired. Fuck.”

“I don’t give a a single fucking shit about your god damn job,” she hissed, looking at him with as much malice as she could manage in her state. “Go fucking check on my friend before I make sure you never fucking work again.”

The truck driver mumbled incoherently before running around to the other side of the car. He looked at the destroyed door and seemed not to know quite how he was going to manage the feat of checking on Alice.

“Now, Beauford! I need to know she’s breathing!”

Without skipping a beat, the man reached into the car and felt for Alice’s pulse on her neck. “I feel something, but it’s barely there.”

“What does that mean?” Agatha barked, trying and failing to turn back to face Alice.

“I don’t fucking know, I’m not a doctor!”

A guttural, frustrated growl tore from Agatha’s throat. Before it could get much farther, flashing lights shone from behind her, and sirens screeched as the emergency response drove closer and closer. *The next time Agatha was conscious, she came to in a hospital bed with wires attached to her whole body, a cannula in her nose, and her left arm in a sling. Vague shouts were echoing from down the hallway, and shoes were squeaking on the linoleum floor as someone ran closer and closer to the room. Agatha’s head was spinning a bit, like she was hungover.

“ Princesa ,” Rio cried as soon as she stepped into the room, immediately attaching herself to Agatha’s good side, holding her hand and pushing her hair out of her face. “Oh my god, you’re okay. I thought you were dead.”

Tears were running freely down Rio’s face, her eyes red and puffy, her lips bitten and raw. Agatha squeezed Rio’s hand, and tears flooded her eyes. “I’m okay, my love. I’m okay.”

Rio leaned over and kissed Agatha’s forehead, long and tender. When she pulled back, Agatha tilted her head up, feeling the strain in her sore neck. She blinked twice, and Rio leaned down obligingly, giving her a salty, firm kiss on the lips.

When they pulled apart, Agatha patted the bed next to her, silently asking Rio to sit. The younger woman hesitated but eventually caved, sitting on the small section of the bed that Agatha was not occupying, wrapping one arm gently around her back so she wouldn’t jostle her shoulder.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Rio said, kissing Agatha’s shoulder. “You scared me, Agatha. Like, actually terrified me.”

Guilt gnawed at the back of Agatha’s throat. “I’m sorry.”

“Has anyone updated you about Alice?” Rio asked, tightening her grip on Agatha, dropping a comforting hand to her thigh.

“No, I haven’t really been awake, I don’t think,” Agatha replied, feeling panic try to grip at her chest. “Rio is she?”

A firm, comforting hand turned Agatha’s face to look at Rio directly. “She’s alive, Agatha.”

Something released in the older woman, then, and a sob ripped from her chest. She brought her hand up to her mouth, pressing her knuckles against her lips as she cried in relief.

“But she’s not well, mi amor .” Rio’s voice was solemn, like she didn’t want to be telling Agatha this. “She– she might never perform again.”

Agatha gaped at her. She wasn’t sure what she thought Rio would say, but the truth felt like a hot branding iron shoving down her throat.

“Her hand is so broken, the doctors don’t know how much function she will get back, if any. She has like six broken bones and a concussion, and they don’t know if there is any damage from her losing consciousness at the scene. And, she’s been in surgery because the seatbelt did something to her intestines or something? I don’t know. But she’s lucky to be alive with how bad the crash was. We’re so lucky she’s alive.”

The full truth sat heavily with Agatha. Had she really almost killed one of her best friends? She had done so many bad things, made so many wrong decisions, but this? This took the cake.

“God, what have I done?” Agatha asked, swallowing harshly against the lump in her throat. She rubbed her good hand over her face, squeezing at the bridge of her nose.

Something shifted in Rio, then, but it wasn’t unkind. “Seriously, Agatha, what were you thinking?”

“What?” she replied, shaken from her stupor.

“Why were you and Alice in wine country? And why were you driving that drunk?” Rio asked, fury and heartbreaking love swirling together in tandem. “You can’t– Agatha, you can’t do that. It’s one thing that you’re putting your own life at risk with the drugs and the partying, but now Alice, too? Where will it end?”

Defensiveness bubbled in Agatha, but the guilt and sorrow tamped it down, pushed it away from where she could use it to bite back. “I’m out of control,” she admitted, letting that cold, horrible feeling wash over her. “Maybe I need help.”

Rio nodded and rubbed Agatha’s back. “You do, mi amor . You can’t keep going like this, it isn’t sustainable. I can’t– I can’t lose you, not like this.”

Agatha swallowed again, guilt roiling in her stomach. She knew exactly what Rio meant, exactly the promise she had made her all those years ago. Rio’s life had been marked by addiction, tainted and ruined time and time again because of her family. Of all of her siblings, she was one of the only ones who had actually made a name for themselves. Of the two who did make it, she was the only one who didn’t use drugs to get there. Sure, she indulged every so often, she was not immune to the pressures of it being available since she was in single digits, but Rio was the odd one out, she was the one who could live without it. But the pain of being loved by addicts, the trauma of being neglected in the name of pursuing a high, of being abused because of drug-induced rage– she wore it all heavily.

When they met, she and Rio had been one and the same. Both liked to have fun, liked to let loose, maybe a little too much, but they mostly kept themselves together and didn’t need it to function. But as time went on and more were being thrust in their directions, Agatha fell down the rabbit hole, and Rio stayed ever the same. Maybe, even, she pulled further and further back because the gaping black hole that was Agatha and her mess left nothing for anyone else.

“I made you a promise, Rio,” Agatha said, unsure of her convictions, unsure if she could deliver on the one thing Rio had ever asked of her. “I– I will try to get better. I’m going to try.”

The words tasted like ash on her tongue, like a fire that had burnt to ruin. But what else could she do? This was her only option.

Rio stopped rubbing Agatha’s back and wrapped her arm around her again, holding her so close. Warm lips brushed against her temple, welcoming her home into Rio’s dark, rich scent. It enveloped Agatha like a blanket, reminding her that this was her safe place, that this was the one person who was her calm in the storm.

“Remember the facility you went to last year?” Rio asked, voice gentle and cautious. “It’s not too far from here, maybe we could get you a bed.”

Agatha froze with Rio’s words, remembering the way she had been strong-armed into rehab the first time. Resentment still lingered in her despite the time that had passed. Her agency had been stripped from her, cornered and trembling by the people she trusted the most.

“Rio…”

“Just hear me out, baby,” Rio said, resting her chin on Agatha’s shoulder as they sat together on the bed. “It’s completely your choice, no intervention this time. But we can’t keep going like this. I miss my wife. I miss our love. Don’t you miss when things weren’t like this?”

“Weren’t like what?”

Rio shifted carefully on the bed so that she could look at Agatha fully, holding her hand between them as her hip pressed against Agatha’s knee.

“Sweetheart, when’s the last time we went three days without fighting?” Rio asked, squeezing her hand. “Hell, when’s the last time we made love?”

“We just fucked in green room last night,” Agatha grumbled, furrowing her brow.

“That’s not the same thing. When’s the last time you and I tumbled into a bed and touched each other just because we wanted to, not as a means to an end?”

Agatha closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Rio was right. She couldn’t remember the last time they had spent any quality time together that wasn’t tinged by anger or betrayal or hurt.

“I miss you, too,” she admitted. “What if I say yes to rehab? What happens then? We’re still on tour. We haven’t been to Portland, Seattle, or Los Angeles. This is one of our tiny arena gigs. We still have stadiums to fill!”

Rio shook her head and smiled affectionately, but sadly. “The tour has been cancelled.”

“Fuck, of course it was. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” Agatha said, smacking herself in the forehead. Hadn’t Rio just told her about Alice? This was what everyone was talking about, wasn’t it? “Okay, so I just go? And that’s it?”

“I will come to visit you as often as I can,” Rio promised, moving to sit in a chair near Agatha’s bed, almost-thirty not doing her back any favors. “We can talk about how long you’ll be gone, or you can just go in and stay until you and your team decide you’re ready to leave. It’s entirely up to you, princesa . I want it to work, I want it to be right for you.”

Agatha nodded solemnly, reaching for Rio’s hand again, feeling empty without it. “You know I love you, right? Like, so incredibly much. You’re my entire world.”

“I love you, too, Agatha,” Rio said with so much sincerity that it made Agatha’s chest ache. “I want to do life with you, I want to love you forever. Please, mi amor , please let me.”

Her heart split wide open at Rio’s confession, at the way her wife so easily splayed herself open for Agatha. How could she say no to Rio, to the love of her life, to the one person who she knew would stand by her side no matter what?

“Okay, you can call the rehab,” Agatha agreed, pulling Rio’s hand to her lips to kiss. “I’m so sorry I’ve done this.”

Rio nodded and pulled out her phone. “We’re going to get you help, Agatha. You’ll have the biggest comeback of them all.”

Agatha smiled at that, her wife knowing her so well. “I’m going to come home to you, my love.”

With the car screeching to a halt, Agatha felt hands dropping onto her from all around– a gentle hand on her arm and a scarred hand on her shoulder. The touch was startling but familiar, surrounding Agatha with a warmth that was so foreign after all of these years. Both Alice and Rio, the two most devastated by Agatha’s destruction, were reaching for her in a moment that reminded them all of such a horrific experience.

For just a moment, she let herself bask in their touch, but then shook Rio off and patted Alice in thankful dismissal. She didn’t deserve their kindness, not after everything that had happened.

“Everyone okay back there?” Sharon asked, turning in her seat to check. Vague noises of assent echoed around the vehicle. “We’re almost there, just a couple more blocks. Sorry for this.”

Agatha rubbed at her collarbone, the phantom pain of her accident wearing on her as the remnants of her panic, of her vivid memory, tried to clear from her mind.

The radio station was exactly what she would have expected from an entity of Stark Records– or were they calling it Stark Industries now? Everything was ostentatious and of the highest technology possible. Even the interns were working on the newest company-issued MacBooks. Honestly, it made Agatha roll her eyes– it was all for show, and she knew it.

“Agatha and The Orchids, how wonderful to have you!” the host said as she welcomed the band into the studio. “My name is Yelena, I’m sure you’ve met my sister Natasha?”

“Oh, yes, she’s lovely,” Sharon said, ushering the band into their seats. She would sit in the back listening, ensuring everything went to plan.

The band sat around a table, Agatha at one end and Jen at the other, Rio, Lilia, Alice, and Billy filling in the rest of the space. Across from them sat Yelena and her co-host Kate, pages of notes sitting in front of them.

“And that was The Ballad of the Witches’ Road by Agatha and the Orchids, one of my favorite songs from recession-era pop,” Yelena said, making them all laugh. “You all had quite the formula back in the day. I feel like all of my best childhood memories were with your music playing in the background.”

“Yes, remember the music video for Black Heart��?” Kate added, pointing between Rio and Agatha. “I think that was my gay awakening, if you know what I mean?”

Agatha did a double-take at the host talking so freely on a huge radio station about queerness. Times really had changed.

“Oh, that is one of my favorites,” Rio said, twirling some of her hair in the nervous way she always did during interviews. “We really were one of the only bands making music like that, then. And with Lady Gaga’s amazing music videos, we really were given such a wide range of sets and plots to work with to encapsulate the vision.”

“You really were able to showcase the reality of falling in love with another woman in that era. So much joy and passion and tension,” Yelena said, gesturing vaguely in the air. “But also the fear and the caution that you had to take. It’s bands like yours that helped pave the way for the amazing musicians we see today, like Chappell Roan and my personal favorite, MUNA.”

“It was always important to us as a band to be our authentic selves to try and eliminate some of those barriers for the musicians that would come after us,” Agatha said, feeling emboldened as they spoke about the love song that she had written for Rio all those years ago. “It’s one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done in my life, and I think I can speak for us all when I say that being able to make a difference has been such an honor.”

All the band members down the line nodded in agreement, even Jen.

“Speaking of,” Kate continued, “I hear that you’re going on a reunion tour. Tell us more about that.”

Lilia cleared her throat before she began speaking. “We’re going to be on the road all spring, summer, and into the fall for 40 dates around the U.S. and a few international stops. Speaking of your favorite, Yelena, we will be supported by MUNA, as well as Fightmaster, Fletcher, and Renee Rapp in rotation.”

“Wow, what an incredible selection of bands. Fightmaster isn’t a name I’ve heard. Tell us more about them,” Yelena prompted, Billy launching into a full explanation of how they had picked what acts to promote this tour. Thankfully, this was something that Agatha had been a part of, discussion-wise. She, actually, had been the one to suggest Fightmaster, a smaller band that she had fallen in love with when Nicky was small, after falling in love with them when Wanda would babysit and put on trash television.

The conversation traversed quite a few tour-related topics between songs, which Agatha was relieved to only have input for a few of. This might be her band, but she still felt so out of her depth with all of this.

Toward the end, though, the questions started skewing more and more in an uncomfortable direction, leaving Agatha on edge.

“It’s truly such a blessing that you have pulled Agatha back out of retirement,” Yelena said to no one in particular, something unsettling in her tone. “Has it been hard coming back together after everything?”

“Everything takes adjustment, no matter the history,” Rio said, trying to keep things neutral. “But we’ve found our stride in rehearsals, I think.”

“And that must have been such a hard decision for you, Agatha,” Yelena pressed. “I know that after everything that’s come out about you and the end of the band, the media was relentless for a long time. I’m not sure that I would have dared to brave that kind of scrutiny again.”

Agatha’s mind immediately went to those first few months after the divorce when the media had gotten ahold of the video footage of the fight between Agatha and Rio backstage after their last show. It wasn’t a good look for her, not at all. So, after the months of rehab, the weeks of court appearances to settle the dissolution of her marriage, all that time of the media just speculating about what happened because no one would give them an answer, TMZ leaked the video before Agatha could decide to come forward about anything herself.

She didn’t know why no one else said anything, she didn’t know why Stark Records, itself, didn’t say anything. And because of the silence, once any hint as to what happened came out, the media and the public latched onto it like a dog with a bone.

It started with an explosion– reporters flashing cameras in her face and surrounding her the moment she left the building where she signed her divorce papers. The noise was overwhelming as they shouted at her. What happened in there, Agatha? When is the band getting back together, Agatha? Do you regret everything now that you have nothing, Agatha? When did Rio really leave you? Is that why the band broke up? Are you still sober? Why didn’t you care enough to get sober when your wife still loved you?

The attention that started that horrible, terrible day didn’t stop for almost a year. For the first months, paparazzi camped outside of her new home in Los Feliz, sometimes even climbing the fences to get a closer look. They infiltrated the neighborhood to the point that police had to set up barriers around her home, and her neighbors started harassing her for disrupting their peaceful, quiet neighborhood. Agatha couldn’t leave the house without an entourage following her and yelling at her like she was just a piece of meat.

And social media? If she thought that the cameras in her face were bad, the things people would say on Twitter, on Instagram, hell, even YouTube comments were exponentially worse. She received death threats daily, she was called every name in the book, and torn apart piece by piece until she was shredded into nothingness. Her new address was doxxed, and her house was surrounded by angry fans, especially Rio defenders, which brought back the swarms of cameras to document in real-time the mob in Los Feliz demanding her retribution for destroying the world’s favorite rock band.

Agatha couldn’t sleep. The screams leaked into the dead of night, and even when the crowds cleared, she could hear them. She could hear them chanting that she was responsible, that she ruined their lives, and that she should die.

Agatha couldn’t eat. Every time she tried, it came back up, and she felt ill in the bathroom for hours.

Her fingers twitched and her limbs ached as she craved the release of drugs. She had promised Rio she would try. But Rio wasn’t here, was she? She left Agatha to the wolves to fend for herself. So what did it matter if she did? Everyone wanted her dead, anyway, so what was stopping her from living her life the way she wanted to?

After that first year, the attention slowly faded to what could be expected an A-list celebrity. But with every camera flash, with every shouted question, with every screaming fan (though their numbers were dwindling with Rio’s rise to success), she flinched, she prickled, she lived in abject terror all of the time.

Because maybe this time they would mean it, and she wouldn’t get the choice to live another day.

And so, Agatha drank. She drank and she drank and she drank until the vodka smell rolled off her in waves, until she could taste the liquor in her sweat, in her tears. It wasn’t enough, it was never enough, it never would be enough to make her forget, to make the violence in her mind silence itself into quiet. Then came the cocaine, the pills, the anything to make it stop hurting.

It was a minor miracle that Agatha went on as long as she did without almost killing herself.

But that was a memory for another day.

So, she clenched her fists on the table and looked at Yelena in the eye as she said, “I don’t think this is any of your business.”

“Oh, come on, Agatha, don’t you want to share your side of the story?” Yelena prodded, Kate looking at her with an air of concern. “I mean, we did already get to see how you handled it all. Maybe you could humanize for us the way you spun out after the band’s breakup. That was so embarrassing for you, wasn’t it? I don’t blame the band for not wanting you then.”

Red hot seething rage boiled on Agatha’s skin, her face flaming with color. She looked down the line of faces next to her, waiting for them to say anything in her defense, for even one of them to say that they did want her.

Nothing came.

Not even Billy said a word.

Fuck this. Fuck them. She didn’t need them. She didn’t need their god damn validation. She needed nothing from them or from fucking Stark Industries.

“You think I’m the only one in this industry with problems like this?” Agatha seethed into the microphone. “What happens in my private life belongs to me. Not you and not any of the other cockroaches on the internet who made my life a living hell for years. I’m here because they asked me to be. So don’t get it fucking twisted. I’m done.”

With that, Agatha stood from her seat in a huff of dramatic flair and stomped out of the room, fixing Sharon with a glare. Why didn’t she stop this before it could happen? Why wasn’t it in the script to leave Agatha’s past well and truly alone?

Agatha felt like a god damned fool. She felt like an idiot for ever agreeing to do this. The signs had all been there that this was a bad idea, that something was wrong, that there was some kind of ulterior motive for them to bring her back. But she fell into their trap, enticed by the idea of getting to have it all, of getting to have this life back, of getting to have her music back.

She made her way to a back alley behind the studio, far from prying eyes and cameras, and dialled her emergency contact, the one person she knew would show up for her no matter what. The phone rang and rang until she hit voicemail, making her sigh shakily.

“Hey Wanda, it’s me. Can you come get me from downtown? I, uh, I know you’re close by. Please.”

Agatha dropped Wanda a pin of her location and then tucked herself into a shadowy corner, hoping to stay out of sight. But before she could get herself into some semblance of comfort, the emergency stairwell door banged open against the back wall, and Rio came rushing out, searching frantically for Agatha.

Why was it her who came looking? Why was it always fucking her?

“Agatha, I know you’re out here,” Rio called out, still looking up and down the alley. “Please, we just want to talk.”

Out of breath and considerably more slowly, the rest of the band came out of the stairwell.

“Why the fuck didn’t we say anything?” Billy panted, hands on his knees. “Christ, she’s probably long gone.”

“You know why,” Jen hissed. “We just need to find her.”

They know why? What was that supposed to mean?

Just then, the flash of LED headlights turned down the alleyway as a familiar Audi came screeching to a halt in front of the crowd of musicians. Wanda. Wanda was here.

A flurry of red hair came bolting out of the driver’s seat, and there was an anger on Wanda’s face that Agatha had never seen before.

“What the fuck did you do?” she seethed, getting up close and personal with everyone standing the group, leaving them no room to breathe. “I thought I told you that this could not happen again.”

The last comment was directed more to Billy, the understanding between mother and son was deeper and richer than it could ever be with the rest of the band that had abandoned them.

“It–It wasn’t supposed to! We agreed–” Billy cried, his voice filled with panic. “That wasn’t– she went rogue! Yelena went rogue!”

God, how much of Agatha’s return had been prescribed by everyone in this band except for her? Did she even have any say at all in her own fate?

Agatha stood from where she was hiding and crossed to the crowd with a confidence and a fury that hell hath none to compete.

“What exactly is going on here?” Agatha demanded, looking at the crowd of faces that seemed more relieved than frightened to see her again. “And don’t feed me some fucking bullshit again. I want the truth.”

The band exchanged nervous glances, as if they were deciding what to tell her. It wasn’t a long pause, but it was enough to keep Agatha’s anger at a rolling boil.

“Fucking tell me!”

Of course, Rio would be the one to step forward first, hands up in apology. “That wasn’t planned, Agatha. Please. You have to know that we wouldn’t corner you like that.”

A well-deserved snort of disbelief came from Agatha, then. “Do I? Do I know that you wouldn’t corner me like that? It seems like that’s all you did for the last year of the band was corner me and make me feel fucking insane.”

“Things were different then,” Alice said, piping up from where she stood next to Jen. “You’re not, you’re not the same person as you were before.”

“Damn right I’m not the same person! I’ve been sober for almost seven years. Seven years . Do you know how hard it is to stay sober for that long? To never once relapse in all of that time? And yet all of you are still treating me like a goddamned addict! Like one wrong glance and I’m going to start twitching and spouting off reasons why you should give me money to go buy more fucking blow.”

The rage that had been thinly veiled was on full display for everyone to see. Agatha wasn’t holding back, she wasn't going to let this happen again, she wasn’t going to cower away as they tried to humiliate her. No, she was going to stand her ground and it was going to feel damn good, too.

“Agatha, we don’t see you like that,” Lilia tried. “This is an adjustment for all of us. We got this one wrong.”

“This one? You got this one wrong?” Agatha hissed, taking a step back from them all to get a better look. “You’ve been getting this wrong for a fucking decade. So you know what happened when you all went silent? When you all left me to fend for myself? They threatened to kill me!”

“We all get death threats, Agatha. That’s the nature of the job,” Jen said, always sliding in to kick her when she’s down. “You’re not the only one who was hurt in all of this. We all were, and we did what we could with the resources we had. You have to know that. “

“Well, if that was your best, it isn’t fucking good enough,” Agatha said in a laugh. “I can’t keep doing this. I won’t keep doing this with you. I have too much at stake.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rio asked, looking Agatha up and down as she regarded her. It wasn’t said aloud, but Agatha heard the rest anyway— you’re the only one of us with nothing left to lose .

Defensiveness broke through every barrier in Agatha’s mind, the bear in her screaming to lash out, to fight tooth and nail.

“It means that I won’t subject my son to the fucking vultures that you all left to pick me apart until I was nothing but a fucking carcass!” she yelled, the entire group going deadly silent. “I let this consume me once because on some fucked up level I knew I deserved it. But Nicky doesn’t. He is the sweetest, gentlest, most beautiful little boy, and I won’t let you ruin him like you ruined me. I’m done.”

“Agatha…” Rio whispered, reaching out for her. “We didn’t– I didn’t know.”

Another humorless laugh dropped from Agatha’s lips. “You shouldn’t have needed to, to treat me like an equal or even like a human being who deserved the bare fucking minimum of respect.”

“Please, let us fix this,” Lilia pleaded, eyes watery with unshed tears. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”

Agatha shook her head. “No fucking way. I don’t know what your prerogative is here, what all of this has been about, but I don’t like it. I don’t like any of this or who any of you have become.”

“Let us explain–” Rio started, but Agatha held up a hand, silencing her. “I don’t want to hear it. No explanation necessary. This isn’t the family I thought it was. It’s okay. I don’t love you, either.”

The lies were acrid on Agatha’s tongue. She needed to say something, anything, to make them hurt as much as she was, to make them regret as much as she did. Rio’s face dropped along with everyone else’s, and Agatha took that as her cue to leave.

“Please take me home, Wanda,” she said before climbing into the passenger seat, leaving The Orchids in stunned silence as they pulled away and drove back to Los Feliz.

The drive back to Agatha’s mansion was silent, not even the stereo making a sound as the drive through the traffic and into the hills of the LA neighborhoods. Agatha tapped her fingers along the door frame, fingering the lip where the window could retreat to let fresh air in. But she wouldn’t, she needed both of them to rot in the stagnant air of what had just happened.

As Wanda pulled into Agatha’s driveway and threw the car into park, Agatha finally broke the silence. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t believe you sent me into the lion’s den,” she said, low and precise.

Wanda closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “Because I didn’t know this would happen,” she said. “There’s… there’s a lot more at stake here than I think anyone ever told you. More than even I know. I wasn’t one of you, I didn’t get to be part of the NDAs. But Billy’s heart was pure, and so was Lilia’s, that much I know for certain. I don’t… I don’t think it’s The Orchids that are the problem.”

Agatha scoffed. Of course. “Can’t you just own up to a mistake for once in your life?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

The defensive, angry tension in Agatha was burbling over, casting a black sludge over everything she touched, over every word she said. She didn’t even know if she meant any of it, but it came pouring out of her anyway.

“That you got this one wrong. Billy lied to you and you believed him because he’s your golden child who can do no wrong,” Agatha said, not yet regretting a single word she was saying. “Would you have sent Tommy back?”

Wanda froze in her seat. Agatha crossed a line, and she knew it. She knew it, and she wasn’t going to back down.

“Leave him out of this,” Wanda said, gripping the steering wheel harder and looking straight ahead. “This has nothing to do with Tommy.”

“What? Can’t face the consequences of your own actions?” Agatha taunted, cracking the toothpicks that held their science project bridge together that Wanda had built so painstakingly over the years. “He was never the same, was he? I know why Vision became a mental health and addictions counselor. You both just hope that one day your vagrant little boy will come home and ask for help, don’t you?”

“Agatha, stop. You’re just angry. You don’t mean this,” Wanda said, keeping herself together only by a thread.

Tommy was a sore subject for Wanda, Billy’s twin who got lost in the money and the fame and got sucked into the appeal of drugs just like Agatha had. Billy excelled; he soared high above the clouds and left his twin brother to grovel in the dirt like the dirty shame that he was. Life in Hollywood, in the 1%, was more pressure than could have ever been handled by kids, and Wanda knew as well as Agatha that she could have and should have done more to protect both of them. They had bonded over it in those early years as Wanda tried to earn Agatha’s trust. When Nicky was born, Wanda took to him so easily, and Agatha started to understand that there were moving pieces at play that she had no control over that led Tommy down the wrong path.

But either way, Agatha was raging, and this was an easy, soft spot to dig her teeth into.

“Maybe. But what I do know is that you’ve made me your pet project, your broken little woman to fix and make shiny and new again,” Agatha said, relenting only a little because she couldn’t stomach the thought of bringing Tommy any further into this. She was a mother, too. “You can’t fix me, Wanda. You never could. The only reason I’m not six feet in a grave with Stevie Nicks’ sinuses is because of that little boy in there. I was never meant to be Agatha Harkness again. I was never meant to have everything I wanted. I’m Nicky’s mom, and that’s all I will be for the rest of my life. It’s time you stopped trying.”

Wanda sighed once more, pinching the bridge of her nose. “If that’s what you want, Agatha.”

“It is. That’s what I want,” Agatha reaffirmed, ignoring the way her stomach squirmed. It was about time that she finally gave up on Agatha. There was nothing left to salvage and the radio host today, the band’s silence, all of it pointed to her being a lost cause, forever the Agatha Harkness who was too high and almost killed her best friend.

Agatha opened the door and stepped out, nearly shutting the door behind her when Wanda croaked out, “Am I still taking Nicky tomorrow?”

Perhaps Wanda had broken Agatha’s trust, perhaps they were standing in quicksand about to be sucked under, but Agatha would never take this from her son.

“Of course, you’ve never been anything but perfect with him,” Agatha said, some of her anger finally dissipating. “He loves you.”

“I love him, too.” Wanda finally turned to look at Agatha again. “And I love you, Agatha. You’re my sister.”

Agatha pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded, not able to say the words back. Everything felt so overwhelming, much too swollen to let even a fraction of her true, vulnerable self out.

“I will see you tomorrow.”

Up the driveway and through the front door, Agatha shed herself of her jacket and shoes, listening for the sound of her son’s giggles. As if on cue, a loud, shrieking laugh echoed through the halls, one that she knew he only let loose when his hearing aids weren’t in. It made her smile to hear him so openly joyful, so sweet and giggly.

Agatha climbed the stairs until she found Nicky and his nanny, Maggie, playing with blocks in his toy room, signing manically at each other, telling each other stories. She stepped with extra force into the room, catching both of their attention, and waved. Nicky’s face lit up even more, and he ran into her legs for a hug. Without missing a beat, she swept him up into her arms, resting him on her hip.

“I’m back early, you can go home, if you’d like,” she signed to the nanny. Agatha had hired her intentionally because she was deaf to teach Nicky how to sign fluently. Though she didn’t have many work engagements over the years, she made it a point to have Maggie around often so that Nicky would learn– and Agatha, too.

“Sure, Ms. Harkness,” Maggie replied, standing up easily before signing to Nicky, “We will finish this story next time, okay? I need to know what happens to Buzz Lightyear in space.”

Nicky nodded and gave Maggie a high-five before burrowing into Agatha’s neck for a cuddle. He was a sensitive little boy, always so in tune with his mom’s emotions.

“Mama sad?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Agatha swallowed and carried him down the stairs, heading for the living room. “Yeah, Mama is sad today, my baby.”

Nicky frowned and then kissed his mom’s cheek. “We can watch Encanto?”

This startled a laugh out of Agatha. Of course, he would recommend Encanto, he had been obsessed with it for so long when he was 5. “Yeah, we can watch Encanto.”

“Good, it will make you smile,” Nicky said, squirming to be let down.

Agatha sat Nicky on his feet and watched as he bounded into their cozy living room, pulling his dinosaur blanket and her witch blanket out of the basket in the corner, setting Agatha’s in the corner of the L-shaped sectional and his right in front.

“Do you want popcorn?” she asked, waving her hand to get his attention before signing to him. She knew that he could hear okay without his hearing aids in, but she never wanted to take chances. It would hurt her heart if Nicky ever felt like she was purposefully trying to ignore his disability or make him struggle unduly.

Nicky’s smile brightened and he nodded. Something caught Agatha’s eye and she drew closer, getting on her knees to pull Nicky in front of her.

“Mamaaaa,” Nicky whined, but let her pull him by his shoulders anyway.

“Smile for me, my love,” Agatha said, tears springing in her eyes when he did. “Honey, is your tooth loose?”

Nicky poked at one of his bottom teeth and gasped when it moved. It had been sitting crooked in his mouth, which was what caught Agatha’s attention, and he managed to push it back in place.

“Mama! I’m going to lose a tooth!” he cried excitedly. “Does this mean the Tooth Fairy will come?”

Agatha laughed at Nicky’s enthusiasm and ruffled his hair as she stood. “When it falls out, we will put it under your pillow and hopefully the Tooth Fairy will bring you a gift!”

Something mischievous glinted in Nicky’s eyes, but Agatha knew her boy well enough that she would have to wait until whatever plan he was hatching was in action to ask any questions and expect real answers.

So, instead, Agatha made her way to the kitchen to pop some popcorn and grab a sparkling water for herself and a juice for Nicky. He was partial to apple these days, but who knew how long that would last with that kid.

“Ah ha!” Nicky exclaimed from the other room, and Agatha gathered up the bowl and their drinks to investigate.

“What’s up, squirt?” she asked as soon as a hand was free. If it were any other kid, she would have just yelled from the kitchen, but she liked that she had to come to Nicky to talk to him when his hearing aids weren’t in.

“I did it!” he said, bloody mouth on full display as he smiled widely.

And Agatha be damned, there was a gap where a tooth had just been.

“Did it hurt? It didn’t look ready to come out yet, baby,” Agatha worried, reaching for a tissue in the box on the coffee table to clean up his face.

“I was ready to see the Tooth Fairy!” he said simply, as if there was no other answer. Agatha shook her head affectionately at her chaotic little boy.

“Well, she won’t come unless you’re asleep, so you can’t see her,” Agatha said, making Nicky pout. “Why don’t we take your tooth up to your room to keep it safe, huh?”

Nicky thought for a moment before nodding and running up the stairs, a happy giggle on his lips. Agatha followed dutifully, helping him rinse off his tooth and then place it on his bedside table.

“Okay, don’t move it until bedtime, okay? We will put it under your pillow together.”

On the way out of the room, Nicky hesitated before grabbing his hearing aids and putting them in.

“You know you don’t have to wear those, right, baby? Mama has her earplugs,” Agatha said as they settled into the couch, her nestled firmly in the corner and Nicky pulled up against her chest, bracketed by her legs. Only one blanket was draped over their laps, Agatha’s purple one propping up the popcorn bowl next to them because Nicky couldn’t be trusted to hold it with how squirmy he was.

“Yeah, but you’re sad, so I want you to be comfy,” Nicky said, pressing back against Agatha until she wrapped her arms around his belly and kissed his head. “That’s what love is, right?”

Tears sprang in Agatha’s eyes at Nicky’s words, falling even more in love with the sweet, kind, thoughtful little boy she was raising. He was everything to Agatha, her entire world. Nothing could ever compare to the amount of love she felt for this boy, this tiny human with her cheekbones and her dimpled smile.

“I love you so much, Nicholas,” she said, feeling overwhelmed by her emotions, feeling so grateful for him. “As long as I have you, I will be the happiest person in the world.”

Agatha pressed play on the movie and sat happily as Nicky danced and sang along to the movie they had seen so many times before. In this moment, with her son happy and healthy in her arms, none of it mattered. He was safe and he was warm and he was singing at the top of his lungs. In the pocket of her jacket was a portrait drawn by his own little hands with wide, happy smiles. Tonight, she would break out the sparkles and gel pens to write him a note from the Tooth Fairy, accompanied by a $5 bill. How could she ever ask for more?

divider: @strangergraphics

taglist: @6stolenangel9

#sweetmidnights writes #a tentative ellipsis agathario au #agathario #vidarkness #Agatha harkness x rio vidal #agatha harkness #rio vidal #agatha all along #agatha all along fanfic #rockband au #fleetwood mac au #agatha harkness fanfic

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