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deanbrainrotwritings · 7 months ago

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— i believe in a thing called love

SUMMARY : dean thinks you’re playing a game but he slowly realises you’re not.

PAIRING : dean winchester x fem!reader

CHARACTERS : none

WARNINGS/TAGS : explicit(18+), unprotected piv, oral (f. receiving), fingering, edging, praise kink?, horniness

WORD COUNT : 4.2k

A/N : title from a song by the darkness. this fills the square amnesia for my @jacklesversebingo card. I’m sorry yall, I like cliffhangers 😔 (but there’s a part two coming, yay!)

You don’t remember ever waking up to a more warm and pleasant morning.

Usually, you woke up after sleeping however many hours you could have, and always felt like it wasn’t enough. Your eyes burned with sleepiness, your body felt heavy with fatigue, and your mind was clouded with the darkness of unconsciousness.

Not this morning.

You felt light and warm, like the vapour of your too-hot shower. Your bed was soft and your sheets smelled of sweet and flowery fabric softener.

You opened your eyes to a room blanketed in complete darkness. There was not a window in sight for sunlight to slither into and your stomach sank slightly when you realised that you didn’t know where you were. Or how you got to where you were now.

Your nakedness beneath soft, thin sheets made you feel vulnerable. You pulled the sheets up your body and started to get out of bed, only for the sheets to catch on something. No, on someone. A man who groaned gravelly and slightly tugged the sheets away from you.

Your eyes widened, your blood went cold with fear, and your body became hot with adrenaline. You froze as you thought of what to do and looked around to see if you could make any shapes while the darkness smothered you.

“Come back to bed, sweetheart,” he pleaded lazily, his voice thick with sleep making your skin prickle. He gave the blanket a lazy tug to encourage you, but you ignored him. You didn’t know him, the audacity. You simply released the blanket and blindly made your way around the room for clothes that you must have left somewhere.

You heard him sigh tiredly, the blankets rustled when he shifted, and the room lit up with the quiet click of a lamp’s switch and you yelped when you saw him, equally naked, in the bed. He sat up in alarm and looked around, before just staring at you in confusion.

His hair was a mess and he looked tired… but hot. His arms were thick and strong. His shoulders were broad and a familiar tattoo rested above his heart, beneath his collarbone. He wasn’t ripped like someone who was obsessed with going to the gym and dieting. He was so damn fine. The thin blankets came lower down his hips when he sat up inquisitively. His stomach became taut and you could see the faint lines of his abs. At least you slept with someone hot and not some creep. Well… he could still be a creep.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing?” He moved the blankets from his hips, subsequently flashing you his dick, when he began to get up and make his way to you.

“No, stop!” You shouted, covering your eyes before deciding to cover yourself instead. He instantly obeyed and froze on the spot, bewildered. “Cover your eyes,” you demanded exasperatedly.

“What? Why?” He asked, but he still covered his eyes with his hand. But who could blame you for quickly stealing a glance at his very pretty cock? “Did you start your period? You’re not due for another two weeks.” You blinked at him, astonished and disoriented.

“Uhhh, what? How do you even know that, dude?” You flushed with embarrassment.

“Dude?” He lowered his hand to give you an irritated look. The only reason you didn’t shout at him to look away was that he wasn’t staring at you like you were a piece of cake. “It’s way too early for jokes.” He shook his head at you and turned around to sift through the tall dresser behind him. Your eyes hesitantly dropped to his perky ass and you forced yourself to look away before he turned to you.

Forgive me. I am just human.

“Where’s my damned clothes?” You asked, leaning forward over the bed to drag the blanket towards yourself to cover up. He turned with a deadpan expression while he slipped his boxers up to his hips. But when you lifted your brows expectantly, he rolled his eyes at you and smiled sarcastically, flourishing his arms in front of the dresser.

He was kind enough to pull out a black shirt that looked like it was his, then pink women's underwear, and finally some colourfully striped socks. He handed them to you, but you backed away.

“No, I’m not wearing that,” you refused, looking disgustedly at the cotton underwear and the small socks.

“It’s yours,” he told you flatly.

“What do you mean it’s mine?”

He blinked at you boredly and dropped the clothes on the bed to cross his arms across his very sexy broad chest. “Alright. How long are you gonna keep this up?”

“I… uh, what?”

He smiled slowly and climbed up on the bed to get closer to you. Once he did, he reached for your waist and tugged you forward. Your heart thudded heavily in your chest and you clutched the blanket closer to your breasts. Even standing on his knees in the bed, he was taller than you.

“What game are you playin’ at, hmm?” He asked seductively, gently squeezing your side. Your lips parted slightly and your heart raced.

You studied his face, captivated by his beauty. The crinkles at the corner of his verdant eyes called to you when he smiled down at you. You could see he was doing the same. His eyes followed a path along your face until they landed on your lips. You couldn’t help following the same path on his own with your eyes. After letting your eyes drift across the curve of his freckled nose, the line of his jaw, and the attractive stubble, your eyes fell to his pillowy lips.

His hand moved to your jaw. He looked playful and your heart sped up the longer he admired you. His calloused hand gently slid up your jawline to tangle his fingers in your hair until finally, he dipped down and kissed you. His lips felt soft against your slightly-chapped lips, but he didn’t seem to mind.

His mouth moved lazily, yet expertly over yours. Your stomach fluttered and your breath hitched. As simple as it was, it felt amazing. His lips on yours sent waves of need and excitement through your body, electrifying your skin.

He clouded your mind with his kiss and your mouth slowly fell open. He cupped the back of your head in his hand and tilted his head, slowly becoming more firm and needy. Your hand released the sheet from your body and your hands found their way into his soft brown hair. He hummed lowly in appreciation and splayed his free hand across the bare skin of your back.

He carefully removed his hand from your hair, then you felt his hands move to the back of your thighs. He broke the kiss momentarily, his breath against your swollen lips made you dizzy as he hoisted you up. You clung to him, dazed and aroused, and he carefully dropped you into the bed again.

His knees parted your legs. You could feel your arousal dripping down as you were exposed to the room’s cool air. He almost instantly pressed his hips to your wet core. You could feel the warmth of his hard cock against your pulsing clit. You moaned softly and he gave you a charming smile that heated your cheeks in response.

He leaned down to kiss you again. This time, his tongue pushed past your lips. The warmth and wetness of his saliva moved against your tongue. He did it as if he’d done a thousand times to you—shamelessly, with craving.

His lips moved passionately, firmly against yours. His tongue brushed over yours needily, lovingly. He tasted you with hunger and pulled away with heavy breaths, ignoring the string of spit connecting your lips to his.

He leaned forward again, except this time—when you closed your eyes—you felt his lips brush against your cheeks. His warm breath tickled your neck and ear, so shivers trickled through your body.

You squirmed beneath him and wiggled your hips longingly.

“I’m gonna make you come so hard on my tongue, baby,” he whispered. You cursed softly. Your cunt clenched with excitement at the thought of him doing to your pussy, what he’d done to your mouth. You almost didn’t feel him press wet kisses down your neck until he sucked gently at your pulse.

He moved down your body slowly. Used his teeth, tongue, and lips on your flesh to hold you in his spell. He did it so precisely, fanning the embers to create a fire of desire that overwhelmed your body with lust.

His lips brushed against your nipple and your heart lurched. Heat pooled between your legs, followed by a warm wetness that you somehow knew would boost his ego.

“Tell me what you’re thinkin’,” he whispered against your breast before gently sinking his teeth around your nipple. His fingers pinched the other. How he expected you to respond was unclear as he teased your sensitive skin with his expert tongue and strummed at your flesh like a professional guitarist.

“How did I end up here?” You replied quietly, carding your fingers through his short hair. He chuckled softly at your response, moved on from one breast to the other. His saliva on your abandoned nipple enhanced the coldness of the room, causing your skin to tingle.

His laugh was a whole other thing. Hot and deep. Everything about him seemed to be that way. Hot and deep.

His hand sneaked down to your ribs, your stomach, and stayed there. Warm, heavy, huge, and calloused. One hell of a man. You bet he could choke you with one hand.

You moaned softly at the thought and squeezed his sides with your thighs in attempts to alleviate your desire. It was futile, but you had a feeling that’s how he wanted you. He smirked against your breast, you could feel the stretch of a smile on his sinful lips, and he finally moved on.

“You’re so desperate today, aren’t ya?” Amusement seeped into his voice, but there was nothing amusing about the way his hand finally moved between your legs. He slid his middle finger through your folds, slowly teasing your clit with ghostly touches. “Always so wet, baby, fuck,” he moaned against your hipbone.

“Please,” you whined, clutching his hair tighter. He sucked a lavender mark on your hips and slid his lips down to your pelvis.

“Yeah?” He teased with a smirk. You loosened your grip on his hair, just slightly. His green eyes sparkled up at you, but all you could really focus on was his finger turning to two fingers that quickly dipped into your entrance to gather your excessive slick. “Fuck.” Oh, God. No one should sound so hot saying that word, but your stomach seemed to flip excitedly when it sounded so pleased. “Look at that, sweetheart. You’re soaked, it’s gonna be so easy for me to fuck you.”

“Jesus Christ,” you whispered, your toes curled with excitement.

He parted your folds with his fingers and lowered himself to level his mouth with your dripping cunt. His warm breath on your wet heat made you squirm and your legs shamelessly opened wider for him. The Pied Piper of sex.

His eyes fluttered shut when he kissed your clit. You don’t think anyone’s ever done that to you before. To be fair, you can’t remember much and you don’t know if it’s because of his intoxicating sensuality or because of something much more serious. Quite frankly, you didn’t care as he continued to kiss you down to your clenching entrance with hums of appreciation vibrating through your desperate core.

“Please,” you laughed breathily, weakly attempting to pull his face closer between your legs. He perked up even more at that, and flicked his tongue against your clit, perfectly striking a nerve like a chord that resonated through your entire body and made you quiver.

He flattened his tongue from your aching pussy to your clit, slowly and loudly savouring the taste of your arousal on his tongue. He did it over and over before settling for lapping at your entrance where your arousal puddled. His moans were husky and praising.

You gently weaved your fingers through his hair and panted heavily. His nose nudged at your pulsing clit and his tongue pushed into your fluttering pussy.

“Fuck, please,” you whimpered, tightening your grip on the hair at the top of his head. He hummed against your core and roughly licked his way up to your clit. Quick flicks of his tongue on your clit made you writhe with pleasure. Curses slipped from your lips and all you could think about was the sensation of how wet your pussy was with his spit and how close to coming you were again.

You felt one of his fingers slowly push inside your cunt. He worked you open carefully with one thick finger plunged deep inside you and simultaneously began to suck on your clit. Your body became tense; you were right on the edge of your orgasm, but he moved away from your aching cunt to quickly kiss his way up your flushed body, to reach your lips.

“I wanna come,” you pleaded quietly, staring profoundly into his greedy eyes.

He chuckled playfully at you and slowly pushed a second finger inside you. His breath fanned over your lips and you traced the slick of your pussy on his smug mouth with your eyes. He stroked your walls slowly, skilfully pressing the pads of his fingers into the sensitive depths of your cunt. You clamped down in desperation for him to press over and over into your g-spot, but he wasn’t merciful. He wanted you to feel the length of his fingers moving deeply inside you.

“Say my name,” he murmured against your lips. You squeezed his hips with your knees as you squirmed restlessly. Again, he made you delirious with pleasure after a request so you could do anything but properly think. He angled his fingers into that delicious spot inside you, but the buildup of your climax was as torturously slow as the stroke of his fingers.

“Your name?” You gasped mindlessly, closing your eyes to focus on feeling him being in all the right places. His lips brushed against yours, ignited your body like a spark to hot-wire a car. His thumb pressed gently into your clit and he slowly drew circles.

“Dean,” he whispered bewitchingly against your lips. You felt his arm press into the pillow beside your head and he tenderly brushed your hair away from your neck.

“Dean,” you moaned—begged, heart hammering in your chest at his tenderness. His response was instant, with his lips pressed against yours, numbing your mind once more, but a third finger slid into your pussy so you nearly toppled off the edge again. After a few thrusts that left you moaning wantonly against Dean’s mouth, his fingers disappeared from inside you. “God,” you cursed in irritation.

Soon, the entirety of his warmth was gone from your body. His bruising kiss left you breathless and thoughtless, but you managed to open your eyes to watch him lower his boxers with his thumb hooked at the stretchy waistband—leaving himself completely bare again.

Dean bit his lip as he stroked his cock with his fingers coated in your slick. He seemed more than happy to have you watch. And you were more than happy with staring at the girth and length of him in his hand. His cock was pretty, beautiful even—if you could even imagine. Throbbing. Leaking precum at the tip so your mouth watered for a lewd long moment. You bit your lip and wondered what he tasted like—hopefully as good as he looked, how he’d fuck your mouth if you asked him to.

The sight of him like this made your arousal skyrocket.

“What do you want, sweetheart?” He asked breathlessly, slowly making his way closer between your legs.

The thought of his cock stretching you out instantly drove you crazy.

Once he was close enough, he leaned over you again with his arm beside your head again. He slid his hot cock through your folds and your breath caught in your throat. He moaned softly. You tore your eyes from where he coated you in his precum repeatedly.

“I want you… inside me,” you replied bashfully, heat flared up to your ears and you squirmed involuntarily—desperate to be fucked as you ruined the sheets beneath you with your slick. But over and over he teased your clit with slippery circles of his tip that began to build your resolve. He wasn’t going to let you finish and you knew it.

“Which part of me?” Of course he’d do that.

You became frustrated quickly and remained quiet to think of your next move. Dean had taken you to a point where your confidence was merely pent up sexual frustration.

You sat up and climbed into his lap without a single thought. As shamelessly as he’d touched you, you gripped the base of his cock. His lips parted and his eyes widened in pleasant surprise when you took his chin between your fingers and kissed him hard. He gave you full control and released his dick so his hands could find your hips instead and pull you closer.

He felt heavy in your hand, the throb and heat of him made your grip tighten in anticipation. He moaned against your mouth when you slowly stroked up his silky skin, slick with his precum. You thumbed at the slit, smeared his excitement around the head of his cock, and sucked his bottom lip into your mouth.

Dean groaned softly and squeezed your hip. He slowly let himself lay on his back and pulled you down with your lips still locked in a breathy and covetous kiss. You twisted your hand upwards, faster, and emphasised the movement of your fingers beneath the head of his cock. He pulled away slightly with a gasp and found his place between your legs to run a teasing finger through your drenched folds.

“I’m gonna fuck you so hard… wanna bury myself inside of you,” he murmured against your lips.

“Oh, fuck,” you gasped instantly against his parted mouth, “yes.”

Dean kissed you hard and replaced your hand on his cock with his own again. He pulled away to catch his breath with you. Using his other hand, he brushed your hair out of the way and continued to pant for breath. He watched between your bodies, his throbbing cock in his hand, but you only watched him—curiously and longingly. He stroked himself slowly and he cursed under his breath when the tip finally breached the wet opening of your vagina.

Your breath hitched, but his name managed to slip out quietly. He hummed in satisfaction when you slowly lowered yourself on him. The delightful stretch of having him inside you weakened your knees and your pussy tightened around him. He thrusted upwards slowly, sliding his cock further into your wet heat, perfectly stroking your g-spot.

You pulled away a small distance and watched him become utterly enraptured. His freckled cheeks were tainted a deep red that spread up to the tips of his ears and down to his neck like a wildfire. He looked so fucking beautiful. His brows furrowed in concentration and his plush lips parted to release soft groans of pleasure that made your pussy throb around him greedily.

His eyes fluttered open and he leaned up slightly to reach your lips. He managed to land a small peck before you started lifting yourself up and down on his cock. A broken moan from him made you smile devilishly. He fell back into the mattress and squeezed your hips roughly.

“Dammit, you feel so fuckin’ good,” he praised breathily. You hummed softly and wrapped your hands around his wrists to guide his hands up to your breasts before bouncing on his lap faster, building a more steadfast rhythm.

“I love the way you feel, too,” you moaned softly, aroused at the sound of Dean’s cock entering your wet pussy and your skin hitting his when he was buried so deeply inside you the breath was nearly punched out of your lungs in surprise.

“You’re so unbelievably beautiful,” he continued to worship quietly, pinching almost painfully at your nipples, then teasingly brushed the pads of his thumbs over them—maybe soothingly. You moaned and leaned back with your hands on his thighs the closer you got to your orgasm.

One of Dean’s hands moved away from your breast to slowly slide down the front of your body. You watched him stare up at you, adoring you with his touch and lauding you in between groans and gasps of ecstasy. He squeezed your thigh encouragingly and cursed at the way you clenched your cunt around his sensitive cock.

You allowed yourself to close your eyes and let the pleasure of riding him saturate your mind and body. His hands moved along your body, praising without words when all he could do was groan and pant lewdly at your enthusiastic fucking.

He kneaded your breasts, squeezed your flesh, scratched gently at your skin. You were teeming with bliss and you were embarrassingly wet, but everything about him made you pathetically horny and he appeared to absolutely love every second of it.

Dean’s hand finally moved between your legs to find your clit and rub it continuously. His hips bucked upwards when you whined his name and clamped down on his cock as you orgasmed. Your body shook above him and he hummed low in his throat, partially amused, but mostly satisfied.

His thumb rubbed furiously at your clit—dilating the duration of your orgasm, intensifying it—and only stopped when you couldn’t handle it anymore. Your whimper and the way you weakly draped your body over his with your forehead pressed into his warm shoulder, stopped him.

You couldn’t process much after that, but soon your face was pressed into his pillow and your pussy was getting filled again with his cock. His fingers bruised your hips and you gasped out moans as your second orgasm began to build.

"Shit, you love it like this, don't you, sweetheart?" You were flustered by the soppy sound of your cunt every time he pounded into you from behind, but you were partially grateful that he was close to finishing. A perplexing, carnal part of you wanted him to keep ploughing into your pussy until you ached.

“Fuck, you’re such a good girl,” Dean praised gruffly. You only whimpered brokenly in response as he fucked you through the squelch and wetness of your second orgasm. Your toes curled with the unbelievable sensation that seized your body when you felt his cum fill you with warmth. His release slipped between your thighs in a mixture with yours and you cried his name as your walls pulsed around his throbbing cock.

Dean released you and your body sank completely into the soft mattress. He panted against your shoulder and murmured praises with his comforting hands sailing along your body.

Your mind slowly returned to the real world and the beat of your heart slowed to its normal rhythm. You were exhausted and you wanted to clean yourself up, but Dean had other plans for you: staying in bed and cuddling.

You willed yourself into getting up out of his bed. You sat up—his arm loosely around your waist—and became aware of the lack of windows and the wooden stake that rested at the far end of the little platform—a shelf really—he had above his bed next to a little fan.

“Um…” you trailed off, wiggling out of his arm to slide out of the messy bed.

“You’re seriously not gonna stay in bed?” He questioned you as you looked around, attempting to ignore the rest of your mixed release dripping from between your legs. You felt his fingers move between yours, then a sharp tug pulled you back in bed. Your legs were shaky so you ended up right back where he wanted you to be—in his embrace.

“Yeah,” you laughed awkwardly. You squirmed and wiggled until he finally released you, “I don’t know you and I need to… get back… somewhere, home.” He sat up on his side and stared at you blankly for a few seconds. No, he’s too beautiful.

You looked away and decided to pull “your” clothes from where he’d thrown it to get something to cover your body now that your post-orgasmic brain was becoming logical and self-conscious.

“Babe, drop it, we’ll play that game later,” he dismissed you with a cute snort. You groaned at him when he snagged his shirt from your hands. He slowly peppered kisses along your neck and shoulder and you were unable to fight him.

“Dean, I’m serious,” you tried weakly and gripped his hair to pull him away as gently as you could. You turned to look at him again and he backed off. “Look at me and tell me if I’m lying to you.” He rolled his eyes but held your gaze for a few moments as he contemplated you.

You saw the amusement on his handsome face but you continued to frown. The amusement faded into perplexity and concern.

“Ah, shit,” he muttered.

—> stone flower

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#dean winchester x reader #dean winchester #dean x female!reader #dean x reader #dean x you #dean x y/n #dean winchester smut #dean winchester fan fiction #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester x you #dean winchester x female!reader

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acid-ixx · 7 months ago

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why now? (again &. again chapter excerpt)

ft. yandere! damian wayne x kidnapped! reader

read until the end for an author's note. slight spoilers below.

"damian, tell me, why now?"

why now? you question that to yourself more often than you would want to. why now, instead of the past 13 and a half years when you were a nobody to the family? why now, when you had finally learned to love yourself and let go? why now, when you were finally out of their arms.

"huh...?"

your youngest brother snaps out of his focus on painting a canvas of you, body turning to your direction, curiousity peeping in his eyes. he acts like whatever you had said was bewildering, but you know he knows what your question meant, he doesn't need a repeat of your statement because damian is a no-bullshit brother— he simply wants to hear your voice.

his eyes used to look at you with contempt and disgust. you'd rather that than the current gaze of adoration from your brother, who now stares at your form seated on a papasan chair, now his muse for his current painting.

"why now, damian? why is it now that all of you guys are suddenly interested in me?" you repeat; exasperation, disdain, apprehension, all an amalgation of emotions in your tone. if he wants to play stupid, then fine, as long as you get what you want in the end.

you continued mumbling, voice echoing inside the room-turned-atelier. "last i checked, you were intent on murdering me just 'cause you hated me."

it was a quip, truly, a mere tease to his past actions. you didn't know just how much your statement offends him, eyebrowns furrowing as his gaze seems to harden.

it took him seconds to fully register what you had said. you wished you were quick enough to take those seconds to your advantage to bolt out of the room, to run away, but you can't.

"(name)," he sighs, standing up from his chair and easing his way to your seated form. you stand, too, not wanting to back out of what seems to be a forming argument.

he may be shorter than you by an inch or five, but you didn't want to admit just how much smaller he makes you feel.

"i have never told you i hated you." he says, as if it is a matter of fact, but you couldn't bring yourself to believe him, to believe what he wants you to hear. the wringing in your ears provides you the slightest bit of solace, but it wasn't enough to distract you from the words that come out of his mouth, words that contradict his past actions towards you.

"i may have injured you in multiple occasions, said hurtful things beyond redemption— for that i am deeply sorry for treating you, my older sibling, that way. but my intent to hurt you in the past never stemmed from hatred. i have never hated you, (name), and i do not have any reason to hate you."

you didn't know whether he was trying to convince you, or himself. you don't know how to feel, you don't want to feel anymore. fuck, you regret even talking to him in the first place. you feel so trapped, like you were in a dead end of a maze. you want to get out but you can't.

you didn't even know just how much you were heaving, tears welling in your eyes as you shiver; all the lies you had fed to yourself now biting you back in the ass.

you expected him to shift the conversation to something else, anything else, or even tell you to sit the fuck down so he could return to painting you.

what you didn't expect was, was his sudden turn of actions as his arms locked you in an embrace, his head nuzzling your chest as he pouts, head turning up, eyes gazing at you fondly like you meant the world. like he never once hurt you with his words and with his actions.

'push him away,' your mind tells you, but your heart clenches, beating erratically as if it was screaming at you to not let go.

you hate this. you hate that you feel conflicted, appalled at yourself for even fucking reciprocating his hug. it scorches you, you hate everything, you hate that you had always wanted this. you hate yourself for tearing up, hand shakily finding itself on his head, running through his hair.

you hate how warm you feel, how your chest aches at his affection, how both your grip on each other were strong as iron. how damian nuzzles deeper into the embrace, how he feels so vulnerable in your arms.

"why now, you ask? you always wanted this, right, (name)?" his words were muffled by your clothes, but you couldn't drown his voice out even if you want to. god, you wish you never asked him anything.

he continued, pretending as if you weren't choking on your own predicament, "dick was always the most experienced, tim the smartest even if i do not wish to admit it..."

he drawls on, listing every traits of your family, relishing in the thumps of your heart.

"—but you..." he stares at you deeply, fingers dig deep into your skin. but it doesn't scar you, not anymore.

"you are the most emotional... my older sibling, the one who got away. you're finally back..."

damian makes a show of tightening his grip, the space between the two of you near to nonexistent.

you had every strength to push him away, to send him tumbling to the floor unexpectedly. but he was always stronger than you, damian was always one step ahead of you. you're too tired to fight back, you want more. you need for him to let go but—

he has you in his arms.

you don't know how much time has passed.

"... i miss you and i love you, (name)."

reblogs and interactions are encouraged and appreciated.

a/n: 974 words. inspired by this panel. sorry for the delay for the new chapter so i'm giving you guys this erm, i was experiencing massive writer's block and mood swings (and a bit of imposter syndrome when it came to my writing). this is a drabble for a future chapter (not the next one) where they had already kidnapped you. damian is one manipulative fucker and writing contradicting feelings hurts my brain lmao !!

#🌷... yael's works #🧁... yael's misc.#series: again & again #yandere dc #yandere batfam #yandere damian wayne #yandere damian wayne x reader #yandere #yandere x reader #yandere x gn reader #yandere x male reader #yandere x you #yandere x y/n #platonic yandere #theres times where i cant write at all and times where i can write smth good enough 😭

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lionfanged · 2 years ago

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how is this man alive

#im sorry not sorry about all of the ace attorney posting i am simply BEWILDERED #truly the first character in the game to rly make me go 'excuse me'#which is saying something

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hwaightme · 2 months ago

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03:10 AM

(masterlist)

🌃pairing: bf!seonghwa x gn!reader 🌃genre: timestamp, comfort, healing, fluff 🌃summary: 3am, a time for overthinking. is love louder than your thoughts? 🌃wordcount: 1k 🌃warnings/tags: unedited, introspection, lack of confidence, two people in love, kissing, cute sleepy seonghwa, writer is rusty 🌃taglist: at the bottom. would love to add you if interested <3 🌃a/n: oh how i wish to write again, to pour words onto pages and let my heart bleed into the ink. this timestamp is mildly inspired by maro's 'we've been loving in silence'. sorry for rustiness, and any love is so appreciated...

Everyone is deserving of love. Love in all its shapes and colours. A love that looks like a tender conversation in a tiny kitchen, a love that looks like unstoppable laughter under the starry night sky, a love that looks like unwavering dedication and adoration even when it seems impossible. Every person is worthy of a love that makes their heart feel full while being fully aware of the world and all its complexities, shadows and anguish. A love that gives one hope.

Sometimes, this complicated feeling looks like speeding down the city streets as a salvation in the time of trouble. It could even look like a distraught, disjointed embrace accompanied by a cacophony of sobs and stuttered breaths. Love can look like feeling another’s pain, living through it as if it is one’s own. Love can mean heartbreak, over and over again until there is seemingly nothing left, and yet still the ground up powder of affection would be offered as a sacrifice to this mystery.

What is love to you?

You wonder, particularly on nights like this, when a blanket of calm covers the metropolis in which you found yourself, not too dissimilar to a shell being washed up on the shore to encounter a glorious, blazing sun. A twinkling magic on the other side of the glass greets you, and you rest a finger on the coolness, tracing distant shapes of building after building, only to haphazardly wipe it down with the edge of your sleeve. How did you end up in a place where you thought you would never be, feeling what you had sworn you would be unable to feel?

A gentle melancholy aches in your chest, etching the curves and edges of your ribcage, an incessant little bird, bubbling up that old sense of unease. What is this that you are living in? If you do not know, will it go away? The loud mind, an old friend and enemy, one which had accompanied you through all stages of your life, to find itself equally as bewildered as your heart, but a lot more terrified. Caught between bliss and a painful awareness of the unknown, you walk a tightrope blindfolded.

At least until a hand reaches out for you, warm, reassuring, and guides you across to an oasis. A beating heart, a familiar breath, palm pressed against your upper arm take you out of your spiralling musings, and beckon you to look in the direction of a soft, barely audible whisper of ‘my love’.

You turn to meet Seonghwa’s eyes, endless pools of glistening brown sugar, enough to both extinguish and ignite, turn dark to light and wrong to right. A timeless poetry is in his face, the rhythm of his features casting a spell over you as you glance over them. These sleepy eyes, stunning nose and cheeks that bear a pinkish hue, plush lips caught in a miniscule pout, dishevelled hair that you know your boyfriend tried to tame, to no avail. You turn your body to meet him fully, and fall into his arms. They envelop you tightly, and you inhale the ghostly remnants of his cologne, a tantalising note of his, and your favourite shampoo, all intricately blended with fabric softener and cotton - put simply, you are home.

“Why aren’t you sleeping, hm?” he asks, voice still a little raspy. It must have been only minutes since he woke up to find you.

“I’m sorry… Did I wake you?”

“Mm… no. Your absence woke me up,” you could cry, not that you would say it, or rather have to say it. Seonghwa knows how his words affect you anyways, judging by the swift squeeze of his arms before he returns to slowly rocking side to side.

“I just had a lot of thoughts. Wanted to get rid of them somehow.”

“Want to talk about them?”

You are not sure if you would be able to summon enough courage to talk about what is plaguing you, at least now, in the semi-darkness of yours and his apartment, you feel far too fragile to look inside of the boxes you keep shuffling. Unbeknownst to yourself, you begin to bite your lower lip, trying to pick the right words. Any attempt to formulate whatever excuse you have been seeking inevitably fails as Seonghwa’s lips find yours, erasing your habit, erasing your worry. Caught off-guard, a quiet gasp escapes you, only to be rewarded by an airy chuckle.

“So… not talking, then?” you press your face into the crook of his neck, sensing heat rising on your cheeks.

“You surprised me, is all…” you trail off, slowly guiding yourself upwards, but still being unable to meet Seonghwa’s gaze.

“I’ll happily kiss all your worries away, if that’s what it takes,” his tone is humorous, and the phrase is light-hearted. His glances into your eyes, at your lips, at the strands of hair that you know he will adjust for you like he usually does, holding promise and commitment. If you so wish, he will. If you so want, he will. If you so will, he most definitely will.

Your hands grip onto his sleeping shirt as you mumble a thanks, inching closer until your timid smile melts into his. A pleasantly languid rhythm, a moonlit paradise, drawing a masterpiece with your bodies until you are struggling to breathe. An adorable exchange of sweet nothings as you fill your lungs with air, no distinction of space nor time while you are in this trouble-less duet. A small peck on Seonghwa’s lips prompts him to pull you in again, eyes fluttering shut as he floats, flies, soars in love with you. You swear you can see the stars while the taste of his cherry lip balm lingers.

As you follow him back to bed, sinking into the sheets with a sigh, inklings of somnolence settle over your slow-moving intertwined bodies. His breath turns steady, a comforting rise and fall against your back. Seonghwa’s hand is over yours, thumb making random patterns on your skin.

“Dream of me,” he says against your shoulder, grinning when he hears your sharp exhale.

This, this is love to you.

🌃taglist: @shakalakaboomboo @charreddonuts @miriamxsworld @innsomniacshinestar @preciouswoozi @wooyoungjpg @wowie-hockey @hongjoongs-patience @jaehunnyy @maddkitt @ren-junwrld @marsstarxhwa @yeonjunnie @asjkdk @northerngalxy @my-loves-my-life @http-gyu

enjoyed? i would love to hear from you, it means the universe to me. thank you.

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milkhoon · 7 months ago

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Freak — L. Heeseung

⋆ 𐙚 ₊ 𓂃 Pairing: Nerd!Heeseung (Evan) x AFAB!Reader

⋆ 𐙚 ₊ 𓂃 Synopsis: You’ve heard a rumour about the university freak, but is he a freak when all he ever do is just existing? Well, maybe he is. In another term.

⋆ 𐙚 ₊ 𓂃 Content warning: Heeseung as Evan. Nerd and shy Hee, afab readear, mention of bullying a bit (Heeseung or Evan being called freak and people not really befriending him), smut, unprotected sex, p in v, fingering, cream pie, slow porn plotting and weird details, mild choking, name calling (doll, princess, good girl, slut). Let me know if I miss any.

⋆ 𐙚 ₊ 𓂃 Word count: 4k

⋆ 𐙚 ₊ 𓂃 Okay, this is obviously my very first post here and it’s a special one cause I write this for my best friend, my baby sister. She asked for this so I hope I won’t disappoint her. Pardon me and my typos or grammatical error too, not beta read yet and English is not my first language. Happiest birthday, A! We all love you so much. May your days get even better after this. XOXO.

You have often heard whispers about a “freak” on your campus, but the identity of this figure remained elusive amidst the sea of eccentric individuals inhabiting this quaint little community. It wasn’t until a group project assignment from your professor that you were thrust into an unexpected partnership with a certain Evan.

“Wow, he’s utterly heartless! How could he match you with a freak?” your closest friends exclaimed, perplexed by the professor’s choice.

“A freak?” you queried, raising an inquisitive brow at your friend’s assertion.

“Yes, a freak. Evan is infamous for his weirdness,” your friend continued. "Just observe his attire! Exceptionally dated with thick-rimmed glasses framing his face. And let’s not forget his near-silent demeanor! He rarely engages with anyone!” she elucidated, noting the perplexity on your face.

Was that enough justification for everyone to label Evan as a freak? Who’s to say that the man isn’t simply reserved? Or perhaps he struggles with mental health issues that remain enigmatic to others? You found the rumor weird instead.

“Perhaps he’s just shy. That’s all," you attempted to brush off your friend’s remarks, bidding farewell politely and veering towards a different corridor.

Your destination was to seek out Evan. Absent from the class for undisclosed reasons, your intuition guided you to the library, rumored to be the sanctuary for the misfits and intellectuals alike.

“Hi… you are Evan, right?” you ventured, addressing the figure that resembled your friend’s description. Clad in an old fashioned clothes — an oversized woolen sweater paired with threadbare denims, complemented by circular spectacles framing his slender frame.

Your outstretched hand hesitated momentarily as Evan stood frozen in place, a bewildered and startled expression etched across his features. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Oh, I’m sorry. I am (Y/N). We were meant to attend the same class earlier, yet you were absent. Our professor assigned us a collaborative project. I propose we talk about AI and its impact on artists. Though it may sound cliché, the subject matter is currently hot and widely discussed, right?”

Evan’s ears rang with a deafening silence that drowned out your words, his body tensed in an icy grip. His gaze remained fixed upon your countenance, a figure that had often pervaded his reveries with its ethereal allure.

“Yeah, hot and widely discussed,” he echoed, not in concurrence but to describe the allure you exuded. Hot. Sexy and attractive. Unbeknownst to you, Evan’s subconscious prompted him to discreetly graze his inner cheek, restraining a stray droplet of saliva.

“Great! Let’s meet at Cafe XX this afternoon since we agreed on our project’s topic then!" you said — or rather, not realizing what the man in front of you was thinking. You reached into your bag for a moment and handed him your card, “My number is written here. Call me if you need anything!”

Accepting the card timidly, Evan nodded meekly, he didn’t want you to think he looked stupid.

“Bye, Evan!” you waved a final farewell, departing the library’s confines.

Evan held the business card you gave him. Y/N. Y/F/N. He brought the card closer to his nose and breathed in your lingering scent. Sweet.

You were supposed to meet with Evan this afternoon as per your agreement, but suddenly, a heavy rain shower engulfed the earth without any warning. The sky, previously serene, now bore the burden of heavy rain, casting a pall of uncertainty over the horizon and your heart.

The task needed to be completed within a week, yet you found yourself a day behind the seven-day deadline. You nervously nibbled on your nails, not truly biting, just place the tips of your teeth to your finger. A hint of worry lingered. With one hand holding your phone, you messaged Evan.

You: It seems like we can't work on the task right now. The rain is pouring heavily here. How about tomorrow?

Evan: Oh… Evan: Don't worry. Evan: I can come to your place.

You: My place?

Evan: Don't get me wrong. Evan: I know you can't go out now, so let me. I don't mind the rain. Evan: I mean for us to finish the task quickly.

You: Okay. You: Here's my address. Just come up to the second floor. It's the farthest room. Knock when you arrive.

You breathed a sigh of relief. Evan’s idea wasn’t so bad. If you could finalize the concept today, the next six days wouldn’t pose any problem at all.

YY Street. Heeseung was familiar with the address you had sent. No, do not accuse him of being a stalker! He had never stalked anyone. He just happened to have seen you on that street, entering a three-story building.

Heeseung couldn’t fathom where all the sudden courage had come from that led him to offer the idea of coming to your place. It seemed like he had gone mad; you were driving him further into madness. An anxious restlessness consumed him as he made his way towards your place.

Nothing strange would happen. Yes, nothing would happen.

Repeatedly reassuring himself with those words like mantra, he suddenly found himself standing in front of the building where you lived. The taxi he had ordered departed a minute ago. His feet felt heavy, stepping one by one like a fool.

His hand timidly knocked on the door after successfully passing through the lobby guarded by a vigilant security, which only added to his nervousness. It felt akin to meeting a stern future in-law.

He could hear you shouting from inside, not too loudly, before the brown door creaked open slightly, revealing you peering out.

“Hey, Evan!” you greeted him cheerfully, opening the door wider and welcoming him inside.

Nothing strange would happen. Yes, nothing would happen.

Evan followed behind you like a duckling, then opted to sit on the floor instead of the sofa, perhaps because it was closer to the table. You offered him a drink, and in his shy manner, he left the choice to you. So, you made him a cup of hot chocolate. He must have been cold from braving the rain. Afterwards, you sat by his side, unaware of the palpable tension in his breath.

One hour. Two hours. Five hours passed by quickly for you. Evan was undeniably a shy man. He didn’t speak much, and when he tried, his voice came out squeaky and timid. Unconsciously, you giggled along with your cup of hot chocolate. He was adorable. The rumors about him were truly unfounded.

Oh, at least, that’s what you thought until you realized that the rain showed no signs of subsiding. In fact, it intensified, and you noticed that your room heater wasn’t working properly. You should have complained to the management and requested a maintenance visit. The chilly night air seeping in through the window crevices began to make you shiver. The crop top you wore clearly wasn’t helping, but you felt too lazy to change into warmer clothing, especially with a guest present.

Evan glanced in your direction as you hugged yourself, arms crossed and rubbing your sides. Summoning his courage once more, he asked, “Are you cold?”

Your head automatically turned towards him, lips rounding briefly after hearing Evan’s question. His voice didn’t waver like before. You simply nodded. The rain persisted, the room heater wasn’t functioning properly, and your attire wasn’t providing much warmth. Of course, you were cold.

Approaching you, not too closely, he reached for your hand, his much larger hand enveloping yours. You jumped in surprise but allowed him to hold your hand. You were confident he had good intentions, right?

For a few minutes, everything was quiet, but his hand continued to grip yours and stroke it, providing warmth.

His earnest and genuine demeanor touched you, although it was just a simple gesture. Unconsciously, you leaned in, closing the gap between you. He averted his gaze, now looking at you as if asking if you needed something. In a shy gesture, you unexpectedly kissed his cheek.

He froze, you froze. After a soft exhale, you said, “Um… thank you? You’re so sweet. I couldn’t resist, sorry.”

For a moment, he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, “Thank you?” was all that came out. You nodded.

“Because you helped me feel warmer,” you explained with a smile. He looked down, his ears turning red, a sign of his embarrassment.

“I can help you feel warmer if you want,” Evan offered in a very soft voice, almost inaudible if you weren’t the only two present in the room. If you hadn’t been paying attention or if you hadn’t been unconsciously focused on him all this time.

“How would you warm me up?” you inquired, prompting him to lift his head again. His round eyes sparkled in the light, truly endearing. It was as if he was questioning you and seeking permission. You nodded faintly.

Still with his hands clasped together, Evan cut the distance between you before one hand came under your chin; bringing you into a small kiss. He kissed your lips, then opened his eyes to reveal his round eyes again. Seeing no resistance from you, he continued. Sucking your lips, kissing them gently before his tongue taps your row of teeth—asking permission to enter. You were happy to welcome his tongue, buying it with yours. Fight for dominance for a while until you finally give in. He explores your entire oral cavity. Then you take more until your saliva drips down, until you run out of breath and slap his chest slowly. That’s when he broke the kiss. But it didn’t stop there, he didn’t let you breathe properly because next, he placed small kisses on the side of your jaw, then down to your neck. Giving you the same small kisses but with fewer sucks and nibbles, you couldn’t help but moan. Damn, he’s really good.

He enjoys every inch of your body, not leaving a single inch without being gently touched. Then, he took you onto his lap. His arms are wrapped intimately around your waist while he himself is busy giving licks to your nipples which are starting to perk up because of the cold air and of course because of arousal. He moved his tongue up and down, not finding the fibers of the clothes still wrapped around your body bothering. He only lifted your crop top a little afterward to do the same to the other nipple. This continues until he feels satisfied licking and sucking your nipples. His other hand suddenly slipped into the mini skirt you were wearing, rubbing your thigh gently but moving upwards. Getting closer to the center of your body. Playing with the hem of your panties, moving to the middle and pressing your lips. He could feel the cotton cloth was wet, he smiled crookedly.

You couldn’t open your eyes properly, not with all Evan’s touches everywhere. When you opened your eyes, it was clear that he was looking at you, writhing in amusement. With a charming smile. He would definitely look better without glasses, you thought. Taking off the glasses that framed his face. Choked up when you saw that his face was even more handsome like this, up close. You moved forward, taking him into a deep, hot kiss as you moved back and forth. Grinding on his thighs.

“Slow down, doll. The night is still young,” he insited while restraining your movements by locking your waist. “I will make sure you are ready first, okay?” he continued the activities that were previously disrupted.

This time he didn’t just rub the outside of your underwear but forced his way inside. Play with your clitoris before inserting a finger. Your eyes rolled, a suppressed moan finally coming out. Tears almost coming out.

“Hurts...” you moaned softly, he stroked your hair gently. Trying to calm you down.

“Shhhh... it’s going to hurt more if I don’t do this, you know it well, princess.” that’s what happened before he moved his fingers forward and back, slowly, slowly and then faster with each passing second. He also added two more fingers into your vagina, making scissor-like movements to prepare you. This continues until the walls of your vagina, which at first were very tight and sucked his fingers, making him wince and think about what would happen if he entered you directly, finally twitch.

“I'm close!” you squealed.

“Take it out, doll. Be a good girl and let it out for me.” he murmurs, still continuing to pound your pussy rapidly with his slender fingers. Not long after, the white liquid came out, soaking your panties which weren’t completely removed as well as Evan’s pants which he was still wearing.

With a satisfied smile, Evan pulled out his fingers from your twisted love tunnel, causing you to whimper with the loss of stimulation. You were drenched in your juices and the scent was intoxicating. He cleaned your thighs with a quick sweep of his thumb, savoring the taste before licking it off.

“Good girl,” he praised affectionately while maintaining eye contact, pushing the hair off your face. He leaned in, giving you another sensual, lust-filled kiss, and then positioned his thick, pulsating cock at your entrance.

The hand that had previously clutching your nape now slid up to cup your cheek. He pushed your panties aside and lower his pants. With a practiced ease, he then forced into you with a slick pop, your walls encircling his member. There was a moment of breathlessness, your eyes locking as he began to move within. In and out, filling you with each stroke as your legs gripped him, keeping him close.

The rhythm steadily built, a counterpoint to your growing sounds of delight. Your nails raked at his shoulders, leaving red trails as you clung to him. Then, the pressure within you seemed to reach the breaking point, a build-up of a storm threatening to burst.

Gasping for breath, you cried out, “Evan, I’m going to… I’m going to...”

Evan responded by increasing the pace, pounding into you mercilessly, his own climax beckoning. “Cum for me, doll,” he growled raggedly, the provocative words adding fuel to the fire that burned within.

The storm broke, the walls of yours being constricted violently, your orgasm crashing through. Keened, your nails digging into his skin, body bucking wildly matched his frenzied tempo, giving everything you had. The sheets beneath began to move, twisted and tangled as you chased the pinnacle of pleasure.

With a deep groan, he stiffened, his own culmination arrived, bathing both of you in his hot seed. He remained inside, holding you tightly as he rode the aftershocks.

Evan suddenly flipped you, making your hair spilling across the bed in a disheveled mess. He pulled out of you slowly, leaving you slick and wanting. As he did, you shifted, your hips still twitching with the lingering sensation of pleasure.

“Don’t be such a greedy slut, stop moving! I’m not done yet,” Evan warned you in a husky voice you never thought would heard before. He gripped your neck, not tight enough to cut off air but close enough to make you aware of his grip. It was a stark contrast to the tender moments, but his desire for control and intimacy was intertwined.

You shivered, your heart racing with a mix of fear and excitement. You nodded, indicating your consent. Evan shifted behind you, positioning himself at you entrance once more. “Ready for more, princess?” He murmured, his breath hot against your ear.

You moaned her response, your body aching for the promised fulfillment. Evan thrust back into you, his grip on your neck steady and firm. The dual sensation of the tight hold and his penetration built a crescendo of arousal within your again. Your mind swam in a hazy mix of trust, risk, and lust.

His movements were rougher this time, the echo of their sounds in the bedroom sharp and animalistic. Evan’s grunts filled the room, mingling with your whimpers and moans, punctuated by the sound of flesh meeting flesh.

You clawed at the bed, nails leaving crescent marks in desperation to find purchase. The friction of his sinful length against your inner walls whipped you closer.

“Evan... I’m close... again,” you gasped, feeling him swell inside. Evan pounded into you even relentlessly, his thrusts unyielding as he guided you to the edge. In a final surge, his release tore through, spilling into you once more.

He then pulled you into his arms after, both of you sprawled on the rumpled sheets. His fingers tangled in your hair, rubbing the tension from your scalp.

You cradled against him, your body still shivering from the intensity of the lovemaking. “You did a great job, princess,” Evan cooed, tugging the strands of your hair playfully, a small smile forming on his lips. He kissed your temple repeatedly as if saying sorry for the brief rude moment before.

Well, maybe your friend was right. He is indeed a freak. But in different term, only for you to notice.

#enhypen smut #heeseung smut #heeseung #smut #x reader #fem reader #one shot #idk what im doing #idk how to tag this #idk what im talking about #sorry #anyways #happy birthday #sister #lee heeseung

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sylusjinwoon · 7 months ago

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{ 181 }

perfect.

jinwoo sung x fem.reader

warnings: i need to write out a sudden brainrot with another thirst post. if n-fw stories make you uncomfortable, or you are a minor, i recommend you skip this story and read my more fluffy stories.

by choosing to interact with this 18+ content, you have consented to viewing something n-fw despite the warnings.

anonymous said: Reader who's insecure x Jinwoo who fucks the insecurity out of them, like wdym you think you don't deserve someone like him? Hecc no I am gonna marry you one of these days 🙄😍😍😍😍 LMAOOOOOOO

anonymous said: oh my god… Belly bulge kink + dacryphilia +feral Jinwoo; This sudden thought got me thirsty and tweaking forreal ಠ⁠,⁠_⁠｣⁠ಠ

jinwoo took notice of how oddly quiet you were after dinner. because it was your 5 year anniversary, he wanted to be his usual, doting self, wishing to spoil you with a delicious dinner while surprising you with yet another gorgeous piece of jewelry.

for this year’s anniversary, he gifted you a diamond necklace that had a diamond in the shape of a star, the chain made of white gold. your eyes were awed at such a gorgeous sight, and you were so choked up with emotion that you could do little but return his sweet kiss the moment he clasped the chain on your neck.

you had run to the restroom after dinner, and he recalls giving you one last kiss before you excused yourself. jinwoo had simply been scrolling through his phone, waiting for your return, when he sees someone from his periphery sidle up to him.

“hello handsome.” a sultry voice calls out to him, filling jinwoo with disgust as the woman presses her breasts against his shoulder. “i see you’re all alone, perhaps i can keep you company tonight?”

jinwoo’s eyes glow a threatening purple hue, and he nearly choked the damn wench when he icily tells her, “no, thank you. i’ve got everything that i need with the woman i love. she is the only one that has my heart, so i suggest you back away from me right this minute.”

perhaps it was the tone in his voice, or the way his handsome features were painted in a permanent scowl filled with hatred that made the loose woman immediately back away from him. she lets out a huff, flipping back her long curls as she hastily walked away from him (trying to keep what little pride she had left with her).

but damn, it seemed that the damage had already been done when you reappeared, expression appearing devastated as you clutch on tightly to the straps of your purse.

“sarang.” jinwoo’s voice loses all traces of annoyance and hatred upon seeing you. he gets off his seat, wrapping an arm around your form when he sweetly asks, “shall we head home?”

when a soft hum heard coming from you was all that he hears made the warning bells go off in jinwoo’s head. his eyebrows were furrowed, gently leading you away from the restaurant and back into the car as he drove you back home.

he was ready to open the door for you, but shockingly, you shove open the passenger door first, already marching toward your shared home with your keys in hand. feeling bewildered, jinwoo could do little but watch you with wide eyes.

his hands were clenched in fists, slamming it down against his vehicle, nearly placing a dent within it. you must have seen that damn minx trying to seduce him. he had to clear up all misunderstandings-

he had to remind you that you were the only woman for him.

after spending some time outside, (giving you a moment of solace alone), jinwoo follows after you, with a hand shoved deep into the pockets of his dress pants. locking the door, he goes toward your shared bedroom, pushing open the door fully to see you staring at your reflection with a forlorn expression.

your dress lay beneath your feet in a crumpled mess of fabric. dressed only in your undergarments, he watches as you pick and prod at your every features while running a hand down in a slow and deliberate manner down your body.

admittedly, just seeing you touching yourself (even in such a non-sexual manner) was enough to make a shot of desire course through him. feeling his pants begin to tighten, jinwoo had to let out a deep breath so that he could try to communicate with you properly.

“honey, what’s wrong?” he joins you, remaining behind you as he brushes his lips against your hair. a whimper escapes from your lips when you tell him (sounding completely and utterly heartbroken), “you deserve better than me.”

jinwoo felt his blood run cold just then, lips already parted to voice his protests when you interrupt him, “i saw the woman that came up to you tonight. she was gorgeous, jinwoo. her makeup and hair was flawless, and she had an hourglass figure that women die for. and look at me, i’m-“

“you’re the only woman who can make me this hard.” jinwoo leans down to whisper harshly in your ear, biting down against the shell of it as he purposely presses your half naked form to the spot between his legs, allowing you to feel the tent you had caused beneath you.

“j-jinwoo?”

he lets out a grunt of your name, wrapping both of his arms around your frame before slamming you down against the edge of the bed. eyes becoming dilated with desire for you, he gives your lips a searing kiss, groaning when he feels them part for him as he greedily steals a taste of you. while keeping his lips locked against yours, jinwoo takes off your bra that keeps your breasts hidden from him, uncapping it as he tosses it aside, earning yet another moan from you.

he was panting heavily as he looks down at you with lust and love in his eyes, seeing you nearly naked for him with the diamond necklace the only item that covers your body. such a seductive sight was enough to make his blood go red hot, making his cock grow even more for you.

he adored your kisses, he truly did-

but jinwoo was a starving man-

and he wanted a part of you that tasted so much sweeter than what your mere lips could offer.

jinwoo keeps your body still, kissing down every inch of skin he could reach before settling comfortably between the fat of your thighs. he sees the familiar wet stain against your panties, letting out a dark chuckle as he slowly takes off the damp fabric with his teeth alone. gently gripping at the bottom of your panties with his teeth, he continues to slide it down, allowing the sight of your soaked core to be freed for his eyes to see.

letting out a guttural groan of your name, jinwoo places his lips directly against your slick walls, his tongue diving in to taste and devour your honeyed sweetness as you cling to dear life against the sheets that made up your bed.

jinwoo knew your body better than the back of his own hand. he could play it like an instrument, eliciting the right amount of breathy sighs and high pitched moans as he uses his fingers and tongue to bring you to heaven.

when he feels you spilling yourself into his awaiting mouth, a dark chuckle escapes from him. he allows his lips to press a gentle kiss against your aching pussy before moving himself away from you.

“fuck, you taste so good… i can’t hold back anymore, i just can’t.”

your eyes remained hazy and unfocused when jinwoo simply tears off his expensive clothes, tossing them aside (like trash) until he was left just as bare as you were. while his hungry gaze remained honed in on your face, he could see the tears beginning to form against your pretty eyes.

and that just made his need to claim you increase even more.

with a groan, he pulls you closer to him by your thighs, the mushroom tip of his cock already pressed against your entrance when he immediately thrusts deep inside of you.

you cry out when he begins to harshly thrust in and out of you, leaving you a mess as you lost all of your senses. not a single coherent word leaves your parted lips, only able to gasp and moan and repeat babbles that sounded oddly like his name over and over again.

and jinwoo wasn’t faring any better, for the moment he completely sheaths his cock inside of you, that was the moment he lost all train of thought as well.

the powerful hunter was absolutely mesmerized at how well you were taking him in. just seeing the sheer girth of his erection being hidden inside of your sweet cunt, even bulging against your soft abdomen, was enough to make jinwoo cum right then and there.

such a sight was enough to make him pound into you even faster, muscles clenching in response as jinwoo’s sole purpose was to gift you pleasure-

and gift you pleasure he did.

after a few more expertly timed and angled thrusts, jinwoo could feel yourself clenching tightly around him, trying to milk him for all he was worth-

but it didn’t work.

even with the evidence of your sweet juices coating his cock, jinwoo remained painfully hard for you. he gives you a few seconds of reprieve before continuing to pound into you, allowing the evidence of your release to cause the sounds of his lovemaking to be more apparent. each thrust was accompanied with a wet, squelching sound that makes your face heat up considerably.

“jinwoo… oh my god… jinwoo!” your cries of his name were like music to his ears as he proceeded to make love to you, pinning you to your shared bed as your toes curled in response to each and every one of his harsh thrusts felt against you.

how could you possibly think that he deserved anyone that wasn’t you?

how could you not see that he actually saw a future with you, with the engagement ring he had plans on giving to you hidden within one of his drawers?

ah, but perhaps he’ll save his proposal for some other time-

a time where he isn’t busy filling and splitting you open with his cock as he brought you to paradise throughout the entirety of the night ♡

a.n. - i need to get this thirst post out of the way and out of my system, so please forgive me 😭🙏🏻 completely unedited bc this is so self indulgent agslggkhssdhf

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

#sung jinwoo x reader #sung jinwoo x you #jinwoo sung x reader #jinwoo sung x you #solo leveling x reader #solo leveling smut #.stories

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coco-loco-nut · 9 months ago

Note

Hii!

Can I please ask for an angsty fic with Max, where the reader defends him from Jos after not finishing his race in Melbourne...idk if you remember when Max kept his helmet for four hours after a race because he was afraid of what Jos would have done to him after not winning...and the reader basically tells Jos to get lost even if she's like 5'4 and definitely not as intimidating as them both lol.

And then maybe after the win in Suzuka, they "reconcile" but she still reminds him to act right around her boyfriend, who's now a man and not a little boy he could pressure like he once did.

Sorry if it's too long!! Thanks for taking your time and reading my request!

Guard Dog

Pairing: Max x Reader

Summary: You are sick and tired of watching Max take Jos' shit

TW: verbal abuse

A/n: thank you soooo much for the rec, I love writing these out so much <3

requests open masterlist

----------------

"Maxie... are you okay?" you wait patiently by the door to his driver's room, careful not to barge in like Jos would, as you have for the past year since you first witnessed Jos' beratement of his son. He is sitting on the couch with his helmet between his hands. The fire causing an unpleasant start to the race, and you are just glad you got here first.

"I'm okay," his voice cracks and you step into the room, closing the door behind you. "I know it wasn't my fault, but I can't help but feel like it was my fault," Max looks in your eyes, the fire brewing behind them. You were genuinely the sweetest girl he's ever met, and to get you mad took a lot. God help you if Jos shows up, you are tired of Max feeling bad even when he podiums.

"You're right, you didn't do anything wrong, the car failed you today," you stay calm, sitting beside him and cuddling into him. Max stays quiet, enjoying your warmth, and decompressing from the start. He can understand why the fans were so happy to see him lose, in fact, if he wasn't himself, he would join them. No, the fear of his father is what has him on edge. Rightfully so, because a few seconds later the door is slammed open again.

"Max, what the hell did you-" Jos starts and you launch yourself off the couch. Jos and Max were big guys, and you were average height for a woman, 5'6 or so, but you didn't seem like it in that moment.

"Shut the hell up and leave. You have nothing useful to say and you are going to shift blame to Max who had NO fault in the DNF," you snarl, setting yourself up as a barrier between the two, Jos still in the doorway and Max on the couch.

"Girl, I don't know who you think you are, but I am Max's father, and I can-," You cut Jos off before he can continue.

"No, you aren't his father. A father doesn't talk to his son like that, you are simply a man who shares the same last name as Max. A father is someone like Carlos Sainz Sr or Lawrence Stroll. No, you are a man- sorry a boy in a man's body- who can't cope with the fact that he doesn't race anymore and wants the man who shares the same last name with him to be impossibly perfect and win every single race, even when the car breaks down." You sneer at the man. "You need to leave, before I call security and make them remove you," you don't back down, instead you step closer. Max watches in both awe and fear.

"I-"

"Leave, Jos, now. Don't make me repeat myself," you say, practically slamming the door behind him. You turn around and look at Max, seemingly calm and normal. He looks at you bewildered.

"That was the sexiest thing ever. Thank you, Schatje, you didn't have to do that," Max hugs you, a large weight off of his shoulders.

"Of course I did, who else will be your guard dog?" You smile at him, squeezing him tighter. "Now, get changed and get back to the garage," you tell Max, stepping out to the room. You let out a deep breath, surprised with how you treated Jos and stood up for Max. A couple minutes later, Max rejoins you, quickly stopping inside hospitality for a snack.

The two of you avoid Jos, going extremely low contact, not that he was trying to. Jos would never admit it, but he was embarrassed at how you spoke to him, and his retreat allowed him to ignore it. Instead, you and Max enjoyed your time together in Japan. The both of you were aware Jos was there, but chose to ignore it. After Max won, Jos warily approached the two of you.

"I wanted to congratulate you on winning. You drove well," Jos says stiffly, silently calling for a truce. You let Max take the lead on the conversation.

"Thank you," he says, feeling like a little boy again, but accepting the temporary truce.

"It was good seeing you Jos, but we need to go," you interject, sensing the still tense atmosphere. The older man, still a little scared of you despite your sweet demeanor, lets you go, not quite willing to cross you again.

"Love you, Maxie"

"Love you too, Schatje,"

#f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 imagines #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen imagines #max verstappen #i hate jos verstappen

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maldaptivedreamer · 12 days ago

Text

Hearts That Beat In Time - Arcane

The saloon sits unchanged, a relic of time frozen. The warm lights cast a golden glow upon your face, highlighting every contour and crinkle as you let out a laugh. The thick straps of your blouse hug your shoulders, framing the smooth expanse of bare skin on your collarbone. Your skirt flows gracefully around you as you perch on a worn stool at the bar.

A woman quickly follows, taking a seat to your right.

Sevika's pale, ashen eyes narrow with suspicion as the woman's hand glides over your arm, a sly smile playing at her lips. You laugh at something the woman says and Sevika's gaze follows the stranger’s every move, her expression growing more wary.

Her sharp eyes never leave you as you turn to Vander in confusion, shrugging and shaking your head at whatever he says.

She tenses as your eyes flicker back to her with a bewildered expression. Your face brightens as you see her standing there. The woman’s hand falls from your arm, as you spin in your chair and wave her over.

content: Sevika x fem reader, errors/mistakes, wild west au, outlaw/cowboy sevika, maybe slight ooc Sevika, prob lots of loose ends, name calling/nicknames, light angst for like a second, more crying, domestic Sevika, awkward Sevika, wlw smut, cunnilingus (r! giving), fingering, strap-on (r! receiving), calls strap her cock, soft sex, praise kink, found family stuff, cheesy shit ahead

wc: ~13.5k

a/n: Howdy sinners! I give you soft and loving sex as well as awkward and domestic Sevika! Mayhaps not my best work but I had a lot of fun writing this part!! Hope y'all like the end and thank you so much for reading this series. I'm genuinely so touched by the love and support!! 💕 Taglist open for arcane fics!! Just lmk or interact with the taglist post!

MINORS DNI NSFW 18+

Masterlist Previous Part

Sevika slowly approaches, smoke escaping from her flared nostrils.

“Why were you lingerin’ like some creep?” You tease with an alluring grin and motion for her to sit in the empty chair to your left.

Sevika simply shrugs, her eyes flickering to the other woman before sitting down in the chair next to you. She can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as you turn your back to the woman to give her your full attention.

"Was just admirin’ a pretty face from across the bar." She replies casually, glancing at the other woman before focusing on you. Or more specifically, the brown strip of worn leather around your neck.

Amused, you nod at Vander before twisting in your chair to lean against the counter. “I’m sorry to ruin your stranger roleplay, cowboy, but I’m not sendin’ you a drink from across the bar to fulfill that fantasy. You'll have to chat me up a little first.”

A soft scoff escapes from Sevika's lips before she stifles a laugh. Her boots shift against the floor, the leather creaking softly. “You tellin’ me I have to work for that free drink you owe me, angel?”

Your head bobs slowly as you nod and you click your tongue, stealing a glance at Vander as he pours a generous amount of bourbon into your glass. “I am, cowboy. I wanna see you work for it.” You mumble with a sly grin.

“Ridin’ for you wasn’t enough, angel?” She chuckles, her eyes following your every move as you nod gratefully to Vander.

You raise the glass towards her with a smirk in silent response. She watches intently as the smooth amber liquid disappears between your parted lips.

Her silver eyes grow hooded and her voice drops into a sultry tone. “That’s too bad about that fantasy. I was gettin’ all kinds of hot and bothered thinkin’ about talkin’ to you like it’s the first time, angel.”

You send her a flirty wink. “Well, we can put a pin in that idea for later.”

She lifts a brow, raising her eyes to yours. “Later? That sou-“

“Ahem.”

You startle slightly as the woman behind you clears her throat, momentarily forgetting about her presence. Sevika's smirk falters and she rolls her eyes, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

Feeling slightly guilty for neglecting her, you straighten up in your chair and offer an apologetic smile. “Jules, this is Sevika.” You introduce with an amused glance towards Vander, who silently hovers nearby. “Sevika. Jules.”

Jules extends her hand to Sevika with a tense smile. "Nice to meet you, Sevika."

Sevika eyes Jules's outstretched hand for a moment before shaking it, her grip perhaps a bit firmer than necessary. "Likewise." She says, her tone neutral.

You clear your throat awkwardly and their hands fall to their sides. "Jules is new in town." You explain. "She's started at that boxin’ ring I told you about."

"That so?" Sevika replies, her silver eyes never leaving Jules's face. "Welcome to town."

Jules nods, her smile faltering slightly. "Thank you. It's been quite an adjustment, but everyone's been so welcomin’." Her eyes flick to you briefly. "Especially you."

You feel your eyes widen sightly at Jules's words and the implications behind them. “Of course. It’s my pleasure welcomin’ anyone new to town.”

Jules turns to face you, reaching out to give your hand a brief squeeze. "I should get going. It was great catchin’ up with you.” She says, glancing briefly at Sevika. A tense look flashes across her features before she sends you another charming smile. “Can’t wait to do it again."

You nod. "Take care, Jules."

As Jules walks away, you turn back to Sevika, noticing the tightness in her jaw. "You alright there, cowboy?" You ask, a hint of amusement in your voice as you take another sip from your glass. “I already told you, Sev, there’s no need to be jealous.” You tease lightly.

Sevika scoffs, her eyes barely flickering back to the retreating woman. The corners of her lips curl into a smirk as her eyes return to the necklace around your throat. “I’m not jealous. She’s just a girl and I know that’s not what you want. What you need.”

Leaning in close to your ear, she brushes her nose against your hair and whispers, her voice husky and alluring. “You need a woman who will worship you and put you in your place when you need it.”

“Oh.” You lift your brow, with a smirk. “And you think that’s you?” You sound amused but there's a hint of breathiness in your voice.

Sevika chuckles lowly, her voice dripping with confidence. “I know that’s me, angel.” She corrects. “Of course…” Leaning back in her chair, she drapes her arm casually over the back of yours.

“If there’s someone else you have in mind, then by all means, angel.” She challenges, waving her left hand in invitation.

Shaking your head with a smirk, you glance down as she casually spreads her legs in front of her. Licking your lips, you rest your hand on her thigh with a wicked grin. “You’re right, cowboy. You ain’t got any competition. I was just wonderin’ why you thought you fit the role.” You tease, trailing your fingers up and down her inner thigh.

Sevika’s eyes dilate as she stills your hand with hers. “You’re flyin’ a little too close to the sun, angel.” She murmurs huskily.

Undeterred by her warning, you lower your voice even more and lean in closer. “So, why don't you bring me back down, cowboy?” You challenge.

Sevika's grip on your hand tightens slightly. "Careful what you wish for, darlin'." Her voice is low and gravelly, sending shivers down your spine. "I might just take you up on that offer."

You feel your breath catch in your throat, heat rising to your cheeks. "You’d put out for me this fast? I haven’t even bought you that drink yet, cowboy." You manage to whisper back, your voice slightly shaky.

Vander lets out a deep sigh as he comes to a stop in front of both of you, shaking his head disapprovingly. “You two are gettin’ awfully comfy. And as much as I like seein’ you happy, kid, I don’t wanna see you gettin’ too happy in my bar.”

Clearing your throat, you shrug at Vander with a grin and lower your hand to rest comfortably on Sevika’s knee. “Apologies, Van.”

Vander sighs, giving Sevika a look. “Don’t matter how long it’s been, seein’ her back is still jarrin’.”

You stifle a laugh and roll your eyes at him. “Well, it only took her almost dyin’ and losin’ an arm but she’s back for good.”

Sevika chuckles, though there's a hint of tension in her shoulders. "Better late than never, right?" She says, her tone light but her eyes searching yours.

You squeeze her knee gently, offering a sincere smile. "Of course, cowboy." You agree softly.

Vander grunts again, his eyes moving between the two of you. "Need another drink, kid?" He says, his tone gruff.

Humming, you nod. “Yeah. Two please.”

The sound of ice clinking in glasses fills the air as he pours two drinks, the amber liquid swirling together lazily. Nodding at you with a stern look, Vander leaves you both to enjoy your drinks.

Sevika's hand comes to rest over yours on her knee. "Finally earned my keep, angel?"

Swirling the glasses around in your hands, you offer her one with a charming smile. “No. But I’m sure you will soon.”

She raises her eyebrows in amusement as she accepts the glass. A familiar warmth spreads through her body as she takes a sip, her gaze locked onto yours.

You follow the movement of her throat as she swallows the amber liquid, transfixed. Lightly drumming your fingers on her thigh, you bite your lip. “You said this is at my pace, right? So I need to be the one who makes the first move?” You mumble, almost absentmindedly as your eyes trail over her.

A slow grin spreads across Sevika's face. “That’s right.”

You lean in close, your lips almost brushing Sevika's ear as you whisper. "Good. Because I think I'm ready to make that move."

Sevika's breath hitches audibly, her grip on the glass tightening and body tensing with anticipation. "Is that so, angel?" She murmurs, her voice husky.

You pull back just enough to meet her gaze, a hungry glint in your eye. You let your fingers curve further up the inside of her thigh. "Mhmm." You hum, the sound vibrating through your chest. "I’m free until tomorrow evening. So… what d’you say we go to your room at the Inn?"

Sevika's silver eyes darken with desire, mirroring the intensity in yours. She downs the rest of her drink in one swift motion, never breaking eye contact. "Lead the way." She growls, her voice rough with want.

Leaning in closer, you tilt your head at her and brush the pad of your thumb over her lip slowly, wiping away a bead of alcohol. Sevika sits stiffly, dilated eyes locked on yours as she watches you lick the droplet from your thumb. You graze your nose along hers and ghost a kiss over her lips before slowly drawing back.

Standing up, you toss a handful of coins on the counter and take Sevika's hand in yours, pulling her up with you. With a casual wave to Vander, who nods knowingly, you lead Sevika towards the door and out into the night air.

…

With a click of the lock, she tugs you inside with a sense of urgency.

The skin on her lips is soft and plump as they consume yours. You trace her bottom lip with your tongue, mirroring the path your thumb had taken minutes before. A moan escapes your throat as you finally taste her- a hint of bourbon mixed with something wholly her. Your tongue eagerly explores her mouth, chasing after the taste of her.

Breaking away from the heated kiss, your breaths come out in ragged gasps and you force yourself to slow down. Swallowing hard, you press your forehead against hers and caress her flushed cheeks.

With a gentle stroke, you tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear before leaning in to capture her soft lips again. "Lay down for me, Sev." You whisper huskily, your warm breath fanning over her skin like a tender caress.

She hesitates, her head shaking slightly as she protests. "It’s been too long. I wanna taste you, angel. " She voices, her tone filled with need.

"Of course you do, cowboy.” You smile at her, your fingers slowly unbuttoning her shirt. "And there’s time for that later. But right now, I want to worship you and maybe knock you down a peg or two." Your words are filled with an equal mix of adoration and playfulness.

With careful movements, you slide her shirt off her shoulders and then remove her tank top without any resistance from her. “And you gotta do what I want cause you still feel really, really bad for leavin’ me.” You add, pulling her closer to you.

"How long do you plan on milkin’ that, angel?" She asks with a hint of amusement, watching you undo her pants.

Chuckling, you look up at her. "As long as you'll let me get away with it."

Sevika smirks back at you, her fingers tracing along the curve of your hip. “Then enjoy it while it lasts, angel.” Without warning, her fingers pinch the skin of your hip and a sharp yelp escapes your lips as you jolt towards her.

"Hey!” You protest, giving her a mock glare before stepping back from her touch. “You can finish undressin’ by yourself.”

“I’m sorry, darlin’.” She apologizes as she strips off her clothes, clearly amused by your reaction.

Pursing your lips, you cross your arms over your chest and watch as she undresses.

Your teeth sink into your bottom lip as you raise your gaze to meet her eyes. They then trail down to the gentle curve of her breasts, where her perky nipples stand at attention. You let out a mumbled remark, barely audible over the sound of your heart thumping in your chest. "You're lucky you're hot."

She lets out a soft snort in response, her own lips curving into a smirk that matches yours.

You lean in, your hand reaching out to gently cup her cheek as your gaze shifts to her arm. The darkened, scarred skin contrasts sharply with the gleaming metal of her prosthetic limb. “If you ever get uncomfortable or you wanna stop, just tell me. Okay?” You say softly, your voice filled with tenderness.

Her piercing silver eyes harden and her body tenses under your touch, sensing your eyes on the scars that adorn her skin. "Does it bother you?" Her voice is guarded, but there is a hint of vulnerability in her question.

Without hesitation, you shake your head, your eyes never leaving her face. "No, Sev. Never." You assure her firmly.

Your fingertips, light and gentle, trace over the faint trails of lightning that are etched into her skin. Nails gently graze down her cheek, trailing along the soft curve of her neck and finally coming to rest on the skin of her shoulder.

"Maybe it's stupid." You begin, vulnerability creeping into your voice. "But I wanna show you, give you, the love that I couldn't when you got hurt." You say, almost pleadingly.

As your words wash over her, Sev's guarded expression softens like melting snow. Her pearly eyes glisten with emotion, reflecting the devotion in your voice. She catches your hand, bringing it to her lips and pressing a gentle kiss to your palm.

"You've always given me more love than I deserve, angel." She murmurs against your hand, her voice filled with raw emotion.

You shake your head, cupping her face with both hands. "That is not true." You whisper fiercely. "You deserve everything, Sev. Everything and more."

She leans into your touch, her eyes fluttering closed. When she opens them again, they are filled with a love that takes your breath away. "Show me." She breathes, her voice barely audible but filled with longing and desire.

You trace your fingers along the contours of her face, memorizing every inch as if it were a delicate work of art.

"Relax for me, Sev. Lay down." You urge again, your voice a soft whisper in the dimly lit room.

This time she complies, her muscles loosening at your command.

She slowly backs up toward the bed, the back of her knees brushing against the edge of the mattress. She sinks into it gracefully, her gaze never wavering from yours. The dim light from the lamp casts soft shadows on her sharp features, making her look like the goddess she is. She waits for your next move with bated breath, her body trembling with excitement.

The sight of her lying on the bed, body splayed open and eyes filled with raw desire and affection, shoots a surge of ecstasy through your veins. Each step you take towards her feels charged as you shed your clothes, leaving you in nothing but the necklace she left you.

Climbing onto the soft mattress, you settle yourself over Sevika's stomach. Your palms find purchase on her shoulders as you lean down, hovering just inches above her parted lips.

"Is this okay?" Your whispered question hangs in the air, mingling with the soft sounds of your breath and hers.

Sevika nods as her hands rest on your hips, pulling you closer. "More than okay, angel." She murmured, her voice laced with admiration.

You kiss her slowly, lovingly.

The warmth of your skin bleeds into hers as your bodies meld together, your weight resting on her in a comforting embrace. Your breasts brush against hers as you consume each other, skin sliding against skin. You hope she can feel, taste, the love dripping from your tongue, like you can hers.

With gentle caresses, your fingers trace a path along her jawline, down her neck, and across her collarbone. Sevika's breathing quickens and she arches towards you, her hands gripping you tighter. The sharp metal in her hand pierces your hip, but you pay no mind to the pain as you part from her lips.

Your heart fills with an overwhelming tenderness as you take her in. "You are absolutely stunning." You breathe out. You fully intend to savor every moment by mapping every inch of her body with reverent touches and soft kisses.

You start with her forehead, tracing the delicate curve of her brow before moving to her eyelids, gently pressing your lips against them. Your lips then trail down to her nose, planting tiny kisses along its bridge before resting on her full, inviting lips.

With a low, soothing hum, you trail your lips further down the hard contours of her body. She quivers beneath your eager tongue as you pepper her throat with wet, fervent kisses and you pause to suck gently at her pulse point. She lets out a soft gasp, her fingers tangling in your hair.

Sevika’s scars tingle with each gentle caress of your lips and she releases a deep groan as you tease her erect nipple with the pad of your thumb.

Your lips trail lower, savoring the taste of her skin as you move down her body. You lavish attention on her neglected breasts, swirling your tongue around each nipple before gently sucking. Sevika’s back rises from the soft bed, a soft moan escaping her lips.

"Angel." She breathes, her voice husky with desire.

You look up at her through your lashes, releasing her nipple with a soft pop. "Yes, cowboy?"

Her silver eyes, filled with a fiery desire, lock onto yours as she whispers in a low, demanding voice. "Stop teasin', angel." Her hips lift off the bed as she tightens her grip on your hair.

You smile against her skin, following her command. Your hands caress her sides as you kiss along her toned stomach, feeling the muscles quiver beneath your touch.

With a soft hum of approval, you settle between her legs, hooking them over your shoulders. Your eyes roll into the back of your head as you inhale the scent of her. You pause, looking up at her with hooded eyes.

“You’re perfect, Sev.” You say softly, your breath ghosting over her heated flesh.

“Ang-”

Whatever response she had is cut short by a loud moan.

Your eyes flutter with relief and you whimper as you dive into her wet, warm pussy. The dark, coarse hair on her core tickles your nose as you circle your tongue around her pretty clit. The musky scent of her desire and pleasure surrounds you.

Sevika's hips buck against your face as you lick a broad stripe up her slit. You hold her thighs firmly, trying to keep her in place as you continue your ministrations.

"Fuck, angel." Sevika gasps, her metal hand gripping the sheets while her other hand tangles tighter in your hair. “You’re fucking perfect and so good for me, angel. To me.”

You moan in response, your tongue exploring every fold and crevice, savoring her taste. You lap at her entrance before focusing your attention back on her swollen clit.

Your tongue circles her clit before sucking it gently between your lips. Sevika's back arches off the bed, a string of curses falling from her lips.

Alternating between quick flicks and slow, firm strokes, you slide two fingers inside her. Your mouth never leaves her clit as you pump your fingers in and out, feeling her walls clench around them.

You maintain a steady rhythm, humming against the sensitive flesh of her core. Each quiet moan and hoarse groan that she releases encourages you.

Sevika's voice is strained as she warns you. "I'm close."

Your heart races as she nears climax, her body trembling beneath your touch. With one final push, you bring her to the peak of ecstasy, your name falling from her lips in a choked groan, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Licking your glistening lips, you gradually slow your fingers before curling them out of her.

Resting your cheek against her thigh, you feel a sense of blissfulness wash over you. Your eyes glisten with salty tears of adoration as you whisper. “I love you.” Nuzzling into her skin, you breathe her in. “I love you so much, Sevika. More than words can express, Sev.”

Sevika's chest heaves as she comes down from her high, her body still trembling with aftershocks. She looks down at you, her silver eyes filled with an intensity that takes your breath away.

"Come here." She whispers, her voice hoarse.

You comply, pressing a quick kiss to her hipbone before crawling up her body until you're face to face. Sevika cups your cheek with her flesh hand, her thumb gently wiping away a stray tear.

"I love you too, angel. I am in love with you." She murmurs, her voice thick with emotion. "More than before. More than I ever thought possible, angel."

She pulls you down for a kiss, slow and deep, her lips molding perfectly to yours as she tastes herself on your lips. Tears escape the corners of your eyes, wetting her cheeks as you lose yourself in her. When you finally part, she rests her forehead against yours. As both of you catch your breath, her eyes close in blissful surrender.

"You’ve got my infernal soul in your hands, angel." She whispers, her voice trembling with emotion as if giving herself completely to you.

Swallowing, she brushes your hair back. “Will you let me show you how much I love you now?” She whispers against your skin, peppering your nose with light kisses. “How much I missed you?”

You struggle to hold back a sob as you shakily nod, your emotions threatening to overflow.

With a gentle touch, she helps you roll onto your back. Her lips linger on yours for a moment before she slips away into the bathroom, the sound of her movements echoing through the room. You wipe at your tear-stained cheeks and watch as she reappears.

A purple member bobs between her legs as she walks toward you. Her hips sway with each step, two sets of straps adorning her body. One set hangs low on her hips, the other crossing over her waist. But it's the delicate curls of her core that truly captivate you, peeking over the top of the centerpiece.

Your mouth goes dry as she approaches the bed with a predatory grace, her eyes dark as they roam over your body. You gasp in excitement and anticipation as she settles between your spread thighs.

She captures your lips in a searing kiss, her body pressing against yours. You moan into her mouth as you feel the toy brush against your core. Sevika breaks the kiss to trail her lips along your jaw and down your neck, nipping and sucking at your sensitive skin.

"I've dreamt of this." She murmurs against your collarbone as she thrusts her fingers into you. You gasp in pleasure, your nails curling into the soft flesh of her shoulders as she continues. "Of comin’ back and showin’ you how much I love you.”

She eagerly explores every inch inside of you, scissoring her fingers apart to stretch you open. “Dreamt of lovin’ you with my cock, angel.” She confessed, harshly biting at the skin of your shoulder. “Stretchin’ you open as I make you mine.”

You moan at her words, each wet thrust of her fingers pushing you closer to the edge. “An’ you’re mine.” You mumble back possessively.

You can feel her desire radiating from her fingertips and it only intensifies yours. The rough pad of her thumb flicks at your throbbing clit and you cry out your release.

Sevika's soft chuckle fills the air as she revels in your response. “Course, I’m yours. All…” She pauses, lifting her glistening fingers to her mouth, her eyes never leaving yours. With a groan of pleasure, she sucks on her digits before slowly releasing them. “Yours.” She finishes with a sultry smirk.

You feel a lump in your throat and inhale sharply, shifting your thighs higher on her hips as you pull her closer. The weight of her member rests on your core and she grinds it into you. Her breath is hot against your neck as she whispers. “You ready for me, angel?”

Your whole body trembles in response and you nod eagerly, your hands sliding down to grip Sevika's hips. "Yes." You breathe. "Please, Sev. I need you inside me."

Sevika positions herself at your entrance, leaning down to capture your lips in a deep kiss. She teases you for a moment, sliding the length of the toy through your folds, coating it in your arousal. You whimper, your hips shallowly thrusting up.

“I see you still haven’t learned patience, angel.” She murmurs against your lips with humor. But you can see the hunger in her eyes, the way her muscles tense with restraint.

Finally, mercifully, she slowly pushes inside you. You gasp against her mouth, your body stretching to accommodate her size. Sevika groans, her forehead pressing against yours as she bottoms out.

"Fuck, angel." The expletive slips from her lips in a breathless groan. Sevika can almost feel how tight and perfect you feel.

With one arm folded beneath your back and the other supporting your head, Sevika's weight presses down on you, almost suffocating. But you welcome it, returning her embrace and intertwining your arms around her back, feeling every curve and inch of her against you.

You pull her in deeper. "Move." You plead. "Please, I need you to move."

Sevika obliges, her hips barely leave yours as she starts with slow, grinding thrusts. “I love you, angel. You look so pretty with my necklace on.” She praises.

The symphony of your shared passion fills the room, each moan and sigh a perfect harmony to the other's. Every caress is met with equal tenderness, as if your bodies were made to fit together. With each shallow thrust of her hips, Sevika's body melds into yours.

Your heart swells with adoration and tears of overwhelming love gather at the corners of your eyes.

Your nails lightly rake over Sevika's back as she moves inside you. The toy slides in and out of you with delicious friction. You press your lips to her shoulder, tasting the salt of her skin as your lips explore the texture of her scars.

"I love you." You whisper against her flesh. "So much, Sevika."

Sevika's thrusts grow deeper, more forceful, as if she's trying to push away the years of separation between you. "I love you, angel."

You moan loudly, your nails curling into her skin as pleasure builds within you.

"Sev." You gasp, your voice breathy and desperate. "Please, don’t stop."

Lifting one of your legs higher on her waist, she changes the angle of her thrusts. The new position allows her to penetrate you even deeper, and you cry out in ecstasy. The room fills with the sounds of her hips slamming into yours.

"Like this?" Sevika growls, her voice husky. "This what you need, darlin’?"

Sevika's lips find your neck, sucking and biting at the skin just above your necklace and your legs spasm closed around her as you cum.

"Yes!" You moan, your head thrown back in pleasure. "Oh fuck, Sevika!"

Pressing wet kisses to your skin, her hips slow and she gradually stills in you. Sevika's lips trail up your neck, placing gentle kisses along your jaw before capturing your lips in a tender kiss. Her hips remain still, the toy buried deep inside you.

"You okay, angel?" She murmurs against your lips, her silver eyes searching yours with concern.

"Check back, in about 5 minutes, cowboy." You whisper back, a smile spreading across your face as you run your fingers through her hair.

Sevika chuckles softly, nuzzling her nose against yours. Her hand moves up to caress your cheek, her thumb tracing the curve of your cheekbone as she studies your face intently, her eyes flickering with a mischievous glint. "You exceeded even my wildest dreams, darlin’."

You nod your head in mock appreciation, tightening your legs around her waist. "I'm flattered. Who knew I could surpass your steamy fantasies, cowboy?" You quip back, the words rolling off your tongue playfully.

Sevika's eyes twinkle with amusement as she gazes down at you. "Oh, angel." She purrs, her voice low and husky. "You have no idea just how wild those fantasies can get."

She punctuates her words with a slow, deliberate roll of her hips, causing the toy still buried inside you to shift. You gasp, your oversensitive body trembling at the sensation as your walls flutter around her.

"Sev." You whimper in complaint. "Gimme a minute, would you?"

She chuckles, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. "Of course, darlin'. We've got all night, so what’s the rush? Ain’t that right, angel?"

With gentle movements, she eases out of you and you groan at the loss. She settles beside you, pulling you close against her chest. You curl into her, your fingers tracing patterns over her skin as you bask in the afterglow.

Your breathing steadies, the rhythmic rise and fall of your chest accompanied by the soft whooshing sound of air passing through your nose. Your hand, heavy with sleep, searches blindly for hers.

The copper appendages curl over yours and you fall asleep, in her arms, hand in hand.

…

“What’re you lookin’ at?” Sevika questions with a smirk, drying her wet hair as stray droplets of water cascade down her neck.

A few stray drops fall between her breasts and vanish beneath the fabric of her buttoned shirt. Lifting your eyes to hers, you meet her gaze. "Your face." You reply with an innocent shrug.

She scoffs, but there's a hint of amusement in her voice as she rolls her eyes. "Sure you were, angel." She mumbles sarcastically, sitting on the edge of the bed and leans over to slip on her boots.

You follow closely behind, wrapping your arms around her waist and sliding your hands under her shirt. Your fingers trace teasing patterns over her stomach, feeling the softness of her skin and the tensing of her abdominal muscles. The trail of hair below her navel tickles your fingertips as you playfully drag your nails along its path, pressing soft kisses to her neck. She wraps her arms around yours with a shiver.

Sevika's eyes glint with unbridled desire as she turns to look at you. A slow smile spreads across her lips, revealing her sharp canines. "Careful now. Don’t start somethin’ you can’t finish, angel." She murmurs, her voice husky.

You let your fingers dance along the curves of her stomach. "Feelin’ hungry, Sev?" With a wicked smile, you rise up on your knees and lean over her shoulder, puckering your lips playfully.

A small scoff escapes her lips as she turns in your arms. “I could eat.” She stares at you in amusement and you hum, smacking your lips together in silent demand. Chuckling, she presses a rough peck to your lips.

Satisfied, you fall back to your heels and chuckle as you quickly scan her figure with a smirk. “I’m sure you could eat.” You clear your throat and cough into your shoulder, an exaggerated motion that only adds to the teasing tone of your words. “Munch.”

Amusement lights up her silver eyes as she raises a thick brow. “What was that, angel?”

“I said, ‘I’m sure you could eat’.” You shake your head, feigning confusion. “Gyah-lee, your old age finally catchin’ up to you, Sev?”

Sevika pinches your side and you laugh, wrapping your arms around her shoulders as you twist into her lap. “I can grab somethin’ to-go from the Inn or Jericho’s and bring it back.”

“I’ll go with you.” She offers, loosely resting her hands on your hips.

“You can. But I like takin’ care of you. It’s my love language. I know you wouldn’t understand, cause yours is bein’ a grabby horn-dog.” You tease, squeezing your arms around her.

Sevika scoffs, letting you slide off her lap. “Right, I’m the one who can’t keep my hands to myself.” She retorts, standing.

“Mhmm.” You hum in agreement, with a smirk. Biting your lip cheekily, you twirl around her and smack her perfectly toned ass with a wink. “C’mon. If you’re gonna join me, make haste. Mama’s hungry.”

As you smoothly glide towards the door, your fingers entwined with hers, you feel weightless.

Approaching the front desk, Felicia's face comes into view. Her deep purple brows are furrowed in worry and her lips are pressed into a thin line as she engages in conversation with the person standing before her. She looks up at you briefly, concern evident in her eyes, before turning back to attend to the patron.

The corners of your mouth drop as the patron slowly turns around, revealing herself to be Elora. Letting go of Sevika’s hand, you feel a surge of panic grip your chest as you dash towards her. Your heart pounds in your ears as you reach out to grab her arm.

"What are you doin’ here?" You demand, fear and worry evident in your voice. You frantically search for any sign of Bo, but Elora is alone. "Where's Bo? What happened?” Your words spill out in a rush, each one filled with desperate urgency.

She swallows down the tight lump that forms in her throat. Tears of guilt fill her hazel eyes and spill over onto her cheeks. "I'm so sorry." She manages to choke out between sobs. "She...she tried to ride one of the horses by herself. And she fell. She’s at the clinic. I am so-"

"Why the fuck weren't you with her?" You demand, your voice choked with tears and rage. "Y’know what? I'll deal with you later." You grit out through clenched teeth, trying to hold back your emotions as your tears fall freely down your cheeks.

Turning, you stumble into Sevika.

Sevika catches you, her strong arms steadying you. Her silver eyes flash with concern as her gaze flicks to Elora, who is still sobbing. "You okay to walk, angel?" Her voice is low and urgent.

You nod your head, unable to form words through the panic gripping your chest.

"She’ll be okay, angel." She murmurs, wrapping an arm around your waist to support you.

You don’t answer as you rush out of the inn.

…

Bursting through the doors of the clinic, your body is consumed by an uncontrollable tremble of adrenaline. Sevika follows closely behind, her hand a reassuring weight on your back as you frantically approach Lest.

"Where's Bo? Is she okay?" You blurt out, your eyes scanning the empty waiting room with growing panic. The smell of antiseptic and fear lingers in the air, adding to your sense of urgency and unease. Your heart hammers in your chest, matching the pace of your quickened breaths.

“Bo’s going to be okay. She's got a few bruises and scrapes, but nothing too serious. She was lucky.” Lest's calm demeanor slightly eases the panic in your chest. You ball your hands into fists, squeezing tightly at the fabric of your clothes, trying to steady your trembling fingers.

Lest's voice is soft, laced with sympathy as her eyes cast downward. "She should be up if you're ready to see her." She says gently.

You nod, your voice cracking as you reply. "Okay. Just... gimme a second." Seeking comfort, you turn into Sevika and feel her hands rub soothing circles on your back. As you draw in Sevika's familiar scent, a sense of comfort washes over you and the trembling in your body begins to subside. Relief floods through you as Lest's words slowly sink in.

With a deep breath, you pull away from her, rubbing your hands harshly over your face to try and regain control. A forced smile tugs at the corners of your mouth as you tensely ask. “I look okay? I don’t wanna scare her.”

Your forced smile falters as Sevika gently cups your face, her silver eyes filled with concern. "You look fine, angel." She murmurs softly, her thumb brushing away a stray tear. "But Bo just wants you with her. Doesn’t matter what you look like, angel."

You nod, taking a shaky breath. "You're right. Would you- I think it’d be better if you go." You whisper, leaning into her touch.

Sevika’s eyes fill with understanding and she presses a gentle kiss to your lips. "I love you, angel." She whispers, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear with tender fingers. “If you need me, I’ll be close by.”

You nod in response, feeling grateful for her. “I love you. Thank you, Sev.” You say, cupping your hand over her for a brief moment before straightening up and turning to face Lest. "Okay, I'm ready."

Lest leads you down a short hallway to a small examination room. You take a deep breath, steeling yourself as you enter Bo's room. Your heart clenches at the sight of her small, bruised form in the bed. Her eyes light up when she sees you, though there's a hint of guilt in her expression.

"Mo!" She calls out, her voice relieved as she reaches out towards you.

You rush to her side, carefully gathering her into a gentle hug. "Oh, bug. I was so worried. You scared the shit out of me, kid." You murmur, pecking her forehead and pressing your nose to the crown of her head.

Bo sniffles against your shoulder. "I just wanted to show that I could ride." She grumbles.

You pull back slightly, cupping her cheek. "I know, baby." You say with a mix of concern and reprimand. "But you know better than to try ridin’ alone. You were lucky you weren't hurt worse." Your voice softens as you brush away a stray tear from her cheek. "What were you thinkin', bug?"

She pushes you away with a surprising force, causing you to jolt back in shock. Her eyes are blazing with anger and fear, her small body trembling. "You weren't there." She cries out, her voice cracking. "You’re gone every Friday, but you come back. Why didn’t you come back? Where were you? Saturday’s are our days!" She sobs, a desperation in her tone.

Your heart shatters at Bo's words, guilt and pain washing over you. You reach out to her again, but she flinches away. "I am so sorry, bug." You whisper. "I thought you understood when I told you I’d be back late."

Tears well up in your eyes as you slowly take her hand in yours and she hesitantly lets you. Gently brushing her disheveled hair back from her face, you meet Bo's gaze with a heavy heart. “I need to have a serious conversation with you, Bo.” Your lips fall into a deep frown as you try to suppress a sob that threatens to escape.

Bo's lower lip trembles as she looks at you, her anger giving way to hurt. “Am I in trouble? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you, Mo.” She rushes, her voice filled with anguish and regret. “And I won’t ride on my own again. I promise.” She warbles out, her hands clawing into your wrist as if afraid you’ll leave.

You shake your head in reassurance. “No, of course you’re not in trouble, bug.” Your voice is gentle as you continue. “I’ve been... seein’ someone. Goin’ on dates, Bo.”

Bo's emerald green eyes drop to the ground and she curls into herself, her body language suddenly guarded. Her voice comes out in a small, hesitant mumble as she asks. "Like as a couple?"

You sadly smile and wrap your arm around her. “Like as a couple.” Squeezing her hand, you pause. “Can you look at me, Bo?”

Bo hesitates for a moment before slowly lifting her gaze to meet yours. Her green eyes are filled with a mix of emotions - confusion, insecurity, and a hint of fear.

"I love you more than anything in this world, bug. Nothing and no one will ever change that." You say firmly, your voice filled with sincerity.

Bo's lower lip trembles slightly as she listens, her eyes searching your face. "But what if… what if they try to take you away? What if you don't wanna come back?" She whispers, her voice small and vulnerable.

You pull her closer, being careful of her injuries. "Oh, baby." You murmur, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "That's not possible. Nothing will come between you and me. I love you, Bo, and I'll always come back to you, baby. And you are my first priority.”

With trembling fingers, you cup her tear-stained cheeks and gently wipe away the drops that fall from her emerald eyes. “She knows that. And if she ever tries to come between us, then she’s gone. Okay?”

She nods, flinging herself across your lap, her body wracked with sobs. “M’ sorry, Mo. I love you.”

You wrap your arms around her and gently rock her back and forth. "You have nothin’ to be sorry for, sweet girl. It’s my fault for not makin’ makin’ you feel safer, baby. More loved. That's on me, not you." Your voice quivers with emotion as you speak, struggling to keep yourself together and you rest your cheek on her head. "I love you so much, bug."

She slowly calms, her sobs turning into sniffles as she loosens her tight hold on you. She looks up at you with red, puffy eyes and rests her head on your shoulder. "You look pretty." She says softly.

A small smile tugs at the corners of your mouth as you run a hand through her hair. “Thank you, bug.” A fond chuckle escapes your lips as you gaze down at her with affection.

“What’s…” Bo trails off, her words barely audible as her fingers fiddle anxiously in her lap. You wait patiently for her to find the right words, studying the way her fingers twist and turn. “What’s her name?” She finally asks.

"Sevika.” You say softly.

Bo is quiet for a moment, deep in thought as she processes this new information. Her green eyes meet yours, and they are filled with a seriousness beyond her years. "Does she make you happy, Mo?" She asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, she does." You answer honestly. "But you make me happiest, bug."

Bo's expression brightens at your answer. "Is she nice?" She asks, her eyebrows dipping in a small frown of concern.

You chuckle softly at the question. "She can be a bit rough around the edges sometimes, but yes, she's very nice. And she's strong, and brave, and protective." Your eyes soften as you think about Sevika. "I think you'd like her, bug."

Bo seems to consider this, her fingers still fidgeting. “Can I meet her?”

Bo studies Sevika intently, her green eyes scanning the tall woman from head to toe. Sevika shifts awkwardly under the child's scrutiny, clearly unsure of how to interact with the young girl.

Sevika clears her throat, her usual confidence seeming to falter under Bo's unwavering gaze. "It's nice to meet you, Bo." She says, her voice softer than usual. "I've heard a lot about you."

Bo's eyes narrow slightly, her small hand tightening its grip on yours. "Are you gonna take Mo away?" She asks, her voice filled with apprehension.

Sevika's eyes widen slightly, but she quickly composes herself. “No… And if I tried, ‘Mo’ would kick my ass.”

Bo’s chest puffs up. “I would too.” She declares with a pinched glare. You both glance at each other over Bo’s head with amusement.

“Of course.” Sevika responds in a serious tone, barely managing to suppress a small smirk.

Bo's gaze lingers on Sevika's metal arm, her eyes widening slightly. "What happened to your arm?" She asks bluntly, in the way only children can.

You tense slightly and move to interject, but Sevika merely shrugs. "I lost it in an accident." She explains simply, her tone neutral.

Bo nods, seemingly satisfied with this answer. She looks up at you, searching your face. "Is she always this awkward?" She whispers loudly out of the corner of her mouth.

Turning your head away quickly, you cough into your shoulder to hide your grin. Bending to her height, you stage a whisper staring at Sevika with humor twinkling in your eyes. “No. She’s just a little shy, bug.”

Sevika rolls her eyes with a huff, but Bo takes your statement very seriously and tries to make conversation. “Do you like to paint? I like to paint. If you don’t like to paint, then I dunno if we can get along but if Mo likes you, I guess I can try.” With a soft smile, she releases your hand and bounds towards Sevika, grabbing her hand excitedly and leading her towards the towering oak tree.

Sevika's expression shifts into one of slight panic as she glances back at you. “I don’t know. I’ve never painted before.”

Bo's features scrunch up in sympathy as she shakes her head. “Oh. That’s sad.”

You silently trail behind them with a gentle smile. Bo's hand gestures towards rocks around the base of the tree, some painted and some bare. "Pick any empty one." She urges, her eyes scanning the options before her with careful scrutiny. "But make sure it's a good one."

A smirk dances across your lips at the lost look in Sevika's cloudy eyes. You playfully nudge her arm and lean down. "Looks like you've got a tough decision ahead of you, cowboy. Just make sure you don't pick a shitty one." You tease quietly, quickly finding a rock and rolling it in your palm.

Sevika's eyes narrow at your teasing. “You tryna say I have shit taste, angel? I’d advise you to remember that I picked you, angel.” She mumbles, carefully surveying each rock.

Glancing over at Bo, you see that her eyes are trained on the pile of stones in front of her. Giving Sevika a quick peck on the lips, you smirk at her. “False, cowboy. I picked you. You just got lucky.”

With a narrowing of her piercing eyes, she smirks at you, a coy expression playing across her lips. "Damn right I did." She says with a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

Selecting a smooth, oval-shaped stone, Sevika presents it to Bo. “How’s this one?" She asks.

Bo examines the rock critically before nodding. "That's a good one." She says seriously. "Now we need to wash them." She leads the way to a nearby water pump, her small hand curling over Sevika's metal one.

You follow behind, grinning at the sight of the tall, imposing woman being led around by a bossy little girl.

Cleaning the dust from the rocks, Bo shows them to Sevika. “You wash all the dust off so the paint doesn’t get all goopy and gross.” Rushing over to the old, paint-stained blanket spread on the ground, she wipes the rocks dry.

"Now we paint!" Bo declares excitedly, thrusting a paintbrush into Sevika's hand.

Sevika looks at the paintbrush uncertainly, her brow furrowing as she glances between it and the rock in her other hand. You can't help but chuckle at her obvious discomfort.

"C'mon cowboy, it's not that hard." You tease gently, nudging her with your elbow. "Just pick a color and go for it."

Bo nods enthusiastically, already dabbing her brush into a vibrant blue. "Yeah! You can paint anythin’ you want. Like a flower, or a horse, or a big scary monster!"

Sevika's lips quirk into a small smile at Bo's enthusiasm. "A big scary monster, huh? I think I can manage that."

Bo falls silent, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her tongue poking out of her mouth as she covers her rock in colors.

"Can Sevika come over for some of our Saturdays?” She asks hesitantly, still focused on her painting. “Mo said I’m not allowed to practice ridin’ for a while, so we’ve been doin’ tons of crafts and bakin’." She says, addressing Sevika.

You pause in surprise. “That’s real kind of you, Bo.” You glance at Sevika, unsure how she'll react to the invitation. “But why don’t you ask her, bug?”

“Well, would you?” Bo’s green eyes sparkle with expectancy as she stares at Sevika.

"I’d love to." Sevika says, her voice gentle. "I appreciate you sharin'' your day with me, Bo." She adds.

You smile, feeling a warmth spread through your chest at the interaction between the two most important people in your life.

Bo's face lights up with a tentative smile. "Course! Can’t wait!" She says enthusiastically.

“Bite me asshole.”

As you enter the greenhouse, you adjust your hat with an amused smile. Bo stands with an annoyed glare, while Sevika kneels on the ground returning her glare with an annoyed huff. Both of them are covered in dirt, smudged on their cheeks and caked onto their hands.

Wiping her cheek and spreading the dirt on her face, Sevika glances at you. “Wanna help me out, angel?” She asks exasperatedly.

Lifting your eyes in mock consideration, you suck your teeth and shake your head sarcastically. “Nah. I think you’re on your own, cowboy.” You say crossing your arms.

Sevika rolls her shoulder in irritation and opens her mouth to retort, but Bo beats her to it. Turning to you with pleading eyes, she exclaims. “Mo! She’s a brute! Tell her she’s gotta be more gentle with the strawberries!” With a hand on her hip, Bo shakes a stern finger up at Sevika. “Those are Mo’s favorite, you can’t ruin them!“

Sevika scowls, knee-deep in soil as Bo stands over her, scolding her. Trying to hold back your laughter, you bite down hard on your lip, but it's no use. Your body shakes with mirth and you throw your head back with a loud cackle, covering your mouth.

“I’m glad to see you two bondin'.” You manage to say through bursts of laughter.

Bo and Sevika watch you calm yourself with soft smiles, their eyes filled with affection.

You clear your throat as you move between them, still grinning. "Alright." You say, amused. "Let's see what the damage is."

You kneel down beside Sevika with a groan. As you examine the strawberry plants, you can feel the heat radiating from Sevika's body, so close to yours. You resist the urge to lean into her.

"Well." You say after a moment. "They don't look too bad. You’re a good teacher, Bo.” You smile grows as her chest puffs up at your praise.

“Just needs a gentler touch, Sev." You demonstrate, gently lifting the leaves and examining a strawberry. "Hand me the shears, bug."

Bo quickly hands you the tool and Sevika watches you intently. “The trick’s not squeezin’ too hard, cowboy, or you’ll bruise ‘em.” You tease lightly. Snapping the blades around the vine, you place the berry in the basket and stand.

Dusting yourself off, you look down at the half full basket. Snatching it from the ground, you wave both of them to follow as you move towards the door. “Well come on, ya’ll need to clean up if you’re gonna help me use these. They look perfect, so we'll use ‘em to make strawberry tarts.” You say, glancing back at them.

Bo scrambles after you, her green eyes bright in excitement. “Well, we picked a whole bunch so how many are we makin’? Some for the whole town? What about everybody at the Inn? Can we? They’re my favorite anyway, so I think it’d be okay if we just make enough for us and them.” She rushes out without taking any breaths.

Chuckling, you pat her back. “Breathe Bo. There’s enough for us and everybody at the Inn.” Glancing down at the basket, you smirk at Sevika. “There may even be enough for some marmalade and strawberry croissants in the mornin’.”

Gasping with wide eyes, she starts running ahead to the house. “I call the shower first! Suck an egg, asshole!”

“Take your boots off on the porch! Don’t rush it!” You call out after her. “And wash your hair!” You add.

Pointlessly, Sevika tries to wipe the dirt from her hands on her jeans next to you. “You plannin’ on pickin’ the rest tomorrow?”

Sending her a grin, you nod emphatically. “Oh, absolutely.” Giving her an amused smile, you nudge her arm. “Is that nickname just gonna stick now?”

Sevika glances at you, frowning with a sigh. “I didn’t break it on purpose.”

“Oh! I know you didn’t, but a friendship bracelet is a friendship bracelet and you broke it, cowboy.” Chuckling loudly, you shake your head in disbelief. “You broke it fucking immediately. How the hell did you manage that? Who knew you were so fucking clumsy, Sev?”

She rolls her eyes at you, not bothering to respond.

"You're good with her." You tell her, sincerity evident in your voice. "She likes you."

Sevika raises a skeptical brow and you laugh, giving her a gentle push. “I’m serious.” You insist, your voice quiet and earnest. “If she didn’t like you, you’d know.”

A small smile of gratitude spreads across Sevika's face in response to your words. She looks relieved, her tension melting away with your reassurance.

Walking up the steps, you glance at the muddied shoes haphazardly thrown on the porch. Flashing a stern look at Sevika, you nod at her shoes while sliding off your own. “Porch.”

She scoffs and grumbles behind you, but fumbles with her boots.

Setting the basket on the kitchen counter, you grab a cloth from the cabinet and wet it under the sink. Sevika clears her throat behind you.

Squeezing out the water, you tilt your head at Sevika. “Wash your hands and I’ll help you with your face, cowboy.”

Snorting, she follows your directions. Hopping onto a bar stool, you silently wait for her to finish.

Drying her hands, she inserts herself between your legs and her palms fall onto the tops of your thighs.

You gently wipe the dirt from Sevika's face, your touch careful. You can feel the heat of her body between your legs, your breath catching in your throat as you brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead.

"There." You murmur softly, lowering the cloth and pecking her lips. "All clean."

Neither of you move.

"Angel." Sevika breathes, her voice low and husky. She leans in and your eyes flutter closed as you close the distance.

You gasp against her lips and resist the urge to pull her into you. The kiss is slow and Sevika’s hand falls to your cheek. She hums against your mouth, before parting. Pressing her forehead to yours, you both pant. “Love you, angel.”

“Love you too, cowboy.” You respond, pecking her lips again.

Hearing light footsteps race around upstairs, you press one last light peck to her lips before pushing her back and hopping down.

Swallowing, you turn to the doorway and wait for Bo to come drifting into the kitchen.

Sure enough, she almost runs into the island as she skids to a stop. “I’m ready! Let’s get started!”

Putting your hand on your hip, you lift a skeptical brow at her. “Did you wash your hair?”

Sniffing haughtily, Bo stands taller. “How dare you doubt me? I am an hon-”

“If I smell your hair, will it smell like soap?” Smirking, you grab the basket and move towards the sink.

Sighing, she glares at your back before turning. “You are a cruel, cruel person.”

You chuckle under your breath as you clean the strawberries in the sink. Flicking off the beads of water from your hands, you move to Sevika and raise a strawberry to her lips.

Her eyes darken on you and you watch her lips envelop the fruit. Flicking your tongue out to collect a drop of juice, you suck it from her lip before stepping away with an innocent look.

With a groan, Sevika shifts her gaze to the ceiling, her hands tightly clenched by her sides. "The shit-bird's right." She mutters, her voice filled with pain and frustration. "You're a cruel, cruel person."

Giggling softly, you turn back to the sink.

Humming a tune under your breath, you nudge Sevika away as she tries to wrap her arms around you. "Quit, asshat." You scold, trying to maintain your balance while fending her off. "You're gonna get me all dirty." Despite your words, a smile tugs at the corners of your mouth.

You feel Sevika's warm breath on your neck as she leans in close, her voice low and husky in your ear. "Maybe I want you dirty, angel."

"I’m sure you do, but behave yourself, cowboy." You murmur, though there's no real admonishment in your tone.

As if on cue, the sound of footsteps thundering down the stairs echoes through the house.

"Okay, I'm back!" Bo announces, bursting into the kitchen with damp hair. "And yes, I actually washed it this time." She adds, seeing your raised eyebrow.

You nod approvingly. "Good girl. Thank you, bug.”

"I'm ready now!" She says, bouncing on her toes with excitement. "Can we start?"

You chuckle, turning away from the sink to face her and glancing at Sevika. "As soon as Sevika finishes cleanin’ up, bug. Why don't you grab the flour and sugar from the pantry, for now?"

With a grumbling sigh, Bo begrudgingly shuffles towards the pantry, leaving you alone with Sevika in the kitchen, who presses a soft kiss to your lips. “I’ll be quick, angel.” She promises.

You hum, moving the bowl of strawberries onto the counter and taking a bite of one.

Slap!

You gasp in surprise, your eyes widening as you instinctively cup your ass in pain. You spin around to see Sevika's retreating figure disappear around the corner.

“You’re such an asshole!” You yell after her. The low rumble of her chuckle trails behind her.

Coming out of the pantry, Bo nods knowingly at you. “Told yah so, Mo.”

Bo clutches the bags of flour and sugar tightly to her chest as she climbs up her step stool. She gingerly slides the bags onto the counter, then snatches a handful of strawberries and quickly hops up onto the countertop. Swinging her legs back and forth, she whines through a mouthful of juice. "Can we start without her, pleease?" She pleads. “S’ not like we need her." She complains.

Rolling your eyes, you lean against the counter next to her. "First of all, you shouldn’t be on the counter. Second, don't talk with your mouth full. And third… Sevika helped pick ‘em. We’re waitin’." You say firmly.

Groaning, Bo flops onto your shoulder. "But I picked most of 'em." She pouts.

You wrap your arm around her. "I'm sure, bug, but we need to wait anyway."

Bo reluctantly nods. "Fine." She lets out a defeated sigh.

Clearing your throat to hide a laugh, you nod. "How’s school been? Sky finally get that hole covered?" You ask.

“Yes, she did.” She mumbles disappointedly before perking up.

"Everyone played tag outside today though! Even Ms. Young!” Gasping in excitement, she shakes your arm. “Tag would be more fun here. We could play on the horses!"

Pursing your lips, you narrow your eyes in disappointment. "The animals aren't toys, Bo. Do you not remember what happened the last time you fooled around on a horse when you weren’t ‘sposed to?" You scold gently while tapping Bo's nose.

She scrunches it up in response. “Yeah, I know. Sorry.” Bo huffs, crossing her arms with a guilty frown.

“Once the new batch of strawberries grows, and everyone else gets their part of the harvest first, we can make more treats for your class with whatever’s left. How’s that sound, Bo?” You offer instead.

Bo nods eagerly, her frown forgotten at the promise of treats for her class. "Can we make somethin’ else with the strawberries? Like cupcakes? Or Ice cream? Ice cream and cupcakes." She says excitedly.

You smile warmly at her enthusiasm, cleaning the island counter just as Sevika's heavy footsteps echo down the stairs. "Sure thing, bug. We'll make a whole assortment."

Sevika enters the kitchen, she silently quirks an eyebrow at Bo as she moves to stand beside you.

"Alright." You say, rub your hands together. "Let's get started on these tarts."

The three of you fall into a rhythm as you work. You guide Bo through measuring ingredients and mixing the dough, while Sevika slices the strawberries.

While Bo talks about anything that crosses her mind, you and Sevika send each other amused glances over her head.

You hand Bo and Sevika rolling pins and sprinkle flour on the counter. “Just roll the dough out till it’s about the size of the pan.”

Nodding, Bo’s green eyes fill with determination as she rolls out the dough. Sevika follows suit slowly. A breath of amusement leaves your nose and you keep a close eye on Bo as you wash the used dishes and utensils.

Smiling in satisfaction, Bo looks up at you. “All done.” She announces before turning to Sevika with a smug look. “Bet it’s better than you could ever do, asshole.”

Sevika glances at you with a sigh, arms flexing as she rolls. “You ever gonna get onto her, angel?”

Bo quickly retorts. “Where do you think I learned it from, asshole?” She sticks her tongue out at the expressionless woman.

Lifting the unevenly rolled dough into the pan and cutting the excess, you interrupt with a chuckle. “Enough, Bo. Set the timer for 10 minutes.” Doing the same with Sevika’s dough, you open the oven door and carefully place the pans on the middle oven rack.

The timer clicks as Bo turns the knob and she slams it on the counter with a groan. “10 minutes is forever.”

As Sevika raises an eyebrow and glances at you, she wipes down the counter with a clean cloth. "Looks like she got her dramatics and impatience from you too." She smirks.

You chuckle, shaking your head. "I have no idea what you're talkin’ about, cowboy." You reply, affectionately tousling Bo's hair as you walk by.

Bo playfully dodges your touch, giving you a mock scowl. "Hey! I just washed it!"

"And it looks lovely." You tease, earning an eye roll from the girl.

Sevika finishes wiping the counter and leans against the counter with a soft smile. Her silver eyes follow you as you move around the kitchen, tidying up.

"Sooo." Bo pipes up, swinging her arms as she stares up at Sevika. "When’re you movin’ in?"

You nearly drop the bowl you're holding, caught off guard by her question. Sevika straightens up, her eyes darting between you and Bo.

"Uh." You stammer, feeling heat fill your face. “W-what?”

Frowning, she crosses her arms and shakes her head at you. “Well, Ren told me that couples, like her parents, live together. So when is she movin’ in?” Twisting to glare at Sevika, she points at her. “I’m not giving up my room.”

You blink, momentarily speechless. Sevika clears her throat, clearly trying to hide her amusement.

"Bo, honey." You start, setting the bowl down and approaching her. "I’m sure Sev appreciates your concern about her livin’ situation, but I’m not sure we’re ready for that quite yet… And don't worry, no one's takin’ your room." You say, trying to keep a straight face.

Bo nods, satisfied with your answer. "That’s fine. I was here first anyway."

Sevika scoffs, shaking her head. "Well that’s not true, but I’m not gonna argue with you, kid."

Tapping her chin, her green eyes fill with some sort of realization. “Wait. But she’s here all the time anyway. What’s the difference?” She asks, confused.

With a deep sigh, you lift your eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. Wincing, you shift your gaze between green and silver. “Well-”

The timer screeches, buzzing on the counter. With a sense of relief, you stop it and release a deep breath. “Crust is done.”

Donning a pair of oven mitts, you carefully remove both pans from the oven and set them aside to cool. Turning to Bo, you tilt your head and flash her a smile. “Crust needs to cool so we’ll get started on the filling.”

Narrowing her eyes at you, Bo nods. “Ren also told me that her parents kiss in front of her…” She pauses to hyperbolically gag. “Please, don’t do that in front of me.”

You chuckle softly, shaking your head at Bo's dramatic reaction. "Don't worry, bug. We'll keep the kissin' to a minimum around you."

Bo nods in solemn approval. "Good. 'Cause that'd be gross."

Sevika clears her throat, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Noted, kid."

You catch Sevika's eye and share a small smile. "Alright, let's get started on that filling."

Guiding Bo through the rest of the recipe steps, you sneak warm glances at Sevika, who stands back and watches with keen interest.

Finally, as the tarts are finished and placed into the fridge - one adorned with a neat spiral of sliced strawberries and the other equally lovingly but recklessly arranged - Bo lets out an exhausted huff. Placing her hands on her hips she declares. "Well, I'm tired."

Shaking your head, you start putting away the rest of the ingredients. “Hey, cowboy? Mind doin’ me a favor and washin’ the rest of the dishes for me?” You ask, voice muffled from the pantry.

Collecting the dishes, Sevika responds. “Course not, angel.”

Your “thank you” is drowned out by a loud noise of disgust from Bo.

The girl disappears into the pantry with you and Sevika disregards your muffled voices as she fills the sink. She scrubs at a particularly stubborn stain, but tenses as a cloud of white explodes around her. In her hesitation, another handful of flour hits her back.

Switching off the tap, she turns. Both you and Bo stand there with innocent looks on your faces, hands hidden behind your backs.

With a raised eyebrow, Sevika silently looks between the two of you.

Frowning with amusement dancing in your eyes, you point an accusing finger at Bo, flour dusting your skin. “It was her idea.”

Bo's mouth drops open in shock and she lets out a shocked screech. “You rat!”

Laughing uncontrollably, you dart out of the kitchen. Sevika deftly grabs Bo and hoists her onto her back as she passes by, effortlessly slinging the smaller girl onto her back in one swift motion. Bo lets out a surprised squeal, her arms instinctively wrapping around Sevika's neck.

"Hey! Get back here traitor!" Bo points with laughter in her voice.

You can hear Sevika’s footsteps thundering behind you as you race through the house, your heart pounding with exhilaration. She quickly closes the distance between you with her long strides.

You glance back, your eyes widening as you see Sevika gaining on you with Bo clinging to her back. Your giggles bounce around the house as you dart around furniture, trying to evade their grasp.

"Bo! You’re the traitor! Workin’ with the enemy!" You call out between chuckles.

"Thy enemy of my enemy is... Whatever! You snitched!" She accuses as Sevika corners you.

You back up against the wall, chest heaving as you try to catch your breath, laughter still bubbling up from your throat. Sevika approaches slowly, a predatory glint in her silver eyes. Bo is still perched on her back, grinning triumphantly.

"Nowhere to run now, angel." Sevika says, her voice low and playful.

"Alright! Alright!" You hold up your hands in mock surrender. "I yield!"

Sevika smirks, her silver eyes twinkling with amusement. "What do you think, Bo? Mercy?"

Bo pretends to consider it, tapping her chin thoughtfully from her perch on Sevika's back. "Hmm… I don't know. She did snitch on me."

"That I did." You agree, nodding solemnly. "And I'd do it again."

Bo gasps in mock outrage. "In that case… no mercy!"

Before you can react, Sevika lunges forward. In one smooth motion, she scoops you up, effortlessly carrying both of you and dropping you on the couch.

Your high-pitched scream echoes through the room as Sevika's hands descend upon your sides. You writhe and squirm against her, erupting into a fit of laughter. You try to break free from Sevika's grasp, but she holds tight.

Bo slides off of Sevika’s back and lands with a soft thud on the floor. Giggling, she waves Sevika away with a joyful twinkle in her emerald green eyes. “Alright, I think Mo’s had enough.”

You struggle to catch your breath as you sit up, mock glaring at Sevika. A playful smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth as she looks down at you. “I’ll remember this.” You say, chest heaving.

With a heavy thud, they both plop down on either side of you. The old, worn couch groans at Sevika’s their weight.

Bo's body molds into your side and she groans. “Mayyybe. I forgive you.” She admits begrudgingly with a deep sigh.

Bo sets her fork down with a loud clink and bounces in her seat, the wooden chair creaking under her weight.

“I’m done.” She announces eagerly, her eyes wide with excitement and anticipation.

You finish your bite and nod, wiping your mouth with a napkin. “Alright, go rinse your plate. We’ll get out dessert as soon as Sev and I are finished.”

Bo's hair bounces as she nods enthusiastically before quickly scurrying off to the kitchen.

As you and Sevika continue to eat, the soft, melodic strum of guitar strings crackle through the speakers, accompanied by the soothing voice of a singer crooning the opening lines of "I’ll Be Here In The Morning".

Sevika's chair scrapes against the worn wooden floor as she stands from her seat. She slowly walks around to your side, a soft smirk on her lips as she extends a hand towards you with an exaggerated bow. “Would you be so kind as to dance with me, angel?”

Your cheeks flush at her words and you try to hide your growing smile, setting aside your fork as you accept her offer. “I would love to dance with you, cowboy.”

With a soft yet confident tug, Sev leads you to the heart of the room where she envelops you in her arms, her metal arm encircling your body and her other hand clasping yours. You gently rest your head on her shoulder as she softly hums the words in your ear.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Bo pause in the doorway, a hesitant crease forming between her brows. With a gentle hand outstretched towards her, you watch as a sweet smile spreads across her face and she skips over to join you.

Bending, you scoop the six year old up.

Bo wraps her arms around your neck, snuggling close as you hold her securely against your hip. Sevika adjusts her stance, keeping one arm around your waist while her other hand comes to rest gently on Bo's back.

The three of you sway together to the gentle melody, Bo's small form nestled between you and Sevika. You can feel the warmth of both their bodies, the steady rise and fall of their breathing in sync with the music.

Bo's eyes are heavy-lidded, her earlier excitement giving way to sleepiness as she rests her head on your shoulder. Her small fingers play idly with the collar of your shirt as she mumbles. "This is nice.”

You hum, smiling against her hair. "It is, isn't it?" You murmur back.

Sevika's eyes meet yours over Bo's head, filled with warmth and tenderness. Her metal fingers gently brush against your lower back, a silent question in the gesture.

You give her a small nod, your own eyes softening as you lean in closer, listening to her steady heartbeat. The three of you continue to sway gently, the music washing over you in soothing waves. Bo's breathing slows, her body growing heavier against yours.

Sevika's hand moves to gently stroke Bo's hair. "Looks like someone's ready for bed." She whispers, her voice low and gentle.

Bo stirs slightly in your arms. "Nuh-uh. We haven’t had dessert yet." She mumbles sleepily against your neck.

You chuckle softly. "Course, bug. How could we forget?"

Sevika reluctantly loosens her hold on you, but keeps one hand resting lightly on the small of your back as you carry Bo to the kitchen.

You settle Bo onto a stool, gently shaking her. “If you’re gonna eat, bug, you gotta show me you’re awake.”

She slowly leans back, letting go of you to rub her eyes. “M’ wake.”

Sevika huffs an amused breath and affectionately squeezes your arm as she goes to clean up your cold food.

As you move to get dessert, Bo rubs her hands over her face in an attempt to wake herself. Sevika crosses behind you, washing your plates, as you set a cake on the counter.

You carefully slice three pieces, placing them on small plates. The rich aroma of chocolate fills the air as you slide a plate in front of Bo. Her eyes light up despite her sleepiness.

"Thank you." Bo mumbles, picking up her fork.

You hand Sevika her plate with a soft smile before settling onto the stool next to Bo with your own slice. The three of you eat in comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional clink of forks against plates and Bo's contented hums.

Her feet sway underneath her stool as she gets a large bite of her dessert. “Can we dance some more?” She muffles through a mouthful of cake.

“You not tired anymore?” Sevika drones.

Bo points her fork at Sevika and narrows her green eyes. "You fed me sugar, now you have to deal with the consequences."

You chuckle at Bo, shaking your head fondly. Sevika raises an eyebrow, clearly amused.

"Alright, alright." You say, ruffling her hair. "We can dance a little more, but then it's bedtime. Deal?"

Bo grins triumphantly, shoveling another large bite of cake into her mouth.

Sevika glances at you, a mix of amusement and concern in her eyes. "You sure that's wise, angel?"

You shrug, a mischievous glint in your eye. "Like the kid said, we fed her sugar. Might as well enjoy the consequences."

“Yeah, you’ll get Mo to yourself later.” Bo taunts, shoveling the last bite of cake into her mouth.

She hops down from the stool and grabs both your and Sevika's hands, practically dragging you back to the living room.

The music has shifted to a more upbeat country tune. Bo starts bouncing and twirling immediately, her earlier sleepiness seemingly forgotten. You and Sevika share a knowing look - you both know the sugar high will be closely followed by a crash.

Grinning, you pinch Sevika’s side before darting over to Bo. Scooping her up in your arms, you toss her playfully into the air. Her laughter rings out as you catch her mid-air and spin around with her in a dizzying dance.

Bo's laughter fills the room as you spin her around, her small arms wrapped tightly around your neck. You can feel the vibration of her giggles against your chest, her joy infectious.

Sevika watches from the sidelines, adoration softening her face.

"Again!" Bo squeals as you set her down, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

You chuckle, slightly out of breath. "One more time, bug. Then it's Sevika's turn."

Bo nods eagerly, already reaching up for you. You lift her again, spinning her around as she laughs delightedly.

When you set her down again, she turns to Sevika with bright green eyes. "Your turn!"

Sevika's eyes widen slightly, a hint of panic crossing her features as the girl bounds towards her. "Come on, Vika!" Bo demands, Sevika's expression softens as Bo tugs at her hand. "Dance with me!"

Sevika hesitates for a moment, her eyes darting to you uncertainly. You give her an encouraging nod, your eyes twinkling with amusement. With a small sigh of resignation, Sevika allows Bo to pull her into the center of the room.

"Alright, kid. How do you wanna do this?" She asks, her voice gruff but gentle.

"Spin me!" She demands, holding out her arms.

Sevika glances at you again, and you nod reassuringly. "Go on, cowboy. Show us what you've got. Just don’t barf on my floors."

Bo lets out a noise of disgust. “Or me.” She adds in protest.

With a slight roll of her eyes, Sevika carefully lifts Bo, her strong arms secure around the girl's small frame. At first, her movements are stiff and awkward, but as Bo's laughter fills the air, Sevika begins to relax.

Leaning against the sturdy porch post, you cross your arms and survey the sprawling ranch.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierces through the air and your heart skips a beat as fear grips you. In a split second, you bolt towards the noise. You burst into the stable in panic, only to find yourself exhaling in relief.

Sevika sits on a bench with Bo beside her, intently examining something in her palm. Catching your gaze, Sevika nudges Bo and whispers something to her. Bo's face lights up with excitement as she turns to you with a wide grin.

She rushes towards you with her arms outstretched, drying tears crusting on her cheeks. Your brow furrows in concern as you shoot Sevika a questioning look.

Bo wraps her tiny arms around your waist and giggles, holding up a small tooth in her outstretched palm. "Look mama! I lost my first tooth!" Her eyes sparkle with excitement as she bounces on her toes. “I thought I was dyin', so I hid in Honey’s stable and Vika found me and she told me that it’s normal and that I get stuff if I put it under my pillow but she told me it was only money which eugh-” She groans, rolling her eyes. “Bor-ring, like why couldn’t-”

You struggle to focus on Bo's words as tears well up in your eyes. You try to hide them, but a small sob escapes your lips. Bo's head snaps up and she sees the tears, her own eyes beginning to glisten. Her lip wobbles and she speaks in a small voice. “I’m okay, I promise. I’m sorry for scarin’ you, I just-”

Falling to your knees, you wrap your arms tightly around Bo's small frame. Your fingers run through her wild brown hair as you hold her close. Your tears falling freely now as you press a kiss to the top of her head. "Oh bug, I'm not upset. I'm so happy, baby." Your voice quivers as you pull back to cup Bo's cheek in your hand.

Bo's brow furrows in confusion. "Happy? But you're crying."

You laugh softly. "Sometimes people cry when they're really happy, darlin'. And I'm so, so happy."

Bo's face lights up with understanding, and she smiles at you, displaying the gummy gap between her teeth. "Ohh! Like when you cry during the happy parts in those boring books you read!"

You chuckle, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Exactly like that."

Chewing on your lip, you smooth a hand over her hair. "You called me mama." You say softly, your eyes shining.

Bo's eyes widen in realization, and for a moment she looks unsure, scared. "Is… is that okay?" She asks hesitantly.

You nod vigorously, a watery smile spreading across your face. "It's more than okay, bug… I’m honored, Bo."

Bo's face breaks into a beaming smile, and she throws her arms around your neck, hugging you fiercely. You hold her close, savoring the moment, feeling as though your heart might burst with happiness.

Bo pulls back slightly, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. "So… does this mean I can call you mama all the time now?" She asks, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

You cup her face gently in your hands. "Of course you can, bug. I'd love nothin’ more."

Bo's face lights up with joy, and she falls into your arms. "I love you, mama." She whispers against your neck.

"I love you too, baby girl. So, so much." You murmur back, pressing a kiss to her hair.

As you hold Bo close, you feel a gentle hand on your shoulder. Looking up, you see Sevika standing beside you, her silver eyes soft with affection.

With a firm grasp on her hand, you gently guide her down to join you on the ground. As she settles onto her knees, you and Bo encircle her with your arms.

Sevika stiffens slightly at the unexpected embrace, but quickly relaxes into it. Her metal arm wraps around your waist while her other hand rests gently on Bo's back.

As you hold each other close, a warm sense of contentment washes over you. The three of you stay like that, basking in the comfort and love of your little family.

Sneak Peak/ Teaser:

The cable car hums and vibrates beneath your feet, the rhythmic clanking echoing through the metal box. Frigid air whips through the thin windows, and the skin of your bare arms prickles with goosebumps.

The sharp edges of your restraints bite into your skin of your wrists with every sway of the car. Shifting, you roll your shoulders, trying to rid yourself of the soreness in your muscles. You grimace and clench your numb hands behind your back, the heavy chains rattling against each other.

Sighing loudly, you shake your restrained arms awkwardly and complain. “Can you, maybe, take these things off? A girl can only entertain the handcuff thing for so long. Said my safe word a long time ago. I mean-”

A guard grabs your arm and pulls you toward them, their words a hiss. “Shut up. You’re not in the position to be asking for any accommodations."

Groaning, you wince as your elbow bends uncomfortably under their grip. The pulsing in your arms and wrists worsens as your arms are pushed tighter against your back. “Okay. First of all, oww. Second of all, you could’ve just said no.”

You can feel the heat of the enforcer’s glare on the back of your neck but you sigh, ignoring it. Bending your neck, you squint as you observe the approaching island through the rectangular window. With a snort of amusement, you straighten.

Stillwater. Dark. Ominous. And consumed by spooky fog… Wonderful.

Taglist: @lez-zuha @jinxjinxjinx12 @asvtrials @rikkivelvet @cupids-dreamland @hwasddeongbyeoli @eroticcaa @urlocalgovexperiment @bubbl3-b4t @balbinoraptor @sleepo-beepo @marn13s-vilewhispers @skaireso

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euphoriaslux · 9 months ago

Text

we can’t be friends

summary: you hate vincent. vincent hates you. and yet somehow you end up in his bedroom.

word count: 4262( i… am so sorry.)

warnings: fem reader, smut(f oral receiving) vincent being a meanie, drinking and smoking, disrespect of the french justice system (désolé) me making head canons about vincent’s family life, some mischaracterization of sandra (ily sandra huller)

a/n: folks i was locked in when i was writing this, can you tell because it’s autocapitalized? i was Serious! this was supposed to be like a thousand words and ended up being 4k… i apologize i have to spread my illness (being my obsession with swann). i had SO much fun writing this i hope yall enjoy, all the reblogs on my first post make me all warm and fuzzy. drop some requests if you’d like, and im going to make a masterpost of all the fictional characters im obsessed with bc i’m chronically online. i’ve reread this like a million times so if there are any spelling errors i simply do not see. enjoy!!! <3

You cannot fucking believe you’re going to be late to trial.

Well, actually, you can believe it. Somehow, during the two hours of sleep you got last night, you managed to unplug both your alarm clock and your phone charger, leaving you to blissfully sleep through the multiple alarms you had set the night before. It was only when your cat sprawled across your face, her paws tickling your eyelashes as she eagerly awaited her breakfast, that your body decided to wake you up. An hour after you were supposed to.

Your methodically planned out morning routine for the indictment today was quickly replaced by you sprinting around your apartment muttering curse words under your breath and trying not to trip over the copious amounts of documents on your floor. You nearly cried when your tangled hair would not cooperate with you, but somehow managed to make yourself look halfway presentable. You didn’t have the time to be stressed today, especially because of the attention you know this case is going to get.

And because you knew you were going to see him.

After driving like a bat out of hell in the Parisian rain, violating multiple traffic laws, you somehow make it to the courthouse only one minute late. Jogging up the steps, you push the door open and yell out apologies to the bewildered lawyers and judges in the courthouse as you sprint against the browned hardwood floor, your briefcase thumping against your side in tandem with your heartbeat. Your eyes scan the chamber numbers and you breathe a sigh of relief once you find the one that matched the summons notice, pausing to smooth down your pantsuit set and pat the beads of sweat off of your forehead.

You push open the chamber doors as gently as you can, but you quickly realize there is no use as every head in the room turns towards you, gawking at you. Some have a slight frown on their face, looking at you with thinly veiled pity, but most have a clear show of annoyance. With your head down you speedwalk over to your team’s side of the chambers, pulling out a few labeled folders before you place your briefcase next to your seat. You take a deep breath and force yourself to look up, and right across from you is the defendant’s lawyer.

Vincent is wearing a black turtleneck and a matching black blazer, with effortlessly swooped gray hair and his arms crossed over his chest. He looks perfect, too perfect, in a way that pisses you off. He’s already staring at you when you glance at him, his mouth slightly turned upward as he leans over to talk to his client Sandra, maintining eye contact with you as his whispers in her ear.

“Glad you made time to join us Mademoiselle,” the judge says as she shuffles some papers around, using a few fingers to wave over a magistrate to her right, ostensibly for the indictment sheets.

“I am so, so sorry I-” you start before the judge moves her hand to wave you off, finally sparing you a sharp glance.

“Enough time has been wasted. Let us proceed, yes?” she asks, and you almost start to answer before you realize it was rhetorical. There are a few quiet laughs in the courtroom and you fix your eyes on your folder, feeling like a child who was just scolded in class for sneaking a cookie from the lunchroom. You feel Vincent’s eyes on you but you don’t dare to look up. You won’t give him the satisfaction.

Sandra was indicted, of course. This case was going to be a media circus because of her literary career, and you knew this was not going to be an open-and-shut case. Part of you hated trials like these - when the media would decide an angle that they found the most titillating and not leave a single person involved alone until they got a headline that matched their narrative. Another part of you, a massive part of you, hated working with Vincent. You could just constantly feel the smugness dripping off of him, and with every snarky comment and reply you could sense the anger just drilling deeper and deeper into you. Each interaction you had with him managed to make you even more and more mad. At least you’d hopefully only see him for another couple of months.

five months later

Like clockwork, you stepped out of your taxi to be bombarded by reporters with an endless sea of microphones and cameras, a cacophony of aggressive voices yelling your way. You keep your head down and try to push through the crowd, noticing Vincent talking to a reporter with Sandra to his side. You hear a few words, noticeably about Sandra’s innocence and the ignorance of the defense, and that word makes you stop in your tracks. Reporters are asking you questions but you look for the first microphone you can find and start to talk, making sure to project your voice.

“Judicial integrity is what’s most important to me. Not a narrative, not a story. I took an oath to protect this country. Some people don’t take that seriously, but I do, and that’s what I am focused on.”

There is a sea of follow-up questions but you weave through the hoard of people to the top steps of the courtroom, making your way inside. You arrived a bit early to trial today because you knew Daniel, Sandra’s son, was testifying today. You couldn’t shake the unease you’d had all week knowing you had to cross-examine him, seeing his grief-stricken face as he heard the prosecution and defense make a myriad of accusations about the one parent he had left.

“Were you talking about me?”

Vincent’s voice makes you jump, and you turn around to see him staring at you from behind the court pew. You must’ve had a look of confusion on your face because he then clarifies:

“Outside, when you were talking to the reporter from Euronews. Are you implying that I don’t have judicial integrity?” he cocks his head at you, his eyebrows slightly raised. You shrug, grabbing the manila folders with notes from your bag and putting them in front of your seat.

“If the shoe fits, I suppose,” you say with a tight smile as you sling your bag from your shoulder to under your chair. Vincent scoffs, lightly brushing his hair out of his face.

“Right, I should have looked to the attorney who walks in late smelling like cheap wine for… integrity,” he emphasizes that last word, each letter feeling incredibly loud in the silent courtroom. You feel the heat rise from the back of your neck, both in embarrassment and fury. You take a step towards him and he doesn’t move, your faces only a few inches apart.

“Do you think you’re any better? You took this case because you are plagued with this superiority complex that you have to subject everyone to.”

“Hm, so being a good lawyer makes you think I have a superiority complex, good to know,” Vincent says, touching his chin in mock curiosity. Jesus Christ, this guy irritates you.

“No actually, I think I figured it out,” you say with a laugh, poking your finger at his chest.

“Is it because you used to fuck Sandra, and this is some weird fucked up sort of foreplay that you’re forcing us to watch? I wonder if there’s a tape in evidence, of Sandra telling her now-dead husband how many times you two had shitty sex.”

Your sentence sits in the air as the smirk falls from Vincent’s face.

“Do not project whatever bullshit you’ve created in your mind onto me,” he says, staring at you with an intensity that makes you start to squirm.

“You don’t know me, Vincent,” you turn to end the conversation but Vincent grabs your arm, turning you back around to look at him.

“But I think I do,” he says, and you are so close that you can make out the pack of cigarettes in his jean pocket through his cloak is what’s pressing against your thigh.

“I think you put on this show, that you are meek and timid, but it is all an act. Every movement of yours is calculated. Nothing you do has any underpinning of integrity.”

You feel tears well in your eyes and you quickly wipe them away, opening your mouth to speak as the chamber doors open and members of the jury begin to walk in.

“Fuck you,” you tear your arm away from his grip and walk back to your seat.

four months later

It’s been two weeks since the trial ended. The chaotic hustle and attention has died and reporters are gone, with no more requests for comment or interviews on morning TV filling up your inbox. You were called to the courthouse to go over some documentation that the court needed to provide a final report on the case, arriving late on a Saturday night. You shudder as you get out of the taxi, the chill of Paris air sparing no part of your body. You wrap your jacket around yourself and sit on the sidewalk, taking a deep breath as you prepare to go into that same courtroom. You put your head in your hands and sit in silence for what feels like forever until a familiar voice breaks the stillness.

“Hey.”

You don’t move a muscle when you hear Vincent’s voice, hoping that somehow if you stayed completely still he’d believe you were a figment of his imagination and he’d leave you alone. Instead, he takes a seat next to you, the corduroy fabric of his trousers very gently grazing your skirt.

“If you’ve come to gloat, I’m truly not in the mood,” your say, your voice muffled by your hands over your mouth. Vincent says nothing but you hear him rustling through his pants and then the familiar click of a lighter, and you bring your face up to see Vincent taking a drag of a cigarette. He breathes out wafts of smoke, and after a beat, extends his hand towards you. You glance down at the cigarette and then back at him, and he is still looking forward at the architecture across from you. Plucking the cigarette from between his fingers you inhale deeply, tilting your head up to blow the smoke into the sky. You both sit in the quiet for a few moments as you smoke about half of the cigarette. He doesn’t seem to mind, or at least doesn’t say anything.

“How do you feel?” he finally asks, and you chuckle as you take another inhale.

“How do you think I feel?” you look to him and he nods, taking the cigarette from you. You try and ignore the tingly feeling in your stomach when his lips touch the same part of the cigarette that yours did, with no hesitation.

“Did you genuinely believe she was guilty?”

The question throws you off guard.

“I don’t know.” you answer honestly, bringing your knees up to rest your hands on top of them.

“I don’t often think anything is too personal in a court of law, but that phone call with Sandra and Samuel felt, invasive?”

“It didn’t seem like you had any qualms when you were questioning about it,” he questions.

“Well of course not. I wanted to win.”

Vincent laughs, a real deep laugh, and you can’t help but crack a small smile at the noise. You realize you hadn’t heard it before, at least not before it preceded an insult hurled your way.

“What do you mean, invasive?”

It’s hard to collect your thoughts on his question, and you are suddenly transported back into that courtroom, listening to that call.

“It was like I felt every molecule of anger, resentment, disappointment. I just felt like I was right there in the middle, taking both of their punches. Like,” you take a beat, trying to formulate your words.

“Like I was their son, with no vision of what was happening but so desperately aware of the anger in the air. And feeling guilty that I caused it, somehow.”

Vincent hums.

“I’m sorry with how often I pried, about you and Sandra,” your voice is quiet, and you pick at the straps of your heels.

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago. The feelings I have for her have changed.”

This time you hum, unsure of what to say. For the first time in your years of knowing him, you feel bad about possibly making Vincent uncomfortable. You’re not sure why. You sit in awkward silence for a couple of minutes before you stand up, brushing the stray tufts of cigarette ash that stuck to your skirt.

“Well, I won’t keep you, I have to go turn in evidence of my defeat” you gesture towards the papers in your hands. “And you have to go celebrate, I presume.”

Vincent stands up as well, flicking the cigarette onto the floor and stomping it out with his boot.

“No celebrating for me,” he says with his hands raised. You smile, and he does the same.

“How will you be … coping?” he asks and you roll your eyes.

“Not sure, probably at home with a really cheap bottle of wine.”

His lips purse as he puts his hands into his pockets. “I guess I deserve that.”

You rock slightly on your balls and feet, not sure if you should walk away from him or not. You’re just about to step out of his way when he starts talking.

“I have a nice Pinot Grigio I’ve been waiting to open, if you’d, you know, like to … join,” Vincent’s voice gets quieter as he keeps talking, and you swear you can see a soft pink hue on his cheeks, but perhaps that was the night playing tricks on you.

“I don’t want to impose-”

“You wouldn’t be,” he cuts you off. “I’ll wait for you out here?”

Vincent’s house - not apartment - was somehow exactly and nothing like what you would have imagined. It’s a one-story Victorian-style home with a dark exterior, but the inside is painted a warm yellow with tons of books littering the floors and walls and miscellanous trinkets and birthday cards tucked in between. There’s empty pizza boxes and wine bottles on the kitchen floor, and through his tall back window you can see a mini garden in his backyard, with vines of tomatoes and bushels of leafy greens sprawled amongst the grass. It looks very lived in - you can imagine Vincent waltzing around in the morning, reading his big law books with big glasses of wine, like the one you have in your hand right now.

The two of you are currently halfway deep into a bottle, talking about nothing and everything. The case, bad clients you’ve had before, your favorite pastry shops in Paris, the funny face that one of the Magistrates makes every time the Judge looked at him.

“Thank you for the wine monsieur,” you say with a dip of your head and an exaggerated bow.

Vincent shakes his head before taking a sip of wine, and you notice how the soft pink you thought you had noticed before has turned into a deep red from his forehead to his chest. Vincent being tipsy was such an odd thought to you that you couldn’t control your laughter, your hand flying up to cover your mouth as you started to giggle incessantly.

“What? Is there something on my face?” Vincent giggles alongside you, and you shake your head no.

“The serious, smart lawyer is wine-drunk with the person he probably hates the most. I could not have imagined ever being in this situation,” you manage to collect yourself, putting your hand over your chest as you take the final sip in your glass and wave off Vincent as he motions to pour you another one.

“I don’t hate you,” Vincent mutters as he pours himself another glass of wine.

“You’re pretty good at acting like you do.”

He just nods. Suddenly the air in the room has changed, and it feels constricting. Like all of the arguments and venomous insults you’ve thrown at each other has coagulated in this massive living room

“I actually, um, envy you a lot of the time.”

“Envy me?” you can’t help your incredulous tone after his sentence. “You don’t have to say things to pity me, you know,” you laugh, but Vincent’s face is still serious.

“You are just naturally someone people want to spend time with. Even when you annoy me beyond belief, some part of me is always, drawn to you, I suppose. And I envy that. I don’t really know who I am without doing things for others.

You furrow your brows at his sentence. “What do you mean?” you lean over your chair to be a bit closer to him. He plays with the silver ring on his index finger.

“Sometimes I feel like the people I’ve loved, only want me when I can do something for them, you know? I mean, even my own mother, I remember- ” he stops to take a large sip of wine.

“I was almost done with primary school, and my Dad was gone on some inane business trip. I told her I wanted to go to a birthday party downtown, and that I wouldn’t be able to make dinner that night. She got so mad at me that she threw the bottle of wine she’d nearly finished at my head.” He swirls his wine glass around staring into it.

You put your hand on top of his, and he looks up at you, staring into your eyes before clasping his hand arond yours.

“I’m really sorry,” you whisper. He shrugs, and before you can stop yourself, you bring his hand up to your mouth and press a featherlike kiss against his skin. Vincent’s eyes are glassy, and he separates his fingers from yours to place his hand against your face, his thumb gently caressing your jaw.

“Do you have more cigarettes?” you ask, softening into his touch.

“In my bedroom.”

His statement - his ask - reverberates through your head as you both stare at each other, trying to discern what will happen next. Your thoughts are so loud that you’ve afraid that somehow they’ll extend out into the room.

is he saying what i think he is?

And normally, you would say a snarky remark about how he wishes he could get you in his bedroom, and how you’d rather die than see where he sleeps, but the wine has made you slightly woozy and all you can think about is how good he looks with his hair gently sticking to his face and his t-shirt tight around his arms, and what it would feel like to fuck him.

So you say “okay”, and leave your phone on the dining room table.

Vincent opens his bedroom door, moving to let you walk in first before closing the door behind him. He opens his mouth to speak and before you can think your mouth is on his, and he’s shocked for a moment before he kisses you back, your lips melding together. You push your body into his as Vincent wraps his arms around your waist, his hands digging into your skin as he quietly moans into your mouth. Your intertwined bodies make it to the bed and he hovers on top of you, his hard cock pressing against your thigh and you reach down to touch him over his jeans, feeling him shudder against you. You pull away from him.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” his voice is a little hoarser than it was before. “I’m okay.”

“Good,” you pull your shirt over your head and tug at the bottom of his and he laughs he does the same, and you admire his shirtless body as he reaches back down to kiss you again, but he’s not as gentle this time. He’s aggressive, dipping his tongue into your mouth and holding your face in his hands.

“So beautiful”, he murmurs, tilting your head so he can suck on your neck and graze his teeth against the bruises spot he left. “So much more beautiful than I imagined”.

Your head falls back on the pillow as you feel his hands reach behind your back and unclip the hooks on your bra, his mouth moving to your breasts and licking your nipples.

“You’ve imagined me?” you pretend to be bashful as your mouth falls into an o-shape, feeling Vincent’s mouth on your chest and his hands on . He moans and you can feel it throughout your whole body as you lean down to shimmy out of your skirt and underwear in one move.

“In every way possible,” he says as he dips a finger down, past your belly button and into your cunt. You’d feel embarrassed at how wet you are already if his hand didn’t feel so good inside of you.

“I’ve thought about what you would taste like, how you would sound when I first fuck you for the first time,” his mouth moves down from your chest, leaving a trail of wet kisses down your abdomen before he’s just above your heat and you sigh, involuntarily jerking your hips up. He puts his free hand around your lower stomach to hold you in place.

“But nothing,” he nips at the spot right in the crease of your hip, licking a long stripe just next to your heat.

“Could’ve come close to how pretty you really are.”

“Christ,” your hands grab fistfuls of Vincent’s sheets as his tongue finally swirls around your clit, pressing just a bit harder as he puts another finger inside of you. You can feel the pressure building in your lower stomach as you and Vincent’s grip on your stomach get firmer as you wriggle under his touch. He groans into your mouth as you start to grind your hips into him, fucking you faster with his fingers as he rolls his hips into the bed.

“Vincent,” you say with a gasp and grip his hair, pulling as you come around his mouth, your head dizzy with the feeling of Vincent’s tongue on you as he stares up at you from between your legs. He pulls his hand out of your cunt and licks his fingers before putting his mouth back on your clit, making you jump at the contact. You hiss as he licks the sensitive area, your eyes rolling into the back of your head as you tug so hard on Vincent’s hair that you’re afraid you’re hurting him, but if you are, he doesn’t stop you. He interlocks his fingers across your stomach and holds you into place, groaning into your clit.

“Okayokayokay,” you move your hands from his hair to head to pull him up, your breathing labored as you try to get yourself together. He leans over to kiss you, his lips softly molding against yours as you wrap your arms around his back.

Breathless, you move your hand down to touch Vincent but he quickly stops you.

“It’s- um-”

You look down and notice the wet spot on Vincent’s boxers, and your eyebrows raise to the top of your forehead as you come to the realization that he came while he was eating you out.

“Did you-”

Vincent groans, hiding his face in your neck as you giggle, coming down from your high.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” you thread your fingers through his now disheveled hair. “It’s kind of hot if I’m being honest.” Vincent looks at you with a questioning look but you just smile.

“Plus, we have all night to try again.”

You wake up in Vincent’s bedroom, with a few strips of sunlight peeking through Vincent’s closed blinds. You haphazardly reach over to his side of the bed to grab his arm, but find it empty, raising your head from the pillow to see that you’re completely alone. Vincent’s clothes that he had taken off during the night and tossed onto the floor were gone. You waited to see if you could hear Vincent in his kitchen, or in the garden, but you were in complete silence.

To be fair, he didn’t say anything last night to insinuate that he wanted a relationship with you, or even liked you. Maybe this was secretly a win for him - he could beat you in a courtroom, and now he got you in your most vulnerable state to declare that you actually felt something other than hatred for him. And maybe that’s all he wanted. You’re not sure why you expected anything differently.

You throw the blankets off of you and find your clothes neatly folded on his desk, and his courteousness manages to upset you even more. You put your clothes on and try to collect yourself, taking a few deep breaths as you walk out of his bedroom and out towards his kitchen. You scan the room for your phone, which you swear you left on the dining room table, only to finally see it on top of a note on the kitchen counter written in messy cursive.

“Went out for cigarettes and coffee.

Bringing back croissants and a capuc- cappuccino.

Will be back in ten.

Go back to bed.

V”

taglist: @ghostlytide

graphic credits: @glasvera

#vincent renzi #vincent renzi fanfiction #swann arlaud fanfiction #swann arlaud #vincent renzi x reader #swann arlaud x reader #anatomy of a fall fanfiction #anatomy of a fall #anatomie d'une chute #vincent renzi smut #swann arlaud smut #smut #fanfic

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0cta9on · 6 months ago

Text

Unlikely Duet - 8

Length: 18k+ words

Genre: Fluff

NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)

(Author's Note: First of all, thanks to @msafterhours for beta reading! This chapter wouldn't have been as good without your input :] TW: Violence and mention of blood. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter, it was a blast to write :> )

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★

Yuno’s POV

It’s weird. It’s a Monday, universally agreed to be the most hated day of the week, and yet, here I am, waking up with a smile on my face like it’s the most regular thing in the world. I had no weird dreams this time around, but that didn’t stop Minji from being the first person I thought about the second I opened my eyes. Whatever I said before about love being stupid, scratch that. I feel invincible.

After quickly getting ready, I head downstairs to see my dad cooking breakfast, an image I’m slowly getting used to. It feels comforting knowing someone cares enough about me to go through all the trouble of cooking a meal.

“Good morning, dad.”

“Good morning, Yuno. You seem happy this morning,” he smirks at me.

My face already aches, not used to smiling this much. “Yeah, just… excited for school, I guess,” I shrug.

“Mhm, sure,” he chuckles, sliding a plate of food towards me. “Eat up.” Right before I dig into my breakfast, I send a text to the group chat, asking Winter and Yujin if they want to meet up at the convenience store and walk to school together.

Winter: sure thing :)

Yujin: yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Actual food for breakfast, actual friends to walk to school with, and an actual crush I get to see at school? It’s only morning and already this day feels perfect.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

My heart thumps with anxiety while my parents sit across from me at the dining table, completely oblivious to the dread I feel in every fiber of my being. In order for me to survive at the banquet tomorrow, I need them to agree to let me bring a plus one. Specifically, I need them to let me bring Yuno, the one person they specifically told me to stay away from.

I inhale deeply, firming up my resolve as best as I can. “Um, Mother? Father?”

They both look up at me. “Yes, dear?” Mother answers.

“About the banquet tomorrow-” “Ah right, Ms. Park told me that Sunghoon is excited to see you again after so long. Isn’t that nice?”

I bite my tongue to keep myself from visibly cringing. “Right, um, I actually wanted to ask you if I could bring a friend to the banquet.”

They exchange looks at each other before turning back to me. “I don’t see why not. Who did you want to invite?”

“Um… Yuno.”

“Absolutely not!” Mother answers a bit too quickly. “We told you already that we don’t want you associating with that boy! Why don’t you bring any of your other friends, like Danielle, or even Hanni would be more acceptable than him.”

“Because, uh…” I need to think of a lie, something, anything that can convince them. “...Because he has an interest in the business,” I blurt out. Not my best work, but it’s better than nothing. Both of them furrow their brows, unconvinced, yet neither of them say a word, simply waiting for my explanation.

“I, uh, told him about the family business and he got so, um, inspired by your story that he wants to, uh, pursue a business degree in college.”

Their glares feel like spotlights, scrutinizing my every little move. Mother’s expression remains the same — bewildered and a little irked — but I can see the gears slowly turning in Father’s pensive gaze.

“I thought the banquet would be a good opportunity for him to make connections in the industry, y’know, just like how you want me to,” I continue. “You two always emphasize the importance of making strong connections in case I need help in the future, so why can’t I be the connection that helps Yuno?”

“Honey, we are not charity workers-”

“Wait,” Father says, turning towards her. “I think we should let him come.”

Both mine and my mother’s eyes grow wide in surprise.

“Really?” We say in unison.

“I’ve always had a firm belief in education, both in and out of the classroom. This banquet could be an opportunity for him to better himself. He clearly has no plans for the future otherwise.”

Mother opens her mouth to argue, but instead sighs and nods. “Fine, we will permit Yuno to come to the banquet.”

I almost can’t believe the words coming out of their mouths. My plan is actually going to work. I’m so happy I could cry.

“But,” she adds, “If he causes any trouble, we forbid you from seeing him outside of school, okay?”

“Y-yes, of course, I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble! Thank yo-”

“And I don’t want you sneaking off and being alone with that boy. We’ll have Sunghoon stick with the two of you the entire time.”

My ears start to ring like a massive bomb just dropped nearby.

“...W-what!?”

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

The morning sun warms my skin as I wait for my friends by the convenience store. Birds fly above, singing their spring song like gentle plucks of a violin, sonorous yet fragile. A clear sky hangs overhead, unblemished by smog or storm clouds. It almost feels like mother nature herself wants me to have a good day.

“Good morning, Yuno!”

“YUNOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Winter and Yujin appear in the distance, walking towards me.

“Hey,” I greet them with a wave. They both stop in their tracks, eyeing me with surprise. “...What?”

“You’re smiling,” Winter states as if it’s the most insane thing she’s ever seen.

I turn my head away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Y-yeah, so what?”

“Aw, Winter, you ruined it,” Yujin teases. “He looked so happy.”

I sigh. “...Let’s just go.”

Both of them chuckle, taking their spot on either side of me like it’s where they belong. For so long, I walked the same route to school alone every morning, yet today, it feels a little different. The colors on the buildings and the street signs seem so much more vivid, the air smells like fresh grass and blooming flowers, puddles and windows glisten like diamonds as they reflect the sun’s morning light. A part of me thinks that I’m dreaming again — when did the world look this beautiful? But the way Yujin nudges my side to show me a drawing he’s working on or the way Winter clutches onto my shoulder after almost tripping on nothing lets me know that all of this is real. The world that I used to hate waking up to is now a world that I can look at with a smile.

A real, genuine smile.

______________________________________________________________

As the three of us walk through the hallways of Evergreen, I feel the familiar stares of the other students, eyeing me like some kind of untamed beast that could jump out at them at any moment. Even with everything else changing around me, I can always count on high schoolers to be ever stagnant and predictable in their behaviors. Although, something in their eyes feels a little peculiar. Instead of just fear, there’s something else hiding behind it. Intrigue? Admiration? Maybe these rose-tinted lenses are starting to make me see things.

“P-people sure d-do stare a lot, h-huh?” Winter asks, her voice shrinking to a mere whisper.

“Yeah, I guess they do.” I glance back at them, both their gazes glued to the ground, clearly not used to the unwanted attention. “Sorry, I should’ve warned you guys.”

“It’s okay, Yuno, it’s not your fault,” Yujin reassures me.

“Y-yeah, I’m sure w-we’ll get used to it,” Winter adds with a small grin. Man, what did I do to deserve these two?

The five minute warning bell rings, sending the students still left in the hallways in a hurry. I say my goodbyes to Winter and Yujin as we part ways, enduring the usual stares and hushed voices as I make my way to my seay in the back. Still, something feels odd about the way they’re looking at me today. I try to meet their eyes to get a better look, but everyone keeps looking away, pretending like they weren’t whispering about me to their friends. If this keeps going on for the rest of the day, I’m gonna be pissed.

“Yuno Lin to the principal’s office, Yuno Lin to the principal’s office. Now,” the PA system announces, giving me a wave of deja vu. I have a couple guesses for what this could be about…

______________________________________________________________

Instead of coming out the gate swinging, Mr. Geier just sits at his desk, his hands clasped in deep thought. Normally, I would be pretty indifferent to whatever he has to say, but after everything Minji said to me, I suddenly feel guilty sitting in front of him. It probably isn’t easy dealing with my shit on a weekly basis.

“So…” he starts, finally looking up at me after a few minutes of silence. “I’m sure you know why you’re in here, Yuno.”

“Yup…”

He sighs. “The McGraw’s donate a lot of money to this school. They didn’t exactly take well to receiving a call that their son was found unconscious in the bathroom with a broken nose.”

Ah shit. This is it. The consequences of my actions have finally caught up to me. Fate, you cruel bastard, making me wake up in a good mood for the first time in years, only to send me to jail before the day even starts. Goodbye dad, Yujin, Winter, and Minji. Minji…

“But…”

But…!

“...They’ve decided not to press charges.”

“What!?” I exclaim, relieved and deeply confused.

“We received a tip from one of the boys on the football team that Tyler had been bullying a group of freshman boys for months. They still wanted to press charges anyways, but I may have… insinuated that if they did, I would ensure Tyler could only set foot into a community college at best.”

My eyes widen, slowly connecting the dots. “Did you…?”

“No, it was not for you,” he states matter-of-factly. “It was for the sake of all the freshmen that suffered because of him.”

“R-right.” I sink back into my chair, feeling sheepish. “So… what happens now? Detention? Suspension?”

“No, I have something else in mind for you.”

Just then, the door to Mr. Geier’s office swings open, sending in a wave of lavender and rainbows into his office as the girl of my dreams walks through.

“You wanted to see me, Mr. Geier?” Minji says before turning to me, a quizzical look in her eyes.

“Perfect timing, Minji,” he says, “This is Yuno Lin. Yuno, this is Minji Kim, the student council president.”

Minji shoots me a confused look, but I’m too distracted by her beauty to pay full attention. Her hair is in a ponytail today with two strands of hair framing her perfect face. The sound of my thumping heart gets louder in my ears, drowning out whatever Geier is saying. Hopefully it’s not anything important. What could be more important than Minji? God, she’s so pretty, I-

“Yuno, are you paying attention?” Mr. Geier snaps at me.

“S-sorry, what?” Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Minji stifling a giggle, making my cheeks burn red.

“As I was saying, your punishment will be to help Minji with prom preparations. Whatever she asks you to do, you do it. If you cause any trouble for her, she’ll report it to me and you will face the consequences, understand?”

You mean I get to spend more time with Minji? As a punishment? “Yup, I understand,” I say, trying not to look too eager.

“Good.” He turns towards Minji. “Just make him lift the heavy stuff or something. He can be a handful, but he, uh… He means well.” How sweet, Geier. I’m blushing.

“That shouldn’t be much of a problem,” she says, smirking. “We’ve actually met bef-”

“U-uh, it’s nice to meet you for the first time ever, Ms. President!” I exclaim, shoving my hand towards her before she can utter another word. If Geier finds out that his “punishment” is more like a “blessing” for me, he’ll probably give me some other grunt work to deal with.

Minji awkwardly shakes my hand, giving me a curious expression. “It’s, uh, nice to meet you too, Yuno.” The feeling of her soft hand against mine beats out any kind of embarrassment I should be feeling right now.

“Alright, you can head back to class now, Minji,” Mr. Geier dismisses her. She gives me a small yet bewildered grin before exiting his office, leaving me alone with the principal yet again. My gaze lingers towards the door even after it closes, wishing she’ll pop back in for a few more seconds.

“So,” he begins, taking me out of my daydreams. “You got lucky. Extremely lucky. However, that doesn’t mean you can keep doing this and expecting to get out scot free just because I stick my neck out for you. There are rules here, and I understand that you may not agree with those rules, but they are there regardless, which means you must follow them just like everybody else. No more playing vigilante just because you can, you understand?”

“Yeah, I understand. I’m sorry.”

“I- you what?” He asks, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Uh, I said I understand and I’m sorry,” I reiterate sheepishly.

“Oh. Okay. Well. Good. As long as you understand.” It’s almost offensive just how shocked he is, as if I didn’t know my own actions were wrong. I might be stubborn, but I’m not stupid.

“I’m going back to class,” I state, getting up from my chair. Right before I exit his office, I turn to Geier one last time. “Uh, my dad is doing better now.”

He looks up at me, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. “Really? That’s great to hear, Yuno.”

I give him a nod before shutting the door behind me. I’m not sure what exactly compelled me to tell him that, just a hunch that told me it was the right thing to do at the moment. Geier did ask about him last time, so it only makes sense. I guess.

As I turn the corner, I catch Minji leaning against the wall right outside of Geier’s office. Was she waiting for me?

“Oh. Hey,” I greet her with a small wave. “Hey!” She says, flashing me a smile that could bring about world peace. “What did Mr. Geier talk to you about? If you don’t mind me asking, of course.”

“It was about the, uh… thing that happened with Tyler.”

“Ah, right. So his idea of a punishment for you is to be around me? Ouch,” she jokes. We walk through the halls together despite not sharing the same first period (or any period for that matter). A weird energy hangs in the space between us, like a balloon threatening to pop if either of us get too close. My mind tiptoes on the fence between pushing my luck or staying in a comfortable space. In the end, I throw caution to the wind and close the gap just a little.

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think it’s a punishment at all,” I say, thinking out loud.

“That’s very kind of you, Yuno,” she chimes, a hint of pink gracing her cheeks. Simply being around her is making my heart pound like crazy. Can she hear it? God, I hope not. How am I supposed to control myself when she’s this cute? I just want to-

“Oh!” Minji suddenly stops and points at my face. Shit, was I thinking out loud again? Is she secretly psychic and can hear all my thoughts this whole time?

“W-what?” I ask, flustered.

“You’re smiling.”

I awkwardly clear my throat, wiping the smile off my face. “Y-yeah, so what? Am I not allowed to smile?”

She giggles at me. “No, you’re allowed to smile. In fact, I think you should smile more often, I rarely ever get to see you smile.”

“W-whatever,” I mutter, trying to hide the growing blush on my face. “About the banquet tomorrow, is there a dress code or something? I, uh, don’t own a suit,” I ask, changing the subject.

Minji’s expression suddenly darkens as a dejected sigh floats from her lips. “Oh right, the banquet…” she groans.

“S-sorry for bringing it up.”

“No, it’s fine,” she assures me. “My parents just told me this morning that if I’m gonna bring you along, the guy I’m trying to avoid has to stick around us the whole time, rendering my whole plan basically useless.”

“This guy you’re trying to avoid, is he, um….” I gulp nervously. “...your ex?”

“Ew! Oh my god, no!” Minji exclaims. “He’s the son of my parents’ business partners. He used to be a complete menace towards me when we were kids until he moved away during middle school. Oh my god, the thought of us ever dating is just…” Her entire body shivers in disgust.

I try my best to appear neutral, but inside, fireworks are going off in my head. It’s like Christmas came early this year. I have to physically fight off another smile from growing on my face.

“So, what are we gonna do now? Maybe…” I search my mind for another possible solution for her problem, but only one comes up, and frankly, it’s the best possible case for her and the worst possible case for me. I sigh in disappointment. “...maybe I just shouldn’t go.”

Her gaze shoots up at me. “What?”

“If I don’t go, then you won’t be forced to be around him the entire time,” I explain.

“But I-”

“I’ll probably stick out like a sore thumb anyways, being in a room full of a bunch of rich business people. Your parents already don’t like me, what would they all think of me being around you? Maybe it’s best if I don’t go-”

“Stop!” She suddenly exclaims, a fire burning in her irises. “I invited you because I want you to go, okay? Screw my original plan, screw everyone who judges you, and especially screw Sunghoon! You’re my friend and I want you to be there, don’t worry about all that superficial nonsense.” Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, carrying the determination of her words. No wonder people voted for her as student council president, a speech like that could move anyone to action.

After a short pause, I concede. “...Okay, I’ll go.”

A smile replaces the serious expression she had, sending my heart into another frenzy. “Thank you, Yuno. All you have to do is enjoy yourself, don’t worry about scaring him off or anything dumb like that.”

Enjoy myself. At a banquet. That I certainly don’t belong in. Sure, I can do that.

“I should probably head back to the student council room, I still have a lot of work to do,” she says. “I, um… I’m glad we had this talk. I’ll see ya later.” And just like that, Minji disappears down the halls, leaving me standing here like a fool in love. The warmth in my chest feels like it’s gonna get hotter and hotter until I explode. I desperately hope she needs my help with prom preparations later.

______________________________________________________________

The presence of a substitute would normally mean all chaos ensues, but the odd tension hanging in the air during English practically suffocates any chances of socialization. I didn’t exactly mind nor care, but the silence only made the nervous glances towards me even more obvious. Furthermore, thanks to Tyler’s “disappearance”, his friends on the other side of the room don’t even try to hide their accusatory pointing and disdainful glares. Their sentiments aren’t exactly wrong, but it’s still annoying being on the receiving end of them. Surely, they know better than to start any dumb shit right now.

And yet, I’m unsurprisingly proven wrong as one of them, a tall boy with blonde hair (is his name Connor? Colton? I have no clue), stomps towards me with fury in his eyes.

“Hey,” he growls at me, “You wouldn’t happen to know what happened to Tyler, would you?”

A sigh escapes me. Welp, that’s what I get for getting my hopes up. “Is he not here today? I had no idea,” I mutter, not giving him so much as a glance.

He slams his fist into my desk, causing everyone to look back at the commotion with fearful glances, including Winter. I shake my head reassuringly at her, but unfortunately, Tyler’s friend notices this and scoffs to himself.

“Behind the gym during lunch. Don’t be late.” He glances in Winter’s direction with a smirk on his face. “Or else.”

My fingernails dig into my palms as I ball my fist up in anger, my heart pumping with anger. For the first time since he came over, I glare at him, watching his cocky facade crack in front of my eyes as he scurries back to his little group with his tail in between his legs.

Dammit. God fucking dammit. Is it so hard for me to have one good day without having to deal with anyone’s shit? I notice Winter still staring at me with a worried look, so I conjure up my best convincing smile. She nods and turns back to her book, but I’m not sure if it ends up working.

It’s clear that he wants a fight. Of course he wants a goddamn fight.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno: I won’t be at lunch. I have something I need to deal with.

I send the text to the group chat as I pace around, waiting for Tyler’s goons to show up. The area behind the school’s gym is basically a cesspool for rule breaking; half the concrete is covered in cigarette butts, glass shards, and other mysterious stains from other’s unseemly activities that I’d rather stay unaware of. It’s a wonder how none of the teachers look back here with how often students frequent this place.

Finally, the boy from English class (Kayden? Kenneth? It starts with a K sound, I know that much) appears, alongside a dozen other boys that I’ve seen hanging around Tyler. A few of them are unarmed, but most are carrying broken mop handles. One guy has a pocket knife, so that’s something at least.

“Hey fuckface!” The blonde boy yells. “You think you can mess with Tyler just because you think you’re all high and mighty? Well, newsflash pal, you’re not!”

“Yeah!” His entourage cheers him on.

This is comical. These guys attend a high school in the suburbs, and yet they’re parading around like a bunch of wannabe gangsters. Did they rehearse their lines or something? Why does he talk like a movie bully from the 1950s? It’s taking every fiber of my being not to burst out laughing right now.

“You made a big mistake pal, and we’re gonna make you regret-”

“Fuck, alright!” I groan in annoyance. “Are we doing this or not?”

I stretch my arms, loosening myself up as they timidly inch closer with their little sticks pointed towards me. This could be over in the blink of an eye if I want it to, but I promised Minji I would stop fighting, so I won’t. Not exactly sure what that means, but I’m not exactly known for planning these things out.

I’m not a fighting expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve been in enough to recognize certain patterns. Shaky eyes. Quivering breath. Their knuckles burning white as they clench their fists too hard to compensate for the fact that they have no idea what they’re doing. With each step they take, it only becomes more apparent how downright terrified they are. I almost feel bad for them.

It’s not like I wanted this either, but I brought this upon myself of my own volition. These guys could have said no and went about their day, living their regular high school lives, but instead, they’re rallying behind some guy they’re probably not close with just for a measly ounce of street cred they get for “showing their loyalty,” effectively reducing themselves to lap dogs that get the “privilege” of calling themselves popular. I’m not doing this for street cred or privilege or any of that bullshit that they care too much about. I’m doing this because the asshole that they’re rallying behind threatened my friend.

Inevitably, one of them gets brave enough to make the first move. He swings his stick, hollering at the top of his lungs, and misses wildly as I dodge to the side. The next guy gets lucky, breaking his stick against my arm as I block the side of my head. My arm stings like hell, but I can’t focus on that for too long before the rest of them start getting confident and lunging at me.

Even in the midst of the frenzy, as I dodge a swing aimed towards my head or suffer a kick to the stomach, all I can think about is Minji. I made a promise to her, one I have no intention of breaking. Rather than a fight between me and the dozens of Tyler’s lackeys, it feels more like a fight between me and my instincts, actively trying to suppress the years of bad habits just for Minji. A part of me feels stupid for doing it - it’s not like she’ll ever see this anyways - yet I continue to subdue my instincts, even if it means sustaining a couple brutal blows to the body.

One of the bigger guys in the group tackles me to the ground, taking the wind out of me as my back collides with the hard concrete. My ears start to ring as he lands two solid punches to my cheek. I flail my hands wildly to the side, desperate for something to grab, before landing on a pile of broken glass. Ignoring the blood rushing to my palms, I chuck the shards at his face. He yelps in pain, allowing me to push him off and get back to my feet. Before I can even blink, my head begins to spin as another punch sends me careening towards the brick wall. Warm blood leaks through my lips, staining my shirt. Two more guys stand over me before hoisting me up by my arms.

I’m fucking exhausted. My vision is blurry and the ringing in my ears grows louder by the second. Each inhale burns just a bit hotter than the last. I’m covered in blood again, but this time, it’s all my own. Every cell in my body screams at me for getting into this situation in the first place, berating me for my own stubbornness. Yet the blonde boy, Kyle or whatever the fuck his name is, stands in front of me unscathed, not even a drop of sweat on his brow. The rest of his buddies are on the ground, breathless and covered in injuries they got from tripping over each other. I cough out a weak chuckle, sending a jolt of pain through my chest.

“W-what the fuck are you laughing at?!” Even his threats are starting to get shaky.

“Just funny… You called me out here… Yet… You didn’t do shit…” I mutter. “Fucking… coward…”

The fury ignites in his eyes, the same one present when he first called me out in English. He grabs a broken mop handle off the ground and swings it overhead, aiming for my face. This is it. Started this day off with a smile, and look where I’m at now. In the back of my mind, I always knew I would go out like this. It’s a shame this had to happen after I finally found something to look forward to. With a shallow breath, my eyes flutter shut as I unwillingly accept my fate.

Suddenly, a loud siren blares through the air. The stick that was sailing towards my head mere seconds ago now clatters to the ground. Mr. Geier pops up from behind the building with a megaphone in his hand, alongside two teachers, Winter, Yujin, Danielle, and Minji.

“What the hell are you doing!? Put him down NOW!” Geier yells through the megaphone. I collapse to my knees as the two idiots drop me to the ground. A mix of emotions swirl through my head, but the sense of relief shines clearest through the storm. The fact that I’m alive almost makes everything feel more painful.

As the teachers reprimand the other guys, Minji and the others rush over to me, their overlapping voices of worry combined with the ringing in my ears making it impossible to make out anything. I want to tell them that it’s fine, I made it out alive. In a shit ton of pain, but alive nonetheless. No words come out. My vision is starting to blur again. Minji’s face is the last thing I see before everything turns to black.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

I lean back in my chair, stretching my arms as I let out a long, exhausted sigh. It feels like no matter how much progress I make with prom, there’s still a whole mountain of things I still need to do.

Danielle walks through the door of the student council room, carrying a pile of papers with her. I nearly burst into tears just looking at the size of the stack.

“Relax,” she says reassuringly, reading my expression. “These are all taken care of.”

I slide farther into my chair, releasing a deep breath. “Oh thank god, I don’t think I can handle doing anymore paperwork.”

She grins, taking a seat next to me. “The principal approved the caterers and our ‘Red Carpet’ theme, I informed the club leaders to start working on their floats for the prom parade, and Woohyuk and Julie from the art club agreed to paint a mural in the gym. All we have left to do is pick a venue, find a DJ, and prepare decorations.”

“You say that like it’s an easy thing to do.” I sigh, resting my head on the table while Danielle merely shrugs her shoulders. A couple minutes of silence pass, both of us exhausted and overwhelmed by the ever growing pile of work. “Are Woohyuk and Julie dating?” I ask, making small talk.

“I think so. They seem to have gotten a lot closer after the school festival, and they wouldn’t stop shooting each other heart eyes when I asked them to paint the mural. It was sickening,” she jokes.

Dating in high school always felt like an enigma to me. Statistically speaking, only 20% of couples last until college, and only 10% ever get married. High schoolers are the most emotional, stubborn, immature, and hormonal people on the planet (according to my parents), why would you want to date someone like that? But it’s not like I don’t want to date… I just never had the chance to. I would be lying if I said I don’t look at couples walking arm-in-arm through the halls with some kind of envy. Wouldn’t it be nice to go through the struggles of your teen years with someone that understands you because they’re going through the exact same thing? I say that, and then I look out the potential dating pool at Evergreen, only to be reminded of why I haven’t dated anyone. I mean, there is one guy I wouldn’t mind dating…

“Why do you ask?” Danielle says, interrupting my train of thought.

“U-uh nothing, just curious.” My cheeks suddenly flare up with heat as she leans forward, scrutinizing my expression.

“Are you thinking about that boy again?

My eyes go wide as I shake my head profusely. “W-what, no! Why would I be thinking about Yuno?”

“Because I didn’t even mention a name, yet your mind automatically went to Yuno.” She raises her eyebrows in an ‘I told you so’ expression, causing me to shrink in my chair. “Are you really gonna fall for someone like that just because he saves your purse from a thief?”

“I told you I—Huh? How do you know about that?”

Danielle takes her phone out and pulls up a video from a local news account titled, “Heroic Man Stops Mall Purse Thief.” My eyes grow even wider as the video plays, showing Yuno tackling the thief who stole my purse and the… awkward hug I gave him afterwards. Apparently, someone had recorded the entire altercation and uploaded it to social media. It now has…

“Five million views?!” I exclaim. That explains all the weird looks I’ve been getting today. I faceplant into the table, my face burning with a fire of a thousand suns. So that means the entire school saw me… hugging Yuno… I mean, why do I feel so embarrassed in the first place? Hugging is a perfectly normal way to show gratitude towards someone. He got my purse back, so a hug seems pretty normal, right? It’s not like people are gonna assume we’re dating. Not that I have any problem with dating him, it’s just…

I let out a sigh. “Danielle…” I groan, my voice muffled by the table.

“Hm?” I feel her gently pat my shoulder in support. I lift my head, turning towards her.

“What do I do?”

She tilts her head at me, confused. “Do you want them to take the video down?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s… I don’t know. I’m so lost. There’s a lot going on with prom and my parents, it feels like I’m being tossed back and forth in a tornado with nothing around to hold onto for support. There’s things that I want to do that seem so… impossible given the circumstances. I wish I could freeze time just so I could have a moment to myself to think.” I slump back onto the table in defeat while Danielle continues to rub my shoulder.

Compared to the rest of the girls, Danielle is the most logical one. Hanni does everything she can to cheer me up, Haerin lends an ear and a shoulder to cry on no matter what, Hyein is always there to show me the brighter side of things, and Danielle is prepared with an easy 3-step solution to virtually any of my problems. If I’m drowning in a sea of doubt and anxiety, I know she’ll be there with a spare life vest and an intricately made wooden raft to hoist me out of the water. But not even she has the answers to everything.

Suddenly, the door to the student council room swings open.

“We need help,” a familiar voice shoots through the door. “Quickly.”

Yuno’s friends stand in the doorway panting, worry painted on their faces. Winter looks like she’s on the verge of tears while Yujin’s normally cheery disposition is hauntingly absent.

“What’s wrong?” Danielle asks.

“I-I’m not sure, b-but I think h-he’s in a fight right n-now, behind the g-gym,” Winter answers, her voice breaking.

A fight? N-no… What if he gets hurt?

I hurriedly jump to my feet, my mind racing. “Danielle, Yujin, go get Principal Geier. Winter, come with me,” I command, panic evident in my voice. The four of us promptly leave the student council room, with Danielle and Yujin diverging to the principal’s office while Winter and I walk briskly towards the gym.

“Tell me everything. What do you mean Yuno might be in a fight?” I ask her.

“D-during English, Cameron w-went up to Yuno and he looked r-really angry. I-I couldn’t hear everything th-they were saying, but it s-sounded like he told him to m-meet behind the gym during l-lunch,” she explains. I pick up the pace, adrenaline pumping through my body. With each passing step, all I can think about is one thing.

Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay.

______________________________________________________________

As we turn the corner to the back of the gym, my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach while my breath gets completely sucked from my lungs. Two boys hold up Yuno’s limp body as a third prepares to swing a stick straight towards his head. I wanna scream, I wanna run to him and make sure he’s okay, but my entire body stays frozen in place. Why does it have to be Yuno? Why couldn’t it be anyone else? I was just talking to him a few hours ago, he was fine. He was smiling. I wish I could see that smile on his face again. Please.

“M-Minji,” Danielle softly calls out my name, wiping the tears off my face with concern in her eyes. I didn’t even realize I was crying. She holds me as I uncontrollably sob into her shoulder, my heart aching with an indescribable pain. It feels like I’m being torn apart from the inside. I need him to be okay. Please.

“C’mon, let’s go,” she says, patting my arm. I look up from her shoulder, wiping away my tears, to see Yuno collapse to the floor. Mr. Geier and the other two teachers with us yell at the rest of the boys to line up against the wall using harsh language I’ve never heard him say before. The four of us get down by his side, desperate to make sure he’s okay.

“H-he’s fine, right? He’ll be okay, right? D-Dani?” Yujin asks, his voice quivering as he looks up at her for reassurance.

“Just, um, give him some room to breathe for now.”

“Y-Y-Y-Yuno…” Winter’s entire body shakes as she weeps into her hands. I should comfort her. I’m the student council president, it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone’s okay. But my own tears won’t stop flowing as I gently cup his cheek, swollen and red with cuts. You were awake earlier. Your eyes were open and you were smiling. Please wake up. Please smile again, Yuno. Please.

“Guys, we have to take him to the nurse, now!” Mr. Geier exclaims, grabbing Yuno by the arms. “Help me get his legs up!”

The three of them lift up his legs while I’m still too busy crying to help. My body is moving, following close behind them, but my mind is too muddled to properly process anything. The next few minutes are nothing but a blur of hallways and odd stares from students exiting the lunch room. I don’t care. I don’t care about what other students think of Yuno. I don’t care about what my parents think of him. I don’t care about what people at the banquet will think of him. All I care about is him and making sure that he’s okay.

Once we arrive at the nurse’s office, they gently lay his body on one of the cots. I sit down next to him, just staring at his face. His chest slowly rises and falls with breath. That’s good. He’s breathing. He’s alive.

Mr. Geier says something to us that I can’t quite make out. All of their voices fade into the background of my mind like nothing was ever said in the first place. Mr. Geier leaves, with Winter and Yujin following soon after. Danielle sits down next to me and says something, but I’m too distracted to listen right now. She ends up leaving soon too. All I can do is sit here and wait for him to wake up. Please wake up soon. Please.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

My eyes blink open to a blotchy field of grays and blacks. I try to sit up, but a stabbing pain shoots through my entire body. Every breath feels like hell to get through. Memories of what happened moments before I passed out come back to me. I almost got my skull busted open, and then there was this loud siren. I thought I saw Minji before I passed out, but I’m not too sure. Fuck, my body hurts like hell. Where am I anyways?

As my vision begins to focus, I see the familiar fluorescent lights of the school glaring back at me. I finally sit up, doing my best to ignore the pain in my back, and look around - the nurse’s office. The school’s nurse, a skinny woman with giant glasses and violently pink scrubs, sits at her desk and types away at her computer, oblivious to my consciousness. I consider saying something to let her know I’m awake, but my throat is too dry to produce any noise.

I turn to my left and my heart stops in my chest. Minji is lying on the cot next to me, sleeping peacefully. I start to wonder if this is all just another weird dream, but as I reach out and gently brush the hair from her face, the soft skin of her cheek feels too real. Even when she’s sleeping, she’s so beautiful. But… Why is she here?

“Oh good, you’re awake,” the nurse says, rising from her desk. I quickly retract my hand from Minji’s face. “Principal Geier explained everything that happened. How are you feeling?”

I stretch my limbs, testing how much I can withstand the pain before it becomes unbearable. “Could be better, but I’m alive and breathing at least,” I say. “Uh, what is she doing here? Did she get hurt?” My voice raises slightly as I gesture to Minji’s sleeping form. If those fuckers did anything to her, I’m gonna-

“I think she’s fine. She came in with you and wouldn’t move or speak, even after Principal Geier told the rest of the kids to get back to class. She just sat there, watching over you until she fell asleep,” the nurse explains.

I sign in relief, thankful that she’s not hurt, but the nurse’s explanation only produces more questions. Why didn’t she leave? I’m sure she’s busy with a million other things, watching over me will only set her back even more. It’s not like this is the first time this kind of thing has happened to me. Something similar happened right before I met Minji. I’ll feel like shit for a few days, but I’m relatively fine.

So why did she stay?

The nurse pats my shoulder, handing me an ice bag. “I have to go, some kid threw up in the library, just put this wherever you feel like it. Will you and your girlfriend be fine here alone?”

Heat rushes to my cheeks. “She’s not m- Uh, sure, we’ll be fine.”

She exits the room, leaving me alone with Minji. The silence gives me a moment to get my thoughts straight as the ice bag partially soothes my headache. Her face is so still and peaceful, I slow down my breaths despite the pain just so I don’t wake her up. The last time I saw her face like this was when we slept in the same bed after she almost got attacked in front of the convenience store. My heart still burns with anger at the thought of Minji nearly getting hurt. I want to protect her. Even if she doesn’t feel the same, I want to be there for her in any way I can. In the short time I’ve known Minji, it feels like I’m becoming a better person, or maybe I’m just becoming more and more foolish. I don’t know. Feelings are confusing.

Minji’s eyes suddenly flutter open, and as soon as they meet mine, she jumps up, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. “Y-you’re awake! Oh my god, you’re awake!” She sobs into my shoulders. I completely freeze in her arms, the surprise overtaking the pain.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine, Minji. Are you okay?” I ask, awkwardly patting her back. She separates from me, tears overflowing from her eyes. With each drop that falls, I feel my heart crack into a billion pieces, this pain worse than anything I’ve ever felt before. Hesitantly, I wipe away her tears with my uninjured hand, making sure my movements are gentle.

“H-hey, it’s okay. What’s wrong?” She takes a moment to calm down, sinking her cheek into my palm as she controls her breathing. I don’t dare move my hand, even after most of the tears stop flowing.

“I-I was… so worried… that y-you wouldn’t… wake up…” She stutters in between sniffles. “I-I thought you w-were… th-thought you were… dea-”

“I’m okay, Minji,” I interrupt her, afraid she’ll start bawling again if she finishes her sentence. “U-um, please stop crying. I’m okay.”

She takes one more deep breath before sitting back down, regretfully moving my hand from her cheek. We sit in silence for a while, unsure of what to say. She cried after getting attacked by the convenience store, but this time seems different. This time, she wasn’t crying for her, she was crying for me.

“Wait here,” Minji mutters before getting up and walking over to the sink in the corner of the room. I watch silently as she pulls out a few things from the cupboard and fiddles with the sink for a moment before walking back over to me. She gently places a bowl of water and a hand towel next to me before taking out a juice box and poking a straw through the top.

“Here.” She brings the straw to my lips, making me flinch slightly.

“Oh. Thanks.” I take it from her, drinking it as she dips the towel into the water and gently tends to my cut up hand. My body recoils from her touch more than the pain itself. It still feels foreign to me, being cared for like this. Never in a million years did I imagine someone like Minji Kim to pop into my life. She’s way too good for me. What good would I be as her boyfriend? What good am I as her friend for that matter? I don’t want to be a nuisance in her life. I want- No, I need to be better. For her.

She finishes wrapping the gauze around my hand. “Is that okay? Not too tight?” She asks, her voice slightly hoarse from crying.

“Yeah, it’s fine. Thanks.” I look at her, meeting her eyes. “You didn’t have to do this. You should’ve just left-”

“Why did you get into another fight? I thought you said you wouldn’t fight anymore.” Her tone turns stern, softly reprimanding my decisions.

“I didn’t fight,” I assure her. “If I didn’t show up, they were gonna go after Winter, but I promise, I didn’t try to hit them or anything.”

“So you just let them beat you up!?” Minji shoots me a look of disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

“N-no! I-I dodged and stuff, they just got a few lucky hits in!” I hastily try to explain myself, hoping she doesn’t cry again. In hindsight, it sounds even more stupid when I say it out loud. I went to the back of the gym, fully expecting there to be a crowd of people wanting to kick my ass, and the only plan I had was to… not fight? Even if I did make it out fine, did I just expect Minji not to say anything about the sudden abundance of injuries all over my body? God, I’m such a dumbass.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone!? A-a teacher!? Principal Geier!? Me!?” The look of outrage alone is enough to make me feel like a child getting scolded by their parents. My gaze falls to the ground, hiding my embarrassed blush.

“I, uh… I didn’t think of that…” I shamefully admit. She sits next to me, sighing into her hands. Seconds stretch into entire years as tense silence overtakes the room. Even my own breathing feels comparable to a car engine with how quiet everything is.

My entire body freezes as I feel Minji rest her head on my shoulder. Her silky black hair tickles my neck while the scent of her lavender perfume wafts through my nose, giving me visions of running through a clear field full of nothing but lavender stems. “Do you know why I’m mad at you?” She asks, her voice surprisingly mild.

“Uh, because I’m… stupid?”

She chuckles lightly at my half-joke. “You’re not stupid. What you did was stupid, but no, that’s not why I’m mad.”

“Because, uh… I didn’t talk to you first?”

“Bingo.” She lifts her head up to look at me. Her face is close, I can feel the warmth emanating from her soft cheeks. “I know you wanted to protect Winter, but you ended up getting hurt in the process. If you had just gone to a teacher, those boys would’ve been reprimanded without you having to get hurt.”

“They would not have been reprimanded-”

“Okay, fine, they probably wouldn’t have been seriously reprimanded without any solid evidence,” she concedes. “But that doesn’t mean you should go through these kinds of things alone. Your friends were worried sick about you. And I…” Her voice cracks like delicate porcelain. “...I was worried sick about you.”

I gulp, finally feeling the weight of my actions. For years, everything I’ve done has only affected me. I never had to second guess anything. But things are different now. I have people around me that care about my well-being, which means all of my actions have some kind of effect on them. This whole thing sprouted from me wanting to protect a friend, but in the end, they got hurt because of me.

“I’m sorry, Minji. For being stupid and not talking to you and letting myself get hurt.”

She nods, offering an appreciative grin. “Next time something like this happens, just text me first so I can at least try to talk you out of it, okay?”

How could I ever say no to a face like that? “Okay.”

Minji’s smile widens, and like a mirror, I can feel my own lips curling to reflect her joy. She’s so… amazing, unreal even—like someone plucked a princess straight from a fairy tale and placed her right in front of me. Kind, caring, courteous, beautiful, strong, intelligent, absolutely perfect in every way possible that it almost feels unfair. I might be fated for nothing more than an early grave, but for once, I want to defy fate and entertain the possibility that something good could happen to me. Maybe Minji is the good thing that happened to me, and maybe, just maybe, there is a future where me and her… y’know.

A whole minute passes before I realize that neither of us have stopped staring at each other. Something in my head clicks. I find myself leaning in, inch by inch, closer to Minji’s lips, just like I’ve done many times in my dreams - But this time, it’s real. Her breath dances against my skin, making my cells tingle in anticipation. Something in her expression shifts. Her eyes widen slightly, flickering downwards every so often, but she doesn’t pull away, even after my intentions become crystal clear. She opens her mouth as if to say something, a protest maybe, but no sound comes out except for her shivering breath. My heart pounds in my ears like a warning alarm telling me to stop. “This is a bad idea, Yuno! What are you doing!?” Yet I continue onward until the tension is palpable. So close, I can almost taste it-

The door to the nurse’s office swings open. “Oh good, you’re both awake!”

Minji and I jump to opposite sides of the cot, my face burning hotter than the sun. The nurses waltzes in with another kid sporting a gross vomit stain on his shirt, tossing any kind of sentiment I had mere moments ago out the window. My heart chugs with the force of a speeding bullet train; it’s a miracle I haven’t succumbed to a heart attack by now.

“U-um, I should, um…” Minji stutters frantically, her eyes darting everywhere but in my direction. If it’s any consolation, I feel too overwhelmed to look at anywhere except the floor. She hurries out of the nurse’s office without uttering another word.

“What’s up with her?” The nurse asks. I’m too busy freaking out to even register her question properly.

WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST TRY TO DO!?

___________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

Oh my god. Oh… my god. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. My god. OH. MY. GOD. OMGOMGOMGOMGOGMOMGOMGOMGOMGM-

“Minj? Are you alright?”

I jump in my seat, my gaze flying wildly around me. “H-huh?”

Hanni and Haerin exchange odd glances as they take their seats on either side of me. “Girl, what’s wrong with you?” Hanni asks, her eyebrow raised in concern.

“I-I’m fine, just working on prom stuff like usual.” That’s only somewhat of a lie: after getting permission to excuse myself from the rest of the day’s classes, I came into the student council room with the intent to work on prom stuff to get my mind off of… that. However, I ended up spending the last hours of the school day staring at my blank computer screen while my mind spirals out of control. “Where’s Danielle and Hyein?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Home stuff,” Hanni answers, sliding an iced coffee towards me. “Are you sure you’re fine? You look… shaky.”

“It’s probably just stress, you know how I’ve been lately,” I awkwardly chuckle. Caffeine is probably the last thing that I need right now, yet I take a sip to keep up appearances. Haerin’s cold, analyzing glare seems to notice this.

“Mmm…” She grumbles to herself, her gaze never leaving mine as she takes a notebook from her backpack and starts to scribble in it. Haerin always had a knack for knowing things before they happen, but not even she could’ve possibly known about the nurse’s office… right?

“Ugh, all this talk about prom is making me sick,” Hanni groans. “Spending over $1000 on hair, makeup, a dress, and a limo, all for what? Three hours of some sweaty boy’s hands on my waist? I think I’ll pass.”

“You can think that, but some people wait their entire lives for this one magical night, I just want to make sure everyone has fun,” I reason.

“Pfft, you just want to slow dance with your little boyfriend, Yuno.”

The shock from her words makes me choke on my drink, devolving into a mad coughing fit. “W-what?! N-no I don’t! He’s not my- shut up!” Hanni throws her head back in laughter, clearly amused by my near death experience at her hands.

With how insanely stressful prom preparations have been, the thought of procuring a date to the event never crossed my mind. At this point in the year, most people have found potential dates to take or a close group of friends to go with, with Danielle, Hanni, and I falling into the latter. All this time, I never even thought what prom would be like for myself. I’ve seen it all the time in movies and TV shows: the main character boy asks the hot cheerleader girl to prom, they slow dance together to a popular song fitting of the time, they kiss, credits roll. A simple, predictable formula riddled with a mess of cliches, but one that many dream about for their own special night. But what did I want out of prom? Would he even- Nevermind, I can’t even think clearly about that right now.

Haerin tosses her notebook over to me. “I drew this,” she states.

I peer down at her drawing, growing more confused with each second. It seems to depict some kind of misshapen blob and a… girl? I think? They’re sitting on some kind of bench really close together. Haerin never showed any interest in the arts before this, so why would she be into drawing all of a sudden?

“Um, it’s nice? I think? What is it supposed to be?” I ask.

“It’s you kissing a shadow monster.”

My arm lurches wildly to the side, inadvertently tossing her notebook across the room. Does she know? How does she know!? She wasn’t there, right? Right!?

“That wasn’t very nice, Minj,” Hanni chides, picking the notebook off the ground. “I think it’s very unique and has a lot of character. She even got your ponytail right. Good job, Kitty Kang.” She pats Haerin’s head, bringing a pleased smile out of her, yet her eyes stay glued to me like a predator stalking its prey. I’m starting to wonder if she ever even blinks.

“Sorry, Haerin, I just feel out of it today. It’s a, uh… lovely drawing,” I sigh, resting my head onto my palm.

“Yah, you’re bumming me out, Minj. Let’s do something fun instead of all this prom garbage. Karaoke?” Hanni suggests. They both look at me expectantly, which only makes my answer even more painful.

“I would love to, especially today out of all days, but I have to prepare for a banquet tomorrow.”

“A banquet? You never told us about that. Ooh, can we come?” Hanni pleads, flashing her big eyes and pouty lips.

“I, um… It’s for my family’s business. They said I couldn’t invite anyone, sorry.” Oh god. Lying to my parents is one thing, but lying to my best friends? The people I trust more than anybody in the entire world? My own words leave a bitter taste in my mouth, more bitter than the strongest black coffee. But what am I supposed to tell them? That I invited Yu- him instead of my own closest friends? Even if his presence serves some kind of purpose, I still can’t imagine how they would react if I told them I basically chose a boy over them. No matter how I try to justify it, it still feels wrong.

“Aww,” Hanni pouts. While she’s distracted, I notice Haerin picking up her notebook and pointing at the “shadow monster” in her drawing with a scrutinizing squint. I try to ignore her, keeping a straight face, but it’s becoming more clear that she knows something’s up.

“I’ll make it up to you guys some other time,” I say, gathering my things. “Next time we go to karaoke, I’ll pay for everything, snacks, drinks, whatever, alright?”

“Woo! I won’t say no to that!” Hanni cheers, skipping out of the student council room. I get up to follow her, but a tug on my sleeve stops me. Haerin stares at me blankly, unblinking, for what feels like forever. It’s normally hard to read her, but especially now when my mind has been in a constant whirlwind for the last couple hours, all I can come to are a few thousand anxiety-ridden conclusions. She suddenly moves her hand upwards with the focused intensity of a cat, waving it around before finally landing her index finger on the middle of my forehead.

“U-um, Haerin, what are you-”

“You’re overthinking things. Go with your gut,” she states before putting her notebook back into her bag like nothing ever happened.

“What are you talking about-”

“If you’re not gonna admit it to us, at least admit it to yourself. It’s not healthy to keep things bottled up, you’re barely floating as it is.” Haerin goes up to the door, stopping to look back at me. “Are you coming with us or not?”

“O-oh, right, yeah.” I can barely process her words as I follow the two of them off campus. What does she mean by “overthinking”? I’m not overthinking, I’m thinking a perfectly healthy amount. I just have a lot on my plate, so there’s a lot I need to think about. That’s not overthinking, that’s just… thinking a lot. I need to be thinking a lot, or else I run the risk of letting a ton of people down. My parents, the entire student body, my friends. Once I get a quiet moment to myself, I’ll be fine. Right? Right?

______________________________________________________________

I kick off my shoes by the front door, ready to land face first into my bed and turn off my brain for a couple hours. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for me.

“Minji! Welcome home, dear!” My mom announces from the living room, her tone a bit too cheerful to not raise any immediate red flags. “How was school?”

I fight back an exhausted sigh. “It was fine, Mother. I’m just gonna go up to my room and-”

“Oh, well don’t go upstairs yet! The Parks are here, come say hello!”

The Parks are what!? My eyes shoot up, scanning the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Park sit on the sofa, offering me kind smiles. But if they’re here, does that mean-

“Minji! Long time no see!” My worst nightmare rounds the corner with my father in tow, laughing like they’re old buddies or something. My skin crawls as he walks towards me with his arm spread out like he’s about to hug me. I wanna run and hide, but I’m too terrified to move. In the end, all I can do is try not to vomit on his shoulder as he wraps me up in an awkward hug.

Is this real? Surely this isn’t real, right? Maybe this is all just some sick nightmare and I’m still sleeping in the nurse’s office. Please let this be just a nightmare.

“Cat got your tongue or something?” He jokes, finally releasing me from his grasp.

“Sunghoon, it’s uh… good to see you.”

Father walks up and clasps his hand on Sunghoon’s shoulder. “Sunghoon was just telling me that he’s considering transferring over Evergreen for the rest of the school year. Isn’t that great, Minji?”

“He WHAT!?”

Everyone turns to look at me, shock and concern written all over their faces. “I-I mean what a great surprise! That’s just… so, so, sooo great to hear,” I say through bared teeth. “I have an, uh, important test tomorrow that I need to study for, so I’m just gonna go up to my room and-”

“Why don’t you bring Sunghoon with you, dear?” Mother suggests, oblivious to the fact that she’s slowly destroying my life. “It’ll give you two time to catch up without us adults getting in the way.”

I muster up the most convincing smile I can and say, “S-sure. That would be great. Just… great.”

I stomp up the stairs to my room with Sunghoon in tow, immediately collapsing onto my bed without giving him a second thought.

“Your room is nice,” he says, shutting the door behind him and effectively taking away my only way of escape. Maybe there’s some soft bushes I can land on if I jump out the window. If not, at least death seems more favorable than being stuck in here with the worst human being alive.

“Mhm,” I mutter, half-listening to whatever he has to say.

Sunghoon paces around my room, looking around at my posters and my desk before picking up Mr. Bear from my bed. “I see you’re still into teddy bears,” he chuckles to himself.

“Put that down!” I grab Mr. Bear from his grasp and glare coldly at him, causing him to back off with his hands up.

“Alright, it’s clear that there’s still some bitterness so I might as well just go ahead and address the elephant in the room: I’m sorry for the way I treated you when we were kids. I was an immature little brat and I should’ve treated you better. Will you forgive me?”

That was… surprisingly mature. Did the original Sunghoon die in an accident and got replaced by a nicer clone? Does he have an illegitimate twin brother that replaced him and took his name after Mr. and Mrs. Park realized how much of a gremlin their son is? Any of those explanations seem more plausible than Sunghoon actually maturing.

“Uh… sure, I guess,” I say, still weirded about this sudden revelation. He grins at me, sitting next to me on the bed. “Um, I’m sorry for yelling. It’s been a, uh… long day.”

“No worries, I deserved it.” Jeez, this new understanding side of Sunghoon is so off putting. If he acted like old self, at least that would be predictable. This feels like walking through uncharted territory without so much as a map or even a flashlight.

“Your mother told me that you’re inviting a friend to the banquet tomorrow,” he continues. “Some guy named Yuno. What’s he like?

“He’s…” Oh god, I can’t even think properly about him right now after what happened in the nurse’s office. I still haven’t been able to process my own feelings about it. What was he thinking? What was I thinking? I can’t even remember where my mind was during that whole thing, yet I can remember everything else so vividly; his warm breath dancing against my skin, his kind eyes peering into mine with so much care behind them, his soft lips inching closer and closer-

“Minji? Are you alright?” Sunghoon nudges my shoulder, taking me out of my impromptu trip down memory lane. I sink my face into Mr. Bear’s head, hiding the growing blush on my cheeks.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Like I said, long day,” I reason. “Um… He’s nice. A little shy, but he means well.”

“Are you sure you two are friends?” He chuckles at me. “It doesn’t seem like you know him very well.”

“We, uh, haven’t been friends very long,” I explain. As weird as it is, Yuno and I have only known each other a couple of days, yet it feels like so much longer than that. Now that I think about it, we’ve run into each other everyday since we met, even on the weekend. For the past three years of attending the same high school, he’s been nothing but a body walking through the hall or the utterance of a name whenever he stirred up trouble, but now, we’re so intertwined in each other’s lives like he’s been there from the start. Without him, I probably would’ve gotten attacked by that drunk man and I never would’ve gotten over my fear of spiders. His presence has become so integral to my life, I can’t imagine him not being there in some way.

“Do you like him?” Sunghoon asks suddenly, glancing at me.

I… I don’t know. I don’t know what to think or feel about him. He is a part of my life, but I just… I don’t know. “As a friend, yeah,” I utter, unsure of the words coming out of my own mouth.

He nods, grinning to himself. “Good.”

“What do you mean ‘good’?” My eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“Oh, nothing, just, uh… thinking out loud.” He gets up from my bed and walks towards the door. “I’ll let you study for your test now, I’d hate to interfere with your academics. See ya tomorrow, Minji.”

“Yeah, see ya…” He shuts the door behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Instead of getting up and doing something productive to distract myself, all I can do is lie there and stare at the ceiling, wondering when everything became so complicated.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

“Yuno, are you okay? You’re blanking out again,” Winter says.

“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing. Just a little headache.”

Honestly, I would prefer it if it was just a little headache rather than the fucking tornado that’s been running rampant through my mind. During the entire walk from the school to the convenience store, all I could do was stare at the ground and let my legs blindly follow behind Winter and Yujin. Hell, I barely even noticed we came to the convenience store until just now.

“Shouldn’t you go to the doctor? You don’t look very good,” Yujin says.

“I’ve been through worse.” Both of them still stare at me, unconvinced of my wellbeing. “I’ll feel better after I sleep it off, alright? You guys don’t have to worry about me.”

“How can we not worry about you, you got hurt b-because of me…” Winter’s voice falters as tears begin to well within her eyes.

“Ah jeez. Look, I…” My mind wanders back to what Minji said to me in the nurse’s office before I did… that: But that doesn’t mean you should go through these kinds of things alone. Your friends were worried sick about you.

“I’m sorry. To both of you. I should’ve let you two know what was going on instead of running in alone and letting myself get hurt. It won’t happen again, okay? I’m done fighting,” I say. Both of them look up at me in surprise.

“So no more Super Yuno?” Yujin asks.

“Uh yeah. No more, uh, ‘Super Yuno’.” If there’s a silver lining in any of this, it’s definitely getting rid of that ridiculous nickname.

“Hmm…” Yujin’s gaze falls to the ground in contemplation. “When superheroes in comic books get hurt, they usually have some kind of healing factor or revival ability that helps them get back up no matter how much damage they take. But you…” He looks up at me, his own eyes glossy with sorrow. “...You’re real. You don’t have any superpowers to help you. It was really scary seeing you not wake up, Yuno. I-I don’t… I don’t want to see you get hurt anymore.”

“Me neither,” Winter adds.

The three of us sit in silence with nothing but the crickets and the gentle howl of the passing breeze to let us know the world is still moving. The weight of their words sink deeper into me, making me feel even more guilty for my lack of consideration. Things are different now. I can’t act like I’m still living the same life I was a couple days ago, and frankly, I don’t want to go back to that life of solitude and pain. I need to change for the better. For me. For my dad. For my friends. For Min… For her.

I clap Yujin on the back, ruffling his hair. “You guys won’t have to see me get hurt anymore, alright? I really am done fighting.”

Winter smiles at me, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m glad.”

“Me too,” Yujin chuckles.

My lips form into a grin, a feeling I’m starting to get used to. “But if anyone messes with either of you, I don’t mind coming out of retirement for a little bit.”

The sounds of their laughter float with the wind, carried wherever fate takes them. I always viewed fate as cruel and unyielding, rendering our sense of choice to nothing but dust. But every once in a while, it’ll surprise me with something new, not necessarily good or bad, just different. This, however, is good. Unequivocally good. It can be convoluted and annoying at times, but still good.

“How’s the student council president?” Winter asks, making my shoulders tense up suddenly.

“Oh yeah, she looked really worried about you. Danielle told me that she’s never seen her act like that before,” Yujin says.

My gaze drifts to the side, unable to meet their eyes. “U-uh, she’s fine. We talked. We’re, uh, cool.” I can’t even imagine how she must be feeling right now after I did all that. What am I supposed to say to her? Do I just pretend like nothing happened? That I didn’t just try to kiss her? OUT OF NOWHERE? I clutch my head as I devolve into another tumultuous storm of uncertainty and anxiety. I need to get this feeling out of me. I need to… I…

“I almost kissed her,” I blurt out. Winter and Yujin’s jaws drop in utter shock at my confession. My entire face burns with shame, but my soul feels lighter now that I finally acknowledged it.

“Uh, what do you mean almost?” Winter asks after several seconds of stunned silence.

“I-I, uh… Fuck…” I inhale deeply, steadying my breath. “We were just talking and then suddenly her face was really close and I kinda just… leaned in… uh…” The more I blabber, the warmer my entire body feels, yet going back and reliving that moment so clearly feels oddly nice in a way. Instead of it being a dream, it was real. I almost got to see what happens at the end of that dream instead of waking up in my bed.

Both of them lean in with amused smirks, completely intrigued by my stupid little accident. “Do you like her?” Winter asks.

“Y-yeah, I do. A lot.”

“Aw, look at him, he’s blushing,” Yujin teases.

I turn my head, hiding my face into my hands. “Sh-shut up…”

“I think it’s very cute that you have a crush on her. Minji seems like a really nice girl,” Winter says, amused. “Are you gonna ask her out to prom?”

“I, uh… I don’t know.”

“Why not? I think you should go for it if you really like her.”

“I don’t know how she feels about me. I mean, I know she thinks of us as friends, but more than that…” I sigh, my shoulders slumping towards the ground. “Minji has a lot going for her, and I’m just me.”

“How did she react when you almost kissed her?” Yujin asks.

“She, uh… She ran out of the room in a panic.”

Both of them turn to each other in contemplation. “Well, that could mean anything,” Winter says. “Regardless of what you think she feels, you should ask her out or else you’re gonna regret it for the rest of your life. I didn’t think Karina would ever like me, but look where we’re at now.”

“Yeah, Yuno!” Yujin adds. “We’ll even help you with your promposal! I can make posters and-”

“N-no!” I interject. “No posters. I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. I already know what people think of me, so to put that kind of attention on her would be cruel.”

Amused smirks grow on their faces as they exchange knowing glances at each other. “That was really sweet, Yuno,” Winter says, gushing.

On second thought, maybe it’s better if I didn’t tell them all of this; God knows I won’t hear the end of it for the next week. But as I look at the sincerity in their smiles, a warm feeling stirs within me. Maybe it’s better I did.

______________________________________________________________

My hand rests on the doorknob of my home, frozen by the impending dread of having to come clean and explain the sudden influx of cuts and bruises marking my body. If he’s going to be in my life again, he’ll have to deal with the fact that I made and will continue to make really shitty mistakes. I just hope I’m able to learn from them every once in a while.

With a deep breath, I enter my home to find him sitting alone at the dining table, his leg bouncing restlessly as he stares blankly at nothing. All the lights in the house are off, save for the single one floating right above him, creating an ominous tension that blasts me from the doorway.

“Uh, hey, Dad.”

“Yuno!” I expected anger, disappointment, maybe even disgust, but instead I’m met with relief as he walks over to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Your principal called me earlier, I was worried sick about you. Are you okay?

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I thought I would get tired of reiterating for the umpteenth time that I’m fine, but having people around me that care enough to worry gives me this tingling feeling in my chest. It feels… nice, actually.

“Are you getting bullied at school?” He asks worriedly.

“No, it’s nothing like that. It was just a stupid fight.” Some could argue that I’m the bully at the school, and maybe they’re right, but at least I pick on people that deserve it instead of defenseless underclassmen.

“Do you need me to take you to the hospital or something?”

“I’m fine, I’ve been through worse. Just need a little rest,” I say. He begins to speak, but stops and sighs instead.

“Alright. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?” I nod. “I trust you know how to take care of yourself by now, but I’m always gonna be here if you need me.” He walks over to the kitchen and pours himself a cup of water, but instead stares pensively at it, watching his reflection in the cup.

“Actually, I could use a ride after school tomorrow,” I say. “I was, uh, invited to a banquet.”

He looks up from the cup, his brow raised in curiosity. “Really? What for?”

“Minji - the girl you met at the mall - she invited me,” I explain.

My dad smirks, finally showing a positive emotion for the first time since I got home. “Sure thing, I can drive you.”

“Thanks, dad.” I grin at him before heading upstairs to my room.

The easy parts are over. I apologized to Winter and Yujin, and accidentally let my feelings for Minji slip out. I talked to my dad and he seemed to take things better than I thought he would. Now there’s just one person left I have to talk to, arguably the most important I need to talk to: Minji.

I stare at my phone, my eyes rereading our previous texts over and over again. Should I call her? What would I even say? Even texting her seems like an impossible feat at this point. After she freaked out and ran out of the nurse’s office, I’ve been struggling to think of how I should address the incident. Hell, I’ve been struggling on how I should feel about it myself. I did, technically, want it to happen, but couldn’t I have chosen a more opportune moment to do it? Y’know, like after knowing for sure what she feels about me? God, I’m a fucking idiot.

To add salt to the wound, I end up going for the coward’s way out, typing up a message that avoids the issue entirely because acting like everything is fine is surely the best course of action.

Yuno: Hi. What should I wear to the banquet? And what’s the address?

Feelings are so exhausting.

______________________________________________________________

Compared to how “eventful” yesterday was, Tuesday went by in the blink of an eye. The weird stares were still there, even more so thanks to my injuries, and Tyler’s group of friends in English class seemed to be down a couple of guys. Not my problem, less trouble for me and it’s not like I even hit any of them. Minji never responded to the text I sent last night. To make matters worse, every time I saw her in the hallway, she avoided eye contact completely and ran the opposite direction. If she told me that what I did was disgusting and to never talk to her again, I would at least understand, but to avoid me completely when I’m literally going to a banquet with her feels like cruel and unusual punishment.

I sigh, banging my head into my locker. Not the greatest decision given my condition, but I don’t give a shit anymore. I just want the girl I like to talk to me.

“Is she still avoiding you?” Winter asks from next to me.

“Yeah,” I utter sadly. “Maybe I messed up. Maybe she doesn’t want to be friends anymore.”

Yujin pats my shoulder in support. “Don’t worry about it, Yuno, you’ll get a chance to talk to her eventually. Didn’t you say you were going to that banquet with her tonight? You can talk to her then!”

“She hasn’t even given me the address, how am I supposed to get there?” I reason. “Maybe this is her way of telling me not to come.”

Winter and Yujin exchange worried glances while I lean against my locker, thinking about everything and nothing. Is this what it feels like to have something good ripped away from you all of a sudden? It sucks. It fucking sucks. Part of me wishes I never met Minji in the first place just so I never have to feel like this.

Just then, Minji’s tall friend walks past, offering a polite wave. What’s her name again? It starts with an H… Not Hanni… Harry… Halsey… Hyemi…

“Hyein!” I call out, rushing over to her.

“Hello, Minji’s friend!” She says. “What’s up?”

“Have you talked to Minji at all today?”

“Of course I have!” She smiles like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Why?”

“Has she, um, said anything about me?” I may sound feeble and desperate, but that’s because I am. If Minji hates my guts, then I need to know, or else I’m gonna be walking around like a hopeless idiot.

“Hmm… No, I don’t think she’s said anything about you.”

“Oh…” I hang my head, completely dejected. Not only did I get any new information, but now her friends are gonna think I’m a weirdo. “Well, next time you see her, can you ask her to check her texts? She hasn’t given me a response yet.”

“Why can’t you tell her yourself? Did something happen between you two?” Hyein squints at me.

“N-no! I mean…” You tried to kiss her, you dumbass. “...maybe. I don’t know. Can you tell her that I want to talk? Please.”

“Hmm…” She studies my expression with an intense glare. “Okay, but I can’t promise anything. Whatever you did must’ve upset her a lot if she’s not talking to you all of a sudden.” I sigh, feeling my heart being ripped out of my chest. “Yeah, I figured. Thanks.” With my gaze fixed on the ground, I trudge back to my locker where Winter and Yujin are waiting. I wanna bash my head into the metal door so I can stop feeling like this, but I can’t even muster up the energy to do that. If only I didn’t catch a stupid crush on her.

A stupid, hopeless, foolish crush.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. Schoolwork. Study. Test. Prom. I feel like a robot running through a constant cycle to maintain peak productivity. I’ve accomplished so much in the day that I don’t even have time to think about anything else. With prom slowly approaching, my continuous cycle of work will eventually pay off and everyone will finally be happy.

The door to the student council room clicks open, but I don’t even flinch. Eyes are glued to the screen, typing up emails and researching venues until calluses form on my fingers.

“Uh, Minji?” I hear Danielle’s voice ask. “What are you doing in here with the lights off?”

Oh right. The lights are off. I didn’t even notice. The bluelight from my laptop has burned itself into my retinas. Even when I blink, all I see is the screen.

“Just working,” I mutter.

“Hey, girl,” Hanni says, concern laced in her tone. “We got you an iced coffee if you want it.”

“Thanks.” I take a sip, the caffeine having an immediate effect on me like adding coal to the furnace of a speeding steam train. Email sent. New tab opened up. Check notification. Look at potential venues. Don’t think. Just work.

A hand slams my laptop shut. “Hey! What are you-” I look up for the first time to see all of my friends looking down at me with worry all over their faces.

“I told you keeping things bottled up isn’t healthy,” Haerin states, her hand holding my laptop closed.

“W-what are you talking about?” I ask, annoyed. “Can’t you see I’m trying to work!?”

“Minj, look at yourself! This isn’t just stress anymore, you look like a zombie!” Hanni exclaims.

I scoff, rubbing my hands over my face. “I’m fine, I’m just working on prom like usual. Haerin, give me back my-” I reach for my laptop, but Haerin snatches it away. “Haerin, what are you doing!? I’m in the middle of something important!”

“Minji, what is going on with you?” Danielle asks in a calm yet concerned tone. “You’ve been acting weird ever since yesterday.”

I feel like my head is about to explode. What are they not understanding!? Of course I’m going to be mad, they just took away my laptop! If anything, they’re acting weird! “I told you guys, I’m fine-”

“Is this about what happened between you and Yuno?” Hyein asks from the corner of the room. My gaze shoots towards her. Her hands are trembling by her sides like leaves in a heavy storm, barely holding onto the branch they’re a part of. Tears threaten to burst from her eyes. She’s scared, terrified. Of me.

My legs give out from underneath me as my vision becomes blurry with tears. A blanket of warmth covers me as the girls hold me in their gentle embrace. I don’t deserve them. I’ve been lying and keeping secrets from them, and now I yelled at them. All for what? A boy? Have I lost sight of what really matters in my life just because I think I have feelings for someone?

It takes a while for me to come down from the overwhelming wave of emotions. By the time my tears stop, I find myself surrounded by my friends’ caring gazes. The four people I trust most in the world, but also the ones I need to apologize to.

“I-I’m sorry guys,” I begin. “I know I said I’ve been stressed, but that doesn’t excuse my outburst. You guys don’t deserve to be yelled at like that.”

Hanni tenderly brushes my hair with her fingers, letting me rest my head on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Minj, we know you didn’t mean it. We’re just really worried about you.”

“Yeah,” Danielle adds. “It’s clear that this isn’t just about prom anymore.”

“What did Yuno do to you?” Hyein asks.

“He didn’t, um…” I take a deep breath, steadying my heartbeat. “When he got into that fight yesterday, it really scared me. Seeing him pass out like that, I thought he was d… gone. It felt like I couldn’t breathe properly until I knew he was alright. All I could think about was ‘Why did this have to happen to him? It’s so unfair. He doesn’t deserve this at all’. When Yuno finally woke up, it was like… everything felt right again. I was so relieved. And then I looked into his eyes and thought ‘I never want to see you get hurt again’. And I…” My cheeks start to burn as my voice falters. The girls begin to stare at me with intrigue, waiting for me to finish my sentence.

“I-I… I almost kissed him.”

The room fills with collective gasps as each of them freeze in shock. I bury my face into Hanni’s shoulder, each passing second of silence making me feel even more embarrassed.

“W-what do you mean almost?” Danielle asks, the most disturbed out of the four of them.

“The nurse came in before we could, uh… finish,” I say, my voice muffled by Hanni’s shirt.

“OH. MY. GOD.” Hanni squeals. “Girl, tell us everything! Who initiated? What did he say to you? Did he go right or left-” Haerin clasps her hand over Hanni’s mouth, shaking her head disapprovingly. Thank god, I don’t know how much longer I could’ve taken her questions.

“Is that why you were avoiding him all day?” Hyein asks. I sigh, nodding sadly.

“Every time I saw him, I panicked and ran away like an idiot,” I admit. “I don’t know what to think or how to feel.”

“Do you like him?”

I stare at the ground in contemplation, thinking about the past few days with Yuno. Despite what others think of him, he’s proven himself to be kind hearted and loyal, oftentimes putting his friends above his own well being. He’s saved me countless times, never once asking for any sort of recompense, and he’s shown that he’s willing to change for the better, even if it might go against his own ideas of justice. Yuno is a good guy, a great friend, and…

“Yeah,” I nod. “I think I do like him.”

“You think?” Danielle asks, unconvinced.

“I don’t know, I’ve never had a crush on anybody before.”

“Minj, that is so cute!” Hanni chimes. “You should ask him to prom!”

“Shouldn’t he ask me…?”

Haerin shakes her head. “It’s 2024, subjecting yourself to outdated ideals will only leave you disappointed. Get with the times, grandma.”

I side-eye her, grimacing at her insult. “Whatever. I don’t even know if he feels the same and I’d rather not do something drastic to ruin our friendship.”

“But you’ll never know if you don’t try,’ Hanni says. “You’re gonna regret it if you don’t tell him how you feel.”

“I know, but I can’t just rush into something like this without thinking first,” I argue. “Besides, I’m busy with a thousand things right now, I don’t even think I have time for a relationship.”

Danielle takes my hand in hers, looking me in the eye. “You should do what makes you happy, Minji. I mean, look what happened when you bottled up everything inside and put other people’s feelings above your own. Forget everyone else right now and focus on your own happiness for once.”

“But-”

“No buts,” she snaps. “I can get the other student council members to pick up the slack on prom preparations, so go out, have fun, and date a stupid boy. And if he hurts you, then you have the four of us to fall back on.” The others nod in agreement, smiling brightly at me.

“Thanks, guys.” I quickly clap my hands over my eyes in an attempt to stop another onslaught of tears. “God, I feel like I’m gonna cry again.”

“Aww, you big softie,” Hanni says. “Come here.”

The four of them pull me into a warm group hug that melts all my worries away. Honest to God, I don’t know what I would do without them. These girls are like my own little life raft, keeping me afloat even when I fall overboard.

I take out my phone and send a text that I should have sent ages ago.

Yuno: Hi. What should I wear to the banquet? And what’s the address?

Minji: hey :) just wear something nice! the address is 0507 Ador Ln. don’t be late, there’s something i want to talk to you about.

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, checking if my outfit is okay for the millionth time. “just wear something nice!” she says, yet the only nice clothes I have are some light blue jeans and the bear sweater that I bought on a whim. I’m not sure if “nice” is how I would describe this outfit, but I don’t exactly have any other alternatives.

I would be lying if I said her text didn’t make my heart feel so much lighter. It doesn’t matter how stupid I look as long as I finally get to clear things up with her. Not being able to talk to her at all for the past day has been complete hell, I wouldn’t wish the feeling on my worst enemy. Yet, a part of me feels downright terrified. What is she gonna say to me? Will we still be friends after this? I’ll have to hold onto this dreadful suspense until I see her, and probably even longer depending on how the banquet goes. Hopefully we can get over this quickly so I can finally breathe normally.

My dad knocks on the bathroom, peeking his head through the open door. “You ready to go?” He asks.

“Yeah, uh…” I pause, awkwardly looking at the ground. “Do I look okay?”

He chuckles at me, patting my shoulder. “You look great. I’m sure she’ll like it.”

I take one last look at myself in the mirror before heading out to the car, my heartbeat ringing in my ears as we head to the banquet.

Naturally, the banquet takes place on the far side of the town where all the rich people live. Grandiose buildings line the streets as opposed to the regular suburban houses I’m used to, larger and shinier than anything I’ve ever seen, their opulence almost blinding under the streetlights. Even my dad looked impressed, staring at all the different houses that we could never dream of affording. All of this only serves as a reminder that I don’t belong in this world and never will. To Minji, this is just another Tuesday for her. I sigh, the pit in my stomach growing deeper and deeper.

The banquet hall sits atop a hill overlooking the town as if it's looking down on everyone else with disgust. As we drive up to the building, the frequency of luxury cars increases, making our car look like garbage on wheels in comparison. The closer we get, the more I’m starting to regret my decision to come along. A few guests are talking outside, dressed in their finest tailored suits and elegant gowns. I look down at the bear on my sweater with shame. I didn’t want to stand out, yet I’m basically wearing a giant sign that says “look at me, I’m an idiot.”

Near the entrance, I spot Minji wearing a stunning black dress that compliments her natural beauty. Simple yet sophisticated… And I’m wearing this god damn bear sweater. Maybe it’s not too late to turn around and go back home. I’ll tell her my body started hurting all of a sudden and I can’t move and-

“Hey,” my dad says, patting my shoulder. “It’ll be okay. Go have fun.”

I nod, taking one more deep breath before stepping out of the car. “A-alright. Uh, thanks for giving me a ride.”

He smiles at me. “Of course. Text me when you want to leave and I’ll come right away. Bye, Yuno.” I watch as the car disappears down the hill, leaving me completely stranded with no way of escaping. All I can do is face this head on, like I’ve always done.

With each step I take towards Minji, my heart beat rings louder and louder in my ears. The gnawing insecurity in the pit of my stomach makes it hard to breathe, yet I continue forward towards the impossibly beautiful girl that I’ve fallen completely in love with. Her black hair flows like waves curling from a waterfall, light and airy, as she exudes an air of elegance and grace. If I survived a beating from a group of guys, then I can survive this one night. For her.

“Min-”

“Hey Minji!” A loud voice calls out from behind me. The source of the voice, a tall guy wearing a sophisticated suit, walks over to her and pulls her into a hug. My blood immediately begins to boil with rage. Who the fuck is this guy!?

“You look great! How are you doing?” I hear him ask her.

“U-uh, thanks, I’m fine, um…” Minji spots me, her face lighting up instantly. “Yuno!” I do my best to hide the growing smirk as he looks back at me with bewilderment.

“H-hey. Hi,” I say to her.

“I’m glad you could make it,” she replies, smiling at me. God, I missed that smile. I missed hearing her voice. It’s only been a day, but it feels nice to finally talk to her again.

“Um, hello? Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your friend, Minji?” The tall guy says. He must be the one Minji was warning me about, I can already tell he gives off a pompous energy.

“Ah right. Yuno, this is Sunghoon, Sunghoon, this is my friend from school, Yuno,” Minji says.

“What’s up, man?” Sunghoon reaches his hand out towards me, which I nearly shake before realizing I still have the gauze wrapped around my hand. “Oh damn, what happened to your hand? Are you some kind of fighter or something?” He jokes. Minji gives me an apologetic look while I simply shake my head.

“Cooking accident. I’m fine,” I say, lowering my hand.

“That sucks, man, uh…” He looks down at my sweater, his lips widening into an amused smirk. “Cool sweater, man, where’d you get it? Balenciaga? Armani? Target?” he chides, laughing at his own shitty joke. I shoot a glare at him which makes him shut up pretty quickly.

“I’m just joking man, jeez,” he says. “I’m gonna head inside, Minji. I’ll get us a good table.” Sunghoon winks at her before walking off towards the building, leaving me and Minji alone finally.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry about him, Yuno,” Minji apologizes.

“It’s fine.” I gaze into her eyes for the first time since arriving, my heart skipping a beat as I got lost in the deep browns of her irises. The stars reflect off of them, containing the beauty of an entire galaxy right in front of me. “U-um, is this sweater okay? I, uh, didn’t really have any nice clothes to wear,” I blabber awkwardly.

“It’s, uh… It’s cute,” she says, her face lighting up as she looks at the bear. “Aw, he’s wearing little overalls. It’s like he’s a little farmer bear.”

I turn my head, quietly giggling to myself. How can someone look so ethereal, yet act so adorable? “Oh right, you said you wanted to talk to me about something,” I say, fixing my expression.

“Oh, um… Uh…” Her gaze nervously shifts side to side as she messes with her fingers. “Can we, uh, talk about that later? My parents are probably waiting for me inside.”

I sigh, disappointed but also understanding. “Okay, that’s fine.”

She offers an apologetic look before leading the way into the building. As we walk through the doors, my jaw hits the floor from utter shock and awe. The banquet hall is a giant room adorned with pillars of flowers and a giant golden chandelier hanging overhead, illuminating the room with a brilliant light. Fancy-looking tables are spread out throughout the room, seating even fancier-looking people, laughing and sipping from skinny glasses of champagne as they talk. The looks I get from school are a little annoying, but bearable enough - They’re all just kids trying not to get into any trouble that I’m usually a part of - but being in this room, looked down upon by these people is a different beast entirely. Instead of being viewed as some scary monster that could act up at any moment, it feels like they’re scorning at me like a rat that wandered into the wrong place. It’s like Minji’s mom times a thousand in here.

“Are you okay, Yuno?” Minji asks, lightly grabbing onto my sleeve with a worried look.

“I-I’m fine,” I assure her. Before she can say anything else, an older man walks up to her, smiling.

“Minji! How are you doing, dear?” He says.

“Hello, Mr. Park! I’m doing well, how are you?” She replies, seamlessly slipping into a more professional tone.

“I’m doing great, of course. It’s great to be doing business with your parents.” He looks towards me, his face subtly shifting into that of disdain. “Who’s your friend here, Minji?”

“This is Yuno, he’s my friend from school.”

“H-hello, sir.” I reach out to shake his hand only to be met with a confused expression as he stares down at my gauze-covered hand. Sheepishly, I retract it, my gaze falling to the ground in embarrassment.

“Right… Well, my wife is probably wondering where I am and I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting,” Mr. Park says, not even glancing at me. “Good bye, Minji.”

I sigh dejectedly as he walks off, both grateful that he’s gone and annoyed at myself for not making a better first impression. “That was… awful,” I mutter.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Minji soothes. “On the bright side, you’ll never have to talk to him again after tonight.”

“I don’t know, Minji, maybe me being here is a mistak-”

“Oh!” She takes an empty glass from one of the tables and hands it to me. “Here, hold this.”

I take it from her, giving her a quizzical look. “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Just hold up this glass with your right hand and people won’t shake your hand anymore. Problem solved, right?”

She’s trying so hard for me. What a saint. I truly don’t deserve her. “Yeah, okay,” I nod, mustering up a smile. “Thanks.”

“No proble-”

“Ay, that’s where you guys are!” Sunghoon pops out of nowhere, wrapping his arm around Minji. It’s taking every fiber of my being not to knock his lights out right now. “I was wondering where you two were.”

Minji pushes his arm off of her, side-eyeing him with contempt. “We were just talking,” she states.

“Well, I’m sure there’s a lot of people that would love to get to know Yuno. Isn’t that right, man?” Sunghoon firmly grasps my shoulder, pushing me towards a larger crowd of people culminating in the middle of the room. I could kill him if I want to (and I do want to), but with Minji here, I’m left at the mercy at whatever the hell this rich fuck plans to do. Whatever. I can survive talking to old people for a little bit.

The next hour crawls along as I’m swept through countless bouts of small talk with increasingly important people, constantly bombarded with questions that I don’t have the answer to.

“What are your plans after high school?”

“What university are you thinking of attending?”

“Have you started on your college admission papers?”

Minji and Sunghoon handled everything with ease, accustomed to the talk like they’re fluent in a second language, whereas I was barely floating by. Overwhelmed doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. Minji tried her best to help me out, but with an abundance of other people talking to her, her plate was already full as it was.

Finally, after another uncomfortable conversation with a woman that didn’t even try to hide her disapproval, I found myself on the outer rim of the conversation. Minji and Sunghoon were in the middle, keeping everyone distracted, giving me a chance to escape. I spot a door at the edge of the room leading towards the outside. I take one last look at Minji, feeling guilty for leaving her like this, before scurrying out the door.

Fresh air fills my lungs, a luxury I didn’t know I had until now. I scramble over towards the railing, letting myself breath for the first time in what feels like years. Getting another beating would be more favorable compared to the hell that I just went through inside. I don’t know how Minji does that on a regular basis, I could barely get a coherent word out the entire time.

I lean against the railing, watching the full moon float slowly above the town as I ponder whether or not me being here is a good idea. Maybe I should’ve just given Minji a lame excuse and stayed home. Like a dazzling star in the sky, it feels like all I can do is watch her from afar while I’m trapped by the gravity of my own miserable little planet, destined to fade into mediocrity as she illuminates the night sky with her light. A part of me wishes I never offered to walk her home in the rain just so I would never have to feel this pain. But I did and now I’m paying the price for it.

Isn’t it so tragic? To fall for someone that’s so close yet so far?

“There you are.”

The clacking of high heels against the concrete gets louder with each step as Minji walks up next to me. “I was worried you got lost or something. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answer, not quite meeting her gaze. Minji slumps against the railing next to me, watching the moon.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this. I invited you here for a selfish reason, and after that backfired, I thought I could salvage it, but all I did was make you uncomfortable.”

“Hey, it’s fi-”

“And I’m sorry for ignoring you all day,” she says, her gaze falling to the ground. “I should’ve just talked to you instead of running away like an idiot.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that she finally acknowledged it. “It’s fine. I’m sorry too, for, um… y’know.” Heat rises to my cheeks as I’m reminded of why we’re in this awkward spot in the first place. If I just kept my urges in check, neither of us would’ve felt like this.

“U-um, it’s okay, that’s partially my fault too anyways,” she says, chuckling nervously. Minji looks up at the moon and inhales deeply. “It’s really pretty tonight.” Something in my head shifts as she utters those words, and I’m suddenly hit with a wave of deja vu as Minji shifts from “The daughter of the founder of a highly esteemed multimillion dollar company” to “The girl who’s afraid of spiders and likes teddy bears and dreams of becoming a singer one day against her parents’ wishes”. The girl that I fell in love with.

I nod in agreement, but all my focus is on Minji, more beautiful than any celestial body could hope to be. The wind makes her long, black hair float and ebb like a stream of the finest silk, while the Milky Way traps itself in her irises, containing the beauty of an entire galaxy in just her eyes alone. She shivers as another gust of wind floats past, and I contemplate whether or not I should give her my sweater. I’m wearing a tank top underneath, so it’s not like I would be flashing her all of a sudden…

Without anymore hesitation, I take the sweater off my back and hand it to her. “U-uh, here. Y-you seem cold,” I stutter awkwardly.

“O-oh!” Her cheeks turn a bright pink as she eyes my upper body, her gaze flying back and forth. “Thanks, that’s very, um, sweet of you,” she says, wrapping the sweater over her shoulders.

“Y-yeah, no problem…”

We stand there in complete silence, simply watching the moon as the crickets and the wind play their abstract melodies. The breeze may be cold, but it’s nothing compared to the warmth I feel in my heart for Minji. I want to tell her how I feel. I wanna scream it from the top of this hill for everyone to hear. But I can’t. What good would it do, knowing that it won’t work out? I know life has been nothing but cruel to me, but having the person who fills me with nothing but joy be this close to me yet still so far away is this cruelest act it’s committed. I’m cursed to live a life of mediocrity while Minji undoubtedly skyrockets to a space among the stars, a place that I can never hope to reach.

Minji glances at me, scanning the bruises on my arm. Without a single utterance, she gently traces her finger over them, leaving a line of electricity in its wake. “How are you feeling?” She asks softly.

“I’m fine. Like I said, I’ve been through worse,” I say.

She sighs, moving closer to inspect the injuries. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

I turn to her, her face much closer than before. “Y’know, I think you’re the first person to ever say that to me.”

“What do you mean?”

I shrug. “People don’t really talk to me in general. They’ll look at the cuts and the bruises and think that I probably deserve them. And maybe they’re right.”

“Hey,” she lightly chides. “Don’t say that, they’re not right at all.”

“I’m always sticking my neck into situations that I don’t belong in, it’s only natural for me to get hit every once in a while.”

“Still, that doesn’t mean you deserve to get hurt.” The worry in her tone begins to grow with each word.

“I’ve hurt countless people in the past, Minji. There’s literal blood on my hands. To say I don’t deserve some kind of divine punishment would be wrong.”

“O-okay, but-”

“And maybe this is it. This is my punishment.” I look in her eyes, tears slowly welling up within them. “My mother’s dead. My father became an alcoholic. I’m left to survive alone while people look at me like a monster. I constantly get into fights because I’m hard-wired to have this fucked up sense of justice that I have to act on for some reason. A-and…” And you. The greatest punishment of all is meeting you. Because I know that I’m not good enough for you and I never will be. No matter how much I like you, you’re always going to be light years away.

“...My life has been nothing but a punishment, one after another. I deserve to-” “STOP!” Minji shouts, pushing me back a bit. “Just… stop, Yuno. You don’t deserve any of that. When I look at you, all I see is someone that’s been treated unfairly their whole life. You deserve to be happy. I-I mean, look at where you are now! You have friends that care about you, your dad is doing so much better now, and I…” She looks at me with steely determination. Her chest rises and falls with breath, as if she’s made up her mind about something.

And then she kisses me.

Her arms clumsily wrap around my head, pulling me into her lips. It’s rough and messy, yet so sweet and soft. The heat in my chest expands, hitting every cell in my body. I melt into her, placing my hands gently above her waist. All of my feelings for her are contained in my lips, transferring over in a silent exchange. Her lips are everything I’ve ever dreamed of and more.

Minji pulls away slightly to catch her breath, warm puffs of her dancing against my cheeks. We look into each other’s eyes, not a word spoken but so many things said before going back in for another, this kiss more gentle than the first. She softly cups my cheek, caressing me with her fingers. I pull her in, wanting to be as close to her as physically possible. I want nothing more than to be here in this perfect moment with her forever.

A glass shatters against the concrete, ripping us out of our blissful space. We scramble to get off of each other as Sunghoon stands there, his jaw dropped in shock.

“W-what… What the hell are you two doing?!”

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