#I can’t draw I can’t hear I can’t see

[passengerprincessblog]

“A Little Attention” ~ Lando Norris x reader short

WARNING: smut, NSFW, lowkey fluff

Summary: Y/N is totally focused on her project, but Lando isn’t having it—he aches for her attention, willing to do anything to pull her away from the endless photos and glitter. When he wraps his arms around her and presses a soft kiss to her neck, all her resolve begins to melt.

I hear the door creak open, followed by a familiar groan echoing through the apartment. Lando’s home. Without looking up, I smirk, focusing on the photo in my hand, carefully cutting it to fit perfectly into the page.

I hear his heavy footsteps padding across the hardwood floors as he walks toward the kitchen table where I’m hunched over, sorting through piles of photos, glitter, and little scraps of decorative paper. The moment he stops right next to me, his shadow looms over my project. I know he’s watching, but I keep my attention fixed on the paper, trying not to laugh.

“You okay?” I ask, keeping my voice casual, as if I haven’t noticed his obvious attempt to make his presence known.

“Oh yeah… totally,” he says, dripping with sarcasm.

I can feel his stare burning into me, but I don’t take the bait, pretending to be fully absorbed in my best friend’s scrapbook. This only seems to fuel his irritation.

“You know…” he says, his tone laced with the tiniest bit of irritation, “you could… maybe fix that piece there.”

I finally glance up, raising an eyebrow as I see him pointing to a tiny, tattered corner on one of the photos. I smile, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction. “Good eye,” I say sincerely, like I’m actually considering his feedback.

He huffs, louder this time, clearly annoyed that his “constructive criticism” has only been met with politeness. I hold back a laugh as I glue down the next piece.

“Put the photo down, Y/N…” he whines, drawing out each word like a little kid. “My whole body hurts, and here you are… ignoring your boyfriend.”

With an exaggerated sigh, I set down the scissors and turn to face him, my expression one of pure confusion. “Lando, baby, I have to finish this tonight. You know that.”

But he’s not having it. He lets out another exaggerated groan, stepping closer and leaning down to wrap his arms around me from behind. His face is dangerously close to my neck, and I can feel his warm breath on my skin.

“Please, take care of your baby…” he says in that adorable pleading voice, the one he knows I’m weak to. He punctuates it with a soft kiss on my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Lando…” I try to sound annoyed, but my resolve is already cracking. “Come on, I’m so close to finishing.”

“No,” he murmurs against my skin, “I’m taking this away…” He reaches down, gently tugging the piece of paper out of my hand and placing it aside, like he’s grounding me from my project.

“Lando!” I protest, but he’s already smirking, tugging me up from my chair and into his arms. I can’t help but laugh as he presses his forehead to mine, a playful glint in his eye.

“Yes,” he says, his voice low and teasing. His cheeks are flushed, and there’s that mischievous smile tugging at his lips. Before I can argue again, he pulls me closer, his hand finding the back of my neck as he leans down to kiss me.

I melt into him, finally surrendering, wrapping my arms around his neck and letting him steal my attention – just like he wanted. His hands slide to my waist, pulling me even closer, and suddenly, I can’t remember what I was even working on.

I let out a soft gasp as Lando drags me into the bedroom, his hands already working to undress me. "Lando..." I breathe, looking up at him with lust-filled eyes. His own gaze is intense, filled with a desperate need for me.

"I need you, baby," he growls, pushing me down onto the bed. His fingers make quick work of my clothes, tugging them off and tossing them aside carelessly. I'm left bare beneath him, my skin already flushed with desire.

"Please..." I whimper, reaching for him. He answers by pressing his lips to mine in a searing kiss, his tongue delving into my mouth possessively. I moan into the kiss, arching up against him, craving his touch.

His hands roam over my body, caressing every curve and dip. When his fingers find my aching center, I cry out, bucking my hips into his touch. "So wet for me already," he praises, sliding a finger inside me. I clench around him, desperate for more.

He adds a second finger, pumping them in and out, curling them just right to make me see stars. "Lando, please..." I beg, my hands fisting in the sheets. He answers by leaning down, capturing one of my nipples between his teeth, biting down just hard enough to ride the line between pleasure and pain.

"You feel so good," he groans, his voice rough with desire. "I can't wait anymore, I need to be inside you." With his fingers still buried deep, he reaches down, freeing his aching cock from the confines of his pants.

He positions himself at my entrance, teasing me with the head of his dick. I'm practically vibrating with need, desperate to feel him inside me. With a single thrust, he buries himself to the hilt, filling me completely.

"Fuck, you're perfect," he moans, starting up a steady rhythm. Each snap of his hips drives me higher, the pleasure building inside me. I wrap my legs around his waist, urging him deeper, harder.

Our bodies move together in perfect sync, lost in the heat of the moment. With each thrust, I can feel my legs twitch.

His fingers find my clit, rubbing tight circles around the sensitive bundle of nerves. "That's it, baby, let me make you feel good," he coos, his voice dripping with adoration. "You're so perfect, so responsive. I love watching you come undone for me."

I can only moan in response, lost in the overwhelming pleasure. His cock pistoning in and out of me, hitting all the right spots, combined with the relentless stimulation of my clit, is almost too much to bear. "Lando, I... I can't..." I whimper, my body tensing as I teeter on the edge.

"You can and you will," he commands, his grip on my hips tightening. "Come for me, baby. Let go. I've got you." His words, combined with the intensity of his thrusts, send me flying over the edge.

My orgasm crashes over me like a tidal wave, my inner walls clamping down around his cock. "Yes, just like that," he groans, continuing to thrust through my climax, prolonging the intense waves of pleasure. "So beautiful when you let go."

I'm boneless beneath him, my body still trembling from the aftershocks. But he's not done with me yet. He flips me over onto my stomach, pulling my hips up as he enters me from behind. "I love you so much," he murmurs, peppering my back with soft kisses, a stark contrast to the roughness of his thrusts.

His hands roam over my body, squeezing my breasts, pinching my nipples. "You're mine," he growls possessively, his hips snapping harder, faster. "All mine."

I can only nod, too lost in the sensation to form words. He's everywhere, surrounding me, consuming me. I've never felt so owned, so cherished.

"Again," he demands, his fingers finding my clit once more. "Come for me again, baby." His words, combined with the relentless stimulation, send me hurtling towards another peak.

This time, when I fall, it's with a scream of his name.

My body spasms with another intense orgasm, waves of pleasure crashing over me as Lando's skilled fingers work my clit through the aftershocks. "Lando!" I cry out, shocked at how easily he can bring me to the brink.

"That's it, baby, let it all out," he praises, his voice rough with his own impending release. "You're so responsive, so perfect."

Each thrust of his hips grows more erratic, more desperate. I can feel him throbbing inside me, ready to explode.

The added stimulation sends me flying once more, my inner walls clenching around him like a vice. "Fuck, I'm gonna..." he groans, his thrusts becoming erratic. With one final snap of his hips, he buries himself deep, his cock pulsing as he fills me with his hot cum.

We collapse together onto the bed, both panting and spent. He rolls us onto our sides, still buried deep inside me, unwilling to separate our joined bodies. "That was incredible," he murmurs, pressing soft kisses to my shoulder. "You're amazing."

I can only nod, too blissed out to form words. I've never experienced anything like that before, never been able to cum so easily, so intensely. And the fact that he came too, filling me with his essence, makes it all the more special.

We lay there for a while, basking in the afterglow, our bodies entwined. When he finally slips out of me, I feel a twinge of loss, but the warmth of his embrace more than makes up for it.

"I love you," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. "I love you so fucking much."

"I love you too," I reply, tangling my fingers in his hair. "More than anything."

————————————

Forgive me for anything that doesn’t make sense or typos. I didn’t get to review this well.

Please like and follow! It means a lot!

[hotshotsxyz]

this town is only gonna eat you

(buddie) (s8 spec) (1.1k) already wrote some buck-gets-hit-by-a-car spec, so how about some buck-gets-shot? kept thinking about "take eddie [to the laker's game] and die" and uh... here we are. cw: mass shooting/ gun violence (described vaguely), somewhat graphic description of a bullet wound, blood edit: now featuring a companion piece

Buck is smiling when it happens. Grinning at Eddie like he hung the fucking moon as he points out what must be the hundredth interesting play he’s seen on the court tonight. Buck’s smiling.

Eddie registers the screams before the gunfire. He smells the metallic scent of spent shell casings before he sees the shooter. He tackles Buck to the ground before he realizes he’s already hurt.

Buck was smiling, but now his face is inches from Eddie’s and his eyes are wide with pain and panic.

“Eds,” he says, and it’s barely above a whisper but it’s still too loud.

Eddie shakes his head, a tiny, sharp movement. Buck takes a shaky breath and presses his lips together. He understands. Eddie hates that he understands. Thank God he understands.

There’s something warm and wet slowly spreading between them, and it takes Eddie several wasted seconds to realize it’s blood. He’s almost completely certain it isn’t his, which—

God, that’s so much worse than if it was.

One of Eddie’s hands is still cradling Buck’s head, an instinctive act of protection before they hit the ground. With the other, Eddie slowly begins feeling his way around Buck’s abdomen. His fingers brush against torn fabric and he feels nauseous.

I’m sorry, he mouths before pressing down hard.

Buck gasps in pain. A muscle in his jaw ticks with the effort it must take him to keep from screaming.

“You’re doing so good,” Eddie breathes into Buck’s ear. “I’ve got you; I promise.”

The bullet caught him somewhere along the fifth intercostal space on the right side of his chest. Eddie doesn’t have a way to feel for an exit wound, not without letting up pressure on what he knows is there.

At best, the bullet glanced off a rib and tore through nothing but skin and muscle. At worst…

At worst, Buck is dying beneath him and there’s not a damn thing Eddie can do, not until the shooter is dead or gone. All Eddie can do is pray. Pray and hope like hell that God has forgiven him for his incomplete confession.

Another spray of gunfire echoes through the arena. It’s nearly impossible to identify where it’s coming from, but Eddie’s got a vague idea based on the direction people seem to be running in.

Buck takes a ragged, watery breath.

For the first time in his life, Eddie hopes he’s crying. He draws back, just far enough to look Buck in his eyes. His eyes, which are clouded over in pain but free from tears.

Fuck, fucking goddamn it.

Eddie presses his cheek against Buck’s.

“Slow, steady breaths, okay?” he whispers. “You have to breathe through it, even if it feels like you can’t.”

The tiniest whimper escapes Buck’s chest.

“You have to, Buck, I can’t—” Eddie squeezes his eyes shut and takes a shuddering breath. “I just need you to hold on,” he begs.

A single shot rings out, and nearby, something falls to the ground with a dull thump.

“Suspect is down!” someone shouts. “We’re clear for EMS.”

Eddie carefully extricates his hand from behind Buck’s head. “Hear that? We’re so close, Buck.” He brushes a thumb across his cheekbone, then sits up and raises his hand in the air. “Over here!” he shouts. “I’ve got a penetrating chest wound that needs to be on the first ambo out of here!”

Buck’s eyelashes flutter as he fights to stay conscious.

“Come on, eyes on me,” Eddie says.

With his free hand and his teeth, he tears a strip of fabric from his shirt to wad up and press into Buck’s wound.  The skin there is ragged and torn, almost certainly an exit wound. Eddie curses.

“I need EMS now!” Eddie roars, not tearing his eyes away from Buck for even a second.

“I’m coming to you!” someone calls back.

Buck’s eyes slip shut.

“No!” Eddie commands, rubbing his knuckles across Buck’s sternum. “You’re staying right here with me, you got it?”

Buck groans weakly. His eyes flick back open.

“That’s perfect, you’re perfect,” Eddie babbles. “Just keep—c’mon, Buck, just keep fighting. I need—you have to be okay.”

Buck’s lips part. “Hurt,” he breathes.

“I know,” Eddie says desperately, “I know it hurts, I’m sorry.”

A pained sound falls from Buck’s lips. He lifts one of his hands just high enough to ghost his fingers along the ruined hem of Eddie’s shirt.

Behind him, Eddie hears a gurney roll to a stop.

“Here!”

Eddie turns and find a young woman, no more than twenty years old, wearing a polo that declares her part of a private ambulance service. He doubts she’d weigh even a hundred pounds soaking wet.

“Alright,” he says, turning back to Buck. “I’m going to get you onto that gurney. Let me do all the work, okay?”

Buck’s eyes widen. He makes a strangled sound. “Hurt,” he coughs out again, fingers scrambling uselessly against the concrete floor of the arena.

“They’re gonna give you the good stuff at the hospital,” Eddie reassures. He lets go of Buck’s wound and pulls him into a seated position, then rolls him awkwardly onto his back. “I got you,” he says as he stands.

Eddie staggers beneath Buck’s weight but manages to get him down three rows worth of steps and onto the gurney without the young EMT’s help.

“We’re staged just outside the north entrance,” she says as she begins to push Buck toward a set of doors.

Eddie nods sharply. “He’s got a perforating chest wound, probable pulmonary laceration, and a history of pulmonary embolism. Allergic to naproxen,” he rattles off as he pushes the gurney alongside her.

“Um, okay, that’s—are you a doctor or something?” she asks.

“Firefighter,” Eddie corrects. “We both are.”

The closer they get to the exit, the harder Eddie has to work to keep pace with the EMT. He must be coming down hard as the adrenaline fades. A few spots cloud the corners of his visions. He blinks them away.

The doors to the outside fling open, revealing two paramedics from the 136.

“Diaz, is that you?” one of them asks.

The best Eddie can do is nod.

“Shit, and that’s—”

Eddie’s ears start to ring.

“Diaz, were you shot?”

No, he tries to say. One of the paramedics grabs him under the shoulders, and the other pushes his t-shirt up until—

Oh.

Huh.

He has been shot.

The paramedic in front of him is saying something, but Eddie can’t quite understand it. Over his shoulder, the EMT looks blurry and horrified.

The spots in his vision return with a vengeance, and in his last few moments of lucidity, it occurs to Eddie that the bullet in his abdomen is probably the same one that ripped through Buck’s chest.

Then, the world fades to black, and Eddie thinks nothing at all.  

[cnckitn]

it had been a long, exhausting day for megumi fushiguro. missions, training, and dealing with gojo’s incessant teasing—it had all piled up, leaving him wound tight. all he wanted was to come home, hear your voice, and maybe, if he was lucky, have you guide him to the release he so desperately needed. but tonight, when he tried calling, you were fast asleep.

lying in his darkened bedroom, he groaned softly in frustration. just hearing your voice would have been enough to calm his mind, but you needed your rest, and he couldn’t bring himself to wake you. instead, he scrolled through his messages, looking for something to distract himself, when he noticed a video file you’d sent earlier that evening. it was marked with a teasing caption: “for when i can’t be there to help you…”

his heart skipped a beat. he quickly opened the file, his breath catching as your face filled the screen, your expression warm and inviting. you were lying on your bed, wearing one of his oversized shirts that barely hid the curve of your thighs, your eyes half-lidded with that sultry gaze that always drove him crazy.

“hey, ‘gumi…” your voice was soft, almost a whisper, and it sent a shiver down his spine. “i know sometimes you need me when i’m not around, so… i made this for you.” you gave the camera a shy, yet seductive smile, your lips curling in a way that made his chest tighten.

he swallowed hard, adjusting himself in bed as he leaned back, his free hand already palming himself through his sweatpants. he wasn’t even halfway through the video, and already, he could feel the heat pooling in his gut, his cock stiffening at just the sound of your voice.

“i want you to touch yourself for me,” you said, your tone dropping into something lower, more commanding. it wasn’t something you usually did—you were always so sweet, so gentle. but the way you were speaking to him now… it sent a rush of desire straight to his core.

“i know how needy you can get, baby,” you continued, your voice dripping with affection and teasing. “i know how you just can’t stop thinking about me… about how good it feels when i’m touching you.” you let out a soft, breathy sigh, your fingers trailing down your chest, drawing his attention to the way your shirt shifted, teasing him with glimpses of your bare skin.

“i want you to take your cock out for me,” you whispered, your eyes darkening as if you could see him through the screen, as if you knew exactly how hard he was getting just from hearing your words. “stroke it nice and slow… i want you to imagine it’s my hand, ‘gumi.”

his breath hitched as he obeyed, pushing his sweatpants down to free himself, his hand wrapping around his aching length. the warmth of his palm wasn’t quite the same as yours, but your voice, that sweet, seductive voice—it was enough to make his mind blur with need.

“good boy,” you purred, your praise making him groan, his hips bucking up into his fist. “keep going, nice and slow… don’t you dare cum yet. i want you to last for me.” he could see your fingers dip between your thighs on the screen, your soft moan filling his ears, and it made his grip falter. fuck, he wanted to be the one touching you, wanted to feel that warmth and wetness wrapped around him instead of his own hand.

you continued to guide him, your voice rising and falling in that perfect, hypnotic rhythm that made him feel like he was right there with you. “imagine me on top of you,” you whispered, your eyes fluttering shut as if you were lost in the same fantasy. “imagine how tight and wet i’d be… how i’d ride you so slow…”

megumi’s head tipped back, his eyes squeezing shut as he tried to hold on, but your voice—fuck, it was pushing him right to the edge. he could barely breathe, barely think, as your words wrapped around his mind, drowning him in the fantasy you were painting.

“i bet you’re so close, aren’t you, puppy?” you teased, your voice dropping to a breathy whisper. “but not yet. not until i say so. i want you to cum when i tell you to… when i say it’s okay.”

he was shaking now, his cock throbbing in his hand, so close he could practically taste it. but he couldn’t stop listening, couldn’t stop chasing the high of your voice guiding him. he needed your permission, needed to hear you say the words that would send him over the edge.

finally, with that wicked smile on your lips, you leaned closer to the camera, your voice barely more than a breath. “now, ‘gumi… cum for me… let it all out…”

a broken moan ripped from his throat as he came, hot ropes spilling over his fist, his hips jerking up uncontrollably. your voice filled his ears, praising him, telling him how good he was, how proud you were, and it was enough to make him tremble through the aftershocks, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

as the video ended, the screen fading to black, megumi lay there, spent and breathless, a small smile tugging at his lips. even when you weren’t physically with him, you had a way of making him feel seen, desired, loved.

and he couldn’t wait for the day you’d be there in person, whispering those same words right into his ear as you took him apart all over again.

[seongwars]

forget me not | ix

Pairing: Jeong Yunho x witch!Reader AU: non-idol | supernatural Summary: Yunho should be happy--he's got everything going for him and he's set to marry the love of his life! So why is he standing outside of your shop on the night of his engagement party? Word Count: 5.3K Warnings: some angst, fluff, a smidgen of smut

Fic Masterlist

a/n: crying happy tears because this is the final chapter 😭 a big thank you to everyone who followed along on this journey ❤️

“Do you think I did the right thing?”

Wooyoung blinked, surprise flickering across his face as he processed your question. His ears twitched slightly, betraying his curiosity, and he tilted his head, trying to gauge the weight of your words. 

“What do you mean?”

“By giving you the card to pass on to Yunho,” you clarified, voice softer, tinged with a vulnerability you hadn’t allowed yourself to acknowledge until now. You looked down, unable to meet Wooyoung’s gaze directly.

He studied you carefully, his expression thoughtful as he tried to piece together what you were feeling. 

“Are you saying you regret it?”

"Here," you said, thrusting the small embossed business card towards Wooyoung. The red and white design stood out crisply against your fingertips. Wooyoung eyed it suspiciously, eyebrows raised, as if the card might bite.

"What's this for?" he asked, one hand on his hip, the other reluctantly reaching out to take the card.

You shifted, resisting the urge to pull back. "I need you to deliver it to someone," you mumbled, glancing away to hide the blush creeping up your neck. But the avoidance only seemed to encourage Wooyoung’s mischief.

"Right," Wooyoung said, drawing out the word with a sly grin. "Does this someone happen to be tall, jobless, and obscenely handsome?"

You glared at him, your face heating up even more. 

"Just... give it to him, okay?"

"Alright, alright," Wooyoung said, raising his hands in mock surrender. He pocketed the card, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Way to tell him you forgive him."

You huffed, crossing your arms. "It’s not about that.”

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, boss," Wooyoung grinned. He slipped the card into his pocket, patting it for emphasis. 

“I’ll make sure this ‘mystery someone’ gets your little peace offering.”

You paused, letting his question sink in. It would have been easier to answer with a simple "yes" or "no," to shut down the conversation and avoid the ache you felt creeping into your chest. But instead, you found yourself caught in the truth of it, unable to ignore the swirl of emotions stirring inside you.

“No…” you began, though your voice wavered. “It’s not that. I just… I know he’s upset with me, and I shouldn’t be feeling this way, even though I was the one who left.”

“You know, just because you made a choice doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to feel the weight of it afterward. It’s human to feel conflicted. It doesn’t make you wrong, and it doesn’t make what you did the wrong choice.”

You bit your lip, eyes tracing the edge of the wooden counter as you turned the question over in your mind. Yunho had hurt you, in ways that felt like they had carved out parts of you that you’d never get back. 

The thought struck you like a whisper in the back of your mind: Hadn’t you been the one to erase him from your life? You’d been the one to choose oblivion over memories, to protect yourself from the ache of what had once been.

"He still thinks about you, you know," Wooyoung said softly, his tone holding that rare tenderness you’d only seen when he was truly serious. 

Your grip on the counter tightened as you struggled to absorb his words, a familiar ache in your chest now tinged with a quiet yearning. It felt surreal—after all this time—to think that Yunho might still care. That perhaps, despite everything, he hadn't let go.

“I’ve never seen him happier than when he talks about you or hears your name. He’s still holding onto you, even if you can’t see it. And I know the wound is still fresh, but you have to believe me when I tell you—he loves you, wants to make things right.”

The sincerity in Wooyoung’s voice made you look away, blinking against the sudden sting in your eyes. Yunho loves you. You’d told yourself a thousand times not to let those words get under your skin again, to keep the walls you’d built firmly in place. But here was Wooyoung, breaking down every defense with a few simple truths you weren’t ready to face.

“It’s just...” You struggled, each word feeling like a confession. “What if it’s not enough? What if I’m still afraid he’ll hurt me?”

“I get it. You have every reason to be scared. He could have ignored that card and disappeared. But he didn’t. He’s willing to fight for you and face all of his own mistakes.”

Wooyoung’s words softened the edges of your fears, giving you just a sliver of courage you didn’t know you still had. Yunho hadn’t been perfect, but Wooyoung’s words reminded you that people could change, that maybe both of you had been hurting alone for far too long.

“Just...give yourself permission to feel it. To remember what it was like before everything went wrong. He’s not asking for everything all at once. He’s just asking for a second chance.”

You tried to recall the last time you’d truly allowed yourself to think about your relationship with Yunho—not just the heartbreak, but also the warmth and beauty of your friendship. Yunho wasn’t just a memory; he had been your best friend, your first love, the one person who understood you in ways no one else ever had.

You remembered the way he looked at you at the beach, the way his eyes held promises of a future you could almost believe in, making you think–if only for a moment–that “forever” was something within reach. 

Maybe, in some ways, you were still that person—naive, trusting, willing to hand over your heart with expectations that perhaps no one could ever meet.

But were you still that person now? 

So much had changed. You had changed. You had learned to protect yourself, to keep Yunho and everything he’d meant to you at arm’s length. It was safer that way—easier. If you never let him back in, he could never hurt you again.

When Wooyoung told you that Yunho, despite your rejection, still harbored immense love for you, you were stunned. Yunho's love had never wavered. Wooyoung saw it as clearly as the breath Yunho drew each day, as naturally as his heartbeat.

It was okay to feel, to take your time, to allow yourself the grace of uncertainty. You didn’t have to have all the answers or know where each step would lead. It was okay to be scared, to admit that this meant something to you. 

And maybe all you needed to do was…try.

As the thought settled, muffled voices, sharp and angry, punctuated by the heavy thud of footsteps were heard from outside the door. You straightened, heart racing as you focused on the noises, feeling an unmistakable surge of supernatural energy.

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

You moved to the shop’s entrance and peered through the small window, immediately recognizing the voice. 

Yunho. 

He was surrounded, eyes wide with frustration and something deeper—fear. And surrounding him, dark forms shimmered in and out of sight, their twisted shapes flickering as they taunted him. 

Without thinking, you threw open the door and stepped out into the night. The cold air bit at your skin, but the chill was quickly forgotten in the surge of adrenaline that took over.

“The shop is temporarily closing, so you’ll all have to wait a little longer. No exceptions!” 

A chorus of groans erupted from the creatures encircling Yunho. They would have to return when the shop reopened to gather whatever trinkets were needed for Lord Death’s Night Parade.

In one fell swoop, you reached out, fingers finding Yunho’s wrist. He flinched at your touch, a brief spark of surprise in his eyes, but you didn’t let go. Instead, you tightened your grip and pulled him toward you, drawing him away from the creatures’ prowling forms. 

You took a deep breath, the weight of the moment sinking in as you slammed the emporium door shut. Yunho stood beside you, breathing hard, his wrist still loosely held in your grasp. His gaze was fixed on you, eyes wide and disoriented, as if still processing what had just happened.

You loosened your grip, letting your fingers slide from his wrist with a gentleness that felt almost foreign amidst the intensity of the night. His skin was cool under your touch, and you could feel a faint tremor, as if fear and shock still held him in their grip.

“Are you alright?” you asked, voice low, each word softened by concern as the urgency of the encounter began to fade.

Yunho looked at you, his breath steadying. "I... I think so," he replied, his voice shaky. "Thanks for pulling me out of there."

“Oh…you’re welcome,” you replied gently, hoping to ease his mind even as you saw how shaken he was. 

“The veil is incredibly thin right now. That’s probably why you were able to see and feel them. The other travelers, I mean.”

His presence was almost overwhelming, making your heart pound in your chest. The way his eyes widened slightly as he processed your words made you want to reach out and reassure him, to tell him that everything would be alright. 

"It's... it's not something that happens often," you added, your voice softer now. "But when it does, it means the boundaries between our world and theirs are almost nonexistent."

Yunho’s expression was unreadable, his eyes fixed on you, then shifting away as if he were searching for something in the silence between you. His gaze fell to the floor, tracing patterns on the worn wood as he seemed to gather his thoughts. 

The quiet stretched on, your anxiety building as each second ticked by. A thousand worries filled your mind—what he might think, what he might feel, now that he had glimpsed the world you’d become a part of.

"Why were you out there?" you finally, breaking the silence, your tone gentle, though curious. 

He hesitated, searching for words as his face softened. 

“I…was in the neighborhood,” he murmured, though there was an edge to his voice that suggested there was more left unsaid.

Your heart skipped a beat. You took a half-step closer, tilting your head to catch his eye, a playful smile tugging at your lips. 

“In the neighborhood, huh?” you echoed, sensing the familiar warmth of his presence. 

“Alright…maybe it wasn’t entirely by chance,” he admitted. His lips twitched, and he exhaled a small, resigned laugh, glancing down before looking back at you. 

He lifted his hand, revealing the small, slightly crumpled business card between his fingers. 

“I just wanted to see you.”

You felt the weight of Yunho’s gaze, his admission wrapping around you. It was as if all the memories you shared—moments of laughter, quiet conversations, the comfort of simply being together—were coming back to life, filling the silence around you. 

Your voice came out softer than you intended, almost a whisper. 

“You still wanted to see me after everything?”

“Especially after everything,” he murmured, his words carrying a quiet certainty that melted the last of your doubts.

“So you’re not…upset with me?” you asked, your voice barely audible, as if speaking any louder might shatter the delicate moment.

You’d been bracing for this moment, convinced that Yunho must be holding onto resentment, that he’d come to finally air out the hurt you must have caused him. You hadn’t given him the closure he deserved, instead choosing to leave things unfinished.

But his eyes, so achingly familiar, held none of the anger you’d feared. They were filled with something…gentler.

“Oh god, Y/N,” he said quietly, his voice calm but filled with urgency, as if he’d been waiting just as long for this moment. 

“I could never be angry with you. You have every right to be upset, I was the one who hurt you. I was careless with your heart, and that’s on me. It’s my fault.”

His admission left you speechless, each word stripping away the defenses you’d built. He wasn’t here to lay blame or defend himself; he was here to own the truth of what had happened.

“You did hurt me, Yunho.” 

The words came out softer than you expected, each one carrying a weight you hadn’t realized you’d held so tightly. Pain, long buried, surfaced as you finally spoke the words you’d once been too afraid to voice. 

“I felt like… I wasn’t enough for you," you admitted, the ache woven through your words. "Like no matter how hard I tried, no matter how much of myself I gave, it was never going to be enough.”

The sting of tears welled up, and you drew in a shaky breath, fighting to keep them at bay. You looked down, biting back the flood of emotions, as a huff escaped you—a last-ditch attempt to pull yourself back from the edge of breaking.

“I just wanted to feel like I mattered,” you whispered. It was as if saying it out loud for the first time gave it weight, made it real, and you felt the bittersweet release of finally letting it go. 

“To be the one you turned to, not the one you left behind.” 

When you looked up, Yunho’s gaze was unwavering, his eyes glistening as they held yours, reflecting the pain and regret you’d both felt.

“You’ve always been more than enough. I was the one who was too scared to see it, too afraid to do what was right, to be there for you when you needed me most.” 

Yunho took a step closer, his hand lifting slowly to rest on your bicep, his touch gentle, almost hesitant. The warmth of his hand seeped through you, grounding you in this fragile moment, pulling you back to a time when things were simpler, when trust between you was instinctive.

“I can live with the weight of my mistakes,” he continued, voice rough with honesty. “But I can’t live without you. I tried for three years, and every day was worse than the last. I hated it.”

He was painfully earnest, his voice tinged with the kind of regret that had its own gravity. You looked up at him, a gentle smile breaking through your otherwise solemn expression as his fingers traced gentle circles against your arm.

“I’m sorry I made you feel like you were anything less. You’ve always the best part of me. I just didn’t realize it until it was too late. If there’s even a small part of you that’s willing to try again, I’d give anything for that to happen.”

The honesty in his words made your heart ache. All those times you'd wondered if you truly mattered to him seemed to unravel before you, evident in his words, his touch, and his gaze.

You searched Yunho’s face, catching a glimmer of hope, and realized that despite the years, lifetimes, and distance, maybe…just maybe, there was still something worth saving.

“I love you," he whispered, his voice trembling but resolute. "For as long as I can remember, and for all the lifetimes I couldn’t. You’ve been mine for so long, but I want to be yours.”

Your hands reached for his, as if drawn by an unseen thread. Rising onto your toes, you leaned closer allowing Yunho to close the distance. He pulled you into a kiss that felt like a promise, an apology—everything he’d withheld and everything he longed to give. His hands settled gently on your back, holding you close, as though grounding himself in this moment.

The kiss was slow, adoring, and vulnerable, filling every empty space within you. Yunho’s lips pressed against yours, gentle and reverent, it felt like coming home, like stepping into a future you’d always dreamed of but never dared to hope for.

When you finally pulled back, breathless, you looked up at him, your heart racing. A smile tugged at his lips, and he rested his forehead against yours. 

"I love you too," you murmured, your voice barely a whisper, but just loud enough for him to hear. 

Yunho gently cupped your face with his hands, his thumb brushing lightly over your cheek as he leaned in for another chaste kiss. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, his breathing steady but filled with that same quiet intensity.

"Take it slow with me?" you asked, your voice a soft plea, tinged with vulnerability, putting your heart into his hands, hoping he would keep it safe.

Yunho’s face broke into a smile. Slowly, he moved his hand down, his fingers threading with yours. He held your hand between both of his, pressing a tender kiss to your knuckles.

Life in the shop had settled into a comfortable rhythm, woven with little rituals that had become second nature. Each morning, you’d light the incense, watching as tendrils of fragrant smoke curled up to fill the air, a silent invocation for another day’s mysteries to unfold. 

Yunho, meanwhile, would be wrestling with the coffee maker, half-asleep as he mumbled curses under his breath, yet somehow managing to coax it into yielding two cups of strong coffee.

His work as a recruiter kept him busy. Some days were filled with back-to-back phone calls, scouting reports, and meetings with stakeholders. Other days, he’d be out in the field, his energy brimming as he made connections with future talents. 

But on quieter days, when he was in the shop, he’d drift down from his makeshift office to check in on you, often caught in wonder at some relic or enchanted object before remembering his intent to whisk you away from your responsibilities. 

Today of all days, though, Yunho was off to Namhae, scouting a promising player. Before he left, he had lingered a little longer, offering you a reassuring smile as if to say he’d be back before you knew it. And as the door closed behind him, the shop felt both a touch quieter and warmer, his absence a gentle reminder of the quiet home you’d built together.

“What do you think about starting a delivery service?” Hongjoong asked, pulling you from your reverie. His eyes sparkled with that unmistakable gleam, the one that always appeared when he was on the verge of something new.

You raised a brow, eyeing him with amused curiosity. “A delivery service? Are we low on customers?”

"Not exactly. But now that you can leave the shop, and with Yunho around, we actually have the manpower to pull it off." 

"Something tells me…this was spurred on by Lord Death.”

Hongjoong’s cheeks reddened slightly, and he huffed, crossing his arms with exaggerated indignation. 

"Seonghwa has no idea what he’s talking about! He said we wouldn’t last a week if we ever ‘ventured into the delivery business’—said I’d lose interest by day three!”

Hongjoong waved a dismissive hand, brushing off any lingering doubts. "Well, I’m going to prove him wrong. By the time we’re done, our services will be able to expand to other realms. Might need to hire another hand for that."

With a dramatic flourish, he snapped his fingers, summoning a swirling puff of smoke that quickly dissipated to reveal...a hand-drawn presentation, sketched in thick, colorful strokes. It hung midair, and you couldn’t help but chuckle at the almost childlike quality of it. 

The first page of Hongjoong's plan was a roughly sketched map, barely more than a few wavy lines connecting a series of floating islands labeled "Other Realms," each island outlined in a different pastel shade. It was whimsical yet somehow serious, as though his haphazard lines could shape whole worlds. He tapped his finger on a small dot labeled “Astral Emporium.”

"This is our expansion plan. Right now, we’re here," he continued, pointing to the shop on the map, "but soon we’ll be...everywhere!"

“You really think Yunho and I are up for running around, delivering enchantments and charms to every corner of the city?”

Hongjoong chuckled, his smirk widening as he crossed his arms. 

"Actually, more like Yunho and Wooyoung. You and I will rotate manning the shop, keeping things under control. All we have to do is equip Yunho with a pair of magical glasses, and he’ll be able to spot clients without worrying about the veil."

You imagined Yunho, looking unexpectedly dashing with enchanted glasses perched on his nose, pedaling a vintage bike through the bustling streets. Wooyoung would be nestled in a woven basket up front, surrounded by tiny glass bottles of potions and carefully wrapped charms, all neatly packed and ready for delivery.

“I’m sold.”

"Really?" Hongjoong’s eyes widened, sparkling with delight. The sorcerer laughed heartily, clasping his hands together in a rare moment of unbridled joy. 

“Seonghwa’s going to eat his words,” Hongjoong said, his voice brimming with triumph and a gleeful satisfaction that was hard to resist. 

He turned back to you. “Before I forget,” he added, casting you a sidelong glance. "You planning on visiting your parents anytime soon? Leaving magical seed packets isn’t the same as actually seeing you, you know."

The question lingered in the air, and you felt a familiar ache bloom in your chest. You shifted uncomfortably, your gaze falling to the counter as though it might offer some answer. 

The last time you’d visited, it had been nothing more than a quiet spell—a small enchantment to slip through unseen, to place a few enchanted seed packets by their doorstep, enough to help your dad achieve his goal of growing the ultimate vegetable. 

It was the closest you’d come to a real visit since Yunho had broken the shop’s hold on you, freeing you from its grasp and allowing you to walk the world on your own terms.

“I know,” you murmured, running your fingers along the worn edge of the counter. 

"But they’ve already grieved, Hongjoong. They’ve accepted that I’m gone. It’s probably better that way. If I showed up now, after all this time…” You trailed off, your hands fidgeting as if your fingers could occupy the unsettled thoughts in your mind.

“I’d just be tearing open wounds that have barely healed. They’ve found a kind of peace, I think. I don’t want to be the one to undo that. And maybe,” you added, voice almost a whisper now, 

“Maybe it’s a way for me to move forward, too.”

Hongjoong’s gaze softened, a trace of understanding settling in his expression. “I get it,” he said, his voice gentler than usual. “But remember, you don’t have to carry all of that alone. Just because they can’t see you doesn’t mean they’ve stopped loving you.”

You managed a small, grateful smile, nodding in silent agreement. For now, it would have to be enough to leave small reminders of your love—a packet of seeds on their doorstep, wordlessly expressing your affection. 

The bell above the emporium’s door chimed, its familiar ring sparking an instant thrill in your chest. You turned, heartbeat quickening just a little at the sight of Yunho stepping inside. He noticed you immediately, his expression softening as he took a few easy strides toward you.

“Hey,” he greeted, voice warm and low, a tone he seemed to reserve just for you. He reached out, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. The touch was a reminder that home was here, and it was wherever he was.

“Long day?” you asked softly, your entwining with his as he let out a chuckle, nodding.

“Long but worth it,” he replied, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze. “Especially knowing I get to come home to this.” His gaze lingered on you, and even as he glanced around the shop, it was clear his words were for you. The tiredness in his expression softened, and for a moment, everything felt perfectly in place.

Hongjoong looked on, a satisfied smile playing on his lips as if he’d always known that, somehow, you and Yunho would both end up here, together, ready to face whatever came next. 

And for Hongjoong, that future definitely included his long-planned delivery service.

Hongjoong cleared his throat dramatically, breaking the quiet between you and Yunho. “Well, since we’re all feeling cozy and inspired,” he said with a mischievous sparkle in his eye, “might I propose a little idea?” 

He snapped his fingers, and with a soft poof, a floating, hand-drawn presentation appeared, complete with a slightly crooked title that read, “Yunho: The Delivery Driver.”

A deep chill had crept in with the early dawn, settling over you as you instinctively curled up tighter, trying to preserve whatever small warmth remained. Groggily, you reached out, fingers searching for the missing blanket, only to find nothing but the cool, empty edge of the bed.

Squinting against the morning light, you rolled over, and there he was—Yunho, cocooned in what could only be described as a fortress of blankets. He lay sprawled out, half-buried in a mountain of covers, blissfully unaware of conditions on your side of the bed. 

You sighed, rolling your eyes as you tried to tug a corner of the blanket back. But Yunho shifted, clutching the fabric even tighter, as if sensing your mission in his sleep.

“Yunho,” you whispered, nudging his shoulder. “You’re hogging the blanket.”

A muffled sound came from his side, something between a grunt and a sleepy laugh. One eye cracked open, blinking groggily at you, and a lazy, mischievous smile spread across his face. Without warning, he reached out, his arms wrapping around you as he pulled you against his chest, the blanket effectively forgotten as his warmth enveloped you.

“Who needs a blanket when you’ve got me?” he murmured, burying his face into the crook of your neck. 

"I'm half naked and freezing," you whined, exasperated. He smirked, his fingers tracing slow circles along your spine.

“How about I give it back if you beg for it?”

You huffed a laugh, but his hand on your back, gentle yet insistent, was quickly making you forget your original mission. He tilted his head up to meet your gaze, his eyes dark, and before you could respond, he leaned in, pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth. Then another, closer, teasing.

“In your dreams,” you shot back, rolling your eyes as you tried to turn away, but Yunho only grinned and smoothly flipped you onto your back, pinning you gently under him.

“Y’know,” he murmured, his voice low and playful as he braced himself above you, “Dream You would’ve folded by now.”

“Oh, would she?” you replied, raising a brow, trying to feign annoyance even as your pulse quickened. 

He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair away from your face. “Yeah, she tells me how much she loves it when I’m rough with her,” he teased, leaning in to kiss you again, this time deeper, his lips pressing against yours in a way that made you melt, his warmth seeping into every inch of you.

“Well she’s wrong because I love it when you wear your glasses.”

Your hands found their way to his shoulders, fingers curling as you pulled him closer, the blanket entirely forgotten as he kissed you, slow and deliberate, as though he had all the time in the world. You could feel his smile against your lips, his playful challenge lingering in every brush of his mouth.

Yunho wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling you flush against him. He ground against you, his movements unhurried, savoring every shared breath, every flicker of connection between you. The warmth of his skin against yours sent a shiver down your spine, heightening the anticipation that hung thick in the air.

Your nails lightly grazed the delicate hairs at the back of his neck, drawing a low, contented hum from him. You traced along his nape, feeling the warmth and tension melt beneath your touch as he dipped his head, his lips brushing along your jaw before trailing down to your collarbone.

Your senses heightened with each delicious drag of Yunho’s cock against your walls—the warmth of his skin, the whispered promises between each kiss. You tangled your fingers in his hair, tugging him closer, feeling the way his heart raced in sync with yours. 

Every touch, every kiss, every slow, tender motion felt like a culmination of countless lifetimes. Yunho wasn’t just here with you; he was here with every version of you that had ever yearned for this closeness, for the feeling of being truly seen and loved. 

And now, here he was, holding you close, as if he had always known you would eventually find your way back to each other.

Yunho whimpered your name into the curve of your neck, his movements becoming rougher, each touch and thrust a silent promise woven across time as the heat between you surged to a crescendo. 

He pulled you closer, his urgency spilling over as you felt yourself unravel, swept up in the bliss that enveloped you both. His gasps blended with yours, and in the haze of it all, you were aware only of him—his scent, his warmth, and the way he fit perfectly against you.

“Love you. God I love you,” Yunho murmured softly, his voice tender and thick with emotion. 

You giggled, reaching up to brush his tousled bangs from his forehead, your fingers gently tracing the lines of his face as you took in the softness of the moment. The warmth in his gaze made your heart flutter, even in the gentle light of early morning. The world outside was waking up, but here, wrapped in his arms, it felt as though time had slowed just for you both.

“Love you too,” you whispered, your voice filled with the same affection that he’d poured into his words. “But…” You grinned, tapping his nose playfully. 

“You’re going to be late for deliveries.”

He groaned in protest, tightening his hold around you, as if to shield himself from the reality of a busy day waiting just beyond the sheets. 

“Just a few more minutes,” he grumbled, his voice muffled against your skin. “Deliveries can wait. I’d rather stay here with you.”

You felt his breath tickling your skin and laughed softly, only to hear a loud, impatient voice call from the other side of the door. 

“Y/N! Feed me, I’m dying of hunger!” Wooyoung’s dramatic tone was followed by a series of thumping sounds as he pawed insistently at the door. 

"I’m going to die!" he wailed, drawing a groan of frustration from Yunho. Your boyfriend sighed, glancing at the door with thinly veiled irritation.  

“I swear, he has the worst timing,” he muttered, shifting reluctantly as though debating whether to let you go. He held you tighter instead, as if Wooyoung’s complaints were some distant nuisance that could be ignored. 

“Y/N!” 

With a soft laugh, you planted a kiss against the tip of Yunho’s nose in an attempt to placate him. “He’s just lonely,” you murmured with sympathy for your familiar.

“He probably needs a friend to keep him occupied. He seems to be making it his mission to ruin your mornings.”

Yunho rolled his eyes, muttering something about demanding cats under his breath, but before he could say more, a dramatic wail sounded from the other side of the door.

"I’m fading away… I can see… the light…” Wooyoung yowled, his voice an exaggerated plea for attention.

“Alright, I’m coming!” you called out, with a chuckle. 

With a playful smile, you pressed another quick kiss to Yunho's lips. His eyes softened, the irritation all but forgotten as you stepped toward the door. You glanced over your shoulder, catching the trace of a smile breaking through Yunho’s resigned expression.

The threads of your past lives wove delicately between you, fragile yet enduring, stronger than time itself. Fate had always teased the possibility of you together, leaving behind only fleeting traces and unfinished stories. But in this life, you had taken the first step—crossing the line, to lower the walls you had so carefully built around your heart. 

For so long, you’d been bound to the shop’s mysteries and the shadows of your past. Now, you felt a sense of release, as if a tether that had held you in place had finally loosened, granting you the freedom to shape your own path. With Yunho by your side, every moment held the promise of something new, a life you could build together. 

And you couldn’t wait. 

<< viii | epilogue >>

a/n: it was always going to be a happy ending, I had to set it up for the epilogue hehehe 🤭

taglist: @babymbbatinygirl @intowxnderland @hwasa28 @thedistractedwriter @beabatiny @lovelyglares @spenceatiny18 @tiny-apocalypse @sunnysidesins @heyitsmetonid @jwone @laurenwidjaja @potatos-on-clouds @xuchiya @syubseokie @jonghosbrainrot @e3ellie @koyagifs @notevenheretbh1 @corgilover20 @almondtofu006

[freshl6ve]

𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒. 𝐒 | 𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐒

⭑.ᐟ : 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲. The building, with its sleek design and glass doors, exuded an upscale ambiance. My mind raced with anticipation and anxiety as I made my way to the elevator, punching the button for the floor Chris’ studio resided on.

I had grown concerned about the amount of time he had spent isolated in his studio, pushing himself nonstop without even taking breaks to eat properly.

As the elevator swiftly made its ascent, I leaned against the cool mirrored wall. I glanced down at the display on my phone, my eyes widening at the time. It was well past midnight. A heavy sigh escaped my lips, a mix of worry and disappointment settling on my shoulders.

“He can’t push himself like this,” I muttered to myself in the quiet solitude of the elevator, “Skipping meals, barely sleeping… It’s not healthy.”

Frustration and concern mingled within me, each passing second on the elevator ride felt like an eternity. The quiet hum of the elevator seemed to magnify my anxious thoughts as I silently worried about Chris’ well-being. Every second that passed without a break from his work was another moment he was pushing himself too far, neglecting his own health.

The gentle ding of the elevator brought me back to the present, tearing me away from my worries. The doors opened, revealing the hallway leading to the studio. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the task ahead.

I straightened my shoulders, gathering the resolve to confront Chris and make him take a break, even if it were just for a few minutes.

I stepped out of the elevator, each step echoing softly against the linoleum floor. The hallway felt endless, my footsteps carrying me closer and closer to his studio. The dim, almost eerie glow from the windows above provided the only illumination in the otherwise dimly lit corridor.

I walked past closed doors and hushed murmurs behind them, my target drawing nearer with every passing second. My heart beat loudly in my chest, anticipation mounting with each step I neared his studio door.

Finally, I reached the door to Chris's studio. The familiar sight of it, with its faint light beneath the door, only amplified my determination to make him pause and remember his well-being. I paused, taking a deep breath to steady my racing heartbeat. With a trembling hand, I softly knocked on the door, trying to gauge if he was even aware of my presence.

Not hearing any response from within, I decided to take a chance. Slowly, I reached for the door knob and gently turned it, pushing the door open just enough for me to slip inside.

The room was dimly lit, casting elongated shadows across the space. The soft glow of his console illuminated the studio, casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls.

There he was, Chris, deeply engrossed in his work, sitting in front of his console, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. His eyes were fixed on the screen, fingers dancing across the keyboard in a rhythmic frenzy.

I let out a soft sigh, seeing him so engrossed in his work. I carefully placed the bag of food down on the couch, doing my best not to make a sound. Stepping closer, I moved towards him quietly, my heart heavy with worry and determination.

Slowly, I moved closer and draped my arms around his neck, gently wrapping them around him. The suddenness of the movement startled him a bit, his body tensing for a moment before relaxing.

I whispered softly, my voice barely above a murmur, the words carrying both tenderness and concern. “You should take a break,” I said, the warmth of my breath lightly grazing his cheek. Even in the dim studio, there was no mistaking my identity. The familiarity in his expression changed immediately upon recognizing me.

He turned his head, his eyes locking with mine, a mix of surprise and amusement crossing his face as he recognized me. A faint smile played on his lips, “How did you get in here?” he asked, his voice a whisper that somehow sounded louder in the quiet room.

I smiled softly, keeping my arms draped around his neck. “The door wasn't locked,” I whispered back, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

He shook his head, a mix of amusement and exhaustion in his eyes. “You really shouldn't sneak up on me like that,” he admitted, the hint of a smile still lingering on his lips. Despite the tiredness in his voice and the strain evident on his face, there was a spark of amusement and affection.

I leaned against him, my chin resting on his shoulder as I peered at the screen. “Have you even moved from this spot?” I asked, a hint of concern lacing my voice, though it was laced with a gentle tease.

He sighed, rolling his shoulders as his fingers paused momentarily. “I lost track of time,” he admitted, his eyes never leaving the screen. There was a hint of shame in his voice as he realized how long he had been working. I could feel the fatigue radiating off of him, yet he persisted, his passion for music holding him captive.

I leaned a bit closer, my lips brushing softly against the soft skin of his neck, sending shivers down my spine. “Take a break. Please,” I whispered against his neck, my words carrying both a plea and persuasion. My lips lingered gently against him, a silent plea for him to pause and rest.

He let out a soft sigh at the gentle touch of my lips against his neck, the tenderness of my plea settling in his heart. He closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly conflicted between his desire to work and the quiet demand of my plea, a battle of his passions waging within him.

The soft touch of my lips against his neck sparked something that began to overshadow his desire to work. The tension in the air shifted, the vulnerability of the moment mingling with the exhaustion of his work. His resolve began to waver as his senses became acutely aware of my presence, my pleading request lingering in his mind.

My lips continued to move against his neck, tracing a gentle path of kisses. Each touch brought forth a shiver from him, his muscles tensing in response to the sensations. I could feel the conflict within him, the war between his duty to his work and the allure of a different kind of desire taking hold.

As I continued to trail kisses along his neck, I softly whispered against his skin, my words carrying a mix of reassurance and temptation. “You need to take care of yourself, Chris,” I murmured, my lips grazing his collarbone, “You're pushing yourself far too hard.” Each word was a gentle plea, a soft reminder of his well-being amidst the desire that brewed between us.

He let out a soft sigh, but a hint of stubborn resolve lingered, “I'm almost done, I promise. Just a few more minutes,” he whispered back. His words were a weak defense, a faint attempt to hold onto his work, though the wavering tone in his voice betrayed his true exhaustion.

I sighed against his skin, feeling the familiar stubborn streak in his response, “You always say that,” I whispered, my lips lingering against his jawline, the warm brush of my breath creating a faint shiver in him. My words were soft, a reminder of his habit to always push himself further, promising to finish soon, yet never actually allowing himself to take a rest.

As Chris focused on the computer screen, I had an idea, knowing exactly what will make him stop. I moved closer, my voice barely a whisper against his ear, my words carrying a mix of desire and need: “I need you.”

The words hung in the air, their simplicity yet earnestness capturing his attention effortlessly. He froze, his eyes fixed on the screen, the weight of the words sinking in. A soft shiver ran through him, his focus shattered by the undeniable need in my voice, the power of three simple words.

I pulled away from his neck and moved in front of him, my movements slow and almost teasing. I carefully positioned myself, sitting on his lap; the warmth of his body against mine, my eyes meeting his, my hands resting on his chest. As I settled in, I could feel the tension in his muscles.

He couldn't help but feel the allure of my closeness as I settled in his lap. His eyes met mine, the usual focus they held for his work now replaced by a mix of exhaustion and a hint of vulnerability. The weight of my gaze on him made his resolve waver, the intensity of the moment pulling him away from his work and towards me.

As my arms encircled his neck, I felt him tense beneath me. Slowly, softly, I began grinding against him, my moves barely a whisper against his frame. The small, subtle movement ignited a spark of desire within us both, the tension in his body growing more pronounced.

My hands tentatively reached out, caressing Chris’s face, feeling the familiar sharp jawline and gentle curve of his cheeks. “Chris...I’ve missed you so much.”

As my lips brushed against Chris's ear, I whispered, “I've missed your touch, your voice, your everything. It's been so long since I've felt your lips on mine, your hands on my body... I've had to do it all myself, imagining it's you.”

Chris's breath hitched as my words washed over him. “I'm so sorry, baby,” he murmured, his voice laced with guilt. “I've just been so busy in the studio, trying to get this album done.”

“Yet you don't take breaks,” I sighed, my fingers tracing soothing patterns on his chest. “You look so stressed, darling. Let me help you relax, hmm?” I purred, my hips grinding against him once more. “If you'll let me.”

Chris's resolve crumbled as I continued my sensual assault. “Fuck, Y/N...” he groaned, his hands finally coming up to grip my hips. “I can’t, I gotta finish this album.”

“Please, Chris...” I begged, nipping at his earlobe. “Just tonight. Let me remind you of how good it is between us. You need a break, and I need you.” I ground against him again, my body aching with need.

With a low growl, Chris finally succumbed to temptation. His hands tightened on my hips as he pulled me flush against him. “Fuck it,” he muttered, capturing my lips in a searing kiss.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling my hips even closer as I straddled him. He gripped my ass possessively, his fingers kneading the flesh as he deepened the kiss, his tongue dancing with mine.

I moaned into his mouth, my fingers tangling in his hair as I rocked against him, the friction driving both of us crazy.

Breaking the kiss, I gazed into Chris's eyes with a smoldering look. “Let me take care of you,” I purred, my hands sliding under his shirt to caress the toned muscles beneath. “I want to worship every inch of you.”

Chris's eyes rolled back as I began to worship his body, my hands roaming over his chest and stomach, my lips trailing kisses over his jaw and neck. I reached down and unbuttoned his pants, sliding my hand inside to wrap around his thick, hard length.

Chris hissed through his teeth, his fingers digging into my back as I slowly stroked him. “Y/N... that feels so good, baby,” he panted, his hips bucking against my touch. I grinned mischievously, loving the control I had over him. “Shh, just relax,”

I continued to stroke him slowly, my thumb rubbing against the sensitive head of his cock. Chris threw his head back, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he neared the edge. Just when he seemed about to cum, I stopped, leaving him twitching and aching in my hand.

I slowly lifted the hem of Chris's shirt, revealing his chiseled abs and toned arms. My fingers trailed along his skin, sending shivers down his spine as I exposed more and more of his chest. Finally, I pulled the shirt off completely, tossing it aside to admire his gorgeous physique.

I nuzzled his jaw, my lips tracing a path down to his neck. I sucked gently at his throat, leaving a mark – a claiming mark. Chris groaned, tilting his head to give me better access. “God, Y/N...” he groaned, his hands gripping my thighs.

I marked his neck, his collarbone, and his chest, each love bite eliciting a moan or groan from Chris. His hands roamed over my body, caressing my curves through the thin fabric of my shirt. “Baby...” he panted, “you’re gonna be the death of me..”

I left another mark on his chest, just above his heart. Each mark made Chris groan and flex under me, his body tensing as he tried to rein in his desire.

I smirked, knowing that Chris would never hide these marks. He'd wear them proudly, like badges of honor, showing the world that he belonged to me. The thought made me even more possessive, and I leaned down to place more marks on his collarbone and shoulders.

I ground my hips against him, my core pressing against his clothed erection. The tip of his cock poked out of his pants, rubbing against my stomach as I moved. Chris let out a strangled groan, his hands gripping my thighs tightly as he tried to stay still and let me take control.

I trailed my lips down his chest, kissing each mark I’d left behind. Chris watched me with heavy-lidded eyes, his breath coming in short pants. I kissed lower, my lips brushing against his toned stomach. I knelt before him, pushing his pants down to his thighs.

Chris lifted his hips, allowing me to push his pants down further. His erection sprang out, hard and ready. I wrapped my hand around the base, my thumb and fingers not quite meeting. Chris’s hips bucked forward, his head falling back against the seat as he groaned. “Y/N...”

I licked my lips, admiring his impressive size. Slowly, teasingly, I ran my tongue along the underside of his shaft from base to tip. Chris shuddered, his hands fisting in my hair. I swirled my tongue around the head, tasting the bead of precum at the tip.

I ran my tongue along the prominent veins on Chris's cock, feeling the pulse of his heartbeat in his shaft. His veins throbbed against my tongue, and I could taste the saltiness of his skin. I wrapped my lips around the head, sucking gently as I looked up at Chris's face.

Chris's eyes were closed, his mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure. I sucked harder, my lips stretching around his girth. I bobbed my head, taking more of him into my mouth with each pass. My hand wrapped around the base, stroking in time with my mouth.

Chris's hand came to my head, his fingers tangling in my hair. He didn't force me down, just guided me gently as his hips thrust up in tiny increments. His breathing grew ragged, his grip on my hair tightening as he neared his release. “Y/N...Baby” he panted, “You can stop...I’m not gonna last...” I hummed around him, my vibrations making Chris groan louder.

I looked up at Chris through my lashes, my eyes watering from the effort of taking him so deep. “I wanna taste all of you” I mumbled, the vibrations pushing him closer to the edge. I wanted to taste him, to swallow every drop. Chris's face contorted, his jaw clenching as he finally let go, spilling into my mouth with a low groan. Chris's eyes locked onto mine as he finally let go.

I pulled back, allowing some of Chris’s release to dribble down my chin. I caught it with my fingers, using it to slick my hand. I stroked him, milking every last drop from him as he twitched in my hand.

Chris let out a shuddering groan, his eyes fluttering closed as his release coated his stomach. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. I admired my handiwork, seeing the satisfied smile on Chris's face as he watched me.

Chris opened his eyes slowly, a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked down at his sticky stomach. “Mmmm, baby...” He let out a shuddering groan, “you're gonna be the death of me.” He looked up at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

I stood up slowly, hovering over Chris's prone form. “Good” I purred, leaning down to capture his lips in a deep, sensual kiss. My hair fell around us like a curtain, cocooning us in our own little world.

Chris's hands slowly snaked up my thighs, over my hips, to the hem of my shirt. He broke the kiss, his eyes locked onto mine as he slowly began to lift my shirt. “I want to see you, baby...all of you.” His voice was low, almost reverent.

I lifted my arms, allowing Chris to pull my shirt up and over my head. He tossed it aside, his eyes devouring the sight of me. He reached out, tracing his fingers over the swell of my breasts, the dip of my waist, and the gentle curve of my hips.

His fingers brushed over my bare breasts, his brows furrowing as he realized I wore no bra. “No bra? You knew I was going to give in didn’t you?” His voice was accusing, but his fingers continued to caress me, his thumbs brushing over my hardened peaks.

I bit my lip, trying to hold back a smile. “Maybe I did,” I admitted, my voice breathy. Chris let out a growl, his hands moving to cup my breasts. He kneaded them gently, his thumbs rolling over my nipples.

“You're so...perfect,” Chris murmured, his eyes locked onto my face. He sat up, wrapping his arms around me as he buried his face between my breasts. He kissed and nuzzled them, his hands roaming over my back and hips.

I tangled my fingers in Chris's hair, holding him close as he worshipped my breasts. His mouth found my nipple, suckling and teasing until I was arching into his touch. “Chris...” I breathed, my head falling back in pleasure.

Chris's hands tightened on me, his lips moving to my other breast. He nipped gently at my hardened peak, soothing it with a suckle. “Mmmm, you like that don’t you?” He asked, his voice muffled against my skin.

His hands slid down to my ass, gripping and kneading the soft flesh. “I'm going to make you feel so good, baby,” Chris promised, his voice low and filled with desire.

Chris's hands slid down to the hem of my sweats. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with determination. “I'm going to make up for all the time I've wasted in here,” he promised, his fingers slowly pushing the fabric down over my hips.

As my sweats pooled around my ankles, Chris eyes roaming over my bare legs. He reached out, hooking his fingers under my underwear and slowly pulling them down. “So beautiful,” he breathed, tossing the underwear aside.

I stepped out of the discarded clothing, standing bare before Chris. He reached out, his hands slowly sliding up my thighs. His touch sent shivers through me, and I bit my lip as his fingers found my center. “So wet...”

Chris groaned, his fingers dipping into my folds. He rubbed slow, circular motions over my clit, his thumb pressing gently against my entrance. “Fuck, you're soaked,” he muttered, his eyes never leaving my face as he continued to tease my pussy.

I swayed on my feet, my knees buckling slightly as pleasure washed over me. Chris's strong arms wrapped around me, supporting me as he continued to play my body like an instrument. “Chris...please,”

“Please what, baby?” Chris asked, his voice low and taunting. His fingers continued their slow torture, never quite giving me what I needed. “Please...touch me...please...” I panted, my nails digging into his shoulders for support. Chris chuckled darkly, “With pleasure.”

Chris stood up, lifting me into his arms and sitting me down on the office chair. He placed my legs over each armrest, spreading me open for him. “Perfect,” he muttered, his eyes roaming over my exposed pussy.

Chris dropped to his knees, his face hovering over my dripping entrance. He looked up at me, his eyes burning with desire. “I'm going to eat this pretty little pussy until you cum all over my face,” he promised before burying his face between my thighs.

His tongue delved into my folds, parting them to taste me fully. He licked and suckled, his hands gripping my thighs to hold me in place. I writhed on the chair, my hands clutching the armrests as Chris feasted on me like a starving man.

Chris continued his oral assault, his tongue delving deep inside my dripping channel. He licked and sucked, savoring my essence. Two fingers joined his tongue, pumping in and out of my tight heat. He curled them just right, stroking that special spot inside me that made my toes curl.

Chris looked up at me, his eyes locked on mine as he devoured my pussy. I tried to close my legs, but he opened them, keeping his face buried in my folds. I reached down and buried my hand in his hair, trying to pull him away but he only gripped my thighs tighter.

“Chris...Oh god...Chris...” I moaned, my back arching off the chair. His tongue was relentless, his fingers driving me closer and closer to release. “Chris...I'm...I'm going to...” I panted, my hand gripping his hair tighter.

“Not yet,” Chris growled, pulling back just as I was on the verge. I whimpered, my hips bucking forward, needing that last push to send me over the edge. “Please...please, Chris...” I begged, my voice hoarse from moaning.

Chris grinned mischievously, burying his face back between my thighs. His fingers pumped in and out of me, curving upwards to rub that magical spot inside. His mouth latched onto my opening, sucking hard as his fingers worked their magic. “Chris...please...I can't...”

“Shut up and cum,” Chris demanded, his fingers pistoning in and out of me. He added a third finger, stretching me further as he finger-fucked me with ruthless intensity. His mouth never left my pussy, sucking and licking furiously.

I wrapped my hand around Chris's hair, holding on for dear life as he destroyed me with his fingers and mouth. “CHRIS! CHRIS! OH FUCK, CHRIS!” I screamed, my whole body shaking as the pressure built to a breaking point.

“That's it, baby. Cum for me,” Chris encouraged, his fingers curling inside me, pressing hard on that spot. His mouth sealed around my entrance, sucking hard as his fingers pumped in and out.

My entire world narrowed down to the feeling of Chris's fingers and mouth on my pussy. I felt like I was going to pass out from the intensity of it all. “I'M CUMMING! I'M CUMMING!” I yelled, my legs trembling as my orgasm hit me like a truck.

Chris didn't let up, milking my pussy for every drop of cum as I shook and spasmed in the chair. He finger-fucked me through my entire orgasm, his mouth still sealed around my entrance. When I finally collapsed back in the chair, panting and dripping with sweat, Chris finally pulled away.

“You're fucking delicious,” Chris said, licking his lips. He brought his fingers to his mouth, sucking my juices off of them. “I could eat this pussy for hours.” I whimpered, oversensitive from my intense orgasm. Chris just smirked, clearly pleased with himself.

Chris leaned over me, his hands braced on the armrests. He brought his glistening fingers to my mouth, painting my lips with my own essence. “Taste yourself,” he ordered, his voice low and commanding. I parted my lips, tasting the evidence of my arousal on his fingers.

Chris leaned in the rest of the way, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. His tongue delved into my mouth, exploring every inch as he shared my taste with me. I moaned, my arms wrapping around his neck as we made out hungrily.

Chris scooped me up into his arms, settling back into the chair with me in his lap. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close as we continued to make out passionately. I straddled his legs.

Chris's hands tightened around my waist, pulling me even closer as he trailed kisses along my jawline and down to my neck. I let my head fall back, exposing more of my neck to him. As he kissed and sucked on my neck, I felt his hard length beneath me.

I reached down between our bodies, my fingers wrapping around his thick, hard shaft. I moaned at the feel of him, so hot and heavy in my hand. I notched the head of his erection at my entrance and slowly began to lower myself onto him.

“Oh fuck,” Chris groaned as I sank down onto his cock. I threw my head back with a loud moan as he stretched and filled me completely. “You feel so good around me,” he panted, his hands gripping my hips. I started to move, rolling my hips in a slow grind.

Chris's mouth returned to my neck, his lips and teeth nipping and sucking at my delicate skin. He marked me thoroughly, leaving a trail of love bites down to my collarbone. “Ride me, baby,” he whispered, his hands guiding my hips as I continued to move atop him.

His grip on my hips tightened, and he began to thrust up into me hard and fast, meeting my downward motions with powerful upward jerks. The sound of our bodies slapping together filled the room, punctuated by our labored breaths and moans.

“Fuck yeah, ride my dick just like that,” Chris grunted, his voice rough with lust. “Take it hard, baby, take it deep. You're so fucking tight around me, I can feel every inch of your pussy.” He reached up to pinch and roll my nipples, adding to the intensity.

“Your little cunt is squeezing my dick so tight, I can feel myself hitting your cervix with every thrust,” he whispered in my ear, his hot breath sending shivers down my spine. “You're gonna make me cum so hard inside you, fill your fucking pussy with my seed.”

“Look at you, taking me so well. Look at how beautifully you're being stretched around me,” he panted. “You're such a good girl, aren't you? Being so good at taking my big, thick cock. But you can take more, can't you, baby?”

Without warning, Chris slammed me down hard onto his lap, fully sheathing himself inside me. I screamed, my fingers digging into his shoulders as I clung to him. “That's it, mark me up,” he growled, his hips bucking upwards as he pounded into me mercilessly.

His hands gripped my ass tightly, lifting and lowering my body onto his lap in quick, brutal movements. The sound of wet, meaty impacts filled the room as he mercilessly drilled up into me, each thrust pushing me closer to the edge. “Harder, Chris, please!”

“Gladly,” he hissed through gritted teeth, his pace quickening even more. His powerful arms lifted and dropped my body onto his lap with such force that the chair shook and creaked ominously. Each brutal thrust pushed me higher and higher, my breath coming in short, desperate pants.

“Is this what you wanted, hmm? To make me abandon my album just so I could spend hours buried deep inside you?” He grunted, slamming me down onto him particularly hard. “You're insatiable, you know that? Always begging for more, always needing to be filled.”

“I'm gonna keep pounding into you like this until you forget your own name,” he whispered in my ear, his voice a low, menacing growl. “Until all you can remember is how it feels to have me inside you. Until you're a mindless, quivering mess beneath me.”

With a swift motion, Chris stood, still buried deep inside me. He carried me to his large desk and swept his arms across its surface, sending recording equipment and papers flying to the floor with a single, powerful swing.

“Chris, your equipment!” I gasped, concerned for his expensive gear. He silenced me with a searing kiss, his hands gripping my bottom tightly as he continued to thrust into me. “Forget about it,” he rasped, “Right now, the only thing that matters is you.”

His hands gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles turning white as he powered into me, his hips slamming against mine with brutal force. The solid wooden desk shook and groaned beneath us, mirroring the sounds of our united bodies. “Chris, it's too much!”

“Take it,” he snarled, his voice barely recognizable. “You can take more. You can take everything I give you.” His hands slid under my thighs, tilting my hips to accept his merciless rhythm. “And you will.”

My fingers scrambled for purchase on the polished surface of the desk as he mercilessly drove into me, again and again. His breath came in hot, heavy pants against my neck, his teeth sinking into my shoulder as he growled.

“Come on baby, don't hold back. Let me hear those sweet moans,” he urged, punctuating his words with a particularly deep thrust. “The studio's soundproof - no one will hear you scream my name as I fuck you senseless.”

I threw my head back, a loud, uninhibited moan echoing through the soundproofed room. “C-Chris!” I cried out, my nails raking down his back as he continued to pound into me with relentless intensity.

His response was a guttural groan, his pace quickening as my walls tightened around him. “Good. Louder,” he urged, his hands sliding up my body to palm my breasts. His thumbs strummed over my hardened peaks, drawing another loud, desperate moan from my lips. “Again.”

“CHRIS!” I screamed, my voice hoarse from the sheer volume of my cries. The sound of wet, slapng flesh filled the room, mingling with our labored breaths and my ear-piercing moans.

With a swift motion, Chris spun me around, bending me over his desk. My palms pressed flat against the cool wood as he kicked my legs apart, positioning himself behind me. “Keep screaming for me, baby,” he commanded, lining himself up with my entrance. “Let me hear how much you love this.”

His large hands gripped my hips, pulling me back as he surged forward, filling me to the brim. “Oh GOD, Chris!” I shrieked, my back arching as he set a brutal pace, slamming into me from behind.

“Louder, baby. Tell me who's making you feel this way,” he growled, his fingers digging into my flesh as he increased his tempo. The desk shook violently beneath us, papers scattering to the floor as he drilled into me with unbridled passion.

“IT'S YOU, CHRIS! ONLY YOU!” I practically screamed, my voice raw and desperate. Tears of ecstasy streamed down my face as he hit that perfect spot inside me over and over again. My inner walls fluttered around his thickness, drawing him in deeper with each thrust.

His answer was a feral grunt, his hips snapping against my ass with reckless abandon. The desk creaked ominously, on the verge of collapse as Chris fucked me with primal intensity. “Fuck, you're so tight,” he panted, his breath hot against my back. “So fucking tight.”

As he fucked me, Chris reached for his phone on his desk, pressing a button to record our sounds. He couldn't resist the opportunity to capture my raw, uninhibited moans to add to one of his songs in the future. The thought only spurred him on, his thrusts becoming even more brutal.

Blissfully unaware of his little recording session, I was lost to the world, my existence narrowed down to the point where our bodies joined. His large hands roamed my ass, squeezing and kneading my flesh before delivering a stinging slap. “Chris!”

Satisfied with the snippet he'd captured, Chris hit stop and tossed his phone aside. He sank back into his chair, pulling me with him so that I straddled his lap. His hands gripped my hips, guiding me up and down on his lap as he continued to stretch me wide open.

I gripped the armrest tightly, my fingers turning white as I lifted myself up and down on his lap, impaling myself on his thick hardness. His broad chest pressed against my back, his hands slowly sliding up my torso to palm my breasts.

He toyed with my peaks, pinching and rolling them between his fingers as I rode him harder, my inner muscles clenching around his shaft. “That's it, baby,” he encouraged, his hot breath washing over my neck. “Ride me just like that.”

The wet sounds of our coupling filled the room as I bounced on his lap, my ass slapping against his thighs with each downward motion. Chris's fingers sank into the flesh of my breasts, kneading the soft mounds as he rocked his hips to meet my thrusts.

One hand continued to worship my breast, while the other slid down my body, seeking out my most sensitive spot. His calloused fingertips strummed over my swollen bud, drawing a loud, keening cry from my lips.

My whimpering moans filled the room as Chris's fingers worked my clit in time with my rides, sending shockwaves of pleasure through my trembling body. “Oh god, oh god, oh god!” I chanted, my vision blurring as the edges of my control began to fray.

His long, skilled fingers danced across my sensitive nub, spreading me open even wider as he sought to drive me mad with pleasure. The sensation of his thick digits rubbing against my inner walls and his thumb pressing against my clit was too much for my overwhelmed senses.

“Not yet,” he whispered in my ear, his voice low and commanding. “Hold it back for me a little longer.” His fingers continued to play me like an instrument, coaxing more needy whimpers and desperate pleas from my lips.

Leaning forward, he wrapped an arm around my waist and lifted me off of him, carrying me the short distance to his desk. He sat me down on the edge and stepped between my legs, pushing back inside me with one long, forceful thrust.

His hands gripped my thighs, spreading me wide as he drove in deep, the angle allowing him to reach even higher inside me. Our eyes locked as he began to move, the heat in his gaze scorching me from the inside out. “Look at me, Baby,” he rasped.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from his, drowning in the intensity burning there. My nails dug into his shoulders as I held on for dear life, my body coiling tighter and tighter. “I'm so close,” I whimpered, my hips rolling to meet his increasingly powerful thrusts.

Chris pulled me into his chest, our faces pressed together as he continued to pound into me. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me close as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. The desk shook beneath us as he fucked me with reckless abandon, his breath hot against my skin.

My hands slid down his back, fingers curling to rake down his back in sharp, stinging lines. Chris hissed, the sound of his breath against my ear sending a fresh wave of heat pooling between my thighs. “Cum for me,” he rasped, his lips brushing against mine.

As our lips met, my entire body convulsed, orgasm crashing over me like a tidal wave. I jerked my head back, breaking the kiss as a scream of ecstasy tore from my throat. My pussy clenched around Chris's cock, Milking him for all he was worth as my climax seized me completely.

“AHHH!!! OH GOD, OH FUCK, CHRIS!!!” I wailed, my voice echoing through the room as my vision went white. Chris's mouth opened in a silent scream, his face contorting in pure, unadulterated bliss as he emptied himself inside me.

Chris collapsed against me, his sweat-slicked body draping over mine as he struggled to catch his breath. He rested his head in the crook of my neck, his chest heaving against my own as the last tremors of our shared climax rolled through us.

As our bodies began to still, our combined release trickled down my thighs to join the growing puddle on the floor beneath us. Our ragged breaths filled the room, mingling with the soft sounds of our labored pants as we both tried to regain some semblance of control over our bodies.

I could feel Chris slowly softening inside me, his once rigid member gradually losing its firmness as the afterglow of our passionate lovemaking began to fade. He shifted slightly, nuzzling into the sweat-dampened skin of my neck as he fought to steady his breathing.

His lips ghosted over my neck, placing a soft, gentle kiss just behind my ear before he began to trail more of them down the length of my throat. His body was heavy against mine, but I reveled in his weight, relishing the feel of him still deep within me.

“I needed that so much,” Chris murmured against my skin, his voice barely above a whisper. His arms tightened around me, pulling me even closer as his kisses continued to pepper my neck and shoulders.

I let out a content sigh, tilting my head to give him better access. “Me too,” I breathed, my own voice hoarse from our passionate cries. His hands began to roam over my body, caressing my curves with a tenderness that belied the fierce passion we had just shared.

Chris shifted his head slightly, bringing his lips tantalizingly close to mine until they hovered mere millimeters apart. The warmth of his breath mingled with my own, creating an electric tension between us. His eyes glimmered with affection and lingering desire as he gazed into my eyes.

I reached up, threading my fingers through his damp, messy hair as I studied his face. I loved how he always looked a little undone after we fuck, his usual neat appearance replaced by a charmingly rumpled state.

Even disheveled and sated, Chris looked perfect to me. His features were soft with post-coital relaxation, his eyes still shining with warmth and affection. I loved him like this, all rumpled and mine.

Chris couldn't help but smirk slightly as he felt me admiring his post-coital disarray. “Like what you see?” he teased lightly, his voice still husky from exertion.

I couldn't but let out a small, fond laugh at his playful comment. “Always,” I confessed, gently mussing his hair further just to watch it fall endearingly across his forehead.

Chris chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he gazed up at me adoringly. He lifted a hand to cover mine, still tangled in his hair, and brought it to his lips to press a tender kiss to my palm.

Chris leaned in, closing the remaining distance between us until his lips met mine in a slow, deep kiss. It was different from the heated, urgent kisses we had shared earlier - this one was softer, more languid, a gentle exploration rather than a desperate claiming.

As the kiss gradually ended, Chris rested his forehead against mine, a small, satisfied smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “We should probably get cleaned up,” he murmured, his voice still low and intimate.

“Turns out the studio wasn’t as soundproof as we thought,” Chris admitted wryly a few days later, as we sat on his couch, my head resting in his lap while he absently toyed with my hair.

I sat up slightly, my brows furrowing with worry as I looked up at him. “What do you mean?” Chris let out a low chuckle and reached into his pocket to pull out a crumpled piece of paper, which he unfolded and handed to me.

I scanned the note, my eyes widening as I read the not-so-subtle complaint. “...disturbing the peace with loud... noises...?” I quoted, my voice trailing off embarrassedly. Chris merely grinned, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

“You knew, didn’t you?” I accused, my cheeks flaming as I tossed the paper back at him. He caught it deftly, still smirking. I blushed furiously, burying my face in my hands.

“Chris!” He laughed, pulling my hands away from my face gently. “I knew the studio was supposed to be soundproof,” he admitted, still grinning. “But I had no idea you could be so... vocal.”

I glared at him, trying to maintain my indignation despite the warmth spreading through my chest at his teasing. “Vocal? I’ll have you know, I was being perfectly reasonable in my reaction!” Chris chuckled, setting the paper aside and turning his attention back to me. “Reasonable?”

He reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek as he turned my face up to meet his gaze. “Baby, you were practically screaming at the top of your lungs. I think ‘reasonable’ is stretching it a bit.” I rolled my eyes, a small sigh escaping me as I leaned into his touch.

“Mmm, you were just taking it so well,” he murmured, his voice dropping to that low, sultry register that always made my insides quiver. His face inched closer to mine, his breath warm against my lips. “Like a good girl.”

Chris cupped my face tenderly with one large hand, his thumb caressing my cheekbone as he held me still. Then, ever so slowly, he closed the remaining distance between us until his lips brushed against mine in the gentlest of kisses.

As Chris pulled away, he took my hand and led me over to his desk. “I want to play you something,” he said with a mischievous grin. He sat down on the chair and patted his lap, inviting me to join.

I hesitated briefly before acquiescing, settling myself onto his firm thighs. Chris wrapped one arm around my waist. He pulled up the music production software on his computer and hit play, filling the room with sensual beats and his husky vocals. As I listened closely, my eyes widened in shock.

“Oh my god, Chris!” I squeaked, my cheeks flaming red as I recognized my own voice woven into the song. My breathy moans, my soft gasps, my cries of his name – all of them were sampled throughout the track.

“How did you even mange to capture that?” Chris grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he leaned back in his chair. “When I had you bent over the desk, my phone was right next to you,” he explained, his smirk growing wider. “I recorded a little something while I was inside you.”

Chris leaned in, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss. “Next time,” he murmured against my mouth, “we should probably try to keep it down, at least a little. Unless you like the idea of me sharing more of your... vocal talents with the world.”

A/N: THANK YOU FOR 700 MILLION FOLLOWERS!!!

TAGS: @st6rify ✮⋆�� @jetaimevous ✮⋆˙ @certifiedstarrr ✮⋆˙ @slvtf0rchr1s ✮⋆˙ @l3sbiancvnt ✮⋆˙ @wh0remikasas ✮⋆˙ @r0s3luvr ✮⋆˙ @emely9274 ✮⋆˙ @mimiluvzpicklez

── .✦ MASTER—LIST ⭑𓂃

[hrrtshape]

FAME DR — moments, in which i knew, i’ve made it. 

⋆  hearing my song at a random café – i’m just vibing, sipping an espresso, and suddenly my voice floats through the speakers. people around me are humming along, totally unaware that it’s…..ME!!!! me!!!??

⋆  seeing my face on a billboard in times square – i’m there with friends, acting all casual, but inside i’m screaming because it’s just… me. huge. in times square. 

⋆  getting DMs from celebrities i used to fangirl over – notifications blow up, and there’s that blue check, THEM, sliding into my DMs saying they’re obsessed with my new song or film or whatnot want to meet up.

⋆  having a designer send me clothes with a handwritten note – just open a package to find an exclusive jacket with a note: “this piece is so you. can’t wait to see you wear it.” WHAT?

⋆  walking into a room and people literally gasping – at a party or event or literally just a whatever place, and the whole place goes quiet for a beat when i walk in. heads turning, whispers starting—everyone is in awe. okay, beyonce. okay…

⋆  finding fan art of myself online – fans post these breathtaking drawings and edits, capturing every tiny detail of an outfit, facial expressions, and they’re actually better than anything an official team could come up with. 

⋆  watching paparazzi chase after me in a cute outfit – i just.. step out, dressed, and suddenly there’s a whole crew of photographers losing their minds trying to get shots of. 

⋆  hearing my voice as someone’s ringtone in public – walking in the streets, chilling, and someone’s phone goes off with my song. 

⋆  a little kid dressed as yours truly for halloween – like, full-on little diva mode and their parents are so proud of their mini-star!!!!!! internal screaming.

⋆  seeing fans camped out with signs hours before an event – i’m arriving, and there’s personalised signs. i feel like madonna or someone. like, people like me that much!!!! me!!!! 

⋆  seeing a poster of me in someone’s room — it can be super casual; film or one of those music posters but they still have it in their rooms?? on their walls??? 

⋆  hearing other artists name-drop me in their interviews – people i’ve perhaps looked up to, who inspired me, are now saying things like, “well, I’d love to work with her; she’s killing it right now.” it’s giving favourite artist’s favourite artist !!!!

⋆  my favourite high-fashion brand using my song in their runway show – watching videos of the models walking to my beat during paris fashion week. It's iconic. it's cinematic. it’s unreal. it makes me squeal for a bit. just a bit.

⋆  random people copying my hairstyles and outfits – i go on instagram and tik tok to find tutorials on how to get my curls, my makeup, or even my attitude. fashion style. body type?! oh my god. i’m a BLUEPRINT!!! 

⋆  fans quoting my interviews back to me – they remember all of those cheesy one-liners and even throw them back in comments and in person. 

⋆  being the reason someone starts making music or art – a fan gushing, saying, “i only started singing because of you.” 

⋆  catching people on the metro secretly taking photos of me – i’m reading or vibing with a friend, and i glimpse at someone trying to snap a photo discreetly. i get that little downturned smile because?? hello?? COME HERE I DON’T BITE??

⋆  fans running entire accounts just for paparazzi photos – i find out about multiple fan pages dedicated to catching and sharing every single glimpse of me, from coffee runs to red carpet shots. wild. also very smile-inducing.

⋆  people naming their pets after me – i hear fans saying they have a dog, cat, or even a fish named after me. it’s cute, and it makes me feel like i’ve officially entered pop culture.

⋆  meeting someone who cries when they see me – they’re sobbing, overwhelmed, and i’m trying to hold their hands, saying, “it’s okay, it’s okay, oh my god, stop crying, i’m going to start crying!!” 

⋆  being used as stantwt gif’s — okay. yea, i’ve made it. no comment.

⋆  people selling out an outfit as soon as i wear it – i wore a certain dress, and boom, it’s immediately sold out everywhere. i’m officially. officialy setting trends without even trying.

⋆  fans knowing my coffee order by heart – people are out there replicating my exact coffee order and sharing recipes, so everyone can feel a little more like me??. spreading soy milk propaganda <3 

⋆  being an inspiration behind fan tattoos – people are getting my quotes, my NAME, or even my films or albums inked on their bodies. okay. OKAY….wow.? 

⋆  people taking photos at places just because i’ve been there – spots i’ve casually visited are suddenly iconic locations for fans, and they recreate my exact poses.

⋆  finding out my song were played at someone’s wedding – it’s their special day, and my voice is part of their love story??? 

⋆  getting letters from people who say i’ve changed their lives – fans sending handwritten letters, saying how i saved them, made them stronger, or helped them believe in themselves. <3 :( :) (:AWE. 

⋆  noticing my name carved on trees – i’m literally engraved in people’s memories and spaces. can i cry now? 

[matcha-milkies]

LIKE AN OLEANDER

Summary: Bill Cipher needs a footstool and a thoroughly Stockholmed Ford is happy to oblige.

Relationships: Bill Cipher & Ford Pines, Pyronica is there too

Content Warnings: Abuse, Master/Pet, Psychological Torture/Horror/Trauma, Stockholm Syndrome, Victim Blaming, Sensory Deprivation

Tags: Triangle Bill, Canon Divergence - Weirdmageddon, Bill Cipher Wins, Collars, Chains, Whump, Hurt No Comfort, Bill Cipher is a Jerk

Word Count: 1,306

Link to AO3: Here

A/N: Based on @jellyskink’s immaculate Domesticated Ford AU, in which Bill mentally breaks Ford in the 1980s and brainwashes him into an obedient and fawning pet. Weirdmageddon started early, and over time the weirdness bubble surrounding Gravity Falls naturally expanded to contain both California and Oregon. If you want to learn more, there’s a lot more tidbits on their blog, though fair warning it’s a pretty dark and sad AU.

Thank you, jellyskink, for giving me the green light to write a fic for this!

I saw someone say this au is “all pain, no sex” which is really at the heart of what I look for in fics, but is so painstakingly absent in most fandoms, so this is a godsend •⩊•

If you haven’t listened to “Oleander” by Mother Mother what are you even doing with your life /lh

Bill Cipher is in a particularly good mood today. He and Pyronica probably broke a record for largest bonfire in California, even counting all their previous antics over the years. Not the dream demon’s most creative endeavor by a long shot, but hey, sometimes you just gotta start a blazing inferno to let off some steam. Nothing wrong with a bit of simple, straightforward arson now and then.

It’s only when he returns to the Fearamid, practically glowing, buzzing and high off the screams of the innocent, that he remembers the state he left Sixer in.

The man is in a kneeling position, collared by the neck. His hair, fluffy and disheveled, feathers down to around his shoulders, brushing against the cruel blue metal. His twelve fingers twitch and grasp at nothing, futilely, as though groping for purchase on a rugged cliffside. His purple sweater is rumpled in places, like he had pulled and grabbed at that too, to no evident avail. He’s whimpering to himself, words that are at first indiscernible as Bill enters the massive chamber.

The scientist is tethered to a ring near the base of the Throne of Frozen Human Agony, staring vacantly into the middle space, unseeing. It’s not his fault. Bill severed all input from his optic nerves, so he literally can’t see. Or hear. Or feel. Yeah, he cut off those nerves too. It was supposed to be a punishment that lasted a few hours. And then Bill had left and gotten carried away with his fun, and well, it had been an entire day.

Whoops.

Make no mistake, he doesn’t feel bad about it. If anything, it’s kind of funny, like forgetting to feed your dog! Wait. Humans don’t find that funny. Well, who can expect them to understand the emotions of an all-powerful chaos god? He draws closer, and the previously indiscernible words sharpen into clarity.

“I love you, my muse. I love you.”

Repeated ad nauseam to the uncaring void.

“Aww,” Bill clasps his hands together and brings them closer to his eye. “He’s so pathetic!” Pyronica, who came in with him, nods her agreement and laughs along. This must be what it’s like to catch your puppy mid-dream, its little tongue lolling and leg kicking at nothing.

He can’t remember whether he instructed his pet to repeat those words or not. Honestly, it’s anyone’s guess. Bill’s will and Ford’s are so inextricable at this point that Ford often does things without needing to be told. Of course, they’re not entirely on the same wavelength, or else punishment wouldn’t be required in the first place.

“Eh, remind me to snap him out of it in another half an hour,” Bill says, settling himself on the throne. With a wave of an arm he summons a martini glass. “I’m gonna have myself a drink.”

“Sure thing, boss.” He summons a glass for her too, and hipshot, she accepts. “Hey, you think we should’ve put the fire out before we left?”

They both share a hearty chuckle over that. “Would be a shame if it all burned down!” Bill sighs as the laughter dies down. “Nah, but seriously. California will still be there for us to play with tomorrow. And if it isn’t, we can always just rebuild it! In my image! Ha!”

“Yeah. Technically the fires are my image though.”

“Touché!”

They talk for a while, maybe 20 minutes or so in this fashion, casually sipping time punch and discussing unnatural disasters like they’re music festivals. Ford goes completely untouched and unnoticed, until suddenly Bill returns his attention to the human, and a light bulb goes off next to his hat.

“Wait. Do you wanna see something hysterical? I have the best idea.”

Every sensation returns to Ford at once in a flood of color, touch and sound. Sometimes, when Bill is feeling merciful, he eases him back into it, but his merciful moods are few and far between. More commonly, he likes to toss the scientist in the deep end and watch him flounder, tears quickly beading at the corners of Ford’s eyes and spilling fatly over his cheeks. His body convulses in a singular, broken sob, and before he can finish another apologetic, “I love you,” Bill hits him with a hard command.

“Stanford! I need a footstool!” The demon extends his legs and wiggles his feet a little. He whistles as though beckoning a dog. “Come ‘ere!”

Despite his disorientation, Ford rushes to obey, lurching in the direction of Bill’s voice and falling flat on his face. Shakenly, he picks himself off the ground, letting loose a singular groan.

“I’m still waiting!” Bill sings, swinging his legs a little for effect. Pyronica snickers. Ford tries again, following the sound of his muse’s voice, although he is quickly dismayed to find that he’s already reached the end of his chain. He falls just short of Bill’s feet, and no matter how he chokes himself, no matter how hard he tugs at the collar or the chain attached, he can’t go any further than this. His distress is evident in the way he keens.

“What are you doing?” Bill demands, rolling his eye. “All I asked for was a simple footstool and you can’t even do that? Bad! Bad dog!” Ford sobs.

“I-I’m sorry, my muse!” he rasps, the cold metal of the collar pressing in on his windpipe as he strains to obey. “I’m so sorry!”

Pyronica is practically in stitches at this point, and Bill is a showman, a class clown ever chasing the next laugh. “Are you really though?” His eye wanes to an amused crescent. “Do you even love me, if you can’t even follow a command as simple as this?”

“Yes!” Ford insists with a cry. “Yes, my muse, I love you! I’m sorry that I’m so useless… Please, please forgive me…”

“Why should I? Do you think you deserve forgiveness?”

“N- No,” Ford sniffs, “but—”

“Alright, alright. Since I’m in such a good mood, I’ll give you a hand.” Bill waves his hand in a circle and the chain elongates, allowing just enough slack for Ford to crawl under his waiting feet. Bill settles them heavily on top of Ford’s back and sighs. “Ahh, that’s better.” The man shakes under the weight.

“Thank you, my muse,” he says. Normally, he would be a lot happier about serving Bill like this, but he’s clearly still torn up over his recent punishment and failures. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it, kid!” Bill rests his hands behind his ‘head,’ or rather, the tip of his topmost vertex. “Maybe after this, if you’re good, you can have a treat.”

“R- Really? Oh, thank you so much, my muse. I promise I’ll be good.” His voice is still wavery from the earlier-shed tears, but his cheer seems to be returning. It’s not difficult to keep the man happy when he’s so thoroughly and hopelessly smitten with his muse. Bill could have Pyronica drop-kick Ford off the top of the Fearamid right now and when he reached the bottom he would find a way to smile and thank Bill, no matter how many broken pieces he was in.

“Yeah. Now shut up while I get some reading in. Hasn’t anyone ever told you footstools don’t talk? Sheesh.” With a sigh, Bill summons an extradimensional magazine and floats it in front of his eye, every so often flipping through the pages. Pyronica says she’s off to see what Teeth and Keyhole are up to, and Bill acknowledges her departure with a little grunt and wave. Ford stifles a whimper. His back has already been giving him issues lately, and this definitely isn’t helping matters, but he soldiers through it for his muse. He’s determined not to mess up again. He’s determined to be a good footstool.

A/N: This is my first time writing from Bill’s perspective! I don’t usually write him this cruel, so it was a fun change of pace to lean full force into that side of him. Thanks again, jellyskink, I hope you liked this little installment!

[anjelicawrites]

Paring: Armand x reader

Synopsis: you're sitting in a pub, you start drawing the mysterious stranger sitting not far away from you. When he discovers you, you don’t realize you’ve picked the attention of a dangerous creature.

Warnings: reference to past injury, self doubt, allusion to past trauma.

A/N: reader is AFAB. They/them pronouns used.

The wind is howling outside the thick windows of the pub, dark clouds promising heavy rain and violent waves against the jagged coast not too far from the narrow road where the pub is built. The fire is roaring in the huge hearth, shadowed by too many people huddling there to nurse their drinks; the lights are dim against the old wooden panels, giving the overcrowded room a homely air.

You beer sits next to the small case full of your pencils as you draw in the dim lights of the overcrowded room.

Your head sits lightly on your free hand as the other rushes to finish the quick sketch you’re working on, before your, unintentional, muse decides to leave; you’re hoping the promise of heavy rain will convince the man to stay a little longer. Who knows if he will or he will try his luck, now that the wind has picked up even more violently.

You focus again on the black lines on the sheet of paper, finishing the outline to start working on the elegant sweater he’s wearing; you’re no expert but it looks expensive, and warm, and soft. A real nightmare to draw using only a charcoal pencil, since you are planning to add colors and you don’t want to put too many shadows that aren’t there.

“It has been a long time since anyone ever painted me. I was given the chance to pose back then, for hours, I have to admit.”

The soft voice makes you lift your head in surprise; dimly you think that there is an accent you can’t truly pinpoint, his words almost neutral in their intonation.

“It’s actually a drawing, not a painting.”

You want to drown in your own sweater at how stupid your response sounds.

“May I sit?”

You can’t see his eyes, hidden behind his wraparounds sunglasses and his expression is hard to read: you’d hate to cause a scene, not everyone appreciates being portrayed in secret.

“Please, do.”

Carefully you move your beer more on the side of the small round table, the too long sleeve of your sweater uncovering partially the black burn glove on your left hand, despite you racing to hide it again.

The man sits down, gracefully and only now you notice he has no drink with him: he must have entered the pub to escape the oncoming storm. He only lays an elegant cigarette case on the battered table, the ornate, intricate designs catch your attention from the rowdy crowd of the pub.

He is stunningly beautiful, but this you realized when you eyes had landed on him, whilst you were sipping your beer and wondering what, or who, you could sketch to pass the time; what truly draw your attention was his aura, so calm, yet it gave you the sense of someone who keeps a tight lid on their emotions, like a summer evening when you know it’s going to rain soon.

“Are you an artist?”

Again, his soft voice drags you back from your thoughts, the musicality of it makes you want to listen to him reading his grocery shop list, if that meant just hearing it.

“No, not really, it’s just a hobby.”

“You have a great deal of sketches in your book, and in your little case.”

Almost on instinct you want to grab your work and curl around it in protection; it’s the gut reaction of a second, you aren’t in that position anymore, this man will not tear your works into shreds for no reason.

“It’s something I haven’t done for a while and then I had decided to pick it up again. We can’t only work all the time, can’t we? We need to treat ourselves.” You say with a smile.

“I am acquainted with that meme.”

It surprises you that he feels the need to convey his knowledge: what a strange man.

“This is my way to treat myself.”

“By drawing unsuspecting strangers?”

There’s no heath in his words, no rage, perhaps a bit of curiosity.

“By drawing what, or who, catches my eyes.” You answer, parroting his words. “I love to hang somewhere and just let my eyes wander. I can stop sketching you, if you want, I know it’s disconcerting for some people.”

You can truly feel the weight of his gaze, still hidden by the sunglasses, even now that the pub is bathed in the dark light from outside. This stranger is not simply looking at you, you feel as if he’s taking you apart to catalog every single piece of yourself he can find, like an entomologist does with a pinned butterfly.

You know you shouldn't feel so calm under his scrutiny, that you should bid your farewell and go home, but you can’t help yourself: you want this stranger to keep looking at you like he would the pieces of a puzzle he desperately needs to put together. No matter how dangerous the consequences.

A shiver runs down the damaged nerves on your left arm, and you decide to ignore the warning.

“Why should you? You’re very talented.”

All of his nervousness now shows itself in the way his index fingers fiddles with the cigarette case, his hidden gaze fixed upon you.

“It’s a shame it’s not possible to smoke in public places such as this one anymore.”

How strange! You think. The law passed here in 2004 and he talks about it as if he had experienced how it was before. He can’t be that old!

He seems to have made his mind as his hand gently grasps the sunglasses, as if ready to remove them.

“Please, don’t!” In your haste you lift your hand, almost to stop him. “The most interesting part is to guess and imagine. Do keep wearing them.”

There’s a slew of small expressions playing on his face, all to hide his surprise and, perhaps, curiosity?

You grab the charcoal pencil in a tighter grip and go back to your work, losing yourself in the quick, almost nervous motions of your hand on the paper: you don’t know why you feel like you have to rush, to capture the fleeting essence of this nameless man, but you do.

With every ticking second you believe you’re going to lose the feeble hold you have on the ideas crowding your mind, with every stroke you fear you’re drifting far away from the first image of sadness and loneliness that lighted up in your mind, as soon as you saw him, sitting alone in the pub, under lights that enhanced his otherworldly beauty, the very thing that set him apart from all the other men present.

You only need to glance at him sparsely, to make sure to capture the texture of his hair and the folds of his sweater, the long lines of his fingers against the battered wood of the table.

Only when you’re finished, you realize you have been holding your breathe for most of the sketching and you have to force yourself to take a big gulp of air, before turning your sketchbook to him, while grabbing your beer again.

You’re learning not to be shy, when it comes to your creations, to share them with the world, to accept the criticism and the compliments; not now. Now you’re crawling out of your shell again, trying to draw while being filled with self doubts and hating every single piece you created, those past months disappearing in your mind, along with the strength you built for yourself.

His piercing gaze is now turned on your drawing, that analytical stare that cut you into layers and layers, now is doing the same to your work, and to himself: you’d do anything to know his thoughts, now that his face shows nothing.

Under the stillness a maelstrom rages. The man looking back at him from the page is a knot of everything he’s always felt and never told. Through the fast strokes of his eyes, he can see all his hardships, all he’s done and lost for centuries, pain and desperation, in a way a simple mirror would never show him: how a simple mortal like you could read him so deeply after staring at him, comes as a surprise. You’re nothing but a child, compared to him, yet you have the understanding of a much older person, as if you’ve experienced the depths of hell, only to expose it in your art, and to him.

It takes a lot of restrain for Armand to show nothing of his internal turmoil: it has been so long since someone managed to pin him down so precisely, so perfectly, he has to fight the instinct to stand up and storm out, away from you and your keen eyes; he wonders if you have done the same to other people, read them so perfectly and bluntly putting them in front of their own soul, like his fledgling had done to him. Do you know how dangerous you are? Do you have any inkling of how easily you could destroy a person’s life? Would you do that in the name of the truth?

“It’s awful, isn’t it? It’s not worth keeping.”

You reach with your good hand to slip the sketchbook away from his grasp and he stops you with elegant fingers on your wrist. His grasp is not strong, it doesn’t hurt, but holds a secret strength you can feel traveling up your arm and makes you shiver with the need for more.

“It’s beautiful.” He says, after a heartbeat, still holding you in place. “The one who painted me wasn’t as good an artist as you are, he lacked the depth you hold.”

His face is now turned back to you, his hidden, piercing stare focused on your features, analyzing you again, as if wanting to explore the hidden crevices of your soul.

“Thank you.” You stammer. “I’m glad you like it.”

Still, he says nothing, making you feel self-conscious of your own existence in this small pub on the coast.

“Would it be too forward of me to ask you to gift me this sketch?”

You’re too dazzled yourself to notice the small quiver in his soft voice.

“Oh! That’s the first time anyone has asked me that.”

Right now the people around you two don’t exist, nor is the wind beating down the old windows and stones of the building. There are no passing cars outside, nor are the waves crashing against the high cliffs, just a handful of miles from here.

“I thought I wanted to color it.”

“I think it’s perfect this way.”

He knows a finished work will incinerate him on the spot, because he will never be able not to stare at it, at himself, like Dorian Gray, to face all his centuries on this Earth.

“You’re too good to me. It’s really just a small sketch.”

“You’re selling yourself short. You have something many professional artists lack.”

When his big hand releases yours, the spell you were under breaks and all the sounds around you attack you again, adding to the fog you’re still feeling clouding your brain.

Almost through a dream, you take the sketchbook from his hand and cut the page off with the small pocket knife you keep in your pouch to sharpen some of your thicker pencils.

“It’s yours, my personal thank you for appreciating my work.”

His fingers touch yours again on the thin piece of paper and only now you notice how cold they are, despite the heath in the pub.

“Thank you.” There’s no calculation in his words, he feels real gratitude, the feeling burning brightly in the scorched desert of his soul. “I don’t even know your name.”

When you answer his question, you feel like he’s got a hold on your soul, like in the stories about the fairies.

“My name is Armand.”

A french name to someone who hasn’t a french accent, but nowadays people call their children anything, you think.

“Are you here on holiday?”

You can see the cheeky way his mouth turns when he smiles at your question.

“I thought I was simply passing through, but I am fascinated with how this area has changed, I think I am going to stay, for a while.”

You almost don’t notice the way he refers to this place as if he’s visited it years and years ago. Almost.

“Do you have somewhere to carry it? My sketch I mean. It has just started to rain.”

“Unfortunately I don’t. And I don’t wish to ruin it.”

“Here, use this!”

With much too haste, you empty the case where you carry your bigger pieces and hand it over to him.

“I can’t possibly accept it. Your other works will be destroyed by the rain.”

“I can roll them up and keep them in my bag, it’s big enough. Besides, that one is fresh, if you do the same to it, it will get ruined.”

“I still need to refund you yours.”

“There’s no need. If you’re staying, you’ll give it back whenever you can. There aren’t many meeting places here.”

The old trick always works: you are all so easy to manipulate.

“Then I shall give it back as soon is possible.”

His hands don’t tremble when they take the case from you, touching the sketch again doesn’t burn him the same way the first time did, but he knows he’s still affected, and needs to understand why.

“Regrettably, I need to go now.”

He lies, a part of him wants to stay to take your brain apart until he knows all the ways the mechanisms work there, but it’s too early for that.

“It’s raining pretty hard.”

“My car is parked nearby and your lovely sketch is safe.”

He doesn’t have a car, but he has faster means of transportation that defy such a small thing as rain.

Before you can stand up, he gracefully takes your hand to kiss the palm, ignoring the smudges of charcoal. He does it the classy way: his lips don’t touch your skin.

“Thank you again for your gift.”

“No, thank you for humoring me. I hope I’ll see you soon!”

Oh, he thinks, you have no idea how ‘soon’ can become ‘now’.

[bullet-prooflove]

Pause: Mitch Keller x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @dolphs-darling @Watermeezer @queenslandlover-93 @redpool

Companion piece to:

Her Name Was Lola - You meet Mitch's wife.

Lola becomes the third wheel in your relationship. There’s been a war brewing between the two of you since she turned up in Tulsa, a silent one that’s waged every night she steps into the casino and sits herself at the bar.

“Why haven’t you banned her?” You ask, furiously wiping down the counter and Mitch sighs as he adjusts his cap.

“Because Sunny, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Mitch explained and you’d clenched your jaw so you didn’t bite back with something truly scathing.

You understand the sentiment behind it, Mitch wants that divorce and he wants it as soon as possible but having Lola here, it’s detrimental to your mental health. Part of you wants to claw her damn eyes out and the other part wants to sob, because the evidence of the promise that Mitch broke it’s staring you right in the face, wearing his class ring.

The only solace is those nights when you’re on stage. You sit up there strumming a tune,  singing your heart out and for a moment Mitch’s entire attention it’s focused on you. You can’t express how good that feels, to be the centre of his world again, the only woman he has eyes for. It’s gone the instant you step off because he’s back to Lola, pleading his case.

“I feel like we’re drifting apart a little.” You say to him later that night when everyone else is gone and the two of you are putting away the glasses. “I feel like you don’t see me anymore.”

“That’s not true, Sunny girl.” He sighs as he places his hand on the bar. “I just want this so badly.”

“Well maybe don’t.” You say, your fingertips hooking on the loops of his jeans and drawing him taut against you. “Maybe just enjoy the time we have together, without her and wait the year it takes.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to marry me?” He asks as he looks into your eyes and you can see the hurt reflected in them as your palms come to rest on his chest.

“I’m just saying put it on pause for now.” You tell him.

“Pause.” He repeats, his hands clasping yours to his heart. “We’ve been on pause before and it damn near ruined us. I want to move forward, I want to marry you-”

“I want that too but this situation, it’s not good for us.” You whisper as his forehead comes to rest upon yours. “Mitch, I can’t…”

Your voice breaks and he closes his eyes, his nose bumping lightly against yours.

“Sunny.” He says firmly. “We are almost at the finish line.”

“No Mitch, you’re almost at the finished line.” You say pushing him away. “I fell behind ten miles ago but you’ve just been too focused on the goal to notice.”

“Sunny…” He begins but you’re already drawing away from him.

“I have to go.” You say, picking up your guitar case. “I can’t be here right now.”

You leave then and Mitch, he lets you because he knows better than to follow you when you get that resigned tone in your voice. When he gets home that night the lights are off and there’s no trace of you, he realises there’s clothes missing, the overnight bag you usually take on tour.

It’s happening again, he realises. You’re leaving him because Mitch, he just doesn’t fucking listen. He hasn’t been hearing what you’ve been trying to say to him for weeks, you can’t cope with Lola being in his life, you can’t stand to see another woman with his ring on her finger.

You pick up when he calls, he hears the sound of traffic in the background and he knows you’ve already left Tulsa.

“Where you headed?” He asks despondently as he leans back against the door frame of the bedroom, his gaze fixed on the bed he's sleeping alone in tonight.

“Dallas.” You say softly. “There’s a couple of places down there that will give me a gig. Probably Houston after that, Memphis, Nashville.”

It feels like you’ve plunged a knife into his chest. With each stop you get further away from him and Mitch isn’t sure that you’ll ever come back.

“Will you come home Sunny?” He pleads, his voice breaking as he says the words “Please?”

“No Mitch.” You say, and he hears the resolution in your voice. “No, I can’t.”

Love Mitch? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[bulkheadbignaturals]

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD EVERYBODY WAKE UP WAKE THE FUCK UP ITS BACK ITS FUCKING BAAAAACK

A Little Left of Right - Chapter 3

And it only took me a few weeks, neat.

In this chapter: Bee mets (some of) the Shattered Glass Cons.

Chapter: 3/? Wordcount: roughly 4k words

Also, please have this funny out of context, outtake from my editing process. I laughed way too hard when I noticed that one.

[jsprnt]

as the saying goes: with every high, comes a low

kenan yıldız x reader

A/N: writing this brought back both good memories and ptsd from the euros 🥲🥲 based on this request, thank you for requesting 🤍🤍 also this is so sappyyy, guess who’s in her feels? 😛

W/C: 1.090

ninety minutes of straight-up torture.

a small fifteen-minute break to calm your pounding heart down, before it starts heavily thumping against your rib cage again.

you wouldn’t be surprised if you dropped onto the floor due to the amount of times your heart rate had skyrocketed.

anxiety and anticipation.

the only words that could describe your mental state in the moment.

losing a match was painful, but even more painful after turkey had been doing so well in the tournament.

as the partner of a football player, you carried your own sadness, and your boyfriend’s sadness.

you bite your lip when the referee ends the match. enough to draw a small amount of blood. the metallic taste fills your mouth, and makes you feel even more horrible.

the chants of the turkey supporters had been non-stop since the start of the game. at first full of joy, then encouragement, then slowly trailing off to tears and disappointment.

even so, everyone had an incredible sense of pride in their hearts for their country. no matter the loss.

when you're given the go-ahead, all family members and friends of the turkey players make their way out of their seats.

you hurry as you go down, your heart aching as you imagine all of the disappointment and anger brewing in your lover’s heart.

when you finally reach him, kenan immediately pulls you into a private room. without a word, his arms wrap around your back, and he buries his handsome face in the crook of your neck.

feeling his breath hit your skin, you sigh shakily. not caring about his sweaty hair and body, you reach up to run your hand down his back.

"are you okay?"

of course, he wasn't, but you could barely register how fast the team had lost control of the match. let alone form a coherent, comforting thought.

you rake your unoccupied hand through his hair, your heart beating in your ears as you try to find the words to comfort your boyfriend.

though, his lack of response told you enough.

after a long stretch of silence, you start spilling your thoughts. licking your dry lips before speaking.

"I'm so fucking proud of you, kenan.."

the words leave your mouth with deep emotion. followed by a tremble of your lip as you try to keep your tears at bay.

"whatever people say, whatever anyone says doesn't matter. you worked so fucking hard, you put your entire soul and body into it. that's what matters. you tried, and I know you did your best.."

you pause as a shaky sigh leaves kenan's mouth. his athletic body pressing into yours, the smell of sweat, notes of his musky cologne, and your perfume creating a familiar atmosphere.

your heart breaks when you hear a small sniffle. your eyes closing as you hold back your own tears.

"you can cry. it's okay, cry it out. I know it hurts, baby.." you whisper, finally feeling hot tears hit your own cheeks, as his transfer down your neck.

"I worked so hard. so many nights and days- and this is the performance I put on when my team, and my entire country is leaning on me!.."

"shh, don't blame yourself, honey. I know it will sound cliché, but you did your absolute best. you can’t do more than your best, baby..”

you pause to pat his back, tears messing up your makeup, and making your nose run.

"it was going so well, you guys created so many chances. it was just an unlucky second half.."

"to have something in the palm of my hand, and then to just lose it within twenty minutes- hurts so fucking bad.." his shoulders shake with the painful sobs. the emotion expressed by your boyfriend causing a soft whimper to leave your own mouth.

"never ever think that the entire thing was on you. It was destined to be like this. as humans, we will learn and grow, even if we don’t see immediate results.."

kenan moves his head to look at you, your heart practically cracking at the sadness on his face.

the hopeless look in his beautiful brown eyes, the irritation of his soft skin- and the fastened pace of his pulse.

"why are you crying?" he asks, and you can swear he starts crying harder after seeing the tears on your face.

"because, you're hurting. don't ever want you to feel bad or upset.." your voice cracks, and you tighten your grip on the fabric of his training jacket.

"fuck. don't you ever cry over me, baby.." kenan rasps, cupping your cheek with his roughened palm. both your eyes visibly red and irritated from the salty tears.

"how can I not?" you question, before pulling his head into your neck again. cradling the back of his head, as you hug each other as tightly as humanly possible.

"i love you so much. your joy is mine. so how can your hurt not be mine?" you ask, raking your fingers through his hair.

"i love you too. so bad it kills me to see you cry over me.." he chokes out, his fingers curling around your body, holding you incredibly close against his warm skin.

you hold each other for a couple of minutes, the only sound in the room being the cold air conditioning, and the sound of your combined sobs.

you can hear kenan take a deep, stuttering breath, before he speaks.

"we’re such crybabies.."

his voice is raw, but thick with fondness and warmth..

your lover always knew how to lighten up the mood, while others could never do so in similar situations.

you chuckle a little through tears, pulling back to look at him. you raise your hand to wipe the tears on kenan's cheeks, his bloodshot eyes on yours.

pushing back his hair, you expose his forehead, wiping away the rest of the moisture with your sleeve.

"your eyes are all red.." you comment, knowing you probably looked the exact same.

"what do you need when we get back to the hotel? a bath? a cuddle? good food?" you inquire, wanting to provide him the best comfort you could offer.

you watch him take a breath before he speaks, and he whips out a tissue from his pocket, before dabbing at the tears on your face.

he was so gentle and thoughtful, like always.

"I just need you. I just need my sweet baby next to me, and everything will be alright.."

[hotshotsxyz]

heart is beating heavily

(buddie) (s8 spec) (1k) several people asked for more of this town is only gonna eat you so this is that. unfortunately i am still feeling evil, so please enjoy buck's pov of the same events :) btw the title of both of these fics comes from the song bloody shirt by to kill a king, which i played on repeat while writing these cw: mass shooting / gun violence

Buck’s breath leaves him in a sharp exhale when he hits the ground. It hurts, but not—not where it should. His chest, his back, they’re on fire. His head, though, as violently as he was thrown to the ground, never makes contact with the cement.

The only thing he can see now is Eddie. Eddie, hovering above him, eyes wild. He looks—cornered. Trapped. Only he’s the one pressing Buck into the sticky floor of the arena, not the other way around, and he doesn’t understand why.

“Eds,” he tries to say, but it comes out as more of a croak.

Eddie shakes his head sharply, almost—

Panicked.

Buck takes a breath and it hurts. His thoughts feel sluggish in a way they never really are. He tries to take stock of what he knows anyway.

His body is screaming in pain.

Eddie is afraid. (Why is Eddie afraid? What could possibly—)

They’re on the floor. (Eddie pushed him to the floor. Why would he—)

The space around them is filled with a cacophonous noise that Buck can’t quite identify.

Pain. Fear. Sharp popping noises that make Buck’s ears hurt, and—

Screaming.

Oh.

Buck presses his lips together and tips his chin toward his chest in an approximation of a nod. Eddie exhales, warm against his cheek. His face does something complicated, and then—

I’m sorry, Eddie mouths, and before Buck can figure out what for, white hot pain lances through his chest.

In his mind he screams.

In reality, he bites his tongue hard enough to draw blood. They’re in danger, and he won’t—As long as he’s still breathing, Eddie won’t leave him here. Even if he should. He won’t protect himself, won’t run, won’t hide. The least Buck can do is keep from drawing attention toward them, but in the moment, it feels like the hardest thing he’s ever done.

“—so good,” Eddie breathes into his ear. “I got you; I promise.”

Buck wants to believe that almost as much as he wishes Eddie would just save himself. Every breath he takes is harder than the one before, though, and it occurs to him that soon, he might draw his last. If he has to die, Eddie’s face is a pretty incredible last thing to see. He just wishes it wasn’t twisted in pain and fear.

It takes a minute for Buck to catch up with his own thoughts. Pain. That’s—he’s seen it in Eddie’s expression enough times to know it intimately. Why is he in pain? Eddie presses his cheek to Buck’s before he can interrogate the expression further.

“Slow, steady breaths, okay? You have to breathe through it, even if it feels like you can’t.”

The scrape of Eddie’s jaw against his sends something like a shiver down Buck’s spine. There’s something—something important, but—it feels just out of reach.

“You have to, Buck, I can’t—I just need you to hold on,” Eddie whispers, quietly wrecked.

He’s trying. God is he trying. But it’s—every breath feels like pulling fire into his lungs. With every exhale, he feels a tiny bit weaker, a tiny bit worse. Eddie pulls away slightly, and Buck feels the absence like a missing rib.

“Hear that?” Eddie asks, brushing a thumb across Buck’s cheekbone.

He doesn’t—he doesn’t hear anything other than Eddie, but he’s not sure he wants to.

“We’re so close, Buck.”

Something settles in his chest at the sound of his name on Eddie’s lips, louder than before, drenched in something that sounds like relief. He blinks once, twice, slow and heavy.

“Come on, eyes on me,” Eddie says sharply. And—oh, when did he get so far away?

Eddie pulls the hem of his shirt to his teeth and—oh god. That’s not Buck’s blood. He’s—Eddie’s hurt too, but Buck can’t make his mouth work, can’t even keep his eyes open long enough to—

“No!” Eddie commands. A new pain accompanies his voice. “You’re staying right here with me, got it?”

He has to—has to tell Eddie—he doesn’t—

“That’s perfect, you’re perfect,” Eddie says, eyes shining.

A lump forms in his throat.

“Just keep—c’mon Buck, just keep fighting. I need—you have to be okay.”

He does. He does have to be okay because Eddie’s not and he’s acting like he doesn’t even know.

“Hurt,” Buck forces out.

“I know,” Eddie says, but he doesn’t! “I know it hurts, I’m sorry.”

Buck lets out a frustrated groan. He tries to shake his head, and when that fails, to lift his hand to Eddie’s abdomen.

Eddie turns away from him, and if Buck could scream now, he would.

“Alright,” he says, turning back to Buck. “I’m going to get you onto that gurney. Let me do all the work, okay?”

No! No he can’t! Buck tries to tell him again, tries to force anything through his lips that Eddie will understand. You’re—“hurt,” he manages again. He can’t even lift his hand now. He’s dying and he’s going to take Eddie with him.

Eddie says something he can’t parse, and suddenly he’s moving, being lifted dizzyingly high off the ground. He sees—

A body. A swarm of cops. Uniformed paramedics and EMTs running in every direction imaginable.

One of them, he just needs one of them to look at Eddie. He just needs one of them to see. He’s still walking, still talking. He still has time.

Eddie drops him onto what must be a gurney, and immediately it begins to roll. Buck allows his head to loll away from Eddie and towards—

An EMT! She can—she can do something. She can—

She’s not looking at him.

She’s not looking at Eddie either. She’s looking straight ahead and under any other circumstances Buck would compliment her for her pragmatic understanding of the urgency of the situation. But she’s walking too fast and Eddie’s beginning to stumble.

“Diaz, is that—” Yes, yes! Someone sees him. Someone else knows—

“—were you shot?”

Buck gets his head around just in time to watch Eddie collapse into the arms of a firefighter he doesn’t recognize.

He wants to scream, to sob, to thrash against the restraints keeping him on the gurney. He wants to—

Wants to—

Needs—

Eddie.

[cotton-fae24]

Chapter 6, part 1/5

I'm sure this is a chapter you've all been waiting for, I certainly have. It was nice to move away from all the blues and greens and get some nice pinks, yellows and oranges here! I'm just happy I'm not drawing 5 million bubbles for once! Anyway, hope you all enjoy!

Stringbean likes to sleep on the top of Luz’s bed in a pillow all her own. She feels a sudden breeze brush against her cheek, causing her to wake up. She spots Luz swimming up towards the surface, wearing her family's compass around her neck. Stringbean manages to check up on Luz, and sees that Luz is sitting on a rock watching the sunrise.

Stringbean slithers up to Luz’s shoulder and Luz gives her a warm but sad smile. The guilt Luz has felt for abandoning her family hasn’t quite left her, and she is trying to mend that feeling by coming up to the surface.

You see, when she and Hunter were younger, Camila would wake them up super early to watch the sunrise together. It’s one of the earliest memories Luz has of her family, and watching the sunrise gives her some level of comfort, like her mother is still beside her.

The warmth is broken when Luz hears a noise, and ever the skittish she jumps into the water and hides behind a rock. She spots what looks to be a group of mermaids, around her age, hanging out on the surface.

One of the mermaids, a girl with pink hair, seemed to be chatting away with another girl with brown hair. The Pink hair girl asks the other girl, whom she addresses as “Amity” if she’s enjoying the sunrise. Amity tells the pink-haired girl, whom she addresses as “Boscha,” that there's nothing interesting about the surface, and that she has better things to do than look at some foolish light show. As Amity is saying all of this, Luz can’t help but be drawn to her. She’s one of the prettiest girls she’s ever seen, and she’s overcome with a strange feeling.

[brightlight-dazzlingeyes]

out of my league | pedri gonzalez

🎓 synopsis: You got into college hoping to reinvent yourself, to leave the “loser” label behind. But months in and nothing’s changed – then you see him. Pedri González, the guy who couldn’t be more out of your reach. You’re sure he’ll never notice you, but maybe, just maybe, you two have more in common than you realized. And maybe, just maybe, he’s been looking your way too. tags: self-doubt, nerd and jock trope, love triangle, you're not like other girls, mutual pining. (written in 2nd person but no mention of yn) | (around 3.8k words) | (and, yes, i made i playlist for a one shot, here you go)

part 1

You walk into the lecture hall, shifting your weight from foot to foot, clutching your bag strap tightly. Students swarm in around you, talking, familiar voices calling out to each other, laughter echoing off the walls. You scan the seats, looking for an empty spot – but, more importantly, looking for an empty spot where it might be easy to casually say hi to someone, where you might manage to start up a conversation without feeling like you’re forcing it.

No luck. Everyone else seems to have a seat next to someone they know, pairs and small groups filling up rows, bags and books claiming seats before you get a chance to. Finally, you slip into a seat near the back, opening your notebook and hoping that, if nothing else, maybe the professor will start early and save you from the heavy silence between you and everyone else around.

Class begins, and you make yourself busy with notes, trying to ignore how easily the others settle in. You catch part of the conversations: plans to go out, complaining about an exam, and one girl a few seats over talking about her internship in a confident voice that makes you feel smaller somehow. 

It’s silly, childish even, to still be waiting for something to change, still half-hoping someone might come along and say, “Hey, you look like you’re new here,” or “We’re grabbing coffee after this, wanna join?” But you know better – things like that won’t happen for you. So, after class, you head to the café down the street, at least there you can sit alone in peace.

As you order your coffee, you try to shake off the familiar feeling of disappointment, reminding yourself that college isn’t some high school movie where everything magically falls into place. It’ll come with time, you tell yourself.

You take your coffee to a small table near the window, trying to focus on the hum of conversation around you rather than your own thoughts. Then, out of nowhere, you notice him.

Pedri.

You’ve seen him before, of course. His face practically wallpapered half the university’s Instagram page. Pedri González, the football prodigy, popular on campus with that effortless charm. Today, he’s leaning against a counter, his order in hand, scrolling through his phone. He’s so close you almost look away instinctively, but something keeps your eyes on him – maybe the way he seems so at ease, so comfortable in a way you can’t seem to find for yourself.

And just as you think that, he glances up, catching your eye. A flicker of recognition crosses his face, and for a split second, you swear there’s something like a smile directed right at you.

You suddenly hear a voice from behind – high-pitched, bubbly, and unmistakably familiar. Melanie, his influencer girlfriend with the flawless face and perfect body, skips up to Pedri with such an enthusiasm that it makes your stomach twist.

“Pedri!” she squeals, throwing her arms around his neck. He looks a bit startled at first, but then his expression softens, and he wraps an arm around her, shifting his coffee to avoid spilling it. “I’m holding coffee,” he laughs, his voice low and easy. “Calm down.”

She pouts, tugging at his sleeve in an exaggerated, cutesy way, her voice taking on a pitch that gets on your nerves. “You didn’t wait for me!” she says, drawing out the words with a look of playful hurt. Her expression is almost too perfect, like she’s used to performing for an audience – and for all you know, she might be.

Pedri just shakes his head, still smiling. “Alright, alright, next time I’ll wait,” he says, clearly charmed. That gentle look in his eyes makes your heart sink. Here he is, so warm and patient with her, someone who seems worlds apart from you.

You look down at your coffee, suddenly feeling invisible again. You decide to make your way to the door, head down, hoping to slip out of the café without a second look from anyone. It shouldn't be too difficult. But in your haste, your bag catches on the edge of a chair, and you feel a sting as something sharp nicks your finger. You wince, glancing at the tiny cut forming on the tip of your finger, and that’s when you hear her voice again.

“Oh my god, are you okay, honey?” Melanie’s voice rings out, unexpectedly dripping with concern. You look up, realizing that she’s talking to you.

“Oh! Uh, yeah, yes,” you stammer, raising your hand to show her the barely-there cut. “It was just… a tiny cut. Really, it’s nothing. But thanks for asking.”

Pedri’s face shifts from curious to concerned as he sets his coffee down and digs around in his pocket. “Hey, hey,” he says as he pulls out a small band-aid and holds it up with a smile. “Don’t worry, I got you.”

He comes closer and carefully grabs your injured finger. His hands are warm, and he’s so close that you can smell the faint hint of his cologne. Your cheeks feel like they’re on fire. You try not to make eye contact, so you look up at Melanie instead – only to find her lips pressed into a tight line, her eyes narrowed. She looks absolutely furious.

You pull your hand back as soon as he finishes, tucking it away like it’s something you shouldn’t have shared. Your heart is pounding, and for reasons you can’t quite understand, you feel a knot of nerves in your stomach.

“Umm, thanks,” you say, glancing from Pedri to Melanie and back again. “I… yeah, okay. Well, bye then.”

Without waiting for either of them to respond, you spin on your heel and head for the door, practically stumbling over yourself in your rush to leave. 

part 2

It happens one afternoon when you’re at the library, tucked away in a corner, lost in your notes. You’re not really expecting anything – it’s just a quiet day like any other. You’ve been at it for hours, and it’s one of those days where everything feels like it’s blurring together – but you need to keep going. Finals are coming up, and organic chemistry isn’t about to let you off easy.

In front of you, a group of students has taken up a whole table, their textbooks and notebooks sprawled across the surface. You’re aware of a little rustling, some light laughter, then whispers that rise just enough for you to catch a few words.

“Just ask her!” one of them says, and you notice a nudge from one person to the next, like a gentle push to do something. You ignore it, but then, after a pause, you hear a voice close by.

“Hey.”

You glance up, slightly startled, and there’s Alexia standing next to you. You recognize her from thermodynamics – she’s that person who always seems to understand things when the rest of you is lost. You didn’t think she’d remember you, let alone approach you.

“Oh, hi,” you manage, trying not to sound as surprised as you feel.

“We’re, uh, actually about to grab lunch,” she says, gesturing to the group sitting around the table. “And… well, we were wondering if you wanted to come with us?”

You look over and realize that the rest of the group is watching with interest. 

“Oh… sure, that sounds nice,” you say.

The next thing you know, you’re sitting in a little restaurant, the sound of salsa music filling the air and the table scattered with plates of tacos, chips, and guacamole. You’re squeezing around a table just big enough for the six of you.

“So, did anyone actually get the last question on the problem set?” Diego asks, looking around the table.

“Don’t even talk to me about that one,” Ana groans, reaching for a chip. “They’re just trying to mess with us. Like, sure, a totally realistic scenario in the real world, right?”

Arthur smirks, shaking his head. “Weak. I got it. Want me to explain?”

“Oh, please, Mr. I-Got-It-On-The-Fifth-Try,” Andrés scoffs. “Don’t act like you didn’t guess half of it.”

Laughter rises around the table, and you catch Alexia rolling her eyes at Arthur. “He totally guessed,” she whispers, leaning in, and you smile, realizing you’re laughing too, genuinely. There’s no awkwardness, no need to carefully plan out every word.

Then Alexia groans beside you, rolling her eyes. "Ugh, the most annoying people on campus just walked in."

You follow her gaze and spot Pedri and his friends entering the restaurant, laughing loudly and drawing attention, moving with confidence.

"Oh, do you mean the most famous?" Ana teases, which sets off a laughter around the table. They’re clearly all in on the joke, sharing knowing glances.

You feel your cheeks warm, trying to hide that you're blushing. Just a few hours ago, the thought of being in that group had felt like the ultimate goal, some idealized version of what college life should be. You’d thought everything would change, that you’d somehow become a different person overnight. Now, you look at them again, at their loud voices and carefree attitude, and something about it feels... less shiny. Less like what you actually need.

This time, he doesn’t look at you. Pedri and his friends settle at a table on the other side of the restaurant. It’s strange – you’re both here, sharing the same space, yet you might as well be in different worlds.

For the first time, it doesn’t bother you. There’s a quiet satisfaction in knowing that you don’t need to be over there, part of his world, to feel like you belong. You turn back to your own table, the conversation picks up right where it left off, and you dive back in, laughing along, feeling more settled than you ever imagined you would.

part 3

You’re standing in Ana and Alexia’s tiny dorm room, surrounded by piles of clothes, makeup scattered across every available surface. Alexia’s leaning in close, brushing eyeshadow onto your eyelids while Ana adjusts the straps of her dress on your shoulders. The room feels so cramped, and your pulse is racing – this party is supposed to be huge, half the campus will be there, and just thinking about it makes you feel like you’re looking down the edge of a cliff. Your palms are clammy, and every now and then, you catch yourself wondering if maybe you should back out.

When Alexia pulls away to get a good look, you finally muster up the courage to ask, "Do I look... pretty?" The words come out quieter than you intended.

Alexia squints at you, considering. "What? Yeah, of course! Maybe…” She leans closer, tapping her chin, “maybe just take your glasses off."

Ana reaches over, carefully slipping them off, and both of them stare at you. Your heart skips a beat. Why did they pause like that? Why haven’t they said anything?

“Actually, you know what,” Ana says, laughing as she slides your glasses back on. “Let’s keep them on.”

Your stomach drops, and you immediately start overthinking. Does that mean you look… weird without them? That the glasses are hiding something? You’re seconds away from spiraling when Ana laughs again, picking up on your panic.

“No, no, it’s not that! Really!” she says, putting a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “I just think the glasses suit you. They make you look like… you, you know?”

You take a breath, looking at yourself in the mirror. “Sometimes, I feel like people don’t even look at my face,” you say quietly, almost more to yourself than to them. “Like… am I ugly or something? Just be honest.”

Alexia shakes her head, leaning in with a smirk. “The problem is not that you’re ugly. Because listen – you’re not.” She tries to keep a straight face but can’t hold back a grin. “It’s just… you have this really scary resting face. Honestly, it took us months to gather up the courage to talk to you. You looked like a total psycho!”

Your jaw drops, and then Ana starts giggling, and before you know it, all three of you are laughing so hard you’re practically gasping for air.

By the time you and your friends arrive, the place is buzzing – every corner packed with groups chatting, laughing, flirting, leaning close in half-drunken conversations, snapping selfies that will likely look more like a blur tomorrow. It's surreal, looking out over the room and recognizing faces – people you've seen day after day in the library or sitting across from you in classes.

You glance over at Alexia, who’s already chatting with Ana, while Diego and Andrés are joking around, nudging each other, making it look like they’ve been friends for years. It feels good – safe, even – knowing you're with people who know your quirks and still want you here.

For a second, you catch sight of Pedri and his friends across the room. They’re their own universe, laughing, leaning back casually against the wall, looking like they know everyone and everything.

The music grows louder, bass pulsing through the floor, and after a few songs and a couple of drinks, the air feels thick, almost stifling. You slip out onto the balcony, breathing in the cool night air, grateful for the silence.

A few moments later, you hear footsteps. When you turn, Pedri is standing there, leaning against the doorframe with that familiar half-smile.

“Hey! Finger-cut girl! Escaping too?” he says, nodding back toward the chaos inside.

You laugh, rolling your eyes. “Yeah, needed a break. It’s… intense in there.”

He steps forward, looking out over the city lights beyond. “It’s kind of crazy, all this,” he says, gesturing toward the noise and chaos inside. “Sometimes I just want to get away for a while, you know?”

You blink, caught off guard by the depth of his words. You’re both a bit tipsy, sure, but it doesn’t feel like enough to explain why he’s opening up like this to you. It’s almost… intentional.

You want to keep the conversation going, to say something meaningful back. Tonight, you’re really trying to be friendly, trying to bridge that gap that always feels so hard to cross. But it’s not easy for you. It’s like something physically tightens in your chest whenever you’re around people – every word feels like you’re tiptoeing on the edge of saying too much.

Still, you take a breath, gathering the nerve to open up, even if it’s just a little. “I get it,” you say, surprised at how steady your voice sounds. “Sometimes it feels like everything’s moving too fast, and you’re just… stuck, trying to catch up.”

He looks at you like he’s really hearing what you’re saying. His expression softens, and the usual cockiness in his eyes is replaced with something quieter.

He agrees, “Exactly.”

For a moment, you both stand there, the noise and music from inside a distant hum. Then he leans on the railing beside you.

“You look different tonight,” he says, his voice lower, almost as if he’s sharing a secret. “Good different.”

You roll your eyes, trying to hide how much his words make you blush. “It’s just makeup and a nice dress.”

He shakes his head, his eyes still on you. “No, it’s more than that. You look… happy.”

You’re not sure how to respond, caught between laughing it off and letting his words sink in. You look up, meeting his gaze, and suddenly the closeness between you feels electric. His eyes flicker from your face to your lips, and for a heartbeat, you’re frozen, feeling that rush of anticipation.

There’s a pause as you both just look at each other, and in the dim light, you notice something unexpected – he’s actually nervous. The way he glances down at his hands, how he shifts slightly, like he’s unsure of himself.

Your heartbeat picks up as he leans in, his breath warm against your cheek. When his lips finally meet yours, it’s gentle at first, tentative, like he’s testing the waters, waiting to see if you’ll pull away. But you don’t. Instead, you let yourself sink into it.

Just as you’re starting to forget where you are, his hand slides down your back, fingers trailing lower, and it’s like a switch flips. You pull back, reality rushing back in as you catch your breath, and he looks at you, confused.

You look down, noticing your lipstick, or, well, Alexia’s lipstick smudged on his lips, “You have a girlfriend,” you say, your voice a mix of anger and disbelief. “Why would you do this?”

He hesitates. “I don’t. Not anymore.”

“Since when?”

“Uhmm… listen, we’re about to break up. Any day now. I’m just trying to find the right time.”

“Oh my god,” you groan, stepping back.

He sighs, like he knows how this sounds. “She kisses other guys too, it’s fine, we have an open relationship.”

You fold your arms, skeptical. “Okay… maybe start with that next time. I still don’t feel like I can trust you, and I’m pretty sure she hates me. Either way, I don’t want any drama.”

Pedri laughs, trying to look nonchalant. “Drama? Me? I’m the chillest. There’s no drama with me.”

You raise an eyebrow. “You just told me you’re in the middle of breaking up, and I don’t even know what that means.”

He rubs the back of his neck, sheepish. “Okay, okay, I get it. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Well, I like thinking,” you say, your voice sharper than you intended. “You should try it. It’s really good – it lowers your chances of hurting people.”

Pedri opens his mouth, maybe to defend himself, but instead, he just nods, an apology in his eyes. And though you can see that part of him wants to win you over, there’s a quiet recognition there too. He knows he messed up. The music shifts, someone calls your name, and before either of you can say anything more, you turn and walk back into the noise, leaving him standing there.

part 4

It’s a random Tuesday when you find yourself in a situation straight out of a cheap comedy. You’re just minding your business, walking back to your dorm with an armful of snacks you impulsively bought after a long day of exams. But right as you turn the corner of the hallway, your foot catches on a loose bit of carpet. In an effort to keep from falling, you stumble forward, dropping your snacks everywhere – chips and candy scattering across the floor like confetti.

As you scramble to gather everything, trying not to laugh at your own clumsiness, you realize you’re not alone. Just around the corner, you hear voices. You freeze, quickly recognizing one of them as Pedri’s. And the other... Melanie.

You lean down, staying out of sight and pretending to reach for a stray bag of chips, hoping to avoid drawing attention. But as their conversation grows louder, your curiosity gets the best of you.

“You don’t understand,” Melanie’s voice is strained, dripping with frustration. “We have something big, something real. We’re building a future here!”

Pedri sighs, his tone more tired than angry. “Be honest with me – are you even still in love with me?”

There’s a beat of silence, followed by her dismissive laugh. “This is bigger than some little crush, Pedri. We have stability. What kind of future do you have with her? You two have absolutely nothing in common!”

You bite your lip, cheeks heating up. Could they be talking about you? You’d get up and leave if you didn’t feel like you’d definitely be noticed now. You’re basically a hostage in your own hallway.

Pedri’s voice grows firmer. “This isn’t about her. It’s about us, Mel.”

She scoffs, and you can practically hear her rolling her eyes. “You two aren’t going to last a month. Just wait. You’ll come crawling back to me.”

At that, she storms off, heels clicking sharply. Pedri steps out from behind the corner a moment later and catches sight of you sitting there, wide-eyed and completely flustered, with a bag of chips crushed in your hand. There’s a split second of mutual shock before he bursts out laughing.

“Oh god,” you mumble, utterly mortified as you scramble to stand. “I swear I wasn’t eavesdropping. I… I was just… my snacks…”

Pedri grins, shaking his head. “You know, I think this might be the best thing that’s happened all day.”

He holds out his hand to help you up. “Need a hand with that?”

You take his hand, still flustered but grateful. As he helps you gather up the rest of your snacks, you both start walking down the hallway toward your dorm room. It feels easy – surprisingly comfortable, considering the circumstances. The small talk flows without much effort, and Pedri seems genuinely happy to be talking to you.

“So, what’s your course again?” he asks, glancing over at you with that warm smile that makes you a little nervous.

“I’m studying chemical engineering,” you say, trying to sound confident, even though you’re still a bit flustered from your earlier clumsiness. 

Pedri raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Oh, so you’re smart, smart, huh?” he says with a grin. “I didn’t take you for a genius.”

You laugh, a bit shy but glad he’s not being too serious. “Well, I’m smart in the sense that I know how to memorize a bunch of formulas. I wouldn’t call it genius-level.”

He chuckles, clearly impressed. “I don’t know. Sounds pretty smart to me.”

You shrug, glancing at the floor. “Well, I know, it sounds super boring, but I kind of like it. I guess I’m just really into figuring out how stuff works.”

Pedri looks amused. “So you’re, like, a chemical wizard, huh?”

“Something like that,” you joke, trying to downplay it.

"So..." Pedri seems to want to start a serious conversation, looking at you with a slightly hesitant expression. "About what you heard... and about the kiss..."

You immediately shake your head, feeling your heart race. "We don't have to talk about any of it. Really."

Pedri pauses, confusion flickering on his face, as if he’s hurt by your response. "Are you sure?"

You look at him, trying to keep a straight face. "I have social anxiety."

He stares at you for a moment. "You seem fine talking to me."

You sigh dramatically, though you can’t quite hide the smile tugging at your lips. "I'm freaking out inside, trust me."

"That's okay," he says, his tone softening. "Alright, then maybe we can talk about other stuff? Maybe I can walk you to your room again some other times? What about that?"

You think for a second, still a little unsure but feeling the warmth of his easy-going demeanor. "Umm... yeah. Other stuff sounds nice. Walking sounds... okay."

Pedri raises an eyebrow, clearly teasing now but with a playful glint in his eye. "Can you handle walking and talking?"

You pause for a beat, then nod with a little more confidence than you actually feel. "I can handle!"

[cherrysnax]

hello hi howdy what do u do when feel ur like brain deteriorating asking for a friend

[noodles-and-tea]

Hiii so I started Sherlock & co three days ago and finished it yesterday, and the whole time i was listening i kept imagining sherlock and john in your character designs cuz they're so dang adorable and fit them so well <3

It’s just themmm