#I couldn’t just leave well enough alone

[plainclothesdisaster]

Danny opens the door to his apartment to find one Jason Todd on his doormat, knuckles raised as if about to knock, tupperware in hand. Surprise surprise.

“Uh,” Jason lowers his hand. Maybe Danny should have let him actually knock- better to keep up appearances, like he couldn’t sense Jason anytime they’re within a three block radius of each other. But he’s tired- so goddamn tired- of this whole charade.

“What’s on the menu today?” He levels Jason with a look.

“Soup. Lentils. It’s, uh, high protein. Very healthy.”

Danny shouldn’t find Jason’s floundering so cute, knowing what he knows. But seeing as he didn’t ask for this (in fact, he explicitly asked for /not/ this), he thinks he’s allowed a little fun.

“Healthy, huh?”

Jason nods, and presents the container for him to take. Instead Danny swings the door wider.

“You might as well come in.”

//

Jason sits at the modest kitchen table as Danny sets a mug of warmed soup in front of him, then takes his own seat, another mug in hand.

He hasn’t actually been inside Danny’s apartment before, he’d always just left the meals outside his door. Bruce had been coy about sharing details on his top Watchtower engineer, but the breadcrumbs from the case files told enough of the story: Danny was just a kid barely out of college with a large dose of trauma and way too much responsibility. Bruce had also been clear on one thing: Danny didn’t want help.

That just meant Jason would have to get creative with how he helped him.

But now that he’s actually here, face to face with his most recent pet project, he’s not quite sure what to do. Danny just watches him, completely unmoving, except for his eyes that watch as Jason lifts an awkward spoonful of soup.

“So did Bruce put you up to this?”

Jason sputters over his spoon. “Bruce? Don’t know who you’re talking about. I just saw a neighbor in need, and I cook a lot anyway, so-“

“Sure. And you just happen to deliver only on days I’m not scheduled to be off planet? You’re not slick.”

Jason swallows. He sure does know Danny’s schedule and he sure doesn’t have a good excuse. Danny sighs.

“It’s okay. The food’s good. I’m just trying to figure out, well, why?”

“It was um, implied that Batman’s favorite Watchtower tech could use a home cooked meal or two.”

“He never knows when to leave it alone, huh.”

“Not in the slightest.”

“Then why you? Unless—ah. He must have made the connection to your whole… situation.”

“My what?”

“Okay. Um. So, you do know you died, right?”

Jason chokes on soup. Again.

“Is that a yes…?”

“Yeah,” he croaks, “Yeah I just— How the hell do you know?”

“Ah. Well. That’s a bit of a long story.”

Danny gives him a strained smile and Jason takes a measured breath, not trying very hard to mask his disappointment. He wants to ask for more- desperately- but he shouldn’t. He’s supposed to be helping Danny, not the other way around.

Then Danny takes a spoonful of soup. He leans back in his chair the moment he tastes it. “Goddammit that’s good.”

Jason flushes with pride before Danny pins him with a look that chills him to his toes. His heart races, and he feels for a moment like he’s a bug under a microscope, and he’s not so sure he hates it.

Yet it’s Danny’s crooked smile that follows that makes his heart race even faster.

“Okay. How much time do you have?”

DPxDC Mechanical Engineer Danny

Danny caught the attention of Batman while studying at Gotham University for his alternative energy projects. He’s hired right out of college to work on the Watchtower.

He shows absolutely no tell of his abilities till there’s a dire situation- Flash’s electric discharge messes with one of his projects in progress and the whole base would have lost air pressure if he hadn’t done a quick fix using telekinesis and ice.

Of course Batman notices.

Batman assumes the worst- he suspects Danny’s a rogue of some kind, someone who has infiltrated the Justice League with an ulterior motive. But he can’t just fire Danny now- he’s the only one who knows how the new Watchtower energy source works. Plus, he’s not letting Danny go anywhere until he’s figured out his true motives.

Cue Batman subtly testing Danny- tossing things at him to trigger inhuman fast reflexes, having him lift too-heavy machinery, setting up convenient opportunities to steal or snoop or otherwise be up to no good. Danny does take advantage but only once, to use a computer terminal with unlocked clearance. He didn’t plant any bugs that Barman could find, and he otherwise kept up his powerless civilian act perfectly.

Still, Batman’s not satisfied. He brings an infrasonic sound emitter to Danny’s lab one day, and that, of all things, is what gets Danny to break.

“I know what you’re doing,” Danny admits with a sigh, finally. “If you’re really that suspicious of me, I can leave, but I kinda like my job so I’d prefer not to. The benefits are insane compared to what’s standard.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure. yeah. How about you turn off the freaking noise generator and we can talk?”

“Hm.” Batman obliges, and he takes the stool next to Danny at his gesture.

“Number one, I’m not a meta. Despite all the data and conclusions you’ve probably drawn otherwise. Number two, I’m on your side. I’m here to work on the base, that’s it. I follow your rules to the letter.”

“The-“

“The classified files I looked at? Yeah that was the one exception. You already know what I looked at, I’m sure, but maybe you haven’t figured out why. It goes back to point one- I may not be a meta, but I am something that organization, the GIW, cares about. I looked at your files on them to sus out your relations. Seeing as I don’t particularly love being the victim to twelve degrees of human rights violations if I can avoid it.”

“Hm.” The Ghost Intelligence Ward was one of many government agencies that the Justice League hadn’t worked closely with. But they also hadn’t been flagged for Justice League investigation. Danny’s comments made him doubt that call.

“Any other questions?”

“If you’re not a meta, what are you?”

“I’m an engineer. A pretty decent one. And I’d really, really like it to stay that way.”

Batman considers, and ultimately lets him stay. He likes Danny (everyone likes Danny), and it would be a massive pain in the ass to replace him. He really is a good engineer.

It’s only much later that his faith in Danny is repaid in spades.

Batman finds Danny on the Watchtower command bridge. Alarms are blaring, the station has been knocked out of orbit, out the window there’s shrapnel floating everywhere as a space battle rages around them.

On the station it’s chaos. Technicians run around, shouts from the med bay, sparks from the walls.

Batman and Danny stand at the main controls, watching the battle outside, stoic, unmoving.

Wonder Woman’s harried voice crackles through on coms: “We need backup.”

“There is no more backup.” Batman replies, while looking pointedly at Danny.

“What?”

Batman doesn’t move.

“What.”

“The impact from Darkseid’s initial attack should have sent this station on a terminal trajectory toward the planet.”

“Well. We aren’t currently plummeting to our deaths, so turns out it didn’t do that.”

“You did something.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re lying.”

“Maybe Superman nudged us back on course in all the chaos.”

“I’ve been watching the trackers. No one else with the capability has come near the station.”

“Can’t you just be grateful we got lucky?”

Sounds of peril screech over the coms. Danny’s face scrunches.

“Luck had nothing to do with it. As it is now, we are going to lose this fight.”

“Isn’t there anyone else you can call?”

“I’m asking you. You can help, can’t you?”

The glare-off lasts a long moment more before Danny breaks.

“Fuck. Fuckity fuck.” Danny runs his hands through his hair. “Shit. You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I’m asking you to save this and countless other worlds from a genocide. I’m also asking you to save my friends.”

Danny looks at him, hard, weary, and with a kind of deep resolve that feels far too ancient to be on the face of a supposed twenty-something.

“Fine. Fine. Okay.” He steps back and transforms. If Batman is surprised when he shakes off his human appearance like an old coat, he doesn’t show it. But what’s undeniable is the being in Danny’s place has the unmistakable presence of power.

“No one else can know.” His voice echoes in a way that’s sonically impossible, both sounding closer and further away than he should be.

He pulls a gear-shaped medallion seemingly out of thin air and puts it over his head in one motion.

“If I get in trouble for this, I’m blaming you.”

He vanishes. Outside, the shape of the battle changes instantly. The stars seem to glow brighter as the arms of the galaxy flash with the colors of the aurora. Then it’s like the void of space itself comes alive. It moves the spaceships back like they’re toys, plucking them from one side of the field to the other. It finds Darkseid at the heart of the chaos and massive arms of nothingness and darkness wrap around him. He’s screaming as it swallows him whole.

His armies scatter. The battle turns. The JL deal with the stragglers, but the air of relief is palpable.

Danny reappears next to Batman, once again donning his grease-stained coveralls. Arms folded.

“Happy?”

It took all of five minutes. Less, probably. Batman tamps down a thousand questions.

“Thank you.”

“I’m gonna need two weeks off minimum.” Danny snaps. “One to deal with the bureaucratic nightmare you’ve just caused me, and another to recover from the headache.”

Batman blanks. “Granted.”

Danny sighs. “And I’m not fixing the station until I’m back. It won’t fall out of the sky as is. Make up whatever excuse you want.”

“Done.” He considers. “I would prefer to tell them the truth. That you saved us.”

Danny glares. “I’m not supposed to save you. I made a pact not to use my power to influence the mortal realm.”

“A pact with who?”

Danny rolls his eyes. “The embodiment of Time. The concept of Justice. Among others.” He smirks at Batman’s confusion.

“And what, exactly, does that make you?”

He stands, framed by the space window, haloed by the stars. “I’ll give you three guesses.”

Batman frowns.

“Look. I like you guys. I like working on your base. I like supporting the work you do. But you can not go factoring me in to any of your plans or contingencies. This was a one time thing.

“So to answer your question again: I’m an engineer.”

[writeriguess]

Hey hun! Welcome back 😘

So, i have a kind of slow burn idea for a Bakugo x fem!reader fic. They both like each other and when she tries to ask him out or talk to him about it, he's kind of an ass 😅

He thinks she'll be in the way or a distraction to his goal, so he pushes her away. He can't get her out of his head though and their friends tell him he's being an idiot. Eventually, he cracks and tells her (in his very 'katsuki' way) that he does want to be with her.

Angst ending with lots of fluff, confessions, and a kiss please!

author's note: Thank you so much! <3 I just wanted to say that your idea was incredible, and I had such a great time writing it. It turned out to be much longer than I expected, but it was definitely worth it!

Heart of Dynamite

It started with stolen glances. You weren’t sure when you first noticed, but something about the way Bakugo Katsuki acted around you was different. He wasn’t nice, not by any stretch of the imagination, but there was something else buried beneath the rough edges and sharp remarks. A fleeting glance when he thought you weren’t looking. The way he always seemed to hover nearby during group exercises, subtly ensuring you didn’t get caught off guard.

You weren’t blind. You saw the way his crimson eyes would flick to you during lunch, only for him to look away just as quickly if you caught him. You noticed how his explosions during sparring would seem almost… controlled when directed your way—less destructive, more calculated. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make you wonder. Enough to make you hope.

The problem was, Bakugo being Bakugo, he’d never admit to something as human as feelings. If he did like you, he was keeping it buried under a mountain of anger, pride, and whatever complicated emotions made up Katsuki Bakugo.

But still, the moments added up. And with each passing day, your crush grew stronger. You hated the way your heart fluttered when he called you by name instead of his usual nicknames for everyone else. You hated how you’d secretly look forward to his biting remarks because, in some twisted way, it was his version of paying attention to you.

And most of all, you hated how much courage it took to even consider confessing to him.

After weeks of agonizing over it, you finally decided you couldn’t live with the "what if." No matter what, you needed to know.

The opportunity came on a rare quiet evening at the dorms. Everyone else had gone out for karaoke, leaving you and Bakugo alone. He was sprawled on the couch in the common area, his arms crossed, staring at some mindless action movie playing on the TV.

You hovered at the doorway, your heart racing. You almost turned back, but then his gruff voice interrupted your thoughts.

"What the hell are you standing there for? You look like a damn idiot."

You flinched, but quickly steeled yourself. "I just… needed to ask you something."

His gaze flicked to you, crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "Then spit it out already. Don’t waste my time."

Your hands were clammy as you stepped closer, each word feeling heavier than the last. "Do you… want to go out with me? Like, on a date?"

For a moment, Bakugo just stared at you. His usual scowl didn’t shift, but you could see the flicker of surprise in his eyes—so quick you almost missed it. His jaw tensed, his hands clenching into fists on his lap.

Then, he scoffed. Loudly.

"You serious?" he said, leaning back against the couch like your question was the stupidest thing he’d ever heard. "Why the hell would I want to go out with you?"

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. Your throat tightened, and your chest felt like it was collapsing in on itself.

"I mean, come on," he continued, his tone sharp and cutting. "What makes you think I’d waste my time on something dumb like that?"

You felt heat rise to your cheeks, but not from embarrassment—from the sting of his rejection. You struggled to keep your voice steady. "I just thought… maybe—"

"Well, you thought wrong," he cut you off, his voice cold and unrelenting. "So stop acting like some lovesick idiot and get over it."

The silence that followed was unbearable. You felt like the floor had been ripped out from under you, like you were standing on the edge of a cliff with no way to step back.

"Got it," you said finally, your voice small and strained. You turned on your heel before he could see the tears pooling in your eyes.

Bakugo didn’t move. He stayed on the couch, staring at the TV that he wasn’t really watching. His nails dug into his palms, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

"Idiot," he muttered under his breath, though he wasn’t sure if he was talking about you—or himself.

Hours passed, but Bakugo didn’t leave the couch. He replayed the scene over and over in his mind: the look on your face, the way your voice had cracked when he tore you down.

He hated himself for it. Hated the way he’d lashed out, even though he knew it was because he was terrified. Of what? He didn’t know. Maybe of admitting to himself that he cared. Maybe of the fact that you could make him feel so out of control with just one stupid question.

But now it was too late. He’d pushed you away.

You, on the other hand, locked yourself in your room, curled up on your bed, and let the tears flow. You couldn’t believe you’d been so stupid, so naive. Of course Bakugo didn’t like you. Of course he didn’t care. You’d just been projecting your feelings onto him, imagining things that weren’t really there.

Still, the hurt lingered. You tried to convince yourself it didn’t matter, that you’d move on, but the ache in your chest said otherwise.

Little did you know, Bakugo was sitting downstairs, fists clenched, consumed by his own turmoil. Because for all his bluster, he’d never wanted to hurt you. He just didn’t know how to deal with the truth: that he did like you, more than he was willing to admit.

Bakugo tried to convince himself that what he’d said to you was necessary. He had goals—real, tangible goals—and nothing, no one, was going to distract him. Becoming the Number One Hero wasn’t just a dream for him; it was a mission, an obligation, a destiny he was determined to carve out with his own blood, sweat, and tears. He didn’t need complications. He didn’t need feelings. He didn’t need you. That’s what he told himself over and over as he sat alone in his dorm room, glaring at the wall like it had personally offended him. His fists were clenched tightly in his lap, the tendons in his hands straining from the pressure.

But no matter how hard he tried to justify it, he couldn’t shake the image of your face from his mind. The way your expression had crumbled when he snapped at you, the hurt in your eyes as you turned and walked away—it all replayed in his head on an endless, agonizing loop. He could still hear your voice trembling when you’d asked him out, soft and vulnerable in a way he wasn’t used to hearing from you. You weren’t the kind of person who let your guard down easily, and he’d taken that rare moment of courage and crushed it underfoot.

“Tch,” he growled under his breath, running a hand through his hair and gripping the strands in frustration. “Stupid.”

He thought that pushing you away would make things easier, but it didn’t. If anything, it made everything worse. You were everywhere. Every time he walked into a room, his eyes automatically searched for you, even when he told himself they wouldn’t. When you laughed with your friends, the sound sent an irritating warmth through his chest, only to be followed by a sharp pang of regret when he remembered the look on your face that night. During training, he found himself tracking your every move without even meaning to, his instincts on high alert every time you dodged an attack or threw a punch. He hated it. Hated how you’d wormed your way into his head and refused to leave. Hated how much he wanted to be near you, even after he’d made it clear that he didn’t want anything to do with you.

It didn’t help that everyone else seemed to notice his turmoil. His friends had started giving him strange looks during meals, their eyes darting between him and you as if they were waiting for something to happen. Kirishima, in particular, had been annoyingly persistent, watching him with that infuriatingly knowing expression he always wore when he thought Bakugo was being an idiot. Bakugo did his best to ignore it, but the tension was impossible to escape.

One evening, when the others were hanging out in the common area, Kirishima finally confronted him. Bakugo had been sitting on the couch, staring at his phone without really looking at it, when Kirishima plopped down beside him with a heavy sigh. Mina and Kaminari weren’t far behind, hovering nearby like vultures waiting for a meal.

“Alright, spill it,” Kirishima said, his voice casual but firm. Bakugo barely spared him a glance.

“Spill what?” he snapped, his tone as sharp as ever.

“Don’t play dumb,” Mina chimed in, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. “You’ve been acting weird for days, and we all know why.”

“I’m not in the mood for this crap,” Bakugo growled, standing up to leave, but Kirishima quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Bakugo glared at him, his crimson eyes blazing. “Move.”

“Not until you admit what’s going on,” Kirishima said, his voice steady despite the obvious tension in the air. “You pushed her away, didn’t you?”

Bakugo froze, his scowl deepening. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Kirishima said, his tone unusually serious. “Come on, man. It’s so obvious you like her. Everyone can see it.”

“I don’t—”

“Save it,” Mina interrupted, stepping closer with a look that could cut through steel. “We’ve seen the way you look at her. And don’t even get me started on the way you lose your mind whenever she partners up with someone else during training. You care about her, and instead of doing something about it, you’re being a total dumbass.”

Bakugo’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. “I don’t have time for this crap,” he muttered, shoving past Kirishima and heading for the door. But before he could leave, Kirishima’s voice rang out behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

“You think pushing her away will make you stronger,” Kirishima said, his voice softer now, almost sad. “But all you’re doing is proving how scared you are.”

Bakugo’s shoulders tensed, his hand gripping the doorknob so tightly his knuckles turned white.

“You’re scared because you like her so much it freaks you out,” Kirishima continued, his tone unwavering. “But running from it won’t make it go away.”

For a moment, Bakugo didn’t move. The room was silent, the air heavy with unspoken tension. Finally, he yanked the door open and walked out, slamming it shut behind him without another word.

That night, Bakugo lay awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling with an intensity that could have set it on fire. Kirishima’s words echoed in his head, mingling with the memory of your voice and the image of your face. He hated how much it all got to him, how much he couldn’t stop thinking about you no matter how hard he tried. He hated the way his chest ached every time he thought about the hurt in your eyes and the way you’d walked away from him, your shoulders slumped in defeat. But most of all, he hated how much he wanted to see you again, to fix things, to say something—anything—that could make up for what he’d done.

Meanwhile, you were doing your best to move on. You’d been avoiding Bakugo as much as possible, throwing yourself into training and schoolwork to keep your mind occupied. It wasn’t easy, though. Every time you saw him, whether it was in class or during meals, you felt a sharp pang of hurt that refused to go away. You hated how much he still affected you, even after he’d made it painfully clear that he didn’t feel the same way.

But no matter how much you tried to convince yourself that it didn’t matter, that you’d be fine without him, the ache in your chest lingered. You couldn’t help but wonder if you’d been wrong to hope, if you’d been foolish to believe that he might have cared about you even a little.

Little did you know, Bakugo was sitting in his room, wrestling with his own feelings and cursing himself for the way he’d handled things. Because for all his bravado and pride, the truth was unavoidable: he couldn’t stop thinking about you. And the more he tried to push you out of his mind, the more you consumed his every thought.

The days following your rejection from Bakugo had been a haze of hurt and confusion. You tried to keep yourself busy—extra training, study sessions, anything to keep your mind from replaying the harsh way he’d dismissed you. But no matter how much you told yourself to let it go, it lingered. You still felt the sting of his words, the way he’d looked at you like you were an obstacle instead of someone he cared about. That wound didn’t heal easily.

You avoided him as much as you could. You’d shift to a different group during training, sit at the far end of the cafeteria during meals, and leave the common area whenever he showed up. It wasn’t as subtle as you hoped; your friends noticed, and you were pretty sure Bakugo did too. Still, you couldn’t face him—not after everything he’d said.

What you didn’t know was that your absence weighed on him far more than he let on.

Bakugo was not a man who easily admitted to mistakes. Pride had been ingrained in him from an early age, and he carried it like armor. But lately, that armor felt suffocating, like it was pressing in on him from all sides. He couldn’t stop thinking about you, couldn’t stop replaying the hurt in your eyes when he’d lashed out. Every time he saw you purposely turning away from him or laughing with someone else, he felt a sharp pang of regret that he didn’t know how to fix.

Kirishima’s words lingered too. “You’re scared because you like her so much it freaks you out. But running from it won’t make it go away.” As much as Bakugo wanted to punch him for saying it, he knew it was true. He’d been running from his feelings because they terrified him. You terrified him—not because you were weak, but because of how much power you had over him without even realizing it. And that was what scared him most of all.

Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore. Watching you avoid him, knowing he’d been the one to hurt you—it was eating him alive. If he didn’t do something soon, he was going to explode.

That’s what led him here, standing awkwardly a few feet away from where you sat on the bench outside. You hadn’t noticed him yet, too focused on the notebook in your lap. For a moment, he hesitated, his chest tightening with something unfamiliar. Was this… nerves? He growled under his breath, frustrated with himself. He was Bakugo Katsuki, for crying out loud. He didn’t get nervous.

“Oi.” His voice came out rougher than he intended, and you jumped slightly, startled by his sudden presence.

You looked up, your eyes widening for a split second before your expression hardened. “What do you want?”

Bakugo flinched at the coldness in your tone, though he tried to hide it. “We need to talk.”

“About what?” you asked, already sounding exasperated. “If this is about training or some stupid lecture—”

“It’s not about training,” he cut in, stepping closer. His jaw tightened as he tried to find the right words. He wasn’t good at this, but he had to try. “It’s about what I said to you before.”

Your eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into your expression. “Why are you bringing that up now? You already made your feelings perfectly clear, Bakugo. I don’t need to hear it again.”

He winced at the way you said his name—so formal, so distant. You used to call him Katsuki, back when things were simpler. Back when he hadn’t ruined everything.

“Just shut up and listen for a second, will you?” he snapped, though there was no real heat in his voice. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “I… I screwed up, alright? I said some shit I didn’t mean, and I hurt you. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Your expression softened slightly, but your arms remained crossed, a barrier he knew he’d have to break through. “Then why did you do it? Why push me away if you didn’t mean it?”

“Because I’m a goddamn idiot,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. His gaze dropped to the ground, his fists clenched at his sides. “I thought… I thought if I let myself like you, I’d lose focus. That you’d get in the way of my goals.”

“And now?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Now I know that’s total bullshit,” he said, finally looking up to meet your eyes. “You don’t make me weaker. You make me want to be better. And no matter how much I tried to ignore it, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. You’re in my head all the damn time, and it’s driving me insane.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his confession, but you still hesitated. “You really hurt me, Katsuki,” you said softly, the pain evident in your voice. “I don’t know if I can just forget that.”

He stepped closer, his gaze intense and unwavering. “I’m not asking you to forget it. I’m asking for a chance to fix it. I was a dumbass, and I don’t deserve it, but… I want to try. With you.”

The vulnerability in his voice was so raw, so uncharacteristic, that it left you speechless. You searched his face for any sign of insincerity, but all you saw was regret and determination.

“Katsuki…” you began, your voice trembling slightly.

“Look, I know I’m not good at this,” he interrupted, his hands twitching at his sides as if he didn’t know what to do with them. “I’m not some smooth-talking idiot like Kaminari, and I’m probably gonna screw up a hundred more times. But I’ll do whatever it takes to prove I’m not gonna hurt you again.”

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as his words sank in. This was Bakugo Katsuki—the same boy who never admitted when he was wrong, who bulldozed his way through life without looking back. And here he was, laying his pride at your feet, just for a chance to make things right.

“You’re really bad at this, you know,” you said finally, a small smile tugging at your lips despite yourself.

He huffed, his cheeks turning pink. “Yeah, well, it’s not exactly my strong suit.”

You laughed softly, the sound making his chest tighten in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. For the first time in weeks, you felt the tension between you start to dissolve.

“So, what now?” you asked, taking a tentative step closer.

“Now I do this,” he said, his voice low as he reached out to cup your face in his hands. His touch was surprisingly gentle, his thumbs brushing against your cheeks as he leaned in. His crimson eyes searched yours for a moment, and when you didn’t pull away, he closed the distance and kissed you.

The kiss was tentative at first, almost shy, but it quickly deepened as you responded, your hands reaching up to grab the front of his shirt and pull him closer. He kissed you like he was trying to make up for every moment he’d wasted, pouring all the unspoken feelings he couldn’t put into words into that one act.

When you finally pulled away, your foreheads resting together, you were both breathless. He smirked, his usual cocky confidence creeping back in. “Told you I’d make it up to you.”

You rolled your eyes, laughing softly. “You’ve got a long way to go, Katsuki.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, but the warmth in his gaze betrayed the gruffness of his tone. “Guess I’ll just have to stick around and prove it.”

And for the first time in weeks, everything felt right.

Feel free to request <3

[commandershepardvasfuckit]

Wild Gods

Part 1

M!tiger god x f!reader

After the worst humiliation of your life you fled into the surrounding woods to clear your head and get some distance from it all. The beautiful ruins you stumbled into however held more than just history, a mysterious being there seems so believe that you are his long lost mate.

(Based off the ask here!)

————

Literal blood, sweat and tears down the drain. Years of practicing and refining your spell until perfection only to be turned away. It wasn’t fair! You did everything right and still the council turned you away! All of your friends were accepted though, only adding to your own disappointment.

You muttered a quick “thank you for your time” before leaving, your face red with both anger and sorrow. Once you were far enough away from the gathering you ran, you weren’t sure to where you were running, but you couldn’t go home to face to your family quite yet.

Farther and farther into the surrounding woods you ran until trees gave way to flowers. Beautiful, fragrant flowers adorning ruins. Even crumbling away the ruins still held such majesty, and the sweet smell of the flowers was so familiar and stirred something in you.

Many times had you ventured into the woods to gather reagents, though you had never stumbled across these ruins before. The woods here were well explored, but you had never heard of anything like this in them.

You wandered farther into them, there was something weirdly soothing about walking around here, which was appreciated about now. Well, it was soothing until you heard the crunch of gravel from behind you. Quickly you turned and swore you caught a long, feline tail that disappeared into the dense foliage, too fast to be able to tell if your eyes were just playing tricks on you, though now you also swore you were being watched.

You started to run, something was here with you and you were not keen on finding out exactly what it was, though at soon as you turned to move you collided with something. Someone.

He stood tall and regal, with the head of a tiger and covered with soft, mottled fur that was warm where your face was against his chest after running into him. Light reflected off the gold bangles adorning his wrists and he quickly moved to hold you against him. He placed a hand under your chin to tilt your face up to his, his tail wrapping around one of your legs.

“There you are, my queen. I have been waiting so long for you” he nearly purred.

You tried to pull away, but his grip on you was too tight.

“Who are you?” you asked.

“The lord of this place, though you know that” he was purring and nuzzling the top of your head.

You squirmed against him more, trying to get away though he showed no intent on releasing you.

“I have waited so long for you to return to me. So long here alone. But you have returned to me at last, my mate.”

“I, I don’t-” you stammered, trying to wrap your mind around the situation, “I’m not.”

“I would know you anywhere, my mark is on your very soul. You are my mate returned to me, do not shy away.”

Your pulse was rising in your throat, fear gripping you and taking over. You felt as though you could pass out, this strange being speaking as if he knew you.

“You were taken from me too soon before, but I will not let them take you from me again” his grip on you tightened, clawed hands digging into your skin, “This time I will rebuild my kingdom with you at my side. This time you will accept my gift this time and reign at my side. Our children will grow proud and strong, our daughters more radiant than the sun and our sons stronger than the mountains.”

Slowly he had backed you against a column, pinning you between the cool, smooth stone and his own well built form. His breath was warm on your neck as he nuzzled against you and you felt him grinding his hips against you.

You squeezed your eyes shut as you felt them tearing up. You failed at your life’s ambition, you had no idea how to go home and face your family, no idea how to carry on with your life now, and now you were trapped by this strange being.

“You are… scared?” he asked.

You cracked your eyes open to see him looking down at you, a sad expression on his face and his brow knitted together in confusion.

“You truly do not remember me at all?” he asked.

Unable to find you words you just shook your head. His grip on you loosened and his tail dropped from where it was wrapped around your leg.

“I’ve waited so long” he started again, “And you look at me like a stranger.”

“I don’t, I don’t know who you are” you stammered out, “You have the wrong person.”

“No!” an edge of almost anger slipped into his voice, but dropped almost immediately, “It is etched on your very soul, I would know you anywhere. And even after a thousand years your soul still drew you back here, back to me.”

You shifted uncomfortably, glad he was no longer pressed against you at least, but you had no idea what to do now. Returning home meant facing your family in shame, explaining that all your years of hard work were for nothing, that of all your friends you were the only one not accepted to the council. You had nowhere else to go, and now this strange being was convinced that you were his mate.

“You are finally home at least” he purred, “Come, let me help you get settled in, maybe you will remember then.”

You did not know why, but you followed him between the crumbling walls of the ruins, you supposed you really had nowhere else to go anyways.

“What are these flowers?” you asked.

“Jasmine, your favorite. You planted them here all those years ago.”

The ruins were an absolute labyrinth, every turn taking you deeper and to the point where you did not think you could trace your way back out. He lead you to a room that least still had a roof, though even then it was scarcely better off than the rest of things.

“I know it is not much now, but now that I have you at my side again I will be able to finally start rebuilding” he said, “Come, it is late, lay with me and rest.”

You followed him to what was less of a bed and more of a nest. His tone indicated that it was less of a request and more of a command and you were certain you did not want to test his temper. Pillows, soft silks, and pelts formed a surprisingly cozy place to rest as he pulled you against his chest.

You couldn’t help but sniffle. You failed the most important moment of your life, you did not know how you could ever face your family, and from the way this strange being was talking he seemed intent on not letting you leave here.

“There is no need for that. You are safe and home. Soon everything will be back as it is supposed to be” he leaned down to run his rough tongue along your cheek, catching the few tears that rolled down. “This place will be beautiful once more. You will take your place at my side to rule, you will bear our children, and this time I will make sure no one takes you from me.”

You don’t know for how long you laid there, his arm wrapped around you and preventing you from being able to get up and leave. His face was buried against the back of your neck while he laid on his side and clutched your to his chest, you could feel how purred even in his sleep.

Tomorrow you would sort this mess out. Explain to him better that you weren’t his mate, that he was mistaken. That you needed to return home and review your spell again, that surely with a little polishing up you could try again and impress the council. But for now you couldn’t do much of anything. So instead you would sleep, clear your mind, and worry about it all in the morning.

[dulcescorderitas]

the first thing you noticed when you stepped through the door was dean—or, well, spell-bound dean. sam had left him in your care, but conveniently neglected to mention that his brother was still under the lingering effects of a botched spell. and now, here he was, sprawled out on your couch with that lazy smirk barely hidden behind his ridiculously dog-like behavior.

“dean?” you ventured, voice tinged with disbelief.

he stopped in his tracks, tilting his head in that absurdly cute, canine way, eyes wide and playful. the little whimper that followed—soft, teasing, and just shy of pitiful—confirmed it. yep, this was definitely dean. somehow, the swaggering, wisecracking hunter had been reduced to a needy, tail-wagging version of himself.

“jesus, what did you get yourself into?” you muttered, dropping your bag onto the couch. dean’s response was immediate; he padded over, crowding into your space without a second thought, his head nuzzling against your hip with an insistence that was anything but innocent. it was almost endearing, the way he couldn’t seem to leave you alone. but this was dean. neediness wasn’t exactly his style—at least, not in his usual cocky, human form.

but now? oh, the signs of the spell were impossible to ignore. every time you tossed a pillow across the room, he’d bolt after it like it was the greatest challenge of his life, turning back with a shit-eating grin that made your stomach flutter. you couldn’t help but laugh, the absurdity of it all catching up to you. but there were other moments—moments that made you pause, moments that sent a blush creeping up your neck.

like the way he pressed himself against you when you sat down, his body warm and solid, his head resting in your lap as he gazed up at you with those big, imploring eyes. or the way his nose would brush against the curve of your neck when you weren’t paying attention, a soft huff of breath sending a shiver down your spine. and then there was the… humping.

it started innocently enough, or so you told yourself. he was under a spell, after all, and maybe some primal part of him was just reacting. but the first time it happened—when he’d pinned you against the couch with that roguish grin and a wag of his imaginary tail—you realized there was more to it. the look in his eyes, equal parts teasing and challenging, sent a jolt straight through you. and god help you, but you didn’t push him away.

the heat was the worst part. dean—or spell-dean—seemed to be riding a constant wave of it, and it made him restless, needy, and… bold. he’d circle you like he was staking a claim, his hands brushing against your hips as he passed, his breath warm against your neck when he leaned in too close. and every time he cornered you, his eyes dark and his voice low, your heart would stutter, your pulse quickening in ways you couldn’t quite control.

“babe, you smell… amazing,” he’d murmur, his voice a husky growl as he leaned in, nose grazing your skin. it wasn’t just playful; it was deliberate, charged, and god, it was doing things to you.

“you know,” he said one afternoon, his voice dripping with that signature dean charm, “if this spell has me acting like a dog, then i guess that makes you my favorite chew toy.” his grin was pure trouble, and you couldn’t stop the way your face heated, the retort dying on your lips as he closed the distance between you.

“you’re ridiculous,” you managed, your voice breathless.

“ridiculously into you,” he shot back, his fingers brushing your wrist, his touch light but undeniably possessive. “c’mon, sweetheart, you’ve gotta admit, this whole situation has its perks.”

“perks?” you echoed, arching a brow.

“like getting to cuddle up to you whenever i want,” he said, his voice dropping lower, the flirtation unmistakable. “although, if i’m being honest, it’s more fun when you squirm.”

one night, as you lay in bed, trying to ignore the soft rustling of him pacing at the foot of the bed, you felt the mattress dip under his weight. he crawled up beside you, his body radiating warmth, and rested his head on your chest. his eyes met yours, and for a moment, you could see the man beneath the spell—the man who’d always been a little too cocky, a little too charming, and entirely too much for your sanity.

“dean,” you whispered, your voice trembling.

he didn’t respond, not with words, but the way his fingers curled into your shirt, the way his body shifted closer, spoke volumes. his breath was hot against your collarbone, his lips brushing the edge of your neck in what felt more like a dare than an accident.

“everything okay?” he asked, his voice low, rough, and dripping with that familiar flirtation that made your pulse race. his body pressed against yours, his movements slow, deliberate, as though testing the waters. it was wrong, it was crazy, but in that moment, none of it mattered. nothing mattered except the heat pooling low in your stomach, the way his presence seemed to consume you.

you reached out, your fingers tangling in his hair, and let yourself get lost in the moment, the world outside fading away until there was nothing left but you and dean.

taglist: @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @legalmente-loca @bluemerakis @whisperingdaze

[badasoneandonly]

𝘋𝘐𝘌 𝘞𝘐𝘛𝘏 𝘈 𝘚𝘔𝘐𝘓𝘌 || 𝘏𝘞𝘈𝘕𝘎 𝘐𝘕-𝘏𝘖 × 𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘋𝘌𝘙

𝘞𝘤:1,090𝘬

𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺:

In a zombie apocalypse, Hwang In-Ho is bitten while protecting his pregnant wife, Y/N. He urges her to survive for their unborn child. Y/N escapes, giving birth to their son, and names him after In-Ho, honoring his memory.

𝘎𝘌𝘕𝘙𝘌: !𝘡𝘖𝘔𝘉𝘐𝘌 𝘈𝘗𝘖𝘊𝘈𝘓𝘠𝘗𝘚𝘌¡ 𝘗𝘙𝘌𝘎𝘕𝘈𝘕𝘛 𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘋𝘌𝘙! 𝘙𝘖𝘔𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘌, 𝘛𝘏𝘙𝘐𝘓𝘓𝘌𝘙, 𝘈𝘊𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕, 𝘋𝘙𝘈𝘔𝘈, 𝘗𝘖𝘚𝘛- 𝘈𝘗𝘖𝘊𝘈𝘓𝘠𝘗𝘛𝘐𝘊, 𝘋𝘠𝘚𝘛𝘖𝘗𝘐𝘈𝘕, 𝘈𝘕𝘎𝘚𝘛, 𝘋𝘈𝘙𝘒 𝘍𝘐𝘊𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕, 𝘏𝘖𝘗𝘌𝘍𝘜𝘓 𝘛𝘙𝘈𝘎𝘌𝘋𝘠, 𝘔𝘌𝘓𝘖𝘋𝘙𝘈𝘔𝘈

𝘈/𝘯: 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴... 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 ｡^‿^｡

The world ended in the blink of an eye.

It was never supposed to happen this way—so sudden, so destructive. The virus spread like wildfire, faster than anyone could have anticipated. One moment, it was a distant threat; the next, it was on every street, in every home, devouring lives like a plague.

Y/N and In-Ho had always been prepared for chaos, but nothing could have prepared them for this. The infection spread quickly, turning the living into mindless, ravenous monsters. Society crumbled, and what was once a thriving world was now just a ruined, haunted landscape.

In-Ho, a man who had seen the worst of humanity, refused to fall apart. His love for Y/N kept him going. But even he couldn’t fight the unstoppable tide of the apocalypse.

It was early morning when the screams outside the safe house grew louder. In-Ho’s hand gripped his gun tightly as he moved toward the broken window. He hadn’t let Y/N out of his sight in weeks. They hadn’t been alone—there were others at first, people trying to hold on to their humanity—but they had all fallen.

Now, it was just the two of them. And Y/N was pregnant. Two months along. The news had been a surprise, a small ray of hope in a world that seemed to have none.

“We’re going to make it,” In-Ho whispered, his hand resting gently on her stomach. “We’ll survive this, Y/N.”

She smiled faintly, but she knew deep down that the world they once knew was long gone. The thought of bringing a child into this hellscape was both terrifying and comforting. If they could just survive long enough, maybe the child would be their chance at something better.

But survival, it seemed, was slipping further and further from their grasp.

The sound of glass breaking jolted Y/N from her thoughts. Her heart raced as In-Ho’s voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. “Stay low. Stay behind me.”

He led her through the small apartment, past barricaded windows and bolted doors, but the sound of the infected—footsteps, growls, scratching—grew louder with each passing second.

In-Ho pushed her toward the back door. “We’re leaving now.”

Y/N clutched his arm, desperation flooding her. “No, In-Ho. We can’t leave. We have to stay hidden—”

“No,” he said firmly, his eyes dark and intense. “We move now, or we die here.”

Y/N opened her mouth to protest, but the words caught in her throat. A crash. The infected had breached the main door. The metal frame splintered, and the roar of the undead filled the air.

In-Ho pushed her into the hallway, shoving her behind him as he drew his gun. His eyes locked onto hers one last time. “I love you, Y/N. I won’t let them take you.”

The words barely left his mouth before he fired the first shot, silencing an infected man that had rushed toward them. The hallway erupted into chaos as more figures appeared from the shadows.

In-Ho fought with precision, keeping her behind him, but the numbers were overwhelming. Y/N could hear him grunting with the effort of keeping the horde back.

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she watched him—her protector, her love—fend off the monsters, his every movement a display of the strength and skill that had once kept him alive in a game where no one was safe.

But this wasn’t a game. This was real. And suddenly, amidst the chaos, she saw him stumble.

He took a step back, his face tightening in pain. His hand gripped his side.

“In-Ho!” Y/N screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the snarls and growls of the infected.

He staggered, the look of shock and fear crossing his face as his fingers grazed his side. When he pulled his hand away, it was covered in blood. His blood.

She could see it now—the wound. A gaping tear in his shirt, blood slowly pooling at his side.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no—”

In-Ho’s expression faltered, his body going stiff as he turned to face her. His lips barely parted. “Y/N… I’m sorry…”

Her heart shattered. “No. You can’t be. You can’t be infected.”

“I am,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “I’m sorry.”

“No. Don’t you dare say that, In-Ho. We’re getting out of here together. We’re going to find a way.”

But In-Ho shook his head slowly, his gaze distant. The pain in his eyes was unmistakable. He had always been strong, but now… now he was fading.

She felt a sob rise in her chest, her knees threatening to give way. She reached for him, her hand trembling, but he pushed her away with what little strength he had left.

“Y/N,” he said softly, his voice barely audible. “Go. Go before it’s too late. Please… for him.”

Y/N froze. The mention of their child—a tiny life that was growing inside her—shattered her resolve. The love for this man, for their baby, was all she had left.

“I can’t… I can’t leave you,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

In-Ho smiled weakly. “You have to. You have to live for him.”

A wave of grief washed over her, choking her, drowning her in despair. She wanted to stay. She wanted to die with him. But she couldn’t—she couldn’t let their child die, too.

“I will. I’ll survive,” she promised, her voice raw. “But I will never forget you. I’ll never forget this.”

And with one last look at the love of her life, Y/N turned and ran.

The world outside was still as brutal as it had been before. The streets were littered with the remains of those who didn’t make it, their cries for help lost to the wind. But somehow, Y/N found her way to an army camp—a makeshift sanctuary for those who had survived.

Her body ached from exhaustion, her mind fractured from the trauma. Yet she pressed on, driven by the memory of In-Ho’s love, the promise she’d made to him, a promise whispered on the wind of a dying world. Days bled into weeks. The camp, a haven of sorts, offered little solace. The constant fear, the gnawing hunger, the ever-present shadow of the infected – it was a life lived on the edge of a knife. But Y/N persevered, driven by the memory of In-Ho’s love, the promise she’d made to him.

Then came the day. The pain was excruciating, a mirror of the agony she’d witnessed in In-Ho’s eyes. But through the haze of pain, she saw him, a ghost in her memory, his hand gently cupping her cheek, his eyes filled with a love that transcended death.

She gave birth to a son, a tiny, fragile being, his cries a fragile melody in the harsh symphony of the apocalypse. He was beautiful, a perfect miniature of In-Ho, his father's eyes gazing up at her, filled with an innocent wonder that pierced her heart with a bittersweet joy.

She held him close, burying her face in his soft skin, the scent of his milky breath a balm to her wounded soul. But the joy was laced with an unbearable sorrow. The weight of her loss crashed down on her, a tidal wave of grief that threatened to consume her.

She whispered his name, a prayer, a lament, a vow. “In-Ho,” she breathed, tears tracing paths down her cheeks, mingling with the newborn’s soft skin. “He’s here. Our son. He’s here.”

She named him In-Ho, a legacy of love, a testament to a life lost too soon, a promise whispered on the wind, a flicker of hope in the ashes of a broken world. She would tell him stories of his father, of a man who loved fiercely, who fought bravely, who died protecting her, protecting their child. She would teach him to be strong, to be kind, to be brave, to love with a heart as boundless as the sky.

And as she held her son, a tiny hand grasping her finger, she knew, with a certainty that transcended the despair, that In-Ho’s love lived on, beating in the tiny heart nestled against her own. The world was broken, but within that brokenness, a new life bloomed, a testament to the enduring power of love, a fragile hope in the face of oblivion.

𝘛𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵: @warlabels @m0rtifiedg0th @ehcausewhynot @hwang-inhosb1tch @xcinnamonmalfoyx @filthygalli @d4rno @nightdark-dreamdark @inhomymanz @mothmorales @flow33didontsmoke @xxdiaqiaoxx @gwynethx @aregeeg5t @crystalizia

𝘈/𝘯: 𝘚𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘺𝘴, 𝘪 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 (𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥)...

[deviantlair24]

Trading with a Naga (FemHuman x Naga)

You had spent three months searching for reclusive species, hoping to trade for the more hard to come by creature parts. Witches would pay a high price for these things and it was your job to source them, ethically of course. 

You were currently on the hunt for a Naga, they were seclusive creatures of high intelligence. They often lived in mating pairs or on their own, which made them harder to find. 

The one you were tracking lived deep in the jungle, far from convenient but if you were able to trade with the Naga what it gave you could bring you over a million dollars, they were incredibly rare. All you needed to do was find a Naga, and survive of course.  

The jungle was dangerous enough on its own given the bugs, predators, and diseases. The heat alone was getting to you but what was really dangerous would be the Naga itself. 

You were smart enough to be cautious of Naga’s, they were incredibly strong and knew how to use their environment to their advantage, and that’s not even bringing their venom into the equation. One wrong move and you could be dead in minutes. 

Luckily for you, this wasn’t your first go around, you had already found one Naga years prior and traded with her. She had been relatively understanding of your ignorance and taught you the basics of dealing with her kind. 

She had needed medical supplies and a rare ingredient from Alaska so she had been more than accommodating to you. Nagas couldn’t go in cold climates, they were still part reptiles so they were cold blooded making places like Alaska, Canada, and Russia unacceptable to them. 

You had made sure to pack herbs and supplies only found in cold climates in hope of making a decent trade but first you had to find a Naga in this jungle which seemed to go on forever. 

Thankfully you were in luck as you finally found signs of a Naga nearby and tracked them back to their territory. 

Your footsteps were loud as you crunched on fallen leaves and sticks, the last thing you wanted was to sneak up on them. You were so focused on making your presence known you didn't notice as you walked right into a tripwire. 

The world turned upside down as you were strung up in a tree by your ankle. You yelled out in surprise, your bag falling from your arms as you swung back and forth, trying desperately not to get sick as blood rushed to your head. 

You did your best to keep your equilibrium as you reached for your belt, you kept a knife on you for emergencies along with a machete, saw, and ax. But those were in your bag.

You grunted as you pulled the knife from the holster and struggled to reach your ankle. You worked out regularly but this shit was harder than they showed in the movies. 

Eventually you got a hold of the rope and attempted to cut yourself down only to feel a sharp poke in your side. You let out a yelp as you let go on instinct, dropping your knife as you fell back down only to see a tail full of dark purple scales. 

Your eyes followed the tail to see a male chest before a spear was pointed at your face. Well, at least you found a Naga. 

“Ssstate your busssiness” He hissed with narrowed eyes, he had scales covering his lower stomach and his shoulders while the rest of his upper half looked human besides the patch of scales on either side of his face and his fangs. 

You gulped as you tried to avoid the sharp point of his spear “I came to trade with you! I brought plants and medicines that you can’t get yourself” You were hoping he would let you down but he made no move to do so. 

“I don’t need plants” he said simply, his spear not moving from your face.

“Then what do you need?! I only want some of your venom and any shed skin you have! I’ll give you whatever you want, I brought a lot of stuff with me!” You were growing dizzy the longer you stayed hanging upside down. 

It was getting hard to think straight “Please just let me down!” You pleaded as you looked up at him with wide eyes. 

He looked at you for a moment before turning away, you thought he may be leaving you when suddenly you fell to the ground. You groaned at the impact, cursing as you fell onto a rock and cut your arm. At least it hadn’t been your face. 

You grabbed your bag as you stood back up, notably leaving your knife on the ground as a show of goodwill. 

You grabbed a bandage from your first aid kit and tied it around your arm to stop the bleeding from your cut. You would need to properly treat it soon before it gets infected. You could never be too careful in the middle of the jungle miles away from any hospital. 

“Uh, can I?” You asked, motioning to your bag. When he gave a nod you began to pull out the items you wished to trade. He looked them over, his slitted eyes unimpressed as you explained what they did. 

“I want none of thisss” He said simply, putting his spear away on his back as he realized you had not come to fight. 

“Well then what do you want? I need some of your venom” You pleaded, not willing to go back after all you had done to find him. 

He tilted his head and took a deep breath through his nose, you were thankful he didn’t have slits for a nose like Voldemort, it would make it very hard to take him seriously. 

He looked up at you with a smirk “There iss sssomething I want” he said simply, the look in his eyes made you flush. He couldn’t be thinking what you thought...Right?

“Care to tell me what that is?” You asked after a few moments, growing slightly uneasy....and excited. Not that you would admit it and make a fool out of yourself. 

His golden eyes moved up and down your body “I have no mate this ssseasson, If you let me Mate you I will give you what you wish” his words made your eyes widen in surprise. 

You gaped for a moment before snapping your mouth closed, he just waited expectantly for an answer while you both panicked and tried not to show how incredibly aroused you were already. 

As you took a deep breath to gather your thoughts you forced yourself to relax “If I agree I want more than venom. I want your shed skin and nails, alonge with two vials of your blood” You tried to speak with confidence and it must have worked as he nodded. 

He turned away, motioning for you to follow as he slithered across the jungle. The reminder of his tail kept you frozen for a few moments before you scrambled to pick up your things and follow behind him. 

Were you really gonna do this? You knew Naga’s were not only large but had two penises. Were you really going to let him fuck you for a payday?...

If you were really honest with yourself it wasn’t just the money you could get that had you considering it, which to be fair would set you up for life. What other opportunity were you going to have to get fucked by a Naga? 

It was a once in a lifetime chance, and you would be paid extremely well for it. What was there to lose really? Well...Besides some elasticity. 

You followed him to a cave, watching as he put down a pile of shed skin and nails in front of you he looked at you expectantly, holding out his hand. 

Your eyes were drawn to the talon like claws on his hands before you realized he needed the vials for his venom and blood. You reached into your bag and removed the vials you had purchased from one of your clients. They had stasis charms on them along with an unbreakable spell to keep the venom safe and preserved. 

You hadn’t expected to get any blood but the vials would also keep his blood preserved. 

You pursed your lips as he filled the vials with venom before cutting his finger on his spear and letting the blood drip until two small vials were full. 

Once it was done he placed it on the table like surface in front of you “Isss it a deal?” He asked, his stare intense as he met your eyes. 

You bit your lip as you looked down at what he was offering, even if you wanted to you wouldn’t have turned it down. It was one evening that ensured the rest of your life. But in reality you were already twitching at the prospect. 

“I agree to your terms” you said before grabbing the items and quickly storing them away. 

No sooner had you zipped up your bag did he have you backed against the cave wall. You jumped as your back hit the cold stone as he boxed you in with his arms. 

You swallowed as he stood above you, now that he was so close you could see the light patch of scales on his cheekbones that seemed to glitter against the firelight. 

Your hand tentatively reached up and settled on his face, running the tips of your fingers over his scales as you looked at him in wonderment “You're beautiful” you whispered before meeting his golden eyes. 

He looked at you amused as he pushed his body flush against yours, keeping you pinned against the cave wall “Thank you” he said with a chuckle as he ran his hands up and down your sides. 

At that moment you decided to enjoy yourself, have a wild night and then never speak of this to anyone ever again. In the meantime you were all in as you grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss. 

He seemed confused for a moment, still against your lips before he began copying your movements. He leaned into the kiss, taking your hands in his and restraining them against the wall before pulling away and kissing down the side of your neck. 

He made a pleased hissing sound as you leaned your head back, exposing your neck to him. You knew it was the sign of submission in Naga culture. 

He licked up the side of your neck with his forked tongue making a shiver go down your spine. 

“Are you ready for me?” He asked against your neck, one hand keeping your arms restrained while the other ran down one arm to your chest where he tugged at the fabric of your shirt. 

TO BE CONTINUED ON PATREON (FREE) - HERE

Full Story - 3.3k words

Naga, Double Penetration, Overstimulation, Ovipositor,

[dailyd0ses]

A Rose Without Thorns

Mama Rose from Gypsy on Broadway x Female Reader

The city never truly slept, but tonight, it felt emptier than usual. The neon glow of a burlesque marquee flickered in the distance, its bright letters spelling out a name that was once just a dream. Gypsy Rose Lee.

The name echoed in Rose’s head like a final curtain call she wasn’t ready to take. She sat on a bench in the biting cold, hands folded tightly in her lap, staring out into nothing. Her fur coat, the one she had worn proudly through countless auditions and backstage battles, suddenly felt heavier than it ever had before.

Louise was gone.

Not gone in the sense that she’d disappeared, but gone from her. Living her own life now, standing on her own. The moment should have been triumphant—Rose had spent years pushing her daughter toward stardom—but instead, it left a hollow ache inside her chest, one she wasn’t prepared for.

She had no more dreams left to chase. No more curtains to pull. No more daughters to push.

And for the first time in decades, she was alone.

That was how you found her.

You had been passing through the quiet streets when you saw her, hunched over on a park bench, her head bowed as if in prayer. But she wasn’t praying. She was crying—silent, restrained tears that barely made it past her lashes before she wiped them away with sharp, hurried movements.

Something about the sight of her struck you. Maybe it was the way her shoulders sagged, a stark contrast to the indomitable woman you had seen on stage before. You weren’t a stranger to her reputation; Rose Hovick was a name whispered with awe and sometimes fear in show business. A force of nature, people said. Unstoppable. Relentless.

But right now, she just looked... tired.

You hesitated for only a moment before stepping closer. "Are you alright, ma’am?"

Her head jerked up, eyes narrowing in immediate defense, but there was no real fight left in them. Only exhaustion. Her gaze flickered over you—calculating, assessing—before something in her softened just slightly.

"Do I look alright to you?" she replied, voice hoarse from holding back emotion.

You smiled gently, undeterred by her sharpness. "Not particularly."

She scoffed, a sound that was half a laugh and half a sigh. "Well, aren’t you observant."

There was a beat of silence before you took a seat beside her, leaving enough space so she wouldn’t feel crowded. She didn’t tell you to leave, which you took as a good sign.

"Rough night?" you asked.

Rose let out a short, humorless chuckle. "Try a rough life."

You nodded, as if you understood. Maybe you did, in your own way.

"You’re Rose, aren’t you?" you asked after a moment.

She turned her head toward you sharply, surprised. "And how would you know that?"

"I’ve seen you before," you admitted. "Watched your girls perform. But mostly, I watched you. You have a way of stealing a scene, even when you’re not trying to."

She huffed, but there was something close to amusement in her expression now. "Yeah? Well, that’s the damn problem, isn’t it? Stealing the scene don’t mean much when the show’s over."

Another silence fell between you. She wasn’t looking at you anymore, staring down at her gloved hands. They were fidgeting, like she needed something to do but couldn’t figure out what.

"You have somewhere to go?" you asked finally.

She hesitated.

Then, so quietly you almost missed it, she said, "Not anymore."

It wasn’t just about a place. It was about them. June had run off years ago. Herby—sweet, patient Herby—had finally had enough and left her. And now Louise...

She had always been the one to leave, never the one left behind.

But here she was.

You made a decision then. "Come with me."

Her head snapped toward you again, brows raised. "Excuse me?"

"I have an apartment not far from here," you explained. "It’s warm, and I make a decent cup of coffee."

She stared at you like you had just offered her the moon. "You’re inviting a perfect stranger into your home?"

You shrugged. "You’re not a stranger, not really. And besides, I don’t like seeing people like this. You look like you could use a place to rest."

She opened her mouth as if to argue, but the words never came. Pride warred with exhaustion on her face, but exhaustion won.

Finally, she exhaled sharply and muttered, "Well. Guess I’ve done crazier things."

---

Your apartment was small but comfortable. Nothing extravagant, but homey in a way that Rose hadn’t felt in years. She stood in the middle of your living room, still wrapped in her coat, as if unsure whether she belonged there.

You disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two mugs of coffee, setting one on the table beside her. She eyed it warily before finally sinking onto the couch with a sigh.

"Not exactly how I expected my night to go," she muttered before taking a sip.

"Me neither," you admitted, watching her over the rim of your cup.

There was a pause before she said, almost to herself, "Men always leave."

The words hung heavy between you.

She looked up then, meeting your gaze fully for the first time since arriving. There was something unreadable in her expression—curiosity, maybe, or something deeper.

"Women, though..." she trailed off, as if she was just now considering the thought for the first time.

You tilted your head slightly. "What about them?"

She studied you, as if searching for something in your face. Then, with the faintest hint of a smirk, she said, "They’re different."

You weren’t sure if she was talking about all women or just you.

But either way, you didn’t mind.

And neither, it seemed, did she.

---

The night stretched on in quiet contemplation. Rose sat curled into the corner of your couch, one hand wrapped around her coffee mug, the other draped lazily over her lap. She was still wearing her fur coat, as if shedding it would leave her too vulnerable.

You let her sit in her silence, knowing that whatever she was working through, it wasn’t something that could be solved with simple conversation. You weren’t a stranger to heartache, to the weight of loneliness, but something about Rose’s presence in your living room—her stillness, her uncharacteristic quiet—felt heavier than any sorrow you’d seen before.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked suddenly.

You blinked at her over your coffee. "Shouldn’t I be?"

"People don’t do things out of the goodness of their hearts," she said, voice tinged with old bitterness. "Not in show business. Not in life."

You tilted your head, considering her. "I’m not asking for anything, Rose."

She let out a small, skeptical huff, but there was no fight behind it.

"And anyway," you continued, "I’ve been watching you for a long time. You’re... something else."

Her eyes snapped to yours, suddenly alert, as if you had struck something tender in her. "That so?"

You nodded. "You’re tough. Loud. Unapologetic. But right now, you look like you’re trying really hard not to fall apart."

Her grip on her coffee tightened.

For a moment, you thought she might snap at you—Rose was sharp-edged, and you knew she wasn’t the kind of woman who took well to being analyzed. But instead, she let out a low chuckle, shaking her head.

"Well, aren’t you a perceptive little thing?"

You shrugged. "I just see you, that’s all."

Another silence fell between you. Rose set her coffee down and leaned back into the couch, finally allowing herself to relax, just a little.

"I should’ve had a plan for this," she muttered. "I always had a plan."

"But not this time?"

She shook her head. "I never thought past Louise making it. That was the goal. That was always the goal. I figured once she made it, I’d... I don’t know. I thought I’d feel different."

"And do you?"

She gave a dry laugh. "I feel nothing."

You swallowed. You understood that, too well. The feeling of chasing something for so long only to reach the end and find nothing waiting for you.

"Then maybe it’s time you stopped living for everyone else," you said gently.

She looked at you then, really looked at you. Her gaze lingered, eyes dark and searching, as if she were trying to read something in your face that she hadn’t considered before.

There was a shift between you, an unspoken weight to the air.

It was Rose who looked away first.

"Men always left me, you know," she murmured. "Three husbands. Then Herby. Even my own damn father."

"I’m not a man," you said softly.

She smirked at that, a quiet, almost amused sound. "That’s what’s new about this, isn’t it?"

You raised an eyebrow.

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. "I’ve spent my whole damn life being surrounded by men. Always needing them to get what I wanted. Always getting left behind in the end."

"And now?"

She met your eyes again, the smirk fading into something more uncertain. More vulnerable.

"I don’t know," she admitted. "But I do know I don’t wanna be alone tonight."

Your breath hitched at her words.

It wasn’t a declaration, not yet. But it was something. A thread between you, stretched and waiting to be pulled.

You set your coffee aside and stood. "Come on."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Where are we going?"

"To bed."

She blinked, and you saw the brief flash of guarded surprise in her eyes.

You chuckled. "Not like that, Rose."

She rolled her eyes, though there was a flicker of amusement there. "Oh, I know. If you were, you’d have to buy me dinner first."

You laughed. "Noted. But really—there’s a spare bed in the other room. You need rest."

She hesitated, clearly unused to accepting kindness without strings attached. But after a moment, she sighed and stood, stretching with a groan.

"Alright, alright. Lead the way."

You guided her to the small guest room. It wasn’t much—just a neatly made bed and a dresser—but it was warm, and right now, warmth was what she needed.

She stood in the doorway, eyeing the bed with a strange expression. "Haven’t slept in a bed that wasn’t in some crummy hotel in years," she muttered.

You leaned against the doorframe. "Then maybe this is a fresh start."

Rose let out a small, tired laugh as she toed off her heels. "Kid, I’m too old for fresh starts."

You shrugged. "I don’t think so."

She looked at you again, and for the first time since you found her on that bench, you saw something lighter in her expression. Something softer.

"Goodnight, Rose."

She gave a small nod. "Yeah. Goodnight, kid."

As you turned to leave, her voice stopped you.

"And... thanks."

You smiled. "Anytime."

[katuschka]

Stargazers

Jake Kiszka x f!reader 1.560 words

/#gvfvalentines2025 – watching the stars/

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, intended for adult readers. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental. Also, if you're under 18, go find some other entertainment elsewhere.

Warnings (are spoilers): disappointment, Valentine's dinner gone wrong, tension, tooth-rotting fluff, kissing, tears, descriptions of vast spaces, comfort

“Please, just stop it already. I’m here. We’re here. It’s a date. Could you at least stop making those faces?” Jake downed his glass of wine and huffed through his nose. Now it was him making faces.

I tried, but I couldn’t help it. No matter how much I tried to rationalize it and just enjoy myself, I felt disappointed. And – seeing his annoyed face and seeming lack of understanding – almost miserable. He took me to a fancy restaurant – something which I never insisted on. What I really wanted was to spend the day with him. One whole day. Just once! I made the plans, I bought the tickets! All he had to do was to show up. And he did not. 

And thus we ended up eyeing each other sourly over a candlelit dinner. The food was delicious, but we lost our appetite. 

“You know, I even took a day off,” I mumbled reproachfully, while trying to murder the caramelized pear with my fork. 

Jake leaned back on his chair and started tapping his fingers on the table. Clearly, I was making him uneasy. Well, good…

“I already apologized. It was an emergency meeting.” 

“Jake, you’re a rock musician, not a member of a war committee. And the planetarium was much more important than this.” I should have gone alone. If he can prioritize his own obsessions and hobbies, so should I. I had been making compromises all the time. 

“I’m sorry, Y/N. I know I screwed up. I tried to leave, but they wouldn’t let me. And you know I’m not really into this kind of stuff.” 

By ‘this kind of stuff’ he meant conventional romantic gestures, no doubt. The problem is that I never demanded it in the first place. 

My eyes fell on the bouquet of blood red roses that lay on the table on my right. They were pretty, but I could do without them. What’s the point, anyway? What is it supposed to symbolize… to kill a flower? I already mourned how they would inevitably fade under my watch. Jake knew this about me, and therefore I knew it was a last minute, panicked purchase. “But that’s the point Jake. Me neither. I don’t need expensive wine, and I don’t need you to dress up like that… you look fantastic, by the way.” It made him smirk, but he refused to look at me, and my heart sank. I definitely didn’t want to make him feel like nothing was good enough for me. I just wanted him to understand. “All I wanted was to watch the stars with you,” I added mournfully. 

The sentimental confession contained in that last sentence was like opening the door to all the feelings I had been trying to suppress all day or maybe even longer. I felt suddenly overwhelmed. “Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom.” I felt the table perhaps too quickly, but I didn’t want him to see me like that, on the verge of tears. I still wasn’t completely sure they were justified, because Jake DID try to make it right. He DID apologize, and made amends. I just still felt that way. 

When I came back, composed enough to at least try to save the rest of the evening, I found our table already cleared and him standing next to it. I internally braced myself for another round of this passive-aggressive emotional fight, but he just smiled and offered me his hand. 

We drove for nearly an hour, leaving the city far behind, spending the whole time pretty much in silence. It was a pleasant kind of quiet, though. Jake was humming something that sounded a bit like Bowie and I just got lost in my thoughts. It was a clear, cloudless night and the muffled sound of the engine almost lulled me to sleep. I barely noticed that we exited the highway…

“Are we leaving? What is this?”

“It’s a surprise. Just please, come with me.” He simply led me to his car, opened the door for me and soon we were on our way to god know where. I asked him, but he wouldn’t tell me, just mumbled something about Josh ‘mentioning it once and then he remembered’… It didn't make much sense. 

Jake suddenly stopped in the middle of some field road pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Confused, I watched him turn off the lights, unfasten his seatbelt and get out of the car. He obviously expected me to do the same, because when I didn’t move, he walked around the vehicle and once again opened the door for me. 

“Jake…? You know, if you wanted to get rid of me, you could have just dumped me,” I tried to joke, but I think I must have looked and sounded alarmed, because he took and kissed my hand with a wicked smirk before he motioned to me to follow him outside the car. 

“Nothing like that baby, I’m simply fulfilling your wish.”

I understood what he meant the moment I straightened and looked around… or looked up, to be more precise, since there was nothing around to look at anyway. The sight took my breath away. We were far away from the city lights, so light pollution was significantly lower here. There were almost no trees around. Above us only sky, as the wise man once sang. 

Have you ever really looked at the night sky? I mean REALLY looked at it, as in trying to understand what you’re actually seeing… I’m pretty much a city girl, so my new and growing fascination with the Universe was based mostly on books and documentaries so far. I had seen the stars before, of course, but that was mostly just a few shiny dots on black nothing. The sea of wonders that was now extending above me took my breath away completely. 

All those feelings I had had while learning about planets and supernovas, quasars and different galaxies, it was all multiplied now as I watched the indescribable vastness of space with mixed feelings of awe and happiness and dread…

“Jake…,” I whispered, “this is so beautiful.” My eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness around us, so when I looked at him, I could make out the outline of his profile, illuminated only by the tiny lights above. 

“I knew you’d like it… oh! Wait a minute.” He let go of my hand and disappeared behind the car, only to return a moment later with binoculars and a blanket that he kept folded up under his right arm. 

“It’s not much, but better than nothing. I tried it once…,” he tried to explain as he handed me the binoculars. “See the Pleiades there? We can see just seven of them with the naked eye, but try this.”

I did… and gasped. It felt almost like discovering a brand new reality. I must have spent a few whole minutes staring just at that one “tiny” spot. 

We were not dressed for an outdoor trip like that and I felt my heels sinking into the half frozen, muddy road. I started shivering too. Jake unbuttoned his coat and wrapped us both in it before he spread out the blanket with one swish of his arm and threw it over us. 

I leaned against him and rested my tilted head on his shoulder. It gave Jake an easy access to my exposed neck and he planted a soft kiss on my jugular, making me shiver again. 

“It’s funny how many cute names those coincidental star clusters have… Seven Sisters. They’re so far away from one another and yet they truly look so close from here. Some people call them ‘Chickens’, did you know that?”

“No…” was all I managed to whisper back. 

“Yeah, I think it’s all about making it less frightening and more familiar. When you name something ‘a flock of chicks’, you can forget that in reality, it’s a huge mass of deadly gasses in an inexplicably vast space… It somehow puts it on the same level with our daily reality, making it less irrelevant and mundane.”

It was exactly how I felt, and he was putting it to words. We were so tiny, so insignificant, and yet he meant EVERYTHING to me, simply because he was Jake. My Jake. 

“I think it’s the same with love,” he continued. “Love and hate are complex, abstract ideas, hard to understand sometimes, and often scary. Yet the names we gave them, respectively, make the difference. Pronouncing ‘love’ feels like getting ready for a kiss. But hate? You huff the word through your nose with disgust. We embraced love. We write poems and songs about it, all of it only to disguise the fact that it's a frightening concept...”

“Do I frighten you, Jake?” I asked tentatively.

He kissed my hair and then pressed his lips on my earlobe. “No, not you. You’re real. I can feel your heartbeat. You have a face. And a name. Your mind is a home, and your soul the hearth.”

I didn’t even realize I started crying, not until I could taste the salty tear on my upper lip. Jake held me tight, with his arms wrapped firmly around my shivering body. I was no longer trembling because of the cold. “I love you, too.”

@thewritingbeforesunrise @fleet-of-fiction @writingcold @lvnterninthenight @its-interesting-van-kleep   @takenbythemadness   @edgingthedarkness @myownparadise96 @gvfstuddedmajesty @jazzyfigz @sanguinebats @josh-iamyour-mama @lyndz2names @wetkleenex-gvf @peaceloveunitygvf @cheersdannyx2 @fleetingjake @lizzys-sunflower @emojakekiszka @gvfmarge @Dayumclarizzel @lipstickitty @clownstarr @gretasfallingsky @musicislove3389 @i-love-gvf @psychedelectable @allof--mylove @sacredsparrow @scarabsinthestardust @ironlotus90 @seenoversundown

[velting]

-`♡Our Manager♡´-

U-20 x Manager!Reader

╰┈➤. .Synopsis: You are the new U-20 manager! You try your best and connect with the players in the team, hoping this job and experience would go well and help them succeed!

╰┈➤. .Warnings: None

╰┈➤. [Featuring]: Oliver Aiku - Sendo Shuuto - Itsuki Watatsuki - Kento Cho- Gen Fukaku- Teru Kitsunenzato - Miroku Darai- Nio Kazuma-Neru Teppei- Haru Hayate (Separate)

The air in the training facility buzzed with the chaotic energy of the players. Sweat beaded down their faces as they gathered around the large, open space, the smell of freshly cut grass lingering from their recent drills. The sound of cleats scraping the floor echoed as the team members huddled together, some still stretching, others chatting loudly. It was the end of another grueling training session, and there was no shortage of banter and horseplay among the young athletes.

"You think I could totally outpace you, right?" one of the forwards boasted to a defender, his voice thick with mischief.

"I’ll believe it when I see it," the defender smirked back, tossing a water bottle to his teammate.

Laughter broke out, filling the room with the usual banter that had become part of their routine. But just as one of the midfielders was about to make a sarcastic comment about how bad the others' aim was with the ball, the door to the locker room swung open with a loud thud.

The room fell silent in an instant.

A tall man stepped into the space, the sound of his boots clanging heavily against the floor. Coach Kato—tough, no-nonsense, and always commanding attention—had arrived. His sharp eyes scanned the group with an intimidating focus. He was a man who didn’t need to raise his voice to make people listen, but when he did, it was enough to make anyone sit up straighter.

"Alright, everyone, listen up," Coach Kato's voice cut through the noise, firm and commanding.

A collective shush ran through the team as they turned to face him. The playful energy quickly dissipated, leaving an air of expectation. It wasn’t often that Coach called for attention after a training session unless it was important.

[Name] stood at the door just behind him, her hands nervously clasped together as she waited for her introduction. Her hair swayed by the wind as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, unsure of what to expect. Her heart raced—not from nervousness about speaking, but from the weight of the moment. She was about to meet the entire U-20 soccer team as their new manager. Despite her usually easy going personality, this felt like a big step.

Coach Kato finally broke the silence. “This is [Name] [Surename],” he said, gesturing toward her. “She’s the new manager of this team. She’ll be helping with your schedules, maintaining your fitness and training routines, and keeping you organized. She’s not here to play your babysitter. You’re to treat her with respect, just like any other member of the team.”

[Name] straightened a bit, her heart beating faster at the mention of her role. She couldn’t help but smile, even though the pressure was mounting. It was a new experience for her, stepping into a professional setting like this one. Her cheeks flushed lightly under the attention, and she felt the weight of all those curious eyes on her.

“Hey, come on, Coach! We can totally handle ourselves,” one of the players called out, his tone half-joking, half-challenging. He was a forward with a reputation for mischief, always looking for an excuse to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, she doesn’t have to tell us what to do!” another player chimed in, grinning.

The coach raised an eyebrow, his voice darkening. “You think you can handle yourselves? Last time I checked, none of you could keep track of your own socks, let alone your schedules."

A few chuckles rippled through the group at Coach Kato’s remark, but there was no mistaking the authority in his tone.

[Name’s] cheeks flushed deeper, but she knew this was her moment to shine—no matter how intimidating the situation felt. She took a small step forward, standing a bit taller, and offered a bow to the team.

“Hello! My name is [Name] [Surename],” she began, her voice slightly more chipper than she felt, but she did her best to stay confident. “I’ll be managing everything behind the scenes—from your training schedules to making sure you have all the right gear. I’m really happy to be here and excited to get to know all of you!” She beamed, her smile as bright and genuine as she could muster.

As she stood there, nervously twiddling her fingers together, there was a slight, awkward pause. The players exchanged glances, trying to size her up. Some of them were still skeptical, while others were intrigued. [Name’s] towering height and striking appearance—especially with her hair and her eyes peeking out from her clear glasses—made her stand out in a way that was hard to ignore.

One of the more bold players, a striker known for his cocky attitude, tilted his head and shot her a playful grin. “I’ll take care of her, don’t worry, Coach!” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Another player snorted in laughter, and the team’s usual rowdiness began to creep back in, despite the coach’s stern presence. But before the jokes could escalate, Coach Kato’s voice rang out again.

“That’s enough,” he snapped, a warning in his tone that made even the most rebellious players freeze. “You’ll treat her with respect, and that means no teasing, no messin' around, and no distractions during practice. If I hear anything out of line, you’ll be running laps until your legs give out. Got it?”

The locker room went dead silent again. The team knew better than to challenge Coach Kato, especially when he used that tone. Some players even shuffled their feet uncomfortably, realizing they might have crossed a line. [Name] swallowed and glanced nervously at the floor, hoping she hadn’t caused too much trouble by being the center of attention. But she was also grateful—this was the kind of environment where everyone would know she meant business, and perhaps they would give her a chance.

Coach Kato gave one last stern look to the group before turning his attention back to [Name]. “You’ll report to me for any issues, and we’ll work together to make sure this team stays on track. [Name], I trust you’ll keep them in line?”

She nodded enthusiastically, trying to shake off the nerves. “Yes, Coach! I’ll do my best.”

Coach Kato gave her a brief, approving nod. “Good. Now, get to know each other. We’re a team, and that starts with everyone pulling their weight. [Name], we’re counting on you to make sure things run smoothly. Welcome aboard.”

With that, the coach turned and walked out, leaving [Name] standing at the front of the room as the players slowly began to stir, murmuring amongst themselves.

As the door clicked shut behind the coach, a murmur of disbelief spread across the team. Some exchanged curious glances, while others made their way toward [Name].

“Well, [Name]-san, huh?” The bold striker from earlier swaggered over, a teasing smile on his face. “Not what I expected, but I guess we’ll see what you’ve got. Can you keep up with us?”

[Name] chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. “I hope so! I’m pretty good at staying organized… and I’ll be cheering for you guys from the sidelines!”

Her response, a bit shy but sincere, earned a few raised eyebrows, followed by polite nods. The first test had been passed: she wasn’t just another manager. She was part of the team now, and the journey to get to know each player was just beginning.

But what she didn’t know was that, despite her air-headed nature and awkwardness, the seeds of admiration had already been quietly planted.

Aiku Oliver ➺

The crisp sound of sneakers pounding against the field was constant. The U-20 team was deep into their daily training session, the field now painted with the streaks of sunlight breaking through the clouds. The players, drenched in sweat, were focused and determined, running their laps with precision. [Name] stood off to the side, her glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she diligently took notes on the team’s performance. A clipboard was clasped tightly in her hands as she wrote down the times each player completed their laps, tracking their stamina and ensuring no one pushed themselves too hard—or too little.

Every so often, she would call out to one of the players, handing them a water bottle as they slowed to catch their breath, offering encouragement.

“You’re doing great, Hanako! Just a few more laps!” she cheered, passing a bottle to a panting midfielder.

“Thanks, [Name]-san!” Hanako said with a quick, grateful nod, before jogging off again.

[Name] smiled, but it was starting to feel like the time was stretching on forever. The sun was growing warmer, and the field’s intensity was starting to wear on her as well. Still, she had a job to do, and she wouldn’t let herself slack off. But just as she glanced back down at her notes, she saw one of the players approaching her, a bit slower than usual, his tall frame cutting through the group of running athletes.

It was Oliver Aiku, the team’s defense specialist.

Oliver was hard to miss, his dark purple hair with lime-green tips a standout against the backdrop of the other players. His muscular build was clear under his training gear, and his confident stride had a commanding presence that drew the attention of anyone nearby. As he approached, he shot a playful grin in [Name’s] direction, his heterochromatic eyes—green on the left, purple on the right—glistening with a mixture of confidence and mischief.

“Hey, manager,” Oliver said, his voice smooth with an almost teasing undertone. He slowed to a walk as he neared her, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. His eyes narrowed in an appreciative gaze. “You look stunning out here, you know? It's not often we get someone like you on the sidelines.”

[Name] blinked, a bit taken aback by the sudden attention. She knew Oliver was the team’s resident heartthrob—he had a reputation with the ladies, no doubt. The way he was looking at her made her cheeks turn pinker than she’d like to admit.

“Uh, t-thank you,” she stammered, fumbling with her clipboard. Her mind scrambled to stay focused. Stay professional, [Name], she reminded herself. She quickly pulled out a water bottle, offering it to him. “You’re doing well! Drink some water, stay hydrated.”

She handed it to him with a polite smile, trying to hide the fact that her heart rate had sped up at the compliment.

Oliver smirked, taking the bottle from her hand, but instead of immediately drinking, he lingered a moment longer, his grin widening. “You know, I could use a few things outside of just water,” he said, his tone smooth, almost flirtatious. “How about I take you out for a nice dinner sometime? You deserve it for all the hard work you’re doing for us.”

[Name] felt the heat rush to her face. What did he just say?! she thought in a daze. She’d heard stories of Oliver’s way with words, but hearing it directed at her was a whole new level of awkward.

“W-well,” she stammered, trying her best to keep it cool, “I-I’m really just here to help with your training… And, you know, make sure everyone’s staying on track. But, uh…” She fidgeted, her heart thumping in her chest. She wasn’t sure what to say. Her usual confidence was slipping away. “I’ll consider it… after the training,” she added quickly, her words coming out almost like a nervous whisper.

Oliver’s smile grew, clearly enjoying the effect he had on her. “I’ll take that as a yes, then,” he replied smoothly, his eyes glinting with a playful spark. He stepped back a little, ready to continue his laps. “I’ll be looking forward to it, [Name]-chan.”

He gave her a knowing wink, and for a moment, [Name] stood frozen, her face bright red. No way… Did he just wink at me?

Trying to regain some composure, she quickly jotted down the time for his lap. “D-Don’t push yourself too hard, Aiku,” she said, her voice shaky. “We don’t want you overexerting yourself.”

“I’ll be fine,” Oliver said, his voice turning soft, almost teasing. He gave her a final look over his shoulder as he started to jog away, his eyes lingering on her with that mischievous glint. “But if you ever want to talk more, just let me know, okay?”

[Name] watched him for a moment, her mind still reeling. Did I just get flirted with? By Oliver Aiku? She shook her head, trying to focus back on the task at hand, though her thoughts were still a swirl of confusion and surprise.

As the training session continued, Oliver’s behavior toward [Name] became more and more evident. He began to seek her out during breaks, hanging around her as she handed out water bottles to the players. Each time, he would make some offhand comment about her looks, her work ethic, or how much she seemed to stand out in comparison to other managers.

His compliments, though laced with a lighthearted, teasing tone, had a subtle sincerity to them that [Name] couldn’t ignore. She had to admit—he had a way with words. But it was also clear that Oliver wasn’t just flirting for fun—there was a growing admiration in his eyes. The way he’d wink at her, or the moments when he’d seek her out to engage in small talk, made it feel like he was trying to carve out moments where he could connect with her outside of just training.

[Name], however, remained mostly oblivious to the deeper meaning behind his words. She was so focused on her responsibilities that she didn’t notice how his attempts to charm her were slowly changing into something more serious. She was a little unsure of how to react, not just because of Oliver’s flirtations but because, in the back of her mind, she still had worries about her appearance, especially compared to someone as striking and confident as him.

And so, Oliver’s charming yet somewhat playful nature became a puzzle she found herself unwillingly drawn to.

As Oliver finished his laps, he slowed down and jogged back to the group, glancing over his shoulder once more at [Name]. She stood there, a little flustered but trying to focus on her clipboard. Oliver grinned to himself, shaking his head.

“Guess I’ll just have to make sure I see you more often, manager,” he murmured under his breath, his gaze lingering for a second longer.

[Name], still caught up in the haze of his attention, blushed deeply as she wrote down his final lap time. Oliver Aiku, she thought, glancing at him as he jogged away. ‘Definitely a lot to deal with, but... I guess he’s not that bad.’

Sendo Shuuto ➺

The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the soccer field. The players had finished their laps for the day, but the air was still thick with the scent of sweat and grass, as some of the more energetic team members continued to practice on their own. The golden light caught the edges of the goalposts and the sleek blades of grass beneath them. [Name] stood at the sidelines, clipboard in hand, keeping track of the final practice sessions.

She had become accustomed to the rhythm of the players by now. The way they pushed themselves, their laughter, their teasing—all of it felt strangely familiar. Still, she stayed focused, occasionally making her way toward a player who needed a quick drink or a few words of encouragement.

It was at that moment that Sendo Shuuto, the star striker of the team, caught her eye. With his lean build and confidence practically oozing from his every movement, he was impossible to miss. He stood a few meters away, adjusting his position for a shot at the goal, an intense focus in his pale red eyes. [Name] smiled to herself as she watched him, knowing that he was known for his impressive skills—his talent was undeniable.

Sendo had been a little quieter around her than the others, but there was something in the way he observed her from a distance, the slight blush on his face whenever she offered him a compliment or encouragement. It was clear that he had taken a particular liking to her, though he hadn’t yet made his feelings known outright.

With a determined look on his face, Sendo kicked the ball with impressive force toward the goalpost, trying to show off his skills. But, as if fate had a different plan, the ball ricocheted off the post and unexpectedly flew straight toward the wall on the far side of the field.

There was a brief, almost comical silence, followed by a loud thwack as the ball bounced off the wall and came straight back toward Sendo. The ball hit him squarely on the head with a soft thud.

“Ow!” Sendo yelped, stumbling back a step, his face scrunching in pain as he tried to steady himself. His body rocked slightly as he rubbed the back of his head, wincing from the unexpected hit.

[Name], who had been walking toward him with a water bottle in hand, immediately froze. Her eyes widened in concern as she rushed to his side. “Sendo-kun! Are you alright?!”

Her voice was filled with genuine worry, and Sendo, still slightly dazed from the unexpected blow, couldn’t help but notice how close she was standing to him. His heart skipped a beat. ‘Oh no… did she see that?’ He tried to act tough, but his face flushed redder than he ever thought possible. “I’m fine... I mean, that wasn’t exactly part of the plan...” he muttered, still rubbing his head. He tried to smile it off, but the pain was more than he wanted to admit.

[Name’s] eyes softened with concern, and without a second thought, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him. “You really should be more careful! That looked like it hurt.”

Sendo couldn’t help but notice how soft her voice sounded, how close she was to him now. Her warm presence was so calming, so… beautiful. He tried to stand a little taller to impress her, but his head still throbbed from the impact.

She noticed his slight unsteadiness and, without thinking, gently guided him down onto the grass. “You should rest for a moment, Sendo-kun,” she suggested, her tone kind and caring. “I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

Before he could protest, [Name] kneeled down beside him, lifting his head gently onto her lap, a soft gasp escaping from his lips as the reality of the situation hit him. He could feel the warmth of her thighs against his cheek, her delicate fingers brushing through his hair as she checked his head.

The world around him seemed to slow. His heart pounded in his chest, and his thoughts went blank. ‘Wait... is this really happening?’

[Name’s] face was now directly above him, her soft, comforting voice reaching his ears as she spoke, “Just relax for a moment. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

But in that instant, something inside Sendo snapped. He blinked rapidly, feeling his face grow hotter with each passing second. ‘Her... her lap?’ He could feel his pulse racing, his breath caught in his throat. He had been this close to girls before, sure, but never like this. Never with a girl who was as… perfect as her.

[Name’s] gentle touch, her concern for him, and her calm demeanor were like a dream. The way she looked down at him with those soft eyes... It was almost too much. The sweet scent of her hair, the sound of her voice, the closeness—it was overwhelming. ‘She’s so beautiful…’ he thought, his mind swirling in a sea of thoughts.

His heart was hammering now, and he felt something stir deep within him. His thoughts began to drift, and before he could even stop himself, his eyes fluttered closed, and he passed out.

[Name], still unaware of the full extent of what had just happened, blinked in confusion as she noticed his face grow pale and his body go limp. “Sendo-kun?! No, no! What’s going on?!” she exclaimed, panic rising in her chest.

She quickly shifted her position to check on him, her hands gently shaking his shoulders. “Sendo-kun, wake up! Are you okay?!”

His expression remained serene, almost too calm as if he were in a deep, peaceful sleep. But [Name] couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She waved her hands in front of his face, trying to snap him back to reality, but there was no response.

Meanwhile, in the depths of his mind, Sendo Shuuto was lost in a dream. His mind was filled with images of him and [Name], the woman who had so suddenly and unexpectedly captured his heart. They were standing side by side at the altar, in a beautiful church with delicate roses scattered around them, the soft glow of candles lighting the way.

“I do,” he whispered, his voice smooth with confidence as he gazed into her eyes.

[Name], dressed in a stunning wedding gown, smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with affection. “I do, too,” she responded softly, her voice filled with warmth.

As they exchanged vows in his dream, Sendo felt his heart swell. In his fantasy world, nothing was more perfect than this moment. ‘This is how it’s supposed to be…’ he thought, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

But then, just as he leaned in to kiss her, the dream blurred, and a sharp, unexpected voice broke through the fantasy.

“Sendo-kun!” [Name’s] voice called out to him from the real world, pulling him back from his daydreams.

Sendo’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and he let out a weak groan, his head still in [Name’s] lap. His heart was racing, and his face burned hotter than it had ever felt before. ‘What... what just happened?’ he thought, trying to focus his thoughts.

[Name], still looking down at him with a concerned expression, tilted her head in confusion. “Sendo-kun, are you okay now?”

For a moment, he couldn’t form any words, his mind still trying to catch up with the rapid beat of his heart. But then, his lips curled into a sheepish grin, despite the overwhelming embarrassment. “I-I’m fine… Just... a little dizzy,” he stammered, his voice still soft from his dream-induced haze.

His face was still flushed, but it wasn’t from the hit. It was from the way [Name] was looking at him, the way she cared for him. He was too embarrassed to meet her gaze directly.

[Name] smiled gently and helped him sit up. “I’m glad you’re okay, but maybe you should take it easy for the rest of the day, okay?”

Sendo nodded, still feeling the weight of her touch in his mind. “Yeah… I’ll take it easy. But... thank you, [Name]-chan.” His voice had an underlying sincerity that he didn’t quite realize until now.

As she stood and walked away, he couldn’t stop the dreamy look in his eyes. Maybe one day... he thought to himself, his heart racing once more. ‘Maybe one day, she’ll really be mine.’

Kazuma Nio ➺

The air in the gym was thick with the sound of weights clanging against each other, mixed with the sharp breaths of players pushing themselves. The team was in the middle of their strength training session, and despite the hot, humid air, there was an undeniable energy in the room. The sound of machines being used, grunts of exertion, and motivational shouts filled the space, all blending together to create an atmosphere that was equal parts exhausting and inspiring.

[Name] stood to the side, her clipboard in hand as she made her way through her task of observing and noting each player's progress. Her gaze shifted over the team, each member focused on their individual exercises. Her eyes landed on Nio Kazuma, who was positioned at the far end of the gym near the bench press, his broad shoulders and powerful build evident as he gripped the heavy barbell.

Kazuma was known for his raw strength and the competitive streak that ran through him. His sweat-drenched shirt clung to his body, and the muscles in his arms and chest flexed as he pressed the barbell upward with ease. He was in the middle of a set, his face contorted in concentration as he pushed through the weight.

[Name] couldn't help but feel impressed by the sight. His confidence and sheer physicality were something to behold, but it was also clear from his focused expression that he didn’t take his training lightly.

As Kazuma finished his set, he released the bar with a loud clank, letting it drop back into place on the rack. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, exhaling deeply. [Name], seeing an opportunity to show some support, made her way toward him, her light footsteps barely making a sound on the gym floor.

Kazuma glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of [Name] walking toward him. His lips curved into a confident, cocky grin. He wiped his hands on his gym shorts and adjusted his posture, trying to make himself look even more imposing as she got closer.

[Name] gave him a friendly, genuine smile. “Kazuma-kun, I have to say, I’m really impressed with how much you’re pushing yourself,” she said, her voice filled with admiration.

Kazuma’s grin widened, clearly enjoying the attention. He straightened up, flexing his chest slightly in a way that made his muscles pop even more. “Ah, well, you know. I don’t settle for being just ‘good’ at something,” he said with a wink. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to give it everything you’ve got.”

His voice had that usual confident edge, and there was an unmistakable arrogance in the way he spoke. But [Name] didn’t mind. She admired his enthusiasm and the way he carried himself—his confidence was contagious.

“You’re definitely showing that you’re giving it your all,” she said, her voice light but sincere. “It’s really inspiring to see someone put so much into their training. It makes the team look up to you.”

Kazuma chuckled, clearly pleased with the praise. He swiped a towel off the nearby bench and draped it over his shoulders, holding it like a trophy. “Well, I can’t let the guys think I’m slacking, can I? They need to know who the strongest guy in the room is.” He looked at her, his dark eyes glinting with that same cocky confidence. “And that’s me, of course.”

[Name] giggled softly at his boastful nature but couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of respect for him. His confidence wasn’t unfounded—he was clearly one of the strongest players on the team, and there was something about his attitude that made him stand out.

“I can tell,” she said, her eyes bright with admiration. “It’s hard to ignore the guy who pushes himself so hard.”

Kazuma smirked, clearly satisfied with the compliment. He stretched his arms above his head and gave a slight nod, as if acknowledging her words. “Well, someone’s gotta set the standard,” he said, lowering his arms and flashing her another confident smile. “And why not let it be me?”

[Name] chuckled, her cheeks flushing slightly from the ease with which Kazuma commanded the room. His personality was loud and assertive, but it was also oddly charming in a way that made him hard to ignore. “I don’t think anyone would argue with that.”

Kazuma took a few steps toward her, wiping his face with the towel. He seemed to grow even more comfortable with her presence, his posture relaxed but still brimming with self-assurance. “Hey, you’re doing a pretty great job keeping track of everything, [Name]-chan,” he said, his tone casual but tinged with genuine appreciation. “It’s gotta be tough, managing all these guys.”

[Name] smiled, a little flattered by the compliment. “It’s not easy, but I enjoy being part of the team,” she said, trying to sound modest. “I really like getting to know everyone and helping out however I can.”

Kazuma gave her a look that was half teasing, half approving. “Well, it’s clear you’ve got a good head on your shoulders, that’s for sure. Anyone with brains and a little charm like yours can do pretty much anything.”

The compliment hit her harder than expected, and she felt her face warm. Kazuma-kun, always so confident, she thought to herself, a little bashful but also genuinely impressed.

“You’re too kind,” she said, trying to regain her composure. “But I’m just here to make sure everyone stays on track. I’m just doing my job.”

Kazuma smirked, his dark eyes gleaming with mischief. “Well, if it’s your job to make sure we’re all doing our best, then I guess I should show off a little more,” he said, his grin widening. “You know, just to make sure I’m living up to your expectations.”

[Name] laughed softly, her eyes twinkling. “You don’t need to show off for me, Kazuma-kun. You’ve already proven yourself plenty.” She tilted her head slightly, adding, “But I’m happy to see you take pride in your work.”

Kazuma chuckled, clearly pleased by her words. He gave her a playful shrug. “What can I say? It’s just in my nature. But don’t worry, I’ll leave some of the spotlight for the rest of the team too.”

[Name] smiled warmly at him, appreciating his straightforwardness. “I’m sure everyone appreciates that. It’s great to see you leading by example.”

Kazuma gave a quick nod, then glanced down at his watch. “Well, I should get back to it. Can’t let the rest of the team think I’m slacking off, right?”

“Of course,” [Name] said, watching him with a genuine smile. “Keep up the great work, Kazuma-kun. I’ll be cheering for you.”

Kazuma gave her a final grin, his cocky demeanor still very much intact. “You’ve got it, manager,” he said, before turning back toward the bench press. “I’ll make sure to keep impressing you.”

As Kazuma returned to his workout, [Name] stood off to the side, a small smile on her face as she watched him. His confidence was infectious, and despite his cocky nature, she couldn’t help but admire his drive. His ability to be both serious and relaxed in the same breath was something she found fascinating.

He really does have a way of making everything look effortless, [Name] thought, her admiration for Kazuma growing. I can see why he’s a leader on this team.

The gym felt a little quieter as the sound of weights and grunts took over once again. Yet, for [Name], Kazuma’s boldness and confidence lingered in the air. She could only hope that his energy would help lead the team to greater heights, just as his personality did for him.

Hayate Haru ➺

The late afternoon sun cast a soft golden light over the soccer field, creating a tranquil, almost dreamlike atmosphere. The sounds of the team’s training had started to die down as most of the players were finishing their workouts, their laughter and voices fading into the distance. The occasional breeze ruffled the leaves of the nearby trees, sending a refreshing coolness through the air.

In a quiet corner of the field, far away from the commotion of the others, Haru Hayate was laying on his back, eyes closed, arms stretched out at his sides as he enjoyed the peaceful solitude. His spiky light yellow hair seemed to glisten in the sunlight, and his tall, lean figure was perfectly still against the soft grass. Hayate was a person who valued calmness and quiet—he found solace in the simple act of soaking in the environment around him, far from the chaos of the training ground.

The world around him was peaceful, almost serene. The gentle rustling of the leaves, the faint chirp of birds in the distance, and the occasional flutter of a butterfly’s wings—these were the small things that he appreciated, the things that allowed him to reset and recharge.

[Name], having finished her rounds and ensuring everyone else was doing okay, was walking through the field, clipboard in hand. She was scanning the area for the last few team members to check in on, making sure everyone was hydrated and feeling good. Her eyes fell upon Hayate, who was still stretched out on the grass, seemingly undisturbed by the hustle and bustle around him. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of him—his peaceful aura was a sharp contrast to the usual high-energy atmosphere of the field.

She quietly approached him, stepping lightly on the grass, not wanting to disturb his calm. As she drew closer, she looked down at his resting face, her gaze softening. There was something about the way he lay there, completely at ease, that made [Name] feel… relaxed. She admired how effortlessly he seemed to embrace tranquility.

The warmth of the sunlight made her feel at ease as well, and for a moment, she stood there just admiring the scene before her. The wind tugged at her hair, and she thought to herself that it was nice to have moments like this, where everything seemed to slow down and feel right.

Without thinking, [Name] leaned down slightly, wanting to get a little closer.

At that very moment, Hayate’s calm was interrupted by the faintest shift in the air. He felt a presence above him, a quiet disturbance in the atmosphere. His eyes fluttered open slowly, as if drawn to something. When he met [Name’s] gaze, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Ah!" Hayate gasped, his head jerking up instinctively in the direction of her sudden presence. His motion was too quick, and before he could stop it, he collided with her forehead with a soft thunk.

Both of them yelped in pain, the sound echoing across the otherwise quiet field.

“Ow! That hurt!” [Name] exclaimed, her hands immediately flying to her forehead. Her eyes were wide from the sudden shock, and she stumbled back a step, rubbing her head.

Hayate, also wincing from the accidental collision, quickly sat up, his hand going to his own head where it had made contact. “Ah, I’m sorry!” he said, his voice calm, but there was a hint of fluster in his expression as he glanced up at her. "I didn’t expect you to be right there…”

[Name] blinked in confusion but then let out a nervous laugh, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. “I was just checking in on you, Hayate-kun. I didn’t mean to startle you…” She winced slightly as she touched her forehead, still recovering from the bump. “That was quite the greeting.”

Hayate, rubbing his own head with a slightly sheepish expression, shook his head. “No, it’s my fault. I should’ve noticed you approaching. My bad…”

[Name] smiled gently, reassured by his calmness despite the accident. “It’s okay, really. I should have been more careful, too.”

Hayate gave her an easygoing smile, his eyes softening as he relaxed again. “Well, you’ve got me up now, so… what’s up? Was there something you needed?”

[Name], now standing fully upright, took a step back, her expression softening as she observed him more closely. “Actually, I was just making sure everyone was alright. You’ve been out here for a while, and I wanted to check in and see if you were feeling okay. You looked so at peace that I thought I’d let you enjoy it, but I guess I startled you…”

Hayate chuckled quietly, leaning back into the grass and letting out a deep breath. “It’s fine. I’ve just been enjoying the quiet for a bit. I like the feeling of the sun on my skin, and the wind…” His voice trailed off as he looked up at the sky, his eyes half-lidded in contentment. “I guess I needed a little break from all the noise, you know?”

[Name] nodded, understanding. She could see that he wasn’t just physically relaxed but mentally rejuvenated by the peaceful atmosphere. “I get it. Sometimes, the noise of everything can get overwhelming. It’s nice to just take a step back and breathe for a moment.”

Hayate turned his head slightly to look at her, his eyes softening with a rare warmth. “Exactly. That’s why I come here sometimes. It helps me clear my mind.”

[Name] smiled brightly at him, her eyes glimmering with interest. “I think that’s really nice. I mean, I always feel like I’m running around trying to make sure everyone’s doing alright, but there’s something special about taking time for yourself and just appreciating the moment.”

Hayate’s lips curved into a small, quiet smile at her words. “Yeah. It’s important to find peace wherever you can. And it’s not just the quiet; it’s the little things. The plants, the wind, the sky… it all works together to help me stay grounded.”

[Name] tilted her head curiously. “Plants?”

Hayate nodded slowly, his gaze drifting back to the small patch of grass surrounding them. “My grandfather’s a botanist. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with him, learning about different types of plants and the importance of nature. Being around plants helps me feel more connected, more… calm.” His voice took on a slightly nostalgic tone, as if remembering something meaningful. “The scenery here reminds me of the peace I found in those moments.”

[Name’s] expression softened as she took in his words. She hadn’t known that about him. “That sounds wonderful. I think it’s amazing how plants can bring such a sense of calm. Maybe… I should get you a little potted plant as a gift sometime.” She chuckled softly. “It seems fitting.”

Hayate looked at her in surprise, his lips twitching upward into a small, genuine smile. “I’d appreciate that,” he said quietly. “It’s the thought that counts.”

[Name’s] heart warmed as she smiled at him, her fingers gently brushing through her hair. “I’ll make a note of it. Maybe something that can help you feel even more at peace.”

Hayate stretched out his legs, his posture still completely relaxed. “I’ll look forward to it, then.”

The peaceful atmosphere settled around them once again. [Name] stood there for a moment, enjoying the stillness, as the sounds of the team’s training slowly faded into the background. It was nice, she thought, to have this quiet moment with him. His calm, collected nature was something she admired, and in a way, it made her feel just a little more grounded herself.

“Well,” she said, after a moment of quiet contemplation, “I’ll let you get back to your peace and quiet. I just wanted to check in.”

Hayate gave a slight nod, his expression still calm and serene. “Thanks for checking in, [Name]-chan. I’m good here.”

[Name] smiled brightly at him, nodding in return. “Alright then. Take care, Hayate-kun.”

As she walked away, Hayate lay back down on the grass, closing his eyes again, the soft breeze carrying his thoughts far away. [Name] couldn’t help but smile to herself, thinking that it was nice to see someone so at peace with themselves. She’d have to get him that plant one day.

Neru Teppei ➺

The day was slowly winding down, the sun beginning its descent and casting a warm golden light across the field. The sound of heavy breathing and the thud of soccer balls slowly faded as the last few players finished their grueling training sessions. The air felt slightly humid but refreshing, the smell of freshly cut grass mingling with the faint scent of sweat and determination.

[Name] had taken it upon herself to prepare some hearty meals for the team, wanting to ensure everyone refueled after such an intense practice. She had spent the better part of the morning making a large pot of curry, along with some other snacks, and now it was time to distribute the food to the players. She walked through the field with a large container in hand, her eyes scanning for players who might be in need of a break.

As she passed by the others, she saw many of them eagerly waiting for their meals, but her attention was soon drawn to Neru Teppei. He was sitting off to the side, leaning against a bench, looking completely drained. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his normally bright eyes were half-lidded, a clear sign that he was struggling to keep his energy up.

[Name’s] heart softened at the sight. Teppei was always so energetic and cheerful, and seeing him this tired made her want to help him even more.

She walked up to him with a bright smile, trying her best to lift his spirits. “Hey, Teppei-kun! You look like you’ve been working really hard! Want something to eat?”

Teppei, whose eyes were barely open, immediately perked up at the mention of food. “Food? Did you make food, [Name]-chan?” His voice was a little raspy from exhaustion, but there was a spark of excitement in his eyes at the thought of getting something to eat.

[Name] couldn’t help but giggle at his reaction. “Of course! I made curry for everyone. I figured it would be perfect to help everyone get their energy back after all that running.”

Teppei, despite being on the verge of passing out, sat up straighter, a wide grin forming on his face. “Curry?! That sounds amazing! I’m starving!”

[Name] smiled warmly, her heart swelling with affection for the team member she’d come to care so much about. She bent down slightly, holding out the spoon with a hearty helping of curry. “Here, Teppei-kun, let me feed you! You’ve earned it.”

Teppei’s face immediately turned a deep shade of red as he blinked up at her, surprised by the gesture. His usual cheerfulness didn’t seem to do much to calm his nerves in this moment—being fed by his manager was an overwhelming experience, and he couldn’t help but feel flustered. “W-wait, [Name]-chan, you don’t have to—!”

But before he could finish, [Name] was already bringing the spoon closer to his lips, her eyes full of care and warmth. “Don’t worry, Teppei! You’ve worked so hard today. Let me help you out.”

Teppei’s heart skipped a beat. He opened his mouth without thinking, and before he knew it, the warm curry was in his mouth. The flavors instantly hit his senses, and he couldn’t help but sigh in contentment, his eyes closing in satisfaction. “Mmm… this is so good, [Name]-chan! You’re amazing! I never knew you were such a good cook!” He smiled at her, his cheeks still flushed, both from the food and the moment itself.

[Name] chuckled softly, happy to see him enjoying the meal. “I’m glad you like it! It makes me happy to know that it’s helping everyone.”

Teppei couldn’t stop himself from looking at her with admiration. He had always thought she was kind, but this… this felt different. He felt a warmth growing in his chest—not just from the food, but from the kindness she was showing him. It made him feel special, and he couldn’t deny the butterflies in his stomach as he watched her smile.

As she fed him the next spoonful, [Name] looked down at him and asked, “So, Teppei-kun, tell me something about yourself. What do you like to do when you’re not training?”

Teppei’s eyes lit up as he eagerly replied, “Oh! I love Pokémon! They’re the best! My favorite is Pikachu. He’s just so cute and full of energy, like me! I’ve always wanted to be like him—positive, always there for my friends, and ready for any challenge!”

[Name’s] smile widened. “I love Pokémon too! My favorite is Pachirisu. I think she’s just adorable and so full of spirit. And she’s always so kind-hearted!”

Teppei’s face lit up even more, his excitement clearly evident. “Pachirisu! That’s a great choice! They’re both so cute! I bet they’d make an amazing team!”

[Name] giggled. “Right? I think they’d be the perfect pair. Maybe Pikachu and Pachirisu could be like… you and me!”

Teppei’s eyes widened in surprise at her words, and his heart skipped a beat. Did she… did she just compare herself to his favorite Pokémon? He blushed even harder, his mind racing. He couldn’t help but picture Pikachu and Pachirisu together, and for some reason, it felt right. In his mind, it was almost like a perfect metaphor for the bond he felt with his manager—he, the energetic and cheerful Pikachu, and her, the sweet and kind Pachirisu.

“You think so?” Teppei asked, his voice slightly shaky as he looked up at her with wide eyes, his blush deepening. “I… I like that idea a lot.”

[Name] smiled warmly at him, feeding him another spoonful of curry. “I’m glad! You’re such a hard worker, Teppei-kun. It’s nice to see someone with so much energy and spirit.”

As Teppei ate the food, he couldn’t stop thinking about her words. His heart was fluttering in his chest. There was something so comforting about [Name]—about her kindness and the way she made him feel special. He didn’t want this moment to end. He didn’t want her to go.

As she finished the meal and started to clean up, Teppei couldn’t help but ask, “[Name]-chan, do you think… we could hang out again sometime? Maybe talk a little more? I’d love to chat with you again…”

[Name] paused in her cleaning, turning back to him with a warm smile. “Of course, Teppei-kun! I’d love that. We can talk more once everything’s settled. It’ll be fun!”

Teppei’s heart soared. “I’ll be looking forward to it! Thanks, [Name]-chan.”

As [Name] walked off to clean up the rest of the mess, Teppei sat there, his heart racing, his mind filled with thoughts of Pikachu and Pachirisu—of him and his manager. His smile grew wider as he daydreamed about their next conversation.

Miroku Darai ➺

The gym was unusually quiet, the distant sounds of soccer balls bouncing and players shouting faintly in the background. The air was thick with a serene, peaceful atmosphere as sunlight poured through the large windows, casting soft shadows over the gym floor. There were weights neatly arranged in one corner and a few yoga mats scattered around, but the real center of attention was a single, calm space where a young man sat with perfect stillness.

Miroku Darai, the U-20 team’s spiritual soul, sat cross-legged on a yoga mat in the center of the gym, his black eyes closed in deep meditation. His dark skin contrasted against the faint golden light around him, and his henna tattoos along his arms and neck gave off an aura of calm, almost sacred presence. His breathing was slow and steady, the rhythmic hum of his chant adding to the peaceful energy of the room. He was completely absorbed in the practice, tuning out everything around him as he focused on the stillness within.

[Name] walked into the gym, her usual light-hearted energy trailing behind her. She had a small notebook tucked under her arm, planning to jot down some things for the team’s upcoming schedule. She didn’t expect to find anyone here—let alone Darai in the midst of his peaceful meditation. However, her intentions to keep things quiet were thwarted as she accidentally pushed the door just a little too hard, causing it to slam shut.

The loud thud of the door breaking the stillness made Darai’s eyes snap open, his sharp gaze now fixed on the source of the disturbance. He exhaled sharply, the calm that once enveloped him momentarily broken. The tranquility of the gym seemed to vanish in an instant as he stared at the person who had dared to interrupt his peace.

[Name’s] eyes widened in realization, her cheeks turning red from the embarrassment. She quickly bowed deeply, her words tumbling out in rapid apology.

“I-I’m so sorry, Darai-kun! I didn’t mean to disturb you! I didn’t see you there! Please forgive me!” She bowed again, the sincerity in her voice clear.

Darai let out a long, deep sigh, his lips curling into a slight smile as he observed her flustered form. He had always been a man of few words, and though he had a natural gravitas, his personality was far from harsh. He exhaled slowly, then spoke with an air of calm that returned to him quickly.

“It’s... fine,” he said, his voice deep and soothing, though tinged with a hint of exhaustion from having his peaceful moment interrupted. “It’s not the end of the world, just... a little disruption.” His tone was almost dismissive, as if not holding any ill will, yet still clearly yearning for the peace he had lost.

[Name] straightened, her bowing ceasing, though her expression was still full of concern. “I didn’t mean to bother you while you were meditating. What were you doing, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Darai’s eyes flickered slightly, considering her question. Meditation was something deeply personal to him, a moment of reflection and calm in a world full of chaos. His thoughts paused for a moment before he spoke again.

“I was meditating. Trying to find balance in the chaos,” Darai replied quietly, his gaze thoughtful. “The world is constantly shifting, filled with... noise. I need peace to clear my mind.”

[Name’s] eyes softened, sensing the sincerity in his words. She had always admired how Darai seemed to possess an inner calm, as if he had mastered the art of controlling his mind. It intrigued her, and she found herself drawn to the peacefulness he radiated.

“I can understand that,” [Name] said gently. “It’s hard to find peace in the middle of everything, isn’t it?”

Darai slowly nodded, his gaze turning back to the floor, as if grounding himself again. He didn’t speak for a moment, allowing the room to fill with silence once more. But then, [Name] took a step forward, her voice light but eager.

“Would you mind if I joined you? I don’t know much about meditation, but... I think it would be nice to try.”

Darai’s eyes opened once again, and he glanced at her with slight surprise. For a moment, his usual reluctance to engage in conversation was evident, but he seemed to take in her genuine interest, and his gaze softened. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“If you wish,” Darai said, a rare warmth in his voice. “The peace is not exclusive. Anyone who seeks it is welcome.”

[Name] smiled in return, grateful for his openness. She moved to sit beside him on the mat, copying his posture as best as she could. She folded her legs underneath her and straightened her back, though her mind was racing with excitement and curiosity.

As they sat in silence, the only sounds were the rhythmic hum of Darai’s chanting and the soft sound of breathing between them. [Name] couldn’t help but feel that even in the silence, something unspoken passed between them—an understanding, a bond.

“You have a really calming aura, Darai-kun,” [Name] said, her voice soft and sincere as she sat with her eyes closed, attempting to focus on the stillness. “I can see why so many people gravitate toward you. Your meditation… it’s beautiful.”

Darai’s eyes flickered open, a hint of surprise crossing his expression. He felt his heart skip a beat, a rare sense of fluster hitting him. Why is my heart racing? He thought to himself, as the sudden compliment caused his usual calm demeanor to waver.

Her words echoed in his mind—beautiful. The way she appreciated his practice made him feel a little more seen than usual. It wasn’t often that others took interest in his spiritual side, especially in a world so focused on the physicality of soccer. But [Name’s] earnestness felt different.

“Thank you,” Darai murmured, his voice almost a whisper. He cleared his throat, attempting to refocus. “I believe in balance. Yin and Yang. Life needs both sides to work harmoniously. You can only find peace once you accept both the calm and the chaos.”

[Name] nodded, her eyes still closed as she let his words sink in. She could sense that Darai had a wisdom beyond his years, a quiet strength that came from within. It made her feel connected to him in a way that went beyond mere words.

They continued to meditate in silence, the room becoming even more still as time passed. [Name] found herself relaxing deeply, her mind becoming clearer with each breath she took. For the first time in a long while, she felt completely at ease, sharing a peaceful moment with someone who valued serenity as much as she did.

Cho Kento ➺

The locker room was quiet except for the faint sounds of the occasional rustle of towels and shoes. It was a dimly lit space, the golden glow of the setting sun filtering in through the windows, casting long shadows on the polished floor. The air carried a faint, musky scent of sweat and the lingering freshness of a workout just completed. In the corner, there was a small area with padded mats where players sometimes took a moment to rest or stretch.

Kento Cho, the tall, handsome, and stern member of the U-20 soccer team, sat on one of the benches. His expression was serious, but his furrowed brow hinted at the discomfort he was feeling. His dark hair was still damp from the practice, and his body, which was perfectly sculpted from his rigorous training routine, seemed a little tense. He had been pushing himself hard lately—staying disciplined in both his training and diet, always striving to improve—but something had gone wrong. He felt a sharp, painful pop in his lower back earlier while working through an intense set of exercises, and now the discomfort had settled in.

He was used to pushing through physical pain, but this was different. It felt like something needed to be addressed, or else it could get worse.

Looking over at the door to the locker room, he caught sight of [Name] [Surename], the manager of the team. She was busy tidying up and checking her clipboard, her usual cheerful expression on her face. She had been a steady, supportive presence for the team, always there to help with anything they needed.

Kento hesitated for a moment, then walked over to her. He could see she was immersed in her tasks, and he almost didn’t want to bother her. But the pain was becoming harder to ignore. He cleared his throat.

“[Name],” Kento said, his voice calm but tinged with discomfort. “I... I think I hurt myself during training. There’s this tightness in my back. Do you think you could help me with it?”

[Name] looked up, her eyes widening in concern. She noticed the slight grimace on Kento’s face and immediately put down the clipboard she had been holding.

“Of course! What happened? Is it bad?” she asked, her voice full of concern as she stood up, walking toward him. Her genuine care was apparent, and she was ready to offer her help.

Kento rubbed the back of his neck, his usual stern demeanor softening slightly under the weight of the discomfort. “I think I might’ve pulled something, or it just... popped when I was stretching. It’s a bit painful now. I was hoping you could maybe give me a massage or something. It’s nothing too serious, but... I just need it to feel better.”

[Name] nodded, her brow furrowing with empathy. She had seen the way Kento worked—always so focused, so determined—and she hated to see him in pain. She gestured for him to sit down on the bench, where she had already noticed the soft cushions. She felt a little nervous, but she knew she could help. After all, she had experience with giving her friends and teammates massages before.

“Alright, please take a seat. I’ll do my best to help you out,” [Name] said with a reassuring smile, trying to keep her own unease in check. She gently patted the spot next to her on the bench, encouraging Kento to sit.

Kento did as she asked, slowly lowering himself onto the bench. His eyes closed for a moment, silently grateful for her willingness to help him.

[Name] stood behind him, moving around to his back. Her hands were slightly trembling as she touched his broad shoulders, feeling the muscles that were tense from the strain he had put on them during his workout. Her heart beat a little faster, realizing how close she was to him, how his shirtless form gave her a view of his well-toned body, and how she was about to touch him in a way she had never done before.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, pushing aside her personal thoughts, focusing on her task. She began by gently massaging his shoulders, her fingers pressing into the tight knots in his muscles. Kento let out a small sigh of relief at the pressure being applied to the spots that had been causing him pain.

“That’s... better,” Kento murmured, his voice low and calm. He could feel the tension slowly ebbing away, and it brought a quiet sense of peace. “You’re really good at this, [Name]. I didn’t know you were trained in this sort of thing.”

[Name] smiled, though her cheeks flushed slightly at his compliment. “I’m not exactly trained, but I’ve helped out with my friends before. I’m really glad it’s helping.”

Her hands moved further down his back, applying gentle but firm pressure as she worked on his lower back. As her hands made contact with his skin, she couldn’t help but feel the warmth radiating from his body. The faint scent of his cologne mixed with the clean, sweaty scent of post-practice—it was almost intoxicating. [Name] quickly turned her attention back to her task, focusing on the sensation of his muscles relaxing beneath her touch.

Kento leaned back slightly, his eyes closing in relaxation. He could feel his body letting go of the tension, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to relax fully. “You’ve got a really good touch,” he murmured, his voice now almost quiet, filled with appreciation. “I think... I think I might’ve been too hard on myself lately. I don’t always know when to stop pushing.”

[Name’s] hands paused for a moment as she heard his words. She could hear the underlying frustration in his voice, the weight of his dedication to always strive for the best. “Kento, you’re already working so hard. You don’t have to do everything all at once,” she said, her voice warm but firm. “It’s okay to take breaks when your body tells you it needs one.”

Kento stayed silent for a moment, and then he exhaled deeply, as if he were releasing some of his own internal tension. He didn’t usually talk about his limits. He always had this intense drive to be better, to be perfect. But hearing [Name’s] reassuring words, he felt a sense of peace he hadn’t realized he needed.

“Thanks,” he said, his voice quieter now, tinged with a sense of gratitude. “You’re right.”

[Name] smiled softly, her hands continuing their soothing motions. She had never expected such a heartfelt moment to arise from something as simple as helping him with a massage. It felt like she was getting to see a different side of Kento—one that was more vulnerable and human.

As she continued to ease the tension from his back, [Name] couldn’t help but feel a little flustered by the proximity and the way his muscles shifted beneath her touch. She had always admired Kento’s strong and disciplined nature, but this more relaxed side of him was... surprisingly endearing. It made her realize just how much she enjoyed being close to him, even in such an intimate moment, helping him to feel better.

Kento’s eyes opened after a few minutes, and he shifted slightly, turning his head slightly to look at her. “I’m really grateful for this, [Name],” he said quietly, his voice almost soft. “I’ll... try to take things a little easier from now on.”

[Name] nodded, her smile widening. “I’m glad I could help. Take care of yourself, Kento. You’re doing amazing, but even the strongest people need to rest.”

Kento looked over his shoulder at her, his serious expression softening with a hint of admiration. “Thanks. You’re always so kind... I’ll keep that in mind.”

The two shared a quiet moment of understanding before [Name] finished the massage. Kento stood up with a slow stretch, feeling the relief in his back. He was grateful for the care she had shown him and the peace she had given him during his moment of pain.

Wakatsuki Itsuki➺

The soft hum of the night was the only sound that filled the dormitory. Most of the team had long since fallen asleep after a long and tiring day of training. The quietness of the building felt peaceful, with the occasional sound of distant crickets outside. The cool night air seeped through the slightly cracked windows, adding a calm, almost serene atmosphere to the space.

The lights in the hallway were dim, casting soft shadows along the floor, and the quiet murmur of the wind outside was the only thing that could be heard. Inside one of the rooms, Wakatsuki Itsuki lay on his futon, his eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. His body was still, but his mind was restless.

Itsuki had always struggled with sleep. The quiet of the night was supposed to bring comfort, but instead, it only amplified the thoughts racing through his head. He flipped over onto his side and pulled the blanket tighter around him, trying to find a comfortable position. But no matter how much he tossed and turned, he couldn't find any peace. The quiet was deafening, and his insomnia was taking its usual toll on him.

Finally, after what felt like hours of tossing and turning, he gave up on trying to sleep. He quietly slipped out from under his blanket, careful not to wake his teammates. The cold wooden floor felt oddly comforting under his bare feet as he padded softly to the door.

He crept down the hallway, his black hair falling over his eyes as he tried to sneak past the others' rooms. His footsteps were light, but his mind was still racing with thoughts he couldn’t quite shake. He made his way toward the kitchen area, hoping a glass of water might help soothe the restlessness that refused to leave him.

But as he turned a corner, his hand brushed the doorframe, and he stumbled slightly. He lost his balance, and before he could steady himself, he collided with someone else.

“Ah!” a startled voice exclaimed as both figures bumped into each other. Itsuki’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly took a step back, trying to apologize for his clumsiness.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Itsuki stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He immediately looked down at the floor, feeling awkward and unsure of what to do.

[Name] [Surename], the team’s manager, was standing there with wide eyes, clearly surprised by the collision. Her face softened, and she giggled softly, brushing a few strands of her long black hair out of her face.

“No need to apologize, Itsuki!” she said with a warm, reassuring smile. “It’s no big deal. Are you okay?”

Itsuki looked up quickly, his gaze meeting hers for a brief moment. The contact made his heart race even faster, and he felt his cheeks burn with a sudden, intense heat. He quickly nodded, too embarrassed to say much else. The warmth from her smile made him feel even more self-conscious, and he found himself frozen in place, unsure of how to respond.

“I’m... I’m fine,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. The quietness of his words made him feel even more timid and small.

[Name] tilted her head, her smile still soft and kind. “You’re sure? You look a little tired,” she said gently. “It’s pretty late, too. Are you having trouble sleeping?”

Itsuki was caught off guard by how perceptive she was. He nodded again, though his head was lowered slightly in embarrassment. “I... I can’t sleep,” he whispered, the words barely leaving his lips. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was feeling vulnerable now. “I just... I didn’t want to wake anyone.”

[Name’s] eyes softened even further as she stepped closer to him. She could tell that Itsuki was trying to hide his discomfort, but she could see right through it. She didn’t want him to feel alone or restless, especially when the team needed to be well-rested for the next day’s training.

“Well... if you’re feeling restless, maybe you could come with me to my room?” [Name] offered, her tone warm and inviting. “It’s a little quieter there. I could make sure you get some rest, if you’d like.”

Itsuki froze for a moment, his mind racing with uncertainty. The idea of being in a room alone with [Name] was both comforting and terrifying at the same time. He wasn’t used to being so close to someone else—especially not someone as warm and friendly as her. But he didn’t want to refuse her kindness. After a few moments of internal hesitation, he finally whispered, “I-I don’t want to be a bother…”

[Name] smiled gently and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s no trouble at all, Itsuki,” she said softly, her voice soothing. “I just want you to feel comfortable and get some sleep. I’ll be there if you need anything.”

Her kindness eased his anxiety a little. He nodded, though he still felt a little flustered. “Thank you...”

[Name] led him down the hallway toward her room. The door creaked slightly as she opened it, revealing the cozy, quiet space inside. A futon was already set up on the floor, and there was a faint scent of lavender in the air from the small sachet near the window. The soft lighting from a nearby lamp created a peaceful, calming atmosphere.

“There we go,” [Name] said with a smile. “This should be a little more comfortable for you. I’ll just sleep here on the futon too. You’re not bothering me, I promise.”

Itsuki hesitated for a moment, his cheeks turning pink again. The idea of lying next to her was almost too much for him to handle, but he knew she just wanted to help. “I... thank you,” he whispered again.

[Name] made sure to fluff the blankets and settled down beside him on the futon. “Just relax, okay?” she said gently. “You can rest now.”

For a moment, they both lay there in the soft silence, the only sound being the gentle rustle of the sheets and the soft rhythm of their breathing. Itsuki tried to calm his racing heart, feeling incredibly self-conscious and nervous next to her. But [Name] didn’t seem to mind. She just smiled softly and looked over at him, her eyes sparkling in the low light.

After a few moments, she began humming a gentle tune, one that was soothing and peaceful, like a lullaby. Itsuki felt his eyelids grow heavy as the soft melody lulled him into a peaceful daze. The soft, calming sound was like a weight being lifted from his chest, and soon, he found himself drifting off to sleep.

His breathing slowed, and he let out a soft sigh of relief as he finally succumbed to the sleep he had been fighting for so long. [Name], noticing that he had finally relaxed, gently tucked him in, her fingers brushing the top of his head as she smiled to herself.

As she lay down next to him, she hummed softly again, the sound filling the room like a gentle breeze. Soon, she too drifted into slumber, her own heart warmed by the quiet peace of the moment.

Kitsunenzato Teru ➺

The day had been long, filled with intense training sessions and moments of both frustration and triumph. The team had worked hard, pushing themselves to their limits, and now it was time for a brief break before heading to dinner. The locker room buzzed with the sounds of teammates chatting, some laughing, and others still catching their breath from the workout.

[Name] [Surename] was standing near the door, her notebook in hand, jotting down notes about the day’s training and team dynamics. She’d always been so caught up in organizing and helping out the team, but there was something special about these small moments she shared with each of the members. Tonight, though, she found her gaze drawn toward one particular player: Kitsunenzato Teru, the cheerful and optimistic forward with light salmon-colored hair and his signature panda-like nose.

Teru had been chatting with a few of his teammates, but as soon as he noticed [Name’s] presence, he waved at her with a bright smile, his signature blue doe eyes sparkling in the dim light of the locker room. [Name] waved back, her usual grin spreading across her face as she walked over toward him.

“Hey, [Name]!” Teru greeted her, his energy always so infectious. “I was actually hoping you could help me with something.”

[Name] tilted her head, genuinely curious. “Sure! What is it?”

Teru’s smile widened, and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Well… it’s my hair. I’ve been trying to tie it into a bun for a while, but I just can’t seem to do it the way I want.” He sighed dramatically, his eyes sparkling with a playful glint. “Do you think you could help me out?”

[Name] couldn’t help but laugh softly at his cute antics. Teru always had this ability to make things feel lighthearted, no matter the situation. She nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! I’d be happy to help. Let’s see what we can do.”

Teru led her to a nearby bench where he sat down, giving her an exaggerated bow. “Thank you so much, [Name]! I’ve been really struggling with this.”

[Name] chuckled and knelt down in front of him, her fingers already reaching for his soft hair. She picked up a brush from her bag and started to run it through his light salmon strands, gently untangling any knots that had formed.

As she worked, they began chatting, sharing stories and exchanging jokes, with Teru constantly offering playful comments and making her laugh. The atmosphere was warm, comfortable, like a quiet bubble where it was just the two of them, outside the chaos of the rest of the team.

“You know,” [Name] said, as she worked on the final touches, “I think you’d make a pretty good hairstylist with how much you care about your hair.” She smirked teasingly.

Teru blinked in mock offense, his hands going to his hips. “Hey, I take my hair very seriously, alright? Gotta look good on and off the field, you know? It’s all about presentation!”

[Name] giggled, her fingers deftly tying the final loop of the bun. “I can tell! But honestly, it’s not bad at all. It suits you.”

Teru beamed at her, a proud twinkle in his eye. “Really? You think so? I’ve never had someone tie it for me before. I think I might even keep it like this for the next game.”

[Name] smiled, stepping back to admire her handiwork. His bun was neat, secure, and definitely looked more polished than the usual messy style. “There we go,” she said with satisfaction, brushing her hands off. “I think it looks great.”

Teru jumped up from the bench, his face lighting up with joy as he twirled in front of her, showing off the new hairstyle. “Wow, this looks awesome! I can’t believe I’ve been struggling with this for so long!”

[Name] watched him with a fond smile, her heart warmed by his unbridled enthusiasm. “I’m glad you like it! You look amazing, Teru.”

Before she could react, Teru took a step toward her, and in a sudden burst of affection, he wrapped her in a tight hug. [Name] froze, taken aback by the sudden warmth of his embrace, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Teru’s hug was sincere, his energy and gratitude pouring into the simple act.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” he said, his voice muffled as he held her tightly. “I’m so happy with it, [Name]. You really helped me out!”

[Name] blinked, her face flushing slightly, but she quickly recovered. She smiled warmly and returned the hug, her arms gently wrapping around his back. “I’m happy I could help, Teru,” she said softly. “I’m always here if you need anything.”

The hug lasted just a moment longer before Teru pulled back, grinning from ear to ear. “You’re the best, [Name]!” he exclaimed. “I’ll owe you a snack or something later, okay?”

[Name] laughed, brushing a few strands of her own hair behind her ear. “No need to owe me anything! It was fun.”

Teru winked at her, his eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. “I insist! A snack is definitely in order for such a fine hairstyle.”

She chuckled, feeling her heart warm at the interaction. Teru always knew how to lift her spirits. “Alright, alright. But only if it’s something really sweet.”

Teru gave a mock salute, his grin growing wider. “You got it! A sweet treat for the sweet manager!”

As the two of them laughed and continued their conversation, the locker room felt just a little bit brighter. Even with the chaos of the training sessions, moments like these—where the team came together, laughing and supporting one another—were what truly made [Name] feel that she was part of something special. Teru’s kindness, like the rest of the team’s, filled her with warmth, and she couldn’t help but feel grateful for the chance to be a part of their lives.

Gen Fukaku ➺

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow through the windows of the training facility. The last of the players were finishing up their cooldown exercises, some stretching on mats and others talking in groups. [Name] [Surename] was in the corner of the room, organizing her notes on the day's training, but her thoughts were somewhere else. She had spent the day with the team, bonding with each player, but there was one player she hadn't spent much time with yet: Gen Fukaku, the team's serious and reserved goalkeeper.

Fukaku had always been somewhat of an enigma. His serious demeanor, combined with his tendency to keep to himself, made him hard to approach. While the other players seemed to have their personalities shine through in their interactions with [Name], Fukaku remained a mystery to her. But she knew he was just as much a part of the team, and she wanted to show him that he was seen and appreciated as much as the others.

As she stood up, deciding to take a small break from her work, she looked around and spotted him. Fukaku Gen was sitting near the far end of the room, his tall frame hunched slightly as he tied his shoes. His expression, as always, was serious, and his eyes focused on the task at hand.

[Name] took a deep breath and walked over to him, carrying a small tin of homemade cookies she had baked earlier. She had been looking forward to sharing them with the team, but something about Fukaku’s quiet nature made her especially want to offer him a sweet treat.

When she approached him, he didn’t immediately acknowledge her presence, his attention still on his shoes. [Name] hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Hey, Fukaku,” she said softly, her voice gentle yet filled with warmth. “I made some sweets for the team today. Would you like one?”

Fukaku paused for a moment, his hands still holding his shoe laces. He glanced up at her, surprise flickering in his brown eyes. “You… made these for us?” His voice was low, almost hesitant, as though he didn’t quite believe it.

[Name] nodded, offering the tin with a smile. “Yeah! I thought you might like one. They’re cookies. I hope you like them.”

For a moment, Fukaku just stared at the tin, his expression unreadable. [Name] felt a bit nervous under his gaze but held the tin out for him, her smile never wavering. Finally, he sighed softly and slowly took the tin from her hand. He opened it, picking out a cookie and inspecting it carefully as though evaluating its quality.

[Name] stood there, watching him with a soft, patient smile, her hands clasped together in front of her.

Fukaku didn’t say anything right away. He broke off a small piece of the cookie and took a bite. [Name’s] heart raced a little as she waited for his response. The silence between them stretched for a few moments before he finally looked up, his brown eyes meeting hers.

“…It’s good,” he said, his voice as serious as ever. “Very sweet. You did a good job.”

[Name] beamed at the compliment, feeling her cheeks warm. She had been a little unsure if he would even enjoy the cookies, considering how reserved he was, but hearing him speak so honestly about it made her feel a sense of accomplishment.

“I’m glad you like it!” she said enthusiastically, her voice brightening. “If you want, I can bake more for you sometime.”

Fukaku’s expression softened just a touch, and [Name] noticed the slight change. It was subtle, but it was there. He placed the cookie tin down beside him, and for a moment, he just looked at her quietly.

“You don’t have to do that,” he said, his voice quieter this time, almost as if he was trying to make himself more vulnerable. “But... thank you. No one’s ever done something like this for me.”

[Name’s] heart ached a little at his words, and she bent down slightly to get on his level, her eyes filled with genuine care. “Well, I just wanted to show you that I appreciate you, Fukaku. You’re a big part of the team, and I’m really glad you’re here.”

Fukaku blinked, his eyebrows furrowing as if processing her words. He wasn’t used to being so openly praised or shown kindness. His brow furrowed slightly, and he looked down at the tin again, his fingers brushing over the cookies.

“…I’m not good at talking,” he admitted after a beat, his voice more vulnerable than she had ever heard it. “I don’t… say much. But I do care about the team.”

[Name] smiled softly, understanding that words weren’t always Fukaku’s forte. She placed a hand on his shoulder, a simple gesture meant to convey her appreciation. “I know. You don’t have to say anything to prove how much you care. Your actions speak louder than words.”

For the briefest moment, Fukaku’s face softened, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He looked at her, then back down at the cookie tin, his fingers playing with the edge. “You’re different, [Name],” he said quietly, more to himself than to her. “Most people just see the expression, the quiet... they don’t see beyond it.”

[Name’s] heart fluttered, and she nodded gently. “I see you, Fukaku. You don’t have to be anyone else around me.”

The air between them grew comfortable, and Fukaku slowly took another cookie, this time without hesitation. He didn’t smile, but the small gesture—him accepting the cookie and acknowledging her presence in his own way—spoke volumes.

“Thank you,” he said again, this time with a quiet sincerity that made [Name’s] heart swell. “I’ll… I’ll try to make more time for these things.”

[Name] smiled brightly, her chest feeling warm at the unexpected bond they were forming. “Anytime, Fukaku. I’m always here if you want to talk—or if you want more sweets.”

Fukaku chuckled softly, his expression still stoic but with a slight softening in his eyes. “Maybe just a little more.”

As she walked away to continue her rounds, [Name] felt a renewed sense of connection with the team. It wasn’t always about grand gestures or words; sometimes, just sharing a simple moment of kindness was all it took to make someone feel seen.

-`♡´-

-`♡Our Manager♡´-

The day had been long—too long, if [Name] were being honest. She had spent hours tracking the players' training progress, handing out water, taking notes, and making sure every one of them had what they needed to perform at their best. It was rewarding, of course, but the exhaustion was starting to catch up with her.

As the last few players finished their individual drills, [Name] took a moment to sit at the table in the team office. Her head rested in her hands as she tried to catch her breath. The hum of the lights and the occasional shuffle of feet filled the otherwise quiet space.

She yawned, stretching her arms overhead. Her eyes were heavy, and despite trying to stay alert, she couldn’t fight the pull of sleep much longer. Slowly, her eyes fluttered closed, and her head drooped toward the desk. The paperwork that had piled up throughout the day became too much for her to keep her focus on, and in the end, she simply succumbed to the fatigue, drifting off to sleep on the table, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

The room was still, save for the occasional sound of footsteps echoing down the hall. Unbeknownst to her, the team had noticed her fall asleep, each one of them quietly observing their manager as she rested.

-`♡´-

Haru Hayate was the first to notice. The tall, calm player glanced over from the doorway, his usual serene demeanor softening with concern. Seeing [Name], slumped over at the table, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He knew how hard she had worked that day. Without a word, he stepped quietly into the room, a light breeze of calm following him as he moved to cover her.

Gently, he draped a blanket over her, ensuring she was comfortable. The soft fabric rustled as he settled it over her shoulders. He paused for a moment, just watching her as she slept, a small smile tugging at his lips. The peace that surrounded her in that moment was rare in the busy training facility, and it reminded him of how much the team appreciated her.

As he left, he whispered, “Rest well, [Name].”

-`♡´-

Kitsunenzato Teru was next to come in. His bright and cheery energy had a slight hum of excitement even now as he saw [Name] sleeping. The sight of her exhaustion struck him, and he wanted to do something nice for her, something small to show his appreciation.

He quickly found a small snack on the counter, a bar of chocolate that he knew would provide a burst of energy once she woke. He placed it beside her on the table, with a small note that simply read, “A little treat for the best manager!” He grinned at his handiwork and took a step back, admiring his thoughtful gesture.

“Sweet dreams, manager,” he whispered with a wink before quietly leaving the room.

-`♡´-

Miroku Darai, always in touch with his inner peace, stood outside the door, observing with quiet understanding. He saw how [Name] had given her all to the team that day. Her exhaustion was clear, and while she may not have asked for help, Darai felt the need to offer her something soothing.

He entered the room and quietly prepared a cup of tea—chamomile and honey, the perfect remedy for a long day. He placed the warm cup next to her, the steam curling up in the air, the aroma soothing and calming. A small note accompanied it: “For rest and relaxation. May you find peace in this cup.”

With a quiet nod, Darai left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

-`♡´-

Sendou Shuuto walked in next. His loud and boisterous personality had been subdued for once, replaced by a quiet concern as he surveyed the sleeping [Name]. He couldn’t help but notice how much she had taken on during the day. In an act of kindness, he gently gathered up the scattered papers she had been working on and neatly organized them into a pile, ensuring everything was in order.

As he worked, he couldn’t resist glancing over at her. She was still so serene in her sleep, and it made him smile softly. Before leaving, he jotted down a quick note, scrawling, “For the best manager ever—don’t overwork yourself!” and placed it on top of the papers. With a final smile, he quietly exited.

-`♡´-

Oliver Aiku, always the flirt, couldn’t help but notice [Name’s] peaceful slumber as he passed by the open door. He stopped for a moment, watching her, and a small grin spread across his face. As he entered, he silently watched her for a beat, before picking up a sticky note and scribbling something quickly.

“You’re amazing. Don’t push yourself too hard. Take care of yourself!”

He placed it gently on her desk, right by her hand, and with a last glance at the peaceful manager, he quietly slipped out of the room, his heart swelling with a protective feeling he rarely showed.

-`♡´-

Kento Cho, ever the serious one, took one last look around the training facility, his eyes scanning for any unfinished tasks. As he passed the office, he saw [Name] resting on the desk. He paused, walking over to her silently. His hand hovered for a moment before he gently placed a bottle of water next to her.

The note he left was short and simple, but meaningful: “Stay hydrated. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.”

He sighed, shaking his head as if to remind himself to take his own advice. With one final glance, he turned and quietly left.

-`♡´-

Neru Teppei was next. He grinned as he spotted the sleeping manager, her exhaustion clear. Unlike the others, Teppei couldn’t resist one more playful gesture. He grabbed a bright sticky note and scribbled something silly: “Pikachu and Pachirisu forever! Rest up, manager!”

With that, he quickly grabbed a sweet treat, a small cupcake he had stashed away, and placed it near her hand. Teppei gave one last, heartfelt smile and crept out of the room, his heart light with the affection he felt for their manager.

-`♡´-

Itsuki Wakatsuki had been standing outside for some time, uncertain if he should enter. But seeing everyone else leave, he decided to slip in quietly. As a gentle, introverted person, he didn’t want to disturb her rest, but he wanted to leave something behind to show his appreciation.

He quietly placed a small note by her side, written in his delicate handwriting: “Thank you for always being there for us. Please get some rest.”

With a deep breath and a tiny, bashful smile, he left the room without a sound.

-`♡´-

Fukaku Gen, ever the serious one, took a moment to consider the situation. He saw his manager sleeping soundly, her exhaustion apparent. He silently stepped over to her desk and placed a simple note beside her: “Take care of yourself. You’re appreciated more than you know.” It was brief, but in his usual quiet way, it conveyed everything he wanted to say.

Fukaku turned, leaving the room with nothing more than a soft sigh.

-`♡´-

Nio Kazuma, the final one to peek in, stood quietly at the doorway, watching his manager sleep. He had witnessed her effort firsthand that day. He could tell that she was the type of person who always gave everything, even when it wasn’t asked of her. With a small smile, he left a note beside her with a few simple words: “Rest well, manager. You’ve earned it.”

-`♡´-

[Name] slowly stirred from her nap, stretching lazily as she blinked her eyes open. Her body was sore from the long day, but there was something oddly comforting about the scene before her. She looked around the desk and found that the chaos of papers was now neatly organized. There was a warm cup of tea by her side, a blanket gently draped over her shoulders, and a sweet treat waiting for her. A small smile tugged at her lips as she read the notes that had been left for her.

“For the best manager ever—don’t overwork yourself!” “Stay hydrated. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.” “Pikachu and Pachirisu forever!” and many more words of encouragement and care from her players.

Her heart swelled with gratitude as she took in the small gestures from each of them. She silently thanked her team for being so thoughtful, for looking out for her, and for making her feel appreciated.

As she stood, stretching once more, she felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and affection. Though the day had been long and taxing, this quiet moment made it all worth it.

-`♡´-

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© 2024 Ｖｅｌｖｅｔｅｅｎ 平和な目覚め— do not repost, copy, translate, modify, etc my work on any platform without my permission!

[cravinganotherworld]

Amorous Chapter 7 - Frontman x Fem! reader

WARNINGS: Slight smut implication, guns, mention of potential suicide, sadness and heartbreak.

Wordcount: 1.1k

NOTES: Hii, i'm so sorry this has taken so long to upload i've just started back at university after the holidays but i hope uploads will become regular again now I've settled back in. Also the next chapter will be the final chapter!

See the other chapters here:

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Part 1, Chapter 2, part 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6

TAGS: @tinylawyerbluebird

Love never really was a constant in In-ho’s life, everyone he loved disappeared and with them they took his heart. Starting the games seemed to be the only stability in his life, the only thing that gave him the slightest sliver of joy, and now it had been jeopardized. Player 456 was never meant to return, he should’ve gotten on the plane like In-Ho ordered. Instead, he sits beside him completely unaware that the man he is after helps calculate his every move. At first his only thought and intention was to eliminate player 456, to decipher his plans and put an end to them…that was until he saw you. You with the perfect hair, perfect hips and eyes that shone brighter than the sun. Then he knew, he had a new purpose. Protect you. At first he refused to believe how easily you had wormed your way in, how easily you had captured his heart and melted the ice. Yet day by day he found his resolve break and he found himself falling so far and so hard he couldn’t prepare for it. You allowed him to feel things he hadn’t felt in so long and deep down he thanked you for that, but he knew…he knew that you would leave as well, one way or another you would be gone and it hurt his heart every time he thought about it.

Behind him In-ho heard the scuffle of feet, and beside him a pink guard stood.

“What do we do with player 456 sir?”

“Take him back to the dormitory” The guard nods and walks past you.

In-ho never broke eye contact with you, watching the tears fall, the tears that he had caused…the tears that he couldn’t stop.

“He’s alive…?” you whisper, jolting something in In-Ho. Jealously? He said nothing and pressed his gun deeper into your forehead causing you to wince at the pain.

“Just do it In-ho…” the way you whisper his name erupts butterflies in his stomach “please” hearing you beg was something he had only dreamed of, something he had only seen in his dreams when you’re squirming beneath him in desperation, or on your knees in front of him watching you struggle for breath as he chases his release.

“No…” he whispers in return. He lowers his gun and lifts you up roughly by your arm. As you are dragged to your feet you look at him in confusion, he could see the question in your eyes. Why? Why wasn’t he going to kill you? Looking around you see that the mass of pink guards no longer lines the hallway leaving just you and In-Ho alone. Your heart begins to race as you quickly assess your surroundings for an escape route. Unbeknownst to you In-Ho watches your every move. He notices which directions your eyes shoot to calculating your every move, just admiring you. Suddenly your eyes flick over to his and he regains his composure in just enough time to see you lift your other arm in an attempt to grab his gun from his hands. You manage to nudge the handle knocking it onto the floor but before you could reach down to grab it In-Ho grabs your arm twisting it behind your back and pushes you forcefully onto the wall, your face now pressed against it. You let out a yell of frustration causing a deep chuckle to erupt from In-Ho. You feel his breath on your ear as he reaches down to you.

“Are you done with your tantrum now Babygirl?” he whispers. You struggle against his grip wanting nothing more than to knock him out, but the other part of you wanted to run your hands through his hair, to bite his lip and to scream his name so the entire place knew who you belong to.

“Stop. Struggling” the strictness in his tone makes you freeze as a shiver runs own your spine. “Good…now I will let your arm go but you have to promise you won’t run and you won’t try to shoot me” you nod slowly, and he release your arm. You slowly turn to look at him and you suddenly realise how close he is. It takes all of your willpower to not wrap your hands around his neck and hug him, all you do is look up at him with the same betrayal in your eyes still lingering for him to see.

“did you enjoy seeing me break in-ho…did you enjoy tearing down my walls just to destroy me where it matters most….?” You question through teary eyes. He sighs

“I never wanted you to find out this way”

“So what? You were just going to keep it hidden? Keep me in the dark? You were going to let me stay behind knowing you were going to kill all of my friends…you were going to make me think I lost you?” you spit out in anger harshly pushing on his chest to create distance between you. In-Ho looks up at you in shock, he can feel his heart slowly crumbling and he now realises that this is all by his own doing.

“I…I” he struggles to answer, you scoff and roll your eyes

“Save it In-ho” He watches with wide eyes as you pick up a stray pistol lying on the floor slightly hidden beneath the arm of a fallen guard. You take off the safety and point the gun at In-Ho.

“Y/n…”

“Don’t! you don’t get to say my name…you were going to kill me In-Ho and for what? So that your precious games didn’t end?” You speak, your words feeling like poison to him, and for the first time you see tears escape his eyes. You lose composure for a second and lower your gun slightly, your heart aching at the sight of In-ho crying but then you remember all the innocent lives that had been taken because of him. Once again you point the gun at him, he lifts his hands up in surrender, but you don’t lower your gun. Moments pass and yet In-Ho still stood still, looking into your eyes silently pleading for you to lower the gun. In your mind and in your heart, you know that you don’t want to kill him, you know your heart couldn’t take losing him, but you want him to feel the pain he has caused so many others. Suddenly an idea comes into your head, and you lower the gun, sending him a small smile through the tears. He sighs in relief and takes a step towards you, freezing when you lift the gun up again,  this time place it against your temple.  His eyes harden and his breath hitches.

“Y/n No!”

[yangjungwonisms]

Sunday Blues- YJW

warnings: NSFW| MDNI 18+

It was Sunday night at approximately 9:30 pm, to anyone else that just meant that yet another weekend was ending. For you and your boyfriend though, it meant that he was going to have to leave you for the week soon. Because of how busy he was during the week, you two were only able to actually physically be together during the weekend. This made the little time you two spent together even more special. But you missed him like crazy when he was gone. You felt bad because you knew it was stressful for him to be apart from you as well. You could tell something was off with him the whole day, you brushed it off not thinking much about it. Jungwon on the other hand was dragging his feet. He knew that logically he needed to head home so he was well rested for the coming week ahead. Except, the more the day went on the more his resolve was slipping. He always hated leaving you, but lately it was killing him. Being away from you was more stressful than work was, he needed to be able to come home to you at the end of his days or else he was going to go crazy.

Jungwon had decided by 9 that night he wasn’t going home that night. In fact, he wasn’t even going to work at all during this week. He had ulterior motives for taking the week off. The main reason was he just wanted to spend time with you. It had been many months since he had gotten to see you during the week. All he craved during his busy days was your presence. You were his biggest source of comfort and even though you two talked on the phone during the day and then while getting ready for bed at night he needed more. You two had already been together for over 2 years and it only made sense to be living together. Before work got so busy he and you were practically living together anyways. He had been working up the courage to ask you to move in with him. He wasn’t even sure why you two weren’t living together yet. Financially, it would make sense but it just hadn’t occurred. He wasn’t sure why exactly he was in such a mood that day. He assumed it was probably because it was yet another day he would have to leave you. He hated leaving you alone, knowing that even though you scarcely brought it up you were just as affected by his absence and he was by yours. He was starting to get worried about how it might affect the future of your relationship. The entirety of the day, he couldn’t be away from you. It was like he couldn’t get enough of you. Not that you were complaining given that you felt pretty much the same.

You two had just finished cleaning up from dinner when you noticed what the time was. “Wonie, it’s almost 10 shouldn’t you get going”? You shouted to him from the other room. But when you looked back at him he merely moved to stand up and walk over to you. He embraced you from behind immediately nuzzling his face into your neck. “Oh yeah, about that. I’m not going home”. His reply was so nonchalant that you couldn’t help the laugh that slipped out of you. “Wonie, as much as I don’t want you to leave I really don’t want you to stay out too late when you have work in the morning”. At that he pulled your body closer to his letting out a frustrated sigh in the process. “Baby, don’t make me go. I can’t be away from you anymore. It hurts and I can’t do it anymore”. You felt your heart crack in half hearing how vulnerable he was being with you. “Oh, baby you know I don’t want you to go but what else can we do”? Jungwon felt a lightbulb go off in his head, he had been strategizing for weeks over when the best time to ask you would be, it was now. “You could move in with me”. He saw your eyes go wide, you felt kind of silly having never considered it all this time. It felt like such a simple solution to an otherwise difficult situation. You suppose you never wanted to get your hopes up. “Wait, are you serious”? You could tell he was dead serious but you still needed to hear him say it. “Oh baby, I’m so serious. Think about it, doesn’t it make more sense for us to live together? Atleast this way we get to see each other everyday. Think of all the fun we could have baby. Think of all the sex we could have. So much sex baby, come on please”. You hated to admit that the sex was a selling point. You two were plenty intimate in the little alone time you got, but you couldn't help but imagine how much fun it would be to be able to have each other whenever you wanted. “Shouldn’t we discuss this more won”. He knew he was going to have to work a little harder to convince you, fortunately he had been prepared for this exact thing.

Without another word he starts walking towards your bedroom pulling you to follow in tow. Once you had gotten into the room with him he was quick to close the door and push you up against it. He started an onslaught of dirty, wet kisses starting from the corner of your mouth moving down your neck leaving hickeys in his wake. He really wasn’t playing fair, because he knew the minute he started kissing you that the rest of your willpower would melt away. Only after he’s reduced you to a whimpering mess does he pull away. He walks away from you to stand in front of your mirror. He gestures for you to follow him over there. Once you heed his command he’s quick to settle himself directly behind you. He grabbed your chin tilting your head up to make eye contact with him in the mirror. “Pay attention to me baby”. At that his hands were all over you, making quick work of the bottoms you had on. Before he moved to do anything he brings two of his fingers up to your mouth. Without him even needing to tell you what to do, you take them into your mouth sucking on them just enough to get them wet. He moved his hand down your body at a torturously slow pace before he finally settled in between your legs. He doesn’t hesitate to ease both of his fingers into your cunt. He stills his movements for a minute allowing you time to get used to the stretch. He leans in ever so slightly, planting a small kiss on the shell of your ear before whispering “hm so good for me. You see what I’m doing right baby”? He paused expecting an answer from you but you were already too far gone. He moves to pull his hand out from in between your thigh earning a whine from you. “I expect you to answer me when I ask you a question baby. Rude girls don’t get fucked and you know that”. Mustering up every bit of concentration you have you answer “Mhm wonie, I see what you’re doing. Feels so good”. He seems appeased at that, continuing his movements immediately. “Could fuck you like this all the time if we lived together baby. You’d like that right”? Not wanting to give him any reason to stop touching you answer right away “Fuck, Jungwon I need you. Need you all the time. Wanna move in with you baby”. At that, he had gotten what he wanted, but he still felt like teasing you just a little bit more. “Hmm, you only wanna move in with me because you’re so cock hungry baby”. He was messing with you but you were so fucked out merely from his fingers that you couldn’t bring yourself to give a single shit about it. “No baby, wanna move in with you because I love you so much”. He knew he had you exactly where he wanted you. “Then prove it to me”.

With zero hesitation he pushes you down on your knees, he stands there staring at you expectantly as your hands move to start undoing his belt. Once you’ve taken his cock out of his pants and stroke him a few times you move to take him in your mouth, before you can do so he stops you “Gonna let me fuck your mouth baby”? He had a brief moment of nothing but pure fondness in his eyes reaching out to cradle your face “You’ll let me know if it’s too much okay”? Nodding your head you lean in to pepper kisses around the tip. It takes you a few minutes to take all of him in your mouth, stopping every couple of seconds to allow your breathing to even out. While you’re adjusting to him he takes the time to grab your hair into a makeshift ponytail. He starts thrusting in and out of your mouth at a shallow pace wanting to get used to the feeling of your mouth around him. It didn’t take long before he had both hands planted firmly in your hair while fucking your mouth at a faster pace. After about 10 minutes of holding himself back his demeanor was starting to slip. “Oh fuck baby. Fuck so good for me like always. Making me feel so loved right now watching you choke on me like this princess”. The closer he was to finishing the more erratic his breathing got. “Oh fuck baby, gonna make me cum. Gonna cum in your mouth and you’re gonna take it all”. Within seconds he was a moaning mess holding your head in place fucking himself through his orgasm.

He’s quick to get you off in a similar way, opting to push you down onto the bed and holding your hips down while going down on you. He makes you cum twice in the span of 10 minutes, knowing how close you were from when he was finger fucking you earlier. Once he has successfully gotten you off you think you’re finally going to get some rest. But you thought wrong because as soon as Jungwon moves out from between your thighs he crawls up to you on the bed. You can feel by the slow way he’s grinding onto your bare pussy that he’s nowhere near done with you. For a second you two just mindlessly hump each other easily getting worked back up. You were so caught up in how good you felt when you feel Jungwon push into you and bottom out immediately. Normally he takes a second to calm himself down so he wouldn’t cum right away. Today, he didn’t care about that, he needed to fuck you. The vigor in which he starts fucking into you has you seeing stars. You can’t do anything except hold onto him for dear life as he pounds into you at lightning speed. You know how worked up he is by how high pitched his moans were getting. “It’s good yeah baby”? You truly can’t respond, too fucked out by how hard your boyfriend is fucking you. “fuck me harder won please. Need it harder baby”. Instead of responding he repositions you, grabbing your legs and locking them behind his back. He takes a second steadying himself on the headboard before he’s fucking you so hard the headboard is quite literally banging into the wall with abandon. Maybe it was a good thing you were moving because you were sure your neighbors were going to be filing noise complaints after this. There were no more words spoken between you two until he reaches his orgasm barely pulling out of you in time to finish all over your stomach. By the end of it, he was moaning louder than you were, and he teased you for being loud. There’s no way you’d ever let him live this down.

It always amazed you how quickly he could switch back to his sweet and soft demeanor after having just committed such lewd acts. Despite all of what you two had just done, you still weren’t sure where you stood with moving in with him. He must feel the same because you both go to speak at the same time. You concede, allowing him the opportunity to speak first. “I really do wanna live with you baby. It’s the next big step in our relationship before marriage and I think we’re ready, don’t you”? You couldn’t have said it better yourself. “Okay baby, let’s do it. Let’s move in together”. Jungwon was so thrilled you agreed to move in with him that it took every ounce of self control he had to keep himself from starting to pack your things up then and there. You are only able to get him to hold off by promising him you’d both take the week off work and get moved in with each other as soon as possible. Despite all of that he had somehow convinced you to come back to his place with him. His reasoning was that he wanted you to feel as comfortable as you could since that was your place now too. You saw right through it, the real reason he wanted you to come back with him was so he could show you all of the places he wanted to fuck you once you moved in. He was even nice enough to give you a sneak peek in almost every room of the house. Let’s just say it was an exhausting evening for the two of you.

[honeysghost]

A fragment of something that's been sitting in my drafts for a month now :3 The immediate moment after Porter left Treasure in the most dramatic way he could (it's literally only 300 words. half-baked rambling)

I'll finish it soon, but for now I liked it how it was. I'm just trying to get back into writing atp, so anything will do!

Cool air sinks into their bones as they stand in the doorway, frozen.

They’d have half a mind to call him and pick another fight for leaving the door open when he left, so eager to keep running, to keep hiding—afraid.

This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to end. They just had to keep pushing, didn’t they? They couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Five minutes had passed since he left, and still they stood right where he’d left them. What were they waiting for? Him to come back? 

They close the door. He wouldn’t.

“Stupid,” Treasure mumbles to themselves—and it was. God, it was. 

He had warned them, of course, the moment he walked through the door. “I’m not sure I’ll be the best company,” he said, “maybe we should wait until tomorrow.”

Had they really been so blind? They couldn’t read the writing on the wall if it was an inch in front of them.

It was one thing, that first night when he’d charmed them at the bar, eager to pry them away from their friends, shitty as they might be—and they’d followed, so willing to give in, no questions asked. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

It hurt. Everything, all the time, hurt. For the year they had known each other, all Treasure knew when they were with Porter was that it didn’t hurt. He’d offered them a brief bit of respite from all the heartbreak, the shitty friends that never gave them half of what they deserved, and they took it. 

Being with him felt easy. Even if he never let them in, if he kept them at arms length, they sought comfort in his body, his presence, and it was enough… Until it wasn’t.

When they’d made things official, Treasure thought that meant they would get to know him. In all his damaged glory, he was all they wanted. Mind, body, and soul.

Maybe they’d been so blinded by the knight-in-shining-armor act that they’d forgotten he’d shown them exactly who he was already.

They were alone again, and it hurt.

[freedelusionshere]

Totally agree about S4 needing to be Syd’s POV, her thought processes in particular. About what has happened to her and what is happening now to inform the choices she will make going forward.

I had just rewatched that scene as well! (For different reasons, trying to figure out what she was making and if Carmy was trying to draw it in Aplolgies.)

But, to your previous point about slowing things down. Tina and Syd are up past 1:00 AM working on this dish and it took several steps for Syd to not be wasteful which meant slowing it down. Tina is having fun but is tired and wants to wrap it up. Syd goes all in to her own detriment! (Her dad brings this up as well about “the thing”).

After the S2 finale, Carmy tells her he left her alone and it will never happen again. Syd was out throwing up in the alley and having flashbacks of the tickets coming out. It was massively stressful (it also mirrors Carmy telling Sug he threw up before service but “kinda liked it”. I don’t think Syd does at all.)

She did it without him. He makes good on not leaving her alone in S3, but speeds everything up even more. He even yells things aren’t happening fast enough. Because he’s known for being the fastest at this kind of stuff, it shows him in flashback and how Luca admired it and Shapiro couldn’t keep up. He ends up breaking himself and Syd plays it cool but we know on the inside she’s not okay, either.

Carmy couldn’t be Chef David, thankfully. But what is he without being “the best” and having people look to him? I don’t think he knows yet.

Syd is obviously “the one “, and he needs to come through on the commitment he made to her in S1 and collaborate with her.

We really need to know why Syd is putting up with this. And while Carmy fucks up, that can’t all go on him, she knows what she’s doing and calls herself his accomplice.

We know she’s drawn to the idea of a bigger family and that Carmy inspired her, but I know they’re going to make Syd prioritize what she wants from this in S4. Syd takes care of her dad. Syd takes care of everyone but Syd.

What my shipper heart wants of course is for Carmy to wake the fuck up and realize that taking care of Syd will give him a different kind of meaningful purpose, and that taking care of people and community together will heal them both.

Self-care in community and what that looks like versus individualism? Marcus and Tina are showing growing and able to take on more. Do Carmy or Syd have to do it all? The restaurant Elske featured on the show is closed for a Winter break right now.

When the mentor is a lesson: we all deserve respect

Prior to season 3 of The Bear, I wrote Lessons from a mentor: every second counts about the parallels between Sydney and Chef Andrea Terry. While we don't spend much time with Chef Terry in The Bear, its clear that she is presented as a foil to Chef David Fields who appears throughout seasons 1-3 as one of Carmy's main abusers and an antagonist on the show.

Given Sydney's clear parallels with Fields' foil, Chef Terry, I've been thinking about contrasts made by the show between Sydney and Chef Fields and how these serve to highlight the path that Carmy should be choosing as EC of The Bear.

For me, the primary differences between Syd and Fields have to do with respect, namely who and what is worthy of it. Below are some specific contrasts made in the course of seasons 1 to 3 between the two of them in this regard:

Wasting food, time and labour

The wasting of food encouraged by Chef David Fields is seen most starkly in season 3.

Above: Chef Fields getting Carmy to bin exorbitant amounts of food he deems not perfect (screenshots from 3x01 Tomorrow).

Sydney knows that you shouldn’t waste food. In season 1, we saw her refusing to throw out her cola-braised short ribs even though Carmy’s view was that the dish wasn’t ready for service. Instead, Sydney gives her extra plate to a patron at The Beef, so that her food does not go to waste.

Above: Carmy cock-blocking Syd's dish from service and Sydney not letting it go to waste (screenshots from 1x06 Ceres). Below: Syd explaining to Carmy why her spare dish ended up with a patron.

So what does avoiding food waste have to do with respect? In giving the extra plate of her ribs to a patron, Sydney showed respect for the time and labour she invested in developing and cooking her dish. She is also showing respect for the labour and resources that went into growing its ingredients: the cow that would ultimately become the beef short rib (a single cow can take approximately 17,520 pounds of feed, 33,160 litres of water and 1-2 years to raise before its fit for slaughter), the rice that had to be sewn, grown and harvested before it turned into risotto, the aromatics like garlic, onion and carrot that make up the base of the sauce and stock, which take months to grow in the first place. I know the phrase "do you think X just grows on trees?" is meant to indicate something that is freely available, but any person who's successfully grown anything edible will tell you that it takes time, effort and work for that fruit to grow.

Below: picking cucumbers and strawberries at my in-laws' place. My father-in-law is a resolute gardener and tends to his fruit and veggie beds everyday: weeding, applying his own homemade compost, fending off pests, harvesting, irrigating... growing food is no joke!

When Fields and Carmy insist on throwing out dishes that aren’t “perfect”, they devalue all of the above. In an instant, they erase the months - in some cases years - that were given to create ingredients. They make invisible the creative energy, time and even love that went into developing the dishes in the first place. They also contribute to a work culture where the jump between devaluation of labour and time, to devaluation of workers themselves is small and ever-shrinking.

Devaluation of people

Once you start devaluing workers - the people themselves - you are well on your way to cementing a fascist work culture.

A precise definition of fascism is hard to pin down and its meaning differs slightly depending on who you speak to. Generally speaking, fascism is marked by dictatorial or autocratic control by a single leader, suppression of opposition, vehement fear and policing of difference (which makes fascist regimes almost always racist ones), and subsequent glorification of the nation over the individual (this nationalism is also almost always tied up with race). Does this all sound familiar? It should. There's a certain orange cheeto and his horde of ghouls that have recently done this fascist dance right into a second term at the White House.

But I digress. Back to The Bear.

Chef David's kitchen at Empire was a fascist one. He ran it like a dictator. He did not allow his staff to share any views on the food that differed from his own (recall him mocking Carmy for even taking the time to silently think about Fields' completely changing his paupiette of hamachi dish in 3x01 Tomorrow: "Just take your time thinking about that. Just wait longer for that to process."). He had such disregard and disdain for his staff that he did not hesitate to kick a chef out of his kitchen over a broken sauce (recall 1x02 Hands) or tell Carmy that he "should be dead" in the same episode. You can't get much more dehumanising than this shit.

Below: Chef Fields being a heinous, abusive POS (screenshot from 1x02 Hands)

Given the close relationship between fascism and racism, its no wonder that aspects of white supremacy culture also leech into Chef David's kitchen. I've written here about the role of whiteness in Carmy’s racialisation as an Italian-American man. That meta also discusses Tema Okun’s work on white supremacy culture and how it manifests in organisations and workplaces. Okun noted the below identifying characteristics of organisational, white supremacist culture, including (but not limited to):

perfectionism;

either/or & binary thinking; and

a sense of urgency.

In The Bear, these characteristics are on full display at Empire (as well as in Carmy's kitchen in The Bear during season 3). This is so much the case that Carmy has sense of urgency tattooed across his knuckles (in the form of "SOU").

In contrast, Sydney was the first to advocate for a change in how they run things at The Beef. She wanted to break from the abusive patterns she had experienced in the past working at fine dining establishments and she asserts this all the way back in 1x03 Brigade during that alley chat between her and Carmy (which is still my favourite scene between the two of them - yes even more than them screwing under that wonky table with nothing wrong with it lmao).

Unlike Fields, Sydney recognises the humanity in her coworkers. She does not devalue them. She encourages them to take their time and get things right.

Below left: Fields terrorising Carmy to "go faster motherfucker" (screenshot from 1x02 Hands). Below right: Sydney gently reassuring Tina as she adjusts to working as a sous chef "Take your time, chef" (screenshot from 3x03 Doors).

Where Chef Fields refuses to compromise on a dish, Sydney provides suggestions to help her team improve on ideas that they've come up with themselves. Recall how Fields dismisses Carmy's hamachi, zucchini and blood orange dish (before stealing it himself) in 3x01 Tomorrow. In 3x05 Children, Sydney spots Tina working on a cauliflower and brussel sprout dish and instead of berating her about the dish or her technique, she listens to Tina's thoughts about wanting to support a local grower and offers a suggestion for how she might change her plating. In short, where Chef Fields dictates, Sydney collaborates. The former refuses to recognise - to respect - the people he works with and their ideas while the latter does the opposite: she recognises her coworkers as whole human beings worthy of respect and encourages them to think independently, nurturing the ideas they bring with them to work.

Below left: Fields turning Carmys' dish three shades of beige in 3x01 Tomorrow. Below right: Sydney mentoring Tina (your honour, I love them) in 3x05 Children.

Sydney's deep care for her team is never more apparent than in her concern for Marcus, particularly after his mother's death. She takes the time after a supremely chaotic Friends and Family night to not only support Carmy but to also call Marcus and check in on him. Sydney is the only one on the team to enquire after Marcus' welfare the following morning (when everyone else was too busy asking about fucking Claire /vom) and she takes the time to help Marcus when it comes time for him to sort through his mother's belongings.

Below left: Sydney calling Marcus to let him know he has The Bear's support (screenshot from 3x01 Tomorrow). Below middle: Sydney asking the only question I actually wanted the crew to answer following Friends and Family (screenshot from 3x02 Next). Below right: Sydney and Marcus watch on as removalists take his mother's furniture out of his home (screenshot from 3x05 Children)

Contrast the above with Carmy's experience of grief while at work at Empire under Chef Fields. Fields had created such a culture of fear in his kitchen that when Carmy finds out about Mikey's death at work, it appears that he tells no one and continues cooking. He even apparently burns his hand but continues to work through it (he has no gloves on before the call from Natalie in 3x01 Tomorrow but is seen wearing a glove on one hand as he plates Sydney's favourite dish following the call).

Below left: Carmy's hands, plating hamachi with fennel soubise before he finds out Mikey has died. Below right: A grief-stricken Carmy continues to work with a gloved right hand as he deviates from Chef Field's orders and retakes his hamachi dish (screenshots from 3x01 Tomorrow).

No one should have to work under the conditions that Carmy did at Empire. They were abusive, toxic and ultimately, in Carmy's words, "made [him] very, probably mentally ill." This is fascism: where people are treated as cogs in service of the machine - replicants (as Richie likes to call them - see @freedelusionshere reblog of Chaos and Consistency for more on this) that serve no other function than churning out products for consumption: their grief, their love, their humanity be damned.

In You love taking care of people: Fine Dining in the Time of Late Stage Capitalism, I wrote about how colonialism and the wealth it generated gave colonising nation-states the time and resources to develop food cultures that they would then proclaim as the epitome of global "fine dining." Colonialism itself was (and continues to be) driven by racist dehumanisation: the devaluing of Indigenous and Global South peoples to the point that they could be used as slave labour and their resources stolen. Colonialism's dehumanisation also necessarily involved devaluation of the cultures of the colonised, including their foodways. This is another point of difference between Chef Fields and Sydney.

Devaluation of foodways

I don't think its a coincidence that the writers of this show had Chef FIelds turn Carmy's hamachi dish into literally the whitest plate I've seen on The Bear. I've noted here that originally, the plate featured the colours of the Italian flag (green, white and red) - indicative of Carmy's culinary ancestry - but that gets wiped and replaced by whiteness once Fields swoops in and steals the dish. I think this was a deliberate choice by the writers to indicate Fields' allegiance to the old guard of fine dining - where the food cultures of white Europeans are valorised above all else (and before you say anything, yes Italians are racialised as white but that hasn't always been the case - see my meta here on this).

The show then makes purposeful distinctions between Fields' preferences and views as compared to Sydney's when it comes to food. Some notable examples are below:

Chef Fields hates black pepper - the spice that Christopher Columbus was trying to find in India and which ended up sending him to the Americas instead. Sydney loves pepper. It features in her cola-braised short ribs as well as in a recipe she was workshopping during 1x08 Braciole.

Above left: Sydney's recipe for cola-braised short ribs includes 1tsp of black pepper. (screenshot from 1x08 Braciole). Above middle: Carmen on Fields’ hatred of the most commonly traded spice in the world: “He hates black pepper for some reason I'll never understand.” (Screenshot from 3x10 Forever). Above right: Sydney's notebook as she workshops a recipe at home in 1x08 Braciole: “more…pepper?”

We also see Fields berating Carmy for the number of components he has in an early version of the hamachi dish in 3x01 Tomorrow. He dismissively compares the dish to nachos. This bullshit rubbed me so furiously the wrong way because of its racism and classism. Nachos were created in the 1940s in northern Mexico, near the border and are now ubiquitous in America as an affordable and much loved snack. The original dish featured fried corn tortilla chips, Colby cheese and pickled jalapenos - a mix of ingredients that have their origins in Indigenous food cultures, as well as Mexico and the United States, reflecting the nature of cultural exchange at the border (there is also the fact that that border was imposed on communities that were already established in the region. i.e. they didn't cross the border, the border crossed them). The original nacho dish also uses ingredients that were economically affordable. This remains the case today.

So when Fields compares Carmy's dish to nachos, what he's implying is that the food is "common" and not elevated or refined enough to be served by Empire. This sentiment has its roots in a history of racism and classism. In Colonization, Food and the Practice of Eating, Dr Linda Alvarez notes that when the Spanish colonised the Americas, they considered Indigenous foods - like tortillas - "famine food" - to only be consumed if European food was not available to eat.

Above: Chef David Fields being a racist and classist sack of shit (screenshot from 3x01 Tomorrow).

In stark contrast to Fields' bullshit is Sydney who loves and respects food, period: whether its being served at Empire or Michael Jordan's Steakhouse. Recall her chat with Marcus in 1x08 Braciole and her wish to open a spot that would make the second-best bacon on Earth (because, well, how could she unseat Jordan? lol).

Below: Sydney and Marcus chatting about her dream spot (screenshots from 1x08 Braciole)

So, in conclusion:

Chef Fields is a fascist, regarded with no love by anyone (as far as we've been shown on The Bear anyway). Sydney is not a fascist. She gives grace and respect wherever she can. She honours people in their wholeness. So be like Sydney and resist fascism: in your homes, in your workplaces and in your government. Now, more than ever.

[tanjir0se]

Love Me Mercilessly Ch 21–The Ocean

Giyuu awakens.

The thrilling kind of conclusion to my months-long Sanegiyuu fugue state! Full chapter up NOW on AO3 and of course a sneak peek below!

“Genya—!” Tanjiro whispered fiercely, wiggling against Genya’s arms around him. “Genya, wake up!” Genya groaned and peeked one eye open.

“Huh?”

“I think Giyuu-san is awake!” Tanjiro said, wiggling harder. Genya unraveled his arms from around him and picked his head up to listen to the muffled voices of their brothers. Tanjiro was already throwing his legs over the side of the cot.

“Um, Tanjiro, I think maybe—”

“Giyuu-san!” Tanjiro practically tripped over himself on his way out of the adjacent room and back to the foyer. Genya threw off his blankets and followed. Both stopped dead once they made it to the doorway.

Sanemi had pulled back and looked into Giyuu’s face, still holding on tightly to both sides of it.

“He’s okay. Everybody’s okay.” Sanemi whispered. He could feel the eyes of the meager few Kakushi on them, could feel the boys at their backs. He didn’t care. His previous plan of patiently listening to what it was Giyuu had had to say, like he should have known would happen to all his plans from here on out, was no match for the pain, the bliss of seeing Giyuu’s beautiful blue eyes open and alive again.

Giyuu blinked and tried to sit up, recalling Sanemi leaning down over him at the battlefield, drawing him up into his lap. Now, Sanemi’s eyes were wide, tearful, wild, as beautiful as they were then. Giyuu opened his mouth. In case I die, I need to tell you…

READ THE FULL CHAPTER NOW AND CRY WITH ME !!!!!!!

[dulcescorderitas]

the pounding of the hammer against the metal door echoed through the bunker like thunder, each strike rattling your bones. sam was shouting at you, his voice sharp and panicked as he wrestled with the electrical lock, trying to secure it before dean could break through.

“you need to hide,” sam yelled, his face pale and slick with sweat. “get somewhere safe. now!”

but you couldn’t. the look in sam’s eyes was pleading, but all you could think about was the fury blazing behind dean’s black eyes on the other side of that door. the mark of cain had twisted him, brought out the darkest parts of him, and now he was a demon. you couldn’t leave sam to face him alone, not like this.

“i’m not going anywhere,” you shot back, your voice shaking as you pressed your weight against the door, trying to help sam buy just a few more seconds. “i’m not letting him kill you, sam.”

the hammer slammed again, the metal buckling inward with a sickening groan. you flinched, but your hands stayed firm against the door.

“just…” sam’s voice cracked as he twisted the locking mechanism. “distract him if he gets through. keep him focused on you. i’ll… i’ll figure something out.”

“sam—”

before you could argue, the hammer came down again, and this time the door gave way, tearing open with a deafening crash. and there he was—dean. but not the dean you knew. this wasn’t your dean with his cocky grin and warm, teasing eyes. this was something darker, something cruel. the demon wearing dean’s skin grinned at you, the hammer dripping with fresh dents and rage.

“well, well,” he drawled, stepping through the ruined doorway, his eyes black as coal. “ain’t this cozy? you two planning a little slumber party without me?”

you stepped in front of sam instinctively, your heart hammering in your chest. “dean,” you said, your voice shaking but steady enough. “you don’t want to do this.”

he cocked his head, amused. “oh, sweetheart, you don’t get to tell me what i want. not anymore.”

the hammer swung in a wide arc, and you barely had time to duck, pulling sam down with you as it smashed into the wall. debris rained down, and you coughed, trying to clear your head as dean turned to you with that cold, predatory look.

“come on,” you said, forcing a shaky smile as you stepped toward him. “you don’t want sam. you want me, right? let’s… talk. just you and me.”

his gaze flicked to sam, who was already scrambling to his feet, and then back to you. he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “i always did like it when you begged,” he said, his voice dripping with venom, the mark of cain practically pulsing with dark energy.

sam took the moment of distraction to grab the knife he’d stashed behind the table, but dean’s sharp gaze caught the movement. the hammer came up again, and you screamed as it swung down, stopping just short of sam’s head when he pressed the knife to his own throat.

“stop!” sam shouted, his voice shaking but firm. “i swear to god, dean, i’ll do it. i’ll end this right here if i have to.”

“you wouldn’t,” dean sneered, but there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. just a flicker.

that’s when you moved, stepping between them and throwing your arms around dean, pressing yourself against his chest. “dean, please,” you whispered, your voice trembling. “it’s me. you’re still in there. i know you are.”

his body stiffened under your touch, the hammer trembling in his hand. “get off me,” he growled, but his voice faltered, the black in his eyes flickering like a dying flame. the mark’s influence was strong, but you had to believe he was stronger.

“i’m not letting go,” you said, holding him tighter. “not until you stop. not until you… come back to me.”

behind you, sam moved cautiously, his knife still poised, ready. and then there was the faint rustle of wings, and you felt the shift in the air before you saw him. cas.

“now, cas!” sam barked.

in an instant, cas was there, his hand pressing against dean’s forehead, the power of the angel’s grace flaring bright and fierce. dean roared, the sound raw and inhuman, his body bucking against you as you held on for dear life.

and then, just as suddenly, it was over. dean’s body went limp, his head dropping to your shoulder, and the black faded from his eyes, leaving only green. familiar, beautiful green.

“y/n?” he croaked, his voice hoarse and broken.

“i’m here,” you whispered, your fingers brushing through his hair as you held him close. “i’ve got you, dean. we’ve got you.”

sam exhaled a shaky breath, lowering the knife, and cas stepped back, his expression unreadable but his presence steadying. the bunker was a mess, the air heavy with what had just happened, but dean was here, alive, and himself again. for now, that was enough.

taglist: @iloveeveryoneyoureamazing @legalmente-loca @bluemerakis @whisperingdaze

[insanechayne]

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