#I hope I explained my reasons well because I am a dork who doesn’t like giving misunderstandings because I do not mean any harm

[emily-mooon]

Nancy for blorbo bingo!

(Incoherent screaming)

Also thank you for asking!

[talenlee]

Gaylors, Apes, Qanon And That Person You Hate

Sometimes when I’m talking with people about the weird kind of behaviours of cults, I try to draw comparisons to things in the real world they might be familiar with. Then it turns out that actually, most people aren’t familiar with these things either because the people I explain these ideas to are typically not brain-poisoned terminally online gigaweirdoes who research online cult behaviour.

When I use the word ‘cult’ in this context, I am referring specifically to the notion of a community that has:

Claims of special revelation

Tightly patrolled social boundaries

A self-enforcing resistance to correction

I won’t go too deep into these three traits, but suffice to say anyone who’s going to try and @ me about using this term when it’s used to persecute I dunno, the Shakers, I will politely tell you to fuck all the way off to the moon. But you might notice my definition doesn’t require any kind of religious or spiritual definition, and I consider that important. Cults can form around all sorts of things, and while charismatic leaders who want to fuck their flock are an obvious lightning rod for attention, there are other ways cults can form. Sometimes, they can form around people who not only don’t know who they are, but want nothing to do with them.

Let’s start with a simple one that’s borne out of what feels like a specialised kind of internet wishful thinking, but is reasonably harmless when you set aside the actual homophobia involved. Gaylors are a community of people who believe that the billionaire pop star and most successful mid artist in the history of successful mid artists, Taylor Swift, is secretly a big ole queer, and she’s being kept from expressing herself by her wealthy handlers.

The rationale for this is through secret readings of her lyrics. It involves taking the text of a bunch of songs and then interpreting them as being about something much deeper and more intricate than they are. This seems to me to be a very natural impulse because broadly speaking Taylor Swift seems to produce songs that are as complex as I Heart You while all filtered through the persona of the most thin-skinned petty white girl you’ve ever met. Consider off her recent album:

You wouldn’t last an hour In the asylum where they raised me

Consider: Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas Tree farm, which she described as ‘the most magical childhood.’ This isn’t about how she was raised. This is probably her describing the attention she gets and how hard it is to be the most successful artist in the world and also a billionaire. To which I say: You can fucking stop any time, Taylor.

But what if you like Taylor Swift’s perfectly tolerable music and don’t like feeling like you have the tastes of a part-time mall hairdresser? Well, you do what any other overly-invested dork does when they realise they have to share common space in media with people they disdain, and you invent wild and elaborate theories about how it’s actually deeper than that, mom, and those fans don’t get it.

To this, we have a community who recognise the social cachet of liking queer art who then decide if you don’t have interesting queer art from outsider creators, why not just pretend the stuff you already liked was actually secretly queer art! These people then spend their time combing over lyrics to share with one another the hypothetical hope that they’re dealing with an incredibly interesting person who sends them cryptic messages rather than… that.

This is an example of this kind of information cult that is, in my opinion, largely harmless except in the way that they are people being assholes about their fandom in common spaces. They are absolutely engaging in a self-confirming group delusion; I think when Taylor Swift tells you to stop speculating about her sexuality, and you respond with ‘what she really means is,’ you’re absolutely just being a dickhead and anyone not already heavily invested in the secret communal truth can tell.

Anyway, onto people who are ruining their family’s lives.

In January 2021, a Stock Market Thingy happened. There are documentaries, explainers, guides and at least one major movie about it, and the actual thing that happened is something you can spend a lot of time learning about and shouldn’t fucking bother with. It’s as complicated as you want to discover but the core of what it is is that if you invested before January 2021, you could have made a lot of money, if you got out before the money machine broke. That’s usually where the story ends, where get a load of this, a lot of normal people who aren’t The Stock Market Boys successfully did a stock market thing, hooray, capitalism has successes in it, and maybe things are great.

Anyway, a lot of those people who we talk about as having successfully manipulated the stock market didn’t, and instead were left, after the point where they could make money, as now merely ‘investors’ in a company called Gamestop that isn’t very good and isn’t going to make much money. And these people have, collectively, decided with a lot of Reddit style ‘positive vibes only’ as expressed by the kind of ‘I love science’ brain ding dongs, that in fact, that wasn’t even the real thing and the real thing is going to happen later. Any day now.

What results from this is that now there is a community of extremely hostile weirdoes who are convinced that if they just keep buying Gamestop shares, no matter what, that they are going to wind up becoming rich on the scale of the downfall of the entire economic system of the United States and maybe the world. I use the term ‘GME Apes’ for these people, because they use monkey imagery and it relates to the stock code for gamestop. They use other terms for one another that I don’t want to repeat in common conversation.

It is a cult complete with its insular secret revelation, its own socially patrolled boundaries, and its own rituals that reinforce that behaviour. And while with the Gaylors, they’re mostly being annoying on lyrics meanings sites and social media, this is people spending money, money from their jobs and family, to prop up the stock price of a company that not only doesn’t care about them but will never reward them for their hopeful behaviour.

You can go your entire life without interacting with these people. But if you work at say, a Gamestop, there’s a nonzero chance you’ve had someone walk into the business to lecture you about it. The thing that really concerns me are the members of this community who keep it hidden from their families and spend shared funds. And also there’s the way that this cult is compatible with other conspiracy cults that tend to wind up just straight up mainlining antisemitism.

Oh hi Qanon, what are you doing here?

The Qanon movement is a legitimate component of modern American political discourse that serves to manufacture and test-bed ideas that can then be laundered into ‘common wisdom’ that other more mainstream sources then repeat. Sometimes it’s old news, sometimes it’s new things – they’re responsible for catapulting ‘adrenochrome’ into the common dictionary, for example.

The idea at the heart of Qanon is this: There is a special level of clearance above all the things you’ve heard of, inside the US Government and a secret agent named Q is using an anonymous internet forum to share information that nobody has. When Q started out, it was a creative fiction, a LARP of sorts, which tried to explain that not only was Donald Trump exactly what the awful fans wanted to be, but the only reason things weren’t happening the way he wanted to wasn’t because the real world is boring and procedural and Donald Trump was a big dumb loser and liar and failure of a human just the absolute worst kind of dude, just the sheer idea of ‘America’ in the worst possible form of it, poured into a sack and made into a person. Uh where was I. Anyway, yeah, Q forwarded the fiction of a secret hidden state with a bunch of secret players and code words and so on was doing things.

The fantasy that Q offered is ‘what if things weren’t boring and disappointing, but instead interesting and exciting in the dumbest possible way.’ And there’s a conversation about the way that Q kind of restructures a modern understanding of what a cult is. After all, one of the common traits described in a cult is a charismatic leader. Under conventional models where a cult is something an individual twists around themselves, it’s easy to see that Qanon fails because the closest thing it has to a leader is the one person who isn’t involved in it: Donald Trump.

Instead, Qanon is a bubble of basically, Qinfluencers who are, I cannot stress this enough, absolute bozos and losers. They are people who inevitably have no actual things to recommend them as being actually good at or impressed with things, and they’re essentially monetising being dungeonmasters for rooms full of some of the most forgiving players ever. But Qanon doesn’t need to be good it needs to be shareable. It’s a social media cult in the purest way, where things are broken down into either shareable ideas that express disgust and rage with an outsider, or something that expresses joy and reassurance at the insider.

It is a pure meme swarm, coalescing not around what is coherent, but what complies with the immediate needs. You can watch conspiracy thinking in action through the whole mess, as each individual idea that gets expressed suddenly and immensely gets addressed with an ad-hoc excuse that may or may not actually address it and may even be explicitly contradictory of what was just said. There is nothing to this that can be true, but it doesn’t matter, because it’s supposed to feel right.

There are other examples. Consider that there are communities focused on attempting to determine some secret truth or investigating the ‘real’ genders of people, or of trying to determine the crime or fault of a streamer, and where any information that confirms or denies the conspiracy is seen as just more proof of the conspiracy.

This creates a literal cult environment; people who believe they have some special insight into their own enforced and demanded truth and where anything the subject does or doesn’t do cannot change that. You might well know the names of some people who are subjected to this kind of community. There are some people who you may only know exist thanks to the cult hating them making actual content that packages their belief to a general audience.

Maybe think about that?

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[luimagines]

Hey, could we get the boys kissing the reader please?

Masterlist

Absolutely!

If the reader gets to give the boys kisses, it's only fair that they get kisses in return!

Fair warning, these are more or less platonic.

Content under the cut!

Twilight

“Twilight I think I died.” You blurt out one day.

Twilight stops what he was doing and tilts his head on your direction. “Run that by me again?”

“This is all a dream isn’t it?” You gulp and pull your hair a bit to feel something. “Did I die? Am I dying? How do I know you’re real?”

Twilight pauses and puts his things down. He walks toward you and puts his hands on your shoulders. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“Before I met you, I got hurt...bad... And I had a dream.” You say.

Twilight then bends down and kisses you nose.

The action stuns you and you blink in an attempt to process the absurdity of it.

“Did that ever happen in your dream?” Twilight bites his lip to keep himself from smiling. This was supposed to be serious- you might have been having a crisis.

“No?” You answer with a small child like shake to your head.

“Then you’re not dreaming.” Twilight answers simply.

“Is that how that would work?” You reply.

“Do you want it to?”

“Yes.” You nod and walk with Twilight to help him out with his earlier chores. “I don’t like thinking of the alternative.”

“It’s you’re dreaming I’m sure our group is more than wiling to find ways to induce your awakening.”

“Like what?”

“Throw you off a cliff? Set you on fire? Get the cuccos nice and angry-”

“I’ll take your method over that thank you very much.”

Wind

“It can’t be that bad.” You roll your eyes and put your hand son your hips. “Why do you hate it so much?”

“It’s the principle of the thing.” Wind explained. “If I went back home and they found out I did this, I would never be able to live it down.”

“Would you do it for a Scooby Snack?” You ask instead with a teasing grin on your lips.

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Is that a yes or a no?”

“Please don’t make me.” Wind whines. “I’d do anything.”

“If it’s any consolation, it’s not my idea either.” You sigh and cross your arms instead. “But the faster we do it the faster we can get it over with. It’s not like we have to talk about it ever again.”

“No please-” Wind gets onto his knee, saying your name and crawling to you that way. “-You’re my last hope. Don’t let this be the end of it.”

“Now you’re just being dramatic.”

Wind grabs your hands places a clumsy kiss on your fingers as he pleads. “Can’t it be anyone else? Please! Please, please please please please!”

“Oh my goodness! OK! I’ll go talk to Time and Twilight and see if we can get Legend to do it or something.”

“Yeeees.”

Hyrule

“My everything hurts.” You whined and rolled over, grasping your side in a vain attempt to relieve the pressure there. “Was I stabbed? I feel like I was stabbed.”

“You were, in fact, not stabbed.” Hyrule kneels by your side and lifts your hand to access the wounded area a bit better. “But you did land really harshly on the rock below us. So try to take it easy for a minute, ok? We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

“Who is this we you speak of?” You sigh as the pain lessens and take a deep breath, trying to sit yourself up. “I just see you.”

“Yeah, Wild is on his way over, so it’s about to be we.” Hyrule snickers.

“I see... Thank you ‘Rulie.” You smile a bit and loosen up your muscles. “How did I even fall to begin with?”

“Bad bomb placement.”

“Ah.” You say, as if that answers your question. “Well that explains everything then.”

Hyrule looks up at you and sees your face. “You’ll be ok.”

“I mean I hope so.” You shrug and Hyrule leans in to place a small kiss on your forehead.

“Wha-”

“Magic enhancer. Good for one extra minute of healing time.”

“You’re a dork.”

“You love it.”

Warrior

“I hate this.” You groaned as you walked through the dungeon. “Why are we here again?”

“Because we have a mission to clear the darkness and this is a hotspot. We clear this area and then we can move on to the next until we’re all done.” Warrior shrugs, fully understanding the sentiment but not wanting to ruin his reputation.

“This suuuuucks.”

“I knoooow.” He snickers.

“You’re making fun of me but I know you feel the same way.” You tilt your head back and look at him by shifting your eyes.

“Yeah but you don’t see me complaining.”

You groan louder in response, purely out of spite at this point and shove him slightly by the shoulder.

“Is there anything I can do to make it better?” Warrior asked teasingly.

“I want a sick prize at the end.”

“I can wager in a kiss.”

“Not from you.”

“No?” Warrior laughs louder and spin on his heel, walking backwards as he talks to you just a little ways ahead from where you are. “Am I not worth enough?”

“I have only the highest of standards.” You deadpan. 

“I’ll have you know that my kisses are completely worth it.” Warrior twirls his hand upwards for fan fair.

“Doubt it.”

“I’ll prove it.”

“Doubt it.” You grin.

Warrior rolls his eyes but lets you catch up to him before leaning over suddenly and kissing on your hair line.

“Cheap shot.” You snort and push him away. “You’ll have to do harder than that. I bet the prize at the end is cooler anyway.”

“Tough crowd.”

Time

“Time, would you be a dear and help me out with one little thing?” You called out, fighting one of the knots that kept your bag to Epona’s side but Twilight was no where to be found so it’s not like he could help you.

Time looked up and saw you struggling with the bag and the rope that held it in place. An amused smile crossed his face and he got up to make his way over to you.

You huff and stomp your foot when it refuses to let go just in time as the man himself makes it to your side. “What seems to be the problem?”

 “I can’t get my bag out!” You whine. “Twilight does such ridiculous knots and I can’t figure it out.”

“Let me see.” Time rolls his eye and steps into your space, checking at the problem in front of him.

It was way more complicated than Time would think Twilight would purposefully do. It looked staged.

Luckily he knows his pup well and managed to get it untangled with seconds.

“How?” You frown and pout. “How did you do that? I thought I would have needed to get my knife or Legend to get rid of the spell.”

“Twilight doesn’t like spells or magic in general.” Time smirks and sees the opportunity in front of him.

You reach out your hand to take the bag with a sigh. “Yeah, yeah I know. Thank you, I was getting frustrated.”

Time grabs your hand with his free hand, bringing it up his lips and places a kiss on your knuckles. “A hero’s work is never done.”

“A-ah.” You blush with wide eyes. “Right.”

Wild

“I have no idea where to go from here.” Wild sighs and places his hands on his hip, keeping the wooden spoon angled away from his clothes.

“What’s up? Need help?” You stand up and walk toward him.

“The stew needs something. But I don’t know what.” Wild huffs and chews on his lips as he thinks.

“Salt?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” He picks up his slate and takes the rock out, chipping small pieces off before stirring to dissolve it.

He brings the wooden spoon to his lips to taste it but he doesn’t seem satisfied with the result. “It’s better but not enough.”

“Can I try?” You offer and move closer to the pot.

He sighs and gives you the spoon with a bit of the broth. It’s delicious as expected but he’s right. A bit lackluster.

You smack your lips together and move it around on your tongue and try to figure it out. “Maybe Goron spice? Not enough to feel obviously but anything spicy tends to heighten existing flavors.”

Wild thinks about it before going through with your suggestion. He stirs for a hot minute before his eyes light up at the taste.

He spin to you with enough force to startle you, but before you can move away he grab your face with his hands and brings you forward giving you a whopping kiss onto your forehead. “That’s just what it needed. Thank you!”

You wobble for a moment when he pushy you away but you smile regardless. “You’re welcome.”

Legend

“And here we have the best of the rest, Mr. Fancyprance Mcfickle Bottom.” Legend knelt to the ground after speaking and place a kiss on the back of your hand.

“I take it back. We’re doomed. We’re never going to be able to sneak into the gala.” You lament and take your hand out of his gasp.

“How dare you doubt my acting skills.”

“Can you at least try to take this seriously?” You stress. “This is a big moment for the kingdom, if one thing goes wrong tonight, we’re all going to pay the price.”

“It’s not like any one going to die if we don’t do well toni-”

“Did you not read the note?” Your stare widens. “I can’t believe you. There’s going to be an assassination attempt. It’s why we’re even going to begin with!”

Legend pauses as he considers your words before sobering up and standing taller. “Alright. From the top. This is what we have to do.”

“Thank you.”

Four

“Ok, I have no idea where you’re taking me, but it better be good because I’m a lot less graceful when I’m blindfolded.” Four said over his shoulder as you guided him through the underbrush.

“Just trust me.” You grin. “You’re going to love it.”

“I hope so.”

You giggle and continue to push him ahead. “Ok, wait here I’ll be right back. Don’t take it off just yet.”

“You are so lucky I trust you.”

“Good.” You dash off and grab a small parcel that was hidden in a hollow tree truck.

You run back to him and pull his hand in front of him, placing it gently on top of his palms. “There. Open your eyes and open the box.”

Four grips the wrapping and takes the blindfold off with one hand. “What is it?”

“A gift silly!”

“Ok, yeah, but what’s inside?”

“Open it and find out!”

He smiles and gently rips the paper that covering the little box, eyes widening as he recognizes the design within. “How did you get this?”

“I save up for it. It’s a thank you.” You bite you lip and take a small step back. You’re beginning to feel a little flustered by his reaction even if you think you have no reason to be.

Four drops the paper wrapping and opens the box. “You got me this?”

“Yes. I thought we established this.”

Four beams and doesn’t even open the box all the way before he runs at you and practically tackles you over. “Thank you!”

“You’re wel-”

Four take the breath to plant a big ol’ smooth on your cheek, silencing anything else you were going to say.

“Thank you thank you thank you!” 

It’s the happiest you’ve seen him.

You can’t even get your thoughts together before he give you another hug and dashes away from you to enjoy his gift.

Or brag about it to the others.

You wanted to avoid that, which is why you brought him all the way out here beyond the camp...but you can never really tell what he’s going to do next.

You smile regardless and touch the spot on your cheek.

At least he likes it.

Sky

“I have no idea how you do this Sky.” You gulp and lean over marginally over the edge. “I hate free falling. How is this a fun thing to do?”

“It’s not so bad when you can trust your loftwing to catch you.”

“I don’t have a loftwing. You keep using that word and I have no idea what you mean.”

“You’ll be fine anyway. The water will catch you.”

“That’s not remotely as reassuring as you think it is.”

“You’re over thinking it. Stop thinking.” Sky laughs a little as he gets closer to you.

“Easier said than done.”

“Trick yourself then.”

“How?”

“A distraction would be a good start.” Sky hums.

“And how to suppose I distract myself?” You deadpan.

Sky shrugs before leaning over and giving you a kiss on the cheek. It stuns you enough that freeze on your spot and Sky takes the opportunity to spin you around by your shoulders and promptly shoves you off of the cliff side.

He dives in right after you when he sees your head pop out of the surface, laughing as he goes.

[kimvvantae]

puzzle; 8 (FINAL)

➜  you and jungkook are best friends of a lifetime, even though your personalities are like unmatching pieces of a puzzle. the line between friendship and something more has never been crossed between you two - but that changes after a break up and a drunken night, when you not-so-accidentally cross this line to something much more. what happens when after this accident your non-matching puzzle pieces seem to match in a way you’ve never imagined?

pairing: jungkook x (f) reader

genre: smut, angst, comedy; friends with benefits au; college au

warnings: lots of swearing, alcohol consumption, unprotected sex

rating: 18+

word count: 16k

A/N: finally the last chapter! i am actually feeling very emotional right now. i enjoyed writing puzzle so much and it received so much love since the beginning! your feedback always kept me motivated to write. thank you so much to everyone that followed these two dorks and waited patiently for every update. i hope we can meet again in future works! 

hmmm, a little rec?? but i listened to sweet night by taehyung as i wrote this chapter. maybe listening to it will enhance your experience too!

enjoy!

➜  Chapters: check up masterlist in bio!

« playlist »

You don’t know how long it has been until Taehyung finds you.

It’s cold. The tears have finally come to a halt, but you’re still sobbing and sniffling. You should probably get up and go home. It’s late. Not safe to be alone on the street like this. You should probably call an uber or something. 

Yet, every time you think of Jungkook’s tears, it seems that your own eyes well up with tears all over again.

What makes you snap back into reality is the sound of shoes walking down the stairs.

You get up in a jump, feeling your legs ache in the process, and turn around to see the person you least expected to see right now. Taehyung stops some steps ahead. The light pole behind him marks his silhouette with a halo.

“I finally found you,” he says after a few seconds. He sounds hesitant but somehow relieved. 

It makes your heart clench even more.

You make an immense effort to speak, as if words ran over inside your throat and made it stuck. Well, they did, in a sense.

“Taehyung, w-what…?” is all you can stutter. You don’t really need to finish the sentence. What are you doing here? Why did you come after me even though I hurt you?

He looks down and caresses the back of his neck. You notice that he’s nervously fiddling with his car keys on the other hand. Oh. He probably didn’t want to be around you, either.

“Well, you ran away down the street like that. I got worried.”

You shouldn’t.

“It’s… not safe to be by yourself on the street like this. I’m taking you home.”

Please, don’t be kind to me. 

It will be much harder if you’re being kind to me.

“Taehyung, I…” you feel yourself squeezing your purse against you, just as nervous as he is. You don’t want to bother him with your presence anymore. “I was about to call an uber. You don’t need to…”

“It’s alright. I’m already here anyway.” He starts to walk up the stairs again without looking back. Without giving you a chance to disagree. “Let’s go.”

It seems that your legs forgot how to walk as you watch him. You don’t want to get inside his car. You don’t want to face him, not right now. 

When Taehyung reaches the top of the stair alley, he finally looks back at you in silence. 

That’s when you realize that you have to face him. You were never one to run away from the consequences of your actions.

The newest consequence is staring back at you in quiet sadness.

You inhale deeply before going after him.

An awful silence hovers in the air during the entire ride home.

You can’t help but shrink on the passenger’s seat, hugging your own arms tight, your head leaning on the window. Taehyung does not make any attempt to engage a conversation. His presence is suffocating.

Something cold sets in your stomach when he parks the car in front of your apartment’s building. There’s nothing out there to distract you anymore. Nowhere else to run to.

You inhale again.

“Thank you.” you say softly. 

Taehyung doesn’t say anything as he rests his hands on his lap. You watch him intently as he gulps, his eyes glued in something ahead.

“So.” He starts, his voice as low as yours. This is painful. It was never your intention to put him in that situation, never. “I don’t want to take a drunk man seriously.”

It’s your turn to gulp. You really really don’t want to explain everything to him in detail. “Mike is a son of a bitch. He got it all wrong.”

“It seems that he got one thing right, though. Judging by Jungkook’s reaction.”

It’s getting difficult to breathe again.

Taehyung turns his head slowly to look at you.

“Are you guys…?”

You honestly feel like jumping out the window, but your feelings for Taehyung make you stay still. He’s a kind friend. He deserves to hear it clearly.

So you take a deep breath before speaking.

“Jungkook and I, we… we were never a real thing. Not really.” It hurts to say this out loud. It seems that you can still hear his broken voice…

There was never anything real happening, right? We were never real.

“B-But recently I realized that I have feelings for him.”

Taehyung nods slowly and sinks on the driver's seat. He rests his chin on his hand, letting a shaky deep breath out.

“Why did you call me today, then?”

“To tell you the truth.”

He gasps softly and shakes his head again. Taehyung has completely broken eye contact with you and his body language looks protective - building an almost visible wall between you and him in seconds.

“Wow. It seems that I was the one who got it all wrong.”

You feel like touching him to give him even a little bit of comfort, yet you know that you’re his main discomfort in the moment. You turn your body in his direction, pleading.

“Taehyung, it wasn’t meant to happen this way. I didn’t want to hurt you, not at all. I know that an apology won't be enough...”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” He cuts you. His voice sounds strange, so different from how he has ever talked to you. He’s very quiet, but you can feel the anger and hurt lying underneath. “We never had anything anyway. I was the delusional one here.”

No, not again. You don’t think you can take more guilt for one night. You didn’t just delude him going on that date; you deluded him every time you talked, every time you texted each other. Taehyung saw something more when there was nothing at all - he felt something more, and you were too confused with your own feelings for Jungkook to notice what you were doing.

“Taehyung…”

“I’m feeling very ashamed right now.” He admits with a shaky exhale. “Could you…?”

He doesn’t finish his sentence, but you know very well what he meant. Leave.

You nod and open the door into the cold night. You still stand there on the sidewalk hesitantly for a few seconds before whispering a shy “I’m sorry”. Taehyung doesn’t respond. He doesn’t even look your way.

When you shut the door, you know very well that from now on, your friendship with Taehyung is also shut. 

You’ll miss him really bad.

It feels like you can barely carry the weight of your own body as you slowly make your way to your apartment - which is weird, because you feel empty right now. 

Your apartment isn’t as empty as you expected when you open the door, though. Seulgi is standing on the kitchen counter and she smiles wide when she sees you. She looks excited in a way she hasn’t been in months; it seems that she’s about to say something.

Her smile dies as she sees your puffy face and your red nose and eyes. 

“Y/N, what happened…?”

For some reason, when you look at her, you start crying again.

Seulgi wides her eyes and runs to where you’re standing, shocked and confused - probably because you have never cried in front of her yet. Never. 

“Oh my God, Y/N! What happened?!”

You can’t answer because the sobs won’t let you. You can just rest your face on Seulgi’s shoulder as she hugs you, patting your back. She is so confused that she can’t really think of anything else to do.

After a few minutes of restless crying, Seulgi manages to lead you to sit on the couch and runs back to the kitchen to take a glass of water. She sits by your side and hands you the glass, caressing your hair sweetly.

“Can you talk now, babe? What happened?” She asks again quietly as you try to drink a little bit of water.

You wipe the tears away once again and sniff. This place reminds you of him way too much. It feels that he belongs here, even though it’s not his home. And maybe… maybe he won’t ever step inside, ever again.

“I-It’s J-Jungkook.” it’s hard to speak between the sobs.

“Did you guys fight?” You nod weakly. “Was it that bad?”

Yes. Yes, it was.

After months of pretending, you finally open up to Seulgi. There’s no reason to keep this from her anymore. After Mike’s scandal, that’s probably everything the whole campus will be talking about in the next few days (you saw a lot of familiar faces at the bar).

It seems that Seulgi’s eyes will pop out of her face as you speak.

She stares at you, jaw dropped in pure shock.

“You and Jungkook what?!” is the first thing she exclaims. “Since when?!”

You rest your back on the couch and gaze at the ceiling. The sobs have finally stopped, at least. “Do you remember when I broke up with Mike? When we went to that club?”

“Yes, and you spent the night out…” Seulgi trails off as realization hits her. She stares at you as if you’ve grown a second head. “That guy you were talking about was Jungkook?!”

You just nod.

Seulgi gasps and rests her back on the couch right by your side, your arms touching. She’s speechless for a while.

“But, like… how many times?”

“I don’t know.” She gasps again.

“That many times?”

You nod. “It was almost daily at some point.”

It seems that she can’t close her jaw anymore. “Where?”

“Here. His apartment. His car.” You frown. “Sometimes a cheap hotel downtown, when you and Jimin were both home.”

Seulgi stays quiet for a little longer.

You side eye her. “You didn’t suspect?”

She shakes her head slowly. “I thought you guys were acting strange for a while now, but I never thought this was going on.” She looks back at you. “Did someone know?”

“Jimin caught us once.” you decide to omit where he caught you. It’s embarrassing to say that you fucked inside Joy’s bathroom out loud and it makes you feel even worse. “But he promised to not tell anyone."

Back to silence. You can almost hear the engines inside Seulgi’s brain trying to process everything you just told her.

“But why did you guys fight?”

You take a deep breath before telling her the rest. Taehyung, Joy, Mike, Yeri. It’s quite painful to explain, but it’s also relieving.

If you thought Seulgi looked shocked before, now it looks like she just found out that Santa is real.

She completely turns her body in your direction, eyes super wide. “Do you like Jungkook?”

You nod softly, staring at your own fingers.

“It’s more than just liking him.” You admit sheepishly.

Then she’s quiet for a long, long time. You decide to finally look up at her.

Now you’re surprised.

“Why the hell are you smiling?”

Seulgi hides her mouth with both hands - as if this wouldn’t let you see the big ass grin on her lips. “I’m sorry. It’s… it’s cute.”

“Cute?” you quirk one eyebrow. “My suffering is cute to you?”

“That’s not what I mean.” she waves her hand dismissively. “I always kind of shipped you two, okay? It’s just that you two looked really good together and you always had such good chemistry and all. But I tried to stop thinking this because, you know, I thought it was wrong to assume that a man and a woman can’t be just friends… and it never looked like you had feelings for him, not at all.”

You stare at her as if she has a second head growing now. “You shipped us?”

“You can’t judge me.”

You cross your arms and sink on the couch even more. This is kind of shocking. “You never thought I liked him?”

Seulgi shakes her head. “Never. Jungkook, though…”

You turn your head to look at her so fast that your neck almost breaks. “What about him?”

She hesitates a little bit before speaking. “Well, sometimes… sometimes I caught him looking at you in some type of way.” 

There it is again. The fast beating of your heart. It’s ridiculous that, even though you’re this miserable, you still feel this spark of happiness inside of you. 

For fuck’s sake, Y/N! I’m in love with you!

You press your lips tight in an attempt to hold back the uninvited smile. It’s not appropriate to feel happy now; it feels that you don’t even have the right to feel happy at all. But his confession is hitting you just now. Hitting you like a truck. 

God, if only you could go back in time. If only you could just make him shut the fuck up and listen to you. Why did he have to be so damn dramatic? 

I love you too, dumbass! Now stop being a cry baby and kiss me!

What if Jungkook never gives you a chance to explain yourself? He can be hard-headed when he wants to. What if Jungkook never lets you get close to him again, what if your intimacy finally dies, what if you get so distant that when you’re in the same room you can’t bear each other’s presence anymore? What if from now on, there won’t be any Jungkook to steal your fries when you’re not looking, or to let you steal his clothes even though he pretends he doesn’t know you’re taking them, or to help you understand a difficult assignment, or to annoy you because he’s bored at 4AM, or to tell you the things no one else would be brave enough to tell you or to just be there when you needed someone the most?

Your brain can’t even comprehend what life without Jungkook is.

A mix of despair and hurry makes you get up in a jump.

“I’m going to his apartment.” Your breath is irregular, adrenaline taking control of your actions. “I-I need to talk to him now.”

“Hey, hey!” Seulgi gets up in a jump and puts her hands on your shoulders, forcing you to stop. “Y/N, you’re not okay. And you said Jungkook is drunk. Do you really think you’ll manage to have a civilized conversation right now? He’s probably still angry, maybe he won’t even listen to you.”

“I don’t care. I’ll shout on his door until he listens to me.”

Seulgi holds you in place again when you try to free yourself from her grip. “This is not a good idea and you know it.” She looks at you very seriously. “Take a shower, Y/N. Go to sleep. Tomorrow you’ll both be cold-headed and able to talk.”

“B-But,” you feel the tears coming back. Fuck. You hold Seulgi’s arms weakly. “But he needs to know the truth. He needs to know I like him back.”

The black-haired girl frowns. “Like him back…?”

You nod and look down. “He… he said that he’s in love with me.”

“Really?!” Seulgi huffs and taps your forehead lightly. “Then why are you so desperate?! He loves you back, dummy!”

“But I’m scared, Seulgi.” You sniff.

She rolls her eyes and pushes you into another hug. “Everything will be okay, Y/N. There’s no need to be worried. You already know the most important. Tomorrow you go talk to him, alright?” She chuckles softly. “Never thought I’d see you acting like this.”

You sniff again. “Now you understand how it is to deal with a stupid lovesick roommate.”

“Ouch.” You notice how she pats your back a bit aggressively. “But for real, Y/N… I’ll always be thankful for what you did today to me and Irene. Even though it was none of your business. And I’ll probably beat you up if you ever intervene in my life like that again-”

“Wow, I really see how you’re thankful, Seul.” She chuckles again.

"And I'm kind of offended that you hid this from me for so long."

"We promised we wouldn't tell anyone about this!"

"Alright, alright." She sighs. “I love you so much, you crackhead. And Jungkook loves you, too. You don’t need to be sad anymore, okay? Just take a shower and go to sleep now.”

You nod weakly.

Maybe she’s right. You’ll have enough time to talk to him tomorrow.

But you don’t think you’ll get any sleep right now.

***

[you]: jungkook

[you]: can we talk?

[you]: we really really need to talk

[you]: can i go to your place?

[you]: please

[you]: i know you’re reading 

[you]: stop ignoring me

[you]: jungkook

[you]: JUNGKOOK

You sigh heavily. This is so frustrating. He didn’t even leave you on read - you’re sure he’s just reading the texts on the notifications and swiping them away. He didn’t block your number, which is a good sign, but this is already getting on your nerves. You’ve been texting since early in the morning (because you couldn’t sleep) and it’s already 5PM.

“He’s ignoring my texts.” You whine to Seulgi as you enter the living room. 

“You said he had things to do today, right? Maybe he’s actually busy.” She says as she checks her makeup on the mirror. It’s been a long time since you saw her getting all pretty like this; she did her nails, made curls on her hair, put on that green skirt she bought months ago but never wore it. This is what being happy and in love looks like. Pretty, well-dressed, nice hair, healthy skin and all.

Meanwhile, your hair looks like a bird nest, you’re wearing the ugly Naruto t-shirt you have since middle school, your entire face is swollen and you have bags under your eyes. This is also what being in love looks like, unfortunately.

“Why don’t you just go to his apartment already?”

“You told me not to do it.”

“I told you not to do it yesterday. Today he’s not drunk anymore.”

You cross your arms. “I’m… I’m still kind of nervous.”

Seulgi turns around and looks at you and quirks her eyebrow. There’s the ghost of a smirk on her lips. “I never thought I’d see you nervous because of anyone. You look like a teenager…”

"I swear to God, if you say that you think I look cute one more time I'll fucking kill you."

Seulgi laughs and runs to you again, putting her hands on your shoulders. "Y/N, do you remember how you were always telling me that I was complicating simple things?"

"Yes."

She lifts her eyebrows. "So."

You roll your eyes and huff. "But it's not that easy!"

"Now you understand how I felt, huh?" Her eyes soften again. "For real, though. If you show up at his door he won't ignore you, I'm sure. Just go."

You sigh again and nod. "You're right. Just… let me build some courage, okay?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" She looks a bit worried. "I could go out with Irene another day."

"No, no. Go on your date." You wave your hands. "I'm not gonna die. Also, your pussy must be dusty after so long-"

She smacks your shoulder a bit too strongly as you let yourself laugh for the first time today. 

When Seulgi leaves, you still stand in the middle of the living room for a good while. Like a Sim whose action has just been cancelled.

Whoever is playing you is really evil for putting all the wrong people in the wrong places past night.

You know that you’re not being rational. You should have gone to his house a long time ago… but something holds you back. Perhaps because now there’s no turning back. You know what you feel for Jungkook and you know what he feels for you - your relationship got completely out of its comfort zone, and now you can’t even pretend anymore. Things won’t ever be the same. 

Maybe Jungkook is ignoring you because he’s embarrassed of what Mike did. He basically exposed you two in front of his friends. Sure, that’s none of no one’s business, but still… Jungkook didn’t want anyone to know about it in the first place.

You stare at your phone for a good while. Your reflection on the phone’s screen stares back at you in disgust.

For the hundredth time today, you unlock it and open Jungkook’s number. Your thumbs hover over the keyboard hesitantly.

[you]: jungkook i know youre mad at me and you have all the rights to be but

You frown and delete the text. It doesn’t sound good.

[you]: can you stop being dramatic and just text me back already?

You feel tempted to send this one, but if Jungkook’s angry, this will only make the situation worse. You sigh and try again one more time

[you]: i just really want to talk. you didnt let me speak last night. i know youre probably busy but please. i wont take much of your time

This one sounds about right. You tap the send button.

Then, your fingers mindlessly type one more text. It makes your heart beat fast just looking at it.

[you]: i love you too

You want to send this one so bad.

But you don’t.

Because this isn’t something to be told by text.

Coward! the angry voice of your consciousness yells in your mind. Stop being a coward! You’re an evolved human being, not a stupid teenager! Get this ass up the couch and go meet him!

You get up in a jump.

“I’m not a coward!” you say out loud. If you weren’t this out of your mind, you would have noticed how stupid it was to scream encouraging words by yourself in the living room.

But you don’t care right now.

You don’t care that your face is all puffy and the dark circles around your eyes make you look like a raccoon. You don’t care that you’re wearing your ulgy Naruto t-shirt with old ketchup stains, and you don’t care that you’re wearing the sweatpants that fall down your butt as you walk, and you don’t care that your hair looks like a living animal.

You just straight out leave your home and march to his. Flip flops and all.

Your heart beats at a stupid race as you walk, the sun already disappearing behind the buildings. The anxious part of your brain keeps reminding you that you don’t know what to say when you meet him and you don’t know what his reaction will be, but you shut this whiny voice up. Being with Jungkook always meant that you didn’t have to think a lot in the first place. Being with him is natural, it takes no effort. When you see him you’ll know what to say. You’re sure.

Yet, you can’t help but feel more and more nervous as you enter his apartment building (you never needed to ask permission to enter). You close your hands in fists, gulp multiple times, your heartbeat sounds like drums on your ears.

Your hand hovers over the door.

“Shit,” you whisper to yourself. It’s real. It’s happening. Come on. Don’t be a coward.

After taking one more deep breath, you finally knock on the door.

There’s noise inside. Steps. Fuck, you’re shaking.

You hear the sound of the door unlocking and you hold your breath ready to face him-

Jimin.

He widens his eyes and blinks.

“Oh. Hi, Jimin.” you say awkwardly. Why is he looking at you this way? “Hm, is Jungkook home?”

Jimin looks hesitant for a moment.

“No.”

It’s your turn to widen your eyes. So that’s why he isn't texting you back. This makes you a bit relieved.

“Is… is he working?” You can’t hide your disappointment.

“Not yet. He starts tomorrow.”

You put your hands on your waist and walk from side to side as Jimin just watches you in silence.

“Jimin, at what time he’ll be home tomorrow? Do you think it’ll be too late in the night? I really need to talk to him, but that fucker keeps ignoring my texts.”

You don’t like the face Jimin is making now.

You really don’t like it.

He scratches the back of his neck and frowns. “He… he didn’t tell you?”

This makes you stop.

“Tell me what?”

Jimin exhales and gulps.

“He told you that he’ll start working for Mr. Choi, right? That director.”

“Yes.” Each word of his makes you more and more worried. 

“So… this project he’s involved in…” Jimin licks his lips before continuing. “It’s overseas.”

You stare at him in silence as this information sinks in.

“Overseas?! Are you telling me he fucking left the country?!”

“Yes.”

You can’t believe what you just heard.

“B-But- yesterday Jungkook and I were planning to go out! This makes no sense!”

“Well,” Jimin looks hesitant again. “In fact, his flight is tomorrow morning, but he left earlier because we kind of had an argument.” He sends you an apologetic gaze. “He was drunk yesterday and all and I was trying to calm him down and I might have accidentally let it slip that I knew about you two, and this kinda pissed him off even more because, well, he was drunk and you know how Jungkook gets stupid when he’s drunk, so I think he left to his parent’s house and he’ll head to the airport tomo- wait, are you crying?!”

You sniff and hide your face behind your hands.

“Oh my God,” Jimin sounds confused and borderline panicked as he watches you start sobbing again. “Y/N, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

“B-Because h-he-!” you can’t fucking speak anymore.

Jimin puts a hand on your back and guides you to sit on the couch. He brings some tissues and pats your back awkwardly as you cry and sob like stupid. 

“W-Why didn’t he tell me he was l-leaving?” you ask yourself. 

Jimin sighs. “Y/N, it’s not like he’s leaving forever. It’s just for this project. He’ll be back by the end of the week.”

“B-But he would’ve told me something so important!” You blow your nose. Jimin frowns. “I didn’t know this project was so huge! What, is it a movie or something?”

“It’s a music video.” You stare at Jimin in disbelief. “Jungkook has been around the recording studio with Namjoon and Yoongi a lot. He ended up meeting Mr. Choi, who has been directing some music videos for Big Hit Records’ artists. He liked Jungkook’s work and invited him to work as an assistant… I mean, the assistant of the assistant, as Jungkook himself said.”

You exhale, feeling your shoulders drop. “Why didn’t he tell me this?”

Jimin’s eyes soften. “Your friendship hasn’t been in the best shape these days, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think it was this bad.”

You rest your elbows on your legs and hide your face behind your hands again. You didn’t want to be crying this bad again, yet you just can’t stop. You don’t even know why you’re crying anymore. Jimin just caresses your back in silence as your sobs start quieting down.

“You were right,” you say at some point.

“What?”

“When you told me not to hurt him. I was hurting him and I didn’t even realize. I’m so stupid.”

Jimin tilts his head. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Y/N. You were both stupid.” You side eye him.

“Jungkook said that he’s in love with me.” This makes him quirk his eyebrows.

“Oh.”

“You don’t look very surprised.”

“I’m not.”

“Did… did he tell you?”

“No.”

“Was it that obvious?”

Jimin presses his lips together hesitantly. “Do you want me to comfort you or do you want me to be honest?”

“Be honest.”

“It was pretty fucking obvious that he’s in love with you. At least for me.” 

You exhale and swipe your hands over your face. “I’m so stupid!” you repeat.

“Look, Y/N, to be honest, I think Jungkook is the most stupid. He was torturing himself with this fuck buddies thing, you know? He agreed to it in the first place. Everyone knows that this type of thing shouldn’t involve feelings, but he was the one to throw himself into it while he already had feelings.”

“It’s not like he’s the only one, though.”

Jimin seems about to say something, but he stops and stares at you, jaw-dropped.

“Wait, what do you mean?”

You rest your back on the couch. “I mean that I was also stupid enough to throw myself into it while having feelings.”

He’s quiet for a few more seconds.

“Do you mean that you like him back?”

You don’t answer. 

Much like Seulgi, it looks like Jimin just discovered something world-shocking. “Since when? Have you liked him since the beginning?”

You sigh sadly.

“No, I haven’t. To me, it was just fun. Until I realized that he was getting too far from my reach and- and I realized that Jungkook has never been too far, never, and I don’t know what to do when he’s not around.” You sniff. You’re not talking to Jimin anymore at this point; you’re talking to yourself. “Y-You know, now that I think about it, I… I guess I understand why it was always so good. Not just because he fucks good or because of his big dick-”

“I don’t need to hear this, do I?” Jimin whines in disgust.

“-but because it was him.” One more tear rolls down your cheek. “It was good because it was with him.”

The way you always felt comfortable to be naked in front of him. How it was always lighthearted and fun and exciting. You had good sex with other people before, but never like this. Maybe because these other people didn’t have Jungkook’s handsome smile or because their eyes didn’t gleam with excitement the way his does or because they didn't smell like baby powder. Or maybe because it was never scary to be exposed in front of him because he already knew everything about you - there wasn’t really anything else to expose. 

Jungkook felt like home.

Now, you feel homeless.

You wipe the tears away once more and look at Jimin-

“Why are you smiling?”

Doesn’t this scene look familiar?

“I’m sorry, it’s just that- wow, I don’t even know what to say.” Jimin doesn’t even try to hide his smile. “I’ve been waiting so long for this. Like, I kind of suspected that you had feelings for him, but I couldn’t be sure because you’re a hard bitch to read. To be honest, when I saw what you two were doing I wanted to kill you because you couldn’t be this blind to not realize how he feels about you-”

“Can you stop being honest for a moment?”

“Oh.” Jimin gulps, but he can’t stop smiling. “I’m sorry.”

You sigh again and cross your arms. “What if he never lets me explain myself, Jimin?”

“Stop the drama.” Jimin’s voice hardens suddenly. “You two are very similar in this sense, you know? I’m sure that Jungkook will listen to whatever you have to say. And he’ll be away for just four days! It’s not like he’s leaving forever.”

You sit there in silence for some moments. You’re sure that if you tell that you’re scared to talk to Jungkook, he will probably beat you up. He never had that much patience.

Jimin exhales heavily and gets up. “Wait a minute.” You watch as he walks into Jungkook’s empty bedroom, frowning. He stays there for a little while. When he comes back to the living room, he stops in front of you and hands you something.

“Jungkook’s gonna kill me when he finds out, but I don’t care.” 

“What is this-?”

“Just take it already. And watch it when you’re back home. It’s so personal that I got uncomfortable the first time I watched it.”

“Then why are you giving it to me-?”

“Just fucking take it, Y/N!”

You take the small device before Jimin makes you swallow it. 

He smiles sweetly.

“Everything will be fine, okay? Don’t worry. I’m always right.”

You stare at the small black pen drive in between your fingers.

This time, you genuinely hope he’s right.

You had honestly forgotten how it feels to get drunk. 

At the same time that the dizziness feels familiar, it's also hitting you like a truck. Your friends didn't believe you when you said that you'd stop drinking, yet you've been loyal to your word. Of course, it's not like you didn't drink anything in all those months, but a single beer isn't the same as a pack of beer.

The way your body's responding to the alcohol in your system isn't right. Your stomach is already tangling around itself, you can't walk a straight line from the couch to the kitchen counter without feeling that there's holes opening on the floor, and your thoughts are more incomprehensible than usual. You'd usually not get drunk so fast - and surely not with just beer. You're the girl that was still very sober after many tequila shots that time a random date of yours was trying to get you drunk - he ended up drunk after a few shots, of course, and you left the son of a bitch alone while he vomited on himself.

Being in love sure has changed you a lot.

Look, it's not the first time you drink to forget about your problems. You've been doing that since high school and you're tired of hearing Jungkook say how this behavior is unhealthy (he's right, as usual). This time, though, you're not forgetting about your problems, you're just thinking about them more.

It doesn't help that you're listening to Seulgi's playlist on Spotify called "i miss you irene." You laughed your ass off when you found out she really made a heartbreak playlist and named it like that. "You're torturing yourself, Seulgi," you told her. I mean, why would someone sad listen to songs that will only make them more sad?

Well.

Here you are now, laying on the carpet as Spending my Time by Roxette is blasting on the speakers.

People really knew how to write heartbreak songs back in the 90s.

"Fuck you, Jungkook." you mumble, staring at the ceiling. "I'm shoving alcohol up my ass. You can't tell me what to do."

Jungkook, that fucker. Why didn’t he listen to you? Why didn’t you shut him up? If there was a way to go back in time you’d do it. You wouldn’t have kissed Taehyung, you wouldn’t let him get the wrong impression. You wouldn’t have encouraged Jungkook to be with Joy. Fuck, if you could go back in time you would have woken up that first morning in Jungkook’s bed and said that it meant a lot to sleep with him, that you were willing to not be just friends anymore.

(Of course, back then you didn’t feel that way, but you’re drunk and sad. Give yourself a break.)

Now, you can’t tell him what you feel because he’s somewhere overseas. He probably bought new clothes for such an important occasion. You imagine him being in a real set for the first time, his eyes gleaming as he watches the staff working, him trying to hold his excited smile back because he’s supposed to look professional and-

You sniff. You have a stuffy nose. Fuck.

You're so drunk that you can't really control your actions anymore. If Seulgi were here, she would probably stop you. But she's not here. She's somewhere with Irene.

So you take your phone, tap the Instagram app and start typing.

[@you]: hell o 😅😂🤣😊

[@you]: its been a log time how u doing???

[@you]: what if we meeet????

And unfortunately, she replies.

[@yerimiese]: hi 🤗

[@yerimiese]: yeah, sure!

[@yerimiese]: when can we meet?

It’s the back pain that makes you wake up the next day because you slept on the floor. You’re dizzy and confused, your poor brain trying to understand what’s happening, why you’re on the floor, why there’s so many empty beer cans around you and why your phone is flashing with notifications from last night.

When your sight finally adjusts to the light your phone screen produces, your eyes widen and you stand up in a jump, making your back ache even more.

Did you seriously DM Yeri and she seriously agreed to meet you?!

It’s currently 11:40 AM - and you agreed to meet at noon. 

You run to your bedroom so fast that it makes you dizzy and you end up hitting your hip against the doorframe and it feels like you fucking broke it. You just have time to wear the first clean clothes you see laying around, tie your hair up and run to take the first bus you see.

You could’ve just told Yeri that you weren’t going anymore, of course, even though she agreed to meet you and it would’ve been kind of rude. You know it’s going to be the most awkward moment ever to see her after so long, especially now that you have feelings for her ex. Gosh - you’re already feeling so much embarrassment that you feel like jumping out of the bus and running back home. Why the fuck do you always end up doing stupid things when you’re drunk?!

But again - it’s that same chaotic side of you that makes you stay inside the bus and meet her. This chaotic side takes a good portion of your personality, it just gets more outgoing when you’re drunk. The same chaotic side that made you start some friends with benefits bullshit with your best friend just because you liked the idea of not being caught and the same chaotic side that made you passive aggressively flirt with Taehyung when you didn’t really want anything with him-

How the fuck did your friends even stand you?!

You’re forced to stop the existential crisis when you see that you arrived at the park. You feel a shiver run down your spine.

Yeri is sitting on the bus stop. 

She looks prettier than you remember; her hair is short and blonde now, which makes her look more mature. Yeri was always one to walk around well dressed, but right now it feels almost humiliating that she's all pretty when you literally look like a scarecrow. 

She smiles awkwardly and gets up. You didn't even say anything yet and it already feels awkward.

"I’m so sorry, Yeri,” is the first thing you say as you approach each other. “Did I make you wait too long?”

“No! It’s alright. I also got a little bit late.” She says, smiling prettily. Pretty is a word that overall describes her very well. “So, how you’re doing?”

“I’m doing fine!” You’re doing anything but fine at the moment. “What about you?”

“I’m fine, too.”

Silence.

My good Lord.

You start to regret all of your life choices right here and right now. You don’t see this girl in almost a year, you’re not close anymore, you know nothing about her life. Why the fuck did you even come anyway?! The awkwardness is so big that you can almost touch it.

There’s also a small and annoying thought that grows as you watch her - a thought you try very hard to ignore, but you can’t - that this is the girl Jungkook used to fuck before he started fucking you, that he used to go down on her and that he used to be inside of her and that those pretty lips of her once were around his cock and for some reason you start getting really angry-

“Do you wanna have a drink?” Yeri suddenly says.

You blink. “Hm… it’s 12PM.”

“And?” She quirks an eyebrow.

She’s perceptive, this one. Nothing’s better to break the ice than alcohol. 

You don’t even know what you’re doing here anyway, so who cares?

“Sure. I know a bar nearby.”

Yeri slams the empty glass on the counter and stares at you, shocked.

“Mike did what?!”

You nod and swallow one more shot. Your tastebuds are so used (even calloused) from this bitter taste that you don’t even scowl as the drink slides down your throat. “Yeah. It seems that he was cheating on me for a while with that bitch. I caught them inside the lab.”

Yeri stares ahead. She looks speechless. “I will be honest… I heard that he was cheating on you, but I never thought this happened.” She shakes her head slowly. “Why the fuck were they inside a lab anyways? Are they stupid?”

“The lab was deactivated. That part of the science building was being renovated.” You sigh. Reviving those memories is kind of painful right now, especially after what Mike did to you some nights ago. Honestly, he could die and you wouldn’t care. “I was looking for him. His friends told me he went in that direction… well, kinda weird that they snitched on him like that. Maybe they really didn’t know. Anyways, I still don’t know how they got the key to the lab.”

Yeri nods. “Wow… I am really, really shocked. You guys were a pretty couple.” She gesticulates with her hand. “One more shot, please.”

“Me too, please.” You say.

The bartender looks at you two with visible worry. There’s no one else in the bar - who the fuck drinks so much this early? Wait, why is this bar even opened this early? - so he’s obviously hearing your whole conversation. You wonder what’s his opinion on your fucked up love life.

“Are you sure, girls? Shouldn’t you slow down a little bit?” He asks hesitantly.

You wave your hand dismissively. “Nah, we’re good.” You’re still not dizzy, just a little talkative. Getting drunk yesterday seemed to awaken all of your high tolerance superpowers. Pretty Yeri also isn’t one to get drunk that easily.

“We’re strong girls.” She reassures. The bartender shrugs as he prepares two more shots. “You seemed to like him a lot.” 

“I did.” You admit. 

“And he seemed to like you, too. I never expected that. Well… to be honest, Jungkook sometimes told me that he didn’t like Mike and that he was sure that he wasn’t a good guy.”

The sudden mention of his name makes you freeze. You realize that Yeri freezes, too. It seems that she’s also surprised for bringing him up like this. Yeri looks down at the new shot the bartender just placed in front of you two.

“It seems that he was right. As usual.” She finishes in a much lower voice, drinking her shot in one go.

This single sentence makes you realize that “Jungkook” is still a delicate topic for her. Of course it’d be - you don’t know much about their break up, but you sure know it was anything but friendly. Jungkook got pretty fucked up for a few weeks after their break up - and the fact that he refuses to talk about it to this day is enough of an indication.

Shit.

“Anyways, it didn’t stop there.” You decide to go back to your suffering for now, so she can get distracted. “The day before yesterday I bumped into him. He was drunk and made a scandal. Called me a bitch in front of everyone.”

Yeri gasps and looks at you wide eyed. “What? Please, tell me someone punched the fuck out of him!”

“Yeah, my friend did before I could.” You’re not telling her which friend, of course. “It was satisfying. Still made me feel really bad, though.”

“You shouldn’t. You did nothing wrong, Y/N. He’s the son of a bitch here.” Yeri reassures. 

You nod and drink. “But enough of talking about my depressing love life. What about you?”

Yeri sighs, holding the small cup with both hands. “I’m doing fine, I guess. Didn’t really get serious with anyone yet. I’m seeing a guy, though. I don’t think I like him yet, but he’s about right. Who knows?” She says, shrugging.

You nod slowly. We’re getting into dangerous waters now. “I’m glad we’re both moving on, I guess.”

Yeri goes quiet for a while.

“Yeah. I guess so.”

A deep silence settles after this. You stare at the empty cup blankly, feeling the tension building up.

"I… have to be honest." Yeri starts quietly. "It was surprising that you called me after so long." She taps her nails on the counter slowly. "And I have the feeling that you called me for a very specific reason."

You nod slowly. She's not stupid. "You're right."

Yeri hesitates for a second. "You didn't… Jungkook didn't ask you to come here to talk to me, right?"

You almost gasp. Jungkook doesn't even dream that you're with her right now. "No, no. He didn't. You know I'm kinda nosy, but I have my limits too."

Yeri quirks her eyebrows and nods. You really hope that this tiny thing you saw deep in her eyes wasn't disappointment. You really hope that deep down Yeri doesn't still like him.

"So… why did you call me, then?"

You sigh. She came all this way just to meet you, so you have to at least be honest right now.

"I was drunk yesterday when I texted you."

"Oh." Yeri widens her eyes. "I thought there was something wrong with you by the way you were texting."

You chuckle. "But… I did call you because of Jungkook, somehow." You say carefully, She stiffens. "I know it's kinda cruel to do this. If you want to simply leave or if you want to slap me, I won't judge you. But… we had a really ugly fight these days and I don't know what to do. I was hoping that maybe… maybe you could help me understand him."

Yeri goes very, very quiet after this.

"Did you guys fight because of me?" She asks after a while.

"No and yes." Yeri was one of the things that got you overthinking anyways. "I… I really need to know. Again, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to. But… why did you guys break up?"

Yeri turns her head slowly to look at you. There's something very serious and hardened on her eyes.

"He never told you." It wasn't a question. You shake your head. "Well, I figured he wouldn't." She looks back to the cup between her hands; you can see she's thinking hard. "Y/N, I always admired your friendship with him. What you have is something truly special. Maybe you won't want to know why. Maybe I don't want to tell you because I don't want to destroy your friendship."

"My relationship with Jungkook won't ever go back to what it used to be anyways. I don't care." 

Yeri looks surprised. She still hesitates for some moments - what makes your blood boil in expectation - but finally sighs and nods.

"Alright, then." She crosses her arms. "I broke up with him because of you."

You stare at her, jaw dropped.

"What? What did I do?" You ask, genuinely confused.

"You did nothing." She chuckles drily. "That's why I couldn't hate you, you know. And I tried to hate you really hard."

You don't know what to say. Some girls Jungkook had some sort of relationship with were very jealous of you, you knew, but Yeri was different. "Were you… were you jealous of me and him? But Yeri- you know we weren't like that."

This is not a lie. You weren't like that while they still dated. You were too stupidly in love with Mike to notice the person that was standing right by your side all along.

"I know." She nods. "I know you didn't. But Jungkook did."

You freeze.

"What?"

Yeri finally looks at you again - clear sadness on her eyes.

"Jungkook loves you. Not in a way a friend does."

You’re absolutely speechless.

Your heart is beating so fast that you think you’re about to faint. Your brain malfunctions and it seems that you lost the ability to speak for a few moments. This shouldn’t shock you - Jungkook confessed his feelings himself not long ago, and Jimin also said how he knew about Jungkook’s feelings - goddamn, even Seulgi noticed it a little bit. But back then? When he was still dating Yeri?

“B-But Yeri-” you hate the way you’re stuttering and you hate how Yeri is telling you something she obviously doesn’t like, but you still feel so fucking happy and fuzzy inside. “Jungkook was in love with you. I’m sure.”

“I thought so, too. And he thought he was in love with me.” Yeri stares ahead again, and in this moment you realize that yes, it still hurts her. “You know… Jungkook was too much like a dream.” She chuckles to herself, as if she can’t believe in what she’s saying. “He was perfect in every sense. His good looks, the way he was always so sweet… God, even the way he’s in bed.” Yes, he’s unbeatable in bed, you want to agree. “Too perfect to be true.”

Yeri goes quiet again for a while. She stares at the cup as if it’s showing her something important she can’t look away from.

“I started to realize why it was so perfect.” Her voice sounds painfully fragile. “He was trying too hard. Always trying his best. At first I thought that it was a good thing… We all want someone that’s always trying their best for you, right? But then… then, I started to watch how he acted when he was around you. Y-You know what’s worst in all this? It’s not like you two gave me actual reason to be jealous. You were never touchy around each other. You were even dating back then, and you two avoided going out together because Mike and Jungkook never got along well. I know it.” She sounds like she wants to cry. It makes you feel really, really bad. 

“But… fuck, it was the way Jungkook acted with you, the way he talked to you, the way he looked at you, that smile he just showed when you were around. With you, he wasn’t trying anything. He didn’t need to try. I saw how he was so comfortable around you and… well, I didn’t need to be a genius to understand that he was so stupidly in love with you that it got him blind.” Yeri inhales and exhales deeply. “Jungkook was too much like a dream. But everyone has to wake up sometime, and I didn’t want to be there when he woke up from his. So I left him before I could get any more hurt.”

You can just stare at her, jaw dropped, adrenaline making your breathing shaky.

“Yeri, I never… I didn’t…” you stupidly stutter.

“I know you didn’t.” She nods. “I even pitied Jungkook, you know. Because he didn’t want to see what he really felt, and because you obviously didn’t feel the same.” Yeri chuckles. “That’s why I can’t hate you. That’s also what gave me some sense of revenge. At least he’s suffering a little bit.”

You’re both very, very quiet for some time.

“I’m sorry.” You say quietly. She doesn’t know you’re apologizing for putting her under the torture of telling those memories that are still painful for her. You weren’t expecting that Yeri still felt so affected by her past relationship even after so long. 

“You don’t need to apologize.” She shakes her head slowly. “It wasn’t meant to be. That’s all. We would both keep suffering like that.” Yeri exhales again and looks at you. “Well… I guess I’m going now. I really hope I didn’t completely kill your relationship with him.”

She didn’t.

She quite helped to save it, actually.

Yeri takes some money from her purse and puts it over the counter, paying for her drinks. As she gets up from the stool, you say:

“Thank you for telling me, Yeri. I really wish you all the happiness you deserve.”

The blonde girl opens a small smile. You see why Jungkook fell - well, at least thought he fell - for her. Maybe Yeri doesn’t know it, but she also looks like a dream. You just hope she’ll find someone that will wake her up to see the most beautiful, warm and lovely reality.

“Thanks. See you around.”

She leaves.

You just sit there, all alone, staring at the counter.

Well- not exactly alone.

The bartender is furiously side-eyeing you.

“What?” You ask drily.

He presses his lips together. “I don’t think I should say anything…”

You tilt your head. “Go ahead. You heard everything anyway.”

The bartender stops in front of you. There’s something wise about him. That’s probably the result of hearing hundreds and hundreds of love stories every night - day, in your case.

“That dude you guys were talking about,” he says. “Your friend. You like him, right?”

You stare at him seriously. “Why would you think that?”

“Because your eyes lit up so much as she talked that I thought you were going to explode.”

Fuck. You can’t even pretend anymore. You avoid his gaze, embarrassed, and nod. “I do.”

He lifts his eyebrows. “Then, and excuse my intrusive ass, what the fuck are you waiting for?” He almost looks annoyed, as if he’s having to explain something painfully obvious. “Go after him, woman!”

You stare at him. 

He’s right.

What the fuck are you waiting for?

Oh, right. You’re waiting until he comes back, because he’s fucking overseas.

It makes you so, so angry. After everything you just heard, after everything you’re feeling right now, you wanted nothing more but to run to him and make him listen to you. You want to see him, to hug him, to make him understand that he’s your most important person in the world, that you can’t see yourself in a world where he isn’t around.

But guess what - you’ll have to wait three days to meet him. 

You look so grumpy on your way back home that people deliberately avoid looking at you. Seulgi and Irene are there when you arrive; Seulgi looks worried, Irene looks confused, you just decide to say you’re alright and lock yourself inside your bedroom because you can’t physically look at a happy couple right now.

You throw yourself on the bed and scream against a pillow.

If someone told you you’d be feeling so many things when all of this started, you wouldn’t have believed. You were always someone to continuously keep the fuck it button pressed - or at least, you pretended you did. Like that, you could trick your heart into believing you weren’t hurt by some jerk who cheated on you, that you didn’t feel like a piece of shit for drowning your problems in alcohol, that you didn’t care that most of your “friends” just cared about you when it came to parties and having fun, that there was never really anyone that truly took you seriously in a relationship.

It’s really easy to pretend those things aren’t real. But it’s just like Yeri said - one moment, everyone has to wake up. To you, waking up means facing the consequences of your actions, to face your feelings.

And it really hurts right now.

It also reminds you that the person you’d usually let your guard down for was Jungkook. You were never embarrassed to be weak in front of him - and it was the other way round. You were always in tune. Always in synergy.

This makes you remember the little black pen drive laying on the nightstand.

You sit in a jump, taking your laptop and the pen drive. Just feeling the device between your fingers makes you feel nervous… that’s why you still didn’t check what’s inside of it yet. Jimin said it was something personal. You’ve been hesitating to see whatever it is.

It can’t be bad, can it?

You plug the pen drive in your laptop. 

The files tab pops up. There’s actually only one file inside the pen drive - a video. It’s called euphoria final test i swear to god. 

You chuckle. This is so Jungkook. 

Your finger still hovers over the touchpad hesitantly. It looks like one of Jungkook’s test videos - you’ve seen plenty of those. Nothing new. Nothing to be scared of. You double click. 

The video opens up and fills up the screen.

It’s a vertical video recorded on selfie mode. Jungkook is walking down the university hall; he has a playful smile on his lips. The video shows you walking by his side, a grumpy expression on your face.

You remember this. He actually posted this on his Instagram stories around one year ago. His hair was way shorter back then. Why does he still have something so silly?

“Y/N’s team lost the championship.” Jungkook says. Of course he looks happy. He roots for the rival team. “How are you feeling right now?”

“Fuck you.” Is all you say.

Jungkook laughs loudly.

Another video.

A song kicks in.

It starts with the sweet melody of a piano. You frown, not recognizing this song at all. 

Then the voice of the singer kicks in, and you feel your whole body freezing.

It’s Jungkook’s voice.

He sounds soft and angelic as you’ve always known - only this time, through professional mics and mixing. This itself is already shocking. You always felt blessed for being one of the few people to know of Jungkook’s singing ability, but this is different. He sounds like a professional singer, someone that makes a living out of it.

You remember Namjoon’s voice.

Hah, Jungkook didn’t tell you yet? He has been working with us! We’re doing a good job. He lent his voice to record some demos.

You then remember what Jungkook told you.

I… I kind of helped them write a song. I felt kind of inspired. It was just for fun, though.

Maybe I’ll let you listen to it any other day.

Is… is this the song he was talking about?

Jungkook’s sweet voice sings:

You are the sunlight that rose again in my life

A reincarnation of my childhood dreams

I don’t know what these emotions are

Am I still dreaming?

Your breathing is irregular. Your fingers are shaking slightly. 

Because as if his voice wasn’t enough to singlehandedly make you feel completely lost, the video is still passing on.

Videos of you.

You sitting on the university’s library, reading a book. You crying that time you ate tacos that were way too spicy, Jungkook’s laughter from behind his phone ringing softly over the song. You playing Just Dance with Seulgi, ridiculously trying to follow the doll’s moves on the TV. You running after Jungkook down the hall as he laughs because he stole your last cookie. You dancing around your kitchen as you prepare breakfast. You and him singing to Staying Alive that night at Burger King, both of you visibly drunk. Your shocked reaction as you watched a plot twist unfold on the TV - an anime he insisted so much for you to watch that you ended up watching.

I hear the ocean from far away

Across the dream, past the woods

I'm following this clarity

Take my hands now

You are the cause of my euphoria

You remember some of those videos. He posted some of them on his Instagram or Snapchat. Some of them you sent him yourself. Some of them, though, you had no idea that existed. Videos of you doing… nothing. Scrolling down your phone. Reading a book. Watching TV. Some of them look more professional - those are from the times you accepted to be his “model” so he could test his techniques, yet he never let you see any of those videos.

Just you.

You, you, you and you.

Were you wandering around

Looking for an erased dream too?

It’s different from what destiny suggests

We share the same painful views

Won't you please stay in my dreams

Yes, both of you had erased dreams. Your erased dream was Mike. His erased dream was Yeri.

Jungkook thought that you would never be more than friends. What he felt, though, was different from what he thought destiny suggested.

The way you drifted apart from each other. The pain you went through, watching your friendship slowly die. You shared the same painful views.

You don’t know at what moment you start to cry, but now, tears are freely dripping down your cheeks.

Even if the earth crumbles

No matter who shakes this world

Don't let go of my hand

Please don’t wake me up from this dream

You remember that time you were looking at the pictures Jungkook took at a wedding, and you noticed how the groom looked at his future wife with overflowing love. You wondered to yourself if someone has ever looked - or ever would - look at you the same way.

Well, sometimes… sometimes I caught him looking at you in some type of way.

It was the way Jungkook acted with you, the way he talked to you, the way he looked at you, that smile he just showed when you were around. 

You’re not seeing him in this video.

Yet, it shows how Jungkook sees you. And you can’t help but think… in his eyes, you look beautiful.

He sings beautifully. Passionately.

Take my hands now

You are the cause of my euphoria

Euphoria

Close the door now

When I’m with you I’m in utopia

As the song slowly ends, the screen shows a last shot from a very old video you didn’t even remember. It’s from your graduation day from high school… actually, a video your mother recorded. The difference is clear from how shaky the camera is. You can’t help but think you look too goofy in your old school uniform.

“Y/N, it’s your graduation day! Next year you’ll live by yourself in a big city!”

“Thanks God. Less bills to pay for,” you hear your father jokingly say somewhere out of sight. You roll your eyes, but still laugh.

“Thank you so much, Dad. I see how much you love me.”

“But I love you, sweetie!”

“Shut up, darling. I’m trying to do an interview.” Your mother shushes him. “So, how do you feel, Y/N?”

You look thoughtful for a moment. That stupid teenager on the screen looks so full of hopes and courage. So young, so naive. “I’m a little bit scared, but I’m excited.” You say. 

Then you smile, as if remembering something very important.

“Besides, Jungkook will live next to me, so I’ll be alright.”

The video ends.

You just sit there, sobbing uncontrollably for the next few minutes.

When you clicked that file, you never expected this.

You never expected to feel so loved with just a video.

At the same time, it makes an urge - the strongest urge you’ve ever felt in your life - flow through you. You need to tell Jungkook how wrong those lyrics are.

He doesn’t have to keep dreaming anymore. You’ve woken up from your own dream - and you’re ready to show him the real world in which you love him back, unconditionally.

Irene and Seulgi look worried as they see you marching out of your bedroom, sniffling, tears streaming down your cheeks. Before Irene can say anything, you put both hands on her shoulders and look at her seriously.

“Remember when you said you owed me one? That you’d help me with whatever I needed?”

Irene starts to look scared. “Yes.”

“Were you serious?”

“Of course!”

“Good. Then I need you to buy a flight ticket for me. Today.”

“Are you sure that’s the right hotel, Jimin?” you ask out of breath, your phone almost falling as you balance it between your ear and your shoulder, your hands busy holding your passport and flight ticket. You, Irene and Seulgi run inside the airport, looking like three crazy women in a dangerous mission - which isn’t too far from reality.

“I’m sure, Y/N!” Jimin says through the phone, starting to sound a little bit annoyed. “God, you asked me this a hundred times!”

“But I need to be sure! Can’t you ask him once again?”

“He will start to get suspicious. I already had to make up one hell of an excuse to make him tell me which room he’s in without sounding creepy.”

“Room 23, right?”

“Room 32!”

“So, is he sure that’s the right hotel?” Irene asks.

“Yes.”

She clicks something on her phone. “Good. It’s not too far from the airport. You’re lucky there was a room available!”

“Are you sure about this, Y/N?” Seulgi asks, looking borderline panicked. “You’re not going to die if you wait a few days until he comes back.”

“Yes, I am going to die if I wait any longer.”

“So dramatic.” Jimin says over the phone. You can even see him rolling his eyes.

“Shut up!”

“Why are you telling me to shut up?!” Seulgi asks, offended.

“No! I was talking to Jimin!” You finally hold the phone with your hand. “Okay, Jimin. I’m hanging up. Thank you so much for your help.”

“Don’t fucking die out there.” Jimin says, but you can hear the smile on his voice. “Good luck!”

You shove the phone inside your back pocket and turn around to look at them.

“Y/N, I don’t trust you alone in a foreign country.” Seulgi says. She does look panicked.

“I don’t trust myself either, but it’s alright.” You reassure her - but she only looks more nervous. You didn’t even bring a suitcase, choosing to just take a backpack with a few clothes and extremely necessary items. 

Irene takes something from her wallet and hands it to you. “Here’s my credit card. I will text you the password later.”

You widen your eyes. “Irene, that’s not necessary…”

She shrugs in a dismissing demeanour. “Of course it is. How will you survive out there without money?” This kinda reminds you that this is only one of her credit cards and that whatever money you spend won’t really mean much to her. Still, you take the card hesitantly, making a mental promise to not spend more than the utmost necessary. “Your room is booked. You can ask a taxi to take you directly to the hotel. There’s no way to get lost.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that…” Seulgi says under her breath.

“Seulgi, I will fucking beat you up.” 

“Sorry! I’m nervous!” She admits.

Your gaze softens. “I promise I won’t die, okay?”

She steps closer and hugs you tightly. “Be safe. Huh, you’re so stupid, but this is so romantic! It feels like I’m watching a Netflix romcom movie in real life!”

“Why do you always have to bring Netflix up?” Irene wonders under her breath. Seulgi sends her a menacing glare as she steps back again. “Anyways, if you need anything, please call us. Call us as soon as you get out of the plane. Keep us informed.”

“Okay.” You jump over to hug Irene; she gets visibly surprised, not really the type of person to appreciate a lot of physical contact. “Thank you so much, Irene! You’re saving my life!”

“The same way you saved mine.” She giggles. “Now go, unless you want to lose your flight!”

You wave them goodbye one last time before walking to the check-in area.

Yeah. You know that this is very, very stupid to do. You could wait three days. But when your impulsive, chaotic side takes control, you can’t really hold it back. That’s why you get inside the plane even though you’re really fucking scared of flights, going to a country you know absolutely nothing about. 

But it’s alright. You’ll be with Jungkook, so it’s alright. Even if he rejects you - it’s alright.

Your chaotic side says that you’ll annoy him until he at least listens to you - and this time, you don’t think your chaotic side is all that wrong.

You get lost.

Which is dumb, because there were lots of information boards around the airport. Maybe that’s why you got lost - too much information, your peanut-sized brain couldn’t process all of that. After walking around the gigantic place for a good thirty minutes, only stopping to buy something very important on a vending machine, you find the exit and the taxi area. The taxi driver sees how desperate you are and it looks like he pities you.

Irene was right; the hotel is only twenty minutes away from the airport. It’s not a super hotel, but it looks like it’s much more expensive than you’d be able to pay (you couldn’t even pay for the flight tickets anyway). 

You get more and more and more and more nervous at each passing minute. You feel like you’re about to fucking explode as the receptionist types something you can’t see. When he gives you the key card for your room, you feel goosebumps run down your spine.

It’s now.

Getting inside the elevator, you press the button to Jungkook’s floor. You don’t even want to drop your things in your own room before meeting him. You’re so nervous that, if you wait a little bit more, you’re sure that you’ll pass out.

Every step of yours on the corridor’s carpeted floor echoes in your ears. Your heart beats furiously. Your hands are trembling slightly and you feel cold in your stomach.

Room 23.

You stand in front of it, frozen.

Oh my God.

As expected, you don’t know what you’ll say when you see him. You tried to plan a speech the entire flight as a way to forget you were thousands of feet away from the ground and how fucking scared it made you, but you couldn’t think of anything.

You inhale and exhale deeply. It’s alright. It’s Jungkook who you’re talking about. You’ve always known how to act around him. Right now it’s no different.

Finally, you knock on the door.

“J-Jungkook?” You call, your voice failing slightly.

No response. 

Weird. Jimin made sure that Jungkook wouldn’t be working anymore at this hour.

“Jungkook, it’s me. Can we… can we talk, please?” You say a little bit louder, knocking on the door once more. You can't hear any noise coming from inside the room. Come on, Jungkook. You have to open the door before any security guard can drag me away from here. 

Your breathing is difficult. Your hands are trembling slightly. It feels that the floor is opening holes under your feet.

"Jungkook, I know you're mad at me. But please… please, let me at least explain myself." It's stupid how you already feel your eyes welling up with tears. Since when you became such a cry baby? Your chest tightens, hurts. "Y-You can't just leave me outside your room like this. Stop being a jerk. I need to tell you… I-I need to tell you that I lo-"

"Y/N?"

You freeze.

You turn around, looking at the exact opposite room in the hallway.

It's him.

Jungkook still holds the doorknob, indicating that he just opened it. He's barefoot, wears shorts and a long sleeved shirt, all black. His damp hair falling slightly over his eyes indicates that he probably just took a shower.

His eyes are so widened that it looks like they're about to pop out of his face.

He sincerely looks at you like you're the weirdest thing he has ever seen in his life. 

"W-What-" he stutters, looking like he can't form a coherent sentence. "What the fuck?!"

You're still frozen in place.

You turn around again, looking at the door you were knocking on.

Room 23.

You look back at Jungkook again - the sign on his door.

Room 32.

"Oh." Is all you can say.

Shame suddenly makes your shoulders weight. You really, really hope there's no one inside Room 23. 

You both stand there, staring at each other with widened eyes like two scared chipmunks. Your neck and face feels very, very hot.

Jungkook looks like he's recovering from the shock. He didn't hear anything you said, apparently. 

"W-What exactly are you doing here?" Jungkook asks, tilting his head to the side. He frowns, looking at you like you're an exotic species. 

"Oh." You repeat. Your brain is malfunctioning. You step closer, simply showing him the plastic bag you're holding. "I-I brought you this."

His eyes go from you to the plastic bag and to you again. 

"It's banana milk." You explain hurriedly. He widens his eyes slightly. "I mean- it's this country's equivalent of banana milk, I guess. It's the closest thing I could buy in the vending machine."

Jungkook raises his hand slowly and takes it. He's moving carefully, as if this exotic species can jump on him and bite him at any moment.

"Did you take a 5 hour flight just to buy me banana milk?" 

"Yes." You agree mindlessly. You feel your entire body burning now. "A-And I also came here to talk, because your dramatic ass didn't let me speak the other day."

Jungkook quirks one eyebrow and crosses his arms slowly. "Alright. I'm listening to you now."

He stares at you very seriously. 

His gaze is overwhelming. It almost feels that you're getting small under his eyes. Gosh - you've been wanting to see him for days, but right now, when he's right in front of you, you can't say a damn thing, your brain completely overheating, your braincells melting. You thought you'd know how to act when you met him - but ha, guess what? You don't.

And that motherfucker is just standing there, waiting for you to speak. Just staring at you.

You hold the doorknob in a swift moment and close the door on his face, just letting enough of it open so he can still hear you.

"What-?" He gasps from inside the room.

"Shut up, okay?! I just can't speak looking at you right now." You hold the doorknob so tightly that your knuckles get white. You hate the way your voice is trembling and you hate the way your sight can't really focus on anything around you - that's just how nervous you are.

Jungkook doesn't say anything. You feel him leaning on the other side of the door, waiting patiently.

You inhale and exhale heavily.

"You got so fucking angry at me when I said you were my best friend that night.” You start, not really knowing where you’re going with this. You don’t even know if it’s possible to convey everything you feel through words only. “But you know, it’s- it’s true. You are my best friend. But what you didn’t let me explain is that you’re not just my best friend.”

Your heartbeat thunders on your ears at each word. You can’t see Jungkook’s expression, and at the same time it helps you keep talking, it also makes you more anxious. 

“Y-You’ve been with me through everything. You were there with me when I broke my arm when we were kids, and you were there to help me when I thought I wouldn’t get into college, and you were there with me to celebrate when I got into college. It’s even embarrassing that you’ve seen all of my lowest moments.” You rest your head on the door, staring at the carpet under your feet. The first tears roll down your cheeks. “You know everything about me and sometimes I hate it. You’re like… fuck, I hate how cheesy this sounds, but you’re like a part of me. A-And you’re the best part, because- I don’t know how to explain, but you’re always the one making my average self want to be more.”

Normal you would never say something like this. You’re far from being an emotional person and you’re shit with words. But right now you’re crying and sniffling and trembling and you can’t shut your mouth anymore.

“Please, you have to believe me. I would never purposefully hurt you. Whenever I see you sad I die a little bit inside, and to know that I was the cause of your sadness is fucking killing me. It’s killing me.” You sob. “I don’t want to be the cause of your sadness ever again. I-I want to return all the good things you’ve done to me. So, please… I know I’m a pain in the ass to deal with, b-but if you’d let me be by your side… if you’d just bear me a little bit longer until I become someone that you’d want to be with-”

Jungkook opens the door. 

You hear him whispering under his breath wait, wait, wait, interrupting you. Gently, he puts his hands on your arms and pulls you inside the room, closing the door right after, so now your back is against the door - right in front of him.

He stares at you, lips parted, eyebrows slightly knitted together. He looks stunned. Very, very confused. And very hopeful.

His starry eyes are welling up with tears.

“What… what do you mean with all this?” Jungkook asks softly. He almost sounds scared. “What do you really mean?”

You stare at him in silence. His beautiful face. His beautiful self. 

You’ve never been so sure about anything in your life.

“I love you.” you confess, your voice cracking slightly. “I-I fucking love you. I’m sorry that I took so long to realize.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen.

The next thing you know is that his lips are against yours.

He drops the plastic bag full of banana milk on the floor, holding the back of your neck with one hand and pressing your body against his with the other. He tastes like toothpaste and tears; you can barely breathe, adrenaline rushing through your bloodstream, your fingers grabbing the strands of his damp hair.

When he finally lets go of your lips, you’re both out of breath and trembling.

Then, he smiles - and it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen in your life.

He wipes the tears away from your cheeks as his own cheeks are wet with tears. His eyes are smiling too, and you think that you want to keep that smile forever.

“Y-You have… you have no idea of how long- how long I dreamed of hearing this,” Jungkook says quietly, his voice cracking a little bit. He giggles, frowning his eyebrows slightly as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing right in front of him. “I can’t believe you took a fucking plane to bring me banana milk! How can I stay mad at you when you do this type of thing?!”

You start giggling too. His warmth, his scent of baby powder, the way his eyes are shining as much as diamonds - this is something you didn’t know you needed, you didn’t know you’d ever have.

“God- I fucking love you, too.”

Your heart feels filled.

You smash your lips on his again.

It’s desperate and intense and makes your senses completely dizzy.

You feel the backpack dropping from your shoulders right before Jungkook lifts you up as if you weigh nothing and you circle your legs around his waist. Without breaking the kiss, he carries you to where the bed is, sitting down with you on his lap. 

Adrenaline and excitement washes over your body in anticipation. It’s even familiar at this point - his gaze clouded with want, your heavy breathings, hands grabbing and caressing everywhere they can find. Jungkook moans quietly against your lips as you grip his hair tightly, humping your clothed core very slowly against his growing erection.

“I missed you so fucking much,” he whispers in that deep voice that makes goosebumps run down your skin, his lips against your neck as he kisses and sucks it. You giggle.

“We fucked just a few days ago,” you point out.

“I miss this everyday. All the time.” 

You hold his face, forcing him to look at you.

You might be shit at words, you might not know how to express yourself that well. But one thing you know better than anyone else is how to make him feel good.

So, softly, you push him back until you’re hovering above him and he’s propped up by his elbows.

You don’t say anything. You just smile and start to take his shirt off.

He doesn’t complain.

Your hands roam his exposed skin as you kiss and suck his neck gently. While your lips are still glued on his neck, one of your hands travels to caress his clothed member. Quiet moans come from the back of his throat. Slowly, you kiss your way down his chest and stomach - until you’re kneeled in front of his opened legs.

Jungkook is breathing heavily in anticipation. Maybe it’s the sole sight of you biting your bottom lip as you manage to get his member free from his boxers and shorts that makes it throb. He has to gulp when he sees you spitting on his dick, the feeling of your spit trickling down his member making goosebumps roam his skin.

You hold his member and start to bump it slowly at first - which makes waves of pure pleasure wash over Jungkook, stunning his senses. He hisses when your lips envelop the head of his cock, sucking it. His eyes are half lidded, lips slightly parted, Adam’s apple bobbing as he gulps. He looks so beautiful as he’s being pleasured.

You start taking more of him inside your mouth until you feel him on your throat; Jungkook moans louder. You bob your head up and down his length, taking turns between sucking and bumping his member with your hand, your spit making it easier and producing obscene sounds. Jungkook hisses and groans and moans and then he’s grabbing your hair, making you take more of him inside your mouth. You don’t complain. You just want to make him feel the best he has ever felt.

This time, though, it’s being much quieter than what it usually is. Jungkook just swears a little under his breath. No dirty talking. 

His face and neck are covered with blush, a thin layer of sweat covering his forehead, his face distorted with pure pleasure. His moans are getting more constant and louder. You wouldn’t mind if he cummed in your mouth right now, but Jungkook hisses and takes his hand off your hair.

“Oh my God- stop. Stop. Come here, babe.”

You decide to just do as he said. As soon as you prop your knees on each side of him, Jungkook sits up again and starts to get rid of your clothing hurriedly - first your pants, then your coat and shirt. When he unclasps your bra, he immediately takes one of your breasts on his mouth, making you moan quietly. His hand pushes your panties to the side to meet your already wet core; you moan louder as he gently caresses it. You unconsciously start moving your hips against his hand, his movements adding more pressure over your clit, his lips still licking and sucking your breasts.

Jungkook decides this was enough to get you wetter. He pushes your panties to the side, holds both sides of your hips as you guide his member to your entrance.

Both of you moan as he enters.

You close your eyes tightly, the feeling of being stretched by him so familiar and so delicious. Steadying yourself on his shoulders, you start to guide yourself up and down on him, never breaking eye contact, watching him carefully. Every deep moan coming from him makes you shiver. The pleasure, the sound of skin hitting skin - how many times have you done it before? You don’t even remember. Yet, right now, it somehow feels fresh and new. 

Maybe it’s because there’s more in Jungkook’s eyes than just lust. Maybe it’s because you notice how he watches you with adoration. And maybe it’s because you watch him with the same intensity, the same feeling.

Jungkook grabs the skin of your hips tightly as you increase your pace. He loves your face contorted in pleasure, he loves the sight of your boobs jumping at each move, he loves to feel the soft skin of your ass on his hand. He loves it. Both of you are really sweating now. You kiss him deeply, never decreasing your pace, your tongues entangling around each other, grabbing the strands of his hair.

God, how much he loves it.

He loves it much more now, because he sees how this time, he’s not the only one feeling something beyond physical pleasure. He knows you too damn well. It’s just like that morning at your house. You’re feeling it, too. 

You love him, too.

Thinking about it makes him smile. You think it’s simultaneously the hottest and the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen.

Jungkook simply circles his arms around your waist and completely switches positions, throwing you on your back on the bed, which makes you giggle. He finally gets rid of your panties and hovers over you, thrusting inside of you once again.

His pace is fast and steady from the beginning. Your moans get higher and higher, louder and louder. You love how his face is so close to yours, how strongly he’s hitting you, how he tightly intertwines his fingers with yours (Jungkook really is the type to intertwine his hands when having sex!)

It’s ridiculous how you feel your eyes welling up with tears in a moment like this.

This moment… It’s not just bodies connecting - it’s souls. 

You used to think you and Jungkook didn’t match; you were opposites in many ways. Jungkook is an introvert, you are an extrovert. Jungkook prefers quiet places, you prefer parties. Jungkook works out, you’re too lazy to do so. Jungkook hates coffee. You can’t live without it.

But, it’s in this moment - when he’s inside of you, when all of your senses are stunned by pure pleasure, when everything you can smell is him and everything you can hear is the sounds of bodies against bodies and when everything you can see is his beautiful starry eyes looking right back at you - is when you realize how wrong you were all along.

You’re like two jigsaw puzzle pieces. They need to be different to match. They are different, but when you put them two together, they complete each other.

You’ve always matched.

Seulgi didn't expect to find Jungkook standing in the kitchen when she came home.

Of course - you told her that the flight back home was scheduled at night and you'd probably arrive in the morning. This shouldn't be surprising. Yet, Seulgi still widens her eyes when she sees Jeon Jungkook cooking breakfast, his hair a mess, his face slightly swollen - an indication that he just woke up - wearing shorts and a white t-shirt.

He turns around and smiles. "Oh! Y/N didn't tell me you were coming back so early." He sounds a little bit surprised.

Seulgi notices it immediately.

That smile on his face and those gleamy eyes are just shown by someone that had a long, steamy and tiring night of sex.

Sure, Seulgi knows that you and Jungkook made up - and that you've been fucking for months now - but damn, it's still shocking to see it with her own eyes, considering that you only looked like good friends.

"I didn't know I'd come back early, too." Seulgi says, sitting by the tiny kitchen counter. She was expecting to spend the weekend at Irene’s penthouse, but she had to work. This is one of the reasons why Seulgi loves Irene; Irene could just enjoy her fortune and do nothing, yet, she decides to actively work for the company. She’s admirable.

"Do you want breakfast?" He asks over his shoulder.

"Well… I already had breakfast, but this is smelling really good." She admits. Jungkook nods and proceeds to prepare one more portion. She just watches in silence as he works around the kitchen (and she's also surprised that he knows where everything is, every pot, every spoon, literally everything). He hums quietly, that tiny satisfied smile never leaving his lips. 

Seulgi thinks she has never seen him so happy.

It's kind of adorable.

"So, how was your job?" She asks.

"It was great!" Jungkook says excitedly. He chuckles. "I thought I was going to be the assistant of the assistant, but actually I was everyone's assistant. I didn't really do much, but it was great anyways. It's totally different to study about it and see how things work in real life."

Before Seulgi says anything, she sees you coming from your bedroom.

Your face is swollen and your eyes are barely opened; it seems you're not even seeing where you're going. Your hair is a complete mess. You wear one of Jungkook's shirts and Seulgi suspects you're not wearing anything under it.

She watches as you walk on a beeline straight to Jungkook and hug him from behind, burying your face on his back.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" At least that's what she thinks you said, because your voice sounds muffled.

"Because you looked so funny that I didn't want to wake you up." He says softly. Seulgi can hear his smile. "You were drooling and all. I even took some pictures."

"You didn't."

"I did." Jungkook giggles when you punch his back, but still keep your body glued on him. 

"Fuck you. What are you cooking anyways? It smells too fucking good." You mumble.

"It's my special recipe." Jungkook moves to take something on the cabinet. You go along. "I can't cook if you keep smashing me like this."

"I don't caaare."

"Since when do you like hugging so much?"

"You didn't know girlfriend Y/N. Girlfriend Y/N likes long hugs."

Jungkook chuckles again. "Nice to meet you, Girlfriend Y/N."

Seulgi just stares, jaw dropped. From all the things she thought she’d see in her life, this is the most unexpected.

This is so cheesy. So not you. Not even when you were dating Mike you were like this. 

And Jesus- she has never seen you look happy like this.

You turn your head to look at Seulgi, and she watches awkwardly as you let go of Jungkook and proceed to walk in her direction. You kind of look like a really happy zombie.

“Oh, good morning, Seul. Don’t be jealous. I love you toooo.”

And you throw your arms around her shoulders, hugging her so tightly that she almost falls from the stool.

The only person that doesn’t get shocked at your relationship is your mother.

You casually called her just to talk and gave the news. What she said?

“Well, finally.” 

Everyone else is utterly shocked.

When Hoseok saw you kissing each other goodbye the other day - it was just a peck - his eyes got so wide that it seemed they were about to pop out of his face. He stared at you and him, completely shocked, as Jimin just laughed. That was pretty much everyone’s reaction.

You and Jungkook were never the type to be too touchy. It’s still kind of awkward to hand hold in public or call each other things like babe or love. You physically cringe just thinking of calling him “babe”, honestly.

It’s weird, because you’re “officially” dating now, but your relationship isn’t all that different. All the overwhelming awkwardness between you is gone (thankfully), so now you do what you always did; you swear at each other, you have your violent ways of showing affection, he still ghosts you because he’s too busy playing whatever game. The only difference is that now you can fuck without feeling guilty (and oh boy, you’ve been fucking a lot these days) and there’s a lot of kissing. There wasn’t that much kissing back then.

You thought it was impossible, but sex is even better now. It’s more exciting and even funnier - especially because there’s no awkwardness weighting in the room after you both reach your climaxes. Instead, there’s giggles and hugs and soft kisses. You also sleep at each other’s places now, which is good.

To be honest, if you think really hard about it, you’ve been lowkey dating for years. It’s just that now, you fuck a lot. 

When you tell him this, Jungkook just chuckles. You don’t think he’s really listening to what you’re saying, though - nor you’re thinking straight anymore. You went out with your friends at a karaoke and, as expected, ended up drinking way too much; you and Seulgi had a singing competition in which none of you won (Irene just sat there looking absolutely embarrassed), Jimin sang a little bit but disappeared at some point (Jungkook said he noticed some hot guy in the side room), Hoseok got so emotional singing Haru Haru by BigBang that he started crying as Seokjin laughed so hard he almost choked, and Jungkook didn’t sing at all (because everybody knew he’s actually good at it and he would humiliate everyone else), until Jungkook silently asked if you wanted to leave (and you did) and you two left before anyone could notice (they were too drunk to notice anyway).

Since he’s drinking, you took a bus. The wrong bus. You’re at the other side of the city now, sitting on the bench of a park, watching the sun rise. It sounds romantic, but really, everything you see is heavy traffic and the grey pollution line in the horizon, almost blocking the sun.

Not that you care.

“We did everything backwards.” Jungkook says, his voice low and a little bit husky. His eyes look heavy because of the alcohol. You love how his hair is tied in a tiny ponytail. “People usually are friends first, then go out on dates, then they fuck.”

“We jumped straight to the fun part!” You say as if it’s obvious. He giggles again. 

Peaceful silence. Jungkook watches your intertwined hands sitting on his lap, a small smile on his face. You can see that, even though he’s right by your side, his mind must be far, far away. He’s clearly sleepy. It’s silly - you know this guy almost your entire life, you already have memorized each detail about him - but you can’t take your eyes off of him right now.

You inhale.

“You know.” You start absently. “I saw the video.”

Jungkook frowns and looks at you. “What video?”

You’re trying really hard to hold back a smile.

“I think it’s called euphoria final test I swear to God.”

His eyes widen.

“W-What? Who showed you?!” He groans. “Jimin. Oh my God- I’m gonna fucking kill him!”

You start laughing as you see blush creeping on his cheeks and ears. He hides his face behind his hands and moans painfully.

“Why are you so embarrassed?” You ask, endeared, trying to get his hands off from his face, but he won’t let you.

“You weren’t supposed to watch that! It’s- it wasn’t- ugh!”

“But the song is beautiful, Kook!” You try, still laughing.

“Yeah, the song is alright, but the video?”

“What’s wrong with the video?”

He finally side eyes you for a few seconds. The blush on his cheeks gets redder. He hides his face again, groaning.

“You weren’t supposed to find out about that. Shit, I can’t look at you anymore. I wanna fucking die.”

“Stop being so dramatic!” After a lot of effort, you finally manage to cup his face with your hands. Still, he avoids your gaze. “Hey, hey. Look at me!”

He does.

He looks sheepish and it’s adorable.

“I loved it. Every second of it. You’re so damn talented.”

“B-But I didn’t write the song alone… Namjoon takes most of the credits with the lyrics. I just helped a little bit. A-And you know, it was just for fun, it’s not an official demo or anything-”

He’s forced to shut up when you peck his lips.

“I love you.”

He knits his eyebrows a little bit.

“You like to say this a lot.” He notices quietly. “I didn’t know you were this type of person.”

“I’m not.” You agree. “But it’s because it’s you.”

You’ve been “officially” dating for, what, almost two weeks now? People usually don’t say “I love you” this early. But this isn’t the beginning for you two. It’s more like a progression. It feels natural, like it has always been with him.

It feels like home.

Jungkook avoids your gaze again. The blush hasn’t gone away. “I don’t know what to do when you say things like that- why are you crying?!”

It’s Jungkook’s time to laugh at you as you try to wipe the tears away. He pulls you to rest your head on his chest, hugging you tightly.

“I am supposed to be the emotional one here, not you.” He says, still laughing.

“Shut up. I’m drunk.” 

“Yeah, sure.” His laughter slowly dies until it’s just a quiet giggle. You feel his scent, hear the beating of his heart. Jungkook kisses the top of your head gently, caressing your back. “I’m gonna be so embarrassed when I remember I said this tomorrow,” he says softly against your hair. “But I think I’ve loved you ever since that first day of school when we bumped into each other on our way.”

You bury your face on his chest even more.

Everything around you is blurred and distant. It seems that nothing really matters besides right here, right now - as if you’ve never realized what you’ve been waiting for your whole life. This moment.

Him.

The puzzle is finally complete.

[boldlyvoid]

CONGRATS ON 800, LOVE! IM SO SORRY I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO SUBMIT SOMETHING EARLIER (this is shemarmooresfedora but from another acct because mine has been shadowbanned for some reason)

i’ll do ❤️🤡💄🛏 please and thank you

maybe like spencer invites you to something as his date and you’re both crushing on each other but it’s not official until the reservation only booked one room

I LOVE YOU DORY!!! i am so sorry you're shadowbanned that is so weird? i hope this cheers you up a little! thank you for all the love and support, and for helping me create little Jo in Amoreena <3

cw: flirting, fake married, mutual pining, high school reunions, assault, love confessions, one bed, implied sex, kissing,

1.4K

When he got the invitation in the mail, he thought nothing of it. He left it in the pile on his counter and went off to work the way he always would. He hasn’t been back to his old high school since he was 13, the 15 year reunion was coming up and he was invited.

He wasn’t going to go. He never went to any event unless it was a CalTech alumni event. Because there he was respected, there he was Doctor Spencer Reid, the FBI’s asset and excellent graduate. He was a nobody, a kid and a loser in high school.

“You okay?” Y/N notices he’s quieter than normal, he’s staring off past his desk and she’s worried for him.

“Huh?” He turns to her, “I’m fine.”

“Doesn’t look like it,” she whispers, “come get a coffee with me down at the kart?”

He nods and stands silently, following her out of the room and away from all their friends, in the elevator she knows he’s more comfortable.

“What’s going on, Spence?”

“My high school reunion is coming up, and I really want to go and prove to them that I’m not a dork anymore…” his voice is low and his eyes are fixated on the floor.

Her face drops, she pulls the emergency button and wraps herself around him. “You have never been a dork, Spencer. You have always been magnificent and they’re too dumb to see that.”

He holds her in return, settling as he rests his chin on her shoulder. She feels nice and warm, her hair smells like apples and her laundry detergent is all over her shirt.

“Would you come back to Vegas with me and pretend to be my girlfriend? Say things like that and make them think I’ve got it all?”

He cant see how much she smiles while they hug, “yes, I’d love to be your girlfriend for the day.”

—

She buys the nicest dress imaginable, they fly out to Vegas together and she’s so excited she forgot to ask for her own room. Or at least that’s what she tells him because she really wanted a chance to sleep with him, in more ways than one.

Even to just cuddle with Spencer Reid would be a gift, so she goes all out to seduce him. She looked impeccable, He was thinking it was her way of helping him show off… he was so clueless she was going to have to be the smart one when it came to getting him to see her as more than a friend. She wanted him, she was going to show him just how good she would be to him if she was his.

Her dress hugs her in all the right places, she wraps an arm around Spencer’s middle and holds him close. They walk in like they own the place, everyone is taking turns looking at them as they walk to the name tag table.

“Hi, Spener Reid,” he smiles, “and my plus one.”

“Hi,” Y/N waved at the woman behind the desk.

“Hello,” she smiles, “here are your name tags, Mr. and Mrs. Reid.”

“Oh we’re—“

“Thank you,” Y/N smiles, she takes the name tags from the woman. “Newlyweds, my rings getting resized, he’s still adjusting to the title.”

“Ah, my husband was the same, called it wedding bell shock,” she smiled, old enough to have a husband with shell-shock as well.

“Can I have a pen?” Y/N asks, “or a marker?”

“Here,” she hands her a sharpie.

Y/N leans onto the table to scratch out the Mr. and replace it with Dr. “He has 3 Ph.D.’s you know? My husband is the smartest man in the FBI.”

“Oh,” she looks shocked, “thank you for your service sir.”

He blushes and nods, “thank you.”

Y/N peels the sticker off and sticks it to Spencer's chest before leaning in to press a kiss to the tip of his nose, she gets lipstick on him. She smiles and wipes it off, “there, still cute.”

The rest of the night is much of the same; she hangs off him, telling all the people who used to bully him that she was so madly in love with him, he was super smart and he was so strong and sexy on the job.

She slips away from him to get a drink while he explains how profiling works to his crowd of new fans. She’s filling her cup with punch when a weird, balding man slides up beside her, his hand touching her waist. She looks at him quickly, recognizing his name from the worst childhood story Spencer ever shared with her.

“Hey there, hot stuff,” he tried to hit on her.

She puts her cup down calmly and takes his hand off her, bending his arm behind his back and slamming him face-first into the punch bowl. She pulls his face back up by his hair, “that was for touching me.”

Then she slams him onto the floor where he coughs out punch from his lungs. “And that was for what you did to my husband as a kid, he was a Kid! You may have peaked in high school, but at least Doctor Reid doesn’t have a widow's peak, like yours. He is the smartest, sexiest, and most wonderful man in the world and you're nothing but a loser.”

Spencer turns around at the sound of her voice, “oooo” echos around the gym as everyone looks at the scene unfolding. Patrick, the asshole quarterback that traumatized him as a child, was on the ground covered in red juice as he complained about a sore arm.

Y/N smiles at him and waves before rejoining Spencer, “he doesn’t know how to keep his hands to himself.”

“Let’s get out of here,” Spencer suggests and she is all too eager to skip out of the room with him, right past Patrick.

—

She slams him against the wall as soon as they’re inside the hotel room again, kissing him with more desperation than she’s ever felt in her life. She needed him, he was her last piece and then she’d be complete.

She breaks the kiss to move down his neck as she loosens his tie and unbuttons his shirt. “Are you sure we can be friends after this?”

“I’d hope my husband was my best friend,” she whispers against his skin.

He pulls her away from his neck, hands on her cheeks so he can look at her and read her expressions as best as possible, “I’m serious, I don’t want to do this if it’s going to make working together hard.”

“You’re an idiot,” she smiles, “I have been in love with you for months Spencer. I want this, I have wanted you for so long…”

His breathing changes as she explains her feelings, leaning in to kiss his neck again and make her way down his chest. “I’ve thought about this for so long Spencer, you have no idea how many dirty thoughts I have about doing things like this with you.”

“I got 1 bed on purpose,” he gasps out, “I wanted to sleep beside you… I hoped—

She smiles against him, “I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you to get 2…”

“You’re really not kidding?” He sounds so desperate it’s almost sad.

She stops her kissing and looks at him again, “why is it so hard for you to believe all the things I’ve said about you tonight? I’m not just trying to impress them, I’m telling the whole fucking world that the person I am in love with is the smartest man they will ever meet. People should bow at your feet, Spencer, let me appreciate you for how incredibly wonderful you are and stop doubting my feelings.”

“You love me?” Tears well in his eyes and he feels like a complete idiot, “why didn’t you just tell me?”

“I wanted you to admit it first,” she whispers, equally as embarrassed. “I have a huge crush on you Spence, it’s not just that I love you, I never want to stop. You’re so nice and kind and funny? And you make me smile every day and I laugh even on the worst days ever because you’re there, and when I think about the future and reunions and events like this that I have to go to one day, and all I want is to bring you along and show everyone that you’re mine.”

She rambled more than he did, “so please, will you unzip my dress and join me in our one bed, husband?”

“Absolutely, my beautiful wife,” he turns her around, moving her hair off her back, he kisses her shoulder softly.

He moves the zip down as slow as possible, kissing every inch of newly exposed skin as he did so. When he reached the end, she pushed the straps off her arms and let the dress fall to the floor.

Mission accomplished.

[kimistorm]

Red-Faced and Running Away (Luka Couffaine x Reader)

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Pairing: Luka Couffaine x fem! Reader

Your head nodded along with the music coming from your ear buds. It was the music from one of the coolest people in your school (aside from Adrien, but he's a couple years below so that doesn't count). Luka Couffaine.

"Hey (y/n), (y/n). (y/n)!" a hand tapped you on your shoulder and you jolted to look at the person who was trying to get your attention.

"Oh hey (f/n)." You pulled the ear buds off, "what's up?"

(f/n) smiled slyly at you, "are you listening to a certain blue haired boy's music."

"So what if I am?" you retorted.

"Hey Luka!" (f/n) shouted and waved a hand to get said person's attention.

"What are you doing?" you hissed and grabbed onto (f/n)'s hand to stop them from waving it around. They just ignored your protest and waved with their other hand.

Luka noticed and started to walk over to the two of you, "hey guys. What's up?"

"(y/n) was just listening to your music, and she was just telling me how awesome your music was. Right?" (f/n) looked at you and nudged your shoulder.

"Eep." You declared and hid behind (f/n).

Luka laughed, "well thanks for the support (y/n). I'm going to go hide from fangirls now if that's alright."

"Of course, see you later!" (f/n) waved and Luka disappeared to who knows where. "Girl!" (f/n) scolded and turned to you, "why are you hiding from him?"

"He's just so awesome! He's on an entirely different level from me. No way I could talk to a guy like him!" you explained.

"But he talked to you, so..."

"Let's just get to class." You turned away from her and hurried to your class.

(f/n) ran up next to you and sang in your ear, "(y/n) and Luka sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-"

"What are you, 10?" you demanded but your face was definitely a bit redder than it was before.

...

"Luka!" you and (f/n) were sitting down to eat lunch when (f/n) practically screamed Luka's name across the cafeteria.

"What are you doing?" you asked in a hushed panic, "you can't invite him! I turn into a nervous wreck every time I'm even near him!"

"Oh look, he's coming over." (f/n) smiled, "and it looks like he's bringing his food too."

"Hi (y/n), hi (f/n)." Luka greeted and sat down across from you, "how's your day been?"

You froze and you could definitely feel your face heat up, "I- excuse me." You stuttered before running out of the cafeteria.

"Does she hate me?" Luka asked (f/n) worriedly.

"Of course she doesn't," (f/n) reassured him, "she's just a blubbering adorable mess when you're around her."

Luka let out a small laugh, "cute."

...

It was after school and all you wanted to do was to go home and relax...and definitely ignore your homework for as long as possible. "Hey (y/n)!" your head jolted up as you heard your name be called. You looked around and your face almost paled when you realized it was Luka who was waving to get your attention.

"I, uh," you quickly turned away from him and ran down the street. Hopefully he didn't see you look back at him. You ran around the corner and hid against it, after a few moments of nobody running past the corner looking for you, you breathed a sigh of relief.

You felt your phone buzz in your pocket and you fumbled to get it out, it was (f/n), 'where are you!' the text read.

'Oops, I'm on my way home already.' You texted a reply as you carefully navigated yourself through the streets of Paris without hitting people.

'What? You ditched me! Do I smell a betrayal?'

'No! No! Of course not!' you sent a panicked text in reply, 'I'm just running away from Luka.'

'Why? You're going to scare him away!' you could practically see (f/n)'s chastising face.

'If anything, he's the one scaring me away!'

'Well don't! He likes you, so don't push him away! I know you like him back!' You froze. Did (f/n) mean what you thought she meant? Did Luka like you? As in more than a friend?

'Do you mean like-like or just like as a friend?' you had to confirm what they said. You refused to get your hopes up.

'I didn't say anything!'

'Uh...yeah you did, just look at the text message history. What are you hiding (f/n)?'

'Nothing! Listen I've got to go, talk to you later!'

'(f/n) wait! You can't just leave me hanging!' you let out a frustrated sigh as she stopped responding. They left you on 'read' for crying out loud. "Darn you (f/n)." You grumbled and kicked a can that was just lying on the ground, "getting my hopes up like that."

...

"You! Have some explaining to do!" you nearly shouted in (f/n)'s face the next day.

"What is it?" (f/n) asked nonchalantly as they ate a protein bar.

"You said Luka likes me?"

(f/n) choked on their protein bar and you were feeling merciless that morning, so you let them struggle without offering any help. "Um, no. I did not. Hey look there he is, why don't you just ask him yourself? Luka!" they shouted and once again you were in the situation as you attempted to stop their furious waving around to spare you some embarrassment.

"Oh my god (f/n)!" you whined and hid behind them, "spare me some embarrassment today!"

"Too late!" they whispered cheekily, "how are you today Luka?"

"Alright." He shrugged, "did you not hear me yesterday (y/n)?" he tried to lean around (f/n) to talk to you.

"No?" you squeaked before running away from (f/n) and Luka.

"And you're sure she likes me?" Luka asked dubiously as he watched you run away.

(f/n) nodded, "a hundred percent positive. She's just shy. Really shy."

"Luka!" there was another voice calling out his name and he tried to conceal a wince.

"More fangirls?" (f/n) asked.

Luka sighed, "wish me luck."

"Luck."

...

"I just came to a realization." You declared the moment (f/n) sat down next to you.

"That you like Luka back and are too scared to admit it?" (f/n) asked without missing a beat.

"Yes, but that's not the main thing."

"Okay-hold up!" they turned their entire body to look directly at you, "did you just verbally admit that you are head over heels in love with Luka Couffaine and that you are way to shy and scared to even talk to him let alone admit it to his face?"

You hesitated, "maybe? That's not what I want to talk about though!"

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Why does Luka spend so much time with us? He has hordes of other fangirls to deal with. He's practically a celebrity at our school!"

"Because he likes hanging out with us?" (f/n) turned away from you and mumbled something under their breath.

"Wait what did you say?"

"Nothing!"

"What is it!" you shouted and nearly grabbed their shoulders to shake them.

"I promised I wouldn't tell!"

"Promised who!"

"It's a secret!"

"Ugh!" you let yourself fall onto the desk in front of you.

"Just hear him out okay?" (f/n) looked at you consolingly, "he's been trying to talk to you for a reason."

"You know me, I'm too shy to talk to him." You whined.

"I will hold you by force if need be." (f/n) threatened, and you could tell by the steely glint in their eyes that they weren't joking.

"O-Oh. Okay."

"After school today, you have to promise me that."

You sighed, "I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

"What are you, ten?"

...

"Oh hey! There he is!" (f/n) brightened up as she saw the blue-eyed boy you were nervously avoiding for the past few days. They turned to you with a serious look on their face, "I am going to call him over and you are going to stay here. Got it?"

"Yup." You looked away from (f/n) and nervously shifted your weight.

"Luka!" (f/n) screeched and waved their hand around. To be honest, you were almost glad this whole thing was about to be over, you were tired of (f/n) screeching and waving and you running away. That didn't mean you were any less nervous to be around him. You were just looking forward to getting this over with.

Luka grinned as he walked over, "are you going to run away again (y/n)?"

"No." You muttered and looked at your feet who were urging to sprint in the other direction.

"Wait really?" you could hear shock and was that excitement (?) in his voice, "awesome!"

"(f/n) said you wanted to say something?" you were still forcibly making eye contact with the toes of your shoes.

"Yeah, so um." You heard him laugh nervously, "I think you're really cute (y/n)."

"Eh?" your head shot up to look at him. He didn't look like he was lying, and his face definitely looked a little redder than it normally did. Not that you were obsessively watching his music videos and watching his face whenever he appeared. Cough cough.

"Um," he coughed, "so, would you like to get some ice cream together?"

"Like a- are you? A? Friends? Date? Wha?" you stuttered out. Were you hearing this correctly? Did your celebrity crush just tell you that you were cute and asked you to get ice cream together?

"Yeah like a date." He avoided looking at you and fixated his gaze on the concrete next to you.

"This is the part where you say yes!" you heard a hushed yell behind you and whipped around to see (f/n) hiding in the bushes.

"Wait-how did you get there? When did you get there?"

"Just say yes you dork!"

"Uh," you hesitated and looked back at Luka, "sure."

"Really?" his face brightened as he looked away from the ground back to you.

You smiled, his happiness was contagious, "yeah! I'd like that."

"Do you wanna go now?" he nervously asked.

"Oh! Um, sure! I don't have any plans."

"Cool!" tentatively he reached out a hand to hold yours. Upon realizing this, you clasped your hand within his and then looked away blushing furiously. "You're still adorably shy, aren't you."

"I'm not adorable." You tried to deny.

"Come on, let's go get some ice cream." Luka declared and the two of you walked hand in hand out of school to get some ice cream.

"Woot! Go (y/n)! Go Luka!" the two of you heard (f/n) screaming from behind.

Masterlist

[norimiya]

Assigning haikyuu boys to-

Songs in my playlists, plural. Italics are the playlist names.

It’s four am I am not proofreading until later in the morning.

Warnings: cursing and terrible playlist names.

OIKAWA- Keep Your Head Up By Andy Grammer, Absolute Bangers.

“Only rainbows after rain, the sun will always come again.” Loss is something constant in Oikawa’s life, volleyball or relationships. After prelims he would sit alone in his room, mumbling the lyrics to himself before you try to cheer him up.

TSUKISHIMA- Green By Cavetown, idk a breakdown at 2 am?

Yeah cavetown, basic for tsukki but at least it isn’t lemon boy. Something about the line from the chorus, “You looked so good in green. I hope you’re well, And you look so good with him” screams relationship-unready tsukishima for some reason. The artist said that they were new to love and I think it fits Tsukishima well.

BOKUTO- Big Night by Big Time Rush, Liked Songs

First of all, yes I listen to big time rush. Secondly, I just think that someonewould play this during practice as a joke once but it’s stuck as their hype song and they just laugh about it afterwards. Plus I think the lyrics fit bokuto so well. “It’s gonna be a big night, we’re gonna have a good time.”

Alternatively, Terushima.

KUROO- Na Na Na By My Chemical Romance, emo me ??

I have zero explanation for this whatsoever, BUT- I can say that the energy of this song fits kuroo in some way. He is SHOUTING the lyrics after the game against Nohebi. And of course on the bus ride home the team is backing up with the (Na Na Na Na’s)

DAISHOU- Personal By HRVY, Absolute Bangers pt.2

Listen, listen, I am a Mika Stan 100% but, this song and daishou will live in my mind rent free. “I was young and she was my first love. So they say that you live and you learn.” You know?? It fits him, I don’t have an analysis.

TENDOU- Hayloft By Mother Mother, K.

I believe in Tendou listening to mother mother agenda. I know what the song is ‘supposed’ to mean, but I genuinely feel like this is a song on his “pre-game playlist”

OMIMI- Blue Bird from Banana Fish, anime playlist

Omimi playing piano as a relaxer for when he’s stressed about school and/or volleyball. If you were to ever ask him to play for you, he knows you’ll like this song, thigh pressed against his with your eyes closed as he plays.

SAKUSA- Training Wheels By Melanie Martinez, 8:08

It’s a love song. The boy is scared of commitment and his partner wants to ‘take the training wheels off.’ Kiyoomi hasn’t experienced true love within his years, of course he’s afraid, he’s silently pleading for you to wait for him.

FUTAKUCHI- Lava Lamp By Cuco, Inconsistent

I see him as a person who claims to not have time for love. But in reality he only uses it as an excuse because he doesn’t want to tell people he hasn’t found the right person who’ll treat him how he treats them. He just knows someone’s waiting for him and he hopes he finds you.

TERUSHIMA- The Wanderer By Dion, “oldies”

He’s been classified as a playboy, doesn’t deny it but feels the smack on the back of his head when someone says he’s only gotten one ex to humble him. In contrast to the song talking about a guy who roams around picking up girls fits him in a way, though in a following song it tells of the wanderer getting his heart broken.

That’s a terrible analysis goodbye.

IWAIZUMI- Hey There Delilah By Plain White T’s, 2/17/19

Iwa’s first timeskip spoiler! But really, do I need to explain here? Long distance relationship, he’s in California, you’re in Japan, he’d probably pick up guitar just to sing this to you and I will now cry at the thought.

SUNA- Ugotme By Omar Apollo, yk, those vibes.

Suna denying his love for you and then bluntly telling you he’s “so in love with you.” In a second flat after you bring him his favorite snack after practice. He’s a lil dork, pat his head why don’t you?

AKAASHI- Cómo Te Voy A Olvidar By Los Ángeles Aszules, dad’s in the car

Listen I know it’s in Spanish but Akaashi calling his s/o Amor?? Hello??? This 😺 talk English Spanish and French. ANYWAYS, from what the translator,, said the lyric that screams Akaashi to me is “quiero que me vuelvan a mirar tus ojos” basically saying "I want your eyes to look at me again"

Correct me if I’m wrong, the translations are somewhat accurate sometimes...

KENMA- Cannon in D By Johann Pachelbel, CLASSICAL MUSIC HEHE

You know that vine or sum of the guy playing this song on a keyboard and he’s singing “go suck a dick suck a dick” yk that one? Yeah I hc that Kenma plays piano to do something that doesn’t strain his eyes and is relaxing and requires minimal body movement. But if he ever plays this song in front of the team, they are singing “go suck a dick.” Excluding Teshiro, Shibayama, and Kai. Yes fukunaga is singing.

KAGEYAMA- Lookalike By Conan Gray, On repeat

Hello old idea from a few months ago. AHEM. Ex! Kags seeing you with cough oikawa- and he swears you have a type or you’re just trying to spite him, the thought of you genuinely liking Oikawa outside of him being relatively similar never crosses his mind. At night he wonders if you really love Oikawa, or his lookalike.

LEV- Out Like a Light By The Honeysticks, repeat rewind

An unreviewed annotation says that this song is about a guy not being able to move on completely after a breakup. Imagine Lev trying to mend the broken string between you two, desperately clinging onto hope that you still love him like he does you. Imagine.

[misha-moose-dean-burger-lover]

written for anon who asked for a fic where dean has a huge crush on cas, cas is asexual, and that changes nothing :) happy ace week <3

Dean finds out his crush is asexual, one fine Monday in a group chat — when everyone's wishing Castiel a >>> happy ace week. And it's not the most ideal setting, but at least now he has a timeframe to figure out his next move within.

(Figure out how to ask the most beautiful, awesomest dork on campus out. During Ace Week — because it's memorable that way, that's why. Basically, look into those unbelievably blue eyes, and somehow manage the words, "Please go out with me, Cas. Please." (but less lame, hopefully) without spontaneously combusting.

Easy.

Sure, he wants to flee already, but easy. Stupid, glorious eyes, laugh, voice — nope. No drifting away, Winchester. Easy.

He's got this.)

Charlie's a blessing, and it's not like Dean didn't know that already, but it feels like a realization of even greater magnitude when she sits with him through coffee after coffee, patiently (and kindly) dismissing his ideas.

It is what it fucking is.

Charlie's a blessing, and Dean Winchester is a chick-flick-saturated, ridiculous romantic.

("You've got to remember." She'd stressed, sympathetically. "Grand gestures can't be how it begins. We don't even know yet if he's a Blue French Horn kind of guy."

"I'm not a Blue French Horn kinda guy either."

She'd just tsked. "Well, you're a boombox serenade guy, so trust me, it evens out."

Dean had proceeded to sulk through the rest of that evening, obviously, but he'd come back to his dorm with the meaning of his best friend's words clear in his head. Lowkey it is.)

And here he was.

Parked outside Castiel's apartment — one year Dean's senior, same branch (engineering) — with sweaty palms and cold feet.

(It's not like he didn't know how stupid it was to overthink something this trivial, but also not like he could stop.)

His phone rings, and Dean jerks back to reality.

"Hello?"

"Dean, is that your car —"

Holy shit, it's Cas.

"Uh, I —" Before he can process words, or explanations, his hand decides the best move would be to turn completely incompetent at the moment, and he drops the phone. Rummaging for it immediately in the depths between the seat and the door, he feels his heart thud in his chest.

Goddammit, he hates crushes.

When he finds his phone finally, the call's ended — fucking obviously, he's such a mess — and he drops his head on the steering wheel.

Great.

Now Cas thinks he's a creep who spends time staring at random apartment buildings. Exactly the boost his confidence had needed.

He'd typically wallow a little (way) longer, but there's a knock on his window and Dean whips around to see Castiel blinking at him.

Ever the genius, Dean rushes to open the door — and freezes entirely when he sees Castiel's eyebrows pinch as the door up and slams into him.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so —" He chokes, horrified, beginning to roll down the windows but Castiel's already begun to walk to the other side, curving around the front of the Impala, laughing for some reason.

He pulls open the passenger's door, and gets in, still shaking with mirth.

"I opened my door in your face." Dean points out.

"I am aware."

Castiel returns, simple as that. He's wearing a hoodie with a local diner's logo on it — and either he won it being the millionth customer to order black coffee, or just woke up and decided to support small businesses. Either way, it's clearly overworn, bulky, and a shade of grey that matches his glasses, and he's too fucking cute for Dean's sake.

"And I'm hoping you didn't do it on purpose, because if so, I'm afraid I just defeated your motives by coming in." He adds, and Dean rolls his eyes. (Funny. Why did he have to be funny too?)

"Nah, you're always welcome."

Castiel beams. "Why thank you." At this point his eyes leave Dean's to check out his surroundings — and Dean mentally prepares himself to modestly receive compliments on his Baby, but Cas just stills, staring at the space between them.

Oh no, Dean recoils. The flowers.

"Are those —"

"Look, I can explain —"

They start at the same time, but Cas pauses, and allows Dean to go on with a hint of urgency in his frown.

And Dean — well, he does go on.

He goes on once he's picked up the bouquet, cleared his throat, and forced down the annoying heat rising to his cheeks to the best of his abilities. He goes on, holding the flowers for Cas.

"Happy Ace Week."

The tension in Castiel's brow evaporates as he brightens. "Dean."

"I - I think you're aces."

Castiel bites back a laugh, eyes shining. "That's a good gaydar you've got there. I am asexual."

"I know." Dean blushes. "And I meant the 'awesome' kind."

"They're both the awesome kind." Castiel teases.

"I know." Dean ducks his head, looks up at the other through his eyelashes. "I just meant, uh, the 'please go out with me, please' kind."

(Huh. Turns out he doesn't phrase it less lame after all. But Castiel's smiling, wide and happy, so maybe it doesn't really matter how he said it.

Of course, it will, but he doesn't know yet that this'll continue to plague him in friendly and family gatherings whenever Cas recounts their getting-together tale for posterity, but that's something else entirely.)

"You're way too adorable."

Castiel laughs, and takes the flowers from Dean — leaning in to kiss his cheek after he does, and as Dean blushes again, he knows all those coffees and embarrassment from the dismissed ideas was truly worth it.

Because anything that makes Cas look as happy as he does right now, is always going to be worth it.

Who knows, maybe the next time, he'd even show up with a less wornout pun?

"So that's a yes?"

"More of an of course." Castiel tells him as he smiles, and Dean smiles back, his insides still fluttering, but at least his chest feels warm instead of frozen.

"I can live with that."

[darthbabie]

Online Food Fight

(not my gif)

Summary: You are in your online classes while Bucky and Sam are having a food fight, but the food fight carries on into your room and causes an unexpected interruption to your class. But Bucky feels bad and wants to make it up to you.

Warnings: FLUFF, some swear words, and Sam and Bucky bickering and fighting lol

Word Count:2023

Mainly Bucky Barnes x Reader

You were sitting on your couch scrolling through TikTok before class, you were just trying to ignore the world right outside your window. You were a student in school and unfortunately due to the virus you were quarantined. You at first thought that it was gonna be great to be quarantined at the Avengers Tower with all your friends.  But having virtual classes online was sometimes a struggle… especially with the Avengers always messing around or bickering about something. To say the least it was always a struggle for you and Peter. 

Your alarm went off on your phone telling you that it was time for you to stop scrolling through TikTok and join your class online. You groaned as you put your phone down on the desk you had your school work and computer set up on. “I wonder what they are gonna do to embarrass Peter and I this time” you thought to yourself. Before you start to turn your computer on you take a deep breath in and just allow yourself a moment as you look outside to see all the cars driving by on the wet asphalt. The window beside you slightly cracked so you can hear the patter of the rain and you can smell the earthy smell of the rain outside.

You pushed the power button on your laptop waiting for it to turn on. Once it finally did you typed your password in and signed into your class meeting. You sighed as you started to hear Sam and Bucky bickering about if pineapple belongs on pizza. Hoping that when you say “here” for attendance that their bickering doesn’t come through the mic, as they were only down the hall in the kitchen. 

“Pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza, Bucky! It’s a disgrace to the pizza kind!!” 

“Yes it freaking does, it is the greatest thing that I have tried since I got out of Hydra!”

“Whoever introduced you to pineapple on pizza was an idiot and has no taste in food and neither of you has the right to say what goes on pizza”.

“To let you know I think PETER and I have exquisite taste in food”

The second you hear Peter’s name being said in this argument you see Peter turn his camera off and you hear him start to walk towards the two grown men fighting over if pineapple belongs on pizza. 

“Mr. Barnes and Mr. Falcon, did you guys call my name”? 

“Yes Peter, tell Sam that he is an imbecile because he says that pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza”

“Oh I’m the imbecile at least I can think for myself and haven’t had my brains put in a blender and became a cyborg”.

“At least I don’t need a whole bunch of technical gear to be useful to the team!”

“Mr. Barnes, Mr. Falcon calm down it's just pizza, let’s…”

“Just PIZZA?” Bucky and Sam interrupt  in unison looking at Peter with disbelief. 

Sam then picks up a slice of cheese that was on the counter that he was gonna put on his sandwich, and throws it at Bucky’s face”

SLAP

“Uhh I’m just gonna go…” says Peter to the Falcon and Winter Soldier, as Peter becomes scared for his life based on the look on Bucky’s face.

Bucky then walks over to the fruit basket that is setting on the counter and starts throwing fruits at Sam. His metal arm whirring everytime he blocks a random piece of food being thrown at him by Sam. They start to bicker back and forth with each other trying to yell louder than the other. Sam then starts to run down the hall towards where you are sitting at your desk taking class.

“Ms. Y/N can you tell me the answer to question three?” your teacher says to you as you see Peter start to laugh in his camera and you think to yourself oh no what's about to happen? 

“I believe that the reason why Bilbo decided to go on an adventure in the…” as you say this Sam barges in and runs up in front of you to hide from the Winter Soldier that is after him and what Sam believes that he is after his life and is out for blood… with food. You start to turn your head around and SMACK you become face to face with a pancake to your face. 

“Your cyborg brain malfunctioned and now you're in some deep shit” Sam says to Bucky while laughing his ass off.

“Oh my gosh doll I am so sorry” Bucky says to you running over to you. But before he can even get to you, you use your powers to remove the pancake from your face and throw it at Bucky's face. Causing even more laughter to erupt from Sam. You then realized your camera and mic were still on for your class. Your teacher and class besides Peter just sit there stunned while Peter is just laughing his butt off, as he is used to these types of things happening all the time around the tower. 

“Uhh, I am so sorry that you had to see that” you say to your teacher who still sits stunned. Bucky then walks up behind you and wraps his arms around your waist. “Why are you talking to your computer, doll?” Sam starts erupting into even more laughter. “ You…” more laughing “didn’t know” even more laughing” that they take” starts pointing at Bucky and falls to his knees in laughter “there classes online on their computers and can talk to people” now Sam has tears in his eyes” You know for part of you being made of Vibranium and having a cyborg brain you really know nothing of technology” Sam continues dying of laughter. 

You try not to snicker at Sam’s comments, as you mute yourself and turn your camera off. You hear your teacher say to the class “well umm I suppose that is enough class today. I will see you guys uhh tomorrow, have a nice day.” And with that you gladly hang up your 3rd block class early, looking at the clock and noting you have 30 minutes till your next class. “Care to explain to me why I was greeted with a pancake to my FACE?” You say to Bucky frustrated as you pull his hands that were around your waist off of you and turn around to face him. “Y/N I am so sorry, Sam and I just got into an argument and…”

“Yes I know I could hear you morons yelling about if pineapple belongs on pizza from here” You say to Bucky and Sam as you cross your arms. “In my defence Sam started…” Bucky says but then gets interrupted by Sam. “Oh hell no I didn’t start shit” Sam says, starting them to bicker with one another again. “I DON'T CARE WHO STARTED IT, just STOP bickering and arguing for once in your lives.” 

“Doll I’m sorry let me make it up to you, meet me on the roof at 8 tonight after you are done with school and training” Bucky says as he puts his flesh hand to your check and rubs circles with his thumb on your cheek bone. “Fine, but Sam because you were a part of this go make me some chicken nuggets.” You say looking over to Sam. “Yes Ma’am”. He replies rushing out towards the kitchen. “I love you Doll, I’ll see you at eight” Bucky says to you leaning down and pressing his lips against yours passionately. Causing you to move closer to him and wrap your arms around his neck making him smile into the kiss and eventually slowly pulling away. “I love you too dork”. You say to Bucky as you boop his nose with your finger. He then smiles down at you and gives you a quick peck on your forehead and rushes to go do whatever he has in mind. 

Surprisingly eight comes pretty fast, you finished your last block without any interruptions then had lunch and trained with Nat for the rest of the day til around seven and went to your room and took a shower. The shower feels amazing as the water droplets race down your skin to the drain of your tub. Once you are done with your shower you put on some silk pajamas that hug your curves in all the right ways, but yet are super comfortable. Bucky didn’t say you needed to do anything special to yourself so you just decided to blow dry your hair and then it was pretty much time to meet Bucky on the roof.

As you are walking up the stairs to the roof of the tower Bucky stops you and hands you a blindfold. So you put it on for him without saying anything, you trusted Bucky with your life so you weren’t worried. He guided you outside on the roof and then slowly took your blindfold off. Your jaw dropped to the floor at the sight that was before your eyes. Bucky had taken some of the furniture that was already up on the roof and made it into a bed. He even had your favorite blankets and pillows all made up for you. Along with your favorite hoodie of his that you like to wear, some fuzzy socks and a couple of bags that looked like presents. He also made a little makeshift tent with blankets that he found in the tower and had fairy lights around the bed so there was light under the makeshift tent. He had made sure the furniture was facing the outdoor TV and even made sure to make the tent have an opening so you could both watch the TV. He had your favorite movie on the TV and had your favorite snacks on one of the outdoor tables inside the makeshift tent. You honestly were speechless at the sight before you and started to tear up as you ran into Bucky’s arms and hugged him. “Bubs, you didn’t have to do all of this for me.” you say to him mumbled because your face was buried into his shirt he had on. “It was just a pancake to my face” you say while busting out laughing looking up at him. He just smiled and lightly chuckled as he looked down at you. “Of course I had to doll, you're my best girl and you deserve all this and so much more.” he says as he kisses your nose. “Especially with all the shit Sam and I put your through”. Causing both of you to chuckle. 

Bucky then grabs your hand and starts to pull you over to the tent and he tells you to sit on the bed and hands you one of the bags, telling you to open it. You start to take the tissue paper off the top of the bag and reach down inside. As you do you feel something like a leather box. You then open the box from the bag and your mouth drops again. Inside the tiny box is a beautiful vintage promise ring.

“This is my promise to you that we will grow old together and one day get married once you have graduated school. I love you Y/F/N Y/L/N and I promise even through all my stupidity and everything else I’m with you till the end of the line.” Bucky says as he takes the box from you and places the ring on your finger and hands you the next bag. You're speechless to be honest so you just start to take the tissue paper out of the last gift. And you reach down into the bag and feel something soft and fluffy. You pull out a white stuffed bear that has a whole bunch of pink little hearts as a pattern all over it. You just start to cry tears of joy and hug it and look up at the love of  your life speechless, the memory of a pancake thrown to your face completely gone.

[soshesighs]

Fic: Careful

Fandom: @mindblindbard

Pairing: Gray/Button

Word Count: ~6,200

Summary: Soulmate!AU in which when two fated people first touch, their names appear tattooed on the other person's wrist. In five years, Button and Gray have never come in contact with each other, until one day... they do.

Note: In this story, Nick and Sally are already in a relationship/are soulmates. Also, my (f!)Button goes by Stevie (her full name is Stella Verbena Wiseman, because I had to follow the flower middle name Nick got; she's not crazy about her full name, though, so she uses a portmanteau of her first and middle name together), though Sally has been known to shorten that even further to just V. There's a longer note at the end, explaining why one aspect of this might seem familiar, if you're so inclined to read it!

---

(11:48 am): STAY AWAY FROM 7TH AND ELM.

Stevie blinks down at her phone. It isn’t unusual to get random warning texts from Sally whenever the two are apart - eventually, after being away from the mental shielding that Stevie grants her, Sally’s visions always return with a vengeance - but usually there’s a bit more to go on, some follow up texts that explain a bit more about whatever it is that Sally has seen. But not today, apparently.

Cocking her head to the side, Stevie types her reply.

(11:54 am): I thought your dads said no phones on vacation. Did you get it back?

As she sits there waiting for a reply, Nick plops down on the couch next to her with a groan, dropping his head into her lap and following it up with an (overly-dramatic, if Stevie has any say on it) hacking cough. “Button, I’m dying.”

Stevie almost manages to avoid rolling her eyes. Almost. But she still starts stroking her hand through his hair in what she hopes is a comforting way anyway. Her brother may be an absolute dork, but he’s her dork. “You’re not dying, Saint Nick,” she says fondly. “You have a cold, which I tried to warn you was going to happen after your last mission left you drenched, but did you listen to me? Of course not.”

Her phone buzzes where it sits on her thigh. She swipes to unlock it, glancing down to quickly read Sally’s latest text.

(11:56 am): NO, I STOLE IT BACK. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

Her brow furrows, and she stops petting Nick long enough to grab her phone and reply once more.

(11:58 am): Okay, okay, I’m listening. Any more you can give me to go on?

(12:01 pm): NO DETAILS, JUST STAY OUT OF THE STREETS. BE CAREFUL, V.

(12:01 pm): P.S. IS NICHOLAS OKAY?

Nick’s heard the last bit of their conversation in her mind as she thinks over the texts, and he looks up at her with trademark puppy dog eyes. Tell her to stop worrying, I’m fine. Or, alternatively, let me talk to her and I’ll tell her myself?

She frowns, hating to be the bearer of bad news. She technically can’t have her phone yet, sorry. She snuck it from her dads to give me a head’s up on something.

Nick’s sighing really becomes dramatic then. Apparently a week away from his girlfriend, even with his sister and best friend there to keep him occupied, is too much for him to handle. Stevie decides to answer quickly so that she can go back to giving him her full attention.

(12:05 pm): He’s a bit worse today, but nothing awful. A bit of a temperature and a cough that doesn’t want to go away. Gray and I are keeping an eye on him. And by that I mean that Gray forced him to take some PTO, and I’m keeping him fed and hydrated.

(12:06 pm): He, however, claims he’s dying, so if you have any last words…

Sally’s replies arrive almost instantaneously, and Stevie can’t help but chuckle to herself.

(12:08 pm): TELL HIM TO SHUT UP AND TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF

(12:09 pm): ...ALSO TELL HIM I MISS HIM

Nick cranes his neck over to see what his sister seems to find so funny that it steals her attention from his complaining. “Tell Salome that I-” he begins, only to end up with a face full of throw pillow.

“Tell her yourself later, you nerd. I’m your sister, not your secretary!” Stevie quips, following it up by sticking her tongue out at him. (Nick responds immediately in kind.)

One final text comes in from Sally, letting them know that her dads found her and took her phone back. Stevie hopes she doesn’t end up in too much trouble for texting her; after all, she was only trying to help her and keep her safe.

Before she can decide if she should call Sally’s dads to explain and plead on her behalf, a voice drifts in from the living room doorway, making both her and Nick sit up straighter to turn around and see.

"Is Nick being demanding again?"

Nick flops back into her lap as Gray walks over, putting his hands on the arm of the couch and leaning in as he talks to them. He makes sure to still stay a safe foot or so away from Stevie so as not to invade her personal mental space - so careful, always so careful. (She wishes he weren’t, has tried to tell him so, but he always smiles his careful smile and stays a few steps away.)

His presence interrupts and breaks apart the ridiculous fight between the siblings, and he knows it. He quirks an eyebrow, waiting for a reply. Stevie says, "Always" at the exact same time that Nick chimes in with a faux offended, "Never! And aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

He tries not to smile at their lovable bickering, but Gray’s affection for them both wins out. He shakes his head fondly at their antics, a common expression for him; the movement jostles a strand of his hair free, and he reaches up to attempt to push it into place, off his forehead and behind his ear. (It’s short enough that it won’t really stay, though, almost immediately falling back down. He tries twice more in vain to fix it before eventually accepting his fate. Stevie tries not to notice. Nick’s quiet snickering, complete with projected cartoon eye roll, in her mind tells her she fails.)

"Sorry, not this time, Nick,” he begins. “Stevie's only trying to help you get well, you know. You should be thanking her.”

Nick mumbles out something that sounds very distinctly like ‘Of course you take her side.’

“What was that?” Stevie asks, poking him in the side. Gray, meanwhile, has taken another step backwards, hands off the couch, which makes her prod Nick even harder in frustration.

Don’t say things like that! You make him even more distant.

Her brother looks up at her, genuine apology written clear across his features. Sorry, Button. There’s only so much pining a man can take in silence before getting lost in the woods! If you’d just tell him-

I tried that, remember? He very gracefully turned me down.

Because you were a kid, and he was in his 20s! You’re on an even playing field now! Wait, I lost the forest metaphor somewhere along the way...

With a sigh, Stevie tries to push the memories away before a flush can creep onto her cheeks. And I’ve told you a million times before, it’s not worth messing up what we have now. I’m glad he and I are good friends. Besides, Gray keeps his wrists covered for a reason, Nick. There’s probably already a name there that he’s trying to keep safe.

Nick begins to make a mental noise of protest, but Stevie quickly cuts him off by blasting the first song that comes to mind in her head, effectively screaming ‘We’re not talking about this anymore!’

Gray clears his throat, nervously shifting his weight ever so slightly on his feet as he realizes the siblings had been talking telepathically, and tries to make a graceful exit. “Well, I should start getting ready to go. I have to report in for a meeting at 2.”

“Sorry,” Nick says, between more coughing fits. Stevie hands him her bottle of water from the coffee table, which he drinks from gratefully. “You know how it is; it’s just faster sometimes.”

His partner nods, but still takes another step backwards as he makes to leave, one hand idly twirling the cuff on the opposite arm. Nick’s eyes dart down, clocking the action, and he frowns.

“Grayson,” he starts, his full name use and serious tone somewhat belittled by the fact that he’s still lying down with his head in Stevie’s lap. “I’ve told you a million times that you don’t need to wear those here. Nobody in this house - and nobody who Button and I would let in this house - would betray you.”

Gray sags a bit, exhaling a small frustrated sound. “And I’ve told you a million times that it isn’t either of you or any of our friends that I don’t trust, it’s myself. The second I start taking them off is the second I forget to put them back on.”

Stevie swats at Nick’s chest, scowling at him a bit when he looks up at her in mock anger. “Leave him be, Nick. You of all people should understand why he doesn’t want to risk it, what with both of you having some... slightly overzealous fans.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Nick says with a groan. “But Salome and I have managed fine! Sure, it was breaking news for a while when we decided to stop hiding our marks, but people got over it.” He rubs a hand over his chest, pretending to massage away the ache of his sister’s (very light, she thinks pointedly at him) slap, then grabs her arm and gestures at it. “Look, Stevie doesn’t cover her arms!”

“I’m not in the public eye anywhere near as much as you two are,” she protests, snatching her arm free. “Besides, it’s... different for me. People have other things to try to use against me besides my bare wrists.” Stevie taps the side of her head with a wry, sad smile.

“And you think people wouldn’t focus on other things about Gray? His devilishly good looks? The oh-so-charming accent? The way his-...”

Holding up a hand, Gray cuts off the conversation there. “We’ve talked this over in circles, Nick. I’m afraid you won’t change my mind. Public marks are dangerous in our line of work.”

It feels like a punch to the gut to Stevie, like someone reached their hand straight into her chest and squeezed her heart tight in their first, like someone stole the breath straight from her lungs. So he does have a mark, she thinks, squeezing her eyes shut tight. I should’ve known.

Nick blindly grabs her hand, giving it a squeeze that one might even generously consider a death grip, though his eyes are locked with Gray in a silent (intense, from her observation of their expressions) conversation. She has no idea what they’re discussing, but it clearly doesn’t involve her. She returns Nick’s squeeze, but then carefully begins to pry her hand free and shift out from underneath him, needing to extract herself from the situation. She needs air, fresh air - maybe someplace far away where she can let out the pained scream wanting to burst out of her; she needs out.

Her movement seems to break into their conversation, and Gray shifts his regard to her. “Heading out? I thought one of us was staying with Nick.”

“I don’t need to be babysat,” the aforementioned sick man protests. “I’ll be a good patient, I swear.”

“He’ll be fine,” Stevie says, voice wobbling. She pulls herself up straighter, as if her posture could hold her together entirely. “I’m just going to go for a walk, get some fresh air. We’ve all been cooped up in here for the last few days.”

She can actually see the moment that a lightbulb goes off in Nick’s head, making him sit up quickly from the couch. But the sudden change in equilibrium seems to leave him dizzy; he brings a hand up to his forehead with wide eyes, causing both Stevie and Gray to reach out towards him should he start to fall. Nick shakes his head after a second, though, and rights himself. He tries to reassure them that he’s fine, but his sister and Gray both wear twin expressions of concern. At least now her focus is back on Nick and not on her own crushed heart.

Stevie sets her hand on his shoulder once he seems to finally be steady. “You should lay down. You need to rest, Saint Nick - and really rest, not stay up all day and night playing video games. You’re sick, not on a vacation.” She bites her lip before quietly confessing, “I’m worried about you. Do it for me, okay?”

Nick looks over at her and moans. “You know I can’t resist that face, Button.”

A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, an uneven, tilted smile. It’s a small thing, her own feelings and worry still winning out, but it’s there. “I know. So what do you say?”

“I say… if you’re already going out, can you guys do me a favor?”

---

Within a few minutes, Stevie and Gray are on their way to go pick up a takeout order for Nick - some soup that, hopefully, will both fill him up and bring him some comfort. But Nick, being as particular as he is about foods and flavors, wants them to pick it up from a specific deli on the other side of town. Stevie hasn’t been there before, but she’s grateful that she at least won’t have to find it alone.

The fresh air does wonders to calm her down as well. She takes in big gulps of it, arms spread wide to feel the sun and wind on her skin, and gives a small twirling hop step as they start heading out. Sure, her heart feels like it’s been shattered into tiny pieces and is rattling around freely in her chest, but at least now she doesn’t feel trapped and contained. Besides, if Stevie Wiseman has gotten good at anything over the years, it’s burying her emotions and putting on a brave face - and she knows if she wants to retain her friendship with Gray, she needs to act like she’s fine around him.

Gray, on the other hand, looks outwardly uncomfortable. He keeps tugging on the brim of his hat, pulling it further and further down over his eyes (which seem to be darting around constantly to keep an eye on their surroundings, if his ever-moving head is any indication). He’s also making sure to stay on the far opposite edge of the sidewalk, giving her most of the pathway to herself. She can’t help but wonder if it’s lingering discomfort from whatever that last conversation with Nick had been.

“You didn’t have to come,” Stevie finally says, breaking their mutual silence. “That is - I mean… not that I don't want you here! I just mean, well... I know you have a meeting soon, so if you don’t have the time, I understand.”

Smooth, Wiseman. Real smooth, she thinks. He’ll never notice a thing.

He freezes mid-step and looks over at her, and she wonders exactly what expression he’s making under that cap and sunglasses, what’s going on in his head - one of the many times she’d kill for Nick’s abilities. “I wanted to,” Gray replies, voice barely audible over the busy sounds of the surrounding Chicago streets.

She turns away before (she hopes) he can see her blush. He doesn’t mean it like that, she tries to remind herself.

“Well, thank you for the company, then,” she settles on saying, trying to remember how to convince her feet to start walking again. Hopefully her voice sounds more calm and collected than she feels. “And thanks for the help keeping Nick contained this week. I know it’s hard for him to step away from work and rest, and I also know enough to recognize that he wouldn’t listen to just me about it.”

"For a man who constantly proclaims you the smartest person he knows, he doesn't listen well, does he?" Gray teases.

Stevie can’t help but groan. “You’re telling me. It’s not like I know him better than anyone else or anything,” she says sarcastically, then immediately shooting a glance at him and wincing a bit. “Sorry, I didn't mean-"

He holds his hands up, shaking his head. “No offense taken. I’m sure you do. I can’t compete with a sibling bond, or certainly not like the one you two have, at least.”

They pause at a light, waiting for the sign to give them the okay to cross. Stevie can feel Gray’s eyes on her back, and it leaves her itching to turn around. If the world were slightly less cruel, if the physical space between them weren’t a constant upkeep and if fate had consented to match them together, she might dig deep within herself and find the bravery to reach out and finally grab his hand, thread their fingers together, tug him out onto the crosswalk with a teasing smile and a playful “Let’s go, cookie monster, we’re running out of time.”

But that’s not them. He has someone, she has to remember that. And the two of them? They’re a constant mindful dance around each other, a deliberate six inches at least (usually a foot, if not more), always careful.

(She hates that word.)

Stevie glances back for a split second. “Fidgeting,” comes the mumble, and she doesn’t even fully realize that she’s spoken aloud.

Gray makes a questioning noise, immediately bringing his gaze to meet hers.

The light changes, so she steps out to continue their journey and tries to keep her voice even. “When you’re nervous, you fidget, especially if you’re all… incognito. When you're uncomfortable, I should say. You tend to readjust your hat, push up your glasses, fix your hair. ” She clears her throat, suddenly nervous. “Rebuckle your cuffs, whether that’s these separate ones or your shirt sleeves. Twist them around, like earlier."

The deli that they’re heading to is at most only a couple of blocks down now; Stevie can see the sign from here, a bright neon thing blinking in perfect rhythm. She times her breathing to it in an attempt to quiet her pounding heart.

He tries to smile, but Stevie knows by now what a real smile from Gray looks like and what his plastered-on media smile does, and this is most definitely the latter. She took it too far, she knew the moment the topic changed to even skirt the edges of his mysterious marks that she’d said too much, but something about being around him makes her lose her filter.

“Well,” he begins, clearing his throat around that fake expression, “You’re quite observant. But unfortunately, not all of us are as brave as you are, Stella.”

Her head whips around then, because Gray never uses her full first name - nobody around her does really, aside from her parents - and she finds herself frozen right in front of the door they should be entering.

“You called me Stella.”

He rebends the brim of his hat. “Apologies, Stevie." Shifts his feet. "I know you don’t prefer it.”

"It's okay," she hears herself saying, so soft even to her own ears that she thinks the words may have been lost to the wind. "From you, I don't mind."

Stevie winces internally; it’s going to take a while to build up a better filter around him. She tries to meet his eyes, but only sees her own (bright red) face in his mirrored lenses; she dimly hopes that he might not notice, or perhaps chalk it up to the day's warmer weather. After a moment, she shakes her head, breaking free of whatever spell hearing Grayson Black quietly say her full first name had put her under. "Anyway, this is the place. Shall we?"

---

Gray follows behind her, having held the door open to let her enter first, and it closes behind them both with a soft tinkling of bells. The first thing Stevie notices is that it isn’t an incredibly busy place; there’s only two tables occupied out of the entire restaurant floor, both up against the windows on the other side of the room and seemingly taken up by one big group. The second thing is that it smells amazing. Her stomach growls in agreement almost immediately, and she throws her hands over it as if that could make it quiet down.

She chuckles, trying to downplay her own embarrassment. “I think I’ll grab something while we’re here to take home for myself as well.” Glancing back at him over her shoulder, she asks, “What about you? Going to grab anything to-go before your meeting, or did you already eat?”

He opens his mouth to reply, but instead seems to quickly glance past her, a frown forming. Stevie’s about to ask what’s got him so upset when someone slams into her with a shoulder check, making her stumble backwards - almost right into Gray, but not quite, as he manages to bounce back a step in time.

“Out of the way, freak,” the person mutters at her, before shoving past her again and immediately out the door.

Gray acts like he’s going to follow, pivoting on the spot, but Stevie tosses a hand out towards him. “Don’t,” she pleads. “They’re not worth it. It’s fine, Gray. I’m used to it.”

He turns back toward her, and his anger softens in a second, seeming to fade off his features the moment he looks at her. “You shouldn’t have to be.”

Stevie swallows hard, fingering the strap of her crossbody bag, readjusting it very deliberately and meticulously to avoid meeting his eyes again. “I know. But it’s how it’s always been. Can we just… get the food and go?”

It takes him a second to answer, and Stevie knows he’s still considering going out after the guy and - and what? He wouldn’t ever retaliate against him; Gray’s too good a guy for that. Maybe give him a stern talking to? But that would give him away entirely, ruining his already flimsy disguise. He’d be surrounded in minutes; Stevie’s seen it happen enough times to know it’s true. They both know that no good could or would come from it.

“Okay,” he finally agrees. “But I’m walking back with you. I’ll leave for the meeting after.”

She won’t admit it outloud, but the relief that floods through her knowing that she won’t have to make the walk alone is palpable for Stevie. What she said is true: she’s fairly used to people making comments under their breath at her, but it doesn’t often escalate into anything physical. And while Nick, Gray, and all their friends had made sure that she knew how to defend herself if push comes to literal shove, she’d always rather not fight. Admitting that the (fairly innocuous, she realizes) interaction has shaken her up a bit (she blames her already fragile emotional state) isn’t something she’s keen to do. So she just nods in reply, grateful, before turning to walk up to the deli counter.

“Picking up an order for Nicholas, please? I have the order number and confirmation right here on my phone. And I’d like to get a second entrée while I’m here as well.”

---

Stevie leaves the restaurant before Gray. While he’s still waiting for his order, she grabs the bag with her food and Nick’s and says she’s going to wait outside, that she needs the air. She can tell that Gray is uneasy about it, but he relents and nods, saying he should be out in a minute or so. She gives him what she hopes is a reassuring smile, and pushes out the door.

But the moment she steps outside, she knows something is wrong.

A shadow blocks her path, despite it being midday, and a pair of shoes is suddenly right in her line of sight. Recognizable, perfectly shined, name-brand dress shoes.

Shoes she’d just seen as her classmate shoved into her and left the restaurant in a huff. Shoes that had just as often tried to trip her up in the halls of Aeon.

“Going somewhere?”

She snaps her head up, and - in the most deadly calm voice she can manage - says, “Move out of my way, please.”

The guy pretends to think, tapping his fingers on his chin, before a wolfish grin starts to spread on his face. “You know, I don’t think I will.”

“What’s your problem with me?” Stevie snaps, rolling her eyes. “If I bother you that much, then leave.”

“Like your little boyfriend did? Not here now, I see. Who is he?” he asks, taking another step closer to Stevie. She knows she can’t let him box her in, so she fakes to his left before pivoting around his right, trying to get around and away from him. Her momentum, however, is slowed due to the weight of the bags of food in her arms. Before she knows it, he has her backed against a streetlamp. “Obviously no one important, since he didn’t stick around. He sick of your noise already?”

His eyes glance down at her full hands, noting her empty wrists. “Or maybe he got tired of playing pretend? I notice his wrists were covered. He kick you to the curb to go after his real soulmate?”

Stevie grits her teeth, turning her head away; she doesn’t want to rise to this asshole’s provocation, doesn’t want to give away how painfully close to the truth he might be.

“Even fate doesn’t think anyone could put up with you forever, Wiseman.” He reaches out then, making to wrap his hand around her wrist, and on instinct she kicks her knee up - and she knows instantly that she’s accurately found her target as the guy stumbles back and doubles over.

“You’ll pay for that,” he pushes out past a groan.

Four things happen then in quick succession:

The first being that the door to the restaurant pushes open with a light chiming of bells, a sound far too cheery for Stevie’s current situation. She snaps her head up, meeting the fixed, shocked stare of one Grayson Black, just as he tucks his sunglasses onto the neck of his shirt.

The second thing is that the guy - who also glanced behind him quickly to see whether the newcomer to their situation was one of his friends or someone to worry about - mumbles a shocked, “Oh shit,” before turning back around towards Stevie with wide eyes, realizing that Gray is indeed ‘someone to worry about.’

The third is that he shoves at Stevie as hard as he can before making a beeline out of the situation, running off down some side alley and disappearing almost as quickly as he’d slid into Stevie’s line of sight earlier.

And the fourth and final thing is that she goes tumbling back - arms still full and totally unable to stop her fall - causing her heel to slip off the curb and sending Stevie sprawling into the intersection at the corner of 7th and Elm Street.

---

Stevie’s heart drops.

Her arms pinwheel as she tries to regain her balance, the takeout bags flying somewhere off to her sides, and after a second she squeezes her eyes shut tight, resigned to whatever serious injury is about to befall her. Somewhere in the distance, she hears someone laying on their horn, blaring down Elm towards her.

But the impact never comes.

Before she stumbles completely, before she can fall flat onto her back, before the oncoming traffic can slam into her flailing body, Gray crosses the concrete path between them, grabs her arm, and pulls. Her center of gravity flips on a dime, sending her instead tumbling forward to crash hard into his chest; the impact knocks them both backwards, but he immediately wraps his arms around her and spins them around on the spot, baring his back to the busy street to take whatever blow might come in her stead and placing her once again on the relative safety of the sidewalk.

Both their eyes are still clenched tight, breath coming in ragged, choking gasps, as some random pedestrian comes up yelling, asking if they’re okay.

She manages to nod, but she’s not sure it’s very convincing, given that she’s still attempting to stave off the panic threatening to overtake her and sucking in huge gulps of air.

“Careful! Breathe, Stevie,” a calming voice says. She’s fairly certain she recognizes the voice, but right now the only thing she registers is the slamming of her own heartbeat in her own ears. “Try to match me. You’re okay, look at me - look at me, okay? You’re alright. It’s okay.”

Someone lowers her to the ground, the two of them falling into a graceless heap of tangled, trembling limbs. Gentle hands smooth down her hair, pulling it back from her neck and helping her lean forward as she continues to hyperventilate. She vaguely registers someone asking if they should call for paramedics, another quiet voice saying no, disclosing that she doesn’t like doctors.

She covers her eyes with her shaking hands, trying to block out the chaos around her so that she can focus on calming down. Usually by now, Nick would’ve interrupted her panic attack with a series of unimportant, unrelated questions, but he must have finally fallen asleep.

Good, some tiny part of her mind chimes, but her focus can’t remain on her sick brother for long before another tidal wave of adrenaline crashes over her, taking any and all external thoughts with it out to sea.

A hand rubs up and down her spine, silently reassuring her that she’s not alone. Somewhere, a voice - the same person? - is counting softly into her ear. It takes her a moment, but in time she realizes they’re counting breaths.

She struggles to fall in line with their tempo, but little by little she does. The edges of her vision start to clear, the gripping sensation around her chest starts to loosen, and her limbs become stiff and heavy as she slowly, so slowly, stops shaking like a leaf.

“Are you with me?” the kind voice asks, and her mind finally reconnects that it’s Gray - that he’s the one that pulled her back, that he’s sat with her in the middle of a busy sidewalk for the last five minutes as she comes back down, that somehow he’s gotten the tiny crowd they’d gathered to disperse and give her air.

Her forehead comes to rest on her knees, but eventually she nods. She mumbles out a continuous stream of thank yous, seeming to be the only words she can form at first.

At long last, she croaks out, “You saved my life.”

Gray’s hand still massages up and down her back, trying to help her stay grounded. “It is kind of my job,” he jokes, though his voice is strained with the attempt to turn their afternoon into something lighthearted.

Stevie leans back, resting her head against his chest with a soft chuckle. “That it is, superhero.”

It takes a moment for his words to fully sink in. A couple of deep breaths later, though, and she springs back from his hold, eyes wide. “Your job! The meeting, you were supposed to-” she starts.

He holds his hands out towards her, like one might in an attempt to comfort a startled animal, obviously hoping she doesn’t work herself up into a frenzy again. When it appears she’s not going to run at his touch, he sets his hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay, Stevie, don’t worry about it. Unity will have already heard what happened by now. I’d be surprised if someone hasn’t contacted Nick as well.”

She groans at that, dropping her head into her hands again. “Great, now he’ll never let me out of his sight again.”

“That’s what you’re worried about right now?” Gray asks around a deep laugh, sounding utterly disbelieving. “Nevermind that you only narrowly avoided falling victim to a pedestrian accident, of course.”

“You know how overprotective Nick is. Of course that’s what I’m wor- ahh!” she cuts herself off with a hiss of pain, pulling her arms close to her chest with a wince.

Gray’s hands tighten on her shoulders as his eyes dart over her entire form. “What is it?” he asks. “Are you hurt?”

But Stevie doesn’t answer, she just stares down, eyes growing wider by the second. Gray pleads for her to answer him, asking again if she’s okay, but she can’t find her voice to respond. Her breath feels caught in her throat - not dissimilar to how she was previously feeling, but for an entirely different reason.

This can’t be happening, she thinks, mind racing at what feels like a million miles a minute. It’s not possible. There’s no way.

“What’s not possible, Stevie?” he finally asks, voice desperate, neither of them acknowledging that he reads her mind before the question.

Slowly - and looking back, she’d genuinely say it feels like the tiny movement takes her a lifetime, as if the moment stretched itself to encompass its enormity - she lowers her arms from her chest, holding them out in the space between them. His hands wrap around her forearms, desperately trying to find the source of her injury, before he freezes; she feels his heart skip a beat through the tight grip he has on her.

Staring back up at him is his own name, written plainly across both her wrists, raw as a new tattoo.

He blinks. Blinks again. At first, he doesn’t manage to say anything, just rips the cuffs off his own arms, right there in the middle of the sidewalk - and sure enough. Her name is there in the same small writing as his own was, bright red, inflamed skin around it. As if in a trance, he brings his fingertips to the writing, mouth silently forming her name.

“It’s you,” he whispers reverently, looking up to once more meet her gaze. The look on his face is pure adoration and… relief? A shaky hand comes up to rest on her cheek, as if he can’t quite believe she’s really sitting there in front of him still.

Stevie swallows hard, leaning slightly into his touch. “I - I thought… I always assumed you already had a name,” she confesses. “You made it sound like you did. In interviews. At home even.”

“I wanted the questions to stop. To have more of a sense of privacy, to stop answering the same question over and over again,” he says, shaking his head. “I eventually realized that if I was vague enough, people would make their own assumptions and run with them.”

“Well, it worked,” she jokes weakly. “I had no idea.”

The light behind them turns green, and someone honks at another car in annoyance when they don’t start moving fast enough. As if whatever spell they were under breaks at the sound, Gray looks around and seems to finally realize they’re still just… sitting in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the deli. He stands, dusting off his jeans, and offers a hand out to her.

Stevie starts to bring her hand to his, but stops halfway, hand halting in mid-air. “Are you sure?” she asks, hating how small her voice sounds. He’d been casually touching her ever since the almost-accident, yes, but emotions had been running so high that neither of them had really noticed in the moment. Doing it on purpose would be - should be - different. “You’ve always kept your distance, for as long as we’ve known each other. It’ll be… loud.”

He nods - a subtle, gentle thing - but he brings his hand no closer, leaving the ultimate decision up to her. It’s her mental privacy that’s in question, after all.

Who knew your whole world could change in one afternoon, she thinks.

And then, she takes a deep breath and slides her hand into his: a leap of faith.

---

They arrive back at the house right as Nick is flinging the door open, shoving his arms into a jacket, keys dangling from where they’re stuck between his teeth.

“Excuse me, I have to - Button!” The keys clatter to the ground, and he barely manages to stop his down-stair momentum before slamming into her. As it is, Nick’s hands fly up to cup her face, wide worried eyes looking into hers.

It’s okay, Nick, I’m okay. She thinks rather than says the words out loud, not trusting her voice. Tears pool in her eyes, and she gives him a watery smile. I almost wasn’t, but I’m okay.

Nick looks her over, as if he needs to see for himself that she’s in one piece and whole to believe her, but freezes suddenly in his mother-henning when he spots it.

Stevie and Gray’s hands are clasped between them still, Gray standing a step down behind her, no wrist cuffs in sight.

And Nick? Nick just rolls his eyes, falling into an exhausted slump on the stairs.

“Well it’s about damn time!”

---

Later that afternoon, Stevie takes a picture of her hand intertwined with Gray’s, both of their marks fully on display, and sends it off in a text to Sally.

(4:43 pm): Thanks for the warning, but everything turned out better than expected.

(4:47 pm): (p.s. I’m sure it goes without saying, but please don’t tell anyone else yet!)

Two days later, when Sally apparently gets her phone back, Stevie receives six straight texts in a row full of exclamation marks, the messages only seeming to stop when her phone begins to ring.

---

End Author's Note: Fun fact! This was supposed to be around 1,500 words, and that's it. Turns out, Stevie's an anxious worrier like me and had a lot of emotions to work through in a short period of time. Anyway, speaking of being a worrier, part of this might seem vaguely familiar. I fully recognize that Gray's route in the Cupid Calamity side story involves a "moment" between Button and Gray in which one of them keeps the other from being hit by a moving vehicle. (If we're counting a Segway as a vehicle, that is.)

I in no way intended to copy anything from Jo's story or step on any toes or anything. I've had this story in the works for over a month now - in fact, it's just been sitting there untouched for the last week or so because I was considering scrapping the whole thing, because all I could think about was if using a similar plot device was too similar. I hope it isn't and that this was enjoyable all the same. My sincerest apologies if it comes across as anything other than me attempting to express my pure love and adoration for Jo's story and characters!

(Also, apologies for the sheer amount of italics in this fic, haha. Between texts and telepathic communication and emphasis, it feels ridiculous even to me.)

[spookybreadstick]

Hi there! I’m hoping requests are still open hehe

If they are, I was wondering if you could write something about how you’re a pasta living in the mansion and you’ve been dating BEN secretly for a while and one day some of the other pastas catch you guys cuddling or kissing or something like that?

Thank you so much! 🖤

hi bby! thank you for requesting something <3 I got your message about preferred pronouns but as it turns out I actually ending up writing it as gender neutral anyway (didn’t even realize until I was finished) so I hope that’s still cool with you. also, this is supposed to be funny. like, it’s meant to be sweet and humorous so I hope that’s what you had in mind lol. 

as a side note: i started writing Toby’s verbal tics in here, and I hope it turned okay and it made sense like when he was speaking versus when it was a tic. it’s new to me and I want to be respectful while still showing the character. 

💖🎀💖🎀💖🎀

There is something about secret love that is so romantic. Well, it's romantic and a burden as well. You and BEN have been dating for about a month now, and it's going great, minus the fact that it's a secret relationship. You were the one that had suggested it, though, so you couldn't complain. Too much, at least. You had suggested that your relationship be kept a secret, for now, because this whole "being a pasta" thing is so new to you. You have only been here for less than three months, and the last thing you want to do is rock the boat. BEN had tried to assure you that people probably wouldn't care, but you wanted to play it safe. What if Slender disapproved of your relationship? BEN has been a member of the mansion for years, but as the newbie, you'd be the one to get kicked out if he disapproved. You know that Slender was pretty strict about certain things too, so you'd hate to see what would happen if this displeased him somehow. BEN didn't mind keeping things "low-key" (his words) for now. He had never been in a relationship before, so this was a new experience that he kind of wanted to keep fairly private. He may be flirty and cocky on the outside, but he's still a romantic at heart and he doesn't like people being in his business when it's something so personal.

So for now, you and him were masquerading as good friends that really enjoy each other's company and hang out a lot. Who also sneak kisses. But people don't need to know that last part, do they? But you can't keep a secret like this forever, especially not with the nosy knuckleheads of the mansion. Plus, plenty of the pastas have stalking experience. They know how to eavesdrop and gather intel pretty well, so it's hard to keep things from them, unless you know what you're doing. You and BEN got lucky for the first month of your relationship, but of course all things must come to an end. Not that you minded much, but it was a surprise nonetheless. It began like any other gaming sesh with BEN, in the privacy of his room.

"Watch out, watch out, there's a guy right there!" BEN yelled, fingers furiously smashing the buttons on the controller.

"I'm trying, I'm trying! My ammo is low." You whined.

"Shit, babe, lemme help." BEN's avatar rushed towards yours and began firing at the attackers.

"Hold 'em off, I'll grab the gold." You moved your avatar to collect the gold pieces needed to win the level.

"Roger that." BEN grinned, firing away.

Five exhausting but exhilarating minutes later, you both had beat the incredibly hard level.

"Fuck yeah! We did it, baby!" BEN cheered loudly.

You giggled. "Yeah, we did."

"And you know what? It was all because of me." BEN boasted.

"What?! I'm the one who grabbed the gold." You pointed out, offended.

"Yeah, but, I'm the one who killed most of the guys for you." BEN explained.

"True, but if I hadn't grabbed the gold we wouldn't have passed the level."

"Okay, fine." He held up his hand in defeat, then grinned. "I guess we make a pretty good team, huh? I'm Player One and you're my Player Two."

"You're a dork." You said, laughing.

"But I'm your dork." He teased you, moving closer.

"Are you my dork?" You titled your head playfully.

"I'm all yours." He whispered before leaning in to kiss you.

You kissed back, feeling his sweet lips on yours and letting everything melt away. You were both so into the kiss that you didn't hear the footsteps outside of the door until Jeff had already flung it wide open.

"BEN, where the fuck did you put my- holy shit!" Jeff exclaimed.

Quickly, you broke apart and stared at Jeff in shock.

"Y'all are fuckin'?!" Jeff made a face, gesturing to the two of you.

"DUDE! No, what the hell!" BEN's face turned red.

"Wait, who's doing what?" Toby's eager face appeared in the doorway.

"Nothing! Nothing is happening!" You frantically tried to reason with the unexpected company.

"Is it BEN and y/n? They'd make the cutest couple." Jane appeared in the doorway as well.

"Ugh, couples. Don't make out in front of me anytime soon. Fucking gross." Clockwork rolled her eye as she passed by the door frame.

"I heard there was some drama going down!" LJ made a dramatic entrance in the middle of the room with some popcorn, always looking to be the center of attention, as usual.

"No, there's no drama! We were just playing video games!" You pleaded.

"Yeah, with your tongues down each other's throats." Jeff snorted.

"There was no tongue!" BEN said defensively.

"Ha! You admit - admit one, admit two - you admit to kiss-kissing!" Toby practically cheered.

"I think it's sweet." Jane cooed. You buried your face in your hands.

"Oh, don't be so embarrassed. I for one, already knew that you guys were going out." Masky said as he and Hoodie walked into the room.

"You did?! But we were so careful." BEN said, shocked.

"You guys are actually pretty lousy secret-keepers. Masky and I have known for at least two weeks." Hoodie shook his head. This caused some chatter among the others over who had already known and who had no idea.

"Sorry, babe." BEN turned to you with a sheepish grin.

"It's fine. The truth was going to come out sometime. I just hope Slender doesn't kick me out." You sighed.

"Why would I kick you out?" Slender asked, appearing behind you.

You stammered, unable to come up with a proper response.

Slender chuckled. "You have proven yourself to be a part of this family. You have a home here, regardless of what happens. You're family just as much as BEN is, and I wouldn't kick either of you out over a relationship."

You breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Besides, who am I to meddle with young love?" Slender said, affectionately patting you and BEN on the head, showing his approval.

[janicho88]

Fire, Fur & Mistletoe Chapter 3

Pairing- Eventual Dean x Female Reader.

Word Count-2,383

Warning- Mentions of: loss of parents, death, and fires.  Possible swearing. Slight angst. Fluff

Summary- A rewrite of the Nine Lives of Christmas, Hallmark movie. AU, Dean is a firefighter who doesn’t do commitment, the Holiday’s don’t mean much to him.  Coming home after a shift he finds a dog in trouble.  The reader is a veterinary student who works in a coffee shop trying to make it to graduation, until someone causes problems there for her.  She isn’t interested in finding anyone other than her own dog until after she finishes school.  Do their four legged friends have other plans?

A/N- This series is written for @spnchristmasbingo.  The square filled for this chapter is Christmas Tree  The first two chapters will stay closer to the movie than the rest will.  

This chapter also fills my entry for @supernatural-love14​,100 Followers writing challenge.  Prompt - I don’t remember the last time I truly enjoyed Christmas.

This has its own tag list and it is open.  That way I am not tagging anyone who doesn’t want to be tagged in Christmas stories.   This story is unbeta’d.

Header by the amazing @winchest09

Divider from freepngimg.com

Series Masterlist

To say you were surprised to end up at an elementary school would be an understatement.    Dean’s group of fascinating people were the kindergarten classes. He even had plastic fireman hats for them, and of course an extra one for you. 

The kids were so caught up in his speech about fire safety and the important things to remember if there ever is a fire.  He was so good with them and kept them all interested.  He finished his presentation talking about Christmas trees and how they should all make sure their parents keep them watered, so the lights don’t catch them on fire. 

Dean took questions at the end.  Some of the boys wanted to know what it was like to drive the fire truck, someone asked if it was fun to slide down the pole.  They were disappointed when Dean told them there wasn’t one where he worked.  One little girl at the end ran up and gave him a great big hug before you guys left.  He was so adorable with her. 

When you left there Dean asked if you were interested in helping him pick out tiles for the kitchen backsplash.  You didn’t have anything else to do and had been enjoying helping him with the house so you agreed. 

Getting to the store he had three different ones selected and had you help him decide.  After the paint he trusted your opinion on the color selection.   

They had enough in stock of your choice to let you two get started on it when you got home.  The rest would be in soon.  You had a system worked out, you put the mastic on the back and Dean applied the tile to the wall. 

That afternoon Dean headed into work for another 24 hour shift. The second call of the afternoon was for a house fire.  Thankfully for the residents it was mostly contained to one room, just the living room.  But that room had a bit of damage done.

Hoping out of the truck back at the station he asks, “Okay who seriously is going to BBQ a turkey in the fireplace.  And plan on doing it twice because this was just going to be a test run before Christmas?”

“It’s the Holidays,”  Bobby stated.  “People are going to be doing crazy things.  You’ve been here a few years don’t you know this by now.”

“That is true.  Y/N and I were talking about that earlier after we left the school presentation.”

“Wait, WE, left the presentation?  Did you take her with you?”  Benny wanted to know.

“Well,”

“She’s living with him now, didn’t you know that?” Sam asks him.

“What, really?”  Benny couldn’t believe it.

“She moved in a couple days ago.”

“Wow, you two move fast.”

“It’s not like that you idiots.  She got kicked out of her condo and had nowhere else to go, and she already got fired because of me.  I’m just giving her a place to stay till she figures things out.  The house has the room.  Our dogs get along great.”

“Is that why Miracle isn’t here?”  Cas wants to know.

“Yeah, Y/N’s taking care of him and Dean. He’s falling in love.”

“Who Dean or Miracle?” Cas questions Sam.

“Dean, probably both.  She is very easy to like.”

“You’ve met her, besides that day she was in here?”  Benny wanted to know.

“Yeah, Dean called me to help move her.”

“I would have helped the nice pretty girl move, why didn’t you ask me to help?”

“I’m not sure packing would have been the only thing you tried with her, Benny.  I just found her again, I’m not letting you scare her off.”

“He didn’t deny the love.”  Sam says with a smile. 

“I’m not falling in love with anyone, bitch.”  Dean shakes his head at the whole thing as he removes his gear. 

“I’m sorry, my jerk of a brother, is falling in love, but he doesn’t know it yet.”

“That can’t be true Dean, come on man.  I look up to you, playing the field avoiding commitment, a constant string of beautiful women.”

“It’s not true, we aren’t falling in love, not dating.  I still don’t do commitment, and never getting married.”

“So what are you doing with Miracle if you don’t do commitment?”  Bobby asks as he takes off his coat.”

“Temporary long termish house guest.”

“Uh huh.”

“I told him when the house is sold he’s on his own.”

“Let us know how that works out in a couple of months, you idjit.”

“I’m calling your bluff with the girl.  Can you say no to these three things.”

“Really Cas?”

Cas ignores Dean and continues on, “ You live with her?  That’s a yes.  Two, you spend all your free time with her? Yes.”

“Well.”

“Three, you think about her when you aren’t with her? Yes,”

“No, no, you have it all wrong.  Like I said she is only staying till she gets back on her feet.  We are getting to know each other so we hang out, but only  because she’s already there.”

“Getting to know each other like you would if you were dating someone?”

“Shut it Sam.”

“Are you saying he is falling in love?  The legend, is human after all?”  Benny questioned.

“No, I’m not falling in love.  Y/N is a temporary roommate.  That’s it.”

“Man, you are like five minutes away from marrying this girl.”  Sam tells him.

“I hate you all.”  Gear off Dean leaves them behind to take a shower.

“Keep telling yourself that!”  Bobby yells after him.

Wandering around Dean’s house alone while he was at work, you got to thinking.  There was one thing you were really missing this close to Christmas, and it was something you didn’t think you would be able to have this year.  A Christmas tree.

When Dean gets home the next afternoon you bring it up.

“I was wondering if you were going to get a Christmas tree this year?”

“Usually don’t.  I don’t think I’ve had one in a few years.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I haven’t seen a reason too.  I buy a house, fix it up and sell it.  Usually I don’t stay in one long enough.  I don’t do much for the Holidays.  Why do you ask?”

“I was thinking maybe we could get a tree?  I have a little artificial tabletop tree, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a real one?  To have that Christmas smell when you walk in the door?”

“If you like real ones so much why didn’t you already have one in your place?”

“It was against the bylaws. Apparently too much of a fire liability.”

“That didn’t stop you with Dakota.”

“The tree can’t be hidden quickly like she was.  She was worth risking it for.”

“You really want to get a tree?”

“Please, it helps it feel more like Christmas.  If you don’t want one I understand.”

Dean threw his head back and sighed.  “Fine we can go get a tree.  I think there is a tree lot near the station that hasn’t sold out yet.”

“Let’s go to a tree farm, get the whole experience.”

“You’ll be the death of me Sweetheart.”

Dean didn’t have to work at all the following day, so after breakfast the two of you headed out to the Christmas tree farm.  Dressed in warm clothes and boots you were ready to walk all around the 8 acre tree farm if you needed to, just to find the right tree.   There was a wagon ride that took you around to the different types of trees.  Dean and you got off in the back lot figuring you could walk your way toward the entrance. 

“There’s a tree,”  Dean points out as you start walking down the first row.

“Yes, and it’s also like four foot tall.  It’s still growing, let the baby be.”

“Okay, miss Christmas tree expert.  How do you pick the perfect Christmas tree?”

“It’s really pretty scientific you know.”

“Oh really? Please do explain it to me.”

You laughed at his expression. He had turned to you with wide eyes and a cheeky little grin.  Like he was going to absorb whatever you said.  “You dork.”  Heading over to a tree you reach for a branch pulling your hand back toward you slowly.  “First you need to check the freshness.  If the needles stay on when you do that it’s good.”

You drop your hand to the side, “Then you need to inhale deeply and see how it smells.”

Dean did just that, “It smells like a tree.”

“Okay, but does it smell Christmassy.”

“Christmassy?  Pretty sure you just made that word up.”  

“Nope it’s totally in the dictionary.”

“Okay, Webster.  Then what does it mean?”

“To be filled with Christmas spirit.”

Dean just stared at you for a moment.  “You think a tree is going to smell like it’s filled with Christmas spirit?  Just wondering if you were drinking before I got up this morning?”

“Oh come on, it’s that fresh cut pine smell that fills the whole place and makes it feel like Christmas.”

“Whatever you say, I’ll leave the nose work to you.  What is step three?”  He wants to know as you two walk down the lane looking at the trees around you.

“The lean test.  You need to look at a tree straight on, then lean to the right and to the left, then stand back up straight.  You don’t want a tree that is leaning too hard one way and is crooked.”  You stop to inspect a tree, but continue on down your way.

The fourth step is checking the trunk and making sure nothing is wrong with it.  Sometimes the tree might be straight but that isn’t.  Or it could have a double one that won’t fit in a tree stand.”

“Height is important too.  Your ceilings are fairly high so we could get a foot tree no problem.”

Dean is just smiling listening to you go on about trees while you walk through the lot. “Yep that is extremely scientific.”

You two stopped and looked at different ones but kept going.  There was one you stuck a stick up in top of to mark if you didn’t find anything else you liked. Around an hour into your search you stopped in your tracks.  Dean was lost in his thoughts and took him a moment to notice.  

“That’s the one.”

“The one?”

“Yep, that’s the tree we should get.”

“There is only one?  How do you know it’s the one? What if you are wrong, but you’ve already committed to it?  What happens then, fighting and hurting the kids?”

“You lost me, Dean.”

“I um,”  He just realized what all came out of his mouth. “I  mean it’s a great tree.  Let’s get that one.”

“You sure you are alright?”

“Yep great.  Hold that steady, till I need you to push a little, will you?”

While you were helping to hold the tree from moving too much Dean got on the ground and started sawing back and forth till he had it lying on the ground.  You couldn’t help but notice the muscles in his arms as he worked. 

The two of you carried the tree toward the path in the hopes the wagon would be around soon and you wouldn’t have to carry it all the way to the front.  Thankfully only about five minutes later you could hear it coming around.  Up at the front they shook and bagged the tree for you.  

They also had Santa, and some petting animals around.

“Did you want to go tell Santa your Christmas wish?”  You asked Dean.

“You know, I already saw him this year.  He and I are pretty tight.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

After seeing the animals you hopped in his truck and headed to the store.  Neither of you had a stand that would fit the newly bought tree.  With that accomplished you were on your way back to the house.  Getting the tree inside it was set up in the living room not to far from the fire place, but not near enough to catch any sparks that may pop out. 

Dean didn’t have any decorations in the house, but you had some you had been saving.  After the lights were on you went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate for the two of you and pulled out some of the peanut butter blossom cookies you made the day before.  Coming back Dean still hadn’t turned on the tv so you asked if you could.  Finding the different music channels you finally came across a Christmas one.

The two of you were enjoying the music and each other’s company as you decorated the tree. 

It was late afternoon by the time everything was done and cleaned up.  You offered to start dinner and Dean came in to help you.  The two of you working easily in the newly finished kitchen. 

After dinner you two retired back to the living room turning off the lights in the room and just letting the tree shine.  There was a roaring fire going, The Santa Clause 2 playing on tv.  Chet had to be one of your favorite reindeer in training. It was very relaxing.  

After the movie Dean mutes the television and turns to you.  “Thank you for suggesting the tree.  It’s actually really nice to have it.  I don’t remember the last time I truly enjoyed Christmas.  My parents fought a lot when we were little after the fire, before and after separating.  After we lost them it was just Sam and I.  Both of us just worked double shifts on Christmas at the station so others could have the time off.  Now Sam has Jess so he works part of the day, but doesn’t do a double anymore so he can spend time with her and her family.

He looks around at the decorations on the mantle, “I wouldn’t be opposed if you had some other small decorations you wanted to get out too.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I have that won’t be in the way.”

He turns the volume back up and the two of you settle back to watch another movie.

Thank you for reading!

Chapter 4 

Tags- @winchest09  @waywardbeanie @whatareyousearchingfordean  @flamencodiva @deanwanddamons @jensengirl83 @abuavnee @lunarmoon8 @amyzombie1013 @akshi8278 @that-one-gay-girl @mandalou29  @igotmadskills

[ep1cg33k]

The AUs (+Dream and Nightmare) Start a Chat Group

Introduction: Alright, I had a random idea, that amused me. What if these dorks started a chat group. Fair warning, this is coming off of G33kVerse, and will potentially contain spoilers for "Literary Nightmare", and "G33kTale". (Yes, I have finally decided that Literary Nightmare is a part of the multiverse of G33kTale.) Now, to the spoilers: Nightmare has been uncorrupted. Ink isn't there because he is dead. (No, I will not tell you how he died.) G33k has met them. (No, I will not say how, all you need to know is that they meet them.) You have been fully informed, now. So...

Onward to the chat group!

The actual thing itself:

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25 has joined the chat.

Angy Octopus has joined the chat.

G33k has joined the chat.

WalkingWindowsVista has joined the chat.

WalkingWindowsVista: Who named me that?!

Angy Octopus: Not me.

G33k: Lol.

WalkingWindowsVista: G33k!!!

Angy Octopus: You're only supposed to put one exclamation point. Like this: G33k, it's rude to take people's phones, and do things like that! See?

WalkingWindowsVista: 🙄

Angy Octopus: Rude.

G33k: It wasn't me, I just thought it was funny.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I THINK I KNOW WHO DID IT.

WalkingWindowsVista: Who?

Angy Octopus: Blue, your caps lock is on.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I KNOW, IT'S STUCK.

G33k: How? Didn't you just get a new phone?

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: YES. I'M STARTING TO THINK I'M CURSED. 😢

WalkingWindowsVista: Answer me, berry!

Angy Octopus: I don't think you're cursed. Maybe you just have a habit of accidentally turning it on.

G33k: Makes sense.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: HOW, THOUGH? I DON'T HOLD THE SHIFT BUTTON THAT LONG.

Angy Octopus: Oh, you turn caps on by holding "Shift"?

G33k: Yeah...?

WalkingWindowsVista: TELL ME WHO CHANGED MY NAME!!!

Angy Octopus: OH, COOL! Now if only I could figure out emojis. :(

G33k: You could get Dream to help you.

Angy Octopus: He's busy helping one of the AUs.

G33k: Oh.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: IF YOU COME TO UNDERSWAP, I COULD HELP YOU! 😁

Angy Octopus: No, it's alright, I can wait on Dream. And while I wait on him, I can figure out some of these things on my own. :)

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: IF YOU SAY SO.

oglzy🦴 has joined the chat.

oglzy🦴: sup

G33k: Hello, Classic.

WalkingWindowsVista: WILL SOMEONE PLS TELL ME WHO CHANGED MY NAME!!!!!!!!!

oglzy🦴: wut's the vista's malfunction

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: OH RIGHT, I WAS GOING TO TELL HIM WHO I THINK CHANGED HIS NAME!

WalkingWindowsVista: About time!

G33k: Aren't Windows Vistas always malfunctioning? 🤨

oglazy🦴: lol

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I THINK FRESH CHANGED IT. HE'S ALWAYS MESSING WITH YOU, AND IT CERTAINLY WASN'T INK, AS HE...

Angy Octopus: How about we talk about something else?

WalkingWindowsVista: Of course it was Fresh. Why can't that parasite leave me alone?!

Angy Octopus left the chat.

G33k: Why did Nightmare leave?

oglazy🦴: prob hit the wrong button

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I'LL INVITE HIM BACK TO THE CHAT GROUP. 😅

Angy Octopus has joined the chat.

Angy Octopus: Wrong button.

oglazy🦴: called it

Angy Octopus: But, in the process I did find the emoji board! 😄

G33k: 👍

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: NOCE.

WalkingWindowsVista: Nice*

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: THAT'S WHAT I MEANT, I JUST HIT ENTER TOO SOON.

oglzy🦴: oof

G33k: Mood.

Angy Octopus: All of you are making me feel old.

oglzy🦴: aren't u over 500

Angy Octopus: Maybe.

WalkingWindowsVista: Hey, noot, I found the perfect emojis for you! 🐙👴

Angy Octopus: 😒

oglzy🦴: lol

G33k: Be nice.

Angy Octopus: What does "lol" mean?

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: IT MEANS "LAUGH OUT LOUD".

WalkingWindowsVista: What the berry said.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: PLEASE STOP CALLING ME "BERRY". IT'S ANNOYING.

WalkingWindowsVista: Ok, berry.

Angy Octopus: This chat group was a terrible idea.

G33k: I couldn't agree more.

NeighbrohoodSkelepal has joined the chat.

G33k: I stand corrected.

NeighbrohoodSkelepal: Sup, broskis?

WalkingWindowsVista: End me. Please just end me.

NeighbrohoodSkelepal has left the chat.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: THERE. I KICKED HIM OUT. SERIOUSLY, HOW DID HE EVEN GET IN WITHOUT ME INVITING HIM?

Angy Octopus: Don't ask me, I don't even know how to turn down the brightness on this frustratingly difficult to use piece of technology.

G33k: Don't feel bad. For a long time, I couldn't figure out how to make a screenshot.

oglzy🦴: srsly kid

G33k: Yep.

Angy Octopus: Seriously, kid?*

oglzy🦴: wut's wrong with how i'm typing

Angy Octopus: It's a little annoying to me.

WalkingWindowsVista: Says the one who has "Angy" in their name.

Angy Octopus: I didn't name myself this.

WalkingWindowsVista: Then who did?

Angy Octopus: Cross did.

G33k: 😑

G33k: Of course.

Gold Harted Been has joined the chat.

Gold Harted Been: Hello.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: HELLO, DREAM.

Angy Octopus: Dream, your name is spelled wrong.

Gold Harted Been: I know. I meant to fix it, but I've been too busy.

G33k: That name does seem fitting, though.

WalkingWindowsVista: It would be more fitting if it were "Gold Hearted Nuisance".

oglzy🦴: do u have anything that's not rude to say

WalkingWindowsVista: Nope.

Angy Octopus: Can you please refrain from throwing insults at my brother? At least he hasn't been a pile of salt the whole time he's been here, and does something other than sit around in a blank space watching a soap opera AU.

G33k: Oh dang!

oglzy🦴: 10 points to the noot lord

WalkingWindowsVista: Nerd.

Angy Octopus: Vexatious insect.

Gold Harted Been: Please stop fighting.

WalkingWindowsVista: I would've loved to see you still being controlled by that parasitic creature.

Angy Octopus: Fresh is going to get you one of these days, and I'm going to laugh.

WalkingWindowsVista: You and your corrupted self aren't that different.

Angy Octopus: What's that supposed to mean?!

G33k: Error, stop!

WalkingWindowsVista: You're both evil and only want to see others suffer.

Gold Harted Been: Nightmare, don't listen to him.

oglzy🦴: Error, that was uncalled for!

WalkingWindowsVista: Well, it's true. Only someone who's really evil would wish Fresh upon someone, or laugh if they got nabbed by him.

Gold Harted Been: You started it!

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: DREAM'S RIGHT. YOU STARTED THE FIGHT BY BEING A JERK TO DREAM, AND HE WAS JUST TRYING TO STAND UP FOR HIM. WHEN PEOPLE ARE MAD THEY SAY THINGS THEY DON'T MEAN. HONESTLY, THE ONLY EVIL ONE WHO'S LIKELY TO BE EVIL HERE IS YOU. YOU DESTROY WORLDS. WHAT HAS NIGHTMARE DONE?

WalkingWindowsVista: He makes people miserable.

Gold Harted Been: No he doesn't! That's just his

Gold Harted Been: I forgot how to spell it.

G33k: Aura?

Gold Harted Been: I think so.

Angy Octopus: Dream, it's fine. There's no need to stand up for me. After all, he's probably right. I'm just going to leave the chat.

Angy Octopus has left the chat.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: GREAT, NOW SEE WHAT YOU DID?!

WalkingWindowsVista: Yup, and I feel no guilt for it. 😎

G33k: Lol, that emoji kinda resembles Fresh.

WalkingWindowsVista: Great... Now I have another thing that parasite has ruined.

oglzy🦴: u do realize wat u might've just done right

WalkingWindowsVista: Upset Nightmare? He'll get over it.

Gold Harted Been: It's not hard for him to get re... Um... Help, I don't know how to spell that.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: RE-CORRUPTED.

Gold Harted Been: Thank you, Blue.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: ANYTIME, FRIEND.

WalkingWindowsVista: I doubt the situation will get that bad.

G33k: You literally did exactly what caused him to get corrupted before.

Gold Harted Been: You know about that?

G33k: Yeah, he told me.

oglzy🦴: well they do talk to each other a lot

Gold Harted Been: True.

WalkingWindowsVista: I still don't think he's going to get corrupted. You got rid of it, right? And he would have to eat more of those weird apples, right?

Gold Harted Been: No.

WalkingWindowsVista: You didn't change him back?

Gold Harted Been: No. He got free on his own.

WalkingWindowsVista: I guess that explains why he could get changed back.

oglzy🦴: energy cannot be destroyed, it can only be changed or transported. so, even if dream had managed to change him back, it likely would've just suppressed the corruption.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: WHAT CLASSIC SAID.

Gold Harted Been: And you say that you're lazy.

oglzy🦴: i'm

MAGNIFICENTSKELTON25: I am*

oglzy🦴: idc

G33k: That doesn't seem very lazy, to me.

oglzy🦴: being lzy doesn't mean i'm not a dork

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: YOU STILL TYPED A LOT.

oglzy🦴: who said i typed anything 😏

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: AND HERE I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN HOPE FOR YOU. 😒

G33k: Lol.

Gold Harted Been: I'm going to go check on Nightmare. If I don't say anything for 7 hours, I'm likely a statue.

MAGNFICENTSKELETON25: BE CAREFUL.

G33k: Yes, please do. Being turned into a statue doesn't sound very pleasant.

oglzy🦴: sounds great to me u don't have to do anything

WalkingWindowsVista: You literally CAN'T do anything.

Stabstabstabstabstab has joined the chat.

oglzy🦴: yep that's the point

Stabstabstabstabstab: Point? 🔪🙂

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: WRONG KIND OF POINT, KILLER.

G33k: 😐

Stabstabstabstabstab: Is Cross here?

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: Why?

Stabstabstabstabstab: No reason.

oglzy🦴: wut's killer doing in the chat

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I INVITED HIM.

oglzy🦴: y

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: WHY NOT?

oglzy🦴: he's crazy

Stabstabstabstabstab: He's right.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: HE'S LITERALLY JUST YOU FROM ANOTHER TIMELINE.

WalkingWindowsVista: And you guys were getting onto me for being rude. 🙃 How hypocritical.

G33k: Pu tuhs.

WalkingWindowsVista: ???

G33k: 🙂

WalkingWindowsVista:???

G33k: ...

G33k: What?

WalkingWindowsVista: Did you really just spell "shut up" backwards?

oglzy🦴: i think they did

WalkingWindowsVista: Why?

G33k: To confuse you because I'm bored.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: GREAT GOOGALY MOOGALY THIS HAS ALL GONE TO SHOE!!!

oglzy🦴: pls tell me u did said "shoe" on purpose

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I WISH I DID.

WalkingWindowsVista: It couldn't have been Fresh, right? He left.

G33k: Yeah, and it would've said it if he rejoined.

Stabstabstabstabstab: It wasn't me.

NeighbrohoodSkelepal: I'm back, mah rad brotato pals! Ya didn't think I'd go that easily, did ya?

WalkingWindowsVista: I'm outta here!

oglzy🦴: i second that

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25: I FORGOT I HAVE TO MAKE DINNER, SO ME THREE!

G33k: Nope, not staying, either.

WalkingWindowsVista has left the chat.

oglzy🦴 has left the chat.

MAGNIFICENTSKELETON25 has left the chat.

G33k has left the chat.

Stabstabstabstabstab has left the chat.

NeighbrohoodSkelepal: Brah, dats cold, I was just gonna hang out with ya.

Le Description-

This was fun. When the AUs make a chat group, what could possibly go wrong? I'll tell you what: Everything. Everything could go wrong. Yes, this was supposed to be Blue's idea. Classic doesn't care about grammar, Dream can't spell, Nightmare doesn't know how to use anything, G33k is just there. Why did Killer want to know Cross's location? Who knows. This is Killer, he unpredictable. And poor Nightmare, he can't get a moment's peace. Error better be sorry for that. Now, to the credits! Undertale is owned by: Toby Fox   Ink is owned by: Myebi/Comyet Error and Fresh are owned by: TheCrayonQueen/loverofpiggies   Killer is owned by: rahafwabas/rahofy-stetch Dreamtale is owned by: JokuDream/jokublog   Cross is owned by: JakeiArtwork/jakei95 Underswap is owned by: The AU Community (originally popcornpr1nce)   G33kTale and G33kVerse are owned by: Me Feel free to do fanart if you want. Just, send a link, or something. I'd love to see it!

[kaeyas-wifehusband]

Bloom: A Taang oneshot.

Summary: Aang and Toph have always had a special connection. He knew there was something different about her from the moment they met years ago at the underground arena. As time passes, platonic feelings begin to morph into something more. (Quick note: There is a hint of the Kummi/Taang in here if you squint lol. Hope y’all enjoy!)

To say Toph’s parents weren’t fond of Aang would be an understatement.

And a huge one, at that.

To them, he would always be the bad boy (the first time they referred to him as that, Toph nearly choked on her breakfast from laughing) who manipulated their sweet, frail daughter into running away with him and his trouble-making friends. Never mind the fact that she proved she wasn’t the defenseless child they claimed her to be. Never mind that she willingly went along. Never mind that she didn’t do it just for Aang, but also because it was the only chance she had to be free. 

Spirits knew how long it took her to convince them that, no, he wasn’t a negative influence (if anything, it was her); yes, she can take care of herself. They never entirely warmed up to him. However, they did allow him to visit. That was good enough for Toph. Besides, it was probably the best she’d get out of them. Sure, she had to bribe threaten reassure the family guards that they didn’t need to follow her and Aang around when hanging out. That was simple to accomplish, luckily. 

And so, years passed. 

They formed memories with one another. The rest of the Gaang were involved, of course, with some of them. Toph noticed something, though. Aang would still seek her out personally in those times. During group meals or bonfires, where she went to sit down, he’d follow. Whenever they all laughed, his head would tilt in her direction. His fingers would sometimes graze, linger, upon hers when they walked together. All of it became more intentional to her as time went on. It became more common. 

He wasn’t good at being subtle. She knew this. It didn’t bother her. Because, maybe, she was beginning to feel the same way.

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

At first, when Aang spent time at the Bei Fong residence, he was tense. Her parents clearly did not like him and were probably only allowing his presence because a certain daughter of theirs bribed threatened reassured them until they gave in. Creating discomfort was something he loathed. For Toph, however, it was worth it. Plus, she was quick to deal with the overprotective watchmen that would trail them wherever they went, even if it was just in her backyard. That most definitely made things easier. 

Numberless, unforgettable moments were made between them. 

The ones that he held close to were the ones that were small. They were personal. He thought of how she’d clutch his arm, not the railing, when crossing the wooden bridge near her home. He thought of how her witty remarks started to feel more flirtatious. He thought of how she’d consistently ask for stories of his childhood among the Air Nomads; how, when he complied (and he always did), she’d find some excuse to lean against him. (“I’m tired.” “I can hear you better this way.” “Shut up about it.”)

And it was all fine.

Beyond fine, actually. 

It wasn’t until he started craving those instances more and more that he realized he liked her. Finding reasons to visit became all too easy. (“There’s a new restaurant in town.” “I could brush up on my earthbending.” “There’s a spot that I just have to show you.”)

The answer was never less than an “Okay” and usually a “Sounds great. Let’s go.”

Definitely, the greatest giveaway that none of this was one-sided was what happened one summer night. 

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

They were in the Bei Fong garden, strolling among the rose bushes. They talked of nothing, everything, and all that was in between. Stars glistened amongst the cloudless velvet sky and the moon was full, luminous. While she couldn’t see any of it, he hoped that she could feel it’s intoxicating serenity. The calmness it radiated made the atmosphere feel otherworldly. Eventually, they found a marble bench to rest on. The smallness of it meant their bodies were practically pressed against one another. It wasn’t awkward. 

As they engaged in small talk, Aang plucked a few flowers and started weaving them together. Toph didn’t initially pick up on this, but the constant moving of his arm against hers, as well as the sound of shuffling, spiked her curiosity. She gently pressed her fingers against his.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh! Making a flower crown,” he stopped twiddling and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I guess I should have asked if it was okay.”

She shrugged and removed her hand. “I was just curious. Doesn’t matter to me. They’ll grow back anyway.”

He grinned and went back to work. Minutes went by, silence reigned. Not the slightest hint of discomfort was sensed. 

“Ta da!” He held the handmade accessory in the air with pride. “Finished! And in record time, too.” 

Toph smirked and traced her fingertips against it. The woven intricacy of it felt high quality. He’s done this multiple times before and it showed. 

“Nice job, Twinkle Toes. Maybe you should quit the Avatar stuff and start a business.” she teased. 

“Believe me,” he said as he studied the freshly made creation. “If I could bring myself to do that, I would.” A sigh left him. “But I know what I’m needed for.”

She hummed in acknowledgement. “All this hero duty starting to get to you?”

“Starting to? It always has been,” He flicked a few stray strands of grass and stem off his lap. “I never wanted any of this. Being the grand savior of the universe sounds fun until you realize how much you lose because of it.” 

“Well,” she started, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Find a way to cope.” It was a lousy attempt at comfort. To anyone else, it may have been offensive. Not to him though.

He chuckled softly. “I already did.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled while placing the flower crown on her head. “It’s you,” There was no regret for his words, which mildly surprised him. All of it was true. “I just...I don’t know.  Spending time with you allows me to temporarily forget that I’m the Avatar. You make me feel like an equal,” He pulled an uneven, wilting petal. “You never saw me for less or more than I am.

Because of you, I’ve been allowed to grow, without necessarily growing up. Does that make sense?”

A snicker escaped her. “No. But then again, you rarely do.” 

She lifted both her hands to his face, her fingers gently trailing his features. 

This has happened before. In fact, it’s happened multiple times. These sort of moments wouldn’t last long and would usually end with her squishing his cheeks or booping his nose, a “You’re a dork” following.  It wouldn’t be such a big deal except that she never did this with anyone else. He wasn’t dumb, though she’d would probably say otherwise. She didn’t need to do this to “see” him.  Her feet and ears handled that well enough. Being careful, intentional yet tender, he placed his forehead against hers.

“What are you doing?” he said in a whisper so quiet that it’d only be audible to her. He smiled when she blushed. 

“Nothing. Why? What’s it to ya, Twinkle Toes?”

“I mean, I don’t mind. Just curious because you’ve done this before soooo...” There was a playful, teasing tone in his voice. 

Mildly annoyed, she freed a hand to lift one of his against the right side of her face. “There. Now we’re even.” 

His breath hitched and she noticed his heartrate spike. She hardly tried to stop her mouth from forming a smirk. “Aw, does that bother you?”

He swallowed, calming a bit, but not entirely. “No. N-not really.” he mumbled.  It was the truth. She didn’t need to focus on his heart’s pace to know that. 

Aang exhaled and closed his eyes. Everything became still. Aside from the crickets chirping, and the occasional stray dog barking from far off, all was peaceful. This was how he often felt with her. It was always like this when they were together. In a way that he could not yet explain, he felt a comfort with Toph that he never felt with anyone else, not even with Katara. A note of courage suddenly filled within him and swelled. He had to ask now before it disappeared. 

“Can I kiss you?”  

If Sokka was there, he’d surely facepalm. Most people don’t like being asked to be kissed. They just want it to happen, at least according to him. Toph wasn’t like most people, though. On a level that was beyond what he could fully understand, they were connected.  Perhaps all lovers felt that way. Although, even when their bond was solely platonic, he still thought that she was like no other. (“Not like her.”)

He prayed silently. He wished not that she wouldn’t say no, but that if she did, nothing would change between them. Another pang of quietness passed. He felt the confidence in him start to deflate. 

Then, suddenly, a swipe across his lower lip and a “Yes” evaporated any worries or doubts. He didn’t hesitate pressing his mouth against hers. 

Aang knew what first kisses were supposed to be like. Poets and singers described them as a powerful, electrifying force. (“Kissing him feels like fireworks.” Katara once said regarding Zuko). Yet none of that could accurately evoke what he experienced in that moment. In her affection, he noticed a sliver of familiarity that he could not quite comprehend. There was warmth, a sensation of relief. It felt grounding. It felt like home.  

When they parted, it was sobering; like waking from a long slumber to crisp morning air. 

“Oh, by the way,” Toph then gave his shoulder a swift punch. 

“Ow! Hey!”

“That’s for being a total sap.” 

[phoenixstartedthefire]

Late Nights and Candlelights

Okay so this was just some self indulgent fic that I wrote that I actually like. This is just the first half since the whole thing won't fit here. It doesn't really have a plot if I'm being honest. But enjoy I guess and let me know if you want me to post the rest of it. The whole thing is currently posted on my ao3 which is the same as my username on here. So you can check it out there if you want.

TW\\ discussion and usage of cigarettes

The smell of cheap cigarettes was prominent in the small bedroom down the hall and next to the bathroom in a cottage in Wales. It was a warm summer night. The only light to be seen other than the scattering of tiny bright stars in the black sky was the lamp in the bedroom. It gave off a warm glow and attracted a few moths towards the window from which it was emitting. The sound of boisterous laughter disrupted the peaceful silence that surrounded the residence. 

“You’re so fucking ridiculous,” Remus spoke through a fit of laughter.

“I’ve got a point though, don’t I?” Sirius pointed out, sitting on the bed next to the open window and smoking a cigarette. 

“Just because Slughorn has a moustache, does not make him a walrus pretending to be a human.” Remus refuted, baffled this was something that had to be said.

“Well, have you ever seen Sluggy and a walrus in the same room?” Sirius asked, as though this was indisputable proof of his point.

“I’ve never seen a walrus in general! Does that mean everyone I know is secretly a walrus?”

“But not everyone you know looks like a walrus.” 

"You're an idiot," Remus said breathlessly. Sirius rested the hand with the cigarette on the windowsill and used the other to playfully shove his friend. 

"I think you mean genius." 

"No I don't," Remus reassured him. Sirius flicked the ashes of his cigarette out the window and raised it to his mouth once more. "Those are bad for you, you know." 

Sirius just rolled his eyes, "You want one?" 

Remus just sighed. "Hand it over." Sirius grinned and passed one to him. 

"That's what I thought." 

"Shut up. We both need to quit." Remus remarked while lighting his cigarette with the lighter he nicked from his dad the summer before.

"Eh. What's life without a little risk?" 

"That's not an excuse to do stupid shit." 

Sirius chuckled, "Like I need an excuse."   

Remus put the lighter back in the drawer of his nightstand as he raised the cancer stick to his mouth. It burned in his throat and he resisted the urge to cough. Lily Evans liked to say Sirius was a bad influence and Remus was starting to suspect she was right. Not that he would do anything about it. Not only was he quite fond of the dark-haired reckless boy sitting on his bed, but Remus specialised in self-destructive behaviours. Which would explain the smoking. "When are your parents coming home?" Sirius asked. 

"What's the date?"

"Ninth of August." 

"About two days," Remus answered. His parents were in France for the summer holiday. They trusted Remus to stay at home. Which was a very dumb decision. 

Sirius nodded and threw his spent cigarette out the window. "I should probably leave tomorrow then."

"You don't have to. My parents won't mind." Remus tried to act casually. Like he didn't care either way. He wasn't sure if it was working. Perhaps the nicotine was already messing with his brain. It would explain a lot. Like why his heart rate increased exponentially when Sirius breathed out a laugh. 

"You really think they won't mind this?" Sirius gestured to himself. He was wearing a faded leather jacket over a black Sex Pistols t-shirt. His clunky combat boots were on the bed, much to Remus' chagrin.

"The only thing they'll mind is that you're wearing shoes on the bed. Take those off." Remus nudged Sirius' leg with his elbow. Sirius rolled his eyes and kicked off his shoes. Remus took another drag from his cigarette, causing his heart rate to increase once more. He needed to quit.

"As you wish, your majesty," Sirius said sarcastically, earning a light elbow to the side from Remus, who was trying hard to stifle a smile. "Are you sure they won't mind though? I wouldn't want them thinking a rebellious bad boy like myself is corrupting their perfect son."

Remus snorted, "Did you just refer to yourself as a bad boy?" 

"Well, how would you describe me?" Sirius challenged jokingly.

A plethora of words came to mind that Remus would never say. Instead, he said, "Self-centred dork with a disregard for authority." 

“Rude!” 

Remus shrugged, “You asked.” 

“I figured it would be something like ‘devilishly handsome and courageous’. I wasn’t expecting to be slandered.” 

“And that sentence proves my point.” 

“Okay, I can see the self-centred thing and disregard for authority. But I am not a dork.” 

“You spent a week learning origami so you could fuck with McGonagall by turning in a swan as your homework,” Remus recalled. 

“That was not dorky. That was very punk rock.” Sirius said in his defence. 

Remus laughed, “That is the furthest thing from punk rock.” 

“I was dismantling the flawed education system. That is punk rock,” Sirius disputed, though he had a smile on his face. 

“You were being a prat, that’s what you were doing.” Remus corrected him.

“Do you remember the look on her face, though? That was priceless.” 

“She looked like she wanted to murder someone. Most likely you.” 

The sound of the grandfather clock in the living room striking twelve diverted them from their discussion. 

“Are you sure you want me to stay?” Sirius asked and Remus made the mistake of facing him. The answer was yes. It was always going to be yes. Even if the answer was no, it would be impossible to say that to the pretty grey eyes that were staring back at him. 

“Yeah,” Remus answered and hated that his voice cracked like he was an awkward thirteen-year-old boy again. He hoped Sirius didn’t notice. He shrugged out of his leather jacket, mumbling something about how hot it was. 

"I think we should do something tomorrow. Last day of freedom, you know?” 

Remus raised an eyebrow at him dubiously, “What are you suggesting?” Knowing Sirius, it was likely something illegal.

“Okay, hear me out,” Sirius reached under the pillow closest to him and extracted a glass bottle of-

“No.” 

“C’mon, it’ll be fun.” 

“Where did you even get that?” He asked and he knew he would regret asking it but he couldn’t help it.

“Got it in town. As long as you look seventeen, the bloke at the pub will sell you whatever you want.”

Remus sighed, and they both knew he was eventually going to give in. Because Remus always gave in. Especially when it came to Sirius. That didn’t mean he was giving in without any argument though. “That's illegal." 

Sirius just shrugged and a dark strand of his hair fell in his face. "Since when has that stopped me?" 

"We better not get caught." Remus conceded. 

Sirius grinned triumphantly. "Yes! Knew you'd come around!" 

"Yes well, I seem to be incapable of saying no to you," Remus admitted. 

"And I'd like it to stay that way." 

Remus was going to suggest they go to bed before he did something very very self-destructive. Until-

"What was that?" 

"The light went out, you dipshit." 

"Well yeah, I can see that. But why?"

"Well if you give me a second, I can find out." Remus felt around his nightstand and found the string to turn on his lamp. He pulled it and it made the clicking noise that it usually did. It didn't work. He tried it again. 

"What's wrong with it?" 

"Not sure. Maybe a dead bulb." Remus went to unscrew the light bulb. But of course, it was hot. He swore and pulled his hand away, feeling like a complete idiot. 

"Did you just burn your hand?"

"What does it look like?" Remus retorted in a sarcastic tone. 

"It doesn't look like anything. I can't fucking see."

Remus rolled his eyes. Sirius was right though. Now that the light was out, it was near impossible to tell whether his eyes were open or closed. It was quite off-putting. He felt something warm and solid press against his side as he tried to assess the damage on his burned hand. It was almost comforting. Until Sirius jabbed him in the eye. "Sirius! Ow!" He swatted the boy off of him. 

"What?" 

"You poked my eye, you wanker." 

"I was trying to figure out where you were," Sirius explained, not sounding remotely apologetic. 

"I haven't moved since the bloody light went out. Now move. Maybe I can find a candle or something." Remus said and slid off of his bed. 

"Need help?" Sirius offered. 

"Just stay here and don't break anything." He advised. 

He heard Sirius scoff, "You really think I'm so irresponsible that I'll break something as soon as you leave the room?" 

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I do." Remus answered and left his room, bumping his arm into the doorframe on the way out. He had no idea where he was going. He was relying purely on muscle memory. Surely he knew the layout of his house well enough by now to find the kitchen, where his parents kept their candles, without seeing. He felt around the walls to guide him, attempting to flip some light switches on the way. The power must have gone out for some reason. 

He heard a loud crash and sighed. He didn't have the willpower at the moment to be upset with Sirius. There were much more important matters at hand. Like the fact that he may be stuck without power for the next two days until his parents get home. Because he's just some knobbly sixteen-year-old boy who didn't know shit about electricity and really didn't care to. 

He felt around the walls some more and walked into a doorway. He sighed in relief when he felt a circular picture on the wall. He was in the kitchen. Now to find those bloody candles. 

"Moony! Are you almost done?" A voice shouted from his bedroom.

"Will you give me a minute?" Remus shouted back as he opened the cabinet he was seventy-eight per cent sure had the candles in it. 

"It's been a minute. It's been several minutes." Sirius replied in a whiny tone.

"And it'll be several more if you don't learn to be patient." He felt around the cabinet, wincing when he touched something sticky. Finally, he grabbed a waxy feeling cylinder that had to be a candle. Because there was no other object it could be. He pulled it out and felt the wick at the top of it. Yep. Definitely a candle. Now to figure out how to get back in his bedroom. 

"Padfoot?" He called when he entered the room that had to be his own. 

"It's about time." Sirius grumbled impatiently. 

[theshy1sout]

Inseparable - Chapter 11

Tags: Not Rated, Slow Burn Fluff, Broppy, Trolls Mythology Au

Ao3 is here

Notes: Ok, so in the last chapter were some plot holes or more like understatements, but let me work on them later. There're many chapters before us, there will be a time for fixing them, but now, back to some fluff :3

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It's time. Poppy is bouncing with excitement, the huge grin doesn't leave her fave. She's all happy. She's all one ticking bomb waiting to explode. 

- I'm scared now - Branch chuckles, watching as she's almost dancing. - What is this surprise? Is this something erupting from the ground or... How big is it?

The goddess giggles with genuine joy in her melody voice. She looks at him with sparks of thrill in her eyes.

- Bigger than you thought! - She beams. And then she reaches for the Staff. - Calm down, it would be great!

- I hope so - He throws, twisting his face. He hesitates to give her the Staff. - I know it’s ridiculous, but I'm really stressed, this is overwhelming, you don’t have to...

- Nah nah nah, shhh - She puts her finger on his mouth, making him freeze. She looks deep into his eyes, and says slowly with a calm, quiet voice: - It won't kill you, ok? It's a surprise. A gift. All you have to do is just follow me and watch. Easy?

The god blinks when her finger lets go of his lips. He takes a deep breath, keeping his eyes on her.

- Easy - He breathes out, nodding slightly. 

She smirks at him and finally grabs the Staff of the Light, taking it from his hands. The world slowly fills with shades of red and pink, birds start their welcoming-the-day serenades. Branch gazes tense at the sky, waiting for a huge loud explosion or something like that.

- Where should I look? - He asks.

- Just sit here and wait - Poppy says. She starts opening flowers' cups on the meadow. - And watch the sky. It will come slowly and smoothly, the first part hasn't got a big entrance or something.

- The first part? - Branch chuckles. - Maybe I shouldn't have asked how big it is, but how long it is.

The goddess of the Day smiles, not stopping her work. The blue god knows he is supposed to watch the sky and wait, but it is so easy to be distracted by her.

 Poppy gently opens every little or big flower cup. She touches them so carefully to not damage any of the sensitive pedals. The Staff shines gold in her hand, its Light brightens her rose complexion. Her hair looks so soft and majestic in its golden glow. He wonders how it would feel to sink his fingers into it. And her tiny, twinkling freckles... He wishes she would let him count them all, one by one. The touch of her smooth, warm skin was so delightful…

 Not like his. His skin is always cold. He all is cold. But when Branch's with her it's not that bad. Especially if she gives him a bit of her warmth... How is she doing that? Her smile makes his heart gets warm, he feels warmth, a real one, inside him, and it's like nothing else in this world, it is something so addicting, he wants more and more of it, but he's scared of asking. It's like a little fire inside him, a little fire that he wants to burn him one day or night, he wants to be burned by this fire and he doesn't know why...

And this pink beautiful lady, this gorgeous brisk woman, this sunshine dancing with the flowers on the meadow, this spotless gold heart and a bright, pure mind, this cute smiley face and two sparkling eyes, she... She's here. With him. She's giving him a gift. She likes him and likes hanging up with him. It is so hard to believe. But it makes him feel so good. 

- I told you to look at the sky! - Poppy laughs girlishly and sound. Her cheeks turn red when she notices he's staring at her. 

Branch smiles as he feels his face gets warm and probably purple. He used to get shy because of it, but he kinda starts liking it. Like, a lot.

- Guh, you got me! - He chuckles and lifts his arms. - I'm busted at adoring you. What a shame! I should've known that you're not the sky! 

The goddess actually blushes even more after those words.

- It's also kinda your fault, you were interrupting the sky - The god smirks. Oh my goodness, maybe this is cruel, but it’s so satisfying to see her like that. 

- Stop it! It's you who is supposed to be red right now - She giggles, sitting down next to him with the Staff in her hand.

- Why?

- Just look at the sky, you dork!

He chuckles and listens up. And now he's wondering how he could not notice that. How could he not notice that the whole sky, the whole frickin sky, the whole existing horizon...

Is BLUE.

Blue. Clear beautiful azure. Not milky white as always. But blue. The exact same shade that his eyes have. Blue. Azure blue. He even doesn't notice that his mouth is open wide until Poppy closes it with her hand.

- Now, I should say - She catches his sight and shows him a sweet smile. - How much I like sinking into your beautiful azure eyes.

He has no idea how his face looks right now. His mind just stops working, his sight gets lost somewhere between the sky and Poppy's eyes and smile. He tries to gather his thoughts. 

- I... don't know what to say… - He breathes out, after a while.

- You don't have to say anything! Aren't you the god of Silence?

He spits a chuckle.

- I am

- Branch, I just want to show you that... - She looks down a bit shyly. - I adore you as much as you adore me. I... - She sinks her fingers into her hair. - You know, it's this weird, funny feeling...

- Yeah - He smiles at her, grabbing a strand of her hair that falls on her face. He puts it behind her ear and lets his hand stay a bit there. - I know.

She's smiling, but not this huge, wide sunny smile she has when she gets excited, but a little, gentle one, much more similar to the smiles he does, a cute one. His thumb moves slightly through her warm cheek. Her face is so small, his hand cups almost half of it. It is so weird and so enjoyable that she likes it, but he lets go of her face. He lets go, fearing the desire in his chest, the desire to never let go of her warm soft skin. 

Poppy's sigh of delight is such a pleasant sound, another thing he can't get enough of.

- Are you ready for the next part? - She lifts her eyebrows with a smirk.

- I don't think so - Branch smiles.

- Well, you have a break now, I have a few things to do, and then the Midday and... you know - She shrugs her shoulders. - Responsibilities. But after that, I'll show you one more thing!

- And I will be following you whole this time like a creepy ghost - He jokes. - Maybe there is something I can help with?

Poppy gets her eyes up and twists her face as she's thinking.

- Well, I can find something for you.

* * * 

- After the first part of the surprise - Branch screams to be hearable in the loud sounds of rain. - I've imagined the second one much different than that!

They are wet, they are so wet. But the feeling of uncomfortableness fades with the sweet melody of Poppy's laugh.

- It's kinda prolog of it! - She yells at him. - We have to wait until the end of the rain!

- Yay! What fun! - Branch jumps and waves his hands, pretending that the situation is really enjoyable. The goddess laughs. It is the only reason he's still here in the rain. He raises his arms, tilts his head back, closing his eyes, and roars with displeasure. Cause this is displeasure. He stays like that. He drops his arms, but his face and hair are facing the droplets with all of their wetness. The tepid water is flowing over his whole cold body. The calming hiss is in the whole forest. He feels like the water cleans his mind leaving nothing but the sound of the droplets’ hits and the warmth of the rain.

- Actually - Branch murmurs. - It's quite pleasant.

After a long nice moment, when the rain lets go a bit and becomes a drizzle, the god hears Poppy's voice calling his name.

- Look! - She points at something in the sky.

He glances at it and gasps. There is a big hole in the grey clouds, with a clear, bright azure shining at the Land. And below it... a long translucent colorful ribbon streams from it down to the forest. The seven colors of it are so clear and beautifully illuminating against the background of grey rainy clouds. Mesmerizing bright colors. Wonderfully clear and pure. Strikingly splendid and simply gorgeous like a tender smile. Branch forgets about the world for a minute. He can’t take his eyes off it.

- I called it 'a rainbow' - Poppy says with pride. - It was so hard to design and to make. But Satin and Chenille, you know, the twins' goddesses of Beauty, are two geniuses! They helped me a lot. But sadly, a rainbow appears only in the drizzle. It's made with a mix of tiny droplets and Light. So I asked Trollazart to make it rain today - She chuckles, looking at the wet god. - I'm sorry.

He stares at the rainbow in Silence. She isn't sure if he adores it or gets lost in his thoughts. But the Silence is way longer than ever was.

- Umm, Branch?

His lips vibrate slightly as if he wants to say something, but he hesitates.

- What if - He starts really slowly and now Poppy is sure his mind is somewhere else. - What if we make an endless source of drizzle?

She frowns.

- When water falls into another water from a high height - He explains, showing the thing with his hands. - It makes a drizzle around. So if we create something like... A river falling from a height in the sunny place...

- It will make a drizzle and rainbow in it all the time! - Poppy gasps. She jumps excitedly. - Branch, it's so genius!

- Let's do it right now - He says, looking around to find the nearest river and starts walking quite fast. Poppy runs after him, bouncing slightly with joy. Are they going to make something together? Oh, this day is so fun!

When they arrive at its shore, the rain stops pouring. Poppy puts her hand into the water and calls the god's name. After a few seconds, the navy face, slightly illuminating violet, shows up from the water and two, big eyes gaze at them curiously.

- Hi Synth! - Poppy beams at the smiley god of rivers.

- Hi Pops! Hello Branch! - He cheers. - What's up, my fellows?

- Can you make a river for us? - Branch asks. - We need a river that will be falling from a high height in a sunny place.

- Crazy! - Synth yells. - I like crazy! Come with me!

And he dives into the water, disappearing.

- Umm, Synth? - Poppy calls him once again. 

His smiley face immediately shows up from the water. Again.

- Yes?

Branch clears his throat.

- Oh - The river god realizes. - I'm sorry. Let's go on the Land!

And with that saying, he steps on the ground.

- Do you know a place where you would like to see your river? - He beams at them both, putting his hands on his hips.

- I think I know a good place - Poppy replies and shows the direction.

When they come there, well, what to say more, it is a perfect place for their idea! The cliff is in the beautiful, sunny area, wild horses pasture nearby on the steppe. Synth calls the water from the Ocean and after an hour a brand-new river is ready and beautiful, streaming through the field. They call the place where it falls a "waterfall". 

- I give this beauty the name "Lora" - Synth announces. - I don't know why, but this river looks exactly like Lora.

- Sure - Branch nods, not getting. - Thank you for creating Lora for us.

- You're welcome! - The god salutes. - If you want something else, you know where to find me! - He throws, diving into the water of the new river. 

- Bye! - Poppy waves him goodbye.

- Ok, come here with the Staff of Light - Branch asks her.

The goddess comes close to the waterfall. She feels the fresh drizzle on her face. They both glance at it and gasp happily.

The rainbow appears above the water's surface.

- It's so beautiful! - The god is amazed. She never heard such a swoon in his voice. - I mean, the colors are so clear and vivid...

- Yeah - Poppy smiles.

They stare at it for a long while, just adoring its beauty. At the very same moment when the goddess wants to suggest that maybe they could sit down here and spend a bit of time together, the god jumps up with saying:

- Guh, it's so inspiring. I have a huge idea - Branch turns to her. - Can I keep it as a surprise?

Poppy looks at him kinda confused.

- Well, yes, of course!

- Then, I'm going to make it - He says, walking away.

The goddess of the Day stands very still, close to the waterfall, watching the smaller and smaller silhouette of the god of the Night on the horizon. She imagined that they would be sitting somewhere, talking about anything and just enjoying each others' company, as always. But now? She is just shocked. Only one, simple word, filled with surprise and disappointment, slips from her lips.

- What.

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Index