#I recommend reading this and then listening to the playlist with it in mind

[starbylers]

After spending some time listening and re-listening and thinking a lot, I think I finally have my head wrapped around all these songs. This post is an exploration of what they could tell us about Mike’s story, and also a sort of theory I noticed once I saw the full picture. This playlist is—in my opinion—the story we’ve been theorising for the past two years reflected in 12 songs. That might sound hyperbolic but it’s simply what I heard and interpreted, and wanted to share because I enjoyed writing it. I hope this is an interesting read!

If you didn’t see my last post about why I do believe this is Finn’s Mike/ST playlist despite the somewhat ambiguous title you can read that here. It’s totally okay if you disagree but I’m not interested in debating it, and this analysis is coming from a perspective of assuming we've guessed correctly that the playlist relates to ST (obviously we can't 1000% verify that, but for the purposes of this post that’s my stance).

I’m going to focus on themes and overall meanings in the songs because in my opinion that’s where any connections are going to lie, rather than specific lines holding anything important (aside from a few which I’ll highlight) because I feel like that’s closest to how Finn would’ve thought while making it. Basically a macro level representation of Mike and what he goes through next season, something that would help a person get into the headspace of a character. Oh and my larger point is about the playlist as a whole, which will come together at the end :)

➠ Track 1 | Ballad of the Texas King

The first song is an anomaly in that I think it’s meant to set the tone more than anything else. These explain better than I could hope to:

"Itʼs a murder ballad, and as is common in murder ballads, deals with promise and innocence being snuffed out.” [link]

"Clarke sings of a chance encounter with an ominous figure that feels akin to selling your soul at the crossroads" [link]

Hey kid come along, something is wrong, I believe you now / All this to say only one way that this can go / Come with us for a ride / Don’t it feel like hell? Boy let me tell you, that’s where you are

• • •

A nice little coincidence, Finn himself is quoted as saying season 5 is a “crossroads”. I can see this song being an allusion to inevitable big choices with life-altering consequences next season, and also more mature themes being tackled within Mike’s story. I mean he’s stepping back into his role as leader, and now they’re older that will come with a lot more weight and responsibility in situations where the fate of the world is likely hanging in the balance. Not to mention how his personal struggles will be tied up in that, it’s probable that a slightly darker, more self-reflective—and transformative—tone is waiting for us in regards to season 5 Mike.

➠ Track 2 | What You're Doing

A simple song about a turbulent relationship where one person is unhappy because their partner is messing them around, and they're pleading with them to stop.

Look what you’re doing, I'm feeling blue and lonely / You got me running and there's no fun in it / Please stop your lying, you've got me crying, girl

The partner is the one holding control in the situation, while they feel at the mercy of their partner’s careless choices. The mood here is one of helplessness and desperation while still remaining open-hearted, hoping they’ll change.

I've been waiting here for you wondering what you're gonna do / If you should need a love that's true it’s me / Why should it be so much to ask of you what you're doing to me?

• • •

This is heavily M!Ieven coded. What do we know about their dynamic? Mike is always the one chasing El (trying to “win her back” in s3, terrified of her not needing him in s4, stressing about her being in danger all the time). El is consistently seeking autonomy (choosing to learn about her identity over pursuing romance with him in s2, choosing to break up with him in s3, choosing to leave him behind in s4, and I’m willing to bet she’s the one who removes herself from his storyline in s5). We know their separation will happen early season, and naturally things between them must be unstable leading up to this. El being the one to pull away while Mike stresses over it checks out considering these past patterns, and also the end of s4 with her already closing herself off while Mike appears at a loss.

➠ Track 3 | After The Earthquake

A song reminiscing on a relationship and the failure and death of it, with a sense of lingering nostalgia and unwillingness to let it go. It’s set to the backdrop of a metaphorical car crash.

It wasn't built to last / If you wake up you’ll remember the awful things I said / Looking back to the vibrant days / Those days I'd never let you fall apart but things fade / Why would I ever fall in love again when every detail’s over the guard rail? / Velvet curtains drawn, flowers at your feet / Say you’ll climb your way out of your wake now / Are you awake now?

• • •

In simpler terms…this is a break up song. The longing tone makes sense to me for M!Ieven because I’ve long suspected the initial split between them is not going to be super clean cut (this should make more sense later). Mike and El were together for a long time for their age, and have a lot of intense shared memories. El was also his first and only experience of relationships; it’s going to be difficult to detach. It being the right decision to end something doesn’t mean it’s easy or simple. Even if Mike is gay and didn’t truly like her romantically, he still loved her and in my opinion that distinction isn’t something he’s going to have figured out and made peace with the second it ends.

➠ Track 4 | Promises I've Made

Very straightforward and repetitive, and follows on seamlessly from the last song: this is about having trouble moving on from someone who’s left your life.

Ever since you have gone the days don't seem so bright and I wish I could forget you but I can’t / I have promised myself I wouldn't dream of you but I find that awful hard sometimes to do

• • •

Based on what I’ve seen people might fight me on this, but to me it’s M!Ieven coded mainly because of its positioning in the playlist (directly after a struggling relationship song + break up song) but also because it is technically about an ex love. Could we say it doesn’t need to be interpreted that specifically? Yes. I suppose it could be Byler coded too but personally...the way I would interpret it is as Mike moping over whatever happened with El. There’s not any intense emotional pining going on; if you listen it has a very laid back, chill sort of mood and is honestly very upbeat. There’s no deep heartbreak. It’s just about missing someone. Plus it sort of perfectly closes out the process we see over the last two songs of being unhappy with someone, to breaking up and grieving, to the typical post-break up struggle of navigating this hole in your life and naturally missing what once filled it. This is a whole sub-arc for Mike.

➠ Track 5 | Angst In My Pants

We’ve reached the gay section! This song is about trying to fit yourself into an acceptable—aspirational, even—life but never feeling content, and continuously trying to squash this troubling Feeling, the titular phrase: angst in (your) pants. Some people think it’s a reference to literal physical arousal but others including me think that in context it’s intended more as a metaphor for sexual frustration/dissatisfaction.

I hope it doesn't show, it'll go away / It's just a passing phase / When you’re all alone, you and your head / When you think you’ve made it disappear it comes again, hello, I’m here and I’ve got angst in my pants

The queer subtext here is very clear, I don’t think I even have to explain (check out the cover art too lol). The song closes with a realisation/acceptance that no, this “phase” won't ever go away i.e. it’s just who you are.

Give it a hundred years, it won't go away

I also thought one of the opening verse lines was an interesting segue from the last few songs:

But when you’re all alone and nothing bites you’d wish you stayed at home with someone nice

• • •

Angst In My Pants may aswell be titled Forced Conformity the thematic parallels to ST are that blatant. Another point for team Mike Wheeler actually is connected to the main themes of the show like all his other friends, and no it’s not because he’s somehow oppressed for being a nerd. Also rather than being about feelings for another person the song is about personal struggle with sexuality which excites me to think about in relation to Mike because we’ve been saying he needs to explore his own identity outside of being a love interest.

➠ Track 6 | The Better Side

A very sweet, slow, slightly melancholy song. I’ll be honest I cannot decipher more than 2/3 of the lyrics but here are the most meaningful ones of those I could:

I know you cry and I’m trying to keep you by my warmth

You’re never gonna see my eyes, you’re coloring all the skies you want to / I tried staying alive, keep my head on the better side when you’re far away

You’re on the better side you’re always the better one for me

You’re all that I need, I’m not gonna miss you anymore

My understanding is it’s about pining over someone who is a “better” choice, whatever that means in this context. Deciding you want someone, someone who you don’t currently have, someone who is maybe distracted, distant or physically absent? But vowing to change that because you recognise that you need them.

• • •

This directly follows the Gay Thoughts song, and precedes the Gay Thoughts song 2.0 so I feel safe interpreting it as Byler coded and about how it’s Mike’s turn to pine. (Also because “better” implies that there’s a “worse” i.e. this is a situation where you’re differentiating between two things i.e. in Mike’s case, Will vs El). I can envision Mike and Will getting moments together away from whatever chaos is surely going on, having the space to connect more where Mike starts becoming conscious of his feelings, realising slowly that Will is the “better” one for him. And as the song also suggests, perhaps Will has pulled away from him in the beginning. I think this is possible because the torment Will's likely going to endure from Vecna could understandably cause him to push Mike away, fearing his safety or him finding out how Will feels, and also I just don’t think he’ll be able to stand the pain of being M!Ieven’s couple’s counsellor for much longer without cracking. But I think Mike “it’ll be easier if we’re a team” Wheeler would make it his mission to fix any rift between them, the final line literally being I’m not gonna miss you anymore.

➠ Track 7 | Don't Ask Me To Explain

As far as I can tell, this song is about being afraid to face queer feelings for another person who is also hiding this about themselves, and being conflicted about whether to confess because you're not sure how they feel.

How will I ever know you enough to love you if you're hiding who you are? / How am I supposed to let it show when I don't even know? / Don’t move on without me, who will be watching my body when I sleep? / I don't want to be the one who's coming out first, I'd really like to but I'm just too shy

The end is an admission of…something. I’m not sure whether to interpret it as wishful thinking over this queer relationship you believe you can’t have, or as an offhand comment about forcing yourself to love someone you can’t because of your sexuality. Interesting either way:

It’s so easy to lie to myself and pretend that I could love you but I can't

I did do some research and the alleged true explanation of this song is it’s from one queer friend to another (man to woman, I assume both closeted, maybe a failed romance?) but I could only find one uncited source for that and everywhere else seems to agree with my interpretation so it seems when listening to the song that’s the story people hear. (Plus either way the song is about being queer. Undeniably so).

• • •

It’s not Byler coded we’re way past that, it literally just…is them. It does seem to suggest a level of internal conflict in Mike regarding coming out that I can’t say I expected (yes I have no doubts about canon Byler but I’m also a pessimist by nature—that should tell you how obvious their endgame is though lmao—so I assumed the Duffers would go wrong somewhere). I always thought he would be almost consciously clueless about himself until he finds out Will loves him, and the focus be more on him liking Will back rather than him liking boys (and obviously wasn’t a fan of that), but the prospect of Mike actually being aware and grappling with his sexuality is what we’ve been praying for and builds on the more low-level thrum of sexual confusion in Angst In My Pants. Oh and the song also could suggest Mike suspecting that Will likes him/is queer too before anyone confesses.

➠ Track 8 | What Do You Want Me To Do?

Another straightforward one. It’s quite angsty, a big contrast to the more sad feelings about a relationship from the earlier songs. This is about someone who left you for someone else/someone who walked out on you, who decides they want you back.

You walked out took your chance, turned your back on our romance / You said the change would do you good / But then the bubble burst your dream, turned into a nightmare scream / You came crawling to me your knees, and you were asking me to love you please

The main message of the repetitive chorus is basically: you want me to need you, but that’s not real love. You’re just using me to feel better about yourself.

What do you want me to do? Say that I need you more? Is that what real lovers do? Or only what you use me for?

• • •

I mean isn’t that last part how we’ve always described M!Ieven’s dynamic—all about aligning with the other’s needs whether for safety, validation or feeling ‘normal’, rather than genuine romance? I don’t think there’s any chance at all of El leaving Mike for someone else lol, as I said I don’t think we need to interpret these songs super specifically. But it does make me wonder: could we possibly see a moment of regression for El at some point in the season, after they separate? The focus here in my opinion is frustration at someone trying to re-enter your life when you know they don’t truly love you. Reflecting on their dynamic I talked about with earlier songs and their history in the show (El walking away, Mike scared to lose her), is it possible the break up could leave Mike struggling initially then he progressively understands why it was the right choice (especially after spending time with Will), meanwhile for El it’s the opposite—she’s more sure about breaking up but something happens later on that shakes her belief in herself. Her having one last hurdle to overcome in her dependency on Mike to finally break that pattern of hindering her growth by retreating to him could make sense. And based on this song…Mike would not be receptive to being El’s safety net. Growth for both of them.

➠ Track 9 | Substitute

Again, very angsty compared to earlier. It’s about a relationship characterised by false perceptions (focused on class), and those being what is holding it together. One partner is pretending to be something they’re not, cosplaying as someone else, and the other is also being dishonest/fake.

You think we look really good together / My fine looking suit is really made out of sack / The simple things you see are all complicated / Substitute your lies for fact / I see right through your plastic mac

The relationship breaks down because of this and their partner doesn’t truly want to fix things, and ultimately trades up.

Those crocodile tears are what you cry / It’s a genuine problem, you won’t try to work it out at all, you just pass it by / Substitute me for him / Substitute my coke for gin

Essentially: your partner not knowing the real you because you’re putting on a facade—the facade being the version of you they really like, the thing that was making you compatible—leads the relationship to fail. The literal title suggests neither of them as they are are what the other truly wants or needs.

• • •

Obviously this does not directly parallel M!leven in terms of the topic of the lying but in terms of the themes and core relationship issues…yeah. To me this could be about point Mike has reached after gradually coming to realisations about the nature of their relationship after it’s over, like I mentioned before. I can envision a mid-late season confrontation (or something less aggressive sounding lol) between them, pairing perfectly with the topic of the previous song. El scared trying to fall back on Mike and he’s like…no, we don’t work, I can’t be that for you anymore and this is why: betraying who he is (nerd) to impress her, trying so hard to play the “boyfriend” role (yet they never successfully emotionally connect), if he’s gay then there’s also the facade of straightness, etc. I think it would show a lot of emotional maturity from him honestly, and I really need him to have a strong grasp on what went wrong with El for them to have a shot at forming a healthy friendship, and also to psychologically process all that stuff before getting involved with Will.

➠ Track 10 | The Rebel Kind

A short song about life being tough when you don’t have much (this one is class-focused too), but still craving the freedom that comes from not following societal rules and pressures for how to do life “right”, and instead living on your own terms. Basically the struggle is worth not having to conform. The first verse sums it up pretty well:

They call us the rebel kind but they don’t understand the things a man must do to prove that he’s a man / It’s not easy but I don’t mind, I just wanna run with the rebel kind

• • •

Again, obviously the specific topic is not relevant to ST but the thematic parallels blew my mind, I mean the entire show is about people being outcasts and learning to find strength in that, and the final season is going to majorly drive that point. We know this from the fact that Will “being different” Byers is the one who’s arc is said to tie up the whole show. Now in regards to Mike…if this doesn’t scream forced conformity and deciding to reject it for your own happiness I don’t know what does. It perfectly captures the thematic end point of his arc next season (and not just his but probably the entire party’s in one way or another). Also the toxic masculinity reference in that one line applies heavily to Mike with his history of trying so hard to do what he thinks he supposed to do in going from boy to man i.e. We’re not kids anymore. Did you think we were never gonna get girlfriends?

➠ Track 11 | Block Rockin’ Beats

Another one I think is mainly to set a tone; no real lyrics just beats. In my opinion it comes after The Rebel Kind for a reason. Somehow it just makes sense, it’s got this really loud, frenzied, unrestrained energy to it.

➠ Track 12 | Just What I Needed

We end off with a love (or desire?) song. It’s interesting because it’s quite aggressive sonically but at the same time it talks about being with someone in a simple uncomplicated way:

I don’t mind you coming here and wasting all my time / I don’t mind you hanging out and talking in your sleep

…but it’s also very intense how you feel with them.

Cause when you’re standing oh so near I kinda lose my mind

There’s a repeated line that stuck in my head. It’s obviously written about a female subject, but there is such a rejection of the feminine going on:

It’s not the perfume that you wear, it’s not the ribbons in your hair

It’s saying those feminine attributes are not why this person is attractive—and yeah logically that means the subject must have those things, but as I’ve said I don’t think these songs need to be interpreted on such a specific level. The point being made is about a deeper connection. The line is just intriguing to me from the perspective of Mike being into boys, I mean he could’ve picked literally any other romance song.

I needed someone to feed / I needed someone to bleed / I guess you’re just what I needed

The message here is basically: I was craving the rawest form of connection/intimacy with another human being (that doesn’t have to necessarily mean sexual it’s just those visceral words feed, bleed in comparison to perfume and ribbons which sound very fluffy lol)…and now I’ve found you and it’s exactly what I was looking for.

• • •

With all the themes through the songs of rejecting fake relationships and conformity, and accepting and exploring queerness…Will Byers is obviously going to be the thing Mike needed. I’ve been saying (and so have many) but Byler isn’t happening till the end. Also the playlist finishing with this song is telling in my opinion. Aside from the Castle Byers Classics link, the title itself implies searching for something which is now found, a journey being over. I say this for the purposes of pushing my agenda about this playlist painting a narrative. Hear me out:

Personally……that’s not accidental. It just isn’t. Even if my more specific interpretations aren’t correct, I just cannot believe that this wasn’t curated to draw a particular picture. I believe in coincidences and if the playlist had been titled as it was with a bunch of random unconnected irrelevant songs I’d be the first person to file it under that. But the title and the inclusion of a song from Will’s official playlist and these specific songs in this specific order? Yeah it’s about s5 Mike and I cannot wait to see him! If you made it this far thanks for reading <3

[letmesleepy]

Ahaha! Yer so funny!

[prettieinpink]

REBRANDING YOURSELF

COLLAB WITH THE HOTTIE????!!!!!!! @honeytonedhottie. LMAO NOT US PLANNING THIS IN LIKE DEC THEN RELEASING IN APRIL. I luv you so much ur my fav moot. moots who collab together, stay together. Check out her post on her page too, as usual, she makes the best points so y'all better listen.

Rebranding is a process in which you redefine who you are and how others perceive you. Each journey of rebranding yourself is personal and individual. When you rebrand yourself, you further align yourself with your higher you. This post is a guide to getting started on your journey!

UNDERSTAND YOUR CURRENT SELF.

So, take a step back and think about who you are as an individual right now. What are your values and beliefs? Does your external self reflect your inner self? Are you comfortable in your current environment?

These questions and more will help to see which aspects of your life you may need to redefine. See if there’s anything that doesn’t align with your higher self. 

After that, pick those aspects that need to be redefined. Why do you want to change this? How has this been impacting you internally/externally? Does this aspect stem from your environment or yourself? See why this aspect needs to be improved. 

DESIGNING YOUR BRAND

This is more of a fun step! So, using your aspects design how you want that specific thing to look and feel like. Avoid being vague or non-specific. Try to put in as much detail as you can for each aspect. 

If you’d prefer, you don’t have to use ‘aspects’ and instead use your life generally. This is your redesign, so do whatever is more comfortable and achievable for you.

ASPECTS

Health

Social life

Career

Hobbies

Family

Finance

Spirituality

Personal development (mindset, goals, improvement)

Self care

Culture

Well-being

Things to include

Achievable goals

How your environment looks like

How your daily life like

How you see yourself

What do you feel after

Why this is alignment within yourself? 

You can do this any way you want. The one I would recommend for redesigning your life would be a vision board, preferably a physical one. If you don’t want to do that, there are still a lot of options such as writing it down into a pretty poster, creating a playlist that will reflect your brand, creating a pretty list, or having sticky notes around your room as reminders. 

Be creative and detailed with this. You should spend at least an hour if not more trying to redesign your life/aspects.

CREATING GOALS

Goals are so important, especially when we are moving in a different direction than we were before. As we’ve got the current status of who we are and what we want to be, creating goals should be easy. 

Make your goals visible. Put a sticky note on your mirrors, put it as your laptop background, put a reminder on your phone, listen to a playlist that motivates you of your goals or anything else that will constantly remind you of your goals. 

Other than that, remember that goals have to be achievable, mindful, and flexible.

ESTABLISHING HABITS

Habits are so important to rebrand yourself. Habits make up your identity. The way you act, speak, and do daily, can subconsciously influence you to be someone who isn’t in alignment with your higher self.

 As much as it’s important to establish new habits that align with you, you have to root out the habits that are pushing you off track from achieving your goals. 

The good thing is that you can do both at the same time. Replace those old habits, with brand new ones. For example, when you open your phone first thing in the morning instead of opening up TikTok, get YouTube opened and start a 5-minute meditation to start your day.

However, just because a habit is beneficial for you, it doesn’t mean it is in alignment for you. For many people, they prefer to read books as a productive alternative for leisure, however, you may not be able to read a book and focus. In that case, you may want to watch an educational video instead. You’re still getting the benefits, but just in a different way. 

STEP FIVE: IMPLEMENTING YOUR BRAND DAILY

Think about all the little details of how this person would act, from morning until night. Embody their actions, words, aura, and vibes. This is when having a visual of your goals is good, so you can see what you need to do.

This includes no longer indulging in things your higher self wouldn’t do. Regardless of how much comfort, entertainment, or dopamine something gives you, you have to let it go if it is destroying your mind. 

I way I recommend implementing your brand daily by creating a daily routine that focuses on a different goal each day of the week. E.g:

Monday - Practicing being mindful (meditation, journaling, connecting with your religion)

Tuesday - Fitness (pilates, weightlifting, hot girl walks)

Wednesday - Socialising (going out to meet new people/connecting with old friends)

Thursday - Productivity (Schoolwork, studying, business, workplace tasks)

Friday - Self-care (taking a slow day however you’d like)

ta-daa!! thanks 4 reading. now go follow @honeytonedhottie 💕😍

[jjkamochoso]

How do you think jjk men would court their crush? Feel free to add anyone you want but I would love to read about Choso.

OMG SO CUTE!!!! Thanks for the request and I hope you like it <3

JJK Men Courting Their Crush

A/n: okay so for this, I chose to depict most situations as their first time doing a certain courting activity with you so they’re a lil nervous and haven’t made their crush on you explicitly clear🫣 I hope that’s alright and makes sense!! And I can do a part 2 of them doing the same courtship things but with a confession, just lmk if that’s something you guys want🫶 please enjoy below!!

JJK men x gn!reader

Warnings: none

Yuji: cooking for you

“So, y/n, what do you think?”

Yuji was standing over you as you took a bite of the dish he made. Nervous energy was radiating off of him. He didn’t have much experience in the romance department but knew that usually the quickest way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. He wanted to treat you to some of his favorite dishes as a way to show you that you mean a great deal to him and hopefully get to know you better over a good meal. He had prepped in the school’s kitchen all day after spending hours trying to decide which entrees you’d like the best. He thought back to the times you all went out to eat in the city and what you ordered, then thought about what recipes he knew that were similar. As he was cooking, he hoped you liked what he made enough to where he could eventually do it for you every night.

As soon as it hit your tongue, you felt the warmth of the lovingly cooked food spread through your body. You could tell he spent lots of time on this for you and you were extremely flattered that he would go out of his way to do something like this for you.

“Yuji, it’s absolutely divine. I haven’t had something this yummy in years.”

Yuji put a hand on the back of his neck, sheepish from your compliments.

“I’m really glad you liked it. I have some more recipes that I’ve been meaning to try out and you would be the perfect taste tester if you’re up for doing this often.”

Your eyes lit up. “That would be amazing! But are you sure you wouldn’t mind cooking for me that much?”

“Of course,” he said earnestly, “it’d be tons of fun. Besides, I really like hanging out with you.”

And I really like being the cause of your adorable smile! he wanted to say, but decided to save those words for another time. Chatting and laughing with you was enough for now—maybe he’d cook up enough confidence one day to tell you how he really feels about you.

Megumi: making you playlists

Megumi couldn’t stop fidgeting as he waited for you to meet up with him before class. You had mentioned that you wanted new songs to listen to so when you asked him for recommendations, he took the collecting of songs very seriously. He was never good with his words so maybe you’d get the hint that he had a crush on you from some of the songs he chose. He heard your steps coming down the hall and it was like he forgot how to stand and breathe like a normal human being. He shoved his hands in his pockets and studied a stray rock lying on the ground to look busy.

“Hey Megumi!” you greeted, making him jump slightly. He mumbled out a “hello” and immediately dug into his backpack, a CD emerging from its inky depths.

“Well, I, uh-I didn’t know if you used Spotify or YouTube or something else but I know you mentioned having a CD player so… yeah. Here.”

He thrusted the CD into your hands without meeting your eyes. The plastic case held a disc that said “Y/n’s Playlist” in sharpie.

“Thank you so much!” you said, inspecting it, “I’ll give this a listen after class. I really do appreciate you taking the time to do this for me.”

“It’s nothing,” replied Megumi, running his fingers through his hair.

“Oh wait, I won’t know the song names or artists when I listen to this. Wanna come over later and help me make a track list?”

Megumi felt his face burn up with a blush. “Y-yeah. That, uh, sounds great.”

He’d definitely have to make you more playlists and keep forgetting to include that pertinent information!

Yuta: complimenting you nonstop

“Y/n! I like your shirt!”

“Y/n! Great fighting form!”

“That joke was hilarious, you’re so funny, y/n!”

These were things you were used to hearing when you were around Yuta. He was always showering you with compliments, not that you were complaining. He had a major crush on you and wanted to start letting you know that he saw, appreciated, and admired you without revealing his full feelings for now. You and your classmates were training on the field and Yuta was your sparring partner.

“Wow, you really pinned me down quick! That was amazing,” Yuta said as you extended a hand to help him up.

“You’re always so sweet, thank you,” you replied. “You were really good, though, too! I’m sure you’ll get me next time. You’re super strong.”

Yuta felt his breath hitch in his throat. He was superb at giving compliments but horrible at receiving them.

“Geez, that, umm… it means a-a lot coming from you because you’re so great. Thank you.”

“Please, I’m not that cool! You’re awesome as well,” you told him.

“Yeah, but not as awesome as you!”

It seemed that you two were stuck in a never ending cycle of compliments. After a few more rounds of back and forth, you agreed that you were both cool and strong and whatever other positives you could think of. Yuta left the field in high spirits, thinking of all the creative ways he could tell you how cute you were the next time he saw you.

Inumaki: giving you flowers

Toge stood, clippers in hand, eyeing the flowers in front of him with an intensity rarely seen from the blonde. He was trying to decide on which flowers to cut to make you a bouquet. Taking flowers for personal purposes would normally be extremely frowned upon but he was the plant caretaker and figured he could get away with snipping a few here and there. He thought back to all of your previous conversations, wracking his brain for any moments you might have mentioned a favorite all those times you walked here together. He remembered you’d said you liked them all so he really couldn’t choose wrong. When he made up his mind and clipped his picks, he smiled under his pulled up collar. He walked over to your dorm, an extra pep in his step.

“Toge! Hi!” you greeted kindly as you opened your door. His collar was now pulled down and you felt your heart swell at seeing his cursed marks curled in a happy expression. You were afraid you were about to get pranked when you saw he had his hands behind his back, but your fears were quelled when he presented you with a small bouquet of flowers.

“These are for me?” you asked, surprised.

He shook his head. “Salmon.”

“You’re the best! Thank you!”

You grabbed him into a hug, careful not to crush the flowers. He’d keep bringing you bouquets until either you got the hint that he liked you as more than a friend or he got the courage to write out his feelings.

Noritoshi: writing you letters

It was hard to make friends at the Kyoto school since your classmates were always so on edge about letting people get close, but you and Noritoshi had somehow bypassed that fear and your acquaintance turned into something deeper over the years. Unfortunately for Noritoshi, his feelings now dove even deeper than that, finding himself in the throes of a crush. Unsure of what to do, he’d tried ignoring the nagging feelings in heart every time you spoke to each other, but it never work. After much introspection and consideration, he determined that it would be wise to see if you felt the same. If you did, great. If you didn’t, he’d be released from the constant “what if’s” running through his mind. As he started putting pen to paper, he felt his confidence falter. Who pours their feelings into a letter instead of speaking face to face? Is that cowardly? He changed gears; this letter wouldn’t be of romantic intent, per se, but just of a way to get to know you better and show you he cares about what you think, how you feel, and whatever else he managed to write before his fingers failed him. When he nervously slipped the sealed paper under your dorm door a few days later, he anxiously awaited to see when you would mention it in your face to face conversation with him—you didn’t.

Imagine his surprise when he was greeted with his own letter hours later! You had expressed your delight in his letter and wanted to keep him as a consistent pen pal for the near future. Noritoshi’s hands grasped your letter, fingers tracing your words. With this new open view of each other’s hearts, your private conversations safe from prying ears, he yearned for the day he could tell you the truth of his heart before it was spilled in ink.

Todo: carrying/lifting things for you

Aoi knew you were more than capable of handling things yourself but he wanted to show you that he’d be your perfect, strong protector so he’d always offer to carry whatever you were holding, no matter how big or small. At school? He’d carry your books. Grocery shopping together? He’d lift all the heavy items in and out of the cart. Need to move your car but you’re too lazy to get up? Consider it done—he just picked it up and moved it. He hoped that by continuing to show up for you like this, you’d see how much he really likes you. Of course, he wouldn’t be afraid of speaking to you about his crush on you, but he would rather go out of his way to impress you first before stating his obvious attraction to you.

“Y/n! Let me get that for you!”

Your dorm room door was propped open and Aoi had shown up, seemingly out of nowhere, when you were struggling to move some furniture around in your room. He lifted the couch with ease and shot you an award winning grin and wink.

“Just tell me where you want it.”

You pointed to a spot near the window and he put the couch down gracefully, barely making a sound.

“Anything else I can help with?” he asked eagerly. He’d rearrange the layout of the entire school if you asked him to—anything to make you happy!

Gojo: buying you gifts

Satoru was not the type to outright tell someone he had a crush on them. You know, the whole “love is the greatest curse of all” thing? He’d much rather ignore those feelings in hopes of them disappearing. So when he found himself fawning over you nonstop, he didn’t know the right way to convey his desire to connect with you on a deeper level. He might’ve been running on empty in regard to romantic skills, but his bank account was severely overflowing. He began to take mental notes on everything you looked at and put back while in Tokyo during your shopping trips and visited those places to buy all of it on his own.

“I got this for you.”

Satoru had several bags by their handles that he gently nudged toward you. Confused, you opened them, greeted by multiple items that you had taken notice of but didn’t have the funds to purchase. You didn’t remember Satoru even being there when you were browsing them in the first place.

“Satoru, how did you-”

“I pay attention more than people think,” he shrugged, glad to have his blindfold covering his eyes so you couldn’t see how they softened when they met yours.

“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” you said, trying not to cry tears of happiness.

He chuckled. “I know. You deserve nice things, though. If you can’t treat yourself, then allow me to.”

He was glad he turned infinity off to feel your arms wrap around his in a tight hug. Even if the words evaded him at the moment, he’d be sure to keep showing how much he cares for you by giving you things to remember him by.

Geto: taking you to the farmer’s market

“Come, y/n, I have a fun morning planned for us.”

Suguru had texted you and invited you to the local farmer’s market. You, of course, accepted readily, and now that he was here to pick you up, he was starting to feel a little nervous. Your friendship was a wonderful thing but Suguru craved to get to know you better and see if you shared the same romantic affections he was feeling toward you. He figured that going somewhere low key like a farmer’s market would be great to cultivate easy conversations. As you two walked together, admiring the handiwork of the local artists, you shivered from a cold breeze that kicked up. Suguru was quick to remove his outer layer and drape it over your shoulders.

“Oh, Suguru, I don’t want you to get cold.”

“I’m alright, I promise. I’d rather be a little chilly than see you freeze on my behalf. May I buy you a warm drink as well?”

After that, you were nice and toasty and he glad he could help in any way he could. When the market was closed and you two walked back home, you decided to make a visit here an every week occurrence. Suguru was sure that in a few weeks’ time, he’d prove to you that he’d be a great partner.

Nanami: cooking with you

Kento wasn’t sure how to approach the topic of his romantic feelings toward you. He valued straightforward communication, but he couldn’t find it within himself to outright express his desires for romance right now. Instead, he opted to show you he cared by inviting you over to cook a meal together. He had asked you to pick a recipe and went shopping for all the ingredients. Now that you were finally over at his place, he felt his palms getting sweaty as saw you chopping vegetables, looking extremely cute while doing so. You gave him a sweet smile when you noticed him staring and he quickly looked away, a blush apparent on his cheeks. You dropped the veggies into the hot pan and he started cooking them. You two worked well together, never in each other’s ways and able to partake in conversation while keeping the task at hand. When dinner was ready, you were ecstatic that everything tasted delicious.

“Is it alright if I ask you to join me again sometime soon?” Kento asked.

“I would love nothing more,” you replied sweetly, his stomach now teeming with butterflies.

Choso: stargazing with you

Choso had zero experience with any type of romantic love. He was the expert in familial loyalty, a prime example of being a great big brother, but being a boyfriend? Not his forte. However, his desire to woo you outweighed his nerves so that’s what led him to call you and tell you to meet him outside one night. He read online that looking at the stars is a good way to induce romance and he was determined to prove to you that he’d be a worthy partner. You were taken aback when you saw he had set up blankets on the ground and put out picnic baskets of snacks. He had even wrapped you up in another blanket so you didn’t get cold! Once you were settled, you both chatted about anything and everything as you gazed at the wonders of the night sky.

“Choso! A shooting star, quick, make a wish!”

It was quiet for some time.

“What’d you wish for?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“I’m not supposed to say or else it won’t come true,” you teased, nudging his arm. “What about you?”

He was studying the sky before he looked back at you. “I wished to keep having the privilege of sitting here with you as many days as I can.”

You felt yourself go shy at his confession but it certainly wasn’t unwelcome. After that, you had plans in place to meet up again in a few days to do it all over. Choso was hoping that his next wish would also come true—that he’d be confident enough to bring the true feelings of his heart to light.

Toji: inviting you to local music shows

There was nothing better to Toji than a cheap activity, an attractive person by his side, and the promise of alcohol. That’s what led him to extend an invitation to you to join him at a small concert being held by a band you both liked. When you met him outside the run down venue, Toji felt his heart rate pick up as he saw how good you looked. His calm and collected demeanor didn’t change a bit, though, as he lazily threw an arm over your shoulder and walked with you inside.

“This place is super cool, Toji,” you said, taking in your surroundings.

He smirked. “I knew you’d like it. Wanna get something to drink?”

Toji wasn’t known for having tons of money but he liked you enough to pay for the first round of your drinks. As the band finished setting up their equipment and started playing their first song, you had a blast dancing along while he kept stealing glances at you between sips of his drink, relieved that you were having fun. You were able to convince him to dance with you after a few more drinks (not that the drinks affected his decision making—he just couldn’t deny a request from someone as hot as you). As the night wound down and he walked you home, he felt an excitement spark in his heart that he hadn’t known in a long time. He hoped that one day he’d stop being a coward and tell you he really liked you, but for now, he’d be content just holding you in his arms—and definitely keeping an eye out for flyers with information for the next show.

[cozycottagetarot]

What Do They Daydream About You?

How To Pick A Pile:

Everyone has their own technique for choosing a 'pile'. My recommendation is to clear your mind and focus on each image for a few seconds. The image you find yourself coming back to even when you focus on the other images is the pile for you.

Quick notes on this reading:

I'm experimenting with a different style. -- I've been working on shorter, less structured, formal pacs (and some longer ones). I'm not sure how I feel about it but I'd like to hear your thoughts too!

I apologise for any errors. -- My immune system and I have literally been at war for weeks, so know if there are any errors, I probably missed it while wincing in pain. 😅

It's purely for entertainment purposes. -- Don't think I need to explain more. Take what resonates be it all of it, some of it or none at all.

PILE 1

14:44 as I pulled the last card, maybe 444 is of importance to you at the moment. Knight in shining armour vibes. Noble acts or intentions of just sweeping you off your feet. Introducing you to their friends and or family. Daydreams of big celebrations of being with you, internally and externally. For some, they daydream about celebrating the news of having a child with you. Finding peace after long struggles... starting anew with you. Domestic bliss, as in chilling at home with someone you love, not doing much of anything. Or simply enjoying the mundane tasks together. Going for walks. Having a cup of tea or coffee together. Peppering your skin with kisses... maybe physical touch is their love language. The ghost of their fingertips on your skin. Heart-to-heart conversations. Falling into a routine with you. The magic of embarking on new beginnings with you.

PILE 2

North Star Vibes. Holding out hope that they make it to you. Trying to make life better so they can show up for you. They daydream about how you make them stronger, about you being a good influence on them. It's like the thought of you soothes them when they're struggling. Dreaming that happiness is coming in the form of you. Lots of fiery energy. You're a symbol of hope. Rediscovering what they had lost with you. Feels like someone who has been through a lot. Playfulness. Daydreaming about you is embodying those feelings that seem long forgotten. I know I keep repeating the same thing over and over, but I'm not getting anything more than that (even when I go back to the literal meaning of the cards) so I pulled some love messages. There's the cards 'twin flame', 'finding myself' and 'still listening'. My interpretation is that daydreaming about you holds a mirror up to themselves which inspires them to look deeper within and figure out what they want and who they want to be. They could also find solace in music, they may have a song or playlist that makes them feel more connected to you.

PILE 3

If you were drawn to pile 2, consider checking out that pile as well too. 333. The number 3 could hold some sort of significance.

Dreaming of an equal. Someone to keep them balanced and bring a new perspective. They could feel as though (or know) some kind of scrutiny is possible, but they spend their time dreaming of overcoming it. There could be cultural differences or for some it's a matter of being in a same-sex relationship or anything that goes against what may be more commonly accepted. If it's of any significance, the red string of fate (two different decks mention it). Power couple vibes. Being able to maintain a sense of youthfulness in the relationship. Someone who won't try to take advantage of them, who'll push them to be better and vice versa, who'll look out for them. Someone to heal with and understand that they are still healing. They could dream of having a child with you or starting a family in whatever format that may look like to both of you. Daydreams of warmth & protection. Giving and receiving. You could possibly meet at a concert or connect over music.

PILE 4

I did a repull to make sure I was reading the cards right (it was stormy) and the same cards came out after reshuffling (minus one card). I feel like this person has been reborn. Who they were is not who they are now (or when you meet them). They could daydream of being divinely guided towards you. Someone spiritual or religious. At the very least finding a connection with something (a concept) greater than them. Daydreams of being guided towards happiness. They had a teardown and rebuild of who they are. They could be from a different location, you could meet when travelling across a large body of water. It feels like they're dreaming of coming in hot. They're paving the way for their happy ending. Take it as you will, but instead of a 'damsel in distress' (regardless of gender, it's just women on the cards depicting forging on) type of story, it's one of those ones where it's like "you know what, I'll save myself and I'll chase after my happy ending". Actually, I get a-spec vibes as well and that this person could be a platonic love or a strong platonic bond. It could even be you respectively. But the energy is one of being inspired and ever-lasting bonds. A new resolve, coming home to oneself, resting in the knowledge that the future is going to be good because you'll make it so.

[yourelliewillms]

the guy from the record

store wasn't a guy?

ellie williams fanfic

━━ chapter 1 wc: 1.9k

you've recently discovered this record shop, the perfect place to find everything of the new kind of music you've just gotten into, rock. your friends wouldn't share this interest with you but maybe the cute guy from the store will.

━━ he/him pronous are used for ellie sometimes but it's for plot purposes i swear !!

BASED ON THE GUY SHE WAS INTERESTED IN WASN'T A GUY AT ALL !!!! i love that manga so much i needed an ellie version so i did it myself. of course this is going to be shorter and pleeaase go read it i swear you won't regret it <3 i hardly recommend you to listen to the manga's playlist too, i'll add some of the songs to this fanfic. literally all i want is my lesbians to have the recognition they deserve. ALSO green is the characteristic color of that manga so i'll be using it here too, everything will be green bc we love green lesbians.

another warning, english is not my first language so you may find some mistakes.

it's been a long day at school but at least the week of exams has ended and you've done pretty good. "i deserve a prize" you think to yourself while your feet guide you out of the building. certainly the exams drained you, the only thing you want to do now is take a long nap to catch up on sleep.

walking down the sidewalk, you put on your headphones which have been your best friends for the last few months when you discovered this band nirvana. it is in fact a popular band but in your friend group? no, not at all. your friends prefer other kind of music. pop, kpop, even jazz, but rock? impossible.

so you find yourself unable to share your new music taste with your friends. even if you beg them to give it a chance, they'll refuse it every time. this is definitely the worst, how are you supposed to fully enjoy this work of art only by yourself? they definitely don't understand what good music is, if only they gave it a chance you could-

just when the music from your headphones stopped, you could still hear one of your favorite songs smells like teen spirit coming from a... record store?

your mind is full of questions, since when has been this store here? this is just 5 minutes away from school and you've never noticed it. maybe this is the prize you deserve for having successfully passed all your exams. buying your very first vinyl will surely be the boost of serotonin you need.

you took off your headphones before getting into the store and quickly walked to check all the beautiful vinyls. the excitement could be seen in your eyes, all the vinyls of your favorite bands in one store and you're even considering finding a job, buying everything of this store is not a want but a necessity. this must be heaven.

after what felt like seconds but were actually 20 long minutes, you finally make your choice and find the vinyl that'll have the privilege to be your very first and most appreciated acquisition.

you turn around, walk towards the shop counter and just then realize how rude of you was not to greet the old man at the store. however, you don't care that much, he should understand that you were too excited to even speak and... was it an old man? did you even look at the person who was next to you the last 20 minutes?

"i'll take this" you place the vinyl on the counter before looking up at the person in front of you.

but now, you reassure one more time that you're not on earth anymore. this is definitely heaven, or maybe something greater because the angel in front of you isn't from this planet at all. green eyes, auburn hair drawn back in a messy bun, a scar on one eyebrow, black clothes with a nirvana t-shirt, an arm tattoo and a mask. this is the most gorgeous guy you've seen in your entire life and you were rude to him, you didn't talk to him for this entire time.

"i love this one" he gave you your new purchase in a bag "you have good taste" that raspy voice that'll live in your mind rent free for an eternity, you're sure about that.

meanwhile, your mind has been spinning for the last 30 seconds. a cute guy with a stunning style and majestic music taste, you've seen only his eyes but you can already imagine a life with him where you get married and play your favorite songs in your wedding.

"thanks, you too. bye" and just like that the conversation ended. you're definitely not the most flirtatious person but you didn't ask him anything, maybe it was too soon to ask for his number but not even his name? really? you can already hear your friends scolding you but at least you remember half of his face and that's enough to be delusional the following months until you find another crush.

8 in the morning and you've been talking for half an hour to your friends about this cute guy from the record store. of course they scolded you for not asking his name but your excitement couldn't be taken away that easily. no other boy from your school has ever made you feel like this, no one called your attention like he did.

"is there any possibility that you see your boy again?" dina, your best friend asked "and maybe ask him out"

"dina!" you frowned as if she had just said the craziest thing you've heard in your life "it's too soon for that. but as soon as i see him again i'll ask him his name" you started kicking your feet "and he'll fall in love with me."

dina and your bursted out laughing and spent the whole morning planning your future life with someone you saw once.

maybe you've been talking too loud or maybe she doesn't like you, but the girl next to you has been glancing at you and dina and she seemed a little too much interested in your conversation.

ellie. you've been classmates for almost a year but you two never spoke. she's like any other girl at school. she wears the same uniform as you, a white shirt and a gray skirt. she also wears these square glasses and she has her headphones on most of the time.

she seems like one of those nerds but one that doesn't participate that much in class. she comes to class, listens to the professors and goes home. you've never seen her talking to any other classmates but she seems comfortable only drawing on her notebook and listening to something on her headphones, it's not that you don't like her, but you haven't had the opportunity to get to know her.

but today she seemed quite distracted and instead of focusing on the class, she was focused on you. she seemed nervous, maybe she wanted to join the conversation and make some friends?

however, the bell rang. you were too busy talking about your new guy to try to figure out why ellie's been looking at you more than usual. you began to pack up your belongings; notebook, pencil case, some other books and, are you forgetting something?

the moment you're getting up from your seat, you can feel ellie's presence approaching you. you stare up at her for a few seconds and before you can say something, her hand reached your ear and put on one of your earbuds.

"you dropped this" your eyebrows furrowed, did she always had those pretty green eyes?

the song that you'd been listening on loop nothing at all was playing on your earbuds loud enough for her to listen to it "that song rocks, doesn't it?" and just like that she walked out the door leaving you completely confused. you're sure you've seen those eyes before, you think that maybe for a split second you stopped looking at ellie as your classmate and maybe... someone else.

on the other hand, ellie has been walking in silence staring at her feet while her mind is about to explode because the girl who sits next to her, her classmate and one of the most popular girls at school, has met and is interested in a guy who works at the record store. but no guy works there, just ellie.

she got a part time job and she's been working there for a few months but that was the first time she saw you there. you didn't recognize her though, since the style she has at her job is the opposite of the one she has at school.

probably the best option is to tell you the truth, the guy you're interested in isn't a guy and is actually the boring, nerdy girl from school, the girl you'd never talk to because that would only ruin your reputation, or at least that's what ellie thinks.

ellie thought that her job should be boring and only boring, she didn't want to have to deal with something else than that. and now that girl has a crush on her, or she has a crush on the person she thinks ellie is.

fortunately, ellie's job is calm. not many people visit the store so she spends her first hours of work tidying the place, not paying much attention to the store itself.

while cleaning at the back of the store, ellie heard the ring of the little bell on the door warning the presence of a client. she sighed and fixed her clothes before getting into the store again but got surprised when she noticed that the client was actually you.

if it weren't for the music playing at the store, the place would have been in complete silence. no one was on sight when you walked in so the sound coming from the back of the store scared you and you jumped. "you scared me, i didn't know you were here" you giggled nervously.

"have you been looking forward to it that much?" you were starting to stutter when the green eyed spoke in what seemed a flirty way. "no- i mean! the new foo fighters album" she interrupted herself "you were looking forward to it because you wanted to buy it, right?" she tried to hide her shaky voice, did she just accidentally flirt with you?

"i swear it's so good, you can hear it a thousand times and it'll still sound amazing. also, i know you like nirvana too because you bought the vinyl. you'll love it, i totally recommend it."

you were in a dream, did you just exchange more than two words with that guy? and he was showing a lot of interest it seemed unreal. you'd be a fool if you mess this up.

"i really want to buy it but uhm..." your pockets were empty, you spent all your money in that vinyl and being an unemployed student is not helpful to your situation "i'm a bit short of money right now" not to say that you're dry.

"i'm sorry but i-" yet she didn't let you finish your sentence "i bought this one for myself. you can have it and tell me your opinion when you return it."

he couldn't be more charming to you. only 5 minutes talking and you had already fell down on your knees. "thank you. you can give me your number so that i can bring it back." your hand sweating for you've finally made a move on who you thought was the guy from your dreams.

"no," no? he rejected you just like that, he didn't even a think a second to answer your question "it's just... i can't use my phone at work."

laying on the counter in front of you was a black ink pen which you quickly grabbed and started writing your phone number on his wrist next to his tattoo.

ellie looked at you stunned, she was glad she was wearing a mask because her cheeks had turned crimson. she noticed your hand shaking and that was the moment she realized the trouble she'd gotten into.

"i thought that if i wrote it on a paper, you'd lose it." the music playing in the background just made the atmosphere between you two dreamlike. you waved and smiled at him as you left the store hoping your burning cheeks would go unnoticed. not only did you have someone to share your interests with but also it was someone who you were crushing on really hard.

the first person on the taglist will be my editor/manager/first person who read this @ohnopoteito thank uuu 💋💋

[glassartpeasants]

How to Love

Eustass Kid/Trafalgar Law x F!Reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, semi-slow burn?, beginnings to chapters are hard </3

A/N: yeah here we are. just wanted to set a light on what the base plan is. Also, this takes place RIGHT after the prologue ends. hopefully, it's good for a first chapter.

music playlist

~~~

Your heart beats harshly against your ribs as the events of only moments ago replay in your mind like a broken record. The images of the two most significant people in your world, your boyfriend and your best friend, betraying you, makes your head spin. It almost feels unreal, like a nightmare instead of reality.

But it wasn’t a dream. It was a harsh reality, a stark contrast to the life you thought you were living.

Instead of waking up next to your boyfriend, you find yourself in a disorienting place: your ex-best friend's ex-boyfriend's car. Random items you managed to grab scattered across the passenger side and on your lap. The smell of Eustass’s cologne, a scent that used to bring comfort, now only added to your heartbreak, still plaguing your nose.

“Thank you, Law. You really didn’t have to.” Despite being almost inaudible, Law still heard you like you were screaming. The tremble in your voice notifies him of his own inability to speak without breaking down.

“It’s fine. Thank you for telling me about (.....)-ya’s infidelity.” The fact you even told him in the first place shocked him. You had known (.....) for years, and she was your best friend, while you only had a class project with him. Given that it was a whole semester-long, you were willing to throw away a friendship just like that. 

“You're a good guy, Law. You don’t deserve to be cheated on. Whether we’re friends or strangers. I would have told you regardless. No one deserves such heartbreak.” Law can see tears slipping down your cheeks out of the corner of his eyes. The fact that you're trying to stay strong after being the one to discover the affair is admirable in a sense. It could also be that you didn’t want him to see you cry. The latter sounds more plausible.

“I'm glad I didn’t delete your number. It would have been awkward if I had tried to catch you at work.” A small, sad chuckle left your lips. The tension in the car was too much, and you needed something to keep your mind distracted so you didn’t start wailing in front of Law.

“That would have been a scene I’m grateful we avoided. I like to keep my private life and work life separate.” 

“I’m the same in a sense. I don’t tell my co-workers much except to recommend shows or movies. I know you're more of a book guy, but have you seen any shows or movies recently?”

“(.....)-ya made me watch a movie the other day. It was a horror movie.”

“Oh. Was it good?”

“No, it was terrible.” You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at Law's cold tone.

“Bad effects, or was it a storyline issue?”

“I could’ve made a better movie with a budget of two dollars.” Even though tears still fall from your eyes against your wishes, Law manages to make you laugh to ease the pain.

“Well, have you read any good books recently?”

“Haven’t had the time.” Law’s admission made your eyes furrow together. You know the medical field could be rough, but there wasn't enough time for him to read?

"The bookworm hasn't read recently? Are you sure you're the real Law?" A small smile tugs at the corner of Law’s lips as he listens to you talk, but even he can only hide the effects of heartbreak for so long.

Whether Law knew it or not, you could see tiny droplets of water gather in his eyes. Seeing him trying to hold it together made it just a bit harder to prevent yourself from breaking down. You grip the seat of his car and try to regulate your breathing. Clenching your teeth together,  you lay your head on the window and look outside. The sudden tap of water hitting the glass makes you jump. You look around and watch as more water droplets start hitting the car. 

“It’s raining. I thought it was supposed to be sunny all day?”

“I thought so, too.” The thick, tense silence rose once again, making it hard to breathe. If there had been enough room, you would have curled yourself up in a ball and cried. But you could do that when you get to...

“Where are we going?”

“My apartment. Just for now.”

“Ah, okay. Do you have any alcohol at your place?”

“Maybe some (.....)-ya left. Why?”

“So we can drink away our sadness.”

“I’m not much of a drinker.” A second silence covers the car.

“So I can drink away our sadness.”

“We’ll see when we get there.”

~~~

Your feet feel heavy as you walk into Law’s apartment. It’s been a while since you’ve been inside it. After the project was finished, you stopped coming over. Law’s busy schedule and your own just didn’t mix. Sometimes, you’d text him to check up on him and ask him how he was doing. He’d take hours or a day to respond, but you never held it against him. He always answered before it had been 48 hours, so it was okay with you.

Looking around his apartment, you see things that hadn’t been there before: some plants, many pictures on the wall, a TV, and some knickknacks you recognize that belong to (.....). The atmosphere was more welcoming than when you first visited Law’s apartment. If an apartment could feel like a hospital waiting room, then that’d be Law’s place before (.....) put her touch on it.

Placing your things near the couch, you take a deep breath as you rub your sternum to try and soothe the pain in your chest. All the pictures of Law and (.....) smiling happily nailed to the walls made your throat go dry. The images of your own apartment clouded your vision as you remembered your own photos with Eustass. Pictures of times when you did matching Halloween costumes, went to concerts together, relaxed at a beach together, or the two of you would just stay home. Every picture held a memory. 

A once cherished memory is now tainted by the image of betrayal. No amount of effort can make that image disappear. Even your happiest memories become blurry when you hear (.....) calling out Eustass's name. It ignites a fiery rage inside you, and seeing (.....)'s face everywhere makes you clench your teeth. You feel like tearing apart every picture of Law and (.....) just to remove her face from your sight. Every bone in your body screams at you to lose control. To destroy everything that reminds you of Eustass and (.....) until it is nothing but microscopic pieces.

But you weren’t home. The home you once had was now lost to time. For now, your ‘home’ depends on whether Law will allow you to stay the night for tonight.

“You can stay the night on the couch for tonight if you want. I have blankets in the closet over there.” You let out an internal breath of relief from Law, answering your question without being asked.

“Thank you, Law. Can I make you dinner or something? Just so I can repay your kindness?” You watch Law lean against the kitchen counter before crossing his arms. His eyes staring out into space.

“I haven’t gone shopping yet this week, so I don’t have much.”

“I’m sure I can craft up something.”

“If you want, then go ahead.” The sound of a ringtone brings a silence to the both of you. You check your phone and see the screen’s black.

“I think it’s yours.” Pulling out his phone from his pocket, you watch Law look at the screen. A frown crosses his face immediately, letting you know the caller. Letting out a heavy sigh, you watch him answer the phone.

“What do you want (.....)-ya?” While you couldn’t understand what she was saying, the tone of her voice was frantic. You could hear sobs coming from the other line. Hearing them pissed you off to hell and back. Didn’t (.....) have a shred of decency? How dare she plead and beg after she committed such an act?

You had to sit on the couch to calm yourself down just so you wouldn’t start screaming at (.....) through the phone. As soon as your body relaxed on the couch, a wave of soreness came over you. It feels as if you’ve been working out for hours on end and only now stopped. Even your eyelids felt heavy as you feel tears starting to form and blur your vision. Trying to breathe normally falls short as you begin to hyperventilate. Your lungs burn as you can feel your throat constricting. It feels like you're swallowing your heart just to keep yourself quiet.

“I meant what I said (.....)-ya. I’m breaking up with you, and that’s final. You can come get your things tomorrow afternoon.” Hearing Law’s voice helped soothe a part of your aching soul. Hearing something other than your own ragged breathing helped calm down the streams of tears that were flowing down your face.

“I’m done talking with you (.....)-ya. Goodbye.” The sound of Law’s calls ending made you rub your face, trying to hide the tears that plagued you seconds ago.

“Your more civil than I would have been. I probably wouldn’t have even picked up her call.” Your voice cracked as you tried to let out a small laugh.

“She was asking me for a ride. Apparently, her and Eustass got in a fight, and he threw her out in the rain.” Scoffing in disbelief, you turn your head to look at Law, hoping he wouldn’t notice your puffy eyes.

“She asked you for a ride after cheating on you? Serves her right, getting thrown in the rain. Hope she gets a cold.” You can see Law’s body tremble and how he bites his lip. His eyes get glassy as he looks at the ceiling.

“Fucking a man.” Even from across the room, you can hear Law whispering to himself. You hated seeing him like this. Watching someone you care about hurt only adds to the pain you feel.

“Hey…do you wanna watch something to get our minds off them?”

“I should go back to work. They probably need me.” You let out a hum, hearing his words. A slight feeling of rejection crosses your mind, but you're quick to shake it off. The last thing you wanted was to make him uncomfortable. And if he was the type to work away his feelings, who were you to stop him?

“Well, drive safe. It sounds like the rain is hitting harder.” The sound of rain beating against the windows of Law’s apartment was finally acknowledged. Its beat almost matched Law’s own heartbeat as he thought about the phone call only minutes ago.

Hearing (.....)’s voice felt like nails on a chalkboard as she tried to explain what happened. The voice that once calmed his aching heart was now the reason it hurt. It was astonishing how fast his whole world flipped upside down. Earlier today, he couldn’t wait to come home and see (.....) and have her talk to him about her day. But now, instead of (.....) smiling at him, you were sitting on his couch with puffy eyes.

The way he could hear the tremble in your voice and how the light shined against the path of tears left on your face made his own wave of emotions try to surface. Even if he could tell you were trying hard to hold them back, he could see tears collect against your eyelashes. The sight had tears accumulating in his own eyes, making him look up at the ceiling to try and stop them. He didn’t need to show how bad (.....)’s betrayal has affected him. At least not in front of you.

Sure, you guys were going through the same thing together, but it wouldn’t help him or you if he let his own emotions out. It’d just be easier to shove them down, ignore them, and work until the pain left. He’s done it before, so he can do it again. 

“Um, Law?” Looking back down, he sees you standing in front of him. You refuse to meet his eyes as you fiddle with the bottom of your shirt.

“Yeah?”

“Can I hug you?” Law felt his heart skip a beat hearing your request. A part of him told himself no that he’d break down the moment you wrapped your arms around him. Yet, the voice of someone he used to know told him something different.

“Okay.” As soon as the words left his lips, he felt your body smushed up against his. Your arms held him in a tight embrace as the sound of your hushed sniffles made Law finally cave. Wrapping his own arms around you, a sense of comfort filled him. The feeling of being cared for once again was nice yet terrifying. As soon as the feeling would come, it’d leave just as fast.

But for now, he’ll indulge in your hold.

~~~

The blanket that wrapped around you did little to replicate Law’s hug. Sure, you were warm, but it wasn’t the same. It reminded you of how alone you were. You had no family in this city, and your only friends were (.....) and Law, but you wouldn’t count him as an option due to the current predicament. It felt like you were running in circles with every idea that popped into your head. Always leading to a dead end and making you start all over again.

You couldn’t go back home. It’d take you around three to four hours to drive there! Plus, you didn’t leave on a good note with your parents when you left for college. And if their last words to you were anything to go by, they didn’t want you back. You shake your head at the thought of your parents.

“No. No need to drag myself down even more thinking about them.” Slithering your hand out of your blanket cocoon, you grab your phone that was on your right. The black screen stared at you as it showed your reflection. Eyes red from tears earlier and a cut lip from biting on it so hard earlier.

A ding echoes across the empty apartment as the phone's black screen soon turns on. The quick flash makes your eyes burn before squinting to try and get used to the brightness. Once adjusted, you see a message from Law hiding in your notification bar.

-“I need a favor from you.”

-“Sure, what ya need?”

-“(.....)-ya is supposed to be getting her things this morning. I want you to make sure she takes everything and leaves her key in the dish by the door.”

A frown skims across your face as the thought of seeing (.....)’s face makes your stomach churn. It’s only been a day, and you're already forced to see her face? At the same time, Law did allow you to stay the night last night. So, despite your distaste for seeing (.....), you agreed.

-“Will do. Can count on me :)”

-“Thanks.”

-“How’s working going so far?”

-“Fine.”

-“That's good”

The urge to ask him what his plans were with you after you did him this favor ate at your conscience as soon as you sent that last text. Law was really the only one whose place you felt safe enough to sleep at. And he’s the only person you have in the entire city. You didn’t have a license since a lot of things were always within walking distance, so you never had a reason to. 

But now, you were on the complete other side of the city. What used to be a five-minute walk to your job now would take at least thirty minutes. You had no idea where anything was on this side of the city. Sure, you and Law would go grab an energy drink from the gas station when the two of you worked the night away on that old project, but that was two years ago. Who knows? Maybe that gas station doesn’t even exist anymore!

“Do you go here a lot?”

“To buy an energy drink and coffee every now and then.” The sound of small pebbles crunching under your and Law’s shoes goes unnoticed as you walk next to him.

“Okay, so every day then?” A laugh escapes your lips as Law rolls his eyes, yet a small smile plays against his lips.

“This gas station is the only place that sells my favorite one.”

“Which is?”

“Can’t tell you. What if you take it?” A smirk appears on his lips as he puts his hands in his pockets. Scoffing, you place your hand on your chest in fake offense.

“I can’t believe you’d think so lowly of me. Stealing your beloved drink? Only a monster could be so heartless!” Hearing Law let out a chuckle from your words made a heavy feeling of confidence run through your veins. He was always relatively quiet when in class, so it was nice to see him show emotion other than ‘bored.’

“How much farther? I’m dying to know the favorite drink of the future best doctor in the world.” A faint pink tints Law’s skin as he tries to look away from you, hoping you don’t see what your comment did to him.

“You really think so?” Despite trying to copy your playful tone, you can hear his self-doubt and hopefulness that your words were true.

“I know so! No one works harder than you! If anyone says otherwise, tell me and I’ll kick their ass.” Law could feel his palms grow sweaty, and his heart beat a little faster. 

Sure, he’s gotten praise from his teacher, but hearing it come from someone he had just met and barely knew felt a little more sincere? Why, he didn’t know, but he won’t complain.

“Will do.”

KNOCK KNOCK

The sound of light knowing pulls you from your memories. Looking up at the clock, you see it’s nearly three pm. You sigh as you shed the multiple layers of blankets you were snuggled in. The rage and anger from yesterday are still strong in your system, making you clench your fists. You walk towards the door when you hear your fingers popping from the sheer force. Unlocking it, you take a deep breath before fully opening it.

In front of you stood a very unkempt (.....). Her hair was in a messy ponytail, accompanied by red eyes and a red face. Makeup from the night before was still applied to her skin as mascara streaked down her face. Your eyes even caught the barely covered hickeys and bite marks that shined through her concealer.

“(Y-Y/N)?...Why are you…Where’s Law?” Her pitiful voice made you squeeze the doorknob tighter to try and calm yourself.

“He’s at work. Not that it’s any of your business, but he was kind enough to let me spend the night.” Your eyes narrowed at her as you couldn’t help but glare daggers at the marks on her neck. Noticing your stare, (.....) moved her shoulder to cover her neck.

“I see…” You move to let her in and shut the door behind her. She lets out a shaky breath before beginning to take down the multiple pictures hanging along the wall. The sound of sniffles hits your ears as you watch her grab the frames with shaky hands. Listening to her hold back tears made you struggle to hold your own.

How could she have done this? Years of friendship only to throw it away for some dick? Did you mean so little to her? You’ve been with her for everything! Breakups, grandparents passing, getting in trouble together, anything and everything you’ve done for her! If she needed a kidney transplant, you would’ve volunteered right away!

Now, seeing how a friendship can easily be thrown away like trash after years made bitterness fill your heart. If your best friend and boyfriend could betray you without so much of a second thought, what does that say about the strangers all around you?

What does that say about you? Did you do something to deserve this? Was (.....) mad at you and thought fucking your lover would get back at you? There had to be a reason. To be an explanation for the horror you saw yesterday. Maybe after a drink or two after (.....) leaves will calm you down.

~~~

“You got everything?”

“Yeah.” Just as she was about to walk out the door, you remembered that she still hadn't given you the key.

“I need the apartment key.” Putting your hand out, you move your eyes to your hand and back at her.

“I-I don’t have it.” Furrowing your brows, you sigh.

“Don’t bullshit me. I’ve known you for years, and I know when you lie. Now give me the goddamn keys (.....).” You watch (.....) bite her lip before digging into her jacket pocket. The light shined off the key as she gently put it in your hands.

“Can you say goodbye to Bepo for me?” Confusion hit you like a train at her request.

“What the hell are-you know what? Fine. I’ll say bye.”

“Thanks.” Closing the door, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. After locking the door behind her, you placed her old key in the dish Law has near the door for his keys. (.....) request puzzled you as you tried to think of what she was talking about.

“What the hell is a Bepo?”

Just then, a light pitter-patter echos in the apartment. Your heart stops as the sound gets closer. There shouldn’t be anyone else in the apartment but you. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you try to move quietly towards the kitchen to grab something to defend yourself.

“Meow!” You stop in your tracks upon hearing that noise. Embarrassment floods your body as you move even closer to the noise. Upon turning the corner, you see a white cat walking in your direction. A big white cat.

“Can’t believe I got spooked by a damn cat. Didn’t even know Law had a cat…a fatass one nonetheless.” Bending down, you move your hand to let the cat smell you. A smile appears on your face when it rubs against you.

“Hmm? What’s this?” Moving the fluff from his neck, you see a collar with a tag. Squinting your eyes, you finally see the name engraved on the tag.

“Ohhh…your Bepo! Well, aren’t you a cutie-pie?” With (.....) 's request finally making sense, you fight to actually fulfill it. With a sigh, you pick up Bepo and hold him gently. 

“Let’s send your dad a selfie. I think he’ll appreciate it.” You go to the couch, pick up your phone, and find the right angle for the picture. When you find the right spot, you smile as Bepo rubs his head against your face.

“Say cheese!”

~~~

It’d been a long day at the hospital. It felt like nothing went right. Sure, he put in his all, but he had to tell people how they were diagnosed with a terminal illness or dealing with dumb co-workers. The only good thing today did for him was keep (.....) out of his head. But now that work was over, the nagging thoughts could finally bother him once more.

Sighing as he unlocked his apartment door, he was immediately hit with the smell of something cooking. Whatever it was, it smelled good, and he was happy that he didn’t have to make anything tonight. When he went to put his keys in the dish designated for them, he saw (.....)’s key lying in the middle. A wave of relief washed over him as he finished taking off his shoes and coat.

“Oh, Law, are you home?” Your voice rings in his ears as he walks further into his apartment. He spots you setting up the table while humming to yourself.

“Yeah, I’m back. Did you make something?”

“Well, you’ve been at work for sixteen hours, so obviously, you should be hungry! Not to mention that you deserved a home-cooked meal after working so hard.” Moving closer to the dinner table, he sees a plate of grilled fish along with a can of what looks to be sparkling water. The smell of his favorite food drew him closer, and he felt a sense of calm filled him. It’d be the second night in a row you made him dinner.

“Where did you get the fish? I don’t remember having any?”

“Oh, after (.....) took her stuff and left, I used GPS to find a store nearby, and there was an organic type of food store only two blocks away! So I went shopping and got things! Except for beverages, so I stopped by the gas station we used to go to and got sparkling water 'cause you don’t drink and no way you’d drink an energy boost at eight pm.” You continued talking, but it was lost on Law’s ears as he stared at the set-up table. The fact you put yourself to go grocery shopping and making him dinner made his sour mood from only moments ago lighten.

“Thank you.” As he moves to wash his hands in the sink, he sees his beloved cat following you and purring.

“I see you’ve met Bepo.” Upon speaking, the cat changed his attention to Law. Bepo begins to meow as he prances towards Law’s feet before rubbing against them. Leaning down, Law gives him a few pets before washing his hands.

“I didn’t even know you had a cat. Did you just get him?”

“No. I’ve had him for almost a year and a half. Why?” He watches you lift your eyebrows and look at Bepo before looking back at Law.

“What?”

“Law. Do you see how big that cat is?” Despite just washing his hands, Law picks up Bepo and holds him in his arms.

“What about it? He’s growing.”

“That cat is obese. He needs a diet.”

“Bepo is perfect the way he is.” You couldn’t help but giggle as you watched him hold Bepo protectively and away from you.

“You can be delusional all you want, but come eat before the food gets cold.” Turning your back, you begin to dish up after washing your hands. You can hear Law rewashing his own before sitting on the opposite side of the table.

As awkward as it may be, the presence of one another brings a slight calm to your new chaotic world.

~~~

TAGLIST: @yuki190 @stachelrose @loraleiii @axcel-lucci @st4rfevrr @rexspersonalhell @nanapurinpurin @elen-alambil @starlightkitten19 @bby-deerling @queenofthekill @chaes-tea @emmaiscool22 @shuujin @augustanna @likeliterallywtf @iraaiitz @cherrybomb5000 @lavenderkaye106 @jabean @wrennyx @jamaicaa-blakee @ashortdork @kat2tired @nerdgeekandeverysweet-blog @getsue @kaptain-rebekah @reigenmagnet @rebeccawinters @keenzinemugstudent @mydearlybeloathed @firefistussy @throne-inmyside @littleleelee @thepurpleempath @yuji4lierrr @whodissbitj @slut-for-buck i hope i got everyone and if i didn't im sorry. I tried writing everyone's names

[whateveriwant]

No thoughts, just Punk!Simon.

Punk!Simon who dresses like he shops exclusively at Hot Topic. We're talking band t-shirts, combat boots, leather anything he can get his hands on. His style is bold, accessories maximized, and his entire wardrobe can be condensed into one of three colors: black, gray, and dark gray.

Punk!Simon who likes to wear lots of jewelry. Thick chains, bulky rings, decorative pins pressed into his jackets. His pieces are mostly silver and always real, none of that fake, turn your skin green shit. Keep him far away from metal detectors because he will set them off.

Punk!Simon who listens to only the grungiest of grunge rock music. Ask him for recommendations and he's spouting off six or seven bands that are so underground they may as well reside in the Earth's mantle. Don't leave him in charge of the playlist when driving together unless you want a bad case of tinnitus for the next four hours.

Punk!Simon who’s tatted up to high heaven. You thought he only had his left sleeve done, until you saw him working out without his shirt on one day. Turns out it doesn't just stop at his shoulder, but continues downward, wrapping around his trunk like vines of black and gray ivy.

Punk!Simon who's sporting more than one set of piercings. You ask him how many he has and (with a smirk) he tells you six, and you try to take a mental tally of the ones you've seen. 1) eyebrow 2) industrial 3) nostril 4) snake bites 5) areolas 6) . . . 6) . . . . . Huh. Where's the sixth?

Punk!Simon who experiments with a little body modification. Not just the normal piercings and tattoos, but things many people would consider to be on the more extreme side. Stretched lobes, sharpened canines, . . . bifurcated tongue? 👀

Punk!Simon who, on an uncharacteristically unmasked day, grabs your attention as you enjoy a round of drinks with friends. One minute you were sitting there, chatting, just minding your business, and the next your gaze was locked onto Simon's tongue as it darted out from in between his plump lips. You tried not to let your eyes linger, but you couldn't help it. You'd never seen something like that before in person. A tongue split right down the center, cut with surgical precision from the looks of it. It had clearly been done on purpose, not an accident or deformity, but you hadn't expected to see it as you watched him lick away a bourbon droplet from the corner of his mouth. As you stare, said mouth then curves slyly, impish, into a grin just shy of wicked. The movement makes your eyes dart upwards, where they meet Simon's, and he's giving you a look that says one thing: Caught you.

With that taunting expression, Simon turns in his seat, plants his elbows on the table, and blocks out the rest of your group as he asks lowly, “Somethin’ the matter, sweet’eart?”

His tone makes you startle, eyes rounding in surprise, mouth fluttering open and closed like a flailing fish. “N-No, I was– I– You– I–”

“Wha's wrong?” His brow furrows, teasing. “Cat got your tongue?”

Oh, the bastard.

But the reminder has your gaze dropping back to his lips unthinkingly, almost like you secretly wish he'll grant you another peek for your sick fascination.

He doesn't, keeps that serpentine tongue tucked within the confines of his jaw, but it's like he can read your mind because his smile curves further, drawing even closer to you as he says, “Curious?”

It's like the rattling of a deadly snake's tail, the way he hisses out the question. It means to warn you of danger ahead, of expert predation, of total and utter annihilation should you let him take a bite.

You drag your eyes back up to his smoky ones, half expecting to find slitted pupils that speak of poison. There isn't, just a mirthful quirk to his brow, and a solitary nod is all you can offer him in return.

“‘S alright.” He tips his chin in encouragement. “Go on, then. Ask.”

Another glance to his lips as you rummage through the dense brush that entangles your brain. Plucking one of the first you find, you ask, “Does it hurt?” eyes moving back to his.

That earns a little chuckle from Simon, an even smaller shake of the head. “Not now that it's healed,” he tells you truthfully, cheek dimpled in amusement. A beat passes, him waiting for another of your questions, and when you don't conjure one up, he jokes, “That it?” Clearly, he expected a barrage.

You take a second, searching for another, then simply, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why'd you do it?”

Simon raises his shoulder in a shrug. “Dunno. Wanted to do somethin’ fun; different I s’pose,” his reasoning is as carefree as his voice sounds. He leans back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “Plus, ‘s more useful than you think,” he tacks on at the end, something mischievous glinting in his eye. Deception maybe. Bait definitely.

Useful, he says? You doubt it. Having a second tongue sounds like a burden honestly. You'd have to learn how to talk, eat, and drink all over again, just like when you were a small child. But if he said so, and with such confidence, then it begs the question: “How?”

How is having a second tongue useful?

Throughout your entire conversation, Simon's maintained steady eye contact with you, his focus never faltering from yours. But now, as your brow creases in confusion, Simon breaks away, lids lowering as he gazes down at the floor. He rolls a thought around his head for a moment, that cheeky look still etched into his face. When he huffs an amused breath through his nose, it only deepens his smirk that much more, and then slowly, painfully unrushed, his eyes rake up, up, up your body, until settling on yours once again.

The look he gives you now is dark, a grin like the devil’s as he peers up at you. The tip of his forked tongue pokes out as it makes another swipe across his bottom lip.

No thoughts, except for Punk!Simon who takes you back to his place and shows you just how useful two tongues can be.

[v3lv3tsin]

defiant hearts: park jongseong

| pairning: jay park x reader

| genre: bodyguard!jay, princess!reader

| spotify playlist 🎧 (recommend listening to it while reading)

| warning: swearing, angst, smut (slight mentions of it), minors dni

| word count: 5.0k

| stefy's note: i told myself that i'll stick only to finishing my drafts but here i am writing another ff, and yes random update, i'm still alive just sick, so enjoy ;)

[ BACK TO MASTERLIST ]

You were the Crown Princess of the Asterinian Kingdom. Well-loved by all, you were the favourite of all royalty and civilians alike. Nonetheless, there were still potential threats to your safety, of course. There were people still vying for the throne, and that enough had your father deeming you unsafe. He assigned you a bodyguard, Park Jongseong, who was like a puppy, except he wasn't playful or cuddly, he doesn't make you happy, and he definitely wasn't friendly. All he does is follow you around all day, checking everything you were about to eat, about to do, heck, even the ground you were about to walk on.

Although... He was a pretty handsome chap. And he seemed to like you more than he let on.

───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

Today was no different. You were sitting down at the wooden table, waiting to be served. Wondering where Jay was, until you finally see him making his way to you. Of course he was there to check the food for you. You rolled your eyes and blur out. "You're stressing too much."

Your bodyguard sighed, crossing his arms across his chest. It was the third time this week you've rolled your eyes at him, the second time this hour, and he's had enough of it. "I'm doing my bloody job," he muttered in his low, velvety voice. There's nothing stress-inducing about any of this, nor anything that warranted an eye-roll. "She really does have a short temper." he thought grimly. His pale eyes met yours with a firm gaze.

Wanting to annoy him, you decide to take a bite from the roasted chicken sitting in front on you, knowing that it'll annoy him. You liked messing up with him, it really makes your day better.

Jay bristled and grit his teeth under his breath at the sheer insubordination on this woman's part. "She truly did have a death wish, didn't she? He thought to himself That could've been poisoned, you know," he hissed lowly.

"Sadly it isn't." You fake pouted, rolling your eyes which you knew drove him crazy. Not caring about what he'll answer you continue to chew on the roasted chicken.

Your bodyguard felt a headache beginning to grow on the nape of his neck. "How does such a young woman have so much attitude at her disposal" was his thought. "You really do enjoy making my job a living hell, don't you?" he said gruffly, raking a hand through his raven black hair in agitation.

"It's a pleasure." You smirk keeping eye contact with him. Confused as to why he isn't eating with you, like he always does, almost questioning him with your eyes, you decide to continue munching on the chicken.

Jay scoffed, looking at the food on the table. He had no appetite with how aggravating you always were. Although, if you were such a pain in the ass, why is he so damn obsessed with making sure you were healthy? No, never mind, he didn't want to get into that. "Are you going to force me to eat or something?" he asked with a growl, looking at you with a slight frown. He just wanted this to be over already. You were always making him tired, not physically, but mentally tired.

"You're exagerrating." You rolled your eyes at him and try to ignore him knowing that he's overreacting as always.

Your bodyguard snorted, rolling his eyes in turn. She thinks he's exaggerating? He'd like to see you try his job for a change. "Exaggerating, she says," he muttered under his breath, watching her eat. He's pretty sure he would've had grey hair already with how many times he's had the thought of putting his hands around a particular someone's scrawny neck and-

Never mind. Focus.

"You know i can hear." You looked at him, trying not to stare at him due to how handsome he is. He was your bodyguard, you shouldn't be thinking about that. He's there to protect you, nothing more, nothing less.

"I know." Jay's gaze landed on your slender neck; pale and unblemished. Not a single bruise in sight. His fingers itched to just-

Ugh, he's a professional, for crying out loud. What the hell is wrong with him? He was here to do a job, not daydream about the woman he was assigned to protect like a schoolboy with a petty crush.

You see him thinking and blur out. "What are you thinking about?" You ask him curiously, as he seemed to be focused on your neck for a second. You knew what he might be thinking about, but hearing him confess sounded better.

"What it would feel like to close my fingers around your neck," he said lowly, not even realising the words leaving his mouth until it was too late. He froze, going pale in shock. He looked down at his hands, curling his fingers into a fist; the same hand that would've fit around a slender, pale throat so well. He looked back at you, his pale gaze hardening as he forced himself to look away from your neck that was so tempting... To him?

"Kinky." You comment sarcastically, teasing him. Trying not to show any reaction to his words, you take a bite from the smashed potatoes with drizzled butter on top of them. Focusing on the taste of the potatoes, you look at him curious about what he has to say.

Your bodyguard's breath hitched slightly as he heard you speak, and a flush spread across your cheeks. He'd be lying if he said that your voice didn't send tingles up his spine, but his expression remained stoic and his gaze hard. "Is that a request, princesa? I'd be happy to choke you," he said lowly, his tone laced with a dangerous edge.

"Already daydreaming about seeing me dead?" You teased him, thinking that he's saying that just to see a reaction out of you. He knew how to make you feel wanted, even just for a minute.

Jay smirked slightly, his eyes glinting with the barest hint of something wild and possessive. "No," he said firmly, his voice low and husky. "I was just imagining what you'd look like... Submissive. On your knees."

You rolled your eyes at him thinking that he's just playing with you. Making jokes, trying to get under your skin and make you choke on the food. Rolling your eyes, you take another bite from the smash potatoes not letting him have the satisfaction of seeing you flustered by a simple sentence.

Jay watched you, his smirk growing at your reaction. You clearly didn't like it, and that stirred a sick sort of pleasure in him. Why did he enjoy riling you up so much? Was it because he wanted you to know just how utterly and completely at his mercy you were? Yes, that and the fact that you looked even cuter when you were flustered. "What? Cat got your tongue?" he laughed softly, his voice laced with a taunting edge.

"No..." You stir into your seat, trying not to give him the satisfaction of seeing you like that. He affected you in ways you didn't know existed.

He chuckled softly, a wolfish grin creeping up on his face. Seeing you all flustered and worked up was amusing. Maybe he can have a little, tiny, eensy bit of fun before the job is done after-

No. Nope. He can't do that, much as he wants to. He was a professional after all. Well, even professionals have their vices, don't they? He cleared his throat, attempting to compose himself.

You rolled your eyes at him, curious to see what he's thinking about. You hated seeing him satisfacted by seeing him happy of how much he affected you.

Jay sighed softly, his eyes flickering to you neck. Oh, how lovely it would look to see it with a necklace of bruises wrapped around it, to have you writhing beneath him-

Stop.

He's just tired, that's all. Yes, he was just tired. It would explain why he can't seem to stop thinking about doing the most unspeakable things to you-

He stopped his thoughts again, realising that his pants were becoming tighter. Damn it. What the hell is wrong with him?

"You're staring..." You turned around to look at him, feeling his eyes linger on your figure. Focusing on eating, you try to ignore his presence in the room.

He flushed slightly as he realised you noticed. Of course you would notice, you were perceptive. That, or he was losing his touch. "You should get used to it, princesa," he muttered under his breath, raking a hand through his black locks in an attempt to compose himself. Unfortunately, the thought of those beautiful curls tangled around his fingers was not at all helping him.

"And so should your boner." You scold him, showing to his visible boner that has been forming as you two were talking. Finishing eating, you get up and leave, leaving him speechless. Just as you wanted.

Jay's breath hitched, his jaw clenching slightly as a sudden flare of white-hot humiliation filled his chest. Did she just-? No. She didn't.

He quickly regained his composure, letting out a scoff and rolling his eyes. "You're being vulgar, princesa," he muttered, his blush creeping over his cheeks as he followed and fell back into the familiar routine of sticking to her side while she continued her routine.

"And you're horny." You said turning around looking at him, as you go to the library to choose a book to read. "Your point?" You teased him, trying to understand what was his point and hoe he was trying to prove it.

"...Tch. You're so damn infuriating, princesa." He sighed, shaking his head slightly. Her attitude was just as attractive as it was aggravating. It just made him want to put her in her place, to show her just who was really in charge. He looked away, his eyes shifting around the library. His eyes drifted to her figure, noting the pretty dress she was wearing... And how easy it would be for him to lift it up- What the hell is wrong with him?

"Yet you can't stop thinking about me." You leaned against the bookshelf, opening the book to look at him. Slowly tracing through the pages of the book, tracing over the page with your fingers, choosing to read the book or not.

"Don't be so full of yourself, princesa," he said, his tone somewhat mocking. But there was a hint of truth behind his words. You really are making him crazy. "I'm merely keeping you company and keeping you safe. If I had any choice in my life, I wouldn't be here," he added, sighing heavily. Jay rolled his sleeves up and leaned against a bookshelf as well, his eyes roaming over your figure and your pretty dress, his mind wandering to sinful places.

As soon as he rolls up his sleeves, you shift your focus onto his arms and veiny hands, biting your lip as you do so. Hearing him saying that, you asked "Would you not want to protect me?" You make puppy eyes at him, coming closer as you put the book back in its place.

Jay's breath hitched as you moved closer to him. He was suddenly all too aware of your proximity to him, the light floral scent of your perfume hitting his senses and making him dizzy. Just what the hell kind of perfume was that, again? He swallowed hard, his gaze flickering down to her slender neck. He really would love to mark that beautiful canvas of blank white-

...No. This is his job, not his pleasure. He had to get that through his head, no matter how badly he wanted you.

Seeing that he doesn't say anything you say pouting, as you wrapped your hands around his neck, inhaling his scent curious to see what he'll do next. "After all aren't i just an innocent and naive little princess?"

He froze on the spot as you wrapped your arms around his neck, your scent hitting his nostrils intensely. His hands itched to touch you, to grab those hips and pull them against his- No. He couldn't, he shouldn't. He closed his eyes, sighing heavily as a sudden flare of frustration and pent up lust hit his chest, threatening to boil over. What is happening to him?

"Cat got yout tongue?" You teased him while smirking deciding to play softly with his hair.

Jay tensed slightly, feeling his breath catching involuntarily as he felt your dainty fingers running through his messy black locks. No one has ever touched him like that, especially not someone as stunningly gorgeous as you. He opened his eyes slightly, their gazes meeting. He was close enough to feel your breath on his lips. Oh, gods you were beautiful. He wanted to lean in, to taste you on his tongue more than anything. But he couldn't. Not here.

You rolled your eyes annoyed, leaning yourself onto the shelf still playing with his hair and having your hands still wrapped around his neck.

He leaned closer, placing a hand on her hip to support her, his heart beating faster as he was filled with a sudden burst of protectiveness and possessiveness. You were his to look after, his to touch, to... He immediately stopped his thoughts. He was your bodyguard, dammit. This was getting out of hand. He had to maintain professionality, even if you were being so damn enticing.

You rolled your eyes annoyed taking your hands off his neck and stopping from playing with his hair. "Just fucking forget it." Taking a random book off the shelf, seeing that he doesn't seem affected at all by your actions.

Jay swallowed hard, his head swimming as he felt your hands leave his body. He felt the loss of your touch, even when he shouldn't. He just wanted to push you back against the bookshelf and- He quickly recovered, clearing his throat as he regained his composure. "What? You don't want to be a tease anymore?" he asked lowly, a sardonic smirk playing on his lips.

You looked up at him from the book ignoring him, giving him a taste of his own medicine. Knowing that he'll come to his senses at some point.

His eye twitched slightly, his smirk faltering as you ignored him. No one ever ignored him. Especially not you. He hated that he wanted you more with every second he spends with you, that he wanted to hear you make those pretty little sounds as he brought you to ecstasy- He shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the impure thoughts.

You looked at him as you still layed against the bookshelf while reading. Trying to focus on the book and not on him or his presence in the room. You hoped that maybe maybe he'll let his guard down for a second and show his true feelings for you as you were curious.

Jay sighed in defeat as you continue to ignore him, focusing instead on the contents of the book in your hands. He'd be lying if he said that having you wrapped around his arms, yourfingers playing with his hair didn't bring a rush of... Happiness? Pleasure? He honestly doesn't even know anymore. He watched you read the book in your hands, leaning your body on the bookshelf and feeling your slender figure pressing close to him- Oh gods. What were you doing to him?

"You're lying to yourself and you know it" You blured out finally looking up to him from the book. Knowing how much your words affect him, you still decided to say it. Without giving him much of an explanation, knowing that he'll understand.

He swallowed hard, a sick twist of confusion and humiliation running through him. How did you know- Wait. Was he that easy to read? "I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered, his expression hardening. His eyes flickered from you slender neck, to your pretty lips, then to your slender legs- Damn it. He was really falling prey to his desires for you.

You tilted your head looking at him as you roll your eyes. "You know damn well what i'm talking about." You said not wanting him to give him more explanation. There was none needed.

Jay bit the inside of his cheek, his fists clenching as a sudden flare of frustration, embarrassment and helplessness ran through his body. He was never helpless. How the hell did you manage to make him feel this way without even trying? Gods, he wanted to just lean in and take you lips with his, to pull you to his body and make you scream his name- What the hell was wrong with him?

"You just don't wanna admit it." You said reffering to the fact that he liked you and wanted you all to himself. Flicking through the pages of the book, you checked to see if he was still there or if he has left.

He looked away, his hand raking through his already messy hair in frustration. Why does your opinion suddenly matter to him so much when it never has before? Why did you have to be so infuriatingly, wonderfully, absolutely irresistible? He was drawn back to reality when he saw your fingers flicking through the pages idly, feeling his throat going dry. He wanted to take you hands in his and kiss and nibble on every inch.

You roll your eyes as you looked at him and whisper hoping he doesn't hear you. "You're thinking again..." You see him messing his dark hair, that's when you try not to stare. Taking in every feature if his. His brown eyes. His pinkish lips.

Jay's breath hitched slightly as he heard your angelic voice, a husky edge to it making his body shiver slightly. You were so perfect, so beautiful, and the sound of your voice... It's enough to drive anyone crazy. "How do you know-" he muttered, his eyes roaming over your form, his heart racing and his body burning hotly. His eyes settled on your neck, his fingers itching to reach out and grasp your slender throat and- No. He had to stay professional, to maintain his image.

"You do this thing when you focus on something for a long time and zone out for some time, or even bite your cheek." You explained to him your reasoning, smiling at him and feeling proud of your observation.

He blinked slightly, a strange feeling of pride rising in his chest as he realized that you had been paying close attention to his mannerisms. Of course you did, he shouldn't really be surprised. "Well, you do this other thing," he spoke lowly, a smirk creeping in his lips, "you bite your lips when you get lost in thought."

"Am not." You looked away embarassed, hiding your face from him with book. Noticing how observant he is off you. You liked that. Were you gonna admit it? Hell no.

Your bodyguard smirked, a sudden surge of amusement and satisfaction stirring in his chest, feeling it tighten with a sort of warmth. The fact that your were so oblivious about that little habit of yours only made him want to kiss you more just to make you bite your luscious lips again. His smirk faded slightly, his gaze flickering down to your lips and his own lips suddenly feeling dry. What he'd give to taste and claim those lips as his own.... He shouldn't.

"You're doing it again..." You sighted and pointed out his habit again. Knowing that he is looking at your lips. Maybe he wanted to kiss you. Maybe not. He looked so good standing there. Doing the bare minimum.

Jay hummed softly, his thumb grazing the edge of his lip as his head buzzed with the sudden idea of leaning in and capturing your lips with his. His eyes travelled from your lips to your neck, to that smooth and beautiful canvas of soft skin that he really wanted to bite and mark as his own- No. What is he thinking? He can't do that, the job is the most important thing here. He swallowed thickly. "What am I doing, princesa? Tell me."

"Thinking..." You mentioned barely giving him any explanation, leaning your head against the bookshelf. Getting a better view of him, in the familiar suit you see him wearing everytime. The tie that hasn't been loosen up yet. You wanted to take him by his tie and kiss him right there.

He bit the inside of his cheek slightly, his eyes flickering between your own and your slender neck, which was now on display for him as you tilted your head back. His mouth watered, wanting to kiss that exposed skin so badly- He took a deep breath, shaking his head and regaining his composure. For once in his life he wanted to be honest, to just tell you how much he wanted you and how badly he itched to claim you as his own. "Thinking about how beautiful your neck looks."

You tilted your head to have a better view of him, biting your lip trying not to give him the satisfaction of seeing you think of him in that way so you decided to tease him. "Such unholy thoughts, mister."

Jay rolled his eyes, the corner of his lips twitching as he tried not to give you the satisfaction of seeing him crack. You were so alluring when you were teasing. He wanted to see more of that. More of you. He shifted his stance, his eyes flickering down to your perfect neck as he imagined how it would look with a necklace of red hickeys around your slender throat. "I can't help my thoughts, princesa," he replied.

"You can make them come true..." You whispered hoping that he doesn't hear you. You looked at his lips taking every detail of his. From head to toe, lingering on his lips.

His breath hitched slightly as he caught the whispered words, the sound sending shivers down his spine. You were tempting him, almost as if you wanted him to snap and take you for himself. His eyes darkened with desire, flicking between your own and your deliciously-bitten lip. He wanted to just grab that perfect neck of hers and pull your mouth to his- "You're such a bad girl, princesa," he muttered lowly.

"And yet that hasn't stopped you from wanting me." You smirked as you kept eye contact with him. Playing with your fingers that are currently on the book, wishing it was his tie.

Jay swallowed slightly, taking a step closer to you so the two of you were only inches apart. Your breathing mingled, and he would be lying if he said he didn't like the feeling of your breath ghosting over his lips. His fingers itched to reach out and cup your cheek, to tilt your face up so he could have a better look at you, to run his thumb over those pretty lips of yours and pull them in for a sinful kiss... "No. Nothing will ever stop me from wanting you."

"Not even my father..." You whispered to him, leaning into his touch as he cups your cheek and parted your lips slightly as he touched them with his thumb.

His breath hitched slightly as you leaned into his touch, your soft skin against his palm making his whole body shiver with desire. The soft warmth of your breath made him dizzy, your parted lips so close to his and so tantalisingly forbidden. His thumb swept over your lower lip, feeling the softness and fullness of your lips and suddenly feeling almost desperate to taste you. "Not even your father," he repeated lowly as he met your gaze.

You parter your lips further deciding to bite his thumb playfully. Realizing how close the two of you are, so you started breathing heavily.

Your bodyguard's breath caught in his throat as you bit down gently on his thumb, a shudder of sheer excitement and lust shooting down his spine. He stared down at you, a dangerous sort of heat rising in his chest as he looked at the pretty, full, perfect lips... He couldn't take it anymore. He needed you, right then and there. His thumb brushed over your lip as he leaned in slightly. "...You're driving me insane, princesa." His voice was low and thick with desire.

You played with his tie, your fingers fidgeting the silk black tie material as soon as you see him distracted by your lips. "When am i not." You replied to him smirking.

Jay hummed softly as your fingers played with the tie at his throat, his eyes fluttering shut for a second as the fabric lightly tightened around his sensitive skin. His fingers grazed your chin softly, tilting your face up ever-so-slightly to gain better access to your sinful lips. He leaned in, his breath ghosting over your mouth as he hovered over it, a mere inch away. "You're not playing fair, princesa," he muttered, his voice low and husky.

"Shhh...." You whispered to him, taking him by his tie and smashing your lips to his. Finally you kissed him. Your lips were against his. Ever since you saw him for the first time or even when he became your bodyguard.

He shivered at the feeling of your lips touching his. Soft, warm, perfect. Every inch of his body felt like it was on fire as all the pent up tension from days of being close to you and yet not being able to touch exploded and came bubbling up to the surface. His hands immediately went to your hips, grasping them tightly and pulling your body towards his, crashing his mouth against your soft one and tasting you on his tongue, letting out an almost feral groan of possessiveness.

"We are so dead..." You whispered against his lips as you continue to kiss him, moving your body closer to him. He tasted just as you imagined. Perfect. Suddenly you thought of your father finding the two of you making out in the library.

Jay hummed lowly as he heard your whispered words, bringing your body tighter against him and tilting his head slightly to deepen the kiss. You tasted even better than he thought, and he never wanted this kiss to end. He wrapped his arm around your waist, his other hand coming up to caress your cheek as he kissed you passionately, almost desperately. His thoughts completely turned off, the only thing on his mind now her and the sinful sounds you made against his mouth.

You wrapped your hands around his neck, suddenly pulling away from the kiss, grasping for air. He looked so handsome. So yours.

He panted softly, his chest rising and falling quickly as he gasped for air, his breath mingling with yours. His eyes roamed over your face, your swollen, reddened lips that he just had his mouth attached to, the rosy blush on your cheeks and the dazed expression in your eyes. The sight was almost too much for him to handle, seeing the effects of his kisses on your pretty face. "...What have you done to me, princesa..." he whispered lowly, his voice thick with desire.

"Made you a mad man..." You whispered, tilting your head, caressing his cheek. Maybe the two of you can keep your relationship secret from your father.

Jay hummed lowly, shivering slightly as your fingers grazed his sensitive skin. The light, intimate touch made his chest stir, his heart racing. He wanted to keep kissing you, to pull you against him and keep exploring your mouth and body with his hands and his lips. But the thought that you would willingly keep this a secret sent a rush of possessiveness and affection through him. "... You promise to be mine, princesa?" he asked lowly, his eyes flickering to your lips longingly.

"Does this answer your question." You kissed him softly and lovingly and slowly, pulling away looking at him with puppy eyes.

His breathing hitched as you kissed him again, the softness and the love in that small gesture only making him want you more. He smiled softly and nodded, bringing a hand to your cheek and caressing the soft skin with his thumb. His dark eyes darkened slightly, filled with passion and possessiveness. "Good. Because I don't think I could stop myself from having you from now on, princesa," he muttered.

───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

Not long after the kiss you and Jay found yourselves making out in the library, garden, bathroom etc. Still being able to keep your secret relationship from your father.

Jay found it incredibly hard to control himself, his hands constantly finding themselves wandering over your body and pulling you close to him when the two of you were alone. It was almost as if all his restraint had vanished, completely replaced by his need for you. He would constantly take you by surprise, pulling you into deserted rooms or hallways and kissing you fervantly, relishing the taste of you as he pinned you against the nearest wall and claimed you as his.

You missed him when your father was spending time at the castle or when he suggested that you make your duties as a princess. But Jay was there to help you, squeezing your hand or rubbing your back. At night, the two of you would find yourselves in his room, sleeping together or making out.

He found himself craving you presence, feeling almost lost without you when he had to do his "bodyguard duties". Everytime he looked over at you and caught your gaze, he had to physically hold himself back from reaching out and touching you.

He couldn't get enough of your taste. Your soft skin and your melodic moans that he would muffle with his own mouth, wanting to memorise every part of your body.

© V3LV3TSIN ⎯ do not translate, plagiarise or claim any of my works as your own.

[just-jordie-things]

Imagine Megumi listening to love songs while he stares at the reader, who is chilling under a tree. Oh god, his precious significant other casually looks at him and asks, "What?" He's blushing too hard and can only mutter a small, "Nothing."

Song recommendation : Until i found you, Dandelions etcetcetccc

(I'm so madly in love with him🥹🥹❤)

i love secret romantic megumi sm he's such a loverboy deep dowwwn <3

you spend a lot of quiet time with megumi. you often make plans to get together just to do your own thing. and honestly, it was like that before you even got together. he liked his peace and quiet, you liked being around him in any capacity, and that was all the more you both wanted.

so it's not at all odd that you're both sat by a tree in the courtyard, not talking, hardly even acknowledging one another. you were scrolling through your phone, browsing through socials, occasionally getting distracted by a game. megumi had been reading, his earbuds in and a playlist of soft music to set the mood for a relaxing afternoon.

of course with soft music comes some love songs, and it doesn't take very many to draw his attention away from his book. before he knows it, he's listening to love songs and gazing over at you with hearts in his eyes. you're lost on your phone, so you miss the way het gets lost in you.

for megumi it's like he's watching a movie. a montage of all the moments you've shared, large or small, all guided by the lovely music and lyrics of his new favorite songs.

you're painted in every lovely color to him. he could be convinced you were an angel. maybe he was getting swept away by the music...

your eyes catch his, and immediately you break into a smile, seeing him staring at you so lovingly. and lovingly doesn't even begin to cover it, seeing as he looks like he's about to melt into a puddle before you. his eyes are gooey, his lashes hanging heavy over them as he looks at you with nothing short of softness. his lips are curled into a smile so dopey you can't help but giggle and reach out to poke his cheek affectionately.

"what?" you finally ask the simple question on your mind. you're starting to feel warm under his intense gaze. but megumi's the first to blush when he realizes what you've caught him doing.

he shakes his head, tries to play it off, tries to return his focus to his book, but it's hard when you're sitting there and you look so pretty and he's so overwhelmed by his love for you that he thinks he could die-

but all he says is a small "nothin" as he pretends to read his book again. he's not reading a single word. he's listening to the singer go on about finding true love and trying not to kick his feet knowing he had it.

[trumpkinhotboy]

I’ll keep an eye on you

pairing: jacob black x reader

type: not requested

genre: a bit spooky, but mostly fluffy and comforting vibes

warnings: mention of blood and being chased after (but nothing too intense)

word count: ~ 2K

requests: open! for twilight wolfpack, narnia and harry potter

a/n: honestly, i’m really excited about this fic. i think it’s very sweet and comforting :3 my brain is bubbling with so many ideas lately so expect new pieces from me in the close future hehe. also if you have any requests feel free to message me!!

i recommend listening to a Twilight Comfort playlist while reading this. Hope you enjoyy <33

part II part III

*gif is not mine!!

summary: After the reader survives an encounter with a vampire, they are still haunted by the memories of it. Luckily, they have a caring and protective friend who is always ready to ensure they feel safe and cared for, even in the middle of the night.

Wrong place, wrong time.

You squeeze your eyes shut, hoping to erase the terrible images invading your brain. For a week now, they have been omnipresent, taking up all the space in your mind. They are the center and focal point of your thoughts for days on end. As you open them again, your vision adjusts to the darkness just enough for your gaze to fall on a strange form crouched in the corner of your bedroom. You could swear it’s alive. Swear it’s stalking you.

You jump out of your bed to turn your nightlamp on. Your heart feels like it might spring out of your chest of its own accord. Your breath is short, and for a moment, you think you’ll never be able to take one that will actually get air in your system.

The menacing form in the corner turned out to be a pile of dirty clothes, but you knew that. Since that day, you feel irrational and paranoid. Everything feels like a threat, and you are now constantly looking over your shoulder, paying close attention to any suspicious sound or absence of it. You’ve talked about it with Harry Clearwater when you unexpectedly met at the Reservation one day. You did not hear him coming, and he had set his heavy hand on your shoulder to get your attention. Which resulted in a glass shattering scream for you and a bad fright for the poor man. As he invited you in for a calming cup of tea, you unloaded the weight on your shoulder to him. It felt good to talk about it, knowing you could never do so with your dad and your friends. He assured you that it unfortunately was a very normal reaction from your nervous system. You had faced the world's most dangerous predator and had survived it without a single scratch. Of course it would take some time for your traumatized brain to go back to normal. You could never take credit for the fact that you even had a chance to go back to normal, and would never attempt to do so. Knowing very well that without Paul, Jared, and Embry’s arrival, you would not have lived to talk about this encounter.

When you focus and let your mind drift off, you can live the event again, as if you were back in time. The paralyzing fear, the blood in your veins feeling like icy water. There was nothing to be done against a creature like that. You remember the horror you felt as everything became silent around you. You were headed to Emily's cabin, a simple, straightforward walk through the woods. The birds suddenly stopped singing, even the soft wind had died down. The forest knew it was in the presence of something truly horrible and had seemed to hold its breath, along with every creature. The color of its eyes was like in every legend you had been told; crimson red, like fresh blood. Not one ounce of humanity in those orbs, just a bottomless pit of cruelty and hunger. The worst thing was the pull you remember feeling for a split second toward that monster. You knew it was its sole purpose, but felt embarrassed you had fallen for it. Shivers crawled down your spine as you recalled its ethereal and hypnotizing appearance. It’s like you can hear again the faint swooshing sound it made as it sprang towards you. You remember sending out a quick prayer to literally any entity who would be listening right now, but the blow never came. Next thing you knew, three giant beasts tackled it to the ground, gnarling and dismembering it in a matter of seconds.

You open your eyes and shake your head to try and physically get those horrible memories outside of your skull. You lay back in bed, anxiously watching every corner of your room for some sign of danger. You left the light open, you knew there was no chance you could fall asleep without it. You tucked yourself back in bed and tried to calm your breathing. You tried every technique you knew, hoping sleep would grace you with its embrace, but nothing worked.

You look back at the clock after a while. 1:15 am. It was too late for you to get out of bed, and morning was still so far away. You had school the next day and knew that if you spent one more night without sleeping, you wouldn’t be able to explain to your teachers why you dozed off again in their class without them calling your father.

In a last effort, you tried thinking about reassuring and comforting things. Curiously enough, one kept coming back to mind. A giant wolf, its fur a multitude of shades of brown and red. Its eyes were sweet and reassuring, containing a particular warmth. You looked at your phone, hesitating, but remembered his voice: “If there’s absolutely anything, call me okay?”

And so you did.

Twenty minutes later, you got a text. You quietly walked to your window, glad to see Jacob’s familiar shape outside your house. He was standing next to a tree, representing for once a friendly and reassuring shadow in the night.

He spoke quietly. “Having trouble sleeping?”

You nodded, a bit ashamed to admit such an infantile fear. Although, deep inside, you knew there was nothing childish about being afraid of the monster you had been warned about as a child, once you had come face to face with it.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I'd totally understand if you'd rather not stay. I mean it's late and you need to sleep. I don't know what I was thinking…”

“Don't be ridiculous." he cut you off. "I’m already here. And once you’ve been asleep for a long time, I’ll go home and catch up on my beauty sleep, okay?”

You knew it wouldn’t take much convincing from him, there was no point in lying. You needed him. You needed the reassurance and sense of security he always brought you.

"If you're sure then… but Jake. You won't leave too soon uh?"

You heard his low chuckle in the distance.

“I promise.”

You slowly and quietly closed your window. The last thing you would want is for your father to wake up and see Jacob standing below your window. You looked back outside, only to see a giant russet wolf had replaced your tall friend. He was standing under the covers of the woods. Forks was a tranquil little city, but you could never be too careful. He gave you a quick nod, encouraging you to go back to bed. You sent him a little thumbs up before heading to your fort of blankets and pillows.

As stupid as it might have seemed, you did feel a thousand times better knowing that Jacob was right outside, watching over you like a guardian angel. To your surprise, sleep quickly came to you, and you fell into its black hole without any resistance.

//

You’re in a dark forest, running and running and running. You can’t breathe, your hands are bloody, everything hurts. All you can hear is an echoing, cold, cruel laugh. You trip over a root and fall. Something is rushing through the dark woods, coming at you. You get back up and run in the opposite direction, but it feels like you’re not getting any further, like you're running in place. You scream for help, calling out for Jacob, Paul, Embry, Jared, ANYONE, HELP ME. But no one answers, you’re alone, and you’re about to die a horrible death. You trip once more, your leg hurts like hell, there’s no point trying to get up again. You turn around to try and decipher who, what, is running after you. Suddenly, in the dark void of the night, all you can see is that horrifying pair of bloodthirsty eyes. You let out one last scream as it sinks its teeth into your skin. //

“Y/n, y/n, wake up! It’s okay I’m here, Y/n!”

You try to run out of bed but feel a strong pair of arms holding you back. The embrace is warm and smells familiar, but you’re not controlling your limbs anymore. Your whole body is in flight mode. Luckily, the thing (person?) holding you back is strong enough to withstand it, and even though you try as hard as you can to run away, your feet aren't even touching the ground anymore.

“Y/nn, Y/n, shhh. It’s okay, I’m here, it’s me. It’s Jacob.”

You focus on the reassuring tone of the voice and try to convince yourself you're not in the woods anymore. You can see your surroundings poorly illuminated by your little mushroom night light. You're in your room, you’re safe, you’re okay.

Your breathing is still fast and shallow. You blink a few times. Sometimes, the vision surrounding you is one of the cold woods. On other, it's the familiar vision of your room. You slowly turn to face your friend’s face. His brows are furrowed, and his traits have worry written on them in bold letters. He scans you, not quite letting go of your body. Too scared you might start screaming and running again.

“Jake?” “Yes, hi. Welcome back. You really scared me there Y/n.” “What- what are you doing in here? What happened?” Your tone is feeble, and you feel exhausted. You look around once more, afraid this might be some other kind of twisted and terrifying nightmare.

“Am I still dreaming?” You dare to ask. “No, you are awake. We’re in your room. You asked me to come to keep an eye on you, remember?”

You nod, still unsure. What if this was a dream inside a dream? What if the warm limbs of your friend suddenly turned ice cold? What if you looked at him and his eyes turned red, fangs slightly poking his lips?

He can see doubt dancing in your eyes. You don't trust him, or yourself. He holds up his palms towards you, trusting you won't bolt and run.

“See for yourself. I’m real, you can touch me.”

You reach a hesitating finger, carefully poking his own. Seems real enough, feels real. It's warm, the skin is wonderfully tanned, familiar. You’ve seen those hands at work a thousand times. You know them by heart. You poke his cheek, and he gives you a tender smile.

“Convinced?”

You nod once more, letting out a sigh you didn’t know you were holding, as your legs start to shake. That's the thing about dreams, isn’t it? Even if it’s only happening inside your head, your body reacts to it as if it were actually living it. You look at your hands, feeling reminiscent of the pain as if you did scorch them in the woods.

He interrupts your thoughts with a low and soft voice. “Come back in bed. I’ll tuck you in.”

He wraps your hands with his huge ones. They’re warm and feel incredibly good. You let him guide you back to your toasty blankets, but instead of leaving, he takes a spot next to you, shielding you from the window.

“What are you doing?” You ask with a timid voice. “I’m keeping an eye on you, dummy.” Your feet are poking from under the covers. You move to offer him a bit of coverage, but he declines. He is already hot enough as he is, although he can’t deny that his heart seemed to grow a size or two at the kind gesture.

You wait a minute before asking how he ended up in your room. You're not sure you want to know, but curiosity wins over embarrassment.

His expression darkens for a second before he starts talking. “I was just keeping guard outside when I heard a noise. You were calling for me… I didn’t even think, I just got in. You were twitching in your bed. I tried to calm you down, I didn't want it to wake up Charlie, but nothing would do. I was about to forcefully wake you, but you ran out of bed and woke up by yourself.”

“Oh.” You finally let after a few seconds of silence.

“Yup.”

Unconsciously, you're not sure, he took ahold of your hand and lightly played with your fingers. He finally lifted his gaze from your joined hands to look at you, all caring and reassuring. You slide in closer to him. All you want is to feel his comforting warmth and maybe offer him as much as you can too. You feel so bad for worrying him so much. He opens up his arms and cradles you in a bear hug. He won't say it out loud, but he's also in dire need of comfort.

You match your breathing to him, and for the first time in a little while, you’re not scared, not even a little bit. If only you could stay like this forever.

After a few minutes of silence, in which you almost fell asleep, you hear him whisper.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I should have been there. I should have protected you. I’m so sorry, you don't even know.”

“It’s not your fault Jake.” You mumble, and realize you're telling the truth. These are more than empty words. Never has it crossed your mind that this might have been his fault.

“It partially is, if I didn’t drag you into all this you might have been far away. Safe, away from monsters most people don't even know exist."

“I chose to follow you into this Jake. I would be lying if I said this wasn't one of the most horrifying experiences of my life, but it was not your fault. Please get that idea out of your head, okay? I’ll get over it. I guess I just need some time, as Harry said.”

You feel almost fully awake again. He nods, but you know you haven't convinced him. The look on his face is one of guilt, one you've come to know more and more since you learned about his secret. He mindlessly played with a feather poking out of your duvet, avoiding your gaze. Once again, you realized how mature he looked, while still being so young. Too young to carry such heavy burdens. You wanted to hammer the idea out of his thick skull, but you knew there was nothing to do about it tonight. Jacob felt responsible for what happened to you, and convincing him of the opposite would take some time.

Your eyes focused on his tanned skin, and you suddenly became hyper-aware that he was in your bed while only wearing his jeans short.

You inched away of him. “Uhm, want a shirt? I’m sorry, I didn't even think that, since you were in your wolf form, you uh… wouldn’t have one?” You let out an awkward laugh. You were used to seeing him like this, but it was different when you were both lying in bed together in a space that felt so intimate.

“That's nice of you Y/n, but I don't think I'd actually fit into one of your shirts.” He snickers as you get up. You're still wrapped in a blanket as you forage in the pile of clothes next to your bed. You get out of it with a dark cotton t-shirt in hand. It's humongous for you, but you know it will fit Jake like a glove. Probably because it is one of his own.

“There, dummy.” You hand him the t-shirt before jumping back in bed to wrap yourself properly, like a human burrito.

He looks at the piece of clothing and then at you for a good 10 seconds. “You still have this?”

He genuinely looks surprised, but his expression seems mixed with a hint of… satisfaction?

You nod, your nose and eyes being the only part of your anatomy still out of the blankets. You still remember the day he lent you that shirt when you had been caught in the rain at La Push. You never returned it to him, loving the way the gigantic piece of clothing felt on you.

He didn't add anything else before putting the shirt on. “It smells a lot like you.” He adds, a slight tremor in his voice.

“That might be because I wear it a lot to sleep.” You shamefully admit. Your words are nothing more than a whisper, but you know he didn’t have any trouble hearing them. You pull the covers even higher, trying to hide the blush creeping on your cheeks.

“Is that so?” He's smugly smirking. No doubt anymore that he is satisfied with that new piece of information, which makes you want to crawl even further under the covers.

You mutter a quick 'dumbass' before turning away from him. He chuckled before grabbing and pulling you on his broad chest like you weighted nothing more than a feather. You and Jake have always been comfortable with physical touch, but you feel like this is special. You have never done this before. Fine the circumstances were a bit peculiar, but that did not keep you from relishing in the warmth he diffused in waves. You didn't even bother to fake protest. This, is all you need, and you will not be foolish enough to ruin the moment. He wiggles even closer, and you can feel his chest come flush with your back through the layers of blankets. He rests his chin on the crown of your head before lightly stroking the side of his full cheek on your hair.

“Little human burrito.” He mutters. His voice is barely a whisper. Its husky tone makes you shiver. “I’ll watch over you, now go back to sleep.”

[prettieinpink]

Romanticising your morning 🎀✨

Having a good morning is literally essential for having a good day, so on those days when you’re dreading what’s to come or when you just need a pick me up! You do not have to do all of these, just the ones you’re interested in.

Listening to music while getting ready

Create a music playlist full of good vibes and hype, then let it blast while you’re showering, doing your makeup, etc. This creates such a good atmosphere for your mind in the morning, as long as you stay away from songs that are negative (pay attention to the lyrics!)

Allowing 20 minutes to just drink something.

No phones, no music, no distractions, just pure sipping and sitting. This can be your drink of your choice, ideally something that you enjoy drinking. Whether it’s coffee, tea, hot chocolate, matcha or even coke, just slowly sip it and savour each sip while just sitting. This helps so much for having a calm morning, as this declutters my mind and allows things that are actually important- be important.

Put some effort in your alarm

Make your alarm be so enjoyable, you can’t even get mad at it for waking you up. It can be your favourite song, a meditation, a motivational speech, your favourite character dialogue or even your favourite person’s voice. This can make waking up a lot less difficult.

Stretch before the day stretches you

I sit a lot, and my posture isn’t the best, so I ensure that I leave a little bit of time each day to fully stretch my body. This just isn’t so I don’t have constant neck pain from always looking down at my computer. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, then stretch.

Reading an wholesome article, book, bible verse etc

this can boost your morning so good!! a little brain food too, mentally and emotionally nourishing. ( if you guys want book recommendations lmk! )

Having a social media free morning

I know not everyone is able to stay off their phones in the morning for whatever reason, so instead just avoid any social networks. Scrolling on most platforms just cause you to compare yourself, feed yourself negativity and messes with the balance of your day. The most ideal would be staying off your phone completely, but I understand not everyone can.

Writing a list of things you look forward to

This doesn’t have to be big major things, but genuinely anything that makes you wanna push through the day. Mine today was I looked forwarded to talking to my friends after the weekend and baking cookies <3

[stayconnecteed]

❪⠀🪐.⠀say i'm what you need⠀𓏔⠀lee know⠀❫

☆ㅤlee know x afab!reader⠀★⠀3.3k words

warnings / note: this is just a silly fic based on my lovely @skzms minho's drabble 'minho in love', which i totally recommend before you read this. i hope you like it, may, and that i made justice to your words!! ♡ i listened to say i'm what you need by låpsley while writing this, ofc. and it's just some thoughts about how minho and you met, but from your point of view.

You knew it was pouring outside the bar, but you didn't care. That night you had gone out with your friends in the area you lived in, escaping the rain on short runs from bar to bar, spending the money you had saved for the occasion, the shifting spring weather announcing that there was not much time left before the end of your last college term. You had met in your dorm room to get ready, glasses of cheap alcohol and makeup products everywhere, your favourite playlist playing in the background as you exchanged skirts and tops and little hair hacks, laughing and telling each other the latest gossip. And you kept laughing, showing off the dress you were wearing for the first time that night, while you danced with your friends downstairs in the bar where you had arranged to hang out with other students from your faculties.

It was those moments, your mind free of worries and exams, simply enjoying the present, with a couple of drinks downed and the music flowing through your body, in which you felt more alive than ever. And it showed. You became a magnet for anyone who approached you, inviting them to meet you with the beautiful smile that curved your lips and narrowed your eyes, your extroverted energy blending with the innocent look in your irises. You had greeted most of the people in the bar, most of them accepting your hand shake with a complicity of who had already shared nights of fun by your side, and the few that hadn't, accepting your touch with confusion written all over their faces.

You exuded confidence, in that silky dress you never usually wore, with its thin strings crossing your bare back in smooth motions, and the empty glass of rum and coke in your hand. Or so Minho had thought when he had really seen you, your hips moving under your best friend's hands like a leaf swaying in a current of air, your hands in the air and shouting the lyrics of the song at full volume. When he had entered the bar where Chan was waiting for him, the first time he had saw you at all, you had approached him, even if you had no idea of who he was, welcoming him as if you were lifelong friends, only to disappear as quickly as you had arrived, leaving with you the breath that had gotten stuck in his throat.

And after that first interaction you'd felt his eyes on you all night, following you around the bar, running over your skin as you'd used the dance to get attention you already had anyway. You had laughed when you had pretended to slide your own gaze around the room and made eye contact with him, his ears tinging with a reddish hue that the darkness of the night didn't allow you to see, but the sheepish smile he outlined as he averted his eyes from your figure giving you to understand everything you needed to. Your best friend had dared you to kiss one of the guys in the bar in exchange for a drink, and you wondered if he would be the one suited for your little games, despite his self-conscious aura.

That's why you knew you had fallen for him. You, never one to turn down a juicy challenge, had detached yourself from your friend, approaching the counter after shooting a quick glance at the guy, more than willing to steal a kiss and get on with your night. But as soon as he joined you, ordering what he had seen you drink so far, his nervous smile creating butterflies inside you, and you greeted him again, it was clear to you that this challenge was not going to do any good. First, because you didn't see yourself capable of doing that to him. But also because you were sure that once you tried him, you wouldn't want to stop. So you stayed next to him, your shoulder brushing against his, exchanging hellos and names, telling him who you were and what you did, listening to him tell you about his work and his family, who your friends were, where you came from, what you wanted to do with your lives. And by the time you left the bar, cheeks flushed as your hands accidentally touched, you felt like you had known each other all your lives.

You had had breakfast together, once the sun had risen, in a nearby coffee shop, reluctant to let the moment end, stretching the conversation until the bubble inevitably burst. And when he had accompanied you to your residence, your breaths drawing trails of steam barely perceptible in the air, he had quickly stammered something about your phone number, and you had not been able to deny him, so you took the device from his trembling hands and wrote it down among his contacts, absolutely sure that it was impossible for that midnight bond to go any further.

But you were surprised to wake up two days later with a couple of messages from an unknown number, simple words that hid a fear of rejection that you could not see, but that Minho had felt as he wrote it. And in that first chat interaction, which had been an aberration to all the ones you had had so far, you formally and politely agreed to meet again. Later you would smile as you reread it, noticing the urgency in your messages, that hidden truth that screamed that you didn't care about the place, that you just wanted to see each other again, but that you weren't going to confess it because it was too soon.

Actually, with Minho nothing had been too soon. Somehow, every step you had taken, however small, had seemed the size it deserved at the time. You had feared that the spell you had fallen under that night was over, but when you arrived at the café where he had asked you to meet him, time seemed to stand still around you. Not in the dreamy way of every romantic movie, time slowing down when you made eye contact, but you were so at ease with each other that the numbers on your phone screen didn't seem to move, engrossed as you were in your conversation, in each other.

Minho had remembered the order you had made at that first hurried breakfast, and when you arrived he waiting with the steaming mug in front of him. He greeted you with a shy smile, one end of his lips curving more than the other, looking down nervously. One of your favourite snacks was also waiting for you, a detail that made you squeal with excitement when you told your friends, noticing how attentive he had been to everything you said. And by the time you realised it was way past breakfast time, the clock ticking just at one o'clock, you smiled when you saw in his eyes that even though it had been hours, just for both of you it had felt like a few minutes.

And the days turned into weeks, and your get-togethers became more frequent, always brightening your days. Waking up in the mornings was wonderful, just because when you unlocked your phone you had a "Good morning" from him, accompanied by a photo of his cats, or a selfie, just before he left for the gym. And you had developed an amazing ability to invent excuses, each one worse than the next, just to spend a few more seconds by his side, even if it meant asking him to accompany you home, or inviting him to dinner at one of the restaurants he had written down to try together.

The best were the memories, and the first times. You couldn't forget the first time you'd noticed how he tried to be the one to walk closer to the road, and how you'd noticed it ever since. A couple of weeks after you met, on your way to nowhere, just walking around, a car had passed too close to you, and he had bent down to tie his shoelaces, even though they were perfectly knotted, only to gently push you to the safe side of the sidewalk. You had watched his frown soften, continuing the conversation as if nothing had happened, but the relief was evident on his face. And when you got home you relived it in your mind, and your heart was filled with warmth by his antics.

And the first time he had touched you was still etched in your memory. You had noticed that Minho was not much given to physical contact, and you had respected that, so every little interaction, every brush of his skin against yours, sent shivers down your spine. But that time had been special, and he hadn't been able to refuse. You knew it was chilly outside, but as clueless as you were, when you left home you had only grabbed your favorite leather jacket. As you headed to the new restaurant Minho had discovered and offered you to go to that night - where they supposedly made the best sushi around - you had started to shiver. You didn't feel it was that cold either, but it was seeping through the thin fabric and soaking into your bones. He noticed right away, but it took him a while to muster the courage to stop you in the middle of the street, take off the scarf he was wearing and tug it into place around your neck.

Your reaction, you thought, had been pathetic. Your face falling uncertainly, your eyes anywhere but on his, another shiver running through you and not because of the cold, your fingers atching to take his hands in yours. You had noticed the way his fingers had brushed your collarbone the same way he had, but you had been petrified, not quite sure what to do next. Minho took the initiative, eternal gentleman, taking you by the hand, and you just ignored the rushed way your heart was pounding, the beats echoing in your ears, clumsy steps to follow his determined strides.

The first time he had invited you to his place, a casual evening with his friends, so you could get to know his friends. How it hadn't taken you two seconds to strike up a conversation with them, finding common points and shared hobbies, exchanging phone numbers and laughs, appreciating how easy-going they were. You knew Chan, whom you had seen many times in your favorite pub, and also Seungmin, the first in your class, and the one you talked to for hours. You could feel Minho's eyes on you as he bit his nails, half paying attention to whatever Jisung was telling him, and you tried to smile at him or make eye contact with him, to see if he would come closer, wishing he would come closer, just to feel his presence next to you. But he didn't, and during the walk back to your flat seemed he to be too much in his head to engage any conversation.

The first time he slept over at your apartment, at a point in your relationship where you can't even remember how long you've known each other because the answer always seems to be "since always". You had spent the entire evening watching movies and anime, sitting on the couch, so close that you could feel each other's body heat, yet miles apart. By the time you realized, as it had happened so many times before, instead of a few moments Minho had been there all day, and it was too late for him to return home, so you offered him to spend the night with you even though you wanted to beg him to stay. And he, unable to refuse you anything, accepts. And waits for you looking at his phone while you take a shower, seemingly calm, although once outside you fear you have made him uncomfortable because he locks himself almost instantly in the bathroom, mumbling an excuse between his teeth. You sit on the couch, taking the spot where he had been, your favorite sweater slipping its sneaky black fabric over your shoulder, but by the time he sits down next to you again that distance is more present than ever.

And the memory of his touch, which you spend longing for every time you allow yourself to think about it, a dangerous recurring thought in his presence. It is unusual for him to hug you, only two or three times that you keep in your heart as the greatest of treasures, and at such occasions when he only wrapped his arms around you to keep you from breaking into pieces, because you had asked him to, because he was able to make you forget what it was that had made you suffer so much. And the first time you were the one who witnessed that vulnerable side of Minho, that night when your phone rang before the hand of the clock brushed midnight, when Chan begged you to come, and before he finished talking you were already on your way out the door, your heart in your throat.

The way you hadn't bothered to put on a coat, and you knew Minho would scold you, but you couldn't think, not when he was suffering. So you drove to his home, your badly knotted converse stepping on the gas pedal to the legal maximum, and rushed up the stairs, throwing yourself at him the instant he opened the door for you, his face hiding in the crook of your neck, the strands of his hair brushing against your nose. And you had both closed your eyes, him fearing that by parting you everything would collapse, that it would all be a dream, you tightening your grip as if the magnitude of the force you used would be enough to free Minho from his grief. And when you heard the first sob you didn't move, a warm, soft statue he could trust and lean on, until he was ready to speak.

But when hearing the mewing of one of his cats you noticed him twitch, and you let him go, his absence heavier than the worst of regrets in your mind, waiting for him to tell you what he wanted you to do. You don't leave him, you don't push him away, you just stand by his side, trying to figure out what his condition was due to. When he explains it to you, his teary eyes exuding exhaustion, you decide to take the lead, finishing preparing the dinner he had left half made. You make sure he's fed, that he doesn't go into a trance, while you fetch Soonie's carrier, the sick kitten that had alerted Minho, and carefully lay him down inside, stroking his fur as you hear him cry out. And then you accompany his owner to the vet, staying beside him while they examine the cat, letting him nap on your lap while they operate his pet in the adjacent room, moving in for a few days to his apartment to take care of the little family Minho has formed.

And during those days you come to understand how deep the bond you share is, when you see his toothbrush next to yours and it seems like the most normal thing in the world. When you wake up in the mornings and find him sitting next to you on the couch, staring at his kitten, slowly recovering but certain that he will be fine, and you gently pull him up, whispering silly nothings to him and accompanying him to his bed to rest, always staying out of his room, respecting his personal space. When hours later he wakes up, and even with his eyes clouded by sleep he mumbles a "thank you", his raspy voice talking about your caring nature and the plate of food you've just left in his hands. From the first moment you had fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle, and you had never wanted to develop that sense of familiarity, too busy forgetting your surroundings and losing yourself in each other.

But there is something that has changed in his gaze, and there is something that has changed inside you, and in the loneliest moments of the night you realize that this routine you have developed while living with him is too inherent in you, and that you need him to need you in that way. Not broken, not sick, just that he wants to have you close, that he can't breathe knowing you're not there, that he longs for your presence even when you're just a few feet away from him. Because that's the way you love him, and if it's not reciprocated the pain may be too much for you. You need him, because it's him, because Minho has made his way deep into your soul, and has decided to stay. And because if at any moment he had to leave you, you would lose a part of what makes you who you are.

That's why you think you are dreaming the night you fall asleep on the couch, while watching a movie. And it's a beautiful dream, because amidst the haze of sleep you are able to hear Minho's tentative voice whisper a quiet "I love you", almost as if it had slipped out. You don't know if it's real because it's not the first time you've dreamed it, because the certainty that you're in love with him warms your heart and makes you smile even in your worst moments. But the trembling lilt in his voice as he utters those three words sounds different that time, and it hurts you to suggest the idea that he really told you, but it hurts you more to think that he would never be able to say it, not even in the privacy of his living room.

But the next day you decide you don't care. Because you've always felt that genuine connection with him, and his nervous gesture has never changed since he's known you, but mostly because you need to know it's true. When you wake up, the blanket you had laid out anyway the night before is carefully draped over you, and Minho is gone, but the space next to you that is shaped like his body is still warm, so you make your way with clumsy steps to the kitchen, sitting down in one of the chairs. You watch him prepare breakfast with quick movements, and you stare at him with that love-struck silly face you know you only make when your eyes fall on him. And just as it had happened to him the night before, it slips out.

"I love you" you say, almost a chuckle, as if you can't believe you're really blurting it out. And you see the expression on his features change, and for a moment you think it was a mistake, that you should have swallowed the words. But then he scoops you up with a half angry scowl on his face and places you on his lap, the hopeful gleam in his eye accompanying that question he asks you, wanting to know if you're serious, if you're not joking with him. And like every time you feel his touch against your skin you melt, nodding quickly, your heart pounding. You hear him mumble something about how you shouldn't be throwing those things out like that, to protect your heart, but you couldn't care less because then he whispers "I love you too" and you feel his lips against yours. And you kiss him like you need him to breathe, you kiss him because you know he's all you need in your life.

taglist: @jazziwritesthings · @rylea08 · @starlostastronaut · @manuosorioh · @kpopmenace143 · @skzms · @atinyniki

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© stayconnecteed 2024 · do not copy, translate, repost or share this work as yours on other platforms

[kyojurismo]

— FALLING ASLEEP ON THEM

# izuku midoriya, katsuki bakugo & shoto todoroki

tags : fem!reader, fluff, early stage of the relationship, not proofread of course.

a/n : hello hello !! first of all, i was more comfortable in writing this for fem!reader but if you guys want a male reader version just lemme know !! <3 second, i decided to keep it in the high school period basically for the sake of the plot >_< lol. since i just started writing for mha please lemme know what you think 🥺 it would help a lot. enjoy and make sure to stay hydrated please! ps. of course i had to ignore the other stuff into my inbox to post about mha — i apologise.

IZUKU MIDORIYA

izuku adores spending his time with you, would it be cuddling, studying together, cooking, going for a walk, sleeping . . . yeah, he likes when you fall asleep holding his hand while sitting beside him.

he is studying quietly as you simply sit beside him on his bed. it is around 11 pm and you couldn’t help feeling tired after a full day working on a school project with tsuyu and ochaco. you lean on his shoulder without noticing as your eyes start feeling heavier as time passes by.

izuku doesn’t notice at first, too deep into his english textbook, but then you cling to his arm in your sleep and sigh softly, peacefully sleeping on him. he can’t help but blush as his heart beats so fast against his rib cage he’s scared you might hear it and wake up.

“zuku…” you whisper softly in your sleep, your expression relaxed and you look comfortable in that position somehow. izuku tries to not move much, as his cheeks keep burning hot from embarrassment, his eyes barely focusing on the pages as he gets lost in the feeling of having you this close to him. it is the first time something like this happened, so he feels genuinely happy and excited about it.

KATSUKI BAKUGO

“no way! look who’s sitting there,” eijiro walks in on you and bakugo spending some alone time on the couch in the living area of the dorm, followed by denki of course. katsuki rolls his eyes in annoyance.

“you two are having fun, heh?” denki points at you sitting on katsuki’s lap, your legs resting on either side of his as he keeps one of his hand on your back. at first, he just thinks you’re quietly hugging him because you haven’t seen each others properly for a couple of days, but then he realises you’re actually sleeping with your face buried into his neck as your hands hold his shoulders.

“shut your mouth,” he barks, his tone a bit lower than usual. they sit down on the nearby couch and proceed in getting lost in one of their casual conversations as katsuki caresses your back slowly, feeling your body close to him.

his cheeks are a bit red now, as it is the first time you fall asleep on him. he clearly isn’t used to something like this. “hey, [y/n]!” denki calls you and bakugo starts fuming on the spot, sending him a death stare. “leave her alone. she’s sleeping, dunce face,” he rolls his eyes, trying to keep his voice low as to not disturb you as you cling to him in your sleep.

when the two finally leave you alone, katsuki turns his head and kisses your temple — making sure none of them is watching, of course.

SHOTO TODOROKI

shoto is reading while you’re listening to a playlist kyoka recommended. she’s great when it comes to music ( duh ) so you trusted her enough to give it a chance.

at some point, you slowly move to rest your head on shoto’s legs and he glances down at you, a bit surprised by the action. you keep your eyes closed and relax as you listen to the music, shoto reluctantly moves his hand to caress your shoulder and play with your hair while going back to reading.

of course you would end up asleep. shoto puts the book down and sighs, then looks down at you and realise that you’re sleeping. he gently takes off your earphones and stops the music, then looks at you for a couple of seconds.

“you’re very beautiful,” his voice is soft, to not disturb you. he doesn’t mind sitting like that if that means you can be close for a while.

reblogs & comments are super appreciated! thank you for taking your time reading it, i hope you enjoyed it. have a good day / night <3

[m00nlight-ramblings]

BG3 Companion Modern AU Headcanons

These random thoughts popped into my mind and I had to write them down. I love these little weirdos, and some of them probably don't make sense but OH WELL.

Should I do a Part 2 with more companions?? Let me know - my inbox and requests are open!

------

Astarion

This dude's got iPad kid energy - he loves to scroll Tiktok for hours.

He gets bi-weekly pedicures. And not the basic kind - the full on 1.5 hour long with the massage and the mask and the exfoliation.

His favorite holiday is Halloween. He plans his costume starting in August.

He'd be the type of person to be walking through a mall, see a Claire's, and spontaneously decide to get his ears pierced idk.

Is really into metal. Like, you'll come home and Metallica will be blasting and you walk into the bedroom and he's folding laundry and just like, "Oh, HELLO, Darling!" but will have to scream it over the volume in which he's listening to music

Will truly take an hour picking out the perfect wine to pair with your dinner...he's definitely a wine snob.

The cheapest article of clothing Astarion owns is from Banana Republic and it's an undershirt...everything else is ~*very fancy*~

Loves watching all types of vampire movies/TV shows. He can often be heard saying, "Oh no, they got that all wrong" under his breath.

He definitely reads like 1-2 books a week. He's recently really gotten in spicy smut books (he definitely got recommendations from BookTok).

For sure falls asleep to ASMR videos.

Gale

This man loves HGTV *queue Home Depot commercial music*

Has the most absolutely beautiful, clean home you've ever seen with about 30 bookcases CRAMMED with books. The books are the only disorganized thing in his home because he constantly is reading them, so alphabetizing them is useless.

Pinterest is his most used phone app. His boards are carefully curated. That man has a recipe/inspiration pic/quote for EVERYTHING.

Definitely volunteers at the animal shelter once a month. Often times has to talk himself out of bringing a cat home.

LUSH is his favorite store at the mall. He loves them bath bombs.

He THROWS DOWN at holiday parties...Christmas? Thanksgiving? The table is SET. The decorations are UP. He's wearing an APRON because he's been cooking ALL day. The playlist is PERFECT.

Speaking of holidays, he has matching pajama sets for everyone in the household. For every. Holiday.

Fall is absolutely his favorite season. "Sweetheart...have you ever watched 'When Harry Met Sally'? Perfect autumn movie...also I bought a new scarf today to go with my new peacoat. And mittens. And a new hat...it's getting cold outside."

He definitely has a Live. Laugh. Love. adjacent sign somewhere in his home

He definitely needs glasses to read. And he for sure has those librarian chains so that he can just take them off and they hang, instead of losing them.

Karlach

Absolutely loves to eat meals watching Youtube videos.

Imagine her in Times Square? She tears the M&M's store UP.

Is obsessed with documentaries. She often says things like "I can't believe there's so much stuff to LEARN out there!"

Definitely has a Squishmallow collection. And she rotates which one she sleeps with every night so they all get a chance.

Is absolutely the worst cook of all time but tries really really hard...however, she can make a mean boxed mac n' cheese.

Has an obsession with sugary cereal. There's always Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Fruity Pebbles in her cabinets.

Certified Switie for SURE.

Is really into astrology. Definitely has said, "Oh, you're just saying that because you're a SCORPIO" or the like many, many times.

Absolute Starbucks addiction (venti iced caramel macchiato, extra caramel).

Has monthly "girl's nights" (but everyone is invited) at her place. The rules are: pajamas only, junk food, romcoms, and a playlist of the best pop songs in the past 20 years.

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How'd y'all like it...should I make a part two with other companions?! Remember my inbox is open and I'm accepting requests!! I'd love to write some stuff so send it in!

[manicrouge]

John Price and your hobbies

[𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝]: 823

I can imagine that Price is one of those people who just embrace everything that you love- why? Because he loves you of course! He loves to see you happy and he knows well that embracing your interests is the easiest way to your heart; all you have ever wanted is someone who likes what you do and he makes it his mission to fulfil that desire.

You're trying out a new recipe while baking sweets? Best believe he will be there helping you taste test every single flavour you make, and when you ask for his honesty, he will give you it. But he will say so softly, he won't try and ruin what you've made, not at all!

Think that needs a little more sugar, love.

Or, when you take up the hobby of writing, he will sit there in the living room, reading quietly while you're curled next to him with your head resting on his lap with your laptop open on the draft you printed just for him to read. And he will read it; he knows how much work you've been putting into what you're writing and he has a genuine admiration for anything you put your mind to. He thinks you're one of the smartest people he has ever met!

I don't know if it's good enough.

Seems pretty fuckin' good to me, sweetheart. My pretty talented girl, eh?

And when he's out on missions, he keeps drafts of what you've written on him for whenever he gets a moment of rest. Being unable to have contact with you for a while is brutal, though, he knows you're always with him in the words you have poured your heart into. You live through your art and your art lives through the articulation of you.

Not to mention when you decide to open a small business, nothing big, to sell art prints and stickers of your drawings... oh my goodness, this man cannot get enough of your creativity. To see you making art so freely and producing it for him to keep is a blessing. You make a new sticker? He'd buy you out of stock just to see you smile (also for his equipment back at the base... he's comfortable enough to rock your dainty flower stickers on the hilt of his knifes).

The fuck is that, Cap'n?

My girl made it, you want one for your throwin' knife?

And when you take up gaming with some of your friends, he'll sit on the sofa, sometimes having you sitting on his lap as you sit with a headset on your head, looking at the TV. It's some shooting game they persuaded you to try, and he sits with an amused look on his face, watching you kill the enemy, the occasional scoff or squeal of frustration escaping you when you get shot.

And when it comes to gun customisation on the game?

He has got you covered!!

Wouldn't it just be better if you could put a suppressor on a shotgun though... like, imagine how effective that would be.

You're overly passionate about this, love.

Yeah, well, you are underly passionate about this and this is something you do for work.

You will have the best gun in the game, and you'll sit with him even when your friends aren't online, listening to him giving you orders while playing- in true Captain fashion, of course. And, he even goes as far as buying an extra controller so he can play the game with you (also to beat you; the pair of you have a competitive streak and he isn't beyond using his expertise to frustrate you).

His heart especially melts when you seek interest in his hobbies and what he likes to do during his time off work. Even if you're not fond of his music, while he's away, you will walk around the house while cleaning with Led Zeppelin and Slipknot at full blast.

You been listenin' to my playlist while I've been gone?

Might've; I want more recommendations.

His eyes light up whenever he hears you humming a familiar tune whenever you're cooking or writing- doing anything, and he'll take a moment to just stand there and observe you with a smile on his face.

And you also both have an agreement with one another that, when he's away, you can with the TV shows the pair of you started together, although, you never do. If you ever want to, you'd rather watch the last episode the pair of you watch over and over again before ever thinking of committing such a crime.

It's the small things in your relationship, even living in the absence of one another that make everything so special, and the intimacy of something as little as interest is the one thing that has the pair of you falling head over heels for all each other over and over again <3

𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝