#I should have probably read K side Purple too

[ihavethedreamies]

Only You | Bang Chan [NSFW]

Bang Chan - Stray Kids

Rating: M (18+) MDNI

Word Count: ~4.5k

Pairing: King! Bang Chan x Noble! AFAB! Reader

Genre: Historical AU!, Joseon Era, Reader-Insert, Fluff, Smut, Some Plot, Strangers-to-Married

!!This is smut…if that much isn't clear you should probably leave now!! MDNI!

Warnings: She/Her Pronouns used, Swearing, Kissing, Oral (F! Receiving), Fingering, First Times (Readers), Breeding Kink (a bit), Unprotected Sex (This is pre-birth control so…), Big Dick! Chan (duh)

Summary: You are a nobleman's daughter and your father is struggling to find you a husband. The king refuses to marry all of the women brought to him and will not take any concubines. You end up meeting each other.

Author's Note: Oh boy! Here is the first part my dudes. I wanted to have this out sooner but I'm living with my uncle with my parents right now and so I don't have the same freedom to hole away in my room all day like I would prefer. Also can't really write smut in the living room with your dad like two seats away from you.

At the bottom I will have a guide for all the untranslated words I use, most of which are to do with the clothing they wear.

Also, if any of my historical information/words are inaccurate, I apologize, I did the best with what research I could and what I know from watching too many historical K-Dramas.

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Revised (1/31/25)

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Sighing deeply for a third time, you lazily turns the page of your book, head tilting to rest on your shoulder. Your braid falls over your shoulder, the purple daenggi draping down and covering the characters in the book. Doesn’t matter, you aren’t really reading it anyway. Already have several times. It’s nearly impossible to get books you haven't already read several times, or things that are actually interesting to you, because your father won’t let you get them. Most of the books not directed toward women that you have, you more or less smuggled into your house. Because of that, it’s hard to get more, and so you’re once again bored with your choices. A delicate breeze wafts in through the open window, a small bird flittering down to rest on the sill. You look over its various shades of brown feathers and you wonder if you could ever get a book for studying birds. Probably possible, but not probable. Men don’t want women that know more than them, that's why you can't keep a suitor. Your father's voice echoes in your head, and you roll your eyes. Unfortunately, though, it seems he’s right. You’ve had many suitors out of the sons of noblemen, but none of them stay around too long when your conversations turn from dainty and feminine matters to things that actually make them think. Looking out to the sky, you wonder if there’s anyone out there at all that wouldn’t mind your learned state.

 ~₸x₸~

On a day you’re actually able to go out, you’re grateful it was your brother who could go with you. You’re both wandering the various seller's stands and storefronts, only just glancing at most things. If you had a guard escorting you, you wouldn’t be able to smuggle another book home, but your brother will help you. As you pretend to look over various different earrings, you cast a glance from under your sseugaechima to where your brother is at the book seller. Rummaging through what they have, he holds a few up to look closer at the contents before putting them back down. Must all be fiction… Looking back at the wares before you, you nod to the shopkeeper and move on, instead looking at some shoes. You’re closer then to your brother, enough that you can see when he holds a book up toward you, pretending to rest it on his shoulder as he continues looking, likes he’s reserving it. When you catch his side glance, you shake your head no. Already have it. He sniffs, putting it back, and keeps looking. As you move on yourself, across the way, you watch a young nobleman sidle up next to your brother. He’s a great deal shorter; it almost makes you giggle, but you try to remain inconspicuous.

"Oh, m’lord, the book you were looking for arrived!" The book seller slips inside his shop, coming back with a book you’ve never seen anything like before.

"I managed to get in contact with the Arab trader and he got it here all the way from the far west!" The book seller smiles wide, and you’ve fully turned around at that point, your brother looking over his shoulder at you.

"Thank you." The man smiles, handing over a significant string of mun before turning to leave. You aren’t able to react fast enough, and he catches you looking at him. Well, not him, but the book he’s holding. It’s bound in what looks like leather and you’ve never seen writing like it.

"Wait, my lord, this as well!" The shopkeeper reaches under his stall and the man goes back, taking the locally bound book from him.

"Might be hard to read without the translation." The young lord smiles and then goes to leave again, pointedly looking right at you as he does, a small smirk on his face.

"Let's follow him." You whisper to your brother, yanking him down to your level.

"Are you sure? He paid a lot for that, he's not just going to give it to you, and we don't have that kind of money on us."

"I just want to look at it, come on." You hiss out, following after the man before he gets too far out of view. You hear your brother sigh dramatically, but he hurries after you anyway, making sure he doesn’t lose sight of you.

You finally manage to catch up with the man in a small courtyard behind a restaurant not yet open. He’s standing at the edge of the stream, watching it, the two books held in his grasp as he rests his arms behind his back. Right as your brother catches up with you, the man turns around, a playful smile on his face. It’s then you realize how gorgeous he is.

"Interested in this?" He turns toward you, holding the book up, and in your excitement, you drop your sseugaechima, the garment fluttering to the ground.

"(Y/N)!" Your brother scolds, grabbing the head covering. You’ve moved so fast, you’re already standing in front of the man, ogling the book. Even though he’s probably four or even five chon shorter than your brother, he’s still nearly a head taller than you.

"Aigo, put this back on." Your brother drapes the garment back over your head, dragging you back by the shoulders a few steps.

"Wait!" You reach for the book, not having gotten to touch it, but your brother steps in front of you. Stupid societal chauvinism.

"Apologies, my lord, but she's…intense about her hobby." You roll your eyes behind your sibling.

"This isn't a normal book." The other man said, and you roll your eyes harder. Obviously, that's why you want it!

"It's all the way from Dogil." Huh? Where?

"If she wants to look at it, she can." You shove your brother out of the way, so hard he not just stumbles, but falls on his butt. The man holds the book out to you and with shaky hands you take it. The text is so incredibly foreign, and when you flips the book open, it doesn’t even look handwritten. Then again, you can’t be sure since it’s such a foreign script. Little symbols sit in the top corner of each page, and the words are horizontal rather than vertical. Each little letter is so small, the book cramped with lines. It’s heavy too.

"This goes with it." The other man holds the translation book up and you snatch it from his hands without thinking.

"(Y/N)!" Your brother scolds, hurrying to get off the ground.

"She's fine." You move toward a bench and sit down, opening the translation on top of the foreign text. Though, it isn’t a direct translation, just a catalog of what each word means. It would take time to fully translate it.

"C-can I translate it fully?" You look up at the man, your sseugaechima falling off your head again. He smiles and your heart skips a beat, but you aren’t sure if it’s because he smiles, or what the smile means.

"I would rather not just give it to you. What if you don't give it back?" His tone is slightly teasing. You deflate then and he holds back a chuckle.

"You know, I have a lot of far western texts that I don't have the time to translate myself. You could come to my home and do it for me?"

"Wait-" Your brother's tone grows stern and you look between them, the other man holding his hand up to stop the other's words.

"Rather improper I know. Though, the King can get away with quite a bit." The man is smirking, and your eyes widen. What?

"Y-You're-" You meet your brother's gaze and you both fall to your knees before him, bowing so your foreheads touch your hands. Immediately, you realize how brazen your actions were. You’re doomed-

"Don't worry about it." He waves you both off and you stand, head still bowed, avoiding looking at his face. Instead, you glance back at the books. You wonder if the book seller even realizes who he is. Your brother sits up, but remains on one knee, if he stood, he’d be higher than the king. That is not allowed.

"What is your name? Who is your father?" He asks and you swallow hard, trying to get words out. You speak your name and family clan, as well as your father's name and rank. If he tells your father about what happened, you’ll never be allowed to touch another book.

"Your age?

"Twenty-two."

"You're unmarried?" He raises a brow, and you nod sheepishly. Reaching around your back to tug on the end of your braid, hanging down to signify your marital status.

"Your name?" He nods to your brother, and he tells him.

"Well, if you won’t mind showing me to your home. I would like to converse with your father." Oh, no.

~ʘᗩʘ~

Nervously pacing around your room, even down the halls through the building of the estate you inhabit, you wonder what is happening. You had scurried away like a scared mouse once you all returned to your home, looking behind you to the books held by the King. The King! Geez, you feel like you just escaped with your life. You hear your mother being summoned to go to your father and it’s been nearly an hour of them talking.

"(Y/N)." You hear a whisper from outside your bedroom window as you wander around it. You open the shutters and your brother's head barely can look over the sill from where he stands on the narrow edge of the building's platform base.

"What's happening?" You whisper back.

"A servant just brought them our family registry."

"What?" Why the heck would they need that?! Unless…

"You think he's going to court me?" Your legs feel week, you aren’t sure what to make of it. Your father has desperately wanted you married, but not enough to submit you to the palace. A life of luxury and prestige isn’t actually very safe. Most adversaries tend to target the women closest to the king since they’re easier targets. You know the King is unwed, and that the palace officials are just as fed up with him as your father is with you. Sure, you’d rather marry someone for love, but that’s hard to do as a noble. But if you do…that means you can have access to the King's library. Is that his plan to let you translate his foreign books without it being improper? Honestly, you’re fine with it. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. If marrying the king gives you access to even more knowledge and learning, than you’ll happily do it.

~◕ω◕~

After the long meeting, the King leaves, and your mother comes to inform you of the results. You’re right, he wants you to be his wife. But marrying a king to be the queen is much more intense than just being a concubine. Sure, the king has a lot of say, but so does his ministers and the Queen Dowager, his mother. Normally there’s a long selection process, but instead you’re brought to the palace and thoroughly analyzed by palace officials. They interview you rather extensively, then finally, his mother enters. After more questions, she leaves with the officials and you’re left to sit in the pavilion, looking at the water, uncomfortable in your nicest hanbok ensemble. All of your fanciest accessories are in your hair, on your goreum is a heavy norigae, and heavy jade earrings sit in your ears. You twist the jade ring on your finger in nervousness, feeling like you’re waiting for hours. Soon though, the Queen Dowager reenters along with a few handmaidens and a eunuch. You’ve been approved.

~◕‿◕✿~

A grand dowry is sent to your family's estate, and in return your belongings are sent in as well. You’re moved into a palace set aside for the future queen, and you’re beyond grateful that your chest of books makes it to your new home. Waiting for the actual ceremony and coronation, you’re puts through hours of etiquette training and lessons. Over the short time it takes for you to learn everything, and have the ceremony and coronation performed, the King has spent a considerable amount of time with you. Every minute he can spare. He doesn’t want you, nor himself, to marry a stranger. Never having been in love, you’re sure your feelings are either quite similar if not the predecessor for love. In a fleeting whisper he tells you his name is Chan, of course it’s part of his birth name rather than what he was crowned king with. He prefers you call him that though, even if you only can in private. When he can, he’ll bring a few of his foreign books for you to look at, but he says there isn’t time for you start the translations before all of the ceremonies. Chan seems just as passionate about knowledge as you are, and that makes you fall harder. And it appears to work that way for him as well.

The day before the wedding, as he leaves before the time is improper, he presses a gentle kiss to the corner of your mouth with his soft lips. Your face blossoms red you’re sure, and he chuckles gently to himself as he leaves.

~◉_◉~

The wedding itself is…a mess. Well, figuratively and only to you. You feel like you’re being directed as a puppet going through so many specific rites and rituals. The most nerve-wracking part of the whole thing is being before so many people. Your tutor is proud you’ve learned all of your etiquette so well and you’re ninety percent sure you do everything just right. By the time night falls, you’re beyond exhausted. You aren’t sure if you’re more excited about your marriage, which feels more real thanks to your blooming feelings, or the future translation work. It’s nice though that your love of scholarly pursuits doesn’t turn him away like all of your other previous suitors.

Finally, though, everything is more or less complete. You’re wandering through the large room of the king's quarters, everything even fancier than where you had been. You pick at the white fabric of your sokchima, feeling naked despite being completely covered. Your hair is still in a chignon, the golden decorative binyeo holding it up makes your head feel heavy. It’s strange to have your hair up like that, but you’re going to have to get used to it. For some reason, it feels nice to have that weight, signifying you’re married, you honestly don’t want to take it out as much as you do want to. So, it stays. You’ve bathed, rather, been washed by maids before going to the king's quarters. You presume he too is washing up, and the longer he takes, the more nervous you get. Finally, the side door that leads further into the palace where the bath hall is opens. Your heart thuds against your rib cage as you see the King enter, also in white garments. He no longer has his headdress on, only the manggeon he wears under his crown is there. You wonder how long his hair is when down.

"My Queen." He smiles and you bite your lip, looking around almost like you’re checking to see if anyone’s around.

"What are you looking for, (Y/N)?" He steps closer, hand going to your chin, tilting your head up to look at him. All the lessons that have been drilled into you make you want to look away, but if he’s okay with it…

"We're really alone?" Not even his Eunuch is there, he follows him everywhere as per his job description.

"Yes, my love." Your breath hitches, the term of affection hitting your heart, and you step just a bit closer.

"W-we-" He steps once more, his lips placing a delicate peck on your forehead. Still not able to get any words out, his kisses move to your cheekbone, the side of your mouth, then his hand cups your jaw, tipping your head up. Your eyes meet his and you can’t keep yours from flitting to his lips. Chan smirks, and you gasp as he kisses you, hard. Your teeth clacked against each other at the force and your head swims, trying desperately to match his pace. You haven't been kissed before, not like this. Chan himself has given you a few small pecks, but this is different. He’s claiming you.

His strong hands grip your waist, one sneaking down your back to pull you closer, the other sneaking up the ties of your sokchima. The hand on your back goes even lower, gripping the flesh of your butt and you huff, Chan's tongue sneaking its way in your mouth. When he withdraws, you heave in breaths, heart racing and with a final tug, your sokchima falls to the floor, leaving you bare. You shiver, goosebumps rising on your skin, but his next actions distract you from the embarrassment of being bare. He undoes the ties of his own garments and as the white fabric pools at his feet, your eyes rapidly dance over him. You’re convinced he was molded directly by the deity of sex, because he’s gorgeous.

"Oh." You sigh and he huffs a laugh, moving closer, taking your hands in his, and bringing them to the ties of his sokbaji. Your hands brushes over him through the cloth, and you freeze.

"A-are you…?"

"No, love. But," his hands run over the bare skin of your back, pulling you to him, your naked breasts pressing to him.

"I’m getting there." Chan whispers in your ear, then he runs his tongue around the ridge, sucking on your earlobe. You whimper, turning your head to allow him access, fingers clenching the hem on his pants. His lips then move to your neck, laying searing kisses on the flesh, strong fingers digging into your skin, and when you’re pulled even closer, you feel his cock hardening in his pants.

"Come with me, my love." He pulls away and you pout in disappointment, making him laugh. The room spins as he yanks you to him, lightly shoving you onto the raised bed. You huff, then squeak when he grabs your ankles, yanking you to the edge of the platform, kneeling on the floor below.

"W-Wait, Chan-!" You try to close your legs, hide yourself from him, but he’s too strong, his hands grip your thighs to keep them spread.

"So cute." He hums and your entire body jerks, back arching as you feel his tongue swipe through your folds, the sensation almost overwhelming. It’s hard to get words out since you can barely take in air, your body immediately catching on fire, blood boiling. You hear him hum as he tastes you, and you flinch when his nose brushes your clit.

"C-Chan, it's too much!" You shudder, not sure how to handle the sensation.

"I need to get you ready, love, I don’t want to hurt you." He finishes his statement by wiggling his tongue inside you. The foreign sensation makes you clench, and he rubs your tense thighs with his thumbs.

"Relax, pretty girl." You try to do as he asks, taking measured breaths, whimpering when his tongue leaves you, flicking your button again. Heat pools in your belly, rising fast and you logically know what’s coming, but have never felt it before.

"I-I…fuck!" Your head tosses back, and he groans at the crass word leaving you. Chan kisses your clit and that sends you over the edge, wind roaring in your ears with your pulse, and you barely register him filling you with a finger.

"You're so fucking tight sweetheart." The curse word riles you up more than it even did when you said it for him. He helps your ride out the orgasm with that finger, each press against your back wall seeming to draw out your climax. Finally, the waves dull, then stop, and you finally recognize his finger inside you. Because he did it when he did, it doesn’t hurt, but it feels weird.

"Oh, you're so good." He smiles wide, his normal warm grin is hot with lust. You mewl when he starts to pump his finger, the wet squelch of your slick and release seems to be louder than anything else.

"That got you nice and wet for me, but you're too tight still." His thumb barely brushes your clit and your pussy clenches, body jerking again, it almost hurt.

"Sorry, love." He continues with the single digit and at some point, he decides to continue, and you let out a shuddering breath when he adds a second. That…doesn’t hurt per se, the slight burn of the stretch is somehow more pleasurable than painful, and you wonder how much his dick will make you sting.

"Oh, oh my-“ You try to hold back a whiny moan when his fingers wiggle and spread, getting you further prepared, the same pleasurable feeling starting to build back.

"Ah!" Chan adds a third finger, and you lift your head to look at him, one knee resting on the bed so he can kneel over you. Eyes flitting down, you notice the tent in his white pants, and you swallow hard. You don’t have any metric to go by since you have never been with or even seen a man naked, but-

"That won’t fit." You whimper, not even seeing him bare yet. Chan huffs a surprised laugh, looking at himself.

"I promise it will~" His fingers crook up again, hitting some intense spot inside you and you shiver at the sudden intensity.

"N-no, no, no!" You whine when he removes his fingers, the pleasure had begun to crest and even if it is overwhelming, it does feel good.

"Hold on, love, I'll fill you back up." You prop on your elbows to watch him, the tie of his sokbaji coming undone by his fingers, then the garment falls. Nope. Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen.

"Won’t fit." You gasp out and he has a hard time controlling his smug grin.

"Let's see about that." He scoops you up in his arms, moving you up the bed so your head can rest on the pillow. The cool silk of the bedding does nothing to quell the fire Chan has set on your skin, especially not when he prop himself over you.

"I love you." He leans down, nose rubbing over yours and you giggle at the innocent gesture.

"I love you too." Your hands cup his face, and he kisses you again, gentler than the first. Distracting you with the kiss, he hitches one of your knees over his elbow, his free arm bringing his hand back to your slick cunt. His fingers run through your arousal, then he pumps his fist over his hard cock, bringing the fat head to your entrance. Chan pulls back from the kiss, bringing your hands up to his shoulders.

"Dig your nails in if you have to." You should have taken it as a warning, not really sure what he meant. When his cock breaches your core, the heated burn sears through not just your cunt, but all the way through you. Your back arches, and your mouth hangs open in a quiet scream. You can’t tell whether it hurts or is such an intense pleasure your body malfunctions. His cock presses deeper, and you can feel his pulse inside you.

"So tight, fuck, hmm, love you’re just perfect~" He groans, relishing the sting of your nails digging into his skin. After what feels like an eternity, he bottoms out, the head of his dick kissing your womb.

"Y-you're in my throat." You gasp, trying not to clench around him too much, cunt stinging but weeping, a drop of your slick hitting the bedding.

"Does it hurt?" His hand brushes some sweat-damp strands of hair from your brow, and you shudder through some breaths.

"I-I don't know-" You’ve never felt anything like it before, obviously, and your brain seems to be stopping and starting again over and over. He’s being so patient, letting you adjust, but he shifts his weight differently, changing the angle slightly and the sting fades, pleasure rising, and you can’t get words out again. He must notice the change in your gummy walls' pulsing, because he grinds into you slightly and, stronger than before, you cum.

"Woah." Chan forces himself to breathe through your orgasm, the tight vice of your pussy nearly sending him over the edge and gushes of your slick shines on your skin as well as his. Your vision dots with stars and your head swims, you’re finally able to gasp for air, panting as you return to reality.

"Are you okay, love?" He strokes your cheek with his thumb, and you hold his hand to your face with your own. You nod, swallowing a buildup of saliva.

"Y-yes, you…you can move."

"Are you sure?"

"Please~!" Your whimper heightens into a moan as he pulls back just a bit, going slowly back in to make sure it doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t. Sure, it feels like he’s carving his cock through you, but it’s more than good.

"Tell me, sweet, if I hurt you." The next thrust, he pulls back a bit further, and back in harder.

"Please, Chan, you- fuck!" He picks up the pace just a bit, still going fairly slow, but the stretch of his fat cock is more than enough stimulation.

"D-don't-"

"Don't what, love?"

"Don't…oh, fuck, please, don't stop. Just-!" Your toes curl, throwing your head back, nails digging into the bedding as he pulls out about halfway, then buries inside you hard. He sits up more, slinging your other leg over his elbow as well, rolling his hips against yours. Chan's eyes skate all over you, beautiful and bare below him, and when he gets to your face he groans. Your eyes are hazy, mouth open, drool pooling from the corners of your lips. You’ve never felt anything even close to the pleasure he’s wreaking on you. You can’t think, and you seem to be losing strength in your body, the crest of another orgasm building.

"Shit- can't hold back anymore love." He grunts and you don’t have enough available thought process to react. He moves his hands to your thighs, pinning your knees up by your shoulders, then he pulls his fat cock out nearly all the way, and starts to pound into you. Tears rose in your eyes from the overwhelming feeling, little squeals of delight forced out of you with each thrust and your cunt spasms. Chan just thunders through your orgasm, not stopping or slowing and your eyes roll back.

"Fuck, you're just perfect love." He huffs a laugh, "oh, I can't wait to fuck you full!" All you can focus on is the heat of his dick and how much hotter your womb will feel full of his cum.

"Pl-please! Chan, please, fuck!" You gasp, his pace growing unsteady, and he finally fucks as deep as he can, hot ropes of cum filling you and painting your cunt white. Your belly is on fire and a combined glob of both of your releases drips out from where your bodies meet. As Chan pants, looking down at your fucked out state, he smiles.

"You're my wife now, only you."

daenggi - the ribbon that was tied around a unmarried girl's braid. sseugaechima - this is the extra-skirt looking garment women would wear over their heads. mun - Joseon Era Korean currency chon - historical unit of measurement, close to an inch. Dogil - Korean word for Germany, might not be completely accurate for the time. hanbok - traditional/historical clothing, most people think of women's dresses, but men's clothes were called this as well. goreum - the ties that fastened the top of a hanbok. norigae - accessories that were tied to the goreum of women's handboks sokchima - basically a dress/skirt like under-garment. binyeo - the long pin that would hold a woman's bun up, mostly used for married women. manggeon - the mesh-like headband men wore to hold their hair in place. sokbaji - pants-like under-garment, mostly worn by women actually…

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Taglist: @huldrelokken, @estella-novella, @astrobebba, @kayleefriedchicken, @rhonnie23, @cassandramrn, @qwonyoung23, @minghaosimp, @stresskidz

[hannieoftheyear]

everybody gets horny on halloween (lsm)

Seokmin dressed as a clown shouldn't be looking this hot, but in the spirit of halloween, you let that deep desire come out to life for one night when he bets he's the best kisser out of the whole friend group.

✧.* pairing: dokyeom x fem reader

✧.* w.c: 7,9k

✧.* genre: college au, basically pwp, friends to ?? (minors dni) | content: clown d(ic)k, frat boy dk, he's a dork but also a tease, everyone has a severe case of horniness, alcohol consumption, cursing, this has no business being this long but I just couldn't stop | smut: mutual masturbation, oral (m), fingering, protected penetration (clowns use condoms✊ and so should you).

read part 2 here!

✧.* note: i just know he's the best kisser in svt... you get it. this is the most unserious thing i've written so far, but i ended up really liking it? i might do a christmas version im not sure yet. last thing, I apologize if there are any mistakes🙏

dividers used

Halloween is the one night a year when you can be someone else and not feel bad about it, when you can let your deepest desires get to the surface and let them take over, because, who cares? Right? 

Who cares that you spent half an hour doing shots and discussing your best hook ups with a bunch of girls, which led to them going into heavy detail about their hookups with your best friends and now you can’t forget about it? And now you’re sitting too close to them in a couch too small for the four of you, with vivid images and descriptions of how your friends like to go down on girls and a feeling on the pit of your stomach you can’t shake off? 

It doesn’t help that all of them are dressed like idiots and acting like horny teenagers who desperately want to get laid, but somehow, the costumes work for them. If you weren’t drunk, it would be embarrassing. A potato with stab wounds, a firefighter with a tiger-printed uniform, and a clown that has no sense of style? You can’t be seriously getting the hots for any of them, but you’re not the only one with that issue. 

Earlier, from the kitchen, you could see where they were sitting and how girls went up to them again and again, twirling their hair and biting their lips to get their attention, Chan even going up to his room with one of them. Those things happen at every single frat party, but something about tonight’s is just different. 

Looking around the room, very little people are alone, doesn’t matter the costume. Everyone’s either hand in hand with someone, flirting standing against the halloween decorated walls, taking up space on the other couches making out furiously (Mingyu has been jealously throwing popcorn at one specific couple for over five minutes and they still haven’t noticed), and approximately every ten minutes you see another frat guy going upstairs with a girl. It's not easy not to get horny when this is the vibe you’re surrounded with.  

From the corner of your eye, even with the dark purple and red lighting, you can see a group of girls ogling your friends, probably not pleased at you for keeping them hostage. 

How they all managed to get fuckboy reputations is beyond your comprehension, because they’re still the same boys who like to stay up all night playing videogames and ask you to leave when talking about jerking off, but apparently getting into a fraternity just does that for men. Anywhere you go with them, they always gather a group of girls, and even sometimes boys, gawking at them so furiously you sometimes think they’re capable of undressing them with their stares. And now you’re becoming one of them. Knowing how popular they are and knowing how each of them behave during sex are two fundamentally different things. Sure, you have eyes. You know they’re handsome and hot, but the thought of having sex with any of them never crossed your mind for some reason. 

The effects of your little chat are starting to be obvious as they talk about something right by your side, and your eyes are trained to the way Seokmin’s lips move as he talks, mind going to dangerous places imagining how they would feel against yours. 

The ridiculous make-up he has on accentuates the way his mouth moves in an weirdly enticing way, the red across his lips and the lipstick streaks going down his face drive your eyes instinctively to his lips, and they stay there, like they have a life of their own. His nose is painted red, imitating the fluffy noses clowns usually wear, accentuating one his undoubtedly best feature, and it makes it virtually impossible for you not to focus on his face either way. You wouldn’t mind getting your pale make-up ruined by the cheap lipstick he bought if it meant you’d get to smash your mouths together and test what all those girls told you about him. 

The man in question shakes your leg, his hands on your knee giving you infinite goosebumps, and they’re all looking at you, like they’re waiting for an answer to a question you did not hear. 

“What?” 

“We saw you talking to those girls earlier. Did they say anything about us? Should we go up to them?" Mingyu repeats, his head peaking out from behind Seokmin. 

“They were rating their hook ups with all of you, feedback included.” First mistake of the night, telling them the truth. 

“Really?” Mingyu sounds way too excited hearing your reply. “What did they say?” 

“I bet you think it was good… but I’m not telling you.” 

“C’mon! You can’t just tell us something like that and not follow up!” Soonyoung comes up right behind Mingyu, just as eager. 

“Why do you want to know what a few girls, that you clearly don’t even remember by the way, think about you? All of you already have half the campus waiting for the chance to hook up with you.” 

“This is an opportunity for us to get better! What if Mingyu’s terrible at making out and doesn’t know it?” Soonyoung doesn’t miss the chance to tease the other. 

“Hey!” Mingyu pouts as the others chuckle at his cuteness, “not that you need to know, but I’m actually a really good kisser.” The declaration makes all of you burst out laughing, but it only eggs him further. 

“Yo! I’m being serious! Why don’t you ask your sister?” Soonyoung shuts up instantly, sending Mingyu a death stare, making you and Seokmin die of laughter. He’s been quiet until now but starts clapping to accompany his loud laughter in a second. 

Sitting right by his side, every move Seokmin makes, you feel. His arm brushes against yours every now and then, and you're so close you could prop your legs on top of him if you wanted to sit more comfortably. Even the slightest touches make your tummy do cartwheels. Touches you wouldn’t normally think about twice, as it’s usual for friends to be physically close to one another, but tonight, every touch, graze and glance of his sends electric waves rushing through every vein of your body. 

It can’t be normal. He’s acting goofy like he always is. Nothing in his demeanor changed. He still screams when laughing, claps and moves around when he’s entertained, and sings the songs coming out of the speakers out of nowhere. There’s nothing out of the ordinary besides the ridiculous costume he decided to wear and an uncommon, confident attitude you’ve seen only a few times. 

“Everyone knows that a true good kisser doesn’t say they’re good.” Soonyoung’s still laughing hysterically, but doesn’t miss the opportunity to tease Mingyu further. 

“Ah really? And are you one?” Mingyu replies smugly, trying to set a trap for him, but his plan backfires. 

“Why don’t you ask your sister?” The smile on Mingyu’s face disappears in an instant, triggering another choir of laughter, echoing across the entire room and catching a few stares. 

“Alright, alright.” A sulking Mingyu waits for the laughs to die down, not wanting the conversation to keep going, to not be the center of the teasing for any longer. 

“Wait, guys! Let’s not forget the main issue here. Our dear, dear friend, is keeping important information from us!” You hoped they’d forget about it for a little bit longer, but Soonyoung refuses to let it go. 

“I don’t know, guys, it feels wrong.” It’s not like those girls asked you to keep it a secret, but still. Your gaze connects with Seokmin’s for the first time tonight after you’ve started avoiding him, pleading him with your eyes to help out of the situation, but a voice gets between you. 

“C’mon! You don’t even have to tell us who said what. We only want the feedback.” Mingyu tries again, and it’s a rather good argument. You can get them off your backs, and you don’t reveal the girls’ names. 

You pretend to think about what to say, like one specific thing the girls said hasn’t been plaguing your mind, like you haven’t been thinking about it since you sat by his side, like your stomach doesn’t flip and your ears don’t turn burning red at the single thought of testing if what they said was true. 

“Well, there’s something they all agreed on…” They turn completely silent waiting for you to continue, “since we’re talking about kissing, they all agreed on who’s the best one out of you.” 

Something deep within you heats up with a jealousy you’ve never felt before. So many girls got to kiss him, feel his lips against theirs, his hands on their body, and none of them were you. Curiosity, jealousy, and want all combine inside you. 

“Well? Are you gonna tell us who?” Soonyoung‘s voice brings you back to reality. They’re still looking at you expectantly, small smirks starting to show on their faces, expecting their respective names to be called. 

“It was… Seokmin.” 

The air stills as you pronounce his name, and your eyes grow wide, waiting for their response. Nothing in your line of sight looks useful to relieve the heat growing inside of you at the embarrassment. The two men you didn’t name look at each other with wide eyes, raising their eyebrows before erupting into laughter. 

“What’s so funny?” Seokmin’s voice only makes the sound of laughter grow. “You’re so envious, both of you.” A tinge of pride manages to escape through the tone of his voice. He looks so hot when he’s confident. 

“Sorry, I’m sorry, it was just… unexpected.” Soonyoung replies, still cackling. 

“My man! You have to tell us your secrets!” Mingyu teases, fully believing what you said but not stopping his giggles. 

“Are you sure we’re talking about the same Seokmin here?” Soonyoung asks you directly, but you don’t get to answer. 

“I will literally kiss every one of you to prove it, right here, right now.” A sulky Seokmin interrupts the conversation, making a kissy face to Soonyoung, who feigns disgusts and slides away from him. 

Their banter distracts them from your curious form, eyes fixed on Seokmin as he defends himself from the teasing duo. Their voices blur as they become background noise, everything slows down around you, only Seokmin’s face present in your mind, how his eyebrows quirk as he talks, how his nose scrunches at the teasing, the way his soft lips move at every word he pronounces. You realize you’ve never seen him kiss anyone with your own eyes, and thank god for that, because if you’re in this state with only a few references, you wouldn’t be able to manage with visual proof. 

A loud cough distracts you from your train of thought, luckily before your imagination goes too far, but when you focus your eyes, you find the three men staring at you. 

“Fantasizing about something?” Soonyoung asks teasingly. 

“Yeah, about you shutting the hell up.” It comes out a lot more defensive than you want, definitely blowing your cover. 

“If you want him to prove it to you, you can just ask.” Your eyes dart between Soonyoung‘s teasing smirk and Seokmin’s surprised face. 

“Oh shut up.” Heat rushes to your cheeks, and before anyone can see you getting more embarrassed, you get up and start walking towards the empty kitchen. “I’m getting something to drink.” 

The realization hits you right then and there, with all the shouting and laughing on the background, in the dirty kitchen of the frat house. You really, truly, desperately want your clown-dressed fratboy friend to fuck you. Well, not necessarily fuck you – even though you wouldn’t be opposed – but at least kiss you dumb until you can’t feel your lips anymore. 

The poorly-lighted kitchen is sadly not empty, currently occupied by at least three couples making out, but you’ve learned to ignore them for tonight. The lonely bottle of water at the back of the fridge calls your name, and it might just be the only thing able to drag you back to earth and lower the little drunkenness left in your system. You can’t be fantasizing like that, not about one of your best friends, and especially not in front of him! 

You’re still standing with your shoulder against the fridge as you try to fill your brain with any other thought that isn’t Seokmin’s mouth on yours and his big slim hands pushing you against him. It’s not working, and the universe taunts you further. The door opens, revealing that same clown costume invading your every thought. He stands by your side without saying a word and takes the water bottle out of your hands after you’ve gulped down half of it. 

“Are you okay?” His voice startles you. But he sounds caring, and it just sends you down the spiral again. You don’t want to face him. Not right now. Not ever. 

“Yeah, sorry for rushing off like that…” Your voice trembles slightly as he takes a few steps and stands in front of you, forcing you to look at him. 

“They can go overboard sometimes.” He sounds actually worried, and it just makes you want him more. He cares about you, and he’s hot, and you’re surrounded by couples making out! It’s too much. 

“I just wanted them to drop the topic.” No more than a few words manage to mumble out of you. You feel so stupid. Never in the history of your friendship were you ever nervous to talk to him. Fuck those girls for talking so casually about guys, fuck them for putting those thoughts on your mind, fuck them for being the ones who can experience getting kissed by him. 

“Maybe they would’ve let it go after a few minutes.” Panic sets in as his words register on your brain. Shit, you’ve made him uncomfortable by putting him on the spot. 

“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” 

“Don’t worry, you didn’t. I don’t actually care what they think about it, they’re not the ones I’m kissing after all.” He tries to calm you down with a joke and you chuckle back as a reply, but your stomach does a funny little jump at the mention of kissing. 

“It’s the only thing I could think of so it kinda just spilled out, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot.” You try to justify yourself and apologize once again, but Seokmin stopped listening after the first part of your sentence. 

“The only thing you could think of? Why?” Something in the tone of his voice sends warning signals to the rational part of your brain, but it's already too dizzy to understand. 

He takes half a step forward, looking at you intensely, like he’s Pennywise, and he wants to have you for dinner. You’d let him. 

“I-I- I don’t know…” His sudden closeness makes a blank slate of your brain. He’s getting ever so slightly closer by the second, almost entering your personal space, and words take you double the time to process, like you’re just learning how to speak. “It surprised me.” 

He places his hands on your side, caging you against the counter, forcing you to keep looking him in the eyes. His body heat embraces you, warming up your own body until red can be seen even under your white makeup. Is this how he usually flirts? Is this what all those girls felt? He’s taller than you, so naturally, you have a perfect view of his lips. Lips that move, asking something you don’t get to hear, too entranced in the way they quirk with each word to pay attention to anything else. A smirk begins to show on his face. He’s definitely noticing his effect. 

“You don’t think I can be a good kisser?”  

Does his smirk have superpowers? The clown makeup only seems to make it hotter, and you can’t look away. It’s hypnotizing, calling to you to fulfill your desires. 

“Do you care what I think about it?” What he said before about not caring resonates in your brain. 

“It depends.” His dark eyes dart down to your lips as his face gets closer to yours, so close your noses bump into each other. 

“On what?” You manage to breath out. Your eyes flutter closed instinctively, waiting for him to finally connect your lips and end your suffering. But you feel nothing besides his breath fanning over your lips. 

“You know, Soonyoung was right before.” His voice makes your eyes fly open. His face is still only a couple of inches away from yours, but his smug expression tells you you’ll have to work for what you want. “If you want me to prove it to you, you just gotta ask.” 

You can feel his hands right beside yours on the counter surface, his skin calling for your touch. Does this mean he wants to kiss you too? If all it takes is you asking for it... 

“What makes you think I even want that?” His smirk doesn’t even come close to twitching at yours words. 

“So, we’re just gonna pretend you weren’t drooling over me before?” Yeah, you were caught, right in the act, and there’s no way out. If you back out now, your chance will be lost, and it will forever be awkward for the both of you to interact after this. 

“I wasn’t drooling…” He doesn’t believe you, and you don’t either. “I was just thinking about the information I was given.” 

“And did you come to any conclusion?” You’re sure you’ve never felt this kind of closeness before. Not even the ugly jacket he’s wearing is capable of breaking the spell casted by your personal spaces fusing together. The drunk dizziness left your body a long time ago, only leaving Seokmin’s effects to play with your body. You crave more of him. Your hands fly away from the counter down the hem of his clown t-shirt, playing with it as Seokmin's levels of confidence reach a new peak. 

“Yeah…” A shiver runs down your spine and to your core at the feeling of being observed by him. His hands place themselves on both sides of your hips, making you almost stutter your words. “That I’m the best person you could ask for advice.” 

“Right… and why is that?” He nods tauntingly, smirk getting wider as his eyes focus on your parted lips. 

“First, I’m always the first one to tell you when you make a mistake, so you know I won’t lie, and secondly, I just think it would be fair for me to know,” your words make him chuckle and your stomach contracts. Fuck, you really love that sound. “If every girl on campus gets to know, then I should too, right?” 

“Know what exactly?” 

“H-how,” He really got you. You can’t even say it. 

“How, what? How I kiss? You have to use words, baby, tell me what you want.” If he could hear the way your heartbeat speeds up at the pet name, you’d fall right to the floor out of embarrassment. 

A look around the kitchen to check if it’s a safe space calms you down. The couples making out are all long gone, and you haven’t been paying much attention to your surroundings beyond Seokmin's body, but you realize people haven’t been entering the kitchen for a while either. It’s now or never. 

“Fine,” you let him win, but not without rolling your eyes, “can you kiss me?” 

“Hmm, you can do better than that.” He’s still playing his little game, waiting for you to say what he wants. You lay your hands on his chest, learning at the worst time possible that he’s actually quite ripped, and you forget his game, and your surroundings, and your worries. 

“I want you to kiss me, and if you don't do something in the next two seconds, I swear I'm leaving this fucking party and never speaking to you ag–” 

First, you feel his fingers on your chin, tilting it up to reach his height, and then he presses his lips against yours, so softly you can’t fathom him being the same person that was teasing you just a second ago. Both of your hands fly to the back of his neck, pushing him harder against you as your lips start to move. He reciprocates immediately, moving his lips over yours with a sweetness that would drive a diabetic straight to the hospital. 

You get drunk of the feeling of him, deepening the kiss far more than you first intended as his mouth leads yours as he wishes, and his hands sneak to the sides of your waist. It’s not messy nor rough like you’re used to with other men, on the contrary, Seokmin takes his time savoring the raw skin of your lips, a tender deepness that keeps you in for more. 

The last bit of air in your lungs leaves you as a sigh, and Seokmin separates from you just in time before you pass out in his arms due to the lack of oxygen. You absentmindedly chase his lips, but he doesn’t smirk cockily like you expected and just glares at you, his eyes dark and clouded with something you’ve never seen in him, and lips parted with red lipstick smeared around them. 

Only breathing sounds are heard for a second before you’re both smashing your mouths together again. No time for thinking about how this will affect your friendship, letting yourselves dwell in this newfound desire. 

He dominates the new kiss immediately, his hands pushing you against him even more if possible. There’s no softness this time, nothing to prove, only lust and want pushing your bodies closer and closer until there’s no space left. Your nose brushes against his when he switches the angle, lighting a fire all the way down to your core. But he’s still not rough. He moves with a controlled power that makes you whimper on his lips. It is the perfect opportunity for him to finally sneak his tongue and tangle it with yours. 

You welcome the intrusion eagerly, sighing on his lips again as he explores to his liking. His hands don’t stay put and travel to your thighs to effortlessly lift you on top of the counter. Your legs open, welcoming him to slot between them, and his groin hits just on the crevice of your inner thigh. 

Sounds are made that shouldn’t be heard in any public place when Seokmin bites on your lower lip, but he drinks them all in, his mouth not letting your little moans reach any other ears beside his. His hands grope your thighs, bringing you closer to his growing hard, nearly desperate for more friction, but he explores more of your body with the same attitude, like he wants you to feel him everywhere. Your arms wrap around his neck and flush your chests together, and the plastic hair of the clown wig tickles on top of your skin, but it doesn’t prevent you from caging him against your body so the kiss never ends. 

A loud shattering sound makes you break apart, both of you worried trying to locate the source, but it luckily didn’t come from inside the kitchen, still empty as it was earlier, and when you look back at each other, eyes wide and jaws slightly hanging, realization hits the both of you simultaneously. 

“Fuck!”, “Holy shit.” 

While your reaction leans more to a ‘fuck, you’ll never be able to forget about this', his sounded more of a ‘holy shit, that really happened’. 

“You’ve been keeping that from me this whole time!?” Your question creates a smugness in his face that weirdly sends a wave of arousal through your body. 

“You could’ve always known, if you asked.” There's something more to what he’s saying, more than a reference to what Soonyoung said earlier. “So, what do we do now?”

“We’re gonna leave this gross kitchen, sneak past everyone on the living room, and then you’re gonna take me up to your room.” The words leave your mouth firmly, confidently, like you’re not proposing to change your friendship forever, like you’re not about to shit your pants waiting for his reaction. 

“Are you serious?” 

“You don’t want to? Fuck, this is embarrassing.” And your fantasy has come to an end. It was good, it served its purpose. Now you’ll just have to figure out how to transfer universities and get a new group of friends as quick as tomorrow. 

“Wait!” His loud, almost desperate voice makes you remove your hands from your face. You’re positive your blushed state can be seen from a mile away, but he seems more worried about what you said than anything else. “Yes, I want to, so badly.”

A breath you didn’t know you were holding escapes your lungs as you scrape your runaway plans. He notices you visibly relaxing and grabs your hand, which shouldn’t feel electrifying, especially not after exchanging saliva for a hot minute, but it still sends goosebumps across your arms and chest. He makes sure to peek his head out the door to check if the way’s clear, and you only hear a light chuckle before he fully opens the door to let you through behind him.

The few people left in the living room don’t know you. They’re either too drunk, too high, or sliding their tongues down someone else’s throat to even care about you. Mingyu’s long gone, leaving Soonyoung on the couch with a girl dressed like a tiger sitting on his lap, mouths attached, and making sounds you wish you could unhear.

Going up the stairs, you catch your reflection on a small dirty mirror hanging on the wall. You’re lucky none of your other friends saw you in this state cause you'd be subjected to lifelong bullying –lovingly they'd say. Your make-up is ruined. Not only is there red lipstick smeared all around your lips and chin, there’s also a stain on the tip of your nose. Your hair is completely disheveled, and if you were to check your outfit, you’re sure you’ll find your black dress wrinkled up far more than what would be considered decent in public.

But none of that really matters. Not when Seokmin leads you through the path of caution tape and forbidden sings covering the entire second floor. Not even when you finally reach his door, breathing heavily and still holding hands. And especially not when you finally enter his room and he traps you against the door as he closes it shut.

Your mouths are quick to find each other again, lips moving against the other, so naturally you’d think you have been doing this for years. You hurriedly take his wig off and throw it somewhere on the floor, revealing his beautiful hair ready to be tangled in between your fingers. He wastes no time and presses himself against you, letting you feel how hard he already is as his tongue finds its way inside your mouth again.

You moan freely in his arms, a new sound escaping you every time his hands find another sensitive spot anywhere on your body, and now that you’re really alone and the music isn’t blasting right beside your ears, you can hear the sounds he makes too. Every time you suck on his bottom lip, he lets out the tiniest whimper, that he fights to hold back and keeps failing, and sends a wave of arousal all the way down to your core, making you grind on his hard length and encouraging him to kiss you harder.

Harder and down your jaw and neck, kissing and nibbling your sensitive skin that isn’t painted for your spooky makeup, while his hands travel up your torso and cup your covered boobs.

Your hands find their way inside his colorful jacket, forcing him to take his hands off of you so you can slip it off, but not daring move his lips off your skin. His mouth works relentlessly on every part of your neck he can reach, and you’re discovering there’s more things he can do with it than just making out. You claw your nails on his newly discovered biceps when he lightly bites on the uncovered skin above your clavicles. It’s unbelievable how he manages to hide his gym body under his usual comfy clothes.

“Before we do anything, can I ask you what you’re supposed to be dressed up as?” The question takes you by surprise, and he’s serious about it too. But with the feeling of his lips still lingering on every bit of skin of your neck, it takes a second to find the answer in your mushy brain.

“Wh– I'm Morticia Addams! I thought it was obvious?” Seokmin takes look up and down your body –as best as your closeness lets him, and nods with a raise of eyebrows, which would’ve had your legs turn into jelly a minute ago, but you’re too confused by his sudden intervention. “Fuck, you ruined the moment.”

“Did I?” In the most cliché way possible, he flutters his eyes closed as he gives you a peck on the lips, and then on the corner of your mouth, and on your left cheek, leaving you sighing for more. He kisses his way up to the shell of your ear, his breath tingling lightly as he parts his lips to whisper in your ear. “You looked really fucking hot, but I think you’ll look even better with this off.”

Your skin lights on fire under his fingers as he runs them up your thighs and inside your dress, lifting it slowly. His words and actions take a second to match in your brain, but as soon as you understand, you’re holding your arms up, ready to finally have the skin to skin contact you crave. You’re left only in your underwear, but he’s still fully dressed, and before he resumes his ministrations on your body, your hands start lifting up his shirt so he takes the hint.

How your eyes don’t pop out of your face seeing Seokmin’s defined chest for the first time will remain a mystery. A quiet curse leaves your lips, which you only know he heard because he chuckles before lifting you up by your thighs and heading to his bed.

He drops you softly on the mattress, and you prop on your elbows to admire him as he takes his pants off. He’s always been reserved with his body, never taking off his shirt, even at the pool or the beach. And you’re not going to deny and say that the thought of what he’d possibly look like under his baggy clothes never crossed your mind, but the reality knocks your imagination right out of the park.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” You’re staring shamelessly, and his boxers tighten under your lust-filled gaze.

“I’ve never seen you so… naked before.”

“I’m guessing this is a good reaction?”

“You’re really fucking hot,” Seokmin crawls on top of you, his buff arms at both sides of your head and his hips between your legs, grinning at your words but not stopping your rambling yet, “like, you should just go around naked all the time, people deserve to see this.”

“You’re exaggerating.” In an attempt to shut you up, he lowers his head and starts a trail of kisses down your neck, his lips grazing your skin on the way down and giving you goosebumps.

“I’m not. I’m serious. I think you sh–” His fingers ghost over your damp panties, finally succeeding in deleting the stream of words coming out of your mouth.

“You think I should what?” You lift your hips to try and get more friction, but he removes it and pins you down with a cheeky grin as he looks at you again.

You feel his smirk against your hip bone, and a sigh leaves your mouth as his hand makes a comeback and presses his fingers harder against your core. But the closeness of his mouth to your covered folds sends one singular warning signal to your brain. And you decide to listen to it. “What are you doing?”

“I really want to eat you out right now.” Fuck. His dark eyes look at you so intensely, smirk widening as he most definitely feels the new rush of wetness damping your panties further.

“Shit, fuck,” the need for his tongue is so bad, your walls tighten over nothing, “I can’t, not with that makeup all over your face, I’m not about to get an infection.” His face just above your core, his breaths fanning over your wet panties making you shiver, is something you’ll never forget. It pains you to reject the best offer you’ve ever been given.

“That’s fine, I’ll do it next time.” He doesn’t give you the chance to process what he said, immediately aiming to kiss your neck again. “What should I do then?”

“I think you should get over here. Now.” He’s so close his chuckle reverberates through your whole chest. “And put that hand to use.”

Somehow, you find the strength to sound as serious as possible while you pat the empty spot beside you on the mattress. He complies with what you ask quickly, taking off your panties in a swift motion and circling around you to kneel by your torso, his hand never leaving his claimed spot on your inner thigh.

His hard strains under his boxers, and it’s so close to your head, so ready for your hand to take, so that’s what you do. Your touch over his clothed bulge makes him let out a long groan, followed by his hand sneaking down your body. The coldness from his middle finger sliding against your wet folds sends shivers up your spine, getting a breath caught in your lungs. You can’t speak, and the light teasing touches his other hand scatters across your bare chest aren’t helping.

Before he starts playing with your cunt, you use all your willpower to grab the fabric of his boxers and yank them down. A wave of arousal pulses out of you at the sight, his dick standing tall, pink and proud before your eyes, glistening from the precum already smeared on the tip. And just when he begins collecting the juices coming out of you, you swirl your tongue around his tip.

From your position, you have to wrap your hand around the base of his cock your mouth can’t reach. An unholy sound comes out of him, sensitive from being hard and caged in his pants for so long, and his hand falters against your needy core. Every sound of his encourages you more and more, you want to hear more, you want to make him feel good. And the more length you suck into your mouth, the more he presses his wet fingers against your clit, it’s a perfect combination.

You look up to find him already staring at you, his make-up smeared around his face, all because of you, not fully believing what’s happening. As you bob your head up and down his tip, his hips buck into you just as he pushes two fingers into you.

Your warm walls welcome the intrusion, ready for whatever pace he wants to set. And oh boy, does he. The wetness gushing out of you nonstop makes it easy for him to thrust his fingers in and out of you at the speed of light. Your mouth stops working, lips parted and moaning uncontrollably as you do your best to drag your hand up and down his cock to give him at least some of the pleasure back.

His fingers are so long, they reach places your hand could only dream of, slowing down and finding every spot that makes you squirm and clench around them embarrassingly fast. He’s slow but hard, letting the palm of his hand press against your clit before he slides out. It's dizzying, and your legs start feeling wobbly and threaten to close around his arm the second he finds your gspot and starts abusing it.

A stream of curses and praises mumbles out of you, and it barely makes any sense in your head, but his hand speeds up, drilling into you with a newfound energy. You’ve stopped touching him at this point, but Seokmin’s still so hard, getting off on your pleasure. He delights himself in the way your walls clamp around his fingers, feeling every new wave of wetness that coats them every time he reaches your sensitive spots.

The little control left you have over your body starts faltering, your stomach tightens, your hips grind against his fingers searching for more, even if you can’t handle it, and your legs begin trembling. Everything part of a chain reaction that culminates as he adds a third finger, finally getting you to the edge.

It hits you powerfully, making you lose control of your body as your legs shake and you spasm around his fingers that are somehow still sliding in and out of you, helping you ride out the earth-shattering orgasm.

“Fuck!” You breath out, voice hoarse, hinting that you might’ve screamed a little louder than usual.

“That was so fucking hot.” Seokmin slots between your legs again, his boxers nowhere to be seen, his cock slapping against his abs and barely grazing your sensitive cunt.

“You thought that was hot? You got me to like, another astral plane just now.” You’re so comfortable with him that the honesty just slips out. Does it really matter if it makes his ego grow? “The rumors are true.”

“Rumors?” His fingers run freely on your waist and the sides of your back, feeling your skin against his, touching and fondling where he pleases.

“Yeah, I’ve heard a lot about you, not only about kissing.” The reminder of the kissing makes you blush, silly now that he’s literally had his fingers inside you just a moment ago.

“Really? What else have those girls told you?” Feathery light kisses up your chest and jaw make a million butterflies erupt in your stomach. He’s so captivatingly close to your lips, you’re ready for another round again.

“Hmm, let’s not talk about you fucking other girls when you could be fucking me.” Reality hits him as you pronounce those words. “Where do you keep your condoms?”

“Right, right, right.” It's like his teasing persona fades off as he clumsily gets off the bed to look for them, in a rush and forgetting to avoid some of the things scattered on the floor.

With the shiny packet in his hand, he’s back between your legs like Flash, opening it and sliding the condom on his still fully erect dick in record time. You wrap your arms around his neck, and your legs hug his hip right against your once again needy core, and he’s about to lose his mind.

“Are you sure you want this? Like sure sure.” Where does this hesitation come from? You scan his eyes and his expression for answers, and he silently awaits your answer.

“Did what just happened not answer your question?” One of your hands sneak between your bodies, grabbing his cock and pressing it against your wet folds, earning a pretty sigh from him.

“I just– fuck, I wanna hear you say it.” His hips get a life of their own, sliding in between your cunt and your hand, covering his cock in all your wetness.

“Say what? That I want your cock inside me?” He twitches at your words, his hips faltering and moving his tip closer to your hole. “That I want you to fuck me?”

Your words flip a switch inside him. His eyes darken right before your gaze, and you don't register when his hands hold your legs up and place your calves on his shoulders. And you're at his mercy instantly.

“I want you to beg.” His voice sounds lower, deeper than you’ve ever heard. His length drags against your folds one last time, collecting his last coat of arousal before giving in and pushing his tip barely inside your hole. “Beg for me to fuck you until your legs give out.”

He alternates between sliding his tip inside of you just enough to have you craving for more, and removing it to tease your sensitive clit further. Begging for him is not going to be a problem.

“Fuck, I want you to fuck me, please. I need you.”

The stretch is immediate. Everything about him is big. His arms holding your legs up, his thighs on both sides of your hips, and his cock opening you up, making you lose your breath for the tenth time tonight. Your walls slowly welcome him in, like molding to his shape, and when he bottoms out, you both let out long groans.

You can’t talk. You can’t even breathe as he starts thrusting his cock in and out of you, hitting your deepest spots back and forth, slowly getting to know what makes you react. And for the first time in his life, he was speechless too.

The way your walls hug him as if to keep him there forever, sucking him in deeper and deeper with every thrust. Your legs quiver every time he pounds into you so deep and rough that his thighs slap against yours, and your nails claw just above his knees, leaving marks only he’ll be able to see.

“Pussy so tight, fuck.” He mumbles more to himself than to you, but your body registers his words and clenches around him harder. “Taking me so well, so wet, can’t believe it.” He's barely making sense, but the choked up sentences he manages to let out have the exact intended effect.

You can’t answer, and even if you could, you don’t know what unholy sounds would come out instead of words.

The wet squelching sounds eager him to go faster, harder, and he lowers his torso until your knees touch your chest and his arm that’s holding them presses against your tummy. His face is so close to yours, yet you can’t kiss him. His relentless rhythm doesn’t stop, jolting your body upwards with every hard thrust. Your instinctive reaction is to look away and close your eyes, but he won’t allow it.

His free hand grabs your jaw and forces you to look straight at him. Maybe he said something, but you can’t hear him, not when his cock hits so deep inside you, you feel him on your throat.

“I’m c-close.” Your voice comes out so small you fear he won’t hear you either.

But his arm frees your legs, and as you open them to wrap around his waist and push him deeper against you, his newly free hand creeps down your body. His finger toys with your clit so fast, you barely have time to comprehend what’s happening. You hold his face close to yours, eyes connected with his as you let out a string of screams and moans as you come undone.

He pounds you hard, and your walls clamp around him so much that he has to hold your hips in place with both hands. The room becomes a blurry mess as he prolongs your orgasm, thrusting and pounding into you, searching for his own.

“Come inside me, please, I wanna feel you.” His hips stutter against you, and a guttural moan escapes out of him as a response.

The feel of his cock twitching inside you, spilling into the condom as your walls hug him tight, will be tattooed on your mind forever.

His body falls on top of you, breathing heavily as his face hides on the crook of your neck. You stare at the ceiling, thinking of every possible outcome after this. But your thoughts come to an end as a pair of plush lips press against yours gently.

“You okay?” Seokmin’s shiny eyes look at you softly.

“Yeah, sorry, I was just thinking.” He slowly slips out of you to lay by your side, making you both wince.

“You’re not regretting it, are you?”

“No, actually, quite the opposite.” You’re afraid to look at him. To see his reaction to your pseudo-confession.

“Thank god, because there’s no way I could live with this only being a one-time thing.”

“You’re so dramatic.”

“Seriously, it was so much better than my imaginat– shit.” He shuts up immediately, blowing his own cover. He puts his boxers back in a hurry while you process his words.

“What?! You’ve thought about this before?” That alone has you ready for another round.

“Fuck, you weren’t supposed to know, but yeah.” You fight another chuckle, not wanting to make fun of him, but he takes notice and continues to explain. “You have no idea how hot you look all the time, it messed with my head! Stop laughing!”

“Sorry, I’m sorry, you look funny with the make-up ruined across your face.” You couldn’t hold back, and also, making him focus on something else might distract him from your blushed face and your heart racing.

“You look the same, by the way!” he says on his way to his connected bathroom.

“It’s your fault!” You shout back even though you don’t really care that your make-up’s ruined. “I'll just take it off before going to sleep.”

“Yeah, about that.” You think he’s about to ask you to sleep over, but one look at where he’s standing tells you the real reason. The soap all over his face and hands is stained pink, and even if he’s covered with pinky foam, you can see his worried expression. “This is not washing off.”

You run over to him after putting on one of his big t-shirts pooled over one chair by the bed, ready to look in the mirror and see just how much worse your face looks compared to when you left the kitchen. Seokmin’s drying his face off as you take in all the redness on yours. It’s going to fade eventually, right? After a few washes? At least you don’t have classes for two more days.

In the midst of your panicking, the door to the room shoots open, revealing Soonyoung with the couch girl. He sees Seokmin coming out of the bathroom and quickly realizes he’s in the wrong room.

“What the hell man!”

“Shit, sorry bro, thought it was my room.”

“Who was tha–” You stop in your tracks coming out of the bathroom.

Silence fills the room for the number of seconds it takes Soonyoung to analyze the situation. Seokmin in his underwear and you coming out of his bathroom with only a big t-shirt, both of you with matching red stains on your faces.

“Holy shit! I knew it! I can’t believ–“ He gets cut off by Seokmin shutting the door on his face.

You stare at him. And he stares at you. And Soonyoung‘s voice echoes through the hallway until he finally gets inside his actual room.

“He’s never going to leave us alone is he?”

“Nope, we'll have to own up to it.”

note: heyyyyy... I'm posting late i know... I forgot I had two final essays to write and had to prioritize them... but hey at least there's still one halloweekend left! halloween season it's not over

[sweettoothvn]

Andre nsfw alphabet?

Well isn't this convenient~?

NSFW Undercut

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

He refuses to leave your side- unless you need something of course. He'll be pretty anxious afterwards too, constantly trying to make sure you're okay and that he didn't hurt you or go too far. Just know that Pepper might barge in afterwards, upset she didn't get attention for an hour (or a few hours- really depends). So you get Andre kisses and puppy kisses.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

He's a breast guy. It doesn't matter if you have a masculine chest, feminine chest, if you're flat or chest heavy- he just loves that region so much. Now his favorite part of his own body would be his ass, he makes sure it looks nice. But generally he's pretty confident with his entire body.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Because he's half Umbran, his cum is going to be purple. Similar to ectoplasm. Same with his saliva and blood.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

He has a few sex machines he's made in the past. Either he's too flustered to try them out on himself- or he's too flustered to ask someone to try them out.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He's a virgin. He doesn't know what he's doing at all. He might have received tips from Kieran- or read a few smut novels (courtesy of Zach) but he doesn't know what to do.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

He's mostly a bottom so he prefers positions where his partner is riding him (wink). However if he's topping, you can't go wrong with a good old fashioned missionary.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

He's pretty serious considering this is supposed to be an intimate moment between the two of you. However if you laugh, he wont be able to help it and join in. If anything this would help him relax.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

He's pretty well groomed- however when he's older he lets loose and allows hair to grow on his chest. Currently though, his chest is shaved. Other than that he has hair on his arms and legs along with some down there. not too much though.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Huge sucker for romance. The amount of romcoms he's consumed should be considered unhealthy. However he puts his knowledge to good use and makes sure to learn as much about his partner's likes and dislikes. He's very observant with their small quirks and what makes them uncomfortable. Dates are very common, if not once or twice a week. in public or private, it doesn't matter. He wants to spend so much time with you and show how much he loves you.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

You'll probably catch him in the shower doing it, hoping that the sound of the rushing water will mask what he's actually doing.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Monster fucking, breeding kink, masochism (he's the masochist), bondage (on him), Robots/Androids, Tentacles, Pegging, Mommy/Daddy. He's mostly a bottom but when he tops he's a soft dom. He praises his partner a lot. If his partner is really horny/desperate he'll be a brat. He likes some pet play and master/servant- usually if he's the servant though. He loves orgasm denial and overstimulation, usually on him but he doesnt mind doing it to his partner.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

He prefers to be at home. Only he should be able to witness you in this state. No one else.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Well he prefers his partner to be pretty forceful and demanding. He doesn't mind if they get handsy- maybe not in public though. He doesnt take breaks so he's constantly stressed from work. If you propose a break, be prepared to fight him (playfully) on it. If anything just be prepared to take him in his work room. But hey. That pent up stress lets him have loootttssss of time to work it off ;)

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Unsanitary kinks, degradation, food play, public humiliation, exhibitionism, voyeurism (unless he's in a poly)

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

He prefers giving oral since he's scared his partner will choke and die on his dick. Plus it helps that he doesnt have a gag reflex.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

He's very gentle and sensual, making sure that you're comfortable and that it feels good.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He doesn't like quickies as it doesnt give him enough time to enjoy it. However if you really need it... he just can't say no to you.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

He's open to experimentation but you need to be very careful if its something that could hurt you. He can get pretty anxious quickly about your safety.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Considering all that pent up stress? He can go for hours. Of course during your first few times it might a bit fast but that's cause he's new to this.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

He definitely owns toys. Has he used them? No. They sit in a storage closet with his other sex machines that he is too embarrassed to use. Once his partner discovers them on accident is when he uses them. If they're up for it of course.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He doesn't tend to tease- unless he's wanting to be a brat cause his partner really wants to fuck. But it's not hard to break him either so teasing wont last very long.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Depends on what you guys are doing. If you're pegging him, he can be loud. If you're riding him then he can be quiet or loud. Also depends on if you've gagged him or not.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

10 inches. I will say no more.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Lots of moles and a few freckles, maybe a few scratches and scars from yard work or accidents. Some sun spots here and there.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

It's a bit high but not on the extreme end. He doesnt give into his desires a lot as he wants to work most of the time so he doesnt really relieve himself. Maybe you could help him with that..?

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

If you guys have gone one round or two it will be a while before he passes out. If you're gone hours upon hours, sleeping isnt very hard for him.

[gothamcityhistory]

Detective Comics #29

Cover:

I love this cover art! I like how you can't see Batman's face - It makes him look more menacing! I hate that he doesn't have his purple gloves though... or any gloves... Nothing says stealth like leaving your fingerprints at the scene of the crime. The style of the building, the guy dropping the knife. His pose is so funny!!

I also love Doctor Death's secret lair with technology and bits and bobs... random human skull. Anyways, I also like his pose that is like "Drat!! It's the Batman!"

You might've also realised that I don't call Batman "The Bat-Man" anymore. It's because in this issue is where they drop the dash! (Well not in the title but y'know-)

Also in this post I'm going to start covering up text boxes where possible- Not if not actually reacting to something in the text box

Issue Credits:

Cover by: Bob Kane

Story by: Gardner Fox

Art by: Bob Kane

Recommendation:

Oh my god I loved that comic. It was really good. You should read it!!

Live Read:

Ohhhhh this is before he turned to a life of crime

"Jabah... YOU'RE A GENIUS I SAY! LET'S GET ON IT AT ONCE!!"

What's wild to me is that how it worked so quickly to get his attention

They just give it to him?- ??? No like verification?? No one was curious and collected it just cuz?-

Post man read the paper too and is like "Is that fucking playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne?"

Also the message says that he gets says that the guy will commit a murder and challenges Bruce to go alone and I like how Bruce is like "Sure. Why not". 1939 Bruce really gave no shits

It takes him an half an hour to change into his batsuit. canonically

Also he has those just cuz. Expected this day might come

WOOOOO ICONIC 1939 CADILLAC

I like to imagine he was there in his car, engine on just waiting for 8:30 exactly to drive-

Uhm okay...

Woah! No grappling hook yet!! A Lasso. Yee haw Cowboy...

It probably comes from his grandpappy Zorro

Batman! Batman! Does whatever a spider can-

Also do bats climb up the sides of buildings?

Yippeeeeee!! I love when Batman is being cautious and sneakyy!!

"I'm not trapped here with you. You're trapped here with me"

Bro went to far #NotMyBatman

I'm keeping this as a reaction Image- You can too-

I audibly gasped- /gen

They didn't have to do my bro like that and also why is his ethnicity relevant?-

"It happened on a night out with the boys. Trust"

"K boss"

I'm also keeping this-

He says that out loud- Bruce, my man, he could hear you.

That shit surprised me ngl

Doctor Death is legitimately insane wtf

Review:

I loved that comic. It was great and I actually enjoyed myself reading it and I got immersed in the last few pages and forgot to write my thoughts on the panels as I read them.

I got used to the narration style of the comic so that might be what helped.

I loved the art in the issue a lot so I wont be restricting myself for the Art section.

I liked the Batman acting more Batman and the lasso stuff. That was so cool!!

Art:

I love this panel. It's so cool!!

Hell yeah.

Thank you all for reading!!

Come back whenever! I will post at rarely the same Bat-Time but always the same Bat-Blog!

[fox-daddy]

The Lazaret part 1 (mc story)

(Here's the beginning to a fic I was supposed to write over two years ago. For Amino. Yet, I only wrote it a day ago.)

Kyle sat at the back of the boat, looking out across the sea. The world was given a red tint under his beaked mask. Something he had once laughed at, which only felt more natural, the more he found himself wearing it. His fingers tapped lazily against the side of the boat as he thought about the letters he had to write.

'Dear Dr. Julian

As I have stated in my other letter, my position has changed to helping the patients on the Lazaret. With more Dr.'s falling ill, and the need to grow my limited knowledge is best sent tending to those there.

I'll be sending you weekly updates about the island since I don't think enough will happen to earn a daily report. Mostly, a lot of dying probably.

~ K. Boivin'

Nodding approvingly, he put the letter away as the boat drew closer to the darkened island. He had left mostly everything back at the shop and only took what he needed, feeling better knowing his more important items outside his cape would be kept safe there. As he looked over the island, he remembered why he was there to help the plague victims in any way he could. This would mostly be running around helping the doctors take readings and making the patients as comfortable as he could. He already could feel a bad feeling growing deeper inside him, telling him to turn back. But for the time, he just had to focus on why he was there. While he was still under the watch of Dr. Julian, Julian was staying on the main island where he could research the disease better, and Kyle was on the Lazaret where he would send Julian weekly reports. His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp chill as he landed on the island. The way the sand clung to his feet only fed into his bad feelings, but he knew he couldn't turn back, not now.

As the sun set on his first day on the Lazaret, he sat on the beach with a cup of tea. He thought about what the day had brought. Lots of death, something told him only more deaths were coming. He took a long sip of his tea before looking at the sunset. Wondering what he should say to Asra. A part of him almost didn't want to write anything, but he knew that would just be petty. Truth was he wanted to know if Asra had left in time.

'Dear Asra

Starting with dear feels weird. But I remember an old person yelling about how you should always start a letter with dear, sir, miss or mama. Or was it madam? It's hard to remember and harder to understand drunk people talk.

Anyway, I'm on the Lazaret. Before you panic, I'm not dying. I'm just there to help with the sick people being sent there. I doubt anything interesting will happen, but hey, at least the view of Vesuvia is nice from here. The sky is filled with so many shades of purples and pinks. I think even you'd appreciate it. I'll write to you again tomorrow even if the only way to send mail is through the boats.

~Kyle

P.S: Tell Faust I said hi'

Scanning over the letter again while finishing his tea, he decided it would have to do as he roughly scrolled it up and headed to where his sleeping place would be. With how few Dr's were there it meant their was only two rooms with bunks for them and even then by the time Kyle made his way to his bunk only a couple of people were sleeping in their beds. While he already had the feeling sleeping was going to be rough, he did know he had to try with the work he had to do tomorrow. The fact is that he also had to be up early enough to give the scrolls to the first boat. Any other time he'd be too busy with work and sneaking out wasn't something he wanted the others to see him doing.

After a restless night of little sleep, Kyle eventually got up, shoving the note he had written to Asra in a small chest of his belongings before heading towards the boatman already ready to leave.

"Could you pass this along to Dr.Devorak when you reach the shore?"

The boatman seemed to give him a look as it dawned on Kyle he had forgotten his mask.

"You know we don't accept sick people back from the island"

"I'm not sick. I'm here to help the sick. I just left my mask behind. Just deliver it to Dr.Devorak. " he could still sense the fact the boatman didn't believe him, but he nevertheless took the scroll. "Thank you." With that sorted, Kyle headed back to the Lazarent to put his mask on and grab something light before he would have to tend to the needs of the sick. Sick or not, he felt like he should do his best to make sure they were as comfortable as they could be while canned into cramped rooms.

After another long day of checking temperatures and eyes, helping a few people write farewell letters, he found himself on the beach again, trying to figure out how to write to Asra. He had the feeling deep down if he even mentioned the Lazaret before saying he wasn't sick that Asra wouldn't even read the rest and would be there and yet especially at this point the last thing he needed was Asra getting himself sick. Or maybe not Kyle wasn't always the best at predicting what the other magician would do. Realizing he was just stalling at that point, he tried to focus.

'Hey, Asra, I hope things are going well wherever you might be by now, and I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to start off by saying I'm not sick, but my position has changed to looking over those at the Lazaret. More and more people seem to come in every day, but more hands make light work, so I've been told. Theirs a lot to do, and even more, I have yet to do. Even then, the sight of Vesuvia across the water is as beautiful as ever. While I'm glad you left when you did even knowing, no, especially knowing what I do now, I couldn't leave these people. With that said, it's probably best you stay away as a small part of me fears with each boat that comes in that you might be among them. Keep safe and give Faust some extra chin scraches from me.

Missing you both, Kyle'

Taking a long look over it, he scrunched it up to add to the chest. He had said he hoped Asra was fine twice in the opening alone, and the last thing he needed was Asra feeling even a bit more sorry hearing the fact he missed them even if it was true. Why was writing so hard?! Noticing the water lick at his foot suddenly, Kyle got up, taking a deep breath. The tide had come in, the sun had set, and he had to head to bed to start another day.

[owlispls]

👁 I heard you can info dump about colors

Oh yes I do 👀

So in your post here (x) you asked: "I wonder what makes things "go together" like, why do some colors look nice together and some don't? and why do they look good to others? why do we have favorite colors?" let me go over them one by one!

Important: this is an info dump. I learned a lot of this in school from my apprenticeship (Graphic Design digital and print)… though even before that it has been a special interest of mine. Though I am also a student and focussed on giving out scientific accurate information. So I linked sources and fact checked my knowledge (new information always welcome 👀✨). Also: my first language is not English and I was taught British English in school, so… please be kind.

To make the post a little less of a "do you like the colours of the sky"-long post, you can keep reading here after the keep reading-break 🧡

"why do some colors look nice together and some don't?"

First: the colour wheel(s)

I know, I know, we always have to look at the colour wheels first. Though… they are an extremely crucial part of this, so understanding them, where they come from and such, already brings you close to find your colour palettes ;W;

There are basically two different colour wheels. In colour theory history there have been a few different wheels (for more research if you like: 1704: Newton, 1810: Goethe … there are more, but these are most important) you will see both of them being used in different context.

First: RGB colour wheel (by DanPMK on Wikipedia CC BY-SA)

Triad of Red, Green and Blue (based on Newton).

Based on the additive colour scheme.

Used in lighting, digital colours and screens.

Yellow is on the opposite of Blue.

Digital art programs use the RBG model, so those usually go with this one.

Little CMYK ramble: When you look in between of the RGB triad, you find CMY, which IS based on RGB, since this is how body/phisical colours, light and our eyes work together. The added "K" is … Key, aka Black, since in printing you can't just print 3 colours in 100% onto each other. First of all: it will be a very muddy green-brownish almost-black colour, while it also takes too long to dry, will smudge, clog up the printing machines, which then need more cleaning… and trust me… any printer will call you and tell you to change the colours, so you don't have 300% "dot gain" aka "total ink application".

Second: RYB colour wheel (by Kwamikagami on Wikipedia CC BY-SA)

Triad of Red, Yellow and Blue (based on Goethe).

Based on the subtractive colour scheme.

Used with physical colours, paintings, for artistic understanding

Yellow is on the opposite of Purple.

You find this wheel ONLY in general artistry and most sites that talk about contrasts will use this one.

source: Wikipedia (shhhh~) | I… basically described the pictures | Bauhaus

Quick vocabulary check in:

Hue — Fully saturated colour on the wheel. No white or black has been added.

Shade — adding black to a base hue (deepens the colour down to black) — it changes the Saturation.

Saturation — intensity/purity of the colour

Tint — adding white to a base hue (softens the colour to pastel up to white) — changes the Luminance.

Luminance — brightness/light in a colour

Tones — adding grey to a base hue(subtles down the colour, but can also add complexities into it) — another saturation change!

source: Canva

Harmonies err… Colour Contrast

We finally get to talk about colour harmonies, or from now on: contrasts. Since harmonies are neatly tied to contrasts. There is no "one way" to this, there are many, and also: you can (and should) combine them.

Monochromatic

You choose your colour and then run with it. You only add white to it. The deepest hue is usually the one you chose or you add black to it, to make it darker.

Complementary

Probably one of the contrasts that are being utilised or talked about most. You use one of the two colour wheels and basically pick one colour and then pick the colour of the opposite side.

Split Complementary

You choose one colour, and then go to the complementary colour, to just use the two right next to that one.

Triadic/Tetradic

Basically you use the three or four colours on the wheel, that are equally spaced from each other.

sources: Dulux

General Contrasting — adding harmony edition ✨

Since these where just the ABSOLUTE basics, and there is no (literal) nuance to these, those contrasts might work with each other, but the problem is: they all have the same value. They are just fully saturated hues that kind of scream at you and there can't be a harmony this way.

warm/cool and light/dark

You contrast your art with warm and cool colours. Basically, if you have a generally cool toned picture, the warm tones will pop out and these will be your eye-catcher.

opacity/transparency

The deepest hue is the hue you choose, you basically turn down the opacity, letting the hue below shine through as well.

all sources: Bauhaus | Dulux | Canva | Wikipedia

Some things I do

No srsly. This is the part, where I am giving advice that is based on what works FOR ME. If you want to do things differently or want to get more advice from different artists, to find your ways, please go ahead and look up some more. It is important to find the way for colouring you have the most fun with. It is your art after all, I will not set "do's" and "don't-s" bullshit rules.

If you have a colour palette you are generally happy with, but the colours still seem a little "off" to you? traditional ways: -> with opaque colours: make an underpainting with a colour you'd love to pair your palette with -> with water colours/ink: a very thin colour coat over the whole painting (make sure to use masking-fluid for parts you want to keep white) digital way: -> open another layer -> set it on "overlay" -> throw a colour you like over it, that will fit the vibe — I often use some colour psychology and a colour association that fits the vibe -> turn down the opacity, until you are happy with it 👀

Using one prominent colour as an eye catcher and then use it ONLY for the exact part you want to draw (huehue) attention to -> most affective if it has a little higher saturation than the rest of your palette -> also PERFECT moment to find a complementary/warm&cool contrast to the rest of the painting

Shadow tipps

(digital) I figured, that shadows work pretty well by using a complementary colour on a multiply layer and then just turning down the opacity of that layer (you can layer those as much as you like)

10-30% for the contrast to not mix too much or become muddy.

With shading I do the same percentage "rule", while also using a complementary or warm-to-cool/cool-to-warm colour contrast, for more definition.

Have some cool (and free) tools!

PuccaNoodle — Animation/Art Ressource Sheet -> there are so so SO many more tools in this sheet. Seriously, I absolutely recommend AT LEAST looking through the different sheets

Colour Picker Tools -> Adobe Color — colour wheel/colour palette generator -> Canva — colour wheel/calculator -> Coolors — random color palette generator -> Flat UI Colors — assortmend of different UI flat-colour palettes -> Paletton — colour scheme designer

Skin tones -> by FizzyGutz on twitter — thread -> by Kupadraws on twitter — thread -> by @peachdeluxe — post

Colour theory -> by DevinKorwin on twitter — thread

_________________

Next Up: why do they look good to others? why do we have favorite colors?

Since I basically wanted to put these in here as well, but… the post is already extremely long, I will split these ;w;

There will be colour psychology involved!

[profnodanna]

What do you think about Cathedral, old Scepter 4, and Purgatory?

I haven't read BEFORE ZERO yet (I know, I have no excuse), but I can confidently say I can't wait to know more about these clans and their dynamics.

So far the best shaped is Habari's Scepter 4: we have already had the opportunity to know two of its clansmen (Zenjoh and Shiotsu, four counting the twins) and thanks to War Stories we got a clear idea of what meant to be a blue coat under Habari's kingship.

Since both Scepter 4 (Habari's and Munakata's) have the same role as "guardian of the order" and the blue vs red unavoidable fate my first concern was that going back to talk about the previous clans would have just turned in another version of Scepter 4 vs Homra we already saw. This wasn't the case, and I'm really glad for it.

Old Scepter 4 has showed to have its own characterization that makes it different from new Scepter 4, thanks to its main trio (Habari, Shiotsu, Zenjoh) and its experience in fighting the red clan.

I must say that I find the Habari-Shiotsu-Zenjoh dynamic a lot more interesting than the Munakata-Awashima-Fushimi one (idk why, but in my head they're not a trio? Maybe it's because I compare them to the Mikoto-Kusanagi-Totsuka trio, so the comparison it's just unfair, idk... Well, that's another story).

I want to know EVERYTHING about Cathedral: so far I only know that it was a powerful clan of pacifists. I want to know more about Seigo, his kingship and his relationships with the other Kings. I don't have any particular wish about what I want to find, just give me a new cool clan to love (before it's wiped out, because why having nice things when you can suffer?)

Last one, Purgatory. So in War Stories we saw some interesting characters, like the man who saved a woman from being enslaved. I like the idea of the red clan made - also - by desperate and hopeless people who feel they can't be part of the society anymore, who only know violence to survive. At the same time, to me it's the less interesting clan: so far Kagutsu doesn't seem to be a "proper" character, he's more like this crazy villain only useful to advance your plot, and with him all his clan. It's a bit like Fushimi Niki, a sincere evil character whose main purpose is to help building a story rather than exploring why this character is the way he is. It's not bad in itself, it's just... not interesting to explore, I guess.

[shemarmooresfedora]

HI!!

I’m so happy for you to have hit 200 and now 300 followers!! You deserve a gold star ⭐️

I was looking at the prompts I think 4, 6, 12 sound good!! Again, I’m super happy that at your follower count. You’re a great writer and I can’t wait to see wait else you come up with 💕

You Don’t Ever Have to Hide From Me

Summary: You and Spencer are forced to share a hotel room but insecurities get the best of you.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Content/Warnings: internal angst due to body image issues, fluffy ending!

Word Count: 1.2k

A/N: why did i just write and edit this whole thing to avoid editing my other WIP which would have taken me less time. i just have been feeling in a bit of a rut lately so i needed some good old-fashioned spencer reassurance. prompt requests close tomorrow at 5 pm EST

Masterlist

Hotch came back from the receptionist’s desk, “We’re going to have to double up on rooms. They’re a little short.”

JJ and Emily paired off together immediately to no one’s surprise.

“I’m not sleeping with Reid,” Derek shook his head.

“Alright, Morgan, you’re with me,” Hotch stated, handing the last card to Spencer, “Sorry, they only have a king room, not twins.”

You groaned internally, flashing Spencer an awkward grin that he returned with his classic tight-lipped smile.

You had nothing against Reid, in fact, you would go out on a limb to say that you would call him your friend rather than coworker. But, all you wanted was to relax and let sleep take over you and now you would be up all night, afraid of snoring or anything else you could do to possibly embarrass yourself in front of your newly-budding crush.

You and Spencer rode the elevator up to the second floor in complete silence. Spencer slipped the key card into the slot on the door and pushed it open as it blinked green. He gestured for you to enter first because he was always such a gentleman.

“You can take a shower first if you want,” you offered to diffuse some of the awkward tension.

“Okay, thanks,” Spencer collected his change of clothes and headed into the bathroom.

As you gathered your belongings, you fell onto the bed in exasperation when you realized you only packed a cotton bralette and PJ shorts to wear to bed because you hadn’t been expecting to share a room at all let alone with Spencer.

“All yours,” Spencer smiled softly as he exited the bathroom, ruffling a towel through his curly locks to dry them.

“Thanks,” you murmured, reluctantly grabbing the skimpy clothing and heading into the bathroom.

Spencer was reading with only the nightstand lamp on when you finished your shower. You exited the bathroom with your dirty clothes balled up in front of you to hide your bare torso.

You crawled into bed on the opposite side of Spencer, putting as much space between you as possible. You were practically falling off the edge of the bed in an attempt to keep your distance.

You cleared your throat, “I’m putting a pillow between us. Under no circumstances do you cross it, okay?”

You took one of the extra pillows on your side and placed it right in the middle of the bed.

“Understood,” Spencer nodded, clicking off the lamp, “Good night, Y/N.”

“Good night, Spencer.”

-

You awoke to the feeling of arms wrapped around you. You could feel Spencer’s soft, even breaths against your neck. But then you felt his hands touching your exposed stomach. You cringed as the insecurities bubbled up.

You leapt up from the bed which startled Spencer awake. Your arms were crossed tightly around your front to shield Spencer from seeing any more of your body in the morning light.

“I-I told you not to cross the pillow,” you spoke softly.

Spencer noticed he had gravitated to your side of the bed throughout the night.

“Y/N, I am so so sorry. I swear I was asleep, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable at all. I’ll sleep on the floor tomorrow night,” Spencer sputtered.

“Don’t bother, okay? Just forget it. I can take the floor or hopefully a new room will open up by then,” you gave him a small smile to show you weren’t mad and grabbed your bag, heading to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

-

You sighed, looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror the following night. No new rooms opened up and you didn’t ask to switch with anyone because you didn’t want to cause a fuss. You also didn’t want Spencer feeling bad because you knew he hadn’t meant to do it on purpose.

You had practically begged Derek to lend you his biggest sweatshirt for the night. When he asked for a reason, you just shrugged, muttering something about the air conditioning in your room being broken and he gave it to you.

Spencer was reading once again with the lamp on when you exited the bathroom, much more covered this time.

Spencer immediately stood when he heard the door open.

“I already made a bed on the floor for me. I was just using your bed to be close to the lamp while you were in there,” Spencer quickly explained, getting himself situated on the floor.

“Spencer, I really don’t mind taking the floor,” you said.

“I was the one who crossed the boundaries, Y/N. I am taking the floor, I should have taken it the first night too. I’m so sorry I made you uncomfortable,” Spencer stated.

“It’s okay, Spencer. Night,” you yawned.

“Night, Y/N,” he sighed.

Spencer heard your breathing even out but he couldn’t go to sleep.

It all made sense now. You got upset when he cuddled with you last night, rightfully so, but he couldn’t figure out why until now. You and Derek must have a thing. Why else would you be wearing Derek’s sweatshirt? You were trying to send a message to him.

Spencer rolled over and eventually fell into a restless sleep at the thought of his crush liking Derek.

-

“Just so you know, Derek’s a good guy even though he may put on a bit of a ‘player’ act,” Spencer stated to you as you were packing your bags.

The case had wrapped so you were heading home on the jet soon. You could finally have a room to yourself, not that Spencer wasn’t great company but it was just nerve-wracking to be constantly over-analyzing your every move when with your crush.

“Um okay?” you zipped up your suitcase and set it by the door.

“Is it serious or is it more of a casual thing? When did it first start? You guys should probably fill out the HR paperwork to cover the team from any liabilities,” he began to ramble.

“Spencer-”

“Don’t worry. Your secret's safe with me. I don’t really have anyone to tell anyways besides you and Morgan but obviously you two already know-”

“God, can you just listen to me for a second?”

This caused Spencer to close his mouth.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you but I figured I should save you the breath. Morgan and I aren’t dating, seeing each other, or in any sort of romantic relationship,” you stated.

“But you were wearing his sweatshirt last night?” Spencer’s brow furrowed.

You pursed your lips and closed your eyes, “I’m not exactly the most comfortable in my body...especially around people I like.”

“Can I hug you?” Spencer asked softly.

You nodded and you felt yourself being enclosed in his warm embrace.

“You don’t ever have to hide from me, Y/N. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever and will ever lay my eyes on, inside and out,” Spencer whispered in your ear.

“And I like you too,” he added, “Not that you need them but if you’re going to be borrowing anyone’s clothes, they’re going to be mine,” he smiled.

“Good to know because I’ve had my eyes on that purple sweater of yours for a while,” you grinned.

taglist: (just ask to be added or removed!): @samuel-de-champagne-problems @g0lden-cth @spencerreid9 @averyhotchner @coldlilheart @k-k0129 @ickleronniekinsemotionalrange

[realcube]

The Maid Café || Saiki K x Reader

summary: nendou and kaidou keep pestering saiki to visit their favourite maid café but he shuts them down every time. however, after a bit of prying they manage to convince him to give the place a try and while they are there, you just so happen to be on shift. 

tw// cussing, maid café, (she/her) reader

key:

“non italicised text” = somebody besides Saiki speaking

“italicised text” = Saiki telepathically communicating

‘italised text’ = Saiki’s thought

‘Of course Nendou and Kaidou would be into maid cafés of all things — not cat cafés, not internet cafés — it just had to be maid cafés.’  

Saiki’s internal monologue began as Kaidou continued gushing on about the cute lady he met at the café a few days ago as an argument to why Saiki should join them next time they go. Not to say Saiki wasn’t listening as he felt extremely sorry for whatever lady had to tolerate Kaidou’s advances and his prayer went out to her but besides that, he really couldn’t care less about the maids or the café. 

Until, his attention was involuntarily aroused at the vocalisation of his name from Nendou, “Saiki’s definitely in for Friday, I’m pretty sure I sold him when I told him that the sandwiches there are almost as good as the ramen we usually get.”

‘No, you didn’t. I won’t be coming to join you on Friday. I’d much rather stay--’ 

Somehow Kaidou managed to cut off Saiki’s internal monologue with his annoying voice, “Don’t be silly, Nendou. You’re not going to win Saiki over with such a ridiculous comparison, one that he clearly doesn’t care about.” 

‘Am I delusional? Is this a hallucination? Or did Kaidou just say something logical and based in reality?’

Kaidou’s aura immediately changed to dark and sinister as a mischievous smirk crossed his face, the background squawks of the crows suddenly became much louder for some unknown reason. “Instead, you must locate your opponent's weak point before you can recognise the crucially important moment to exploit it. The process takes patience but it is one I have learned from my many years rebelling against Dark Reunion. Now, young Nendou, watch and learn.” He finished with a dramatic flip of his school jacket which was slung over his shoulders as a cape.

‘What was all that about?’

Saiki wondered before Kaidou turned to him, much less brooding than he was a few seconds ago, and said casually, “Your loss if you don’t come, Saiki — you’ll be the one missing out on some of the best desserts in our whole town — not to mention the coffee jelly.”

✿✿✿✿✿

‘How do I always end up losing to these people? I am a psychic for god’s sake!’

Saiki mentally cursed himself out as he stood shamefully in front of the maid café, wearing a carefully curated outfit — including his germanium ring  — created especially to hide his identity from anyone from his school that might pass by the café and spot him in there through the window or something. Honestly, he wouldn’t be caught dead in a maid café, or so he thought.

However, all the reviews he read along with both Nendou and Kaidou’s thoughts helped him conclude that this place’s coffee jelly and general dessert selection is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, his favourite Tumblr blog - DeadlyDesserts11037 - visited the place and gave it a 5 star review, recommending everybody who happens to pass by the town to definitely check the place out. After that, he was sold.

Saiki looked over at his friends and couldn’t help but facepalm in response to their bright red, thrilled expressions. “Good grief, please don’t tell me you are both that excited over ladies in maid outfits.” As you might’ve guessed, Saiki didn’t really understand the concept of a ‘maid café’, so he simply assumed the male obsession with maids had something to do with the objectification of women hence he obviously did not want to take part.

“Saiki, you’re seriously just built different if this doesn’t touch your soul.” They both brushed the pink-haired boy’s comment off, completely mesmerised by the sight of a particularly pretty maid-lady walking by the window — probably on her way to serve a table — carrying a notepad in one hand and a plate with a scrumptious-looking coffee jelly on top. 

Saiki followed their gaze, his breath hitching at the sight. He was speechless; no sarcastic comment, no running commentary, nothing. Just..woah! If he had known that the girls that work at this place were so gorgeous and the food looked so delicious, he would’ve came a long time ago.

He wasn’t even sure which one he wanted more; the girl or the jelly. In a way, one wasn’t complete without the other because the coffee jelly which she held high next to her head brought out her (E/C) eyes while her shapely figure highlighted the defined curves of the jelly. Drool was quick to start forming at the corners of his lips but he was even quicker to wipe it away; he was starving.

“We’re going in.”

✿✿✿✿✿

To Saiki’s dismay, it was not the stunning (H/C)-haired girl who he had caught a glimpse of through the glass that ushered them to their table. Rather, it was a slightly less gorgeous maid-lady who had long, bright purple hair which was clearly a wig. 

Fortunately for him, after she left Kadiou, Nendou and himself to take their seats, she rushed off saying that someone will come take their orders whenever they are ready.

Even with his psychic abilities, there wasn’t much he could think of to alter fate so the pretty coffee-jelly lady would end up serving their table, and besides that, he was way too caught up in gawking at all the mouth-watering desserts they had pictured on the menu. 

Simply glancing over the menu brought a stupid grin to his face, he wanted to try every delectable treat presented in front of him. However, he knew he must exhibit restraint, which was fairly simple as he knew deep down there was only one thing on the menu that he was truly after. You guessed it  — coffee jelly.

Usually, he couldn’t care less about what his friends comrades were going to order but in this case, he was tempted to try convince both Kaidou and Nendou to order something he liked so he could take a bite of whatever they were having, “What are you two going to order?”

Yet again though, he was ignored as Nendou and Kaidou were both too busy checking out other types of snacks to care about the ones on the menu. 

Then, a movement out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention so his head jolted from the menu to his new target, the beautiful girl he had saw through the window earlier. Previously, she was holding a coffee jelly but now she was basically empty handed, until she approached the table and pulled out a notepad and pen, “May I take your orders?” She asked in the most calming, melodious voice Saiki had ever heard, the sounds that left her mouth were nothing short of angelic. Which made sense since her serving their table must’ve been god’s gift to Saiki for all his hard work.

Chills, Saiki got literal chills before he mused, “A coffee jelly, and two brownies for the pair of clowns.” His blood ran cold; curse his smooth sarcastic comments! Most of the time, he was able to filter himself but due to the nerves that arose while talking to you, he probably shouldn’t be surprised that he had a little slip of the tongue. But now, you probably think he is a bitch that insults people on the regular; which he is, but not usually aloud! Plus, he couldn’t even tell what you were thinking due to his germanium ring and your distant expression, awful combo!

While he was in the middle of feeling bad for himself and considering teleporting away home, a miracle happened, you burst out laughing. And somehow, your laughter was even more silvery than your voice. 

Saiki had zoned-out from pure shock for a moment before coming back to reality, noticing that you had started jotting down something in your notepad, a sweet smile still lingering on your face despite the fact you had stopped laughing. “Alright, so one coffee jelly and two brownies. Anything else?” You asked, glancing back and forth between the three equally unique and strange men sitting at the table. 

“That’ll be all, thank you.” Saiki telepathically communicated as he usually did, considering actually using his mouth to speak for a change so he didn’t seem weird but in all honesty, he couldn’t be bothered. In any other situation, he would’ve gotten a drink of water or perhaps hot cocoa but right now he was way too afraid of making another error in his speech to request something else. 

Silently, he extended his arm to hand you the menu he was given when he entered the café, along with the ones Kaidou and Nendou were given too. His actions single-handedly shooting down your plan of leaning across the table to ‘take the menus’ but in reality it is just a subtle way of showing-off how nice your torso looked in this maid outfit, a trick you learned from your supervisor. 

You nodded, closing over your notepad and making your way over to the kitchen, being sure to swing your hips just a little bit extra to impress the pink-haired megane at the table you just took an order from. You mentally cursed your stupid brain though for always crushing on guys/gals who don’t seem the least bit interested in you. In this case, the guy’s attention was divided between his star-struck friends and the desserts on the menu, rather than you which was an unusual sight in a maid café considering that most people would only come to ogle at the waitresses. 

✿✿✿✿✿

“So, Saiki.” Kaidou finally landed back into reality after a large chunk of the waitresses roaming around were now in the kitchen which he didn’t have viewing access to, “What did you order us?”

‘So, he was fully aware that the waitress came to take his order, he just chose to ignore her and left me to order his food. What a child, it must be a side-effect of his eighth grade syndrome.’

Saiki couldn’t help but sigh, “I ordered you both brownies.”

Kaidou stuck out his bottom lip to form a pout as he crossed his arm over his chest like a toddler, “I hate brownies.” He muttered to himself, realising that if he wanted something done right, he’d have to do it himself.

An amused smirk tugged at Saiki’s lips but he resisted the urge to laugh, ‘I know.’ He thought, his masterplan to eat more food without looking greedy falling into place. “Oh well, more for me then.”

Suddenly, Nendou spun his head around to abruptly join the conversation, “Hey guys, did you see the hottie that was serving our table?” He inquired with starry eyes, as if he was a kid in a candy store.

Saiki nodded, ‘Obviously I did, you moron. I was the one who ordered the food for goodness’ sake!’

Kaidou shook his head, his eyes lighting up as he leaned in close to Nendou, “Nope! I was busy looking at the other girls, but tell us!” 

Nendou chuckled at Kaidou’s enthusiastic reaction before glancing to the side, outstretching his arm and pointing at the waitress that was now approaching the table with the food in her hands. “There she is!”

‘Don’t point at her, you idiot!’ Saiki mentally insulted his friend but instinctively followed the guidance of the tip of his finger until his eyes landed on your shapely figure — accentuated by the nature of the maid outfit  — slowly heading toward his table, holding the coffee jelly and the plate of brownies in the same graceful way you did when he saw you through the window. 

The gleam of your gorgeous hair, the movement of your luscious lashes, the gentle bounce of your upper body, how your perfectly manicured nails clutched the base of the jelly glass; everything about what he was seeing made him believe that if/when he were to die, this would be his ideal first sight as he passed through the gates of heaven. 

Before he knew it, you had reached the table and placed his jelly down on the table, gently nudging it towards him, “One coffee jelly for the cute boy with antennas.” You mused, making Saiki’s heart flutter in a way he was unfamiliar with. Then, you placed the brownies in front of Kaidou and Nednou who sat opposite from Saiki, “And two brownies for the clowns.” 

If it wasn’t for the fact the pair of clowns were too busy leching over you in your maid outfit, they’d probably be curious as to your choice of words but luckily for both you and Saiki, they were way to entranced by your visible bra strap to care about the little nickname.

Saiki felt a light blush creep onto his face, which only got worse as you discretely sent him a playful wink before turning on your heels to stroll back to the kitchen, “If you need anything else, just give me a wave.” 

All of them hummed agreement in unison until the waitress was out of sight, giving Saiki a moment to process the events that had just went down. Not only did you refer to him as ‘the cute boy with antennas’ but you also winked at him, if that wasn’t a clear sign you were interested, what was? However, Saiki still had his doubts since this was a maid café after all, perhaps you were just trained to do that with all your customers.

Luckily, the had the foresight to slip off his germanium ring to read your mind and that helped him come to the conclusion that you were either interested in him or you were just very competitive as the whole time you were serving the table your thoughts were along the lines of;

‘I’ll adjust my skirt- Ha! You looked! Try resist falling for me now, you hot lil’ megane! Your heart is mine and I know it! See, I’ll fidget with my corset too-- just make a move already, pinkie!’

Although he didn’t appreciate being called ‘pinkie’, he had no right to judge what was going on in your brain. All he could do is be thankful that you didn’t say that aloud.

✿✿✿✿✿

You sighed as you noticed the pink-haired boy and his little posy exit the establishment without so much as a goodbye, or even a wave! 

It was disappointing as you had already mentally planned your future with this guy and he had the audacity to do the real life equivalent of leaving you on read. But oh well, it would be approximately a week until you developed a crush on a random customer that lasts for around 30 minutes and for the time being, you can focus on doing your job.

You glumly shuffled over to their table to gather their plates to be washed, then a piece of colourful paper attached to the empty jelly glass caught your eye. As you held up the glass to inspect it further, you realised that it was a sticky note with a message written on it in black ink and neat, cursive handwriting. It read:

‘Dearest waitress,

Thank you for the excellent service, we (myself) tipped accordingly.’

You hadn’t finished reading yet but you were curious as to what he meant by that, and apparently you service must’ve been exceptional as the writer had left a whole ¥2000 tip. That’s a huge addition to the demonia fund.  

Followed by this charming little message was an extra tip for you; the writer’s phone number! Meaning that this little sticky note was something you had to protect with your life..so you shoved it in your bra for safe-keeping. 

But not before taking a moment to giggle with delight at who the note was signed by, 

‘Sincerely, the hot lil’ megane (aka Kusuo Saiki)’ 

[itsuki-minamy]

"SUZUKI SUZU" COMMENT ON "LIMITED KINGSHIP, WAR STORIES"

* Mini Episodes KFCN (List of Chapters) * Projects & Chapters

Translation: Naru-kun

Along with the final episode of "Limited Kingship, War Stories", I wrote what was decided. Because it includes the spoilers for the latest story, I've covered it. The initial plan, the comment of each story and the origin of the character's name. There are around 3000 characters, so read it when you have time.

Introduction:

"We will close the fan clan at the end of this year, so please write something during the extension period."

It was earlier this year that they told me that. 6 stories, from June to December. It doesn't matter, but the number 6 is good. This is because it is divisible by 1, 2, 3 or 6. The number 7 is also a prime number and it is wonderful. Have you already bought Seven Stories?

The theme was "everything is fine", but honestly, I felt like I had almost exhausted what I could do with K's main story. Have you ever seen K's time series chart? It's too tight and I think it's scheduling gimmick stuff, really.

By the way, we had a problem to digest. You already know "Ground Zero". The day before, "Before Zero", was also serialized the year before. At the same time, when I was serializing "Side Purple", I thought "I think it's possible to put it next to such an interesting story", but that's why I really liked "Before Zero". I am a Tachi influenced by what I like. In fact, the second half of "Side Purple" has been significantly affected.

So I offered to write a story from "Before Zero" to "Ground Zero", and it was successfully passed. I've done it, I can draw ruthless carnage in K's world.

"First of all, it's a story even before zero leads to ground zero."

"There is a demand for that spin-off from the day before the spin-off that has not yet come out."

It was not a surprise, but I stayed silent because it would be better if I could write what I liked and earn money.

As for the contents, at the beginning, like "Surugajo Gozen Game" and "Koga Ninpocho", a metamorphosis swordsman is released from "Scepter 4" and "Purgatory", and which one wins?! I was tense! I was thinking about something like that, but stopped because the demand that was already small would be even less.

"An older brother with burned legs stands on the shoulders of his younger brother with burned arms and turns into a flame giant."

"The jealousy of Kagutsu, an acrobat who entered Purgatory to excel, defies battle."

I was thinking about that...

I had to do 6 episodes, so I wrote 2 episodes of "red", 2 episodes of "blue", 2 episodes of "red and blue", and characters like Habari and Zenjo. It was decided like this. The number 6 is good because it is divisible by 2 or 3.

It was said that the number should be about 2,000 characters, but as Clansman writes new characters, careers, and dramas, more than 10,000 characters became commonplace. You can be a writer even if you are crazy.

The title became "Limited Kingship, War Stories" after the cool word "Limited Kingship, War" that appeared in "Before Zero". It was great.

What I like most about "Limited Kingship, War Stories" is the title "Limited Kingship, War Stories".

That is why I will do something like a comment on each story.

Episodes 1 and 2:

"Butterflies & Mantis" and "Hekireki & Senden" are stories of "red" and "blue", respectively. The concept is "member of the clan who has belonged to a clan that should not belong".

Maruha was drawn as a person who was too decent for "Purgatory" and Kuse was too crazy for "Scepter 4". Kuse has inherited the metamorphosis sword fighter gene, which was the initial plan.

So I wondered what if Maruha went into "Scepter 4" and Kuse went into "Purgatory", but it probably wouldn't work. Maruha is not that decent, and Kuse has a fushi that despises antisocial organizations. In the first place, these two people are not fit to live.

Before we started, I thought, "let's kill all the new characters so they don't affect them later," so I started writing while thinking about the best way to kill them. I'm glad they both died satisfied.

Although the name comes from, it was thought that Maruha was a younger brother of Hiragi, so it came from a plant called "Maruba holly". He's a pretty faithful guy, so he's loyal. He somehow he looks like a dark Kamamoto.

Kuse is a member of the clan which is an acronym for "Q" which means "question" in the alphabet. He's just a mystery to obsessed goodness. He had the image of Sojiro Seta from "Rurouni Kenshin", so his name turned out like this.

Episodes 4 and 5:

"The Shinigami and the Hounds" and "Drunk with the King" are stories of "blue" and "red", respectively. The concept was "King and vassal", but it was a bit out of place.

The initial plan of "The Shinigami and the Hounds" was a confrontation between Habari and a blind sniper, but I stopped it because I couldn't help thinking about it. When I was thinking of a combination to face various things like Akio and Hayatoshi, Shiotsu and Zenjo, the hunting dog's good move that "the moment I heard Habari got shot, I went straight and smelled" was interesting. That is why it happened like this. Also, Magome is the owner of the metamorphosis sword fighter gene. He is not a sword fighter.

"Magome foresaw the role of Zenjo" and "Habari who knew it smiled bitterly" were ideas that came up when I approached him for a consultation within GoRA. He is very good. Regarding Zenjo, the impression of "a dog that forgets everything if food is served" was interesting.

"Drunk with the King" is, well, a comedy as you read it. The idea was from the story of Kusanagi, who was drunk and dressed as a K story, and I thought it would be interesting if Soma was drunk and woke up among the dead.

Before we started, there was an agreement that "I would not write about Kagutsu", so when I asked "how about drawing the monster level from Dragon Quest?", they said it was fine, so it happened like this. Cool, huh? I like that Kagutsu, where brains flutter.

Hayato Magome's name comes from the Japanese mythology "Ame no Makagoya" and "Ame no Habaya". The image is like a fusion accident that occurred when Anna and Totsuka were linked by the devil. I didn't realize it when I was writing, but I can see the influence of "Golden Kamuy" everywhere, like where body fluid eagerly seeps through and where superiors are happy to be scrawled.

There is nothing from Murata in particular. A person who has just died. Sorry.

Episodes 3 and 6:

"Blue Clothes & Black Clothes" and "Aiseki 1999" are stories of "red and blue", respectively. The concept is "a story about people who were killing each other" and "a story about people who were close friends who were killing each other".

There is nothing but a concept, in any case.

Personally, I like the character of Mina in "Blue Clothes & Black Clothes". A humanly weak girl with fierce ability and a fierce personality. This is probably the first time a "female member of the "Purgatory" clan has appeared...", so it was good in that regard as well. I like the fact that she could use the color of the clothes as a metaphor for my position. Also, the story of Yata and Fushimi fighting together in the basement, which came out in the comic, is also a shitajiki.

At first, "Aiseki 1999" was supposed to be a new character on the "Scepter 4" side, but I decided to use Shiotsu because he seemed like he could be used. It is a story in which the positions of the two friends separate and kill each other in the flow of time that cannot be avoided. It was also good that the killings happened by force because of Akio's sympathy. Shiotsu has only had one terrible eye, right?

The name comes from "Takemikazuchi" for Kazumada Takechi and "Takeminakata" for Mitsuna Nakata. The gods who fight.

Takamuro Kunikatsu is from the "Takamuro Shrine" dedicated to "Shiotsuchi no Oji" and the alias "Kotokatsu Kunikatsu Nagasagami".

Conclusion:

It was a lot of fun writing "Limited Kingship, War Stories". It was serialized in a short period of half a year, but I hope those who read it enjoy it.

See you soon.

[delicatewerewolfsoul]

Full Circle - Han Jisung

–pairing: han jisung x reader, life savior seungmin, (popular boy hyunjin, felix and minho making an appearance)

–genre: fluff, idiots/best friends to lovers au,

–word count: 3,8 k

–synopsis: jisung had exactly three days to make you his, and he'll do everything he could to make it happen.

–for the dear skz, with love event by @districtninewriters make sure to check the works of the other writers!

Lilacs: when lilacs have a light purple color, they represent first love and new begginings 

The bell rings once again after another boring class in the middle of a peaceful Wednesday but Jisung doesn’t move an inch from where he’s sitting, his hands supporting his head as his eyes closed, sleeping far more entertaining than any weird information the teacher shared with all of you. Wednesday’s were always hard for Jisung since he had three classes different than yours that day. He couldn’t concentrate at all, he had no energy to spend, and honestly he didn’t want to either. He found these classes useless after all, since he already knew what he’ll do after this ended, and no one of these was part of it. That day his ears seemed far more used to the loud sound of the bell that doesn’t move an inch.

He was shaken out of his slumber violently, in his opinion, after something hits the back of his head, only for it to be a ball of paper, thrown at him by his classmate Felix that sat right behind him. 

“Hey bro, class finished a while ago, why are you still here?” Felix says confused because his usually enthusiastic, bright friend was suddenly sulking more than usual that fine Wednesday while looking at a notebook at his hands that was clearly too neat to be his, so he guessed it was yours.

“But it’s boring without y/n… They have a big assignment with their chemistry class and they spend most of their time with them… And I don’t want to cling to them and be annoying” he says propping his head on his arms as he was looking at his friend that was about to laugh, it really looked as if Jisung’s life depended on how close you were and what you were doing. He remembers when once he said y/n is my oxygen half jokingly and Minho was about to throw a book on his head of disgust making everyone laugh. Truth was, that he was in too deep and too hard, from as long as he remembers. From the moment you met, when you held his hand in primary school to pull him out of the mud hole he had fallen and then taken to his home, only to find out that your parents are friends so that meant that you would probably spend more time together. And from that moment you were attached to the hip, the beauty and the nuisance as he would say himself (even though you scolded him every time he called himself that), following you around.

“Still, let’s go outside okay? I’m sure the others are already outside. And you need fresh air, stand up lover boy” patting his friends back and going out with the sulking boy following behind. Felix was right after all, he needed to be out and if he acted like that, then his other friend would feel like they weren’t worthy to him and was equally as bad. He stepped outside of the school to the big green area where big tables were placed so students could study. 

“Took you long enough, what happened?” says Minho as the two of them step closer to their usual table where all of you sit during your breaks studying or laughing around. 

“Lover boy here was refusing to let his desk alone, and he slept during class too” Felix said as he took a seat across Minho. Honestly he just wanted to sleep the day away, this specific day was too tiring for him to handle… But the others would never know that. 

“I think I know the reason” Minho says, looking at his left, his gaze falling at the center of the yard where the table you were sitting with your classmates were. Jisung understands where he’s looking and turns to look as well. And his eyes land on you as you talk to your classmates, probably planning something he guesses from the way you look at them. As expected from his y/n… Well, not his, but yeah. He smiles shyly at the thought, feeling his face heating up. He then sees you waving at him, with a smile on your face, probably feeling his eyes on you and he waves back smiling as well. And that’s when he sees a very familiar figure going closer to you.

Someone tall with his hands in his pockets comes behind, and stops behind you. Hwang Hyunjin? What would the most popular kid in school want with a person that was kind of on the nerdy side, like you? What he’s about to hear will get him very surprised.

“y/n, go on a date with me” says Hyunjin and the whole school goes silent.Jisung’s hand stays midair and it can be seen all around his face how much he was panicking at that exact moment. Jisung breaths in as he also waits for your answer, but as he pays attention more to your expressions he already knows what your answer will be. The slight bite of your lip, the way you played with your fingers all showed how you would actually say yes, he knew you too well. “Y-yes” you say silently and Hyunjin smiles. “Okay then! I’ll pick you up on Friday, at 7pm” he says and leaves as quickly as he came. 

Jisung feels as if an arrow went through his chest. Why Hwang Hyunjin out of all people? He was so tall and pretty, he knew he wasn't a match to him. He couldn't just accept this though, he had to do something. He had to do something and he had to do it fast. There was a problem though, he definitely couldn't do it face to face, so he had to find another way. And then an idea comes to mind. He remembers the movie you two watched the other day. Letters. That was the plan. After school, when only the kids on duty would be there, he would tiptoe to your locker and silently, put the letter in it. 

And that's what he did. After classes ended, he said goodbye to his dear friends and when the school seemed almost empty, he went close to your locker.

"What are you doing?" Jisung hears someone say behind him and with how nervous he is, he somehow manages to hit his head on the locker while trying to put the letter in it quickly, before turning around to see an unamused Seungmin looking at him with a book in his arm, probably headed towards the library. As expected from the class president, always being annoying and having to appear at the worst times ever. It's not that he didn't like him, it was just that… He shouldn't be there at this time.

"Hey Seungmin, I'm… Good, how are you?" he answers back, a forced smile on his face, as he already feels himself starting to sweat, trying to find a way to get rid of him. His plan was definitely not going the way he wanted to.

"That's y/n's locker right? And what's with that letter?" Seungmin asks even though he already knows what's happening. He wants to laugh at the boy in front of him but he contains himself, as he knows that Jisung might have a breakdown at the state he is currently at. "Let me help you. I'll make sure nothing dumb like this ever happens"

"How come you aren't taking Hyunjin's side?" Jisung says, a little amused by the offer.

"Honestly, Hyunjin might have the looks and the brains, but you have the heart so you win that one" says Seungmin without really thinking about it much, the answer obvious to him.

"I don't know if I should be happy or offended but anyways, thanks for the offer, I appreciate it" Jisung says and smiles at him. “Even if I don’t know how you even know I like them”

“Are you kidding me?” answers Seungmin stopping at his tracks. “You were painfully obvious, I’m really shocked how they didn’t notice that themselves. I’m shocked at how I didn’t even see you once drool, I swear you were about to when they…”

“Okay, enough! I got it, it was obvious, can we please stop this?” says Jisung scratching the back of his head. Was he actually that obvious? he bites his lip in thought. What if you actually noticed and didn’t do anything cause you didn’t actually want to be anything more than friends? He shakes his head to get these thoughts out of it. There’s no backing away now, not when he already had put a well thought letter into your locker.

"So… What are you going to do when they get the letter tomorrow?" Asks Seungmin, as they walk back in class, getting him out of his thoughts.

"I don't know… Faint?" Says Jisung and Seungmin would almost hit him, if he didn't have in mind his good reputation. "I didn't write much though, it will be more in the next letter". 

"I'll talk to them then, and see what they think.  And you just… Relax weirdo, you'll get caught that way".

The next day you arrive as normal at school, kinda early as always, as you loved walking in the morning breeze and of course there was no reason to run towards class when you take your time and enjoy the chilly mornings. You open your locker and something falls on the floor. You pick it up and you open it and proceed to read it:

Dear y/n,

you’re surprised aren’t you? I know this is kinda sudden and this was kinda urgent for my side as well. I would reach out to you sooner, orI would make a move spooner but it’s fair to say that I was a coward. But as the circumstances are right now, I have to move fast. Let’s say I’ve had feelings for you for a long time, I’ve always been looking out for you and taking care of you. I’ve tried too hard to get rid of the feelings for the sake of you, but it was too hard. A new letter will reach you soon, please anticipate it

–your secret admirer

A secret admirer? That was new for sure. And why now out of all times? As you go to crumble and throw away the letter, you feel a hand on your shoulder.

“I wouldn’t do this if I was you. This somehow seems important, don’t you want to know who this is from?” you turn around and see no other than Kim Seungmin, looking at you straight in the eyes.

“Seungmin? Were you reading this all this time? Why are you here? Do you know who this is from?” you say looking around to spot any abnormal activity around you. You miss the way Jisung turns to hide behind a big column on your right. He feels his knees giving out as he waits for Seungmin to return and finally tell him what’s happening. 

After a few minutes he feels a hand on his shoulder and he would scream if he didn’t know who it was. He stands up and clears his throat as he turns to talk to his friend.

“What happened?” he says, looking at him with anticipation as they walk back in class. Seungmin laughs as he looks at him, he didn’t want to admit it, but he liked Jisung’s courage, it made him happy to see him finally take that step and do a favor to everyone and confess.

“It went good, they’re keeping the letter… And they also said they’ll do a little investigation whatever that means” says Seungmin getting in class. He notices Jisung isn’t next to him and turns around and notices the poor boy by the side of the class’ entrance, his hands on his hair, with a panicked look on his face. He runs to him to bring him back in his senses.

“You know what that means? They’ll call me. Tonight. To ask me what I think. What do I do Seungmin? I’ll screw everything up” Jisung yells, now grabbing Seungmin’s biceps and it would be wrong to say that Seungmin wasn’t scared by the look on Jisung’s face.

“You’ll act your normal self, that’s what you gotta do” says Seungmin and Jisung curses himself for even putting himself through all of this.

“What did you do with the second letter by the way?” asks Seungmin looking at him.

“Ohh, the letter? I put it somewhere safe that I know they'll open at home”.

And that’s what happens. As you open your school bag, and take out all of your books, you spot at the very bottom of your bag an envelope similar to the one you got in the morning. You gasp as you understand what it is, quickly picking up your phone, calling your most trusty friend. After a few seconds he picks it up.

“What do you want this late loser?” he says with his usual tone and you laugh hearing the smile that you know he has on his face.

“Nothing special, just… I’ve been getting those letters lately? I just got the second one and I wanted to read it with you” you say and hold your phone close to ear, with the help of your shoulder, as you try to open the letter.

Jisung gulps as he hears you say that. Just exactly as he expected, you call him to ask about this. He should have figured it out before earlier that this would happen, there wasn’t anyone that you trusted more than him after all.

“I’ll read it out now” you say and start reading out loud:

Dear y/n 

Just as I told you, I’m back with another letter. I hope I don’t seem weird or anything by letting those letters for you. I really didn’t have any way to show you my feelings for you. Too shy to talk to you about this and a little too much of a  coward to even face you. I hope these silly letters reach your heart and you give me a chance. You shine so much that my heart can’t take it, I’ve tried many times to voice my feelings, but I was without a voice, as if the world would end if I finally let them out. Stupid right? You’re probably wondering who this weirdo who is leaving letters like these for you is so I left a little hint for you at the end of the letter. Expect my last letter very soon.

–your secret admirer

Jisung feels his stomach turn as he hears you read the word he himself wrote for you. It actually sounded way more childish and cringy than he intended it to be, now that you were actually reading it out loud. He desperately wanted the world to open up and swallow him alive, that’s how much embarrassed he was.

“You’re hearing this, right? Me. Having a secret admirer, I wasn’t expecting something like this to happen” you laugh as you say this and Jisung feels himself getting sweaty, trying to control his nervous self and show how professional he was with his feelings (which was totally not but whatever).

“Ha ha, yeah! you’re right” he says super awkwardly and closes his eyes as he sighs, trying to calm himself, before continuing “You’ll just wait till the next letter, right?” he says and bites his lip as he waits for your answer.

“Of course, I have to find out who this is, they clearly went out of their way for me, I should know… Oh?”. You look inside the envelope again now and you spot a picture of a flower, a beautiful, full bloomed lilac bush. What’s that supposed to mean?

“What is it?” he says just as quickly, even if he already knows what it is.

“It’s a lilac bush, just like the one I have in my backyard, you know, the purple one?” you say and think about harder, but nothing comes to mind. “I don’t really understand, does that flower have any meaning?” you and Jisung sighs as he sees that you didn’t figure out everything.

“I have no clue, why don’t you search for it later?” he says and you think about it “will do, for sure”.

And the next day comes and that finds Jisung asking Seungmin what his great plan was for his final letter.

"So… What's the plan for the last letter, big brained boy?" says Jisung with a smile, as he nudges Seungmin's shoulder and the other boy makes a disgusted face at him but answers anyways.

"I've actually recruited a friend to drop the letter under their front door," says Seungmin and Jisung starts panicking again.

"Wait what? I can't trust a stranger with such an important thing, why not me and you?" says Jisung stubbornly and Seungmin just wants to hit his own head on the wall.

"And what if they are near the door, notice the letter and run out, only to see me or you close to it? Wouldn't that be suspicious?" he says and Jisung starts sulking, understanding what his friend is saying. "And Jeongin is very trustworthy, you have nothing to worry about"

You on the other end, are on edge. You keep out for your secret admirer around you. You check your purse all the time, your locker, your soundings at all times, hoping you'll spot something out of the ordinary and finally find out who that person was and end this painful journey that was giving you too much curiosity. 

"Stop looking like that everyone around you, there's no way you'll find out something like that, and you're scaring everyone around you" Jisung says as he spots you at the end of school at your locker. "Still no sign of the admirer?" he says and you sigh.

"Yeahh, still no sign. I thought I would have already gotten one by now, I wonder if something is wrong" you say biting your lip.

"I bet there's nothing wrong, they may have a different plan in mind" he says and you both walk towards your homes. He's nervous, he hopes the friend Seungmin gave his letter will actually do a good job and make sure the letter will reach you safely… And in time. The date you had with Hyunjin was so close, if the letter didn't arrive in time, that would probably be a huge problem for Jisung.

You arrive at home in no time. You throw your bag at the ground and quickly take your jacket off, and then flop on the couch as you start thinking again about everything that's happening. From Hyunjin sudden confession to the also very sudden secret admirer. The timing seemed interesting, why now? Whoever was it, you wanted to congratulate that person for their courage, you know, you wouldn't be able to do something like that if you were in their place, since you were also keeping your feelings to yourself.

A sudden rustling to your door takes you out of your thoughts and as you look towards it, you spot a new envelope. Stand up quickly, grab your keys and your envelope, and run out of your apartment, only to see a person running away, but too far for you to reach it. You open hurriedly the envelope to read the letter:

Dear y/n 

It's me again and today I'm finally putting an end to journey. So this is… Jisung. You're surprised right? I'm sorry for being such a coward and doing this this way. I just wanted you to know, even if it is late, even if in the end you don't choose me at the end that to me, it has always been you. You're probably wondering why now right? Well, the other day I saw how Hyunjin confessed to you and all I could think of was how stupid I was all this time. How I could be more daring and finally make you mine. And I always kept on pushing back "I'm glad I'm just their friend" was a thought I always had in my mind but the truth was that in the back of my mind I always wanted more. I wanted to hold you, be the one to take care of you for once, and not the other way around. I know it is selfish to do this now, but please forgive me, I didn't want to give you up, I wanted to fight for you, even if I was defeated in the end, it would all be worth it. You're also probably wondering why the flower. I remember the day we planted together that little bush because you wanted a more unique flower in your garden. Funnily enough this beautiful flower means first love, did you know that? You were mine actually. I still remember how I finally figured out my feelings for you while we watched that beautiful sunrise at that little hillside by my house, I remember my heart skipping a beat when I turned to you look at you and the purple and magenta colors illuminated at your face and knew at that time, that was in deep. And since that time my heart was colored a bright rose color whenever I thought of you. Every time I see that little bush bloom, I remember how much I wanted to give you these flowers and finally open my heart to you but I was always scared to do so and I deeply regret till this day. If you decide to actually choose me, I will be at the same hillside, waiting for you.

You're truly, Jisung

And you run… You run full speed towards that idiot friend of yours. You were almost in tears, how did you not notice how nervous he was? Or the flowers? You should have known… What Jisung didn't know was that you felt bad about it too. You felt bad for not taking the first step. For not getting to him first. What Jisung didn't know was that the reason you didn't date before was because of him. Why date when you had Han Jisung by your side? The reason you actually accepted Hyunjin's confession was so you could try and yourself to stop loving your best friend, feeling guilty for your feelings.

You reach the hill and here he is, his back turned to you. You run to him and back hug him, your left arm going around his waist.

“You big idiot, why go through all of this just so you can confess, all you needed to do is to just straight up come to me and I would choose you without any hesitation”

Jisung laughs as hears you, feeling relieved and a strange kind of joy he didn't think he'd feel. Your right hand comes around his waist as well, and that's where he spots it. A light purple lilac, from the same bush you two planted, years ago. He starts laughing at the flower and you laugh with him.

"Did you actually know that this means new beginnings as well?"

(a/n: I have loads of fun writing this, I hope people will enjoy it, don't forget to leave a review heh)

[featheredoutrage]

Serendipity (Ch 1)

Rating: K

Sasuhina Month Day 1: Beginning of Us

Read on FF.net

“Sunagakure was nice last time I visited, I never would have thought that a city in a desert would be so pleasant. Mayor Gaara really is exceeding all expectations...” Sasuke tried not to let the boredom show on his face. Unfortunately, Satoshi Nakada was an important supplier to Uchiha Corporations, and pissing off business partners would not help Sasuke convince his father to give him more responsibility.

Sasuke hated these corporate functions, hated being forced to rub elbows with people he couldn’t care less about. Everyone was boring, irritating, or loud -- usually all three -- and often became even more so after a couple of drinks. Even worse, it was so easy to get trapped in a boring story that went on and on, leaving Sasuke unable to extricate himself without looking rude.

Lucky for him, a young man wandered over, wine glass in hand, brimming with nervous confidence. He looked fresh out of school, and was probably desperate to develop some industry connections. The rookie introduced himself to Sasuke and Nakada, who looked like someone who had just woken up from a trance. Sasuke smiled and patted the newcomer on the shoulder. “Well, I have to, uh, get some more appetizers, so I’ll leave you two to get acquainted.” Having found a suitable sacrifice, Sasuke made a beeline for the back door.

Sasuke’s father expected him to represent the family company, so Sasuke couldn’t just leave like he wanted to. He had, however, discovered that he could duck away to an empty corner and wait until the function was almost over before re-emerging and pretending he had been there the entire time with no one the wiser. Empty rooms were risky -- Sasuke learned the hard way that middle-aged adults could be just as horny as teenagers -- so he wandered around outside until he found the perfect spot: a slight bend in the building surrounded by tall hedges that could hide him from view while still providing good visibility to the guests passing by. The only problem with this hiding spot was that it was already occupied.

“Get out,” Sasuke said before he could stop himself. The girl stared at him with wide pale eyes that glowed in the moonlight. She had dark hair and pale skin and wore what looked like a light purple cocktail dress, though it was hard to distinguish the color in the dim light. Sasuke forced himself to soften his tone. “I mean, can you please leave.”

The girl raised an eyebrow. “I-I was here first.”

Sasuke’s left eye twitched. “Surely a lovely lady like yourself has people looking for you. I can walk you back to the party if you want,” he said with a smile that had previously dazzled many other women into acquiescing to his demands.

“I-I could say the same to you,” the girl sniped back, her defiant words at odds with the way she nervously tapped her fingers together. “Why don’t you head back and I’ll stay here.”

Sasuke dropped all polite pretenses and scowled. If he couldn’t charm her into leaving, then he’d just have to chase her away. But before he could make a cutting comment about the girl’s looks or obvious awkwardness, they were interrupted by the sound of thunderous steps and of exuberant voices.

“That’s it Lee! Let the power of youth propel you to the finish line!” Sasuke hurriedly stepped into the alcove, squeezing himself between the girl and the wall. The girl squeaked at the sudden proximity, but Sasuke paid her no mind, more concerned about hiding himself from the new arrivals. Through the half cover of the hedges, Sasuke could see the twin forms of Might Guy and Rock Lee stampeding down the path on their hands. When they reached the birdbath, located right next to where Sasuke and the girl were hiding, the two leapt to their feet and clasped hands. “Amazing Lee. You’ve improved leagues since I last saw you.”

“It is only due to Guy-sensei’s support and dedication that I am where I am now. Guy-sensei’s coolness is a constant inspiration,” Lee exclaimed, his smile appearing to be a light source all on its own.

“Let us celebrate your achievement with another hundred laps!” The two green-suited fanatics dashed off down the path again, kicking up a trail of dust behind them.

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. “I can’t believe those two are still invited to these things,” he muttered.

“The mayor likes them, it would look bad if they weren’t invited. Besides, they’re very nice once you get to know them.” She was leaning awkwardly against the wall, her body angle away from him. Sasuke suddenly became painfully aware of how close they were. He could smell her lavender perfume and make out the silvery flowers stitched into her dress.

“I thought they were invited because Tsunade gets a kick out of watching them challenge people to push-up contests.”

“...Maybe that too,” she said with a smile, revealing small dimples on both sides of her mouth. She had a nice smile, Sasuke thought idly before frowning. Why had he thought that? He wanted her to leave after all.

“If you enjoy their company so much, why don’t you go join them when they come back around.”

“Alright,” she agreed, to his shock. “I’ll introduce you too. I’m sure they’d be thrilled to meet you.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” he said quickly. Watching the duo from a distance was already overwhelming, interacting with them up close might fry his green color receptors and a couple of brain cells along with it.

“Then I suppose we should just stay put then,” the girl said, and Sasuke grudgingly admitted defeat. There were worse people to be stuck behind a hedge with, he supposed. Just then, Satoshi Nakada stumbled down the path, gripping a poor waiter’s arm for support, slurring loudly about his younger days.

“Looks like this party might be starting to wrap up soon,” Sasuke commented once the old man and his hapless victim had passed.

“Nakada-san’s only started talking about his first business deal, there’s a few more hours to go I think,” the girl said. Sasuke chuckled, startling them both. He hadn’t expected that.

“He spent so much time talking about his recent Suna trip today, he might not have started drinking until later. The timeline’s probably pushed up.”

The girl inclined her head. “Maybe. But Shikamaru-kun is coming out for a smoke now.” She gestured at a faraway figure who was taking a drag on a lit cigarette. “If the event was wrapping up, his mother would have dragged him back in.”

“Nara’s more than capable of giving his mom the slip,” Sasuke argued. “This might be his second round.”

“Then what about Tsunade-sama? She’s still inside, so she hasn’t had the time to get drunk yet.”

“Everyone’s working double time to make sure we don’t get a repeat of last month’s fiasco. She might not even get trashed this time.”

And so their conversation went, with the girl raising one proposal after another for why it was still early, and Sasuke finding ways to shoot it down. It was comfortable, engaging, and even, dare he say it, fun. What a strange thought. These parties were formal, a way to make connections, an obligation that Sasuke had to go to whether he wanted to or not. At best it was satisfying to walk away with a new business partner. They were never fun.

The game was interrupted by a lone female figure walking down the path shouting “Nee-san! Stop hiding and come out. Father’s looking for you.” She was short, with brown hair and a silvery-white gown. They watched her walk past in silence. When she disappeared down the bend, the girl sighed.

“Looks like you were right, the party is wrapping up.” She moved to leave their little hiding spot, but glanced back at him, lips quirking upward in a small smile. “It was good to meet you, Uchiha-san.” She hurried down the path after her sister.

Sasuke stood there, by himself. He’d gotten his wish, the hiding spot was his. But it was darker and quieter than it was before. Sasuke stood there, annoyed that she had known who he was but he hadn’t even gotten a name. With a huff, Sasuke left the hedge too, and headed back towards the party. His father was probably looking for him.

[dobbyjen]

Tiny Dancer

Pairing: Frankie “Catfish” Morales x F!Reader 

Rating: M

Word Count: 1900

Warnings: some swearing, kisses, a tad of drinking, cute dad Frankie 

Summary: Frankie comes home just in time for his daughter’s dance recital

A/N: So I’ve never written a fic before so this is my first one. Grammar and all that crap is probably wrong but whatever. I am no writer at all. If anyone does read it please be nice. It was just a cute little idea that popped into my head because the world needs more dad Frankie fics. Might write something else in the future in this universe if anyone reads this. 

__________________________________________________________

“Mommy when daddy come?” your 3 year old pouts as you help her into her ballet outfit. You sigh and grab the 2 fuzzy yellow scrunchies off the bathroom counter and start parting her hair into two.

“I’m not sure Franny.” she frowns even more and wiggles are head out of your hands.

“I wike daddy do hair!” she screams and stomps her foot onto the bathroom tiles. You groan as you look into her teary big brown eyes. Frankie’s eyes. Frankie has been gone for 6 days and it was getting alot harder to deal with the mini Frankie. Francesca Morales was the splitting image of her father. Looks and personality wise. And she was the BIGGEST daddy’s girl. She’d been wrapped around his finger the second she came out. 

“Daddy should be home soon and then you can show him pictures of how beautiful you look today.” her frown gets a tad smaller and she scoots back in between your legs for you to do her hair. “Maybe if you do your pretty toes so well we can get a treat after the recital?” you barely have time to tighten the last scrunchie as she whips around and crushes your neck into a hug.

“Yay mommy! Get pupcakes?! I so good at pwetty toes!” she skips around the bathroom practicing her pretty toes as you finish packing her little purple dinosaur backpack.

“Of course princess. Let’s get going before we’re late.”

__________________________________________________________

“Frankie you said you were done with this shit! I’m going to personality kick Pope’s ass.” you huff as you plop down on the bed. Frankie sighs and comes over, bending between you legs.

“It will be 3 days...max babe. We need the money. I’m doing this for you and Francesca.”

“Frankie...i swear to god if you don’t come home...i...i don’t know...”

“Hey hey hey everything is gonna be okay. Pope said there’s no way this can go wrong. It’s go in, get the money and we’re out home free. I promise.”

__________________________________________________________

“Do you want me to wait here in case she throws you out?” Pope snickers as he pulls up outside the Morales house. Frankie glares at Pope and smacks his hat off his head.

“Fuck off. If anything she’s gonna kick your ass.” Frankie mumbles as he gets out of the truck and runs up the front porch. He twists the doorknob and whacks his head on the door as he realizes its locked. “What the....” Frankie panics for a minute wondering why its locked. They only just moved into the house 2 months ago and hadn’t gotten around to getting a spare key hidden. Frankie wracks his brain for why you wouldn’t be home. There’s no way you left with Francesca was there? “Hey what day is it?” Frankie yells back to Pope who is still sitting in his truck.

“Uhhhh...Sunday June 12th?” Pope yells back and Frankie feels like he just got slapped in the face.

“FUCK!” Frankie yells and runs back into Pope’s truck. “Drop me off at the civic centre NOW.”

“What why? They’re not home?” Pope sputters as he rips the truck into drive.

“Today is Franny’s first dance recital and i think it already started. Fuck she’s defiantly gonna kill me now.”

__________________________________________________________

Pope doesn’t even have time to put the truck into park before Frankie is jumping out and running through the doors of the civic centre. He stops as he reads the sign looking for the room with the dance recital. Auditorium 5. He runs down the hallway and stops when he sees a table selling flowers.

“How much for all of them.” Frankie huffs as he grabs outs his wallet. The young boy stares at Frankie with a gaping mouth.

“Uhhhh.....they're’ a-a dollar a-a fl-flower sir.” Frankie nods and throws him a 10. The boy swallows his nerves and hands Frankie a bouquet of rainbow roses. Frankie murmurs a thanks and sneaks into auditorium 5. There’s no seats available so he just stands against the back wall. There’s a group of 2 year olds on stage at the moment attempting a hip hop routine and Frankie chuckles to himself thinking of how Franny would look hopping around to the upbeat music. He looks down at the program and sees that her group is next.

The hip hop group run off the stage and the crowd cheers for them. Two young girls come out and take away the previous props and set out 8 pairs of yellow pom poms. Walking on Sunshine starts to play as the 8 little girls coming skipping out to find their spots. Frankie’s face begins to hurt from smiling so much as he spots Francesca. Wearing her yellow dance onesie and yellow tutu with her hair up in two messy pigtails. She does the little 2 minute routine so well Frankie can feel his eyes welling up with tears. Fuck he’s proud of her. This is why he needed to get home. He couldn’t fathom missing another experience like this. You and Francesca were the reason he kept pushing though the hard days. You both were his entire world.

__________________________________________________________

The recital comes to an end and all the parents wait around in the main foyer waiting for their little dancer to come out. 

Frankie fidgets with the bouquet of flowers in his hands as he looks around the crowd for a glimpse of you. He looks down at his watch and panics that he missed you guys and you went home, until......

“DADDY?!!!” You look up startled by your daughter’s random outburst and Frankie spins around as he hears his little girl screaming. He drops to his knees as Francesca comes flying into his arms. Frankie wraps his one arm around her small body and cradles her head with his hand and holds her close to him. The flowers drop to the ground long forgotten.

“Hi princess. I missed you so much. You did so good with all your twirls.” he whispered to her, smothering her head with kisses. She giggles uncontrollably and moves her head to kiss Frankie’s face all over as well. Making sure she kissed away the couple of tears away that snuck out. “These flowers are for you Fran.” Frankie smiles and puts the giant bouquet in her tiny arms.

“Woooow!! Mommy look!” Franny squeals and Frankie finally looks up and is met with your tear filled eyes. He stands with Franny in his arms and walks over to you.

“Hi.” he whispers. You gasp as you wrap your arms around the both of them. Frankie sighs as he buries his face into you hair, breathing in your scent. Fuck he missed this.

“W-when did you get back?” you sniffle and pull back to look into his brown eyes. Francesca looked between her parents confused and pawed at both their faces to dry their tears. Frankie chuckled at her gesture and tickled her side a bit making his favourite sound ring through his ears. A very high pitched giggle.

“Uhh...like 2 hours ago? I stopped at home first and then realized what day it was. I won’t miss this day for the world.”

“You shaved.” You said as you rubbed your hands over his bare jaw. You don’t think you’ve ever seen his face this bare before. You loved his patchy beard so dearly but you could probably get used to this face as well.

“Daddy no more pokey.” Franny scrunched up her face and placed a sloppy kiss to his cheek. You both laugh.

“Do you like it love?” Frankie questions.

“As long as your home and safe that’s all that matters to me.” you whisper as you lean in to kiss his lips.

“Ew yucky kisses!!” Franny squeals as she pushes your faces apart. Frankie chuckles as he moves his kisses to all over his daughter face. “Mommy we get pupcakes now?”

“Mommy promised you cupcakes?” Franny nods her head and Frankie looks towards his wife.

“Well i guess you did do an amazing job princess and i did promise this morning. She barely let me do her hair. Wanted you to do it.” you said rolling your eyes at Frankie. Frankie chuckled as you all walked out to the parking lot. 

“I mean i would have done a way better job.” you rolled your eyes yet again and smacked his shoulder lightly as you unlocked Frankie’s truck. Frankie buckled Franny into her car seat and then shut the door. He turned and grabbed you in a bone crushing hug. “I’m so sorry it took so long love. Nothing went as planned and we didn’t even get the money. And I-I dont...”

“Frankie stop. You don’t have to talk about it right now. Let’s go get our little ballerina a cupcake k?” Frankie smiles and captures your lips in one last kiss. “I love you to the moon and back.”

“I love you to the moon and back even more.”

__________________________________________________________

“I think she finally crashed” Frankie says as he grabs a beer from the fridge and plops down next to you on the couch taking a big swig.

“I swear to god if she doesn’t sleep through the night again I’m gonna...ugghh” You mumble into your wine glass. 

Frankie turns towards you and raises an eyebrow. “She hasn’t been sleeping?”

“Umm not since you’ve left. She wakes up around 2:30 every night crying for you. So i bring her into bed and she sleeps on your pillow with one of your shirts. It soothes her back to sleep. She also naps with one of shirts.” You sigh and look away from him, blinking back the tears. Frankie frowns, puts his beer on the coffee table and grabs your wine glass too. 

“Cmere.....i’m so sorry i left babe. I didn’t mean for it to be so hard for you. I’m never leaving again.” You cry into his side as he rubs his hand through your hair.

“What-what happened Frankie....I know you’re not okay. You don’t just disappear off the face of the earth for a week. Pope said it was going to be okay....I wouldn’t have let you go if...”

Frankie shudders and looks up at the ceiling trying to blink the tears away. You sit up and grab his face gently in your hands, forcing him to look at you.

“I’ve got you honey. Whenever you want to talk i’m here.” you give a small reassuring smile and wipe the silent tears falling down his face. That breaks Frankie. He begins to sob and explain the terrible events of the last week. You hold him and listen. 

When he’s finished you both just lay on the couch holding each other.

“When- when we lost Tom....all i thought about was you and Francesca and how I needed to get home. I swear to god I am never doing anything like that again. Pope said the money should free up by Wednesday so we’ll be good for a while. Will and I were thinking of opening up a shop, keep is busy for a while. I’m never leaving you guys ever again. We can take Franny to the shelter next week and she can pick out her dog finally.”

You giggle at the dog comment. That little girl has been asking for a dog the second she could talk and Uncle Benny put that idea into her head. “She’d really like that. And i’m also still kicking Pope’s ass next time I see him.”

Frankie laughs and kisses you head “Oh babe I’ve already warned him.”

__________________________________________________________

[renaerys]

PPG One-Shot: A Balmy Tuesday in Hell

Taking a break from the prompt requests to wish a very happy birthday to @snailbutters! Tbh I like this idea a lot and I’m tempted to expand on it more. Cross posted on AO3. 

xxx

When Mike went looking for a part-time job to earn some spending money, he had a hard time finding one that worked around his college class schedule. All the good on-campus jobs were taken, and most of the ones he found offsite required him to be up way too early or way too late with very little flexibility. 

The front desk position at the Beelzebob, a local hair salon advertising an array of “wicked styles” for any occasion, was not the most glamorous position, but it welcomed part timers and offered flexible schedules to be discussed on a case by case basis. It was at the tail end of a long week of job hunting with little to show for it, and Mike was tired. Still, he dragged himself all the way there after his three-hour Friday seminar and put on his best retail charm for the interview. 

One of the stylists told him to wait in the lobby while she grabbed the manager for his interview, and so Mike sat in a plush, purple chair and eyed the stack of magazines on the coffee table—HJi, Professional Beauty, NHF, and others he recognized from Googling “how to work at a hair salon” last night. A playlist that seemed to consist entirely of K-pop pumped ripples of bubblegum bass through the speakers and had Mike tapping his fingers on his hip. There was no one behind the sleek, glass reception desk, so Mike got up and wandered over to it. He tried to imagine himself with the headset on, fielding phone calls and helping customers pick out one of the many luxury hair products on the walls behind the desk. He touched his own brown hair—plain and getting a bit long, but styled with a little wax for the day—and worried about whether he should have tried a bit harder for this interview. Would he be judged on his own hair? That seemed reasonable enough—

“This simply won’t do.”

Mike startled at the lyrical voice and turned around to find a seven-foot, red-skinned demon in Lululemons appraising him over an enterprising nose. Which would have been a cause for mild to moderate alarm even in Metroville—a hub for lowlifes, Supervillains, and the occasional monster on a mission out of Townsville farther north—except that Mike recognized this particular demon. At which point he got the pun in the name of this place and smiled. 

“Him,” he squeaked. And then, remembering his high school retail training: “I mean, Mr. Him.”

Him—Prince of Pestilence, Duke of Depravity, Earl of Evil, et cetera—blushed the color of an open wound. “You’re house trained, I see. All right, this way.”

Him turned on his Louboutin heel and headed into the salon. Mike hurried after Him, unsure whether this was good or bad. Him led him to a styling chair and sat him down. A purple salon cape made its way around Mike’s neck with a flamenco flourish, and Him leaned over his head in the reflection. 

“What are we thinking?”

Mike eyed his potential future employer from perfectly curled goatee to artificial mink lashes and hesitated. 

This is a test. 

It had to be. Surely, anyone manning the phones had to know something about haircare in general. If he was to be the vanguard, the watcher on the Wall, he would have to be able to alert his colleagues of the incoming threats and answer questions about how to fend off anything from tangles to split ends. Mike tried to remember the last time he got a haircut; Boomer had been with him, his eye far more discerning than Mike’s. 

“Comb over,” Mike said. 

“Quiff?”

“More faux hawk.” He tried not to think of the heat on the back of his neck, and instead of the sly grin on Boomer’s face the last time he’d been under the scissors. “With a low fade. Um, please.”

Him’s fangs gleamed when he grinned. “Good choice.”

For a demon with claws the size of dinner plates, Him was surprisingly adroit and precise to a literal razor’s edge. In fact, Mike was certain Him must sharpen his claws to get them sharp enough to shave the hair from the nape of his neck, which seemed like a sensible time-saver. Blackpink’s Pretty Savage blared over the speaker as Him coifed and styled the thicker locks that remained on top of Mike’s head, combed to the left in enviable, anti-gravity perfection. 

“Wow.” He touched the side of his head, marveling at the close but generous cut and the perfect blend. “This has to be the best haircut I’ve ever gotten.”

He got up and removed the cape, only to find Him with a broom in his claw. “I run a clean salon, Michael.”

Mike accepted the broom without question. “Yes, sir.”

Him preened. “Good lad.”

“Does… Does this mean I got the job?”

Him flipped his claw. “There will be a trial period. You young people are so used to texting that I’ll have to determine if you’re fit to answer a phone. But, considering your manners, I have a good feeling about you.”

Amazing! “Thank you so much! When do I start?”

“Honey, you’re already late. I have customers waiting.” Him snapped his claw. “Chop chop.”

Mike swept up his shorn hair and the hair around the chair next to his, dumped it all in a bin labeled “Hair,” and ran to the front desk to answer the phone ringing off the hook. The stylist who’d greeted him, Marisol, helped him with the computer login so he could manage appointments and checkout. It was easy enough, a Square card reader and a cash register and a huge logbook of every sale. 

“Middle finger up, F-U, pay me,” Mike whisper-rapped along with Lisa. 

A couple hours later, Him handed him a check for the time worked and told him to be back here tomorrow at 3 p.m. Mike accepted the check, but he didn’t pocket it. 

“Sir, I should tell you for the sake of full disclosure.”

Him peered down at him with his claws on his hips. “Oh?”

This should not be so hard.

“I’m, well, I’m involved. With your son. Boomer.”

Him clicked his claw, and Mike held his breath. 

Boomer had spoken about Him—Baron of Brutality, King of Chaos, Emperor of Enmity et cetera—on just a few occasions throughout their acquaintance. Raising souls from the dead was a hobby of Him’s, apparently, but often his necromantic offspring ended up rotting and were no fit candidates to promenade in civilized society that wasn’t eternally damned and burning. Chemical X cut out that inconvenience, and thus the perfect little boys were reborn, or something. According to Boomer, Him was evil on Sundays, a prolific genius on Tuesdays, and crocheting with his kobolds on Fridays. The rest of the time he was just a normal demon trying to survive in this capitalist post-modern society like everybody else. Anyway, Sunday wasn’t in Mike’s work schedule, so that seemed safe enough.

“I know,” Him said. “You don’t expect me to believe you’d Googled the most flattering hairstyle for your bone structure without help, do you?”

Mike was pretty sure there was a compliment in there, even if it wasn’t for him. “I guess not.”

Him beamed. “Don’t worry. I would never let my favorite son’s romantic life influence the culture at Beelzebob. You’ll be judged before an impartial tribunal of incubi, like everybody else. Now, before you go, I’d like you to dispose of the waste, please.”

Mike learned the value of separating trash that day. Discarded receipts and candy wrappers dumped in the waste bin went into the trash, lunch leftovers went to compost, and cut hair went to sacrificial offerings. 

“Sacrifices reduce our carbon footprint and offer protection against flat Earthers. It’s a proven science, you know.”

Mike supposed it would be poor manners to argue with an ancient evil on his crochet day.

xxx

Boomer was all sly smiles and discreet hand touches when Mike treated him to dinner at their favorite Thai place later that week. 

“So, your job seems to be paying well,” he said. 

“Well enough to take my boyfriend out to a nice dinner now and then.”

“Careful. Spend too much time with Him and your tastes will get really expensive.”

Mike laughed. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll switch majors to cosmetology and join the family business.”

“You know what? He’d probably love that. He tried so hard to get Brick to follow in his footsteps, but Mojo let him mess around on his E-Shares account once when we were eleven and Brick was lost to the finance track forever. I’m pretty sure Mojo did it on purpose.” Boomer leaned in and clinked his wine glass to Mike’s. “Anyway, buy me this dinner before you jump to joining the family business.”

Mike flushed. “I’m—I didn’t—”

Boomer laughed. “Chill! I’m just messing with you.”

The playlist at the restaurant began playing Blackpink’s Kill This Love, and Mike burst out laughing. 

“What?” Boomer asked. “You like this song? You know, Him is really big into K-pop lately. Butch thinks someone must have sold a bunch of souls and made a killing.”

“I know.” Mike kissed Boomer’s hand. “It’s just funny how things work out.”

Boomer smiled. “Yeah. I guess it is.”

Their food arrived, and Mike happily ate his meal across from Boomer. And in the back of his mind, he said a little thank-you to Him and whatever chaotic forces he controlled for reviving Boomer all those years ago. 

It must have been a balmy Tuesday in Hell.

xxx

If you enjoy my writing, check out more of my fics on AO3, link in my profile. I’m currently updating Trinity House and The Alchemy of Us. Thanks for reading!

[x0401x]

Jeweler Richard Fanbook Short Story #5

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Iolite of Cloudy Skies

Iolite. Its Japanese name was “blue flower stone”. The gem was blue with a purple tint stronger than that of a sapphire and had a unique viscosity that made it seem as if it was coated with a bit of dew. The level of hardness was seven. It was called iolite when treated as a gemstone, but when treated as a type of mineral, it was also called cordierite. It was an eccentric stone, which also appeared to have a grayish brown color instead of blue depending on the angle that one looked at it. Etc., etc.

“What happened, Seigi? Your eyes are dead.”

“How can I put it...? Surfeit, I guess.”

“Haah?”

I couldn’t memorize the stones’ names. They were too many.

The client who left just now had come because they wanted to see many sorts of blue stones, so Richard’s treasure box was packed with a great variety of blues. There were sapphires, of course, and also tanzanites, lapis lazuli, blue chalcedonies and this iolite.

Half a year before I had started working part-time in Etranger, the image I had of gemstones was limited to things such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, I believed. Now I knew about the existence of a stone named zircon, which shone in the same way as a diamond, and also knew about the spinel, which was red like a ruby, as well as that the color of sapphires was not just blue, having a wide range from purple to yellow, and I had seen transparent jades that were impossible to tell apart from emeralds.

If I had as much knowledge of minerals as Tanimoto-san, I would’ve managed to sort stones inside my head by the differences the in chemical composition of each, but unfortunately, I was unfamiliar with such things, and I currently didn’t have enough enthusiasm or willpower to study them. If I were to explain figuratively, it felt like going out to hunt for clams at a beach, and when you innocently dove into the lake, you’d see the Mariana Trench spreading out below. It was a beautiful world, thus also too wide and too deep. And endless. To a terrifying extent.

When I told him roughly this, Richard laughed, the depths of his throat trembling with giggles. “It is not as if you are aiming to obtain a GIA or FGA qualification or anything, right? Isn’t it all right for you to observe as much as you like?”

“That might be the case, but...”

I found myself thinking that it was a waste.

After all, I’d be on my knees listening as Richard went, in earnest, through the trouble of introducing all kinds of stones to me one by one. I often heard from my senpais that “job hunting is a connection for people”, so I felt sorry that my connection with stones remained scoreless. Regardless, it wasn’t like I was suddenly going to get any smarter.

As I said this, Richard laughed again and beckoned me with a hand gesture. He then took something out of his suit’s pocket. One of those subdivision vinyl bags that I’d often see when he was handling jewels in the back room. It seemed there was an iolite inside. There was a label stuck to the bag packed with absorbent cotton, and something was written on it in horizontal letters. “Viking sunstone,” it read. Vikings? Like the ones that you’d imagine wearing horned helmets, carrying axes and coming from the sea on a ship? As I asked for confirmation, the jeweler nodded with a “precisely”.

“The words written on this label are associated with the former ‘purpose’ of the iolite. In the past, people used iolites as sun stones.”

“‘Used’ them as ‘sun stones’...?”

I didn’t understand anything from A to Z. What did that mean? For starters, why was gem of such a cold-looking color made into a stone of the sun?

Before I even had a breach to ask, the beautiful shopkeeper began talking, a smile ghosting his lips, “You might already know this, but a portion of the people residing in the current Britain are descendants of those who went through the Norman Conquest that began around the ninth century - in other words, of the Vikings. They were famous for having the skills to travel long distances, which was unusual at the time, so Seigi. If you were someone who travels the sea for long periods, how would you know your way?” Richard asked me.

A means to know the cardinal directions in the open sea. So it was a situation where there’d be no piece of land to act as a mark. The only thing I could use in such a case was a magnet. No, wait. Richard had said earlier that it was the ninth century. The compass would be invented only much later. I recalled memorizing that this was the invention that triggered the Age of Discovery back in high school for history class. If so, I recalled the words on the label. “Sunstone”. Yeah, it connected.

“They knew the directions by using the stone of the sun?”

“Good for you. Exactly. Isn’t it clear?”

“K-Kinda!”

“Then, what about under cloudy skies, when the sun is not visible, Mr. Enlightened Part-Timer?”

Speaking of which, the weather changed easily at sea. I had also heard that England was a country where the skies tended to be overcast. Bad weather must be frequent in those coastal waters. If the sky stayed cloudy for three or four days, what should I do? Was there nothing more that could be done at sea?

When I made a puzzled face, Richard smiled as though he had hit the nail on the head, his white hands displaying the iolite under a fluorescent light. “For instance, let’s try to put a mark on any of this iolite’s faceted sides with ink. Another one on a different side. On sunny days, we would record in which direction we can see the sun from one of these two points at given times, and on cloudy days, we would look for parts where the two points overlap. When doing so, since this stone can detect even the faintest light, we would be able to tell the sun’s position,” he said.

“So we can know the position of light with that stone...? Then couldn’t it be any other stone?”

“Light refracts. If it were passing through thick clouds, the human eye would find its shine in a different direction from the sun’s actual position. Iolites acted as polarized lenses, so to speak. By using this stone, the sailors could tell the correct position of the sun. Yet the most famous sunstone is not iolite, but a type of refraction stone called ‘Iceland spar’.”

A polarized lens. Now he was talking about physics? But I did remember the stuff about light refraction. Got it; so that was why it was a “stone of the sun”.

“I don’t get it very well, but I feel the gemstone romance from it. I like that kinda thing,” I said enthusiastically, Richard giving me a calm smile.

“You do get it. Just as you said, you ‘don’t understand stones very well but like them either way’. That is exactly why your eyes were open, so you thought only about how far your destination was and felt your teeth set on edge at it. You mustn’t expect to be able to understand everything overnight. Go steady, without rushing. Do not waver at the impatience stuck back-to-back to your ambitions. That is different from having no one to depend on due to not knowing where you are headed. The hardest times are probably the ones when you have no idea where you should go, but you know the exact position of the sun.”

So, in short, I knew exactly where I wanted to be?

While I remained quiet, Richard shrugged and added, “Of course, this is a metaphor. Even if little by little, the stones should definitely be leaving a trace inside you. Aren’t you supposed to be treasuring this instead of chasing after what goes away?”

Lastly, Richard threw in the trivia that, in the world of power stones, the iolite was said to be a stone that showed people the “right direction”. Taking the backbone of it into consideration, that was indeed a convincing talk. But more than that...

“It’d be great if you were by my side forever.”

“Hah?”

“You’re an expert at noticing what’s troubling other people, aren’t you? I really think you’re a handy guy, like a compass. Aah, ‘the world’s most beautiful compass’, huh?”

“Those are quite irrational words, on top of being illogical. You were born in Japan, raised in Japan and aspire to become a public servant of Japan, so why are you calling an English jeweler a ‘compass’?”

“Well, I don’t plan to ask you about how to prepare for the public servant exams, but I can rely on you when I run into bigger problems, right?”

Richard sighed with a face of thorough dismay. I could understand how he felt. This was like a child in nursery school saying, “It’d be great if my teacher could always be there to help me out.” Long story short, I was acting spoiled. Even though he was my superior at work.

“That’s right; about the custard pie that today’s costumer brought, it looks like it’s quick to expire. Wanna eat it? I’ll make some tea.”

“If you would. Aah, the sugar...”

“Holding back on it this month, right? I know.”

“Help me with half of it. The amount of sugar in it concerns me.”

“Leave it to me.”

This guy was truly good at leading the mood around, and the same applied for the not-too-straightforward way that he phrased himself when recommending gemstones to the customers. Apparently, he thought I was feeling down.

I cut the crunchy pie in half while the tea leaves boiled, then shared it with Richard in the reception room and we both ate it. Covered with powdered sugar, the pie was a dangerous white little thing, as the colorless powder could scatter around from the pie’s surface just by us breathing on it a tiny bit, so the snack time turned into a moment of silence. I felt like laughing at the much too surreal sight several times, but if I happened to cause a big damage to the beautiful shopkeeper’s high-grade suit by doing that, my pay would be reduced. In the end, I ate the pie entirely while looking at the wall.

On the way back home that day, as I looked up at the night sky, I thought about the Vikings of over a thousand years ago. It was said that they were after new lands. What about me? Where was I headed? Would there ever be a day when I would fall into a philosophical concern, like, “I have no idea where I’m trying to go”? Perhaps Richard too? I insolently prayed that the stones may help us out at least in times like those.

Stars were beginning to twinkle in the purplish-blue night sky. There was no doubt that the stars appearing in the sky had not changed ever since the Vikings’ era. Thinking about that as I walked, I mistook one of the streets I should have turned. I had the feeling that I heard Richard’s voice, telling me to mind at least my own steps. I get it, geez.

I decided to wait patiently for the benefits of the stone. It was best for something like that not to happen, but there was no guarantee that both of us wouldn’t lose our ways at the same time one day.

[jaedore]

BINDING BONDS | 6

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parings: jung jaehyun x reader

genre: ceo!au, arranged marriage!au, (semi) angst, consumption of alcohol, asshole/player Jaehyun, swearing

[ ☽ smut (implied) | ◇ angst | ☼ fluff ] 

note: BB deals with themes of mental and physical abuse, which can be upsetting for some readers. If you feel uncomfortable reading these types of plots, you are advised to not continue

[ 6.5 k words ]

Breathing was the last thing your body could do, you were thankful that Jaehyun’s parents were still asleep as you bolted out of the door, not giving anyone notice of your absence. The wind hit you when you finally managed to step out on the stairs that led to the grand door, giving your lungs the fresh air you desired. Knowing that there was no way Haewon was going to be awake this early, you called Mark knowing that he’d pick up. 

“Are you okay?” Mark immediately asked, he could hear your heavy breaths from the other side of the line. He wasn’t sure if you were tired or actually in trouble. 

“No, I-I’m at Jaehyun’s place. Can you please pick me up? Now?” You fretted, your free hand gripping onto the collar of your jumpsuit, it was the only thing your shaking body could hold onto right now. 

“Yeah, yeah okay. I’m on my way right now,” Mark hung up. 

You sat on the steps, bringing your legs to your chest almost as if you were caging your heart from bursting. You clutched your head, recalling the events from last night. The feeling of Jaehyun’s fingertips still burned your skin, the feeling lingering from last night. The remembering image of him hovering above you, the way his hands set a fire, and the way he brought pleasure to you, a feeling you haven’t had in such a long time. You tighten your fists that were full of your hair, gently pulling on them. Yes, the way he made you felt amazing, but you couldn’t also tune out the words he said last night. You like that don’t you, you little slut? Look at you, you’re my bitch and I own you. The thoughts began to pursue your mind, you didn’t know what was tightening anymore, your fists, or your heart. 

You know those words shouldn’t mean anything and just meaningless words of pleasure, but you couldn’t help but feel anxiety and panic swallow you whole. It only reminded you of the times when Jaehyun would criticize, snarl at you, and call you cruel names. Before you could feel yourself falling apart, you heard Mark pull up to you. 

“Hey,” not bothering to shut his door, he ran up to you on the steps, “Is everything okay?” 

“I-” you couldn’t even finish your sentence because everything just crumbled. Mark knelt on the stairs, coming down to your level and rubbed your shoulders. 

“Let’s go to the pier and talk, okay?” He assisted you in the car and drove off to the place you both go to find tranquility. 

You didn’t speak a word, you couldn’t. You felt like your lips were sealed from Jaehyun’s kiss and that if you were to speak, misery would escape. When Mark pulled up, you two walked to the end of the pier. The sun shined brightly and the morning breeze reveled with your hair as you sat on the bench that overlooked the horizon meeting the sky. Mark sat alongside you, waiting until you were ready to speak.  

You released a sarcastic chuckle, “I’m sorry for always calling you when I’m like this.” you fumble with your fingers. 

“No, it’s okay. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I’m glad you called me instead of being alone.” 

You couldn’t ask for a better friend, how is someone this kind, this sacrificing to you? No one ever has and it felt like a weight on your shoulders, “Jaehyun’s parents invited us to dinner last night,” you began. 

“Yeah? How was that?” he asked. 

“I don’t know, Mr. Jung kept on pressing me about questions, which is good I guess, but it makes me question if he doubts my ability to carry Audace or if he’s worried about us being a joint company. Anyways, because of that I had a little too much wine, so did Jaehyun, and his parents offered for us to stay the night,” you sighed, body falling onto the weight of your propped shoulders that stood on your knees. 

“It’s okay,” Mark cautiously patted your shoulder. 

“No, it’s not, Mark!” You burst at the sea. Maybe you were shouting to the world, but maybe it was also at Mark since he’s told you to give Jaehyun a chance, too bad it was your own doing. 

Slightly flinching from your outbroken tone, Mark knew something was deeply troubling you, but he didn’t want to pry because he didn’t want you to become overwhelmed. 

“I’m sorry,” you breathed, falling back into the same position from before.

“Y/n, please, tell me what happened,” he knew it wasn’t healthy for you to keep it all in or to keep stuffing it down, so he tried his best to help you communicate with him without provoking you.

“We hooked up after dinner,” you whispered in such a quiet tone that Mark had to lower himself to your level. 

“Oh,” he replied in the same tone and with his mouth shaped in an “o”. 

“Yeah, I know. And I know I should feel different or whatever but it’s what he said to me, Mark.” 

“What did he say?” 

“He was like ‘you like that don’t you, you little slut’ and saying ‘I own you, you’re my bitch’,” your voice broke from the hurtful remarks, “which I know is said through dominance when fucking someone, and it shouldn’t even matter, but-” you paused to exhale a sharp sigh, “-it just hurt hearing that because he’s called me that at the beginning of all of this. Maybe I’m just being sensitive and overdramatic but-” 

“No, y/n, you’re not. It’s okay to feel this way, especially when he’s treated you so badly in the past. Do you want me to talk to him?” Mark cautiously asked. 

“No, I don’t want you two fighting again,” you hiccuped, “plus, it’s probably best if I do.”

You two sat on the bench as you managed to calm down while gazing at the horizon. The orange and yellow hues evaporated into blue as the sun rose to the sky. At that moment, the world seemed endless, like there were infinite amounts of decisions to handle this, you just have to be wise enough to pick the right way. So how come you felt like you were losing hope in yourself? Because you were confused and scared.

“You hungry? Let’s go grab breakfast,” Mark asked, giving you a sad smile. 

Is that how it was going to be now? Constant sadness? Nonstop crying? The heavy weight that sat on your shoulders felt like the weight of the world. You know that you need to talk to Jaehyun, but you couldn’t bear to talk to him and look him in the eyes, not after last night’s event. 

Mark drove you two to a small cafe, picking up a small scone for you before dropping you off at the apartment, “take your time to feel better, okay?” 

You hummed before shutting the car door and making your way to the building. A slight fear settled in your bones, nervous that Jaehyun was home, but when you opened the door there was a sense of quietness. You closed the door quietly then went up to your room. Plopping yourself onto your bed, you couldn’t help but feel a wash of sadness come over you, you were so confused and anxious. You thought to yourself that it shouldn’t hurt you, but in reality, it really did. Words hurt, Jaehyun’s words hurt. 

You covered your face with your hands, letting your body shake out the sobs for hours. It felt like you were going through a heartbreak, but this time it’s your own heart. 

Jaehyun laid in the little bed in his old room with his gaze stuck on the ceiling. This didn’t make sense to him, you don’t make sense to him. He thought you two were doing great, making progress, but what did he do wrong last night that made you leave this morning without telling him? He’s called and texted you several times but quit when you never picked up.

“What the hell?” He chucked his phone off to the side, hard enough for it to bounce off the bed. 

Jaehyun tried remembering everything that happened last night, in an attempt to figure out what resulted in this, but he would always circle back to you under him. The image of you writhing under him from the way he touched you, your hair sticking out in all directions since it was no longer intact in a slicked ponytail, and the red and purple spots that littered all across your neck following your chest and stomach. Yet you left and it felt like everything was just an illustration of his imagination.

With frustration clouding his mind, Jaehyun got up to get himself ready. He dressed in the same clothes as last night, receiving a short waft of you from when you straddled him and stripped him from his clothes. Jaehyun swung the thought of you away as he descended the stairs. 

“Are you two not staying for breakfast?” his mother asked, walking towards Jaehyun who was already at the door, “where’s y/n?”

“She left to take care of some things at work, she’s sorry she couldn't stay. I’m off too, I’ll see you guys later,” he greeted his mother before shutting the door and driving off to the apartment. 

You were so tired after the overwhelming emotions that you cried yourself to sleep, it felt like you two hadn’t moved forward from the past. The past where you always cried every night because of Jaehyun, whether it was a cruel argument or awful words that were exchanged. It wasn’t usual for you to cry this much over some guy, but it was unavoidable, maybe you do have strong feelings for Jaehyun. 

Jaehyun came into the apartment, sensing you were home from the warmness he felt. That, plus your shoes were on the side looking like you took them off in a rushed matter. He looked up to your room, the image of your closed door tainted his mind, reminding him that nothing has changed, nothing has progressed between you two. Jaehyun sighed slowly walking up to your door, his hand lingering on your knob deciding if he should open it or not. Calmly, he stepped away, figuring that you might need the space. From the bottom of his heart, he hoped that you were okay, that you ate and took care of yourself. He wished that you’d come out and talk to him, hug him, kiss him. Jaehyun couldn’t tear his eyes from your door as he cowardly backed away. 

You woke up with a throbbing headache, the pressure from crying hadn’t dissolved from your temples. Shifting to where your drawer stood, you look at the clock sitting on top of it to realize you’d been asleep for two hours. Haunted by your thoughts, you curled your legs closer to your chest, into a fetal position as though you were trying to save the last ounce of warmth you had left in your heart. The occurrences of last night replayed over and over again like a broken dvd. Is he home yet? You wondered. The sounds of pots and pans from down below confirmed your thoughts. 

Throwing your sheets aside, you walk to open your bedroom door in the quietest way possible. You could spot Jaehyun shuffling around the kitchen like he was looking for something missing in his dish. You wondered what he was making today but suddenly felt guilty because it seemed like he was always doing the cooking for you and you just left him hanging this morning, somehow he’d always find room in his heart for you. It was a little past noon and you didn’t intend on eating for the rest of the day. Your thoughts overpowered your appetite that you suddenly didn’t have one anymore. 

Before your eyes became heavy again, you heard a dull knock, “y/n?” Jaehyun whispered against the door. 

You looked at the door, debating if you should go out, but if you did, that meant that you’d have to explain yourself and you couldn’t find it in yourself to speak to him currently, “I’m not hungry.” 

“Okay,” you heard the small faltering in his voice, “I’ll leave some in the fridge for you to eat later.” 

Jaehyun didn’t give you a chance to say anything before shifting from your door. What did I do wrong? He scratched his head as frustration was replaced with curiosity. 

For the rest of the day, you didn’t bother coming out, nor did Jaehyun come to bother you. He figured that giving you time and space was the right thing, you’ll talk to him when you’re ready. You did what you did best, avoiding him. You waited for him to go back into his room so you could come out to grab a snack or to go shower. You avoided him in the morning, waking up early enough to not see him and coming home late into the night, fully knowing that he was asleep. 

Work did its job at distracting you, you were thankful that you were releasing a collection soon, you needed it to be busy. You needed to run around until your feet ached at the end of the day, you needed to attend meaningless business meetings to dehydrate your mouth and brain, and you needed to get Jaehyun charred from your thoughts. You would occasionally receive a text or call from him, but like always, you ignored it. 

[ Jaek-ass: Are you hungry? I can drop off some lunch for you ]

[ Jaek-ass: Did I do something wrong? ] 

[ Jaek-ass: Please answer ] 

Voicemail: Hey, I’m not sure what happened between us and I don’t know why you keep avoiding me and ignoring my calls and texts, but please, when you’re ready let me know. I want to talk. 

Voicemail (2): Please y/n. 

You sat in your office chair occasionally replaying his voice mainly to see if there was a hint of cruelness or deception in it, but there wasn’t. Every ounce was glazed with hopelessness. He managed to fill your entire voicemail box and you didn’t bother to delete any of them, that way he wouldn’t be able to leave any more messages. Too bad that didn’t stop him because he just kept calling you, ring after ring, even if you silenced your phone, the screen of his name appearing distracted you. Were you callous to ignore him?

That’s how it went the entire week, you avoided him, you disregarded his calls and texts, it was like you were trying to wipe him from your memory. It was until one day when you were sitting in your office, looking over the financial statements that you heard jumbled words and shuffled steps coming from the hallway. Your head shoots up when your secretary barges in, the sound of it snapping you from your focus.

“Ms. y/l/n, I’m so sorry for barging in but-”

“She’s here isn’t she?” It was a man’s voice, a voice you only heard through voicemails, his voice sounded full and in tune, real and raw. Jaehyun walked into your office with heavy steps, ignoring your secretary’s commentary. He walked up to your desk, thighs pressing onto the edge, and bored his eyes down at you, but they were painted with anger, more in frustration and anguish. 

“C-can I help you, Jaehyun?” You stuttered. You tried your best to hold a strong front, but it was inevitable when he made you feel so many things. You felt craven, like a weakling for not being able to explain yourself to him. 

Jaehyun’s face softened as soon as he saw you, the tension disappearing, “I just...I just wanted to talk.” he whispered in a broken tone. 

“Okay, okay,” you nodded, standing up to meet him, “we’ll talk when I get home, okay?” you extended your lips into a small smile.

“Okay,” Jaehyun nodded back, seeing your eyes filled with comfort. He walked out of your office with his head hung low and his steps now soft. 

“I’m so sorry Ms. y/l/n,” your secretary bowed several times before you. 

“No, it’s fine,” you didn’t even look at your secretary, your gaze was glued on Jaehyun’s back as he walked out. 

When you came home, Jaehyun wasn’t back from work yet. Since he’s made dinner for the both of you several times, you figured that even if you weren’t talking to him, the least you could do is make dinner. After changing into comfortable clothes, you ended up making a quick pasta, quick enough that by the time you were done, Jaehyun still wasn’t home. You shrugged, packing some in a container, figuring that he just got caught up in the wind at work. 

You laid on your bed, staring at the ceiling as your hand trailed down your chest. Your small hand follows the ghost trails of Jaehyun’s, remembering how each inch of his touch enlighted a fire to your skin that night. You looked at your clock and as each time you did, an hour ticked by, there was no sound of the front door shutting or Jaehyun’s steps making way to his room. By 9pm, your lids felt unwieldy and you felt uncomfortably chilly. Crawling into your bed, you stared at your clock and waited for him to come home, but you never heard him. 

Turns out Jaehyun did come home that night, late again. As much as he wanted to speak to you, it was unreasonable to do it this late. He looked at your door, hoping you were sleeping and getting a good rest after knowing you were having a hard day, just like him. Jaehyun walked into his room, undressed himself to shower, hoping the hot water would release all the tension he held in his body. 

As the water trailed down him, Jaehyun couldn’t help but think about you that night at his place. Even if you two were intoxicated and out of your minds, he couldn’t get the image of you out of his mind. Laying below him, squirming from the overwhelming sense of pleasure he gave you, the way his name spilled like honey when you climaxed, the swole of your lips, and the way your eyes held love for him. 

He couldn’t help but think what went wrong, he replayed that night over and over again, trying to recall what he did, what he said. Jaehyun went over every minuscule detail, what you ate that night, what his mother said, what his father said. As best as Jaehyun could, he even tried to remember the things he said to you that night. Oh no. Jaehyun’s hand flew to cover his mouth. That’s why she’s upset...it was because of what I said while we were having sex. The vile words that came out of his lips of how worthless she was and how he owned her made his stomach drop. Jaehyun knows he only said it while in the moment, but he should’ve known better. He should’ve known that you were sensitive when it came to that, sensitive because of him. 

Jaehyun sat on his bed with his head in his thoughts, not even bothering to dry his hair, a little wet puddle formed below him on his pillow. Everything that he’s ever said to you, done to you, you have every right to still be upset, even if it was in the moment and you both were intoxicated. Jaehyun knew that he should’ve been better, better for you. 

When you woke up the next morning, Jaehyun was already gone. You wondered if these were one of those times where you’d each ignore and avoid each other again like teenagers, but nothing stood out in your mind to have him do that. You waited up for him, but you didn’t hear him come home. He wouldn’t be mad that you fell asleep...right? You were so tired you couldn’t wait for him. 

Jaehyun didn’t even leave some breakfast to you, it’s like he never even came home. There wasn’t a sign of dishes or pots being out of place or plates that filled the sink, because the same dishes you washed and dried last night still sat on the rack. You let out a sharp sigh, skipping breakfast to go straight to work. 

Sitting in his office, Jaehyun sat in the meeting, back stiff and eyes glued at the presentation in front of him. As much as he felt the need to sleep at the presenter’s monotonic voice, he stopped himself, afraid of getting backlash from his father. The Marketing supervisor’s presentation in marketing towards local business was dull, uninteresting. They’re the marketing department, at least add some flavor. 

We’re international trade, why are you presenting towards local businesses? Jaehyun pinched the bridge of his nose and immediately stood up, gaining glances from his employees as he left the conference room. 

Jaehyun propped his elbows in his desk, palms supporting his head, neck filled with stiffness and back supported with fatigue. The reminder of you came to him as he remembers you telling him that you’d talk to him, but he just got so brushed up at work that when he came home last night, you were already sound asleep. What kind of man would Jaehyun be to wake you up?

This is so stupid, you sighed. You and Jaehyun were both being immature cowards, avoiding and ignoring each other. You both wanted to so desperately talk it out, make things work, but there was always a sense of fear that things would just go back to normal or that one of you would betray the other. You hate that feeling and that’s why you promised yourself that you’d talk to him tonight. 

But fate liked to play with you, it mocks you like a push and pulls game. This time it was your turn to be buried in paperwork and for Jaehyun to be alone at home, waiting if you were ever going to come. You did as much as you could for as long as you mentally could. When you finished, you took your blazer off, feeling like you were finally released from the grasps of work. You sighed, looking at the clock that lit on the dashboard of your car, reading the time read that displayed the time a little past midnight.

You quietly open the door to your apartment, careful not to make so much noise as you walk up to your room. You got yourself ready for bed, showering, and taking care of yourself. You headed down to get a small snack for your grumbling stomach, but before you could even reach the first step to go down, you heard shouting from Jaehyun’s room. You debate whether or not you should check up on Jaehyun since you two weren’t really on talking bases. As you were about to take a step, you heard him make the same noise again, so you quickly strode to Jaehyun’s room. 

Your hand rested on his knob, what if he doesn’t want to be bothered?...But what if he’s hurt? You shook your head as you slowly creek the door open. Jaehyun was laying in bed, limbs spread out, and his chest quickly rose and fell. You tiptoed softly to the side of the bed to get a better look at him, but it didn’t look better. Jaehyun was sweating profusely, panting, his body was uncontrollably shaking, and his lips mumbled incoherent words. You thought he was sick so you gently nudged him a little bit, to wake him up, just in case he needed to know that he was going to be okay. 

Jaehyun didn’t budge, his body reacted as if you didn’t even touch him, as if you weren’t even there. When you grabbed ahold of his hand, Jaehyun’s hand managed to snatch yours in a tight grasp. You jolt from the impenetrable grip with wide eyes and a frozen body, fear electrifying it. Your stare shifted from his hand on your wrist to him, Jaehyun sat awake in bed, eyes enlarged like he had just seen something horrific. 

“Jaehyun,” you breathed, his head snapped to the sight of you at the edge of his bed. Even though you looked worried, your eyes told him that you were scared.

“Oh,” he silently gasped, letting go of your hand, “I’m sorry.” 

“Are you okay?” You rub your wrist away from him, you didn’t want to make him feel any worse.  

Jaehyun let out a heavy sigh, tense fingers running through his hair, “I just had a nightmare, that’s all,” his voice quiet. To you, it sounded like fear, almost like he was afraid to speak up. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” You timidly asked, not trying to pry into his mind. 

“No, but can you just...can you hold me? Or at least stay with me until I fall back asleep?” his voice broke. 

You blinked a couple of times, processing what Jaehyun said, in case you were hearing things, “O-oh, um, sure.” you slightly nod, worried that if you were to decline, he’d have a harder time sleeping. 

Jaehyun scoots himself over, lifting the sheets for you to get under. You slide under the covers, the heat radiating off his body welcomes you from the chill of the air conditioner. You open your arms to him, trying not to convey how awkward you are, and Jaehyun slowly, but surely comes to you. His head lays on your chest, his arms wrapping around your waist, as your arms envelope his head, and your legs tangle with his. 

After a while, the sounds of his extended breathing and the calm of his body made you think that maybe Jaehyun had settled down and fallen asleep, but as you gently pull back to confirm, his grip around your waist tightens, enabling you to leave his grasp. As you were about to call out his name, you heard sniffling coming from below you.

“Please don’t leave me alone,” Jaehyun sniffled louder. 

You slightly frown, a little piece of your heart chipping off, “I won’t, I won’t,” you cooed him. 

Jaehyun’s breathing became heavier and his sobs became louder, along with his grip around your body. You stroked his hair with the hand that rested against his head while the other drew circles on the soft area between his scapulas, hoping that the touched patterns would give him peace. 

“I’m sorry-,” he choked out a cry. 

“No, don’t. It’s okay, you can cry,” you brought him closer, your cheek leaning against the top of his head. 

You two stayed in that position for a while. Limbs tangled, but not like nights after sex, more like the boat and anchor. This time you were his anchor. You continued running your fingers through his hair while occasionally rubbing his back. You’ve never seen Jaehyun this vulnerable, but it didn’t disturb you. It brought another side to him that you admired, he wore his heart on his sleeve, and while being in such a vulnerable state, he wanted you to be there with him. 

I hope he’s never alone in moments like these. You wish, a small breath coming from your lips.

Jaehyun felt overwhelmed by the nightmare he’d just experienced. He couldn’t stand being alone and he needed you to stay with him, your presence gave him solace. It calmed his heart in the toughest ways. No matter how much you two didn’t talk to each other, he just wanted to be held by you. Only you, to feel your touch, to hear your breaths, and to be near your comforting aura.

When he felt the faltering of your fingers combing through his hair slow down and the fingertips on his back halt, he slowly backed away to see your sleepy figure. You felt the cold air pool at your chest from Jaehyun’s missing body and instantly opened your eyes. 

“Jae-”

“Shhh, it’s okay, you can go to sleep. I’ll be fine.” Jaehyun stroked your head as he pressed a soft kiss to your cheek. 

“No I’m okay,” you yawned, rubbing your eyes. 

You shifted onto your back, staring at the ceiling, while Jaehyun did the same. It dawned to you that you hadn’t been in here before, or at least not that you could remember. To Jaehyun, his room held a feeling of comfort and security, a way to escape the wrath of his father. You laid next to him, wondering what he was thinking about because he’d been staring for longer than you have. 

“Everything okay?” You quietly asked, caution coating your words.

Jaehyun paused in thought like he was trying to find the right words, “why are you asking me if I’m okay?” 

“Oh-” you were slightly startled from the blunt question, it shifted the mood in the room, “I- you were just crying and I was just making sure you were okay.” 

“I should be the one asking if you are okay,” he gulped, gaze still glued at the ceiling. 

“What do you mean?” you questioned, confusion blinding your thoughts.

Jaehyun suddenly shifted his body until he was facing you, the sudden proximity brought butterflies to your stomach. One little nudge and he’d be back on your chest. Using as his arm as a pillow, he said, “I’m sorry for saying those things to you while we were...you know, having sex. I should’ve known it would’ve upset you, I should’ve been more careful. I promise I’ll work on it, it’s just...a bad habit,” Jaehyun whispers the last part. 

You looked at him surprised, how did he know? Your brows furrowed as you turned your head to him. Looking into his eyes to find some sort of message, the only feeling you received was gentleness and sincerity. 

“How did you know?”

“To be honest, it surprised me when you left me the next morning. Then you wouldn’t talk to me, then I got busy, and we just ended up playing this cat and mouse game. I kept replaying that night over and over and over again, trying to figure out what exactly I did wrong. And it hit me tonight that it was what I said to you. I’m so sorry,” it was Jaehyun’s turn to search your eyes, but it was so hard to read you. He wasn’t expecting forgiveness, he’s long away from that. 

You couldn’t find it in yourself to say anything, you weren’t okay, you were hurt. It reminded you of the past, the beginning of the relationship and it’s something you’d like to erase. You gave him a small smile, blocking the tears from brimming your eyes and mustering up enough courage to say, “I will admit it that it did hurt me. It reminded me of the past and it’s just not something I want to remember, but thank you for apologizing.” Turning your head back towards the ceiling, you let out a sigh, while Jaehyun turned back also. 

You two stayed in that position for the rest of the night, no one had the energy to speak, so you two just continued staring straight up waiting for the sky to give you both some sort of signal to speak up. You pondered asking what his dream was about, the dream that seemed to have shaken him up so much. 

Jaehyun spoke up as if he read your mind, “I had a nightmare that my father was hitting me...again and again. It was a never-ending cycle,” he pauses in thought before continuing, “my father abuses me.” 

You quickly whip your head in his direction as your body propped yourself on your elbow, “he...really?” your throat felt dry and you struggled to find the words your mind tried to say. You suspected it from the times you’ve seen the tense expression on his father’s face whenever you two were around but brushed it off as strictness. From the corner of your eye, you could always see how apprehensive Jaehyun was because of that. Now you know why. 

Jaehyun hummed, still gazing at the ceiling of his bedroom, “he’s gotten better as I got older, but it was really bad when I was young.” 

You sat up, the blankets draping over your petite body, “Jaehyun I-I’m so sorry,” a gasp escaped from your scorched throat. 

“No, it’s okay- no it’s not okay, but I’ve learned to accept it.”

“But you shouldn’t have to accept it. Jaehyun,” you inhaled a sharp breath in hesitation whether or not you should ask your next question. 

When you paused, Jaehyun finally switched his gaze to you, who looked deep in thought. He could see the concern in your eyes and the anxiety your hands held. Maybe that was a little too abrupt and sudden, he thought. 

“Does he still...hit you?” You carefully asked as if you were stepping on eggshells. 

Jaehyun looked at you with innocent eyes, you could tell just from the looks of it and it squeezed your heart. “Oh, Jaehyun,” you frown in realization, Jaehyun mirroring you, a gesture that he was about to cry again. You pulled him close to you, “you don’t have to say anything. I’m sorry for asking,” you said in a hushed tone, stroking the back of his head gently.

Jaehyun tightly grasped his arms around your waist again, locking behind you. He felt like a little boy, but you were the only thing that was holding him down on Earth currently. As you held him, you felt his body shake like the trauma was trying to leave his body, but his mind blocked it. Broken sobs escaped from Jaehyun’s lips, his grip on you bunched your shirt in his fists. Before you knew it, tears began to form at the brim of your eyes as you witnessed and heard how broken Jaehyun sounded. You held the poor boy close to your heart, quietly wiping the tears from your eyes. You didn’t know why you were crying, because it wasn’t about you, this was about Jaehyun. 

Hearing silent sniffles from you, Jaehyun pulled away, “are you crying?”

“No, I’m not,” you quickly skim the back of your hand across your eyes, hoping there weren’t any signs of puffiness or redness. 

“Please don’t cry,” Jaehyun caressed your cheek. 

You leaned into his touch, the soft skin of his palm radiating comfort, “I’m sorry, I just can’t believe that he’s been hurting you all this time.”

Jaehyun wrapped his arms around you, bringing you to his chest. He was afraid that if he let you continue to speak, he’d cry even more. Despite his broken state, he hated seeing you crying, especially when it’s because of him. Jaehyun knows he’s already caused you so much pain, so that’s always the last thing he wanted to do. 

Jaehyun cradled you while your heart shook. You sat in his lap, protected in his arms, crying, for he never grew up with the same love as he did, never received the infinite amount of love from his parents, for never having a father figure to look up to. The amount of hurt he caused you in the past was replaced with the love that he never got. You promised yourself you’d give him the love he never got. 

“Don’t cry for me, I’m okay now,” Jaehyun lowered his lips to your forehead, it gave you a different feeling from the last time he kissed you. It was filled with a full heart, a heart fully intact of safety.

“I’m sorry,” you hiccuped. 

“Don’t be,” he gazed into your eyes, “stay here tonight?” he tenderly cupped your cheek. 

“Of course,” you took his palm, kissing the warm surface. 

Jaehyun laid you down with him, taking you into his arms again and cradling you, making sure to chase away any more of your worries. You rested your head against his chest, hearing the steadiness come back to his heart. You smiled, taking in the scent that clung onto his clothes, a scent you know you’d never get tired of. Jaehyun’s hand sneaked under your thin shirt, tracing circles on the small of your back. No sexual tension, just actions filled with affection. With tired eyes and vulnerable bodies, you both fell asleep in the warmth of each other’s arms. Joined with comfort and safety, hushed breaths leaving his lips and the linear beat of each other’s hearts were the last things you heard that night. 

As faint sun streaks kissed his eyelids, Jaehyun woke up to the peaceful sight of you cuddled on his chest. Your hair splayed everywhere for you forgot to put it up like you usually do, the morning puffiness made you look cute, making Jaehyun chuckle. He lowered himself to kiss each of your crimson cheeks, your forehead, and the little point of your nose before gently lifting you off of him. Tucking you into his sheets, the scene didn’t look bad to him. You in his bed gave him an alleviating feeling. 

Jaehyun walked off to the bathroom to get ready for the day to only see his red, swollen eyes. He hadn’t cried like that since high school and he’s had that nightmare plenty of times, but the fact that he cried so much last night just because of that, made him slightly sick. He averted the thoughts when he heard you shuffling in his bed, looking back at you, you mumbled something he couldn’t understand as you shifted to lay on your stomach. A curve on his lips formed as he watched how beautiful you looked. 

With heavy eyes, you reached for Jaehyun’s warm body but felt nothing but empty blankets. You opened your eyes to see him gone, so this is how he must’ve felt. You got up to see if he had left for work, but only realized he was cooking in the kitchen when you reached the steps. 

“Good morning,” Jaehyun greeted you as you walked to the counter beside him. 

“Hi,” you raised your brows at him flipping pancakes, “pancakes?” 

“Yeah, I hope you like them. They’re blueberry.” 

“Of course I do,” a smile unconsciously appeared on your face. 

“Do you want to get the table set?” Jaehyun asked, chin pointing to the plates. 

You hummed, grabbing the plates, and setting the table. Then you realized there was a bouquet of blue Forget Me Nots sitting in the center with a note stuck to the base. 

“Oh,” Jaehyun stood beside you with a plate of piled pancakes, “you’re not supposed to see those yet,” he scratched the back of his head. 

“What’s this for?” Your brows furrowed. 

“I-” Jaehyun paused before fully turning his body towards you, “I just wanted to thank you for last night. You were there for me during the hardest time and despite everything that’s happened, you stayed with me. Thank you, y/n.”

You chuckled at his grand gesture, “you didn’t have to get me flowers, Jaehyun. Breakfast is more than enough,” you smiled at him. 

“I know, but I just wanted to tell you that I’m in love with you.”