#I’m sure people have said it better before but

[ladyfocalors]

Trappola's Guide To Winning (Your Heart)

summary: Ace overhears that you have a crush on someone, and for whatever reason, it bothers him. His solution? Offering to "help" you impress your crush, all while acting like he doesn’t care. His advice is half-serious and half-sabotage, but as time goes on, you notice his mood shifting.

pairing: ace trappola x gn!reader

warnings: miscommunication(?).

word count: 2.3k

ace trappola time! he is such a lying liar and a big denier. writing him was a bit tricky so i went a bit with my gut here. i will just have keep writing/reading about him until i get it! also thank you so much for the love on the riddle fic. i promise i read all your replies and reblogs! they make my day <3

Ace Trappola wasn’t the type to get so hung up on things (that was debatable). So when he overheard you telling Deuce and Grim that you had a crush on someone, he should’ve just let it go.

But he didn't.

"You have a crush?" he had repeated, standing behind you with his arms crossed.

"Were you eavesdropping?" You had turned around, startled.

"Not my fault you were talking so loud," he had shot back, avoiding the question. "Who is it?"

You had pressed your lips together, glancing at Deuce and Grim for help. Grim just cackled and said, "Why do you care? You jealous or somethin', Ace?"

Great question. Why does he care? And no, he was not jealous. Imagine being jealous of an idiot you liked! (He actually didn't know why he cared. Maybe because he was curious. Yeah. That was it.)

"I don't," Ace lied immediately. "I'm just shocked, that's all. I mean, really, Prefect? I thought you had better taste."

You narrowed your eyes. "You don't even know who it is."

"Exactly!" Ace threw up his hands. "I'm already questioning your judgment. What’s so great about this mystery person anyway?"

A small smile tugged at your lips. "I don't know. They’re just… fun to be around, I guess. They always know how to make me laugh."

"Sounds like an idiot." Ace scoffed.

"I like idiots."

Ace scoffed but found himself momentarily stunned into silence. That was the kind of thing people said when they were absolutely down bad, wasn’t it? His stomach twisted uncomfortably. Gross.

"Prefect, you should just ignore him," Deuce advised, probably sensing trouble. "He's just messing with you."

Ace was messing with you, sure. But also, not really. Kind of. His stomach was twisting in an unfamiliar way, a strange discomfort settling into his chest. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like this one bit.

Why did you have to go have a crush? Most importantly, why did he feel like he was losing to someone?

But he was Ace Trappola, and Ace Trappola didn’t lose. Not even to some mystery crush of yours. So he grinned, masking whatever this weird feeling he didn't want to feel was, and said, "Well, whoever it is, you’re in luck. Because, out of the kindness of my heart, I’m willing to help you win them over."

You gave him a questioning look. "Kindness? You sound like the Headmage with that talk."

"That hurts, Prefect. Comparing me to Crowley of all people?" Ace looked very offended.

"Well, forgive me for not trusting your kindness."

"Wow. No faith in me at all, huh?"

"Yeah, ‘cause you're totally not up to something shady." Grim snickered.

Ace shot Grim a withering look before turning to you. "Listen, I'm a romantic genius. Who better to help than me?"

You gave him a flat look. "I can think of a hundred people off the top of my head."

"Wrong," Ace said, leaning in with a grin. "You won't find better advice anywhere else."

"Okay, fine. I will take your so-called advice." You said with a defeated sigh.

Ace had won. Well, sort of.

Winning would be getting you to drop this whole crush thing entirely—something he was starting to want more and more as each minute passed. But for now, he’d settle for the next best thing: being the one you turned to for help.

That meant he had the advantage. That meant he could steer this however he wanted.

(And definitely not in the direction of some other loser getting your attention.)

"Alright, first things first: you gotta get their attention." Ace said, laying on your couch as you busied yourself with assignments, while Deuce peeked at your notes and Grim laid flat on the bed. "Make them notice you. You know, stand out."

You frowned at his words. "I feel like I already stand out. I'm the only magicless student in the whole school."

Ace waved that off. "Yeah, but that’s not the right kind of standing out. Make them curious about you. And you make them jealous."

"What?"

"You heard me." Ace said, tilting his head smugly. "Nothing gets people to realize their feelings faster than a little jealousy. Trust me, works every time."

Deuce looked dubious. "That sounds kind of–"

"–like bad advice?" you finished.

Ace scoffed, sitting up on the couch now. "C’mon, it’s basic psychology. If they see you getting cosy with someone else, they’ll start thinking, ‘Oh no, I’m gonna lose them!’ and boom, feelings unlocked."

"And how’s the Prefect s’posed to do that, huh?" Grim asked.

Ace shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe flirt with someone cool and charming." His grin widened. "Like me, for example."

You felt uneasy. It was stupid. You knew it was stupid. Ace didn’t know he was your crush, which meant you had no right to be upset. Still, hearing him offer you advice even if it sounded terrible and also offer himself so casually made your stomach sink.

You forced a laugh. "How noble of you to volunteer."

"What can I say?" Ace grinned. "I’m a giver."

Deuce frowned. "I don’t think lying is the best way to-"

"Okay, okay, plan B then," Ace cut in. "You should act a little harder to get."

"Harder to get?" you repeated.

"Yeah. Make them work for it." Ace leaned forward with an amused glint in his eye. "I mean, you’re not easy, right?"

Grim made a noise of disgust, and Deuce turned pink. "Ace, that sounds–!"

"I mean personality-wise, you weirdos," Ace huffed, cutting Deuce off for the umpteenth time. "Jeez, get your mind out of the gutter."

Ace ignored him and then turned to you. "But yeah, you should be a little distant. Y’know, act like you don’t care too much."

Act like you don't care too much. The words echoed in your mind. If he liked you, he would be jealous and wouldn't try to help you. Right?

It was fine. You would just take his advice and use it on him. After all, he was your crush. And if he really didn’t feel the same way, then at least you’d have your answer.

For the next few days, you followed Ace’s advice to the dot.

And Ace didn’t catch on. At first.

You made sure to get his attention, like he had said. Not in an over-the-top way, which would be very weird for you, but just enough to throw him off. Like sitting next to Deuce more often during lunch. Smiling a little too enthusiastically at other people. Being just out of reach whenever Ace tried to tug you into whatever ridiculous scheme he had cooking up that day. When he complained, you shrugged and told him, "I’m busy, Ace."

"Oh, busy now, huh?" Ace had scoffed, but he didn’t seem too bothered. Not yet.

The jealousy part took a little more effort, mostly because you weren’t great at flirting and Grim had outright refused to help you with any ideas, calling the whole thing "a pathetic excuse for a love scheme." But you had to be committed to the bit, so you pushed on, casually dropping compliments around Ace—never to him but always near him.

"Deuce, your hair looks nice."

"Jack is really strong, don't you think?"

"Isn't Silver so pretty? He looks like a prince."

Ace didn’t think much of it at first.

Well, he thought about it, but not in the way that meant anything. It was just weird, that’s all. A little annoying. Maybe a tiny bit irritating. But not because it bothered him. No, he wasn’t one of those weirdos who got all jealous just because their best friend was paying attention to other people. That would be ridiculous.

It was just that… who even complimented Deuce’s hair? Deuce had the most normal hair. And Jack? Sure, the guy was strong, but you sounded way too impressed about it. And Silver? Pretty? Like a prince? Okay, maybe, but why did you have to say it out loud?

And why were you so out of reach?

It wasn’t a huge difference, not really. Just enough that made him confused. He’d reach for your sleeve to drag you somewhere, and you’d slip away with some excuse. He’d call your name, and sometimes you’d brush him off.

It didn't matter, he told himself. (He told himself a lot of things lately.)

Things didn't change until Deuce had to smack him (not physically) out of the denial phase.

"You’re so obvious."

Ace blinked out of his daydreams. "What?"

Deuce stared at him like he was the dumbest person alive, which Ace took immediate offense to. He was not dumb. He just… hadn’t figured out whatever Deuce was talking about yet. Which wasn’t his fault, obviously.

"You like them," Deuce said, as if that explained anything.

Ace scoffed. "Duh, I like them. The Prefect is my friend."

"How do you know I was talking about the Prefect?"

Oh… crap. When did Deuce get so smart?

"Because who else would you be talking about?" He tried to play it off, but the heat rising to his face betrayed him. "You’re making weird assumptions, Deuce."

"You like them," Deuce repeated.

Ace let out a sharp laugh, crossing his arms. "You're insane. I don't, I helped them. With their crush. You think I'd do that if I actually liked them?"

Deuce gave him a long, exasperated look, then exhaled through his nose. "Okay. Let’s say you don't like them. Then explain why you have been sulking so much and acting so bothered?"

"I am not!"

"You nearly bit my head off when they complimented my hair."

"Well, maybe I don’t like lying," Ace shot back. "Your hair is just hair, Deuce."

Deuce’s eye twitched.

"And anyway," Ace went on, louder, "you’re ignoring the important part here. The Prefect has a crush. Not on me. So whatever you’re implying is wrong."

"No."

"What do you mean no?" Ace burst out. "What happened to backing up your friends?"

"You’ve been helping them impress their crush, right?" Deuce asked. "Then why does all your advice sound like sabotage?"

"That’s not–" Ace began, then stopped. The words stuck to the roof of his mouth, unwilling to come out, because… well.

He liked you.

Ace felt the world shift uncomfortably. That gross twisting in his stomach he had been ignoring for days? The irrational irritation every time you looked at someone else for too long? The fact that he had been so convinced that you having a crush was some sort of personal loss?

Everything made sense now.

"This is bad." he stuffed his hand into his pocket, turned on his heel and left his dorm, setting off on a long, aimless walk. Maybe fresh air would clear his head. Maybe it would make this realization feel less like a punch.

You didn't like him. You never told him who you liked and he was so caught up in denial that he didn't even bothered you to ask.

No, no. That wasn't fair. He liked you and made you follow his terrible advice (you didn't have to but you did). He already came so far and he didn't want to pretend he didn't like you.

The least he could do was be honest with you.

And, Ace Trappola wasn't a coward.

(Okay, maybe he was. A little. But not about this. Not about you.)

So after what was possibly the longest walk of his life, he turned back toward Ramshackle, his heart thudding against his ribs.

Ace had already spent enough time being an idiot. He wasn’t going to waste another second.

You had just finished dealing with Grim’s latest round of whining about dinner when a knock at the door made you pause.

You weren’t expecting anyone. Grim was still sulking about his empty stomach, so with a sigh, you moved to open the door, only to be met with the last person you expected.

"Uh," you started. "Are you in trouble with Riddle–"

"I like you." The words left his mouth before he could stop them. He looked vaguely horrified, like he hadn’t planned on saying it so fast. But now that it was out there, he couldn’t take it back. "Like, really like you."

You froze at the admission.

Ace sighed but continued. "Look, I get it, okay? You like someone else, and I already dug my own grave, but I had to tell you. Because, because if I didn’t, I’d be lying, and it sucks, and–"

"Ace–"

"–I mean, I probably made things worse by trying to help you and made you follow bad advice, which is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done, and–"

"ACE!"

He finally shut up.

You exhaled, heartbeat loud in your ears. "You are my crush. I used your advice on you, idiot."

He stared at you, a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Huh?" he said, very eloquently.

You rolled your eyes but smiled. You moved ahead to pull him in a hug. He immediately froze, standing stiff as a board. It took a few seconds for his brain to finally catch up to him and he returned your hug with a laugh.

"So all of that–"

"–was me following your advice." you finished his sentence, pulling back enough to look at his face. "You sabotaged yourself without realising it."

Ace groaned dramatically, letting his hands drop to his sides. "I played myself. I actually played myself!"

You laughed, shaking your head. "But at least now you know I like you back?"

Ace looked at you, then his usual cocky grin came back to his face. His hands settled awkwardly on your arms. "Yeah… yeah! Of course you like me. Who wouldn't fall me?"

You smacked his arms away. "Don't get too smug about it. Just be grateful I like idiots."

He could only smile at you, happy to have you back again.

He felt lighter, his heart fluttering with joy.

© ladyfocalors

[inuiiwonderland]

Empire

Being crowned as empress of the Yuunkaedangon empire at the age of 17, you begin to start loving the new status and power. But it soon gets a bit boring and demanding the moment you turned 18. Harem? Heirs? Tf not!

Chapter 2

Words:1.0k

Fem reader but I don’t really say any she or her in this.

-

Being an empress has started to get a little boring now if you’re being honest. You frown at the stack of books and papers you had sitting on your desk. You turned to your attendant with a pout. He only shakes his head with a soft sigh.

“It’s the only way you can keep the higher ups from demanding an heir at the moment” He says calmly. You sigh as you pick up your writing equipment.

Bill passing….

BORING!

“I’m too young to have a child” You muttered. A little annoyed.

“Having kids isn’t all that bad, but I get why you’re upset”

You hum softly.

Now this isn’t you saying you hate kids or anything! You think they're alright, a little needy and loud but overall okay.

It’s just

You aren’t ready

“Ah I’ve had a talk with one of the higher ups earlier and he said that your consorts need ladies in waiting” You perk up.

“Ladies in waiting?”

“Mhm”

“I guess you’re right. Plus, it’ll be nice company for them since I’m not always gonna be there”

“Great. I’ll tell the higher ups tomorrow and have them assign them their own”

“Make sure they do background checks. Can’t have creeps and unworthy people working for my lovely consorts now can I?” You say. Your attendant nods.

“By the way, how’s your son?” His eyes lit up. He then goes on a rant about how his son is currently taking swordsman lessons and that he's getting better day by day. You smile.

At least now you can slack off just a little bit!

-

You watch as the last of the few ladies and men have been brought into the throne room. You eyed every single one carefully, some shivering under your watchful eyes as others seemed confident or uncomfortable.

“These are the best candidates the higher ups were able to gather last night” Your attendant, atsushi bows before calling out the first person up.

Both Riddle and Leona watch carefully at every single person that steps up. Listening closely to every single thing that comes out of their mouth along with their appearance, how they carry themselves, etc.

“Ace trappola! Young man from the Queendom Of Roses, good talents are cleaning, tending animals, and……card tricks?” The boy, “Ace” stifles a laugh but was given a stern look from his older brother which made him stop.

Riddle can already sense that he’s big trouble while Leona could really care less.

You get a good look at Ace.

He’s average height, fair skin, fluffy orange hair, and scarlet like eyes.

Not bad

And you won’t lie, he’s kinda funny.

You turn to riddle, wondering if he’ll take in trappola as a lady in waiting.

Riddle can already feel your stare on him. His cheeks turn a light pink at your stare.

“I’ll take him” He mutter softly. Small pout as he looks away. Leona scoffs.

“Excellent! Next”

After what seems to be hours (years even)

Your two lovely consorts have each of their own ladies in waiting.

Riddle: Ace Trappola, Deuce Spade, Cater Diamond

Leona: Ruggie Bucchi, Jack Howl

Once everyone was satisfied with their choices, your attendant dismissed the ones who weren’t chosen. You walked down to greet the new ladies in waiting with a soft smile.

“It’s nice to have you young gentleman here” You say. The boys jumped before quickly bowing to you. You smile.

“Now you know that each of you will be staying with and taking care of my two precious consorts right?” Riddle turns a bright red as Leona looks away. You can tell your charms got to him by how he fiddles with the hem of his sleeves.

“I hope you guys take good care of them!……or else” You gave them a menacing look. The five boys gulp, before nodding their heads. Some of them held a look of determination while a few….looked a little scared.

Perfect!

“Great! I’ll have my lovely attendant escort you guys back to your pavilions” You gave each concubine a kiss on the cheek before making your way out. A happy go lucky look on your face as the ladies in waiting can only look at each other and shiver in fear.

What a scary empress!

-

It’s been two months since you’ve gotten your consorts their ladies in waiting.

And it’s going great so far!

….

…..

Kinda

Riddle has been having trouble with Ace lately- scratch that, he’s been having trouble with him since he entered the heartslabyul pavilion.

He’ll rant to you about him every time you stop by and visit. You’ll just massage his tensed shoulders and whisper sweet words in his ears until he stops and relaxes.

Other than Ace, the other two don’t trouble him at all! Very good care takers, cleaners, and cooks!

Leona on the other hand, doesn't have any trouble with his ladies in waiting.

They’re patient, quick and ready to do anything he needs, and very good cooks!

Happy wives, happy life!

Not wives yet

Now speaking of wives, you are currently reading a letter from a high end family that wants their son to be a part of your harem.

Ha….you haven’t gotten one of these in months

“The Ashengrotto Family” You mutter. You paced back and forth in your home office as you read the letter.

“He’s the son of a very high ranking merchant. His mother owns a very successful restaurant somewhere near the east side and his stepfather is an ex military official”

“Mm”

You haven’t taken anyone in after Leona. And your vassal keeps pestering you to grow your harem.

Weirdos

Maybe it’s finally time to take someone in again!

“Schedule a meeting for tomorrow in the afternoon” You yawn out, ready to end this busy day and go to bed.

“Already done”

“Huh?” You turn around to see your attendant wearing a prideful smile.

“I know you will agree!” He says.

Eh?!

“Are you serious?”

“Mhm! Now go get some sleep, Mrs. Ashengrotto is very excited to meet you tomorrow!”

“You’re killing me”

“No”

“Yes….”

“By the way, are those papers done yet?” He asks.You froze. He raises a thick brow as he patiently waits. You batted your lashes at him as you sway side to side.

“Y’knowwwww you’re right! I should get some much deserved sleep, don't you think?” You slowly walk closer to the exit, still making eye contact as your hand slowly inches closer to the door.

“Y/n” he says sternly.

“Bye bye good night!” And with that you make a quick escape.

“Y/n!”

atsushi only sighs before a small smile creeps up upon his face.

“Just like their old man”

-

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[saffusthings]

second chances

mob boss! lando norris x reader

part sixteen: what could've been, and what will be

word count: 2.5k

warnings: like (1) bad pun.

fifteen | sixteen | seventeen

When he came to pick her up after a 12-hour shift, Lando noticed the difference in her the second she slid into the passenger seat.

Normally, she had a small, tired but genuine smile for him—sometimes teasing, sometimes warm, always there. Usually, she had a habit of greeting him with something—an offhand comment about the weather, a tired but amused remark about her classes, or even just a quiet hi paired with a small smile.

But today, she barely said a word.

Instead, she dropped her bag onto the floor, fastened her seatbelt, and gazed out the window, lost in her own head. Today, she was quiet. Tucked into herself. Her fingers toyed with the strap of her bag, gaze distant.

He didn’t like it.

“Got your grade back on your project?” he asked as he pulled out onto the street.

She blinked, seeming to register him for the first time, and mustered a half-hearted smile. “Mm. Something like that.”

The way she said it told him she wasn’t in the mood to elaborate. Lando, of course, didn’t take the hint.

Lando drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he pulled onto the road. He wasn’t exactly great at this whole… people thing, but even he could tell she was off.

“You look like someone kicked your puppy,” he remarked casually. “That bad of a day?”

She blinked, as if she’d only just remembered he was there. “Hm?”

Lando shot her a quick look before returning his eyes to the road. “You’re quiet.”

She exhaled, rubbing at her temples. “I’m just tired.”

Lando hummed. He knew bullshit when he heard it.

Usually, he’d let things go. He wasn’t the type to push—never had been. But for some reason, today, he couldn’t just leave it alone.

“You sure?” he asked, keeping his voice light. “Because no offense, but you look like you’re about three seconds away from having an existential crisis.”

That earned him the ghost of a smile, but it was faint. Still, it gave him enough encouragement to press just a little further.

“…Wanna talk about it?”

She hesitated. That wasn’t like her. Usually, when she had a bad day, she’d at least have something to say about it. But this time, her voice was polite, distant. She was missing the usual warmth she carried, and Lando found himself gripping the wheel a little tighter.

“Want me to make fun of your professors until you feel better?” he offered, hoping for even a ghost of a smile. “I can do that. I’m very talented.”

She gave a small huff of amusement, but it was weak. “Tempting.”

He frowned.

Something about the way she said it, how she still wasn’t looking at him, how her fingers played absently with the strap of her bag—he didn’t like it. It wasn’t her.

They hit a red light, and he took the moment to glance at her properly. “You wanna talk about it?”

A noncommittal shrug.

“Alright, I’m making an executive decision. I think you need a laugh.” He cleared his throat. “Did you hear about the guy who got hit with a can of soda?”

That earned him a slight side-eye. “No?”

“He was lucky it was a soft drink.”

A beat of silence. Then she let out a soft breath—almost a laugh, but not quite. “That was… awful. Like, actually awful.”

“That was brilliant,” Lando corrected, feigning offense. “Here, let me try another—”

“Liam.”

He quieted at the way she said his name—not annoyed, not impatient, just... tired.

His grip on the wheel tightened as he spared her a glance. “You… alright?”

She hesitated, then, much to his surprise, actually answered. “Do you ever feel like... like you made the wrong choice?” As soon as the words left her mouth, her demeanor shifted– more reserved, more nervous.

Lando frowned slightly. “What do you mean? Like, in what?”

“In… I don’t know. Life.” She sighed, looking down at her lap. “Sometimes I feel like I’m just coasting.”

The light turned green, but Lando didn’t move right away. The road was empty enough at this hour of the evening, but he had to force himself to focus on the road again, watching her from the corner of his eye as he drove.

“I thought you liked what you were studying?”

“I do,” she said quickly. Then, after a beat, “Or, I did. I think.”

She let out a small, humorless laugh, shaking her head.

She exhaled, her fingers still fidgeting with the band of her bracelet. “Has it ever been like– like you thought you knew what you wanted, and then, suddenly, it’s like... maybe you don’t? Or maybe you do, but it’s too late, or too complicated, or just... not possible anymore?”

The words tumbled out of her mouth one after another, like the ideas had been whirring around inside for long that they had begun to overflow. There was something painfully raw in the way she said it, like the words had been clawing at her for a while.

Lando’s voice was quieter when he replied. “Yeah. Yeah, I get that.”

She nodded absently, looking out the window. “I used to want to go to law school.”

That caught him off guard. “You did?”

“Yeah.” She let out a small, humorless chuckle. “It was the whole reason I left. I moved out thinking I could do it. That if I worked hard enough, it’d happen.” 

She shook her head, pressing her fingers to her temple. “But I don’t know. Between tuition, rent, working just to keep myself afloat... I feel like I’m just coasting through life now. Like law school is just this thing that I wanted in another life, and now I have to be realistic. Because being realistic means not drowning.”

Lando frowned. “Law school?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

Somehow, he hadn’t known that. He wasn’t sure why it surprised him.

She let out a humorless chuckle. “I used to think I could do it. But now, it just feels… impossible. Like I’ll never actually get there, like it’s just not realistic right now.”

Lando didn’t respond right away.

He wasn’t sure what to say. Encouragement didn’t really come naturally to him, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to lie to her and tell her it’d all magically work out. But at the same time…

He hated the look in her eyes.

That quiet kind of hopelessness—the kind he recognized all too well.

So, instead of some empty platitude, he just said, “That why you been stuck in your head all day?”

She nodded.

Lando sighed, slowing to a stop at a red light.

Then, after a moment, he glanced at her. “So what are you gonna do?”

She blinked. “What?”

“You said it doesn’t feel realistic right now.” He shrugged. “That doesn’t mean it never will be.”

She looked at him, searching his expression like she wasn’t sure if he was being serious.

Lando turned his gaze back to the road. “If it’s something you actually want, then you’ll figure it out. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week, but eventually.”

She didn’t say anything right away. But he could tell she was thinking.

After a long pause, she murmured, ��You make it sound simple.”

Lando snorted. For a moment, Lando didn’t say anything else. Then, after a moment, he said, “That’s shit.”

She let out a startled laugh. “Excuse me?”

“That’s shit,” he repeated, shooting her a look. “Like, respectfully. You don’t just—just let go of something you want because things are hard. You figure out a way. You don’t give up.”

She huffed, shaking her head. “It’s not giving up, it’s called being practical. Maybe you should try it sometime.”

“Sounds t’me like a fancy way of saying you’re giving up,” he muttered.

She turned to face him fully now, brow furrowed. “It’s not that simple, Liam. I can’t just—” She groaned, rubbing her face. “You don’t get it.”

“Then make me get it.”

She paused. He wasn’t teasing her. His tone was softer now—earnest, even.

For the first time since she got in the car, she really looked at him. And for some reason, that was the thing that made her throat feel tight.

She turned away again, swallowing. “I just don’t want to get my hopes up.”

Lando was quiet for a beat. Then, keeping his eyes on the road, he said, “If you don’t get your hopes up, how the hell are you ever supposed to reach for them?”

She didn’t have an answer for that. So she just sat there, staring out the window, feeling something crack open in her chest.

Lando snorted. “It’s not. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.”

She was quiet again, but this time, something about her expression had shifted—just slightly.

And when she finally turned to face him, there was something softer in her gaze.

“Thanks,” she said, voice sincere.

Lando just shrugged. “Don’t mention it.”

Lando didn’t know much about law school. Or tuition. Or— honestly, any of that.

But what he did know was the way her voice softened when she said it, like it was something she had already half-grieved. He knew what it sounded like to kill a dream before it even had the chance to start, and something about that made his stomach twist.

“…Do you still want it?” he asked after a long pause.

She inhaled slowly, staring ahead. “Honestly? I don’t know if I can afford to want it.”

Lando was quiet for a moment.

He didn’t know shit about the law. He only knew how to break it. But he knew one thing for damn sure:

If she wanted to be a lawyer, then she was going to be the best fucking lawyer the world had ever seen.

Damn it all to hell.

What followed was only natural. At least, that’s what Lando told himself.

Sure, at first, it was just the drives—Lando picking her up from work when it was late or driving her home after class. But more recently, he’d begun to have something a little different in mind.

He was strategic about it, the way all good business ventures are. It started small, a short trail of breadcrumbs – a text asking if she wanted to grab coffee before a morning lecture. A casual offer to drop by the shop even when she wasn’t working, just to sit for a bit and pretend he was a normal customer. A shared glance when they ran into each other outside their usual settings, neither of them acknowledging how often it was happening now.

And then there were nights like this.

She was curled up on the couch in the back of Brews & Books, her laptop open on the coffee table, surrounded by stacks of notes and half-highlighted textbooks. Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth, brows furrowed in concentration, a pen twirling absently between her fingers.

Alex came up to her, slipping on a light jacket as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “I’ve gotta head out, got my mock presentation on Materials Engineering for Impact Resistance tomorrow morning. Exciting stuff, I know, but I’ve got a good feeling about it.”

She peeled her gaze away from the notebook she’d been scrawling in to turn and look up at him, giving him a warm smile as she peers up at him. “Alright, then. Good luck, Professor Albon,” she teases, the corners of her eyes crinkling when she laughed at his fake annoyance.

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex smiled, rolling his eyes at the nickname but ultimately unable to keep the fond smile off his face. “Call me if you need anything?”

“You know I will,” she nods, watching him walk out the door before turning her attention back to the notes in front of her.

Lando, meanwhile, sat across from her, pretending to read over one of her case studies while he waited for her to wrap up to take her home, though most of the words blurred together after a while.

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “This is a nightmare.”

“What, the assignment?”

She let out a small, dry laugh. “No, my entire degree.”

Right, that.

Lando smirked, leaning back into the couch. “Well, you’re the one who chose it, genius.”

She shot him a half-hearted glare before slumping forward, resting her chin on her arms. “I just feel like no matter how much I study, I’m always behind.”

“Sounds fake,” Lando said. “You’re smart.”

She snorted. “Flattery won’t help me pass constitutional law.”

“Sure it will. It just depends on who you’re flattering.”

That actually got a small laugh out of her, which felt like a victory. But then, just as quickly, her frustration returned. She reached for another textbook, flipping through the pages with a sigh.

Lando tapped his fingers against the spine of the book he was pretending to read. The truth was, most of it didn’t make much sense to him. He had never been much of a reader, and legal jargon might as well have been in a foreign language.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t try.

“You know,” he said after a moment, tilting his head, “I could help.”

She arched a brow. “You?”

“Yeah, me.” He shot her a look. “What, you think I’m just an idiot who knows how to drive fast?”

She hesitated, and Lando gasped dramatically.

“Oh my God. You do think that.”

She laughed again, shaking her head. “I mean, I just didn’t peg you as a liberal arts kind of guy.”

That’s fair.

“I can still help,” he insisted, tapping a finger against the page. “Here, explain this to me like I’m five.”

She gave him a wary look, but eventually, she sat up, rolling her shoulders back. “Alright. So, this case is about the principle of judicial review and how it establishes the court’s ability to declare laws unconstitutional…”

Lando nodded along, doing his best to follow. He watched as she talked, her hands moving animatedly as she explained.

And maybe he wasn’t absorbing all of it—maybe some of the bigger words still made his brain stall for a second—but he liked listening to her. He liked the way her face lit up a little when she talked about something she understood, the way she kept glancing at him to make sure he was following along.

“ –which means that that court gets the final word on whether the old decisions were correct and should still stand, or if it’s all moot because the state action was unconstitutional in the first place,” she concluded, leaning back. “Make sense?”

Lando blinked. “Yes.”

She raised a brow.

“Sure.”

An expression of incredulousness.

“Maybe”

A deadpan look.

“...A little?”

She groaned, head tilting back against the couch.

“But hey,” he added quickly, grinning, “it sounded good.”

She threw a crumpled-up sticky note at him, and he dodged, laughing.

It was stupid, really. He knew he wasn’t much help. He knew he probably never would be, not in the way she needed. But if sitting here with her, nodding along, letting her talk things through—if that even made one percent of a difference—then that was enough for him.

[ikeupied]

"Maybe people leave you because you're impossible to deal with."

My breath hitched, my heart started pounding, and my hands began to shake. No matter how hard I tried to respond, the words wouldn't leave my mouth.

"Have you ever thought about that?"

I stared at him in shock, unable to believe what I was hearing. I never in a million years thought I would hear those words come out of his mouth.

"What...?" I whispered, but my voice cracked before I could finish. How could he say this to me after everything we’d been through? His words echoed in my mind, too strong, too painful.

"It's the truth," he said, as if talking about something as simple as the weather. "You've clung to people, to me, for so long, and now... I don't know. Maybe it’s time to stop expecting people to never get tired of you."

My chest tightened. I could feel the air in the room grow heavy, like my soul was suffocating. Did he really think that?

"You think I'm... that I'm just... unbearable?" The words tumbled out, shaky and uncertain. No, this couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be happening.

He didn’t look at me, diverting his gaze to the floor, like he didn’t want to see the damage he had already caused. But the words still lingered between us. They felt like daggers, stabbing me again and again.

"Maybe if you weren’t so insecure all the time, people would want to be around you."

Silence wrapped around me like a cold blanket, and I couldn’t help but think of all the times I’d felt invisible, insecure, wondering if maybe he was right. Maybe everything I did was wrong, maybe my whole life had been somehow wrong, and I didn’t even know it.

7:30 AM, the sound of my alarm jolted me awake. I immediately noticed my face was wet; I had been sweating. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes with my hands. It had been a dream, just that.

I inhaled and exhaled a few times, trying to calm my breath. My hands were shaking, everything felt overwhelming. I squeezed my eyes shut, and tears that I didn’t even realize I was holding back, fell.

"It was just a dream, it’s nothing," I told myself, trying to calm down, and slowly, the crying stopped.

After taking a long shower and staring at myself in the mirror for a while, I got dressed and left the apartment.

8:25 AM. When I saw the time, I realized I was running late for practice. "Shit," I sighed, quickening my pace.

"You’re late," he said, looking at me with his usual smirk. I gave him an empty look and simply walked past him without saying anything.

"Seems like you're in a good mood," he commented. I sighed, holding back the urge to launch myself at him and punch him in the face.

"Can we just start with the choreography? The sooner we get this over with, the better," I said. He gave me a typical smirk.

"Sure, whatever you say."

10:00 AM. I walked out of the dance studio, and Taesan was waiting for me outside.

"How did it go?" he asked as soon as I stepped out, and I could hear genuine concern in his voice. Taesan always worried too much about me, and that made me feel like a burden to him.

"It was... fine," I shrugged, and we started walking toward the university. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, we talked just enough and made good progress with the choreography."

"Good... I’m glad," he said, ruffling my hair gently, which made me laugh faintly. "I hope you’re not too tired. This afternoon we’ve got the group rehearsal to review the choreography for the first round."

I sighed at what he said. Honestly, the only thing I wanted to do was stay in bed all day, staring at the ceiling, reevaluating everything I’d said and done since I was three years old. But I couldn’t, so I just nodded and kept walking.

It was going to be a very long day.

just a dream (wc ; 2798)

SYNOPSIS: Y/n and Riki were inseparable. The kind of friendship everyone envied, the kind that felt unbreakable. But somewhere along the way, something shattered. Now, every word they exchange is a fight, every glance a silent war. Neither of them wants to admit how much it hurts. Neither of them wants to be the first to let go of the anger. But how long can you hate someone who once meant everything to you? Because the line between love and hate has never been thinner.

prev | m.list | next

note: I actually cried writing and reading this chapter, but it's one of my favourites.

taglist @kizumis @yangjungwonnie @doririsstuff @annybah @yurizzzs @zaycie @iheartshopping @luvjichang @starbyeol1512 @jaerisdiction @soobinbunnie5 @tasnemluvs @right-person-wrong-time @yuaaa-somehow @nishikio @ezekiel-bublz @hyunjinslongasslegs @iboughtnjz @jvngw0nlvr @blvengene

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© all rights reserved to ikeupied, please don't copy.

[inthelibrarybtw]

you want me to pretend? | three

SERIES MASTERLIST

pairing: college!basketball!captain!rafe x college!student!reader content: fluff, teasing, college au, smau/irl

summary: You were trying to make one problem disappear. You were tired, so you lied. That small lie led you to contact the last person you wanted to ask for help. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Rafe; only that you didn’t want to deal with his constant teasing more than you already did. Also, you two weren't that close, but this one lie was going to bring you two closer and maybe help some truths come to light.

word count: 2.1k

authors note: I just want to thank everyone for all the love this has been getting, I love that you love them just as much as I do. Also thanks to @rafesbabygirlx for helping me decide what to do with this part.

02 | 03 | 04

Wednesday

He was shocked, to say the least. But he would be lying if he didn’t find it appealing. Also, even a bit cute that you had chosen to ask him for this out of all your friends. 

“Wait, let me see if I got it right…” he paused. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend for a night?” He asked, still shocked and trying to see if you were joking. But you never joked, at least not with him.

“Yes,” he knew you weren’t joking now so he decided to take the teasing route. 

“And what do I get from this?” he asked with a smirk on his face 

“A free dinner?” 

“Oh come on Y/N I know you can do better than that” he teased making you sigh 

“I don’t know… what do you want?” you start to feel actual panic setting in. How were you supposed to convince him? 

“I can think of a few things” he smirked, he was just making things difficult for fun, you didn’t find it funny. 

“Why do you have to be like this?” 

“It’s fun to see you annoyed” he smiled 

“You are the worst”

“Hate me all you want but we both know it’s all fake or you wouldn’t be here” he had to suppress the urge to boop your nose knowing it was going to piss you off. 

“I never said I hated you, you are just extremely annoying” 

“I like to say I’m charming”

“Full of yourself” 

“Who else am I supposed to be full of?” he lifted an eyebrow, and you sighed defeated.

“Rafe, please… I will owe you one no questions asked” 

“Oh well now that you say that” he smirked again taking a few steps to get closer to you. “I might take you up on that princess” he changed his tone to a more flirty one 

“You disgust me” 

“Ah don’t be like that, I’m your boyfriend now” he wiggled his eyebrows. His smirk was still plastered on his face. 

You felt a sense of relief at those words, he had agreed to help you. 

“Thank you” you gave him a half smile 

“Sure but I do have a few questions though”

“About?” 

“Why did you have to look for a pretend boyfriend?” 

“Long story” 

“Will I ever know?” 

“Maybe but not today.” you paused for a second “I’ll send you my location and let you know what I need you to do that day” 

“Fine by me” 

“Thank you again, really” 

“Thank me after I have charmed your parents” 

“Fine whatever, bye”

“Bye princess” 

“Can you not?” 

“You are my girlfriend now I have to be nice and sweet talk you” he smirked again, he was enjoying this a bit too much. 

“Fake one, and for a night”

“Let me have my moment” You rolled your eyes and walked away.

He saw you walk away with a big smile on his face. He shook his head and chuckled to himself before going back to his practice.

Thursday

Today - Friday

You had been anxious since the moment you woke up. Kelce hadn’t shown up to statistics that day because he had gone out with Nicki according to him to end things finally. So you had been left alone to deal with Rafe on your own. Anyone would expect him to be solely focused on basketball since he was captain, but no, he truly cared for classes and his grades. 

Just today he seemed a bit more chatty and you couldn’t wonder if it was because today was the day. Yes, THE day. 

“So tell me, why don’t you want people to know?” 

“Because I don’t. I’m not gonna tell people I had to look for a fake boyfriend because my parents pushed me to my limit” 

“Ah so there is a reason, and here I thought you didn’t want to share” 

“I said maybe so here I am, plus it seemed fair to tell you since you agreed to help me” 

“Aw thanks” he put a hand over his chest pretending to feel touched. “So tell me more” 

“My mom has been a bit worried I haven’t dated a guy in more than a year and lately she has been more pushy and all that so I lied saying I had been seeing this guy for the past two months to keep her quiet”

“And I’m guessing it didn’t work as you expected…” 

“Yeah, they asked for his name and all”

“Okay wait…”  he smirked “So you said my name?” You rolled your eyes and sighed. There was no point in denying it. 

“Yes but only because you were texting the group chat nonstop and then to my chat so I panicked and said your name” he felt the honesty in your words but he was going to take the chance and tease you. 

“No need to make excuses I feel honored that you thought of me” 

“You love to have something to tease me with” 

“Oh yes I do” 

You kept the small talk for a bit more until it was time to work. You did all your classwork together and finished first. 

“Okay so one more question, how did we meet? How did we start dating? I’m assuming they will ask questions” You turned to look at him; a sense of relief washed over you. He was going to help you. 

“Yeah… let’s just say Kelce introduced us, which is the truth, and…” he cut you off

“He invited you to a game, he introduced us and we hit it off” 

“Sound believable so it’s okay” 

“Now hobbies, I know you like reading but like things we do together” 

“Uh… watching movies, I guess I go to your games” 

“That’s kind of a given, let’s say you are my lucky charm” he teases and you chuckle. You had to admit it, he was being more positive than what you had expected. Maybe the dinner wouldn’t be that horrible.

After the unexpected call, you continued with your stress-baking. It always helped you to take your mind off things and for the hour and a half hour that it took you to bake, you had accomplished not thinking about anything else. You noticed the time and decided to start getting ready. 

You went to your room to get ready. The first thing you did was go through your closet to find something nice to wear, you settled on a floral dress you liked and called it a day. With your dress on you went to do your hair and after that, you sat down to put makeup on. As soon as you started doing your makeup and humming to the songs that were playing you got lost in the process and found comfort in something you did almost daily. 

By the time you were done, it was almost time and the nerves settled in for good this time. As soon as the doorbell rang you felt a pit in your stomach. You took a deep breath and walked down to open the door.

When you got downstairs, your mom was about to open the door. You tried to hurry, but it was too late, and she was already opening it.  

“Hello! You must be Rafe.”  

“I am, nice to meet you,” he said, extending his hand to her.  

“Mom, I was going to get the door.” You finally entered his field of vision. He felt time stop for a second; you looked beautiful. You always looked put together, but today was different—your hair, the dress, the makeup; it was all different.  

“Well, look at you, princess! You look beautiful,” he said as he walked in, kissing the top of your head. You gave him a soft smile. Meanwhile, your mom looked at the scene in front of her, her heart leaping at what she was seeing.  

You felt extremely awkward, but after taking another deep breath, you took Rafe’s hand and guided him to your living room. For Rafe, the house felt cozy, and it made sense that you were how you were if you had grown up in a place like this.  

When you walked into the living room, you were met by your dad reading something on his phone.  

“Dad, this is Rafe… Rafe, this is my dad.” Your dad lifted his gaze and smiled as he stood up.  

“Ah! You are the guy she hasn’t stopped talking about all week.” You hadn’t done it on purpose, but they had been asking a lot of questions about him, and you answered. Rafe just chuckled and squeezed your hand gently, as if marking that comment to tease you later.  

“It’s a pleasure to meet the parents of this pretty girl,” your dad smiled at the comment.  

“Come on, sit down,” your mom motioned to the couch.  

“So, Y/N tells me you play basketball.”  

“Yes, I have been captain since last year. It has been a great experience so far.”

With that, the conversation flowed. You still felt like you were in flight or fight mode, but seeing how Rafe was handling the situation was better than you had expected. You had moved to the dining room to have dinner, and the conversation had continued. Your parents had asked every question they could imagine. Now Rafe was telling the story of how you two had met.  

“We have friends in common, and for a game, she was sitting with them in the stands, and I couldn’t stop looking at her during the whole game." He paused. "I had seen her in a class before and barely exchanged words, but I knew I had to talk to her. So at the end of the game, I asked one of our friends to introduce us, and he did.”  

It was all half-truths; you two had met in a class, and that same week, you had gone to one of his games not knowing he was playing. You all had hung out that day after the game, and from that point forward, you two had, in a way, become friends—more acquaintances since you two never hung out just the two of you or talked outside of college and homework.  

"That’s so sweet! Who is the friend?"  

"Kelce," you both answered simultaneously.  

"We’ll thank him next time we see him for bringing you into her life." At that moment, you panicked; no way that was happening.  

"I’m going to make sure to tell him," Rafe said, reassuring your mom. You turned to look at him.  

"You are a good one, Rafe," your mom said.  

"Well..." you paused. "I’m going to bring the dessert."  

"Do you need help?" Rafe asked, and you nodded. He excused himself and followed you to the kitchen. Once the two of you were out of earshot, he spoke.  

"Your parents are great," he said as you pulled a berry cheesecake out of the fridge. "Oh wow, that looks amazing"  

"They are, and thanks. I take pride in my baking," you smiled, setting the cheesecake on the counter to take out some new plates.  

"You bake?"  

"I do; it’s one of my hobbies."  

"Hmm, you are full of surprises."  

"What can I say?" you replied with a smile, exiting the kitchen.  

He grabbed the cheesecake and brought it to the table as you placed the plates next to it. As soon as it was served and everyone was seated, the conversation continued as if nothing had happened. Everything that you hadn’t discussed how to answer came out naturally. During dinner, both you and he saw each other in a different light. You had learned so much about him thanks to your parents' questions, and he had learned so much about you from the way you interacted with your parents and from what your mom had told him about you.  

He understood why it had been a big deal for your parents when you had told them about dating someone. You didn’t know, but your mom had shared a bit of the backstory, and it had made him feel some kind of way. He could see how much your mom cared for you, and seeing you so heartbroken last time had worried her. She didn’t want you to close yourself off before, so seeing him there had assured her you were going to be okay. He was never going to bring this up with you, even though he was curious about what had happened.  

When everyone noticed the time, it was 9:25 PM. Rafe helped clear the table and began saying his goodbyes. You sighed silently; it was finally over, and it had gone great.  

"Rafe, before you go, why don’t you come over on Sunday?" your dad asked right as he was about to leave. Your face dropped; this was supposed to be just one night.

taglist: @zyafics @maybankslover @niaunoffical @marleymarleymarleymarley @rafesbabygirlx @akobx @papercranesandinkstains @drewstarkeyspecs @winterivory @my-name-is-baby @drunkinthemiddleoftheday @drewrry @ursogorgeous13 @pr3tty-pink @lmaowhatt @reeseswirl @xoxosblogsblog @lili-swagalicious @ayy1234567 @rihannamars @congratsloserr @moonywhisp3rs @iamheretoread1234 @rafesdrew @bee-43 @pogueprincesa @cokewithcameron @landososcar if you want to be added send an ask or comment! :) follow and turn on notifications on @inthelibrarybtw-notifs to get updates on everything i write

REBLOGS, COMMENTS AND LIKES ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED

INTHELIBRARYBTW ✧.*

[yvesssssssss]

HIII hope you’re doing great ^^ i have a request with nagumo shin natsuki and heisuke dating a kind and cute girl AND their families (idk like sakamoto, mafuyu etcetc) want to meet her and they are testing her even if she’s really kind

I love this idea so much!! I had a lot of fun writing it, but honestly, I wasn’t completely satisfied with how it turned out—so I really hope you like it! Let me know if you want any changes!

You knew dating an assassin came with challenges, but apparently, the real test was dealing with their protective families.

And today? Today, you were being evaluated.

Nagumo yoichi

I sat beside Yoichi, hands neatly folded in my lap, smiling politely despite the heavy tension in the air. Across from us, Rion Akao paced back and forth, eyes sharp as she studied me like I was a suspect in a murder case.

Taro Sakamoto sat beside her, arms crossed, unreadable as ever.

“So,” Rion finally spoke, stopping in front of me, “you’re really dating this guy?” She jabbed a finger at Yoichi, who waved lazily, grinning.

I nodded. “Mhm! Yoichi is really sweet, you know?”

Rion scoffed so hard it was almost a laugh. She turned to Sakamoto. “Did she just say something insane?”

Sakamoto let out a deep sigh.

“I mean it!” I said earnestly. “He always remembers my favorite snacks, holds my hand when I’m nervous, and—oh! One time, I was feeling down, and he spent hours making me a really cute origami bouquet!”

Nagumo smirked. “You see? I’m a romantic.”

Rion narrowed her eyes. “You’re a liar.”

I blinked. “No, he really did that.”

“He did that to mess with your head.”

I tilted my head. “But… it worked. I felt better.”

Rion groaned, rubbing her temples. “You’re too nice.”

Sakamoto finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. “Nagumo’s dangerous. If you’re with him, you’ll be in danger too.”

I met his gaze and nodded. “I know.”

Rion’s pacing stopped.

“Okay then,” she said slowly. “Prove it.”

Nagumo sighed. “Oh my god, you guys.”

Rion ignored him. “Let’s say Nagumo gets captured and tortured for intel. What do you do?”

I tilted my head. “Oh, I trust him. I’m sure he wouldn’t get captured.”

The room went silent.

Rion blinked at me. “…What?”

I smiled. “It’s Yoichi. If someone tried to capture him, he’d either talk his way out of it, escape before it even happened, or trick them into thinking they were the ones caught.”

Nagumo grinned. “See? She gets me.”

Rion groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “Oh my god, you’re delusional.”

Sakamoto, however, nodded slightly, as if he actually agreed with me.

“But,” I continued, “if by some impossible chance he did get captured, I’d find him and take him back.”

Rion squinted. “And if I was the one who took him?”

I smiled sweetly. “Then I’d negotiate first… and if that didn’t work, I’d take him back by force.”

Nagumo let out a low whistle. “See? Perfect.”

Rion muttered something under her breath. “…Alright, maybe you’re not as helpless as I thought.”

She crossed her arms, eyeing me up and down. “Next question. What’s the worst thing about Nagumo?”

I thought for a moment. “…Oh, that’s easy! He’s always teasing people.”

Rion huffed. “That’s the best thing you could come up with?”

“Well, I like everything else about him.”

Nagumo placed a hand over his heart. “I might cry.”

“Shut up,” Rion and Sakamoto said in unison.

Rion sighed. “Alright. Final test.”

Sakamoto pulled out a knife and slid it across the table. “If Nagumo ever betrays you, would you be able to kill him?”

The air shifted.

I picked up the knife, holding it delicately.

Nagumo watched me, relaxed as always. I met his gaze.

Then I smiled. “I trust Yoichi. If he betrayed me, he’d have a very good reason.”

Something flickered in his eyes.

Rion scoffed. “So you wouldn’t kill him?”

I tilted my head. “If he truly betrayed me… then yes, I could.”

Nagumo smirked. “She is perfect.”

Sakamoto nodded approvingly. Rion still looked suspicious, but she finally leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

“…Fine. I still think you could do better,” she muttered. “But you’re not an idiot. I respect that.”

I beamed. “Thank you!”

Rion sighed, rubbing her temples. “Whatever. You’re stuck with him now, so good luck.”

Nagumo grabbed my hand. “See? Told you they’d love you.”

Rion threw a knife at his head.

Nagumo dodged, still smirking. “Ah, classic Rion.”

Shin Asakura

Shin was nervous. Very nervous.

“Are you okay?” you asked, holding his hand as you both stood in front of the Sakamoto household.

“No,” Shin said immediately. “Lu’s involved in this, which means chaos. Hana’s unpredictable. And Sakamoto—” He inhaled. “He knows everything I’m thinking.”

The door swung open before he could knock.

Lu grinned. “You’re late.”

“We weren’t given a time—” Shin tried, but she pulled you inside.

The first test was immediate.

Hana stood in front of you, holding up a picture she very clearly drew herself. “If you don’t say my art is amazing, I’m kicking you out.”

You beamed. “This is beautiful, Hana-chan! The colors are so lively, and I can tell you put a lot of effort into it!”

Hana squinted at you. Then turned to Shin. “She’s either really nice or a liar.”

Lu leaned in. “Would you fight someone for Shin?”

You smiled softly. “I don’t like violence. But if someone tried to hurt him, I’d protect him with everything I have.”

Lu whistled. “Oh, she’s dangerous. I like her.”

Finally, Sakamoto sat across from you, silently watching.

Shin tensed. “Boss, please don’t make this scary—”

Sakamoto leaned back, satisfied. “You’re good. Shin’s lucky.”

Shin groaned. “I hate this family.”

You giggled. “I love them.”

Shin turned to you in horror.

Lu clapped his back. “Oh, you’re so doomed.”

Natsuki Seba

Natsuki underestimated how insane this was going to be.

Mafuyu, his younger brother, had immediately dragged you away the second you entered the Seba household.

“I need to test if you’re worthy of my brother,” Mafuyu said seriously. “If you fail, I’ll make him break up with you.”

Natsuki groaned. “Mafuyu, seriously—”

“Silence, loser,” Mafuyu said, then turned back to you. “First question. If you were a fish, what fish would you be?”

You blinked. “Oh! A clownfish, maybe? They seem friendly.”

Mafuyu hummed. “Acceptable. Next. You’re in the middle of a battle. You have one weapon. What do you choose?”

“I… don’t like fighting,” you admitted.

Mafuyu narrowed his eyes. “Trick question. The correct answer is ‘Natsuki.’”

Natsuki pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re so weird.”

Mafuyu ignored him. “Final question. Do you think my brother is cool?”

You smiled. “Of course.”

Mafuyu gasped dramatically. “Oh my god. She’s delusional.”

Natsuki groaned. “That’s enough, Mafuyu—”

Mafuyu crossed his arms. “Fine. You pass.”

Natsuki blinked. “Wait, what?”

Mafuyu shrugged. “She’s obviously nice, and she likes you even though you’re lame. That means she’s loyal.”

Natsuki narrowed his eyes. “I feel very insulted, but I’ll take it.”

Mafuyu nodded. “You have my blessing.”

Natsuki sighed. “Great. Now never talk to my girlfriend again.”

Mafuyu smirked. “Absolutely not.”

Heisuke Mashimo

Heisuke’s “family” was basically just Sakamoto, Shin, Lu, and Hana, and they immediately went feral with their tests.

Sakamoto just stared at you for a while, then nodded. “Alright. You pass.”

Shin and Lu immediately protested.

“No,” Shin said. “She has to prove she can handle Heisuke’s stupidity.”

You blinked. “He’s not stupid, though.”

Silence.

Lu slowly turned to Heisuke. “You brainwashed her.”

Heisuke pouted. “I did not.”

Shin crossed his arms. “Alright. If Heisuke had to snipe something and missed, what would you do?”

You smiled sweetly. “I’d tell him he did his best and that I believe in him.”

Shin and Lu exchanged horrified glances.

“Oh god,” Lu whispered. “She’s an enabler.”

Heisuke grinned. “I love her.”

Sakamoto sighed. “She’s fine. Let them be.”

Lu groaned. “Fine. But if they end up married, I want a separate house far away from the secondhand embarrassment.”

Heisuke just hugged you, grinning. “I knew they’d love you!”

Shin put his head in his hands. “I need a drink.”

Gaku

Gaku didn’t even try to stop Kumanomi.

“I mean, if she can’t survive you, she probably can’t survive me either,” he reasoned, hands in his pockets.

You just tilted your head, smiling sweetly at Kumanomi. “It’s nice to meet you!”

Kumanomi smirked. “We’ll see about that. Sit.”

You obediently took a seat. Gaku leaned against the wall, watching like this was a free show.

Kumanomi pulled out a piece of paper. “Alright, sweetheart. First question: If Gaku loses a fight, what do you do?”

You blinked. “Oh! I’d help him up and tell him he did great.”

Gaku snorted. “Baby. I don’t lose.”

Kumanomi ignored him. “Second question: If you had to fight Gaku, what’s your strategy?”

You thought for a moment. “Um… Distract him with a video game and then run?”

Gaku threw his head back laughing. “That’s actually so smart—”

Kumanomi narrowed her eyes. “Interesting. Third question: Do you think Gaku is intelligent?”

You nodded earnestly. “Of course!”

Kumanomi stared at you like you’d grown three heads. “Oh my god. You’re delusional.”

Gaku burst out laughing. “She likes me, Kumanomi. Of course she’s a little insane.”

Kumanomi sighed. “Final question. If someone flirts with Gaku, what do you do?”

You blinked, then smiled. “I’d probably just hold his hand and remind them he’s taken.”

Gaku grinned. “Aww, babe—”

Kumanomi smirked. “Wrong answer. You fight them.”

Your smile wavered. “But I don’t like fighting…”

Kumanomi nodded solemnly. “That’s okay. I’ll teach you.”

Gaku grinned. “Wait. This means she passes, right?”

Kumanomi rolled her eyes. “She’s too nice for you, but whatever. She’s cute. I’ll allow it.”

Gaku whooped, throwing an arm around you. “Hell yeah, my girl’s approved!”

Kumanomi sighed. “Just don’t get her arrested.”

Gaku smirked. “No promises.”

[sowhatwereyousaying]

A Promise- Part 4

summary: A little bonding time after your overwhelming date

warnings: age gap (reader is in their 20s and gong yoo is in his 40s); fake dating, pr

The car ride back to my apartment was weirdly quiet.

Well, except for the faint sound of Gong Yoo humming along to the radio like nothing had happened. Meanwhile, I was still mentally replaying that ridiculous lunch. The smug jokes. The stupidly flirty hand-holding. The fact that I had actually... enjoyed myself.

What was wrong with me?

“You’re staring,” Gong Yoo said without looking up from his phone.

“I’m not,” I muttered.

“You are.” He slid his gaze to mine, flashing a slow, lazy smile. “Falling for me already?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I shot back.

“You literally held my hand for five minutes.”

“You grabbed my hand.”

“You didn’t let go.”

I groaned, shoving my face into my hands. “I hate this.”

“Liar,” he sang.

The worst part? I kind of was.

When we reached my apartment, I expected him to wave goodbye and disappear back into his glamorous celebrity life.

Instead, he followed me up the stairs.

I turned at my door, raising an eyebrow. “You planning to move in?”

He shrugged. “Might as well. I’ve already been accused of spending every waking moment with you.”

“By who?”

“Your neighbour.” He pointed behind me.

Sure enough, Mrs. Kim from across the hall was peering suspiciously through her curtains. The second we made eye contact, she ducked out of sight like a ninja.

I sighed. “I’ll explain things later.”

“Oh no.” Gong Yoo leaned casually against the doorframe. “Let’s give her something fun to gossip about.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he reached out — warm fingers curling around my wrist — and yanked me closer.

“What are you—”

“Smile,” he whispered, and then…

He kissed my forehead.

My forehead.

Not even a fake romantic kiss — just a casual, affectionate peck like he’d been doing it for years.

I knew it was just for show, but still… it left my face burning.

“You’re insufferable,” I muttered once we were inside.

“You’re welcome,” he said, grinning smugly as he kicked off his shoes as if he lived here.

“Wait, what are you—?”

“You have snacks, right?” He strolled toward my kitchen like we were old friends.

“Snacks?” I repeated, bewildered.

“Yeah. We need to hang out a bit.” He poked his head back around the corner. “Y’know… bonding time. Romantic engagement stuff.”

I groaned. “I don’t think eating my chips counts as romance.”

“Sure it does,” he said, tossing a bag of pretzels onto the coffee table. “You can glare at me disapprovingly while I steal all your food. Super romantic.”

Against all odds… we actually did have a good time.

We sprawled on my couch, munching on snacks and flipping through TV channels like we weren’t fake-engaged celebrities with reporters parked outside.

Somewhere between tossing a handful of popcorn at his face and mock-arguing over whether cats or dogs were better, the tension between us… shifted.

“I don’t get it,” I said, stealing a pretzel from his hand.

“Don’t get what?”

“This.” I gestured vaguely between us. “You’re this famous, ridiculously attractive actor — don’t look so smug — and yet you’re here… stealing my snacks and ruining my carpet.”

He paused, then gave me a small shrug. “It’s… nice.”

I blinked. “Nice?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his thumb along the edge of his glass. “No cameras, no agents, no one trying to spin some angle. Just… this.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that.

Instead, I blurted, “I’m really bad at fake relationships.”

“Clearly,” he teased. “You didn’t even hold my hand properly at lunch. Fingers were all stiff. It was tragic.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t just swat you away.”

“Oh?” He smirked. “Would you rather I put my arm around you instead?”

“I would’ve bitten you.”

“Feisty,” he said, flashing that infuriatingly smug grin.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

It felt… easy. Natural. Like we weren’t tangled in some chaotic web of lies, but just two people — two weirdly compatible people — hanging out.

At one point, I realized Gong Yoo had stopped talking. He was staring at a framed picture on my shelf—one from my university graduation.

“You look happy there,” he said quietly.

“I was.” I joined him, smiling at the photo. “That was before I knew how stressful real life was.”

He laughed — low and warm. “Yeah... tell me about it.”

I glanced at him, curious. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You always look… confident.” I paused. “Like nothing bothers you.”

“Acting,” he said with a grin, tapping his temple. “I’m just good at pretending.”

The grin faltered a little, though, like maybe he wasn’t joking.

“You ever get tired of it?” I asked.

He didn’t answer right away. When he did, his voice was softer than I’d ever heard it.

“Yeah,” he said. “More than I’d admit.”

For some reason, I reached out — a light touch to his arm. He glanced down at my hand like it surprised him… but he didn’t pull away.

Instead, his fingers shifted slightly, curling over mine. Just for a second.

Hours later, when he finally decided to leave, there was an awkward pause at the door.

“Well…” I rubbed my arm. “I guess I’ll see you when the next scandal explodes.”

“Can’t wait,” he said, but his voice was softer now. Like… like he didn’t actually hate spending time with me.

And then, just as he turned to leave—

“You’re not as bad as I thought,” I blurted out.

He paused mid-step.

For a moment, I thought I’d said something weird, but then…

He turned back with a smile — not his usual smug grin, but something genuine. Warm. Real.

“You too,” he said quietly.

And for the first time since this mess started… that didn’t seem like such a bad thing.

a/n: so guys, sorry for this chapter, I know, it's not the best but this week has been quite the week, like waaaaaaaayyyy too much going on, and for those asking, I still don't remember that fic idea I had I LITERALLY AM SO DEVASTATED BECAUSE OF THAT but it's ok I will miss it. I hope you like this and I promise the next chapter WILL BE BETTER

taglist (YALL SLAY): @preppyfella @muchwita @shadow-tumbler @dyingswanpavlova @ririgy

[msklassickilla]

Prada You 2 Chapter 1: Homecoming

Summary:

Three years have passed, but in city, the past never truly stays buried. The Prada Bois have grown stronger, their grip on the city unshaken. Old faces remain, new tensions rise, and the streets are more dangerous than ever.

Toya’s wedding should be a day of celebration, but for those who knew her, it’s something more—a gathering thick with whispers, with the weight of what was lost. Some wounds have scarred over, while others remain raw, unspoken.

Yet, the night brings a shift. A presence. A force that neither time nor distance could erase. The whispers start first, a low hum of disbelief that spreads like wildfire. Some things refuse to be forgotten. Some stories aren’t finished.

Because in this city, love, loyalty, and revenge all walk the same tightrope. And once the past steps forward, there’s no turning back.

Featuring: Jey Uso x Nyeya (Nye), Jacob Fatu x Kiyah, Sami Zayn x Natasha, Jimmy Uso x Nataya

Author’s Note: This story is set in a AU that takes place over summer in 2002. It has four original characters. If you come across this and haven’t read the first story, click here.  Again, I appreciate y’all for all the love and support. I hope I’m able to create something that’s worthy as Prada You.

Warnings: Some minor harsh language and age gap relationships.

Disclaimer: This work of art is fictional in nature including the original characters created by me. I do not own any of the existing characters or lyrics from songs referenced in this story (if any). All rights belong to their respective owners with the exception of my original characters. This work is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to cause harm.

Chapter 1: Homecoming

The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting soft lines across Kiyah’s dresser as she focused on the curls framing her face. She held the flat iron steady, pressing another section while balancing her phone between her shoulder and ear. On the other end, Natasha muttered something about finding the right dress, her voice muffled as she rummaged through her closet. Nataya, on speaker, was already halfway through her second plate of breakfast, unconcerned about anything but the food in front of her.

“This dress might be too much?” Natasha finally said, irritation laced in her tone. “I don’t wanna outshine Toya, but I ain’t tryna look basic either.”

Kiyah smirked, releasing a curl from the iron. “You know damn well whatever you put on, you ain’t gonna look basic. Just pick something before you stress yourself bald, heifa.”

Natasha sucked her teeth. “First of all—”

“Second of all,” Kiyah cut in, “you bet not come in there lookin’ better than the bride. Granny Gale would whoop yo’ ass tryna upstage her child, and I ain’t stopping her.”

Natasha laughed, stepping back to eye herself in the mirror. “You right. She already told me don’t come in there showing out especially in God’s house.”

Toya had always been like a mother to them, taking them in as her own when their own families fell short. Today was her day, and none of them wanted to do anything but celebrate her happiness.

Still, the one person missing from the conversation sat in the air between them like a weight none of them wanted to acknowledge. Nyeya’s name wasn’t mentioned, though she had been on all their minds. She usually was. But some wounds cut too deep, and none of them wanted to be the first to peel back old scars.

So, they kept it light.

Kiyah checked the time and groaned. “Aight, I gotta go see if Jacob’s suit fits right. If he come in there looking like he stuffed in it, I’m leaving his ass at home.”

“That man swole as hell, Kiyah,” Nataya said through a mouthful of food. “He probably needed to go to the tailor.”

Kiyah smacked her lips. “Probably. Next time for sure we going to one. ‘Cause, I ain’t about to let him embarrass me in front of all those people. Let me go make sure he ain’t in here playin’.”

They said their goodbyes, the call ending with soft laughter before silence settled in Kiyah’s apartment.

She set her flat iron down and stretched, rolling out her shoulders before stepping into the hallway. The sound of Jacob’s voice carried from the living room—low, clipped, and already getting on her damn nerves.

She didn’t need to guess who was on the other end.

Marcy.

The last baby mama, the one who acted like her child gave her VIP access to Jacob’s entire life. Kiyah had been tired of her a long time ago, but Marcy stayed testing her patience.

Jacob turned as soon as Kiyah stepped in, catching the look she gave him—the one that said she was two seconds from snatching the phone out his hand and launching it across the room. He held up a free hand, signaling her to give him a minute.

Kiyah rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth, turning on her heel. She wasn’t about to let this ruin her mood. Not today. This was Toy’s day.

Back in the bedroom, she grabbed her foundation, tapping the brush against her palm before blending it into her skin with smooth, practiced strokes. Just as she moved onto her brows, Jacob walked in, phone put away, but the damage already done.

He sighed, running a hand over his beard. “Kiyah—”

“Don’t.” She didn’t even look at him, dragging the pencil along the arch of her brow.

Jacob exhaled, stepping closer. “She ain’t say nothin’ crazy, aight? She just—”

“She just always got somethin’ to say, Jacob,” Kiyah snapped, finally turning to face him. “She always got a reason to call. I ain’t signed up to be dealing with no delusional hoe who can’t take a hint that she’s not wanted.”

Jacob rubbed at his temples. “You gotta chill, Kiyah. That’s the mother of my child.”

“I don’t give a damn if she was the mother of the universe,” Kiyah shot back. “Handle her ass, Jacob. Before I do.”

Jacob shook his head, already knowing this wasn’t a battle he was going to win.

Kiyah turned back to the mirror, dismissing him without another word. He let out another sigh before walking off, leaving her to finish getting ready before her mood turned foul for real.

----

Across town, Natasha perched at her vanity, securing the last of her false lashes. Her hair was already pinned into a sleek updo, not a curl out of place. She leaned in, blinking at her reflection, making sure everything was perfect.

The front door opened and shut with a quiet click.

Sami.

She didn’t even have to ask. He had a key to her place, just like she had one to his. And she didn’t mind—not when he paid all the bills.

“I’m in here,” she called out, reaching for her lipstick.

Sami walked in, suit draped over his arm, eyes sweeping over her before he leaned in and kissed her, the warmth of his lips lingering at her temple. “Damn, babe. You look good.”

Natasha smiled, letting herself sink into his touch for just a second before refocusing on her reflection. Sami had done the impossible—he had broken down every one of her walls. She was in love with him, and for the first time in her life, she was all in.

He laid his suit across the bed before disappearing into the bathroom, the sound of water running filling the space. Natasha finished her makeup, satisfied, before slipping out of her robe. She had just stepped into her bra and panties when Sami came out, still damp from the shower.

He didn’t say anything at first, just watched her, taking his time as his eyes roamed over every inch of her. Then, without a word, he stepped closer, fingers grazing her waist as he pulled her against him.

Natasha knew that look.

“Sami, stop,” she warned, but he ignored her, pressing soft kisses right behind her ear, right where he knew she was weak.

She exhaled sharply, already starting to melt until her gaze flickered toward the clock.

Shit.

The wedding started at noon. It was already 10 a.m. They didn’t have time for this—especially when Sami wasn’t a one-round type of man.

She pressed a hand to his chest, gently pushing him back. “Not now, babe. We gotta go soon.”

Sami groaned, lips ghosting over her neck one last time before pulling away with an exaggerated sigh. “C’mon. I’ll make it quick.”

Natasha smirked, stepping into her dress. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

Sami sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hands together like a man about to collect a long-overdue debt. “That’s what you said last night,” he reminded her. “And we only got three rounds in ‘cause you said I was sweating out your hair.”

Natasha laughed, swatting at his arm. “Boy, stop it and get dressed.”

Sami only grinned, standing up and smacking her ass as he walked past. Natasha shook her head, still smiling as she finished getting ready.

They were gonna be late.

And if that wasn’t proof that Sami was bad for her, she didn’t know what was.

----

Nataya sat in bed, finishing off her breakfast. Jimmy had picked up Waffle House for her, something he’d been doing more often since her appetite had increased. He was downstairs in the living room, headset on, playing Xbox, the low murmur of his voice carrying up to the bedroom. It was how he decompressed.

Nataya slid out of bed, tossed her trash, and padded down the stairs. As she stepped into the living room, Jimmy felt her presence before she spoke, pausing his game just as she reached him. Without hesitation, he pulled her into his lap, kissing her slow.

“Damn, you taste sweet,” he murmured against her lips.

Nataya laughed, resting a hand on his chest. “I can’t take credit this time. That’s the waffle syrup.”

Jimmy smirked, but when she asked when he planned to get dressed, he just shrugged. “Soon.”

She rolled her eyes, pushing off his lap. “Alright, well, I’m gettin’ ready now.”

Back upstairs, she did her makeup, curled her hair, and slipped into a gray formal dress that hugged her body in all the right places. But when she turned to the mirror, her smile faltered.

Her fingers drifted down to the small pooch forming at her stomach.

Reality settled in. She was pregnant. Again.

Jimmy’s arms wrapped around her from behind, his hands settling over her belly. “This time, we gon’ get our baby,” he whispered, his voice filled with quiet certainty. “It’s a blessing, Taya.”

Nataya gave a tight smile, but deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Jimmy had gotten her pregnant again on purpose.

----

She stood in front of the mirror in the small back room of the church where the bridesmaids gathered before the ceremony. She ran her hands down the sides of the baby blue gown that hugged all the new curves she had developed over the last few years.

She was nervous, unsure. But determined to stand strong. Her emotions were all over the place, but one thing was for certain—this too would pass.

She fiddled with the two loose strands of hair left out from her updo and adjusted the small bouquet of flowers within it.

A knock came, followed by a voice from the other side of the door. “You ready?”

She took a breath, then yelled back, “Yeah!”

She grabbed the bouquet sitting on the vanity, gave herself one last look in the mirror, and nodded. With a deep breath, she stepped out of the room.

----

The three couples stood outside the church, talking like they hadn’t just seen each other the weekend before. Jacob had an arm slung over Kiyah’s shoulder. Sami held Natasha’s hand. Jimmy sat on the hood of his car with Nataya in his lap, his hands resting on her stomach.

It was 11:45, and the church was filling up. After a quiet stretch of silence, none of them wanting to say what had been sitting on their minds, Jimmy finally asked if everyone was ready to go inside.

They nodded, heading in together. The six of them took up an entire pew, watching as the small white Baptist church on Waverly Drive filled with guests. Candles flickered, flowers decorated the altar, and a soft melody played in the background.

They all sat quietly, lost in their own thoughts. But one thing they could all agree on—something felt off.

----

Right at 12, the doors opened, and in came the immediate family of both the bride and groom. Toya’s mother and Bernice walked in together, hand in hand. While they had never openly acknowledged the romantic relationship they shared, most people knew what it was.

Once the family was seated, the music started to play. The groomsmen, including Nyeya’s brother Michael, the small ring bearer, and the groom, made their way down the aisle to K-Ci & Jojo’s "All My Life." Reggie could be seen crying as he walked, the emotion overwhelming him. At the front, he dabbed at his eyes with the handkerchief from his suit, shaking his head as he tried to pull himself together.

Then it was time for the flower girls—Toya’s nieces—who walked down the aisle to Monica’s "Angel of Mine." The guests cooed as the little girls scattered petals along the runner, their tiny faces set in concentration. And then came the bridesmaids.

Kiyah gripped Jacob’s arm. Natasha’s eyes widened in anticipation. Nataya turned completely in her seat to see the door clearly. The men beside them sat in silence, watching, waiting.

Six bridesmaids made their way down the aisle, each dressed in soft baby blue. Then, the doors shut again.

Nataya’s bottom lip trembled. Kiyah muttered, "Damn," under her breath, prompting Jacob to slap her leg in a quiet reminder that they were in church. Natasha could feel the tears pressing at the edges of her eyes, threatening to spill.

Then the doors opened again, just as Mary J. Blige’s "Everything" poured through the speakers of the church. Everyone stood, expecting to see the bride. But Toya had not yet come through.

Instead, there, in a single-strap baby blue dress with matching heels, stood Nyeya.

A ripple of disbelief spread through the room. The reaction was a mix of quiet gasps, whispered names, and hushed excitement. Kiyah bounced on her heels, barely able to contain herself. Natasha let go of the restraint she had been holding and let her tears fall freely. Nataya gripped onto Jimmy like he was the only thing keeping her upright.

Nyeya held her head high, her posture strong, but the emotion was clear in her eyes. Three years and eight months. That’s how long it had been since anyone had seen her. Some people cried. Some people whispered. Some even waved, as if trying to ground themselves in the moment.

She walked forward, her steps steady despite the lump forming in her throat. It was only when she reached the front that the doors opened once more.

Toya stepped through, draped in a white ballroom gown covered in shimmering gems, the fabric catching the light and making her appear as if she was glowing. She was radiant, the definition of a woman stepping into true, unconditional love. The sight of her mother looking so happy sent another wave of emotion crashing over Nyeya, but she stood firm.

As Toya made her way to the front of the church, Nyeya shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to keep herself steady. She listened to the pastor’s words, the exchanging of vows, and finally, the kiss that sealed it all.

But her mind was elsewhere. She was home. For good. And she had no idea what lay ahead from this moment forward.

----

Thank you for reading!

Part 2.. (coming soon)

Taglist: @theusotwinzcom @nbanenefrmdao @queeny23 @punksyeet @partypoison00 @justazzi @southernpree @tian-monique @levissslutt @emotionalhottiee @blkgirlsneedlove2 @fafomama @bigjuiciisushii

[shrinkthisviolet]

Reminder that if Zuko had told Mai that he was going to commit treason before doing so, she would’ve been an accessory to treason and therefore in serious danger of arrest/execution! Zuko is not a bad boyfriend for trying to protect her from that, and I’m tired of people saying he is.

Was it a great decision? No. Did he have better options? Sure, if you consider him staying in the FN to be the “better option” (which...it very obviously isn’t, if you care about the progression of his arc at all). Because...yeah, we know that Mai probably would’ve said “I’m going with you,” but Zuko has no reason to expect that. They’re reconnecting after three years apart! And they’ve changed a lot in those three years (and this is the first time they’re starting to seriously date)! Zuko is not gonna expect that Mai’s ready to just drop everything and run off with him to commit treason. Who would expect that??

[mischiefmaker615]

Confession

Rating: PG14

Summary: You finally tell Loki your secret hobby

Note: I finally told my boyfriend I write smut/fan fiction. Yet what better way of telling you guys the story of how it went than to write it as a one shot with Loki Lol (with added/slight adjustments for the character switch)

True you were sat comfortably- right on top of your boyfriend, but that still didn’t settle the nerves while your fingers fidgeted together.

He looked up at you just as relaxed as ever, hair spread out slightly around his head while he lay on his back- evidence indicating how much he appreciated you straddling his hips as your body rose up a bit. His smooth, slender hands rested on your bare hips- fingers now and again edging inside the outside seam of your panties but his eye contact ensured he was paying attention.

‘’okay.. Its just that.. this whole vacation has been amazing, and I just want to be utterly and completely honest with you..’’ you began, not sure if you were just stalling while you glanced over at the window, taking in the view of Vegas with your eyes but your mind was far beyond it.

‘’hey, it’s okay,’’ Loki said gently, his voice almost over a whisper as he raised a hand to turn your chin back to look down at him, his thumb rubbing against it before falling back to your hip with a light squeeze. ‘’you know you could tell me anything.’’

Your heart fluttered, utterly in love with this man while your hands rested against his bare chest, biting your bottom lip while you gathered your courage. ‘’okay so.. I just want you to know that on my off time.. my hobby.. is to.. write fan fiction..’’

Immediately your cheeks heated up and your body tensed, almost not believing you had just told someone your secret pass time activity while you waited for judgement.

‘’I know.’’

Your eyes widened at his deadpan expression, still relaxed from the beginning while you leaned down closer to his face questionably. ‘’what??! What do you mean you know??”

‘’you were drunk.’’ He said gently, letting the smile tugging at his lips to show while you sat back and searched the blank wall in front of you in thought.

‘’no I.. I couldn’t have..’’ you fade off while every fiber of your being that was nervous about this whole thing, diminished into the foolish wave of worrying for nothing.

When you drank, you were an open book. Secrets were out, truth serum. It was dangerous.. but apparently this secret had already come out.. and it’s either he didn’t bring it up so he wouldn’t risk embarrassing you, or he just didn’t seem to care that much on the subject.. oh gods.. did he look it up? Read it? There was no way in hell you would ask and risk putting that idea in his head-

‘’yeah but it’s just.. I write dark shit.. like dark dark shit.. some topics I’m not sure why I don’t feel ashamed of writing- it’s not that I’m into some stuff- some pieces people have requested.. I just.. I suppose I just didn’t want any expectations either that you’d think I’d want you to do any of that stuff..’’ you admitted, your eyes falling back down to his where he smiled up at you and shook his head.

‘’I love you Y/N, and you have your hobbies. As long as your safe and happy, that’s all that I could ask for.’’ He said gently, reaching up a hand to rest against your cheek in which you immediately leaned into. ‘’have you tried writing long books?”

The fact that he wished to continue this conversation and show interest, made you both nervous and excited for the first time. Like something off your chest, something you could finally speak about that you’ve been holding in for so long. The very moment had your smile growing and growing until you were practically wigging on top of him like a puppy wagging its tail.

‘’actually, I have! And I’m not like famous or anything- but I lot of people have enjoyed it! Primarily I work on one shots- one page, small plot like pieces where I even started a series where it’s inspired by music- called Musical Mischief one shots! Even Gif Skits where people send me Gifs and I write stories based off what comes to mind when I look at them-‘’

I had began rambling, and he didn’t stop me. The smile on his face showed he was purely just enjoying my state of finally relaxing and being happy. There was also the fact of the view he had been getting this whole time- and it wasn’t out the window while I sent a bra strap slowly fall down my arm but I let it be. Even if his eyes watched it and took their time going back up to mine.

Honestly this whole trip I tried focusing solely on trust. He’s the one I wish to be with all my life after all, so it’s best these things come up sooner than later. I just secretly pray he doesn’t figure out how to find my pages.. it’s not something id want to deal with any time soon but at least there’s no secrets between us as far as what I actually enjoy doing..

‘’you haven’t been itching to leave to that computer contraction while we were reading together?” he asked with slight hesitation.

You couldn’t help but laugh and glide your hands across his chest to grip his shoulders, smiling down at him. ‘’of course not, I enjoy actual paper books too. And you..’’ the last part you said slowly, giving your best half successful flirtatious look while he chuckled and finally flipped the two of you over so he was on top.

‘’it’s up to you darling, we could get dressed and get started on the day,’’ he started, resting on his forearms so not his full weight was on you while he began lowering his lips down to your neck. ‘’or.. we could stay here a bit longer..’’ he hinted, sending goosebumps over your skin while you squirmed underneath him before he raised his head to look at you.

‘’hard decision.’’ You teased before raising your hips, hearing his breath hitch ever so slightly while your arms wrapped around his neck. ‘’but I prefer the harder one..’’

Note: more or less.. had to add things to make it into a less-boring mini plot LOL and to make it sound more like Loki's personality. But yeah.. I'm more shy because it's dark smut, not just smut. I'd still probably die if i found out he reads my shit but we'll figure that part later XD I was even debating on tagging people cause even tho it's Loki.. its technically just a story of my person life and who wants to know that LOL

Tag List: @foxherder13 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @fire-in-her-veinz @nervouseden @kathren1sky-blog @eleniblue @lokiswife-dark-fox-queen @queenofstarsign85 @slytherinqueen4life @soulpiercing @westwindrhapsody @lulubelle814

(I know we don't approve of AI. tbh i cant tell what's actually AI and what's actually fan art. So credit to whoever made the pic!)

[katsdynam1ght]

Do u think Dabi, Shigaraki and Hawks struggle with their (in some cases "dead") given names?

Tomura Shigaraki doesn't uses Tenko shimura no more.

Dabi doesn't goes by Touya until the end

Hawks was practically outed, kicked outta the comfort secrecy of and yet no one calls him Keigo

Do you think they look when someone calls out their past names?

hi hi friend! love this ask. thank you for sending it. and if you ask me (which you are)…

in short? yes. and no. and sometimes.

“tenko shimura” is a broken, lost, lonely little boy. he’s a child thrown to the wolves, torn apart, and swallowed. tomura shigaraki barely remembers who that little boy is. it isn’t his fault—he was manipulated, he was abused. he had his childhood taken from him, his future written in blood, and really, i don’t believe he had much say at all in any of it. but i don’t think tomura shigaraki would go back. i don’t think he can. if he tried, then that would mean placing all of the things he’s done—all his murders, all his agony, all his guilt—on the head of a child. a small, frightened child. that would be the cruelest act of all.

if someone called him tenko, i don’t think he’d really protest—but i don’t think he’d know how to respond, either. that life is so far away. even if he is to be redeemed somehow, he can never be who he was before. it isn’t him. he doesn’t want it to be. what’s done is done, and what’s dead is dead. let it rest. leave him be. (if he could go back, he would. he can’t. it’s better to leave.)

“touya todoroki” is the only reality that ever has been. sure—he died. he came back. he put his body to rest and crowned himself cremation. but “dabi” is just an alias—it isn’t like the others, who have whole new identities associated with their names. his new name wasn’t given to him; his old name wasn’t stolen. the agency to choose was his, and that’s an important distinction. for him, touya is as much a villain as dabi, because they are one and the same. it’s not a split personality—it’s just him all the way down. he owns that, owns himself. there’s nothing to miss or struggle with.

“keigo takami” is an interesting case. i’m working on a fic about this topic, in a way, so maybe someday you’ll see more of my thoughts in fiction form. for now, let me attempt to be concise. the name keigo takami was stolen from him, much the same as tenko shimura. (ask me later about their parallels, will you? if dabi and hawks are foils, then shigaraki and hawks are parallels.) i do believe there’s an amount of shame associated with the takami name, but i don’t think he avoids it like the plague as some people seem to believe.

see, to me, i think (out of necessity) hawks has become someone entirely different. he isn’t keigo. keigo isn’t him. they are, of course, the same man—but i think there’s a certain separation between the two personas. by choice, mostly. but also by habit. by design. it’s a complicated answer, as i said, because i don’t think hawks really remembers keigo until dabi says his name. you know? then it comes crashing back. being sold, stripped of his identity, shipped off to the public eye. as hawks, he feels inhuman, but human is all keigo can be. i do think he misses it. i think he wants it back.

(this, in my opinion, is the biggest catalyst of dabihawks on keigo’s side. how can he refuse touya when touya is the only one who really knows him? the only one who bothers to discover who keigo takami actually is?)

but the thing is—if dabi hadn’t done that, hadn’t called him by his name, then no. i don’t think hawks would long for it at all. if you ask me, hawks despises keigo. keigo is unsure of hawks. it complicates things when he’s forced to accept that both are the same person. (he doesn’t like himself.)

to answer your final question—“do you think they look when someone calls out their past names?”

i have to say again: it’s complicated. it depends. who’s calling? for what? and when?

generally, no—shigaraki doesn’t accept that name anymore. touya is that name, but he wouldn’t look out of spite. (if someone called him dabi, though, he would.) and hawks/keigo… it all just depends. maybe. maybe not.

you want to know the one that i feel most strongly about, though? a bonus for you, if you will:

all might.

toshinori yagi.

only a few people call him that, you know. i don’t think he prefers it. so much of his life has been spent in service of this dream, of being this symbol. without that, what is he? @revilloutionaire made a post about it a bit ago, but all might was quite literally suicidal for a time after losing his quirk. his identity is tied to his life as a hero. being toshinori is fine when it’s gran torino or nana—but it isn’t fine when it’s anybody else. he still needs to be all might. he still wants to be. if he can’t have his quirk, if he can’t be the hero he used to, then at least he can be another version of it. he can still wear that name and that honor. and he has to.

whenever i write all might in fics, even from his own perspective, i don’t call him toshinori. he’s all might. he thinks of himself as all might. toshinori is just a man—weak, frail, full of flaws—but all might is a hero. and he always will be. he’ll make sure of it.

he has to.

thank you again, my friend, for sending me this ask! names and identities are something i think about a lot in the mha universe, so it was really fun to spend some time rambling about it on here. if you want more elaboration on any of these or if you have other questions, feel free to send more asks!

[linics]

sae itoshi’s different flags in dating

every man has their faults, don’t they?

cw ; possibly ooc sae , implications of manipulation , possessive sae mentioned , not proofread , no capitals are intentional

sae itoshi’s green flags would be —

how public he would be about you. sure, maybe his management would hate him for it, but he has no shame. he’s proud of you, and he wants everyone to know that.

he would put your preferences above his. you don’t want to go out somewhere that he loves? he’s always open to recommendations. you’re obsessed with some media he has no interest in? he’ll listen to you ramble about it, asking occasional questions.

he listens and actually does things. he’s very upfront about what he needs or wants from you. so when you reciprocate, then expect whatever you ask for to be granted to you instantly.

he doesn’t care what you wear. don’t mistake it as he doesn’t mind it if other people hit on you — he does, but he trusts you.

he will interfere if you seem uncomfortable. as much as he trusts you and knows you are capable of standing up for yourself, he’s not scared to help you out. and sometimes, you need that help.

sae itoshi’s yellow flags would be —

he doesn’t often apologize first, at least he doesn’t outright. maybe he’ll give you a few extra gifts, make you dinner for a few days. he’ll do everything he can before saying he’s sorry.

he’s really, really dense. you’re having a bad day? you’ll just have to tell him straight up or be painfully obvious about it. and honestly, a lot of the time, he notices, but he doesn’t know how to help.

he will respond late. if he’s at a game or training, you’re not his priority at the moment. his focus is on improving. he won’t answer your calls, nor texts for however long it is. but he always tells you when he’s going.

he’s can be jealous. not because he doesn’t trust you, like i’ve said before, but i’m a firm believer in him being at least a bit possessive over you. he knows his schedule is filled, so if you mention going to breakfast with one of your male friends too frequently, it might get stuck in his head. after all, you’re just so wonderful, who wouldn’t fall for you?

he’s brutally honest. he sees no point in lying to you. if he thinks your hair would look better in a different style, and you ask how it looks, he’ll be honest. then again, he’s always trying to be gentle with it. but at the same time, if he tells you he stayed out training for longer than expected for whatever reason, you’ll know it’s nothing but the truth.

sae itoshi’s red flags would be —

he isn’t emotionally available, at all. if you’re having a bad day and want to cry and have him hold you, forget it. maybe, if you convince him enough, he’ll hold you, but forget him reassuring you.

he’s not going to put soccer above you. if you don’t want him to go to a game, or want him to quit, it’s something he’s willing to dump you over.

he’s oblivious to other people’s feelings. if someone’s flirting with him, then he won’t notice. he’ll simply continue conversation with them.

he’s very busy. want to go out sometime? yeah, sure. but then the day of, he might cancel due to some meeting or a game that interests him. if quality time is your love language, just forget him.

he’d try showering you in gifts and expensive items to try and make you forgive him. will he change? no. but he’ll buy you things. he’ll keep buying you more and more, money isn’t a problem. if there’s a fight between you two, he’s going to buy his way out of it.

a/n : oh my gosh i’ve been so busy i’m so sorry. i’ve been in and out of the hospital a ton, but im now taking a long-term break from school so i should have more time to focus on this i hope. gonna try to upload maybe once per week. anyways i love sae sosoossososo much. this guy i really like loves him sm and now i love him too lmfaof. sorry if these are ooc i didn’t have ideas for 5 per flag

[novacorpsrecruit]

The Munson Charm

Steddie | Hurt/no comfort | cw Al Munson

Al Munson who has been in and out of jail the last couple of years. His latest stint ended in Pendleton Correctional Facility with a charge that should’ve kept him locked up for a decade.

If it wasn’t for that Munson Charm.

All the Munson’s had it. The ability to charm or talk their way out of trouble. It’s a big factor in why Eddie doesn’t have any drug charges on him and has only been booked once. Between him and Wayne, they were able to sweet talk him into a slap on the wrist and a promise to do better.

But Al?

Al’s ability was next level.

He was able to charm anyone he met. He was handsome and he knew it. An insane flirt. Eddie knew better than to bring anyone around Al.

The only two people Al hasn’t been able to charm was Wayne and Eddie.

So when he showed up on the Munson doorstep, he wasn’t treated very kindly. Al was let out early on the count of good behavior. He was working a program and following his terms of parole. He promised Eddie that he was turning his life around.

Eddie heard this promise before.

But Steve hadn’t.

Steve, who watched quietly from the kitchen as Wayne and Eddie tried to push Al back out of the house — out of their life.

Steve who met Al’s eyes and saw honesty and remorse.

Al who saw his way in.

“Is this your friend, son?” Al asked. Eddie kept his mouth shut, trying to lead Al out.

“Steve,” Steve said, introducing himself. “Steve Harrington. Nice to met you.”

“Al,” He supplied with a smile. “Any friend of Ed is a friend of mine.”

“Too bad you’re leaving,” Eddie frowned. “You’re not welcomed here.”

“Maybe another time,” Al said sweetly. “When you’re up for a visit from your ol’ man. Nice to meet you, Steve.”

A shoot of a wink and he’s out of the house. Eddie and Wayne stood by the door, almost as if they were guarding the entrance, a silent exchange between them.

“He seemed nice,” Steve said, breaking the silence. “Seems like he wants to be back in your life.”

“He’s no good, Steve,” Eddie frowned. “He’s gotta have some kind of agenda for this. He’s not like this.”

“Must’ve figured you got some sort of compensation,” Wayne suggested. “Ain’t no use sniffin’ round here.”

“You don’t think he means it?” Steve asked. “That he’s turning a new leaf?”

“Not at all,” Eddie said. “Look, stay away from him. I’m sure that’s not the last we see of him.”

“He’s right,” Wayne said. “Always no good. Promise this ain’t any different.”

Steve pressed his lips together and nodded, as if he understood. But he didn’t. Steve would be ecstatic if his dad was interested in him again. If his dad was being nice and wanted to reconnect. As much as he hates his dad, if his dad was to try again — to try in the first place — Steve would want to give him a chance.

So he doesn’t understand why Eddie doesn’t want to give him that chance.

Eddie refuses to tell Steve about Al. Said all Steve needs to know is that he’s a piece of shit who’s never gonna change. Wayne would shake his head and say it ain’t his to share.

So when Steve was working alone at Family Video, he knew he should be uneasy when Al Munson walked in.

But Al flashed this smile, something that reminded him of Eddie. Something that made Steve feel at ease. He greets Steve easily — remembering his name. Apologizing for how they met. Al wasn’t expecting Eddie to react that way, but he understood.

“I was tough on him, growing up,” Al said. “I’m just trying to make it right. Get that connection with him going again. I miss my boy. Missed seein’ him grow up, seein’ him grow into the man that he is. He’s a mechanic now, ain’t he?”

“Yeah,” Steve nodded. “He’s at Thatcher’s. Does oil changes, tire rotations, tune ups.”

“He’s still outta car, ain’t he?” Al asked. “After all that went down during spring break.”

“Yeah,” Steve said. “Between me, Wayne and Thatcher’s wife, Monica, we get Eddie to work and back.”

“You’re sweet on him, ain’t ya?” Al asked with a soft smile and a wink. “My boy needs someone like you.”

Steve felt his cheeks warm as he nodded.

“Maybe you don’t mind helping me with him?” Al asked.

He pulled out a rolled up newspaper from his back pocket, showing Steve the classifieds. He pointed to a 1975 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, circled in red.

“Wanted to get this for him,” Al said. “His birthday’s comin’ up soon and I know a car ain’t an apology, but I’m hoping that it’s my foot in the door to a conversation. I know he needs it, and I figured givin’ it with a title would at least show him I’m trying to change. Only issue is I’m short about $500,” Al said sheepishly. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’m workin’ at the junk yard in town and staying at the Oxford house. Could you help an ol’ man reconnect with his son? I can pay you back, but it will be in payments.”

Steve should say no. Eddie told him to not talk to Al. Steve’s been trying to save money. Him and Eddie were planning on moving to Chicago, with plans for Steve to attend one of the City Colleges. He needed money for rent and tuition, and the more he makes at home, the less he has to work while attending classes. He doesn’t have a lot saved up… but if Al can pay it back, it shouldn’t be an issue, right?

So he agrees. He wants Eddie and his dad to have a good relationship. It’s what he wants for himself.

So when he’s off of work, he goes to the bank. He pulls that $500 he’s been saving up and gives it to Al. Invites him to the party they were throwing for Eddie’s birthday.

Al promised he’d make it. It would be the perfect time to give Eddie the car. Al said he missed too many birthdays.

He wouldn’t miss this one for the world.

So two weeks later, the party’s at the Harrington household, celebrating Eddie’s 20th. And Steve could barely hold his excitement. When he’s inside, he kept looking towards the front window for the ‘75 trans am to pull up.

When they were outside, he kept walking towards the gate, looking for Al. Making sure he didn’t miss him.

As the party went on, the antsier he got.

Finally, Eddie stopped Steve on his fifth trip to the gate.

“What’s going on, Stevie?” Eddie asked. “It’s like you’re waiting for someone. We’re all here.”

“Not — not everyone,” Steve admits. “I invited your dad.”

Eddie frowned, looking towards Wayne then back to Steve. “He’s not coming.”

“He said he would,” Steve said, still hopeful. The sun was just setting. There’s still time. “He said he wasn’t gonna miss another birthday.”

“It’s not the first time he’s said that,” Eddie said. “I promise you, he’s not comin’ unless he’s getting something out of it. Come back to the party.”

Eddie tugged on Steve’s hand, Steve firmly planted in his spot.

“Stevie —“

“He said he was gonna buy you a car,” Steve admitted quietly. “For your birthday. A 1975 Trans Am.”

“He made that promise every year since I turned 16,” Eddie said. “It’s not coming true this year.”

“He promised,” Steve said, his voice cracking. Fuck. He’s going to cry. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “He promised to be here. He promised to pay me back.”

“Oh,” Eddie’s heart sunk. “Oh, Stevie —“

Steve should’ve listened to Eddie. Should’ve known better to believe a dad whose promises weren’t worth shit. He couldn’t help but break down when Eddie wrapped his arms around him.

All he wanted was Eddie and his dad to have a good relationship — to reconnect. Because if Eddie’s dad could turn around that maybe it would be possible for his own dad to not be shitty. But here he was, crying over a dad who failed to be here for his son.

Crying because he believed in the good the man promised to be. Crying because he was tricked, sucked in by Al Munson’s charm, and shorted $500 that was meant to uplift him and Eddie. To make their lives easier.

Crying because if Al can’t be good, than neither can Richard Harrington.

[gilbertscurls]

enough — matt sturniolo

Matt never really believed in the idea that words could physically affect a person. Sure, he understood the concept—words could hurt, could linger in the back of your mind, could shape the way you saw yourself. But he never thought they could make him feel something.

At least, not like this.

The way you said those words—so sincerely, so honestly—sent an electric shiver through his entire body.

“You’re wonderful, Matt.”

And the worst part? You meant it.

You actually, truly meant it.

Matt swallowed hard, his hands gripping the fabric of his hoodie so tightly his knuckles turned white. His heart was hammering in his chest, loud and frantic, like it was trying to escape.

He didn’t know what to say.

Because wonderful? Him?

No one had ever called him that before.

People called him funny, sure. Nice. Even smart when they needed help with something. But wonderful?

That was the kind of word you used for someone who deserved it.

Not for him.

Not for the guy who spent most of his life feeling like a background character in his own story.

Not for the awkward, anxious, introverted one.

Not for the invisible Sturniolo, the one people never thought twice about.

And he sure as hell wasn’t the guy anyone ever considered attractive.

But you did.

You looked at him like he was something worth seeing.

Like he wasn’t just Nick and Chris’s brother, wasn’t just part of a trio. Like he was Matt.

Just Matt.

And that terrified him.

He felt his throat tighten, that familiar weight pressing against his chest. He’d spent years trying to convince himself he was okay, that his anxiety and self-doubt didn’t actually control him. But the truth was, it did. It always had.

And it was exhausting.

He exhaled sharply, rubbing his hands over his face. “You don’t have to say that.” His voice was quiet, barely audible. “I know—I know you’re just trying to make me feel better, but you don’t have to.”

Your brows furrowed, your expression softening. “I’m not saying it to make you feel better. I’m saying it because it’s true.”

His stomach twisted.

He wanted to believe you.

God, he wanted to.

But how could he, when he spent every single day battling the thoughts in his head that told him otherwise?

When every mirror, every comment, every little voice in his mind whispered that he wasn’t enough?

You sighed, moving closer, your hand reaching out hesitantly before resting on his. Your fingers were warm, steady, grounding him in a way he didn’t even realize he needed.

“Matt,” you murmured, your voice softer this time. “I know you don’t believe me. But I wish you did.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. “I just—I don’t get it,” he admitted. “Why me? Out of everyone, why would you—” His voice broke, and he let out a shaky breath, forcing himself to look at you. “Why would you pick me?”

You frowned, like you genuinely couldn’t understand why he’d even ask that.

“Because you’re you,” you said simply. “And that’s enough.”

His breath caught in his throat.

Enough.

That word felt foreign to him.

He wasn’t enough. He’d never been enough.

Not for his parents, who always seemed to worry about him more than his brothers. Not for strangers, who only ever recognized him as part of a set instead of an individual.

Not for himself.

But for you?

You thought he was.

Matt let out a shaky laugh, but it wasn’t happy. It was bitter, disbelieving. “I don’t know how to be enough,” he admitted. “I don’t know how to—” He gestured vaguely, his hands trembling. “To be what you see in me.”

Your grip on his hand tightened.

“You don’t have to be anything, Matt,” you said firmly. “You already are.”

Tears burned the back of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

Because if he cried, it meant this was real.

That you actually believed everything you were saying.

And he didn’t know what to do with that.

For so long, he’d lived inside his own head, drowning in his own self-doubt. He’d learned to exist in the shadows, to be the quiet, anxious, “just Matt” that no one paid much attention to.

But you saw him.

And that scared him more than anything.

Because if you saw him, it meant you could also see the parts of him he hated.

The parts that kept him up at night.

The parts that made him feel like he was always two steps away from falling apart.

But when he finally met your gaze, he didn’t see pity.

He didn’t see disappointment.

He saw love.

Raw, unwavering, real love.

And maybe, just maybe—

That was enough.

tag list: @stuwniolo, @sturnobsessedwh0re, @matts-myloverboy, @imjusthereforthesturniolosmut, @lizzymacdonald06, @asherrisrandom, @sturniolowhore69, @faith5drpepper, @emely9274, @psychologyloverfr, @lovetaylorrussellgrr, @conspiracy-ash, @helpimateenagerinlove, @ghostlythinggoingaround, @sturmatt, @chris-hallelujah, @goingtojohnkramershouseee, @wurlibydominicfike, @straw8berry, @shadowthesim237, @courta13, @frankdelreyy, @evansturn, @bamsblooming

[seitmai]

Many thoughts...

Even now the apartment felt quiet. Elena was at work and it was just you. The silence was deafening. Elena had asked if you wanted her to stay a couple night to keep you company but you lied and said you were fine. Last night you had just stared up at the ceiling until exhaustion finally took over.

🥺🥺🥺

Your mom shook her head “No we didn’t, we knew that you clearly didn’t want to be around him and we respected that”

As it should be!

“Thank you and I’m so sorry that the wedding has been called off, I know you guys have put a lot of money into it” you sighed, guilt wracking your body. “Sweetpea, money means nothing if you’re unhappy, we’d rather you be happy than marry that piece of shit because of the money that’s been spent,” your dad told you. “And look the wedding wasn’t going to be until spring so we might be able to get some of the deposits back,” your mom said “Why don’t you leave that with us to sort and you just focus on yourself and your happiness” “Thanks Mom,” you said before chuckling quietly “I don’t know why I was so scared to have this chat” “You never have to be scared to talk to us, the only person who should be scared is that piece of shit, I swear he’s dead when I next see him” your dad swore.

Urgh I feel like she really needed this talk with her parents and they couldnt have reacted better 🥹🥰

“A mutual connection helps, makes it more believable. If fans and media outlets can easily trace how they would have potentially met then they’re more likely to believe it. So in this case if it was someone a fellow teammate knew, there’s a clear link, if you pick someone who has no connection to the player people are going to be suspicious” you continued. “And you’re close with Elena and Chris aren’t you?” 

Oh oh 👀

As you walked back to your desk you wondered which of the team needed a PR relationship. You barely knew any of them, so you could only go on what El had told you. Chris was out for obvious reasons, from what you knew of Curtis you doubted it was him. Ari came to mind but you instantly shook that thought from your head. Not because you didn’t think it was him, but because you didn’t want to work with him. You settled on Johnny instead, even though El said he was a bit of a secret softie he was known as a player. 

I love that Johnny’s secret softie side isn't as secret anymore 🤭

You nodded to yourself, yeah it had to be Johnny. You instantly thought of different strategies for him, where to stage the dates. He’d be an easy client too, the only problem would be getting him to keep it in his pants. You just hoped that whatever reason he had would be incentive enough to keep him in line. 

I mean, a valid concern 😅

Ari hated physio, he swore it was just the medical team’s excuse to get some revenge. 

I get it Ari, I truly do (coming from a person that definitely needs physio but chickens out all the time because I know it will hurt like a mother fucker to get better longterm🥲)

“i know, i just haven't seen her to apologise” he sighed glancing down at his hands.  “Haven’t seen her or avoided her?” Elena asked with a brow arched “She was in the gym on Monday” “I was at my 1-2-1 analysis while she was there” Ari reasoned “getting ripped into by your dad for that yellow” he added a pointed look. Elena shrugged “You deserved it”

Elena is not holding back and I love it😅

Elena nodded “It is criminal that you haven’t been picked yet” she hummed “Don’t worry I’m sure whatever Y/N has cooked up will work, she’s the best around” she winked before pointing at him “Just don’t make her life difficult, she’s been through enough shit” she warned.

What agreat friend she is!

Ari held his hands up in surrender. He still didn’t know the full picture, only that you were back on the East Coast without your engagement ring. He’d asked Chris what had happened but he said it wasn’t his story to share “I swear, I won’t” he promised “You can beat the crap out of me if I do”

Oh I'm sure she will

Ari huffed as he walked out, he wanted to stop doing stupid shit too.

You and me both lol

“I wanted to apologise for the other week, I was out of line” he apologised “I was tired and was having a shitty day and I took my anger out on the first person I came across” “That’s no excuse” you pointed out as you looked down at your feet.

Period👏🏻

That response was closer to what he expected from you, the words were right but the delivery was off. The words should have been sharper, not downtrodden. 

Yes!! Hopefully their back and forth will come back soon too 👀

He reached out to put a hand on your shoulder, feeling the need to provide comfort in any way he could. He wanted to ask what happened, what he could do to make it better and bring back the version he knew.

🥹🥹🥹

The smile on Steph’s face widens “Well we want this to work so I’ve brought in the best” she grinned before turning her attention to you “Y/N will be the perfect match” “Excuse me?” you squeaked in surprise. Ari frowned, you had clearly been blindsided by this idea. Something that didn’t sit right with him, it wasn’t fair on you. 

“Is there any evidence of your relationship online?” Steph asked, her head tilted in question. “Uh- no, I- I deleted everything,” you said your voice cracking.  “Well that’s one less thing to worry about, plus it's not uncommon for people to get into a relationship soon after another” Steph points out. 

Wtf Steph! This feels like some workers rights violation but I guess pr relationships are not covered in that 🥴

He's a good one!

Ari’s heart broke, as much as he would love just the chance to be your boyfriend even if it was just pretend, he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.  Ari took a moment before turning and looking at you, hoping his expression conveyed how sincere he was “I’m in if you’re in” he said softly “I need this and I trust you, but if you really don’t want to do it then we don’t have to”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ari said moving to crouch in front of you, keeping enough distance between the two of you to make sure you were comfortable “Take some deep breaths,” he told you, when you didn’t respond he put a cautious hand on your knee “deep breaths sweetheart”

🥺🥺🥺

“You’re doing this for a spot on the national team?” you questioned “Seems a bit extreme” Ari let out a small chuckle “Yeah well I’m pretty desperate, it’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid, a dream that hasn’t happened yet” he admitted.

He really wants it

 You took a couple of moments before admitting “My fiance cheated on me with the wedding planner” “The fucker” Ari growled making you jump “Sorry” he apologised taking a deep breath to calm himself “Well dating a sexy rugby player is a great way to say fuck you to him” he then smirked. 

Fair 🤷🏻‍♀️

You rolled your eyes “Yeah but Johnny’s not the one who needs it” you muttered making Ari grin. This was the side of you that was missing, it wasn’t completely gone it just needed coaxing back out. 

Just like Ari, I love and miss this side of her!

You shifted in your seat, glancing down at your fiddling fingers unable to focus with his intense gaze “I don’t know, it might be too expensive this year”  “I could help if-“ Ari started but you interrupted. As much as you wanted to see your parents for Thanksgiving, you didn’t want to owe Ari money.

He's really sweet 🥺

You were grateful for the slight change in topic but the only thing left to discuss was the part that made you the most uncomfortable. Public displays of affection. You knew you couldn’t outright ban it but you just weren’t sure how you felt about Ari holding you and kissing you. 

I know how I would feel: absolutely fucking great 😅🤭

You looked over at Elena and felt instantly guilty “I know and I’m grateful for what you guys have done but sports PR is a bit of a step-down, I’m staying on the east coast though so we’ll be able to see each other easily” Elena gave you an understanding smile “Guess I can live with that” she playfully rolled her eyes.

Sounds like a plan, even is Elena is not particularly amused

Ari with his long legs had no issue keeping up with you, following you at the door and towards your car. His jeep parked next to yours, you had expected him to be more of an Audi kinda guy. You had seen more sides of him since landing in Boston than you expected. The angry, grumpy side, the cheeky side and a really calming and sincere side.

Many great sides imo

Ari smirked down at you “private displays of affection” You let out a scoff that sounded more like a squeak “Definitely not” “C’mon we can call it practice, the only reason I play well on game days is because of practice” he points out “It’ll mean you’re not as awkward when it happens” “What about you?” “Trust me the last thing I’ll be feeling is awkward” Ari’s smirk grew as he stepped closer and cupped your jaw “one kiss” he promised with a whisper before leaning in.

Oh he's going all in from the beginning 🤭🥰

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 2)

Summary: After a week back on the East Coast you start your new job at the Boston Bears only to find out your boss has an interesting job for you.

Word Count: 7.6k words

Warnings: Language! Angst! Mention of Cheating! Sexual Tension!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 2

You were sat with your chin resting on your knee, on Elena’s bed which technically was your bed now. You glanced around the room which was now yours, the entire apartment was yours. The first thing Elena did Tuesday morning was put your name on the lease and take her name off. That evening she started packing up her stuff and helped unpack yours.

It didn’t feel like your apartment though. You wondered whether it would when she was fully moved out and only the small collection of your belongings remained. But then it would just be as empty as you felt, most of your things were back in LA and you wouldn’t get them back for another couple months.

Even now the apartment felt quiet. Elena was at work and it was just you. The silence was deafening. Elena had asked if you wanted her to stay a couple night to keep you company but you lied and said you were fine. Last night you had just stared up at the ceiling until exhaustion finally took over.

You were pulled from your thoughts by your laptop coming to life. A video call from your parents. You’d been expecting this, your mom had texted you yesterday to ask what was going on. You hadn’t felt ready to tell them yet so you said they could call you today.

“Hey mom, hey dad” you forced a smile as the call connected and you saw the concerned faces of your parents.

“Hey sweetpea, how you feeling?” Your dad asked with a sympathetic look.

You let out a weak chuckle “shit” you admitted. There was no point denying it, they knew how you felt even if they didn’t know why.

“Has this got something to do with Dan calling us to ask if you were here?” Your mom asked softly.

You nodded, you expected that too. Dan had called Elena Monday evening, she played dumb and said she didn’t know where you were and if she did she wouldn’t tell him “did he tell you why?”

“No he didn’t, he just asked us to call if you turned up” your dad told you. 

You scoffed and shook your head. He didn’t tell Elena what he’d done either, didn’t admit his mistake “Did you tell him I was with El?” 

Your mom shook her head “No we didn’t, we knew that you clearly didn’t want to be around him and we respected that”

“Thank you” your voice felt weak as you looked down “The um- the wedding’s off… he’s been cheating on me with the wedding planner”

“The motherfucker!” Your dad growled shooting up from his seat, only sitting down when your mom grabbed the back of his sweater and tugged him to sit back down.

“More like wedding planner fucker” you joked weakly.

Your mom sighed “I’m so sorry sweetheart you don’t deserve that, he doesn’t deserve you either” 

“Is El looking after you?” Your dad asked.

You nodded “She’s at work now but yeah she has, she’s given me her apartment and her and Chris got me a job working in the PR department with the Bears, I start tomorrow they’re gonna give me a bit of an induction ahead of the game again Washington on Friday night”

“That’s good, will you be travelling with them?” your dad asked.

“No the PR and comms team takes it in turns to go on the road and report back, I’ll just be shadowing the team who stay in Boston and post updates on the match etcetera” you explained.

The new job was a bit of a step down, not just in pay. You’d gone from one of the best PR firms on the West Coast that handled movie stars to being a PR and Comms staff for a sports team. But it was just temporary, you’d find something with better pay once you were a bit more settled.

“Well I’m sure you’ll smash it darling” your mom said, making you snort quietly they’d been living in the UK for less than a year and the British vernacular had already snuck in.

“Thank you and I’m so sorry that the wedding has been called off, I know you guys have put a lot of money into it” you sighed, guilt wracking your body.

“Sweetpea, money means nothing if you’re unhappy, we’d rather you be happy than marry that piece of shit because of the money that’s been spent,” your dad told you.

“And look the wedding wasn’t going to be until spring so we might be able to get some of the deposits back,” your mom said “Why don’t you leave that with us to sort and you just focus on yourself and your happiness”

“Thanks mom, that would be really helpful,” you said, a lump of emotion forming in your throat.

“What are you going to do about Christmas? You’re more than welcome here” your dad said.

“I don’t know, I’ll have to look into it, money is gonna be a bit tighter now and I don’t know what my work commitments will be” you sighed with a shrug of your shoulders.

“That’s okay let us know as soon as you know what you’re doing, you know we’d love to have you” your mom smiled.

“Thanks Mom,” you said before chuckling quietly “I don’t know why I was so scared to have this chat”

“You never have to be scared to talk to us, the only person who should be scared is that piece of shit, I swear he’s dead when I next see him” your dad swore.

You chuckled “that’s good to know, so how is rainy Britain?” You asked to change the topic.

You and your parents caught up for the next hour or so, by the time you finally ended the call you felt so much better. You wished they were here to hug you and make you feel better but just talking to them did enough to make you feel a little less empty. It made taking on the next chapter of your life less scary.

Your first couple of days working at the Bears had been a whirlwind. While you were mostly shadowing over the weekend it still felt like you had been dropped in the deep end. The entire office was a hive of activity during the game. You were used to this level of activity being a bad thing because it meant someone was having a PR disaster. But in this new world, it was a good thing because it meant the team was winning.

You had to admit the excitement was a little contagious, the entire PR team were avid fans. Cheering and complaining at the ref as the game played on the big screen. You didn’t know much about the sport nor the players so you couldn’t follow it very well. You did see Ari get sent off for a yellow, one of your colleagues said he was lucky it wasn’t a red but there was enough mitigation that his high tackle remained as a yellow. What that actually meant you had no clue.

It was Monday morning when your new boss, Steph called you into her office.

“Is everything okay? I haven’t done something wrong have I?” You asked as you followed her into her office.

“No, no, you’ve been great! Frankly, you’re overqualified” She smiled as she sat down “I just want your input on something that’s all” She gestured for you to sit.

“Oh I’m very flattered, I know I don’t know much about the rugby world,” you said bashfully as you sat.

Steph smiled softly “You’ve done a lot of PR work with celebrities back in LA right?” She asked leaning back in her chair.

“Yes my company worked with a lot of celebs” You nodded shifting in your seat.

“Did you do a lot of PR relationships?” She then asked.

You nodded your head again “Yeah there are not as many PR relationships in Hollywood as people think, but I have worked on quite a few” 

“Good, so what makes a successful one?” She asked.

“Um well, it depends on what image you’re trying to get across” you explained.

“Someone settled, someone you can trust and is moving past their wildcard days” Steph  supplied gesturing with her hands in a vague manner.

“Right well you want someone who is that kind of person, no one who grabs the spotlight for the same reasons you’re trying to fix” you told her.

She sat forward and started taking notes “What else?”

“You have to make sure the people are well matched, if one of them has a clear type then you need the meet that type. So if someone has publicly said they like a woman with curves you can’t set them up with a Victoria’s Secret model” you explain.

She hummed studying you for a moment before returning to her notes “Anything else?”

“A mutual connection helps, makes it more believable. If fans and media outlets can easily trace how they would have potentially met then they’re more likely to believe it. So in this case if it was someone a fellow teammate knew, there’s a clear link, if you pick someone who has no connection to the player people are going to be suspicious” you continued.

 “And you’re close with Elena and Chris aren’t you?” 

Your brows furrow for a moment confused as to what the relevance was  “uh yeah Elena is my best friend, I don’t know Chris that well though” you shrugged your shoulders.

“Okay” she hummed tapping her pen against her chin in thought.

“Are you considering it for one of the players?” You asked.

“Yes, I’ve never suggested one before though, usually you just send the players to charity events but he needs a long-term solution” she explained.

“Well if you want I could maybe take the lead, or advise?” You suggested.

A smile tugged at her lips “I’ll keep that in mind, thank you for your insight I have a lot to think about before my meeting with him tomorrow”

“No worries glad to help, is there anything else you need?” You asked.

“No thanks, can you go with the team who will be filming training content? Familiarise yourself with that?” She suggested.

“Of course” you nodded before getting up from your seat.

As you walked back to your desk you wondered which of the team needed a PR relationship. You barely knew any of them, so you could only go on what El had told you. Chris was out for obvious reasons, from what you knew of Curtis you doubted it was him. Ari came to mind but you instantly shook that thought from your head. Not because you didn’t think it was him, but because you didn’t want to work with him. You settled on Johnny instead, even though El said he was a bit of a secret softie he was known as a player. 

You nodded to yourself, yeah it had to be Johnny. You instantly thought of different strategies for him, where to stage the dates. He’d be an easy client too, the only problem would be getting him to keep it in his pants. You just hoped that whatever reason he had would be incentive enough to keep him in line. 

Ari grunted in pain as Elena dug her hand into the back of his shoulder “Jesus fuck woman” he complained, fists clenched “Do you get off on torturing people or something”

Ari hated physio, he swore it was just the medical team’s excuse to get some revenge.

“It’s your own fault you’re here” she pointed out as she continued to work on his shoulder. 

He knew she meant his high tackle that resulted in a yellow card and sore shoulder “There was mitigation” he reminded her. 

“You were lucky, if Chris hadn’t tackled him too your shoulder would have gone straight into the wolves’ head and it would have been a red” Elena pointed out as she finally stopped working on his shoulder. 

“Like I said mitigation” Ari said as he sat back up sending a smirk her way. 

She rolled her eyes “That’s not the only reason I’m pissed at you” she said with a pointed look as she grabbed a towel and wiped her hands clean.

Ari dropped his shoulders with a heavy sigh instantly knowing what she meant again. You. You had been on his mind for over a week now. He was pissed off at himself for the way he treated you, he kept replaying the situation to see what he could have done differently. In the perfect situation, you would have ended up in his arms as he comforted you. He wanted to apologise and make it right but he also didn’t want to make it worse.

 “i know, i just haven't seen her to apologise” he sighed glancing down at his hands. 

“Haven’t seen her or avoided her?” Elena asked with a brow arched “She was in the gym on Monday” 

“I was at my 1-2-1 analysis while she was there” Ari reasoned “getting ripped into by your dad for that yellow” he added a pointed look.

Elena shrugged “You deserved it”

“Whatever” Ari huffed as he pushed himself off the medical bed “Look I promise I'll apologise to her now, I’m heading up to the PR office for a meeting after this” 

“What do you need PR for?” Elena asked her brows furrowed.

“I want to make the national team this summer, your dad said I need to improve both on and off the pitch” Ari explained as he grabbed his top and pulled it back on.

Elena nodded “It is criminal that you haven’t been picked yet” she hummed “Don’t worry I’m sure whatever Y/N has cooked up will work, she’s the best around” she winked before pointing at him “Just don’t make her life difficult, she’s been through enough shit” she warned.

Ari held his hands up in surrender. He still didn’t know the full picture, only that you were back on the East Coast without your engagement ring. He’d asked Chris what had happened but he said it wasn’t his story to share “I swear, I won’t” he promised “You can beat the crap out of me if I do”

Elena smirked “Good, now go on and stop doing stupid shit,” she said waving him out of the medical room. 

Ari huffed as he walked out, he wanted to stop doing stupid shit too. But that was easier said than done. He’d been told that he was hot-headed for as long as he could remember, there were times when it felt like he blacked out and one came back around after he’d done the stupid shit. Like the fight he started at the cup final, he remembered seeing Bryce make the illegal tackle on Chris and then the next thing he remembered was Bryce on the floor below him as he landed multiple blows to the face. 

He’d always been like this. Like there was pent up anger he had at the world. He could blame the first five years of his life for that. He was signed up to play rugby at the age of 7 at the advice of his teachers to try and work through a lot of that anger. Rugby helped a lot, it gave him somewhere to direct his anger and frustrations and work through it in a healthier way. 

It didn’t take away all the pressure though, evident by the way he shouted at you. Another moment when his frustrations got the better of him and he blacked out. He just hoped that you would accept his apology.

He spotted you as soon as he stepped into the PR and Comms office. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips as he looked over you. You were standing at a coworker's desk, looking over his shoulder at something on the screen. You had a contemplative look on your face, your red-tinted lips pursed. You listened to whatever your co-worker was saying before nodding your head, arms crossed over your chest. You were wearing a red sweater that seemed a little baggy on you but still looked incredible. Especially with the black skirt and knee-high boots you were wearing.  

When you finished what you were saying you finally looked up and over at him. The expression on your face became guarded as you studied him. He expected you to tilt your head up in defiance but you did the opposite. Your chin dropped as you went to move back to your desk, shoulders turned inwards. 

Ari internally cursed at himself, he’d fucked up majorly if you weren’t fighting back against him like you did back in LA.

“Y/N,” he said as he stepped in your path. 

“Ari,” you said forcing a smile as you looked up at him, which was wrong you should have crossed your arms and arched an unimpressed brow at him. 

“I wanted to apologise for the other week, I was out of line” he apologised “I was tired and was having a shitty day and I took my anger out on the first person I came across”

“That’s no excuse” you pointed out as you looked down at your feet.

That response was closer to what he expected from you, the words were right but the delivery was off. The words should have been sharper, not downtrodden. 

“You’re right it's not,” Ari said before holding his arms out “So c’mon rip into me” he invited with a playful smirk “We both know how well you can do it, knock me down a peg or two” 

You studied him for a moment. Ari could see the gears turning in your head which made his smirk grow. He knew you were going to come out with something brilliant, something that would knock a less confident man out. He couldn’t wait. He wanted to see that side of you again, he wanted to play. 

“I’ve got work to do” you muttered as you dropped your gaze and stepped around him.

Ari frowned as he turned around “Y/N” he muttered in disbelief, his hands dropping back down to his side. 

“I’m busy Ari and I’m sure you have training or something” you sighed as you refused to look at him as you gathered a notebook from your desk.

“Y/N c’mon” he pressed stepping in your way as you went to walk away again, “I said I was sorry, why are you still freezing me out?”

“Apology accepted, now leave me alone I have a meeting” you said looking up at him with a tired expression on your face. 

Ari’s brows furrowed in concern as he took you in, how tired and worn out you looked. It made his fists clenched. Whatever happened back in LA did this to you and he wanted to know what so he could beat the crap out of it. 

“Y/N,” he said softly. 

He reached out to put a hand on your shoulder, feeling the need to provide comfort in any way he could. He wanted to ask what happened, what he could do to make it better and bring back the version he knew.

He didn’t get the chance though, before his hand even made contact he was interrupted by Steph “Ah Ari, perfect timing, we have the perfect strategy for you” she smiled from her office. 

He didn’t look away from you so he saw how your brows furrowed in confusion, looking over at Steph and then back at him. 

He let out a quiet sigh as he took a step back “Glad to hear it” he said as he turned and walked towards her office.

He stopped though when she said “Good, right c’mon Y/N” She waved for you to join.

He looked over his shoulder and saw you take a deep breath as you looked down at your boots. The fake smile plastered on back on your face when you looked back up and said “Of course”

Ari blinked in surprise when you walked past him into Steph’s office. You didn’t know he was your meeting and clearly weren't happy being trapped in a small office with him for the next half an hour or so. Evident by the way you sat in one of the furthest away chairs. 

“Right I have decided on the best strategy for you, and I want to remind you that you said you’d do anything” Steph said as Ari sat down in his chair. 

“That doesn’t concern me at all” he smirked as he leant back. 

“Trust me this will work” Steph smiled “We’re going to set you up with a PR relationship for the rest of the season”

Ari arched a brow, he wasn’t expecting that at all. He expected lots of charity work, which he wouldn’t have minded, but not this “a relationship?” 

“Yes, we want to portray you as settled or at least settling, what better way to do that than a relationship” Steph said with a proud.

Ari nodded slowly as he took in the information “With who?”

The smile on Steph’s face widens “Well we want this to work so I’ve brought in the best” she grinned before turning her attention to you “Y/N will be the perfect match”

“Excuse me?” you squeaked in surprise. 

Ari frowned, you had clearly been blindsided by this idea. Something that didn’t sit right with him, it wasn’t fair on you. 

“Yes you said so yourself, there needs to be a mutual connection and you were the only person we found that had one” Steph explained as she gestured over to you “Plus you know how to do this better than anyone, I trust you to take lead on this”

“Steph this isn’t going to work” you stuttered sitting forward in your chair “I’ve just broken off an engagement, no one would believe this”

“Is there any evidence of your relationship online?” Steph asked, her head tilted in question.

“Uh- no, I- I deleted everything,” you said your voice cracking. 

“Well that’s one less thing to worry about, plus it's not uncommon for people to get into a relationship soon after another” Steph points out. 

“There must be someone else” you pleaded.

Ari’s heart broke, as much as he would love just the chance to be your boyfriend even if it was just pretend, he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. 

“Not someone who fits the criteria you gave me, and we need this to work for Ari” Steph sighed, her voice sympathetic “you’ll be in charge and will take the lead on it so you’ll have control over what happens, you can make it suit you, I only ask that it's believable” she continued before turning her attention back to Ari “what do you say?”

Ari took a moment before turning and looking at you, hoping his expression conveyed how sincere he was “I’m in if you’re in” he said softly “I need this and I trust you, but if you really don’t want to do it then we don’t have to”

You sat there stunned, staring back at him with a look of panic in your eyes. 

“Why don’t I leave you two to talk it through some more and get back to me when you’ve come to a decision” Steph said as she stood from her chair and strode out of the room. 

Once she was gone Ari turned to look at you, your hand was resting on your heaving chest, the look of panic in your eyes getting worse. 

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ari said moving to crouch in front of you, keeping enough distance between the two of you to make sure you were comfortable “Take some deep breaths,” he told you, when you didn’t respond he put a cautious hand on your knee “deep breaths sweetheart”

You finally responded to him and took the deep breaths you needed, your eyes finding his. He watched as the panic slowly faded from them with every deep breath you took.

“Feeling better?” he asked after a moment. 

“Not really” you admitted as you shook your head, “I thought it was gonna be Johnny that needed this not you” you muttered as you rubbed your forehead “and that I would just be leading it not actually part of it”

“Yeah, I didn’t like how she blindsided you with that” Ari told her earning a huff of a laugh from you.

“You could say that again” you mumbled “What do you even need this for? I mean you got yellow cards recently but I thought those weren’t a big deal” 

Ari nodded his head “Normally they’re not, but if I don’t reign myself in this season I won’t make the national team, the head coach is gonna be watching me and I want him to know he can trust me” he explained. 

“You’re doing this for a spot on the national team?” you questioned “Seems a bit extreme”

Ari let out a small chuckle “Yeah well I’m pretty desperate, it’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid, a dream that hasn’t happened yet” he admitted. 

“Right” you muttered looking down at your fiddling hands. 

“Can I ask what happened back in LA?” Ari asked, causing your eyes to shoot back up at him. 

You took a couple of moments before admitting “My fiance cheated on me with the wedding planner”

“The fucker” Ari growled making you jump “Sorry” he apologised taking a deep breath to calm himself “Well dating a sexy rugby player is a great way to say fuck you to him” he then smirked. 

You rolled your eyes “Yeah but Johnny’s not the one who needs it” you muttered making Ari grin. This was the side of you that was missing, it wasn’t completely gone it just needed coaxing back out. 

“There she is” Ari whispered earning a small confused frown from you “Look I won’t lie to you and say I don’t need this because I really really do, but considering all the shit you’re going through and the fact I don’t think you’ve actually accepted my apology” Ari continued “it's up to you, take the time you need to think it through and I promise if you decide to do this I won’t make your life difficult and I’ll do whatever you say”

You took a deep breath and nodded your head “Yeah okay… I’ll think it through and I’ll um get back to you”

“Great, that's all I can ask for” Ari said standing back up “And look I’m sorry about your fiance, he’s a dick and clearly insane for not realising he already had the most incredible woman on the planet” he said, Your lips parted in surprise as you stared up at him. 

You went to say something but Ari didn’t want to hear you turn him down so he just flashed you a smile and walked “See you soon” he said as he stepped out.

You thought about Ari’s proposition all day and still couldn’t come to an answer. You thought it would be a simple answer, a straight-up no, but you couldn’t bring yourself to say it. There was a small niggling thought at the back of your mind that was holding you back. 

So instead of going straight home after work, you went to Chris and Elena’s house to talk it out with them. Hopefully hearing them say it was an insane idea would reassure that little thought and you could just say no. 

So here you were sitting on the couch, feet tucked up beneath you as you cradled a cup of tea. You would have preferred a glass of wine or something stronger but you needed a clear head, drunk decisions were almost always bad decisions. 

“Right, so what is it that Steph wants you to do?” Elena asked as she sat down on the adjacent couch next to Chris, their dog Dodger jumping up to join them. 

“She wants me to be Ari’s fake girlfriend for the rest of the season” you sighed, running your finger around the rim of your mug. 

“Why you?” she questioned. 

“Because I stupidly gave her the perfect criteria and I match it” you scoffed shaking your head “the mutual connection, someone who’s looking to settle down” you didn’t say the part about being his type because you weren’t quite sure what to do with that information yourself. 

“And there’s no one else?” Chris asked as he scratched Dodger behind the ear. 

“Apparently not” you shrugged, “Steph said she trusted me because of my expertise in the area”

Chris hummed and nodded his head “What did Ari say about it?”

“He’s in, said he’s desperate to make the national team and is willing to do whatever it takes” you sighed, taking a sip of your tea. 

“Makes sense, he’s 30 now, will be 31 by the next world cup and 35 at the one after, but he might have retired by then” Chris shrugged “This might be his last chance”

You let out a small huff “Thanks that doesn’t make me feel guilty at all”

Chris gave you an apologetic smile “Sorry, it’s just that being his captain I want to see him make that team, it would be awesome to play alongside him at the world cup”

“Why is it that you don’t want to do it? I mean before last week you two seemed to get on pretty fine” Elena asked as she sat forward a bit.

That was another problem. You two did get along well, too well. You could recall the first time you saw him, you noticed him the moment he walked into the hotel. It was like a moment in a romance novel when the female lead sees her love interest and the whole world stops for a moment. 

You’d looked away before he spotted you, you were engaged and couldn’t be ogling other men. When he came over and shook your hand it made your entire body jolt and your next breath felt like the very first. You tried to put up a front and push him away but he kept coming straight back and you felt your resolve breaking. You had felt so guilty at the time, especially when you had a less-than-innocent dream about him that night. 

You had tried to forget about him, but he seemed rooted in your mind. When you watched the livestream of the cup final you told yourself it was for Elena’s sake, even if you had told her you wouldn’t be watching. But deep down you knew it was because of a large man with gorgeous long locks and a thick beard. 

“Because I just got out of a long-term relationship” you landed on with a sigh “I can’t just fall back into another one”

“It's not a real one though” Elena pointed out “You’ll still be single, and you’ll have time to be single for a while without interference and find who you are without Dan”

“I guess” you sighed.

“And we both know Dan is going to work out you’re here if he hasn’t already, if he saw you had moved on with a big beefy rugby player he’s gonna be too scared to try and win you back” Elena added. 

“You know when I came over I expected you to agree that it was a bad idea” you pointed out over the top of your mug, taking another large sip.

Elena chuckled “I’m sorry but I wouldn’t be a good friend if I straight up lied to you” she pointed out “I understand where you’re coming from but I can see how this benefits you too”

“Yeah and frankly i don’t think you could find someone better to do this sort of thing with” Chris added.

“You really think you should do this?” you sighed. 

“I think you should at least give it a go” Elena nodded. 

You took a deep breath. Everything they said was true, yeah you would be in a fake relationship in person but in private you would be single and undisturbed. Ari would provide you with that privacy, and in return, you could help him achieve his childhood dream.

“Okay fine I’ll do it” you sighed in resignation. 

Elena smiled back excitedly “Yes this is gonna be great!” she grinned “You should let him know now”

“Not now, we’ll have to go over the rules and the plan,” you said shaking your head. 

“You could invite him over here? Go over it together with us?” Chris suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

“You’re not going to drop this are you?” you sighed knowingly.

“Nope. please this is so exciting! It's like something out of a movie!” Elena grinned. 

You rolled your eyes “Fine, but I don’t have his number so you’ll have to call him”

“Sure not a problem” Chris said reaching into his back pocket to grab his phone.

Faster than you expected Ari was knocking on the front door. Dodger instantly ran to greet him, you could hear Ari’s deep chuckle down the hallway. Chris and him were chatting as they walked towards the living room. You noticed that his long hair was damp, it wasn’t raining so you wondered whether he’d just gotten out of the shower when Chris called. The mental image of Ari in the shower flashed through your mind, your mouth went dry at the image, all the moisture travelling elsewhere. You cleared your throat and shifted in your seat as you pushed the mental image from your mind. 

Ari’s gaze shifted to you and a lopsided smile grew on his lips “Y/N” he greeted.

You cleared your throat again “Ari” 

“Chris said you wanted to talk to me about the whole fake dating thing,” he said as he walked over and sat on the same couch as you. 

You took a deep breath, which you quickly regretted because even though he was sitting on the opposite end of the couch you could smell his body wash. It was pine with a hint of citrus, it was fresh and comforting all at the same time. 

“Uh yeah, I uh thought it over and I think we should do it but we have to lay out some rules” You shifted and turned towards him, fidgeting with your hands in your lap. 

“Of course, like Steph said you’re in charge and I’m your puppet” he smirked reclining back, arm resting across the back of the couch.

Your gaze shifted to his hand, his long thick fingers which were now much closer to you. You hadn’t noticed how large his hands were. Your mind started down the rabbit hole again, you wondered how warm and comforting they were. How they might feel against your body… holding you…

“So what rules have you got in mind?” Ari’s fingers drummed against the couch breaking you out of your trance. 

“Right yes rules” You cleared your throat, shifting further away from him “Well obviously we cannot tell anyone about this, the fewer people that know the better”

Ari nodded “of course, I’m assuming you two won’t say anything” he glanced over to Chris and Elena. 

“Lips are sealed” Elena confirmed, “what about your parents though Tommi?”

You shrugged your shoulders “with them in England it should be fine, especially since we’re gonna take this slow, a whirlwind romance doesn’t sell settling down” you looked over at Ari who was rubbing his hand over his beard “what about your parents?”

“Same as you, they’re travelling” he hummed “How slow are we taking this?”

“Uh well we need to lay some groundwork first” you explained “like establishing that I’m here in Boston not LA”

“What about your ex? Are you sure you want him to know that?” Ari frowned, hand dropping back down to the back of the couch. 

“Not really, but I’ve blocked him and any of his friends so I should be fine,” you told him. 

Ari tightly nodded “As long as you’re sure, so what’s after that?”

“Uh well, maybe a social event that we’re both at, somewhere where we can appear in the back of photos chatting?” you suggested.

“Johnny is throwing a Halloween party next week? You could be my plus one” Elena suggested. 

“What about me?” Chris huffed looking over at Elena.

“You have your own invite meatball” Elena slapped his chest, shaking her head at him. 

“Okay yeah that works, there will be group photos and we can be in the background of a couple” you nodded thinking it through in your head “It’ll establish a when and where we met”

“But we met back in LA, don’t tell me you forgot that lunch?” Ari pointed out, a fake look of hurt on his face.

You rolled your eyes “It will establish it for people online” you clarified before taking another deep breath “And then after that, we need a time where we meet up, maybe as a four?”

“We can go to brunch?” Chris suggested. 

“Perfect, and then we just need to go out a couple of times just us two but we can decide on that later, are there any events I should be aware of?” You asked glancing around at everyone, only allowing yourself to look at Ari for a second or two.

“Only Thanksgiving and the Christmas charity dinner at the beginning of December, the rest of our events are at the end of the season” Ari explained.

“You don’t go home for Thanksgiving?” You frowned, you couldn’t imagine not spending time with your family for Thanksgiving. Although it didn’t look like you’d be able to fly to England to celebrate with your parents this year.

“It depends on what day the match is that weekend, if it’s Sunday or Saturday some players do go home to family but if it’s Friday like it is this year my dad organises a team Thanksgiving for players who don’t have family in the state” El explained “players can bring a friend or their partner”

“Are you going to your parents?” Ari asked grabbing your attention.

You shifted in your seat, glancing down at your fiddling fingers unable to focus with his intense gaze “I don’t know, it might be too expensive this year” 

“I could help if-“ Ari started but you interrupted. As much as you wanted to see your parents for Thanksgiving, you didn’t want to owe Ari money.

“No it’s fine, me going to this player's thanksgiving is good for PR, it can essentially confirm the relationship and then we’ll make our official outing as a couple at the charity dinner” you said with a sharp shake of your head.

It looked like Ari went to argue but when his eyes met yours his mouth snapped shut. He cleared his throat and nodded in agreement “sounds like a good plan… what else do we need to discuss?”

You were grateful for the slight change in topic but the only thing left to discuss was the part that made you the most uncomfortable. Public displays of affection. You knew you couldn’t outright ban it but you just weren’t sure how you felt about Ari holding you and kissing you. 

“Right” your voice came out strained so you cleared your throat “Of course we will have to do some PDA but we should ease into it as a normal couple would and we should clear it with each other beforehand”

Ari nodded “Understandable, I’m not one for big displays of public displays of affection”

You breathed out a sigh of relief even though there was a small part of you that was ever so slightly disappointed. You pushed that part away though, you had just gotten out of a serious relationship, you needed to be single for a while and focus on yourself. Even if you did have to be in a fake relationship to do so. The irony was not lost on you.

“Cool I think that’s it for now, I’ll um plan out more of the strategy for later on is there anything you want to ask?”

“What’s the end date on this?” Ari asked.

“Well I guess once we know if you’ve made the team we can start putting things in place that lead to the eventual breakup” you shrugged “which works nicely since I’ll probably want to move onto a better-paid job in New York or something”

Ari frowned “You don’t plan on staying here?”

“You just got here” Elena pouted.

You looked over at Elena and felt instantly guilty “I know and I’m grateful for what you guys have done but sports PR is a bit of a step-down, I’m staying on the east coast though so we’ll be able to see each other easily”

Elena gave you an understanding smile “Guess I can live with that” she playfully rolled her eyes.

You smiled back before shifting your gaze back to Ari who still looked unhappy at the idea of you moving. For whatever reason you had no clue. You could practically see the cogs in his head turning as he looked back at you with an unhappy frown. It made your hands itch like you wanted to reach out and comfort him. It made you quickly jump up from the couch, you needed out. Especially when Ari’s frown changed to one of concern at your sudden motion.

“Right if that’s everything, I’m gonna head home because it’s been a long day” you ran your hand through your hair, pushing it from your face.

Ari slowly rose from the couch “Me too, I’ll walk you out” he said barely looking away from you as he said “Thanks for having us Evans”

Both Chris and Elena had amused looks on their faces as they looked up at you “sure we’ll see you both at the Halloween party” Chris nodded.

“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow El” You cleared your throat and grabbed your bag and made a swift exit.

Ari with his long legs had no issue keeping up with you, following you at the door and towards your car. His jeep parked next to yours, you had expected him to be more of an Audi kinda guy. You had seen more sides of him since landing in Boston than you expected. The angry, grumpy side, the cheeky side and a really calming and sincere side.

You couldn’t forget the way he put his hand on your knee and calmed you down with just that gesture in Steph’s office earlier today. The way he had apologised and told you how blind your ex was. An apology that you had yet to officially accept. You paused as you reached your car, you couldn’t go into a fake relationship and not accept his apology.

With a deep sigh, you quickly turned around. Ari’s brow quirking in surprise as you looked up at him “I accept your apology for the other day, you had a bad day and so had I, it’s all water under the bridge”

Ari nodded “My bad day was no excuse, I am really sorry and I promise not to hurt you like that again” he held his hand over his heart.

“Thank you… I’ll um see you at the party or at work I guess” You nodded, and just as you turned back towards your car Ari spoke up. 

“Hey I know you said about asking before doing public displays of affection, but what about the other kind of PDA?” Ari asked. 

You frowned in confusion and turned to face him “What other kinds?” surprised to find him a couple of steps closer. 

Ari smirked down at you “private displays of affection”

You let out a scoff that sounded more like a squeak “Definitely not”

“C’mon we can call it practice, the only reason I play well on game days is because of practice” he points out “It’ll mean you’re not as awkward when it happens”

“What about you?”

“Trust me the last thing I’ll be feeling is awkward”

You thought about his reasoning. You had seen plenty of fake couples who couldn’t sell it because they seemed uncomfortable in each other’s presence. The slight flinches here and there.

“Fine but you have to ask” you huffed starting to turn back towards your car.

“Good, so can I kiss you?” Ari asked 

“Now?” You squeaked.

“Yeah I don’t see why not” he shrugged “It's dark, no one’s around, seems pretty perfect otherwise I’d have to sneak to your apartment or something and risk getting caught and that’ll blow the going slow part” he sighed.

“Fine! One kiss” you snapped glaring up at him.

Ari’s smirk grew as he stepped closer and cupped your jaw “one kiss” he promised with a whisper before leaning in.

Your intention had been to pull away a second later. It didn’t need to be anything more than a peck. But it was like your mind shortcircuited and instead of pulling away you stepped forward. Your hands moved to rest on his chest as he tilted your head back, his other hand moving to the small of your back to pull you closer. 

You had planned to be the one to pull away but when Ari did you found yourself chasing his lips. 

“I’d say that was a perfect practice attempt,” he said, voice low as his thumb brushed over your cheekbone.

That snapped you back to reality. You scurried back until your back hit your car door. Your hand touched your lips as they continued to tingle. 

“Yes, right. Bye. I’ll um see you at work or the party or” you didn’t finish your sentence. You just got in the car, slammed the door shut and drove off as quickly as you could.

You glanced in the rearview mirror as Ari disappeared into the distance. You could see him laughing as he shook his head, watching you go.

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