#I’ve had full on text debates about whether when someone said they wanted take away curry

[ellynneversweet]

Fair point — there’s no an exact comparator, because Australia doesn’t have land borders (it’s certainly not as easy to get from Indonesia to Australia as it is to get from Mexico to the US). But the point remains that cultures tends to be influenced by their culturally-distinct geographic neighbours unless they’re practising deliberate segregation (even then, a form of influence). You’re absolutely right that it’s a weird form of American exceptionalism where America is the only country that ever experienced immigration.

Not to rag on Americans but when Americans wonder why there’s Asian influences in Australian (inferred ‘Britain but hotter’) cultural exports my eyelid tends to start twitching uncontrollably. Look at a map, guys. It’s like wondering why there are Brazilians in the US.

[onewithnomightypowers]

Old Habits

pairing: Tom Holland x fem!reader

summary: Old habits come back when you meet an ex lover after a long time. Conversations feel like you never stopped talking to them. Sometimes you have to see them one last time to say goodbye like you mean it but most of the time it doesn’t go as planned.

warning: drinking

words: 2.1k

a/n: could be read as part 2 of last kiss but is a stand alone. got a bit poetic at the end. hope you guys like it. and as always, love reading your opinions/reactions. also asks are open. (gif not mine)

masterlist 

'@tomholland2013 posted a story'

'@tomholland2013 posted a story'

 She picked up her phone to open Instagram. Yes, Y/N still had notifications on for his account even after they were broken up for months. Classic Tom. 

 He posted two of the same picture on his story. No one understood how that would happen almost every time, not even the people working at Instagram to whom they contacted about the glitch.

 Tom had his hair slicked back, standing in a white t-shirt next to Harry, his brother, giving a million-dollar smile. They were holding a clapperboard together. There was text on the picture too, 'day 1 let's go!!' She smiled to herself. Just because they weren't together doesn't mean that she wasn't allowed to feel happy for his achievements. Even though she wishes to know all these big things from Tom himself she is, unfortunately, left here, watching a small part of his life flash in front of her for less than thirty seconds.

 "Are you listening?" Hope, Y/N's date said.

 "Yeah, I'm sorry. You were saying?" Y/N placed the phone back where it was resting, next to the cold wine bottle.

 "You seem distant," they said.

 When she 'met' Hope (she only really met them 30 minutes ago), Y/N wasn't looking for love, just sex, and that is what online dating specializes in. She hoped Hope knew what they were signing up for, sexual intimacy and nothing else.

 "It doesn't matter does, does it? We both know what we are here for. Why not just cut the chase," Y/N replied.

--

It was early in the morning, the sun had yet to shine in its full glory. Y/N could only think of the first time she stayed over at Tom's old apartment but then she turned her head only to find Hope's naked body next to her. Her heartbeat accelerated with the realization that he was not hers anymore. Being in a foreign environment didn't help her growing anxiety, twisting and turning her intestines.

 It's been four months, her feelings for Tom refuse to quit on her because she knows she could never quit on them, on him, even if he has. He probably has already found someone else in Canada, she thought. She didn't want him anymore but she still needed him, one last time just to teach her stupid heart how to say goodbye.

 Y/N wore her clothes and picked up her shoes, going on a trail to find Hope's door to get out before they wake up. Climbing down the stairs, she took out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.

 '5 new messages from Sam' 7 hours ago

Sam: hey

Sam: ik it's late

Sam: I am going for a run tmr morning @6

Sam: do you wanna come?

Sam: will go to the new coffee house near my house after that

 Y/N texted him back

Y/N: I'll meet you at the coffee place

Sam: come fast. already here

--

Sam and Y/N were standing in the queue to place their orders. “You look especially shitty today,” Sam said, running his right hand through his sweaty hair.

“I haven’t been home yet,” Y/N reasoned her appearance.

 His mouth formed an ‘o’ shape. The person in front of them left the queue, they moved towards the counter. “One hazelnut latte, double shot with skimmed milk,” Y/N gave her order.

 “And you?” the cashier’s question directed to Sam.

 “I’ll have a matcha latte with oat milk”

 Sam turned to Y/N, “Harrison got me on matcha, and now I can’t go back to coffee”

 They paid their dues and moved over to the barista counter to collect their order.

 “So, what were you doing last night?” Sam inquired.

 “I was on a date, it isn't a big deal though. Just had some needs to take care of”

 “Oh, was it any good?”

 “It was fine. I was distracted the whole time. Saw Tom’s story about halfway into the bottle of merlot. Couldn’t stop thinking about him”

 “Seems…sad. But you know Tom is coming back for the Christmas weekend, I think. He might attend Harrison’s Christmas eve party”

 “One hazelnut latte and one matcha latte,” someone behind the counter screamed.

 “That’s us,” Sam raised his voice.

--

Harrison had a bucket inside his house, under a sign that said 'drop your tracking devices here' with an arrow pointing to the bucket. Y/N dropped her phone on a pile of roughly fourteen others. Debating whether to see Tom's face was something she wanted or not made her late and not very fashionably.

 The house was decorated with empty liquor bottles along with red and green streamers from one wall to another. Everyone was drunk in their best dress. There were no signs of Tom yet. Y/N took a deep breath, walking towards the kitchen to get herself some liquid courage to help her socialize.

 The kitchen was rather scarcely populated. Empty glasses were lined up next to the sink. Are they clean or used? Bending down, Y/N opened the refrigerator to see if Harrison had any chilled wine. No luck. "Hey," a familiar voice was heard.

 She looked up at the familiar stranger.

 "Hey Tom," she smiled. The refrigerator light falling on Y/N made her blush visible.

She grabbed a half-cut lemon placed in the egg tray.

 “How have you been?" Tom asked leaning back on the kitchen counter, observing her movements.

 Y/N walked towards the sink to grab herself a crystal glass hoping for it to be clean. "Just busy with work these days"

 "I heard you got a job at Condé Nast, is that true?" he took a sip from his beer.

 "Well, you heard right. You are looking at their new senior brand manager for digital", she said proudly.

 Tom hugged her from the side she was holding a knife to cut the lemon for her gin and tonic. "That's great darling! You always wanted to work there"

 Darling. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering like the first time she met Tom.

 "I saw your story the other day. You started filming your script, right?" she dropped the lemon in the glass.  

 "Yup, it was a long time coming," he grabbed the knife she was using and washed it without even knowing. He was so used to Y/N never washing utensils after using them and, he would always have to clean up after her.

 "Congrats on that babe!" The word 'babe' just slipped out of practice.

 Y/N grabbed a Bombay Sapphire standing still on the marble slab. The blue of the bottle shinning even in the dim-lit room.

 "I missed you," Y/N made eye contact, screwing the cap back on. A long, silent pause.

 I miss you too, so very much

 She cleared her throat, "so, how long are you staying?"

 "Going back Monday morning"

 She opened a can of tonic water.

 "Are you seeing someone?" Tom asked.

 "Wouldn't you wanna know" a smirk on her face grew. "I've been out on few dates, nothing serious. What about you?"

 "Met this girl online, dated for a bit but, she wanted something I couldn't give to her"

 Y/N scoffed, "did she have a foot fetish or something?"

 "No, Y/N. She wanted love, not my feet" they both laughed.

 "On that topic..." Tom calmed himself, "...I was listening to this song a few weeks ago and, there was this line, 'the smell of your hair reminds me of her feet' and it made me think of you"

 "I reckon," she took a sip of her gin and tonic.

 "No, seriously, I really related to that line. No matter how many people I hook up with, it will be hard to find the type of intimacy I shared with you. I still relate to it"

 "I hate going on walks alone and having faceless dreams," Y/N blurted, lacking a proper reaction.

 "You're still the face of all my fantasies," Tom confessed.

 None of them knew what to say next. Anything they thought of saying now included walking over the blurry line of exes to lovers.

 "You look pretty"

 "Classic me, had a glow up after getting my heartbroken"

 "You always looked this pretty. You are beautiful," Tom assured her. The 'heartbroken part did not sit well with him. He already felt guilty for taking a job across the pond which was a great opportunity for him to grow but was only possible by severing his ties with Y/N.  

 --

It had just started snowing on Boxing Day. Tom was alone in his cold home, boiling a pot of ramen noodles. He took out his phone and snapped a picture of the burning stove with the pot on top.

Tom: *attached photo*

Tom: I come back after months and my family leaves me alone with no food

Y/N: you should add a poached egg

Tom: Thanks. I shall.

Tom: I think I made too much ramen for me

Tom: do you wanna come over and share?

 Her indecision was visible by the coming and going of the gray dots. Then finally, Tom could tame his anxiety by her simple reply.

 Y/N: sure.

--

There was a loud knock on the door. Tom put two bowls of hot ramen on the dining table and went to open the door. Behind the door, Y/N was standing with her hands inside her brown checker coat. There was dust of snow sitting on her shoulders. Her braided hair was made by the most anxious hands in town.

 The door opened and, Tom’s hands flew to take Y/N in his arms. They hugged like little kids hug their parents after being away from each other, for them, an eternity. It did feel like an eternity to them too but, they hadn’t forgotten each other’s touch.

 “I parked my car at the church, couldn’t find any spot here ‘cause of the snow," she pulled out.

 “The snow seems to be gaining momentum.”

 Y/N hummed in agreement. She took off her coat and hung it in the Holland’s coat closet.

 “Come on, the ramen is getting cold,” she followed tom into the kitchen.

 They sat adjacent on the wooden table in comfortable silence. Tom used chopsticks and, Y/N used a fork. Only the occasional noodles falling in the broth were heard, along with the gushing of wind.

 “It’s really spicy for me,” Tom said.

 “Yeah, I can see your ears turning red.”

She still remembers 

 Y/N raised her hand to cover her mouth while yawning.

 “Since you made the food, I’ll do the dishes,” she got up, grabbed their bowls, and walked over to the sink.

 Wearing the gloves, she turned to Tom, “it was quite tasty”.

 Tom gave her a smile.

 She spread the soap on the dishes and turned the tap on. Tom pushed his chair back to get up.

 “Have you made any friends at your new job,” he jumped and sat on the counter next to Y/N.

 “Yeah, sort of. Kyara works there too so, I have just made her friends my friends,” she washed his chopsticks.

 “That’s good. Have you talked to Emily after the wedding? She told me they are planning on adopting.”

 “They invited me over for dinner when they got the approval from the agency. Kyara made this amazing Hyderabadi biryani, it was her mum’s recipe so, it was obviously better than the restaurant”

 “God! You and your love for Indian food”

 Y/N removed her gloves, “I should go. Thanks for the ramen, by the way”

 “Are you sure you can go out in this weather?”

 “Yeah I think," she started walking out of the kitchen.

 Tom grabbed her hand. “Stay”, his voice was like cotton.

 Y/N turned and made contact with his pleading eyes. She moved closer to him. “Please”, he said. They both were inching in to lock their desperate lips.

--

Y/N did not notice when she had fallen asleep talking to Tom. Their naked bodies were covered by the white comforter. Her eyes slowly opened to a boy with brown eyes and messy hair looking at her.

 “I like it when you sleep. I love watching you sleep”

 She chuckled. “That’s a bit creepy, don’t you think?” She had a sleepy voice.

 “You look so serene, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I could stare at you for eons”

 “But love, I'm only here till the snow settles,” she caressed his cheeks.

“Then the cold shall frost our limbs," he leaned in to kiss her.

tags: @elios-timotea​

[jujutsubabe]

Similar Undertones

Itadori x reader

Word count: 3.2k

Song recommendation: Take me where your heart is-Q

Synopsis: Itadori and you go on your first car date together and he is freaking out.

Megumi and Nobara were going to absolutely lose it within the next three seconds. There was nothing new being talked about as Itadori repeated the same question in ten different ways.

“If this is our first car ride together do we hold hands while I drive? Or Is that too forward?”

“Wait, do you think it’s sexist if I want to drive? I kinda don’t want her to drive, it’s pretty late... wait— not saying she can’t do it! Women are strong! It’s just— is it rude to drive her?”

“Should I make a playlist of her favorite songs...? I’ve been saving them.”

Nobara and Megumi stared at the dork sitting in front of them. His questions didn’t have any more depth than this, you had a chaotic effect on this guy. The boy who never thinks before acting, is actually thinking. All it took was a quick “I’m hungry, can we go to McDonald’s?” from you to put him into absolute shock.

It should have been a casual answer, like “yeah I’ll get you now.” But no, the poor boy only officially asked you out a week ago after months and months of crushing on you. So he needed a full hour to mentally prepare himself enough to not ruin this moment with you.

“Itadori you’re giving me chills.” Nobara rubbed her arms. “Why can’t you two be normal?”

“Don’t put me in the same category as him.” Megumi rubbed his face. “Itadori why can’t you ask her what she wants?”

Itadori sunk into his bed, throwing his arms around wildly. “Are you kidding? If I asked her all that she would think I’m crazy.”

“She doesn’t know that already?” Megumi asked and Nobara cackled beside him.

Itadori whined into his pillow kicking his legs. “I don’t wanna mess this up, this is my first real girlfriend and if we broke up...”

If you looked at him with disgust before making up some random excuse to leave? If you started avoiding him in the city as he passed you by? if you went on with your lives not knowing each other anymore and then years later going to your wedding as a guest? Somehow getting the task of being a godfather and babysitting your kids for the rest of his life? Then becoming a school janitor and accidentally drowning in one of the toilets?

He could imagine it all now, you standing at his casket, sighing, “If only he let me drive instead...”

He screamed into the pillow. He couldn’t stop the inflow of the thoughts, each scenario more stressful than the last. He hated how much he worried over such trivial things.

Nobara pat his back, “Okay, yeah we get it. Calm down.”

The two looked between each other and their friend. It was difficult dealing with him in this state, they had to be extra careful with what they said. He usually comforted them, but when the roles were reversed it caught them a little bit off guard.

Megumi sighed, “I don’t think she would care about those things. She seems like a good person.”

Itadori only grunted.

“Seriously though. You two have known each other forever.” Nobara poked his sides. “At this point, anything you did now couldn’t make her run away.”

He thought about it. You did stay through a lot, you stayed during that whole finger swallowing incident. And that time he died for a little bit. Also the time he laughed so hard milk came out of his nose. (He found that one to be the most traumatizing.)

If you can stay with someone through all of that, then maybe, possibly, you wouldn’t mind staying if he was a little nervous on your ride together. If his hands were a little more sweaty than usual maybe you would giggle a bit and hold them anyways.

Maybe, there was nothing to worry about, and in the end the both of you would have a fun time. He thought too much of what would happen, he needed to relax.

With a long inhale, he rose from the pillow. Nobara clapped as he got up, “There we go, you’ve got it Itadori.”

“This will be a good date.” He reassured himself.

“It will be! That’s the spirit.” Nobara said.

“We’re going to hold hands and I’m not going to mess this up!” He stood from his bed. “I’ll make sure she’s comfortable and goes home telling her friends what a good boyfriend I am.”

“Fushiguro play the motivation playlist! We need to get him an outfit.” Nobara threw her phone to him as she headed to Itadori’s closet.

Megumi sighed, he really hoped this date went well enough for him to never ask for help again because...

He watched Nobara throw shirts to one side while Itadori rummaged through his half empty sock drawer asking Megumi if he had matching socks he could borrow instead.

...He genuinely couldn’t go through this again.

Itadori popped in his fifth stick of mint gum as he checked his reflection. He looked out the window every few seconds before fixing up his appearance. As he looked at himself, he realized maybe he did too much...

He remembered Nobara pulling out a full suit, “This will be good. Girls love it when a guy dresses up.”

“That looks like too much. We’re getting fast food.”

She shook her head, pushing him into the closet, “Trust me, she will be so disappointed if you dress up casual.”

“I’ve never heard of that! Never! Megumi this is ridiculous isn’t it?”

Little did they know, Megumi left as soon as they turned their backs, right now he was back in his dorm reading a nice book under his comfortable covers. There was no way the two could bring him back into the room now. While he was going through his nightly routine, these two were preparing for war.

“Just try it on, if it’s bad you can change...” Nobara checked the time, “Hey what time are you supposed to get her?”

“Uh,” he squirmed into his pants, “like eight.”

“Huh... Like thirty minutes ago eight?”

The closet door snapped open as he stumbled out, “What? Where’s my phone?”

He groaned when Nobara shrugged, he looked through the large heap of clothes on the floor, then opened all the dresser’s drawers before grabbing it from the sock one.

It was already half past eight like she said, he scrolled through a few missed calls from you and frowned. He never missed more than one call from you, you probably thought he was dead (again) at this point.

He would definitely be losing points for that. He would be lucky if you didn’t text your friends about what a horrible date he was being. First he was late and then he showed up in a suit? He would never live that down.

He did a quick little debate as he stared at himself in the mirror, he was way too dressed up for this little encounter. He had no time to change though, so instead of comfy shorts, he accepted his fate to be the awkward guy who dresses up way too much for something that’s supposed to be way more casual.

It’s like those kids who dress in suits at public schools, it’s out of place and everyone scratches their head wondering if they went to the wrong event.

He shook his head, with no more time to dwell on it, he grabbed his keys. Before he left though he pointed a finger through the door, “Later, we will argue about this later.”

Nobara laughed as he hurried out the door. “Tell me how it goes after!”

Itadori shook his head, still not really over the past events. Fixing his cuff he glanced out the window once more before catching sight of you. He took a deep breath before getting out his car.

“Hey!” He waved out to you as you squinted from your door. The closer you got the more confused you looked.

“Shoot, we’re we going somewhere fancy?” You looked over your oversized shirt and sweat pants. “I thought we were getting fast food.”

He was jealous of your comfort wear. Any other day he would be jumping in joy over how cute you looked in house clothes, but right now he craved some of his own.

Itadori thought about those moments in typical romance movies where the girl steals the guy’s sleepwear. The guy gets all flustered because she’s wearing his clothes and looks so comfortable, the girl is happy because she gets out of her uncomfortable dress clothes and finally gets to relax. It’s a bonding moment between the two.

He wished he could be the girl in that situation right now.

He scratched his neck. “No, we are. My friend just bullied me into wearing a suit...”

You laughed, “Really? Was that why you ran late?”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he winced, “I lost track of time. I really was going to wear something normal.”

Your eyes darted over him before you pursed your lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a suit before.” You picked at dust on his shoulder, “It’s a little out of place but it’s cute.”

He hung his mouth as if you kicked the breath out of him. You said that with so much ease, you two have known each other for so long but he’s never seen you be this much of a flirt. He felt like a firefly was lighting him up from inside out, blinking on and off as he stared at you unable to move.

We’re these the benefits of being in a relationship? Random touches and compliments that could make any worrying heart swoon instead? It was his first time dating his crush so every little thing you said or did made him bounce off the walls.

He wanted to cherish the moment with you touching his shoulder and calling him cute for a moment longer. You somehow made him forget every single worry that welled up in his chest.

He wondered if he made you feel this way as well.

Itadori is a cute driver. The two of you keep a good conversation, but when he makes a turn he goes quiet. He also goes quiet when someone crosses the street, sometimes he talks to the drivers in front of him even though they can’t hear him.

Little sayings like, “You can go.” “You don’t have to run across, I can wait.”

He fumbles with the radio station until you wave his hand off and change it yourself. You can tell it takes a weight off his shoulders, he looks content whenever you switch it.

He drives with both hands too. At every stop light he taps his fingers on the wheel, glancing at yours every once in a while. You never know what to do, debating on whether or not he's trying to hold your hand. You didn’t want to come off as being too forward by grabbing his hand, but also didn’t want him to initiate everything for your little date.

You hadn’t been in a car alone with him before, you didn’t know the rules about romance in the car. If you made a wrong move you two would have to sit in silence until he dropped you off, or worse until he kicked you out the car.

You could imagine it all now, you go to grab his hand and he pulls it away. “Isn’t that a little too early? I don’t think we’re that close yet...” and then he turns up the music to ignore the tension.

Then you pass each other in the streets, then he dates someone completely different and you see them together all the time, then you become a realtor sell a house to him and his new wife, constantly wishing you could have been the one moving in with him, then you are living in his basement without his knowledge, eating sardines before dying under his house.

Itadori would shake his head at your funeral, “If only she never held my hand...”

You internally screamed. You couldn’t mess this up. He was so different from any other person you’ve met, you didn’t want to be too fast with this. You liked him since the first day you met, it would pain you to see all those months of friendship and growth go down the drain by being a tad too forward.

You couldn’t bear going back to the friend stage again, though fun at that period of time, you were in too deep to go back. The idea alone gave you chills, that would mean no more cute little touches or flirty gestures, just awkward waves when you passed by.

You fiddled with your fingers, glancing at his. The thought alone gave you butterflies, the two of you holding hands in a car at night screamed aesthetic Pinterest board. Your hand craved to feel whatever those Internet couples felt.

Your chest tightened a bit when the drive thru came into view and he asked for your order. It was like a reality check, the little drive filled with mindless chatter and laughs would be ending soon, with neither of you making a move.

You bit your cheek as he pulled up to the cashier window, time started to dwindle. You wondered why he couldn’t make a move first. His chances of rejection were in the negatives.

If he held his hand out you would hold it, you didn’t care if any of the employees witnessed such a display of PDA. You didn’t care where he held it, you didn’t care if it suddenly turned green… well you would be concerned about that… but there is nothing more romantic than holding hands in the middle of the night with someone you are infatuated with.

...In the McDonald’s drive thru.

He pulled to the next window and talked about something for a while before he interrupted your racing mind, “You okay?”

You popped out of your thoughts, about to pull an excuse from the top of your head but when you turned to him you didn’t expect to see his hand. Your eyes went wide as you saw his palm open and his expression soft and heartfelt.

It was like a small explosion of color went off in your brain. Like confetti rained in your mind and every single wish you’ve ever had suddenly became true in this very instant.

Itadori is actually offering his hand to you. Maybe you were imagining this and he wasn’t real, but even if he wasn’t, why not take the hand of this apparition?

So with the widest smile and biggest set of heart eyes, you fit your hand into his like a slot piece. His hands were warm like food out the oven, or fresh laundry, or a ray of sun washing over you. They were a little sweaty, but it was cute, everything about this moment was exactly how you dreamed about it. You could feel your heart settle itself down.

Until, Itadori cleared his throat, “I was asking if you could hand me the money from there...” he pointed to the glove compartment.

Your face dropped when you saw the cashier standing at the window scratching his head and Itadori still pointing at that cursed glove compartment. This was something right out of a horrible coming of age movie, you couldn’t believe this was real.

“Oh!” You slipped your hand out, snatching whatever amount from the compartment box and handing it to him. “I’m so sorry, that’s so embarrassing.”

No, no embarrassing was an understatement. You more so felt like a ball got kicked in your face on live television. You didn’t know if you could ever recover from this, you wondered if you should change your name and move across the country now or later.

While you were deciding on a new name, you were thrown off, when he cocked his head instead of agreeing, “Why? I was going to hold it anyway.”

Oh.

Oh?

Oh!?

“You were?”

He nodded, “I was nervous I might freak you out but—“

“I felt the same way!” You interjected, “I thought I would make you uncomfortable.”

You didn’t expect him to be as nervous as you were, the both of you seemed to get onto a mutual plane of understanding. You both said what the other person thought, peeling off that initial layer of worry like an orange.

To think someone as confident ltadori would be nervous. You were used to him doing things without thinking and going in with full confidence this threw you off guard. You were seeing a different side of him you weren’t used to.

“Don’t worry, you can’t make it uncomfortable. I'm fine with whatever!”

“Me too, if you want to hold hands we can.” You bit down on your cheek, a loud buzzing coursing through your arms.

Itadori grinned back at you so hard, the both of you in this little bubble. Maybe this night wouldn’t be as bad as you imagined. You might be able to keep this date in your mental memory, looking back at it whenever you wanted to smile.

The cashier cleared his throat, still standing there, the both of you jumped before looking, “You’re holding up the line.” He pointed to the money in Itadori’s hand.

“Right sorry!”

You laughed as he scrambled with the money. The both of you turning to each other and giggling when he finally left the drive thru. You sorted through the food while he found a place to park. (to which you mentally squealed, you two could now spend a little more time together)

Your conversation now had an interesting topic as you both discussed how nervous you were beforehand, then talked about the pace you wanted the relationship to go in, then your days, then the weather, and then it went quiet.

You were cleaning up, wiping away the salt from your fingers and crumpling up trash. Doing minor things like adjusting the air and checking your face for crumbs in the mirror.

Maybe he shouldn’t be looking at you with so much intensity, but he couldn’t help it. His glances were quick and out of the corner of his eye at first, but after some time he completely forgot to keep the looking secret and started staring at you.

You weren’t even noticing. You were in your own little world, thinking about a catchy little tune you heard over the radio while you cleaned your nails.

It was all so simple, but he couldn’t help his eyes from noticing every little thing you did. He didn’t understand why his heart thrummed so fast when you pursed your lips or drummed your fingers onto your lap. Tiny itty bitty things he didn’t pay attention to earlier were so eye catching for some reason.

You had such a content look on your face, it physically pained him. He could feel the weight of his heart, the buzz in his fingers, he wanted to know if you felt the same. If you felt there was no one else who could fill up this place in your chest. Like no matter where you were, each moment was perfect as long as this feeling stayed.

He couldn’t help but intertwine your hand with his. You smiled up at him and he wondered if he was allowed to have this. Your hand or this moment, he didn’t know if he deserved it, yet he couldn’t help but take it. It would be wrong not to.

He squeezed your palm to his, maybe you could see the sparks behind his eyes as he did so. He hoped if he looked close enough, you would share the same sparks behind your eyes as well.

[justcourttee]

Okay that "Love,Right?" oneshot was wonderful but now you've got me obsessed with wondering how all the boys would fight for Mari's attention and all trying to date her omg

On an off note, I hope this came out alright. I really wanted to answer your ask but I’m running on low fumes rn. Loved thinking about this too though! I would love to read a more thought out fic, but I have to imagine it would go something like this

I could totally imagine like them all being relatively close in age. Like let’s say, 

Dick 23

Jason 21

Tim 20

Mari 18

Damian 17

And Mari is almost done with her last year of lycee so she is in uber done mode until the batboys show up in Paris conveniently at the same time that the Wayne boys show up to scout out a potential new business partner. 

She first meets Dick at the gymnasium that Chloe’s father had built for her when she went through a gymnastics phase but soon opened it to the public after she had moved on to whatever interested her next. Marinette is there to practice swinging mid-air to move faster in battle and what better way to do that than over a safety net 40 feet in the air?

Anywho, Dick is just arriving to blow off some steam after a particularly long day of negotiating. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the Hawkmoth mission and the need for a cover, he would’ve abandoned Tim ages ago. He finished locking up his stuff and when he moves into the acrobat section that is always empty, he isn’t sure whether to be impressed or disappointed that someone is there first. She looked nervous as she finished tying her hair into a high ponytail, her eyes calculating as if she was debating if she could make the first jump.

He wants to tell her that there is an easier way to mount, but his curiosity gets the better of him. With one last look, she closes her eyes, inhaling deeply. Without warning, she takes off down the short walkway launching her whole body into the air. Dick is sure she’s going to fall, but at the last minute she reaches out, her hand grasping the bar as she uses her momentum to flip upward, landing gracefully on top of the swinging trapeze. 

Dick couldn’t help his cheers. Her eyes widened as she realized someone else was watching her and in what felt like slow motion, she lost her balance and fell onto the net below. Dick rushes over to make sure she’s okay, apologizing a million times a minute. They introduce each other and it’s like an instant connection. They spend the rest of the afternoon trying new techniques and helping each other improve their own techniques. 

When Dick returns to the hotel that night, he can’t help the fact that her first swing was stuck on replay in his mind. The next day, he rushes over to the gym only to find her there again. This time, he’s determined to get her number, and surprisingly (to him) he succeeds. They spend the night trading funny memes and tiktoks. After a couple of weeks, Dick decides to try and ask her on a date. They were already close friends, I mean she trusted him enough not to drop her from forty feet in the air, that meant she trusted him right?

He shows up with a giant bouquet of roses only to receive a text message that she couldn’t make it that day. While it was a setback, it didn’t mean he was going to give up. He would show up with a bouquet of roses every day until she was there to receive them. And only then would he ask her on a date, because I can totally believe that he wouldn’t want to do it over text. It’s in-person or not at all.

The second Wayne she meets is Jason.

Muggings in Paris weren’t common with Ladybug and Chat Noir around, but it seemed to be Marinette’s lucky day as some guy just decided that a high school girl had enough money in her little purse to steal. As he backed her down an alleyway, a small hand knife pointed at her, Marinette was considering her options.

She could always try to run. After all, the guy was big and bulky, it would be hard for him to keep up with her and she doubted he wanted her bag enough to actually put up a fight. Just as she was eyeing an opening, a small sound echoed through the alleyway, one she was quite familiar with. The guy’s face looked mortified as he turned slowly to face his attacker. 

The man said something in a hushed tone to the guy that Marinette couldn’t quite make out. Whatever it was though, it was enough for her would-be assailant to book it out of the alleyway without a glance back. Assessing her newest threat, Marinette decided that this guy was more punk than thug. She was safe for now. 

He asked her if she was okay and if she needed anything as he adjusted his gun back into his waistband. Marinette was fine, but she was curious as to how he smuggled a gun into France. 

“Ah. My American accent give me away Princess?”

His french was flawless, but it was clear that he wasn’t from the area. He joked that his adopted father was rich enough for the national security to look past it. At least, she was pretty sure he was joking. 

He asks if they can grab something to eat, just because a pretty girl like her shouldn’t go hungry. Marinette is tempted to decline, but her curiosity gets the better of her. They end up going to a small diner near her parent’s bakery where they spend the night flirting shamelessly, both tinging their compliments with enough sarcasm and insults that the people around them couldn’t tell if they were together or if they were related. 

Exchanging numbers, the two continued to meet up for weekly dinners at that same diner as they bond over hating people and insulting/admiring each other. When Jason finally realizes his flirting may have shifted from mocking to an actual crush, he's conflicted. It’s just a couple months, at most a year in Paris, but would that really be a reason not to try? He starts bringing her small gifts to the dinners, starting out small like her favorite dessert or small rocks that reminded him of her, but he soon gets more elaborate like bringing her his favorite books to borrow and throwing in a new set of threads for her sewing machine. 

He hopes that when she looks at the small gifts that she’ll start associating him with the things that make her happy and just maybe, she’ll fall for him too. 

I think you guys already know where Tim is going but I have to do this 

Marinette frequents a small coffee shop near the hotel that the Wayne Boys are staying in. She would just drink the coffee that her parents serve in the bakery, but they refused to let her load up her drinks with enough caffeine to get through her day. 

She always shows up at 7:00a, after all, she’s gotten better at this punctuality thing over the years. The owners already expect her at this point and already have her drink ready before she even steps foot through the door.

One morning, one of the owners ask her to deliver a coffee to the young man that fell asleep at one of their tables. 

“He’s the first person I’ve met whose order rivals yours Ms. Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette is impressed as she inhales the strong black coffee wafting from the mug. He definitely amped it up with two expresso shots and maybe a pump of hazelnut? If he could taste it over the bitterness of the expresso, she would be impressed.

As she sat the cup down on the table, she slid into the booth in front of him, patiently waiting for him to stir. Watching his soft exhales, Marinette felt at peace. She had never seen someone sleep so softly without moving a muscle. As quietly as she could, she brought out her sketchbook. She got about halfway through his frame when his soft breathing stopped. 

Her eyes snapped up to find his blue ones studying her cautiously. Of course, she mutters out apologizes at a million miles a minute, trying to explain that she needed practice for her living art class and that she was just dropping off his coffee and she was so sorry for drawing him without his permission. As she finally trails off, Marinette is more confused than ever. She thought he was awake, his eyes studying her, but now she wasn’t so confident. She was pretty sure he was still half asleep, assuming she was some sort of hallucination.

He reached out, draining his cup of coffee without coming up for a single breath.

“I didn’t think I was this sleep-deprived. Please beautiful sleep-induced entity, draw me if you must.”

Marinette bites her lip trying not to laugh as he tiredly pulls out a laptop, typing away at seemingly nothing. 

The next day, Marinette finds him in his same spot, already two empty mugs occupying the table. As she orders, she’s sure to grab an extra one for him before joining him once more. This time, Tim is the one to apologize as he realizes finally that she is a real girl and not a hallucination. 

Marinette laughs it off and the briefly chat about their lives. As Marinette gets up to leave for her morning classes, she promises to meet him for coffee the next morning. Surely enough, as she walks through the door, he’s already at their booth. He waves her over, motioning to the coffee mug holding her go-to order. They come to an agreement, he allows her to draw him for practice, she offers him the occasional advice. There is sometimes small talk, but it’s mostly just full of comfort that they found in each other’s presence. 

After weeks, Tim finally decides that he wants to get to know this beautiful coffee angel. He starts by asking her to meet at a bakery that he had been dying to try. As he arrives at the bakery, Marinette sheepishly admits that it was her parent’s bakery. Tim feigns ignorance, but that smirk he gives her makes her reconsider the innocent sleep-deprived man she had met weeks earlier. From now on, he has breakfast with the Dupain-Cheng family every morning. After all, your in-laws have to like you first before you can try anything else, right?

Finally, we have Damian. 

They meet in the living art class. He had already taken something similar at Gotham Academy, but he was curious to see the French side of something he cherished so dearly. 

At first, he hates her. She reminds him of a mixture between Dick and Tim and in all honesty, he only volunteered to pretend to be a foreign exchange student to spend the majority of the day away from his brothers. 

He slowly begins to change his mind though as he is partnered with her for a partner draw project. The teacher forces them to spend all of class drawing each other how they feel the world should see their partner. It involved a lot of sharing and as she became more confident in him, he slowly felt himself opening up to this strange girl as well. 

It was going fine until one day, two of her old classmates entered the classroom, trying to pick a fight with Damian. He remembered one of them, yes the sausage haired girl, her name was Lily perhaps? She tried to ask him out and he turned her down, hard. Now here she was, crying the fakest tears he had ever seen as some ombre haired woman was chewing him out. 

He was fine going on ignoring them, but then the ombre haired woman reached out for his notebook, tearing it from his grasps. She glanced over it for a second before raising it above her head and slamming it into the ground. She lifted her foot to stomp on it, but she never had a chance to finish. Before Damian had even moved a muscle, Marinette was standing above her, a murderous look in her eyes. The sausage haired woman helped the girl to her feet as they retreated quickly, both of their faces pale as they sent empty threats in Marinette’s direction. 

With a sigh, Marinette picked up his notebook, dusting it off gently before handing it back to him, apologizing for her ex-classmates. He wanted to let her know that he didn’t need her to look out for him, that he could handle it, but his mind flashed to the look in her eyes. If anything, his interest was now piqued by the girl. 

As the project came to an end, the moment of truth had finally come. Damian showed Marinette her portrait. He had drawn her as mother nature, warm and protective of her children and cold to anyone that threatened them. He would be lying if the small blush on her face didn’t boost his pride. When she showed Damian his portrait, he couldn’t help but let his jaw drop, even slightly. 

He looked like a medieval knight, posing on the defense, a slight trickle of what looked like blood dripping out the corner of his mouth. 

“I’m sorry, please don’t think it’s weird. It’s just the more you talked, and so passionately too about how you wanted to protect everything dear to you from your family to your pets, I couldn’t help but get swept away in this idea that you were some gallant knight-”

He cut her off with a single look as his face broke into a grin. He loved it. Everyone always described him as a demon or a baby bird, but a gallant knight, it was certainly a first.

That night at the hotel, he would search google for the best ways to ask out a girl. After all, he sure as hell wasn’t asking his brothers.

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[slipping-through-my-fingertips]

august

Summary: August slips away and their summer fling is going to have to end.

Notes: it’s my birthday!! To celebrate here is the august story of my folklore series

AO3

For most people, all roads lead to Rome but for one Kurt Hummel, all roads lead to the mall.

First stop: coffee.

Once Kurt had secured his iced mocha, he began his window shopping. It was just so nice to walk around the air-conditioned mall.

There were plenty of middle and high schoolers wandering around with their friends. Enjoying the freedom of summertime. Kurt was pretty happy to be able to spend his summer days at the mall; almost like a relaxing vacation if it weren’t for the fear of running into old bullies and homophobes.

His dad just wanted Kurt to work a few days a week at the garage when the staff was short but with Finn there full-time, Kurt was barely needed. So, he spent his days off running errands and wandering around the Lima Mall.

There was no way for him to get lost at the mall. One, he had become very familiar with the mall having spent many weekends with his girls from glee club here. And two, it wasn’t a very large place.

Eventually, Kurt decided to splurge by getting a cinnamon pretzel and found a bench to rest. It wasn’t long until a curly-haired boy took a seat at the other end.

Kurt wasn’t sure if he was supposed to say hello or not. They were likely the same age. Close in age and cute. While he was debating whether or not to engage with this boy, he made the first move.

“I’m Blaine.”

He’s now facing Kurt.

“Kurt.”

They smile at each other. Kurt can feel his face getting warm.

“You here alone?” Blaine asks.

“Yeah, you?”

Blaine nods. “Wanna walk together?”

Kurt holds up his half-eaten pretzel.

“Oh,” Blaine says, “that’s okay. I can just…”

Blaine moves to stand up and leave.

“No!”

It comes out louder than intended but it stops Blaine.

“I can walk and eat.”

****

They took road trips together and talked about everything except school. It was so refreshing to have something in common with another human besides McKinley High.

Blaine never said he was from Lima; Kurt suspected he wasn’t since he hadn’t seen him at school. Though, it was possible Blaine went to some private school outside of Lima. At one point, Kurt thought he might have to transfer if the bullying got too intense.

Honestly, it was just nice to have someone who understood him like Blaine did. They had so much in common from singing and acting to taste in Broadway musicals to the same favorite hate-watching shows. The only thing they seemed to disagree on was coffee.

Blaine had a strong opinion about drinking black drip coffee with a dash of cinnamon. Whereas, Kurt always got a nonfat mocha. However, they did agree hot chocolate was the superior wintertime drink to eggnog.

Blaine was willing to compromise in ways Rachel Berry never would.

So, it was no surprise to Kurt when he realized his feelings for Blaine.

Once again, Kurt Hummel was falling for a boy who wouldn’t like him back. This time it would hurt more because Blaine could like him, since he was also gay, but didn’t. Because who could love a boy like Kurt.

****

One day they were sharing a pretzel in Blaine’s car parked behind the mall as they typically did.

“Here,” he says, handing over the last piece.

Mid-chew, Blaine almost caused Kurt to choke.

“Can I kiss you?”

Kurt swallowed.

He must’ve been blushing because his face felt hot. Blaine clearly read the look on Kurt’s face as his answer and leaned forward over the center console.

The first thing Kurt noticed was that Blaine’s lips were dusted with cinnamon sugar. He swept his tongue over Blaine’s bottom lip gathering the flakes before painting Blaine’s tongue with cinnamon.

It was an intense first kiss to say the least. Kurt had always pictured a short peck as his very first but this was better. This kiss was just a few steps away from making out.

As the weeks of summer trickled by, Blaine and Kurt spent their days texting and meeting up to make out behind the mall. They’d climb into the backseat of one of their cars and for the next hour touch any skin available. If summer was good for one thing it was exposed skin.

Blaine often wore tank tops so Kurt became very familiar with the muscle tone of his arms.

Oftentimes, Blaine was the one reaching out first. Kurt found himself waiting by the phone for a text; careful to not have permanent plans in case Blaine called. He’d canceled anything to spend time with Blaine. As far as Kurt knew they only had this summer and now it was August. How many more days would he get with Blaine?

****

One late night in August, they went stargazing. Blaine had spread blankets and pillows on the hillside and managed to secure a cheap bottle of wine courtesy of his older brother. As it turns out, Blaine didn’t know much about constellations; luckily, Kurt did.

He spent loads of nights with his mom in the backyard. She told him so many myths of the sky.

Kurt shared some with Blaine, who had interlaced their fingers. Eventually their bodies were fully pressed together. Blaine was hovering over Kurt, placing kisses along his neck.

Kurt bent his head back to give Blaine more room to cover with his lips.

Then, shirts were riding up and removed. Blaine was playing with Kurt’s zipper.

“Can I?” He asked.

Kurt nodded.

“Are you sure?”

Another nod.

“I’ve never done this before,” Blaine whispers.

“Me neither.”

For two boys who have never had sex and weren’t necessarily prepared to that night, it was always going to be a little sloppy. Misplaced hands, teeth clinking against each other, and nervously checking if something was okay.

When it was over, Kurt pulled a blanket to cover them. Blaine was resting his head in between Kurt’s head and shoulder breathing him in.

“I could fall asleep so easily,” Blaine tells him.

Kurt agreed with him but he was seriously contemplating a different kind of falling.

****

Summer had to come to an end. Before Kurt realized it, he was laying out an outfit for the first day of school. He and Blaine never did have a conversation about what was going to happen to them after summer vacation. In fact, Kurt hadn’t heard from Blaine in a few days.

He texted but went to bed without a reply.

Meanwhile, Blaine was wide awake in his own bed. He stared at the unopened text from Kurt on his phone. He could text back but he didn’t know what to say.

Sorry, I’m moving schools tomorrow.

Sorry, I lied to you all summer.

Sorry, I’m not the person you think I am.

Every single message his brain could conjure up began with an apology.

In the end, Blaine ran out of time to text him back. From a restless sleep to breakfast to rushing to get to his new school on time, he was almost able to believe Kurt hadn’t texted him at all.

As Blaine introduced himself for the first time, his eyes caught sight of people passing the door; stranglers being tardy to their first class of the day. Every person in his peripheral vision made his insides jump. They all looked like Kurt.

Except, Kurt wasn’t here. Kurt could never be here. Whatever he and Blaine had over the summer was just that—a summer thing

Blaine never thought of himself as the type for flings but Kurt was different. He’d take any time he could have with him. If three months was all he had then that was okay. He knew this last summer would stick with him for a long time.

When he closed his eyes, he was staring at Kurt’s blue ones. He could feel Kurt’s fingers dancing along his naked back with the stars watching them.

Luckily, the classes seemed to be taking it easy on the students. Going over the class schedules, future projects, and what percentage of their grade was exams and quizzes. Of course, Blaine played plenty of those ice breakers and get-to-know-you exercises.

He loved those.

By the time lunch rolled around, Blaine even had someone to sit with in the cafeteria. A nice girl named Tina sat near him in history and offered him a spot at her normal table. Blaine had mentioned wanting to join the glee club and she bounced up to him after class.

“New Directions always needs members. Sit with us at lunch and we can give you pointers for your audition.”

He met Mike, Tina’s boyfriend, Quinn, head cheerleader, and Mercedes, second lead female soloist of glee. Rachel Berry soon joined the table and sized Blaine up. She had lots of questions about his range, experience, and if he was a spy. Her boyfriend, Finn, seemed suspicious of Blaine as well. Blaine was familiar with Finn’s concerns.

The pointed glares and scowl were markers of a jealous boyfriend. Finn wasn’t worried about Blaine becoming first male lead, he didn’t want Blaine to pursue a relationship with Rachel.

This was not the first time Blaine was being mistaken for your token straight guy.

The table just kept growing. People pushing tables together and pulling empty seats. A Mohawk boy called Puck was asking Blaine about sports he liked (mainly college football) when two more cheerleaders joined them.

Brittany, the blonde, was intrigued by a new student. She had some record to keep up and asked if he wanted to sneak off somewhere to help her with it. He declined. The other, Santana, was too busy waving to someone in the distance to really notice Blaine at all.

“Porcelain, finally,” Santana says, patting the seat beside her. “Meet New Kid.”

“It’s Blaine actually,” Rachel corrected.

The boy, Porcelain, sat down and looked over at Blaine. Their eyes met and instantly widened.

“I’m Kurt,” he says.

“Hi, Kurt.” Blaine watched the boy of his dreams swallow hard. “Blaine, it’s nice to meet you.”

Lunch continued and no one seemed the wiser. Why would the New Directions assume the New Kid in town had already met their beloved Kurt Hummel? No one's first instinct would be that these two boys shyly watching each other would be “they spent the summer hooking up behind the mall.” Well, technically making out at the mall and hooking up in the park, just that one night.

Blaine tried to participate in conversation so as to not raise suspicion that he was staring at Kurt’s lips, which he was completely guilty of.

Once the glee kids started talking about a disaster of a party Rachel once threw, Blaine is able to tune them out in favor of his summer memories.

Sitting in the dark movie theater and bumping hands with Kurt as they reached for popcorn at the same time. Reaching over, buttered fingers and all, to grab for Kurt’s hand. Being able to catch a glimpse of Kurt’s smile as the movie flashed in front of them.

Lost in his daydream, Blaine didn’t hear the bell ring until Kurt tapped his hand, which was stretched out almost in the middle of the table.

“Hey, time to get to class,” Kurt tells him, “walk with me?”

“Okay.” Blaine gathered his books and trash.

“Where to?” Kurt asks.

“Crafts actually.”

“Oh, that’s just down the hall here.” Kurt guides them through the crowds. “Thanks for not spilling everything to them today.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our summer together.” Kurt’s blushing. “It was special.”

“To me too,” Blaine assures. “I wouldn’t have said anything to them. I don’t really know those guys yet. I’m new remember?”

Kurt nods. “Not new to me though.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Blaine chuckles.

They reach Blaine’s art classroom.

“I’ll see you in glee club,” Kurt says.

“Okay.”

Blaine only lets Kurt take a few steps before he’s touching his hand. “Wait.”

Kurt is staring at their joined hands and examining the hallway before meeting Blaine’s eyes. No one else is paying them any attention.

There are so many words Blaine wants to say to Kurt.

Be with me. Please. Be mine.

Don’t leave. Don’t slip away.

Stay, stay, stay.

Instead, he steps closer to Kurt and cups his face with his other hand. Kurt leans into the touch. Blaine gives the hallway one last look but it’s almost empty. The late bell will ring soon so he can’t waste any more time.

Blaine leans forward and pecks Kurt.

“Please,” he murmurs, against his lips.

Not even sure what he’s asking Kurt for exactly. Kurt seems to know what he means without needing more information or clearer words than a simple ‘please.’

Kurt drops Blaine’s hand and pulls their bodies close together and opens Blaine’s mouth with his tongue.

There’s a bell ringing, which Blaine thinks must be his own form of fireworks.

“If you two are quite done, there’s a class happening,” Blaine’s crafts teacher tells them.

They pull apart instantly, red in the face from being scolded, Kurt hurries off to his own class. Blaine does another round of introductions and can’t remember anyone’s name but Kurt Hummel.

[flameo-firelord-hotman]

Fortune Cookie — Zuko x GN!Reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings: one (1) swear word and some implications at the end (characters are aged up)

Words: 2k

Summary: the Gaang orders Chinese takeout, and everyone reads their fortune cookie fortunes. Yours and Zuko’s spark a little something.

A/N: I had a fortune cookie the other day, and it reminded me of that episode in S1 when they go to the fortune teller. Fun fact: I used to collect those little fortunes! 🥠 Anyway, enjoy the fic :)

Masterlist

“What can I say?” Sokka shrugged with a mouthful of takeout, “I know the best places to eat around campus.”

“I hope you aren’t full yet. We still have our fortune cookies to eat,” Suki said, dangling a wrapped cookie from her hand.

You took it from her. “Oh please, like I’d ever pass on dessert.”

She then tossed a fortune cookie to everyone else.

“Let’s share our fortunes!” Katara suggested as she unwrapped her cookie.

“Don’t tell me you actually believe these things,” Sokka sighed while rolling his eyes.

“What? They’re fun to read! I’ll start.” She broke her cookie open, removed the tiny slip of paper inside and read her fortune aloud. “Mine says ‘you will be showered with good luck.’ Maybe that means I’ll do well on my midterms!”

“Hmm...mine says ‘nothing is impossible to a willing heart.’ That’s inspiring, I like it!” Aang said with a sweet smile.

“I’ll go next!” Suki said with a mouthful of cookie. “‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.’ That’s quite true!” She nodded. Everyone hummed in agreement.

“Alright, you know what. I’ll read mine,” Sokka decided. He squinted his eyes at the tiny piece of paper. “It says...‘you will be hungry in one hour.’ Seriously?!”

Everyone burst out laughing. “I think we can all agree, of all the fortunes so far, yours is the most true,” you chuckled.

“Okay then, [y/n], what does yours say?” Sokka sneered.

“Let’s see,” you said as you delicately held the slip of paper to your eyes. “‘Your love life will soon be happy and harmonious.’”

“Oooh, that’s quite a fortune, [y/n]!” Katara commented.

“I wonder who you’ll be with?” Aang pondered.

Suki nudged you with her elbow. “Someone handsome I bet!”

You never really believed these things, but you wished it was true, and you wished it was Zuko. You’ve always had a crush on him. Since you met him, there hasn’t been a single day you didn’t think about him. You hoped that someday he would confess to feeling the same way about you.

For just a second, you glanced at Zuko. He was staring at you, so you quickly averted your gaze to not seem obvious. Was that a hint of blush on his cheeks? No, it must’ve been your imagination, or maybe the lighting.

Heat built up in your face from feeling a little embarrassed, not just because of Zuko, but also from all the teasing. “Oh, stop guys,” you giggled.

“Yeah, stop guys. I wanna hear Toph and Zuko’s,” Sokka said in a bored tone.

“You’re just upset that your fortune is so stupid, it’s true,” Katara snickered.

“Well, you won’t believe what mine says,” Toph said. “It says ‘you will win a million dollars!’” She cheered.

“What?!” Sokka shouted. Everyone stared at him with raised eyebrows. Then, the look on his face shifted as he realized. “I hate you, Toph.”

“Ha! Blind jokes never fail,” Toph said proudly.

“Here, I’ll read it for you,” you said, taking the tiny slip of paper from Toph. “Your fortune is ‘you will never know your full potential until you try.’”

“So what it’s saying is, I should try punching Sokka even harder,” Toph said, cracking her knuckles.

“Please don’t,” Sokka quietly begged.

“Toph!” Aang cried, “no violence allowed!”

Toph groaned, “you guys are no fun. But I don’t care, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Anyway,” Katara interrupted, “that leaves you, Zuko!”

“Um...okay. It’s kind of weird though,” he said hesitantly.

“It can’t possibly be as bad as Sokka’s,” Katara jeered.

Zuko gulped before bashfully reading aloud. “Mine says...‘now is the time to pursue that love interest.’”

If you thought you were blushing before, you were really doing it now. Your face was like a tomato. Fortunately for you, everyone was staring at Zuko. They didn’t know your secret. Sokka began laughing.

“Okay, I admit that I don’t believing these things, but I know for a fact that that fortune is completely true. I mean, come on, buddy! What have I been saying for the past—“

“Ugh, shut up, Sokka!” Zuko barked, “it’s just a stupid fortune.”

“Wait, do you actually have a crush on someone?” Katara asked sincerely. He didn’t respond. Instead, he blushed and avoided everyone’s gaze. “It’s okay, Zuko, you can tell us. We can help you!”

“No,” Zuko grumbled, as he stood up. “I’m going home now.” And with the slam of the door, he was gone.

“Sheesh, Sparky sure is a drama queen,” Toph said, crossing her arms.

“Sokka, do you know who he likes?” Suki asked.

“Yes, and if I told you, he would give me a matching scar.” Sokka pointed to his left eye.

“Well, clearly he’s really upset about it,” you started as you stood to leave. “I’ll go talk to him.”

As Zuko rushed back to his apartment, he couldn’t help but think of you. Sokka and that stupid fortune were right. He should’ve asked you out long ago. But what if you didn’t feel the same way?

He felt so humiliated. It was bad enough that he was a coward, and that he had to deal with Sokka’s teasing on a daily basis, but now he had that little sheet of paper mocking him too.

He wondered what you thought of your fortune. Did it mean anything to you? When he heard it, he immediately thought of you and him together. But it was wishful thinking. So, he wondered if it was about you and someone else...and he felt jealous.

Zuko slapped his forehead. “I can’t believe how stupid I am. I’m getting worked up over some fortune cookies that probably don’t mean anything at all. This is pathetic!” He cried.

You should’ve brought a coat. The autumn night air was chilly. Nevertheless, you hurried to Zuko and Sokka’s apartment. You hoped to find him on the way—he couldn’t have gotten too far—but it was hard to see. Only the nearly full moon and the street lamps dimly lit the way for you.

Surely, he would tell you why he was so upset. You two always talked about your problems with each other. One of the best things about your friendship was how comfortable you felt with him. You could tell him anything...anything except that you liked him, and that you thought he was cute, and that the way he smiled made your heart flutter, and that whenever he whispered funny things about Sokka to you in that low raspy voice of his, you felt shivers run down your spine, and that you just wanted to hold him or be held by him, and that you wondered what it felt like to kiss him...no, actually, you could tell him anything except that you loved him.

You desperately wanted to ask Zuko what Sokka was talking about. Was it true? Did he really have a crush on someone? Who? And for how long? But maybe it was best not to know. Fear of finding out he loved someone else crept into your mind. Ignorance is bliss, after all.

Suddenly, you considered turning around and going back. Being so comfortable and open with each other might mean Zuko would tell you about his crush, and, had it been you, he would’ve said something by now, right? Sokka seemed to imply that this had been going on for a while. That meant it had to be someone else.

You stood outside his apartment building, staring at the door, debating whether to press the buzzer or not, debating whether to have your heart broken or not. Before you could decide, the door opened.

“[Y/n], what are you doing out here? You’re shivering,” Zuko said with concern.

“I j-just wanted to make sure y-you were okay.”

He gestured for you to come in, and you did.

“I saw you walking over in the front window. Why didn’t you just text me?” He asked as he poured a hot cup of tea.

You took the cup and shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think of it.”

“Well, I’m fine. I’ve been a little stressed lately over studying for exams, and I kind of exploded, because Sokka was being, well, Sokka. You know how annoying he can be,” he chuckled before taking a sip from his own cup. What a lie that was, but you wouldn’t know it.

“That makes sense. I was worried when you left so suddenly.”

You wanted to ask him, you wanted to know so badly, but you didn’t know how to bring it up. Zuko couldn’t help but wonder as well. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way to talk to you.

“Um, Zuko, I—“       //       “[Y/n], there’s som—”

Both of you stared at each other for a moment.

“Sorry, go ahead,” you said.

“Um, okay.” Zuko took a deep breath before continuing, “there’s something I need to tell you. I wish I had told you long ago, but I was too afraid. And I’m tired of keeping it bottled up, so I’m just going to say it now. I kind of...no, I do, I mean, I—ugh...I have had...uh, feelings for you...for a while. Like, I think I...I love you.”

By the time Zuko finished rambling, his face was flushed and his heart was pounding. You stared at him, stunned, elated and relieved. But he didn’t dare look at you, instead he dropped his head to stare at his feet.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to say that to me.”

Zuko shot up. He saw you smiling brightly and approaching him. You reached up to cup his cheeks. He rested his hands on your waist. His hands were slightly trembling from all the anxiety he felt in this moment.

“Really?” He asked in a shaky voice.

“Yes, really. That’s actually what I was going to talk to you about. I love you too, Zuko. I have for a while now.”

Zuko smiled. Without a second thought, he crashed his lips on yours. You leaned in and tangled your fingers in his dark, shaggy hair. Running a hand up your back and wrapping the other around your waist, he brought you closer and squeezed you like you were the only thing he had left. His arms were warm, his chest was warm, even his lips were warm. You melted right into him.

A moment later, the two of you pulled away, panting. The kiss was so passionate and long overdue, that it left you both exhausted. You rested your head on his chest and listened to his fast-beating heart. He rested his head on yours and rubbed circles on your back with his thumb.

“So...is your love life happy and harmonious now?” Zuko asked.

“Yes, all thanks to you pursuing that love interest!”

He laughed. “I can’t believe this happened, because of some stupid fortunes in a cookie.”

“I wouldn’t call them stupid. They’re the only fortunes that I’ve known to be true.”

Katara checked her phone for the fifth time. “[Y/n] still hasn’t responded, or even read my text. It’s been a half hour now!”

Suki rested a hand on her shoulder, “I’m sure they’re fine.”

“At this point, they’re probably making out,” Sokka mumbled as he mindlessly scrolled through his phone, not even bothering to look up. The room fell silent as everyone turned to him. “Shit, I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Zuko has a crush on [y/n]?!” Aang’s jaw dropped.

Toph shrugged, “it makes sense. I’ve noticed that Sparky’s heart rate goes through the roof whenever he’s with [y/n]. Theirs gets pretty high too when Zuko is around.”

“Well, that explains a lot. Those two are definitely making out then,” Katara nodded. Everyone else hummed in agreement.

“So, Sokka...do you want to stay the night with us then?” Aang asked.

“Yes, please.”

[strangeinternetwasteland]

Cross the Line Part 2

A/N: Let me know if you want a part 3, that would be the final part

Word Count 1.9K

Warnings: Swearing and mentions of abortion

You struggled to breathe, you felt your heartbreak into a million pieces. You did this to yourself. You didn’t go back to his apartment. You just packed your clothes from your apartment and ran. You didn’t care where you ended up, or if you died. The look on Bakugo’s face was enough. The venom in his voice was enough to make you vomit right then and there. You knew you couldn’t go back to the League. You debated whether or not to go to the commission for protection. Deciding against that since they’d probably just kill you on sight for just endangering their mission.

You wandered on the streets for a while. You thought about the last few months, and how blissful they truly were. You sat in a dark alley on top of your suitcase and cried. You let it all out, every emotion poured out of you. No one else seemed to have cared at all. The scream that erupted from your throat was full of pain. You didn’t notice when someone approached you.

“Y/N?” A concerned voice pulled you back to reality. Deku looked at you. You had met him a few times, and knew that he grew up with Bakugo.

“Are you okay?” He asked you. You nodded, why should he be brought into your drama. Into the world you created yourself.

“Is it Kaa-Chan?” He questioned you. “I know he can be so quick to anger. Give him sometime, he’ll cool down. You two will be okay. He loves you.” He tried reassuring you. You just broke down again, crying harder.

“No. It can’t be okay. It won’t be okay. I fucked up. Really really bad.” You stuttered out between sobs.

“How about you stay with me for a bit?” He offered you. You didn’t object, you really just wanted to lay your head down for a bit in a place where you’d be safe for a moment. When you arrived at Midoriya’s apartment, he showed you to the guest room. You closed the door behind you, laid on the bed, The last thought on your mind was about keeping the baby. You fell asleep after a few slow, long blinks. You awoke a few hours later yelling.

“DUMBASS, I told you. She’s the enemy. She’s a villian.” You heard Bakugo yelling.

“Kaa-Chan, I don’t think she is. Everyone is capable of change.” Midoriya defended you.

“You really don’t know her. How could she lie to me so easily? I loved her. You don’t fucking get it.” Bakugo pounded his fist against the table.

“Then make me understand, if you don’t think I know. I know you love her, I know she loves you. So she didn’t kill you all those times she could have. She didn’t  sit there and give the League any information. She would have fucked us over so many times. She could’ve, but she didn’t.” Midoriya spoke to Bakugo.

You didn’t need to hear anything more. You grabbed your suitcase and slipped through the window. You decided that you’d come clean to the Commission. You walked there as quickly as possible, you fought your nerves, and emotions the whole way.

When you arrived, you weren’t sure what to expect. You were rushed into the Chairman’s office. For the next few hours, you explained what you found out while working with the villains, what the villains’ plans were, and what their ultimate goal was. Every detail of your interactions were scrutinized. When you finished with your meeting the only thing that was left was to tell the truth about you and Bakugo.

“Thank you for your help with this mission. I know it was difficult to cross that line, and sometimes multiple times. It wears on one’s mind after some time. Your services are no longer needed.” The Chairman told you with a satisfied smile on his face.

“There is something else I need to disclose, Sir.” You began to say.

“If this is about you and Lord Murder Explosion being a couple, my advice is to continue, his ratings are going up since announcing your relationship. The public feels safer and also think he’s more approachable.” He continued.

“I am afraid to say this, but he and I are no longer together. After finding out I was working the League, he didn’t want anything to do with me.” You told him with a little more firmness that you meant to. “Also, I will not be able to return to hero work right away. I am currently pregnant.” You kept the Chairman’s eye.

“I see. Tomorrow morning go see the doctor. We will figure out other work for you in the meantime. Meanwhile, please rest for the next two weeks. We will take care of the other apartment.” He dismissed you, you felt some sort of weight lift off your shoulders, but your mind was filled with worry.

The next two weeks came and went in a blur, you’d gotten a due date for your baby, but were unsure if you even wanted to keep it. You slept unrestfully for those two weeks. Every day you woke up thinking about Bakugo. Wondering if the Chairman would be good on his word. You really didnt have much faith in him when it came to promises. Midoriya had texted you every so often just to check up. He was very sweet, and Ochacko was very lucky to have ended up with him. The Commission hadn’t contacted you about starting other work at the end of the two weeks, so your vacation ended up being extended another two weeks.

After a month of no contact from Bakugo, you decided that it was time to make up your mind about the baby. You were getting ready for your day when you were called into action to fight against the League. You were in a one on one fight with Toga. Everything inside you screamed that you’d rather die than let this little teenaged psycho touch a civilian.

“Oh, look who’s here to save the day! The traitor” Toga cackled at you, her maniacal laugh echoing off the surrounding buildings.

“I will take you down if it’s the last thing I do you fucking psycho.” You retorted as you lunged at her. The pace of her swings were too much for you. You were winded and breathless after a few minutes. There was nothing special about her movements, yours were sluggish from the human inside. She had pinned you against the wall with her hands around your throat. You were dangerously close to blacking out. Suddenly, your body slouched against the wall, as you felt yourself gasping for air right before nothingness enveloped you.

You awoke with the yellowish glare of fluorescent lights, and gasping for air. Your hands were grasping for anything you could hold on to. Your hand grabbed hold of a bicep. When your (eye color) met his red ones, time stood still for a moment. Everything you were fighting for in that moment seemed to have faded away.

He took his hand and placed it on top of your head. You couldn’t read the look on his face. He didn’t seem mad, or angry. He stood a placed a kiss on your forehead.

“You scared me.” He whispered into your hair as he brushed it back. The tears flowed freely from his eyes. “I was so scared I was going to lose you.” The tender moment broken by the doctor.

“Oh, good, Y/N, you’re awake. We need to discuss a few things. First, I need your consent that it is okay to speak about important health information in front of-” The doctor looked at Bakugo.

“Katsuki, Yes. I consent.” You said allowed.

“Alright. First, there were no serious injuries sustained with your fight. Your throat may be sore for a few days, and you may have a headache. There was no brain damage.” He told the both of you. Bakugo took your hand in his squeezing it gently.

“Secondly, about the pregnancy.” He started, Bakugo tightened his grip on your hand. A very worried look crossed his face “They’re safe, and doing well.”

“They?” You said with shock. The doctor nodded.

“Yes, They. That was the other part, I know you Ms. L/N, were told it was one. While doing tests, we did indeed find two. The last thing is that we’d like to keep you here for a few hours just for observation.” He finished.

“Yes, okay. No problem.” You agreed with the doctor.

“Okay, great. I will give you some time. The nurse will be in here in a while to check your vitals and check on you.” The doctor said and left, closing the door behind him.

Bakugo had been awfully quiet while the doctor had spoken. You were unsure of what he was thinking. Bakugo stood up and placed his hands in his pockets.

“Katsuki…” He kissed you chastely at first, then deepened the kiss. All of the emotions he’d been keeping in over the last month tumbled out. Bakugo decided against having his way with you in the hospital bed, and broke the kiss.

“Y/N…” He pulled a black box from his pocket and opened it, up a light pink dusted his cheeks. Inside was a gorgeous round cut diamond solitaire ring set in white gold. You gave him a quizzical look, not understanding.

“Are you going to answer me? Or am I just going to stand here like a dumbass?” He asked you. It took a second, but it clicked in your brain. He was asking you to marry him. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him close breathing in his scent. Tears were streaming down your face, as you nodded your answer to him.

“I am sorry, Y/N. I thought you were the villain. I thought you were the bad guy here. When the Chairman explained everything to me. I thought it couldn’t be possible that you’d actually like me. It was that nerd, Deku, who told me that you two had been texting. He kept me up to date, he told me what you had said. When I had found you passed out because that damn extra...I was really scared. I was terrified that you were going to die. I knew I was going to ask you to marry me, the next time I saw you. I am sorry it’s in the hospital. I’ll ask you properly, soon.”

He looked as if  he’d break in your hands, and you knew to an extent that it was true. He sat there holding you close afraid that if he did let you go, you’d disappear.

“Please come back, live with me. Let me take care of you and our children. I promise I will spend every day making it up to you, in every way possible. However, you’d like, for as long as it takes. The happiest I’ve ever been is when I spent time with you.” He said with a softness in his voice that you knew he meant what he was saying.

“I am sorry, Katsuki. I cannot do that.” You told him teasingly. His face dropped, “Not unless you say it.” He groaned at you.

“I love you, Y/N. Will you marry me?” Bakugo asked you followed by another passionate kiss. This moment couldn’t have been more perfect.

[bgn846]

The Science Experiment ffxv fluff cats

Noct tried not to panic as he re-read his text message. He was in a meeting and unable to do much of anything besides fidget uselessly in his seat. This of course attracted the attention of Ignis who simply scowled at him with a disapproving look. Figures Prompto would text him with something urgent when he was busy!

Waiting for the meeting to end was pure torture. Not that he knew what real torture felt like but Noct was sure it had to be close. He wasn’t even out of high school yet and he still had to sit through boring council meetings. Finally, when the meeting adjourned he quickly sent a message back to Prompto right before Ignis’ full focus was directed towards him.

“Highness, might I suggest you not play with your phone during council sessions, it does make you look rather distracted.”

“I wasn’t playing!” Noct spit back under his breath.

“Well, whatever it was you were doing shouldn’t be conducted during the meeting.”

“Yeah, yeah, gotcha, can we go home now?”

Ignis merely sighed and nodded towards the exit. The drive back home was mostly quiet. Ignis probably thought he was stewing over being reprimanded for his phone use, but Noct was really texting Prompto. He still had to figure out what to do.  Ignis needed to drop him off and go home so Noct could call Prompto.

Getting Ignis to actually go home, took forever. First, he had to convince his advisor and friend that he should take the night off. Only after he agreed to eat some leftovers with actual nutritional content did Ignis agree to this idea. Noct kept saying he was only tired and didn’t want to be a bore if Ignis stuck around. The lie was weak and Noct assumed Ignis was only agreeing to keep him happy.

Nearly twenty minutes later when Ignis had gone back down to his car and the door was locked and bolted did Noct call Prompto. His friend picked up on the first ring.

“Dude! Where have you been?” Prompto wailed.

“In a meeting, I just got rid of Ignis, what’s going on? Is she alright?”

“I dunno, she’s um acting weird. I’m starting to get worried.”

“Shit, I knew you should have taken her to the vet yesterday, now what do we do? Nothing will be open now except in emergency places.   Ignis will definitely know something is up if that shows up on the credit card.”

“Oh, oh, I need to bring her over, I don’t know what else to do,” Prompto replied in a rush. “I have just enough money for a cab, I’ll be there soon.”

“Wait! Prompto!” It was too late the line had disconnected. Noct considered calling back but he knew his friend was coming over no matter what he said. Nervously pacing his living room Noct couldn’t get time to go any faster. It felt like an eternity before someone called from downstairs alerting him to Prompto’s arrival.

Running to the door he waited in the hallway until Prompto’s figure appeared around the corner. He was carrying a large box and practically sprinting down the hall. “I don’t know what to do buddy, she’s not okay.”

Noct ushered Prompto inside and quickly shut the door. “Come on let’s take her into the bathroom and see, the light is better in there and it’s got all the first aid stuff too.”

Nearly two hours later Noct wasn’t sure he could unsee what he’d witnessed. Blinking slowly he took in the scene that had unfolded on his pristine white tiled bathroom floor. “How the hell am I going to explain this to Ignis? He doesn’t like animals.”

“We can clean up the mess for sure, but, um, I don’t know what to do with all the new ones,” Prompto replied gesturing towards the pile of squirming fur near the bathtub.

“How did we not know she was pregnant? Shouldn’t that be like, obvious?”

“I’ve never seen a pregnant cat before how the heck would I have known that?”

Noct hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t bother to comment further. They’d both missed this very important fact regarding their newly rescued furry friend. “We couldn’t have left her right? I mean, we did the right thing yeah?” Noct checked, suddenly worried that they’d somehow ruined this cat’s life by taking her in right before she gave birth. Finding a cute cat behind the arcade had been fun but then it had followed them, and pretty soon Prompto had picked it up and the rest is history.

“Nah, dude, she needed a nice place to rest for something like this,” Prompto defended.

“Okay, but now what? They can’t stay here.”

“What do you mean? They can’t stay here, I can’t keep them,” said Prompto with a serious expression. “I work after school, remember? I won’t be able to watch them properly.”

“What about your parents can’t they help?”

“No! Dad is working out of town this week and mom is allergic. I did well to hide momma cat from her this long.”

“Ignis will skin me alive if he finds out I’m keeping a cat in here. I can’t keep them!”

“Buddy, you have to, we don’t have a choice. Don’t you have that extra room no one uses? Can’t we set them up in there and just keep Ignis out?”

“You make it sound so easy, Ignis will find them.”

“Oh! Tell him you are doing a science project and you need a controlled environment or something and that he needs to not open the door for the next week.”

“Prompto, that is the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard of, that will never work,” Noct huffed.

--

“Yeah, so it’s for a science project and like I need a controlled environment otherwise it’ll fail and I’ll have to um, you know, start over,” Noct rambled as Ignis stood in the hallway holding a bundle of folded clothes the next evening.

“Highness you are aware that I use the closet in that room for storing some of your extra clothing, it would have been helpful to have alerted me to this development before you started your experiment.”

“Uh, sorry about not telling you but it’s super important that you just don’t go in there. I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

Ignis raised an eyebrow in judgment and watched as Noct withered under the gaze.  Unwilling to fight Noct on what he was actually hiding in the room Ignis sighed and shook his head. Without uttering anything else he turned and walked away. The evening was going to be an interesting one.

It became clear that Noct wanted him to leave sooner rather than later, so Ignis decided to play along. Being an integral part of the prince's life meant he would see Noct again, whether he wanted it or not. Seeing Noct struggle to ignore the spare room was comical. Homework was even brought out as what Ignis could only guess was some form of distraction.

Noct only stared at the paper but didn’t write anything. When dinner was served he ate so fast Ignis was sure he’d make himself sick. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. Once all the dishes were clean Ignis gathered his things and bid Noct a good night.

No sooner had he shut the door behind him did he hear Noct run away from the door, he was up to something. Debating about calling Gladio to ask if he knew, Ignis decided things might be more adventurous if he let it play out naturally.

Approximately twenty-six hours later when Ignis came over to fix dinner he had his first clue. Noct’s apartment smelled fruity. The prince normally didn’t like fake scents but he’d obviously bought something. Sniffing around Ignis found the source, plugged into the wall just down the hall from the supposed science experiment room. As he was walking over to investigate further Noct came bustling down the hall and blocked the door with his body.

“When did you get here?! I told you already you can’t go in there!”

“I wasn’t going to go in, I was merely trying to figure out why you bought that,” Ignis commented as he pointed to the small device emitting the not-so-great scent. “And I’m here to fix dinner highness like I always am at this time.”

“Ah, oh, um, right, dinner.”

“So the experiment you’re conducting stinks?” Ignis asked hoping to glean more information.

“No, well not exactly, but yeah,” Noct scrambled. “Does it really matter, this is my house. If I want a smelly plug thing for the wall then I should have one right?”

Ignis raised his hands in defeat and turned away. “I’ll go start dinner then since there is nothing to see here.”

The moment he’d made it to the kitchen Ignis was sure he’d heard the door to the spare room open and quickly close. Noct came to join him about five minutes later and couldn’t focus to save his life. The boy was constantly looking towards the spare room and was unable to make conversation that consisted of anything more than three words. Giving up Ignis finished up dinner and excused himself early for the night.

One day down, Ignis wondered how long  Noct would make it before he slipped up and revealed the secrets of the spare room.

--

It had been three weeks and Ignis was still playing Noct’s game of ‘stay out of the spare room’. Though, he had a pretty good idea of what was going on. He’d just not seen physical evidence yet. Ignis had also discovered that Prompto was part of this ruse as well. The two teenagers were constantly hanging out, more than normal, and working to keep the spare room from being noticed. The idea that making distractions around the rest of the apartment would keep their secret safe was funny to Ignis.

Having had ample time to do research on a few things Ignis was sure that life was about to get a lot trickery for Noct and Prompto. By now Gladio had been alerted and told to stay quiet. Ignis was actually having fun and looking forward to the big, or rather small reveal.

Granted he could have intruded and taken a peek in the room already, but Ignis stood by his morals, this was Noct’s home and he’d been asked to stay out of that room. The trust he and Noct shared was not something he was keen to throw away over a cat.

Settling in at the dining table that evening Ignis sat with his back to the hallway, Noct’s new seat of choice was one facing the spare room. It was just the two of them tonight; Prompto had to go home early to see his parents. Halfway through the meal, Ignis heard a faint scratching noise. “Do you hear that?” he asked pausing and tilting his head.

“Hear what? I don’t hear anything!”

“Hmm I’m sure I heard something, does your science experiment have to do with anything that moves?”

“Something moving?! Six no, its not alive. Nothing in that room is alive,” Noct answered as his face turned a rather interesting shade of red.

“I see, well then I must have heard something else.”

Noct didn’t say anything more; instead it seemed his focus had become how loudly he could eat the rest of his dinner. The idea that clinking his fork into the dishware and slamming his water glass down would do anything to mask the sounds coming from down the hall was amusing. Working hard to keep from smiling Ignis finished eating and hurried to clean and put away the dishes.

“Don’t forget we need to review the council meeting minute’s tomorrow evening after dinner.”

“Can’t we just like wait until the meeting and then I’ll take a look, I don’t really need to be that prepared. They never ask me anything anyway.”

“You will not get out of this highness, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Noct groaned in frustration but nodded as Ignis gathered his things and made to leave. Deciding to push a little Ignis paused near the door. “When will your science experiment be over?”

“Not sure, it’s sorta um an organic timed kinda thing. Ya know?”

“No not really, why don’t you explain it to me?”

Noct’s nervous laughter filled the space as he began gesticulating with his hands and trying to say something coherent. “Well, like, um, it’s science and stuff and sometimes I don’t even understand it, but there are instructions and its going well I think.”

“I see,” Ignis hummed. “I’d best be off then, good night Noct.” With nothing more than a smile, Ignis donned his shoes and left.

--

The next evening when Ignis approached Noct’s apartment door he could hear a commotion inside. A faint yelp indicated that Prompto was there as well. Knocking loudly Ignis took his time unlocking the door and letting himself in. He could at least give them a head start.

Once inside Ignis could tell that things had escalated. The living room was a mess and the sound of hushed voices and frantic steps could be heard down the hall. Both young men were in the spare room. The cat must have escaped the room or maybe it was trying to escape. One couldn’t keep a cat caged for too long it’d get curious and want to explore.

Deciding to start dinner Ignis busied himself in the kitchen. Looking around in an upper cabinet for a dish Ignis was startled when a door slammed. Spinning around Ignis was about to check on Noct and Prompto when something caught his eye. There on the floor was a tiny little ball of fluff. It had cute little ears and was wobbling around headed straight for him.

They were hiding a kitten, not a cat! No wonder Noct was being so protective. Slowly walking towards the little kitten, Ignis was surprised when another nearly identical kitten appeared from around the corner. Dear six, there was more than one. The first kitten had nearly made to his feet when Ignis heard footsteps approaching. Without thinking he leaned over and scooped up the little animal and promptly shoved it in the still open cabinet. Swiftly closing the door he stayed facing the wall pretending to prepare things while he waited. The footsteps became very quiet, almost like the owner was trying to hide. Ignis knew they were trying to catch the little escapee. When the door down the hall opened and closed Ignis checked to make sure he was alone before he opened the cabinet door.

A petit mew was the greeting he received from the occupant. Reaching in Ignis gave the little fuzzball a pat. “I believe they are still looking for you little one,” he whispered with a smirk. “Your sibling didn’t make it as far as you.”

Again, the door opened down the hall and Ignis quickly and carefully shut the cabinet to hide its secret. Spinning around Ignis found Noct wandering around the living room, hunched over clearly looking for the missing kitten. “Did you lose something?”

Noct straightened up and shook his head, “Nah I was um just stretching my legs.”

Before Ignis could think of what to say Prompto came running into the room without noticing him. “Did you find it?!”

“Be sure to say hi to Ignis first!” Noct exclaimed.

“Shit! Oh uh I mean hi, how’s it going?” Prompto managed as he turned to face him.

“So you were looking for something?”

“Prompto’s phone, that’s what I was looking for, it’s not here. I think we need to check the other room again.” Noct walked away and dragged a very flustered Prompto with him.

Ignis heard Noct berate Prompto for not knowing he was there. The last bit of conversation he could make out was regarding the blond having not heard the knock on the door. Remembering his own secret Ignis rushed back and opened the cabinet. Another mew sounded and this time the kitten stumbled right out and nearly hit the counter. Thinking fast Ignis caught the little thing and cradled it to his chest. “Little trouble maker you,” he cooed. “Come now, let’s have some fun.”  

Dinner was truly entertaining. Ignis managed to hide the little kitten that he‘d already named Darvis in the laundry room. The basket full of clean towels was most intriguing and worked as a wonderful place for a small nap. However, the real show was getting to watch Prompto and Noct attempt to remain sane while they ate. Neither of them would maintain eye contact for more than a few seconds. They’d always break away to scan the floor around the apartment.

When dinner was over Ignis stood and stretched. “I think you two should clean the dishes while I get some paperwork ready for Noct to review.” Both boys were up in a flash and clearing away the dishes. Ignis had never seen them move so fast.

Taking advantage of the distraction Ignis calmly went to retrieve little Darvis. It was far too easy to sneak back into the living room and sit on the sofa with his back to Noct and Prompto. The kitten was enjoying the attention and clambered around on his lap until it found a nice little spot between Ignis’ leg and the sofa cushion. Getting comfortable Ignis began arranging paperwork for Noct to look at. Darvis had his eyes closed and was happily napping again. Soon enough Noct shuffled into view, still looking everywhere but Ignis. Prompto followed him and was also scanning the area.  

“Sit down this won’t take long. Feel free to stick around Prompto, we’ll be done soon and then I’ll take my leave for the night.”

“Huh? Oh sure, um what do you need me to review?” Noct replied absentmindedly, his attention clearly on something else.

Ignis smiled and handed over the paperwork, Noct almost dropped the folder because he wasn’t looking. Finally, the prince sat down and made a half-assed attempt at looking through the files. Prompto continued to search the fringes of the room by idly wandering around.

Several minutes passed before Prompto froze and let his mouth fall open. He was looking right at Darvis. Noct was still distracted enough that Ignis was able to put a finger to his lips to silence Prompto. The blond kept moving his mouth akin to a fish out of water but he remained quiet.

“Ignis, um, can I look at these later I’m really not able to focus right now.” Noct lamented as he put the folder down on the coffee table.

“Certainly highness, I’ll be happy to go over it again tomorrow with you.”

“Thanks, sorry, I’m not being very helpful.”

“I understand,” Ignis supplied looking straight at Noct and waiting for him to see what was in plain sight.

Prompto had even begun to stare at his friend in disbelief. Finally, Noct’s eyes grew wide as he noticed the little ball of fluff nestled next to Ignis. “How --how long have you known?” Noct managed in a strangled voice.

“Since the scent plug-in appeared.”

Noct groaned and flopped sideways on the sofa, though he quickly perked back up and pointed an accusing finger at him, “I get to keep one, you clearly already picked one.”

“Yes, Darvis is mine and will be coming to live with me once he’s been properly nursed by his mother.”

“I thought you didn’t like cats!” Prompto exclaimed.

“I don’t, Darvis is the exception,” Ignis answered coolly.

“What about the other two, and the momma?” Prompto asked with worry. “I can’t take any of them, my mom is allergic.”

Ignis wasn’t surprised to hear there were more, but he knew what to do. “I’ll put a notice up in the office; we’ll be able to find suitable homes for all of them in no time.”

“I can’t believe you let me suffer through that terrible science experiment lie for three whole weeks!” Noct lamented.

“How did you even come up with that farce?”

Noct immediately looked at Prompto and threw his hand out, “he suggested it!”

“Next time I might suggest you fess up before making your life harder. I may not like most cats but I wouldn’t have made you put it out on the street.  Though,” Ignis paused and stared at Noct intensely, “that doesn’t mean you can bring every pregnant stray you find here. Am I understood?”

“I promise never to do it again, so long as I get to keep one.”

“Can he keep another one for me too?” Prompto tried hopefully.

“Don’t push your luck young man, I think one cat between the two of you will be purrfectly fine.”

“Oh, you did not just do that!” Noct groused. “Prompto we need to get him away from the cats now, he’s only gonna get worse!”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32461276

[snarkwriteswrasslin]

15.12, le tits now, trent baretta

Title: le tits now ( let it snow wrapping paper used wrongly, ftw.) 

Theme: Wrapping paper

Fandom / Character(s):Trent Baretta, AEW

Warnings: It’s flirtatious and a little comedy. Oh and definitely over the top fluffy. That’s p. much it. 

Word Count: uhhh... roughly 2k.

This is my entry to @champbucks 12 Days Of Christmas Challenge for the day.Listen.. I was shown a picture by my bb @schizoauthoress​ that I immediately took and ran with. So.. thank them for the inspo. The wrapping paper is supposed to say let it snow, but instead, it’s wrapped horribly enough that it reads le tits now. Annnyway. I went full on sexy rom com funny with this, so I really hope ya’ll like it? I had way too much fun writing it.

BTW>. i made the banner thing. No stealing.

Tagging:

@kyleoreillysknee​​​

@rampagewriting​​​

@writertoo18​​​

@thatnerdwriter​​​

@wrestlingismyguiltypleasure​​​

@chasingeverybreakingwave​​​

@waywardwrestlewritingwaif​​​

@sassymox​​​

@champbucks​​​

@hungmanhorsecarriage​​​

@wardl0w​​​

@ryantaylorgirl​​​

@dilfmoxley​​​

@hotyeehawman​​​

@gabbynorth98​​​

@bec0m​​​

@irish-newzealand-idian-dutch​​​

@daddyslittlevillain​​​

[ about page | masterlist | tag list ]

The baseball cap was being passed around Catering and for the most part, I ignored it. Only vaguely noticed it. Hell, if I’m being honest, I was only halfway listening to Brandi Rhodes as she explained the ‘rules’ that went along with Secret Santa.

Kris leaned in and elbowed me, whispering with a soft laugh, “I hope I get OC.”

“I don’t care who I get as long as it’s not Hager. Because I can’t punch him in the dick and call it a present to humanity.” I mumbled, shrugging lazily as I scrolled Twitter.

More to the point, I may or may not have been scrolling Trent’s Twitter… For the fourth time that day. As soon as Kris caught onto it, she smiled and teased quietly, “But you’d really like it if you got Trent’s name.. Right?”

“I mean.. I wouldn’t exactly complain.” I answered Kris, putting down my phone and looking up at her, laughing softly. I could feel someone staring at me but I didn’t bother turning around. It was probably Hager again, being gross.. Again.

The baseball cap made it’s way to our table. Kris went first, pulling out a slip of paper.

“Ooh.”

“What’s ooh? Did you get OC?” I asked, teasing a little. 

“No, actually.” Kris was giving me this smug little smirk. I pretty well knew she wasn’t going to tell me just yet. And it didn’t really bother me.

I eyed the baseball cap. “Well, here goes nothing. Please baby Jesus in the manger, don’t be Hager. Don’t be Hager..” I reached in and grabbed at two slips, letting the first one settle back in the hat and pulling out the second. I opened it, eyes scrolling over the writing on the page.

“Oh thank god. It’s not Hager.” I may or may not have said it a little too loud, because at the table behind us, I heard Chuck Taylor start snickering, immediately launching into an impersonation of Hager that prompted me to turn and laugh as I nodded and gave him the thumbs up.

“You have to sound dumb as a brick next time though, Chuckie.. Man’s as dumb as a brick.”

“Noted, darlin. Who did you two get, huh?” Chuck asked Kris and I. 

“We’re not supposed to tell! That ruins the whole surprise!” Kris’ eyes went wide. I laughed and shook my head. I nodded my head subtly towards Kris when she was preoccupied and Chuck smirked, leaning in to whisper, “Just shove her in a room with Orange. Pretty sure it’ll make both their Christmas real jolly.”

“Noted, Chucky boy.” 

Knowing that Chuck was one of exactly 3 people who kind of knew about my little crush on Trent, I leaned in a second later and whispered, “Any idea who got Trent’s name?”

Chuck shrugged but he waited and leaned across the aisle when everybody else was occupied or talking and muttered quietly, “If I find out, I’ll send ‘em your way.”

“Yeah, that’d be great. I got Kris, but I’ve already got her a present or two.” I explained. And honestly, after that I totally forgot about the whole thing.

XXX

“Who did you get, man?” Chuck asked the question because Trent was.. In deep thought mode and hadn’t been listening to at least the last ten minutes of the conversation currently going on around him. The question was enough to pull Trent out of his deep thought and Trent chuckled, raising his hips so that he could dig around in the pockets of his jeans to find the slip of paper he’d drawn earlier that night in Catering when they all drew names.

Chuck took the slip and looked at it, promptly chuckling.

“So you’re going for it, huh?”

“Mhm. Was there any doubt though, Chuckie?”

“Good. Good, man.” 

Orange spoke up from the back. “I got Trent.”

Trent chuckled.

“Thinkin about tradin though. Found something I wanted to get Kris.”

Chuck rubbed his chin thoughtfully and filed away what Orange revealed for later. Maybe he’d run into his friend again later, when he didn’t have Trent and Orange hanging around.

Orange eyed Chuck and asked, “Who’d you get?”

“Stunt. I’ll get the kid some guitar strings and a few picks or something. That’ll be a damn breeze.”

“Excuse me, did you say you were trading my name, Orange? I thought we were buds.” Trent pretended to pout and Orange rubbed his chin, smirking as he shrugged. He sank back against the backseat and dragged his fingers through his hair. “We are. Just thought it was time I did something.”

“Yeah, same thing with me. I get it, man.” Trent explained. And he smirked to himself, because he had more than a few ideas just how he could go about what he had in mind. 

XXX

I’d just stepped into the hotel lobby when an arm shot out from behind the christmas tree tucked away in the corner. I’d been just about to start swinging when I realized it was Chuckie.

“Dude, what the hell?”

“I have news.”

“Yeah?” I eyed him, wondering what the hell was up. When he explained that he knew who’d gotten Trent’s name and that this person might be willing to trade, especially if I had Kris’ name… I nodded, smirking and giving Chuck a high five. “Take me to this person. Let’s do this. I’m ready for things to… Finally come out.”

Chuck gave me this smirk that gave me the distinct feeling that there was more that he wasn’t saying, but instead of pressing him for it, I chose to follow along. We wound up by the vending machines and while I waited and Chuck texted whoever he was telling me about just a second or two ago, I got myself some junk food and a few sodas for the night, promptly popping the top on a wild cherry Pepsi and taking myself a seat on the floor, my back to the machine.

About a minute later, Orange Cassidy appeared, leaning lazily in the doorway, smirking as he rubbed his chin. “She’s the one, huh?” and he went quiet again, as if he were in thought. “You have Kris’ name?”

“I do, yeah. I already got her presents that I want to give her… Hey, wait… Are you looking for her name specifically?” I flashed Orange a teasing grin and he shrugged, answering with a quiet “Maybe.”

I dug around, producing the slip of paper, holding it out. Orange dug the slip of paper with Trent’s name on it out of his jacket pocket, but before he handed it over, he gave a teasing smirk. “At least you’re cool.”

“I,uh.. Thanks I think?” I dragged my hand through my hair and gave a soft laugh and as we switched names, I asked, “This stays between us… Right?”

“Definitely. See ya around. Chuck, Trent’s looking for you.” Orange nodded towards the check in desk. After another second or two of Chuck teasing me and saying that he should have known I had a thing for Trent because apparently I wasn’t as good at hiding it as I thought I was, Chuck and Orange left, leaving me sitting there to finish off my Pepsi in silence as I waited on the line at the check in desk to die down just a little.

And as I did that, I scoured a few shopping sites, trying to settle on what exactly I wanted to get Trent for Christmas, while mumbling to myself audibly, “I should just show up on the night we’re to meet up face to face in a big red bow…”

From behind me, I heard Kris giggle.

“So you did get Trent…” Kris mused, flopping down to sit beside me. I smiled and nodded. There was absolutely no way I was going to ruin the whole surprise where Orange willingly trading around til he wound up with her name was concerned, so for now, I saw no need in mentioning that I’d traded.

“It might be a little cold for your idea just now.” Kris cautioned and I gave a laugh, shrugging it off. “It was just a thought. I think I’m gonna get him a gag gift the first night.. Something that’ll make him blush.. Oooooh.. Hey.. do you feel like going to that adult store in town with me in the morning before we hit the gym?”

“What are you gonna do?”

“Massage oils. And a new neck pillow for flights. He gets the worst tension in his neck I’ve noticed..”

“Flavored massage oils?” Kris taunted, poking her tongue out at me.

I pretended to be shocked and gaped at her. “I.. Never said that… I mean, not exactly...”

“I know how your mind works, A.”  Kris teased me gently and I gulped, blushing a little over how well she managed to call me out just now. “That is an idea to file away for the future… I mean.. If this all doesn’t backfire in my face.” I pulled myself off of the floor that I’d been sitting inappropriately on, and I reached out, grabbing for the heels I’d pretty much abandoned upon entering the building.

“Still think those new stilettos were good for tonight?” Kris was teasing me again and I laughed it off as I debated on whether I actually wanted to put them back on and have my feet screaming at me in sheer agony. 

I quickly decided that no, no I did not feel up to that tonight.

“They made my ass in these jeans look amazing, so yeah. Yeah I do, Kris.” I taunted, making her laugh and shake her head as she remarked, “Opposites attract is definitely true in your case, huh?”

“God, yes.. And speaking of opposites, there he is now..”

I stared like a helpless idiot as Trent walked past with Orange and Chuck flanking him. Chuck managed to look back and catch me staring, holding up two fingers. To anybody else that would’ve been a peace sign. But to me, that was a reminder.

I had two nights until I was face to face with Trent, revealing myself and probably, everything I felt for the guy.

XXX

“You’re actually giving her the present.. Wrapped like that.” Chuck was trying his best to hold in laughter. Almost failing miserably, but he was trying. Trent eyed the box he held in his hand and smirked at Chuck, nodding. “I am, why? What the hell is wrong with my mom’s leftover wrapping paper, huh?”

,, for starters you wrapped it so bad it reads le tits now, but hey.. You do you, buddy.” Chuck could’ve said it, but what Trent was doing was a huge deal. It was something Trent probably should’ve done a while ago, as opposed to just keeping his feelings to himself and going above and beyond to kind of keep his distance from the girl in question unless they had to interact.

Because yeah.. While all the quiet staring and the pining going on was cute as hell between the two, it was getting to a point where the sexual tension was so heavy that literally everyone around them was suffering for it also.

“Tonights night one, man.”

“That it is, Chuck.” Trent took a long and deep breath, almost as if he were centering himself. He waited until no one was looking and made his way into Catering, over to the decorated tree that sat on top of a table in the back already loaded down with presents.

And when he knew the coast was clear, he stuck the box on the nearest pile and quickly, he walked out of catering.

XXX

Everybody was already crowded into Catering when Kris and I made our way into the room and found a seat close to the door. I let the stilettos on my feet hit the floor with a soft thud and tugged my hair free. The blazer I’d been wearing that evening to conduct my two backstage interviews was sitting on the tabletop in front of me, right next to my travel bag.

Britt named herself Santa for the night, so she was calling out names. I was talking quietly to Kris, only half listening for my own to be called.

We were trying to anticipate who we might have gotten. I was trying to resist the urge to tell Kris that Orange had gotten her name. I was more than a little excited for her because just the sheer joy that she had over having managed to get his name was enough to make me truly happy.

I wasn’t terribly worried about who might have gotten my name, because the important thing here was that I’d taken steps to make sure I wound up with Trent’s name. That I was finally doing something I should’ve done months ago.

Britt must have called my name more than a time or two, because I looked up to find Brandi standing over me, trying not to double over laughing as she held out a hastily wrapped gift.

The wrapping paper caught my eye immediately. Whoever wrapped it had chosen wrapping paper that was pretty.. Shiny and sparkly, with silver snowflakes and pale blue lettering. The bow tied on the package somehow did not fit the packaging itself, but honestly, I just couldn’t stop staring at the way Let It Snow was turned into Le TitS now because of the way my Secret Santa had hastily wrapped the box.

I swallowed hard, getting a bit of a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach because at this point, I was at least 90 percent sure that the wrapping paper itself was a clue of some sort.

“Le TitS now, huh? Hager, are you the secret santa? Because if you’re behind this, man.. I can personally assure you, you dumb fucking Okie, you are.. Not even on the bottom of the very short list of men I’d willingly show my tits to.” I mumbled aloud.

“Well? Are you at least going to open it?” Kris asked from beside me. Brandi was watching expectantly too and under the pressure, I tore into the gift after neatly removing the way the bow had been tied so pretty and so carefully.

I wanted to keep that.

“Ooh, you’re gonna keep the bow, right?”

“It’s beautiful, Fuck yes.” I answered Kris as I gaped at the black velvet box in my hand. The other hand raised, catching in dark waves and tousling as my mouth opened and closed. “This is.. Okay.. Let me breathe here, I…”

I was at a complete and total loss for words suddenly.

And when I opened the box and spied the silver necklace with a shooting star pendant that I’d probably made 3 trips past a certain jewelry store in the mall in town just to stare at it…

Jake Hager spoke up from behind me.

“If you want, darlin. I can fasten it.”

“Ew, no! Fuck right off, you dumb Okie. Oh and if you’re the one who got me this, thanks but… This is as far as it goes, Hager. You’re not, nor will you ever be… Seeing any tits.”

Jake gave me a blank look and shrugged, wandering off. Kris was trying not to die laughing from beside me, as were Chuck,Trent and Orange from the table across from ours. I turned to Kris and held it out carefully. “Will you put it on? You’re probably the one other person I trust to do it without trying to cop a feel at this rate.”

“Except the guy you wish would cop a feel.” Kris muttered, making me gaze briefly at Trent, watching as he opened the tiffany blue and white wrapped gift box that contained what I’d gotten him. 

When I saw the way his eyes lit up, I let out a ragged breath. Somehow, I got the feeling that he’d enjoy the controller. And the neck massager pillow that he was putting around his neck already, a goofy grin playing at his lips as he sank back against the booth and muttered aloud, “Nobody talk to me. I’m takin a nap.” 

I couldn’t resist saying something.

“It’s.. heated, I think? There’s a little button on the back to turn on the heat. I..”

,, you absolute goof, what the fuck are you doing, A?”  my mind shrieked as soon as the words left my mouth. I covered quickly, the words tumbling out of my mouth almost breathlessly as Trent’s eyes fluttered open and locked on me intently. When he licked his lips while still staring, I had to cross my legs under the table.

“It does, huh? Awesome.” Trent flashed me that cocky grin and I wanted to melt. If I thought forming words was a bit of a struggle before, compared to now, it seemed so much easier.

“Yeah.. I uhh.. I have a pink one.” I finally managed to stammer, going back to my own conversation and gushing over the necklace sitting around my neck out loud and excitedly with Kris.

I mean, it wasn’t a lie. I did have a pink one exactly like it. And a red one. And I’d actually said a lot more than usual to him tonight. Without stammering or saying the wrong thing entirely like I tended to on occasion.

XXX

“Did you see her face light up?” Trent was still on cloud 9 after watching her open the secret Santa gift earlier in the night. Now he was texting his mother to see if the gift he’d gotten her for the last night of the gift exchange had shown up yet.

Chuck spoke up, chuckling. “Was funny as hell when she told Hager he didn’t stand a chance in hell, man. And then when he tried to sneak up on her under that mistletoe that Brandi put up earlier, her threatening him with her shoe.”

Trent chuckled, even though his jaw set firmly and he grumbled. Right after Jake had tried pulling that stunt, he’d gotten the guy off to himself and quickly told him if he caught him attempting it again, he was going to take him outside.

Lucky for Jake, Chuck and Orange managed to get between the two. Because Trent was personally beyond fed up of the disgusting way that Jake behaved around her all the time. She shouldn’t have to threaten the guy with mase or a knee to the nuts to make him leave her alone.

No woman should.

“You know.. You could’ve done it, man. You could’ve snuck up on her.” Chuck teased his best friend as he glanced over at him.

“I’m saving that for tomorrow, Chuck. I have a plan, remember?”

“Says the man who wrapped the gift so that it read ‘le tits now’.” Orange chuckled from the backseat.

Chuck and Orange burst into laughter and Trent grumbled, smiling and laughing as he flipped them both off. “Yeah, well neither of you saw to point it out either.”

“I assumed you could read the damn packaging? My bad, Trenty.”

“I was just too caught up in getting to the arena and giving it to her, man. You know I’ve been waiting to do this a while!” Trent groaned as he let his head fall back against the headrest behind it and laughed.

“Maybe you should just let Sue wrap it this time, huh?”

“That’s not entirely a bad idea.” Trent chuckled as he said it, texting his mom to ask if she’d mind wrapping the present for him when it finally got to her place the next morning.

“She knew it said that too?” he grumbled aloud a few seconds later when his eyes scanned his mother’s response text.

[ mama bear ] I wanted to tell you before you left but you were so excited…

[ mama bear ] Did she like the necklace, son? I thought it was beautiful…

[ trentylocks] She loved it, mom. Was excited, doing that cute thing where she talks loud and giggles a lot, talking with her hands. Just wish me luck for tomorrow, please? I’m gonna need it.

[ trentylocks ] She loved the bow you tied just as much, by the way. ;) She kept it. When I saw her leaving the arena, she had it tied around her wrist.

[ trentylocks] Did you still want me to invite her over for dinner?

[ mama bear] You talk so much about her, of course! I have to meet her. Make sure she’s sweet enough for my baby.

[ mama bear ] I see you, trying to get her brownie points. But I’m glad she liked the bow. Says a lot about her that she kept it.

Trent slipped his phone back into his pocket and started to nod off, awakening when Chuck cleared his throat and asked aloud, “So what did you get her for tomorrow night?”

Trent smirked. “For the actual present, I got her a photo album. Because remember that time we were in the airport and her luggage burst? And the pictures inside it went everywhere?”

“Awww, for a cranky jerk, you can be sweet sometimes, Trenty.”

“Look who’s talkin, bigger cranky jerk. I also got her an actual warm blanket. Because she’s always walking around with that fuzzy pink thin one draped around her like she’s cold as hell. And roses. But I’m not givin’ her those until we’re face to face.”

“You giant sap.” Chuck teased his best friend as he grinned. “If it helps, man.. I don’t think you have to worry about tomorrow night going south. I think things might surprise you with how they turn out.”

“Oh you do, huh? What are you now, a psychic, Taylor?” Trent asked, giving Chuck a raised brow, wondering why he got the feeling that Chuck definitely knew more than he was saying.

“No, I just know how to read that particular girl, Beretta.” Chuck smirked, not even having to look over to know that Trent was giving him a dirty look at the reminder that Chuck had become friends with her first.

XXX

[ dad] Well, how did the secret santa go, sweetpea?

[dad] did this Trent like his present?

I smiled as I read the texts from my dad while standing in line to check into the hotel. After a second or two, I answered.

[sweetpea] He did! I’m glad I took your advice and didn’t try to go overboard. Now it leaves the romantic part for tomorrow night. Thank you, sir!

[sweet pea] remember that necklace I told you I was thinking about getting myself? The one like mama’s? I don’t have to… apparently, my secret santa knew somehow that I liked it and got it for me?

[ sweet pea ] But the way they wrapped the present, oh my god. I nearly died laughing.

[dad] you should call around. Find a restaurant. Your mama.. She liked cozy candlelit dinners. Just a thought.

[ dad] they did, huh? That’s good! Be careful driving to the hotel, sweetpea. The news said snow for your area tonight.

[sweetpea] Night, daddy. Don’t stay up all night watching the news or Blue Bloods. Go to bed, sir.

I put my phone away and at the tap on my shoulder, I turned. I found myself body to body with Jake Hager. I raised a brow and bit my lip, stepping away from him as quickly as possible. “What’s up?”

His eyes settled on the necklace and he chuckled. “Do you really think I’d have bought you that cheap lookin crap if I were the guy, princess?”

I glared and started to turn around, rolling my eyes. But Jake produced roses from behind his back. I eyed the roses and him and laughed as I shook my head no. “Life pro tip, Jacob.. Save the flowers for your actual girlfriend? Stop wasting your time with me. I have an ideal man and you sir, are not it. And you never will be.” 

“Yeah? How about given a guy a chance?”

A throat cleared from behind us and a look around Jake revealed Trent standing there, muscular arms folded over his chest as he smirked at Jake. 

“Do you have a fucking hearing problem, Hager? Or are you really that damn dense? She’s told you a thousand times to get bent by now.” 

Somehow, in the midst of all this, I wound up right between Trent and Jake.. with my back pressed right against Trent’s chest. I gulped and tried like hell to hold myself together, but it just wasn’t working.

“Hey, whoa.. Can we just not, boys? Please?” I knew Jake would ignore me because he always does, so when I asked the question, I chose to turn.. Body to body with Trent.. And lock eyes with him, biting my lip and giving him my best pleading look.

Because holy hell, is it awkward when people make a scene like this.

Trent was glaring, tensing up all over. But at my question, he seemed to un-tense just slightly, tearing his eyes off of Jake to gaze down at me. “Yeah. He’s not fucking worth it anyway.”

“Exactly, Trent.” I muttered quietly, swallowing hard because I was lost in deep brown eyes and I knew it. And I couldn’t pull myself away from him, either. 

The clerk’s throat cleared and gingerly, I managed to finally break gazes with him and stepped back, pouting before I turned to face the front and check into the hotel.

XXX

“You ready for this, man? Tonight is the big night.” 

Trent chuckled, nodding. “It is. My mom came by earlier and dropped this off. Already wrapped.”

“You got the roses right, buddy?”

“Mhm. Over there.” Trent nodded to a dozen long stemmed red roses. Almost the same vibrant red as the lipstick she always wore.

He smoothed a hand over his hair and eyed the stupid jacket he was wearing. “This is a bit much.”

“It kind of is, man. A isn’t.. She’s not into male model types, man. Just dress comfortable.” Chuck shrugged as he chuckled. Trent took off the jacket and tossed it lazily at the second bed in the room and after he grabbed his key, he started out the door.

“I won’t wait up for you, man.”

Trent paused and gave him a laugh and shrug as he stepped out and into the hallway.

On the surface, he seemed calm, but on the inside?

An actual nervous wreck.

He knew she liked the presents she’d unwrapped in Catering earlier in the night, she hadn’t been without the blanket that he’d gotten her to unwrap there for the duration of the show. And as soon as she’d opened the photo album, she got the softest smile on her face, trailing her fingers over the cover.

She’d looked around the room and then gone back to whispering to Kris. But he’d managed to over hear her say that she knew it wasn’t Hager, because Hager had the emotional depth of a teaspoon and never would’ve thought to get her something as thoughtful as an actual photo album as opposed to her just tossing her photos in her luggage every time she went on the road.

Trent took a deep breath and made himself focus as he stood waiting on the elevator, goofy grin on his face.

He was meeting her at the town square because there was this huge christmas tree there and he liked the way her eyes lit up every time she saw it. It felt like time dragged at a hellish and slow pace from the time he was out in the parking lot, waiting on the Uber he’d called, to the time that Uber was pulling to a stop at the little park.

When he got out, he caught sight of her, approaching from the opposite direction. So he hung back, watched her walking past as he worked on getting himself reasonably pulled together and mentally prepared to reveal himself to her.

He let her settle in on the bench closest to the lit up tree and after a few deep breaths, he stepped out, roses in hand, clearing his throat.

XXX

[galaxybae] well? Is anyone there?

[galaxybae] are you sure this dress I borrowed was a good idea for tonight, A? I feel so damn naked right now…

[galaxybae] answer your texts woman.

[brunettebarbiedoll] not yet.. What about on your end? See anybody familiar?

I typed in the response to her first text and briefly, because i felt the sensation of being stared at intently, almost to the point of literal eye-fucking… It had my thighs clenching. It had me sitting up, alert and looking around, then pouting when I didn’t see anyone right away. I wandered over to the lit Christmas tree, a soft smile coming as the warm twinkle of soft white lights shined on me.

I felt good about tonight. Tonight’s secret santa gifts had pretty much blown my fear and theory that Hager was my secret Santa out of the water because Hager lacked the emotional depth and the practicality to pick out the gifts that my secret Santa had chosen for me.

At the thought, I snuggled tighter into my jacket, wishing I’d lugged the oversized plush winter white throw blanket along with me for both warmth and the comfort it made me feel.. As if I were being wrapped in a warm embrace whenever I had it wrapped around me.

And it didn’t go amiss by me that it smelled familiar somehow. Like a cologne I’d smelled somewhere, on more than one occasion.

And that thought further had me giving a soft and sappy smile over the thought of the gift. My fingers drifted upward, lingering at the shooting star charm that hung from the necklace that had been my gift the night before.

And I realized that I still hadn’t answered Kris’ two other texts. I sighed and looked around again, still seeing nobody around and yet, still feeling as if I were being visually fucked somehow.

Not in bad way though. Just… hungry, maybe.

,, it’s just the frenzy you’ve got yourself worked up into.”

I eyed my watch. I hoped my secret Santa showed themselves soon, because I still had to get through revealing myself to Trent.

And boy, was I ever a bundle of raw nerves over it.

[brunettebarbiedoll] Still nobody. I guess my secret Santa is gonna remain a secret? Either way, I’m kind of starting to get really nervous because I still have to wait on Trent to get here and reveal myself.

[galaxybae] Don’t you dare leave!

[galaxybae] Oh.. Oh.. i.. I think my person is here. Gotta go, bye!

I smiled to myself and put the phone away just as I felt my eyes being covered with something and then felt myself being turned around, what felt like flower stems being placed into my hands. I caught a whiff of the same cologne that I’d smelled on the blanket earlier and I swallowed hard. “Hey, no fair. You’re supposed to reveal yourself, sir.” I managed to get the words out as my body brushed against hardened muscle when I was pulled closer. So much closer. And arms wrapped around my waist.

I gaped as the fabric that had been placed over my eyes was lowered and it gave way to me standing body to body with Trent. Who was staring down at me intently, this soft smirk playing at his lips.

“Trent?”

“Mhm.” he chuckled quietly, a hand moving from it’s resting spot across my lower back to drag through thick dark hair. 

I couldn’t help the fit of giggles that came. He eyed me with a brow raised and when my giggle fit finally died away, I explained with a teasing smile, “I was supposed to be meeting you here to reveal myself to you.”

His eyes widened and he chuckled. “Vanilla massage oil, hm?”

“In my defense, you always seem tense?” I bit my lip as I laughed softly. I was melting into him, awestruck at the realization that my forehead hit almost perfectly at the center of his chest. He used his grip on my body to pull me up a little and I wrapped my legs around his waist, making him laugh as our mouths brushed against each other clumsily.

“Was it an offer though, hmm?” Trent questioned, licking his lips as his eyes locked on my mouth.

“Possibly. I mean, I am pretty good at massages...” I teased, daring to trace the outline of his mouth with my tongue. Which only had him tangling a hand in the hair at the back of my hair and pulling my mouth against his completely. 

The kiss broke and we pulled apart. I climbed out of his arms and leaned against him, raising to tiptoe to press another kiss against his lips as I muttered, “Are you hungry, Trent?”

“I could eat, yeah.. Why?”

“Well, there’s this cozy little place about a block away, I.. Kind of thought that maybe if things went okay when I had to meet you here, I’d ask you if you wanted to go with me?”

He grinned and slipped an arm around me, pulling me into his side as we made our way down the sidewalk.

“Did you wrap the first present the way you did intentionally?”

“No, I didn’t actually.” Trent answered, giving a sheepish laugh. “Did you think I did?”

“Well, when I thought was Hager, I didn’t think it was a stretch to imagine that yeah, he’d purposely done it. For the record.. If you wanted to see my tits, all you had to do was ask.” I teased, not stopping to think how suggestive what I said actually sounded until it left my mouth and I saw Trent’s jaw drop, and a flash of hunger flash in his eyes as he leaned down and muttered against the shell of my ear, “Ya know… I might actually take you up on that, doll.”

[everlarkbirthdaygifts]

Happy Birthday, mellarkablegirl!

Happy Birthday, @mellarkablegirl​! We hope you’ve had a wonderful day so far, and that there is some epic cake forthcoming in your future! To keep your party going, the lovely @endlessnightlock​ has written a story just for you!

I hope you enjoy this best friends to lovers Everlark! Rated M for content of a sexual nature.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I toss another rock into the air, and, just like the first one I threw, it pings off the window of Peeta’s bedroom. I wait anxiously, worried it could be his mom or dad I’m going to wake up, since there’s no sign of movement inside his house at all, and certainly nothing from his room. 

Yes, it’s one a.m., but he ought to know to look for me by now. We wake each other up like this all the time. I know things will be awkward after everything that happened the other night, but still- that doesn’t mean he’s going to ignore me now, does it?

I cross my arms over my chest and huff. What in the heck is Peeta doing up there? 

“Peeta!” I loud-whisper his name harshly, irritated. I should probably just let things go for tonight and let him sleep, but I won’t have any peace until I talk to him- I’ve been going crazy since the other night, and I know we can’t keep ignoring each other, can we?

Besides, he’s used to me waking him up by now anyway. 

We've been best friends and next-door neighbors since we were six- Peeta brought me over a picture and a chocolate cupcake the day my family moved into the house next to his. After that, we played in my back yard for hours, digging up bugs and playing made-up pretend games, laughing together the rest of the afternoon.

Fortunately, I’m not left debating whether or not to go home for long, because his window opens and a head full of tousled blond curls appears. I’d recognize Peeta anywhere with that hair- the color is so light the moon reflects off it. It doesn't matter that I can’t see his face. 

“What are you doing out there?” he says, his voice thick like I woke him out of a dead sleep. 

”I wanted to talk to you, ” I say, shrugging.

“Why didn’t you just send me a text or something?” he clears his throat and leans further out the window. 

I frown up at him- and with the way I'm standing underneath the security light, I know he can see my face. What does Peeta think he’s going to do- have a whispered conversation with me from up there- doesn’t he want to talk to me? It makes me wonder if he’s been avoiding me, too, as I suspected. 

“Can you come down here, please? I wanted to talk to you.”

He glances behind him, hesitating. Anxiety rears its head and starts gnawing away at me. Did I ruin things between us?

“Yeah, just give me a few minutes,” Peeta says, sounding resigned. He quickly disappears inside his room and shuts the window behind him. 

While I wait for him to come downstairs, I climb up his back porch steps and sit on the wooden swing. Leaning back further, I pull my hands inside the sleeves of the sweatshirt I’m wearing to keep them warm- it's one of Peeta’s from freshman wrestling, and I swiped it from his room three years ago. It’s warm and comfortable, and it smelled like him at the time. 

While the scent is gone, his sweatshirt is my go-to comfort item, paired with shorts or sweats. It's not like Peeta would have worn it much longer anyway- he had his big growth spurt that summer, and he got so much taller and broader than me I would drown in his clothes now. 

It was around the time I started feeling differently about him, I realize now. We’d always been close- Peeta’s my best friend, and I love him as much as I do my sister or my mom and dad. But until that year, I’d never fixated on the way he smelled or how his eyelashes would light up in the sun or how his shirt sleeves grew tight around his biceps and forearms. 

I’d certainly never given any thought to the way the edge of his underwear and that strip of skin between the waistline of his pants and the bottom of his shirt would peek out if he lifted his arms above his head. That left me so hot and itchy every time it happened; I couldn’t look him in the face after.

“Hey,” Peeta greets me quietly, stepping out on the porch and closing the door gently behind him. I scoot over on the porch swing to give him room, making sure to provide him with a wide berth. He won't look at me; shame makes my face burn.

I was planning on being the one to bring it up, but suddenly it's as if my mouth is frozen shut. Darn it- there are so many things I need to say. 

I open my mouth, glance over at him staring down at his hands like he doesn’t know what to say either, and rapidly shut it again. 

You're the one who began this, I tell myself, you need to start this conversation.

”Peeta, hmm, listen.” He turns his head to look at me, and I force myself to speak again, staring into those blue eyes I know so well. ”I’m sorry-”

Peeta’s face drops, and he interrupts me. ”Please don’t say you're sorry, I can take anything but that right now, ” he says, “just don’t say that.”

I look down at my hands. ”But I ruined everything.”

He groans, and I peek over at him again. ”What do you think you ruined?” he whispers, a bit frantic-sounding. ”Katniss-”

It was about the same time- late enough so that Mr. and Mrs. Mellark were both in bed. Neither sets of our parents used to let us stay out so late, but since we’ve both turned eighteen and it’s our senior year, I guess they figure we’ll be out from under them soon anyway, so why bother with a curfew. Either we’re going to get into trouble, or we’re not.

We’d been sitting, talking about the dumb shit going on at school, namely some drama involving Josh Marvel and his on again off again girlfriend Clove Adkins. 

Peeta groaned- ”Dude just won’t shut up about her in the locker room. Katniss-” 

We were laughing together, and god, how happy his laughter made me. It warmed my body that night like sunshine on a freakin spring day, and while I know how sappy that sounds, it's the truth. That feeling- it made me feel reckless. 

”He won't stop talking about how she's the hottest girl in our class-”

”You don’t think she’s the hottest?” 

Peeta looked at me like I had lobsters crawling around on top of my head. “Are you kidding me? Hell no. No, not at all. You know I'm not an ogler.”

I laughed. ”Don’t act like you don't.”

He was growing uncomfortable, I could tell, but that didn’t stop me.

“Who do you think is, then?” I prodded him.

Why was I doing this to myself? I knew I wouldn’t like whatever answer he gave me. 

I guess I had a perverse wish for some honesty from him because, at that moment, it seemed better to know what he thought, even if it meant I would be found wanting in comparison to the Cashmeres or the Lavinias of the world. 

”I don’t think I want to answer that,” he said, his voice tight.

“Why?” I asked, turning in my seat. I was going to hate myself for it later, I knew it- but as an idiot in love with her best friend, I wasn’t already pathetic enough. This display tonight would definitely push me over the edge. “It’s not like I’m going to go hunt her down for you or anything.”

He turned away from me then, staring straight ahead. My stomach plummeted the moment I realized I was going to get my answer. 

“What exactly do you mean by the hottest?” He finally asked.

“I think the term hottest is pretty self-explanatory.”

Peeta shifted on the swing. “No, because there are all kinds of attractiveness. I mean, I’m not attracted to guys, but Finnick and Gale are both pretty hot-“

“You’re avoiding the subject,” I said flatly. Bringing up other guys was a rookie move- “come on.”

“Who do you think is the hottest then?” He asked, turning to face me.

You, I wanted to tell him- and you're not just the most attractive, you’re the kindest, and the warmest, and I’d probably give my life for yours. “I’m not the one who’s supposed to answer!” I said, instead.

“It’s only fair,” Peeta said. “You know, you’re so- I wonder if you’ve ever been attracted to anyone, Katniss, even a little bit.” 

I scowled at him, covering the hurt with a frown. Where was he getting at with this, turning the tables on me? And how dare he say that- he had no idea how I felt or how attracted to someone I was. He didn’t get to do that.

“Not that there’s anything wrong if you aren’t,” he continued, the words spoken too easily considering the way he’d broken my heart with his carelessness. “I like you the way you are- you’re just so pure. You don’t even notice what’s right in front of your face half the time.” He looked over at me then, with a weird half-smile. “Come on, Katniss- tell me I’m wrong.” 

I stared at him, hating myself for beginning this conversation almost as much as I hated him for saying those things to me.

Peeta’s eyes held a challenge, sitting on the porch swing in the dark the way we’d sat for years and years leading up to that night . Endless nights during which we’d grown up together. I’d say I fell in love with him here. 

And now, my heart was aching. I bit down on my lip to keep it from trembling.

I can’t say precisely why I did it: maybe it was the way he was looking at me, perhaps it was the frustration I felt with my inability to just say the words to him. 

Whatever caused it, at that moment, I think I lost my mind. 

While Peeta’s gaze remanded steady and unwavering, I moved closer to him. My heart was racing a million miles a minute, but still, I got my knees beneath me on the swing and leaned in, resting my hands on his shoulders for support, balancing in that precarious position. 

And then, before I had time to talk myself out of it, I kissed him. His breath rushed out against my face right as I pressed my lips to his. 

I’d never kissed anyone before. I was terrified, hoping I wouldn’t screw it up. 

But there was also exhilaration and feeling completely overwhelmed by Peeta’s soft, warm lips under my own. 

It was perfect. 

He was perfect. 

The breath caught in my lungs when he stiffened under my hands and mouth, and for half of a second, I panicked. Before I had time to think about it, he relaxed as if he’d only needed a moment to get used to the idea that I was kissing him.

I pulled back a little, closing my eyes and resting my forehead against Peeta’s. His skin was so warm against mine. I wished it wasn’t so dark, and I could see him better, those minute details of his face I’d never been close enough to take in before.

“Did you just…” Peeta began, but his words trailed off. 

Instead of saying anything else, his hands came to my face, framing it for a moment before tilting it and kissing me back; I guess it wasn’t the time for words. I knew he’d kissed a few girls before, so I wasn’t surprised when he took over what we were doing, but not aggressively. He moved his lips against mine, and I responded. It felt like gentle, tingly caresses. 

Peeta’s arm went around my waist, and he pulled me closer. I wasn’t sure where to go, so I just leaned into his body. 

God, it was amazing- all my senses were in overdrive, his body felt so good against mine, and the way he smelled? I just kind of wanted to bury my face in the side of his neck and never leave. 

He shifted a little, and I wobbled, still unbalanced. I was positioned awkwardly next to him, but I wasn’t sure how to rectify it. If I moved, he might stop kissing me, and I never wanted him to stop. It felt like we were in some alternate reality, in a bubble that would burst if one of us had a misstep.

Peeta must have sensed my trepidation; I don’t think he wanted to stop either. “Sit on my lap,” he murmured between kisses, “it’ll be easier that way.”

My pulse was pounding as I swung my leg over his thighs. As I settled on him, I swallowed roughly- I couldn’t believe we were doing this. His body felt so sturdy and warm and hard under me, and I was shocked to realize just how much straddling him affected me. My lips weren’t the only thing tingling- my whole body was a live wire.

“Katniss,” he murmured my name, his voice lower than I ever heard it sound before. His hand went behind my neck again, and he moved into me. This time, his lips parted, and mine opened automatically, my tongue darting out to meet his without a thought. Everything we were doing seemed as natural as breathing, each move requiring no thought. Instinctual.

I moaned into his mouth as his tongue caressed mine. I had no idea this would feel so good, all of this. We were both breathing hard, and I ran my fingers up the sleeves of his t-shirt to touch those strong arms I’d been admiring for years.

He sighed.

Peeta used the arm around my waist to pull me closer to him, and I had no choice but to lay against him, my breasts pressing into his chest as my bottom landed on the hard lump of his erection between my thighs.

Oh my god- it was like all my fantasies were coming true.

And then Peeta said those words that put a screeching halt to everything we were doing. “It’s you,” he pulled away from my lips just long enough to tell me, “only you.”

“Only me what?” I asked, ready to kiss him again. 

My brain must’ve taken leave of my body. I couldn’t remember what we’d talked about while sitting on Peeta like this. The only thing I could think about was how good it felt with him beneath me.

“The hottest- the most beautiful. Whatever you want to call it, it’s you.”

His words froze me in my tracks. 

Why couldn’t he have kept quiet? “You don’t have to say that,” I said, sitting back to look at him. His lips had swollen, and his eyes looked heavy-lidded as he stared up at me.

I didn’t want to talk about this- I didn’t want to consider that my best friend would flatter me that way just because we were fooling around. I mean, he’s a guy. Of course, he was going to enjoy doing this. 

Couldn’t I just have this night? I was under no delusions that things would go further than this. “I’m not-”

“You don’t believe me,” he said incredulously, his eyes darting back and forth between mine. “Why don’t you believe me?” 

I shuttered my eyes, finding it was impossible to look at him. “There’s no way you think that about me. How could you?”

Beneath me, Peeta’s whole body went rigid. He was silent for so long, the air between us grew tense. It was strange having him suddenly so distant while we were in such an intimate position. 

“Are you saying I’m lying?” he finally asked.

I shrugged- yes, I did think that. What was there to say?

I guess my gesture spoke volumes because, just like that, every one of those good feelings between us dissipated. 

Without looking at him, I climbed off of his lap and stood next to the swing. I don’t know exactly how I managed it, but everything seemed screwed up now. “Peeta, I’m-”

He wouldn’t even look at me, staring down at his hands. “I don’t know what you want me to say-” he interrupted.

“I don’t know what you want me to say!” I countered, “I just, I don’t want you to lie to me. Just because we did, just because we did that,” I waved my arm at the swing before quickly tucking it back around myself in a protective move, “doesn’t mean you have to tell me that. God, I just- I expected better from you.”

“Better from me? Katniss-”

I couldn’t do it. I just- “I’m just going to go, okay?” I stopped him. I felt like I was going to be sick. 

Peeta heaved out a loud sigh. “Of course you are,” he sounded tired. 

He stood abruptly, going inside the house with a slam of his door, leaving me second-guessing everything we’d done. 

“Why did you assume I was lying to you that night?” Peeta asks, warily.

“Why did you sat that to me?” I counter.

“Because I meant it, every word of it,” he says, shifting restlessly in the porch swing, his fingers trailing the loops of a chain suspending us from the porch ceiling. “I’m not a liar, Katniss.”  

No, he’s right. I’ve never known Peeta to lie, let alone lie to me. Sometimes he can be brutally honest when he’s frustrated. I think I figured out that he was telling the truth already. I just didn’t know what to do with that information.

He turns to face me again. “Why did you kiss me? You weren’t just trying to prove a point, were you? I don’t want you to kiss me to get me off your back or something.”

I let out a breath. “That wasn’t it. Well, it was a little at first, but you were an ass.” “Katniss, the only reason I want you to kiss me is that you want to kiss me.”

“I did want to kiss you,” I say. “I did,” I add at his look of skepticism. “I liked it,” I admit shyly.

“Why, just to see what it was like- did I seem like someone safe to fool around with?”

I frown at him. He makes me want to smack him- is he that obtuse, or does he think I’m shallow enough to kiss him, my best friend, because I wanted to kiss someone, anyone? 

But the more I study his face, the more I realize he’s anxious, and his anxiety soothes mine. He seems to be hanging on by a thin thread, waiting for my answer. 

Does this mean he wants me too?

And just like that, I know I’m the one holding the cards, as crazy as that seems. 

Lucky for Peeta, he’s the only prize I want to win.

“Because I like you,” I say the words confidently as I sit close to him, hip to hip, laying my head on his shoulder and turning my face into his t-shirt. “I want you to be more than my friend. I have for a while.”

“How long is a while?” Peeta asks, and I can’t help but hear the happiness in his voice as he threads our fingers together and rests them on my leg.

“How long has it been for you?” I ask, instead, feeling shy. He needs to fill in some details- I’m not comfortable being the only one laying my feelings out. 

“Since I met you.”

“That can’t be true,” I say.

“It’s completely true. Ask Dad- that night after you moved in- when we stayed out until the lightning bugs came out? That night I went home and told my dad I was going to marry you.” Peeta lifts my hand to his; he plants a kiss to my knuckles and rests his head against mine.

I stare at our joined hands, my mind racing. 

“So I thought you were just fooling around with me, and you thought I was a liar,” he continues. “And neither one of us was right.”

I think I’m in shock over the way this evening has changed everything between us- it’s like I don’t quite know what to do with myself. “I mean, if you want to say yours was a lie of omission, then that was true. And I liked kissing you,” I admit, teasing Peeta.

“Yeah?” he asks, scooting forward on the seat and turning to face me. He drops my hand to push those loose hairs that escaped from my braid out of the way, tucking them in behind my ear. His fingers linger under my chin, the flat of his thumb caresses my cheek. 

I shiver, my reaction giving me away. 

“Me too,” Peeta says, smiling widely, “does that mean you want to do it again, now?”

And then we’re kissing- and on the Mellark’s porch swing at least, all is right with the world.

[suggiebabe]

Who’s Your Crush?

A/N: Hey guys!! I start school again in abt 2 hours, so here’s smth I stayed up writing hehe

Pairing: Deku X Reader

Warnings: One Cuss Word and problems with family at the start

Words: A little more than 1k

“FINE! I’LL GO! JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!” You stomped your way to the entrance of your house. Your mothers yelling becoming more distant as you walked through the house. Hot tears were streaming down your face, the feeling of rage pulsing through your body.

This wouldn’t be the first time your mom told you to leave the house after having a heated argument. It was, however, the first time you actually left the house. All the other times, you would just head to your room and lock yourself in there for who knows how long. 

Your phone began to buzz, and when you looked down at it, you saw it was your mother calling you. ‘What the hell do you want now?’ You thought to yourself and debated whether you should answer it or not. Going with the latter, you completely shut off your phone and shoved it into your pocket. You didn’t know where you were going, but you knew that you wanted to be anywhere but home. 

As you kept on walking, you soon came across the neighborhood park. Sighing to yourself, you walked up to the lonely swings and sat. The world was silent. Closing your eyes, you leaned your head on one of the chains holding you up. You didn’t think. You just sat there, listening to the wind rustle the leaves on the surrounding trees. 

Your attention soon shifted from the sound of rustling leaves to the sound of shuffling rocks. Opening your eyes to see who disturbed your moment, you saw the familiar face of your childhood friend, Izuku. You squinted at the figure coming closer, trying to see if it was really him. He mimicked your gesture, and that’s when you knew it was exactly who you thought it was. 

“What’re you doing here, Izuku?” Your eyes followed him as he sat in the swing next to yours. “I was looking for you.” “For what?” After adjusting himself on the swing, he looked straight into your eyes. “Well, for starters, your mom called my mom to ask if you were with me, so I had a feeling something was wrong.” You looked down, kicking some rocks. “We got into another fight…” He tapped your foot with his. “I figured.” “Wait, how’d you know I was at this park?” He chuckled, “Well, at first I freaked out. ‘Where could Y/N have gone? At 2 am?’ I asked myself. Then I realized who I was dealing with.” You looked up at him trying not to laugh, “What’s that supposed to mean?” You kicked his swing lightly. “Take it however you want.” He teased. You rolled your eyes and looked back down at your feet. 

“I don’t want to go back home…” You said quietly. “Why don’t we have a sleepover at my house then? I’ll tell my mom what happened and I’m sure she’ll let you spend the night.” “You sure that’ll be alright? I wouldn’t want to intrude on anything…” He hopped off the swing and turned to you. “What kind of stuff do you think we do at 2 am?” You hopped off your swing and kicked the back of one of his knees. “No need to be a smartass about it.” The both of you looked at each other while laughing. The world seemed to slow down, as if it were giving the two of you a moment together. After about a minute, both of your faces heated up with the sudden realization that you were just staring at each other. You looked away first and cleared your throat. “So what are we gonna do at your house?” “We’ll figure something out.” 

The walk to his house was full of catching up and joking around. Now that the two of you were in high school, you didn’t have much time to talk, just a few texts here and there, but nothing too interesting. It had a kind of nostalgic feeling. Walking to his house and laughing together. There was one difference from the past though. Which was the fact that the two of you were crushing on each other. You both individually decided not to tell the other, in fear of ruining the friendship. You were blind to his attraction, and he was blind to yours. Everyone else, however, saw everything that was going on between you two. 

When the two of you finally reached his house, you greeted his mother and walked up to his room and he stayed back and explained the situation. After about 5 minutes, he came up with some snacks. “She said we’re good to go! Oh also, she’s gonna call your mom so you don’t have to.” You sat back on his bed and smiled at him. He was always one step ahead of you, which is something you had always appreciated. “Wanna watch an anime or something?” He took his seat next to you, holding his laptop in one hand and two tangerines in the other. “Ooo, sure! What’s new?” You took a tangerine from his hand and started to peel it. 

The two of you continued to scroll through some recommendations off of Netflix and Crunchyroll, but nothing stuck out. “We could just chill and talk until we fall asleep.” You offered, to which he gladly agreed. Your conversations were aimless, both of you talking just to hear each other’s voices. 

As the night went on, the conversations slowly started to get bolder and bolder. The topic of crushes coming slowly but surely. You both danced around it, wondering who would build up the most courage to ask. Silence filled the room after a moment. The both of you fidgeting in your spots. You sighed and looked at him, and he looked at you. “Do you have someone you like?” You asked in sync. Your faces turned red, and the both of you looked down and chuckled. You turned to look at him and grinned, a new burst of courage finding its way into your brain. “What if I told you it was you?” You stayed staring at him, wanting to see his exact reaction. His eyes widened and he looked up at you, “Wait really?” You nodded. “Y/N you better not be joking.” “I’m not!” You reassured him. You leaned towards him and hugged him. “I have the biggest crush on you, Izuku. Please tell me you feel the same way…” 

“Are you kidding? Of course I do!”

Another A/N: Hi again! Did you enjoy it? I don’t think I’ve written a fic for Deku yet, so this is probably more unrealistic to his character D: But that’s ok, I wrote what I wanted to write hehe

[hansolmates]

jjk; angel’s trumpet [08]

summary; one second, your life is flashing before your eyes and the next, you’re transported into a world exactly like your own. but the jungkook you meet in this world isn’t a renowned singer or your former almost-lover, in fact he has no clue who you are and why you know him so well. as you work to find your way home lost and confused, you conclude that you’re either dead or in the middle of the most wicked drug trip of your life. pairing; idol!jk x reader (f), alternatively film producer!jk x reader genre/warnings; fluff, angst, supernatural, idol!au, non-idol!au, alternate universes, themes of fate, language, alcohol consumption, in this chapter–mentions of sex, a panic attack w.c; 4.5k a/n; can’t believe there’s one more chapter after this! (+the bonus chapter!) its such a bittersweet feeling to close this all up so i hope u all join me in my w2!jk sobbing party im making matcha cookies rn so i can wallow

[07] [08] [final] -> masterpost

Jungkook’s worried. 

After he left your apartment, he dove himself into his work and tried to get you out of his head. Somehow he ended up from his living room table to his bed, bleary and with a pen jabbing him in the cheek. He doesn’t know how he feels right now, and has micro analyzed every bit of your relationship in between breaks.

He fell fast, and loving you (as much as it scares himself to admit) was so easy it hurt. It’s why it’s so hard for him to accept that you would betray him like that. What could he have possibly done to deserve this? If you had just admitted your issues from day one, this crisis could have easily been averted and you would be with him right now. 

But that’s not why he’s worried. Jungkook wakes up the following day around 10AM, noting the dozens of messages and unanswered phone calls from Jimin and Taehyung. 

According to Taehyung, you’ve been missing for three days. Off-the-grid type of missing, to the point that Taehyung is debating on whether or not he should call the police. 

The first day you didn’t come home, Taehyung chalked it up as you spending the night at Jungkook’s. The second day however, he visits the library where your office hours are held only to find your usual table empty and your students upset over your lack of contact. 

“Here,” Doyeon had said, pointing to the vague email you sent. Taehyung skimmed through the barebones message, mentioning that you had to take an indefinite leave and that the students can email Professor Kim Namjoon if they still had lingering questions. 

Taehyung notes the sincere apology at the bottom, and how you tack on that “you are a wonderful group of students and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.” 

Almost as if you aren’t planning to come back. 

He could hear Taehyung deflate on the line, knowing that Jungkook has no idea where you are either. 

“Did you…” Jungkook scratches his head, sitting at his kitchen table, “did you check her room for a yellow notebook?” 

“What?” Taehyung asks, “I checked her room yesterday. Y’know the weird thing is? Her room is clean, like clinically clean. There’s nothing on her desk, the sheets are washed, and her clothes are all folded and put away. Usually it’s like a whirlwind in here.” 

“Yeah,” Jungkook replies, remembering how your room is usually quite lived in, with warm sheets and a candle glowing. 

“Why aren’t you more stressed out, dude?” Taehyung says, and Jungkook instantly feels guilty. “Your girlfriend’s fucking missing, are you gonna get up and help or not?” 

“Y-yeah, I’m just a little shaken,” he manages to reply, thinking about how you tried to explain to him the other night. He pinches the bridge between his brows, regretting not letting you have your word when refusing to listen to you. Maybe if he heard it, things would have turned out differently.

Taehyung sighs, “Yeah, it’s a bit of a shock. She really isn’t like this normally, but I trust her. If you can, maybe contact Jung Hoseok? I already visited Kim Namjoon and he doesn’t know anything, but he’s the only friend I know that could have any idea.” 

Jung Hoseok. He remembers that name frequently in your notebook. Not as frequently as his, but enough to have a good idea he could be involved in your sudden departure. 

“Okay, I’ll visit him today.” 

•━━━━━━»•»💮💮💮«•«━━•••

The tables that you usually occupy for study groups are painfully absent of your presence, noted by your stressed out students that are hoping you’ll show up unexpectedly. 

Thankfully, Hoseok is working today. Jungkook eyes him from the doorway of the playroom, seeing Hoseok carefully distribute plates of snacks as a movie plays on the flatscreen. He looks like a preschooler himself, decked out in a sunflower yellow bucket hat and denim suspenders. Jungkook tries to see if there’s anything strange emanating from Hoseok, like if he also has secrets to hide, but feels nothing of the sort.  

“You’re really creepy, Mister,” the door swings open to reveal a little girl, tugging impatiently at his cargos. 

Hoseok makes a face at Jungkook, rolling his eyes. “God, just come in. You’re scaring my children.” 

The little girl practically shoves him inside, forcing him to sit at the playtable on the very end. She then hands him a plate of cheddar Goldfish and strawberry fruit snacks, a toddler’s delicacy. Hoseok makes a show of telling the children to be quiet, focusing on the movie’s “historical elements” and “symbolic imagery” but they don’t understand any of that and just want Hoseok to move so they can watch Mulan. 

Jungkook feels like he’s being crushed in the too-small chair and Fisher-Price table, munching absentmindedly on his Goldfish. Hoseok is playing on his phone, not sparing him a glance as he texts someone. 

Jungkook swallows, wishing he had some milk to down the snack. “Uh, are you texting y/n?” 

“No,” Hoseok replies coolly. 

“Well, do you know where she is?” 

“I can tell you where she went,” Hoseok replies eerily, plucking a fruit snack from Jungkook’s place, “as to whether she’s still there or not, I’m not sure.” 

“I’m sorry, but are you mad at me?” he whisper-hisses, not wanting to disturb the children enamoured at the front of the room. He’s tired of the secrecy and blurry answers. 

“Yes, I am,” Hoseok snaps just as quietly, leaning in to get into his face, “I’m mad because I believed in you.” 

“Believed in me?” he gapes, “you don’t even know me!” 

“I may not, but I believed you’d trust y/n at least. She’s a victim too, y’know.” 

A victim? 

“Look,” Jungkook puts some space between them, afraid he would get too heated, “just tell me what’s going on so I can understand. I know I messed up, but I feel like I’ve been in the dark for God knows how long.”

Hoseok bites his lip, “It’s really not my story to tell. Y/n didn’t want to tell you right away because she wasn’t sure of the circumstances. She wasn’t sure even if she was supposed to tell you.” 

Jungkook watches the expressions morph on Hoseok’s face. He sees the faith in his gaze, as he holds his phone expectantly, as if he’s also waiting for a sign that you’re okay. Jungkook suppresses a sigh, looking at his own blank screen. Shaking his head, he manages to smile knowing that so many people believe in you.

So why can’t he? 

•━━━━━━»•»💮💮💮«•«━━•••

You hate this. Three days ago you felt peachy keen, ready to transcend into your own universe and live your life to the fullest. 

Now three days later you’re sitting at the wine lady’s cottage, waiting for the past two days for her to show up. 

“How long does she need to go on this ‘spiritual retreat’?” you admonish, looking on angrily at the same waitress that has served you for the past two days. 

“I don’t know,” the waitress has grown tired of your presence, waiting all day in the little restaurant for the owner’s presence, “until she feels more spiritual, I guess?” 

It annoys you further that this waitress has the spitting image of Sehlyung. It’s weird to see her with natural pin straight black hair, always loving the pretty blond-white color and sacrificing her hair health for the bright hue. Every time she sees you still in the same spot, she makes it a point to roll her eyes and walk a little louder. This version of her is just as temperamental, unwilling to budge. 

You groan, shamelessly annoyed as you drop your head on your arm. “And are you sure there’s no angel’s wine in the bar? I’m willing to take the risk of switching lives with my third dimension-self at this rate.” 

The waitress eyes the one empty bottle of soju that decorate your side of the bar, chalking it up as a drunk episode. “No,” she says flatly, jerking her hand out. “Now, please pay and leave. We’re closing up, but I’ll give you a call if she decides to show up late. Since y’know, you’ve left your number here despite our protests.” 

“Can I stay until you’re at least done cleaning—” 

“No.” 

You narrow your eyes, snatching up your half-finished bottle of soju before tucking it in your purse and offering up your credit card in exchange. You know you’re not in the right mind, but you’re pulling at strings at this point and you don’t know what to do. 

After a couple paces of shaky walking and trying very hard not to appear tipsy in public, you plop yourself onto the beach, overlooking the shore. You place your backpack next to you, taking off your shoes and dipping your toes in the sand. 

You glare hard at the moon, despite the distance the big ball of extraterrestrial rock is bright and full. It reflects in the ocean and bathes you in it’s grace. 

Sighing at its beauty, you take a swig of your soju as your feet wade in the water. The touch of the ocean is glaringly cold, but your body feels warm and the contrast is appropriately jarring. You feel stuck between two worlds, your body in one while your heart is in the other, desperate to find the bridge to bring you home. 

What exactly was the goal in bringing you here? Did you need a break from your real life? Did fate want you to remedy your relationship with Jungkook? Were you supposed to rewrite the wrongs you committed in your other life? 

You snort, taking a long swig. It's easy to see how well that went. 

You miss your life back home. As much as you love the one your alternate self has made here, nothing compares to Sehlyung’s humor and dirty jokes. Nothing compares to the look on Beomgyu’s face after getting a sentence translation correct. Nothing compares to the way Jungkook looks for only you after a concert, desperate to give you a hug and an affirmation that he did well. 

Just as you are about to sing to the moon and beg for a reprieve, a body plops themselves next to you, snatching the bottle from your hands. 

“Y’know, normally when people run away, they leave a mysterious note.” 

You frown at Jungkook, who looks absolutely ethereal as he stares at the moon. He’s glittering in his denim jacket and black jeans, as if he’s part of an intimate moment in a slice-of-life film. You have half a mind to grab your phone and yell at Hoseok, but it’s far too late since your location has already been revealed. 

“What are you doing here?” you ask, trying not to snap when Jungkook pours the contents of your drink into the ocean. “Hey, I paid for that.” 

Ignoring you he says, “I’m here to take you home.” 

“I don’t have a home here,” you snap, and you mean it. 

Jungkook digs a hole for your bottle, letting the sea green grass sit in the sandhole. He turns to you, looking weary and worried. You try not to feel worried over the slump in his chest, or the way he looks like he ran a marathon to find you. 

“Then where is your home?” he asks gently, resting an arm over his knee and turning to face you. 

You curl up further into your body, hoping you’ll shrink if you press your legs close enough to your chest. “It’s not here,” you mumble into your knees. 

“Tell me where,” and you don’t shove him away when he puts his palm on your thigh, coaxing you out of your shell. “I’ll listen this time.” Deathly slow, you lift your head up, letting him catch your stray tears and spread your body with warmth. He scoots over to you, the rough sand making it difficult as he tries to wrap his arm around you. The both of you let out a breath, missing each other’s touch. “I’m sorry,” he says, the apologies melting into your temple, “I should’ve listened from the beginning, and been more patient. It’s my fault you’re all the way out here.” 

The oceans crash against both of your feet, the water eager to swallow you whole. 

“Two months ago I got into a fight with you, the other you,” you start, and Jungkook doesn’t budge, and you’re thankful he doesn’t attempt to bombard you with questions, “it wasn’t a stupid fight. It was something building for a long, long time. And I came home drunk. One second, I was two seconds away from being sideswept by an incoming truck, and the next second it’s daytime and it’s you that nearly runs me over.” 

He rubs small circles into your shoulder, and you almost hum at his touch. You miss Jungkook so much. 

“The Jungkook I’ve told you about isn’t dead,” you explain, “he’s—and I’m, we’re from another universe.” 

And between you, Jungkook, and the moon you profess your journey. Starting from the anxiety you felt from the first week, how you holed yourself in your apartment until Namjoon had to whisk you out, to your relief when Hoseok believed your crazy ideas. Halfway through you decide to piece your theories within the story, your last conversation with Jungkook, coupled with the angel’s wine and explaining how scary it was to see your matching tattoos and the meaning behind them. 

“But, I wasn’t trying to fall in love with you so I could go home,” you admit tearfully, feeling the weight of the night on your shoulders, “it, it just happened naturally. It made me believe that in another world, we would’ve worked out. Just like he said.”  

“I believe you,” he says firmly, exhaling. The whole explanation, understatedly, is a lot to take in. But he isn’t going to reject it, in fact as absurd as it is it makes far more sense than you planning out a Jungkook-inspired sci-fi novel or questioning your sanity. “I—I didn’t want to at first. It was easier to say you were crazy but, it doesn’t seem like the case. The way you saw me that morning we met, I could see how much you cared for me—him—us?” he scratches his head, unsure of how he should refer to himself in the situation.  

“I don’t blame you,” you shake your head, “Namjoon wanted me to see a doctor.” 

“It must’ve been hard,” he states, “seeing so much of him in me.” 

“You are him,” you retort, looking up so that your noses are touching. There’s pain in both your gazes, equally upset at the circumstances. “I’m sorry you got the short end of the stick. I wish you could’ve met me, the other me, under normal circumstances.” 

“Remember what I said before?” he asks, lifting a hand to brush your hair behind your ear. “I said that our meeting was fate. And now I believe it more than ever.” 

You laugh, leaning your head against his shoulder. “Y’know, Jungkook believes in fate too. He used to joke about hearing the bell when he found ‘the one’ like in Kimi No Na Wa.” 

Jungkook grins, “That guy of yours seems pretty cool,” he jokes, “let him know that in our case, the bell was my horn because I didn’t wanna run you over.” 

The whole situation is confusing, but you’re thankful that Jungkook seems to be at ease now that all your cards are laid out. 

“So does your Jungkook do film too?” 

“Uh,” you choke out a cough, “he’s actually a singer, dancer, producer, and films when he has the time. Mostly singer, the main one in a K-pop group. With Hoseok, Jimin, Taehyung, Yoongi, Namjoon, and Seokjin.” 

He gapes, “Kim Seokjin? The actor Seokjin? Damn he’s like, super fine—” 

“God this is so weird.” 

“So how many figures are they making a year? In the hundred-thousands, like six-figures?” 

“Er, more like eight,” you squeak, “and then some. But you put a lot of your money into donations.” 

“Damn babe, you downgraded,” Jungkook jokes, and you smack him playfully on the arm. “So that’s how you got the song, huh?” 

“Still With You? Yeah,” you say, running your hands through the soft sand, “it’s weird to live in a world without your music, byproduct of my job. It happens to be a big part of my life,” your eyes glaze over the ocean, “I missed hearing your voice.” 

“Y/n,” Jungkook threads his fingers through the sand to find your hands, “I’m really, really sorry I doubted you.” 

You disagree, “It’s a crazy situation. I don’t even know if I’m really sane at this moment,” you chuckle, “I mean, the time went by so fast. I would be paranoid because for you, it’s like being in a new relationship. I didn’t think it would be so easy to love you all over again like that.” 

“Neither did I.” Jungkook replies warmly, and he smiles when he sees you gaping. He leans over to press a kiss to your lips, a feeling long-missed. “And a little part of me knows he feels the same way, too.” 

•━━━━━━»•»💮💮💮«•«━━•••

It’s almost 12AM before you return to your apartment, dripping wet because neither of you anticipated the sudden spring shower. You tumble in like wet noodles, giggling like children in hushed whispers as you struggle to find the lightswitch. 

The lights blare on for you, Taehyung’s fingers hanging by the toggle. His hair is wet from the shower, and he looks like he sees a Christmas miracle when he wraps you up in his arms, despite the protest of you being dirty with sand and salt. 

“You dummy, don’t ever scare me like that ever again!” he sobs into your shoulder, and you return the embrace as you pat his head comfortingly. 

“Sorry Tae,” you say, “had to do a little soul-searching.” 

Jungkook rolls his eyes, more like world-searching if anyone were to ask his honest opinion. But Taehyung is looking past your body to mumble a teary ‘thank you’ to Jungkook, and he nods his head politely. 

“Well next time you soul search, you better call.” 

“Done and done.” 

Satisfied that you are going to stay the night and not budge, Taehyung returns to his room. He gives you a good scolding however, and he makes you promise that you’ll give him the full story over breakfast. 

After that bump, Jungkook and you can’t keep your hands off each other. You two shower the grime off your bodies, taking turns shampooing and scrubbing. Even after you’re clean and towel-dried, Jungkook’s fingers fail to untack from your skin, pushing you eagerly to your mattress as he presses kisses along your clothed body. He’s singing against your skin, waxing poetics about how beautiful you are and how much he loves you. 

“Jung—koo, Jungkook,” you say breathlessly, running your fingers through his damp locks, “Taehyung’s in the other room, we can’t be loud.” 

“Don’t,” kiss, “give,” kiss, “a fuck,” Jungkook pants, large hands trailing over your soft skin, memorizing every inch of you, He presses his length against your thigh, insistent, “if this is the last time, we’re going off with fireworks, baby.” 

And with that, you relent. It’s nothing short of electric, the way he takes great care but great power into your pleasure. He takes his time, as if it isn’t the first and last night, tracing every inch of your body because he doesn’t know what the future entails for the both of you. 

You’re equally stung like live-wire, wracking with pleasure as he seals his affirmation to you with sweet nothings, bodies pressed against each other feverently like they’ve always meant to be. Every bit of contact is purposeful, unbridled and overflowing with affection. 

When you’re done you’re both sweaty and almost painfully content, acceptant of the ambiguity of your futures. 

“Jungkook?” you ask, holding his hand tightly.

“Yes, pretty girl?” 

“Will you… fall in love with me again?” 

“Is that even a question?” he balks, leaning forward to peck your nose. He smiles at the way you scrunch your face. “Your office hours are 1-3PM, Mondays and Thursdays in the general library. If you’re not there, you’re teaching the History of Neuroscience in the ARC building on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:20 to 12:10. I also know where you live, so.”  

You don’t care how sweaty you are, and tuck your head underneath his chin, needing to be closer. 

“I will find you,” he promises, “hopefully not under my bike the second time around, but I’ll take what I can get.” 

“You’ll have a lot of explaining to do, y’know,” you sigh into his chest, feeling it rumble as your hair dampens. Your hair has dried long ago from the shower, but you know Jungkook’s trying hard to be strong as he cries into your crown, “you should leave before I wake up, just in case.” 

“Hoseok and I will handle it,” Jungkook assures you, “we’re like the Power Rangers, defenders of space and time.” 

“Alright Red Ranger, make sure you’re at least clothed before I wake up, then.” 

He pulls away lightly, seeing your equally red-rimmed eyes and ruddy cheeks. Both of you bump arms as you try to wipe away each other’s tears. The moon continues its power over your bodies, the only source of light in the room. Despite its movement since your time at the beach, it continues to illuminate the room and make the moment glisten with the rhythm of time. 

“You really think this is the end for us, huh?” his voice cracks, his hands cradling your face. 

Stretching to reach him, you press a kiss on every available centimeter of skin on his face. His forehead, his cheeks, his chin, his lips. You take care to kiss the tears away, silently wishing nothing but the best for him. He immediately melts into your touch, and he gives you a teary smile. 

“It’s not the end,” you assure, “it’s our beginning. Thank you, for loving me.” 

Jungkook nods, pressing a long, sweet kiss to your lips. “I can’t wait to fall in love with you again.” 

The two of you sleep like that, not with a goodbye, but with a promise. 

•━━━━━━»•»💮💮💮«•«━━•••

W1. 

When you wake up, it’s loud. 

The transition is jarring, painfully so. Gone are your soft flannel comforter, replaced with dry, scratchy sheets that are a poor excuse for bedwear. Your hands are heavy, bounded by the fluids snaking into your bloodstream. Your eyes are crusty and bleary, taking in the plain white and wood room. The sharp sound of the monitor reverberates in your ears, a high-pitched reminder of your slow vitals. 

Everything is painful, confirming that in fact you did get hit by that truck. You give props to your alternate self for dealing with this for the past two months. 

Your eyes dart around the room, taking in the night sky and the full moon looming above you. The only other person in the room is your baby niece, who is just short of five years old. She has since ceased coloring at her little table, her little mouth gaping open like a pufferfish. You make eye contact with her, and she nearly spills over her 64-count Crayola pack as she throws herself off the chair, running over to reach for your hand. 

“Auntie!” she cheers, the biggest smile on her face, “you’re awake! Mama said you were hibernating like bears do, and that you would probably wake up by spring time. She was right!” 

Although it pains you to smile, you manage to squeeze her hand in return. You open your mouth, the inside feeling tacky and gross. “Ah-ah,” you grimace when no sound comes out, just rasps and ghosts of what once was your voice. 

Your niece’s face crumples, and she lets go of you. “Imma go get mama, she’ll bring help!” 

She leaves you alone to succumb to the beeps of your monitors and the pain in your bones. Your fingers grapple the paper-thin sheets, and your gaze drifts to the moon. You think of Jungkook, sleeping blissfully in bed, holding you with so much tenderness and care. In a matter of what felt like minutes since you fell asleep in his arms, disappears just like that. 

The doctors and your family find you hysterically crying, the monitors going crazy as you hyperventilate yourself into a stupor. You feel like you’re choking on air, whatever little tubes in your body restricting access to fully express how torn and conflicted you’re feeling all over again. The medical expertise does work to evacuate your family, chalking your reactions up as your trauma catching up to you and the shock of the past two months hitting you full force. 

•━━━━━━»•»💮💮💮«•«━━•••

It’s nearly 3AM when the music cuts out with no explanation, and Jungkook is annoyed. He just got that set down and he finally felt confident in adding facial expressions, but the manager killed the music and now his head is spinning. 

He’s heaving, hands on his head as he tries to get his body back to equilibrium. He watches intently as Namjoon immediately takes the call, not even bothering to leave the studio to answer it. The rest of the members watch as Namjoon’s expressions morph into happiness, combined with short “yes”es and “I understands.” 

Namjoon makes eye contact with Jungkook first and beams, “She’s awake!” 

What originally felt like a hot and stifling room, immediately dissipates into an air of relief. While not all the members may not know you personally, the thought of a fellow co-worker on the road to recovery is enough to ease their exhaustion. 

“What?” Jungkook doesn’t hide it, and collapses on the floor, thoroughly spent for today. “Is she okay?” 

“Well, she actually just passed out. But she’s conscious.” 

“What, why?” Jimin asks, rolling a water bottle over to Jungkook. 

“Doctors say she woke up in a panic, started freaking out when it sunk in that she’s been in a coma since winter.” Jungkook’s heart squeezes painfully of the thought of you scared and feeling trapped in that small hospital bed. 

“Well, can we go see her in the morning?” Jungkook says hopefully, biting his lip. 

“We can’t,” Namjoon confesses, looking down at his shoes in disappointment, “at least not right now. y/n was apparently terrified. The doctors think she’s suffering from some form of PTSD, because she can’t recall anything that happened after she got hit. Her guardians are sending her to a facility for her to process her trauma. It’s in the countryside, and she’s not allowed visitors until she’s fully recovered.” 

Just when Jungkook thinks he has you back, you’re already far from his reach. He should be happy, knowing that you are well on your way to get better. He’s thankful enough that you’re finally awake. But the small, selfish part of him wants to visit you, and comfort you. 

Whether you’ll let him or not is your choice, but this time, he decides he’s going to fight for you. 

[friendlyneighborhoodspider-man]

cheatercheaterbestfriendeater-- Peter Parker x Reader

a/n: this is the first time I’ve written for peter parker. mainly because I listened to this song last night and can’t get it out of my head. so. angst. that’s it, that’s the story. oh, and also a fair amount of smut (18+).

Yeah, you sure broke my heart last week,

When you said you had slept with her.

I know you called, I got them all.

La, da, da, da, da, da.

It started with a text  from Ned Leeds. 

-Hey, next time you and Peter go at it in our apartment can you keep it down? I couldn’t sleep last night and my CompSci midterm was today.

-I was home all night??

-oh… nvm then

-wait ned what do you mean ‘going at it?’

-nevermind gtg bye

-NED

Then, your roommate MJ showed up at your apartment 20 minutes later. “Sorry I forgot to text you last night, I crashed at Neds place because it was closer to that party.” All it took was one glance to tell that she was hiding something from you. The two of you had no secrets. Until now.

“What is that on your neck?” You pointed out the bruise lying there just below her ear. “Did you meet someone last night at the party?” She flushed and looked away from you.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“I-- I have class.” You said shakily and got as far from the building. Completely sick to your stomach, you stopped at Delmars on the way to your lecture and picked up a sprite and some crackers.

“Hon, you don’t look like you feel too well.” Mr. Delmar said as he handed you your stuff. “Maybe you should stay home today.”

“Yeah, maybe.” You agreed and headed back in the direction you came. MJ was in the shower when you got home, but had conveniently left her phone sitting on the table. You picked it up and put in her passcode to see her recent texts.

Parker: mj we need to talk about last night

             i cant keep doing this

            we have to tell y/n, i can’t do this behind her back.

 You turned and retched into the sink behind you. You were wiping off your face when MJ came out in a towel. “You okay?” She asked you.

“Screw you.” You stared coldly at her before running to your room and slamming the door behind you.

She knocked on your door asking you to open up until she eventually gave up and left. 

An hour later, you got your first text from Peter, followed by the torrent of messages that followed

-can we talk?

-baby please answer me

-mj called me, what happened with you guys?

-hello?

-baby i’m so sorry

8 missed calls from my heart

-i need you to talk to me

-it was just a mistake

-please please please answer your phone

-i love you

Boy, you better love what you got,

Before you go and give it away.

Your phone buzzed for the millionth time on the table, just across from you. You stared bitterly at it, hoping it would go away, that the calls would stop coming, while praying for the exact opposite at the same time. Every ounce of you wanted to throw it at the wall, while the buzzing stopped and started immediately again. If they stopped, you could finally get some peace and quiet and maybe you would have a chance to forget that anything had happened just long enough to go to sleep.

The tap on your bedroom window knocked you out of your daze. You looked over and saw the unmasked boy perched on the windowsill outside of your room, and immediately shut the blinds and the curtains. The tap came again, and you could hear him saying “Please, y/n, please just give me a chance. I can fix this.”

“Go away, Peter.” You shouted through a hoarse voice. You felt your eyes starting to burn with tears again and you furiously wiped them away. “Just go.”

But, don't say that I don't know you.

'Cause, oh, I know, all about your type.

You're the type of guy, that texts all day, and talks all night.

When you left your apartment the next day, eyes red rimmed  and puffy, he was standing there. “Please, Y/N, I’m so, so sorry.” He had been crying too, you could tell, but you ignored him and kept walking. He held onto the strap of your backpack trying to hold you back and you turned to face him.

“Peter, I can’t look at you right now. Just go.”

“It was just once, please, listen to me--”

“That’s not what those texts said.” You hadn’t gone through them, you’d only seen the ones on the lock screen, but the look on his face confirmed what you needed to know. As your eyes began to tear up again, you wiped them away and sighed. “I can’t do this right now.”

“Y/N--”

“I have class.” You yanked the strap of your bag from his hand, and he let you. 

 And, oh, I know, that you are feeling sad

I don't feel bad.

'Cause, even after three text messages, four missed calls,

You still slept with my best friend.

 Two weeks later you met Brad Davis at a bar in downtown NYC. He had chatted you up in your psych class, and offered to meet up for a drink to catch up sometime. You had debated whether or not you should go for hours before throwing on a cute outfit and heading to meet him.

Now, here you were three drinks later. “I heard about what Parker did.” He finally said  while he stirred his glass. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” You sighed. 

“For what it’s worth though,” he looked up and met your eyes. “A girl like you deserves the stars and moon, and Peter Parker is an even bigger idiot than I thought if he doesn’t see that.” He stared at you for a moment, before continuing. “I’m not here to take advantage of you, because I know you’re still healing from everything. But as a friend, I’m here for whatever you need. And one day, if you’re ready and willing, maybe more.”

“Brad, I--”

“Another round for me and the lady.” He told the bartender, and you warmed up a little inside. “After this, I’m taking you home.” Brad told you. “We have a test in psych tomorrow and I won’t be the reason we fail.”

Yeah, you sure got a lot of nerve,

To say that this was all my fault.

I know you called, I got them all.

La, da, da, da, da, da.

You finally checked your voicemail a week later. It was full of messages from Peter, and a few from MJ-- who you had yet to see in weeks.

“Hey, Y/N, it’s MJ.  I know you’re mad at me, but I hope we can still be friends. I-- we didn’t do this to hurt you, it just happened. I get that you need space, and I want to give it to you, so just call me or text me when you are ready.”

“My love, I’m so…. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. Please answer me, I know we can get through this.”

“Locked windows… I know you’re upset, but we can’t talk this out if you won’t let me explain. I love you. Please call me back.”

“Baby I love you, please don’t do this.”

They went on and on, asking for forgiveness and to talk, until the last two.

“I love you, but you’re being a bitch. Honestly, Y/N, I thought you were more mature than this. I can’t talk to you if you won’t let me.”

“This is your fault. We didn’t have to break up if you would have just listened to me and let me explain myself. You’re no saint either. I guess this means that we’re over.”

You took a deep breath before deleting all of them. They didn’t matter anymore. It hurt, cutting off two of your best friends since high school, but this was for the best. 

Boy, you better love what ya got,

Before you go, and give it away.

But, don't say that I don't know you.

'Cause, oh, I know, all about your type.

You're the type of guy, that texts all day, and talks all night.

And, oh, I know, that you are feeling sad

I don't feel bad.

'Cause, even after three text messages, four missed calls,

You still slept with my best friend.

Ned had already reached out to you and apologized for everything, and told you he still wanted to be friends if it was possible. You had told him of course, because he didn’t do anything wrong. He genuinely hadn’t known about this until you did, and you couldn’t blame him for their actions. The two of you met up for coffee one morning to catch up.

“I miss you, Y/N.” Ned told you after giving you a big hug. “Things are… weird without you being around all the time.”

“Eventually it will become your new normal.” You told him with a shrug. “I’m not going back, I can’t.”

“I get it.” He said while you sipped your drink. “I still feel bad though. It isn’t fair to you.”

“Peter and MJ can fuck off for all I care,” you lied. “I don’t care to see them galavanting around together.”

“Wait… you don’t know?” He asked you, and you raised a brow. “Peter and MJ aren’t together anymore. They tried for like a week but broke things off pretty fast. Turns out they can’t stand each other in large doses.”

“Huh.” Was all you said.

“Anyways, I built a new model the other day…”

So, I sing, rain, rain, go away, come again another day.

When I say, it's okay, to give a little hell to pay.

And, every single time you make your way into my sheets

The hours move to minutes,

The days turn, into weeks.

Peter was waiting outside your door when you got home from class one Friday afternoon. “Y/N,” he breathed.

“Peter.” You sighed. “What do you want?” 

His eyes took you in up and down in your favorite dress. “Just-- this.” He pressed a hungry kiss to your lips, and you felt your resolve melting away under his touch. He held you tightly to him as he backed you up flush to the door. You broke away while he kissed down your neck.

“Inside… neighbors…” You got out and he quickly opened your door before picking you up and carrying you inside, lips never breaking from your body.

“I’ve missed you…” He pressed a kiss against your neck while he tugged your dress up your hips and sat you on the edge of your bed.

“Peter!” You gasped as he knelt in front of the bed, holding your thighs apart and placing his head against your inner thigh. He looked up at you. 

“Tell me.” He said.

“Yes.” You answered quickly. As much as you hated to admit it, heat was pooling in your lower belly and you couldn’t say no even if it was what was better for you. You could feel his hot breath on your most sensitive places, and he darted his tongue out to tease you through your lace panties. Gently, he pulled your panties down past your ankles and threw them to the side before continuing his earlier motions minus the barrier. As his tongue circled your clit, you cried out.

“You’re so wet, and all for me.” He licked a stripe up your pussy before sucking hard on your nub and pulling away. He started teasing you with his tongue while entering a finger inside of you and finding that special place. Quickly adding a second, he continued circling your clit with his tongue and bringing you close to the edge.

He stood up too soon and left you crying out for more. “Not so fast, princess.” He unbuckled his belt and pulled his boxers and pants down with one swift motion. You didn’t know when he had lost his shirt, but you stopped thinking about it when he entered you in one swift motion. “Fuck!” You cried out.

“Your pretty little pussy all full with my cock,” He grunted as he thrust inside of you quickly and roughly. “Have you missed this? Missed me?”

“Peter…” was all you could reply. He lifted one of your legs to rest against his shoulder as he continued pounding into you, and you moaned out as he hit you just right. “Oh my god Peter, don’t stop, please, don’t stop--” 

The ball that had quickly been forming inside of your belly unwound quickly as you saw stars. “Fuck,” Peter got out before stilling inside of you and finishing. He laid down on the bed beside you as you both caught your breath and basked in the afterglow.

“Is that all you came here for?” You asked, as you remembered why you had broken up in the first place.

“Of course not. Y/N, god, I’ve missed you.”

“I don’t want to get back together.” You stated as you got out of bed and quickly redressed. “I don’t even know why we just did this.”

“You miss me, I know you do.” He said, catching his boxers as you threw them at him. “We can fix this, and be better-- I’ll be better--”

“That’s just the thing, Peter.” You said quietly. “I miss you. But I don’t want to miss you. I want to do better for myself. This-- this isn’t good for me anymore.”

“Oh, so fucking Brad Davis is what’s good for you?” He replied sharply. “You can’t look at this-- what we just did-- and say we aren’t good for each other.”

“We aren’t good for each other, Peter.” You shouted at him. “So what, we fucked? Sex doesn’t make a relationship. I want someone I can trust with my life, with the life of my children, and build a home with. I can’t live my life with someone when I’m constantly worried that I won’t be enough!”

“You are enough, I swear--”

“For now.” You cut him off. “I’m enough for now, until the next girl. And the girl after that. Until you have to prioritize saving the world over being here with me. I-- I don’t want to live my life second to everything when it comes to you.”

“You were never second, Y/N.” He said sadly. “I have always loved you.”

“I think you should leave.” You said quietly, quietly enough to where he wouldn’t have heard you if it weren’t for his super senses.

“Fine.” He finished dressing. “I’m leaving, if that’s what you want. I won’t be back.”

 And, I know, you're so cool, but I must be a fool.

For taking you in, and letting you win control of my heart.

And every single time you make your way into my sheets,

The hours move to minutes,

The days turn into weeks.

Brad Davis picked you up from your apartment a week later in black jeans and a button down. “You look stunning.” He spoke in your ear while he hugged you close. As he pulled away, he handed you a single white rose. You felt your cheeks redden and let him inside to put the flower in a vase with water.

“You are quite handsome yourself.”

This was your first official date with Brad. You had been hanging out pretty much every weekend and a lot of weeknights studying together and watching movies. After you ended things with Peter you had told yourself it was time to move on before you made a mistake like what happened in your room again.

After dinner, the two of you walked around Central Park while you talked. You were walking by the garden when he slowed down, coming to a full stop directly underneath a tall oak tree. “I have a question.”

“Shoot.” You laughed nervously.

“Are you really over Parker?” He asked.

“I… I think so? He came over last week to talk and we ended things officially. Things had been pretty much over before then, but that was the first time I had said it.”

“Said what?”

“That I didn’t want him back. That I deserved better. That that was the end of the road for us, and that he wasn’t who I am supposed to be with.”

A flash of red and blue caught your eye through the branches of a tree overhead from where the streetlight was shining. You shook your head and looked back at Brad. “Thank you, for everything. You’ve been-- just, amazing these past few weeks.”

“I told you already, you deserve the world. I just hope I can be the one to give it to you.”

“Walk me home?” You looked up at him shyly, an unsaid question in your eyes.

“Of course, my lady.” He bent to kiss your hand and headed in the direction of your apartment.

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day.

When I say, it's okay, to give a little hell, to pay.

And, every single time you make your way into my sheets

The hours move to minutes,

The days turn, into weeks.

“Last box?” You asked Brad as he carried it through the doors of his apartment on the upper west side.

“Yeah,” he huffed as he set it down. “Takeout okay for dinner?”

“Absolutely babe.” You kissed his cheek. “You know my order.”

A few minutes later he left to go pick up your food from your favorite chinese place. You were sorting through your boxes when you heard a tap on the balcony. Looking up, you saw none other than your friendly neighborhood spiderman.

“Hey.” You said as you joined him in the crisp fall air. “What are you doing here?”

“Just checking in.” He said cooly, but you could hear the pain in his voice. 

“I’m doing fine, and so is Brad. Since you’re checking in.” You told him.

“Just-- out of all the people in this city, Brad Davis?”

“Yeah, what about it?” You cocked your hip and ran a hand through your hair. “I will always care about you Pete, but I’ve moved on. I’m happy. Can’t you be happy for me?”

“Yeah, sure.” He said without looking at you and jumped onto the balcony ledge. “Stay safe, Y/N.”

And I know, you're so cool, but I must be a fool.

For taking you in and letting you win control of my heart.

And, every single time you make your way into my sheets,

The hours move to minutes,

The days turn into weeks. 

Oh, I know, all about your type.

“I missed you.” Brad picked you up and set you on the kitchen counter when he got home. You set down the knife you had been using to cut up some carrots and smiled at him, running a hand through his hair. 

“I missed you too.” You kissed him quickly. “But I am in the middle of making dinner. I wanted to surprise you when you got home and now it’s ruined.”

He turned off the stove where you were boiling some water and kissed you. “I think..” he spoke against your skin as he trailed kisses down to your collar and played with the hem of your t-shirt, “that dinner can wait.”

He held your face in his hands as he kissed you fervently, pressing his body against yours. You could feel his hardness pressed against your thigh, and you scooted forwards to wrap your legs around his middle, grinding lightly against him. “I would have to agree.” You said as you nipped at his ear, and he picked you up so that you were still wrapped around him. 

He took you to the couch in the living room and tossed you down while your hands made quick work of his belt buckle. He lifted your t-shirt over your head and you kicked your shorts and underwear off while he finished undressing himself.

“Shit.” He said as you wrapped him in your hand and pumped him slowly, spreading his precum down the shaft. He handed you a condom and you slowly unrolled it down his length, pressing a light kiss to the tip when you were finished.

He climbed onto the couch and hovered over you while he slowly slid inside of you. You moaned while he slowly fucked you, holding your hips so tight they might leave bruises as he slid almost all the way out and thrust back in to the hilt. “Faster,” you cried out.

He complied, and you found yourself coming to the edge and crashing over. Brad didn’t let up, and continued thrusting into you. When it was over, your legs were shaking and he was sweating.

 “I love you.” He turned to you and pressed a quick kiss to your lips.

“I love you too.” You smiled at him. “But I think we might need to order in, because I’m not sure if I will be able to stand long enough to make dinner.”

“That’s my fault.” He said, but he couldn’t hide the smirk that flitted across his features. “I’ll go pick up some Delmars.”

“That is why I love you.” You grinned. “Make it quick.”

“I’m going, I’m going.” He laughed as he pulled on his pants and shirt. “I’ll be back soon.”

As the door shut behind you, you saw a peek of blue and red from the balcony across from yours, and the eyes behind the mask made eye contact with yours before swinging away into the horizon. You suddenly became very aware of your state and pulled on your shorts and shirt. Did he see you? You wondered. I must be imagining it.

You're the type of girl, that texts all day, and talks all night.

And, oh, I know, that you are feeling sad, I don't feel bad

'Cause, even after three text messages, four missed calls,

You still slept with my best friend.

8 missed messages and 6 missed calls from: parker

-i know you miss me

-don’t do this

-i promise you ive changed

-we can do better

-y/n, don’t give up on me

-we were meant to be

-you’re going to regret this

-i love you

You turned your phone off and looked yourself over in the mirror, silently cursing Ned for telling Peter about today. Everyone kept telling you that you were a vision in your dress. It was beautiful, and you barely recognized yourself in the mirror. The woman standing there was flawless, ethereal-- she looked like a bride.

This was it, for you. You could feel it. Brad was your soulmate. You had thought you had found one in Peter, even for a while after you broke up. But as time went on, you had realized that while you loved him, there was no way you could be happy with him. Brad was it for you. He was the one person you couldn’t live a lifetime without.

Someone knocked on the door to your bridal suite where you were waiting for your dad to get you to go down the aisle. You opened, and the man on the other side quickly slid in and locked the door behind him. “Just hear me out.”

“I’m getting married. I don’t need this today.” You shook your head at him. Peter ran a hand through his hair, looking crazed and out of control. 

“You weren’t picking up and-- I just miss you so much, and I know that this isn’t how all of this is supposed to happen.”

“Oh?” You said angrily. “Let me guess: you realized that you ruined the best thing to ever happen to you, and you expect me to feel bad. Well guess what? I don’t. No matter how many times you apologize, you can’t change the fact that you slept with my best friend. I can’t forget that. I won’t. I am happy now, so let me be happy. Just go.”

He blinked through tears before stalking out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him. And you knew it was over, for good. You turned back to the mirror and adjusted your veil. You would come second to no one, not now, and not ever again.

[petersasteria]

The Forces of Nature || Ch.15

Pairing: Peter Parker x Superhero!Reader

Summary: “There’s this kid out there that can control the wind or something. I think she’s a great addition to the team. Let’s recruit her.”

4,845 words - longest chapter

SERIES MASTERLIST  ||  PP MASTERLIST

The thought of falling in love made Peter groan in frustration. He’s only ever fallen in love once and he knew the symptoms of falling in love when he feels it. It’s familiar. It wasn’t a sin to fall in love, but for Peter, it was kind of the wrong time for him to fall in love. He thought that he should’ve fallen in love later in life, maybe after he graduates college. He thought that falling in love was such a hindrance. At the moment, at least.

He never planned on falling in love this year after his break up with MJ. He told himself that this year was his year. His year to graduate as class valedictorian, his year to take on more serious missions as an Avenger, his year to get into the college of his dreams, his year to explore and let loose a bit. It was his year and it wasn’t on his plan to pursue someone or fall in love. Yet here he was lying awake on his bed on a Saturday morning thinking about picking up Y/N before going to the compound.

“Peter, it’s time to get up.” May knocked on his door before opening it. She looked at him and asked, “What’s up? You look like you’re thinking about something serious.”

Peter glanced at his aunt and sat up and leaned against the headboard. He sighed and said, “It’s nothing, May.” She gave him a look and they stared at each for a minute. The look on May’s face changed into a small smirk and her eyes lighting up.

“It’s a girl, isn’t it?” May smirked as she leaned against the door frame with crossed arms. Peter blushed and shook his head.

“N-No! Of course not.” Peter stuttered.

“Sure, it’s not.” May said sarcastically. “Anyway, if you want some help with your girl problems just ask me anything. I can help you. For now, I want you to eat breakfast before you leave to go to the compound.”

Peter nodded and May left, closing his door in the process. Peter huffed and lightly slapped either side of his face. He wasn’t sure if he did that to wake up or if he did that to stop falling in love. He ripped the blanket off of him and swung his legs on the side of his bed, his back facing the window as the rays of the sun passed through. He turned to his right and saw his phone. He debated on whether he should text Y/N if she wants to go to the compound together. Biting his lip, he decided that there was nothing wrong in shooting his shot.

He took a deep breath and grabbed his phone. He unlocked it and opened the messaging app. He scrolled down his messages until he found his conversation with Y/N. He clicked on it and sent her a text if she wanted to join him. Terrified of what she’ll respond with, Peter immediately locked his phone and shoved it in his pajama pocket. He quickly walked out of his room and joined May in their little dining area.

Y/N couldn’t sleep. Yesterday was prom and she’ll be seeing Peter again because Tony called for a meeting regarding The Violent Swine’s whereabouts. She guessed it was getting worse, but she wasn’t too sure because she and Peter haven’t been focusing on their heroic duties recently. School has been making them busy and one of the teachers told her that she didn’t submit a project even though she did. This caused her to do the project again as much as she didn’t want to. She had no choice, though. She wanted to pass.

Y/N was up for hours and the funny part was that she didn’t feel tired or sleepy at all. When she got home, Eunice wasn’t there to greet her, so she went straight to her room.

‘Peter Parker’s my first kiss.’ Was the only thing running through her mind. She didn’t know how to feel. Now, thinking about him made her giddy. She now had butterflies in her stomach and her heart was beating really fast when she replayed their kiss in her mind.

The kiss lasted for about thirty seconds. It wasn’t needy at all. It was sweet and full of feelings. Neither of them knew who pulled away first because they were in such a daze. They looked at each other, straight in the eyes as they gave each other a shy smile.

“So, um, you’re welcome by the way. A-And thanks for tonight.” Peter stuttered, red tint covering his cheeks.

Y/N smiled and pulled him in for a hug. Peter gladly hugged back and they held each other for a minute. To them, it felt like hours. They didn’t want to let go, but they had to.

Peter pulled away and just when he opened his mouth to speak, his phone rang. He pulled out his phone and saw that May was calling. He assumed that she was wondering if he was on his way home.

“Um, may I?” Peter asked her as he gestured to his phone. Y/N nodded hastily and said, “Sure! Take your time.”

Peter smiled and answered his phone, “Hi May!”

Y/N looked through her purse to look for the keys to the apartment. Peter smiled at her as he watched her look for her keys and smile in victory when she found it.

“Peter? Are you still there? I feel like I’m rambling to nobody here.” May said.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m still here.” Peter answered.

“So are you on your way home?”

“Yeah, I am. I, uh, I just walked Y/N home.” Peter said truthfully. He could feel May smiling on the other line and he was right because May asked if they were dating now.

“May!” Peter blushed. “I’ll tell you when I get home, okay?”

“Okay.” May said, keeping her cool. “Tell Y/N I said good night.” She teased.

“I will.” Peter said before hanging up the phone. He put his phone back in his pocket and looked up to see that Y/N was already inside and left the door wide open for him to enter.

He went in and saw Y/N walking out of the kitchen with a glass of water. She walked towards him and handed him the full glass.

“Uh, here.” She said. Peter thanked her and he drank the water. When he was finished, he gave the empty glass back to her.

“I really have to go now.” Peter said.

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She smiled softly.

“Tomorrow?” Peter furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “It’s Saturday tomorrow. Surely we won’t see each other until Mon- OH. RIGHT. Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She laughed and walked Peter to the door. Peter turned to her and it was clear that he was about to say something, but Y/N beat him to it.

“Can we kiss again?” She asked nervously, biting her lip. Peter grinned and pulled her in for another sweet kiss. This kiss was shorter than the other kiss, but it’ll do. He pulled away and kissed her forehead, “Good night.”

“Good night.” She whispered and watched him walk away. They didn’t know it, but both of them had goofy smiles on their faces.

Y/N shook her head in hopes that she could get him out of her head. It worked for a second, but it was immediately washed away when she unlocked her phone only to find Peter’s messages. Not knowing what to do, she ran out of her room and prayed to God if Eunice was there. God was quick to answer her prayers, though. Eunice was dressed in her uniform while drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.

“Eunice, I need some advice.” She said shyly as she sat down on Eunice’s right. Eunice gave her full attention to the young girl and asked what was the matter. Y/N wordlessly showed her Peter’s texts and she smirked.

“Looks like you’ve got an admirer.” Eunice smirked and handed Y/N her phone back.

“I don’t think so.” She shook her head.

“Honey, it’s so obvious that he likes you and I have a feeling that you feel the same way.” Eunice said.

“I don’t even know how I feel! I’ve never experienced anything like this before.” Y/N whined. Eunice thought for a bit before saying, “If you don’t know what to feel, then all I can say is figure it out. It’s clear that the boy has feelings for you and it’s clear that he wants to try something out. So, pay attention to what you feel whenever he’s around and especially when he’s not around. Just pay attention to your feelings if it involves him, okay? If you’re done figuring it out, then we’ll talk.”

“What about the texts? What should I say?” She asked Eunice as she watched her stand up and put her cop hat on.

Eunice smiled, “Well, that’s easy. Do you want to go to the compound together?”

“Yeah, I guess.” She answered, trying to hide a smile on her face.

“Then tell him!” Eunice chuckled. “Anyway, I have to get to work. Have fun with Peter.” She winked and kissed the top of Y/N’s head before grabbing her stuff and leaving.

Y/N unlocked her phone and replied to Peter’s texts before eating breakfast and getting ready.

Peter finished his breakfast and stood up to put his plate on the sink. He got a glass of water and drank it. He heard a ‘ping’ and he pulled out his phone, not taking a break from drinking.

He choked on his drink as soon as he saw Y/N text. He put the glass down on the table and quickly typed out a response, hoping that he wasn’t interrupting her peaceful breakfast.

On the contrary, Y/N’s breakfast was even better now that she and Peter were texting back and forth. She sent out a reply and not even ten seconds later, Peter responds.

As Y/N shyly smiled to herself while reading the message, a few blocks away, Peter was patting himself on the back for being smooth. He wasn’t sure if he was in love with Y/N already, but he knew he was getting there. He knew the signs and symptoms of falling in love. Meanwhile for Y/N, she has no clue about falling in love. She had to look it up and see if all the signs apply to her. If they do, she’s in love. 

As promised, Peter picked her up on time. He’s never been on time in his whole life before. He knocked on her door and slicked his hair back on more time and checked his front camera if he had anything stuck in his teeth. Y/N opened the door and smiled when she saw Peter.

Peter smiled at her as he took all her features in. Her hair was neatly combed and only pastel hair pins were decorated on her hair. She was wearing an oversized pastel pink sweater that she paired with light washed denim jeans that were straight cut. She was wearing white shoes, a simple watch on one wrist and a hair tie on the other wrist. She had a small, white Anello backpack on and her phone in hand.

“Hi Peter!” She beamed, showing her pearly whites.

“Hey.” Peter smiled. “Ready to go?” She nodded and locked the door to her shared apartment with Eunice. Once she was sure that the door was locked, they began to walk down the stairs in peace until they exited the building.

The commute to the compound was tiring, but they had each other and somehow, it made the short trip exciting. Peter gave her sense of security; she felt safe around him. It may be bold of her to say, but as she spends her time with him, she feels at home.

When they arrived at the compound, everybody was already there. They entered the meeting room and occupied the two vacant seats that were far apart from each other. Peter sat on Tony’s left while she sat on the right side of the table at the end next to Wanda.

“I thought we agreed that if anyone’s late, they’re in charge of donuts?” Scott asked, breaking the silence. Tony looked at him and shook his head, “We have no time for that now because the fucking swine flu is at it again. He’s worse this time and he still lives here because he wants our attention. I just don’t know when we’ll strike.”

“Do you know how we’ll strike?” Sam asked.

“Well, duh. We just have to show up and fight him and pray that we’ll win. I know we’ll win, though. We’re, like, super strong together.” Scott said.

“Yeah, but we need a plan, genius.” Tony rolled his eyes. “Any ideas? Kids?” Tony looked at the late comers and expected an answer. Peter saved the both of them and said, “What if we go and find out where he’s hiding if he’s not killing innocent people? We get to find out his routine and once we know how he works, we can formulate a plan then.”

“I think that’s a great plan.” Y/N piped up, backing up Peter’s plan. She smiled at him and he blushed. Their actions weren’t unnoticed by Thor who said, “Ahh, the two young ones are mating! Shall we expect young spider people running around soon?”

“No!” Peter and Y/N said at the same time. Both of them were embarrassed.

“Good because I’m not ready.” Tony said.

“All of us aren’t.” Clint said in a strict voice. “Anyway, Peter’s plan is good, but we should talk about it more. Y’know, the specifics.”

“Why do I have a strong feeling that I’ll be the one spying on the swine flu?” Natasha asked. Everyone looked at her and Steve said, “Your strong feelings are correct.” Natasha rolled her eyes, but nodded regardless.

“Who’s going with Nat?” Bruce asked.

“Bucky said he’d do it.” Sam chimed in, holding back his laughter.

“Hey, I didn’t say shit.” Bucky argued.

“That’s final; Bucky it is.” Tony said as he wrote it on the whiteboard. The rest of the team started talking about the plan except for Y/N who was just staring at Peter. Staring at Peter, despite it being her first time, was now her favorite hobby.

9 Signs That You’re Falling In Love, According to Psychology an article from independent.co.uk

You can’t stop staring at them. It’s a classic sign of infatuation: losing yourself in the eyes of the one you love. Consultant psychologist Marc Hekster explains that this is one of the most obvious signs that you’re falling in love with someone.

It was now Monday and Peter and Y/N acted different around each other. It was obvious and it was clear that something was going on between the two. Both of them were oblivious, though. Despite the fact that they already kissed.

Peter sat with Ned at the lunch table as they talked about something serious. Y/N just entered the cafeteria with MJ and she immediately looked for Peter. It didn’t take her long to do so. It’s like they were magnets; no matter how far apart they are, they’ll always attract each other. Y/N smiled as soon as she saw Peter happily talking to Ned about whatever it was they were talking about.

MJ smirked when she saw, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she tapped Y/N on the shoulder and said, “Hey, it’s your turn to get in line.”

“Oh, right!” Y/N said, her gaze still on Peter. Eventually, Peter’s senses were going off, telling him that someone was looking at him. He looked up and saw Y/N. He smiled and gave her a small wave which Y/N returned.

“Dude, seriously. It’s your turn.” MJ said from behind and lightly pushed her forward.

You abandon your usual activities. If you’re enjoying spending time with someone, the reward system in the brain increases your motivation to want “more” of that time, explains dating psychologist Madeleine Mason Roantree. “You start to crave their presence,” she adds.

“Hey, Peter! I’m going to the mall after school to buy some Legos. Do you want to come with me?” Y/N asked him on a Tuesday morning as she and MJ walked up to him and Ned.

Peter’s eyes lit up and he smiled brightly at her, “Of course!”

“Great!” Y/N cheered. “See you in class.” With that, she left with MJ.

MJ eyed her suspiciously and asked, “I thought you weren’t into Legos?”

Y/N glanced at her best friend and shrugged, “Peter likes Legos. It makes me feel closer to him. Besides, it’ll be like bonding with him, y’know? If buying Legos with him makes me spend more time with him, then I’ll take what I can get. His presence alone makes me happy.”

“But absence makes the heart grow fonder.” MJ pointed out.

“I agree.” Y/N nodded. “But presence makes it stronger.”

They reached Y/N’s classroom where her first class will be held; the class she shared with Peter who she sits next to. They stood by the door and MJ smirked at Y/N, “You like him, don’t you?”

“Like him? Why would you think that? I just want to be friends with him.” Y/N lied. Of course, MJ saw right through her, but she let it slide.

“Yeah, sure.” MJ squinted at her. “I’ll go to class now. Colette and I are having a doodle-off. Whoever loses buys the other ice cream after school and I want to win.”

“Good luck, Jones.” She giggled.

“Thanks.” MJ walked away. She quickly turned around and walked backwards to face Y/N, “Stay in love, Y/L/N!”

Y/N’s eyes widened in shock and MJ laughed before turning around again to walk straight to her first class. 

“You’re in love?” A voice from behind her asked. She turned around and saw Peter with confusion on his face.

“N-No! MJ’s just messing with me. Classic MJ, am I right?” She chuckled nervously before walking in the classroom with Peter walking behind her, still confused.

You don’t mind when they do something unattractive. “The power of love and new love, in particular, is primitive,” says Hekster. This means that when someone you’re falling in love with does something you might perceive as unattractive, whether it’s being untidy or leaving the toilet seat up, you won’t mind. In fact, you might not even notice it.

It was Wednesday after classes and Peter invited her over to his place to hang out. Despite not knowing where her relationship with Peter stood, she still made a point to dress up for him. Like in Mean Girls, Y/N wore pink because it was Wednesday. She was wearing a pink top and paired it with a cute skirt and knee high socks and a pair of cute shoes to match it with.

What she didn’t know was that her outfit caught Peter’s attention. It was probably Peter’s favorite outfit on her.

The two teens were in Peter’s room and Y/N sat on his bed as he looked for something. This caused him to make a huge mess in his room. His clothes were everywhere and papers were on the floor.

“I’m so sorry for the mess. I’m not usually this messy.” Peter said sheepishly as he continued looking.

Y/N looked around and chuckled, “I didn’t even notice.”

‘I was busy looking at you.’ Y/N thought.

Time flies when you’re together. If you’re falling in love with someone, chances are, your time with them will go by very quickly, explains chartered psychologist Daria Kuss.

When Y/N arrived at school on an early Thursday morning, she was surprised to see Peter walking the opposite direction. As she was walking to the gate, Peter was walking away.

“Hey, where are you going?” Y/N asked.

“We don’t have classes today.” Peter shrugged. “Can’t believe I wasted my time going here.”

‘Oh my god. It’s fate.’ Y/N thought. She shook her head and said, “Well we’re already out together. Might as well enjoy it.”

Peter looked at her and smiled. “If this is your excuse to hang out with me, you don’t have to make up an excuse. I like hanging out with you.” He said smoothly.

“Let’s go, then! We could watch a movie or shop or something.” Y/N suggested, trying to hide the excitement in her voice.

“How about all of that?” Peter asked. “Let’s just drop off our school stuff at home.”

And they did do everything that day. They went shopping, watched a horror movie, ate at a 24-hour diner, hung out at Peter’s apartment, and even had a nap. When they woke up from their nap, their legs were tangled with each other and Y/N’s head was on Peter’s chest. They looked at each other and sleepily smiled at each other.

“What time is it?” Y/N yawned and buried her face on the crook of Peter’s neck.

Peter grabbed his phone to check the time and said, “It’s 8PM.”

“Damn, really?” Y/N rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she slowly sat up. “I thought it was only 4PM.”

“Well, time flies by when you’re having fun.” Peter smiled and watched her stretch.

“Indeed.” Y/N said and fixed her hair.

“C’mon, I’ll walk you home.” Peter said as he got out of bed.

They can do no wrong. Falling in love can warp your sense of reality a little, says Hekster. “It is likely that if you feel deeply in love with someone, then you will have a somewhat unrealistic view who they are and how they present themselves,” he adds.

You always hate it when a group work is your teacher’s activity because anyone who's a leader becomes really bossy. Of course, this didn’t happen when you caught a glimpse of Peter being his group’s leader and he acted really bossy. You even defended him.

“I’ve never heard Peter being bossy before.” Betty said.

“Same here.” You said.

“Don’t you hate bossy people?” Betty asked as she wrote down her plans for your group.

“I do, but Peter isn’t being super bossy. In fact, he’s rightfully bossy. No one’s doing their part.” You argued.

“Okay, then.” Betty said, mentally noting that she should tell Ned about it later.

You feel unusually optimistic. When you’re falling in love, everyone else in your life might feel weirdly wonderful, says Mason Roantree. “You might also feel a little more energetic for no apparent reason,” she adds. 

It was Saturday which means it’s training day at the compound. Y/N and Peter were training on the same day with Steve and Nat. The moment Y/N saw Peter really focused, it gave her energy to focus better on her fighting skills.

In fact, she was so focused that she was able to fight Nat off of her and made her stay on the ground, panting.

“What’s with you today, Y/N? You seem extra determined today.” Nat laughed as Y/N helped her up. Y/N shrugged and glanced at Peter who was already looking at her. Peter grinned and clapped for her before returning to training with Steve.

Nat saw this and smirked when she saw Y/N’s happy, glowing face.

“Hey, you seem happy today.” Nat said casually.

Y/N turned to Nat with a smitten look on her face and said, “Life is wonderful, Nat. Life is wonderful.”

You want to touch and kiss them. Again, this might seem very obvious. But the reason why you want to touch and kiss someone you’re falling in love with is far more deeply rooted than you might think. 

“You were really good at training today!” Peter smiled as he and Y/N were on the train ride home. Happy drove them to the train station and left after that because he had to drive Tony somewhere else.

The two of them were sitting down comfortably and Y/N shyly smiled and thanked him for the compliment. Peter took out his earphones and gave the other one to her. She put it on and patiently waited for him to pick a song. Peter finally picked a song and Y/N smiled as soon as she heard the intro.

“I hope you don’t mind. I like old songs.” Peter said sheepishly.

“I don’t mind at all.” She smiled. Y/N closed her eyes as Paul Anka’s voice made her relax. Unbeknownst to Y/N, the song Peter was playing came from the playlist that he made just for her.

Y/N rested her head on his shoulder and Peter glanced down at her and smiled. He planted a kiss on her head which made the butterflies in Y/N’s stomach fly around wildly. Taking things to a different level, she carefully slid her hand in his and interlaced their fingers together. It remained that way for the rest of the ride home.

You always think about them. “Falling in love involves a surrender of our feelings to another person,” says Hekster. In that surrender, Hekster explains that we merge with that person in a way and become completely preoccupied with them to the point where they dominate our thoughts.

It was a Sunday and Y/N found herself thinking about Peter and wondering what he’s up to on a Sunday. She debated with herself whether she should ask Peter if he wanted to go out. Thankfully, she didn’t have to think that long because Eunice knocked on her room and said, “Hey Y/N/N! I’m going to work now. Feel free to do whatever. I left money on the table so that you can buy yourself some dinner. I have a date tonight. Text me if you need anything. See ya!”

As soon as she heard the front door close, she grabbed her phone and immediately called Peter.

“What’s up?” Peter answered on the first ring as if he was waiting for her to call.

“Wanna go out?” Y/N asked as she bit her lip nervously, scared that he’ll say no.

“Sure! I’ll tell May. I’ll pi-”

“No, I’ll pick you up this time. I mean, it’s my plan anyway. So, yeah.” Y/N rambled causing Peter to giggle.

“Okay. Text me when you’re near my apartment building so that I’ll go down already.”

“You don’t have to do that. I want to say ‘hi’ to May, anyway.” 

“Alright. See you in a few?”

“See you in a few, Pete.” She smiled and hung up.

You want them to be happy. When you start to fall in love with someone, you might find yourself feeling more altruistic than usual, says Hekster. “This characterizes the more mature versions of love,” he adds, explaining that it can be a sign of deep, long-lasting love. “You don’t only want happiness for yourself, but you want it in equal measure for the other person.”

After school on Monday, Peter was visibly upset when they were on their way to the compound. He didn’t say anything to her and it made her panic because she thought it was her fault. She finally approached him and asked what the matter was.

“Flash was just being extra douche-y than usual today. What he said got to me. He said no one liked me and that I’m annoying or something.” Peter said sadly.

Y/N frowned and said, “That’s not true. A lot of people like you. He’s just jealous.”

“You mean it?”

“I mean it.” She nodded causing Peter to give her a tight-lipped smile. She didn’t want to settle for just a tight-lipped smile.

Seeing as they were currently standing behind the compound with the other Avengers, Y/N summoned the wind and asked Peter, “Do you want to fly for a bit?”

Peter looked at her in confusion, but he had no time to say anything when the wind picked Peter up causing him to fly around.

“WHOA!! THIS IS AWESOME!!” Peter yelled from up above. The Avengers looked around to find out what Peter was yelling about.

“Peter’s flying!” Scott shouted. The Avengers looked up and gasped when they saw Peter up in the sky. Tony looked around and saw Y/N manipulating the wind’s movements. Tony approached her and asked why she did that.

She shrugged, “Peter was upset and I figured doing this would make him happy.”

“Congrats, kid.” Tony smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “It worked.”

When Y/N went home that day and was happy that Eunice was already home. Eunice noticed her frantic look and said, “What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

“Eunice!”

“What?!”

“I’m in love with Peter.”

* * * *

𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓:  @blueleatherbag​ @buckys-little-hoe​ @harryismysunflower​ @ragnarokayla​ @heeeyitskay​ @slytherin-chaser​ @quaksonhehe​ @yaya4302​ @lil-mellow-bunbun​ @starlight-starks​ @swiftmind​ @alexx-stancati​ @sovereignparker​ @nerdyandproudofitsstuff​ @pearce142​ @cherthegoddess​ @chewymoustachio​ @cocoamoonmalfoy​ @parkerlovebot​ @supred12​ @peterspideyy​ @givebuckyhisplumsnow​ @beverlythrillz​ @slutforsr​ 

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @justasmisunderstoodasloki​ @allyz​ @miraclesoflove​ @god-knows-what-am-i-doing​ @drie-the-derp​ @hollands-weasley​ @itstaskeen​ @call-me-baby-gir1​ @the-panwitch​ @iamaunicorn4704​ @geminiparkers​ @holland-styles​ @calltothewild​ @herbatkazmiloscia @whatthefuckimbisexual​ @theonly1outof-a-billion​ @piscesparker​ @unsaidholland​ @musicalkeys​ @lost-in-the-stars03​ @hufflepuffprincess24​ @hollanddolanfangirl​ @parkerpeter24​ @bellelittleoff​ @agentnataliahofferson​ @aqiise @lexirv​ @blairscott​ @pearly-pisces​ @u-rrose​ @speedymaximoff​ @theliterarymess​ @beequeen8020  @justafangirlduh​ @sarcasticallywitty15​ 

Strikethrough means I can’t tag you.

[homeformyheart]

the perfect gift (part 1) - noah harris x mc (mtfl)

author’s note: the idea of noah of hearing how proud his dad is of him and how important emma is to him just came to me randomly in the car and it’s the fastest fic i’ve ever written (~5 hours)! this is considered a sequel/follow-up to first choice and takes place about 3 years after. noah’s roommate “sean” is “sean gayle” from endless summer 😊.

copyright: all characters owned by pixelberry studios. series/pairing: my two first loves - noah harris x mc (emma price) rating/warnings: 18+; swearing, descriptions of drinking, smoking; smut will come in part 2 word count: 3k based on/prompt: gift for day 14 of choices september challenge summary: emma spent months carefully planning noah’s 21st birthday gift and drove up to surprise him at hartfeld for the weekend, but things go south after a big fight makes them both reevaluate their relationship after three years together. 

read first choice to learn how they got together in the first place.

the perfect gift (part 1)

emma locked the car, put the keys in the ignition, and turned on the radio. she rested her forehead on her hands that were gripping the steering wheel as the fight replayed itself in her mind and she heard noah’s hurtful words on repeat. she closed her eyes and let the tears fall, her body shaking with sobs.

emma walked down the hallway toward her boyfriend’s apartment with a spring in her step, a large package hidden in a shopping bag swinging with each step. it was the last suite on the floor but even halfway there she could hear loud music blasting from inside. she wasn’t aware they were having a party, but she figured she would still be able to surprise noah for his birthday. she spent months putting together the perfect gift for him and was excited to give it to him. she felt a slight twinge of guilt for lying to him about not being able to visit this weekend and blowing off his texts and phone calls today but only so she didn’t accidentally let her plans slip.

she knocked on the door and one of his roommates greeted her before pointing toward the balcony. the apartment was packed and already reeked of both beer and fruit juice, half full cans and empty plastic cups littered almost every available surface, including the beer pong table set up near the balcony. she used the key noah gave her at the beginning of the year to drop off the shopping bag with his present in his room, locking the door behind her before going to find him. he was standing over the railing with his back to the balcony door, but emma easily recognized the leather jacket and bounced excitedly over.

she stood on her tiptoes to put her hands over his eyes and said excitedly, “guess who?”

instead of guessing, noah pulled her hands down and turned around. “you didn’t tell me you were coming. i thought you were busy today,” he said, his voice neutral and his face stoic.

“i wanted to surprise you for your birthday! come on, don’t look too happy to see me,” she teased, nudging him playfully.

noah didn’t even smile. the excitement emma felt up to that point quickly changed to a combination of dread and worry. “what’s wrong, babe?”

“i thought you had better things to do than spend your weekends driving 8 hours roundtrip to spend a day and a half here? you shouldn’t have come,” he said, looking away and chugging down the rest of the beer in his hand.

emma finally noticed how dilated his pupils were and the smell of beer and whiskey radiating off him. noah never got this drunk, especially before they had a chance to talk on the phone to say goodnight. she couldn’t help but wonder if he got drunk because she blew him off today after telling him she wouldn’t be visiting.

“i thought you’d be happy to see me. you know the best parts of my week are when i get to spend time with you. i was hoping to surprise you for birthday and I have the most amazing gift for you!” emma said carefully, trying to keep the mood light.

noah didn’t respond right away, taking out a cigarette and lighting it first. emma frowned; noah knew she hated it when he smoked and he had promised her he wouldn’t make a habit of it and that he wouldn’t smoke in front of her. something was definitely wrong.

she crossed her arms over her chest. “what is going on with you?”

“you want to know what’s going on? here’s what’s going on – you’re wasting your time with me. there is no point in being in a long-distance relationship where we see each other once or twice a month if we’re lucky and we’re both pursuing potential careers that will make it so we see each other even less,” noah spat out angrily, turning away to take a long drag of his cigarette before continuing.

“what kind of loser spends their time in college driving 400 miles roundtrip to spend time with a deadbeat? you should be making friends and having the time of your life, maybe even dating someone who can better provide for you. you deserve so much more. why are you wasting your time with me?” noah turned back toward her, his eyes blazing with anger.

tears started to fill emma’s eyes. she had no idea what triggered noah’s outburst but knew she couldn’t have a rational conversation with him while he was drunk. “i’ve never felt like i was wasting my time with you. every moment we have makes me so happy i feel like i must be dreaming! i don’t know what is really bothering you that you’re lashing out like this, noah, but you’re drunk. let’s go to bed and talk tomorrow when you’re sober.”

“no, emma,” noah took a final drag and threw the cigarette on the floor, putting it out with his foot. “i don’t think we should talk tomorrow. i think you should go back. i’m sorry you wasted your time driving down here.”

emma watched the sparks disappear from the cigarette before responding, her voice barely louder than the noise from the party inside, “you don’t mean that. if i leave, you’re telling me our three-year relationship is over.”

she gave him a longing look, willing him to apologize and take back what he said. he looked back at her and emma saw only a glimpse of the sweet and sensitive noah she fell in love with three years ago. the noah in front of her looked at her with a broken and haunted look in his eyes. a split-second later, his gaze hardened and he shrugged.

emma had made her way out of the apartment as fast as she could and ran to her car. she was still sobbing uncontrollably 20 minutes later but at least her body wasn’t shaking as much. she was wracking her brain, thinking back to the last few months to see if she could figure out where and when things went wrong. they did feel a bit more distant as football, midterms, and applying for internships kept them preoccupied but emma didn’t think it was a problem; they were still able to see each other at least once a month and they talked daily. they had similar fights and conversations during freshman and sophomore year, when insecurities about making a long-distance relationship work and trusting each other were more prominent. but after making it through all that, emma thought they were stronger than ever.

she grabbed tissues from her glovebox and cleaned herself up. she leaned back against the seat, closed her eyes, and tried to take deep breaths to calm herself down. everything he had said felt like a dagger to her heart but what hurt the most was the way he exploded at her. he was always really good about bringing up his insecurities about their long-distance relationship and his concern for the toll it might take on her in a productive way. they agreed they wouldn’t push each other away but talk through any problems calmly like adults. and he did the exact opposite.

it was already late when she arrived at hartfeld and it would be really late by the time she got back to her own dorm. but going back to noah’s apartment was out of the question. she debated whether she should stay in the parking lot a little longer on the off chance that noah would come to his senses and come after her, however small a chance that was. she was rational enough to know that it likely wouldn’t happen given how drunk he was, and the later she stayed, the more tired and emotional she would be during the drive back, and she didn’t want to risk getting into an accident. she took one last look at the lack of new messages on her phone, lingering on the photo of her and noah at the beach as her wallpaper before turning the key in the ignition.

* * * * * noah groaned at the bright sunlight streaming through the window of his room. his head was pounding and his body felt like he had lost a boxing match outdoors in 90-degree heat. he struggled to open his eyes and immediately regretted it when the sunlight nearly blinded him and seemed to amplify his headache. he couldn’t remember the last time he had been this hungover. certainly not since before he and emma became serious. oh god, emma.

he bolted upright in his bed, wincing at the sharp pain in his head and tried to rapidly blink away the dizziness he felt. he chugged the pedialyte and took the ibuprofen that was on his bedside table and forced himself to look around the room for his phone. the battery was dead. just great, he thought, plugging it quickly into the charger. he slowly stood up, trying to keep his nausea at bay, and grabbed his shower caddy. it surprised him how handy it was, especially considering he shared a bathroom with two other people, and couldn’t help but smile as he remembered how cute emma was when she was explaining why it was important for him to have his own caddy while they were picking out things he’d need for the apartment at uskea before school started.

he could feel the ibuprofen working to alleviate some of his headache, but knew he’d need to eat something too. noah stood still under the shower, letting the hot water run over his hair and face and down his body for a few minutes, trying to collect his thoughts and remember the events from last night. bits and pieces kept coming back to him while he got dressed and made himself a sandwich but he still wasn’t sure if what he remembered had actually happened or if he was replaying the “what if” scenarios about why it felt like emma was distancing herself from him. these scenarios had been going through his mind before the party and was the primary driver for how drunk he got.

“look who’s finally up after his crazy birthday rager! happy birthday! how you feelin’ man?” his roommate and football teammate sean came over and gave him a hard slap on the back.

noah flinched and swallowed before answering, “like crap. i’d forgotten what it felt like to be hungover.”

“i’m sure emma’ll take good care of you. is she up yet?” sean asked, turning away to set up the coffee maker.

noah felt his stomach drop. “emma? she told me she couldn’t come this weekend, too much stuff to do,” he replied apprehensively. please let it just have been a dream, he begged inwardly as he held his breath waiting for sean’s reaction.

sean gave him a quizzical look. “she was definitely here last night. i let her into the apartment and told her where you were hanging out on the balcony. she even had a present with her. maybe she stepped out before you woke up?”

that meant the nightmare fight he had with emma wasn’t a dream. shit. he heard her voice in his head say, “if i leave, you’re telling me our three-year relationship is over” and everything came flooding back to him. “no, no, no, crap! i think i fucked up last night. i need to call her.”

noah closed the door to his room behind him and picked up his phone. he saw that he had a single, new text message from emma timestamped at 1pm, two hours before he got up:

[emma: happy birthday]

his thumb hovered over the picture of her smiling face he used as her contact photo in his phone. maybe i’m misremembering, maybe if i explain i was so drunk i don’t even remember what i said she’ll forgive me. he dialed her number and held his breath as he waited for the familiar dialing sound to start, but it didn’t. instead he heard her automated voicemail and hung up. he tried to send a text but it was clear that she had blocked his number. he put his head in his hands and let the tears he felt prickling behind his eyes fall silently. what have i done?

after a few minutes, he wiped his tears and looked around his room. he saw what was probably the present sean mentioned and picked it up off the floor. the box was at least as wide as his laptop and maybe just as heavy, wrapped perfectly in bright pink, sparkly wrapping paper. noah chuckled softly; emma always did like trying to embarrass him. he unwrapped the paper carefully, folding it neatly and tucking it away in his bedside drawer before opening the box to reveal a beautiful leather-bound scrapbook, a card, and an envelope. he picked up the envelope first, since it seemed out of place, carefully cutting through the seal on the envelope and unfolding the letter inside.

[dear emma,

i’m sorry for the delay in writing back to you. thank you for the beautiful scrapbook you sent. i was so overwhelmed and grateful to you for reaching out and ashamed that i wasn’t enough of a man to write to my own son. not a day goes by that i don’t think about him and his siblings and it’s wonderful to see and hear about how well he’s doing. it’s clear that you care very much for him and that he must be someone special to you.

please tell him how proud i am of the man he’s become. despite having a deadbeat father who can’t hold down a job and needs alcohol to numb the pain, noah has really done well for himself. i am so proud of him – seeing those photos of him playing football in high school and college and those of the two of you together made me really happy.

one day i hope to be worthy to be in his life again, but until then, thank you again for bringing joy back into my life and showing me what a wonderful man my son has become. if it isn’t too much trouble, i have also included a photo that i would like you to give to him – it’s one of my favorite memories of him as a kid. i hope he treats you as the treasure you are and keeps you close. it’s special and rare to have that kind of love and support in your life and you both mustn’t take it for granted.

i move frequently due to work so please do not send anything else to this address.]

it was signed with his father’s signature. noah blinked rapidly a few times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. even though the letter was addressed to emma, noah understood the message was intended for him. he pulled the photo out of the envelope and his eyes widened with recognition. his dad had taken him to a boxing gym and taught him how to wrap his hands and the photo was of them sparring after. given how harsh his dad was when he was a kid, noah was surprised that he would hold on to a photo like this. he opened the card next.

[hiiii babe~

noah traced her familiar handwriting with his finger. emma drew little hearts instead of the dot on top of the letter “i”; it was a habit she kept since high school for when she wrote him letters and notes after he told her once that he thought it was cute.

i can’t believe you’re turning 21! you’re practically an old man 😉 kidding! not a day goes by where i don’t miss your sexy, brooding face and your cute butt. your personality too, I guess ;P. i hope you get everything you wanted today because you deserve all of it and more! you’re the best boyfriend a girl could ask for (and even after 3 years together, i still can’t believe i’m your first choice) and i can’t wait to celebrate with you!

i love you with all my heart <3

your first choice, emma

p.s. there are two parts to your present! the first is a scrapbook with photos of my favorite memories of us and the second is a letter i got from your dad (please don’t be mad). it took me a while to track him down, but i did and sent a similar scrapbook to him too. i wasn’t sure if he would respond to me, but he did and i wanted to share what he said with you.

p.p.s. i love you!]

noah froze and re-read emma’s card. she sent her dad a scrapbook? to say he was stunned was an understatement. he wasn’t sure how to feel about hearing from his dad for the first time in over a decade but he definitely wouldn’t have been mad at emma. in fact, he felt the opposite – overwhelmed with love for the amazing woman whose kind and honest heart continued to surprise him even after three years together.

he opened the scrapbook and found page after page of pictures emma had taken throughout their relationship, with handwritten captions and little sticker notes all over the pages. he felt a lump form in his throat and his eyes sting as he looked at the photos of her smiling face and the selfies they had taken on various dates. how could he have pushed her away like that last night? he quickly repacked the box and put it inside his backpack, which always had a weekends’ worth of essentials. he grabbed his keys, wallet, and phone before heading out to where his motorcycle was parked. he still felt like crap but it didn’t matter, he needed to apologize in person and prove to emma that she was still his first choice. he only hoped she would be able to forgive him.

* * * * * mentions: @khoicesbyk​; @nyastarlight​; @chetachisblog;  @robintora; @shows-simp-card; @brycesgirl;

[kooala]

whatever you need - second chapter

Pairing: Namjoon x Reader, Jimin dating best friend Hannah, ex bf tae

Tags: strangers to lovers! college!au

Genre: fluff, mutual pining, reader isn’t interested in relationships at first

Words: 2.5k

Warnings: none I thinkkk

Summary: The fact that your brain seemed to be occupied with a boy didn’t really sit well with you and the bold flirting made your head spin. But for some strange reason - you really didn’t mind. 

A/N: sorry it took me so longsdsadkfh but here’s the second chapter xx

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As you waited outside their frat house in your car, ready to pick up that friend of yours, again, you felt like a proper soccer mom, driving your kids around to playdates although Hannah was definitely playing a different sort of ball game.

A knock on your car window caused you to twitch and as you saw Namjoon staring at you with a bright smile on his face, you rolled down the window. 

“Is this going to be a frequent weekend thing now?” he asked, handing over a proper cup of coffee, fresh and steaming. Holding his own cup, you looked out of the window to him with a smile on your face. 

“Thank you very much.”, you snickered, taking a sip and closing your eyes at the taste of the coffee. This wasn’t any cheap ass college student version of a coffee. This one was roasted and delicious. 

“That’s some good ass coffee.”, you mumbled quietly, enjoying the fact that Namjoon obviously knew what he was doing and stepped out of the car eventually to chat with him outside on their lawn. 

“Right? This is what I pull when I want to impress a girl.”, he joked, but the fact that Namjoon had offered you some coffee twice now, caused your stomach to feel a little tingly.

“Well I’m sure you get them all if you brew coffee like that.”, you smiled, sitting down at the steps on the front porch next to him, waiting for Jimin and Hannah to finish up their snogging and snuggling inside. You really enjoyed the cup of coffee that warmed your hands. The slightly chilly morning made it feel even more perfect to sit outside on the porch and wearing your sweat shorts and university sweater, you definitely felt like the coffee cup only added to the college look. 

“Thanks for walking me home yesterday. I know I’ve said it before but it was the complete opposite direction of where you were going so I do appreciate it a lot.”, you smiled over at Namjoon and he shrugged it off smiling. 

“No worries at all. Anytime. And just for the record? Jimin has a car so technically you don’t need to pick her up every time they bang. But I’m going to be really disappointed if we lose those early morning coffee sessions together, not going to lie.”

He chuckled and took a sip of his cup, stretching out his legs down the steps and faced the sun with closed eyes, enjoying the outside. Something about his settle way of flirting made you feel all over the place, especially since none of it was over the top or intrusive. Namjoon flirted in a settle manner, honest and not trying to impress someone with grand gestures. Being someone who wasn’t into flirting if you didn’t know someone well, your bodies reaction seemed to confuse you a little. 

“In that case, you better not mention the car thing to Hannah so I can come by more often.”, you chuckled and Namjoon peeked over out of one of his eyes, a bright smile on his face. 

“Better not.”, he chuckled and you put both your hands around the coffee cup, taking another sip while enjoying the crisp morning air. 

“I know I’ll miss you, too.”, you heard voices behind you in the hallway and Namjoon and you shared a knowing look, both of you trying hard not to laugh at the dramatic situation that had been building up between Jimin and Hannah over the past weeks. He really wasn’t someone to date and now that the two of them seemed to be official, everything was very dramatic and full of emotions between them. If they fought, they fought hard, if they made love, Namjoon couldn’t help but leave the house or listen to some music to get away from it. Now that Jimin was visiting his family in Korea for two weeks, you had no idea how you were going to survive this with Hannah constantly talking about him at the dorm already. 

“If you ever need out, you can call.”, Namjoon whispered and you had to chuckle. 

“I don’t even have your number, I could always ring though.”, you smiled and Namjoon held out his hand with a smile on his face, holding his phone over to you. 

“Well, looks like we’re going to have to change that.” 

It had been a while since somebody had asked you for your number and usually, you were never too keen on giving it away. Something about Namjoon asking made you feel emotions you hadn’t felt in a long time. The excitement of it all made you feel a little skittish and with a shy smile on your face, you typed it in along with your full name for him to safe. 

“Ohohooooo what’s going on here?” Jimin had knelt down between the two of you, his face uncomfortably close between both of your faces and the sudden loud sound made you jump. 

“Why do you have to be like that, Park?”, Namjoon stated calmly, looking up to him and Jimin shrugged with a smug little smirk on his face, giving Hannah a last kiss goodbye.

Sipping that last sip of coffee you handed Namjoon the cup, smiling at him and with closed eyes and a scrunched up nose, he smiled a wide smile that made your stomach twist and tingle. Shaking your head with a chuckle, you got up to walk down the steps to catch up with Hannah who had rushed to the car.

“I meant it!”, he yelled after you, sitting up on the porch. “Call if you want out.” You watched Jimin sit down next to him and mumble something and Namjoon didn’t even blink once, his eyes locked with yours. Another shy smile, you shook your head chuckling and disappeared into the car, driving off while Hannah was nagging you about what had just happened all the way back. 

The following Saturday and Sunday came, without a text from Namjoon. You hadn’t really expected him to text but as he actually didn’t, you found yourself in the position of being a little sad about it. Something very uncommon for you since you happened to be the kind of girl that put being happy alone before feeling completed by someone else first. The fact that your brain seemed to be revolving around whether or not this guy was going to text you, caught you a little off guard. 

You saw him in class once, sitting all the way across the lecture hall and although you had debated on sitting next to him a couple of times, it had never entirely felt right for some reason – so the confusion was big as you and a couple of friends walked into a coffee shop off campus after your last exam to celebrate, before all of you were forced to prep everything for the next semester, when all of a sudden Namjoon popped up behind the counter, towering up behind the big coffee machine. 

Furrowing your brows in amusement you watched him, waiting for him to recognize you and as his head shot up to look through the crowd and his eyes met yours, his focused features softened and a slight smirk crossed his lips, putting his beautiful dimples on full display.

Mouthing a shy “Hey.”, you nodded and Namjoon waved, mouthing it back to you before turning his attention back down to his coffee machine and the foamed milk in his hand. 

All of a sudden you felt way more excited about coffee than you usually would and as you and your friends came up to the register, Namjoon slid in fast between his co-worker in order to be able to take your orders. 

“What can I get for you guys?”, he asked with a sheepish grin, tapping his long finger on the screen, ready to take your orders. All of a sudden you didn’t even remember that you came with people.

“Well what is it you would recommend?”, you asked and looked at him with raised eyebrows. You had to chuckle at his expression as he ran his fingers through his hair, seemingly a little nervous.

“I can recommend the whipped crepes cake with strawberries, it’s really delicious. Oreo roll is also very good but if I could recommend anything, I’d say I’ll pick you up at seven and show you that new restaurant that opened in Gangnam if you’re available.” 

The words didn’t even make their way into your ears properly. All you could hear was a slight ringing while you watched him and the sudden fear of heading into something way too fast was striking you like a slap in the face. Trying not to lose your cool you nodded.

“I’ll take the strawberry crepes cake then.”, you smirked and Namjoon’s eyes flickered between yours, trying to read your expression, worried this may have been a no. “Text me.”, you said smiling and stepped aside to make way for your friends who had more than confused expressions on their faces. 

“I will.”, Namjoon nodded and smiled at you while taking the other orders and as you walked off a couple of steps to sit down at a table, one of your friends sat down next to you with big eyes. 

“What was that about?”, her voice was so excited she had to cover her mouth with one hand in order to not burst out with an excited little scream. “Do you know Namjoon?”, she asked and you looked at her confused. 

“Do you?”, you replied and watched her chuckle, turning her head over to watch his long hands slide over the coffee machine which made you assume he had been doing this for a long time. 

“Everybody does. Namjoon is like... the perfect boyfriend. He’s illiterate, caring, absolutely beautiful... obviously. How come you know him? Why did he ask you out?”

The tone of her voice didn’t really resonate with you and with a straight expression you looked at her. “What do you mean? Why would you say it like that?” 

She immediately put her hands up in defense and you knew you were right about your gist. “I mean I’m just saying.. You’re not the outgoing type. You’re not.. suuuuper girly you know what I mean? I’m not saying you’re not attractive I’m just saying I thought he’d go more for... the super mean IT-girl.”, she rambled and you nodded, wondering if those people sitting down at your table, talking about what had just happened were really your friends. 

Feeling your phone ring in your hand, you looked down. 

Unknown Number [1:57 pm]: You look a little stressed. Sorry for being bold in front of your friends

You [1:57 pm]: It’s okay, no worries at all (:

You saved his contact and smiled as you put a little coffee cup emoji behind his name. 

Namjoon☕️ [1:59 pm]: So? What do you say? I’ll pick you up for dinner?

Looking up from your phone you watched him work for a little while and bit your lip thinking about the offer. There was no harm in going out for dinner with him, if anything it would give you a chance to get to know him but something about the way he had rushed his way into your brain made you hesitate. 

You [2:01 pm]: What are options besides dinner? 

Feeling a little shy and as soon as you sent off the text you played with your phone nervously while watching him work behind the counter. It took him a while before he picked up his phone again and as he read the message, he looked over to you and smiled shrugging. “Whatever you want.” he mouthed and with a smile you had to look down, heat rushing into your cheeks. 

You let the words echo through your head. Whatever you want.

You [2:14 pm]: Let’s go for a walk later. Tell me when you’re off

Namjoon☕️ [2:15 pm]: I’ll be off at six latest. A walk sounds lovely 😊

You sat at the café for a while and Namjoon had been right, the fluffy cake made of thin pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries was delicious and you took your time to eat it. As you walked over ready to head out, you handed over your tray with your empty cup and plate and Namjoon took it with a nod, smiling over.

“Looking forward to it. Should we meet up somewhere? Or want to walk together?” His smile was genuine, his eyes open and focused on you entirely. It made you feel very special and maybe that was the dangerous part, the fact that Namjoon made you feel so special when he was around. 

“What would you prefer? I’m ok with either.”, you say a little shy now, nothing from the little cocky replies from earlier seemed to be left now that the nerves had kicked in. 

“If you’re ok with it I’d say we’ll meet up at the library and walk from there?” He smiled and handed over a little paper bag for you. As you took it, you peaked inside to find a cinnamon muffin inside of it. 

With a smile you closed the bag and looked over to him.

“Almost as good as dinner.”, he winked before wiping his hands on his apron and headed back to turn around and get to the pile of order papers that were out on the counter, waiting for him to prepare them. 

At seven, you waited in front of the library. You had put some effort into your outfit and hair, not too much to not make it look desperate but you had thought about how effortlessly good Namjoon had looked in that turtle neck and coat.

“Hey, [y/n].”, he smiled, walking up to you and you looked up at him with a bright smile. Namjoon was wearing a thick cardigan, a white shirt under it and some rolled up beige dress pants that seemed to be a little too big, making him look like he was fresh out of bed and absolutely preppy at the same time. 

He tended to do that. Looking cozy and put together all at once. 

“Hey, you.”, you smiled up and Namjoon held over his hand with a shy smile, opening it up. Inside was a single purple flower and once you saw it your cheeks turned bright red immediately. This had to be the cutest thing anyone has ever done for you. 

“Figured an entire bouquet would’ve been a little too much.”, he smiled confidently and pointed at the flower. “May I?”, he asked and hesitantly took a step towards you. Namjoon looped the stem of the flower through the unbutton top slit of your coat, making it look like brooch on your coat. 

“Thank you very much. It’s really pretty.”, you smiled, looking down at it and back to Namjoon who had pushed both his hands in his pockets now.

“Shall we?”, he asked and with a nod and a tingly feeling in your stomach, you turned to follow him as he turned towards the direction of town. 

If you’ve managed to read this far, I’d be more than thankful if you could like and reblog my chapter if you enjoyed it! If you have any suggestions for improvement or a drabble request - make sure to shoot me a message!✨

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