#LUNA NEEDS TO BURST

[lunar-writes-things]

HEHEHEHSHXJDBD most of the first chapter is written and while im waiting to fin chapter 10 before I post the first three chaps im so very excited

[titsthedamnseason]

i want more luna, donnelly, and elara content SO BAD

[areislol]

"i'm gonna marry mama when i'm older!"

pairings. argenti, aventurine, blade, boothill, dr. ratio, gallagher, gepard, dan heng/imbibitor lunae, jing yuan, luocha, sampo, welt, jiaoqiu, moze x afab/fem! reader

warnings. fluff, wife! reader, use of "mama", "papa" and "mommy" and "daddy", [c/n] = child's name, sampo being sampo, lots of girl dads

a/n. baby fever hit me. #foreverwithmybabydaddy

wordcount. 4.7k

synopsis. how do they react to their child wanting to marry you, his wife?

playfully teases your child

sampo —

✧ "well, well, seems like i've got a little competitor! but you’ll need more than charm to steal your mom away from me!"

✧😐😐 <- how he actually feels inside

✧ listen, sampo LOVES his little him to DEATH. but for some odd reason hearing his son suddenly burst out saying that he was going to marry you made his face go all sour and ugly.

✧ but he knows that he you would never allow that and that it was all fun and games, still, his smirk grows larger as his son barks back. "nuh uh!! mama loves me more than you, so i will marry mama first! not you!"

✧ a loud, audible, dramatic, heartbroken, gasp can be heard from sampo's wide open mouth, letting out a strangled noise. "you!! never!! my wife loves me more than you!" you let out an exasperated sigh, watching as your husband and your son bickered back and fourth on who you loved more.

✧ "c'mon!! tell him that you love me more than him!" "that would break his heart, sampo! absolutely not!" "but... he's breaking my heart..." ah, there goes his little pout and his puppy eyes that always magically work on you.

✧ "come on... please? pretty please? I'M BEGGING YOU I'M LOSING THIS ARGUMENT TO OUR SON!!!"

✧ your eyes flicker between sampo and your son. sampo is begging you, clinging onto the hem of your shirt as his kneels down while your son on the other hand is staring at his father in confusion and.. embarrassment? you stifled your laughter back, the sight of your six-year-old child giving his own dad a stink eye was hilarious.

✧ "are you laughing at me...?" sampo looks up at your face, eyeing your expressions and follows your gaze, turning his head he faces his son who stares right back at him. "oh..."

✧ "daddy why are you always doing weird things?"

aventurine —

✧ aventurine would laugh heartily and say, "oh, planning to take my spot, are you? well, you’ve got some big shoes to fill!" he’d probably challenge his child to a fun, friendly competition to see who can win over their mom’s heart.

✧ he knows that his child actually has no chance in marrying you, but hey, it's worth a shot to see how far they'll actually go.

✧ "babe!! little [c/n] here wants to marry you~" he says, beckoning for you to side beside him, your child's eyes sparkled at the sight of you sitting down beside him, they grip on your leg, hugging it tightly.

✧ "can i really marry you when i'm older?" you cock your head to the side, eyeing aventurine and your child. "what's all this about?" you asked, aventurine simply pulled you in close to him, his arm wrapped around your waist as he hoists his child up and onto his lap. "mmm... nothing really. so, who do you want to marry, me or this little kid here?"

✧ you caressed your child's hair, letting out a hum in thought. "well... [c/n] i'm already married to daddy..." you replied, and gosh do you feel your heart crumble into a million pieces when you see your child pout, their chubby cheeks prominent. b—but..."

✧ "it's alright sweetie, you can still try, but i don't think mommy will ever marry you—" "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" "WHY ARE YOU—"

✧ in the end you calm your baby down with aventurine who's gripping his shirt over his heart. both you and aventurine settled on letting your child compete with his dad in trying to prove themselves to "marry you one day". once they're put to sleep in their room, aventurine hugs you from behind, his arms snaking around your waist.

✧ "you only want me, right?" he sighed, face nuzzling in your neck. "well of course you're my husband. but don't get their hopes up too high okay? or else they might start crying in your ears again." you laughed. aventurine only let out yet another sigh, leading you away from your child's room.

✧ "child or not i don't want anyone else who wants to be with my wife."

moze —

✧ moze immediately perked his ehad up at the sound of his daughter's voice.. wait.. did he hear her correctly?

✧ though his face remained stoic as ever, the corner of his mouth curls into a smirk. he turns to his child, raising an eyebrow with his typical quiet intensity. "you want to marry your mother?" he asks, his voice low but carrying just the right amount of teasing. "you’re going to have to be real smooth if you want to outshine me."

✧ his gaze flicks to you for just a second, a glint of warmth in his otherwise composed demeanour. then, in true moze fashion, he quickly shifted gears, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed, as he continued to joke around with his child.

✧ "do you even have a plan? flowers? chocolates? you’re up against some serious competition here," moze adds, his tone dry but playful.

✧ despite his typically reserved nature (but over time you got to really know the true moze and not the 'crow feathered weirdo'), moze had a way of making these rare moments with his family feel special. he ruffles his child’s hair, his smirk widens slightly. "maybe i’ll teach you a thing or two, but you’ll need to practice. being this smooth doesn’t come easy."

✧ moze glances at you again, his silent affection shining through in the way his eyes softened when they landed on you. though he wasn’t one for long speeches or grand gestures, his love for his family was always clear in these moments.

✧ he continues keeping his child entertained with more jokes and a rare display of his dry wit. though he acted cool and composed, these were the moments that he held onto, the ones that made him forget, if only for a while, about the covert world he was usually immersed in.

✧ "seems like i've got competition.. i won't easily be beaten though."

overprotective about you

gepard —

✧ gepard would likely have a soft, almost tender smile when he hears his child say they want to marry you, their mother, his wife. his voice would be gentle, filled with a mixture of pride and love.

✧ "marrying your mother is an honor and a responsibility. you must be ready to protect and care for her, just as i do."

✧ he would explain that love is about more than just affection—it's about commitment, duty, and being there for each other through thick and thin. kneeling down to his child’s level, he places a hand on his child’s shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze as he speaks.

✧ "if you're willing to do all those things then i think mommy wouldn't mind if you proposed to her." and oh does he thank the lord every day for blessing him with his child whose eyes sparkled at his encouraging words. "mhm mhm! i will!" and such chubby cheeks too.. he pinches them affectionately, a tender smile on his face.

✧ even after the conversation ends, he gazes lovingly at you, feeling grateful for the family you've built together.

✧ gepard stands behind you, arms snaked around your waist, his much larger and warm palms resting on your stomach, he hums softly on your head, kneading the soft fabric of your shirt. yeah, he could definitely get used to this life.

✧ "maybe [c/n] wouldn't mind another sibling, hm?"

blade —

✧ blade’s initial reaction would be a mix of surprise and seriousness. (though your daughter probably can't read his expression) you were out shopping and left your child an your husband together in her room, it was trashed with toys, toys and more toys...

✧ blade was subjected to his daughter's antics, but of course he allowed her to do her thing (reluctantly). out of nowhere, she spoke, her words catching him off guard.

✧ "i'm gonna marry mama!" "...no you won't." "i will!" "...."

✧ "......................................................"

✧ blade leans down slightly, his intense gaze locking with his child’s eyes. there’s a seriousness to him, one that contrasts with the lightheartedness of the situation. his voice is calm yet firm

✧ "love is not something to be taken lightly," he begins, his tone gentle but unwavering. he wants his child to understand that while the sentiment is touching, the reality behind such words is far more intricate. "when you say such things, make sure you understand the weight of your words."

✧ weight?? of your words?? what does that even mean???? <- your poor, confused child. blade sighs, what was he thinking? could this little child of his understand his words?

✧ blade watches his child closely, looking for signs of understanding despite knowing that inside the depths of his daughter's eyes, is nothing. just pure bliss and not living naively in the world.

✧ he’s aware that she's still young, that the world of love and marriage is something that shouldn't concern them (blade is never letting his precious daughter marry anyone let alone DATE). yet, he also knows that these early lessons are important. he wishes to prepare her, to ensure she grows up strong and resilient.

✧ blade’s gaze softens just slightly, though his posture remains firm. he’s not one to easily show affection, but there’s a quiet tenderness in the way he holds himself at this moment. his child’s innocent declaration has stirred something within him, something he rarely allows himself to feel. ✧ "alright alright, fine. stop sulking."

✧ "YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!"

boothill —

✧ "you’re serious about that, huh? well, you’ve got to be strong and steady if you want to take care of someone like your mother."

✧ gosh, he's just so elated with the fact that little him gets him!! like, who wouldn't want to marry you? exactly!!! he gets it!!

✧ his rugged exterior momentarily softened by their innocent declaration. his voice would be slightly gruff, but there's an underlying warmth that shows how much he cares.

✧ when his child suddenly declares that they want to marry their mother when they grow up, he doesn’t make a big show of it. instead, he quietly observes the interaction, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips. boothill gives his child a small and gentle squeeze on the shoulder, shaking him ever so slightly, acknowledging the sweetness of the moment, but he doesn’t say much.

✧ but deep down, boothill just wants to lunge himself at his child, smothering them in his love, but refrains from doing so, remembering your words. "don't tackle him or anything, he's still small and fragile!!"

✧ ruffling his hair, boothill picks up his son up in his arms, a grin forming on his lips as he feels the all too familiar grubby hands gripping his hat, tilting it to the side, a fit of giggles erupted, apparently the sight of his hat covering the side of his face was hilarious.

✧ "is it really that funny, junior?" he sighed, carefully hoisting him up to make it more comfortable for the both of them. "ah whatever, let's wait for mama to come back from shopping alright?"

✧ at the mention of your name your son's head perks up, stopping his giggles. "mama!" he exclaims, this time fully yanking his hat off. boothill shakes his head at his actions.

✧ he knows that love is complicated, something that can’t be fully understood at a young age. to him, this is a reminder of the purity of a child’s love—something untainted by the complexities of adult life.

the romantic

jing yuan —

✧ "ah, you’ve got good taste, my little one. but remember, love is a journey, one that requires patience and understanding." he’d likely share a romantic story or two, expressing his deep affection for you, his wife.

✧ jing yuan would smile warmly at his girl's declaration. how sweet of her to be wed to you, although he knows it's impossible, he couldn't break his sweet child's heart.

✧ jing yuan would chuckle softly, his hand ruffling his little one's hair as she gazed up at him with bright, innocent eyes. "you've got quite the ambition, my dear."

✧ his golden eyes would soften as he exchanged a warm glance with you, his wife. "i think mommy might like that idea," he’d tease, his deep voice carrying a note of affection.

✧ kneeling down to his child's height, jing yuan leans in closer, his smile widening. "but you know, love isn't just about weddings or promises. it’s about cherishing someone every day, even in the little things."

✧ he’d pull you both into a gentle embrace, his strong arms encircling his family. "besides, your mother already has my heart. but maybe… just maybe, you can help me take care of her, too."

✧ the child would beam, feeling proud and important, while jing yuan would place a soft kiss on your forehead, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "looks like i’ve got some competition," he'd say playfully, causing you both to laugh.

✧ later, as he tucks your little one into bed and he whispers, "you’ll find your own special someone one day, but for now, let’s make sure mommy knows how much we both love her."

imbibitor lunae —

✧ a soft, knowing smile would spread on his face, his ethereal gaze settling on his child with a tender warmth. "ah, to marry your mother… a noble thought indeed. the bond between two souls is sacred, built on trust and mutual respect," he’d say, his voice as serene as a breeze.

✧ he then turns his gaze to you, his eyes reflecting centuries of love. "your mother is a rare treasure indeed, and i’m glad to see you understand this at such a young age." His words are gentle yet profound.

✧ kneeling down gracefully, he’d gently lift his child’s hand, brushing a thumb across their tiny fingers. "but love is not something to be rushed. it’s like the moon in its cycle—waxing, waning, yet always returning to full."

✧ imbibitor lunae would most likely recite a beautiful verse from an ancient text, encapsulating the sacredness of love and family: “like the stars embracing the night sky, so too shall our hearts stay intertwined across the ages.”

✧ with a chuckle, he’d then stroke the child’s cheek softly. "but until you’re older, why not help me look after her? there’s much to learn in the way of love and care."

✧ he’d then pull both you and your child close, his comforting and grounding presence enveloping the moment in peace. "together, we are strong. perhaps one day, you’ll find your own soul to cherish as I do your mother."

argenti —

✧ argenti throws his head back with a booming laugh, his hand ruffling his child’s hair with infectious enthusiasm. "ah, such noble sentiments! you wish to marry your mother? how valiant!" his eyes would gleam with pride, and he’d turn to you with an exaggerated, theatrical gasp. "it seems i’ve been bested by our own child!"

✧ with a dramatic flourish, he’d lift you off your feet, spinning you in a playful circle before setting you down (with you playfully smacking his arm), his voice filled with lightheartedness.

✧ "but alas! your mother has already claimed my heart, dear one."

✧ to celebrate his child’s declaration (yes, have i ever mentioned that argenti is absolutely dramatic??), argenti would likely organize a spontaneous "family adventure." he’d gather some flowers from a nearby meadow or call forth a small spectacle of radiant lights from his sword, creating a miniature show. "we shall offer these as a tribute to the queen of our hearts—your mother!"

✧ he would encourage the child to present the gathered flowers or lights to you, his smile proud as his child participated in the grand romantic gesture. "together, we shall shower her with the love and admiration she so rightfully deserves!"

✧ later, as you all relaxed beneath the stars, argenti would point to the sky, his voice soft yet brimming with passion. "you see those stars, little one? each one shines with the love i have for your mother. and someday, you will understand how to shine just as brightly."

✧ argenti has never been prouder of his little one. "for now, my brave one, let’s continue showering her with love, for the greatest battles are not won with swords but with the heart."

the pragamtist (will break your child's heart)

welt —

✧ welt smiles slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting in that thoughtful, knowing way of his. "that’s very sweet of you," he’d say, his voice calm and reassuring. "but your mother and i are already committed to each other."

✧ uh oh. he can his child's bottom lip quiver.. wait.. no.. he didn't mean it—wait—!!

✧ "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHY DID YOU TAKE MOMMY AWAAAYY" ah.. there it is.. oh woe is welt. and so as your child wails and fat tears roll down his cheeks your ears perk up, obviously worried for your child who is quite literally screaming his lungs out.

✧ you walk out of your room and into the living room where you see welt trying his best to calm down his son, majority of the time welt does an amazing job in soothing him to sleep and cease his yowling but today? right now? it seems like no matter what welt tried it was to no avail.

✧ "what's going on?" you asked, raising a brow at this odd scene before you. taking a seat beside your son he quickly wastes no time in latching onto you, his chubby arms barely wrapped around your waist, his head squished against your thigh.

✧ you give welt a look. he sighs, staring down at his son who has successfully calmed down. "you see, [c/n] wants to marry you when he's older..." he begins, watching your reaction. "mhm.." you hummed, signalling for him to continue. "and i told him that we were already married."

✧ "... is that so..?" you giggled, looking down at your son who's gripping onto the fabric of your pants. "is that right, [c/n]?" your son slowly lifts his head up, an adorable pout on his lips. he stares at you before pointing at your husband.

✧ "daddy took mommy away!" he yells angrily, if it was possible, there would be steam coming out of your baby's ear.

✧ welt winces at the voice his child uses before speaking up. "you see, love is about understanding and growing with another person. it’s not just about wanting to be with someone—it’s about supporting them, no matter what."

✧ ??? "???? welt you're speaking to him as if he can understand."

✧ "oh, right." welt clears his throat, holding his son's much smaller hands in his own. "son, i understand that you love your mommy very much but..." he glances over at you. "me and mommy are already.. together. and mommy can't marry you because—"

✧ "WHY CAN'T I MARRY MOMMY" yet another session of crying begins. welt is practically dumbfounded.

✧ you click your tongue, lifting your son up into your arms, cradling him and patting his back. "shh, it's okay. daddy knows nothing... you can marry mommy if you want!" you cooed.

✧ "what—"

dr. ratio —

✧ raising an eyebrow at his child’s declaration he closes his book, his attention now fully on his child. " so you want to marry your mother, huh? well, while your intention is admirable, there’s a lot more to it than just saying 'i do.' you see, relationships are like a complex equation—variables, constants, and sometimes, unknown factors."

✧ 😐 dr ratio your child can barely answer do division calm down

✧ 'this is a great opporunity!' he thinks as he starts pacing, hands waving in the air as he speaks. "now, love, that’s the x factor! you can’t quantify it, but it changes everything. you might think it’s simple, but oh no, it’s much like trying to balance a chemical formula—get one thing wrong, and, well, it could blow up in your face!" he’d smile, amused by his own analogy.

✧ turning to you with a smirk, he’d nod. "your mother here—she's like the most elegant solution to the most complicated equation in my life."

✧ he’d then sit down beside his child, crossing his legs and leaning forward as if revealing a secret. "one day, you’ll find your perfect match—your own variable to balance things out. it’s like an ongoing experiment in life. but don't rush it! you’ve got plenty of time to gather data, test hypotheses, and figure out what works best for you."

✧ "and if you ever need help, your dad's here for you." with a grin, he’d ruffle their hair in a show of affection. "for now, though, we’ve got a pretty solid family unit here. no need to add more variables just yet." he hums.

✧ as he continued to ramble, you entered the room, finding your husband somewhat lecturing your child. he turns to you with a softer gaze. "our little one will understand it all someday. love is just like… oh, I don’t know, maybe quantum entanglement. two particles, forever linked no matter the distance."

✧ "what wont they understand?" you asked, wiping your hands off of the towel. "also dinner's ready. eating butter chicken today!" you chirped, walking back out and beginning to set the plates down on the table.

✧ eventually, dr. ratio would lean back, satisfied with his explanation. "do you understand?"

✧ your child nods their head eagerly, a wide and happy smile plastered on their face. "mhm!" but dr. ratio knows better.

✧ even if your child doesn't understand their father, that's fine. dr ratio loves them much more than others... he wouldn't mind giving them extra lessons to fully wrap the logic around their little head.

gallagher —

✧ though slovenly but content, he smiled gently as he listened to his daughter’s declaration. he was dressed in his usual disheveled manner—shirt untucked, sleeves rolled up, and an apron stained with coffee and whiskey splashes.

✧ “marry your mother, huh?” he’d say with a soft chuckle, glancing over at you with warmth. "that’s quite the bold statement, kiddo." his daughter does nothing but gaze up lovingly at her dad, awaiting his advice.

✧ the three of you were seated in his usual haunt, a cozy corner of his bar where he’d brought you along for some family time—though even now, he remained courteous, casually nodding at a few patrons who passed by.

✧ wiping down a glass, gallagher would take a moment to think, his vigilance never fully dropping even in such a relaxed setting. "marriage," he’d begin, wiping his hands on his apron, "it’s not something you just do because it sounds nice."

✧ he’d glance at you with a half-smirk, then return his gaze to his daughter. "you see, love—it’s like making the perfect cocktail. you’ve got to find just the right ingredients, mix ’em carefully, and sometimes let it sit before you know it’s ready. rushing it? well, that’s how you end up with a bitter drink."

✧ there goes gallagher and his cocktail analogy.

✧ he tosses a rag over his shoulder, leaning forward, resting his arms on the table. "someone who fits with you like how your mother and i fit together. but don’t go ordering the drink before you’re ready for it, you know?"

✧ you smiled at your daughter, ruffling her hair. "why do you want to marry me, [c/n]?" your daughter turns to you, eyes sparkling with admiration. "because mama is pretty!"

✧ "🥺🥺 oh baby..." brb you're gonna go bawl your eyes out now.

✧ as you hoist your daughter into your arms and hug her tightly, gushing about how adorable she is and that you're the luckiest mother alive, gallagher finishes drying the glasses and watches the both of you with such a soft gaze that siobhan isn't sure if this is the gallagher that she knows, but everyone has their secrets.

✧ "for now," he says—interrupting your little moment— before sliding another glass your way, "we’ve got each other, and that’s more than enough. we’re a solid team. although I'm not sure if i appreciate you trying to steal my wife from me..."

"what did you just say"

jiaoqiu —

✧ jiaoqiu’s ears twitch the moment he heard his daughter’s innocent declaration, his sharp hearing picking up every word. "what did you just say?" his tone shows a hint of jealousy, his eyes narrowing slightly before he caught himself, realizing who had spoken.

✧ this was his daughter, after all—still innocent, still sweet, and still adorable as ever.

✧ clearing his throat and quickly composing himself, jiaoqiu smiled ever so softly, despite not being able to see, he had become accustomed to pinpointing where exactly a person was.

✧ "that is so sweet of you," he say, his voice now softening with affection. his tail flicks in amusement, but there would be no mistaking the tenderness in his tone. "your mother is truly special, isn’t she?"

✧ he pats his daughter's head, his expression full of warmth as he hears her giggle. "you’ve got good taste, of course. but let me tell you, your mom’s already been swept off her feet by someone else—yours truly."

✧ he pulls his daughter close, jiaoqiu ruffles her hair, his grin never fading. "keep that loving heart of yours, and i promise, one day you’ll find someone just as perfect for you. Someone who may or may not outweigh me in terms of cooking.."

✧ jiaoqiu lets out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he hears his daughter giggle, shaking her head. "just make sure you bring them to me first. i’ll need to give them the old ‘jiaoqiu test,’ alright?"

✧ "oh and make sure they have good taste in food, otherwise they aren't worth it. haha, just kidding.."

luocha —

✧ his green eyes widened slightly at the innocent declaration, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he processed what his daughter had said. luocha gracefully bent down, just enough to meet his daughter's gaze, his golden hair cascading over his shoulders like threads of light.

✧ the tender amusement in his expression didn’t hide the warmth in his eyes as he replied, “you want to marry your mother?”

✧ he paused for a moment as if savouring the sweetness of the moment, before gently pinching her cheeks. “that’s incredibly sweet of you, and it makes me happy to know how much love you have in your heart.” his voice was soft, as though he were speaking a secret known only to them.

✧ with a slow, deliberate motion, luocha brushed a strand of his daughter's hair back, tucking it neatly behind their ear. “but marriage,” he continued, his tone calm, “is a commitment, a bond built on trust and mutual care.”

✧ he glanced over at you (who is smiling like an absolutely mad woman), his smile deepening. “your mother is someone truly remarkable, isn’t she?” he let the words linger each one carrying its own weight. "i’m glad you see how special she is, just as i do.”

✧ luocha took his child’s small hand in his own, his long fingers curling gently around theirs. "you’ve got so much love to give, and that’s something to cherish. always hold onto that kindness, that love."

✧ standing tall again, his coat swaying behind him like a quiet whisper, luocha’s eyes softened even more as he gently lifted his child into his arms, holding them close. “for now,” he said, his voice tender but filled with certainty, “you’re already surrounded by love. our family is your home."

✧ he turns toward you, carrying your child effortlessly in one arm, his other hand reaching out to you. you gladly take it, the familiar warmth blossoming in your body as you feel his sweet gesture.

✧ luocha clears his throat. "that doesn't mean you can marry a boy, okay? boys are good for nothing.." "luocha!!" you frown, slapping his arm. your husband looks down at you, a sweet and innocent smile on his lips. "hm..? i didn't say anything," he hums before planting a gentle kiss on your forehead.

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[mj0702]

The other Bronze – Pt. 16 🔞

This Chapter contains some adult content

Por mi vida... Te amo a la luna y de vuelta mi hermosa....♥️

“You can keep dreaming because that won't happen” the dark haired woman laughed

“Worth a try” you smirked as you pulled Jennis jersey over your head

“Dear jesus Christ” you gagged lightly after you sniffed the fabric “Sure you only wore that for that game??”

“Actually no... that's the same one we wore at the Euro final” the spaniard deadpanned “We're broke you know... we have to re-use jerseys”

“Seriously??” you asked outraged your eyes wide with shock while Lucy started to snicker behind you

“Of course not... but you and your stupid tactic had me run a lot – sorry that my jersey doesn’t smell like detergent” Jenni rolled her eyes

“I think it was a good tactic” you defended yourself pouting “Lucy you tell her”

“You put me in goal!!!” your sister exclaimed

“Yeah... that was funny.. the way you panicky screamed at Mills to keep “that bloody ball far FAR away” from you....” you chuckled as your sister hit your shoulder

“Y/N... you still have something to do” now Sarina interrupted and you know you still need to come up with an apology to Rubiales

“How believable would it be if I suddenly have a stroke?” you asked the dutch innocently and all players around you snorted

“Not very believable... come on... the sooner you get it over with the sooner I can reward you for your actions” the blonde coach winked

“Hermoso” you looked at Jenni “... it was a pleasure as always... I have to go and fake apologize to your... whatever he is”

“Oh Corazon... I didn't even show you pleasure but okay...” the dark haired winked “and he's the federation president”

“He's a fucking cunt that's what he is” you grumbled not even catching up on Jennis comment

“And THAT'S exactly what we don't say in our apology” Sarina said chuckling

“Do I really have to come up with an apology on the spot without swear words?” you asked in disbelieve

“Yes Bitsy...” Keira rolled her eyes “... and I know you can – you always pull your head out of the sling somehow”

“Okay okay... give me a minute okay” you huffed starting to think of what to say “... Hermoso could you stop drooling over me abs? I know they're fantastic – me girlfriend tells me every time we...”

“STOP talking!” Lucy exclaimed shuddering at the thought of you and Georgia doing anything else than holding hands while Jenni, Keira and Sarina bursted out laughing

“It's distracting!!!” you huffed

“I am distracting you?” Jenni smirked enjoying the little banter which distracted HER from the previous incident

“Not you... you eyes” you grumbled “I need to think quick here”

“Come on Liefje” Sarina suddenly pulled you away “We won't get anywhere if you butterfly with Hermoso all the time”

“I'm NOT butterflying” you huffed annoyed

“Yes you are... now... this is going to happen now... you are going to apologize officially right in front of the crowd and later again at the post-match press” the dutch said and you grimaced

“Really? In front of the crowd?” you whined

“Yes... this is damage control and when everyone sees how “sorry” you are we have a good chance that FIFA won't interfere” Sarina said seriously and you huffed

“But I don't wanna” you whined again but one look from the dutch shut you right off

“You'll do fine Bitsy okay... you're good at that” Keira squeezed your shoulder supporting

“Ugh.... fine” you huffed annoyed as someone handed you a microphone connected to the stadium speakers

You started to walk out of the tunnel and you knew the second the camera caught you and your picture appeared on the big screens since suddenly there was loud cheering and it made you smirk. You walked all the way to the kick off point standing there for a second taking a deep breath before turning around facing the spanish bench where Vida and Rubiales were still standing. You saw how the medics just packed their stuff together and how Rubiales had two tissues hanging out of his nose. You really needed to bite your tongue so you wouldn't start laughing – you were “sorry” after all. At least that's what Sarina told you you were. You saw how all the players – Lionesses and Spanish – were lingering in the tunnel entrance waiting for your speech

“Hi” you started awkwardly looking into the stands after the crowd calmed a little bit which caused a new round of cheering and whistleing. Vida and Rubiales looked at you expectantly and when they saw you wore Jennis Jersey you saw how Rubiales jaw set challenging.

“Okay guys... I'm here to apologize for me actions towards Mr. Rubiales a few minutes ago” you said using your “I'm so so SO sorry”-voice “... I honestly don't know what caused me to act the way I did... I'm in the wrong here because violence is never the answer no matter how disgus... no wait... I'm not allowed to say that... violence is never the answer! Let stop there... I never meant to assault you Mr. Rubiales...” you looked at Rubiales himself trying to sell your apology so hard by talking directly to him “... I never meant to hurt you and I don't have an explanation for what happened. Please believe me when I say I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart”

Even you know you went a little over but you really REALLY tried not to verbally assault him right now

“You did nothing but being polite to me and what happens in your federation is not my business” you said and some people would swear they heard a threatening undertone “I hope you accept me apology and we can forget this... incident”

You walked back towards the tunnel before making a turn towards Rubiales himself offering you your hand to shake it. He grabbed your hand hard his jaw still set when you pulled him a little forward

“If you ever pull off something like that again you fucking cunt I personally will cut off your balls and feed them to you through your asshole and then I make sure that there's no inch of DNA left of your existence...” you growled into his ear covering it up with clapping on his shoulder like both of you made up “... most of them players I consider my friends – family even... I don't take it lightly if they get put in an uncomfortable situation and I always will have their back”

You let go of him smiling sweetly before turning around walking back into the tunnel where everyone stared of it with disbelieving looks. You smirked feeling great pride and satisfaction with yourself.

“I am REALLY proud of you Liefje” Sarina beamed as you reached her letting her pull you into a hug

“I can't believe it... you actually delivered a grown up apology” Leah said her face showed pure shock

“Yeah well...” you shrugged your shoulders

“I can't believe you apologized” Mapí looked at you a little disappointed

“Had to... they made me” you pointed at Sarina, Keira and Lucy

“I'm proud you didn't punch him again – I was worried there for a second when you made a beeline for him” Lucy threw her arm over your shoulder standing next to you proudly “And you didn't threaten him”

“I definitely didn't” you quickly said and your voice was a little high-pitched

“Bitsy” Keira warned you

“Hm?” you looked at her innocently

“Please don't tell me you did...” the blonde looked at you expectantly

“So... my reward” you turned towards Sarina

“Bitsy!” Keira exclaimed

“What? You said to not tell you... so I don't” you defended yourself

“What did you say... I knew that handshake was a cover up... I KNEW IT” Keira said annoyed

“Look... I just let him know how... I consider most of the spanish team me family... and that I'll always will have their back” you said honestly “andhowIwillfeedhimhisballsandthattherewon'tbeanyDNAleftifhepullssomeshitlikethisagain” you mumbled before quickly sprinting behind Alexia and Jenni ducking for cover

“Come again???” Keira looked at you shocked while the spanish players looked at you confused since you spoke to fast for them to understand

“Could you repeat that for the not english speakers please Cariño?” Alexia said confused

“I rather not” you mumble “Keira will have me head”

Luis Rubiales chose that exact moment to walk into the tunnel and you immediately stood up taller again moving in front of Jenni in a protective manner – which looked kind of ridiculous since Jenni was over a head bigger than you. He threw a death glare at you but continued walking as the crowd of english and spanish players parted like the sea for Moses.

“It's kind of cute how you try to protect me little one” Jenni chuckled from behind you

“He's a... Mapí... worst spanish curse word you know” you spat looking at Mapí

“Cojones or Cono” Mapí easily provided earning herself a really hard slap to the head from Irene and a death glare from Alexia

“That... he's both of that...” you growled looking after Rubiales

“Don't teach her that” Irene told Mapí off harshly

“She asked” the blonde tattooed woman defended herself

“And you CHOSE to answer” the Vice-Capitan answered

“I just wanted to helpful...” Mapí mumbled pouting

“Don't push it María León and just keep your mouth shut” Irene grumbled

“Bitsy... come here sweetie” Keira cooed sweetly

“Oh no... not gonna fall for that... it's like the time you told me you wouldn't get angry if I tell you what I did and after I told you you made me do push ups in the pouring rain” you shook your head looking at her scared shuffling backwards

“I promise...” the blonde tried again smiling sweetly but you saw right through it

“No no... I think I'm gonna stay with Ona” you said and the people who knew you could hear the slight fear in your voice

“You still have a pre-match conference to attend” Sarina reminded you smirking

“Aaaawww maaaaan” you whined “I did what you told me to do – why do I have to sit through that as well?”

“Because it was your game today and not mine” the dutch said “So YOU are going to answer all the questions... in a nice civilized manner”

“Ugh” you huffed and turned to walk towards the media room “But I'm not sitting next to that sorry excuse of a human being”

“Good evening Ladies and Gentleman – this is the post-match conference and we have 60 Minutes. We do it the usual way and go 30 minutes each. All question have to remind professional and under no circumstances will private questions answered. You all have one question if you want a follow up you have to talk to the person if they're willing to do one. We start with questions for the representatives of the english Lionesses Head Coach Sarina Wiegman and Y/N Bronze before going to the spanish representatives Jorge Vilda and Luis Rubiales” the coordinator said and you knew the cameras where already on so you pushed the urge down to roll your eyes your face staying stoic “We're starting with Alex Scott”

You exhaled deeply knowing Alex wouldn't ask anything regarding the Rubiales-event and probably would ask something frivolous.

“Alex Scott for BBC Sports” Alex started smiling at you “A question for Y/N Bronze”

“I know your name and where you work... I've known you for years now” you interrupted her confused which lifted the mood in the room since all of the reporters started chuckling

“That's how it goes y/n... we reporters have to introduce ourselves before asking the question” Alex smiled at you

“Oh okay...” you said quickly “... sorry for interrupting”

“No problem... but my question to you... we were all informed beforehand through different social media channels that you joined the Lionesses as a side line analyst – how comes that you basically dictated the game today?”

“I was given the chance by Sarina... Mrs. Wiegman... Coach? What do I call you?” you started then looked at Sarina unsure which caused another round of light laughter

“Sarina is fine...” the dutch smiled encouraging squeezing your knee under the table in a calming manner

“Sarina gave me the chance to work on a tactic for this game – Spain is a hard opponent to play. I got to Camp with Lucy... Bronze... Lucy Bronze my sister” you started but then got all nervous again since you actually never had to do any press stuff before.

Again Sarina jumped in by stroking over your knee calming

“... but you all know that...” you chuckled at your idiocy “... so when we arrived at Camp Sarina pulled me aside telling me she wanted me to watch some of the spanish games and to come up with a play where we at least can annoy them a little bit. I'm pretty sure she just did that to keep me occupied so I wouldn't do some stupid shit...” you said but quickly slapped your hand over your mouth “... I mean so I don't do... stuff... but yeah... after I sat down with her showing her some plays she told me to put a starting XI together.. at this point I still thought it was all like... hypothetical.. so I did... after that she said that she liked what I came up with and that she trusts me and that I'll have the lead on the game...”

“Would you be interested in answering a follow up?” Alex asked quickly knowing that she only had a short time frame before the next reporter would be called up

“For you always... I mean... you did change me diapers – I think it's just fair” you grinned

“And you were so squirmy about it... but my follow up... what made you come up with putting Lucy in Goal?” the short woman asked smiling

“Knew you would pick up on that” you laughed feeling slightly more relaxed “... that was a last second decision – I had four subs planned... two at half time, two around 70th minute... I left one slot for a possible injury sub – I played some players who just came back from an injury and I didn't want to overwork them. That's why I subbed Meado off 73rd minute in... she played outstanding and I didn't want to risk setting her back in her recovery... I quickly talked to her after she came off and she said she felt good but also appreciated getting off. So after I didn't need the left over slot and Lucy was mean to me earlier – and Keira said she would pay to see Lucy in Goal – I thought... why not... and come on... it was funny seeing her panicky waving her arms around like a monkey absolutely losing her plot screaming at Mills to keep the ball far FAR away” you laughed which caused the room to interrupt in laughter

“Okay next question please...” the coordinator said also laughing and called up a reporter you didn't knew who had a question for Sarina so you turned out and started to look around the room with a bored face which ended in a edit about how you and Lucy are so much alike in conferences

“Question for Y/N Bronze...” a young lad said and after you didn't react in the slightest being busy counting the sponsor labels on the wall behind you Sarina flicked your ear

“Huh??” you looked at you confused

“There's a question for you” the dutch gestured towards the room “Attention on the room”

“Sorry...” you said embarrassed

“You got a yellow card... how did that happened?” the young reporter asked

“First of all... that wasn't MY yellow card... THAT was Onas yellow card” you started serious but your lip tugged upwards and everyone noticed that you were joking “... she committed the foul... I just... asked the Ref if she doesn't see the need to card it”

You heard Sarina clear her throat next to you and you looked at her innocently

“What? I did” you defended yourself

“You took my glasses and ask the Ref if she needs them to and I quote “see a foul when it's happening”...” the dutch looked at you unimpressed

“Not my fault she's a blind moron – that WAS a yellow card” you exclaimed before remembering where you are and – again – slapping your hand over your mouth

Sarina exhaled deeply and started to pinch the bridge of her nose shaking her head slightly as the room erupted in laughter again

“Okay next question... Barry... your turn” the coordinator said and you tensed immediately.

Barry O'Connor was a legend under the reporters – he was one of the ones who could make you or break you. He never held back with the uncomfortable questions and he immediately knew when you lie and THAT he would use to break you.

“Thank you Tom... Barry O'Connor for The Guardian...” the older gruff man said and looked straight at you and you just KNEW what was coming “... question for Bronze... there was a slight – let's call it ruffle after the game... any comment on that?”

“Good evening Mr. O'Connor” you said politely “... I'm afraid you have to be more specific – there was a lot going on after the game”

“You punched the president of the spanish federation – the proof is sitting right there” the reporter said pointing at Rubiales

“Yeah... not my best moment is it... I want to apologize again and honestly I can't tell you what happened... I saw how he moved towards Jenni Hermoso and the next thing I know is Sarina yelling at me in the locker room...” you said and everyone in the room knew you told the truth “... I got the great honour to meet most of these players beforehand when I was visiting my sister in Barcelona and they welcomed me with open arms and helped me when I needed help – looked after me when I needed guidance... so I consider them as family... I don't take it likely if someone makes my family uncomfortable – which everyone who knows me can confirm... so I just – acted to protect my family”

“You said you needed help in Barcelona... what happened?” the older man asked

“Barry you had your question and we said from the start...” the coordinator interrupted but then got interrupted by you

“No it's okay... I'm honoured to be interesting enough to get a follow up by a reporter legend” you said and Sarina heard that you were about to get serious “It's not really a secret that I don't play because I suffered quiet early in my career from three ACL's... so even if I wanted to play I simply can't... in Barcelona a... incident happened that left me with a PTSD episode... all of them helped me afterwards – Mapí León right up top.. she went all the way to the airport to get me english chocolate... I got in the honour to get to know a few teams through Lucys career... if it was City, Lyon or now Barcelona... all of the teams have a special place in my heart but Barca now – they are something else... Alexia Putellas is an amazing leader – on and off the pitch... under her lead this team stepped up coming together as a family – no matter which nationality or background...”

You looked back at the reporter who smiled appreciative nodding slightly

“So yes... they helped me a great deal... even when I got overdosed on pain meds and didn't know what I was doing and gave them nicknames and was high as a kite” you winked

“Okay last question for the english side before we're moving on the spanish representatives” the coordinator said and pointed at a young blonde woman

“Thank you... Sarah Mulligan for ITV” the young woman said “Question for both Sarina and y/n... Sarina what made you involve y/n as much and y/n how did feel or managed with the pressure?”

“You first?” you looked at Sarina a little lost which caused the dutch to chuckle

“Thank you for your question” Sarina started and you interrupted her

“We have to thank for questions...” you exclaimed shocked before looked into the room “Thank you?”

This made everyone laugh again before Sarina continued

“It's polite Liefje” the dutch said lovingly “... but back to the question... I got to know y/n when she was recovering from her third surgery. I just took over from Phil Neville trying to get a read on the Team having called up a few young players but also some experienced ones – like Lucy Bronze. Lucy called me two days before Camp would start asking if she could bring her little sister who just got out of hospital. I agreed knowing from former games and also from stories how much Lucy cared for her sister. The moment I saw her for the very first time I knew she was someone special. She was still wearing a leg splint and was still on crutches but that didn't stop her from refusing help even going so far to hit Lucy away with her crutch...” the dutch remembering your first appearance smiling slightly “.... she was so grumpy and angry – a deep anger and I must admit I was unsure for a moment if it was a good idea to have her with the team. I feared she would bring the team spirit down – but I was wrong. So very wrong. The moment she stepped into the Hotel lobby and I saw how many players were happy to see her I knew it was the right decision. At the first training session she sat in the stands just staring down on the pitch – I must admit I kept an eye on her because Lucy asked me too... y/n never moved one muscle just stared down on the session. So I thought I let one of the assistants take over and went up to sit next to her. I sat down and asked how she was doing. Her answer was that I should rethink this formation because it's putting to much pressure on the midfield. Then she just stood up and left. I looked down on the pitch and saw Keira and Jordan Nobbs were struggling to keep up with the pace I tried to put up with the play. That was the moment I decided to get her involved more – one because she has an eye for things no one ever sees and two she needed a task. She needed something to take her mind off her injury and what it meant – what she lost. I got her involved a little bit more every camp and this time she finally accepted my offer to employ her full time which I know is a big step for her. But a big step in the right direction. A big step towards healing” the blonde said lovingly and squeezed your hand

“That got deep Mama Rina” you mumbled getting a little emotional before looking at the young reporter woman “Thank you for your question”

The room chuckled again enjoying your young easy and light way you were handling the situation of getting thrown into a press conference for the first time

“I'm sorry I can't provide such a deep meaningful answer but... I didn't feel any pressure to be honest. As I said before until the very last moment – the moment that Sarina made me explain my tactics to the team to be exact – it was all hypothetical for me. And after that I didn't really have time to feel pressured – I tell ya this team is a handful. Just yesterday Niamh called out Code Red – which means no one is allowed to leave – because she couldn't find her lucky socks... turns out the washed them in the sink and hung them on the balcony and they just fell off onto the balcony of Lottes... that's the shit you guys normally don't get to see” you said shaking your head when you remembered how ridiculously headless Niamh tore her room apart because of a pair of socks.

After the room quiet down from their round of laughter again the whole questioning shifted towards the spanish men and you started to spin with your chair until Sarina stopped you gently putting her hand on your arm to calm you down. You huffed but stayed still trying to listen to the answers of the Vilda and Rubiales but it was no use.

You heard your name a couple of times but since you didn't have any context you chose to ignore it – that was until a fuming Mapí León with an equally fuming Leila Ouahabi hot on her heels came blazing into the room both of them throwing some words at Vilda and Mapí even went so far to crawl onto the table separating the trainers from the reporters. Seconds later an angry looking Alexia entered the room just in time to grab Mapís ankle and pulling her back and away from the spanish national team coach. She tried to get her players under control by pulling both of them back by the hem of their jerseys. Mapí was kicking and screaming like a five year old – of course in spanish so you didn't understand a word – the only thing you understood was when Mapí yelled “mi Nena” - but when you looked at Vildas face it told you everything that you needed to know. You looked flabbergasted to Sarina who looked just as shocked and shrugged her shoulders before you turn towards the reporters where some just shook their head in disbelieve.

The post-match conference was ended pretty quickly after that and you basically jumped over the table sprinting out of the room past Keira and Lucy – who were waiting for you outside the room – towards the spanish locker room. This time you weren't as friendly as before and bolted through the door without knocking even tho you could hear Alexias angry voice half way down the corridor. The second you threw the door open the whole team looked at you and everyone fell silent – even Alexia.

“What the fuck just happened?” you looked at Alexia lost

“Cariño I love you I do... but this is something we have to talk about internally” Alexia said softly

“Mapí was about to strangle that mop in front of thousands and you say this is an internal thing?” you raised an eyebrow

“He called her a “lost little child who wears shoes that are to big for her and she's useless”... mi Nena knows EXACTLY what she's doing... mierda we lost FIVE zero...” Mapí started to rage again and you became big eyes

“Mapí ENOUGH” Alexia scolded her “Everyone SAW what she did and her head coach isn't a useless... culo like ours... there's no need for you to defend her... she has Lucy for that”

“But Lucy didn't do anything...” Mapí said outraged

“Because her spanish is shit and she probably didn't understand” you shrugged accepting the water bottle Ona held out for you “And the way you hesitated at the word “culo” means it's bad and I'll definitely save that down in me brain”

“No you won't Bebita” Ona smiled sweetly but you know just like with Keira it was a warning “Bad word”

“Then Alexia has to do push-ups... that the bad word rule!” you exclaimed and Alexia looked at you unimpressed

“I'm an adult... I can say whatever I want” the blonde spaniard said flatly

“Rule applies for everyone Capi” Jenni now grinned “Down on your hands and knees you go”

“What does culo mean?” you leaned over so you could whisper in Mapís ear

“Asshole” Mapí whispered back

“That'll make 15” you looked at Alexia “That word is an A-grade swear word.. A-grade swear words make 15 push ups...”

“I most definitely won't do any push-ups...” Alexia rolled her eyes

“But I always have to do them” you whined

“And look how much more your arms and shoulders are defined since I last saw you” the spanish capitan smiled and pinched your cheek

“You suck” you grumbled pushing yourself behind Ona to seek cover from her prying hands

“No little one... that's me... she's more the...” Jenni smirked but before she could end the sentence she got punched very hard in the shoulder by Alexia

“Come on Bebita... let's get you back to the Lionesses...” Ona said lovingly already pushing you forward slightly “Say bye-bye”

“Ass-dios” you waved which caused the younger players to explode in laughter – including Jenni – while Alexia threw you a death glare as Ona quickly pushed you out the door

“Keira...” Ona yelled seeing Keira down the corridor

“There you are!!! We where searching the whole place for you!!” Keira exclaimed the second she laid eyes on you “Don't you ever do that again!!!”

“I was just at the spaniards and pretty spaniard taught me a new word” you smiled at the blonde proudly

“Don't even” Ona warned you

“What happened?” Keira turned towards the blonde spaniard

“She suddenly kicked in our locker room door... and didn't except “it's an internally affair” from Alexia” your sisters girlfriend shrugged her shoulders

“Uh Kei...” you pulled on her jacket a little bit “Alexia said an A-grade swear word... and she refused to do push-ups”

“Really now... we can't have that now can we?” Keira mused sensing that you started to get tired and pulled you into her side winking at Ona before turning around slowly leading you back towards the Lioness locker room pulling out her phone to text Lucy and Leah that she “found” you

“You little shite...” Lucy started immediately but got cut off by Keira

“Leave her be... she's dead on her feet” the blond said firmly basically carrying all your weight your head on her shoulder

“Come here Bubs” Lucy exhaled deeply hoisting you away from Kei into her own arms cradling you like you were a three year old again while Keira got all your bags

“How bad is it outside?” your sister asked Leah who sneaked a look outside looking at the crowd waiting for the players to emerge from the stadium walking to the bus

“Nothing we're not used too...” the blonde capitan shrugged

“I'm asking because of her” Lucy nodded towards your sleeping form in her arms slightly drooling on your sisters jacket “If she gets startled half the team won't get an inch of sleep tonight – you remember the drama after the France game?”

“Wait... I get the noise cancelling headphones” Mary said thinking quickly pulling already on Rachels headphones getting them off her and carefully sliding them on your head.

You quickly got startled by the sudden loss of hearing but Lucy had you under control quickly by manoeuvring your head into her neck. The moment you smelled the familiar scent of your sister skin you relaxed again becoming boneless in her arms.

“She's so out” Keira chuckled

“You surprised?” Lucy answered hoisting you up a little more “Fuck me... this was easier when she was 3”

“No shit Sherlock” Millie deadpanned “Gimme... I'll carry her”

“Naah – we're good” your sister said but smiled at her teammate thankfully “I'll just bring her into the bus and then come out to sign some stuff...”

“You don't have to – you're not obligated to do so and you know it” Leah said seriously

“I know... but they waited long enough now and she'll be good once she's inside the bus” your sister answered “Let's get this show on the road”

As soon as the doors opened the fans went wild – as usual and Lucy was so SO thankful for Marys quick thinking of putting the noise cancelling headphones over your ears. Your sister walked quickly with you in her arms towards the bus disappearing inside it. She disposed you into her own seat asking the bus driver if he could have half an eye on you. Of course he agreed quickly being a fan of you himself with all the shenanigans you came up with all the time.

Your eyes fluttered open slowly and you were met with – darkness. Darkness and softness. You bolted upright searching for your phone in the dark. Getting more arrogated which each passing second you knocked over a bottle of water which caused a light to get switched on and you were met with the sleepy looking form of your girlfriend.

“What you doing baby?” Georgia asked her voice raspy

“What are you doing in my room?” you asked confused “Why am I in my room??”

“Firstly... that's my room... secondly... you were out like a light once Keira found you and then YOU wouldn't let go of me shirt and Keira got Lucy to agree to let us room for tonight under the promise that I won't touch you in any “not biblical” form” your girlfriend informed you

“Wait... what day is it???” you looked at her confused

“What?” Georgia asked equally confused

“Day baby... what DAY is it?” you looked at her like you're going to have a mental breakdown any second

“Still Wednesday... game day.. 23:48... why” G answered keeping her voice even to not set you off further

“Oh thank fuck” you sighed “Get ready... come on... take your phone”

You ushered your girlfriend out of her bed – not without ogling her body for a second longer that would go through as “biblical” - and then out of the room up a floor hiding behind a corner taking out our phone.

“23:52... perfect” you grinned

“What have you planned??” your girlfriend whispered in your ear from behind/above you which cause a shiver to run down your spine

“Welcoming Sarinas new year of age” you swallowed hard trying not to think what you could do now with your girlfriend instead of hiding waiting for the pipers to come down the corridor.

“Oh god... WHAT did you do??” G whisper yelled “If I get in trouble for it...”

“Please... as if I let you get in trouble” you snorted spotting the first piper stepping out of the elevator

“Oh god... oh god no... no no no no no” your girlfriend mumbled with wide eyes having spotted the piper as well “You didn't”

“Oh I so did... mi Vida” you grinned evilly

“Me what?” Georgia asked confused

“No idea... Lucy always calls Ona that – probably something dirty turn ons in spanish” you shrugged your shoulder “Where the fuck are Toons and Less?? And Jill... where is Jill?”

The moment you said it you saw your two best friends sprinting down the corridor, little party hats askew on their heads another set in their hands. Less was carrying some glitter bombs and confetti canons.

“We're not late” Toons panted coming to a halt in front of you “What she doing here?”

“I'm her girlfriend??” Georgia said confused

“Still doesn't answer me question... you don't get to bake in our fame” Ella said annoyed holding out a party hat for you which you immediately placed on your head

“Fame? You really think that going down well for you?” your girlfriend snorted nodding towards the piper who just set up their bagpipes.

“Of course... that a birthday she'll never forget” Lessi answered grinning widely “Can we start?”

“No.. we still missing Jill” you pressed taking Georgias phone to look at the clock “23:59... come on Jill”

You heard the “ding” of the elevator and surely enough there came a big three story birthday cake wheeling out with a widely grinning Jill Scott pushing it down the corridor towards you.

“Where were you?” you came out of your hiding – which was useless anyway since Toons and Less stood right in front of you – speed walking towards Jill smashing a party hat on her head.

“Had to think about something to get the room card” your Godaunt and most trusted adult friend – after Keira – said pulling out the little plastic card from her back pocket

“What did you say?” you snorted Jill could come up with the best backstories

“Want to surprise my wife for her birthday” the older woman smirked back “easy in the nights since there are only teenage boys covering Front Desk”

“We'll leave quickly after we delivered our present so you two have some alone time” you smirked

“Thank you Cookie – we very much appreciate it” the dirty blonde laughed “You guys ready?”

All of you nodded and Jill very VERY carefully pushed the card into the electronic lock waiting for the signature “click” before pushing open the door. You had Georgias phone ready and when Jill gave you a thumbs up you started recording. The pipers shuffled into the small hotel room and on a small cough from you they started piping “Auld Lang Syne” and not even five seconds in the light next to the bed got smashed on and a completely demolished Sarina Wiegman sat in her bed, blanket pulled up to her chest, glasses askew from being placed quickly on her nose, hair standing in every direction like she just got electrocuted her eyes wide in shock. The pipers went seamlessly over to “When the Saint go marching in” before finishing with “Scotland the Brave”. The second the little private concert was over Toons and Less let the Glitter bombs and Confetti canons explode right over Sarina – and her bed – all of you yelling “Happy Birthday”.

Your plan was nearly perfect. Get glitter and confetti all over Sarina before bolting. What you DIDN'T think off – pipers where loud. Very loud. Waking up most of the squad in process. Like Leah. And Lucy. And – most dangerously – Keira. So the moment you wanted to bolt you were met with a LOT of Lionesses. Angry looking Lionesses. Angry looking Keira. You locked eyes with her and after a second ducked behind Toons before sinking down on the ground trying to army rob out of the room hoping everyone was too distracted by everything that's going on. Oh boy where you wrong – of COURSE Keira saw you the second you tried to rob out of the room placing herself right in your way. You looked up when you hit her legs with your head which you kept down so it wouldn't been to obvious who was pressed in that room – which was overflowing with players now. Niamh and Toons already got cake in their hands (plates were overrated at this point) as Leah tried to control the chaos. You bumped into Keiras legs and looked up scared to be met with two angry glaring eyes. You tried to quickly rob backwards just to get stuck in Millies legs.

“I don't think so, y/n Bronze” Keira seethed pulling you up by your ear “Are you actually mad? Did you finally lose your plot? Why in gods name...”

“Hey Kei... you want cake... it's chocolate” your sister interrupted Keiras rant holding a hand full of cake right under the blondes nose

Keira just looked at Lucy then to you and back to Lucy who smiled like a happy kid with her handful of cake.

“I don't know if I should yell at both of you or just give up...” the blonde shook her head

“Keep calm and eat cake” Lucy smiled pushing her hand closer to Keiras face who automatically moved her head out of the way

“No thank you... it's in the middle of the night” the blonde said a little disgusted

“And?? You think we ever get away with eating cake in the middle of the night ever again??? Embrace the moment Kei... USE the moment” your sister said before she pushed the handful of cake into her mouth and you listened to what your sister said and used the moment to carefully sneaked away from Keira.

You tugged on Georgias shirt at your swift exit and she followed you just as quickly

“You know you're in big shit tomor... today... today morning... later... in the morning” your girlfriend rambled

“I know... but so worth it” you smiled and the second you two were through the door to the stairs case you pulled her back on her shirt kissing her deeply

“Not that I'm complaining...” Georgia started once you parted again “... but what brought that on?”

“You still had a little frosting..” you smirked pointing at your own lip “... I think I better check for more frosting once we're back in our room... you are a messy eater after all”

“I.. I think I dropped some of the cake...” your girlfriend stuttered a little bit and you could see her eyes darkening

“Yeah... thought so...” you smirked starting to walk up the stairs towards Georgias room when you suddenly feel your feet leave the ground and your girlfriend hoisted you over her shoulder

“What are you doing??” you laughed loudly as Georgia sprinted up the stairs

“You're a slowpoke sometimes” your girlfriend said exiting the staircase sprinting down the corridor on your floor before fumbling with the key card to open the door

“Open you stupid door” your girlfriend grumbled you still hanging over your shoulder snickering

“Let me down... makes it easier” you laughed slightly

“I nearly got it... wait a second” Georgia mumbled but a second later you heard her kicking the door

“Baby come on.... let me down” you laughed louder lightly poking her rips

“But don't run away” your girlfriend said her voice a little whine

“As if” you snorted and felt her scrunch down to put you on the ground before she came up again and you were face to face with each other

Your eyes quickly flickered down to her lips before looking at her eyes again. Before you could make up your mind you felt Georgias lips on yours kissing you deeply and you couldn't suppress a moan which your girlfriend used to slip her tongue into your mouth. She pinned you against the door her hands against your hip she used her whole body to keep you were you currently were. You on the other hand fished the little plastic card out of her hand where it poked into your skin and opened the door behind your back without even looking. The door opened with a small “beep” and you smirked against your girlfriends lips.

“Show off” Georgia mumbled against your lips and pushed you backwards into the hotel room already pulling your shirt over your head

“Fuck” you panted as your back hit the mattress next to your girlfriend a light sheet of sweat covering your body “THAT...”

“Better than the last time?” Georgia smirked smugly her breathing coming out laboured

“Nothing can top last time Babe... but you tried” you chuckled turning your body so you were pressed into the blondes side tucking your head into her neck feeling how her arm sneaked around your back pulling you closer

“I mean... I can try again” you heard the smirk feeling how her hand started to wander again “and again... and again... and again”

“No... please don't... you tried enough for tonight” you chuckled as Georgia stroked lightly over your ribs tickling you slightly before pushing her hand away positioning it on your hip

Georgia showed mercy just rubbing her thumb soothingly over your hipbone pressing a soft kiss to your hair

“You only getter better with training...” your girlfriend smirked then yelped as you poked her side

“You telling me I'm bad at what I'm doing?” you pushed yourself up onto your elbow looking down at her raising your eyebrow

“No no no no...” Georgia quickly said pulling you back down this time on top of her holding you tightly to her chest

“Mhm... that's what I thought” you mumbled closing your eyes relaxing against the blondes chest just enjoying the time you have with your girlfriend without needing to worry about your sister interrupting

You felt Georgia wriggling around under you which caused you to lift your head – again.

“Really? You still want to... again?” you look at your girlfriend expectantly

“No... I actually just tried to get the blanket” Georgia laughed as she finally got the hem of the blanket and pulled it over the two of you “... wouldn't want to deliver you back to your pit bull-like sister with a cold”

“DON'T mention my sister right now... that doesn't.. no.. just no” you grunted

“Sorry...” your girlfriend chuckled

“You're disturbing my post-orgasmic-bliss” you complained whining

“Sorry... I can... I don't know... make you forget that I just said that?” Georgia smiled her hand starting to wander towards your ass again while the other grabbed your breast teasingly

“Gosh... you really are impossible” you rolled your eyes prying her hand off your breast

“I mean... did you see my girlfriend? I can't help meself” the blonde grinned pulling you a little upwards to press a kiss to your lips

“Mhm... I did see her... still don't know how you scored her?” you teased smirking

“I didn't... she's stubborn... but I'm glad she threatened to break me legs if I don't pull my finger out of me ass...” Georgia murmured kissing you softly and smiled

“Did she now? I should talk to her... apparently she knows how to keep you in check – you can be quiet... defying” you grinned letting her kiss you over and over again

“Excuse me?” your girlfriend exclaimed acting upset

“Mhm... didn't my sister told you – multiple times I might add – to keep your hands away from me?” you grinned kissing her this time

“I CAN keep me hands to meself” Georgia smirked “Question is.. would you want that?”

“Such a rebel aren't you...” you smirked kissing along your girlfriends jaw down her to her neck

“Have me moments” Georgias voice betrayed her as she clearly getting turned on again

“Mhm.... Keira told me” you smirked against her neck before biting down slightly

“Keira??” this time it was G who got sober immediately

“It's a turn off isn't it... hearing about them” you grinned sitting up now straddling her waist

“Yes” your girlfriend grumbled “What did that wanna be ginger told you?”

“That you got your first tattoo the day after you turned 18” you smirked the blanket loosely draped around your hip

“SHE roped me into it!” Georgia exclaimed sitting up as well

“Oh really?” you smirked down on her taking her face in your hands kissing her softly “Do tell”

“She just got a new one and because she knew Mama Walsh will have her ass she convinced me to get one too... then after the next england game she hugged her mum and of COURSE Mama Walsh immediately saw it” your girlfriend told you rolling her eyes “And the next thing I know is she pulled me over by me sleeve “Georgia has one too – and she's basically a baby”... then Mama Walsh had me ass too”

“She played you...” you laughed loudly “.... she played you so hard”

“Yeah... I had to stand there for 12 Minutes getting lectured by Mama Walsh about the risks of tattoos...” your girlfriend grumbled

“To be fair... when Mama Walsh has it out for your ass you better find someone who you can distract her with” you shrugged still grinning

“Yeah... she can be scary... but I'm still sure she loves me more than Keira” Georgia grinned straining her neck a little so she could steal a kiss again

“Bet she loves ME more than all of you” you smirked pressing a wet kiss to her lips

“Yeah yeah... you're everyones favourite” your girlfriend rolled her eyes again but the slight smile never leaving her lips

“G... I... have a question” you hesitated a little bit

“What you need, baby?” Georgia asked softly but seriously

“I want a tattoo... I want you to do it” you blurted out

“What?” your girlfriend looked at you dumb folded

“I want you to tattoo me.... I know what I want and where I want it...” you said seriously

“Baby.... I can't do that” Georgia looked up at you as you stare down at her with a little betrayal in your eyes “... first.. I never inked someone and secondly... Lucy and Keira would definitely kill me... and third.. you're 16...”

“Then I'm gonna be your first like you were mine...” you grinned and with each passing second it got wider “... Lucy and Keira never need to know... and my Birthday is in two weeks”

“Which still makes you underage” your girlfriend pointed out and you heard that you slowly wearing her down

“I can get you Lucys signing if you want... like... setting up a document that she's not allowed to kill you” you smiled widely

“I tell you what... If you get that done I'll seriously think about it” Georgia said and you leaned down kissing her softly “... but I'm not doing anything big”

“Don't worry... nothing big...” you promised scratching your girlfriends neck lightly

“And where?” Georgia kissed your neck softly

“Right...” you took her hand laying it on your left side guiding it up to the point where your bra would sit “... here”

“A rib tattoo? Baby... that's a bad idea... that will hurt like a bitch” your girlfriend murmured against your neck kissing her way down to your collarbone

“I can take it... I really want it” you said breathlessly

“Maybe somewhere else?” Georgia mumbled kissing her way further down her destination clear

“That's the only place Luce won't see it immediately” you now outright moaned “Fuck”

“Mhm” your girlfriend hummed sucking your hard nipple into her mouth

“You just can't... fuck...” you started to complain but your voice betrayed you once again and your hip rocked forward on its own accord

“You want something baby??” Georgia asked after she let go of your nipple with a wet pop

“More... please” your head fell onto Gs shoulder your hips still rocking in her lap

“More?” your girlfriend smirked starting to knead your other breast

“Please” you whined

“Fingers or mouth baby?” Georgia basically growled against your skin getting slightly possessive

“Fingers” you whined lifting your hips a bit and Georgia got the hint letting her hand slip in between your legs

“You're gonna be good for me?” your girlfriend growled starting to mark your skin with small bites not enough to leave a constant mark like she'd like to

“Yes... but please” you begged and whined trying to get her fingers inside you but her hand laid still between your legs

“You won't come without permission will you baby? You'll wait until I tell you that you can come, right?” Georgia playfully bit your nipple

“I won't... I promise” you moaned rocking your hips down trying to find some pressure relieve

“Good... and you won't becauseeee...” your girlfriend teased your entrance with one finger

“Yours” you whined desperately

“Mine what?” Georgia nudged the underside of your jaw with her nose

“All yours...” you nearly broke “... G please”

“Ssshh baby... I've got you” your girlfriend soothed you slipping her finger into you

“Fuck” you whimpered feeling Georgias digit enter your heat

“Mhm... so wet... so hot... so desperate” Georgia mumbled against your jaw kissing her way to the point just under your ear “All for me or is there someone else?”

“No one else” you panted against her shoulder

“Are you sure baby? No one...” your girlfriend bit down lightly “... someone spanish maybe... Jenni Hermoso maybe?”

Your hips rocked down hard on her finger your rhythmic movement faltering for a second before it picked up again

“Hmmm...” Georgia hummed pleased “... maybe that could be arranged one day”

“Fuck...” you whimpered

“Bubs??” you heard suddenly through the door loud banging followed

“Fuck” you looked at Georgia shocked her face just as frightened

“BUBS?” Lucy said a little louder

“What??” you yelled back your hand covering your girlfriends mouth

“You okay? You were gone suddenly” your sister spoke loudly

“Yeah... just... didn't wanna wait till Keira recovered from her confusement” you tried

“Can you maybe open the door?? I'm standing here like an idiot” Lucy sneered

“It's... not the best time Luce...” you whined “I'm... about to go shower”

“Well... then let me in and shower then” your sister wasn't giving up and you knew it

“You can also go back to your own room” you said helplessly

“Can't... Less has the key card and I don't know where Less is” Lucy groaned

“Lucy please... just... go somewhere else” you whined back even knowing all mood was gone

“You are my sister... why would I go somewhere... wait a second... where is Georgia?? Is Stanway with you???” your sister exclaimed

“No for god sakes Lucy... I just want to shower in peace... fuck off now” you yelled through the room and suddenly it was quiet

“Fuck me... she really knows how to ruin the mood” you grumbled lifting yourself off your girlfriends lap who was still rooted in her place “Unbelievable”

“That was close” Georgia stammed still a little scared

“Yeah well.. I was too...” you continue to grumble mostly to yourself until... you heard the signature “beep” of the door – your head shot up first to the door then to your girlfriend who spotted the same frightened look as you

You quickly threw on a shirt and gestured to Georgia to hide – which was ridiculous since it was firstly her room and secondly there wasn't really anywhere for her to hide

“Hide” you whisper yelled panicked while you threw a shoe at the door trying to block it

“Where??” Georgia whisper yelled back looking around just as panicked

“I don't know” you pulled on some shorts quickly

“Bubs... you blocking the door?” you heard Lucys voice and already saw the crown of her head trying to make its way inside the room

“Why would I??” you answered and tried to sound annoyed watching your girlfriend ripping open the door of the closet “Really?? You wanna hide in the wardrobe??”

“You have a better idea?” your girlfriend hissed back

“Bath or Balcony?” you looked at her confused

“Bubs... the door is stuck” your sister complained again

“You are stuck you muppet” you shot back pushing your girlfriend outside on the balcony

“Yeah well maybe you open the door then” Lucy said annoyed

You quickly went over ripping the door open looking at her expectantly

“What you want and where did you get that key?” you grunted at her

“Wanted to make sure you okay – you're on Sarinas list now... and key... Leah – as the capitan she has a universal key” your sister shrugged her shoulders “Jesus Christ Bubs... open the windows would you... it seriously stinks in here”

“I will... I just didn't want to come back from me shower into a cold room” you lied weakly “you saw that I'm alright now... so... good night”

“Yeah since I don't know where Less is... can I crash at yours?” Lucy rubbed the back of her neck embarrassed

“No” you exclaimed before clearing your throat “I mean... that's a little inconvenient Luce...”

“I'm your sister” Lucy exclaimed rolling her eyes

“I know and I love you... seriously... but I just want to shower and go to bed.. I...” you said trying to come up with an excuse “... I... have this... woman problem you know....”

“Your period?” your sister asked confused

“Yes...” you nodded slowly

“And? Gosh Bubs you really scared me there for a second... you need anything?” Lucy said lovingly

“Just... peace and quiet... please” you basically begged her at this point

“Geez okay... I'm already leaving...” your sister said and you noticed she got all defensive

“Luce” you whined

“No it's okay... you're a grown up now... you don't need me anymore” Lucy said already half way through the door

“That's not true.... Lucy come on...” you said again trying to calm your sister down

“Keira said I need to let you spread your wings... WINGS Bubs... not your legs okay” your sister said and pointed at you threating

“Okay Ew... that's disgusting” you pulled a face disgusted

“Exactly... sex is disgusting... never take part in it” Lucy said happy with herself

“Yeah...” you said embarrassed “... you're too later for that I'm afraid”

“Good... now go shower and then to bed... Sarina will blast through your door in... four hours” your sister smiled quickly checking her watch

“What does Sarina want?” you ask confused

“You're on her list... you gonna run” Lucy smiled before disappearing into the corridor again

“Fuck me” you exclaimed whining closing the door making your way to the bathroom

You just stepped under the shower when you remembered something important

“FUCK” you quickly jumped out of the shower wrapping yourself in a big fluffy towel before speed walking through the room opening the balcony door again pushing your head outside looking at your girlfriend who was just covered by a thin blanket standing pressed into the corner of the outside space

“Lucys gone” you smiled innocently ushering Georgia inside

“Do you know how cold it is in England this time of the year??” your girlfriend said her teeth chattering slightly

“Yeah I know... I'm sorry... but come on... I already turned on the shower for you” you smiled

“Gosh I love you” Georgia said pressing a kiss to your forehead heading towards the bathroom

“Oh and babe... Sarina will kick our door down in about four hours...” you nonchalantly called after her and you heard a crashing sound

“WHAT??”

[svt-luna]

ᡴꪫ ⋆ GAME CATERERS X SVT ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── episode 2-1.

Game Caterers x SEVENTEEN

synopsis: Episode 2-1! After failing to eat because of the character quiz, the members of SEVENTEEN are given a chance to win prizes from PD Na’s ‘Super’ Store, they just have to answer more quizzes… and eat lemons (?)

hope this makes you guys smile even a little bit after the announcement of Jeonghan’s official enlistment date 🤍 everything will be fine, he’ll be back in no time!!!

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST

╰౨ৎ fan reactions ╰ ౨ৎ game caterers masterlist

[added captions are in brackets] ᡣ𐭩

bold dialogues are spoken in english ᡣ𐭩

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden light over the open field where the members of SEVENTEEN were taking their break. Some of them had retreated to the cool shade inside the green room, while others preferred to stretch their legs outside, taking in the fresh air. The quiet hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter filled the atmosphere, a stark contrast to the intense competition and energy of their earlier activities.

Near the basketball court, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Jeonghan, Luna, Mingaho, and S.Coups strolled leisurely, the rhythmic bounce of a basketball punctuating their casual banter. Mingyu dribbled the ball skillfully, tossing it back and forth with Jeonghan, while the rest watched with amused smiles, occasionally chiming in with playful remarks.

[SEVENTEEN is taking a break]

Not far away, Vernon, Joshua, and Hoshi lingered near PD Na and his team, who were busy setting up a new challenge. Their curious eyes followed every movement as the staff arranged a variety of items— a table, shelves filled with prizes of all kinds, from snacks and toys to more substantial rewards like food packages. The three members exchanged intrigued glances, trying to guess what the upcoming game might involve.

[Wild SEVENTEEN wanders around]

PD Na, the writers, and the rest of the production crew were focused on the task at hand, setting up the elaborate display. The scene was bustling with activity, yet there was an undercurrent of anticipation in the air, as if everyone, from the staff to the members, knew that something exciting was about to unfold.

[CARAT's enemies are doing something suspicious]

Suddenly, the familiar crackle of a megaphone broke through the quiet hum of the surroundings. From his place behind the makeshift prize table, PD Na’s voice rang out, amplified and clear. “SEVENTEEN, do you hear me?”

“Yes!” Vernon, Hoshi, and Joshua, who were already lingering near the table, replied in unison, their voices carrying across the field.

“The store is open for ten minutes. If you need anything, run and get what you need,” PD Na announced with a mischievous grin, knowing the chaos he was about to unleash.

“Yes!” the trio echoed once more, their excitement palpable.

On the other side of the field, Mingyu, Wonwoo, Minghao, S.Coups, Luna, and Jeonghan, who had been slowly making their way towards the action, exchanged knowing glances. The pace of their steps quickened as they anticipated what was coming next.

“It’s first come, first serve,” PD Na added, the challenge now fully set.

The second those words left his mouth, Hoshi, Vernon, and Joshua, who had been hovering near the front, bolted forward, pushing their way to the prize table with a newfound urgency— Vernon placing first, Hoshi placing second, while Joshua was third.

[Somehow they placed 1st and 2nd and 3rd]

Their sudden sprint caught the attention of Dokyeom, who finally made his appearance on the field, his eyes widening as he realized what was happening before placing himself behind Joshua. Meanwhile, Mingyu remained calm, his tall frame allowing him to maintain a leisurely stride as he continued typing on his phone. The benefits of being the tallest in the group meant that he could easily cover the distance in just a few strides.

Behind him, Luna, ever the playful one, decided to take matters into her own hands. With a burst of energy, she jogged up behind Wonwoo, who was just ahead of her, and leaped onto his back. Wonwoo, more than accustomed to her antics, didn’t miss a beat. He grabbed onto her legs, securing her as he broke into a run, his laughter mixing with hers.

“What?” S.Coups asked, already running.

“First come, first server.” PD Na repeated.

Jeonghan and Minghao, not ones to be left behind, also picked up their pace, running toward the prize table, determined to snag the best items before the others. All the while, Mingyu remained unhurried, his attention split between his phone and the scene unfolding before him. His relaxed demeanor was a stark contrast to the frantic energy of the others before he placed himself behind Minghao.

[11 people arrived in no time]

One by one, the rest of the group started trickling in, each one more eager than the last to see what was happening. Seungkwan, who had just emerged from the green room, immediately sensed the buzz in the air. His eyes widened in excitement and slight panic as he hurriedly jogged over to the gathering crowd. "What's going on? Carbo Buldak? What?" he asked, his voice laced with urgency as he tried to get the inside scoop while still catching up.

[All 14 including Dino are here]

Dino, right on Seungkwan’s heels, placed himself at the very end of the line. As he surveyed the lineup in front of him, he asked, “Am I last?”

“I think so,” Seungkwan confirmed, his tone resigned yet still full of curiosity about what awaited them.

['Super' Store opens]

The members have now lined up in front of PD Na’s table in this order: Vernon, Hoshi, Joshua, Dokyeom, Jun, Wonwoo, Luna, S.Coups, Jeonghan, Minghao, Mingyu, Woozi, Seungkwan, and Dino. The line stretched across the field, each member craning their neck to get a better look at what was in store for them.

In front of them, PD Na stood behind a table labeled ‘Super Store,’ his expression one of playful authority. On the table sat a large container filled with folded papers, clearly the key to whatever missions they would face. Next to it, a bowl filled with slices of lemons gleamed ominously in the sunlight. Beside the table were shelves packed with various prizes, ranging from snacks and food to more luxurious appliances and toys, all meticulously arranged to entice the members.

[Starting with general items from the department store]

“We prepared various stuff. If you don’t need anything, you can go rest. If there’s anything you want, pick one mission and succeed in it,” PD Na explained, his voice carrying over the members’ heads as they all leaned in, listening intently.

The members at the back of the line peeked out from their positions, trying to catch a glimpse of the setup. A collective “Ooooh” of excitement rippled through the group as they began to understand the challenge before them.

“Vernon, what would you like?” PD Na asked, starting with the member at the front of the line.

“The luxury tea set,” Vernon answered, gesturing toward the pristine set displayed on the shelf.

“That’s three stars. That’s the price. If you fail, it’s three pieces of lemon,” PD Na explained, finally revealing the purpose of the lemon slices, which had been a source of mystery and apprehension among the members.

[If they fail the mission, they need to pay]

[Have as many lemons as the # of stars on the item you chose]

As realization dawned, the group reacted with a mix of dread and amusement. “It’s one piece of lemon for each star,” Hoshi explained to those at the back of the line, his voice carrying a slight hint of amusement.

[Items in various prices are available]

“But I can’t eat any lemons,” S.Coups groaned, already imagining the sour torture that might await him.

“I can eat lemons no problem,” Jun chimed in confidently, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I love lemons,” Luna declared from her spot behind Wonwoo. She had finally dismounted from his back, now standing on her own two feet but still surrounded by her best friends. S.Coups, who was directly behind her, casually wrapped his arms around her neck, leaning in close, his face right next to hers.

“That’s right. What makes you like it? I can’t— just thinking about it makes my mouth water,” S.Coups confessed, his voice low and close to Luna’s ear.

“It tastes clean,” Luna deadpanned, her tone serious despite the oddity of her statement.

[What?]

S.Coups burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. “What are you talking about?”

“Like air fresheners… you know… clean?” Luna giggled as she tried to explain, her logic making perfect sense in her head even if it sounded absurd out loud.

S.Coups, still laughing, nudged the side of her face with his forehead, his amusement clear. “Have you tasted air fresheners?” he asked, genuinely concerned.

“No. But the smell… it’s clean and lemony,” Luna insisted, bringing her hands up to gesture as she spoke, her eyes wide with sincerity.

[Effects of not eating lunch]

S.Coups just shook his head, still chuckling. “Alright,” he said, letting it go but clearly entertained by the entire exchange.

As the excitement around the ‘Super’ Store grew, PD Na addressed the gathered members with a broad grin, “Is there anything you want?”

“Yes!” they chorused, voices overlapping in eagerness as the members in the back shifted to the sides, trying to get a closer look at the prizes. Their collective enthusiasm was palpable, each member already eyeing what they might want to claim.

“Joshua, what do you want?” PD Na asked, directing his attention to Joshua, who stood near the front of the line.

“I want the Dyson hair dryer,” Joshua responded confidently, his eyes gleaming at the prospect of getting his hands on such a coveted item.

Before Joshua’s words had fully settled, both Luna and Seungkwan exclaimed in unison, “That’s mine!”

“I was eyeing it too,” Hoshi added, his tone a mix of playful rivalry and genuine desire.

PD Na, sensing the brewing competition, chuckled and added fuel to the fire. “You might want the same item. The person who takes it first gets to keep it.”

“It’s first come, first serve,” Dokyeom reiterated, the rules sinking in as Luna pouted, her chances of snagging the hair dryer seemingly dwindling with every second. She knew that with her position in the middle of the line, one of the members at the front would likely snatch it up before she had a chance.

“What do you want?” Minghao asked him, his curiosity piqued by Mingyu’s interest.

“The golf club,” Mingyu said without hesitation, his eyes locking onto the sleek set displayed prominently.

“I’m taking it,” Wonwoo interjected, a hint of challenge in his voice.

“Aigo,” Luna teased Mingyu, giggling to herself. The playful exchange between the members was as much a part of the game as the prizes themselves. She couldn’t resist poking fun at Mingyu, her laughter light and infectious.

Mingyu turned to give her a look— a mix of mock annoyance and amusement that only deepened her giggles. She playfully avoided eye contact, her gaze darting around the field as if suddenly interested in anything but him. The act was enough to draw laughter from Wonwoo, who pointed at Luna, enjoying the little moment as much as S.Coups and Jeonghan, who were both chuckling along.

Woozi, ever the practical one, casually stepped away from his spot in the line and settled into one of the chairs set up to the side. He crossed his arms and leaned back, a small smirk playing on his lips as he observed the lively scene before him. “I should watch first,” he said, his voice calm and unhurried.

PD Na, noticing Woozi’s retreat, called out with a hint of curiosity, “Woozi, are you giving up?”

Woozi shook his head, still relaxed in his seat. “I’m not materialistic. I’m going to watch first,” he explained with a nonchalant wave of his hand, signaling that he was content to sit back and let the others scramble.

“You want to watch first and join later?” PD Na pressed, intrigued by Woozi’s strategy.

“Yes,” Woozi confirmed, giving a slight nod. The way he said it, so matter-of-factly, drew a few chuckles from the staff nearby.

As Woozi declared his lack of materialism, the rest of the members were anything but. They were all busy eyeing the prizes, their heads bent together as they muttered among themselves, assessing their options and plotting their next moves.

[Some members are more materialistic than others]

PD Na turned his attention to Dino, who was at the end of the line, seemingly less intense in his desire for a prize. “Dino, do you want the razors?” PD Na asked a playful edge in his voice.

Dino glanced at the razor set and then back at PD Na, a confident grin spreading across his face. “I think no one’s going to take it. That’s mine for sure,” he said, the certainty in his tone making the others laugh.

“How many blades?” Seungkwan asked, his curiosity getting the better of him as he moved over to inspect the razors, Dino following close behind. “This is bad. It’s three blades,” Seungkwan reported with mock seriousness, his brow furrowing as he considered the implications.

“Then he won’t take it,” Jeonghan teased from his spot in line, a knowing smile on his face.

“He uses five blades or more,” Seungkwan added the mock concern in his voice causing another wave of laughter to ripple through the group.

“He’ll choose the alcohol instead. Watch.” Luna said, brushing the hair that was flying on her face because of the wind.

“Then I’ll take Chamisul,” Dino decided with a shrug, his choice of alcohol over razors eliciting even more laughter from his members.

[He's firm]

“See?” Luna said.

[And she’s right]

“All he needs is alcohol and a razor,” Wonwoo quipped, shaking his head in amusement at Dino’s simple yet perfectly logical desires.

[Dino's going through adolescence]

As the members continued to debate and joke about their prize choices, Minghao took a deep breath, his eyes sweeping over the clear blue sky. “It’s nice weather. This is what you call a gift,” he commented, his voice reflective as he enjoyed the cool breeze that had settled over the field.

Jeonghan, hearing Minghao’s philosophical take on the situation, scoffed out a laugh, finding the whole moment— filled with both lighthearted banter and genuine appreciation— hilarious and somehow quintessentially very on-brand.

[‘Super' Store's first customer is Vernon]

Vernon, who stood first in line, stared at the array of folded papers on the table in front of him. Among the mostly white slips, a lone pink paper caught his eye. His curiosity piqued, and with a small furrow in his brow, he asked, “There’s only one pink. Is that a special mission?”

PD Na leaned over the table, arms crossed, his face betraying nothing. “You never know,” he said cryptically, “You have to see it for yourself.”

S.Coups, standing further back in the line, craned his neck to peek over Vernon’s shoulder, instantly egging him on. “Vernon, choose pink!” His encouragement sparked a ripple effect, and soon the other members joined in, playfully urging Vernon to take the mysterious pink slip.

Luna, however, scrunched her nose in doubt. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she muttered, her tone wary but still lighthearted.

Vernon’s lips twitched into a curious smile. “I’m curious,” he admitted, his hand hovering above the papers for a moment before decisively picking the pink one. He handed it over to PD Na with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

[He picks the one and only pink mission]

PD Na unfolded the paper slowly, teasing out the suspense, before revealing its contents. He raised an eyebrow and announced, “Vernon’s special item... it's a dud.”

Vernon’s eyes widened in shock as PD Na showed him the slip, confirming his misfortune. The nearest members— Hoshi and Joshua— burst into laughter at his defeat, their teasing louder than the rest.

“That was so obvious,” PD Na teased, shaking his head. “Go to the end of the line.”

Vernon, still processing what had just happened, walked to the back of the line in disbelief. “What did you do?” Jeonghan asked with a chuckle, watching Vernon as he passed.

[He didn't do anything]

“It’s just a dud,” Vernon answered, his voice dazed as he fell into place at the end of the line.

“Told you,” Luna muttered, leaning against Wonwoo and absentmindedly tapping his back like a drum, her smug expression barely contained.

Next up was Hoshi. With a determined gleam in his eye, he confidently selected his mission paper and breezed through the quiz, securing his prize— the coveted Dyson hair dryer. His victory crushed both Luna and Seungkwan’s chances, the two of them deflating in mock despair.

“But that’s mine!” Seungkwan groaned, his eyes following the sleek dryer as it moved out of reach.

Joshua, however, fared just as well as Hoshi. He nailed his mission with ease and chose a box of alcohol as his prize, earning cheers from the others.

[Joshua who also lost the Dyson, purchases a box of Chamisul to get rid of the bitter taste in his mouth]

Next up was Dokyeom, whose usual sunny disposition remained intact as he picked his mission. To everyone’s delight, he passed with flying colors and beamed as he reached for his chosen prize— a bunny plushie from ‘Earth Arcade’.

[Next customer is Jun]

As Jun approached the table, he confidently selected his prize— bathroom slippers— without a second thought.

PD Na, looking somewhat surprised, commented, "I mean, this isn’t what I expected at all." He chuckled, realizing that three members had successfully claimed prizes consecutively.

Jun, unbothered, shrugged. "I'm not good at games," he admitted, though his face showed determination.

PD Na unfolded the mission paper and asked, "Do you think you can do this?"

“What?” Jun blinked, unsure of what the task was until PD Na revealed the slip, reading aloud, "Lift the soccer ball more than ten times."

Immediately, the reactions from the members came flooding in. Wonwoo burst out laughing, while Jeonghan exclaimed, "Wow," and Luna, with a laugh of her own, said, "It’s too windy."

And she wasn’t wrong. The wind had picked up considerably, making their hair whip around wildly. Jun’s hoodie flapped in the breeze as S.Coups, standing behind Luna, found himself getting a faceful of her hair. Chuckling, he gently patted her hair down, trying to tame it.

"He can never do it." Woozi declared from his seat, shaking his head.

“You’re guaranteed to get a lemon,” Dokyeom teased, while Woozi added, "You can bet all the prizes."

Jun’s expression shifted into something more comical as he started practicing different movements. “What do I do?” he asked aloud, testing whether to use his knee or foot to lift the ball. His exaggerated movements had the group in stitches.

"He’s really bad with a ball," Dokyeom commented, half-laughing, half-groaning.

[Do all you can to kick it 10 times]

"As long as you don’t use your hands," Mingyu explained, grinning, as Jun gingerly picked up the soccer ball. But instead of following through with the proper kick-up technique, Jun placed the ball on his hoodie and began bouncing it like it was a trampoline.

[What are you doing?]

“That’s not going to work,” PD Na remarked, grinning.

[You got the wrong place]

“This isn’t ‘Going Seventeen’,” Jeonghan chuckled knowing that they had more freedom to cheat in any way they desired in their own show.

[Translation: That's what they do on 'Going Seventeen’]

Wonwoo joined in, laughing. "If this were ‘Going Seventeen’, we would have done that."

“Try it like this. Believe in yourself.” Seungkwan chimed from the side.

“It’s okay even if you can’t do it.” Jeonghan said.

“Fighting!” Luna said.

[The world thinks SEVENTEEN is athletic]

[But that's not true]

Jun finally readied himself, positioning the ball correctly. The members watched closely, all eyes on him as they began counting aloud, “1…”

But before anyone could even get to two, the ball rolled off Jun’s foot, falling to the ground immediately. The group exploded into laughter as Vernon clapped enthusiastically from the back.

[Failed just as expected]

“You’re terrible,” Mingyu teased, unable to hide his grin.

Jun, laughing at his own failure, shrugged and walked over to the other side where PD Na stood waiting with the inevitable lemons. “You like lemons.” S.Coups teased, still amused.

[The 1st customer to eat the lemon]

Jun laughed as he accepted his fate, preparing to eat the lemons as he sat down next to Woozi as the game went on.

[Next is Wonwoo]

Wonwoo stepped up next, his eyes set on the shelf. “I want the golf club,” he said firmly.

[The big spender]

PD Na looked intrigued and gestured towards it. “Why don’t you try it out first?”

Wonwoo smiled but clarified, “It’s not for me. My dad just started playing golf.”

As he made his way toward the golf club and lifted it, Luna let out a soft, “Cute.”

“He’s a good son,” S.Coups added, watching with an approving smile.

[He plans to give it to his father if he succeeds]

Mingyu examined the club from a distance and nodded, “It’s a nice club.”

“My dad started playing,” Wonwoo repeated proudly, clearly thinking of giving it to him.

PD Na then asked, “Anyone else here play golf?”

Immediately, S.Coups and Mingyu raised their hands, while Luna playfully pointed at Jeonghan, who had his hands tucked in his pockets behind her. Wonwoo and Minghao also gestured to the three, highlighting their golfing experience.

PD Na, noticing the others, chuckled and told Wonwoo. “People in the back are glaring at you.”

Mingyu, always quick to tease, grinned, “Have four pieces of lemon.”

Before Wonwoo could respond, Luna shot back at Mingyu, grinning, “Leave him alone. Buy your own golf club.”

Mingyu pouted at her remark, while the others— Jeonghan, S.Coups, Wonwoo, and even PD Na— laughed, amused at Luna’s quick wit.

Wonwoo, having eyed the prizes with a steely determination, finally turned his attention to the folded papers. With a steady hand, he picked one and handed it over to PD Na, who unfurled it with a sly smile.

[Will he get to be a good son?]

"It's the Forehead Quiz," PD Na announced, holding up the slip for everyone to see.

Immediately, Mingyu perked up with curiosity. "Is it new?" he asked.

"It's new," PD Na confirmed, glancing around at the group. "You’ll have to identify your members by just their foreheads. Guess whose it is."

The members let out a collective sound of surprise and amusement. "I might have a chance," S.Coups said, cracking a grin.

Luna, always ready with a playful quip, peeked over Wonwoo’s shoulder, her chin barely resting on him. "It’ll be easy if you get me," she teased, her laughter bubbling up.

[Only female member]

Wonwoo chuckled softly, "That's true."

But Luna wasn't done. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she whispered to him, "I don’t think he’ll give you me, though. That’d be too easy."

Despite her playful demeanor, Wonwoo seemed uncertain. "I'm not great at remembering appearances," he admitted with a shrug.

Beside PD Na, one of the writers began preparing four slices of lemon into a cup, just in case Wonwoo failed. Jeonghan couldn’t resist laughing at the sight. "There are four already," he teased, his voice light with amusement.

"Alright," PD Na interjected, ready to start the game. "Guess who it is among your members."

Wonwoo steeled himself for the challenge as PD Na reached beneath the table to reveal the first picture.

"Don’t tell him." PD Na warned the rest of the members, who were now gathered around Wonwoo, their eyes wide with curiosity.

“No one's going to tell him.” S.Coups declared, a grin pulling at his lips. "We all want the golf club."

As S.Coups said this, Jeonghan silently gestured toward Luna, who was still close to Wonwoo, her proximity implying she could easily help him out. She didn’t care about the golf club, after all.

[Spotted their target]

Before Luna could take advantage of the moment, S.Coups gently wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her toward him with a soft tug. She shot him a look, just about to protest, but Jeonghan was quicker. He covered her mouth with his hand, stifling any attempt she might make to give Wonwoo the answer. Luna turned her head and glared playfully at the notorious game cheater, knowing she'd been defeated this time. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she accepted her fate, her gaze bouncing between Jeonghan and S.Coups.

[Cheaters vs. Cheaters]

PD Na finally held up the photo, which is a close-up of a forehead. "1, 2, 3," he counted down counted down.

[Handsome forehead]

"Mingyu," Wonwoo answered immediately, without a moment of hesitation.

They all went silent for a split second, the shock palpable. Even Mingyu blinked in surprise, “Wow. That’s me.” he said in disbelief.

Luna, still holding Jeonghan’s hand to her mouth, managed to pull it down but continued to grip it, eyes still on the photo. "He’s right," she confirmed, her voice laced with disbelief. She turned toward Wonwoo, impressed. "You got it."

PD Na’s voice rang through the air as he announced, "Correct!" The simple word echoed, followed by a brief pause before the group erupted. Wonwoo, not one for wild celebrations, still raised both his hands in victory, grinning broadly as he said, “Yay!” His subtle but satisfied response only made the situation more amusing, while the rest of the group marveled at his surprising success.

Dokyeom joined in with his usual animated energy, gesturing toward the photo. "That looks like S.Coups," he said, still convinced it wasn't Mingyu’s forehead after all.

Jeonghan, always keen on stirring the pot, quickly backed up Dokyeom’s observation. "I thought that was S.Coups too."

But Luna shook her head, determined as ever. "No. It's totally Mingyu," she argued, standing her ground.

[Seventeen can recognize each other just from seeing the forehead]

As Wonwoo stood there processing his correct guess, he offered an explanation, voice calm but amused. "I thought that was either S.Coups or Mingyu."

"I thought it was S.Coups from the eyebrows," Jeonghan added, his usual sharp tone now laced with a hint of curiosity.

PD Na, still processing the unexpected turn of events, pulled out the full picture for the final reveal. He unfolded it slowly, drawing out the suspense before finally showing the entire face, confirming that it was, indeed, Mingyu.

Wonwoo, still stunned by his successful guess, clapped his hands together. "Wow. How did I get it?" he asked, half-joking but genuinely shocked by his good fortune.

Jeonghan and Luna, standing nearby, simultaneously congratulated him, both saying, “Congratulations!” in unison. Their shared response, so perfectly timed, made them laugh, as it often happened between the two of them.

Without wasting another second, Wonwoo made his way toward the prize table. His eyes lit up with satisfaction as he reached for the golf club— the very item he’d had his sights set on from the start. The moment his hand wrapped around the handle, Mingyu couldn’t resist adding his own brand of commentary.

[Wonwoo wins the golf club]

“He’s handsome. He’s good-looking,” Mingyu said, his tone dripping with playful self-praise as he pointed to the photo of his forehead. His compliments earned a hearty laugh from PD Na, who shook his head at the shamelessness of it all.

As the rest of the members watched Wonwoo stand there with the golf club, Mingyu’s teasing voice cut through the murmurs of amusement. "That's not durable enough for your father," he said, feigning concern but with a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

The moment Mingyu said it, Jeonghan and S.Coups immediately jumped in with synchronized agreement. “He can’t play with that,” they both chimed in, gesturing toward Wonwoo and the club. Their antics were met with laughter, their playful gestures signaling for Wonwoo to put the club back.

Luna, standing to the side, shook her head at their constant teasing, chuckling softly. "Ya, you guys are something else," she said, voice light with amusement, a smile tugging at her lips.

[Sympathetic bunny]

In his usual calm and unbothered manner, Wonwoo merely shrugged, offering an innocent response. “I’ll let him decide,” he said, his genuine tone making the group laugh again.

[He really cares about his father]

Wonwoo, seemingly unaffected by all the teasing, made his way toward the winners’ area and took a seat next to Woozi, who glanced at the golf club before offering some advice. "If your father doesn’t like it, sell it to them," Woozi said, a mischievous glint in his eye as he gestured toward Jeonghan, Mingyu, and S.Coups.

A thoughtful expression crossed Wonwoo’s face before he nodded. “That’s a good idea,” he agreed.

[The next customer is bunny no. 1]

It was finally Luna’s turn, and she stepped forward with a determined look, her eyes sweeping over the prizes on display. Almost immediately, her gaze landed on the three boxes of Lego sets displayed in all their intricate glory. Her eyes twinkled with excitement; it was no secret to her members that she had an obsession with Legos, and one particular set caught her eye. She pointed toward the box she wanted, the Disney Castle, its grandeur sparking an obvious desire.

“I want the Lego— the Disney Castle,” Luna declared, her voice brimming with a mix of excitement and longing.

[Another big spender]

From behind S.Coups, Jeonghan leaned forward, an amused grin spreading across his face as he took in her choice. “You don’t have that one yet,” he acknowledged, his teasing tone light but sincere, watching her with a knowing smile.

Luna hummed in confirmation, giving him a small nod as she swirled her hand around the bucket of folded papers. Her fingers danced over each one before she selected a slip, pulling it out with anticipation. Handing it to PD Na, she awaited her fate. PD Na opened the slip, quickly scanning the words before turning to Luna, mock sympathy playing across his features. “Aigoo, can you do this?” he asked, his tone laced with exaggerated concern.

Luna blinked, confusion knitting her brows together. “What?” she asked, slightly wary.

“Times table,” PD Na announced, holding up the paper for everyone to see. The words seemed to hang in the air, and Luna’s jaw dropped slightly as she stared at it, the realization dawning on her.

The members around her exploded in various reactions— some shocked, others cheering her on. S.Coups and Dokyeom laughed while Wonwoo nodded in encouragement. Hoshi could barely contain his amusement, clapping his hands as he rocked back and forth.

“You can do it,” Jeonghan encouraged from his spot, his voice soft but supportive.

Luna raised an eyebrow in disbelief, shaking her head slightly as she deadpanned, “Wow. They got fun little quizzes and games, and once it got to me, it’s math all of a sudden.” Her tone was dry and unimpressed, her sarcastic remark making the entire group laugh heartily, even PD Na couldn’t hide his chuckle.

[She hates math the absolute most]

“You can do it. You’re good at math,” Wonwoo commented from his seat, offering his usual calm reassurance.

PD Na smiled at her before picking up a card from the writer beside him. “Alright. I’ll give you a question, and you must answer within three seconds,” he explained, his voice taking on the serious tone of a quizmaster.

“Are you ready?” he asked, locking eyes with her.

“Yes,” Luna said, taking a deep breath, her face focused as she prepared herself.

PD Na barely glanced at the card before he announced, “17 x 17.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Luna answered confidently, “289,” without hesitation, her voice cutting through the silence like a sharp knife.

A stunned silence followed, everyone too shocked to react immediately. Even PD Na looked momentarily taken aback before finally finding his voice. “Correct!” he exclaimed, raising his hand to applaud her quick thinking.

[She is somehow good at the thing she hates]

The members erupted into cheers, all in amazement at her swift and accurate answer. Their reactions were a mixture of awe and admiration, as compliments echoed through the group.

“She’s smart!” S.Coups exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Wow, she’s amazing,” Hoshi added, his voice filled with respect as he clapped excitedly.

Jeonghan, standing close by, decided to make it official. “Clap!” he announced dramatically, waving his hand toward the others as if commanding them to celebrate her victory properly. The entire group burst into a round of enthusiastic applause, their hands coming together in a loud, appreciative chorus.

Luna’s face lit up with a smile, her confidence shining through as she skipped her way over to the prize table. Her eyes locked on the box of Lego she had chosen earlier— the Disney Castle. She pulled it toward her, wrapping her arms around it in a tight hug, grinning widely as the excitement bubbled up inside her.

[Wins a prize on her first try]

“Yay!” she cheered, her voice sweet and triumphant as she made her way toward the right side of the area, where the winners were sitting and watching with their prizes. The massive box was almost comically large against her petite frame, but Luna didn’t seem to mind one bit. She had gotten exactly what she wanted, and the smile on her face told everyone that this small victory was enough to make her day.

After Luna had made her triumphant skip back to her seat with her coveted Lego set, the focus shifted to the next contestant— S.Coups. His eyes scanned over the prizes, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he sized up the options. After a moment of deliberation, he made his choice, eyes locking onto one of the more understated prizes.

"I’ll take the golf balls," S.Coups declared, pointing at the sleek box on display.

Jeonghan, who was still watching the proceedings closely, commented with an appreciative nod. “I like how they have all our logos on them,” he said, inspecting the design from a distance. His tone had that casual admiration that often came when something caught his eye.

[There are logos from every album]

S.Coups grinned, clearly satisfied with his choice. “I can’t use them anyway,” he admitted with a laugh, glancing over his shoulder at the other members. “I’m going to put them on display at home.”

PD Na, who had been rifling through his question cards, interrupted their banter with a slightly ominous tone. “It’s another 4-star question,” he said, emphasizing the difficulty level, making a few members wince in sympathy.

S.Coups shifted nervously, rubbing his hands together. “I can’t eat lemons, what do I do?” he muttered, half to himself.

Without missing a beat, Mingyu chimed in from his spot in line, “Just eat the lemons,” his teasing tone prompting light laughter from the members.

PD Na unfolded the paper that S.Coups had handed him and, with an enthusiastic flourish, announced, “It’s the Capital Quiz!”

The disbelief on S.Coups’ face was immediate and palpable. “Oh, I don’t know anything,” he said, his voice tinged with panic.

“You’re out,” Mingyu teased, peeking out from his spot with a mischievous grin.

Woozi joined in, shaking his head. “He can never get it,” he said with confidence.

“He can never do it,” Joshua added, his eyes gleaming with playful anticipation.

Dokyeom, laughing from beside Luna, added his own cheeky input, “Enjoy the lemon.”

PD Na, looking like he was thoroughly enjoying himself, turned to the rest of the group. “Do you all know each other's weaknesses?” he asked, clearly already knowing the answer.

“Oh, of course,” they replied in unison, nodding with mock solemnity.

PD Na chuckled, then turned back to S.Coups with a pitying look. “I’ll make it easy for you,” he said, his voice full of exaggerated empathy as he readied the question. “What’s the capital city of Indonesia?”

Without thinking, S.Coups blurted out, “Kuala Lumpur.”

There was a beat of silence before Jeonghan, standing behind him, gently shoved him in disbelief. “Jakarta!” he scolded, his voice brimming with disappointment.

Mingyu shook his head, equally exasperated. “You’ve been there so many times before. We had a concert tour there!” he added his tone a mix of amusement and disappointment.

From where she sat, Luna, her head leaning comfortably on Dokyeom’s shoulder, chimed in, her voice laced with dry amusement, “He gave him an easy one.” Dokyeom, unable to contain his laughter, doubled over, his whole body shaking with mirth.

“Jakartan CARATs are going to cry,” Dokyeom said, shaking his head at S.Coups.

Hoshi, who had been thinking aloud, turned to the others. “Wasn’t Jakarta the last stop for ‘Be The Sun’?” he asked, glancing at Wonwoo, who nodded in confirmation.

“Indonesian CARATs…” Seungkwan trailed off before being cut off by Mingyu.

Mingyu nudged S.Coups in the arm, pointing toward the camera. “You need to apologize.”

With a resigned sigh, S.Coups turned toward the camera, looking genuinely remorseful. “Dear Jakartan CARATs, I’m sorry,” he said with a small wave of his hand.

As he headed over to the seats with his cup of lemons, S.Coups muttered under his breath, “Gosh, I can’t eat any lemon,” already dreading the sourness. He picked one up hesitantly, eyeing it as if it were his mortal enemy, and finally bit into it. The reaction was immediate. His face scrunched up in distaste, and he flinched at the overwhelming sourness. “I’m crying,” he exclaimed, his voice filled with exaggerated misery.

Watching him struggle, Luna’s expression softened. She extended her hand toward him, offering a bit of comfort. “We’ll share it,” she said with a gentle smile.

S.Coups looked at her in disbelief. “Really?” he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Luna simply nodded, still holding out her hand. With no hesitation, S.Coups handed her one of the lemon slices from his cup. “Give me two,” she said with a grin. “You can have the last two.”

[Bunny no. 1 hates math but loves lemons]

He handed her another slice, chuckling despite himself. “I love you,” he said in mock sincerity, clearly grateful for the gesture.

Luna chuckled as well, easily biting into the lemon without flinching. “Love you too,” she muttered, her attention already drifting back to the game as she continued to watch the rest of the members with amusement.

With S.Coups recovering from the tart aftermath of the lemons, it was Jeonghan’s turn next. He stepped forward, surveying the prizes, his sharp gaze settling on the golf ball set that had been catching the attention of many. "I'll try the golf ball set," he said decisively, pointing toward it.

PD Na looked up with a hint of curiosity. "The golf balls?" he asked, seeking confirmation.

"Yes," Jeonghan responded with a nod. But as he prepared to commit to his choice, a flicker of longing crossed his face as remembered the Dyson, a prize he had been eyeing earlier. His usual mischievous glint returned as he swept his long hair back with a practiced flick of his hand. "Gosh, Dyson. I'm so jealous," he mused aloud, almost wistfully.

This moment of honesty didn’t escape Mingyu, who, ever the opportunist, saw it as his chance for some playful negotiation. "Can I steal Dyson for eight pieces of lemon?" he asked PD Na with a grin, making the entire group laugh, including PD Na.

[What a brilliant idea]

While everyone enjoyed Mingyu’s antics, his attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere. Turning toward the left, Mingyu’s eyes lit up, and with genuine awe in his voice, he commented, "Wow, you two look so cool." His words immediately piqued the curiosity of the others, and one by one, the members shifted their gaze in the same direction. Their playful exclamations of amazement followed as they saw both Luna and Hoshi seated comfortably on the clean, trimmed grass. With their prizes neatly arranged in front of them, the two were a picture of relaxation and quiet contentment, watching the proceedings from a distance.

[Jealous] [The winners are laid back]

"It's awesome," Hoshi chimed in playfully, squinting up at the sun before dramatically lifting his head toward the sky. The way he soaked in the sun made Luna burst out laughing, her head tipping back as she joined in on the silliness.

[Joshua joins them with Chamisul]

Not to be left out of the peaceful scene, Joshua strolled over, the box of alcohol he had won still in hand. Without a word, he placed the box down, using it as an impromptu seat as he settled beside them. Hoshi, embracing the lazy atmosphere, laid his head on top of the Dyson he had proudly won.

Luna, ever playful, followed suit, lying down as well, but in her own style. With a teasing smile, she positioned herself so her head rested on Hoshi's stomach, closing her eyes for added comfort. The group marveled at how serene the three of them looked.

“I’ve never won anything like this before,” Joshua admitted, his tone light but with a hint of amazement as he glanced at the prizes.

“Me too,” Luna and Hoshi echoed in unison, their voices harmonizing as they basked in the feeling of victory.

"Dyson is nice," Hoshi added, his voice laced with satisfaction.

As the playful banter from Hoshi, Luna, and Joshua echoed softly in the background, Jeonghan stood up from his spot, walking confidently toward the table. His eyes scanned the bucket of folded paper slips for a moment, and with a swift motion, he plucked one from the pile.

With the slip in hand, he approached PD Na and handed it over, his casual demeanor only adding to the anticipation. PD Na opened the paper, a mischievous smile creeping onto his face before he made the announcement. "It's Commercial Relay," he declared, raising an eyebrow.

Jeonghan’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Commercial Relay?" he repeated, more to himself, his tone shocked and uncertain.

From the back, Seungkwan, ever the playful commentator, called out with no hesitation, “He can never do it!” His words sent ripples of laughter through the group.

Luna, still lying comfortably across Hoshi’s stomach, her fingers lazily tracing shapes in the air, tilted her head up just slightly and chimed in. “That’s your major, Han,” she reminded him with a small smile.

Seungkwan suddenly turned towards Luna, a look of realization dawning on his face as he pointed at her dramatically. "He majored in commercial production," he exclaimed as if he had just remembered something important, the excitement of his discovery clear in his voice.

PD Na, who had been caught off guard by this little revelation, turned to Jeonghan with a questioning look. "Is that your major?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity.

Jeonghan, ever the smooth talker, nodded. “I majored in commercial production," he confirmed, though a mischievous smirk soon followed. "But I don’t watch TV, so…” he trailed off with a chuckle, shrugging nonchalantly.

There was a brief pause, the group hanging on PD Na’s next words as he prepared the cue card, clearly enjoying this back-and-forth. “Alright, finish the phrase," PD Na instructed, ready to test Jeonghan’s knowledge. "'Everyone…'"

Without missing a beat, Jeonghan threw his arms up in mock enthusiasm and shouted brightly, “‘Hello!’” His exaggerated confidence and the completely wrong answer sent the entire group into fits of laughter.

From the back, Seungkwan let out an exaggerated groan, “What?” he scolded playfully, his disappointment palpable as the rest of them continued to laugh.

PD Na grinned widely, shaking his head. “Wrong!” he declared with glee, enjoying the light-hearted atmosphere.

S.Coups, still reeling from the effects of eating a lemon was the first to chime in. “Isn’t it ‘Watch out for cold’?” he guessed, his brows furrowed in thought.

Seungkwan, ever the knowledgeable one, shook his head confidently. “It’s ‘Hope you become rich,’” he stated, clearly pleased with himself for knowing the correct answer.

[Only Seungkwan got it]

Jeonghan, still chuckling at his own mistake, looked around at the members, completely unbothered by his blunder. "Is it not ‘Hello’?" he asked with a laugh, repeating his cheerful action one more time for emphasis.

[Jeonghan's too polite] [Take your lemon]

As PD Na handed Jeonghan his inevitable cup of lemons, Luna, still lounging on Hoshi, couldn’t help but comment. “You’re cute,” she said with a small smile, watching him with an affectionate glint in her eye.

In response, Jeonghan sent her a quick, playful wink before moving to sit down beside Woozi and S.Coups, the cup of lemons in hand. Looking over at S.Coups, Jeonghan leaned in and asked with curiosity, “S.Coups, did you finish yours?” referring to the dreaded lemons.

S.Coups, still struggling with the remnants of his own lemon punishment, looked up at Jeonghan and sighed dramatically. “I had one so far,” he admitted, though his expression turned fond as he added, “Jiyeonie ate two of mine.”

[He had 1 out of 4]

The atmosphere on the trimmed grass was light and relaxed as Luna, Joshua, and Hoshi continued to bask in their small victories. They had comfortably claimed a corner, their winnings neatly arranged in front of them, the warm sunlight gently enveloping them. A staff member, watching their contentment, approached the group and encouraged them, “You should try again.”

Joshua, ever the considerate one, glanced back at the line where several members stood empty-handed and replied, “A lot of them still have nothing.”

Jeonghan, having joined the others, turned to PD Na, his brow furrowed. "Do I have to finish this before I try again?" he asked, holding up his cup of lemons.

PD Na nodded with a grin. “If you finish it, you can try again,” he confirmed, clearly enjoying the challenge.

Luna, who had been casually watching from the grass, perked up. “Can we try again?” she asked one of the nearby staff members, and after a nod of approval, she smiled.

“Then I should try again,” Joshua said, stretching as he stood up. He glanced at Luna and Hoshi, who were still seated comfortably. “Do you want to go for it again?”

Without a word, both Luna and Hoshi stood in unison, a silent agreement passing between them as they walked back to the line, joining the other members still waiting their turn.

[They never said no]

Jeonghan, watching them, caught Hoshi’s eye. “Hoshi,” he called, holding up his cup, “can you help me with one?” He was referring to his lemons, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Sure,” Hoshi gladly accepted, popping one of the sour fruits into his mouth with ease.

[Sharing the penalty]

With Hoshi’s help, Jeonghan managed to finish his punishment. Relieved, he dusted off his hands and quickly moved to join the back of the line, positioning himself behind Luna as they waited for another chance to win a prize. The breeze carried with it a sense of ease, the mood growing softer with the afternoon sun.

Without a word, Jeonghan slowly reached out, his arms wrapping around Luna’s waist from behind, the soft material of his cardigan brushing against her. Instinctively, Luna leaned back into him, her hands rising to gently caress the fluffy sleeves of his sweater. The fabric felt comforting beneath her fingertips as she absentmindedly stroked the texture.

Jeonghan, playfully ducking his head down, nestled his face into the crook of her neck. His breath tickled her skin, causing Luna to smile faintly, her hand lifting to rake gently through his long, flowing hair. Their connection, quiet and intimate, went unnoticed by most — but for the cameras, it was a different story.

To the casual observer, and likely the cameras capturing the moment, it appeared to be nothing more than a sweet back hug shared between friends. Their long hair, tousled by the wind, cascaded around them, providing a veil of privacy. But hidden beneath that curtain of hair, Jeonghan was stealing quiet kisses on the sensitive skin of Luna’s neck, his lips brushing softly against her in a secret exchange only the two were aware of. The world around them seemed to pause, the rest of the members laughing and chatting while they remained in their quiet little world, waiting patiently for their turn again in the game, unaware of the silent intensity brewing between them.

[Next is Mingyu]

As the next round started, it was finally Mingyu’s turn to face the challenge. His face lit up with anticipation as PD Na drew out his mission slip and announced, “It’s a quiz on common sense.” Immediately, a wave of playful mockery erupted from the other members.

“He’s out! Wrong!” Seungkwan teased from behind, causing the others to chuckle.

“He’s out!” S.Coups added in mock seriousness, shaking his head as if Mingyu had already failed before the question had even been asked.

PD Na, recalling a past ‘HYBE’ special where Mingyu had been notoriously unlucky, laughed at the thought. “Yes, that’s right,” Seungkwan confirmed with a mischievous grin.

Mingyu nodded knowingly. “I went around four times in front of twenty to thirty ‘HYBE’ artists.”

[Taking his lemon in advance]

Seeing the mounting pressure, PD Na decided to give him a bit of a break. “Alright, I’ll give you an easy one. It’s a sample question,” he said, his tone lightening. The other members grew quiet as they waited for the question. “Name three symbols of ‘HYBE’.”

Mingyu answered confidently, “BTS, SEVENTEEN…” but before he could finish, PD Na interrupted.

“Wrong!” PD Na declared, cutting through Mingyu’s sentence.

Mingyu, accepting his fate with grace, simply shrugged and moved to the back of the line, his cup of lemons clutched in one hand.

“You should’ve said Bang Sihyuk and Han Sungsu,” Woozi commented with a knowing look, referring to the key figures who were instrumental in the creation of ‘HYBE’.

Jeonghan, now thoroughly confused, leaned over as Mingyu reached the back. “Why is it wrong?” he asked with a slight frown.

Seungkwan, ever the expert in clarifications, stepped in. “He probably meant what ‘HYBE’ stands for,” he said, watching Mingyu’s expression shift from understanding to exasperation.

Jeonghan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is there a meaning?” he asked, shocked at the thought.

Mingyu scratched the back of his head and tried to remember. “It’s like… encounter, exchange, and music or something.”

S.Coups chimed in, sounding uncertain. “The exchange of music or something.”

The group fell silent for a moment, digesting the idea, when Hoshi, curious as ever, turned to Jeonghan. “What are three symbols of ‘HYBE’?”

“I don’t know,” Jeonghan replied, his brow furrowed in thought as he shook his head.

Luna, who had been listening quietly from beside Jeonghan, added her own guess, “Isn’t it ‘We believe in music’ or something?”

PD Na, smiling at the members’ collective confusion, finally revealed the correct answer. “It’s connection, expansion, and relationships,” he said with authority.

A wave of realization swept over the group, as they all nodded, murmuring in agreement. “Ahhh…” the members said, drawing out their reaction in unison as they finally understood.

“Keep that in mind,” PD Na advised them with a chuckle, his eyes twinkling with amusement at their struggle.

Seungkwan, ever the comedian, turned to Mingyu with a playful grin. “We connected, expanded, and established a relationship,” he quipped, making the others burst into laughter as Mingyu shook his head, trying to hold back a smile.

[It's okay. Producer Na doesn't know the symbol of Full moon]

It was Seungkwan's turn, and he stepped up with the usual dramatic flair. His sharp eyes darted toward the prizes, particularly the $100 Shinsegae gift certificate, still unclaimed by anyone. He pointed at it with conviction, voice brimming with incredulity. “I don’t get why no one’s taking the $100 Shinsegae gift certificate. That’s the real deal.”

PD Na, who was already chuckling at Seungkwan’s enthusiasm, couldn't help but agree. “Yes, that’s the good stuff,” he said, smiling widely at Seungkwan's sensible yet overlooked choice.

Seungkwan, confident in his choice of prize, reached for the next slip of paper and handed it over to PD Na.

“A dud,” Jeonghan teased from the back, his arms still wrapped comfortably around Luna, who giggled as she swayed side to side with him. The relaxed and affectionate sway of their bodies mirrored the playful mood around them.

“A dud!” Dokyeom joined in, laughing as well, causing Seungkwan to shake his head, trying to stave off their playful taunts.

“No way, stop lying,” Seungkwan said, disbelief written across his face. His voice carried a mix of denial and slight nervousness, the anticipation of his result catching up with him.

PD Na smiled and flipped the paper over for Seungkwan to see, announcing, “It’s the sample bar exam question.”

Luna, always quick to hear, burst into laughter, her voice ringing clearly across the group. “It might as well be a dud!” she quipped, her words sending a ripple of laughter through the members.

Seungkwan stared at the paper in disbelief, still processing the difficulty of his challenge. Jeonghan, leaning more into Luna’s back, shook his head sympathetically. “That’s so hard,” he muttered, genuinely surprised.

“I got the easy one,” Hoshi chimed in with a grin, proud of his earlier luck.

“You have good luck, you get easy questions,” Luna nodded in agreement, her eyes still twinkling with amusement at Seungkwan’s misfortune.

“The lemons are ready,” Jun added, his comment aimed at reminding Seungkwan of the inevitable punishment awaiting him.

“Just eat it,” Woozi said dryly, gesturing toward the waiting cup of lemons, clearly enjoying the banter.

Accepting his fate, Seungkwan picked up the lemons and gave in with a sigh. “I’ll go as I eat it,” he said, already popping the first piece into his mouth as he braced himself for the inevitable failure. His exaggerated grimace as the sourness hit made the others laugh even harder.

PD Na, holding back his own laughter, decided to move on with the question. “Try listening,” he instructed, as he began reading aloud from the card. “The purpose of this law is to protect the stability of housing. It applies to the lease of all or part of residential buildings.”

S.Coups, trying to be helpful, added, “The answer is right there,” though his tone carried a note of userstanding.

PD Na continued, “It is also applied when the house on lease is used for a purpose other than residence. What is the name of this law? It’s eight syllables. The answer was in the question.”

Seungkwan, caught off guard by the complexity of the question, groaned. “The national lease… Geez,” he managed to say before trailing off in defeat. He slumped to the back of the line, his groan prompting another round of laughter from the members.

[Walking away]

“Wrong,” PD Na said, his tone light and teasing.

Mingyu, ever curious, asked, “What’s the answer?”

“Housing Lease Protection Act,” PD Na revealed, the answer clearly difficult for everyone.

[Next is Dino]

It was Dino’s turn, and he stepped up, eyes scanning the prize table for a moment before settling on what he wanted. “I’ll go for the razor,” he announced confidently, pointing at the shiny grooming kit on display.

[The perfect prize for him]

His choice earned a hearty laugh from PD Na, clearly amused by the practicality. “A good choice,” PD Na said, still smiling.

“I’m going to accept it,” Dino said with determination as PD Na opened the slip of paper he had chosen.

“It’s Word Relay,” PD Na announced, explaining the task to Dino. To help warm him up, he gave a sample question. “Name five dishes in a Chinese restaurant in five seconds.”

Dino barely hesitated before rattling off his list. “Black bean sauce noodles, spicy seafood noodles, sweet and sour pork, warm noodles, black bean sauce rice.”

“That's how you play,” PD Na said, impressed by how quickly Dino responded.

[That's what he should to do win the prize]

Seungkwan, however, had a nostalgic glint in his eye. “Your grandma used to run a Chinese restaurant,” he said.

Dino smiled, preparing himself for the challenge ahead. “Yeah, I lived in my grandma’s Chinese restaurant for eight years,” he confirmed, the pride in his voice evident.

PD Na moved things forward. “Alright, here we go. Name five celebrities with a four-syllable stage name.”

Dino's expression turned serious as he focused, searching his mind for answers. “S.Coups…” he started, but as he tried to think of the next name, his words trailed off.

From behind him, Jeonghan tried to help, shouting, “Huening Kai,” as a suggestion. Luna quickly followed with another, “Kang Daniel,” But Dino, too locked in his thoughts, didn’t register any of the assistance.

Time ran out, and PD Na’s voice came in swiftly. “Wrong!” he declared with a playful grin as the buzzer sounded. Dino let out a groan of defeat as he realized how close he had come.

“Oh, I’m good at this,” Seungkwan whined from the side, clearly disappointed he hadn’t gotten a shot at the challenge.

PD Na, trying to console Dino, said, “You know a lot of colleagues,” referring to the many names that Dino could have potentially listed. Still accepting his fate, Dino was handed his cup of lemons, and without hesitation, he began eating them, his face scrunching up in reaction to the sourness.

Wonwoo stepped up again, this time still holding the golf club he had won earlier, determined to secure another prize. He turned towards the staff, his calm voice cutting through the playful chatter. “I’ll try the golf ball set for my father.”

Laughter erupted from the other members. Mingyu, standing at the back, groaned in mock irritation. “Why are you muddying the water?”

“Ya! Leave him alone,” Luna chuckled as she scolded him gently, her eyes glinting with amusement.

“You’re such a good son,” Hoshi chimed in.

Mingyu, still grumbling, rolled his eyes. “You’re muddying the water. I bet your father has golf balls already.”

“No, he just started recently,” Wonwoo said, his expression earnest, despite the teasing around him.

“He wants to get it for his dad. Don’t be so mean,” Dino added, scolding Mingyu with a mouthful of lemons, which sent another wave of laughter through the group.

[The youngest points out the brutal fact]

“He’s right,” Minghao whispered to Mingyu, who looked utterly defeated by now.

Jeonghan, always ready to pile on, gave Mingyu a teasing smile. “Don’t be so materialistic.”

Luna giggled as she pointed at Mingyu’s pout, clearly entertained by the teasing.

[His shoulders are getting smaller]

Shaking his head with a small smile, Wonwoo picked up a paper and handed it to PD Na. The director glanced at the paper, grinning. “If you take the golf balls too, you’ll be a real good son.”

“Right! A real good son,” Dokyeom agreed enthusiastically from the back, which sent everyone laughing again.

PD Na cleared his throat and read aloud. “Commercial Relay.”

Seungkwan groaned dramatically. “Oh, that’s what I wanted! How did I get the bar exam? That’s ridiculous! I can’t believe I picked the bar exam.”

“I’m not good at this,” Wonwoo said quietly, already anticipating the difficulty ahead.

“You'll get it. I’m not going easy on you; you picked this yourself,” PD Na warned playfully.

“It’s easy,” Woozi commented dryly, ever the pragmatist.

With that, PD Na gave the line Wonwoo needed to complete. “‘The soup is...’”

“‘Awesome,’” Wonwoo answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“You got it!” PD Na confirmed, his voice filled with surprise and approval as the members collectively gasped and exclaimed in amazement.

[He becomes a good son]

Wonwoo, never one to be overly dramatic, raised his arms in mock victory. “Dad, enjoy golf,” he said, smiling softly.

[He wins the prize and the good son title]

“He’s so lucky,” Minghao added, shaking his head in disbelief.

“He got an easy one,” Luna observed as she fidgeted with her hair, trying to pull a strand off her lips that had stuck to her lip gloss. Jeonghan, ever-attentive, nodded and hummed, carefully reaching over to move the errant strand away for her. Luna smiled in appreciation as they both returned their attention to the game.

“Right? Mine was hard,” Jeonghan pouted slightly, playing along.

PD Na, not missing a beat, pointed toward Mingyu and commented, “Petty people in the back tried to stop him from being a good son.”

Mingyu, playing along, looked around dramatically, pretending not to understand who the comment was directed toward, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

[In the back?]

It was Dokyeom’s turn, and he stepped up confidently, ready to take his shot at winning another prize. The excitement among the group built up again as he chose a paper from the pile and handed it over to PD Na. The atmosphere felt charged with anticipation, everyone curious to see what challenges lay ahead.

PD Na unfolded the slip of paper, glanced at it with a slight smile, and revealed, “Neologism Quiz.”

“He’s good at neologisms,” Wonwoo commented from the side, arms crossed as if he were making a serious observation.

Mingyu, always curious, leaned forward. “Dokyeom, what did you pick for the prize?”

Dokyeom grinned, “The bulk snacks.”

[He carefully chose the 1-star prize]

Mingyu shook his head with a chuckle. “That’s so like you.”

PD Na asked with a teasing smile, “You know what a neologism is, right?”

S.Coups jumped in, throwing out an example with a mischievous smile, “‘OYONW.’”

“What’s that?” Woozi asked, his brow furrowing.

Without missing a beat, Wonwoo replied, “‘On your own, neatly and witty.’”

[Here's the question]

“Here’s your question. What does ‘QCA’ mean?” PD Na asked.

“‘QCA’?” Dokyeom repeated, his expression immediately showing confusion. His eyes darted from one member to another as if hoping someone would throw out a clue.

“1, 2, 3,” PD Na counted down.

Dokyeom stood there, his brow furrowed, but it was clear from his silence that he had no idea.

“Think about it,” PD Na encouraged him with a grin.

PD Na repeated his countdown, “1, 2, 3.”

Dokyeom’s lips quirked as he repeated again, “‘QCA’?” Still stumped. “‘Quick leave,’” he guessed with a laugh, clearly just throwing something out there.

PD Na, amused by the attempt, gestured toward the exit, playfully signaling Dokyeom to leave since his answer was wrong.

[Yes, leave]

The group exploded into laughter as Dokyeom, ever the entertainer, dramatically threw his arms up and strutted off, accepting his defeat with a massive smile.

[Bye, DK] [Going home after work is fun]

“Leave quickly with your lemon,” PD Na said, barely containing his laughter.

Dokyeom turned back to grab his cup of lemons, joining in on the joke, his smile never fading. As he started eating, PD Na revealed the correct answer, “‘Quick change in attitude’.”

A chorus of understanding went through the group as they all went, “Ahhh,” the moment of clarity sinking in.

It was Joshua’s turn now, stepping up confidently to the table as the members around him buzzed with commentary. He had already won one prize earlier but clearly had his eyes set on another.

“I’ll go for the Korean beef combo,” Joshua told PD Na with a calm, collected voice as if picking the juiciest prize out of a grocery store aisle.

[Since I have soju, let me get Korean beef]

“I didn’t know there was Korean beef,” Hoshi said, eyes widening in surprise, causing a ripple of laughter to spread among the members.

PD Na opened the slip Joshua had chosen and smiled. “SEVENTEEN Quiz.”

“That’s harder,” Mingyu immediately commented from his place in the line.

Jeonghan threw in his two cents, “I can never answer anything like this.”

“He’ll never get it. He’s guaranteed to miss it,” Woozi added, his sharp tone laced with a playful smirk, which made Wonwoo chuckle beside him.

Seungkwan, always vocal, let out a soft whine. “That’s exactly what I need!”

PD Na turned to Joshua with a small grin. “You need to answer this.”

Joshua, ever the gentleman, nodded with assurance. “Of course.”

[If he gets it wrong,things will get awkward with SEVENTEEN]

“A lot of CARATs are watching this. I believe SEVENTEEN has a very strong bond,” PD Na remarked, the atmosphere thickening with both anticipation and tension.

“Eyy, PD-nim, stop pressuring Shua!” Luna’s voice suddenly piped up from the back. Her petite frame peeked out from behind the tall figures of the other members in front of her, her head popping out to the side, making PD Na and the other members laugh at her playful intrusion.

[Peekaboo]

“I guess it’s a really hard question,” Vernon chuckled, shaking his head.

“To bring him down all at once,” Mingyu joked with a grin.

“No, I think two-thirds of you can get it. So, if you can’t answer it, you’ll feel so bad,” PD Na teased, sparking more laughter from the members.

Joshua, his smile unwavering, waited patiently as PD Na finally revealed the question.

“DK, who just left quickly, placed 2nd in ‘King of Mask Singer’. What was the name of DK’s mask?” PD Na asked.

“Oh, that’s hard,” Jun gasped, his eyes going wide.

“He wouldn’t know,” Minghao added, shaking his head with a slight laugh.

Luna and Jeonghan spoke up at the same time, confidently saying in unison, “That’s easy.”

[There are people who know]

“‘Baby Goblin’?” Joshua said, squinting slightly as he guessed, unsure of his answer.

“What?” PD Na asked, a little thrown off by the answer.

“‘Goblin’?” Joshua repeated, as if trying to double-check if he was close.

“Oh, he got it!” Dokyeom gasped from the side, surprised but excited by Joshua’s guess.

[Did he really get it?] [The production crew is stirred]

Luna, ever the helpful soul, leaned forward slightly, “There’s more before that, Shua.”

Joshua raised his eyebrows at her, turning slightly in her direction as she nodded encouragingly, urging him to keep going.

“That’s right, there’s more,” Seungkwan added, jumping on board to help.

“There are six more syllables before ‘Baby Goblin’,” PD Na confirmed, heightening the pressure.

“Six syllables?” Joshua asked, now clearly confused, as the rest of the members also expressed their surprise and confusion.

PD Na began the countdown again. “Here we go. 1,2,3.”

Joshua, with no real hope left, blurted out, “‘Fly Black Tea Baby Goblin’. Oh, I don’t know,” throwing his hands up in defeat as he reached for his cup of lemons, resigned to his fate.

“Isn’t it ‘Give Me Gold’?” Seungkwan asked, glancing around as if testing his own memory.

“‘Give Me Gold Baby Goblin’,” PD Na confirmed, revealing the correct answer.

“I still got ‘Baby Goblin,’” Joshua said with a sheepish smile, clearly proud of the small part he did remember.

“You got that part,” Dokyeom agreed, nodding his head in appreciation of Joshua’s effort.

“Did someone tell him? Did he get it on his own?” Seungkwan asked, looking suspiciously between the members.

“He answered it on his own,” Dokyeom confirmed.

“Thank you, Joshua,” Dokyeom said sincerely, grateful that Joshua had at least remembered part of his ‘King of Mask Singer’ persona.

PD Na smiled and turned to the writers. “Remove two lemons. I could count that as an answer.”

[2 lemons are removing for answering half]

“No,” Jeonghan quickly interjected, shaking his hand at PD Na with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Hang on.” Mingyu moved forward with a mischievous smile, peering into Joshua’s cup. “Two more,” he declared, deliberately adding back the two lemons that had just been removed.

[Their friendship is so durable] [SEVENTEEN takes care of each other so much]

PD Na stared at Mingyu in surprise as one of the writers laughed in the background at Mingyu’s antics.

“Right. Have more. It’s still a game. We should play fair,” Jeonghan said, backing up Mingyu with a nod, making Luna scoff out a laugh at their pettiness.

“You guys are something else,” Luna muttered with amusement, only to be poked in the waist by Jeonghan, who was still holding onto her from behind.

“I got ‘Baby Goblin’ to be honest,” Joshua said, trying to plead his case one last time.

“I think that counts, but your colleagues…” PD Na trailed off, gesturing toward the other members who were adamant about their lemon rule.

“Ya, don’t be obnoxious. Hurry up and leave,” Jeonghan said, slowly pushing Joshua toward the chairs, urging him to start eating his lemons as the rest of the members began to agree with the playful shove.

[Starting with the general leader everyone agrees very fast]

Luna, still laughing, couldn’t get over how competitive and petty they were all being.

“I still appreciate that you tried,” Joshua told PD Na before he sat down, defeated but still in good spirits, Luna watched him carefully, her smile softening into something a little more sympathetic.

“Josh,” she called softly, her English accent slipping out naturally as he called out his name.

Joshua turned to her, his eyes meeting hers with curiosity. Luna, still smiling, nodded toward him and reached out her hand, subtly gesturing for him to hand over a lemon. She then held up two fingers, signaling that she wanted two lemons, clearly offering to halve his punishment with him.

Joshua chuckled, grateful for her support, and passed her two lemons with a quiet “Thank you.”

[The lemon-eating bunny healper]

Before Luna could even take a bite, Mingyu reached over, attempting to snatch the lemons back out of her hand. “Let him eat all of it,” he teased, a playful smirk spreading across his face.

Luna, quick on her feet, turned her body, positioning herself so that she was now facing Jeonghan’s chest, who was still holding her. She hid the lemons between them and shot Mingyu a defiant look. “Why? What’s it to you if I help him? I like lemons,” she said confidently, popping one of the lemon slices into her mouth without hesitation.

Mingyu, seeing that he had lost, pouted in defeat while Jeonghan watched the whole scene unfold, clearly amused by Luna’s antics and Mingyu’s failed attempt to intervene.

[The next customer is holding a Dyson]

Hoshi stood at the front, cradling his newly won Dyson box with pride. His grin was wide as he examined the selection of prizes again, eyes gleaming with anticipation. Despite already having a fantastic win under his belt, Hoshi was not yet satisfied.

“I’ll go for something big. The Korean beef combo,” he declared confidently, handing PD Na his chosen slip of paper.

[Taking a big risk again]

As PD Na opened the paper, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Rock, paper, scissors,” he read aloud, barely holding back a chuckle.

[Producer Na isn't good at rock-paper-scissors]

“Your luck is insane today,” Luna remarked from behind him, her voice filled with both admiration and disbelief.

[Hoshi is lucky]

“You have a high chance of winning,” Jeonghan added with a knowing grin.

Hoshi, unable to contain his excitement, started jumping up and down, fists clenched in victory even before the game had started. “Let’s go!” he shouted, pumping himself up.

“I’m not good at rock-paper-scissors,” PD Na confessed with a slight chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck in faux nervousness.

[Mr. Game isn't confident]

PD Na, standing with a hand on his hip, took a deep breath. “Alright… Rock, paper, scissors!”

Hoshi, still buzzing with excitement, threw out his hand with scissors. PD Na, true to his earlier statement, fumbled with his decision and threw paper. A chorus of cheers exploded from SEVENTEEN, the members clapping and shouting with excitement as they rushed toward Hoshi to congratulate him. His scissors had cut right through PD Na’s paper, securing his victory.

“There’s a flow!” Dokyeom announced with pride, as if he’d coached Hoshi through the whole thing.

S.Coups, never one to miss a chance to stir the pot, called out, “Let’s take everything.”

“Take only the expensive stuff,” Dino added with a laugh as they all watched Hoshi eagerly walk over to grab the prized box of Korean beef.

As Hoshi held the box up like a trophy, Mingyu’s voice cut through the celebrations. “Isn’t it just one bag? Does he get to take everything?” he asked, a teasing grin creeping onto his face.

Jeonghan, ever the troublemaker, leaned in toward PD Na and whispered conspiratorially, “Let’s say it’s one bag per game.” His eyes twinkled with mischief, not wanting Hoshi to make off with the entire prize. He glanced at Luna, who elbowed him playfully, shaking her head in disagreement. “One bag per game,” Jeonghan repeated, trying to sound serious as he covered his smile.

Mingyu, fully backing Jeonghan’s plan, nodded in agreement. “Come on, Yung Suk. One bag at a time. It’s $50 per bag!” he said, emphasizing the value with a laugh.

PD Na, sensing the tension and the joke behind it, decided to address the group. “SEVENTEEN goes by the majority. Will it be one bag at a time or the whole thing?” He looked around, letting the group decide.

“Isn’t it one bag at a time?” Seungkwan chimed in, siding with Jeonghan and Mingyu.

Jeonghan, always the smooth talker, clapped a hand on Hoshi’s shoulder. “You can only take one bag,” he said with a grin like it was the most reasonable thing in the world.

Hoshi, his earlier victory still fresh, blinked in confusion. “I can only take one?”

Seungkwan, already at his side, began inspecting each bag as if making sure there wasn’t a trick. “You can only take one of them,” he confirmed.

[This is SEVENTEEN's teamwork]

S.Coups stepped forward, adding to the chaos. “Yeah, you can only take one of them. Which part do you want?” he asked, gesturing toward the different cuts of meat.

“What is wrong with you guys?” Joshua groaned, laughing as the pettiness of the situation finally dawned on him.

Hoshi, finally catching on to the teasing, held his ground. “It’s clearly a combo,” he argued, unwilling to back down after his win.

“No, you can only take one of them,” S.Coups pointed out again, his expression deadpan as if this was a serious rule.

“You look so petty,” Woozi remarked from the sidelines, shaking his head as the group burst into laughter.

Hoshi, feeling defeated but still in good spirits, sighed dramatically. “Fine, since got the Dyson,” he said, pretending to surrender as he started to return the Korean beef.

Before he could fully commit to giving it up, both Jeonghan and Vernon jumped in, their attitudes flipping in an instant. “No, take them all!” they said almost in unison, surprising Hoshi with their sudden change of heart.

Hoshi froze mid-step, his eyes wide as he turned back to look at them. “What?”

“S.Coups, don’t be so cheap and divide that by parts,” Jeonghan scolded, acting as though the entire argument hadn’t been his idea in the first place.

“That was you!” Joshua pointed out, unable to hold back his laughter.

[That was you 7 seconds ago]

Jeonghan, realizing he had been caught, laughed along with the others. “Take them all,” he insisted as if he was doing Hoshi a favor now.

PD Na, watching the whole scene unfold with amusement, couldn’t help but add, “Jeonghan gets to look nice.”

“Hoshi must be flustered,” Jeongan said.

[Bunny no. 1 is next once again]

Luna stood at the front again, having already won her first prize earlier, feeling the excitement bubbling within her. Her gaze was fixated on the two remaining Lego sets, her eyes drifting over the vibrant box of the Harry Potter Lego. Before she could make her decision, a familiar voice murmured close to her ear, just loud enough for only her to hear.

"Ferrari Lego, please." Jeonghan’s words came as a soft suggestion, and Luna felt his presence right next to her, his voice carrying a weight she couldn’t resist.

Without hesitation, Luna turned to PD Na, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll go for the Ferrari Lego,” she said confidently, knowing Jeonghan wanted it and was more than willing to win it for him.

[Bunny no. 1 cannot resist bunny no. 2]

Jeonghan, satisfied with her choice, tapped her waist gently three times— a silent yet intimate gesture. Luna’s smile grew wider; she knew what those three taps meant, only the two of them did. The gesture was subtle enough not to draw attention, but to her, it spoke volumes.

“You’re a big spender as well,” PD Na remarked as Luna confidently chose a slip of paper, handing it to him with a grin.

[Big spenders have all won]

He opened the paper and read it out loud, “Word relay.”

Luna nodded, focusing. “Okay,” she said, her expression determined as she prepared herself for whatever challenge lay ahead.

“Name five countries that start with the letter ‘M’ in five seconds,” PD Na announced, watching her closely.

Without missing a beat, Luna lifted her hand to count on her fingers. “Mexico, Monaco, Malaysia, Malta, Moldova,” she rattled off quickly, the words rolling effortlessly off her tongue.

[Big spenders tend to win twice in a row]

“You got it!” PD Na confirmed, sounding impressed as the rest of the members fell silent, staring at her in awe.

Jeonghan’s hand shot up for a high-five, which Luna enthusiastically met. “Good job!” he praised, his smile wide and genuine.

“Yay!” Luna exclaimed as she skipped forward, her excitement clear as she grabbed the Ferrari Lego set. She hugged the box to her chest, the satisfaction of her win radiating through her, then returned to pick up the Disney Lego set she had won earlier.

A chorus of amazement filled the room, the members voicing their disbelief at how quickly and smoothly she had won. “Wow!” “How did she know all that?” “Why is she so fast?”

“You see how Yoon Jeonghan is not complaining like earlier,” Hoshi pointed out with a knowing look, gesturing toward Jeonghan, who stood smugly.

[Tiger Hoshi noticed something]

This shifted everyone’s attention to Jeonghan, who simply smirked. “It’s because he knows he’s getting that Lego set later,” Hoshi added, his teasing tone making the group erupt into laughter.

“You’re right!” Mingyu agreed, pointing at Hoshi as if to back up the claim.

“I thought she was gonna pick the Harry Potter Lego,” Dokyeom added, surprised at Luna’s decision.

“Since when were you interested in cars?” Woozi asked Luna with a raised brow, making her laugh even harder.

[They know each other so well]

Before Luna could answer, Mingyu held up his hands, motioning for everyone to listen. “Wait, did you hear what he said to Jiyeonie earlier before she chose?” Mingyu asked, pointing at both Jeonghan and Luna, his mischievous grin betraying the secret.

“What? What?” S.Coups leaned in, eager to hear.

“‘Ferrari Lego, please’,” Mingyu mimicked Jeonghan’s earlier whisper, earning a round of laughter from everyone as they playfully scolded the two.

“Ya! Bae Jiyeon! Yoon Jeonghan!” Seungkwan called out, pretending to scold Luna, though his grin gave him away.

“Those two are really shameless,” S.Coups said.

[Bunnies got caught]

Luna, still laughing, didn’t deny anything, while Jeonghan stood next in line, smirking at the whole situation, his confidence unwavering.

[Not denying]

“Why are you even in line? You won already,” Mingyu teased, playfully pushing Jeonghan toward Luna’s prize knowing it was already his.

Jeonghan gave Mingyu a lazy smirk, clearly amused by the teasing. His long hair fell gracefully over his face as he casually combed it back with one hand, exuding a calm confidence. "What about it?" he retorted, his voice smooth and laid-back, "What's it to you?"

The subtle cockiness in his tone, paired with his effortless gesture, made the rest of the members chuckle, knowing all too well that this was classic Jeonghan — cool, unbothered, and always one step ahead when it came to witty comebacks.

Vernon stood in front of the table, tapping his fingers lightly on its surface as he glanced over at the remaining prizes. "I'll go for the tea set," he announced, his tone casual, as he handed PD Na the slip of paper he had chosen.

"The tea set?" PD Na repeated, gesturing to Minghao. "The8 just checked it."

"I didn't know there was tea," Minghao remarked, looking at the set with slight curiosity.

Vernon smiled. "I was eyeing it from the start."

"This isn’t easy," PD Na said, as he read what was written on the slip.

Vernon raised an eyebrow and leaned forward to glance at the note. "Look at the pictures and arrange them by order," he read aloud, shrugging. "How can that be hard?"

Without a word, PD Na reached behind him and pulled out a stack of papers, careful to keep them hidden from Vernon's view. "You should be able to get it," he said with a grin that hinted at the challenge ahead.

[Genre: Arrange Jeonghan's pictures by order]

[Arrange 4 pictures in order] [They're all from different periods] [Remember he never ages]

Luna, sitting with Jeonghan on the chairs, caught sight of the pictures and immediately started laughing. "That’s hard," she commented, as she and Jeonghan moved closer to the table to get a better look.

“You should be able to get it.” PD Na told Vernon.

The rest of the members began to murmur and exclaim in unison. "Ahhh…" they said, their curiosity piqued as PD Na revealed the challenge.

"Arrange it by order," PD Na instructed, laying out four pictures of Jeonghan from different eras of their career.

Vernon blinked, staring at the photos in slight confusion. "What is this?" he muttered under his breath, clearly thrown off by the task.

Seungkwan let out a whine as he hovered near the table. "I’m so good at this! That’s my field of expertise!" His voice was a mix of genuine annoyance and playful boasting.

Dino, Jun, and Hoshi immediately mimicked Seungkwan’s tone, their exaggerated impressions sending the members into a fit of laughter. Seungkwan joined in the laughter but remained adamant. "I’m good at it!" he repeated.

Vernon began carefully arranging the photos on the table, the rest of the members crowding around him to observe. His brow furrowed as he tried to differentiate between the images.

[He carefully arranges the pictures]

"They’re all the same," Luna chuckled, glancing at Jeonghan, whose face remained consistently youthful in all the pictures.

Even Jeonghan joined in, shaking his head. "Even I can’t do it," he said, a chuckle escaping as he leaned closer to get a better look at the photos. PD Na began counting down the seconds, adding more pressure.

"They all look just the same," S.Coups added, echoing the sentiment as Vernon rearranged them for what felt like the hundredth time.

Jeonghan erupted into laughter. "He has no idea," he teased, making the rest of the group chuckle again.

Vernon glanced at the photos, his confusion evident. "I mean, don’t they all look the same? It looks like you from the other day," he said as he pointed at Jeonghan.

[Just different hair style]

"Focus on the hair color, Vernon," Luna suggested gently from behind, offering a helpful tip as she moved closer.

"Are you done?" PD Na asked, glancing at the clock to remind him that time was running out.

Vernon sighed and turned back to the pictures. "Do I get a chance to change it?" he asked, hoping for a lifeline.

"You have one last chance," PD Na confirmed, watching him intently.

Mingyu, ever the playful instigator, leaned in close to Vernon, whispering like a devil on his shoulder, "Don’t change it. Don’t. There’s a reason why he’s telling you to change it."

Vernon considered his words, a smirk playing on his lips. "Is it a high degree of mind game?" he mused before turning back to the photos. After a moment of contemplation, he made his final decision. "I’ll go with this."

Luna giggled as she moved closer to Jeonghan again, back-hugging him as her chin rested on his shoulder. She peeked over, knowing Vernon had made a mistake. "Aigo…"

"Vernon, should I say you're firm?" PD Na began, smiling as he prepared to reveal the result. "Here’s the answer."

He pointed to the first picture. "Number one is correct."

A brief moment of triumph spread across Vernon’s face until PD Na moved on to the rest of the photos.

"Here’s number two," PD Na said, shifting to the second photo, "here comes number four… and number three is last."

Luna, still perched behind Jeonghan, grinned. "You only got one right."

Vernon sighed, pointing at the first picture. "That’s ‘Don’t Wanna Cry.’"

[They recognize it by his hair] [’Don't Wanna Cry', May 2017]

Mingyu pointed at the second picture, laughing. "That’s ‘CLAP.’"

"Is it?" Jeonghan asked, equally puzzled by his own face.

"Isn’t that ‘THANKS’?" Vernon added, still trying to make sense of it all.

"I had pink hair for ‘CLAP,’" Jeonghan interjected, trying to sort through the visual timeline of his hairstyles.

PD Na chuckled at Jeonghan’s confusion, "I’m sorry, but aren’t these your pictures?"

Jeonghan couldn’t help but laugh along. "I can’t tell either. This is so hard."

"That was so hard," Seungkwan chimed in, shaking his head in disbelief. "It’s hard because you never age," He added as he turned to Jeonghan, teasing him. "You’re always so consistent."

"They were all the same," Vernon grumbled playfully as he accepted his defeat and began to eat his lemons.

Mingyu, still determined to claim victory after his earlier failure, stood with a renewed sense of purpose. His competitive spirit was palpable as he approached PD Na, his brows furrowed with focus. "I'll try for golf balls," he declared, handing over the slip of paper he had chosen. "I’d rather pick the Character Quiz." He pouted, half-joking, trying to mask his nervousness.

[Mingyu returns for golf balls]

PD Na unfolded the paper and glanced at what was written. "SEVENTEEN Quiz," he read out loud, grinning. "This won’t be easy."

Mingyu straightened, ready for the challenge, though the uncertainty was clear in his eyes.

PD Na looked him squarely in the face before delivering the question. "When’s S.Coups' birthday?"

Mingyu’s face lit up with surprise, not expecting such a simple query. "August 8," he answered without hesitation, his voice laced with disbelief at the ease of the question.

"Ya, that’s too easy," Luna piped up from her seat, shaking her head with a laugh.

PD Na chuckled, equally shocked at how simple it had been. "You got it. Good job," he congratulated Mingyu, though his tone revealed how anticlimactic the moment felt.

"We all know each other’s birthdays," Seungkwan chimed in, turning to PD Na with an almost proud expression.

"I know their birthdays," Mingyu said, his chest puffed out in confidence as he absorbed the victory.

PD Na raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Do you remember each other's birthdays?" he asked, his voice rising with playful skepticism.

A chorus of "Yes" and "Of course" echoed across the room as the members responded in unison, their voices overlapping with laughter and confidence.

"Really?" PD Na pressed, still amused by how naturally they remembered.

Luna giggled at the disbelief in his tone. "Why is that so shocking?"

"It was so easy. I was like, ‘August 8?’" Mingyu repeated, still bewildered that the question had been such a breeze.

Joshua leaned forward from his chair, nodding thoughtfully. "We get very disappointed if we don’t remember it."

Luna nodded in agreement, her tone softer as she added, "We’ve known each other for years. It’d be weird if we didn’t know."

Mingyu, still basking in his small victory, broke into a playful tune. "The golf balls," he sang lightly as he approached the table to collect his prize, a wide grin stretching across his face.

PD Na shook his head with a laugh, clearly amused by the whole interaction. "I worked with Hyo Jung for twenty years, but I don’t know her birthday," he admitted, pointing at the other producer standing beside him.

The members roared with laughter, the room filling with their amusement. Joshua’s sharp wit cut through the noise as he teasingly remarked, "She’s disappointed."

PD Na shook his head again, this time with a mock sigh. "You don’t know my birthday either," he told Hyo Jung, his nod full of playful accusation.

"She can’t complain," S.Coups chimed in.

It was finally Minghao's turn, and he eyed the prize he had wanted from the start— the delicate tea set that sat neatly on the prize table. With a small, determined smile, he turned to PD Na. "I want the tea set," he said, his voice clear but calm. He handed over the slip of paper with his mission written on it, fully prepared for whatever challenge lay ahead.

"Word Relay," PD Na announced, holding up the paper for Minghao to see. A ripple of laughter went through the group as Minghao tilted his head in confusion.

"How can a word have a relay?" Minghao asked, his innocent question making the other members burst into laughter.

PD Na chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "Here’s what you’re going to do," he began, speaking slowly for clarity. "You know body parts, right?"

"Yes," Minghao nodded.

"Okay. What’s this?" PD Na pointed at his own ear.

"Ear," Minghao answered confidently.

"Right. Now, just like an ear, say five one-syllable body parts," PD Na explained, giving him the mission.

Without missing a beat, Minghao slowly fired off his answers. "Liver, ear, mouth, nose, eye. Wahh!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up in victory as he walked back to his place, grinning as the others clapped and cheered for him.

"Good job! Good job, Hao!" Luna shouted, standing from her seat and clapping with a huge smile on her face, as though she were a proud parent.

But Seungkwan, ever the perfectionist, raised an eyebrow. "Does the liver count?" he asked, glancing around.

"Of course it does," Luna quickly answered.

"Of course. It’s still in your body," Minghao added matter-of-factly, his innocent tone causing more laughter to erupt among the group.

"It counts. It’s a body part," PD Na confirmed with a grin, amused by the dynamic.

Minghao turned to Seungkwan with a playful, slightly confused look. "Isn’t a liver part of your body? You don’t know how to play this," he said, his genuine innocence adding to his adorable charm.

"That wasn’t so easy," PD Na acknowledged, giving Minghao a nod of approval.

But Minghao, beaming with pride, hugged his newly won tea set close to his chest. "It works if you try," he said, giggling softly at his own success.

[Happy]

"You did it," PD Na said, smiling at the satisfaction on Minghao’s face.

"Thank you," Minghao replied, still holding onto his prize.

"You love tea. This is great," Dino clapped for him, happy to see Minghao with a prize that fit him so perfectly.

Minghao chuckled as he moved back into line, admiring his prize closely. "This is really pretty," he said softly, almost to himself.

"Yes, it’s pretty," Mingyu agreed, leaning over to get a closer look at the tea set.

Meanwhile, Luna, who had returned to her seat next to Jeonghan, covered her mouth with her hand, giggling at the scene in front of her. She glanced at Jeonghan, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Why?" Jeonghan asked, smiling warmly at her.

"Minghao is so cute," Luna pouted dramatically, placing both hands over her chest as though it pained her how adorable Minghao was. Her exaggerated reaction made Jeonghan chuckle softly at her.

It was Dino’s turn once more, and determination flashed in his eyes. He had his sights set on one thing: the razor set.

"I'll try for razors again," Dino said confidently as he stepped forward.

[The regular customer who's only after the razors]

From the back of the line, Wonwoo couldn’t help but giggle. "Dino wants the razor set," he teased.

"I've got to get it," Dino muttered to himself, clenching his fists in focus as he handed the slip of paper he’d chosen over to PD Na.

[I'll get it this time]

PD Na unfolded the paper, and before he could even fold it back, Mingyu, standing in the middle of the line, caught sight of what was written. He burst into laughter, clapping his hands.

"But it’s so windy!" Mingyu exclaimed, his voice betraying the mischief in his mind.

"Did you see it, Mingyu?" PD Na asked, amused by Mingyu’s sudden outburst.

Mingyu laughed harder, doubling over and falling onto the ground in exaggerated glee. "You can read others’ misfortune very fast," PD Na commented, shaking his head while the rest of the group looked on in confusion.

"What was it?" Dino asked, his brow furrowed, feeling a sense of impending doom.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Mingyu said, clapping excitedly.

Finally, PD Na revealed the mission, "Light the match at once."

[Oh, poor Dino]

The group erupted into laughter. With how windy it was— hair flying everywhere, whether long or short— it was near impossible.

"Oh no," Luna chuckled, shaking her head sympathetically at Dino.

"That’s impossible," Dokyeom chimed in.

"Light the match in five seconds upon receiving it," PD Na repeated, sending the group into further hysterics.

Dino, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie, prepared for the challenge. "Wait," he said, trying to mentally brace himself.

"And after lighting it, the match has to stay lit for 3 seconds," PD Na added, causing another burst of laughter. PD Na placed a box of matches in front of Dino, his face barely holding back a smile. "Go," he instructed.

Quickly, Dino grabbed the box of matches, his fingers fumbling slightly as adrenaline coursed through him. The rest of the members abandoned their seats and positions in the line, crowding around Dino as if this were a grand spectacle. PD Na began the countdown as everyone tried to offer their help.

"Block the wind with your body," Mingyu suggested, leaning in.

"Like that, hunch over like that," Luna said from the side, her voice filled with encouragement as Dino bent over, shielding his hands from the relentless wind.

"Go easy. No need to use your strength," Jeonghan advised, his calm voice contrasting with the chaos around him.

[With other members' help and advice]

Dino struck the match, his hands working quickly— but as soon as it lit, the flame flickered and died almost instantly.

[Snap] [Gone]

The group exploded into laughter. "Why did you die, buddy?" Dino whined dramatically to the match, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"It went off right away!" Dokyeom said, shaking his head in sympathy. "That’s horrible."

[It died] [In 0.01 seconds]

PD Na chuckled at Dino's failed attempt, "You didn’t ask for something big. All you wanted was razors."

"How many lemons has he eaten now?" S.Coups asked, pointing at Dino with a grin, knowing that Dino had already consumed six sour lemons in his quest for the razors.

[6 lemons while trying to get razors]

"Dino the lemon," Hoshi teased, flashing a mischievous smile.

"Dino the lemon," Joshua echoed, chuckling along with the rest of the group, as Dino sat there eating his lemons, half-amused, half-frustrated at his misfortune.

It was Jun’s turn once again, his eyes gleamed with determination. "I want the Harry Potter Lego," he declared confidently, handing the paper to PD Na.

[He chose the last Lego]

PD Na opened the slip of paper and squinted slightly as he read the challenge aloud. "This will be tough... Make me laugh in ten seconds," he said, trying to hold back a smile. The group erupted in laughter once more.

"Think out of the box, Jun!" Luna called out encouragingly, while Jeonghan gently dragged her by the wrist as they moved to the back of the line together, trying their luck once more.

"Who knows? You might be able to do it," Woozi said, adding his support, although his smirk suggested he wasn’t sure if Jun could pull it off.

PD Na slowly began counting down from ten. "Ten... nine..."

[The countdown begins]

Jun blinked, suddenly realizing the countdown had started. "Has it started?" he asked, eyes widening in a mild panic.

[He doesn't know what to do]

"Seven... six..."

Jun thought for a moment, staring at PD Na, his mind racing. Desperation crept in, and as the seconds ticked away, he quickly scrunched up his face into the goofiest expression he could think of.

[He first tries to frown his face] [Ta-da]

However, PD Na remained stone-faced, not even a hint of a smile crossing his features.

[He's too handsome to be funny]

"Five... four..." The tension built as Jun began to sweat.

"Hurry!" Minghao shouted from the back, egging Jun on.

With only three seconds left, Jun’s mind went blank, but then, an idea struck him. "What about tickling?" he said out loud. Before anyone could stop him, Jun lunged forward and started tickling PD Na’s sides.

[As soon as he started tickling, Producer Na laughed]

The suddenness of it caught PD Na completely off guard. His composure crumbled instantly as laughter burst from him, his face twisting in both amusement and shock. He hadn't expected this tactic at all. PD Na laughed, but his surprised smile didn’t fade. He stared at Jun, still reeling from the unexpected assault of tickles.

Jun celebrated wildly, jumping up and down as the members cheered him on.

"You’re a genius!" Dokyeom clapped Jun on the back, clearly impressed.

[In a way that no one expected]

"I’ve never thought about that!" PD Na said, still recovering. He shook his head in disbelief. "But you did it," he added, a begrudging smile on his face.

With a victorious grin, Jun bounded toward the prize table and grabbed the last Harry Potter Lego set, a bounce in his step as if he’d just conquered the world.

"I would’ve never thought about tickling," Joshua said, shaking his head in amusement as he watched Jun cradle the box like a trophy.

It was S.Coups' turn next, and with a calm, confident stride, he handed the paper he had chosen over to PD Na.

“S.Coups, born on August 8,” PD Na teased, playfully emphasizing the detail, causing a few chuckles among the members.

S.Coups pointed directly at the gift certificate, eyeing it like a prized possession. “I want the gift certificate,” he said decisively.

From the sidelines, Seungkwan let out a mock whine, his voice rising comically. “That’s mine!” Seungkwan exclaimed, earning amused glances from the other members.

PD Na mirrored Seungkwan’s whining tone, further adding to the playful tension in the room. “What’s going on?” PD Na asked dramatically before focusing back on the paper. He laughed as he noticed yet another easy mission. “Okay, SEVENTEEN Quiz,” he announced.

“The social media manager,” Wonwoo teased, referencing S.Coups’ well-known position as the unofficial information hub of the group.

“Most informative,” Dokyeom added with a knowing smirk, poking fun at the ease of the quiz missions.

PD Na glanced at the remaining papers in the bowl. “So many people have picked SEVENTEEN Quiz. There are only easy ones left now.” He paused for effect before reading the question aloud. “How do you spell PLEDIS?”

S.Coups didn’t hesitate for even a second. “P, L, E, D, I, S,” he answered with a slight grin as if the question was too simple for his level.

“You got it,” PD Na confirmed with a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Without missing a beat, S.Coups moved away from the line, making a beeline for the gift certificate. His fellow members couldn’t help but react.

“That’s too easy,” Luna commented with a soft laugh, shaking her head.

“That’s so easy,” Vernon echoed, equally amused by the simplicity of the question.

It was Dokyeom’s turn once again, and he stepped forward confidently to grab a paper from the bucket. As he did so, he tried to spell PLEDIS aloud, “P, L, E, I, D, S,” nodding to himself, completely unaware of his mistake.

PD Na, noticing the error, quickly grabbed the bucket out of Dokyeom’s reach, chuckling, “What did you just say?”

Dokyeom blinked in surprise and then burst into laughter, realizing his mistake. “Can I just pick one?” he asked, still giggling at his blunder.

[He must be from a different agency]

“People get confused sometimes!” Dokyeom defended, still laughing as he finally pulled a paper from the bucket and handed it to PD Na. “I’ll try for the bulk snack,” he said with a hopeful grin.

PD Na opened the paper, reading the mission aloud, “Object Quiz.” He turned around and reached for a picture, revealing it to Dokyeom, who stared at it, completely baffled. The image was of some random object, but Dokyeom looked at it with wide eyes, clearly at a loss for words.

“Beating?” Dokyeom said, blurting out nonsense in an attempt to answer, but PD Na shook his head, “Wrong.”

Dokyeom let out a defeated sigh and grabbed his cup of lemons, moving back to the seating area to eat as the members chuckled at his answer.

“What even is that?” S.Coups asked, puzzled, as Dokyeom sat down.

[The good son appears again]

Next in line was Wonwoo, who still clutched the golf club and golf balls he had won earlier. He eyed the sack of dog food sitting on the prize table, clearly planning to win it for his father. “My dad has a dog,” he commented casually, a determined glint in his eye.

“Is that your theme? Being a good son?” PD Na teased as Wonwoo handed him the paper he had picked.

[Golf club for his father] [Golf balls for his father]

PD Na read the next quiz question aloud, “What’s Newton’s full name?”

Wonwoo froze, completely at a loss for the answer. The silence hung in the air as PD Na started his countdown, but Wonwoo didn’t say a word.

“Jimmy Newton,” Dokyeom muttered from his seat, trying to be helpful but only making things worse, as S.Coups and Woozi doubled over in laughter.

“Isaac Newton,” Luna and Vernon said in unison from the back, their voices overlapping as they both got the answer right.

“You two got it,” PD Na acknowledged with a nod, though it wasn’t their question.

Wonwoo shrugged as he left the line, missing out on the dog food, but his poker face never faltered, earning a few more chuckles from the group as the game continued.

[The real rich appears] [Korean beef combo] [Dyson]

Hoshi stepped forward once again, a box of Dyson appliances in one hand and a Korean beef set tucked under his arm, looking rather content with his winnings so far. PD Na, noticing Hoshi's abundance of prizes, pointed at him with a grin and then at Wonwoo, who was standing to the side with only his golf club and golf balls. "I’m sorry, but he’s not that rich,” PD Na said, gesturing to Wonwoo, making everyone burst into laughter.

Hoshi nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he pulled another paper from the bucket and handed it to PD Na.

PD Na opened it and read aloud, “Old abbreviation quiz.”

“Old abbreviations?” Vernon repeated, his brow furrowing as he glanced at Hoshi, who looked equally confused.

“Yes,” PD Na warned as he consulted his cue cards. “What does ‘WWKSB’ mean?”

Hoshi blinked, completely lost.

"What?" Luna murmured from her place in the middle of the line, eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"’Why don't we...?’" Hoshi started, but he trailed off, unable to think of the rest of the phrase. He looked desperate for inspiration, but before he could come up with anything, PD Na’s countdown ended.

"Wrong!" PD Na declared, shaking his head.

"Isn’t it ‘Why don’t we kiss since we’re bored’?” S.Coups chimed in casually, earning shocked looks from a few members.

“Really?” Hoshi turned to S.Coups, disbelief written all over his face.

PD Na laughed and nodded. “Yes— ‘Why don’t we kiss since we’re bored?’”

Luna stood in line, her arms crossed over her chest, her face calm and unreadable as she processed the answer. But beside her, Jeonghan turned to her the instant PD Na gave the answer, his eyes glinting with mischief and knowing. His gaze seemed to imply a teasing suggestion as if he were echoing what the answer had just revealed.

Luna could feel the weight of Jeonghan’s stare on her face, the amusement radiating off him, but she kept her face forward, refusing to give him the reaction he was clearly baiting for— especially with cameras rolling. Yet, the intensity of his stare was relentless, and despite her composure, she knew he wouldn’t let up.

After a few more moments, still feeling the intensity of his gaze and the smirk undoubtedly playing on his lips, Luna subtly shifted her eyes upward, locking her gaze with his without turning her head. She raised her eyebrow ever so slightly, silently challenging him. Jeonghan’s lazy smirk only widened, his long black hair framing his face as he stared at her, utterly entertained. His tongue flicked over his lips briefly, making her grin at his persistence before she turned her attention back in front, letting the moment dissolve without a word exchanged between them.

“‘WWKSB?’” Vernon echoed, nodding as if learning something entirely new about the past.

“I guess people were more open-minded back in the day,” Hoshi deadpanned, his expression comically serious. PD Na and the rest of the crew couldn’t contain their laughter.

Hoshi, unbothered, moved away from the line with a resigned shrug, grabbing his cup of lemons as he prepared to take a seat. “Why would you kiss when you’re bored?”

Seungkwan, who had been quietly processing the absurdity of it all, mimicked the abbreviation. “WWKSB?” he said in a teasing tone, nudging Dino.

“Why don’t you stop?” Dino responded with the same tone, and the two dissolved into laughter.

Vernon stepped up for his third attempt, visibly more determined but equally unsure, having yet to claim any prizes so far. His eyes darted to the bucket of papers, scanning for any that could give him an advantage, but luck was hard to read.

[3rd visit] [Vernon still hasn't won anything yet]

He drew a slip and handed it to PD Na, who glanced at it and read aloud, “Proverb Relay.”

At that, Vernon let out a visible groan and physically cringed. “Proverbs... ah,” he mumbled, already anticipating his failure.

“That’s what I’m good at,” Wonwoo chimed in confidently from his seat at the side.

“You have to answer immediately,” PD Na instructed, putting Vernon on the spot with a serious tone, giving him no time to overthink. “‘One man sows—?’”

Vernon’s brows furrowed in concentration, but then, in a total shot in the dark, he answered, “‘The fox reaps’?”

“Wrong,” PD Na declared with a smirk, much to the amusement of the others.

“What is it?” Vernon asked, confused but chuckling at his wild guess.

“It’s ‘One man sows, another man reaps,’” PD Na clarified.

Next in line was Mingyu, stepping forward for another chance at redemption. Mingyu grabbed his paper and, with a quick glance at PD Na, handed it over. Woozi, seeing Mingyu’s confident stance, teased from the back, “Mingyu won’t get it.”

Mingyu turned slightly, not one to let the joke go unnoticed. “Why would you say that? I still got one prize!” he defended as he showed off his golf balls.

Unbothered, PD Na read the paper. “It’s a Logo Quiz.”

“That’s easy,” Minghao called out from behind, encouraging Mingyu with his usual calm tone.

PD Na pulled out a picture, held it up in front of Mingyu, and immediately started counting down. “One, two, three—?”

Without hesitating, Mingyu blurted, “Simyang!”

“That’s Korea Music Copyright Association,” Woozi said, his sharp eyes always catching such details.

“That’s right— Korea Music Copyright Association,” PD Na confirmed, a satisfied nod directed at Woozi.

“I got it,” Woozi said, proud of his keen observation

[It was so easy for the producer]

“Woozi is the only one who got it right,” PD Na added for emphasis, as the rest of the group chuckled.

“He’s basically a permanent employee,” S.Coups added, pointing at Woozi like he’d already earned a spot in the association’s hierarchy.

“I even have their app,” Woozi boasted, laughing as PD Na handed him the photo again, testing him.

“Woozi, what’s this?” PD Na asked, showing the picture once more.

“Korea Music Copyright Association,” Woozi replied effortlessly, proving his point again.

[Woozi has the copyright for 147 songs]

“This is crazy... It’s so embarrassing,” Mingyu muttered as he moved to grab his cup of lemons.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” PD Na said with a comforting grin. “Just have some lemons.”

“You’re right,” Mingyu conceded, playfully surrendering as he left the line, still shaking his head in disbelief.

Minghao stepped up for his next attempt, eyes glancing at the bucket of papers before settling on one. He plucked it out with ease and handed it to PD Na, his expression calm and collected as always. "I want the slippers," he stated, pointing at the prize he had his sights set on.

Jeonghan, standing to the side, chimed in, “You might have a lot of guests at home,” teasing Minghao in his usual soft-spoken but playful tone.

PD Na opened the slip and read aloud, “It’s a Korean movie title.”

Jun, who stood nearby, gave his teammate a reassuring nod. “That could be easy. You’ve watched a lot of movies,” he said, trying to encourage Minghao, though everyone knew this wasn’t going to be as simple as it seemed.

PD Na raised his eyebrows at Minghao and announced, “You have five seconds.”

Minghao’s expression shifted into one of mild disbelief. “Five seconds? That’s too short,” he said, then added with a clever smirk, “I’m The8. Give me eight seconds.”

The group burst into laughter at his quick-witted response. “That makes sense,” Luna quipped, joining in on the joke.

PD Na chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re the one who said eye, nose, mouth, and liver earlier. I’ll give you seven seconds.”

With that, PD Na showed the card with the initials ‘DTL’ on it. “It’s a Korean movie,” PD Na said, starting to count down.

Minghao’s brow furrowed as he stared at the letters on the card, trying to piece together the title. His focus was intense, but the seconds ticked away too quickly. 

“That’s so easy!” Seungkwan whined from the back, watching with eager anticipation.

“What is it?” Jeonghan and Luna muttered to each other, both squinting at the letters, equally stumped.

But before Minghao could answer his time ran out, PD Na announced, “Wrong!”

Immediately, Minghao turned to Seungkwan, pretending to be offended. “I got it wrong because of you!” he playfully scolded, causing a ripple of laughter to echo through the group.

Seungkwan pouted, “You couldn’t get it anyway. It’s ‘Decision to Leave’.”

The members collectively groaned in realization, a chorus of “Ahhh” filling the air as they pieced it together.

As the challenge drew closer to its end, PD Na glanced at the remaining members still standing in line and announced, "I'll be closing soon. Only those who haven't won anything should line up."

With that, Luna and the other members who had already won prizes took their seats off to the side. Some settled on chairs while others sat cross-legged on the ground, all watching the final contestants. Jeonghan, Vernon, Seungkwan, and Dino were the last ones standing in line.

[Next customer is Jeonghan]

[Rummage] [What's he doing?]

Jeonghan, a known game cheater from their ‘Going Seventeen’ antics, was already up to his usual tricks. He rummaged through the remaining papers, eyes squinting as he tried to read the questions through the faint marker lines that had bled through the back of the paper.

"You can’t go through the questions," one of the writers said, eyeing Jeonghan suspiciously.

Jeonghan simply chuckled, casually continuing his sneaky mission. PD Na, watching from a distance, stared at Jeonghan in confusion. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go through them,” PD Na repeated, a bit more firmly this time.

Feigning innocence, Jeonghan smiled and chose his prize. “I’ll go for the glove— I’ll mix them,” he said, before pretending to mix the papers up. However, his fingers were already gripping onto one specific paper, clearly hoping for an easier question.

“I’m sorry, but you held onto it when you shook them up,” PD Na pointed out, calling Jeonghan out on his cheeky tactics. The observation earned PD Na a laugh from Jeonghan, who finally picked a different paper and handed it over.

“It’s Four-character Idiom Relay,” PD Na announced, causing a wave of groans and laughter from the group as Jeonghan’s face fell into a look of mock defeat.

“You can do it,” Luna encouraged, clapping lightly from the side, followed by several other voices.

“We should make a new idiom for today,” Mingyu joked from the sidelines.

"You got this," Jun said, backing Jeonghan with playful confidence.

With a sigh, Jeonghan straightened up. “No pain, no gain,” he declared confidently.

PD Na blinked, confused. “I haven’t started yet,” he said, which sent the group into a fit of laughter. 

“You have to say it right away,” PD Na reminded him before reading the first part of the idiom. “Ome?”

“Ga-3,” Jeonghan answered without hesitation, a cheeky grin on his face.

[What?]

The room erupted into loud laughter as PD Na announced, “Wrong!”

[Omega-3: fatty acid needed for normal growth and health]

"It’s omebulmang," Seungkwan chimed in through his own laughter, shaking his head at Jeonghan’s hilariously absurd answer.

Luna toppled over, leaning on Dokyeom as she laughed uncontrollably. "That was amazing," she wheezed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard.

“That was a good one,” Joshua agreed, nodding approvingly at Jeonghan’s absurd creativity.

[Nice wrong answer]

From the side, Dokyeom couldn’t help but add, “From now on, it’s Omega-3.”

“I’m jealous that he was funny,” Seungkwan pouted, still giggling at the chaos.

“Omega-3 was brilliant,” Dokyeom repeated, shaking his head in amusement as Jeonghan, grinning, stepped back to rejoin the group after his bold attempt.

It was Dino's turn, and the determined maknae stepped up confidently. "I'll take the razors again," he said, handing PD Na the paper he had chosen. 

PD Na glanced at the paper, then looked up with a sly smile. "It's Proverb Relay."

Instantly, the members reacted. “He’s out,” S.Coups said, shaking his head with a knowing smile. 

“Aigo, I’ll just buy you razors, Dino-ah,” Luna chuckled, amused at Dino’s previous failed attempts. 

“I’m good at it,” Dino told her, his face filled with mock determination.

[No, you're not]

"Ah, really?" Luna asked, her concerned tone causing S.Coups to laugh and point at her for having such little faith in Dino. "Alright"

“Make it funny, Dino,” Mingyu teased, leaning back with a smirk. 

“He’s guaranteed to be out,” Dokyeom chimed in, causing Dino to sigh dramatically.

“I told you. Everyone except for noona makes me negative and hopeless,” Dino said, feigning offense, causing laughter to ripple through the group.

[Proving that it's true]

“In the back, he said ‘One man sows, and walls have ears,’” Wonwoo joked, causing PD Na to clap and laugh at Dino’s famously incorrect previous answers.

“You should at least be funny,” Joshua encouraged, chuckling at Dino’s struggle.

“You’re a funny kid,” Mingyu added, his teasing tone light-hearted.

“If you play seriously, you’ll be funny,” Woozi assured him.

[No one expects him to get it]

“I hope you get it,” Seungkwan said encouragingly, standing behind Dino.

“I will get it,” Dino said firmly, taking a deep breath. He looked determined, ready to prove them all wrong.

“Here we go,” PD Na said, holding up the paper. He paused for dramatic effect before reading the first part of the proverb. “‘Bamboo basket...’”

Without missing a beat, Dino confidently responded, “‘Is a shame.’”

PD Na blinked before declaring, “Wrong!”

The group burst into laughter. Dino clutched his sides, joining the members as they doubled over at his very wrong, but hilarious answer.

“‘It can’t carry water,’” S.Coups said between laughs, finally giving the correct answer.

“It is a shame, though,” Woozi said, still chuckling, as PD Na handed Dino his cup of lemons once again.

[It's also a shame] [Having 9 lemons for the razor]

Dino sighed dramatically as he received the lemons, but he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of his answer. 

It was Seungkwan’s turn next. He approached the table with determined strides, picking up a paper and handing it over to PD Na. “I’ll go for the bulk snack,” he said confidently.

PD Na opened the paper, and a smirk crossed his face as he announced, “Seungkwan, it’s the Common Sense Quiz.”

Seungkwan’s face lit up with joy, his excitement palpable. 

“You think you’re smart, huh?” Mingyu teased from the side.

“You look smart, but you’re not smart,” Dokyeom added with a playful grin.

Joshua joined in, asking innocently, “Does he look smart?”

“Do you have no intention to root for me?” Seungkwan asked, his voice dripping with mock hurt. The room filled with laughter as the members teased him further.

“Wooo! Boo Seungkwan!” Luna cheered softly from the side, breaking the silence. The sweetness of her voice made everyone laugh even harder.

“Thanks, noona,” Seungkwan said, grateful for at least one supporter.

“Seungkwan, let’s start,” PD Na said, pulling everyone back into focus. “Here’s the question: We have names for like-minded people. What do you call people who want to be financially independent so that they can retire soon?”

As PD Na started counting down, Seungkwan’s face scrunched up in thought. “Elf,” Jeonghan whispered mischievously to him.

“Hot,” Joshua murmured under his breath, causing even more distraction.

Seungkwan, getting flustered, shouted, “Get me something hot!” as if it would save him from the pressure. He glanced around in desperation before realizinghe wasn't making any sense.

“Wrong,” PD Na said, shaking his head.

Seungkwan whined, “What’s the answer?”

“It’s fire,” PD Na explained.

"Fire? He's right, then," Luna said, playfully backing up Seungkwan.

"Right! You got it. It’s fire!" S.Coups chimed in, causing the whole group to laugh at the funny coincidence between Seungkwan’s ‘hot’ and the actual answer.

[Fire= hot]

“It is hot trotter,” Wonwoo added, making everyone burst into laughter again as they exclaimed at the revelation.

“Hot!” Seungkwan yelled, turning to PD Na in one last attempt to argue his case, shocking the PD enough that he stood up from his seat.

[Producer Na is shocked]

“We love Korean. Hot!” Seungkwan continued dramatically, trying to convince PD Na with his antics.

“That just gave me goosebumps,” PD Na said, his voice full of amusement.

“Is it hot?” Seungkwan asked, looking to the rest of the members who eagerly backed Seungkwan up. Everyone began chiming in at once, urging PD Na to accept Seungkwan’s creative answer.

[Will it count as an answer?] [In times like this, all 14 people team up]

“But ‘fire’ here means like firing someone,” PD Na tried to explain, still bewildered by how the situation had spiraled into chaos.

“It’s the same spelling,” Mingyu pointed out, looking to Luna for confirmation who nodded.

Finally, PD Na gave in with a laugh. “You got it,” he said, waving his hand.

[Approved] [He won the bulk snack]

Seungkwan let out an excited shout of victory, rushing to grab the massive bags of bulk snacks. He held them up triumphantly, his face lit up with satisfaction. “Thank you. This will go perfectly with alcohol,” Seungkwan said, clutching his prize with pride.

[Jeonghan is the last customer of the day]

As Jeonghan stepped forward for his final turn, the last customer left to close out the segment, he carefully picked a paper and handed it over to PD Na with a smirk, fully aware that this was his last chance to win something for himself. The atmosphere was light, with the members watching in anticipation of what trick or witty response Jeonghan might pull.

PD Na opened the folded slip of paper, scanned it briefly, and then raised his voice with a hint of amusement, “It’s a dud.”

[Neat finish]

The members burst into laughter, clapping in delight at the anticlimactic ending, while Jeonghan raised his hands in mock celebration, chuckling along with them. “Of course, it started and ended with a dud,” Luna quipped, smiling warmly at Jeonghan’s playful shrug. 

['Super' Store ends]

The segment ended with applause from everyone, and the group clapped, bowing to the staff and offering their thanks for the fun experience. They gathered their prizes, preparing to head back to the green room for a well-deserved break before the next segment began. 

[The customers seem happy]

As they moved around, PD Na approached Jeonghan with a small, familiar item in hand— a baseball that had been one of the prizes. "This is for you," PD Na said, handing over the ball as Jeonghan smiled, tucking it under his arm.

[It may be closed, but there are prizes for people who were funny]

Around them, the members had started spreading out— some still lingering in the open field, tearing into Seungkwan’s bulk snack bags and laughing, while others drifted toward the break area. 

[It’s closed. Please leave.]

[Post-credits scene]

[Here's what happened during the break]

Jeonghan and Luna were the first to arrive in the green room, their footsteps quiet as they entered the familiar space. The air was cool, a stark contrast to the warmth of the field outside.

[Jeonghan and Luna are the first people here to take a rest]

Without saying a word, Jeonghan lowered himself to the floor and sat with his legs out elongated in front of him, his back resting against the wall. Luna, without hesitation, settled down beside him, placing her head on his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Both pulled out their phones, enjoying the peaceful silence that enveloped them. The room, for a moment, was theirs alone.

[Low battery mode]

“You two got here so fast,” Wonwoo’s voice broke the quiet as he strolled in a few minutes later, raising an eyebrow at their relaxed posture. Luna smiled up from Jeonghan’s lap, but neither moved, the easy comfort between them tangible.

Slowly, the rest of the members began trickling in. Mingyu, entering with his usual boundless energy, spotted Luna’s legs stretched out comfortably on the floor. Without warning, he scooped up her legs in one fluid motion, sat down beside her, and gently placed her legs back down on his lap. Luna chuckled but didn’t resist, knowing that this was typical of Mingyu.

“Why is there chroma key?” Mingyu asked, glancing around at the green walls that framed the room.

“I guess we’re doing something here later,” Dokyeom chimed in, scanning the room with a curious look.

“There are cameras everywhere,” S.Coups observed, noticing the subtle placements of hidden cameras tucked into various corners.

“You’re right,” Wonwoo said with a nod. “The unseen hide-and-seek. It’s gotta be something like that.”

[This is just Producer Na's habit]

Luna closed her phone and grinned. “Doesn’t this remind you guys of something?” The members glanced at her, waiting for the punchline. Her grin widened. “Melona Prison.”

The room erupted into laughter. The memory of their trainee days hit everyone at once— Melona Prison, the room where they spent countless hours training, named for the bright green walls and the never-ending surveillance cameras. It was their prison, their home, and the source of both fond and difficult memories.

“Ah, it really does feel like that place,” Mingyu agreed, chuckling as he absentmindedly ran his fingers on Luna’s legs.

Seungkwan, ever the playful one, suddenly tossed a blanket over Jeonghan, Luna, and Mingyu, covering them in a soft cocoon.

“Seungkwan, why are you suddenly being so nice and got us a blanket?” Jeonghan asked, his eyes narrowing in mock suspicion.

S.Coups, ever the leader with a teasing smile, cut in, “It’s because there are cameras.”

Seungkwan huffed. “What are you talking about? I’m always nice.”

The members settled into casual conversation, the easy flow of banter filling the room. Jeonghan, leaning back lazily, turned to the group and mused, “Not eating is the best way to prevent aging.”

“Really?” Dokyeom asked, his tone genuinely curious.

Jeonghan nodded sagely. “Yes.”

Luna looked up at him from his lap, her brow furrowing. “What nonsense is that?” she asked, half-joking, but her concern for him was clear in her voice.

With a soft sigh, Luna sat up and leaned her back against the wall, positioning herself between Jeonghan and Mingyu. The blanket remained draped over her, warm and cozy, as two pairs of hands— Jeonghan’s and Mingyu’s— rested lightly on her thigh, their touch gentle and absentminded.

[When they're talking about detoxing, the snack arrives]

A staff member entered, placing a bowl of snacks on the table next to them. Hoshi eyed the bowl, perking up. “Snack?”

Jeonghan, however, shook his head and gestured toward the snacks. “That’s all toxic.”

Luna shot him a sharp glare, not liking how casually he was talking about not eating. Her silent disapproval was palpable, and Jeonghan, noticing her expression, immediately leaned over, pressing his face against her shoulder in a small gesture of apology. He placed a quick, soft kiss on her shoulder as if that would make her relent. 

Just then, another staff member entered the room, balancing a tray of iced Americanos. As she moved toward the table, her grip faltered, and the tray slipped. The cups tumbled over, and coffee spilled across the floor, eliciting gasps of shock from the members. They all stood up in an instant, rushing over to help her.

“Are you okay?” Luna asked, concern etched on her face as she crouched down to assist.

Jeonghan, however, had other thoughts. “Is this a prank?” he asked, his eyes scanning the room suspiciously.

“Ya!” Luna scolded him, elbowing him lightly. “Don’t be ridiculous. Are you hurt?” she asked again, her attention back on the staff member.

“Are you okay?” Jeonghan finally asked.

“Is this a test? To see if we’ll help?” Dokyeom chimed in, a curious look on his face.

[They watched too much YouTube]

“Are you okay?” Hoshi asked the staff as he helped clean the floor, throwing away the coffee cups. 

The members all pitched in, cleaning up the mess without a second thought. Dokyeom moved the tray out of the room, shaking his head as he glanced back at Jeonghan, chuckling. “You think this is a prank? You’re unbelievable.”

Wonwoo chuckled softly, finding the whole situation amusing. “We all thought it was a prank right away.”

“It’s because there are cameras in the room,” Luna pointed out, gathering the blanketson the floor.

“Jeonghan, you’re unbelievable,” Hoshi echoed, still chuckling.

“S.Coups keeps cleaning.” Seungkwan pointed out.

“I know. Why are you working so hard?” Dokyeom asked.

S.Coups, ever diligent, kept wiping the floor, working harder than anyone else. “I was the first to get up.” he announced.

[That's what it takes to be the leader of SEVENTEEN]

As the room settled back into calm after the brief commotion, the members exchanged glances and laughs. The day had been chaotic, but this was just a brief pause before the next round of madness. With their energy recharged, they prepared for whatever the next segment had in store.

[This is what SEVENTEEN does on their break]

[To be continued in Clip 2-2]

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[won4kiss]

𖠵 . ׅ ࣪ ⌇ SITUATIONSHIP W/ SUNGHOON 2

GENRE ៸៸ fluff & angst ៸ oneshot ﹔ SYPNOSIS┆in which you just can’t move on from sunghoon no matter how hard you try .ᐟㅤ ꒰ WORD COUNT﹕1252 ꒱── 𝓦ARNING(S) not edited ៸ kissing ៸ pet names . ݁ ✦ ݁ . ⊱ LIBRARY . . . ﹕LUNA 💭 — the very long awaited && requested p2!! this was too long to write in text message form im sorry guys :(( ˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ part one !

JAKE WAS LIKE A RAY OF SUNSHINE, HE WAS THE SUN WHILE SUNGHOON WAS THE MOON, HE WAS THERE FOR YOU WHEN SUNGHOON WASN’T.

after the ‘breakup’, jake slid into your life like a breath of fresh air.

he was warm, kind, he was basically wrapped around your finger and always knew how to make you smile.

he made you feel seen, appreciated and cherished in a way sunghoon hadn’t in a long time.

but even as you tried to move on with jake, you couldn’t escape the chains of park sunghoon.

every single night since the “breakup” if you could even call it that— there was a new message from him.

“i’m sorry.”

“i miss you.”

“please, i can explain everything. i love you.”

his words were a constant reminder of what you had left behind, of the part deep down inside of you that you oh-so wanted to get rid of— the part of you that still ached for him. — more under cut !

you tried to ignore them, the clawing in your chest, you tried to focus on jake’s laughter and the warmth of his hand in yours.

but no matter how hard you tried, sunghoon’s messages gnawed at you, pulling you back into the mess of your unresolved feelings.

one evening, you were with jake, lying on his couch, your head resting on his chest as his fingers absentmindedly played with your hair.

he was watching some movie, but you couldn’t concentrate.

your phone buzzed again—another message from sunghoon.

you couldn’t help feeling the familiar ache as you opened it, tears glistening in your eyes as you scanned over his latest apology.

you didn’t notice jake looking at you until you felt him shift his body beneath you.

“y/n,” jake’s voice was soft, careful.

you looked up at him, and there was no accusation in his gaze, only a look of understanding.

he brushed a strand of hair behind your ear with a sad smile before speaking again.

“you love him, don’t you?” he asked quietly.

your heart clenched at the truth of his words, the familiar look you had carried with sunghoon in his eyes, the honesty you had been desperately avoiding finally confronting you.

you didn’t answer right away, you couldn’t. instead, you blinked, feeling a heaviness settle in your chest.

“i- no.. i don’t—” you started to say, but jake interrupted with a gentle smile.

“it’s okay,” he whispered with a smile— a genuine smile which you knew you didn’t deserve.

“i can see it when you look at his messages. and… i think you need to talk to him. i don’t want you to have any regrets, y/n. especially not because of me— you’ll never be happy with me if your heart still belongs to him.”

tears welled up in your eyes as you realized how selfless jake was being.

he wasn’t angry or hurt. he just wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn’t with him.

you wrapped your arms around him, holding him close as you whispered, “thank you so much jake, i’m so sorry, i truly don’t deserve you.”

“go talk to him,” he murmured, kissing the top of your head.

“i’ll always be here if you need me.”

later that night, you found yourself sitting on a swing set at the park, the cold autumn night air nipping at your skin.

you had messaged sunghoon, telling him to meet you here, which he responded immediately to, and now you were waiting, your thoughts clouding up in your head as you absentmindedly kicked at the woodchips on the ground.

the sound of footsteps crunching against the gravel made you look up, and there he was—park sunghoon, his face pale in the moonlight, his eyes wide and frantic, panting as if he had been running.

he stopped a few feet away from you, his breath coming in ragged bursts.

“y/n, baby..” he breathed, his voice breaking as he said your name.

you stayed quiet, ignoring the warmth blossoming in your chest at the familiar petname.

you couldn’t bring yourself to speak— watching him as he stood there, trembling slightly.

it wasn’t long before a waterfall of tears had started to fall from his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away, looking almost ashamed.

“i’m so sorry,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion.

“this isn’t any excuse for what i did— i didn’t mean to hurt you. i only hung out with sara because… i was scared. the last time i let myself care about someone like this, the last time i opened up my heart.. i got hurt so badly. i didn’t know how to handle what i was feeling for you, and i thought if i pushed you away, i wouldn’t get hurt again, i was being selfish. i thought hurting you would make you stop liking me— stop the heartbreak for you.. but i was wrong. nothing’s more terrifying to me than losing you.”

his confession hung in the air, it was raw and honest, and your heart ached for him.

you could see the pain in his eyes, the regret etched into every line and crevice of his face.

but you also knew that forgiveness wouldn’t come easily. he had hurt you so deeply, and it would take time to heal.

but you knew in your heart that denying him, park sunghoon, the man you love would break you even more.

“it’s going to take a while for me to forgive you,” you said softly, standing up from the swing and taking a hesitant step toward him.

“but i’m willing to try.”

sunghoon let out a shaky breath, his eyes lighting up with a glimmer of hope.

he stepped closer, his hands trembling as he reached for yours, pulling you into his arms as you both let out sighs of relief— after being separated for so long, being in his arms felt like sitting in front of the fireplace on a snowy day.

“can i… can i kiss you?”

you nodded with a soft grin, and sunghoon gently cupped your face, leaning in slowly, cautiously, as if afraid to break you all over again.

his lips pressed softly against yours, the kiss soft but filled with so much emotion that it brought tears to your eyes.

when you pulled away, sunghoon wrapped his arms around you, holding you close as if you’d disappear— he was afraid to let go.

“thank you,” he whispered into your hair.

“i won’t mess this up again. i promise, no— i swear on my life.”

you rested your head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as you felt a flicker of hope begin to bloom inside you.

it would take time, but you felt it in your heart— sunghoon meant it, and that’s when you knew..

even if you had tried to get over park sunghoon, it was quite literally impossible.

© won4kiss 2024

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[bunnliix]

When Eight Becomes Nine - Chapter Seven

This was quite the angsty chapter to write, honestly, but it was fun after yesterday's cliffhanger.

Pairing: Ateez x 9th member!reader  Summary: We see the aftermath of the photos, and y/n has an interesting day, though the day isn't quite over yet. wc: 2.6k AU: a/b/o  Genre: Fluff/Angst  warnings: angst, sudden wake up calls, references to twitter not being nice, Dispatch (yes Dispatch is a warning), San being worried, violence, injuries, head injuries, though not described in lots of detail, medical attention, hospitals, talking about injuries being treated though not in great detail, Wooyoung feeling guilty, fighting, derogatory language (fucktoy, being called a toy, whore), slapping, lots of cursing, rude and sexist-ish questions being asked of y/n, this chapter is just angst central with a decent amount of violence, y/n is being slutshamed as an omega, mentions to omegas going through slutshaming, and Seonghwa and Wooyoung in particular, I think this is everything? Yes I know there's a lotta warnings this chapter. masterlist

San was sleeping peacefully, having a nice dream of his pack before he was shaken awake. 

“San-ah, wake up!” Seonghwa said, shaking the younger man awake.

“Hmm? Seonghwa-hyung, what’s going on? Did I sleep in?” He said, voice still full of sleep.

A phone was shoved into his face, and he blinked blearily, eyes still barely open. It took him a couple moments before he could see anything on his hyung’s phone, but once he was able to, his eyes were wide with shock.

“What? How did Dispatch get these photos?” He asked Seonghwa, concerned.

“An anonymous source. Who somehow had access to KQ and took these photos yesterday. Twitter is going wild over it, so don’t check it. Or any Instagram comments either. Pack Alpha’s orders.” Seonghwa informed him.

San became concerned once his Luna told him about Hongjoong’s orders. Hongjoong never usually forbade them from visiting social media, so for him to do so was very worrying.

“What’s going on with the company? What are we doing now?” He questioned.

“They’re bringing in the auditionees for a talk. They’re not sure who it is, but the concern it’s one of the cut auditionees who are unhappy over how attached some of us have gotten with y/n.” He explained to San.

“How do they still have access to the building?” San asked, concerned for their safety now if potentially scorned people have access to them because of the company’s negligence.

“They’re figuring it out. They’ll be restricting access to our areas of the company until they find out who exactly it was. No one that doesn’t need to be in or out of our studios, and our regular dance studio will be locked when we’re not in it.” Seonghwa said, taking this breach of privacy very seriously as it affected his pack members.

Wooyoung burst into the room, having heard most of it from outside of the room, and was frustrated that this was happening.

“What the fuck? They’re ripping her apart on twitter. This isn’t fucking fair to her, nor to us. She shouldn’t have to deal with this because someone took pictures of her while they rested during a dance practice!” Wooyoung yelled, which definitely woke San up if he hadn’t been awake before that.

“Wooyoung, calm down. There’s nothing we can do right now. We’ve been told to stay here at our dorms. We won’t be needed at the company today. “ Seonghwa tried to calm the younger omega, letting out a calming scent to try and soothe the omega’s anger.

It didn’t work. “Don’t you try and calm me down!” He yelled at the elder, “You should be pissed off too, they’re slut shaming her and going after her subgender, and you know that that’s like. Fuck, we both know what’s that’s like, we’ve lived through it!” Wooyoung screamed at Seonghwa, before darting out of the room, ready to risk the company and Hongjoong’s anger just to find a way to get to y/n and comfort her. She didn’t deserve this treatment, no one did. And he doubted any of the others had gone through anything remotely similar to this, and so she needed someone who’s been through this before. And if Hwa-hyung wouldn’t do it, he would.

“Where are you going?” Mingi asked him, having just entered the dorm.

“Going to see y/nnie, she needs someone by her side right now.” Wooyoung said, not looking at Mingi while he put on his jacket and shoes.

“Yeah, you’re not going alone. I’m coming with you.” Mingi decided, knowing that letting the youngest go alone would be a stupid idea.

“I’m fine to go alone! I don’t need you to come.” Wooyoung grumbled, until a hand came to rest on the back of his neck.

“I am going with you, or I’ll scruff you and make sure you don’t leave the dorm. Got it?” Mingi told him in a no-nonsense tone of voice which made Wooyoung shiver.

“Got it, alpha.” Wooyoung said, calming down a bit because he knew if he didn’t, he would be relegated back to the pack den and not allowed to leave unless supervised. Then he’d never get to y/n.

“Let’s go then.” Mingi said, having not taken his shoes off yet, so he was ready to go immediately.

Time Skip back to earlier this morning in the auditionee dorms…

Y/n slept peacefully, until shouts from somewhere else in the apartment woke her up. She stumbled out of bed, throwing on a sweatshirt as she walked to find the source of the noise. It didn’t take long until she found it, a group of the others crowded around a phone. They heard her come in, and before she could process it, she was suddenly looking away from the group. One of the female betas had slapped her. 

“You’re a fucking whore. I bet you’re letting them use you, just so you can become their ninth member. You really think they’ll want you around for more than just a fucktoy? You’re delusional if you think you’re anything more than a toy for them to play around with, and throw away when they get bored of it.”

Y/n felt tears in her eyes but blinked them away, because showing any form of weakness right now, could end with more violence.

“That is your opinion. Though I wouldn’t advise telling that to the members of the group we all have the chance to join. Now I believe we should be getting ready to head to the company, yes? Not standing around reading tabloid news.” She said, before turning around and leaving. But not before she felt something hit the back of her head, feeling the pain bloom from the spot she was hit. But she didn’t want to give them the win by turning around and getting angry at them, so she just continued walking away. 

She ignored any other noises in the dorm as she got ready, waiting for the staff to pick them up. It wasn’t long before a staff member came to their door, directing them to the cars, and Aaron hopped into the seat next to y/n.

“What’s with the images? Like what was going on?” He asked her, curious.

“I was simply taking a break after running choreo and they sat down with me to keep me company, that’s all. There was another staff member in the corner keeping an eye on us, I wasn’t alone with them.” She explained herself honestly but kept it to the point.

“So like you weren’t seconds away from doing anything with them? Even though you’re an omega?” Aaron rudely asked, which made y/n turn to him with a pissed off look.

“No, and I better not hear you ask me things like that again. It’s stereotypical, and you should know that’s fucking offensive. Do I ask you if you do stereotypical beta things? No. So don’t ask me shit like that again.” She told him off, before looking away from him and down at her phone, which was filled with notifications as people found her social media profiles. She quickly moved to turn them private, and tried her best to hide them, while posting for her close friends and family to not believe anything they see online. She spent the rest of the ride ignoring anything happening in the rest of the van.

Once they pulled up to the company, she was one of the first out of the vehicle, though today they weren’t guided to either the practice room, or a studio. Instead they were guided further into the company and into a conference room, where she was kept outside and pulled aside by who she recognized as one of Ateez’s managers.

“First. You don’t need to worry about any accusations from the company about any inappropriate actions, as a staff member was there the entire time. So please know that none of this is your fault, nor the fault of Ateez. We’re deviating from a normal plan today, to try and figure out if any of the others are the cause of this. There’s also suspicion it could be any of those who have been cut, as we have not been as strict on barring them from the company, to which we apologize.” He apologized to her, bowing.

“No no, you didn’t know this would happen, so I don’t blame you. I understand that it’s not an easy job, and the situation you’ve now been placed in doesn’t help.” She replied, being way too understanding, despite the fact that their negligence has resulted in violence against her by her fellow auditionees.

“Is there anyone that you suspect could have done this? Anyone that’s been unfriendly to you?”

“Everyone except Aaron has been unfriendly to me since Seonghwa pulled me away from the group that first day. They believe I’m getting unfair treatment by being able to spend time with the boys one-on-one. So it could be any one of them. I’m sorry I’m not much help.” She said, carefully hiding the fact of what happened that morning.

“Okay, well thank you for letting us know, regardless.” The manager thanked her, “If you want, you can go ahead and head to the practice room if you would like to get some extra practice in. Though the boys won’t be joining you, they’ve been told to stay away from the company for today while we sort things out.” He informed her as she nodded.

“That makes sense, and yes, I’ll head there and practice for a while.” She told him, and he waved her on as the staff that had stayed outside, entered alongside him into the conference room.

She made her way down to the practice room, finding it unlocked. She entered, putting her bag down next to the mirror before starting to stretch and warm up for another rigorous practice. She intended to practice the two choreographies from yesterday, wanting to perfect them so she could show them off to Yunho and San next time. She got into the zone, almost unaware of everything else going on around her. Once warmed up, she ran through the two dances back to back, until she couldn't do anything further, out of energy. She plopped down onto the floor, trying to regulate her breathing as she reached out for her water bottle. She was drinking water to rehydrate, when the door behind her slammed open.

“Baby omega!” Was all she heard before she was tackled onto the ground, hitting her head once again, and she groaned at the impact.

“Wooyoung, we don’t tackle people.” Mingi scolded the hyperactive omega, before pulling him off of y/n so she could sit up again.

She held a hand to the back of her head, and when she pulled it away, there were traces of blood on her palm. She looked down at it, processing the injury on her head, until her hand was harshly pulled out of her view as she heard a whine.

“Baby, did I hurt you? Oh gosh I’m so so sorry!” Wooyoung apologized, worry in his voice before he pulled her into his hold. “Mingi, we need to get her to a doctor!”

“I’m fine, it’s just a tiny wound. I’ll be okay if I wash it out.”

That was before she felt a hand examining her wound. “You need to see a doctor. This isn’t a minor cut.” Mingi said, with a very matter of fact-like tone.

“What?! Oh gosh we need to see a doctor now! Mingi, pick her up and let’s go!” Wooyoung panicked, as Mingi decided it was easier to follow the younger member’s instructions. He picked her up, resulting in a shocked squeak from her as Wooyoung marched the three of them out of the dance room, and out of the company as a whole. As Wooyoung walked over to the alpha’s car and opened the door, the taller man placed y/n gently into the back seat, the other omega having moved to sit in the back next to her. Mingi shut the door, rounding the car and getting in the driver’s seat, before driving to the hospital.

Wooyoung was glad that his fellow pack mate hurried to the nearest hospital. Once they arrived, the same situation happened as y/n was picked up and hurried into the ER, where due to it being an open head injury, she was quickly taken to the back after being registered. To the worried omega’s relief, it wasn’t as serious as it could have been, as the nurses cleaned out the wound before closing the cut and covering it with a bandaid.

“Thankfully, it wasn’t more serious, but be careful washing your hair until the wound is fully closed up, we don’t need it getting infected.” The nurse informed her after she finished. “You are so lucky to have such a nice alpha and fellow omega to bring you here so quickly. Another nurse will be in with papers, and then you’ll be able to leave.” She smiled at all of them before leaving, as y/n tried and failed to correct her in time.

Wooyoung pulled the girl close. “I’m so glad that it wasn’t anything really serious. How long have you had that wound?”

“This morning.” She said quietly. She didn’t need the other omega to go on a warpath against the others.

“This morning!? Who did that to you? Tell me their name. Now.” Wooyoung demanded, moving to stand in front of her.

“It’s fine, it’s not a big deal. It will be dealt with.” She told them, not wanting them to butt into this.

“Wooyoung is right. If it’s one of the others, or anyone else from the company, we can help you with this.” Mingi told her, moving to kneel in front of her. “We may have met not long ago, but we would feel guilty if we weren’t able to help resolve something that may have stemmed from something we’ve done.” He said, trying to get her to see that they just wanted to help.

“It was one of the female betas. She got upset this morning and slapped me. And I assume she’s also the one who threw whatever caused the wound.” She gave in, telling them.

“How fucking dare she. You get slutshamed all over the internet and she does that? Nah she’s fucking out of here right now. I don’t want anyone who will assault others.” Wooyoung said, pulling out his phone to call their manager, moving away from her.

“Has anything else happened because of what was released this morning?” Mingi asked her gently.

“Nothing I haven’t already handled.” She assured him.

Wooyoung quickly returned. “She’s been handled. Turns out she very quickly devolved into insulting you, for a variety of reasons and admitted to hurting you this morning. She’s already been kicked out, and will shortly be headed back to the airport for a flight back to wherever she came from, I didn’t care to listen.”

Thankfully, it was only a couple minutes more until the other nurse arrived with her paperwork, and after a few signatures, she was cleared to leave. This time, Wooyoung carried her, refusing to let her walk despite it not being a leg or foot injury.

“We’re going back to the den.” Wooyoung said, with no room for arguing. Mingi sighed, before driving the three of them back to the pack dorm, or well the largest of the three dorms, so the de-facto pack dorm. This was going to be interesting. Wooyoung had never liked another person, let alone another omega so much that he would bring them back to the pack den. Mingi was sure that this would result in some very surprised pack members.

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[strniohoeee]

ahhh you’re my favorite writer!! can you write something about dad!matt please!! maybe something about the whole family going to the cape

Warm Summers

Pairing: Matt Sturniolo X Female Reader

Synopsis: Fourth of July Weekend calls for fireworks, barbecues and most importantly family. Matt, Y/N and their twins take a trip to the Cape for the holiday weekend☀️

Warnings⚠️: None, this one was kinda cute. Might make more dad Matt fics in the future 😌 to the person that requested this thank you for the support I LOVE YOUUUU😭🖤

Song for Imagine: Tell Me I’m Dreaming- Los Yesterdays

The star make diamonds

Upon your face

The moon smiles down

From outer space

“And the Princess was so so sad because she thought her Prince didn’t want to be with her. He said he was afraid that he would hurt her” I said as I slid the sock on my daughters foot

“No! Mommy… the Princess needs her Prince” She said getting sad

“But then on a rainy cold night the Princess sat in her room, crying and holding her pillow close to her chest. Oh how she wished her Prince would come back” I said as I finished slipping her sneakers on, scooting over to put the socks and sneakers on her twin sister

“And then what?” She practically screeched

“Suddenly a soaking wet Prince ran up her castle stairs and bursted into her room. He fell to his knees crying with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Begging the Princess to take him back and saying how foolish he had been. He said he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her and to make her his Queen” I said watching as her and her sisters eyes lit up

“Did she take him back? Mommy please tell me she took him back” They both screeched as they clung onto their pink stuffed bunnies

“The Princess did! She got up and grabbed the Prince sooo tight and she kissed him” I replied

“Ewwww” they started scrunching their faces up as I laughed

“And they stood there hugging forever. And next thing you know they became King and Queen, they got married and had two twin girls” I replied as I smiled

“Twin girls? Like us!” They said as their eyes lit up

“Just like you both” I responded winking

“Mommy, is that a real story?” they asked

“Yes it is and your daddy was the stupid Prince who almost made the worst decision of his life” Matt suddenly spoke from the bedroom door frame

“DADDYYYYYY” they yelled as they jumped off their beds and into Matt’s embrace. Which caused me to smile

“Daddy you almost didn’t marry mommy? How could you? That’s so silly… she’s the best mama ever” Our daughter asked him

“I know daddy wasn’t so smart when he was younger. I’ll never forget that rainy night. You know that’s why your name is Lluvia. It’s Spanish for rainy season and you so happened to be born during a rainy season” Matt said kissing her on the forehead

“And what about me?” My other daughter asked him

“You’re Luna which is Latin for the moon, the night you both were born it happened to be a full moon and raining” I responded as I took Luna from Matt’s arm

“Mommy and Daddy are so cool” Lluvia squealed as she giggled

“We’re the coolest” I said winking at them

“Now who’s ready for that trip” Matt asked them as they started to jump around in our arms

“MEEEEE” they both yelled

We put them down and let them run down the stairs. Watching to make sure they got to the bottom we both let out a sigh.

Matt looked over at me and pulled me into a hug. Pulling back slightly I leaned in and planted a kiss to his lips.

“I can’t believe we’re 26 with a house and kids” I said reminiscing on our teenage years

Matt and I had been together since we were 18 and friends our whole life. It’s so crazy that this gross sticky boy I used to be neighbors with is the father of my kids and my husband….full circle moment

“Twins at that…. Want one more?” He asked me as he cocked an eyebrow

“With our luck I’d pop out another set of twins or even triplets” I said laughing as I grabbed the girls mini suitcases

“We’d have a herd of Sturniolos” he said giggling

“A herd is insanity, the girls are 4… so another one or two wouldn’t hurt” I said looking over at him

“Good thing we’re all going to be in separate rooms up in the Cod” he responded winking at me

“You are sickkk” I said smacking him playfully

Loading up the car we buckled the girls in. Matt and I’s family always went to Cape Cod during the summer months. It has been a tradition since before we were born. So naturally we thought now was the perfect time to start taking them.

Lucky for us Matt purchased a cabin out there near his parents and my parents so we’d be able to have family get togethers and always be around one another.

Given it was Fourth Of July weekend we thought it was perfect for a whole family get together.

Our hour and a half drive flew by as we spent most of it listening to Disney hits and stopping the girls from fighting with one another. They were just like Matt and his brothers.

We arrived after everyone and settled our stuff into our cabin. Taking the short walk over to his parents where everyone was at.

“Yooooo” Chris said as we walked out back to where everyone was sitting

“Hey guys” I said as I put the girls down

One ran to my mom and the other ran to Mary-Lou. As they hugged their grandparents I said hi to mine and my in laws.

“How was the ride out here?” Jimmy asked Matt

“Not too bad for holiday weekend to be honest” he said opening up the cooler and getting a juice pouch out for each of the girls

“Y/N how are you? Matt driving you crazy?” Justin asked me

“I’m good and honestly he’s been better” I said winking at Matt

Nick came over to play with the girls as I chatted with everyone.

“Okay but who’s the best uncle?” Chris asked Luna

“You both are” Luna said

“What? Not fair I’m better” he said crossing his arms over his chest

“I like Nick the best” Lluvia said as she hugged Nicks arm

“Only because he lets you do whatever you want” Chris said

“nuh uh” she said shaking her head

“Yuh huh” Chris said shaking his head

“He went from fighting with us like a child to fighting with our kids like a child” Matt said laughing

“You’re a meany uncle Chris” Lluvia said sticking her tongue out

“La La La La I can’t hear you” he said covering his ears and sticking his tongue out at her

“Will you quit being a child” Nick said smacking Chris

Giggling at them it was closer to dinner time. We all sat at the large table outside as we chatted.

The girls sat on my lap and Matt sat next to me. Turning our chairs towards each other Matt was feeding the girls while I ate.

Cutting up their hotdogs into bite size pieces he fed them as I held on to them. Wiping their mouth and giving them a sip of their waters

“Babe do you want the rest of my burger”I asked Matt

“Yeah, leave it there I’ll finish it” He said nodding his head

“All done” Matt said in his baby voice as the girls finished eating

“Grandma” Luna said as she began to slide out my arms

“You want to go with grandma” Matt asked her

She nodded her head and rubbed her eyes, anytime Mary Lou was around Luna had to lay on her and fall asleep. Lluvia reached out to my dad and so I gave her to him. Somehow within 10 minutes she landed in Justin’s arms and was dozing off.

Matt sat down and began to eat, standing up I headed over to the cooler and grabbed him a root beer. Opening it up for him I placed it next to his plate.

“Thank you baby” he responded winking at me

“You’re welcome, thank you for feeding them and letting me eat” I said blowing him a kiss

“Always my love” he said taking a sip of his soda

“It’s so funny to me watching you all grow up together. Sitting here at this table since birth and now two of our babies are married with babies” My mom said

“It’s so interesting to watch. I for sure thought Y/N hated all of them. I never imagined Matt and her to end up together” Justin said giggling

“I always thought yall had cooties and that’s why I never liked hanging out with you guys till we got older. I never thought Matt and I would need up together it’s so funny” I responded

“You guys just work so well together, I love you guys” Chris said reaching over and hugging Matt

Laughing at this we all finished our dinner. Having dessert with coffee as we watched the fireworks. The girls enjoy all the pretty colors.

We laid in the grass with the girls as we watched the fireworks. Reminiscing about our past.

We spent the rest of the weekend there jumping between houses for hangouts. And even getting alone time with Matt’s brothers as our parents took the kids. It was beautiful and peaceful, and I loved Matt and the girls with all my heart…

The End

Idk how I feel about this, but I hope you enjoyed it!!!! Can't wait to post more akekekek. Love yall dearly I’m almost at 2,640 followers which is insanity to me. Thank you sooo much🥹🖤🖤

-J💅🏽

[taexual]

sleepwalking ● 6 | jjk

pairing: jungkook x fem!reader

summary: due to unfortunate circumstances, you ended up managing your ex-boyfriend’s band. you thought you’ve both made peace with it, but suddenly he’s very eager to prove to you that first love never dies.

genre: rockstar!jungkook / exes to lovers

warnings: explicit language, mutual pining, SLOW BURN, mentions of smoking and other questionable decisions

words: 9.8k (🤐)

read from the beginning ○ masterlist

chapter 6 ► the fighting that i keep inviting could lead me to my grave

Two 4 AM trains in the span of 48 hours were more than you or Jungkook could handle, so both of you slept through nearly the entire nine-hour ride from Paris to Berlin. You only woke up for the transfer in Mannheim, but barely—hunger carried you both to the train station where you could buy warm pastries before going back to sleep.

By the time the two of you rejoined the band, you felt exhausted and disoriented. Although you didn’t regret the detour to Paris, you still struggled to imagine how Jungkook was going to manage to perform a show in Berlin tonight. You hoped the exhaustion from the trip would numb him down to just the right level of insanity that he’d be able to pull it off.

In any case, you sent him to get some sleep for a few hours before Rated Riot’s soundcheck, while you went to check up on the crew that you’d left unsupervised while you were in Paris.

Unsurprisingly, everything was under control: Seokjin kept a tight grip on the stage management crew—you probably wouldn’t have believed it if you hadn’t seen it time and time again, but someone who joked around at every chance he got still managed to have one of the strongest work ethics on tour—and Namjoon had kept the remaining members of Rated Riot busy.

If you hadn’t been exhausted to the point of confusion, you might have felt offended about how little you were needed here.

Half an hour later, Luna found you stumbling back into the tour bus.

“How was the wedding?” she asked straight away.

She wasn’t the type to conceal her eagerness when she was particularly curious about something—it was not even the wedding in this case, but your confrontation with Jungkook—but she still made sure to help you climb up the bus steps before you tumbled backwards and broke your neck.

You were far too tired to understand the expectations that hid behind her question, however, as you mumbled dejectedly, “I caught the bouquet.”

“You—” she began to say and then burst into laughter so unexpectedly that the roadie, who’d been unloading the stage equipment outside the bus, flinched in surprise. “You caught the bouquet! Of course, you caught the fucking bouquet.”

You wondered if you were too out of it to understand why this was so funny to her that she couldn’t stop laughing the entire ride to the venue, but you lacked the energy to ask.

“There was no ex,” you said as you glided towards your bunk while your amused friend stood back, covering up the sharp angles on your way with her hand. “Sid was just being an idiot. If I see him—well, I probably won’t do anything because I don’t know what the laws for assault are in Germany—are we in Germany? I’m so tired.”

Noticing your haphazard stream of thoughts, Luna pulled herself together and stopped laughing—but only for a short while—as she helped you reach your bunk.

“We are in Germany,” she confirmed. “Although I’m not sure where you are. How about you take a quick nap while the band does their soundcheck?”

“No, no. I have things to do now that I’m back. To make up for leaving.”

“Things are fine,” she assured you. You knew she was right, but your guilt was persistent. “Nothing fell apart while you were gone. The guys took care of themselves just fine. You’ve raised them well.”

You acknowledged the joke with a small, tired smile. That was good enough for Luna, who was starting to get worried your condition would require medical attention, considering how adamantly you were resisting her attempts to sit you down in your bunk—despite looking like you may fall asleep standing up.

“Are you sure?” you asked again.

“I am,” she said. “Sleep, okay? We’ll be fine.”

Somewhere deep in your exhausted subconsciousness, you realised how unprofessional it would be to take a nap while the band you managed went to the soundcheck on their own. But your eyes were closing without your say so, and you hardly could have helped anyone in a state like this anyway.

When you woke up several hours later, Rated Riot were doing their Meet & Greet according to schedule, and you felt much better—or, at least, good enough to return to your regular duties. You grabbed a Snickers bar from the mini-fridge, and then went out of the bus and into the venue.

As it turned out, it was only the stage management crew and the producers who had kept things in control; they were the ones who hadn’t noticed your absence. Unfortunately, everyone else had.

Luna was kind when she told you that nothing fell apart while you were gone.

Some things wobbled, and there were several rushed phone calls you had to make to fix it—namely, to make up for one of the interviews that Rated Riot missed because they were doing another interview, which wasn’t initially scheduled— but you were grateful for all of it. The sudden rush of adrenaline completely woke you up.

Meanwhile, Jungkook was doing jumping jacks in the changing room to keep himself awake after he managed to survive the Meet & Greet. It wasn’t terrible—it was, actually, very inspiring as these events tended to be—but he couldn’t stop apologising to the fans for his incessant yawning. It just wasn’t right. He was better than that—the fans deserved his complete presence.

The other Rated Riot members were getting snacks at the buffet on the first floor; they planned to go exploring Berlin for an hour or two before the show. Aware of that, Sid, Jude, and Minjun found their way into the changing room.

Their arrival stopped Jungkook’s exercise before they even announced their entrance. For a minute, the four of them regarded each other in complete silence.

Even Jude was quiet this time. As it turned out, his earlier sneezing was a lesser-known withdrawal symptom that one night out in the city seemed to fix—at least that’s what he informed everyone in the group chat. Jungkook wanted to know nothing about it; he rarely drew lines with his friends, but he drew one here. His preferred method of intoxication had always been alcohol and cigarettes, he never needed more thrills.

“Well!” Jungkook finally exclaimed. “If it isn’t my four-thousand dollars.”

Even if his friends hadn’t seen you two leave together the other day, everyone travelling with Rated Riot was aware that the manager of the band was going to be gone for a day, because she was taking a trip to Paris with Jungkook.

Sid mumbled something incoherent while Jude shook his head, and Minjun just stood there, hands in his pockets. He was the one who spoke up first, glancing between the three other boys.

“It seems like he won fair and square,” he said to Sid and Jude, both of whom appeared to be looking for loopholes. “I see no appeals.”

“That’s right,” Jungkook declared. “I did win fair. Even though some of you tried to play dirty.”

He only glanced at Sid as he said this—the insinuation obvious enough—but his friend reacted like he’d been shot.

“I didn’t even say anything to her!” he defended. Jungkook couldn’t help a knowing grin—he hadn’t even said anything about Sid talking to you. Irritably, Sid continued, “and how did you even win, exactly? We bet on a date, not a—whatever the fuck you two did.”

“We went on a date,” Jungkook said again, taking pride in his calm tone and the way it seemed to cause steam to come out of Sid’s ears. “To a wedding. Do I get an extra $500 for how romantic that is?”

Really, he didn’t care about the extra money. He cared about Sid’s reaction—and it was satisfying. The older boy rolled his eyes and kept toying with his hands: crossing, then uncrossing them, stuffing them in his pockets, then resting them on the back of a chair in front of him.

Finally, he said, “you went as friends.”

“She was my date,” Jungkook reiterated. “That’s how weddings work. You don’t bring friends, you bring dates.”

“That’s not—” Jude tried to interject, but Sid extended a dangerous hand and cut him off with this gesture alone.

“Did you kiss her at the end of this date?” he asked, the last word sounding more like a synonym for a massacre than a romantic night out on his lips.

Jungkook frowned at him. “How is that relevant to the bet?”

“It’s the most important part. That’s the one thing that separates your—your outing from actual dates.”

Jungkook swallowed and looked at his other friends. Jude seemed distracted, not paying much attention to the conversation at all, while Minjun just appeared uncomfortable like he had the first time he found out about the bet. Neither of them jumped to his side or even offered a sympathetic nod.

“That wasn’t what we talked about when we agreed to the bet,” Jungkook said. His voice lacked certainty and Sid picked up on it immediately.

“That’s literally how dates go,” he said and broke off into a leisurely stroll around the changing room. His previous resentment had long but faded as he explained, “you spend time together, you talk, whatever—then you kiss.”

“Sid, my man,” Minjun waited until Sid stopped walking, then patted him on the back, mocking comfort. “This reasoning is not on your side at all.”

“Yeah,” Jude agreed, snorting. “By this logic, you’ve never been on a single date in your whole life.”

Sid pushed his tongue into his cheek in annoyance, and even Jungkook grinned as the two boys high-fived over Sid’s head.

“It was a date,” Jungkook repeated once more. “Stop looking for ways out of it and go get my money.”

Jude pushed his hand into his back pocket where he kept his wallet—this didn’t seem to faze him much; for someone who had an abundance of it, this was just money—but Sid extended his hand again, signalling for him to stop. Clearly, it wasn’t just money for him. It was a matter of pride.

“Dude, you have got to stop doing that,” Jude said as Sid’s arm smacked him on the chest. “I’m not a fucking dog.”

Ignoring him, Sid narrowed his eyes at Jungkook. “You went to that wedding as friends and you know it.”

“Actually, thanks to you, I barely went to that wedding at all,” Jungkook shot back. He took one step closer to Sid with each sentence that followed, “but I did. And I took her as my date. Just like I said I would. So, pay up.”

By the time he finished speaking, he was right in front of him—and, therefore, had the best seats in the house to witness Sid actually hesitate, likely for the first time in his life.

Still, Sid clicked his tongue and said, “I don’t think so.”

Throwing his head back with a groan, Jungkook placed his hands on his hips.

“Sounds like you’re too idiotic to admit you lost,” he said. “Now what?”

He’d meant the question for the rest of his friends, but it was Sid who needed less than two seconds to offer a solution.

“We’ll use a referee,” he said, turning around. “Minjun?”

Clearly not having expected to be assigned this role, Minjun opened his mouth in surprise, then closed it again.

“What—why do I have to referee?” he asked after a moment. “I wasn’t even there when you made the bet.”

“That’s exactly why,” Sid said. “Jungkook, Jude and I are involved. You’re the only one who can be impartial.”

Jungkook didn’t protest; he didn’t see the point. Minjun was more level-headed than Sid, so he liked those odds. Not to mention, he’d always had a different friendship with Minjun, one that actually felt like a friendship. So, he only shrugged when Minjun glanced at him as if asking if he agreed with this.

Noticing this, Sid wondered, for a split-second, if Minjun really could be as impartial as he thought he’d be (and he’d thought that, of course, Minjun would swing more in his direction—all of Sid’s friends did, that’s why they were his friends).

“Fine,” Minjun decided, making his way to the middle of the changing room. “Sit down. Tell us about the date.”

All three of them obediently relocated to the couch. Jungkook had to sit on the armrest because Sid and Jude took up the entirety of the loveseat with their exceptional talent at manspreading.

“What else do you want me to say?” he asked. “I already told you everything.”

“That was barely anything,” Sid protested next to him.

Jungkook was about to argue back, but Minjun spoke first, “Sid’s right. I need to know more details so I can make an informed decision.”

Jungkook didn’t know if that was fair—he’d taken you out on a date, he’d won—and he didn’t want to share anything else with them. This seemed like Sid’s way to rile him up even more, and the rest of his friends played along with it.

“We went to a wedding,” he said.

“You already said that,” Minjun pointed out.

“Okay,” Jungkook clenched his jaw. Then added, “we took a train to get there.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Jude was the one who got annoyed first as he groaned and locked his hands behind his head. “If that’s all you did, you definitely didn’t go to that wedding as dates. You barely went as friends, my man.”

Offended, Jungkook shuffled in his seat, trying to throw one leg over the other, but nearly losing his balance on the armrest as he did. He settled back into his previous stoic position.

“That’s—that’s not all we did,” he said awkwardly.

“Okay, so what else?” Minjun encouraged. “Did you talk?”

“No, we mimed to make it more fun,” he deadpanned. “Of course, we fucking talked. We talked the whole time on the train.”

Ignoring his wit, Minjun gave a thoughtful nod. “Okay. So, that’s what? Fifteen hours of non-stop talking? That’s a point for Jungkook.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Sid immediately perked up, leaning forward with so much force that he nearly knocked Jungkook off the armrest. “But how do we know he’s not lying to us?”

Jungkook thought he might start throwing things. He wasn’t sure how he felt about whatever this was, but it sure reminded him of an interrogation, and he couldn’t help feeling defensive—to the point of physical violence if that’s what it took. But Minjun took his role as a referee very seriously.

“Because I have to pry information about this date out of him,” he said. Sid leaned back in his seat, smacking his lips in resignation. Minjun added, this time throwing a warning look at Jungkook, “and because if he says something I have a hard time believing, I’ll go straight to the other source.”

Jungkook widened his eyes, near-frantic. “You can’t ask her. She’ll kick me out of the band. She’ll never fucking speak to me again!”

Unsure which consequence Jungkook was more afraid of, Minjun nodded and said, gentler now, “then don’t lie.”

“I haven’t lied once,” he argued, picking up a decorative pillow off the floor—it must have fallen there when the two boys sat down on the couch—and tossing it at Sid, who caught it before it hit his face. “Your distrustful ass needs to shut up and quit whining. You fucking lost.”

“I didn’t fucking—”

“Focus,” Minjun said firmly—like a teacher, trying to discipline unruly kindergartners. “Jungkook. What did you talk about? How many mentions of your feelings for each other?”

Jungkook closed his eyes at the question, pushing his chin forward, an expression of blatant disbelief on his face.

“How many mentions of—what the fuck?” he spoke, unable to repeat the question without scoffing. He opened his eyes to look at each one of his friends. “Have any of you ever been on a real date?”

“I’d be on one right now if we weren’t holding court about a fucking bet,” Jude mumbled, his stare vacant as he clearly shifted in and out of focus on this conversation.

“I take it no mentions, then,” Minjun concluded.

“Of course, no mentions,” Jungkook groaned, throwing his hands in the air. “Who the fuck—”

“1-1,” Minjun declared, cutting him off. Cursing under his breath at the ridiculous, almost unrealistic turn that this bet had taken, Jungkook pushed himself deeper into the armrest, his side purposefully digging into Sid’s. Minjun asked, “how much time did you spend together—just the two of you—excluding the time on the train?”

“Wh—okay,” the vocalist inhaled, figuring he’d have to actually answer this one or else his friend would vote in Sid’s favour again. “We took a cab to the wedding. And walked around the Champs-Elysées.”

“Good, good,” Minjun nodded. “Was there any sort of—"

“Wait,” Jungkook stopped him, “don’t I get a point for that?”

“For what?” Sid interjected. “Walking down the street with her?”

“It wasn’t a fucking—”

“You get half a point,” Minjun said. “Now was there any sort of physical touching? Any hugs? Embraces?”

Again, Jungkook was forced to give his friends questioning looks. He felt incredulous—not just because it was starting to seem likely that he’d lose the bet, but also because they were forcing him to share the parts of his life that he’d never shared with anyone other than you before.

“You’re exploiting the shit out of me right now,” he said.

Minjun groaned and proceeded to curse as he spun around his axis, finally losing patience—not with Jungkook per se. He was just tired of being the middleman in a very stupid, childish game.

“We’re literally trying to find out if you were on a date or not,” he said louder. “Why is it so hard for you to just answer the questions and get this over with?”

“Because it’s my fucking business!” Jungkook snapped, jumping to his feet. “We never agreed that I’d have to share any details about the date. Just the fact that there even was a date was supposed to be enough.”

“But we don’t know if there was a date,” Sid argued—in every way that Jungkook appeared agitated right now, Sid came off as victorious. He knew this wasn’t looking good for Jungkook. “That’s the whole point.”

“Why the fuck would I take her to Paris,” he demanded, aware that he was yelling now, “if not for a fucking date?!”

“Because you’re in love with her,” Sid shot back. The relative calmness of his voice in comparison to his only pissed Jungkook off more.

Both of them were standing now, but Sid, who was only taller by a few centimetres, somehow always had the upper hand—not just in this conversation, but in their friendship, too.

In barely fifteen minutes, the tables had turned completely, and Jungkook was the one losing control of himself.

“That has nothing to do with—oh my God,” he covered his face with his hands and turned his back to his friends, giving up. “Okay. Fine. I can’t do this shit.”

“So, you admit defeat?” Sid asked—Jungkook could hear the grin on his friend’s face without looking at him.

“I admit nothing,” he grumbled.

“If you can’t prove it was a date, you lose.”

Turning around to look at him, Jungkook shrugged with exaggerated intensity as he asked through a humourless laugh, “how would I prove it? Everything I say sounds like a joke to you three.”

“I wasn’t laughing,” Jude spoke up suddenly—another return to the home planet—and then mumbled, “you’re not very funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be—” Jungkook stopped and inhaled sharply. He’d grown tired of playing this courtroom drama with the three of them. “Alright. I need to get ready for the show.”

All three of his friends understood the subtle indication that Jungkook was kicking them out of the changing room—Minjun turned towards the door and Jude stood up from the couch. But Sid stood still.

“The keys,” he said.

Jungkook frowned. “What?”

“Hand over the keys.”

Clenching his jaw, Jungkook kept eye contact with him for a minute before saying firmly, “I’m not handing you anything.”

“You lost the bet,” Sid said—his voice gaining a dangerous edge now that Jungkook wasn’t complying. “The Katana is mine.”

Jungkook pursed his lips as he continued to stare defiantly into his friend’s eyes.

“If I can’t prove it was a date,” he said, “then you can’t prove it wasn’t.”

The two of them watched each other for another minute until Sid licked his lips and nodded, signalling that—for once—he agreed to disagree.

“Alright,” he said, looking around the room. Jungkook did not feel relief. He felt tension. “I see how it is. How about we adjust the conditions of the bet, then?”

Even though he was sure he didn’t want to know, Jungkook still asked, “what does that mean?”

“If you manage to get back together with her,” Sid proposed, “we’ll all pay you $5000 each.”

Just as Jungkook lifted his eyebrows, Minjun furrowed his, declaring right away, “don’t include me in your shit.”

“Fine,” Sid agreed. Then clarified to Jungkook, “Jude and I will pay you $5000 each.”

It took Jude a moment to react, and he, too, tried to back out of this. “I don’t think I—”

“You were in the original bet,” Sid said, shooting a warning look his way, “you can’t get out now.”

Jude wasn’t very pleased with having to go through this again—even if the first bet didn’t, technically, cost him anything. He relented, though, because he always did, “fine, you bitch.”

Sid looked back at Jungkook, waiting for his response.

Aware of the predicament that he’d found himself in—or, rather, that Sid had manipulated him in—Jungkook crossed his arms on his chest and took his time before speaking up.

“And if I disagree?” he asked.

“Well, you have two options here,” Sid said, “either you give the keys to me because you lost the previous bet, or you hand the keys over to Minjun, our impartial referee, while I wait for you to lose this updated bet.”

Minjun rolled his eyes again, annoyed that he still couldn’t escape being involved in Sid’s game.

Jungkook, on the other hand, needed another minute. He’d definitely prefer to give Minjun the keys—just because he knew Minjun might give them back to him.

“So, just to be clear,” Jungkook started slowly, “you’re saying that if I get back together with her, I’m keeping the Katana and getting 10K?”

“Yes,” Sid confirmed. “And if you don’t, the bike’s ours. We’ll find good use for it. How does that sound?”

Like signing your soul over for the devil, that’s how it sounded.

Jungkook shook his head. A date was a date, he thought you would find a way to let that slide if you accidentally found out. But his relationship with you wasn’t for sale.

“I don’t think so,” he said.

Sid took it well, merely shrugging as he extended his hand, palm up. “Well, then hand over the keys.”

Agitated again, Jungkook smacked his palm against Sid’s. “Get out of here. I’m not fucking—”

“You lost the bet,” Sid repeated, enunciating each word so loudly, it cut Jungkook off. “The Katana is fucking mine, I’m just generous enough to give you another chance to win it back.”

“It’s not fucking yours.”

“He’s right,” Jude spoke up again—very unhappy that he was only remembered when the topic turned to him paying. “It’s technically ours.”

“It’s mine,” Jungkook said, taking a moment to look at both, Sid and Jude, as he repeated, “I didn’t lose.”

“Then you have no choice,” Sid concluded. “The bet is ongoing.”

“How is it ongoing?” he argued. “It’s one thing to go on a date—”

“Which you didn’t,” Sid interjected.

“—which I did,” Jungkook countered, his eyes burning with a flame so angry, it was almost a miracle Sid didn’t immediately catch fire. “But you’re suggesting a completely different thing now. Starting a relationship is not the same. Especially if it’s a relationship with someone you already dated before.”

“I know,” Sid said, seemingly unbothered. Jungkook wondered why, because his friend didn’t look pleased, either. He didn’t look like he’d tricked him, like he knew he’d win for sure.

Clearly then, Sid had to think that the odds of winning this bet were, more or less, equal for both of them. That had to mean that a part of him believed that Jungkook could really get back together with you.

Consequently, Jungkook realised that Sid wasn’t, really, suggesting anything at all. He was simply telling him that this was how it was going to be from now on.

“I can’t do that just randomly,” he said. “I can’t just approach her and ask her this. It’s—”

“Two weeks,” Sid said. “That enough for you?”

Jungkook swallowed.

Even though he wanted this, he knew that attempting to get back together with you now could jeopardize everything that you’ve done in the past two years as Rated Riot’s manager. Jungkook didn’t think he wanted to burn down the same bridges that the two of you had built back from the ground up.

That being said, there was a glimmer of hope—very obscure, barely there, not even visible, really, just faintly humming somewhere about his chest—that you would get back together, and his reward wouldn’t just be $10 000.

It’d also be a future with you; the very same one that he could sense in Paris.

He knew he didn’t need a bet to bring this future to the present. If anything, the bet might hinder the progress of your relationship. But if there was a possibility that he’d get everything: you, his bike, and the defeat of Sid; if there was a possibility that, for once, the idiot would lose and all of his shit-talking would come back to make him miserable… Jungkook was on the edge of considering it.

Smirking as the younger boy bit his lip in anxious contemplation, Sid looked at the other two guys in the room and announced cheerfully, “you’re actually doubting this!”

“I’m not doubting the time frame,” Jungkook said. “I’m doubting if you’ll keep your end of the deal since you’re very much fucking me over right now.”

Sid rolled his eyes.

“We can write the conditions down and have Minjun stamp it if that makes you feel better,” he said.

Minjun—the designated lawyer, apparently—groaned, but did not audibly object. This wasn’t a conversation involving him—it barely involved Jude, who was, technically, part of the bet—so he stood back and watched the face-off on the sidelines.

“Stamp it with what?” Jungkook asked, finding this excessive. “Our blood?”

“Anything that makes you feel better.”

Jungkook brought his tongue over his teeth as he thought this over.

He couldn’t do this.

But how could he not? If he gave his bike up now, if he dropped out of the bet, Sid would be free to find you and tell you about it—acting like he didn’t mean it. Like he was just showing off the bike that Jungkook gave him, and the bet simply came up. And then, not only would Jungkook lose his Katana, but he’d definitely lose you, too.

No, he had to be the one who told you about this in hopes that, once your initial anger faded, you would cooperate with him. Not for the Katana, but to make Sid fail. And maybe that could be what brought you together, what made you stay together even after the bet ended.

It’s the only way he could win.

Sighing, he asked. “What are the conditions?”

“First of all,” Sid started—glancing at Minjun who pulled his phone out to write it down. iPhones seemed more formal than bar napkins and Jungkook bit his lip, realising this was serious as Sid dictated the rules, “you both have to be aware that you’re back together.”

“That’s already a given.”

“Not with you it isn’t, you sneaky shit,” Sid disagreed, the seemingly innocent smile on his face concealing his anger about not having gotten his way with the first bet.

“Fine,” Jungkook agreed and immediately offered his own condition, “then you can’t talk to her about the bet or attempt to ruin this for me. Just sit back and wait until it’s over.”

Sid considered this. “Alright. But you can’t tell her anything, either. If I find out that the two of you plotted against me, the deal’s off and the bike is mine.”

Jungkook was the one who needed a minute this time.

Obviously, Sid had single-handedly ruined a plan that, Jungkook now realised, wasn’t very well-developed to begin with. But Sid’s satisfied mug pushed him to clench his jaw and agree anyway.

“Fine,” he settled. “I won’t tell her anything.”

It could still be okay, he hoped. He would just have to find a different way.

Perhaps, he thought suddenly, he could drag this out long enough that Sid would forget about it. Even two weeks could be plenty if enough happened to distract him—or if Jungkook stopped talking about it altogether.

Both boys looked over at Minjun, who typed for two more seconds, then looked up at each of them and nodded.

“The keys,” Sid reminded Jungkook.

Groaning, he pulled them out and passed them over to Minjun who had the decency to look apologetic as he took them from him.

“So,” Sid continued then, grinning mischievously as he extended his hand. “Do we shake on it?”

Jungkook knew he had a big head when it came to talking about this, but he also knew that actually making this happen would be a true challenge. He wasn’t sure if he could do this. He was sure he didn’t want to do this.

But if he succeeded—fuck—he’d get you back. There was hardly anything else in this world he would still want. Maybe a nice meal every now and then, but he’d make do with dry ramen noodles until the end of his days if he had to.

Fuck.

He liked his odds; the date at Kihyun’s wedding went well, after all. But Jungkook could also recall—very vividly—you telling him that you didn’t believe in second chances. Not to mention, you’d been very explicit when you’d asked him not to lie to you again.

Fuck.

“You’re sure taking your sweet time,” Sid teased, his hand still hanging in the air. “Not so sure of yourself anymore?”

It had to get worse before it got better, Jungkook told himself.

He had to agree to this, first of all, to find a way out. Then, he had to win to turn this bet into a distant memory with minimal consequences, to make it almost like it never even happened before—without you knowing, without him losing his bike, without Sid fucking winning.

And, most importantly, through this, he had to find his way back to you.

“Oh, I’m sure,” he lied—he did it well and he could tell, based on the way Sid narrowed his eyes when Jungkook’s palm touched his. “You’re fucking pitiful. But I’m still going to win this.”

Jungkook was worried he’d have a hard time performing after agreeing to the bet, but the concert in Berlin, surprisingly, worked as a distraction.

He sensed the irony: once, he’d used the bet to distract him from the anxiety of the tour. Now he had to perform in order to distract himself from the bet.

Still, once the show finished, Minjun saw the vacancy behind Jungkook’s eyes, and it unsettled him. Wanting to take his friend’s mind off this, he suggested getting drinks once the bus arrived in Copenhagen.

Jungkook took that to assume it’d only be the two of them going out, leaving Sid and Jude to occupy themselves with something else, and he didn’t mind that at all.

But this was where unforeseen circumstances altered their plans.

While the band was having after-show drinks backstage in Berlin, the crew dismantled the stage set: several bars of batten were dropped, causing minor injuries for the staff members in charge of the deconstruction. They didn’t need medical attention, thankfully, but the equipment had been broken—decorative light fixtures with Rated Riot’s logo that were supported on the battens had shattered and the metal pipe constructions had come apart.

You were informed that it would take approximately two hours to salvage what was fixable and load the equipment back onto the buses before you could leave for Copenhagen. Naturally, you were concerned about the state of the staff—if they could even drive after this—but they assured you they were fine. Still, you insisted they rested after having reassembled the equipment and assessed the damage.

Finally, everyone settled on leaving Berlin at five or six in the morning—that gave you, at least, five more hours in the city.

While this might turn out to be a logistical challenge for you and the rest of the roadies, it was an opportunity for Minjun, who immediately pulled Jungkook outside, already looking up the closest bars.

“No time like the present,” he’d said after Jungkook questioned what happened to getting drinks in Denmark. “We grab something here, get some sleep, and then grab something else once we arrive.”

Most unfortunately, Sid and Jude also saw this as an opportunity to get drunk, and did not hesitate to invite themselves to join the other two boys.

Technically, Jungkook and Minjun didn’t even realise that they weren’t the only ones entering the bar until Sid ordered them to get a table while he and Jude went to get drinks.

They were always the ones who picked the drinks for the night, and, for the first time in his life, Jungkook felt a little concerned—Sid and Jude always, without a fail, chose the drinks with the highest alcohol concentration.

“Why do you care?” Minjun asked as the two of them settled in the booth of the bar. “You’ve only passed out drunk, maybe, three times in your whole life.”

“I haven’t slept properly in two days,” Jungkook said. “So the fourth time might be tonight. And if that happens—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll personally carry you home,” Minjun replied. “I’m not getting your girl involved.”

“What girl?” Sid asked, returning with a tray. The question was unnecessary, really; he was already grinning anyway. “Last time I checked, she wanted nothing to do with you and only went to Paris with you out of—”

“One more word about it,” Jungkook said, “and I’m leaving you stranded in Germany.”

“Sensitive,” Sid commented and sat down next to him while Jude climbed into the booth next to Minjun. “Alright. Let’s get you loosened up, you’re awfully uptight.”

Minjun noticed that whatever Jungkook prepared to respond with wasn’t going to be pretty. He wanted to avoid confrontation and pushed the highball glass towards him.

While Jungkook drank, Minjun made sure to shift the topic: staying close enough to the bet so that Sid would remain entertained, but making sure to drift away from you, so Jungkook wouldn’t be triggered, either.

“How’s the engine on your Katana?” he asked. “All good?”

The question seemed innocent enough, but Jungkook saw through this plan as he swallowed his drink. He gave his friend a look—Minjun wasn’t sure if it was grateful or just confused—as he put his glass down and wiped his mouth with the back of his palm.

“It’s fine,” he said. “The oil’s leaking, though. I still don’t know why.”

“The gasket has worn out, probably,” Jude offered right away. If he didn’t have a trust fund bigger than ideas what to do with it, he might have genuinely considered becoming a mechanic.

“It couldn’t have,” Jungkook said. “I just changed it.”

“Did you change all the plugs, too?” Sid asked. He could tell from the look in Jungkook’s eyes as he took another sip instead of answering that he hadn’t. “You don’t know how to take care of it properly. I told you that you should have let me look at it. It’s why I’m going to be—”

“You break everything you touch,” Jude accused before Sid could elaborate further. “Let me take a look at it when we get back.”

Jungkook’s three friends – although significantly wealthier than he was – had always had a soft spot for anything that had wheels. It started out with tuning their bikes when they were fifteen and turned into purchasing their own vehicles when they got older: which meant Sid, Jude, and Minjun getting their first cars at seventeen, and Jungkook purchasing his Katana as soon as he made enough money for it. Minjun had known this when he asked the question that started the conversation.

And so, for the next hour and a half, the four of them immersed themselves in a discussion about Jungkook’s Katana, Sid’s vast collection of chevies (nevermind that he’d inherited the first Chevrolet from his grandfather, and the rest were gifted to him by his parents), and Jude’s latest hobby: restoring his 2002 Nissan Skyline after he’d wrecked it drag-racing.

“See, I knew no one should let you drive,” Sid said—he’d already had five drinks at that point and was, therefore, rocking gently in his seat.

“You’re one to fucking talk” Jude heated up, equally as drunk. “You can’t tell the wheel from your ass.”

Jungkook snickered as he sipped his drink.

Minjun took over the argument, “you’re both shit, actually. As far as I remember, Jungkook and I won most of our races. But I was driving in all of them, of course.”

Here, Jungkook raised his head, his eyebrows furrowed in offence.

“Not true,” he said indignantly. “I was driving at least once when we won.”

Minjun gave him a look. “You crashed into a wall that time.”

“We still won, though.”

“Because Sid dented someone’s fence and lost a tire a minute before you!”

“Still,” Jungkook said with a pout that he was not aware of. Then, he added a very important, “I’m not that bad of a driver.”

There was irony in Minjun’s laugh as he shook his head and began to list off the consequences of their win, “both of us had whiplash. The car was totalled. Your girlfriend nearly left you.”

Jungkook put his glass down with more force than intended—any mention of you sent a signal into his subconsciousness, as it seemed. “Okay, that’s—that’s a different thing.”

“How is that a different thing?” Minjun did not relent. “You’d even named the car after her.”

“Are you implying I crashed it because I’d named it after her?”

“I’m saying if you can’t drive a car you named after your girl, then how can you—”

“You know what?” Sid cut in, growing bored. He pulled his phone out and nearly dropped it as he smacked his elbow into the edge of the table. Hissing in pain, he lifted his phone off the settee and clutched his arm, “fucking shit. God. We need a new race to settle it. You and Minjun wouldn’t be on the same team for once. You think we could rent out cars here?”

He was already browsing on his phone when Minjun snorted. “Definitely not at four in the morning.”

“We could do it tomorrow,” Jude suggested. Sid nodded right away. Jude pointed his glass at his friend’s phone and said, “look up rental places in Denmark.”

If Jungkook wasn’t so tired—and the two Manhattans he’d consumed didn’t help, either—he would have been surprised that Jude knew his European countries well enough to recognize Copenhagen as the capital of Denmark. Instead, he pulled his own phone out of his pocket.

“Actually,” he said then. “Maybe we should go. The bar closes soon, and we have to get back to the bus.”

Sid lifted his eyebrows and looked at his friends for support—Jude was already gathering his belongings, and Minjun was already halfway out of the booth, too.

“Wow,” Sid said, despite being the only one who had a problem with Jungkook’s statement. “What’d she do to you? You’re no fun.”

“I agree with him,” Minjun cut in before Jungkook could say—or throw, as he clutched his empty glass—anything else. “We should go.”

Rolling his eyes and grunting about how boring everyone had gotten in Europe, Sid pushed past them to exit the booth and headed to the bathroom before they left. Minjun made him swear not to drink anything else on his way back, and the rest of the boys went outside to wait.

Meanwhile, you had been busy helping the roadies out—before they politely escorted you outside, claiming that they were stressed out by the endless phone calls you were getting from the label after they heard of the problems with the stage set—so you hadn’t seen Jungkook leave with his friends.

But Maggie—friend, tour photographer, social drinker with an alcohol tolerance that could have knocked Jungkook out—had spotted them. And it gave her a wonderful idea the second she saw you lingering by the exit of the venue.

“Since we’re stuck in Berlin,” she had announced to you, “let’s do something with it.”

It had sounded like a suggestion only for a second—immediately after she said it, she grabbed your hand and pulled you after herself to find Luna. It wouldn’t have been a proper night out if the three of you weren’t together.

Not many bars were still open at nearly four in the morning, but Maggie seemed to have a radar—the three of you were in a booth at the very back of some half-deserted pub before the remaining 20% of your phone battery could run out.

“I don’t think I should have left, to be honest,” you said, your hand hesitating around the cocktail glass that Maggie had ordered for you as soon as you walked inside. “We were having kind of a crisis back there.”

“You weren’t doing anything,” Maggie replied. She was sitting next to you and leaned over to pat your back in a comforting manner as she admitted, “I overheard Otto call Seokjin to come pick you up and get you out of there.”

Otto was one of the roadies and Seokjin’s right hand backstage. You didn’t know he initiated your removal from the venue, and you didn’t particularly like being excluded when you thought you could have been helpful. Clearly, the stage management team thought otherwise.

“I’m with Maggie,” Luna said; she knew you’d expect her to back you up, so she spoke before you could. “If something happens, you can still go back. A few drinks won’t hurt.”

“Yeah, and besides,” Maggie raised her glass, “if the boys get to drink, we should, too.”

The two girls laughed at this, clinking their glasses—it seemed like an appropriate toast—but you needed another minute in your managerial role before you could fully detach yourself.

“What do you mean?” you asked. “Who’s drinking?”

You directed your attention at Luna—your gaze inquiring about her boyfriend’s whereabouts—and she swallowed her drink before speaking. “I don’t know. Taehyung is asleep on the bus.”

“It’s Jungkook,” Maggie answered you. “I saw him leave with his friends.”

You closed your eyes, realising that you should have expected this.

Everything seemed to have been decided for you – you weren’t required back at the venue and you couldn’t, exactly, stumble around the streets of Berlin in search of Jungkook and his friends, either.

If anything, you were required here as your friends watched you expectantly.

They were right, really. A few drinks weren’t going to be a problem if you’d get a call (that is, if your phone wouldn’t die until then). And you were tired, anyway—to the point where sleep evaded you sometimes, just because you craved it so much. Alcohol might even help in this case.

However, as soon as you finally tasted the cocktail in your glass, you heard someone clear their throat behind you. You glanced at your friends first—they were either lifting their eyebrows (in Maggie’s case) or rolling their eyes (in Luna’s)—then you swallowed and turned around.

“What a coincidence!” Sid exclaimed when your eyes met.

A part of you—a dark impulse that you didn’t try particularly hard to control—wanted to toss your remaining drink right at him; like holy water at a possessed child. Begone, demon.

Before you could react, however, Jungkook rushed into the bar from outside. You merely had enough time to grasp what was happening—the bar that Maggie had picked happened to be the same one that Jungkook and his friends had been drinking in—before Jungkook pulled on Sid’s shoulder, forcefully dragging him away from you.

“He was just leaving,” he said briskly.

Sid tried to resist, but Jungkook had more strength—and far more determination. “I wasn’t. I’m actually—”

“He’s leaving,” Jungkook repeated with a strictness in his voice that you weren’t sure you’d heard before.

“What are you even doing here?” Sid whined at his friend as he was tossed to a side that was furthest away from you. “I thought you were waiting outside.”

“You took too long,” Jungkook mumbled. “Go.”

Sid groaned, but allowed the younger boy to literally drag him away. Once Minjun was close enough, he took over and grabbed the side of Sid’s jacket, pushing him through the door of the bar.

Jungkook looked back at you and gave you a small nod—as though encouraging you to stay with your friends instead of going after him to check up on him. You nodded back, thus allowing him to walk outside after Sid.

Jungkook was fuming.

Things had been going well tonight; he’d actually had a nice night with his friends and even forgot that these were the same people who pushed him into this bet.

But then he was forced to watch—in horror—as Sid approached you back at the bar, and he remembered everything.

So, while Sid pushed Minjun off of himself, Jungkook snarled, “I thought it was clear that you can’t fucking talk to her.”

Sid only shrugged and pulled out a cigarette from a pack inside his jacket pocket. “I just went over to say hi.”

“Don’t.”

Sid rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t going to mention the bet,” he spoke and offered cigarettes to Jude and Minjun first, then to Jungkook. All three of them took one each. Sid lit his up and continued, “you can’t forbid me from talking to her altogether.”

“Actually, I can,” Jungkook replied, still irritated that he hadn’t been there—once again—to stop Sid from approaching you. “And that’s exactly what I’m doing now.”

Despite the argument, Jungkook took Sid’s lighter when he offered it to him. In doing so, he realised that the paradox of this situation summarised their friendship fairly well. It had always been like this between him and Sid: constantly bantering and arguing, but staying friends, nevertheless.

“Why?” Sid asked with a grin, perpetually amused by Jungkook’s protectiveness. He blew smoke out and asked, “scared I’ll steal her from you?”

Jude and Minjun snorted in unison. The mocking sound took Sid’s attention off Jungkook as he glowered at them.

“You’re drunker than I thought,” Minjun commented, bolder than Jude was under Sid’s glare.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Sid challenged. “You all know I’m one of a fucking kind.”

Now Jude and Minjun were nearly howling with laughter, and even Jungkook couldn’t resist smirking. Meanwhile, Sid’s frown deepened. He liked to tease others; he didn’t like to be teased—never mind that he was setting himself up for mockery.

“You’re not shit,” Jude retorted, too drunk to come up with a wittier comeback. “She would never go for you.”

“No, he had a point,” Jungkook said. “She’s never hated anyone for as long as I’ve known her. Except for him.” He turned to Sid with a derisive grin. “So, you really are one of a kind.”

“Oh, I see,” Sid laughed humourlessly. He took another drag and then said to Jungkook—not even blinking as he watched him, “tonight was fun. But it’s going to get even better once you lose the bet.”

Jungkook remained apathetic as he removed the cigarette from his lips. “I won’t.”

“You will,” Sid insisted. His intense staring was an intimidation tactic that Jungkook had already grown accustomed to. He did not twitch or back away when Sid leaned in closer. “And you know why? Because you’re in love with her.”

This time, he wasn’t going to argue otherwise. Sid had used this as a weapon, he meant to ridicule him with it. But Jungkook—in this tipsy and tired state—realised that his self-esteem didn’t depend on whether his friends thought he still loved you or not.

Before, he had been eager to show them that he didn’t care about you—he thought that was the only way he could prove that his friends weren’t significantly better than him just because they weren’t in love with anyone.

Now he was going to show them that he did care about you, and caring still didn’t make him inferior.

“This might be disappointing to you,” Jungkook retorted, “but I can be in love with her and still make you lose.”

“See,” Sid said, grinning because this confession was precisely what he was coaxing out of Jungkook. And it was precisely the reason why Sid thought Jungkook would never win against him—be it a bet, or just in life in general. “But I don’t think you can.”

“Sit back and watch me, then,” Jungkook replied, blowing smoke out in Sid’s face. He pulled back immediately and the dissatisfied frown on his face was, simply put, beautiful.

Back inside, the girls chose to avoid discussing what had just happened with you. They had their reasons for changing the topic, too: Maggie had a policy against all boys who dared to interrupt your girls’ night, and Luna simply knew that if you continued to talk about this, you’d be more tempted to go out and check if Jungkook wasn’t getting into trouble.

But not even ten minutes later—just when you’d finished your second glass—Jungkook himself unexpectedly returned to the bar. You’d noticed him from across the room, and the second your eyes met, he made a beeline for you.

“Sorry about that before,” he said to everyone at your table, nodding apologetically at Luna and Maggie. “I, um, wanted to let you know that I’m going to be heading back. The bus is about to leave, right?”

Still surprised by his sudden reappearance, you were slow to pick your phone up. The battery had finally given in; you couldn’t tell what time it was. Both girls noticed this and were about to pull their own electronics out, but Jungkook reacted first.

“It’s four-thirty,” he said helpfully. “The bar is closing soon.”

“Oh.” You nodded. “Yeah. The bus is leaving in an hour, probably. Where’s the rest of your posse?”

“They already left,” he said without a further comment. Instead, he asked, “actually, can I talk to you for a second before I go?”

You looked back at your friends—both of them gave you permissive nods with grins that might’ve made the Cheshire Cat run away in shame.

“Sure,” you told Jungkook and turned your head away from your friends as if you could pretend you hadn’t seen their teasing smiles—that only made them giggle more.

The two of you walked towards the nearly empty bar—reasonable people were asleep this early in the morning—which wasn’t very far from your booth, but you figured the music played loud enough to drown your conversation out.

“So, um,” Jungkook began slowly—awkwardly—as he leaned his elbow against the bar top. “How are you feeling after the trip and… everything?”

There was something endearing about the uncertainty with which he’d asked you this. Pursing your lips lightly to hide your smile, you said, “it should be me asking you that.”

“It’s not. I’m the one asking,” he said so matter-of-factly that your smile only widened. He added, “I’m fine anyway.”

“I’m okay, too,” you said. “Tired to the point of taking a nap right on this bar, but other than that, I’m fine.”

He glanced at the bar after you’d mentioned it—as if assessing if it’d be a comfortable enough place to sleep on.

“Will you, um—will you be okay going back?” he asked then.

Your smile was plain and obvious now; hiding it required too much effort. Maybe the drinks Maggie got you were laced with something.

“It should be me asking you that, too,” you said.

“I’ll be perfect,” he replied, waving his hand around dismissively. “But I can, uh, stay back,” he looked at your friends over his shoulder—you noticed them both turn away, having been caught staring. “But I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Oh, yeah, no,” you agreed, your eyes still locked on the girls. “Maggie has a strict no-boys rule.”

You weren’t sure if she heard you or if her sudden snickering was unrelated to your comment.

“Oh?” this seemed to pique his interest. “Are you going to get in trouble now?”

“Probably,” you said casually enough. Trouble with Maggie usually meant more drinks, so you weren’t particularly worried. “She might already have a penalty for me.”

Despite you making it sound like this wasn’t the first time a boy interrupted your girls’ night to talk to you, Jungkook felt himself smile—he was the boy you’d broken Maggie’s rule for tonight.

“Because of me?” he still asked, a noticeable sense of entitlement behind his words.

“Don’t get excited.”

He snorted. “What’s the penalty? I’ll do it for you.”

“I’ll do it myself,” you said with a sigh as you extended your hands and laid your head on the bartop. “But some other night. I’m shutting down now.” You noticed the flash of concern in his eyes after you’d said that and added, “I’ll be fine. We’ll be heading back soon anyway. Get back to your friends.”

Your last sentence made him pause.

“That’s—” he stopped for another moment to mentally rewind through all the years that he’s known you. “That’s probably the first time you said that.”

You shrugged, having just enough energy to tease, “I trust Minjun.”

“Minju—but not me?” he questioned, offended.

“I’m working on it.”

“Well, how do I speed that up, then?”

“You can’t.”

He watched you for a minute, analysing your face for a possible option. He offered, “another trip to Paris?”

You knew he was joking, but you still grunted in refusal—that only made his teasing smirk widen.

“That’ll do the opposite,” you said. “I’m not going off-tour again. Look what happened tonight.”

You weren’t completely serious, but you couldn’t help but still feel uncomfortable that you had the leisure to travel Europe and drink with your friends, while the rest of the staff had to struggle with a stage set that was, apparently, falling apart.

Jungkook wasn’t sure if you genuinely blamed yourself or if this was just an illustrative exaggeration—your tired face was hard to read.

“Our trip to Paris is unrelated to what happened with the stage tonight,” he assured you in any case.

“Related or not,” you said and yawned mid-word, “now I can’t get proper sleep.”

His reaction was immediate—with one hand on your palm that you’d rested on the bar top, and another one on your waist, he encouraged, “come on, then. I’ll take you back to the bus. Let’s sleep.”

You were tempted—not just because his touch was warm and soft, but also because the thought of sleep seemed so satisfying right now that even the music in the bar faded into the background.

Still, you resisted, “the girls—”

“We’re fine!” Luna hollered; her glass raised. She was already tipsy and, obviously, had been waiting for an opening to give you permission to leave. “Maggie and I are going to stay back a while.”

You lifted your head to look at your friends again and caught them both smirking at you. They had seemingly overheard the entirety of your conversation, never mind the music.

“The bar closes in half an hour,” you reminded them with a frown. Jungkook’s hands were still on you—more supportive than before as soon as he felt the gentle sway of your tired body.

“We’ll find a way to keep ourselves busy until it’s time to leave,” Maggie added—which surprised you. Normally, it was the three of you against anyone who dared to interrupt your night. “You two can go ahead.”

You turned to Jungkook, who nodded at the door and seemed to make this decision for you. You really needed that today and you were quite unashamed about it; if anything, you appreciated everyone else deciding what you’d do for once.

You stood up properly and took a step away from him—he had to let go and did so reluctantly—to pick up your phone and your handbag from the booth. Your friends watched you, beaming, and you caught yourself before you began to smile, too.

Then, you allowed Jungkook to take you back to the bus.

It wasn’t a long walk, but you felt too drained to even take your shoes off when you got back. Plugging your phone in to charge, you laid down on your bunk, still in your clothes, and looked over at Jungkook.

Stubbornly, he refused to go to sleep until he was sure you were settled, so he was leaning against the partition wall between the opposite row of bunks.

“I’m still waiting until my phone will charge some,” you said, trying to make him reconsider. You paused to yawn again, then explained, “so I can check on the rest of our staff.”

“I’ll wait with you, then,” he said.

“No,” your firm voice got him to stop unexpectedly—he was already approaching you. “You hadn’t gotten any sleep, either. And you performed a whole gig tonight. Go to sleep.”

He resumed his journey and took a seat next to you on your bunk. “I’ll wait.”

You rolled over on your back to look at him. “You literally don’t have to do that.”

“And I’ll do it anyway.”

You exhaled, far too tired to argue about this. Your eyes could barely stay open enough to make sure he really was sitting on your bunk, and you hadn’t just dreamt him—the possibility wasn’t far-fetched, after all. It’s happened before.

“You shouldn’t,” you said softly, your eyes fluttering shut.

“I’m an adult, right? You said so,” he reminded you. You were worried that your words at the wedding would come back to bite you. “So, I can stay up waiting with you if I want.”

You sighed in response, your mind refusing to think of any more arguments or questions about why he found it necessary to bother waiting with you.

Satisfied, Jungkook scooted deeper into your bunk and crossed his legs, getting more comfortable.

He did as he’d promised—waited with you until your phone charged enough to make a phone call. Then he brought you water, because you called Seokjin and couldn’t say a word, your throat too dry to speak.

And then, half an hour later, when you were already asleep and he was sure you wouldn’t remember, he pulled your duvet over your body—so you wouldn’t get cold—and pressed a soft, tentative kiss to your forehead—so he wouldn’t, either.

chapter title credits: palaye royale, “toxic in you”

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[alexander-arcturus-black-lupin]

Sneaking around

Summary : Draco is being tailed by Harry, but he doesn't know that. He goes to meet his secret Ravenclaw girlfriend y/n. 

Harry slid out of Slughorn's party and followed Malfoy. He knew his cloak would be of use as he threw it over him. Draco Malfoy during this whole semester looked sickly and pale but today he looked…Draco.

 He followed him through the secret passageway on the third floor that was rarely used; he wondered when Draco had found it. He was so deep in thought he hadn't almost noticed that Draco had stopped. 

Suddenly black hair flicked from a corner. Draco lounged and pulled out a laughing Ravenclaw girl. 

"Salazar Y/n," 

"Hi~" Draco's scowl dropped and a shy smile made its way there instead. 

"Hello," Draco rolled out. 

"Your hair is a mess Malfoy, are you actually using your shampoo?"

"Of course I am, i was bloody thrown from Slughorn's stupid party" 

"Sounds a bit hmmm jealous, was a certain Harry Potter there?" Harry froze once he heard his name. 

"Don't start, you saying his name once is enough,"

"Shall I start calling him the chosen one or the other he who must not be named." Harry was mesmerized by her, it was like she radiated happiness. 

Draco shook his head so hard that his hair became more messed up. 

"Jeez, Draco relax," 

"Potter's been trailing me lately," Y/n raised her eyebrows. 

"If I didn't know any better I'd ship you two," Harry wanted to retch in his hiding place. "Lorminuim"

"That's new," Draco remarked, flopping on a nearby couch. "Made it?" 

"Nah 7th years, it's a silencing charm which also acts as an alarm if anyone steps within 10 feet of our invisible bubble we'll know"  Harry froze again, if he moved. He'll be in deep trouble.

However everything except for one fact flew over Draco's head as he sat up. "7th Year boys?"

Y/N blinked at him before she threw back her head and laughed. "What if it was a boy?" Y/n teases coming closer. "Mmm, what if it was?" 

Draco rolled his eyes. Y/n sat on his lap and cupped his face in her hands. Smooshing his face makes him look like a fish. Harry was still in severe shock. 

“I’m yours, mon amor est pour toi et toi sulement,” Draco burst out laughing. “Stop laughing I tried.” 

Draco pressed soft kisses into her palm. “I know, bloody accent needs help but, I love you too” he then said something in perfect french. Harry had enough and he, under his cloak, moved backwards inch by inch turning with each step, he did so till he was out. 

“Harry?” He spun to find Hermione and Ron behind him. "Harry? You look like you've seen a ghost,"

"Malfoy,"

"Don't tell me you followed him, can you belive this Ron, wait, you knew didn't you," Hermione pointed at Ron's red ears.

"I- Harry what about Malfoy what did you catch him doing," 

"He and y/n are a thing," 

"What? They barely are in the same space at the same time," Hermione said crossing her arms. "I mean yeah, y/n is close to the slytherin boys."

"What-" 

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Somehow news had spread quickly. Mostly thanks to Ron and his, "MALFOY AND Y/N ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS MATE" Soon it even reached the love birds themselves. 

"Pansy told me that she heard it from Luna who heard it from Ginny who heard it from Ron."Y/n was sitting at the head of Draco's four-poster bed with his head in her lap 

"Do you think he caught us snogging somewhere," 

"I would hope not else you won't be getting any." Draco pouted. 

You’re cute when you pout

“Thank you,” Draco flushed slightly. She herself blushed, she said that outloud. 

"Nevermind, it was probably Potter maybe he tailed me on one of our dates," 

"Maybe," Draco started to play with her hair.  

"We can't keep hiding in your dorm, unlike you, a dinner person, I am a breakfast person." 

Draco sighed at that. They only had two classes today both after lunch. "Please let's just stay here, just for now," 

"Fine, you owe me," 

Draco just smiled and cuddled into y/n, "I really love you y/n, like a lot that i actually let on" Y/n froze.

"Y/n? Y/n you don't have to say it back, I just-"

"I love you too,"  Draco sat up and looked at her. 

“You don’t need to tell me you love me, I don-” she shut him up with a kiss. Suddenly the door barged open, 

“HA PANSY YOU WERE RIGHT COME CHECK THIS OUT,” Blaise in all his glory stood heaving with laughter. Soon they were joined by Pansy Theodore Matheo and Lorenzo. Draco with a wave of his wand had shoved them out and locked them out. 

“Why are we friends with them,”

“Say the word and they’re gone,” she laughed an kissed Draco back. 

“I’ll think about it, since we’ve been caught and I’m starving, let’s go,” Draco sighed and help her off the bed. “But you’ll still owe me a bunch of snacks later,”

Draco looked at her a small smile on his lips. “Deal,” she smiled and his heart stuttered. He was truly enamored with her.

[copperbadge]

The Adventures Of Joe Superfly

I haven't been able to work on Chicken Salad War much recently -- it's less writer's block and more a confluence of issues that mean when I have the time I'm too tired for something novel-sized. It's temporary, but when I don't get to write I do start to get restless.

So the other night as I was doing dishes I circled around to a small issue that keeps nipping at me, which is Ephraim. He's got the most normal name of any of the Ramblers, which is uncharacteristic of Ceece and Tully. Well, I thought, maybe they let Eddie name him, but why would they let Eddie, the oldest, name the youngest, and not the THREE OTHERS inbetween? And why would Eddie pick Ephraim?

I decided to do up a little story about Eph, how he came by his name and what his life experiences have been. Much of it's a spoiler that needs a content warning but I figured I'd share a brief fun scene. Also it's good practice for writing Eph's somewhat elliptical style of speech; he is a man who gives no unnecessary context, and sometimes no necessary context. (All the context you all need to know is that Ephraim's parents wanted to name him Cherry Windward and instead Eddie named him Ephraim Prunus.)

Noah was on dishes duty with Joan, Ed's newly adopted eldest daughter, the evening that Ephraim found Ed on the porch of the royal fishing lodge. He sat next to him companionably, rocking on the porch swing and looking out at the lake.

"How many different names do you think you'll have in your life?" he asked without preamble. Ed laughed.

"I don't know. I think once you become a king the name locks in place," he said. "I've been Theophile and Ted and Ed and Eddie, and now back around to Theophile, at least in public. And then there's 'Dad' too. Why do you ask?"

Ephraim shrugged. "Monday was telling Jes about you naming me. Got to thinking about it."

"Well, you did return the favor eventually," Ed said. "Ed has suited me. Thinking of changing your name?"

"I was thinking of going by Prunus," Ephraim said, with such a deadpan expression that Ed hesitated, then burst out laughing when Eph smiled.

"Punk," he said, shoving Ephraim gently. "I only gave you that one to make mom and dad feel better about you having a normal-ass name. Man, you could see Dad's gears turning. We can always call him Pru."

Ephraim cackled. "Pru! Funny. I guess just…thanks."

"For what, big guy?" Ed asked.

"I didn't think I'd ever see Europe. Didn't think anyone outside Santa Luna would understand," Ephraim said. "But you went all over the world and found somewhere just like home. And I get to be here too. Which means maybe…I can be other places as well."

"There will always be a place for you, anywhere I am," Ed said seriously.

"Yes but also. They get it." Ephraim put on a lilting Shivadh accent. "That's Ephraim, he's King Theophile's brother, he doesn't say much but he's a good lad. No, you let Mr. Rambler alone, he's just shy. Hello young Ephraim, point out what you want to order when you're ready." He looked back out at the lake. "They're kind. I could thrive here."

"But not just yet, huh?" Ed asked. "Not with Noah leaving soon. He's going to Aotearoa and then coming to California, where you'll be."

"Yes."

"And after he graduates?" Ed asked delicately. "Maybe both of you back here?"

Ephraim turned to him. "I don't have a five year plan," he said witheringly, and this time Ed knew he was teasing.

"You son of a -- how dare you accuse me of asking you for a five year plan! Like I'm some kind of responsible adult? Roasted by my own blood!"

"You need it, Your Majesty," Ephraim said, then sobered. "I don't know yet. We'll figure it out."

"I'm sure you will."

"If you were going to name me again, what would you pick?"

Ed tousled his hair. "Buddy, you are now and forever Ephraim to me unless someday you tell me otherwise. I can't name you again. I don't think you need it, you're only just growing into that one. But if you did want a new name, I think you'd have to come up with it yourself -- or ask Noah."

Ephraim nodded thoughtfully. "I'm okay. Just curious."

"I think if you do you should move even more towards the extremes, though. From Cherry Windward to Ephraim Prunus to, I dunno, Joe Superfly."

"Joe Superfly!" Ephraim crowed. "Joe Superfly Rambler!"

"The twins should be glad we named them Edward and Miranda," Ed mused.

"Edward Superfly," Ephraim gasped.

"It's a great movie!"

"Miranda Shaft!" Ephraim blurted, and both brothers laughed until they cried.

[clangenrising]

Month 17 - Greenleaf

Songdust was snoozing in her hideyhole when the news arrived. 

“Schmidt! Schmidt!” Luna’s cheery voice sounded almost frenzied as she crested the fence and dropped into the yard. Songdust stirred with a yawn. 

“Luna!” boomed the massive white dog, Shepherd, in his thick canine accent, rattling the deck above Songdust’s head as he bounded out to meet the newcomer. That definitely woke her up. Stretching, she crept to the edge of the shadowy space beneath the deck and squinted out into the midday sunlight. 

Luna, little thing that she was, had balked at Shepherd’s advance and eyed him warily as he snuffled gently at her. Songdust couldn’t blame her. It didn’t matter that he was friendly, the fluffy white beast was intimidating by virtue of his size alone. 

“Luna,” he barked again, “Hello, Luna!” 

“Yes, hello, Shepherd,” the little kittypet tried to smile. Speaking loudly and clearly to make sure the dog understood, she asked, “Where is Schmidt?” 

“Schmidt?” The dog lifted his head and sniffed at the air a bit. “Hmm. Inside, I think. I get him.” With that, he dashed back across the yard and over the deck. Songdust shut her eyes and pressed her ears flat until he was gone. When she opened her eyes again, Luna was slinking excitedly in her direction, ears perked brightly. 

“Afternoon, Songdust!” she whispered. “Guess what!” 

“What?” Songdust chuckled, stepping out from under the deck and stretching her aching legs. 

Luna’s eyes glistened as she said, “There are wild cats in the city!” 

“Really?” Songdust’s stomach fluttered with fear and excitement. “Did you see them?” 

“Mhm,” Luna grinned. 

“How many of them?” 

“Um, four or five?” Luna sat down and curled her tail sweetly around her paws. “Jo should be going to fetch them.” Songdust nodded to herself. If any cat could handle it, it would probably be Jo. 

The dog flap clattered and Shepherd emerged again, tail wagging. Slipping between his legs and striding out across the deck was Schmidt, his sleek ginger fur shining in the sun like flames. He glanced at Songdust when he noticed her, a smile flickering over his lips, before he focused entirely on Luna. 

“You needed me?” he asked with a charming twang. Shepherd paced a few steps beside them before settling down to lay in the grass and pant. Songdust shifted to better hide herself behind his massive shape. 

“There’s wild cats in the city!” Luna whispered. Schmidt’s composed expression burst with surprise.

“Really?” he asked and Songdust would have laughed if she were certain the motion wouldn’t make her sick to her stomach. “Where’re they goin’?” 

“I ran into Jo on the way,” Luna said. “They should be coming here if she can find them in time.” 

“Good,” Schmidt nodded. “Thank you, Luna.” His tail tip started to twitch side to side. 

“They’ve got to be looking for me, right?” Songdust asked. 

“I would say that’s a pretty safe bet,” he said, looking up from the grass to meet her gaze. “Looks like you might be goin’ home, Miss Songdust.” His lips tightened at the edges and she felt it too, the relief and excitement tempered bittersweet with sorrow at having to say goodbye.

“Looks like it.” She offered him a tight smile of her own. 

“Too bad you can’t come and visit,” Luna said. 

“Miss you,” huffed Shepherd sadly. 

“You can always come and visit me,” Songdust said, “although, I guess, Shepherd probably can’t get away.” Luna and Schmidt exchanged a somber glance that didn’t sit right with her. Shifting her posture, she asked, “What, is there a reason why you can’t visit? You aren’t trapped in your houses or anything.” 

“It’s complicated,” Schmidt sighed. “Physically, we probably could come out to see you, but it’d be very dangerous.” 

“We’ll have targets on our backs,” Luna said. 

Songdust pursed her lips in frustration. “What, so we’ll just never see each other again? Not even on occasion?” 

Schmidt dropped his gaze to the grass. “I wish it weren’t so, but at least for now, this seems like goodbye.” 

“Hm.” Songdust squared her jaw and nodded, her tongue working forcefully against the backs of her teeth. If that was how things were going to be, then that was that, she figured. 

“Hopefully, in a few months -” Schmidt tried, “maybe a year - things’ll be better and we’ll be able to visit.” 

“That’s alright,” Songdust twitched an ear to stop him. “I get it. It just isn’t meant to be.” Shepherd leaned his big black nose over her back and gave a forlorn huff. She tried not to stiffen under the dog’s touch but couldn’t stop her tail from bristling subtly. 

Schmidt cleared his throat and said, “I’m gonna go see if I can spot ‘em,” before making his way towards the fence with a poorly hidden guilty expression. Luna frowned awkwardly and followed after him. 

Sondust was ashamed to say she was angry with them. She understood that they probably had very good reason to be cautious but it didn’t make her any less disappointed that they weren’t even going to try. That’s what I get for making friends with kittypets, she thought despite the guilty aftertaste. 

Still, she’d expected better, at least from Schmidt. When he had taken her in, she had been very frazzled and lost in more ways than one and his kindness and solidity had carried her through the last several months. He had proven a thoughtful and enjoyable companion. She had spent more than one night staying up with him, discussing their lives and the ways they saw the world and she had enjoyed it greatly. He had listened to her speak about StarClan and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say - not just a considerate attention but a real, genuine fascination and maybe even the beginnings of a belief. She wondered now if he would think about her when he looked at the stars or if he would go back to ignoring them. 

She hated how hidden the stars were from her here. It seemed as if her ancestors had vanished from the sky overnight. The big bright star to the north was the only one she could see on some nights. She hoped that it was Smokyrose, watching over her from above. She hoped that Smokyrose had forgiven her for what had happened. She hoped she would get to apologize someday. 

After some time, Luna called, “There they are! I see them!” 

Songdust jumped to her feet, startling Shepherd, and sprinted over, scaling the fence in a swift, fluid motion. “Where?”

“Songdust!” Schmidt gasped. She wasn’t supposed to climb the fence in case anyone saw her, but at this point, she didn’t care.

“Where are they?” she asked again, ignoring him. 

“They just dropped into that yard over there,” pointed Luna. Songdust chattered in anticipation as she turned her head to scan the fences ahead of them. After another few moments, Jo appeared on top of the fence and, following right after her, an almost identical tortoiseshell. Songdust laughed in relief. 

“That’s Goldenstar,” she said and stood up taller to wave her tail at the newcomers. 

“Really?” Luna gasped. “Your leader?”

“Yep!” purred Songdust. Goldenstar had noticed her and started sprinting in her direction as more cats came over the fence. 

“You must be important,” mumbled Luna in awe. 

“Not particularly,” Songdust shrugged. 

“Songdust!” Goldenstar called as she reached the base of the fence they were on. “You’re alright!” 

“So are you!” Songdust purred. Goldenstar leapt up to meet her and the fence wobbled under her weight, causing all four cats to sink their claws into the wood. 

“Why don’t we have this conversation in the yard,” Schmidt laughed nervously and Luna nodded in agreement before they both dropped down. Goldenstar stayed where she was, tail brushing up.

“Wait!” she hissed urgently, "There's a dog!” Shepherd squinted up at her, rumbling lowly. 

Songdust chuckled a little bit and said, “It’s alright, watch.” She hopped down onto the grass and padded up to the dog, butting her forehead against his leg to claim him. “It’s okay, Shepherd,” she said, “These are my friends.” 

“Friends?” Shepherd hummed and shuffled his paws. 

Goldenstar was wide eyed. “It understands you?” Before Songdust could answer, more cats were appearing on the fence. She smiled at the sight of Branchbark and Oddstripe’s boys. Even Scorch was a welcome sight. 

“Songdust!” Branchbark grinned and jumped down into the yard to approach her. Purring loudly, she nuzzled against him in greeting. 

“It’s good to see you, Branchbark,” she said gently. 

“Woah,” Sparrowpaw fluffed up. “What is that thing?” 

“A dog,” Goldenstar said. “Apparently this one is friendly though.” 

“Mhm. He’s a big softie,” Songdust laughed, looking up at them. She had been worried too when she had first been brought to the yard but now it was funny to think of Shepherd as anything other than a massive sweetheart. 

“He won’t bite,” said Jo, hopping up beside them. “Go on. You’ll be safer once you're in the yard.” Floodpaw swallowed and jumped down, his brother close behind. Goldenstar glanced at Scorchplume, smiled, and hopped down as well. Scorchplume squinted at Shepherd for a long moment before delicately landing on the grass beside her, pulling herself together with regal bearing. Once everyone else had gone down, Jo cast another glance around and then joined them. 

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” Goldenstar said, coming to rub up against Songdust’s shoulder. “We would have come sooner but there were… complications.” 

“Complications?” Songdust asked. 

“Russetfrond got a kittypet pregnant,” Branchbark whispered conspiratorially. “It was a whole thing.” 

“Really?” Songdust smirked. “Him, of all people? I wouldn’t have seen that coming.” 

“Neither did he,” snickered Floodpaw. 

“Hey,” hissed Sparrowpaw softly. 

“Sorry, Sparrowpaw,” she said, “I don’t mean to make fun of him. I just wouldn’t have guessed.” 

“It’s actually Sparrowsway now,” he said, shifting his posture a little taller. 

“And I’m Floodstrike,” said his brother, grinning. 

Songdust melted, smiling. “Oh, that’s fantastic! Congratulations, boys.” She closed her mouth as if she were holding the grief at having missed their ceremony on her tongue. They had grown so much while she was gone. She could only imagine how Slatekit and Fogkit had grown. Those poor girls…

“You’re Goldenstar?” Schmidt asked, inserting himself into the conversation. Songdust had nearly forgotten the kittypets were there. Looking back, she noticed Luna’s wide, excitable grin before focusing on Schmidt. His expression was serious, concerned. Songdust frowned a bit. 

“I am,” said Goldenstar, putting on an authoritative tone. “Who are you?” 

“This is Schmidt,” Songdust said. “He’s been hiding me. And that’s Luna, a friend of ours.” 

“Hi,” Luna said, fluttering her eyelashes at Sparrowsway and Floodstrike. Oh boy, Songdust thought. Luckily, Schmidt spoke again before Luna could start anything. 

“I’d love to speak with you, if that’s alright,” he said. “I doubt I’ll get another chance to bend your ear and I’d very much like to discuss politics if you’re so inclined.”

“Politics…?” Goldenstar raised a brow, unsure, and glanced at Songdust. Songdust, for her part, wasn’t sure how to explain it. 

“It’s, um,” Scorchplume seemed to blink out of some sort of fugue state as she spoke, “It’s what they call the… art of governance and diplomacy. Like Clan relations but more complicated.” She cleared her throat, gaze roving distantly over the grass. Songdust frowned. That didn’t seem normal. 

Goldenstar’s ears pressed back with concern. “Are you alright?” She leaned in for a split second and then stopped herself and Songdust raised a brow at that. There was clearly something going on that she didn’t understand. 

“I’m fine,” Scorch said tersely. “We should take him up on his offer.” She looked at Schmidt with what seemed like a good deal of effort, jaw set resolutely. 

“Alright then,” Goldenstar shifted worriedly but eventually tore her gaze away from Scorchplume to address Schmidt directly. “I’m all yours.” 

“Great,” Schmidt said. “Why don’t we head under the deck for some privacy.” 

“The deck?” asked Floodstrike. 

“This a’way,” Schmidt stepped away and led the way into the dark crawl space underneath. Goldenstar followed directly behind him and a beat later Scorch trailed after her. 

Sparrowsway glanced at the other cats and asked, “Should we all go, or…” 

“Go for it,” said Jo. “Or don’t. Do what you like.” 

“Politics is stressful and boring,” Luna said, edging closer to the boys. “I’d love to hear about your Wild Clans though.” Songdust raised a brow but Jo beat her to the punch.

“Oh, really?” asked Jo. “I’ve never seen you askin’ Songdust about the Clans.” Songdust chuckled and twitched her ear in Jo’s direction. 

Luna waved her tail dismissively but her cheeks were a little red as she said, “Well I just didn’t want to bother her.”

“Mhm,” Jo said skeptically and Songdust bumped shoulders with her which prompted her to grin and return the gesture. 

“I’m gonna miss you, Jo,” Songdust said quietly as Floodstrike started saying something to Luna. 

“Aww, that’s sweet of you, girl,” Jo said back. “I feel like they kept you so cramped under that deck that I never got to get to know you.” 

“You should visit, then,” Songdust said. “I need more friends my age.” 

“Maybe I will,” the ragged old tortie said with a sly smile. “I’ll bring you back whenever I need to shred some fuckin’ shithead’s ears.” 

“Sounds like a plan,” purred Songdust. She was glad that at least one of her new friends seemed interested in staying in touch. Her gaze drifted over to the deck where Schmidt had disappeared and she sighed. If only they all felt that way.

UPDATES: - Songdust is reunited with her Clanmates!

[jagibee]

Call Me Luna

(Stray Kids x Reader)

Chapter 6

6,213 Words

A/N: Sorry that the story is being so slow! I promise it will pick up in a bit! In the meantime, enjoy some Chanlix! Also, just a reminder, when I write something like “‘“this”’”, it means the characters are speaking in English.

TW: Talk of dieting, discussion of sex

…

After a very eventful day, it hadn’t taken you very long to fall asleep once you had completed your nightly routine. The bed was nice, if a little stiff, and you ordered more room service for dinner, this time knowing what you liked. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as fun as the last time you ate, but you still went to bed full and satisfied.

Then your phone rang and startled you out of your sleep. You didn’t even check the time when you picked up immediately after seeing the caller ID.

“Hello? Chan? Is everything alright?”

“Y/N!”

Well. You wanted the sound of him saying your name tattooed on the inside of your brain.

“What is it, Chan?”

From the other side of the phone call, you could hear a couple different muffled voices before there was a shushing sound.

“Just wanted to hear your voice, really. And make sure you’re okay after today.”

You felt your heart melt a little at that. “I’m fine, great even. You’re all so amazing, this is literally my dream job.”

The muffled voices were even louder, but you still couldn’t make them out. You were curious about them, but didn’t want to pry.

“I’m gonna be honest with you, Y/N. Half of the reason I called is because I need a break from my other members asking questions about you, and when they’re going to meet you, and why they didn’t get to meet you today.” You heard him sigh dramatically. “One of these days I’m actually going to start selling them off to Stays.”

You felt your lips twitch. “How much are you selling them for?”

Chan hummed thoughtfully. “I think I’ll just trade them for their SKZOOs. If someone comes up to me with one, I’ll let them rent that member for an hour.”

You heard an outburst from his side and laughed before replying. “If you do that, there will be a stampede of people at the company building waving their SKZOOs. Anyway, what have you been telling your members about me?”

“That you’re hot!”

Your heart fluttered. Was that…?

“Han! Give me my phone back!”

You heard a commotion and a sharp yelp before someone said something over the phone again.

“I am so sorry, I definitely did not say that- not that I don’t think you’re hot! Or, well, I don’t not think that, but there’s- I don’t want to disrespect you or-”

You couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “Chan, it’s alright! I don’t not think you’re hot, either.”

There was a pause from every voice on the other side and you started to wonder if you went too far when you heard a quiet “thank you?”

You smirked at that. “You don’t have to thank me, it’s sort of obvious.”

The other voices started cackling at that and in order to save Chan, you changed the topic. “So, are you still at the studio?”

Seemingly glad of your mercy, he sighed slightly before speaking. “Yeah, but we’re almost finished up. I’ve got Changbin and Hannie with me, plus Seungmin because he said everyone at his dorm kept bragging about getting to meet you.”

Your cheeks suddenly felt very hot. “Really?”

“Yeah, they really liked you. But it’s kind of hard not to. Oh, by the way! Tomorrow I’ll pick you up at the front of the building again and then the two of us are having a meeting with Felix to discuss his heat. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” you responded, trying your best to stay calm despite what he said about it being hard not to like you.

“Alright! Then we have a recording session, where you can meet the rest of our members.” There was a small eruption of cheers from the other line and you felt your cheeks hurt from how hard you were smiling. “Then, I was thinking we could all go out to dinner, if you’re interested? I figured we could celebrate you meeting all of us and the end of your first week and everything.”

You stifled a snort. “I haven’t actually been here for a full week. I arrived on Tuesday and my first day at the company was Wednesday.”

You heard Chan giggle. “Yeah, well, when you’re with these guys, it’s like dog years or something. Every day actually lasts a week, so really we’ll be celebrating your third week!”

You were glad that hotels were required to have scent blockers on all of the rooms, otherwise the entire floor might have smelled the cacophony of emotions you felt.

Rolling over on your bed, you almost choked on your own saliva when you saw the time on the clock. “Well, as much as I enjoy talking to you, I think that in order to not fall asleep in the middle of my third week, I should go back to sleep. Can I let you go?”

There was a clatter from your phone before you heard Chan’s voice again. “Shit, did we wake you up? Sorry! But yeah, go back to sleep for sure. In fact, we should go back to the dorms. Seungmin fell asleep on Changbin’s lap.”

Fuck, you couldn’t wait to meet them. “Okay then, I’ll see you tomorrow! Get back to your dorms safely!”

“We‘ll try our best. See you tomorrow, Y/N.”

…

The next time you woke up was much less eventful, your alarm ringing out rather than your ringtone.

You took a few minutes to just lay down and stare at the ceiling. There’s no way that really happened, you thought. There’s no way any of this is really happening.

However, a quick check of your call logs confirmed that you received a call from bangfuckingchan at 3:52 a.m.

Before you could have an existential crisis at too-damn-early in the morning, you decided to get out of bed.

After hanging out with the boys yesterday, you decided to put on an outfit that was a bit more casual, something that didn’t make you feel out of place while they were laying around eating tteokbokki in their sweatpants. You finished your morning routine and got in the car once it arrived.

The drive wasn’t too long, the hotel was just a bit too far to walk so you arrived at the company building quickly.

If there was anything that could rip your earlier doubts from your mind, it was the sight of Chan and Felix waiting on the sidewalk and waving at your van as you drove up.

You were so excited to see them again, you almost tripped when getting out. Luckily, you managed to catch yourself before face planting. Unluckily, it was still far from graceful as you extracted your foot from where it had gotten caught.

You turned to see Chan and Felix jog up to you. Before they were able to say anything about your awkward landing, you blurted out, “What, no coffee today?”

Chan blinked in bewilderment. “Uh… no? Are you alright?”

You furrowed your eyebrows at him in mock offense. “What, you’ve never seen someone get out of a car like that? That’s the style these days.”

Felix grinned at you and turned to Chan. “Yeah, hyung. Everyone is doing it. There’s a dance challenge and everything.”

Chan just sighed at the two of you. “Really?”

“Totally. You probably just haven’t heard about it because you were too busy getting hip surgery, old man.”

You let out a startled laugh at Felix’s joke while Chan’s jaw dropped.

Once he got over his shock, Chan turned his face to the sky and groaned. “Ugh, you need to stop hanging out with Seungmin.”

“We literally live together.”

Chan reached out and pulled Felix’s beanie down over his face. While he struggled to escape, Chan turned back to you and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “So, there’s a cafe less than a block away, I was thinking we could get some breakfast and then get down to business?”

Felix finally emerged and flicked Chan’s cheek in retribution. Before they could start fighting in the street, you decided to intervene.

“Breakfast sounds perfect. Let’s go!”

You grabbed them by their hoodie sleeves and started walking in the direction Chan had pointed earlier. Felix slid his arm from your grasp to hold your hand normally and you hoped he couldn’t feel how your heart rate sped up. Chan seemed perfectly fine with you hanging on to his shoulder like a sugar glider, but your hand was cramping, so you released him. He glanced back at you before offering you a crooked elbow. You were thankful for the face mask the company required you to wear as a precaution so they couldn’t see how their actions were affecting you.

The walk was short but nice, the three of you striding along in comfortable silence.

Before you knew it, Chan was steering you into a little shop with flowers and herbs on the windowsills. The place was larger than most cafes, but it didn’t take away from the cozy vibe. There were beanbag chairs and couches along with several plants both hanging from the ceiling and settled along the walls. The only lighting was from the windows and the dainty fairy lights winding back and forth across the ceiling like a dazzling spiderweb. There were fuzzy rugs layered on top of each other, each one more cushy than the one before. In the center of the room was a counter with several baked goods on display. There was a worker watering the plants before she turned to you and welcomed you in.

“Wow. Okay, I guess I know where I’m going to work if you guys ever fire me.”

Felix giggled next to you. “I know, right? Just wait until you see the little desserts! If you leave and come work here, I expect you to bring me free leftovers.”

“Deal,” you told him, squeezing his fingers in yours.

Chan unhooked his arm from yours and instead rested his hand on your back, gently pushing you forward until you stood in line.

There was just one person in front of you, so you didn’t have to wait long. Felix shuffled you over to look at the pastries.

You almost gasped at how amazing they looked. There were little cakes shaped like flowers, cookies with hearts frosted on them, muffins with faces made out of chocolate chips.

Felix seemed particularly drawn to a little cat-shaped brownie. The ears were made of little wedges of chocolate and the whiskers were frosted on.

“Do you want that?”

Felix glanced back at you, eyes wide in surprise. “Hm? Oh, well, it looks good but I’m supposed to be dieting. You know, I’ll probably eat a lot during my heat, especially sweets, so I like to just avoid them for a bit before so I’m not eating too much.”

“Felix, Y/N! What do you guys want?” Chan called from the register.

You both told him what drinks you wanted and Felix went off to find a place to sit.

“Actually,” you turned back to Chan. “Can I have the little brownie cat, too?”

“That one?”

“Mhmm.”

“Are you going to fight me to pay for it?” He asked, eyes crinkling above his mask.

“No,” you mused, “I’ve decided that if you want to pay for me that bad, that’s on you. As a matter of fact, why don’t you just buy me the whole shelf of desserts? Maybe all of the drinks too. Or just buy me the cafe. Whatever you want.”

He chuckled at you, shaking his head. “Maybe later. For now, I think a drink and a cat brownie are good.”

You shrugged. “Fine. But let me know when you’re ready to sign the real estate papers.”

Turning around to look for Felix, you found him sitting in a window seat tucked behind a circular coffee table reading something on his phone.

You dropped down next to him, back to the window, and had a mini heart attack when he instantly moved over to rest his head on your shoulder.

“Have you seen this?” He turned his phone so you could read it.

JYP Entertainment Signs On Full-time Caretakers

Earlier this morning, the company revealed that it would be signing on caretakers for a few of their bands. The caretakers’ names or identities were not released, but we did get a list of the bands. Each of these bands have substantial fanbases, so it will be interesting to see how they react to their favorite idols working with a caretaker.

What is caretaking and why would a K-pop band need a caretaker?

Caretaking, while it has become much more common within the last few years, has been around for decades. Usually, only the wealthy could afford them, but nowadays, several people can hire a part-time caretaker with just a click of a button on their phone. However, with a company as influential as JYPE, using the caretakers full-time seems to be the way to go.

The role of caretakers is to make sure that omegas are happy and content so that they don’t go into omega drop. While companies don’t always tell us why their artists go on hiatus, it is safe to assume that with their stressful jobs, there must have been some danger regarding omega drop, so it’s good that this company is taking their omegan artists’ health seriously.

You let out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. “Are they serious? They’re making a lot of guesses, and some of this is just straight up wrong.”

“What’s wrong?” Chan asked, showing up to the table and setting down a tray of drinks, along with the cat brownie.

He grabbed the drinks and set one in front of Felix and another in front of you, raising his eyebrows underneath his baseball cap as he sat down across from the two of you.

Felix slid his phone over to Chan. “This morning, the company released a statement about the new caretakers.”

Chan’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yeah? That’s not what’s wrong, is it?”

Felix tapped his phone to bring Chan’s attention to the screen. “This article is just being a bit weird about the whole caretaker thing.” Felix’s eyes shifted to the cat brownie. “Ah, you bought one for yourself?”

You smiled at him. “Well, it looks good, doesn’t it? But it seems a bit big. I’m not sure I could finish the whole thing on my own.”

He glanced between you and the brownie carefully.

“It’s a shame, too. I’d hate to waste food this good by throwing it in the trash.”

His lips pursed together.

“If only there was someone here who reminded me of brownies and cats that I could share it with.”

He huffed. “Hey, noona.”

“Yes?” You hummed.

He closed his eyes and slumped back into your shoulder. “Do you want to share it?”

You gasped theatrically. “Why, that’s a great idea! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself!”

You felt him shake with suppressed laughter as you moved the brownie over to cut it.

“Wait!” He yelped, sitting up. “Are you done with my phone?” He asked Chan.

Chan had finished reading the article by now and was watching you and Felix.

He straightened up and passed the phone back. “Yeah, I read it. God, that article. Well, hopefully people will know that that’s not the best source for information about our company or caretakers. I texted our managers, though, and they said it really doesn’t matter what one article says.”

You ran your fingers along your cup. “At least it’s not negative? It does say it’s good that the company is taking your health seriously. Of course, it would be better if they didn’t only mention omegas. All subgenders need caring for. Also, caretakers aren’t just there to prevent omega drop. That makes it sound like we just sit around and read magazines as long as omegas aren’t in danger of omega drop.”

“Hey.” You looked up as Chan reached across the table and took your hand from your cup, holding it in his. “We don’t think you’re just going to sit around reading magazines. We know you worked hard for this, you went to school for years and everything. No matter what people say about you or caretakers in general, we’ve got you.”

Felix looped his arms around your waist. “We’ve got you, noona.”

You squeezed Chan’s hand and ruffled Felix’s hair. “Thanks. I’m not taking it personally though, I just wish people wouldn’t make assumptions like that.”

Both of them nodded at you as you took off your mask, grabbed your drink, and took a sip. “Oh, shit. That’s good.”

They started cackling at your change in attitude when you remembered something from earlier. “Hey, Felix, what did you want to use your phone for?”

His eyes lit up. “Oh! I wanted to take a picture of the brownie and post it on bubble.”

He grabbed his phone and took a picture from above. However, he frowned at his phone one it was done.

“What is it?” You asked, taking another sip of your drink.

He shook his head. “There’s something missing…”

Felix glanced between you and the dessert and you tilted your head in confusion.

“Oh!” He clapped his hands together. “Noona, can I have your hand?”

You raised your hand for him and he took it without hesitation. He moved your hand and his to make a heart shape next to the brownie and took a picture with his other hand.

He brought the phone closer to his face, his freckles dancing as his eyes crinkled.

“Oh!” He looked up from his phone again. “Channie-hyung, did you want to be in the picture?”

Chan had moved his mask under his chin in order to drink his juice, so you could see his face as he smiled. “No, that’s alright Lix. Go ahead and post it.”

Felix nodded as he did just that and set his phone down. “Okay, now let’s see if it tastes as good as it looks!”

You smiled at his enthusiasm. “Sure thing! Will you pass me the knife, “‘“baby”’”?”

The two of you froze and blinked at each other before you realized that you should apologize. “Oh my god, I am so, so sorry. I should have asked to call you that and I didn’t-“

“No, no!” Felix said, waving his hands. “I actually really like being called that.” You couldn’t see much of his face since he still had his mask on, but as he handed you the knife, you could see the tops of his cheeks stretching like he was smiling.

You tightened your fingers around your drink, trying your best not to squeeze it too hard and have it explode on you. “Well, alright,” you replied, summoning your courage, “I guess I’ll have to call you that more often, then.”

Felix’s eyes widened a bit at your comment but before he could respond, Chan cleared his throat. “As much as I love this, we should be getting back to the company soon. You want to eat the cat now instead of taking pictures?”

Felix rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Chan as you cut the cat into thirds.

“Three?” Chan asked, tilting his head in confusion.

You held up the knife dramatically. “If I don’t argue with you about paying, you don’t argue with me about eating.”

He ducked his head, adjusting his hat. “Ah, fine. Sure.”

You grinned and turned to Felix. “Youngest first, right?”

He shook his head at you. “No, no, you’re new here, you go first, noona.”

You shrugged at him. “Alright.” You picked up a forkful from your third of the cat and held it in front of him.

His eyebrows raised at you. “R-really?”

You narrowed your eyes. “Do you want me to make airplane noises too?”

Felix’s lips twitched up as he leaned forward and ate the brownie off your fork.

“Oh my god,” he groaned, “I love this.”

You took your own bite and instantly understood his reaction. “Holy shit. Did they put the secret to happiness in this or something?”

Chan wheeze-laughed at your antics before taking his own bite. He stopped laughing immediately and his eyes widened. “Wow.”

The three of you quickly finished the cat brownie, Chan and Felix having a mini battle with their forks at one point.

You left the cafe, making sure to remember the name, and walked back to the company the same as before, one arm looped through Chan’s and one hand holding Felix’s.

Once you got to the company building, Chan told you that there was a small meeting room that you would be going to in order to discuss Felix’s heat.

You and Felix followed Chan’s lead as you all piled into the elevator and made your way to a door labeled Meeting Room 32J.

The room itself was fairly plain and it obviously wasn’t in use much. The walls were completely bare, the table was plain black-painted wood with six seats, two on each long side and one on each short side. There were two windows on the back wall and that was about it for decorations.

You sat down on one of the long sides of the table, Chan and Felix across from you, and you all took your face masks off.

You noticed Felix shifting uneasily and thought about how to make him more comfortable. Reaching out your hand, you wrapped it around his own and he glanced up at you from where he’d been staring at the table.

“Hey, “‘“baby”’”,” you murmured, “do you want to take your scent blockers off? And have me and Channie take ours off too?”

He blinked at you before grinning and ducking his head. “Yeah, that sounds nice. Thanks, noona.”

You squeezed his hand. “Of course.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Chan smiling at you before he started peeling off Felix’s scent blocker with the ease of someone who had done it a thousand times.

Once he’d removed both Felix’s and his own, and you removed yours, Felix visibly relaxed at the blend of scents. With your earthy-floral scent, Chan’s eucalyptus, and Felix’s lemon dessert, the room was overtaken by a nice, sweet, nature-like aroma. You felt relief in your shoulders from tension you didn’t even know you were carrying and sank down in your seat a little.

Chan cleared his throat and sat forward, folding his hands in front of him. “So,” he started, “I’m going to be honest, I don’t know exactly what we need to talk about or how to talk about it, so if one of you two wants to start…”

You giggled. “Chan, I know you’re used to being the leader, but this isn’t my first time as a caretaker. I know what we have to talk about, and what boundaries we need to set, but if I have any questions about specifics regarding idol life and your company, I’ll definitely ask. Is it alright if I lead this meeting?”

His shoulders slumped as he exhaled. “Please do.”

You let go of Felix’s hand to dig through your bag and bring out your notebook and a copy of the band’s files. You flipped the page to the one with Felix’s information and slid the papers over to him.

“This is what they gave me about you and your heat. It’s not much, so we’ll definitely have to go over more specifics about what your heat is like and what you like to do before, during, and after it, but let’s make sure we prioritize. What are some things not in this file that you think I need to know? And the list can be as long or as short as you want it to be.”

Felix and Chan stared at you for a few moments with wide eyes.

You frowned at them and crossed your arms over your chest. “What?”

Felix blinked and read over the file while Chan shook his head at you. “You’re so… professional.”

You couldn’t help but snort at that. “Well, I have been trained for this and I’ve had clients before you, so I like to think that I’m pretty good at it.”

Chan smiled widely at you, showing off his dimples. “You are pretty good.”

You pursed your lips and turned to Felix. “So, anything stick out to you?”

A crease formed between his eyebrows and his fingers clenched slightly around the paper. “Well, I guess all this is true. I like to keep my nests very private. But, there’s a big difference between Hyunjin and I when we nest. That’s one of the benefits to us not having synchronized heats anymore.”

You tilted your head. “Anymore? You used to be synchronized and now you aren’t? What happened?”

Felix bit his lip and glanced at Chan. The alpha raised his hand and started to pet Felix’s back soothingly.

“When Hyunjin had his hiatus, I sort of… went into a surprise heat? A bad one. The doctors say it was basically halfway between a normal heat and an omega drop. So, that wasn’t fun. And Hyunjin’s occurred as scheduled, a couple weeks later. Then the company decided that it was easier to have just one omega in heat at a time. That way one of us can still do individual schedules and it’s easier for the others to take care of us when they’re only taking care of one omega. Plus, we discovered that it’s good to have a grounded omega taking care of an omega in heat.”

You nodded and wrote a few things in your notebook so you wouldn’t forget. “And do you like having separate heats?”

Felix frowned like he was uncertain about how to answer. “I… understand the reason why we have them separately. And I like getting to take care of Hyunjin properly during his heat.” He smiled tentatively. “Honestly, the best thing about separate heats is the nests.”

“Ah, the nests!” Chan giggled.

You couldn’t help smiling in response to their behavior. “What’s this about the nests?”

Felix shifted, rubbing his hands over his thighs repeatedly. “Well, Hyunjin and I don’t fight a lot. Not real fights, anyway, just little arguments. But when it comes to nest building and who is allowed in and where we build it…” His eyes widened like he was telling a ghost story around a campfire. “It’s not pretty.”

“That’s sort of ironic, given that’s it’s the two of you involved.” Chan smirked, brushing a strand of Felix’s hair behind his ear.

Said ear then reddened as Felix’s jaw dropped. “Hyung!”

“What?” Chan asked, a little too innocently.

Felix pursed his lips together and glared playfully at Chan until the alpha poked him in the ribs. “Pay attention, Lix. This is important.”

Felix sputtered back at him. “Wha- me? Hyung, you’re the one who- you pay attention!”

Chan snickered and Felix pouted as they both turned back to you.

You forced yourself to hold back a laugh at their contrasting expressions. “So, tell me more about the differences in your nests.”

Chan smiled at Felix fondly. “Well, for Lixie it’s basically all or nothing, but Jinnie is very particular.”

Felix nodded along. “Yeah, it’s sort of funny. I don’t even like people looking at my nest unless they have explicit permission, but once they get in it, I don’t really care where they sit or if they change the nest. Hyunjin, though,” The corners of his lips twitched. “He likes nesting in common spaces and anyone can go in and out as they please, basically. But, if you move a blanket or a pillow, he gets pretty offended. I still have nightmares about the last time that happened.” He said with a shudder.

Chan closed his eyes and smiled ruefully. “Ah, poor Jisungie. It wasn’t his fault that he tripped when Seungmin grabbed his ankle. It wasn’t even Seungmin’s fault since he was asleep when he grabbed him.” He slid his hands up to cover his face. “That was the worst fight they’ve ever had since they got over that whole ‘dance better, rap better’ thing.”

The corners of Felix’s lips twitched upwards like he was trying to hide a smile. “Even though the nest fight was almost completely one-sided.”

“Hyunjin was angry enough for the both of them.”

“He was angry enough for the eight of us! Do you remember what he did when we tried to defend Jisung?”

“I wish I could forget.”

You didn’t know exactly what they were talking about, but your imagination filled in the gaps of their story and you laughed along with them.

The three of you finally calmed down and you were able to return to the topic.

“So, Felix, you’ve told me you understand the reason you and Hyunjin have different heats, but do you actually prefer it or would you like to try and get in synch again?”

He glanced between you and Chan like he was uncertain. “I’m not really sure. I don’t think I have a preference, and if the company thinks separate heats are better, I’m fine with that.”

You nodded and jotted that down in your notebook. Then, you closed it and set it to the side. “Alright, I think it’s time we address another heat topic.”

“So.” You clapped your hands together and brought them down to rest on the table. “Sex.”

Felix’s jaw dropped as Chan choked. “What?” They gasped, almost exactly in unison.

You shrugged back at them. “Look, I know it can be a bit of an uncomfortable topic, and I know that especially with your career, you’re essentially taught to avoid any discussion of sexuality, but it is pretty important that we can talk about your sex lives comfortably, for you two and all of your members.”

Chan was the first to collect himself, though his ears still blazed. “Alright. What do you need to know?”

You met his gaze calmly and pushed out soothing hormones. “How would you characterize the relationship between everyone in your pack?”

He glanced at Felix before meeting your eyes again. “We’re all in a romantic polyamorous relationship.”

You nodded as more questions filled your brain. “Is everyone in your group dating all seven other members?”

“Yes.”

“Are you all exclusive or does anyone have a relationship with someone outside of the group, either romantically or sexually?”

This time Felix piped up. “No, we’re all exclusive.”

“Okay.” You paused. “This is where it might get even more personal. If anything is too uncomfortable or if you don’t want me to know something, just say so and I’ll back off.”

Chan’s eyes widened. “Really?” His eucalyptus scent sharpened in surprise.

“Yeah, really.” You flashed an amused smile at him. “If you’re uncomfortable around me, that sort of defeats the purpose of having a caretaker, doesn’t it?”

“Huh, I guess it does.” Chan said, a smile forming on his face to match yours. “Ask away, then.”

You took a deep breath and got a heavy dose of eucalyptus scent. It calmed you instantly, the tension in your muscles fading away until it felt like you, Felix, and Chan had known each other for all your lives.

Get it together, you told yourself.

“Do you all have sex with each other?”

They both nodded stiffly in response.

“Alright. And you help each other through your heats and ruts in that way?”

“Yes.”

“Yep.”

You nodded and reached out to Felix, patting his hand gently. He grabbed your hand and began to massage your palm. “Okay, now the questions are going to be a little more focused towards you, “‘“baby”’”. Is that okay?”

He bit his lip and squeezed your hand. “Yeah, noona, I’m good.”

You smiled at him and pulled your notebook over, flipping to the page where you had written your checklist.

“Okay, so since we’re already talking about it, let’s just get it out of the way. How do you like your members to take care of you sexually during your heat? Do you like one person at a time or multiple people? Is sex your main priority when you’re in heat?”

Felix’s fingers twitched against yours and Chan reached over to rub his back. “Well, it really depends on the individual heat. I like having sex during my heat, but mostly I just want to stay close to my pack whether that’s sex or just cuddling. I don’t like being alone much and I really feel like the more the merrier, again, whether it’s sex or cuddling.”

You stroked your thumbs over his hand. “Good job explaining that to me, “‘“baby”’”.”

He blinked at you before ducking his head. “Really? Thank you.”

“Of course. Now, what does your preheat and postheat look like?”

Chan interjected. “Wait, postheat? What’s that? I thought that as soon as the heat was over, that’s it.”

You hummed thoughtfully. It wasn’t unusual that he wouldn’t know about postheat. Most omegas didn’t even know about it. “Postheat is when the heat is over, most omegas like to do a day or two of selfcare to allow their bodies and minds to get back to normal. It’s a bit overlooked, even by some omegas, especially the ones who are anxious to get back to the other parts of their lives. However, making sure your omega is happy during postheat is the best way to avoid omega drop.”

Chan’s eyes widened as he glanced between you and Felix. “Really? Oh, shit, I feel really bad about not knowing this.”

Felix shook his head and turned his face to Chan. “Hyung, you always take care of me and Jinnie even if you didn’t know. It’s not like you abandoned us once our actual heat was over. Also, I didn’t even know about postheat.”

You nodded along with Felix’s words. “Yeah, Chan, I only know because of my caretaking education. But you don’t really seem like the type of alpha to just leave your vulnerable omega to go get a coffee or something. Also, if you want, I can send you some academic articles on the best things to do during postheat and the things to avoid.”

He smiled shyly. “Ah, thank you. That would be great.”

You turned back to Felix. “So, preheat, postheat, what do you like during that time?”

His eyebrows furrowed as he considered your question. “Well, I like to make a nest during my preheat instead of waiting until my actual heat. I eat a lot of sweets. I actually like to bake a bit before and then I eat those.”

Chan giggled. “A bit? You bake enough to feed an army!”

Felix raised one hand defensively, the other still clinging to yours. “Hey, I can’t help it! It’s my deep, dark omegan instincts telling me I have to provide food or my dumbass alphas will starve.”

Chan laughed even more at that. “You know we can just order food, right? Or go grocery shopping? Also, I love your food but we can’t survive on just brownies for a week.”

Felix grinned at that. “I know that in my head. But the rest of me doesn’t really care about all that. Anyway.” He turned back to you. “My postheat is basically just cuddles and bath time. And more eating.”

“That sounds like a great routine,” you commented.

He nodded, smile going a little smug. “It is pretty great.”

“Oh, shit,” Chan blurted, looking at his phone. “It’s almost time to meet the others in the studio.” He studied yours and Felix’s interlocked hands. “Are we ready to head up, or do you want to talk more? I can tell them to wait if we need to stay.”

You shook your head and released Felix’s hand to stuff your notebook back into your bag. “Nope, I’ve got all the good stuff. If I remember anything else, I’ll just ask. Unless either of you wanted to ask me something?”

They had both stood up, ready to head out, but they paused at your question. Then, Felix raised his hand tentatively. “Are you going to be there during my heat? Or do you just wait until it’s over and take care of the other members in the meantime?”

You took a breath, considering what to say. Unfortunately, Chan had already put on a scent blocker, so you could barely smell the eucalyptus and it didn’t have the same effect as last time. “Well, it’s mostly up to you. If you feel comfortable with me by then and want me in your dorm, then I can hang around and take care of you, but if you don’t want me around at all, I totally understand and won’t be offended. We don’t have to decide right now, especially since you might not even know what your omega will want until it’s your preheat or your actual heat. So, take your time and think about if you want me there or not.”

Felix nodded, smiling at you as you both put on your scent blockers.

“Alright!” Chan clapped. “Are you ready to see where the magic happens?”

…

Taglist:

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[drpeppertummy]

epic teddy post-werewoof tummyache event

[post-extreme stuffing, bellyache, belly rubs, a hint of burst teasing]

"Teddy! Teddy, wake up!"

Teddy groaned, his limp hands instinctively going to his belly. His belly was the first thing he could feel, aching sharply, nearly bursting, stuffed well beyond capacity with god knows what. He felt damp grass under his back, a warm hand patting his cheek. Cool breeze, hot sun. A ladybug crawling over his bare leg. Messy hair clinging to his clammy face. Dried mud on his feet. And his belly, drum-tight under his hands, bulging hard against his normally loose shirt, pulling it taut around his distended middle and straining the buttons.

"Teddy, can you hear me?" He opened his eyes, then shut them again, wincing at the harsh sunlight. It was Luna, of course; he didn't need to see her to know that. He opened his bone-dry mouth to respond and a strained burp came out instead, leaving a foul taste in the back of his throat. He grimaced. He felt a cautious hand on his belly and a pained whimper escaped him; even that tiny bit of pressure was too much. The hand pulled away quickly.

"Jesus, Teddy, what did you eat?" That was a good question. He had no idea. He knew that whatever it was had been more than enough to fill a stomach larger than the one he had now, leaving his poor human tummy stuffed to bursting with heaps of meat and bones and garbage and whatever else he'd eaten in his ravenous werewolf state. He vaguely remembered how it had felt to change back, his belly stretching and straining around the massive meal as he shrank back down, aching horribly as his stomach struggled desperately not to split open.

"Oh, my belly," he moaned, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah, no shit, your belly. You look like you're about to explode. Can you move?"

"Do I have to?" He squinted up at her. She was still in her pajamas, likely having come out to look for him when she realized he wasn't home.

"I guess not," she said. "You're in the yard. Probably better if you don't, honestly." He couldn't argue with that. He didn't think his tightly-straining belly could handle any movement right now. He was so full he could barely breathe; moving was out of the question. Luna gently placed both hands on his belly again. It was rock solid, pushing out hard, bulging at the sides, twitching softly with each shallow breath.

"Listen, Teddy, I know it hurts, but I think your tummy needs some help," she said, rubbing carefully. Again, he couldn't argue. It didn't feel like his overtaxed stomach was digesting anything, too overwhelmed by the absurd quantity of food inside it to break anything down. If he left everything sitting in there undigested for too long, it might start to ferment inside him, and then he really might burst. The thought made him feel a little ill. As Luna cautiously massaged, though, the unbearable pressure began to ease up, albeit very, very slowly. His belly gurgled and groaned as it finally began to wake up and work at the jumble of poorly-chewed clutter.

"Is it getting any better?" asked Luna, still rubbing, pressing in as gently as she could as she tried to knead some life into his stomach.

"A little," said Teddy. A big gurgle rumbled up inside him, and he burped. It didn't help much, but it certainly didn't hurt, either.

"We're gonna have to start locking you up or something," she said. "Your poor belly can't take this kind of abuse." He looked away sheepishly, and she gently ruffled his hair.

"Hey, don't look so glum. You're not gonna explode today." She gave his distended side an affectionate pat. "We'll have you up and moving again in no time, then you can come inside and get some rest, alright?"

"Alright," agreed Teddy, smiling meekly. "Thanks, Luna."

[decepti-thots]

i think we need to settle this once at for all

"what does Most pregnancy mean???" go with your gut. what instinctively feels correct.

[fangirlstorycreator]

pretty pretty pretty please can you do a story about blitzo??!! I've just seen that you wrote for hazbin hotel and helluva boss and I love those shows! blitz is my favourite character! Let's imagine you work with him moxie and millie, but there is a spark between you both! And maybe he saves you from striker? I'm buzzing to see what you write!!! xxxxx

Blitzo! Absolutely anon! I'm so excited to write my first Helluva Boss story, I hope you enjoy 🤗💚

Contains: Swearing/Sexual content/dirty talk/sexual intercourse/kidnap/threatening language (NOT FOR MINORS!)

You had just taken another call for a job, this business was really blowing up recently, who would have thought k#lling humans in the living world was such a good career? You were the only one in the office at that moment, as Blitz, Millie, Moxie and Luna had been invited to an event in the Wrath ring, that wasn't really your kind of thing to do. You had just finished writing down the last few details of this new job, when the door bursts open and hits the wall with a loud bang.

"Satan's d#ck hole! Damn it! Why is it that every time we go anywhere with that feathery f#ck, someone wants to k#ll him!" "Well, he is royalty sir" "So what Moxie? He ain't so royal when I'm d#ckin his-" "Ugghh! Blitz!" "Ooh! Sorry Loony" Luna was always wound up by something Blitz would say, I think it was just part of their father and daughter relationship, even though Luna would never admit that. "Hey sh#t tits! Anyone call in for more work while we were gone?" "Just one, someone who had a an abusive ex boyfriend, she's down in hell because she tried to kill him apparently. But, because he's still alive up there..." "She needs us! F#ck yeh! Let me read the details about this one. Moxie! When your done humping your wife's leg, go and refill the guns. We're gunna need them for this next c#ck sucker" Moxie just huffed as he and Millie went to sort out the guns, Luna was sat by the meeting table, flicking through her phone with her earphones in, and Blitz was still reading the info you wrote.

"So Blitz, you were talking about Stolas when you came back, what happened?" "Oh, that god damn royal #sshole invited us to the Wrath ring for some kind of festival. It actually wasn't that bad, I even joined in with some of the games they had, they were f#cking awesome!" "So what went wrong?" "Oh, well it turns out there was this guy down there, who I was competing against, who was trying to k#ll Stolas" "But he's royalty right? You can't k#ll royalty without-" "An angelic weapon? Yeh, turns out the f#cker has one" "Sh#t! Well, what happened then?" "He hid it from us, until Moxie found the gun. He attacked Moxie and Millie, then I came and pretty much saved the day!" "Saved the day?" "Well....yeh he got away, but! I was the one that distracted him so Moxie could get a clear shot" "Oh really? And how exactly did you do that?" "He was totally flirting with me, trying to make me join him. I just played along" "Hmmm..." "What?" "Oh come on Blitz, your telling me you didn't like it? Not even a little? Your always the dominant one when it comes to Stolas, you secretly liked him being the one in charge for a moment didn't you?" "Hey! I played along with him so Moxie could get the gun!" "Didn't answer my question though...." "Ok...fine, just for a minute. But that's all! I'm always the one who f#cks other people, not the other way around!" "Sounds like a part of you was willing to give it a try"

Blitz raises an eyebrow to you, quickly looks around to make sure Luna isn't paying attention and that Moxie and Millie aren't there. Leaning slightly on the desk, he whispers to you. "You think so huh? Well maybe I'd like to give it a try sometime...." "Blitz....are you trying to flirt with me?" "What if I am, gorgeous? You never know, it could be fun....you wanna ride on this d#ck?" Pretenting to play along with him, you reach up and gently pull him in a little closer by his collar, and lean in to whisper into his ear. His neck slightly shivers as he can feel your breath, he's loving it. "Maybe I would, Blitz........if you actualy had something decent to ride on" "What?!" He shouts as he backs away, leaving you giggling. "What the f#ck are you trying to say? I haven't got a big d#ck?! I could rock you world!" "I doubt it, I think your all talk Blitz" "Oh yeh! If Luna wasn't hear I'd bend you over this desk and f#ck you till your screams filled the god damn office" "Yeh....or my moans of boredom" "Oooh you cheeky minx-" "Hey sir! We've refilled the guns" "Huh? Oh! Right, thanks Moxie, just put them in the van would yeh?" Moxie and Millie head out to the van with Luna, and Blitz just smirks. "I know we play this flirty game a lot Y/N, but has it ever occurred to you that I might actually wanna f#ck you?" "It has, however, you know me Blitz. If you want this...you have to earn it" "Well...challenge excepted! Alright, I've gotta go, we'll go and k#ll this abusive c#ck sucker and be right back"

"No problem. Hey Blitz?" "What?" "You didn't really finish your story about the attempted assassination on Stolas" "Oh yeh! Stolas is fine, we still use the book and we assumed that guy just ran away because of how much we tried to f#ck him up" "He may still be out there, you never know. Does he live in the Wrath ring?" "I don't know, he just disappeared" "Sounds like an #sshole, what was his name anyway?" "Striker" "Striker? What was he? A cowboy?" "How the f#ck did you guess that?" "It sounds like a stupid name to give yourself if your a cowboy" "I can't say I disagree. Anyway! See you later sh#t tits!" You knew he never meant it, but that was just a stupid nickname that had stuck for you now. You just found it funny, just like him. Yes you guys did playfully flirt a lot of the time, but there were times, you could see in his eyes, he was actually turned on. Who knows what could happen between you? But that wasn't on your mind right now, because yet another call has come in. That night when they came back and finished that job, Moxie and Millie had packed their things and headed home, and you were just getting your stuff in your moterbike as Blitz pulled up beside you with Luna in the van too. "Hey sh#t tits! Good job today. Are you hungry? Me and Loony are gunna go get some burgers, wanna come?" "I'm fine thanks Blitz, I'm quite tired so I'll just have something when I get home"

"Alright, we'll see you tomorow then. You ready for some burgers Loony?!" "Uugghh, they're just burgers, no need to get so excited about it" "But there MEGA burgers! There f#cking awesome!" "Whatever" "See you Y/N!" And just like that, he sped off down the road to the burger joint in town. You could see that Blitz always tried his best with Luna, he really does care about her. Once you were ready, you got on your bike and drove towards home, but you did stop at a local bar first. You placed an order for their club sandwich and fries to go, you loved that meal, it was the best thing they did. As you were waiting by the bar, you hear the sound of jingling with footsteps coming towards you, that was strange. When you turned to look behind you, a strange guy had walked up to you and stood beside you by the bar. He had a large brown hat, yellow eyes, a white jacket with little tassels, knee high boots and a red handkerchief wrapped around his neck. Not to mention the creepy smile and the pencil thin moustache, just one look and it made you feel uneasy, whoever this was, you didn't like him straight away.

"Hey there little darlin.....what's your name?" "Not interested" He had a thick accent, like a cowboys western voice. "Hey now, there's no need to get like that. How about I buy you a drink?" "No" "Are you sure?" "No is a full sentence #sshole!" "Woh woh there, I was only tryin to be polite. Why are you gettin all defensive" "Because when a woman says no, that's all she has to say. Now get away from me you creep" He just huffs, running his thumb over his bottom lips as he watches you. "I like a woman with a little bite"

"This is your final warning d#ck head, f#ck off!" "Fine....but let me leave you with this" He slides a card to your fingers, with his number on it. "Call me if you change your mind....and by the way, what name was given to a beauty such as yourself?" "F#ck off" "Well....the names Striker....see you later little darlin..." Striker? Oh sh#t! THE striker? He walks away as you just figure that out, you now know who he was, what he looks like, and that he didn't just disappear like Blitz had said! You needed to tell Blitz! The next morning, you made your way to work and see Moxie, Millie and Luna all doing their own thing. "Millie?" "Yeh?" "Have you seen Blitz?" "Yeh, he's in his office" "Thanks" You walk to the far end of the hall and knock on the door "Blitz?" "Y/N! Is it just you?" "Uh yeh, why?" "Just wondering! Come in!" As you open the door, you see Blitz's desk infront of you, but he wasn't sat behind it. "Blitz? Where-" All of a sudden, you feel hands grip your waistline, spin you around and pin you against the wall. It's Blitz! And he has a deep s#xual hunger in his eyes. "Hey there..." "Blitz, this really isn't the time, I need to-" Placing his finger to your lips, he shooshs you and whispers. "Oh yeh? Well I think it's the perfect time for me to show you exactly what I'd like to do to you..." He says in his most seductive tone. "I've imagined pinning you up against this office wall, pounding your brains out as I-" "Blitz! While this is a lovely suprise, I really need to talk to you!" "Huh? About what?" "Striker!" "Striker? What about him?" "I've seen him! Last night!" "What?! Well why the f#ck didn't you lead with that?"

"Well maybe if I was allowed to actualy say anything as you were trying to f#ck me up against a wall!" "I thought you wanted this?!" "Not right now! I need to talk to you about Striker!" "Shit, Striker. Ok, what happened?" You sit him down and explain what happened last night, and the card with his number on it. "That mother f#cker! He hit on you!" "Your honestly focused on that part Blitz?!" "Well duh! What else should I be focused on?" "Oooh I don't know? Maybe the fact that Striker is still out there, and he could try and hunt down Stolas again!" "Oh sh#t! I didn't think of that. Alright, let's go and tell everyone else" You and him called everyone into the office where you explained what happened last night, and it looked like Moxie had seen a ghost. "Mox? Are you ok?" "That bastard tried to k#ll me and Millie! The thought of him being around again, I hate it. I know you saw him briefly last night Y/N, but you haven't seen him when he's fighting. He's tough" Blitz says "Well yeh he was Mox, but most people are when they're fighting YOU" "What?! Sir I can handle myself!" "When Millie's holding your hand...or your d#ck!" "Sir! I'm-" "Anyway, anyway Moxie. Your right, he is tough. But I know someone in this room who would beat the sh#t out of that #sshole" "Sir, if your going to say Luna, she barely helped us that day when we ALL fought him!" "Not quite Luna, but I know my sweet baby could tear out anyones throat out! Can't you Loony?!" Just shrugging at him, you see a small smile at the corner of Luna's mouth.

"Anyway Moxie, if you hadn't have interrupted me you f#cking bipsh#t! I was actually gunna say Y/N" You were instantly confused. "Huh? Why me?" "Oh come on! I once saw you take out an entire street of humans in the most brutal and violent ways! There was a good 45-50 of them! And they were better fighters than Striker!" "Blitz, first off, I disposed of them because they were all convicted pedofiles. And they were meeting up there to find away to lock down a local human school" "Yeh! And you f#cking k#lled every one of them!" "Yes...and second of all, I know there was a lot, but this Striker you've told me about has an angelic weapon and was able to take on all 4 of you, and get away. What makes you think that in a scenario where me and him are fighting, that I would be the one who comes out on top?" "Because you have fought each one of us, and all at the same time when we did our training before we started going to the human world. And each time, you beat the sh#t out of us! You even beat Luna!" "Yeh....you kinda did beat me Y/N....but I also kinda respect you because of that" "Oh, thanks Luna. Look, discussing this is all well and good. But what if Striker decided he's going to try and finish the job with Stolas?" Everyone looks at eachother for a moment, trying to think of what to do. "I've already told Stolas we're not bodyguards, you remember the sh#t show at Loo Loo Land?" "Yes Blitz, but let's not forget. No Stolas, means no access to the human world" "Oh f#ck sticks! Alright, fine! We'll keep an eye out for Striker. If any of you guys see him, kill him! Or else were out of a job"

The next few days went by as normal, you went and did a few jobs with Blitz, Millie and Moxie, informed Stolas about Striker and told him to call any of us if he saw him again, and generally just tried to get on with things. You and Blitz hadn't discussed the moment in his office, but you knew it had to be brought up, but how? Now that you knew that he really did wanna sleep with you...were you going to?...... One morning, Blitz gave Millie and Moxie a little job on earth to do, he apparently couldn't be bothered to do it. So Millie and Moxie left with the book, Blitz was in his office talking a call from Stolas and Luna was sat behind the front desk, checking her sistagram. You saw this as an opportunity, and seized your moment. "Hey Luna?" "What?" "You bored?" "Yeh" "I need to do some important paperwork at this desk, how about you go and see if there's anything nice you can treat yourself with down the mall in town?" You say sweetly offering her $60. "Wow! Really?" "Yeh, go treat yourself for a few hours" "Cool, thanks. I'll see you later" As soon as she grabbed her coat, she was out of there, and you and Blitz were the only ones in work. Walking towards his office, you can faintly hear the ending of the phone call with Stolas, which Blitz seemed to want to finish. You knocking on his door gave him the perfect excuse. "Huh? Stolas I gotta go, someone's hear to talk to me. Buy. Is that you my little Loony?"

Blitz was pleasantly suprised to see you walking into his office instead. "Y/N! What brings you buy? Oh, and by the way, whatever it is, I'm glad. Because Stolas was talking my f#cking ear off on the phone" "Stolas does love to chat to you Blitz" "Yeh, he likes a lot of sh#t about me. Maybe it's because I diddle his holes every month? Eh it must be, anyway! What do you need?" Raising an eyebrow to him and slowly closing the door, you lean against his door, trying to look seductive. "Maybe I need you to finish what you started.....that is....if you remember?" He stands straight up, eyes wide at first, then turn hungry and devilish. "Ooooohh...your damn right I remember...." He takes his time to walk over to you, taking in the sight of you, looking so damn sexy infront of him. He pins his hands against the wall, with you and him now very close. "So....you do wanna ride on this d#ck huh?....." "If...you can deliver the goods...." "Oooh baby....promise me when I say, I can deliver the f#cking goods....tell me....how do you like it?..." "I like a guy that can take charge..." You say seductively, running your hand down his chest and slowly massaging his now growing bulge. "I like someone who tells me what to do....tells me what a good girl I can be" You lean into his ear, bite at his earlobe and run your tounge down his neck making him shiver. It was like a fire was lit in him, he exhaled deeply, sounding so sexy, right before his hand came and wrapped around your throat.

"Let's just see about that....(grawl)" That noise he made was enough to make you wet already, let alone the look in his eye and the way he spoke to you. His hand on your throat ever so slightly squeezed as his other unbuckled his trousers. "I've wanted to f#ck you like this for so god damn-oh sh#t! Won't Luna hear us?" "Nope! I gave her some money to spend in town...I wanted you all to myself..." "Oh your full of suprises....but now I want you full of me!" His hands grab your hips and pin you against the wall, leaning in and pressing his eager lips to your neck and kissing the soft and delicate skin, making you practically melt against him. Your breath catches as he nibbles at your neck and ear, and he starts to grind against you as his hips slide a little inbetween your legs. You can feel his hard bulge as he rubs it in just the right space, f#ck me you were so turned on from this, and he hadn't even taken his clothes off yet. Pulling away from your neck, he kisses you so hard that you feel dizzy and breathless, your fingers dig into his shoulders just so you can have something to hold onto. Ripping his shirt open, you stroke down his chest, feeling his tough body and his racing heartbeat, holy sh#t. Without warning, he picks you up and slams you on top of his desk, still holding your legs around his hips as he looks deep into your eyes.

"Your so f#cking hot....I've imagined plowing you against this desk for so long..." "What's stopping you then?.....or are you being a little pussy?..." Again, his dominant side is back out, and his hand is around your throat again. "Call me a pussy again baby....I dare you....see what happens...." His devilish look and his tone of voice makes you want him to take you now! Hard and fast! ".....Pussy...." "You asked for it..." His lips are on you again, sliding his tounge inside he's trying to f#ck your mouth with it. He pushes you down onto the desk, still holding you by the neck as he whips out his cock, slamming it inside you with no hesitation. "Huh! Oh f#ck!" "Yeh that's it baby...f#cking take all of me....oooh you feel so good..." Just like you wanted him, he holds you in place as he f#cks you mercilessly against the desk. Over, and over, f#cking you like a little rag doll. Your orgasm was already seconds away, you couldn't hold on! Your scream filled the office as your body shook, your legs felt like jelly and he didn't stop once. "That's it, c#m all over my c#ck! Awww, look at that little face...your all worn out....you all finished there? Hit your high....well I think you can handle another one....or a few" He really wasn't finished with you, you did feel a little worn out, but hungry for more, and he could sence that. Flipping you over, your now facing a way from him while still leaning over the desk, where he starts f#cking you again, making tears fall from your eyes as he brings you to climax again and again, and again! Even his tale played a part in the action! When it wasn't flicking and rubbing at your most sensitive area, it was tying your hands together and letting him be completely in control, and you loved every single f#cking second of it! No previous boyfriend or one night stand had made you feel like that before, it was f#cking insane!

You felt as if you were going to pass out soon, this whole experience had tired you out, not to mention this is the most orgasms you had ever had in a row! Your legs were like jelly! If Blitz wasn't holding you around him, you'd have collapsed a long time ago, he was a lot stronger that you had imagined. Just as you feel like another orgasm could put you to sleep, Blitz came with a loud grunt and shout! "(Grunt) Ah ah! Oh f#ck yeh! (Out of breath) oh sh#t! That was....damn! You ok?" "Oh Blitz....I haven't.....just...woh..." "You got some stamina in you girl! Hear let me help you get a little more comfortable" He gently slides himself out and helps you sit in the chair, your poor legs are shaking and you can't control them at the moment. "Was that too much for you? I'm sorry if I was too-" "Oh no Blitz, that was f#cking awesome!" "Yeh?" "Yes! I finaly know what if feels like to get my brains f#cked out" "Ah ha ha! I know right! You were great, way better than I imagined you were" "So, are my legs supposed to be doing this?" "What the shaking? Oh don't worry, I know how to fix that" Taking you carefully in his arms, he walks down the hall with you to the far end, where there is a bathroom with a separate shower area, just incase. It tended to be used if you needed to wash off any blood whilst inbetween jobs, but for now, it was to help you get cleaned up. He was being so sweet, helping you get cleaned and get your legs back to normal in the shower, you wouldn't have imagined he had pretty much rearranged your guts mere moments before. 20 minutes later, you could walk and were no longer as sensitive, and you both went back to Blitz's office to get dressed back into your clothes. He insisted you sit and take a breather as he put his office back together, you both did kind of destroy it in the heat of the moment.

"That was incredible Blitz, I can't believe we haven't done that before" "I know right! I'll tell you what though, you were sooo worth the wait" "Aww thank you. You definitely were too" A few minutes passed and you hear the sound of the portal in the main room, Moxie and Millie had come back. They came and knocked on the door, Millie looked happy, but Moxie not so much. "So M&M, how did it go? Holy sh#t Mox! You look like sh#t!" "Oh he's alright Blitz, he's just a little shaken up by that job we just did" Millie had explained to you and Blitz that they had to deal with a human who wanted to keep Moxie as a pet, and made him wear a dog collar and tried to make him eat dog food. "Can you blame him Mox? You do act like a little b#tch sometimes" "Sir! I am not a dog!" "Calm down Mox, I said bitch! Which is technical a female dog" "Does taking the p#ss out of me make you feel just slightly important for a mere second? Considering how sad your own life is sir?" "Yeh, it does actually. Anyway! Mills, tell me about this little sh#t you and Mox had to deal with. It sounds like fun!" As Millie and Moxie discuss the contract with you both, Blitz couldn't help but sneak glances at you, and you him. He did just f#ck you so damn good! And everyone was oblivious, it was kind of exciting. Later that afternoon, everyone was getting ready to go home, and Luna had come back with a bag of new clothes. She showed you when you asked to see them, however, as soon as Blitz wanted to see like an over excited parent, Luna just hit him with her bag, slightly smirking, it was kind of funny. When Millie and Moxie left, you, Blitz and Luna were walking out to the car park together.

"Are you gunna show me your new clothes at home Loony? I think you'd look so cute in some new outfits!" "Ugghh shut up da-Blitz!" "Aww your too precious" Luna huffed and sat in the van, where Blitz offered to walk you to your moterbike. "Thanks again for giving Luna some money to go shopping, she does love it in the mall. It's just a shame she doesn't like me there with her...I thought it could be a nice daddy/daughter experience" "I know Blitz, and you can have that some day, but it's when you both have to be ready for that. Don't get your hopes up ok? She does love you" "Yeh, I love her too.....So uhh....about today?" "I'm...gunna guess it's something your not going to want to do again?" "Huh? No! Why would you think that?" "Isn't this supposed to happen? Whenever I've been with a guy, they tend to either ignore me from then on, or just never see me again" "What a bunch of fat f#ckin d#ck wads! Hell no! Y/N, I'd still like to keep this going" "You do?" "Yeh! I know when we first met, we discussed not wanting a relationship, so why not friends with benefits? I still care about you, but if you like, we can be friends who screw eachothers brains out too! What do you say?" "You know what? I actually like the idea of friends with benefits. We always banter and flirt with eachother anyway. The only difference now is that we both get to do something about it" "Yeh! I agree! Great! Friends with benefits!" He gives you a quick hug. "I've got to go now, but maybe we could (hang out) again tomorrow?" "Are you sure? Are you not tired from today? Or worried someone could hear us in the office tomorrow?" "Oh I got a f#ck load of stamina baby! And there can't be much noise if your mouth is full....See you tomorow!"

He smiles happily as he hops into his van, and drives down the street to take himself and Luna home, he was such a manic ball of energy, but you loved that about him. Once you got your moterbike ready, you started driving in the direction of home, just enjoying the quiet trip on the bike, like nothing more than an easy night. That was....until the accident....You had taken a turn down a street you usually drive, it was a short cut. But what you didn't see was that mere seconds before you drove over them, someone had thrown road spikes down, and it popped both your bike tyres! You panic! Swerving, scared you were going to crash and get seriously hurt! The bike was about to fall, taking you with it, when you made a quick thinking decision. You, or the bike, you chose you. Jumping away from the seat, you land hard on the pavement right before your bike hit a large tree, crushing it and nearly killing you in the process. Pain floods throughout your body, blood trickled down your arms and face when you touch it, you had hit your head and hurt your arms and legs when you impacted the pavement, it hurt so damn much. All you could make at first was groans, but as you tried to steady your breathing, you started shouting for help. It was dark, and you couldn't see anyone, but you kept shouting, hoping that someone could help you. Reaching into your pocket, your phone had been all smashed up, so you couldn't even call the police or Blitz, and the pain was getting worse. You wipe away the blood on your forhead and try to stand up, but unbeknown to you, you were being hunted...and you were right where he wanted you....Getting to your knees, you try to take a hold of a near by rock, but are suddenly grabbed from behind by an unknown attacker! He pins your badly hurt arms around your back with one of his hands, and the other reaches around and holds a damp cloth over your nose and mouth. Struggling and writhing in his grip, you try your best to get away, but this rag has something in it thats making you drowsy, and moving in his vice like grip is getting too much for you. "Your all mine now little darlin.....and there ain't noone gunna stop me taking you..."

That voice? You recognise this mans voice. STRIKER! But it was too late, your eyes start to close, and everything goes black as you flop in his arms, being completely knocked out. The next morning, Blitz walks into work with Luna, seeing only Moxie and Millie. "Hey butt f#cks, what's new today?" "Nothing yet sir" Moxie says in a grumpy tone. "Y/N wasn't hear to tell us if any new clients had called" "Hmm? That's strange. Have you guys seen her at all?" "Nope, me and Moxie left last night, and the only time we saw her was when she was walking out with you and Luna" "Has she called in sick?" Moxie checks the answering machine, but there's nothing there. "Nope, nothing sir" "That's so weird, let me give her a call" Blitz was starting to worry now, you were always great with your time management, getting there the earliest, good at avoiding traffic, and would always get in touch if any issue came up. "Hmmm, straight to answer machine. Something doesn't feel right" "Did she say anything last night that might make you remember a reason why she couldn't be in sir?" "No, nothing. We were both just talking about what to do today, nothing out of the ordinary" Luna sits behind the desk as Blitz, Millie and Moxie all talk about where you could be, when the phone rings, but Luna just ignored it as she checked her sistagram. "Loony, please answer the phone next time" "Why? That's Y/N's job" "But she's not hear right now Loony" "Uugghh! Fine. Well, looks like it doesn't matter, they left a message on the answering machine" "Oh! Alright, press play then please Loony"

She presses the button, the voice doesn't come through for a few seconds...but when it does...it makes everyone stand on edge. "Hey there little imps..." "That...that's Strikers voice! What the f#ck is he calling us for?!" The message carried on as they all listened. "I'm guessing your wondering what happened to your little lady today huh? Well, let me put ya'll's mind at rest...I've got her with me right now..." "WHAT?!" Blitz shouts. "How is Y/N with Striker sir?" "I don't f#cking know Mox!" "I guess ya'll are wondering why this has happened...well I simply couldn't keep away from such a pretty little thing...well, I say that....she doesn't look too good now. And who can blame her? She did get into a pretty rough moterbike accident last night...and she's passed out right now, bound and gagged in this chair...poor little thing" Hearing what's happened to you makes Blitz's blood boil, and rage is bursting to get out. "I think I could have a lot of fun with this little darlin....however....I am willing to give a trade for her....bring me Stolas....and I'll let her go. But I have to warn you....if you don't do as I say, and bring me that royal #sshole by tomorow night....she may not make it in time....tomorrow night! By the abandoned industrial site! Be there....or be ready to say goodbye to your pretty little lady friend" As soon as he said that, the message ended, and Blitz, in a rage, threw a chair across the room and it smashed into the window. "THAT MOTHER F#CKER!"

"Sir, let's calm down for a moment and think about what to do-" "Calm down? CALM DOWN?! That horse f#cking d#ck wad caused Y/N to get into a crash, kidnapped her and is holding her hostage! And f#ck knows what he's going to do to her before we find her! And you want me to CALM THE F#CK DOWN?!" Millie holds Blitz steady, trying to ground him. "Blitz! Listen to me! We need to think of a plan to get her back! And we can't do that until you calm down, and think about Y/Ns safety!" That seemed to have shaken him out of his rage a little, but just a little. "Oh satan's damn it! I'm sorry Mills, I just hate that she's in danger. If only I'd invited her back with me a Luna last night, she might have never been hurt" "I know Blitz, but thinking like that isn't going to help right now. We need to think of a way to get Y/N back, without handing Stolas over to him. He said he wanted a traid remember?" "Y-yeh? But we can't hand over Stolas" "That's why we need to think of something" Moxie perks up. "I might have an idea!" "What's that Mox? You and Millie dress us as Stolas while me and Luna distract him?" "Wait...how did you?" "Mox, if I can think of it, Striker will figure it out in seconds" "Damn it!" Noone seems to know what to do, and Blitz looks like he's about to have a heart attack. That is, until Luna thinks of something. "I think I know what we can do" "What is it Loony?" "It involves us going to visit Stolas. Come on, let's go" "Oh my sweet Loony! Your so clever!" "Ugghh, whatever Blitz, just get your #sses in the van and lets go"

A whole day had passed, and due to your injuries, you had only just started to wake up out of unconsciousness. Your whole body felt like it had been hit by a bus, your head was sore and painful, and you could feel your waist tied with rope to a chair, and your wrists tied behind you too. There was no way for you to move, but the pain was enough to make you think twice before trying. Your eyes were adjusting to the light of the room, well there wasn't much of that. It seemed you were in some kind of old and disused room, filled with tools, broken pieces of furniture and broken windows shining in a little of the moonlight. You hear a door close behind you, and the sound of those same jingling boots coming up behind you. Strikers hand stroked around your neck, you hated that he touched you.

"Wakey wakey little darlin....man, you were out for nearly two days..." He says as he starts to slowly walk around you, facing you now. "How's about I take this little thing off of you" He says as he tears the duct tape from your mouth, it stung so much. "There we go....you comfortable hear little lady?" "........bite me......" "Ooohhh....little ladys got attitude...just makes me want you even more" "I'd never want you, you psychopathic c#ck sucker. What the f#ck did you do to me?" You ask, angry but still a little dazed. "Ah it's very simple. You see I road spiked your moterbike, drugged you and brought you back hear. Don't take it the wrong way darlin, I have business to do. And your the key to dealing with it"

"The key? What are you talking about?" "Your little friends....Blitz...Millie, and.....oh f#ck what was the other ones name again? F#ck it, it ain't important! What IS important, is that I'm gunna exchange you for my real target, with the help of your little imp friends" "They wouldn't do that! Stolas is an innocent guy, and our only way to do our job! Blitz wouldn't jeopardise that!" "Well he would....if your life was hangin in the balance..." "You sick f#ck....I don't care what you say, Blitz won't do it" "Oh really? Then why did he agree to meet me tonight to do the exchange?" "He...he what?" "That's right....he's bringing his royal f#ck toy hear, to give in exchange for you..." "But...he can't" "And why is that?" "Because....he'd loose everything he's ever wanted...that he's worked hard for....he wouldn't give that up and let Stolas die" "Clearly, in his eyes, you ARE that important. But I quite frankly don't care, I just want to kill that feathered f#ck and get my money. Now.....the meeting isn't happening for another hour. And it would be a shame to miss out on a chance to....(serenade) a beautiful woman such as yourself" "Don't you dare fucking touch me you creep!" "Oh come on little darlin....I can make you feel things no other man can..."

"Oh please! You have zero chance against Blitz!" "Bl-Blitz? You fucked that imp?!" "Oh yeh, and he ruined me for anyone else. And even if you tried, you would never even come close to being half the man he is in the bedroom. Your a pathetic excuse for an imp!" "Shut the f#ck up!" With one wack of his hand, he hits you so hard in the face that your vision goes blurry, and you spit out blood from where he hit you so hard. He suddenly grabs you by the neck, choking you as he stares at you, evil in his yellow eyes.

"How about I f#ck you infront of Blitz before I kill him huh? When he brings me that bird brain, I'll kill him, the stupid imp couple, that hell hound bitch, and then leave Blitz till last! He can see you go through even more torment before I shoot that f#ckers face off!.....but for now..." He let's go of your throat for just a second before he tears your ropes from your waist and hands, and throws you onto the floor. Struggling, and in so much pain as it is, you couldn't fight back even if you wanted to. His stance above you shadowed the moonlight, you were terrified. "For now it seems I'll just have to show you what happens when you act like a little bitch....I'll make that moterbike crash feel like a walk through a f#cking daisy field!......you did this to yourself you know...." An hour later, the meeting was about to start. Blitz and Stolas were standing in the back part of this disused industrial site, waiting for Striker and you to arrive. They heard a car driving up to them, which came to an abrupt halt just a few feet infront of them. Striker is the one who gets out of the car, pointing an angelic weapon at Blitz and Stolas. "Where is Y/N you mother f#cker!" "Ah ah ah...patience little imp....hand over the bird first" "No! Until we see Y/N, your getting nothing!" "Huh! Fine!" Still pointing the gun, Striker walks around the the back door, and hauls you out of the back, completely and utterly broken. He throws you to the ground, inbetween him, Blitz and Stolas. Stolas looked so worried and scared for you, and Blitz looked utterly heartbroken.

It caused him so much pain and anger to see you like this, how dare he do this too you. "Y/N! Oh shit Y/N I'm so sor-" "Ah ah! Don't go near her Blitz! She's mine for now" "She doesn't belong to you, you c#ck sucking-!" "Oh, but she does...until you hand HIM over...." Blitz couldn't keep his tear filled eyes off you, Striker had beaten you to a pulp. You had two black swollen eyes, blood on your lips, cuts and bruises on your face. You were limp on the ground, barley able to keep your head up or even look at Blitz. The beating you got from Striker had destroyed you, not to mention the other damage you sustained when the moterbike crashed. Tears streamed your face, and Blitz was at a war with himself, deciding weather to hold you in his arms or beat Striker to death.

Striker could see the pain in Blitz's eyes, and he made it worse by aiming the angelic gun, now at you! "I said! HAND HIM OVER!" Blitz looked up at Stolas, and Stolas just simply nodded and started to walk over to Striker. "That's it...nice and steady" Stolas never said a word as he stood close to Striker, the gun now aimed at him instead. "Thank you Blitz, it seemed you ain't so useless after all" "We've made the trade, now let me help her-" "Hmmmm.....wait....on second thought.....how about I just kill you all?" "What?!"

"Oh come on Blitz, you really thought is was gunna be that easy? I'll deal with this bird brain first....then I'll deal with you, and this bitch! But don't worry, I won't kill you straight away....I wanna make you watch her suffer....just a little more..." "You mother fu-" "Awww, it's a shame it had to happen this way Blitz, I thought we could be a really good team" "......You know what?......the only person who's gunna end up dead tonight is you" "What?" "Come on....you really thought it was gunna be this easy for YOU either?" Blitz said with a smirk. Full of rage, Striker fired the gun at Stolas....but it didn't kill him. In fact it went straight through him like he was made of air, how? The moment he did that, this figure of Stolas evaporated, like he was a mirage. "WHAT THE FUCK!? YOU SON OF A-"

Striker swings around, about to take out Blitz instead, but it Blitz's plan was about to take affect. A gun shoots through the air and hit Striker in his shoulder, Millie and Moxie had been hiding behind an old car the whole time! And they had jumped out and started shooting at Striker, in a stand off! This meant Blitz could jump to you and cover you from any gun fire. "Oh sh#t! Y/N! I'm gunna get you out of hear ok?!" "Blitz....you came...." You just about manage to say with the last of your strength, Blitz couldn't bare to see you like this. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry sweetie! I should have kept you safe! I should have protected you!" You reach out and hold his hand, trying your best to show him that it's ok, and that you understand. He smiles weakly, and kisses your hand. "I'm gunna make sure your safe sweetie" Despite the gun fire in the background, Blitz is gentle as he picks you up in his arms, being as careful as he can with you. You hiss in pain, it's too much. "Shhh shhh it's alright, your gunna be somewhere safe soon. Just hold on" Moments later, a portal opens to the real Stolas on the other side, looking worried. "Oh my! Blitzy, what happened to her?!" "Never mind that now Stolas! Please take her, help her and keep her safe!" "Of course Blitzy" Blitz hands you to Stolas, and he was just as gentle with you as Blitz was. "I'll be back as soon as I can alright? I'm gunna go gake care of that b#stard!"

The last you see of Blitz, Millie, Moxie and Luna is the faint glimpse of them all fighting Striker, right before the portal closes. "Oh my poor sweet Y/N, how could someone do this to you? Just hang in there, I'm taking you to the best hospital there is"

You just about manage to hear him say that, but the pain was over flowing, and your body couldn't stay conscious anymore. The world turned black when your eyes fluttered shut. "Oh my! Y/N? Y/N?!" Hours later, your safely in a hospital bed with Stolas by your side, not leaving you for anything. Thankfully, they had managed to help you, and so did Stolas. He used his book to try out some healing spells on you, that helped with the internal bleeding you had, and got you out of the deadly danger zone. There was only so much the book could do for you though, and that's where the hospital are standing in. The bruising, swelling and pain is being kept under control with pain medication, you unfortunately were still passed out, your poor body had gone through so much, any strength you had, was now gone. About 20 minutes later, Blitz and the others run into the hospital room, out of breath and physically drained. Moxie and Millie collapsed against the wall, Blitz ran straight to you and Luna soon joined too. "Y/N! Is she ok Stolas?! Please tell me she's gunna be alright!" "It's ok Blitzy, she's going to be alright" Luna asked "What injuries did she have?" Stolas takes a breath. "Maybe we should stand outside for a moment?"

He didn't feel comfortable talking about your injuries when you could possibly hear. Blitz was hesitant of leaving you at first, but he knew you were in the best place, and that you were safe. They all stood outside and Stolas explained what you had gone through. It seemed any injury you could have sustained, you did. You had been assulted by Striker to within an inch of your life, which caused broken ribs, broken wrist, cracked ankle and your body was covered in bruising from head to toe. You had also suffered even worse damage from the moterbike crash. Nerve damage and a ruptured spleen, which was thankfully dealt with quickly and efficiently thanks to Stolas's book. It was no wonder you had been in so much pain, pretty much nothing on you had been untouched. Blitz collapsed to the floor when hearing this, he hid his face in his hands as the angry and guilt filled tears poured out of him. The poor guy blamed himself for what happened to you, he blamed himself for everything bad that had happened to people he loved or cared about. Including what happened in the circus years ago, he felt like a curse. "Blitzy, it's ok. She's going to make it" "But look at what she's gone through! I couldn't-I couldn't help her!" "Oh but you did Blitzy....she was in danger and you saved her. She's now in hospital, and she's safe again" "But for how long?! We couldn't....." "You couldn't what?" Moxie clears his throat. "Striker got away...we couldn't k#ll him. Which means he is still a danger to you and Y/N" Stolas takes a breath to steady himself, then he says. "I....I see....But...There is danger everywhere you look. We're in hell! Of course there will be! But me and Y/N are both safe, and I know that she is going to be ok once she's herself again. Blitzy? Blitzy look at me"

Still teary eyed, he looks up at Stolas. "Y/N is going to be ok....and your to thank for that. Now....at this moment, she needs you. Why don't you go and sit with her? I can see you need to be with her"

Wiping his cheeks, Blitz stands up and steadied his breath. He wanted to be calm before going into see you, he needed to be. He walked in, where Stolas talks to the others who are still in the hall. "Are you all alright?" "Yes your majesty" "Are any of you hurt?" "A few cuts hear and there, but nothing we can't handle" Millie says with a smile, she was a tough cookie. Luna runs her hand through her hair as she speaks. "I'm fine, I bit that b#stard in the arm before he got away. But I'm good" "Oh thank goodness. And, what about Blitzy? He seems..." "He's just worried about Y/N, your majesty" Moxie says. "He's been so worried about her ever since she never turned up for work. Knowing Blitz, he isn't going to leave that room for a while" "I do believe your right" Moxie and Millie tell Luna and Stolas that they are going to go and grab some clothes from your flat for you, and they will be back a little later. And Luna heads in the direction of the hospital canteen, she thought everyone could do with something to eat or drink. Stolas was now left by himself, he leant against the door of your room, and observed Blitz sitting beside you. He was in pieces. In the room, you lie there, pale, bruised and totally lifeless, poor Blitz couldn't control his tears. "I'm...I'm so sorry Y/N....for everything. F#cking christ! Why do I f#ck up everyone whose closest to me? Barbie, Fizz...and now you...I don't deserve you as a friend, or even more than that to be truthful. Any imp would beg to have a woman like you...and I can't even....oh f#ck!" He couldn't contain it anymore, and burst out into tears, hiding his face away from the world. The pain and guilt he felt for you was overwhelming.

He suddenly felt a warm hand on his shoulder, making him turn to see who it was. "Blitzy.....I'm so sorry..." He couldn't speak word, the tears just kept coming, and Stolas just sat beside him, holding him by his shoulders gently as he let all that pain out. "When I find that f#cker-" "Striker shouldn't be your priority now Blitzy...she should be" "Your right, your right I...damn it I just don't know what I can do for her Stolas. What do I do?" "Anything you think will help her....comfort her when she wakes up, talk gently to her, reassure her that she's going to be alright" "She will be! Because I ain't gunna let anyone hurt her ever again!" "I believe you Blitzy, she is lucky to have you by her side....I'm going to give my daughter a call, I have to pick her up from her mothers home tonight. Are you going to be alright hear?" "Yeh, I'll be fine. I'm not leaving her" "Alright Blitzy, I'll come by tomorrow to check on the both of you, ok?" Stolas gently pats Blitz on the back before leaving the room, so now it's just you and Blitz. "I hope you wake up soon Y/N...I can't bare to see you like this" A knock at the door alerts Blitz, like he is expecting danger. "Chill out Blitz, it's just me" "Oh! I'm sorry Loony...I guess I'm a little on edge" "Yeh no sh#t. Hear, I got you somethin" "Thank you Loony" She hands Blitz a bottle of drink and a sandwich, but he just plays with it in his hands. "Hows she doing?" "She isn't awake yet. I don't know when she will be" "The doctor told me outside that she may be hear for a few weeks, but thanks to Stolas, she's gunna recover a lot better than anticipated" Blitz nods, still a little teary eyed. Luna couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Taking a seat beside him, she gave his hand a quick squeeze, but then let go again. "She'll be ok dad" "Thanks Loony....your the best daughter anyone could ask for" She looked away the second he said that, trying to hide her cute little puppy dog eyes, that was very corny, but one of the nicest things he has said to her. And he is always trying to be sweet to her.

The sound of the beeping monitor started to make you stir from your drowsiness, your vision started to brighten and unblur, and the moment your eyes completely opened, you saw Blitz and Luna sat beside you.

"Blitz?" You ask in a quiet and groggy voice. "Y/N! Oh thank satan! Your awake!" He shouts cheerfully as he leans in to hug you. "Hhsss! Ouch!" "Oh! F#ck! Sorry sorry! I should have been a little more gentle" "Don't worry, it's ok" Silly Blitz just smiled happily and held your hand, Luna asked you "So Y/N? How you feelin?" "Like sh#t, that has been run over by a truck" "Seems about right, heh. I could always smuggle you some vodka to help ease the stress?" Blitz looked at her in utter shock. "Loony!" "What? Are you really gunna sit there and tell me that drinking vodka hasn't helped you with pain in the past?" "Well....I....touche!" You giggle, Blitz couldn't exactly deny that when Luna asked. "I'm fine thanks Luna, whatever the nurses are pumping into me, seems to be doing the trick. Are you guys all ok? Where are Moxie and Millie? Where's Stolas? And what the hell happened when you came to find me?" "M&M went to get you some of your things, Stolas is fine, and on the phone to his kid. And, yeh....I suppose we owe you an explanation for what happened. I'll try to sum it up as best as I can. So when Striker left that message for us, he wanted Stolas in exchange for you. So Loony had an idea, and we spoke to Stolas at his castle. Turns out that book can do loads of other cool sh#t besides take us to the living world! Anyway, Stolas suggested we do a spell where it looks like he's beside us, until the very last moment, making Striker think he's actualy there! And Lonny suggested that we ambush Striker when he brought you out, and Stolas could teleport you away while we dealt with him! We knew that you would be in no position to fight, the best thing to do was to get you out of there as quickly as possible"

"And that's why you stayed behind? Gave me to Stolas so you could k#ll Striker?" "Well...believe me Y/N we all did our best at the time! But that slippery f#cker managed to get away! Again! But trust me, none of us are gunna let him go near you again" "He's still out there? Does that mean he want to still k#ll stolas?" "Yeh, but that ain't gunna happen either, I promise" You just smile, seeing how serious he was about the whole thing, it was definitely a lot to take in when hearing their plan to get you back. You were just glad to be back with your friends again, and not in half as much pain as before. "Hey Y/N, you'll be happy to know that Striker didn't get away easily" "He didn't? Why? What did you do Luna?" "We all pretty much f#cked him up real good. And I even bit him!" "Nice, was it his head?" "I tried, but the pr#ck was too fast" You both chuckle, Luna was definitely not someone to f#ck with. "I can see Millie pulling up with Moxie, I'm gunna go see them and have a cigarette. I'll be back soon" "Alright Loony" Once Luna left the room, Blitz squeezes your hand a little more, and you can see the pain he still holds. "Blitz...it's ok" "Ok?...Y/N your in a hospital, beaten and-" "But you saved me, you all saved me. I'm not being held by Striker anymore" "I know, I know but-" "But nothing Blitz, please? I can see the guilt in your eyes, but you have nothing to feel guilty about. I'm safe now because of you, and that's the end of it. Ok?" "Heh...how can you be so positive when your in this state?" "Is it because I'm awesome?" "Ha! F#ck yeh!......Look, I promise I will keep you safe from him ok?" "I know Blitz, I believe you"

Smiling happily at you, he means over and gives you a kiss on tne forhead, he ws so cute. "How long did the doctor say I was gunna be in hear for?" "Uhh? I think about 3 weeks" "3 weeks? I'm not sure I'm gunna be able to last that long" "Without what?" "Without being back in your office" "You've got to be kidding me! Your thinking about going back to work?! Your gunna put your health at risk to help us-" "Blitz" "What?!" "When I said about being back in your office.....that's not quite what I meant....." "Huh? What do you-Ooooh! Oh you mean (that). I get it now, god I'm such a f#cking idiot sometimes-woh woh wait wait wait! Seriously? You....you still wanna...with me?" "Of course Blitz, why would you think would change my mind?" "I-I dont know? I just guessed...you wouldn't. And come on! Your thinking about THAT in your state!" "Yeh well, I'm not gunna be in this state forever am I?" "I...suppose you make a good point. So....you wanna little piece of me? When you feel a little better?" "Maybe I will...." His sexy chuckle always made you feel wanted, especially when he leaned over and started kissing you so f#cking well. You've missed the taste of his lips, god damn. "Mmm, I cant wait to-" Suddenly there is a knock at the door, and Moxie and Millie walk in, holding a bag of your things. "Oh sh#t! Hey M&M! I didn't know you were back yet?" "We were just talking to Luna outside sir" "Well, he says talking. Luna threatened to kick him in the nuts if he asked her how she was"

Millie said in an amused way. "Awww, that's my Loony!" "Seriously sir? You'll let your adoptive daughter talk to me like that?" "Yeh, I don't really care Mox. Anyway! Look who's awake!" Millie and Moxie greet you with a hug and kind words, asking how you are feeling and what they could do to help. The afternoon went by so quickly, you hadn't even realised it was now the end of the day, and Moxie and Millie were going to head home. "Hey Blitz, Millie said she'll drop me back at the flat on her way home with Moxie. I'll see you later" "Awww ok Loony, thanks for taking her Mills" "it's no problem Blitz, see you tomorow you two" They all say their goodbyes, then it was just you and Blitz left in the hospital room. "I'm confused" "Why?" They left, and your still hear. Why didn't you go with them?" "Oh please! You really think I'm gunna leave you buy yourself? F#ck that shit!" He pulls in a fold out chair from the hallway, and puts it beside you. "Blitz, you dont have to stay over night with me, you can go home" "You ain't making me change my mind, I want to stay, and keep an eye on you" "Blitz that's.....that's very sweet. Thank you" Sitting on the end of the bed with you, he smiles warmly, happy your feeling better. "You tired yet?" "No, but to be fair I think I was passed out for long enough" "Yeh that's true, the last time I was passed out for longer than you were, I think it was a night and day long rave at one of Mamons gigs" "Mamon? That #sshole that Fizz works for?" "Yeh that's the one" "Are you tired Blitz?" "Me? Nah I'm fine. Don't feel tired at all. Why?.....ooohhhh! Do you want a little.....attention?" "If your gunna suggest a f#ck, I'm not sure I can even move properly. Especially with the damage I've got" "Well not a f#ck, maybe a little foreplay? No, I'm sorry that's stupid of me. Your in a bad state" "In too bad a state for s#x yes, but maybe...." "Maybe what?" "Just a little makeout?" "Aww your too cute!" "Blitz! I am not cute!" "Oh yes you are! Your f#cking adorable!" Giggling at him, you just playfully push his arm. But he does slide beside you on your bed and holds you a little closer, with one hand already resting on your cheek. "I'm more than happy to makeout with you....those lips can be damn addictive..." "Is that the reason you bit one of them when we were in the office?" "Hell yeh! Can you blame me?! Now come hear gorgeous...let me make you feel good for a while....I can be whatever you want me to be...." "Oh! Can you be my personal slave?" "Don't push it sh#t tits! Haha!"