#Luckily she hasn't said much about it

[im-not-a-sheep]

I need to find references and sketch smth down

[adore-gregor]

🙄🫠

[thef1diary]

Little Big Fan | Fifteen

— Little Big Aftermath [aka the end]

Series Masterlist

wc: 3k

we’ve made it to the end guys! I just have to say I never thought I’d complete this story and that too fifteen parts of it but to all those who read it and motivated me to keep writing, thank you. While it is the end of the official story, I will continue to take requests for blurbs on specific scenes you’d like to see. However, there won’t be a set posting date on these blurbs, it’ll be out whenever it’s requested and completed. Once again, thank you so much for those who were here since the first chapter, and here’s to more fic series in the future. P.S lemme know if you want to be tagged in the blurbs.

Your frown grew deeper as you turned in the direction your daughter had pointed, unfortunately spotting Tyler. Luckily, he wasn't looking at you two since he was focusing on the podium celebrations about to happen.

"I didn't know daddy was here, mama." Picking Isabella up, you shook your head, "I didn't know either, angel, but let's focus on Max for now okay?"

She gave a nod of agreement and applauded for the drivers, Oscar and Lando in particular, who finished second and third in the race. She did, however, cheer the loudest when Max, as he has done after almost every race this season, stepped onto the top step of the podium.

He was having trouble finding you and Isabella right away in the crowd, and you could see the slightest frown forming on his face until a smile emerged when he succeeded, connecting his gaze with yours.

Isabella giggled as Max held his hand up to wave at her before blowing a kiss in the air in your direction. His behaviour drew Lando and Oscar's attention to you as well, with the former driver rolling his eyes at Max jokingly and Oscar smiling at the interaction.

However, you didn't realize that someone else was also looking at you because your gaze didn't waver away from Max.

The champagne bottles were popped, and this time Isabella was awake to see it all, watching with fascination as it was the first time she was able to see it in person. "I wanna do that, mama," she pointed at the drivers spraying the alcoholic drink, soaking each other's race suits while laughing. "Maybe when you're older, Bella."

"When I'm 7?" She asked, and you chuckled, "a little more than that, sweetheart."

Once the celebrations were over, a huge part of the crowd dispersed, the teams resuming to their usual scheduled routines, preparing for post-race debriefs and other meetings. "Where's Maxy going?" Isabella asked, watching as he was led away by someone clad in a RedBull uniform.

"He's a little busy with interviews, but he told me that he'd come back as soon as he's done," you explained, knowing that Max had a post-race conference and a few other duties lined up.

Isabella huffed, "but he won the race." She rested her head on your shoulder for a moment while playing with a strand of your hair—the habit formed back when she was a few months old.

"Yeah he did, which means he's very famous right now and so many people want to talk to him," you explained and while she nodded in understanding, she still pouted, "I wanna talk to him too."

"Why don't we wait for him inside his driver's room?" You asked, turning around when she nodded.

You had almost reached Max's driver room—a place he had suggested for you and Isabella to stay to wait for him, but pausing in a secluded area as a familiar voice called out, "Isabella!" then heard your name as well. Isabella squirmed in your lap, wanting to get down after seeing Tyler walk up to you both. You sighed, knowing that you'd have to stop and chat.

"Tyler," you greeted, and awkwardness hung in the air for two seconds before Isabella decided to speak up. "Daddy, you said you were busy, what are you doing here?"

Despite her hesitance to stay at her father's place, which she still hasn't done since the day she was discharged from the hospital, she frequently spoke to him over the phone.

Unfortunately for him, Isabella rarely forgets promises. While he was busy playing the "good father" role after your ultimatum, he had make false promises, agreeing to everything she asked for without hearing her out properly. In that conversation, she asked about the promise he made of taking her to a race before she had met Max.

While you and Max had taken her once, she still wanted to experience the thrill with her father since he was the one who introduced the sport to her.

He glanced at you, silently asking if he did in fact claim that he was busy, and frowned when you nodded. "Oh Bella, sweetheart, I didn't know that I would have the time to be here, it was an unexpected decision or else I would've brought you along, but you're here anyways!" He tried to uplift her mood, but instead of hanging on to every word he spoke like she used to do, she just shrugged.

Deciding to divert the topic of conversation, Tyler asked, "did you enjoy the race?" He stepped forward, kneeling down to be closer to her but on instinct, Isabella moved away, clutching on to your hand tightly.

He frowned, once again glancing up at you after noticing her behaviour, but you didn't let an ounce of emotion show on your face. "I'm so happy Maxy won!" She exclaimed, her mood improving for a moment as she thought about him.

Standing up to his full height, Tyler looked at you, "why don't we sit and chat for a moment?" Pressing your lips together in a tight smile, you replied, "I don't think that's a good idea."

He scoffed, then shrugged, "fine, have it your way like always." You were not in the mood to indulge his stupid comments which would eventually lead to an argument, in fact you were here to enjoy the weekend with your boyfriend who you dearly missed in this moment.

His eyes widened briefly when you didn't respond to his comment, wondering how you changed so much in a matter of a few weeks that you couldn't care less about him anymore.

"Hey Bella, why don't you show daddy the caps that you got?" You prompted another topic, that Isabella quickly agreed to. Tyler's gaze remained on you for a moment, understanding that you truly had no intention on speaking to him longer than necessary. The conversations you did have were only necessary due to your daughter, but even those texts and calls started becoming less and less frequent.

Isabella took off her Red Bull cap, which had autographs from Max and Checo, to expose a Ferrari cap with two more signatures from Charles and Carlos, and then a McLaren cap that undoubtedly featured two signatures from Oscar and Lando. She caught up to Lando and Charles, who had given her their hats earlier, as well as their teammates, to obtain signatures. She then wanted to get autographs on her RedBull cap as well. When she asked Max and Checo, they chuckled with the latter claiming she had them all at her beck and call, but they nevertheless signed the cap.

Isabella ended up stacking all three caps on her head because she couldn't choose which one best matched with her outfit. She began explaining the story behind the signatures, and Tyler intently listened, asking a few questions in between as well.

"And then-" Isabella's gaze wandered off, eyes lighting up in excitement as she spotted, "-Maxy!"

Without any hesitation she ran up to him, colliding with him as she tried to wrap her arms around him, earning a low, "oof" from him.

Picking her up and settling her on his hip, holding her up with one arm, he held up his other hand that had a medal hanging from it. Max placed the medal around Isabella's neck, which he received on the podium earlier along with his trophy. "We won, princess," he commented, smiling as wide as she did.

She held both of her hands up, imitating the action Max did as he held his trophy on the podium, causing him to laugh. You watched the interaction with a smile on your face, and could hear their laughter from a few feet away.

Walking towards you as Max was initially planned on doing, he noticed a man next to you, which based on your descriptions was Tyler. He decided to overlook him for now, instead greeting you with a kiss to your cheek.

Tyler held his hand out, "great race, congratulations on the championship. I'm a huge fan by the way." Max, nodded politely, still holding Isabella in his arms but shaking his hand nonetheless. "Thank you," he prompted, waiting for the man to introduce himself to confirm his suspicions.

"Oh, so you're Tyler." Max glanced at you for a moment, watching as you tried to hide your smile behind your hands because of his antics. "Why do you say it like it's a bad thing?" He questioned, and Max was quick to retort, "well, it's not really the best thing now is it?"

"I don't understand," he trailed off, and your boyfriend shrugged, "I figured you wouldn't understand, it's okay," he patted Tyler's shoulder in faux consolation. You had to take a step back so Tyler wouldn't see your expression, placing a hand over your mouth to muffle your laugh.

Tyler was quick to catch on to the condescending tone Max spoke with, looking at you—after you composed yourself fortunately. "So what, you get invited to one race and you guys are best friends now?" He asked, a hint of jealousy you were familiar with revealed in his tone.

"More like she's my girlfriend and they're here to support me," Max clarified. Tyler looked at Max, then Isabella, finally understanding why she was always so enamoured by him.

He scoffed, "oh great, enjoy my sloppy seconds then mate, I will warn you though, it's not worth it because a few months later she'll show you a positive pregnancy test and force you to be a father."

Your jaw dropped, instantly responding, "in front of my daughter?" You glanced at Isabella who was in fact hearing all the words spoken, only frowning due to yours and Max's expressions as she didn't understand the full context of the words her father had said, just knowing that it wasn't good.

Max wiped his hand over his mouth, jaw clenching while his warm gaze turned cold within seconds. "Apologize, now," he instructed, trying to hold himself back from causing a fight.

"Now why would I do that? It's true." Max placed Isabella back on her feet who quickly shuffled over to you, standing behind your legs. "How dare you stand here claiming to be my fan yet talk shit about the person I love?" The driver placed his hand on Tyler's shoulder again, but this time you could see the fear bubbling up in his eyes as his grip tightened.

Still, Tyler managed to scoff, "love? Bold claims there. Sorry to break it to you but she's probably just with you for your mon-" he couldn't finish his sentence because he was punched square in the jaw by your boyfriend.

"Max!" You shrieked, and watching the interaction, Isabella held on to your hands tightly with tears welling up in her eyes. You picked her up again, noticing that Tyler was fuming in anger. "Gonna fucking sue you for that," he spit out some blood, but Max only shrugged, "try me."

Fortunately, you guys were stood in between the team motorhomes, which meant you were slightly hidden away from public eye due to the buildings covering the scene.

Readying himself for another punch if needed, you shook your head, "it's not worth it, Max."

"Yeah Max, listen to your girlfriend," he taunted, angering you in the process. "Will you ever shut up?" You shot back. Max glanced at Isabella who had hid her face in the crook of your neck, arms wrapped around you. Although he couldn't see her face, he guessed that her eyes were tightly shut.

Nodding as a silent agreement with Max, you decided to walk away from the scene as you didn't want to expose Isabella to any more of this argument than what she has already heard. Glancing at Max once more, you hoped that your expression was indicating something along the lines of, "don't do anything too bad."

However, you could hear Max's words as he began speaking to Tyler, "listen here you little shit..." but you didn't stick around to hear the entire conversation, smiling to yourself knowing that Tyler would finally be put into his place—that too by his favourite driver.

Finally entering his driver's room, you sat down on the couch sighing in relief. Isabella was still in your lap and you ran your hand up and down her back in a soothing motion because you could feel her sniffling against you. "Bella," you murmured, wanting to see her adorable face.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, sweetheart." You kissed her head before brushing your hand through her hair. You heard her mumble but didn't catch her words, "what was that?"

She lifted her head to look at you, and you frowned seeing the tears staining her cheeks. "Why is daddy so mean? I don't like him."

"Some people are just mean for no reason, and unfortunately, your daddy is one of them," you explained, no longer covering for him knowing that after what Isabella witnessed, she wouldn't want to be near him no matter what you said.

She frowned but didn't respond, leaning her head against your shoulder again. You didn't disturb her peace, knowing that after the eventful day, she needed some quiet time.

Max entered the room a few minutes later, and he smiled to greet you but it fell flat. He pointed at Isabella, then put his thumbs up to silently ask if she was okay, but you shrugged.

"What did you say to him?" You asked, knowing that whatever conversation followed probably wasn't kind. "I told him that I'd ban him from future races if I saw him anywhere near you or Bella, and he left."

You knew that it probably wasn't that easily done, but you didn't ask for more details.

You had thought Isabella fell asleep since she hadn't moved in a while, nor could you see her face, but she lifted her head up to look at Max once she heard some shuffling about in the room.

He paused as soon as his gaze connected with hers, unsure of how to initiate a conversation because he did literally punch her father. Isabella wiggled off your lap, and both you and Max thought that she would walk away further into the room so her next action surprised you both. Running towards Max, she held her arms out, engulfing him in a hug.

"You're better than my dad, Maxy," she muttered, and he audibly sighed, the stress wrinkles on his face disappearing while wrapping his own arms around her smaller frame.

"Thank you, princess," he whispered back, and she pulled back to kiss his cheek. Isabella looked back at you, smiling when she saw you smile as well. "Thank you for taking care of my mama," your daughter told Max, and his heart warmed at her words. "Always."

The ring of your phone interrupted the beautiful sight in front of you, but your eyes widened when you saw that it was your mother calling. As soon as you pick it up, you're greeted by hearing your full name.

"Hi, mum," you stood up and walked further away just in case you were about to get a scolding although you had no idea what you could've possibly done. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked.

"Tell you what?" You answered with a question of your own, knowing that she could be referring to anything at the moment. "That you have a boyfriend."

Your mouth dropped open, "how do you know that?" She chuckled, "because a friend of mine called me and told me that she just watched you kiss someone on live television, some racer guy."

Covering your mouth with your hand, you thought back to the moment Max kissed you in front of the huge crowd after getting out of his car, and of course there had to be cameras capturing the moment. "Max, he's a Formula 1 driver," you explained.

"Wait, the same Max that Bella talks about?" You hummed, "the same one."

"I'm glad you finally moved on from your daughter's father, but I'm also sad that you didn't tell me sooner and I looked foolish because I didn't know until my friend told me about it."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think my relationship would be broadcasted live. Plus, I think the chapter with Tyler is finally over, for both me and Isabella."

"That's good to hear, she doesn't deserve a father like him. Is Max good to you?"

"He's the best to both of us, she lights up with joy every time she sees him." Your mother hummed as she heard your response, "then me and your father have to meet him one day."

You heard some laughter in the next room where Max and Isabella were, and you smiled at your mother's words, "I hope we can come by soon, I'd love to introduce him to you and dad."

After saying goodbyes and promises to meet soon, you returned to the room Max and Isabella were in, pausing in the doorway at the sight in front of you. Just like how Isabella was sitting in your lap earlier with her head against your shoulder, she did the same to Max.

You were about to make your presence known when you heard your daughter's question. "Maxy, why do you call me princess?"

Max's gaze found yours, always finding you whether you were standing in the corner of the room or in a crowd. "Because your mama is the queen," he responded casually, as if he was stating a fact.

Isabella lifted her head, "does that make you the king?" He shrugged, "I guess it does."

She giggled, "and does that mean we get a happily ever after like the storybooks?" Max reached his hand out towards you, asking you to join them which you obliged to easily.

"Ours is better than the storybooks," he stated, placing a kiss on Isabella's forehead before pecking your lips briefly.

The End.

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[tetsuskei]

synopsis: kuroo fathoms how his childhood has affected his life growing up into adulthood, and ultimately fatherhood

notes: reupload from last year. actually get to uploaded on mother’s day. daughters have curly hair (based of my hair kinda). self indulgent. for context, reader have two daughters named akira (7) and sora (4).

work count: 2.5k

warnings: tough family relations, angst, fluff

mother's day is a strange day for kuroo tetsurō.

he never grew up close to his mother, his only memories being from when he was younger than six. they were hazy.

most of the memories unfortunately surround his father and mother arguing—whether that was somewhere off nearby or being heard from through the walls.

in the past, with the little memories he had of his mother, he tried not to think so badly of her.

but when he had reached out to her a number of years later, he was met with an unfortunate sight. she had moved on from kuroo and his father—starting a brand new life with a new husband, and also a new child. a daughter. a half sibling he hadn't known about.

he hasn't talked to his mother since then.

but now mother's day is also full of blessings and happiness for kuroo, too. because he has you, of course. the best mother to his children.

he had strictly told his assistant to make sure he had no work on mother's day. he always tried to work a little overtime (whether it was his will or not) but needed to be sure that nothing would interfere with this day.

you're luckily, not the lightest sleeper, but it will only be a matter of time before you would realize kuroo isn't in bed. which is why he tactfully grabbed his last worn suit jacket and placed it over his pillow for you to hold.

that would be able to stave you off for awhile.

his next step is to wake up your girls. he had discussed with them the plan for mother's day, which included making you breakfast and providing you with your gifts, and of course spending time with you.

he just forgot to factor in two small things: getting them awake and dressed.

"rise and shine my sweet angels." he softly coos, abruptly opening up the blinds for light.

the youngest, sora, sleepily squirms in her bed, rubbing her eyes (one's that match her father's) and squints.

"there she is!" he cheers, coming over to plant kisses on his daughter's face. he lifts her in his arms, swinging her a bit. "good morning, sweetheart."

"papa, stop!" she giggles, trying to avoid his lips.

he frowns, pausing, "do you not love me?"

her eyes—the same warm hazel as his—widen with shock. "of course, papa!"

kuroo beams, resuming his kiss attack, "good, because i love you sooo much. let's try to get your sister up, kay?" he hums, sora nodding before hopping out of his arms to jump on top of her sibling.

akira, the eldest, has always been a grumpy sleeper—he often left you to wake her up because, well, frankly put: kuroo is scared of his own daughter and her wrath.

"up! wake up, 'kira!" sora jumps on top of her sister, shaking her.

there's a small sound of noise as kuroo approaches his eldest daughter's bedside. "looks like someone is awake after all." he manages to find her face in her bundle of sheets and laughs at how much she looks like you when she's grumpy. "good morning, princess."

"...i'm not awake." akira mumbles, rolling over.

he sits for a moment, and thinks of the one thing that he's best at.

scheming.

"oh, well i guess if you're not awake, you won't be able to get any yummy pancakes for breakfast, will you? it's a shame because they're your favorite—chocolate chip. sora, mommy, and i will just eat them all and celebrate mother's day without you, then..." he says sadly, faking a pout.

akira sits up straight, glaring at her father. "you wouldn't dare."

he smirks, "i would." he pats her head, kissing her nose. "come on kiddo, time to get up."

she doesn't seem convinced until it registers in her mind what he said earlier, "mother's day!"

"momma day!" sora cheers, springing out of bed. kuroo catches her in his arms, hushing her softly.

he grunts as he squats down to their level, but beckons akira to him.

"we're going to play the quiet game, okay? your mom is still asleep right now and we don't want to wake her up yet to ruin the surprise. so i need you two to stay quiet. can you two do that for me?" he asks.

the two nod with enthusiasm, giggling as they rush off to get teeth brushed and ready. he helps them get their outfits out while they do so.

getting them dressed was only half the battle, now the real battle was taming their hair.

"oh god..." he grumbles, staring at the sight in front of him.

both of your daughters had a hair type similar to yours (thankfully) but that means that they also inherited the unruliness of their father's hair.

he's watched you do their hair, marveled at the way that your hands moved skillfully to create whatever updo they wanted.

"okay tetsurō, we can do this." he hypes himself up in the mirror, just like before his pitches for his job.

he starts with sora, who requests 'piggies' (pigtails).

"i'm forgetting something..." he mumbles, looking around. but after searching for god knows how long he moves on.

"no!" there's a yelp and akira smacks her dad's hand away from her sisters head.

he blinks, "what?"

"papa, you can't brush without the water." sora says, handing him a spray bottle.

it suddenly clicks for him. "oh, you're right. thank you, darlings." he kisses the top of their heads.

after finishing his handiwork he adds ribbons to her hair. not the best but honest work.

he gives akira 'bunnies' (buns), and before he knows it, he's done.

getting down to the kitchen and making breakfast was the final step.

tetsurō likes to think he's a decent cook. he pales in comparison to you, but pancakes can't be that hard to make, right?

"oops," sora mumbles, knocking over the pancake mix. it falls onto the ground, but part of it also lands on her sister.

"girls," kuroo says sternly, hands on his hips.

they instantly stop, freezing.

there's a frown on his face, and it makes the two of them shiver. "if you keep that attitude up, neither one of you will get pancakes. sora, you're going to have to clean up the mess you made, and akira i need you to help your sister get the broom since she's too small for it. do you both understand?"

"yes, sir." they say in unison, moving to complete their tasks.

he smiles, voice gentle again, "thank you."

they do as told, and while they clean up, he's able to get breakfast going. he gives them minimal tasks (ones that don't involve a mess).

"alright, why don't you guys try the pancakes to make sure they're yummy enough for mommy."

"oh!" akira scrambles over, ready to take a bite.

unfortunately her sister swoops in, stealing the fork and eating the food.

akira glares, grumbling, "thief!"

sora quickly flees from her sister, running around the island.

kuroo starts to call after them, "hey—"

"sounds like you guys are having fun all without me." the sound of your voice alerts all three of them to you, standing sleepily in the opening of the doorway.

the sound of your entrance makes your girls run to you, and you don't hesitate to embrace them in your arms.

you stand back up straight, holding up your husbands clothes, "did you really try to replace yourself with your suit jacket?"

"you said my cologne smells nice, so—" he mumbles, padding over to you like a child before taking your face in his hands, "you're not supposed to be up right now, by the way."

you laugh, "i won't lie, it worked for a minute. then i realized how cold and soft everything was."

"are you calling me hard? like a rock?" he jokes.

you poke his stomach, "with all this muscle, yeah."

"i'll take that as a compliment, then. happy mother's day, sweetheart." he smiles, kissing your forehead before leaning down to kiss you on the lips.

there's a noise of disgust, and you look at your two daughters who are gagging.

"he has cooties, momma!" sora whines.

you laugh, "i'm sorry, girls. but your daddy's cooties are my favorite."

3:45 p.m.

on mother's day, tetsurō likes to take time to focus on his oba-san. he always brings her, her favorite flowers. today he brings along his girls while you went off to brunch with your own mother.

"you're doing a great job." his grandmother smiles sweetly at him.

"huh?" he looks up, startled by her comment, he looks away from his daughters.

"you're doing well, tetsurō. stop worrying so much." she looks off at his daughters playing, "you're raising two beautiful, respectable young girls there. you and your wife should be proud."

"ahh, is it that obvious?" he laughs, scratching the back of his head, blushing red. it scares him how much that woman can read him like a book. there's five people in his life who can do that and he wonders if it's five too many. but it never will be.

"well, i did learn from the best, after all." he smiles, holding her hand. it's rare and few nowadays that he can break down his barriers and become vulnerable (with anyone besides you, of course). but he will always be his oba-san's tetsu-chan.

it's a blessing and a gift for his girls to see their great grandmother, he thinks. not many people can do that.

6:04 p.m.

"i hope you're proud of yourself, tetsu-kun."

kuroo lastly visits kenma's mother, the latter had already been by earlier and is not present at the moment due to his different schedule.

he sits up, "proud of...?"

"your abilities as a father." kozume-san smiles, "you've always looked out for others, that was evident with our kenma. so i have no doubt that you turned out to be such a great father. you and your wife are doing amazing."

he quietly says thank you, pausing as he thinks and ruminates over a thought.

"do you think things could've been different?"

the woman looks up, understanding his intended meaning. if kenma's perception came from anyone, it's his own mother.

"you mean, if your mother was present?"

he nods, quiet.

"well, certainly different," she starts, "but you've grown up fine as you are now. so it's not to say you didn't need a mother—but you at least have mother figures."

"as long as i'm around and i'm sure your grandmother, as well as your wife, you will always have someone there to support and cherish you."

he blinks back tears and smiles, "thank you."

9:32 p.m.

kuroo grimaces, staring at the contact.

he'd been pacing for the past fifteen minutes, conflicted over what he should do.

thumbs move over the screen before he can even think about what he's doing and suddenly the tone dial is in his ear. he's never had his heart beat so fast before—not during a volleyball match, or an important exam, or a job interview.

he feels like he's on fire with nerves. this might be the hardest thing he's ever done in his life.

voicemail.

he opens his mouth to say something, but the words won't come out. he feels choked up, not knowing what to do. wondering why the right words won't come out. he's a man of suaveness and eloquence. it's in the job title, so why is he blanking right now?

but this is not a job, this is real life.

he hangs up, not knowing what to say. he's frustrated with himself for now as many thoughts swirl his mind. he doesn't know how to untangle them and organize them in a way that makes sense.

kuroo doesn't sense your presence when you walk in the room, and that's how you know somethings wrong. it had been a long day and you barely had any time to yourselves and more importantly to check in with him.

you place your hand on his arm, gently squeezing him. "tetsu, what's wrong? what's bothering you?" you hold his face in your hands, eyes scanning over the small creases in his face.

he runs his thumb over your soft skin. quiet as he gathers his thoughts.

"...am i a terrible father for keeping the girls away from my mother?" he asks, looking at you.

you're silent for a good while, and he worries that you'll respond with rage, maybe even mild resentment. he doesn't know if he can handle that.

"that's ultimately your choice, tetsurō. it's not my right or place to force you to reconcile with your mother for the sake of our children."

"i mean, don't you have some right as the mother of my children?" he points out, "they'll wonder in the future about her. i know that for sure."

"'ro, you do it because you want to. not because you feel like you have to." you say, giving him a smile. "besides, they love their hii obasan and my mother very much. they have plenty of people in their lives that make sure they are loved and make it well known."

"i don't know what you have going on between you and your mother, but whenever you're ready to share the full story, i will be here."

and so he unloads the heavy burden he had been carrying with him for years, feeling his chest tighten at times as he recalls events. you can tell he's trying his best to remain impassive, but you hold him tightly, hoping he knows you're there for him and you aren't going anywhere.

once he finishes, it's eerily quiet. you both don't say anything for a moment.

"it's okay to cry, tetsu." you murmur against his forehead. "you don't have to act like you're okay all the time for other people's sake. think of yourself for once."

he relaxes at your words, inhaling sharply and closing his eyes. you feel his tears stream down his face and wipe gently, reaching over the bedside to dab his eyes away with tissues.

"you're...you're right. that's the one thing that matters most to me. growing up, i always felt sometimes that the adults get lost in their own worlds and forget about the children." he laughs, running his hand over his face.

"so you don't want them to feel alone." you say, grabbing his hand. there's a silent understanding as you recall your own childhood. it wasn't a bad one, but that doesn't dismiss the turmoil that was trudged through. "and we won't let that even happen."

"yeah." he says, closing his eyes.

"and you're not alone either," you add, "we do things as a team, remember that."

"i'm very thankful to have a mother of my children be someone as angelic as you." he hums, kissing your forehead, cheeks, and nose.

suddenly, his phone lights up and you both stare at it in silence. the name reads 'don't pick up!'.

kuroo takes an exhale, picking up the device. mind swimming with thoughts and anxiousness as his thumb hovers the screen.

he answers.

[liveontelevision]

Hello hello! If you are still taking requests I've been dying for an Alastor x reader where the reader was married to him when he was alive, and she outlives him quite a while before they reunite in hell, only for him to nearly die again when the angels attack. I love your work!

I've been wanting to do this prompt for a hot minute, sorry it took so long Anon :')

But here's a good long fluffy, angsty, fic to balance out how much of an ass Alastor is in Suffer lol

Curiosity Killed the Cat | Reader x Alastor

What caught your eye first, was how much whiskey he could down before losing his composure. You found yourself in awe, watching this charismatic stranger go round after round, only to end up on the dance floor with more energy than you had when you were sober. Truly a spectacle. Why don't you go tell him that?

"Excuse me-" You say in a sing-song voice, slipping by the stranger to beckon another drink your way. You may or may not have brushed your body against him in some sort of attempt to get his attention. It went unnoticed, but that's alright, that trick didn't usually work on the ones who had one too many drinks.

You decide the next best action is to sit at the seat next to him, despite there being multiple unoccupied stools at the bar. That’s something he has to question, right?

Of course not. You spent far too long trying to get his attention in any way, and he's either humming a song to himself or chatting with the plump, noisy, owner who would come by. They seemed to be close friends.. but she definitely wasn't his type. She looks like one to cause trouble.

You get a good scope of his character. He came in wearing a pristine trenchcoat, shielding an expensive-looking vest and tie combo. But, by now the tie had come undone and was draped across his neck. The heat of the whiskey might've gotten to him, he left his top few buttons precariously opened. You didn't mind that one bit. Next thing you spot; slightly messed hair and smudged glasses- bingo.

"Hey, birdy-" you finally muster some courage to get his attention. "-may I?" You pull out a handkerchief you usually have on hand, in case handsome strangers with glasses need a quick clean. It took you a good half hour to finally speak up, but he's looking you up and down as if you had just walked in. It takes a moment, but you see him finally decide you aren't a threat. He sits silently. Taking another swig of his drink, he looks at you with a smile. Does he want you to.. no harm in trying.

You bite at your lip, hesitantly reach out to his face, and carefully pluck the glasses from the bridge of his nose. He shuts his eyes as you do so. A man hasn't made you blush in quite some time. You decide to blame the drinks. Luckily, you have a task to keep your mind preoccupied. You're carefully swiping any smudges clear from the lenses when you hear his voice for the first time. Or so you thought.

"Mimzy, dear, do tell me who this little kitten here is. A regular?" You're assuming he's speaking about you, he's gesturing in your direction with his empty glass. The owner of the speak-easy, who you now know as Mimzy, trots behind the bar to top off his drink.

"For sure! What do ya say, kid, you're here.. on most weekends, ain't ya?" She turns to you, and you take a moment to confirm. You didn't think she'd notice, you don't come here that often. That's what you tell yourself at least.

"Got an eye on her tonight, Al? Sounds like someone's not goin' home alone~" She teases him with a quick jab, and he's quick to roll his eyes.

"Now now, she's been perched here for quite a while and has barely said a word to me, I doubt she's getting any more than a free drink." He sounds snarky, yet.. familiar..

"Al… as in Alastor? That radio host fellow? Well, I’ll be damned! I wasn't expecting a celebrity such as yourself to frequent little joints like this one." You comment, finally joining the conversation. You hear a throat being cleared dramatically and turn to the owner behind the bar. You laugh nervously.

"Not that- it's still a good bar- I.. Sorry." Good recovery. Your attention is taken to the hand outstretched to you, and you instinctively lean away from it.

"Kitten-" He beckons his hand, and you follow his eyes to his glasses that were still in your grasp. You let yet another nervous laugh and quickly pass them over. He slips them on with a satisfied hum.

"If I remember correctly, Al-" you attempt to mock the nickname you picked up from Mimzy. "- You have a broadcast tomorrow morning, no? You really think drinking like a sailor tonight is the best idea?" You weren’t concerned, really. You wanted to tease him a bit longer.

"Props to you for knowing my schedule." You realize how strange that might've sounded and quickly finish your drink to prevent any more embarrassing thoughts from slipping from your lips. "Are you implying I can't handle my liquor, dear?" He scoffs, beckoning the bartender over. He has them refill your glass.

"I'm sure you can, birdy, but you've been pounding down more drinks than I can count." You respond. You weren't one to flirt effectively. That, or he just happens to see right through your nerves.

"So, you've been counting, hm?" You realize you had outed yourself to watching him all night. You curse yourself quietly, hoping the music filling the room will cover your frustration. "Appreciate the concern, but I promise you, I'm more than capable of doing my job. No matter the circumstances."

While he seemed to be reading you quite easily, you had picked a few things up yourself. For one, he watches everything. And he seems to only drop his intel when he needs to. Or to mock you. And two, he's a bit of a narcissist.. quite an ego on this one. But that could work in your favor tonight.

"Well, fine then. I'll be up bright and early to listen to your broadcast. I doubt you can get through it with a hangover. Especially considering how much you've been drinking."  You state proudly. He lets out a chuckle, and despite how quiet it is, you can't help but appreciate his sultry laugh.

"Is that a challenge, kitten?" He purrs -ha- leaning his chin into his hand and slouching his body towards the bar.

"I mean if it is, there must be stakes." You say it as a matter of fact. "Let's say.. you cover my bill next time if I catch you slip up."

"Hm. Seems fair. You better be listening close, though, I'm very good at what I do." He enunciates his final sentence and it sends a shiver down your spine. For a brief moment, you consider this could be a bad idea.

"And when I win, what will be my prize?" He asks. You let out a little giggle at his cockiness.

"I'll tell you my name." He cocks his head to the side, an intrigue hitting him. Did he really manage to get this far without a proper introduction?

"I see your little detective game going on, I'll give you that. You are quite the observer. But you won't find my name just by looking." You say smugly. That's true for a number of reasons.

"I suppose you did leave that information out, hm?" He let's his eyes drop, as if he was trying to piece it together with what little information he had.

"I must say, you've got me hooked, kitten." He lets out a sigh, leaning back in his chair and finishing off yet another drink.

"Deal?" You hum, holding your hand out to him. He smirks, taking it into his own, not expecting a firm shake, but receiving one. He went on to press a quick kiss to your knuckles.

"Deal."

You went home alone after that night, but it was likely for the best. You were sure you'd see him next time, anyway.

Now that you had to tell him your name.

You thought for sure he'd at least stumble through a sentence, but no. He went through the entire show, even an interview with some big shot, and spoke perfect English. He talked like he'd never had a drop of booze his entire life and got a full night's sleep, which you both knew was far from the truth. You almost dreaded the next encounter, but at least you didn't wager anything too crazy. Sure, he'll see you differently after this, but if this were to go any further - what are you on about? You only met him once and listened to him on the radio occasionally at best. He's a perfect stranger to you. Let's not get too excited.

You find yourself seated in the same spot as before, shrinking into your seat and downing a few drinks to build your courage. You told him your mark. An awkward introduction, first and last name, made you feel like a new student at a children's school. He perks up, which is what you expected.

"Ah! So you're the famed physician! It's almost silly of you to call me a celebrity, you're the talk of the town, kitten." You groan, of course, he recognizes you. Everyone in this damned small town knows your name, your family.

You were one of the first women to complete their studies and practice medicine from your hometown. But to attend such high schooling in this time, your family had to be well off. And you were, in fact, well off. When it came to your love life, men were either disgusted by your pursuit of knowledge or took it like some fetish. You haven't approached anyone for years.. not like this, at least.

"You know, I spoke with your father a few-" You groan at the mention of him, cutting Alastor off mid-sentence.

"Don't be a fool, I heard the little interview on your show.. Can't say that was my favorite broadcast." Alastor had a certain segment where he would chat with some of the richer and more.. stuck up.. men in society. It wasn’t titled as such, you just noticed the trend of guests being pompous and wealthy. And your father was the perfect fit for that.

You didn't know this at the time, but Alastor was suddenly hit with some mixed emotions. There was more than one reason as to why your father was chosen to be on his broadcast. Alastor used his interviews to initiate close ties, and make powerful allies. If they weren't complying how he hoped, he would usually cut ties. Permanently.

Your father was definitely not a reasonable man, in fact, you made it a point to avoid him when you returned home. But did he deserve death?

"I didn't expect just the sight of me walking the streets to be as interesting as it is." You mumbled, leaning forward on the counter and drinking something much stronger than you expected. But the mentions of your father called for a hard hitter.

"You didn't?" He asked bluntly, twirling the liquor in his glass. You hum in agreement. Gossip spreads like wildfire here.

"Well, you've picked up some interesting feats. If you were hoping to go unseen, I would've put some more thought into my rags." He gestured to your clothing. It was definitely of higher quality, but it was something you were used to wearing while attending your school in a high-class city. You felt a bit embarrassed, placing your hands in your lap to subtly hide your body.

"And a beautiful doctor like yourself just 'walking the streets'? Some might be concerned for your safety." You tilt your head to the side at his words. Your confusion makes him smirk.

"I'm sure you're aware, kitten, but there seems to be a killer on the loose." He seems far too excited for the subject at hand, and it's almost noticeable.

"Hm. Guess I shouldn't be going out alone and talking to strange men, should I?" You say with a smile.

"I suppose you shouldn't." He shrugs off your words, getting another drink. You didn't even see him finish the previous one. "Though I must say, I'm glad you did. You've been quite the conversationalist." It's barely flirting, but it seems to leave you blushing a bit.

You went on to chat throughout the night, your drunken rambling turned to complaints about your father, and morbid details about what you'd learned in medical school. Both topics that you didn't realize intrigued Alastor to a personal extent. Later on, the rambles started to become incomprehensible. He decides it would be best for you to leave, considering you were refusing to do so and thoroughly embarrassing yourself in the process.

A giggling, stumbling mess, you were carefully lifted from your seat and brought to your feet with his assistance. He helped you out to the streetside, calling a taxi and bringing you into the backseat gently. He then went ahead and paid the driver, and turned at his heels to head back inside.

As he was reaching for the bar's door, a loud call forced him to turn back to the cab.

"Buddy, she's too sloshed to give me an address. You know where she lives?" Shit. Alastor looks to the bar’s door, then to the cab, where he spots you leaning your head against the window in the backseat. He sighs.

After insisting the driver keep the fair, Alastor brought you back out. He kept you standing with a hand on your lower back, as you gripped onto his shirt, far too small to reach your arm over his towering figure. He was cringing at the sight of his clothes becoming disheveled.

"Alright, kitten, where are you staying? I doubt you'd appreciate me taking you to your family home.." He was talking in a hushed voice, in the hopes that you'd have enough conscious to respond, but knew that likely wasn't the case. He looks around the area as if the answer would be in plain sight. He lets out a sigh of defeat when it clearly wasn't.

"Didn't even get to finish my drink.." He mumbles, pulling you closer to keep you stable enough to walk a few blocks.

There, sat a charming little motel. However, calling it charming was.. optimistic. Your memory, to this day, is in small flashes. Only certain things come to mind when trying to picture what went on.

You remember Alastor talking to the older gentleman at the desk. It seemed like they were acquaintances. Maybe they've done business in the past.

You remember him giving up after finding that the room he booked was on the second floor. Unwilling to deal with the staircase, he hoisted you up quite easily. You definitely remember that. How such a slender man can hold you in his arms with no strain.

You remember the room, it was cleaner than you expected. He seated you on the edge of the bed, kneeling in front of you to remove your heels. He didn't seem to go much farther than that. He could've removed your entire wardrobe with your state of mind, and you'd be none the wiser. How awful it must be, to live in a world where a man not making a pass, surprises you.

As far as you know, you drifted to sleep almost right after. You're pretty sure he wrapped you in the blankets, and you remember the faint touch of hair being brushed from your face. His hand was far colder than you would have expected.

Being in your occupation, you don't exactly have time to confront all the horrific sights you've seen. So, your body deals with those emotions in other ways. A common occurrence, you were plagued with a number of night terrors. Something seems different in tonight's regularly scheduled program, though. A radio static overwhelms your senses, and any horrifying disfigurations that were taunting you seem to fade into nothing. A yellow grin and glowing red eyes are the last thing you can see.

You woke up the next morning with an excruciating headache, an ache in your stomach, and sore feet. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you barely care about the makeup that you'd smudged beyond repair. You try to recall your dreams, which usually stay vivid in your mind for most of the morning, but.. there's nothing. And despite the killer hangover, you feel more awake than you have in ages.

The panic settled in after you ran your hands across the unfamiliar sheets. With a soft gasp, you observe yourself. Still fully clothed, you spot your heels set next to the door. You look around the room next, and you almost feel relieved, seeing Alastor seated in a lounge chair in the corner of the room. He had his nose in a book. It was better than seeing him lying on the other side of the bed.. wait, was it?

You let out a pathetic little sound, your voice too weak to form any coherent words. He sets the book on his lap, and your sad attempt at a greeting seems to catch his attention.

"Good morning to you, too, kitten. Sleep well?" You were sure he drank as much as last night. If not, more. How dare he look so put together?

"Morning. I-um.. I suppose I did.. I-I hate to ask, but did... did we-" you stammer out, and he quickly holds his hands up in defense.

"Heavens no, dear, I wouldn't dare defile a woman who can't handle her whiskey." You scoff at his insult but still feel disarmed by his reaction.

"So then.. the motel room?" You question. He cocks his head to the side, only now realizing that your memory must've gone from the previous night.

"Ah, so you really can't handle your whiskey.. Well, not to fret, dear. You weren't telling me where you were staying, and Mimzy seemed keen on me taking you elsewhere." In actuality, she was trying to play matchmaker. Thanks for trying, Mimzy.

"I'm sorry for the trouble, Alastor, I hate that you bought a room just for me.. I can pay you back." You sit up, running your hands through your mess of hair and letting out a pained groan.

"I'm sure you can, but I simply can't accept." He stands, tucking the book under his arm and walking to your bedside. You swing your legs over the edge, only to notice how close he seems to hover over you. You look up and realize how statuesque he was. You hadn't seen him in daylight. And his height is much more intimating when he stands.

"It was my pleasure, getting to witness you thoroughly embarrass yourself." He bends at the hips, a taunting smile across his face. You try to recall anything embarrassing you might've done the night before, but you can barely recall a thing. That did little to ease your mind.

"You'll have to tell me about it one day." You grumble, standing with his assistance. He offered to escort you home, and you happily accepted.

The two of you stand on your small porch. It's a quaint duplex you've been renting, you go on about how how the family who lives here travels for the summer and was more than happy to offer their home to such a sweet thing.

"Well, since you insist that I can't handle my liquor, it might be a better idea to find each other.. somewhere other than a joint..." you say sheepishly, your eyes wandering to anywhere but his gaze. When he steps closer, you finally fix your wide eyes on him.

"You don't want me to court you, kitten. You're a lovely, educated, pretty little thing, you'll be wasting your time, unfortunately." He doesn't sound insulting, he says it very truthfully. It only makes you want to see more. To ask him to come in, and stick around awhile. But you're aware he has a broadcast coming up soon. You wonder if he would've stayed by your side if you slept through it.

"I'll be the judge of that. Besides, getting coffee doesn't waste too much time." You decide to stand your ground. You aren't sure why he's refusing if he thinks all that of you. You see him look you up and down, then let out a sigh.

"Hm. I suppose. I'll be back here tomorrow morning since you're so insistent. Just remember I warned you-" He says playfully as he makes his way down the stairs.

"Curiosity killed the cat, my dear!" He calls out before giving another heart-melting smile. You nervously bite your lip and watch him walk off through the cracked door. Like a damned puppy, you couldn't help but watch him walk off. You quickly shut the door, after realizing how hard you were smiling.

-

This was supposed to be for fun. You were just supposed to be some extra company on occasions. And he knew you came with your perks. You were an heir to a decent fortune, it only made sense for him to befriend you. You were knowledgeable and smart, he could definitely benefit from your skills if he needs to do so. There were plenty of ways Alastor could use you if necessary.

But with every little dance, every little coffee, or walk home from the bar, it was making him nervous. Of course, he would never call it that, he's too disgusted by the pangs in his chest he gets around you. Unfiltered, yet still delicate and professional. Incredibly intelligent, yet still makes the silliest mistakes. You were flawed. You came from such a slob of a man, and the fact that you are so kind despite that amazes him more than you realize. You are more than willing to stand for your beliefs. For one of the first times in his life, Alastor admired someone.

He's not sure what conversations led to him agreeing to cook yet another dinner in your home, but here he was; standing at your door with a bag of groceries.

"Oh- you didn't need to do all that, you're always free to use anything in the kitchen." You greet him as he comes inside, where he sets the bag at a nearby counter space. You reach up and pull his trenchcoat off his shoulders, which he willingly surrenders to. It was a little action you took, taking his coat for him when he would stop by. He's come to expect it. You hang it up on the rack nearby.

"Nonsense, I'm sure you have plenty to work with, but I'm following a special recipe tonight." He insisted, already unpacking things, setting up pots and pans, and rolling up his sleeves. He pulled an apron from the bag last, and the sight of him all prepped for cooking leaves you weak in the knees. You want to see this every night. You want him in your kitchen every mealtime. You shake the desires from your head, pushing aside the dreams of domesticity that have been plaguing your mind recently.

"Can I help with anything?" You chime in, peeking around the corner to smile at him through the doorway. He shakes his head.

"If you feel the need to help, you're more than welcome to get the table set, but I am quite in my element here, kitten. So, not to worry." You were mostly listening to him, but one part of you kept your focus on his skillful knife practice, watching him chop vegetables in a nearly professional manner.

"Kitten? The table?" His words and his moving on to something else snapped you from your funk.

"Oh! Of course, yes." You stumble a bit but do as he instructs. It wasn't anything special, but the space was more than enough to give the ambiance of a good date.

Damn, this man could cook. He's cooked for you before, but something you couldn't quite put a finger on left you swooning at the sight of the still-steaming gumbo in front of you.

"Damn, you can cook." You're muttering, between bites. You almost can't taste all its decadence, digging in before letting it fully cool.

"Slow down, dear, we have all night." He says softly, despite bringing a spoonful to his own lips. You catch yourself staring at the sight of him eating beside you, enthralled by his enthusiastic hums.

"So where did this come from? I'm a bit suspicious of the finery if I'm honest." You place your elbows on the table, perching your chin on top of your hands. He scoffs in response.

"How rude. All my meals are of the highest quality. I simply haven't made this in quite a while, I thought tonight would be a good time to do so." He replies.

"A recipe for special occasions, hm? Would you consider this.. a special occasion?" You tease, looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. He looks confused, letting his eyes wander in thought for a moment. Was this a special occasion? Is there any specific reason he wanted to bring his own mother's recipe to some girl he's befriended? He pushes the thought aside, planning on mocking you like usual.

"Any night with you is plenty special, kitten." He hums, popping another spoonful into his mouth. He doesn't see your face turning red, but his oblivious flirting always leaves you flushed.

"In that case, when are you inviting me to your own home? I won't lie and say I'm not curious, Al." You set your finished plate aside and notice his eye twitch. You've been staring at him long enough to notice even his smallest ticks.

"Someday. I've a bit of a mess to go through before considering bringing any guests over." He brushes clean his already pristine top, as you stand and take his empty plate to the kitchen. With a sigh, you take yourself over to the sink to do a quick clean. It's the least you could do after such a lovely meal.

"If you say so." You try your best to sound calm, but you're slightly hurt by his constant rejection of letting you into his personal life. It wasn't all the time, but there were clearly things he refused to talk about. You want nothing more than to know him.

Lost in your mildly upsetting thoughts, you recklessly take one of his knives the wrong way, the blade slicing surprisingly easily down your finger. The shock takes you back more than the actual pain. These are far too nice for everyday cooking.

Letting out a quiet curse, you feel his hand brush over your own, his shadow casting over your entirety. "Such a clutz." You hear, his voice causing you to tense. You let him guide your hand under the water to rinse it, effectively caging you in place.

"Be careful, will you? These are my nicer tools." Interesting way to say it, but you were too focused on the fact that you could feel his breath heating the back of your neck. You simply nod, before turning the water off with your free hand. You turn your body around, leaning your back against the edge of the countertop and effectively facing Alastor. His hands stay planted on either side of you, making it a bit of a tight squeeze. You weren't sure what you were trying to accomplish here, but here you are. Neither of you seem to be moving away, though. He drops his head to look into your eyes. You're lost in them.

You reach your arms upwards, holding them around his neck as best you can, and you feel him willingly lean within your grasp. The moment is heated, you feel his breath against your lips as you pull him impossibly closer. His breath is quick, almost shaky. You've never seen this side of him. You'd never associate Alastor with the term nervous.

Nearly closing the gap, you feel a hand come to your throat and fingers gently holding your jaw. With a quick turn, he places a soft kiss on your cheek. It lingers for a moment, and even if it wasn't what you were expecting, you're gasping beneath his affection. The room seems to cool down for a moment. He steps away silently, pulling his things all together.

You may have made a mistake.

"Oh, Al- I'm sorry I didn't think.. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, i-if that's what happened there." Your words quicken, suddenly becoming anxious that you may have upset him.

"No, don't fret." He waves his hand dismissively, his back still turned to you as he keeps himself busy with a bit of tidying. "I'd be an idiot to not expect that, eventually." He almost sounds insulting, a little cocky.

"Why's that? Are you used to women just throwing themselves at you?" You tease but keep yourself from his eyeline.

"Well, yes- but, you've been especially touchy recently. And you seem to be acting like I make you.. nervous. Fidgety." His little observations leave you a bit embarrassed.

"It's not nervous.. exactly. Never mind that, though.. Does.. that interest you..? At all?" It takes you a while to get the question out and it still comes across shaky. You're response is silence. Fill it.

"H-How about a drink before you head off, hm?" You quickly shuffle to your liquor cart, looking for anything to drown out your essential confession.

"It does." You freeze in place, missing the cup entirely with your first pour. That was an answer neither of you were really expecting. You finally turn to him, seeing that he had looked away just as you did.

"So, that means-" you want him to elaborate. You want to hear him say all the things you've been dreaming of. That he wants to spend his free time with you, hold your hand, and kiss it with more than just a greeting in mind. To call you anything other than kitten. Well.. that last part you didn't mind as much.

"I've not prepared myself for such a conversation, but I.. enjoy your company. And your brains.. and you certainly aren't terrible to look at." He said he didn't prepare himself, and it was pretty obvious. This wasn't his usual taunting, his usually eloquent beats. He's pausing between phrases, to come up with the best words on hand.

"Jee, thanks." You roll your eyes, your smile still shining.

"I suppose you leave me speechless, kitten." You leave a radio host, a man who talks for a living and is quite good at it, speechless. This time, he sees the freshly pink hues across your cheek. He lets out a devious chuckle, one you recognize when he's about to do something you'd consider nefarious. He starts to approach you, his clean shoes clicking against the wooden floors being the only sound. You knew you weren't in danger, but you find yourself walking backward until you hit the table. Continuing to lean away from him, he towers over you, only following your avoidance until you are straining to stand upwards.

"Well?" You let out, your words barely a whisper. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"

That seems to shock him a bit, you see his shoulders tense just slightly. You watch him contemplate his next action. He let his hand snake around your waist, not exactly to pull you closer, but his touch still left you weak. With a soft kiss on your lips, he gave you no time to truly enjoy it.

"I hate to repeat myself, but I warned you, kitten. Curious little things like yourself deserve.. more." After processing his words, you're still melting to his touch despite how fleeting it was. He steps away.

"W-What- No! I thought you said you were interested! And that kiss- W-What were-" You throw a bit of a tantrum, but quickly calm yourself. "I don't understand, help me understand. Please.." You sound a bit defeated. He sighs, clearly pained that this conversation has to continue.

"Hm.. I don't believe I'm able to give you everything you need. But, you deserve everything you need. It's as simple as that." He's pausing between words, and his expression shows that he's still not exactly satisfied with how it came out.

You shrank in place and held your arms, your mind trying to scrap together any little hints to what he means. Maybe something he's mentioned in the past. But as elusive as ever, it still just doesn't make sense to you. He catches a glimpse of your upset appearance, then takes in the rest of your state a bit longer. You can feel his eyes on you, forcing you to nervously bite at your lip.

"Okay. Let's forget all that, then." You said softly, smiling the best you can and waving your hand dismissively. He obviously knows that you wouldn't lose these feelings as quickly as he'd hoped. He'd reassure you, you'll get over it.

But you couldn't. You tried, you did. You went on other dates, considering how many men were throwing themselves at you in the right bars. You kept your distance for a bit but still saw him at Mimzy's bar on the weekends. Despite all your potential suitors, you still only seemed to look forward to those nights with Alastor. You'd go as far as to complain about some unruly men to him. His disgusted reactions were a comfort.

You kept trying to pry his real reasoning as to why he wouldn't be with you. He'd admit to not being trustworthy, which you would always dismiss. He'd go on about the other men that would be a much better fit, and all with good reasoning, but you still wouldn't stop pestering him. Then, after a few too many drinks, he finally let slip his disinterest in intimacy. And from everything he's told you, this seemed different. It wasn't an excuse or an avoidance, it was the truth.

"So, you don't find me physically attractive?" You ask him, swirling your half-empty cup.

"It's not that, I assure you. I'd just prefer to shower you in other affections, I suppose." He seems a bit unfiltered tonight, still avoiding your eyes.

"Other affections, hm? Like what, birdy?" You were already enraptured. But you were kicking yourself for getting your hopes up at all. You can see his immediate regret in his words.

"Kitten-"

"Please? I'm just curious." You say sincerely, placing your hand over top of his. You hesitate for a moment, but he seems to not mind the touch.

"Well.. I'd like to buy you the finest things. Any book you're slightly interested in, any frock that draws your eyes, any accessories that would bring out your natural beauty- you deserve it. I want to keep you proudly on my arm throughout the streets, showing everyone that you belong to me. I'd like to cook you every meal, until the day I die." His drunken rants leave an obvious sparkle in your eyes.

"Well that all sounds lovely to me.." you say softly, twisting and turning his hand until your fingers are comfortably interlocked with his. "Simply put, you're not interested in sex?” He was taken aback by your bold words, looking around as if he were nervous someone would hear. “I’ve read about it before, there’s an interesting essay that describes this sort of phenomenon. I'll have to lend it to you.” Your calmness surprises him.

“Well.. Thank you. That puts an end to that, then. Go on and find a man who can properly bed you.” He tries to act just as calm, but his voice still seems a bit frustrated by the idea. You make an act out of tapping your chin and humming in thought.

“No, I’d much rather spend my time with you.” You say bluntly. He quickly chimes in.

“But, I-”

“Alastor, I’ve never met someone as arrogant as you.” You let out a frustrated groan, pinching the bridge of your nose. “If you’ll have me, however you want that is, I’d love nothing more than to spend my days with you.” You speak slowly, almost mockingly, trying to get this damned point across after so long.

He’s still quiet, opening his mouth to respond, then letting his lips shut again. He smiles at you. You couldn't ask for a better response. It was the sweetest smile you've ever seen from him, no sign of teasing or mocking you, no hidden intent, and just slightly bashful. He gives your hand a gentle squeeze, in a sweet sign of acceptance.

Things went on after that without a hitch. Mostly. There were some kinks to work out, sure, but you were absolutely head over heels for him. No one’s ever brought you this much joy, and having this more intimate side of him, despite its physicalities, was more than you could ever hope for. He’d finally let you into his home after a while. It was near spotless and he was more than willing to show off the space to you. You wondered why he felt the need to stall this for so long. But you’re together now, hardly anything else matters.

As the summer came to an end, and you had to find somewhere else, you were invited to stay with Alastor. After walking freely around town, as promised, with his arm around yours, gossip spread as it always does. Another talk of the town, two unwed youths in the same place, sharing the same bed assumedly. It made you two snicker at the rumors. Living with him was heaven.

Following through his previous statements, he showered you in compliments, cooked every meal for you, and spent as much of his free time with you as he could. He offered little physical affection, little pecks here and there, and had no issue with sharing his bed. It wasn't long before you popped the question. Neither of you were really interested in the big fancy wedding idea, he was even comprehended by the marriage itself, but if anyone could wear down his nerves, it was you. That being said, Alastor did get you a ring that you were sure cost far too much. He brought up the idea of eloping. A little vacation just for the two of you. It sounded perfect.

“Birdy~ You let out in a sing-song tone, opening the door to your shared home. Every time you’d walk up to the house, you’d slow down, taking in your flawless reality every day. You’d hold your hand out to yourself, looking at the still newly polished ring, then finally entering your perfect home.

Although, it wasn’t perfect today.

You call out his name, no response. You know he should be home, so you peak around corners to no avail. You checked tables and counters, no note to be seen.

After setting down your bag, slipping your heels off, and hanging your coat after your quick search, you head to your room to at least change for the evening. You and Alastor usually go visit Mimzy on these nights, an unspoken routine.

On the way to your room, your tights hit a wet splotch on the floor. With a groan of disgust, you finally realize what you had stepped in.

Blood.

Of course, you’d recognize blood. It trailed from the door in front of you.

Alastor assured you this was his office and showed it to you on occasion. The door was always open when he wasn't home, and although you never felt the need to intrude on his personal space, something was clearly wrong. You swung open the door.

“No.”

You cover your mouth after your quiet refusal. You're silent, unwilling to believe what you're seeing. Your darling husband-to-be, kneeling over a stained and still wet corpse wrapped in canvas. His hands are covered in blood. Actually, his entire body is covered in blood.

How he managed to get in and out of the house without making an entire mess was a thought that managed to cross your mind in your state of shock. You glance up for a second to notice one of the heavy bookshelves pushed aside, a sort of patio doorway leading to the swampy area behind the house.

You look at the door, then to Alastor. Who’s giving you a wide-eyed face that pains your chest.

Say something, Alastor. Say something that’ll make this all okay. You're a deer in headlights.

He notices your eyes dart to the right, then back to him, staring for a moment longer. One thing is on your mind without his reassurance. You’re in danger.

Run.

You book it down the hall, clearly going to the exit. Both your feet soaked in blood at this point are tracking through the house. The moment was such a blur, that you hardly remember how far you got before feeling the pain of hitting the floor. You look down after scrambling onto your back, seeing Alastor’s hand wrap around your ankle.

“Hold on! You’re covered in blood, you’re a mess, just-” He sounds deranged. Who is this man? Surely not the one who’s been treating you so well all this time. He sounds anxious and angry. You’re face is stained with tears as he essentially drags you across the floor briefly, not considering his heightened adrenaline in these moments. You kick. You scream.

“Listen to me!” He grabs you by your arms, giving you a good shake. That seems to calm you down.. or at least quiet you down. You’re staring at him wide-eyed, your breath rapid. He has your attention, yet he’s not sure what to say. A pained expression grows on his face. You’re leaving him speechless, again.

“Let’s.. clean you up.” He scoops you up, and maybe it's the shock that leaves you so lenient. Or maybe it's all the good times blurring what you've witnessed. When you come to, you’re sitting in the bath, Alastor by your side, and running a sponge across your arm, thoroughly staining the water with blood. The sight brings a gasp from your lips, that feels like the first breath you've taken in hours.

“A-Alastor-” You let out weakly, your frightened expression now burned into his mind. “Was that real..?”

“It was-” He lets out a pained sigh, seeing if he could soften the truth. It's not possible. “-It was.” no words can save him from this.

“W-Why..?”

“He was rather unpleasant. A man with too much money, who wasted most of his time on hitting his women staff. He had his chance to make things right, I assure you, this is always the last resort.” That doesn't help for obvious reasons. You pull away from his gentle washing.

“Always? You've done this before?” Your voice squeaks as it comes out. You don't want to know the details. But you can't stop the words from spilling from your lips. He stands and rings the sponge out into the sink, watching the red-tinted water swirl down the drain.

“Yes.”

“How many times have you-” You stop yourself finally. You don't want the answer to that one. You don't want the answer to any of these questions. Unconsciously, your mind still seems to piece together every strange thing he’s done and said to you.

Your half-sentence is replied to with silence. He goes on to finish cleaning you up, helping you in and out of the tub, and drying you as best he can. He wraps you in his own robe and brings you to the bedroom. You’re mortified when you notice him guiding you by your shoulders to avoid the bloody footprints still on the ground.

Some time passes. You sit empty-minded on the edge of the bed, your eyes gazing down into nothing. Alastor leans against the vanity across the small room from you. He runs his hands through his hair, pausing and clenching some strands in his fists before moving on.

“I can..get all your belongings together, find you a place to stay. I’ll do what I can to keep you safe.” He finally says, breaking the silence and your endless train of thought. His offer seems reasonable, but you still feel hurt.

“You want me to leave?” You ask quietly, gripping the edges of the robe and shrinking into yourself. He’s shocked by your response, you can hear it in his voice.

“You want to stay?” He asks in response.

“I.. I love you.” You say weakly. It stings to say it out loud. And even more so to hear it. “Will you hurt me? I-If I go to the police? If I rat you out..?” What are you doing? You can’t ask a murderer that. Your mind is running on fear, especially after what you just said. You feel his hand lightly lift your face to his, flinching slightly considering you hadn't noticed him approaching you.

“I would never hurt you. I’d spend my days rotting in a jail cell if it meant you’re safe..and happy. I love you, kitten.” You aren’t used to seeing this face. It’s almost emotionless. You start to picture this face carrying out his murderous intentions. But there's a crack in his psychopathic mask. There's a hint of softness and anguish at the sight of you.

“I don't.. I don't want to leave.” You take a hold of his hand, still shaking and clearly unsure of your words. You hear a soft hiss leave his lips, clearly trying to conceal his reaction to the unexpected. “I don’t want you to be in jail- or.. I suppose I don't want you to be caught..?” You groan, holding tightly onto his hand. “I’m so confused, Alastor. I want things to be normal. I want to go back to when you cooked for me, and.. And go back to planning- o-our elopement…” You let out weakly. He doesn't respond at first, you force your eyes up to meet his. He looks heartbroken at the sight of you.

“I just want to pretend that none of this happened..Please, stop this. F-for me, please don't do this anymore.” Your voice becomes a whisper. His hesitation only makes it all worse. He responds once he feels your grip on him loosen.

“Okay- okay. I’ll clean up this mess, and- I’ll stop. For you.” You manage to give him a weak smile, before resting your head against his chest. After holding you for a moment he settles you into bed after you had essentially fallen asleep in his arms. He does as promised. Mostly. He cleans up the mess at least.

The next morning, you wake up and hope everything that happened before a nightmare. But, you feel his robe still wrapped around you, then notice Alastor’s side of the bed empty. It's real then. It was too vivid. And if it's real.. Then he’s stopping. Because of you. It’s almost touching.

You go on about your day, and he greets you as if nothing is wrong, making your breakfast as usual. He’s chipper and goes on to chat about his plans for today. He’s pretending that nothing went on. How often has he done this? Convincingly pretend that he didn't take a life less than twelve hours ago?

It takes you a few days. A few months.. years, actually. To accept what he had done. You never forgave him, but you accepted it. You had to go on and enjoy your newly wedded life together, didn't you? Alastor had a broadcast to work on, an audience to appease, and you had to work as a physician, helping locals from within their homes. Besides, he stopped the murders after you caught him that one awful night, didn't he?

Didn't he?

Police are at your door. A nightmare of a sight. You open it, putting on your best face. It wasn't as easy as it used to be, but your smile still convinced the public. Leaning against the open door and batting your lashes you greet them sweetly. your face instantly fell to their words. You almost hoped that he had gotten caught. But he didn't.

He's dead.

“Shot in the woods, ma’am. A hunter mistook him for a deer in the dark.” you'd recall these words later, but for now, your ears were ringing and your mind was absent. You thanked them and shut the door.

You can't recall how loudly you screamed and sobbed, or for how long that went on. You need to be held. You need him to hold you and that only pains you more. You mourned for days, canceling appointments, and not answering any guests who were there to offer empty condolences. You rotted in his home. He was so young. You were both so young, there was so much to look forward to in your future. It's all gone now.

The first place you went to was Mimzy's bar. A few months had passed, and all your good liquor had run out. Plus, a familiar face could be a good change of pace right now.

“Oh, hun!” An immediate greeting at the door, Mimzy brings you to the bar. It's a late night on a workday, it was essentially empty. “I'm so sorry for your loss. Everyone in town is worried bout ya! I'm sure you don't wanna hear this, but how are you doin'?” She was right. You didn't want to hear that. You hated that question.

“Fine.” You say squeakly. It was the first word you had spoken in weeks, you realize. She slides you your drink and you immediately down it. She tops it off just for it to be finished off even faster than the last.

“Slow down, hun.” She says, sliding a glass of water to you next. When you drink it thoughtlessly, the absence of alcohol has you scrunching your nose. “I'm sure this isn't the best time, but.. I got somethin’ for ya.” She disappears into some backroom before reapproaching you and your barely touched glass of water. She places an enveloped letter in your hand. Your name written in neat cursive fills its front and your hands start to shake.

“It's from Al. He wanted me to give this to ya. If he ever.. well, if this ever happened.” as she's speaking, you've already opened it and begun reading.

It was instructions. And a large wad of cash. Above the instructions, A small blurb about how sorry he was, how much he loved you, and prayed that you'd never have to read this. Then a list of how to thoroughly clean and dispose of all evidence in his shed.

“Did you know?” you ask Mimzy, your hands crinkling on each side of the letter. She nods. “He never stopped, did he?” You say in a hushed tone, mainly in disbelief to yourself.

“Well- not exactly, no. he was finishing somethin' up in the forest that one night.” Mimzy talks as if she's practiced this conversation. He must've kept her up to date with all this.

“He told me he would stop. He said he was doing it for me-” You grip at your heart, letting out a shaky breath.

“What important is that he loved ya, right? He was an equal opportunity killer, hun, he only did what he had to. It was for the greater good, ya know?” Mimzy was speaking far too calmly about this. you let out a flurry of curses, shoving the crumpled-up instructions into your purse before standing at the bar.

“You're all fucking psychopaths!” You yell out to the empty bar and leave the building in a huff. 

You needed to leave town. The two people you were closest to were both criminals. And being in this house was only hurting you more. You packed as much as you could, hand hovering over the phone to call for a taxi. You freeze in place. Then see your ring. You look at it for a moment, the light giving it a beautiful shine. With a defeated sigh, you set your bags aside and pull the instructions back out from your purse, straightening it out as best you could.

After finishing a very thorough cleaning, and questioning your actions through it all, you did everything on the list. You burned the letter alongside some other items that he told you to dispose of. You still aren't sure why you did it. He was never caught before and he must have cleaned up his job in the forest before getting shot. Maybe it was for the best. Let his radio persona live on. Let it be the last nice thing you ever do for him. You finally leave that hellhole behind.

-

You went on to live another sixty years, quite a feat if you must admit. You weren't much of a religious person, so passing in your sleep and waking up in the streets of Pentagram City, was a bit of a shock. After accepting the idea of an afterlife, you put the little details together. You were sure after all that went down in your youth, you would end up here. And if you're here, then maybe..

There are more important things right now. Lucky for you, you fell right in the middle of a bustling street. You scramble to your feet and quickly escape the speeding cars. Why were there cars in Hell? Why did it look so much like a big city you would visit at some point, how is it so human? There was so much to question, but you were desperate to find any sort of sanctuary.

You weren't sure why your first thought was to find the nearest bar, but something seemed to bring you in. You're almost disappointed in yourself for stepping into a club decorated as a 20s speakeasy. But it was familiar- nostalgic. A shrill voice draws your attention.

"Oh my stars! Get over here, doll!" The shriek brings your attention to the bar, where a slightly familiar face greets you. “What are ya gawkin’ at? It’s me! Mimzy? Get that tail over here!” Mimzy owns a club even in Hell? You approach her after some more beckoning.

"Long time no see! How long you been in?" She goes on. You observe her appearance as she speaks. She looks almost the same. The red eyes and sharp teeth were definitely new. You realize you hadn't had the chance to take in your own appearance, but clearly, it must've been similar enough for her to recognize you. Still questioning your position, you finally process her words.

"Oh- I just arrived actually. Lucky me to walk straight into your bar, hm?" You lean against the counter as she pours you a drink, a flurry of trauma and nostalgia turns to confusion.

"Wow! You had quite a life after old Al got you outta town, didn't ya?” She teased. You let out a nervous chuckle. Good old Al. You haven't thought about him in years. You were so young, so head over heels for this man you barely knew. You somehow managed to suppress all the bad times as you aged. Mimzy notices your face droop a bit.

"I suppose I did.." a brief smile meets the wedding band still on your hand.

"Well? Finally gonna reunite? Ooh! How romantic! You'll have to update me, sweetie!" Mimzy bats at you, letting out an excited giggle. You quickly shake your head, not processing any other way to respond.

"I-I can't- I mean.. Not after everything he’s done.” Your hands clench at even the thought.

“Sorry to break it to ya, but we’re all for a reason. You got plenty of time to forgive him, with the whole eternal punishment of it all.” Mimzy’s tone drops to a more serious one as if she’s heard that line before. “Not everyone’s lucky enough to rot in Hell with someone they love, you should see what he’s up to!” Her tone seems to immediately switch to something more chipper.

“Still, I uh.. I shouldn't. He’s been dead for so long, I’m sure he’s got some other dame cleaning up his messes.” Excuses. You didn't want to see him, because this is his fault. You're here because you helped clean up his space after his unfortunate death. Even when you had no idea, he relied on you. He trusted you to carry this burden for the rest of your life. Your rage was suppressed when you heard Mimzy's voice chime back in.

"Nope! He's been busy with uh.. his work. Still wears the ring, though~" She hums, tapping her finger to emphasize her words. You look down at your own hand. Why did you still wear yours, again? You never remarried, but mainly because of the trust issues that were instilled in you for the rest of your life. Maybe it wouldn't be a terrible idea..

“N-No, I just cant..” You let out louder than you meant to. Mimzy shrugs off your panic. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare room, would you, Mimzy?”

-

Mimzy did in fact have a spare room. You stayed in one of the ratty rooms about the bar, alongside some of the demons that rented the rooms for their own business. You realized, after finding a mirror, that you were portrayed with some feline features, nothing too disfiguring. Once you saw your new form, Alastor’s voice, every single time he beckoned you with kitten, rang throughout your mind. You couldn't bring yourself to look at yourself for the first few months. This was Hell after all. Eternal punishment can manifest in several ways.

Mimzy was still a clear supporter of Alastor, so she had a radio set up in your room already. No matter how hard you tried, you realize pretty early on that Alastor had some power over the radios that force his broadcasts to be the only thing streaming. You heard it all. The screams of souls being torn apart, his constant gossiping and cruel words making fun of other demons.

But damn, if it didn't feel like living again. Waking up every morning to the sound of his voice on the radio, before you can truly decipher what he’s talking about, it almost feels like a normal life. But then you hear the pain in those demons that he’s mercilessly tearing up. Sometimes, you see Mimzy cheering at the radio like some sports game is being narrated. You try to avoid her when she’s doing that.

Things were comfortable for many years. As comfortable as Hell can be, at least. Alastor became a distant part of your daily routine, you'd hear his broadcasts all the time, but only in addition to the other bustling city noises. It all seemed to cancel out after a while. You worked with Mimzy, picking up at the bar when she had to run off. In exchange, you stayed in that room indefinitely. You two seemed to become friends again, despite your living history. It became clear to you that what happened when you were alive really didn't matter down here. You all made the same degree of mistakes and you all learned that you’re here for the same reasons.

You went through extermination days as best you could, only having one face-to-face interaction. That day, you were already on the verge of death from falling debris and trying to escape a specifically insistent exorcist. She had you cornered. You shut your eyes, wincing at the upcoming angelic weapon you saw her raise at you. Only feeling a slight sting across the bridge of your nose and cheek, you open your eyes to see her flying back towards the portal to heaven. You can't believe you got that lucky. You’re still in disbelief at the entire scenario, but unlike most wounds down here, your face was permanently scarred. It was small, barely noticeable! Mimzy says.

But you knew not everyone had this much luck on extermination day. After noticing the silence on the streets, during the most recent extermination, you nervously left the bar. Everything was empty. The portal had opened closer to that hotel you’d heard of. And the exorcists were going straight to it. You scoffed, walking back into the bar. They’d finish off those demons there quickly, so you still wanted to hide. As you barred yourself up in your room, you remembered Mimzy telling you about her visit to that hotel. About why she visited the hotel. Alastor's there. You try to not panic. It’s been decades, why are you worried about him? Besides you know how powerful he is, you've picked up his whole radio demon shtick from others. He’ll be fine.

Then why are you so restless?

A loud knocking at your door shakes your entire core. You keep yourself hauled up in the corner of your room, covering your ears and squeezing your eyes shut. You still hear a voice call your name from the other side of the door.

“You gotta come see this! The angels are gone!” It's Mimzy. it's far earlier than usual, you were almost worried it was some new tactic they picked up. You crack the door open just slightly, and her small frame pummeled the door open. She paces your room, rambling words that you barely catch, and she shoves her phone to your face. You have to take it from her shaking hands to get a glimpse. It's hard to see, but it's very obviously footage of Alastor fighting Adam. His body is warped through the drone’s camera, and you watch him fade away into nothingness after one blow. There was no audio, You couldn't hear what happened. Considering you weren't familiar with his shadow antics, you had no idea what actually happened to him.

“You gotta find out if he's okay! I can't go back to that hotel, you gotta do it!” she sounds frantic, taking her phone back. “What? Absolutely not! I'm sure he's fine.” You wave your hand dismissively, despite the hesitance in your voice. Everyone's in Hell for the same reasons. Your mind goes back and forth on the possibility of forgiveness.. of mending burned bridges.

“The videos from a few hours ago, those angels are gone! Ooh.. He's just gotta be okay..” You didn't realize how much Mimzy actually appreciated Alastor. Whether it be the protection he offers or their actual friendship, you aren't sure. But she's clearly worried about him. You just aren't ready.

Mimzy spent the next few days begging you to go down there and find him. And you refused every time. She mentioned going to Cannibal Town to visit his "Gal Pal" and even she hadn't heard from him. He's disappeared before, just recently too, You're sure it was just like his last seven-year absence. Even if you were getting a bit worried, you'd never admit it. There were no broadcasts, there was no public trash-talking from the Vees, it was just.. quiet.

“Didn't you love him?” You stare at Mimzy, in disbelief that she just said that.

“Excuse me?” That seemed to strike a nerve. And maybe she meant to do that.

“I remember you two in my bar, you were two peas in a pod! I've never seen him like that with any gal, hun. That's not somethin' that just goes away.” Mimzy takes your hand from across the bar. “Please, go check on him. Maybe it'll be like a final hurrah, but I just gotta know if he's okay.” You look around the room as if someone would offer to go in your place. But she's right. And you'd be lying if you said you weren't missing his broadcasts. You let out a dejected sigh.

“Okay.. okay! Fine.” You huff. An immediate change in attitude, Mimzy lets out an excited exclamation and pours the two of you drinks, to celebrate her pushy victory.

-

You take in a deep breath, looking around the new hotel's exterior. It was much larger than the previous one and more lavish. You hesitate before knocking on the door. A series of whispered voices, then scrambling feet, follow the door opening. It's the princess of Hell. You weren't expecting Alastor to greet you, but you still feel a bit disappointed.

“Hello! Welcome to the Hazbin Ho-” You quickly interrupt.

“No! Nono, sorry.” You laugh Nervously. “I'm not here for the whole.. redemption thing. Is.. uh…” You peek around her shoulder, seeing a few demons you recognize from the commercial, but no Alastor.

“Is the radio demon here..?” You finally ask quietly. Charlie still seems a little hurt from the interruption, but just because you're not interested in redemption doesn't mean she won't try to convince you.

“Alastor? Sure! He's been in his tower since we reopened.. So, he's probably up there.” She explains, pulling you into the building despite your refusal. “I can go get him for you! What's your name? I'll tell him who-”

"That's actually okay! I was sent to check up on him, so.. if he's alive, then that's all I need to hear!” Mimzy will just have to be satisfied with that. You're chickening out. If they're saying he's fine, then that's good enough for you. The longer you're here, the more anxious you're becoming. You're worried he could pop out of nowhere. Which is a legitimate concern apparently. 

“Charlie!” A greeting comes from behind the blonde, and you see a red-clawed hand engulf her shoulder. “Already a new resident? How exciting! What unfortunate sinner has found themselves here as a last resort.. today…” 

You know that voice. Of course, you know that voice. He looks fairly similar to how he did when he was alive, the hair was new. Ditto the antlers. A deer? They turned him into a deer down here? You almost want to laugh. Maybe being in Hell for so long has turned your sense of humor that crude. You're staring with wide eyes. He whispers your name so quietly that all you can really take in is his lips forming the word.

“Hey, Al! She was just looking for you! I think she might be worried, right?” 

Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up-

“I.. was! But I see he’s clearly fine now, so! I should get back to Mimzy’s-” 

“Mimzy? You're with that trainwreck?” a low voice comes from the bar, interrupting the conversation. The cat demon behind the counter scoffs at you. “Nice ears.” They fold down involuntarily from embarrassment.

“Kitten.” You immediately turn at the sound of Alastor’s voice, shivers thoroughly covering your body. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but it clamps shut. His eyes widen for a moment, looking around the room to see how almost every resident had gathered to witness the new face. You start to back away to the door.

“This may not have been the best idea.. T-thank you, princess, it was nice meeting you.” with a blink of your eye, Alastor’s arm is around your shoulder. 

“Why of course! Thank you for visiting! I'll escort you out!” His chipper attitude startles you, and you feel almost insulted by his eagerness to have you leave.

“Oh! Well.. come back anytime! Our doors are always open!” You hear Charlie call out as Alastor takes you outside the building. Before you even have a chance to protest, you're suddenly in a recording room. Your mouth is still open ready to scold him, but instead, you examine the dizzying change in scenery. Your eyes finally drop to Alastor, who had taken both your shoulders and let his head drop from your view. He startles to mumble.

“W-What are you-”

“Why didn't you tell me you were here?” His head finally lifts and you catch his perplexed expression. Pained eyes paired with a strained smile, it's almost frightening.

“W-Well, I.. it was just-” 

“When did you arrive?”

“A few.. decades ago..?”

“Decades?” His voice goes low and static. You pull away from his grasp as his voice changes. “You shouldn't be here. There has to be a mistake.” His voice returns to normal, and he starts to pace the room. Mumbling more nonsense to himself, he starts gripping at his hair. 

You watch this for a while, before finally approaching him. You take hold of his arm, effectively stopping him in place. Pulling down his arm, you feel the grasp on his hair loosen.

“Calm down. You're pulling your hair out, again.” You say softly, brushing his hand clean of stray hairs he had torn out. Reaching forward you attempt to brush his hair back into place. Your hand pauses, hovering just by his cheek. You want to hold him. He seems to follow your hand when you decide to quickly distance yourself.

His eyes look bloodshot and demonic. How could you still possibly be getting lost in them?

“You shouldn't be here, kitten. You’re here because of me.” You flinch at his words, despite how true they are, you manage to feel some underlying guilt.

“Yeah.. Mimzy just wanted to know if you were alright. And you seem just fine. I should go.” You say bluntly, taking hold of your arms and going towards the door.

“Why didn't you find me?” His words cause you to stop.

“Sorry, you weren't exactly the first thing on my mind when I woke up in Hell.”

“Kitten, I-” His voice seems to drop the radio static. It sounds entirely too familiar.

“-don't call me that.” You snap, biting at your lip unconsciously.

“I'm sorry.” He finally says. “It was.. irresponsible of me to lie to you. I made a mistake.” He sounds more embarrassed to admit he messed up. His ego makes you scoff.

“Yes, it was irresponsible. It was downright cruel, Alastor. I had to live with the burden of your murders and had to die with the consequences.” You turn back to face him, a rage that had been boiling for decades finally spilling over. “I did so much good after you died. It has to be your fault I'm here. I never told the cops, I followed your ridiculous instructions, and it was the worst decision of my life! And now I'm paying for it. For being too far in love to realize that you were just using me!” You've had this conversation in your head so many times, that you have no issue saying exactly what you want.

“No!" He stops himself before he can shout anything else. "I assure you, that isn't the case at all. I love you more than I can put into words, kitten, can't we just-” Alastor reaches his hand out to you and you quickly lean away. You spot the ring on his finger.

“Love? You used me to make sure your record stayed clean! That's not love.” You hiss.

“I did it to protect you. I gave you everything you needed to remove yourself from the situation if anything were to happen to me. You said you went on to do good, and I believe you. That was because of me! The letter and the money were both for your safety- I was helping you.” He isn’t exactly shouting, but his tone is certainly sending chills down your spine.

“You don't get to take credit for my life! I should have never come!” You fling your arms up, turning back to the door. He grabs your arm and turns you back to him, a tight grip on your shoulders. He opens his mouth to seemingly scold you, and you're ready to bite back. You notice him scanning over your facial features, and his expression seems to falter.

“What happened to you?” He runs a clawed finger delicately across the scar on your cheek. It had faded but was still visible. You wince at his touch, which makes him pull his hand back.

“Oh, don't act like you care.” You mumble.

“Of course, I care.” His soft response forces a pained groan from your lips. 

“All these sweet words you’re saying.. I-I don’t know what to think with that ridiculous smile.. I can't take you seriously!” Your voice is beginning to crack, losing the strength to have this go on.

“About that-”

“I hate you.” He flinches at your words, Out of everything you’ve said, you don't understand why that seems to silence him. He grips onto his chest, his coat and shirt scrunching into his fist. You watch him drop his head, bracing himself on his desk that he had stumbled to. You’re sure he’s being dramatic. Hamming it up to get some sort of pity. A sigh passes your lips.

“Um.. Alastor… I didn't mean to-” His act only fools you a little bit. You wonder if you’ve let out too much steam. If he really-

Before you can finish any other thoughts, he collapses to the floor.

“Fuck-” You quickly move to his side, flipping him to his back and helping him at least prop himself up against a wall. “Should I get-”

“Don't tell the others.” He breathes out, putting his hand up dismissively. With the wave of his hand, you see the blood across his palm. Your eyes follow the source to a continuously growing stain on his top. The sight of blood didn't seem to bother you after everything. “Just help me up.” 

“O-Okay.” You do as he says, helping him stand. Almost feeling like an instinct, you pull his coat off of his shoulders. He struggles to keep up with the movement but still gives in. He quickly loses his strength and stumbles to the small couch nearby. You almost enjoy watching him stubbornly refuse your help.

“I.. might require.. some assistance.” He says it so softly you almost want to ask him to repeat himself. Even if you understood him just fine.

“You're asking for help?” You correct him, placing your hands on your hips.

“I don't need help.” He snaps. You would've been offended if you knew he was just to flustered to admit it.

“Then what do you need?” You sit beside him on the couch, placing your hand on his blood-stained shirt. He immediately winces.

“For.. you to stitch this up.” You start unbuttoning his shirt, your hands grazing the fluff of his chest with a mild curiosity. You finally get the full scope of a completely untreated slash that would've surely killed any human if left untreated. But for an almost immortal demon, it was just a painful nuisance. Very painful.

“From your fight with… You want me to help you stitch this up?” You ask because that it seems near impossible to do so, even with someone of your medical history. It's wide and seems to be covered with specks of gold. It feels like small shards of glass when you swipe your hand over him.

“.. yes.” He says quietly. You let out a breathy chuckle, shaking your head at him. He’s reckless, too stubborn to have looked at the wound because of its reminder of his defeat. And you know that's exactly why it got this bad. No matter how small, Alastor sees the smile growing on you.

“I missed your smile.” He says softly.

“Please stop saying things like that.. You're confusing me.” You make sure to speak your words quietly as if you don't want them to be heard. A small demonic creature rushes to your side, holding a tray up with the essentials to properly treat the slash. It stays perfectly still once in your reach.

You went to work, after some proper scolding, trying your best to keep the process as painless as possible. Every so often, you wonder why you are being so careful with him. He doesn't deserve your tenderness. Your thoughts are stopped when you see his hand wrap around your wrist, pulling you away. His face is scrunched, a hiss passing by his tormented smile. You must've hit the wrong spot while lost in thought. Your eyes fall to his ring, again.

“Why did you keep this on?” You ask, examining his hand that’s still engulfing your wrist.

“It reminds me of you. And yours?” His voice is hushed, still recovering from the pain. You realize he has a full view of your own hand, your wedding band sitting just as clear to him.

“It.. reminds me of what you did to me.” You hear a quiet groan in response to your words, and he releases your arm, gripping the couch in its stead. You keep going.

“I'll admit, I was worried about you.. after the battle with Adam. Maybe it was Mimzy getting me all worked up..” You finally admit. You don’t want him to think you’ve spent your whole life and death hating him. But why would it matter either way?

“I can't be killed, you had nothing to worry about.” He replies, not willing to comment on your sudden vulnerability. Not in this position. All you can do is laugh at him. He's clearly talking out his ass.

“Looks like you got pretty close to it.” You scoff. His ears flatten, and he looks away like a stubborn child.

You finish up after an hour. It felt much longer. The silence with quiet quips mixed in, the surprisingly intimate moment, it was suffocatingly uncomfortable.

“I didn't want to come here. I was perfectly content in being in Hell. I didn't expect this form of torture.” You say, setting everything back onto the little tray presented to you. That little demon had been standing there this whole time. You notice it started shaking a while ago.

“Come now, you're being dramatic. You chose to find me, did you not?” He says, sitting a bit taller with the regained strength.

“I'm not being dramatic! You try to avoid Mimzy's constant nagging! I hear your voice everywhere, see all the ads for this hotel, and they made me a damn cat, Alastor!” You feel yourself starting to lose your composure, gripping your hair and letting out a pained laughter. “H-how unfair is that..?” You let out a weak chuckle, feeling tears well in your eyes. He pulls your hand away from your hair, brushing his thumb across your ring as he holds you for a moment longer.

“Completely unfair. Your appearance may be.. unappealing … to you, but your face is still the same. Your eyes still bright as usual, your smile just as sweet.” His sincerity is muddling your thoughts. Those thoughts that warn you he’s hurt you before. And now he’s a cruel overlord, he’ll hurt you again tenfold. You feel his thumb drag along your lip after realizing you had leaned in towards him.

“Still biting your lip, hm?” His static fades again, and you wince at the raw skin he's brushing over. Old habits apparently don’t die hard.

“N-nervous tick, I guess..” His closeness leaves you a bit breathless.

“Do I make you nervous?” His tone confuses you. There’s an underlying sense of worry, a genuine concern for your well-being. But you’re still distracted by his strange smile. You don’t have much time to think any further about it before you’re startled by gentle lips against yours. It’s quick but is more than enough to let out a flood of feelings you’ve been suppressing since the day you left your hometown. He looks at you with a sly smile on his face.

“I’m still mad at you.” You say quietly.

“I know.” He kisses you, again.

“Y-You don’t have to-” He interrupts you with another kiss.

“I know.” Still holding your face you barely take in his next words with a clear head. “I miss you.” Another kiss, just to throw you off this time, “I miss having you at my side.

Stay.. please.”

There was no way you would drop everything to live with a man you were barely married to in life. That didn't stop you from seeing him more, though. You were actually.. kind of glad to see him. To patch things up, even just a little. You’d visit, sneaking around at first to avoid any interaction from the other residents of the hotel. They were all more than intimidating to you. Especially considering one of them was the king of Hell. Alastor was more than happy to keep you away from him, though.

You updated Mimzy on how he was when you left that first night, but you left out the unimportant bits.. Like the giant angelic slash across his chest. You didn’t need Alastor to tell you that you shouldn't be going around spreading that information. A true accomplice. When Mimzy noticed you were visiting him to the point where you couldn't cover the bar when she needed you to, she was more than happy to kick you out. You knew exactly what she was doing. She didn't want you homeless, but you were essentially left with nowhere to go. Except for the hotel.

It wasn’t the worst thing to happen.. Things almost seemed normal. Alastor had lots of sucking up to do, even though he wouldn't call it that. He was definitely working at it. Making you breakfast like before, treating you like even higher royalty than he ever could while alive. He has the power to do so now and he fully intends to use it. And it’s working.. A little bit.

Okay, a lot.

You’re shocked that he still seems the same after becoming the powerful overlord he is. You’d love to convince yourself that none of that mattered, his status in Hell or what happened when you were alive. That you could just forget mortality to look forward to the potential future facing you. It’s easier said than done.

You're still struggling with your nightmares. Even more so in Hell, likely another form of punishment. Something about the hotel seemed to subdue some of them actually. As if the air were clearer here. It only helped most nights, though. Whenever you woke up in a cold sweat, struggling to breathe, clutching at your heart, there was only one thing to calm you. The radio at your nightstand would play a specific song. One that Mimzy was fond of, so you heard it most nights at her bar on Earth. Whenever you heard that, you knew he was there. He was waiting for you.

"Birdy?" You knock on his door, which seems to open slowly just from your touch. Alastor is sitting contently in front of his firepit. This wasn't the first time you've found him in the middle of the night.

"Another one, my love?" He tilts his head up slightly, the book he had in his hand shutting immediately. You nod your head slowly, already approaching him. Your blanket still wrapped around your shoulders is dragging across the ground. You give him a look he recognizes, and he nods at the implications. Without caution, you let out a tired whimper and plop into his lap. He pulls the blanket over your entirety.

Getting completely comfortable, he adjusts his arms to pull his book back to his eyeline. With your head nuzzled against his shoulder, you're too tired to conceal your little habit of purring. He doesn't mind, though. He loves it.

♡♡♡

Another big boy for ya 🫶

Human Alastor is really fun to write for, I had to do some research tho lol

I tried to keep Alastor's sexuality in mind, so I hope I represented it well. That's always something that makes me nervous when writing for Al 😬

Taglist!

( @vififofum / @thornwolfy235 / @tinywolfiegirl / @chipper-chip / @bat-boness / @misfitgirlwrites / @nayomi247 / @lonelynmisunderstood / @escapistoftherealworld / @b4ts1e / @hamthepan / @kyo-kyo1 / @looking1016 / @polytheatrix / @littledolly2345 / @lillianastuff / @yourlocalcryptidbee /@0strawberrysorbet0 / @themageofblood / @jayyyayaysblog / @floralsightings / @azmosposts / @8har0ley8 / @actuallyspiderwoman / @sirenetheblogger / @christineblood / @kaytemchugh / @cimadreamer / @simpdevil66 / @azmosposts / @m3ow1 / @acrazyartist / @redfoxwritesstuff / @4k1to / @meesachan / @corvusskid / @alientee /@xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx / @alon3lylov3r /@sapphireravensworld / @mjmdragons / @catticora / @carrie0-1 / @shamblezzz / @cassandras-nest / @the-maladaptive-daydreamers /@str4wberry-t00th-anon / @voxrei / @raythegay / @whoknowswhoiamtoday )

[personasintro]

Mutual Help | #44

↳ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬; in order for you to pretend to be his girlfriend, he helps you with your sexual desires ⏤ he calls it mutual help

⇢ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: jungkook x reader

⇢ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: fake dating au, fluff, angst, smut, slow burn

⇢ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: explicit language, mature content

⇢ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 20.9k+

⇠ 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯. | 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 | 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 ⇢ 

"Hey, Mrs. Linn, thank you so much," you say while sending an appreciative smile towards the older lady, one of Jungkook's neighbors who probably used to see you more often than ever, as she holds the door for you when she sees your hands are full.

"Oh, don't thank me dear," she waves her hand before both of you make your way towards the elevator. "We all get our hands full sometimes."

Whenever you see her, you see interest and curiosity in her eyes, probably wondering why you are visiting Jungkook so often. It's not just her though. People talk and they get nosy, especially the older aged neighbors that have nothing adventurous going on throughout their day. Mrs. Linn is curious, but always sweet and never asks you about anything that could be considered as nosy or uncomfortable.

She knows you're visiting Jungkook, something you told her when she asked you if you're a new neighbor. Without too many details, you explained that your best friend lives here and you're just visiting him often. Ever since January, you've been coming here almost every day, depending on how you, Jimin and Taehyung take turns. It's March right now, so most of Jungkook's neighbors already recognize your faces, quickly classifying you as Jungkook's friends.

Mrs. Linn gets off the elevator first, living a few floors below Jungkook's floor, but she doesn't forget to send a nice greeting towards you once again as you return it, closing the elevator's door by pressing a button once she disappears behind the corner.

The walk towards Jungkook is always the same. The familiar hallway feels like a second home to you by now. A hope that things are better with him and a justified part of fear always walks you through your way towards his apartment. Pulling out the card and pressing the password of his home isn't as easy with your hands full of bags, but somehow you manage when the lock clicks and a little melody lets you know you've successfully opened the front door.

Setting down the bags on the floor, you take off your shoes and hang your leather jacket beside Jungkook's, taking the bags with you as you make it through his apartment. Surprisingly, Jungkook isn't slouched on his big couch while watching whatever he hasn't watched on Netflix yet. He is still in the living room though, barely giving you a glance as you pause and stare at him while he's lifting up the dumbbells.

Shirtless, while wearing his sport shorts he glances at you with an unbothered gaze, almost ignoring you as he keeps working out despite your presence there. Not that you expected anything more. He probably thought you're not coming here tonight.

You had to work overtime a little bit and then the wait for a take-out took half an hour. You're not an idiot. He's probably annoyed by the constant visits by either of you, Jimin or Taehyung. So far, he hasn't said anything and just went along with it. But none of you are stupid, you know he probably finds all of this ridiculous.

Ignoring him, you sigh and place the take-out on his coffee table, eyes not ignoring the two cans of beer that are probably empty.

"I brought us some chinese and sushi," you tell him, knowing he hears you even through the faint sounds of some TV show coming out of his television. "Come eat." Is what you tell him as you make your way towards the bathroom to wash your hands.

Surprisingly and luckily, Jungkook's dumbbells are laying on the floor behind his couch by the time you make it back. Your friend already sits on the couch and opens a few boxes of take-out while the delicious smell fills his living room. Plopping onto the space next to him, you glance at him to check up on him without saying a word.

His long black hair is falling onto his eyes a little, some of it sticking to his face because he's sweaty from his work-out. Still, you get to smell a faint scent of his cologne. Half-naked sitting next to you, tattoos on full display and a couple of more he got in addition to his pieces the last and this month, you're trying to focus on why you came here in the first place.

"Thanks for the food," he tells you as he opens the box and you notice he has brought cutlery for the both of you when you were in the bathroom.

"Of course," you smile, reaching for your food as your stomach grumbles, notifying you of the hanger you've been feeling ever since the diner time.

Jungkook turns up the volume a little, both of you focusing on the food and TV. As much as your curiosity and concern tells you to fully check on Jungkook, you keep your eyes off him knowing he's annoyed by the constant worried looks all of you give him. He's the first one to finish his food, cleaning after himself before he disappears in his bathroom. A minute later, you hear water running which makes you sigh as you grow already full, putting back down the leftovers.

It's been like these for two months now. Ever since the truth came out. The first weeks were the worst. Jungkook wouldn't talk to anyone, he wouldn't even eat properly which made you terribly concerned when you clearly saw he lost some weight.

Kiko has ruined him.

What hurts you is to see him going through this and there's nothing you can do to ease the pain and loss he's feeling. He wouldn't even talk to you which hurts the most. But this isn't about you.

At least he's slowly getting better, even though you're not sure if you could call it that. He's obviously going through a lot of pain and a heartbreak, and maybe he doesn't confide in any of you, but at least he tries to stay busy. He's working more than usual and if he isn't, he's probably stuck in a gym. There are always two options where he is at, if he's not home.

Pulling out your phone, you're not too surprised to see Jimin checking on you and Jungkook.

Jiminie: how is he? 

"As usual, nothing new tbh" You type back, sighing as you rub your forehead looking around.

Well, at least he keeps his apartment clean and doesn't forget to take care of himself as well. There were days when he would barely walk out of his room, pleading with you, Jimin and Taehyung to leave as he insisted on being alone. You didn't like that and if it weren't for Jimin's persuition, you'd never leave him alone.

Although, they didn't find out about Kiko and what she's been hiding this whole time right away. It took them a week to realize there's something going on, especially when Jungkook wouldn't pick up his phone and your conscience couldn't make out too many excuses why you can't hang out with them.

"Jimin and Tae are asking about you... I think you should at least text them, they're worried." You told Jungkook a day after he found out about Kiko. You refused to leave him alone in that state, especially when his kitchen looked like a tornado happened there.

Jungkook could barely stand on his feet, but still insisted on cleaning after himself so you wouldn't cut yourself on the shattered glass. You didn't listen to him though, and helped him, using his then current state so he wouldn't scold you.

He didn't tell you anything when you told him about your worried friends, that's until they got fed up with your lame excuses and Jungkook's lame of a text saying 'he's busy' and came to Jungkook's. When they saw you and the guilty yet sad look you gave them, their thoughts were proved right that there's something happening.

Jiminie: is he as annoyed as he was yesterday? 

Well, you didn't see him yesterday but you heard from Jimin that Jungkook wasn't in the mood of having one of you there again. You get that. But you also know Jungkook and he definitely doesn't want to be alone all the time. So whenever one of you can, you always make sure to hang out with Jungkook and silently let him know that he's not alone. He's been trying to push all of you away, but you're stubborn. He would do the same thing if the roles were reversed.

"he hasn't said anything but yeah, I think he is lol"

Even the 'lol' sounds sarcastic and painful, it makes you scoff at yourself.

Jiminie: he's softest around you out of us three

Jiminie: good luck with golden boy you'll need it

"wow thanks, what a support"

He sends you a laughing emoji back, causing you to snort at him before you toss your phone next to you, just as the bathroom door opens and Jungkook walks out of there wearing cotton shorts with a shirt covering his upper body. Hair wet from the shower, you can already smell the scent of his scented shower gel as he walks towards the couch and past you.

Noticing the dark circles underneath his eyes, your heart breaks at the sight but you force yourself to look away as you make yourself comfortable, staring at the TV even though you could care less about the show it's playing there.

"You know, you don't have to come here almost every day. I'm not a kid." Jungkook speaks up for the first time, and you almost cry out of happiness when you finally hear his voice. He doesn't sound broken, but he's not fine for sure.

You glance at him, chuckling at him as your eyes meet. Trying to keep yourself composed, ignoring how his dark circles basically scream for attention, you look away. "Tell that to Jimin and Taehyung too."

Your voice is light and humorous, acting as if your almost every day visit is just a casual thing. Both of you know why you're doing this and Jungkook sees right through you, although he doesn't call you out on it. It's pointless anyway.

"I already did," he murmurs, staring down at his hands that rest on his lap. "It's... I--you don't have to come here Y/N." he says, features twisted painfully when he says it as if the last thing he wants is to hurt you with his words. You know he doesn't mean it that way.

"I want to," you tell him immediately, seeing him looking away as he sighs. "Kook," you call out to him, seeing him looking at you again as you straighten yourself and scoot closer to him. "If you don't want me here, then tell me. I'll leave right away and I won't come back unless you call me."

You don't like this idea and you've tried to be there for him for sometime over two months now. You're not sure if your presence is helping in any way, but you also don't want to make him feel worse because you're too stubborn to let him deal with this on his own.

Throughout this heartbreak and loss that he's experiencing, Jungkook has never openly said he doesn't want you here. Sure, his behavior probably indicated he's somehow annoyed at your, Jimin's and Taehyung's not so oblivious attempts of trying to look after him through this stage of his current state. But he never explicitly said he doesn't want you here and that's why you keep coming and haven't left already. This is Jungkook you're talking about. You wouldn't leave him just like that.

But if it's something he truly wants and he'll feel better, then so be it.

"I--" Jungkook stops, shutting his eyes as he rubs them while resting his elbows on his knees. "I didn't mean to sound like an asshole. I--what I meant is, that you don't have to babysit me. Nor Jimin and Taehyung have too."

Sighing, you scoot closer to him before your hands make contact with his back, feeling how tense he is. One hand rubbing his back while the other caringly squeezes his shoulder, you shake your head. "We don't babysit you, I don't think you'd do something stupid. We're just worried, Kook. You've been through a lot. I know we can't make the pain go away, but we're here for you."

He stays silent for a moment and you see him nod before he groans. "But this is ridiculous. You guys don't have to come and check on me as if I'm not capable of living my life. You don't have to bring me food as if I'm not capable of doing that on my own. I--I'm sure you guys have other things to do, more important things to do in your evenings and days than checking on me as if I'm some kid."

"You're just acting like one sometimes," you tell him lightly, joking as you nudge your shoulder against his which makes him roll his eyes. Chuckling, you lean your head against his biceps. "You're not alone in this, Kook. If we didn't want to be here for you, we wouldn't come here at all."

You feel his shift, causing you to pull away slightly to get a glimpse at him. He's looking at you, face saying thousands of words and it pains you to see the sadness and pain that's still there. However, there is a glimpse of fondness in his eyes as he searches your face.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful," he says softly, the corner of his lips lifting up slightly when you lean your head back against his biceps while staring up at him with big and curious eyes. "I'm--I'm gonna be fine. It just takes some time."

He doesn't sound convinced though.

"Of course you will," you tell him, cheek pressed against his arm. "Heartbreak isn't fatal." you remind him softly, knowing that one day he'll be able to look back onto this stage in his life and admire himself for being so strong.

"Then why do I feel like it is?" he asks quietly, your face twisting in a worry as you pull away, still holding him close to you.

"Have you considered talking to someone?" you ask, watching his brows scrunch into a frown as you lick your lips and open your mouth to explain yourself. "Like a therapist?"

As soon as those words leave your mouth, Jungkook rolls his eyes and tries to pull away from you but you hold him close and quickly continue.

"You're not just experiencing heartbreak, Kook. I'm really worried about you, there's nothing wrong with talking about this with someone professional." you tell him, voice more loud and clear.

"I got you." he says, causing you to nod.

"You got me," you confirm, "But you haven't been talking to me much, which is fine. And that's why I think, maybe it'd be a good--"

"No, I don't need a therapist." He quickly declines your idea which makes you sigh in disappointment but you're not trying to pressure him into something he doesn't want to. You just think it's a good idea if he spoke about his feelings openly, maybe get advice from a professional that can guide him to the right path.

You're no professional. Maybe whatever advice you'd come up with wouldn't help him. Maybe you'd advise him of something wrong. You don't want that.

"Okay, it's your decision. I'm not here trying to make you do something you don't want to." you remind him softly, squeezing his shoulder for the last time before you pull away but your eyes don't leave him.

You see the side of his face, him looking at his feet as he bites into the inside of his cheek. It's like he's trying to hold back whatever that wants to spill out and he embraces himself to open his mouth. You watch him with concern, ready to tell him that he doesn't have to say anything but before you can, he already speaks.

"Hoseok texted me today," he starts, closing his eyes briefly while you keep your mouth shut, letting him continue whenever he wants. "He's... coming here tomorrow to pick up her stuff."

He says, voice completely heartbroken as he mentions Kiko without actually saying her name and you know it pains him even more than you who's just looking at him.

"Have you talked to her?"

That makes him scoff and he shakes his head. "No, not since that day... I told her I never want to see her again, so she probably told Hoseok to come and pick her stuff." Yeah, that makes sense.

"Would you like to see her?" you ask carefully, watching his reaction as he stays frozen for a moment before he shakes his head.

"No, it's... I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to face her." he murmurs, rubbing his face again. You realize he's doing that to distract himself.

"Then it's a good thing Hoseok will come instead of her." you murmur, nibbling on your bottom lip.

Jungkook stays silent, sitting without barely moving before a scoff resounds from him. "I don't even know if I want to face him."

"Then tell him not to come. You don't owe him any explanation. If you're not ready, then just don't do it." you advise him, but he only shakes his head.

"No, I can't stand looking at her things scattered all over this apartment. It's better if he comes to get it..."

"Okay," you nod, reaching for his hair as you brush it off his face. "You want me to stay here tonight?"

He turns to you to look at you, "No, no... I'm sure you've other things to do."

You playfully roll your eyes at him, "I actually don't," you point out, "Tomorrow is Saturday, so I'd probably spend it alone anyway. I could be here when Hoseok comes? If that helps."

He frowns, probably ready to protest but you arch your brow at him, letting him know that it's totally fine and you'd like to stay anyway to make sure he's okay. So he sighs, nodding at you. "Alright, I... that would be fine."

Sending him an encouraging smile, you reach for the controller that's been sitting on the coffee table. "You up for a game?"

He definitely doesn't look like he's in the mood for that, but you wiggle your brows at him. "I'll kick your ass this time."

Jungkook knows what you're trying to do, but eventually after looking at you he scoffs amusingly before he snatches the controller from your hands. "We'll see about that." he mutters, the competitive side of him kicking in as you can't help but grin at him while he's starting to set up the game.

After two months of barely getting any response from Jungkook, you finally see a glimpse of the old him and you just can't fight the grin off your face. Not even when he truly kicks your ass in every game and round you play. He's not rubbing it into your face like he usually would, or joking about it but when he cocks his brow at you, a look that says 'I told you', you couldn't be happier with the progress he has managed to make.

Sometime during the night, when all the lights are turned off and the only glimpse of natural light is the moon peeking from the blinds, you turn around on Jungkook's bed. The movement is careless and you momentarily forget that you're actually sharing a bed with him. Yes, after proposing that you sleep on his big couch, Jungkook completely refused your idea and told you to go to sleep in his room. He said he'll take the couch which didn't sit with you well, after five minutes of bickering you settled on sharing the bed.

It's not the first time you both are sharing a bed. It's not a big deal. Plus, you're both single. It has never been a big deal for you to share a bed.

When your arm slaps against the mattress on Jungkook's side, you already wait for him to wake up and scold you for taking up most of the space like what happened too many times. But you're met with an empty space beside you which makes you crack your eyes open, lifting your head while your rustled hair falls onto your face. Groaning, you push them away just to be met with Jungkook nowhere to be seen.

Looking around, it takes you a while to notice he's not in the room. You could easily go back to sleep, but something doesn't seem right about Jungkook not being here. Sure, he could've gone to the bathroom or something. But all you can think about is his dark circles, which is enough proof that he probably has trouble sleeping. Pulling the duvet off your body, you don't bother to put on the slippers as you open the door from his room. Your head slightly pounds from the lack of sleep but you ignore it, eyes scrunched when you spot a light coming from the kitchen.

It's a dim lightning, nothing too bright but enough for you to notice Jungkook standing with his back turned to you, facing the kitchen light that's under the cabinet that isn't as invasive as the normal lightning would be.

You approach him quietly, your feet paddling against the floor. "Can't sleep?"

He doesn't flinch or jump from your sudden presence, but he turns his head to you abruptly as if he was caught doing something. It's only then when you notice the bottle of whiskey in front of him and a glass settled right next to it. He looks at you guilty, looking away as if he didn't want you to see it.

Sighing, you lean against the counter with your lower back as you watch him. "Does it help?"

"Couldn't fall asleep," he murmurs, "It usually helps me to fall asleep faster,"

You bite back the scolding you would most likely give him in other scenarios. But he wouldn't be drinking in other scenarios to help him to fall asleep, would he?

"Go back to bed, I'll be there soon." he tells you, grabbing the glass before he pours the entire dark liquid that's been there into his mouth.

Watching his neck bop at the movement, he swallows it as he bites onto his lower lip. His tattooed hand goes to his hair, running through them before he grips the edge of the kitchen counter. He's not going to get rid of you that easily, plus you can't go back to sleep knowing he's here drinking and trying to fight with insomnia this way.

Jungkook gives you a look when you turn around, hoisting yourself up to the kitchen counter to sit on it as you give him a smile. "Pour me one too."

Frowning, he stares at you. "Don't be ridiculous. You don't drink this late."

"Neither you used to," you tell him softly, "Fine, then I'll take the bottle."

Before your hand can reach the bottle, Jungkook is already snatching it as he rolls his eyes at you and pours a small amount into the glass, sliding it towards you. "You take the glass, I'll take the bottle." he says defeatedly which makes you grin in success.

"Fine by me," you hum, tasting the alcohol as you cringe right away but swallow it anyway, ignoring Jungkook's raised and knowing look. "How long have you been up?" you ask, trying to make a conversation.

After the games you both played, you went to take a shower and take off the make-up to get ready for the bed. Jungkook has lent you one of his shirts and luckily found one of your pajama shorts you always kept here during your summer sleepovers. Once you were done, Jungkook was already in bed staring at the ceiling and once you had joined him, he turned off the lights and went to sleep. At least that's what you thought because by the time ten minutes had passed away, you had already fallen asleep.

Looking at the digital clock on his stove, you realize it's three in the morning. You've slept for four hours.

"I never fell asleep." he admits silently, ignoring your worried gaze as he drinks from the bottle.

"How long is this lasting?" you ask quietly, not wanting to sound as if you're scolding him. You're worried.

"Ever since that day," he answers, causing you to suck in breath as your heart cracks at the new information. This is even more serious than you've thought. You knew there's obviously something more going on with him, something you, Jimin or Taehyung know about. "But I don't drink every day, especially during the week when I've to work and drive the next day."

At least he's responsible, you think as you look away from him and sigh. "It breaks my heart to see you like this, Kook." you admit quietly, voice almost cracking as he glances at you, eyes filled with sadness and guilt.

"That's why I didn't want you to come here and see me like this." he says back but you only shake your head.

"Don't say that," you lick your lips, "I'd rather be here than wondering how you are doing."

"Isn't it obvious?" he scoffs, glancing at you as you sigh in defeat but silently agree with him. He doesn't sound angry at you, he's angry at the situation, at the pain he's feeling. It's like you can understand what he's going through, even though realistically you've no idea how much pain he's enduring.

Attention taken away by a movement, you watch Jungkook walking towards one of the cupboards as he pulls out something that rustles in his hold before he hands you the item. It's a pack of crackers, it makes you smile as you look up at him with a question in your eyes.

"So you won't feel sick from the whiskey," he explains, watching you grin at him as you open it, plopping a cracker into your mouth before you point towards your glass, silently telling him to pour you one more.

He looks skeptical but he does it either way which you thank him for. Offering him the pack of crackers, he shakes his head with a faint smile but it's very short-lived when it drops and he's back to his sadself.

Silently, you munch on the snack. This is the worst. You've no idea what to say. Distracting him is too obvious and something tells you he's not in the mood for that. Trying to make a conversation at three in the morning is... what would you even talk about? Even from your point of view, all you can focus on is the elephant in the room but it's Jungkook's call. You're not going to make him talk when he clearly doesn't want to.

So you sit on the kitchen counter while Jungkook stands beside you, taking a sip from the whiskey every now and then as you both are enveloped by the silence. After a few minutes, you place the pack of crackers down at the same time when Jungkook suddenly scoffs. He's been in his own world for the past few minutes, clearly thinking and almost forgetting about your presence.

"Isn't it funny?" he asks, tone dripping with sarcasm, hurt and sorrow. He swallows another shot before he continues. "I would be a dad by now,"

You don't think you've ever heard him like this. So empty, yet so broken and angry at the same time. His words make your chest clench, heart fully empathizing with the sadness from all of this. Jungkook would be an amazing dad, whether he'd be ready for it or not. He fully dedicates himself to everything, he always does things at hundred percent. No less.

"All those times," His voice cracks, eyes pinching together as he rubs them while you straighten yourself, staring at him with nothing but sympathy and worry.

However, you keep your mouth shut. It's very rare for Jungkook to be sharing something so personal with you these days and you don't want to ruin it by saying anything. So, you just let him talk and get it off his chest.

"You called me a dad as a joke," Your mouth falls open, eyes watering at the sight of Jungkook's broken glance he gives you. "We joked about that a lot. If only I knew--" He stops himself, visibly taking a deep and shaky breath to stop himself from crying.

Reaching for his arm, you grasp it and pull him towards you. Surprisingly, he doesn't protest but looks at you with a confusion written all over his broken face, until you can't see it anymore because your cheek is pressed against his chest. Cuddling up to him and wrapping your arms around his frame, you hug him tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Kook," you cry to his chest and you feel him tense, before he sighs and hugs you back. "I'm so sorry." you whisper, staining his shirt with your tears he undoubtedly starts to feel.

"It's not your fault..." he mumbles, leaning his cheek against the top of your head.

"I know, but it breaks my heart to see you going through this," you admit, sniffling as you feel him pull away. He meets your teary gaze, giving you a weak smile as he wipes off your tears. "You don't deserve this."

Dropping his hands, he doesn't protest because he knows that's true. It's not selfish of him to admit it. He has never done anything to hurt Kiko. He has always showered her with so much love and respect, and she broke his heart for the second time just like that. You've never seen her being hurt like that when she stormed out of Jungkook's apartment looking like a complete mess. She really is sorry but it's no excuse for what she has done to him. She has ruined him.

"I'm pathetic," Jungkook scoffs, shaking his head as he leans against the kitchen island, right on the opposite side of where you're sitting. "I'm so fucking pathetic,"

You tilt your head to the side, watching him rub his eyes for a moment and you want nothing more than to envelop him in a hug once again.

"I gave her a second chance, I trusted her. I made a fool out of myself, I fucking--I was forgiving her for cheating--a fucking cheating!" he exclaims, making you flinch but you stay glued to your spot, gripping the edge of the counter tightly. "I love--loved her so fucking much, I would give her the world!"

"Kook--"

"And she broke my heart like I never meant anything to her!"

It doesn't matter that it's the middle of the night and he could possibly wake up his neighbors. You're genuinely scared he's going to break all over again. Not because you're scared of him. You're scared for him.

"Would you rather live in a lie?" you ask softly, making him pause for a moment.

"What?" he breathes out.

"Would you rather think she cheated? Or believed she broke up with you because she needed space? I know it hurts, Kook," you say softly and carefully, "I might not fully understand the pain you're going through... but isn't it better that you know the truth? Even if it hurts..."

He knows you're right. She made a fool out of him, just like he said. Maybe not purposely, in a twisted way you understand why she did that, hid the truth from him. To spare him the pain she's been feeling and experiencing on her own, even though... Can their pain be compared? She had a choice, Jungkook hadn't.

"It hurts so much..." he whispers, and you swear you hear your heart cracking. Hopping off the counter, you go straight to hug him all over again.

"What can I do?" you murmur into his shirt, tightening your grip as his hands drop at your shoulders, squeezing them.

"Don't leave me?" he asks unsurely, feeling pathetic to be asking you that and mainly for sounding like a pathetic fool as well.

Giving him the softest smile, your lips slightly wobbling when you look into his big dark eyes. Grabbing one of his hands that's sitting on your shoulder, you squeeze it as you don't break eye contact.

"Never."

And that's enough of a confirmation Jungkook needs, sending you a weak smile for the first time in a long time. When you lead him to his bedroom after turning off the light, leaving the alcohol abandoned on the kitchen counter along with your glass, you both hide yourselves under the covers. You hold his hands, caressing his knuckles and the back of his hands, until your eyes flutter shut and your movements slow down. The last thing you feel is Jungkook doing the same for you, until his hands slow down and he allows himself to fall asleep.

Jungkook has always been an early bird. It's something you've admired about him, or more like have been jealous about. He'd wake up at six in the morning and by the time the clock hit eight, he'd had his breakfast and workout done amongst other things.

Things have changed though. It's not shocking to not see him sleeping next to you by the time you wake up. He might have used to wake up early to be productive, always wanted to do something and despite all of that, he calls himself lazy. But right now, you're not even sure if he even fell asleep to be able to wake up. Your own tiredness chased you down last night and as far as you can remember, it felt like he was still awake by the time your breathing slowed down and dreams awaited for you.

He's distracting himself, this time from the awaited visit from Hoseok that should be coming any minute. It's not hard to figure that out because by the time you clean up yourself in his bathroom and change your clothes, breakfast is already waiting for you with a cup of tea you like.

Jungkook's leaning against the kitchen counter with a spaced out expression and a cup of coffee in his hand, as he slowly brings it to his lips. He looks tired but from your quick checking in, he does look a little bit better.

"Have you slept?" you ask right away, eyeing the breakfast and not sitting down just yet, fully focusing on him to show your persistence. You wonder how many times Jungkook has called you annoying in his head, but it's not like you care that much. Not as long as he gets his sleep.

Brown dark eyes flickering to you, you swear you see the corner of his lips twitching at your straightforwardness, very well known straightforwardness, before he sets down his cup with a click against the marble.

"I have," Is all he says and you sigh, not wanting to pressure him into saying more. "I made you breakfast."

"Just for me?" you cock your brow, happy to see the slightest of his grin and roll of his eyes as you sit down.

"Us," he corrects himself, surprisingly joining you.

Your eyes dancing across his face to check on him from close doesn't go unnoticed by him and he does have a little twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Grinning, you set your eyes on a bowl of fruit with strawberries and raspberries in it. The little chuckle that escapes Jungkook's lips is unheard by you as you grab the spoon and dig in.

"You know, you should eat more in the mornings. You know what they say, it's the most important meal of the day," Jungkook comments, not surprised by your choice out of all the other options on the table.

"And so is sleep," you say with a full mouth, earning Jungkook's daring and raised brow as you swallow the food before continuing. "I'd say it's more important than breakfast."

Jungkook scoffs a little, looking at his empty plate as he serves himself scrambled eggs and bread. "I did sleep."

"You did?" You don't sound convinced, raising your brows with a doubtful look.

Jungkook hums, putting some food into his mouth as he chews on it while you stare at him, slowly eating the breakfast he has prepared for the two of you.

"You don't have to worry about me,"

Yes, you do. You do worry about him because so far, you've never seen him in this state. Barely sleeping, looking so lifeless yet he's keeping himself occupied by working overtime and working out a lot which shouldn't necessarily be the worst thing. It's hard to describe, you're not sure what's good and bad for him but all you know is that he's still deeply hurting and he's keeping it to himself. He's holding it in.

"I slept okay, really."

Is he telling the truth? He still looks tired but he probably got more sleep. He's on edge, knowing today is the day when Hoseok is coming and he could be here anytime. And since he's holding it in, it's hard to say if he's doing better than he was yesterday. You wouldn't say so. Facing Hoseok isn't probably the most pleasant thing to do considering he's been trying to distract himself from Kiko. And since Hoseok is close to her and a big reminder of what she has done, it's like experiencing that pain all over again.

But maybe when Jungkook confided in you more about his thoughts and feelings, it got at least some small amount of weight off his chest. At least you hope so.

"I'm glad, or else I won't ever leave so I can check on you if you're sleeping well." you joke, lips twitching as you look up at Jungkook to see him crack a tiny smile.

He doesn't say anything but the silence isn't awkward at all, both of you eating in silence with thoughts still running. You realize you're even more nervous about Hoseok's visit than you're letting on.

You're worried.

Worried about how Hoseok is feeling about all of this. Worried about how Jungkook is going to react.

So if you're feeling this way, you can't imagine how Jungkook must be feeling.

The moment the doorbell rings, it seems like everything has frozen for a moment. You both know who's about to come upstairs and knock on Jungkook's door any second. The cup of tea that Jungkook has made you is placed on the coffee table by your tensed hands and as you're about to turn to Jungkook, he acts quickly and buzzes Hoseok in. Once he gets back, his eyes avoid you for a moment before he looks at you sitting on his couch with big and uncertain eyes.

It's hard to detect what emotion crosses Jungkook's face. Panic, anxiety, discomfort.

Hoseok coming for Kiko's things that are still laying around his apartment – being the painful reminder of their heart crushing break-up – is still a better option than Kiko coming for them by herself.

Jungkook did say he doesn't want to see her anymore, at least she respects his decision. Although, you think she probably isn't ready to face him as well.

You wish you could hate her though. Yes, you're mad at her for breaking Jungkook's heart all over again. He's in this state because of her lies. But during those weeks ever since Jungkook told you what happened, you thought about it and her a lot. The decision she made hadn't been easy. It's hard to even think about it because nobody knows what was going on inside her head. It's easy to judge but you're not totally sure what she went through.

Yes, you don't think her decision was right – at least her decision to leave Jungkook out of it when he was a huge part of it as well. But it's not your place to judge her decision when it's not you and not your body. You can't possibly imagine what she went through, even though some of it is thanks to her. She did it to herself but still, you find some kind of empathy and you actually feel bad for her.

She should've definitely told Jungkook. He deserved to know and that's a fact. Even if she wasn't planning to start a family with him, or whatever the other reason could be, she should've told him and they could've at least talked about it. Would Jungkook be able to convince her? What would he tell her? It's something you and maybe even Jungkook himself doesn't know.

And as soft knocks can be heard coming from the front door, Jungkook looks like he's ten seconds from truly panicking and all you want is to give him a hug that would help and take away all the stress and pain he's feeling. However, you stand up and send a soft smile his way, offering to get the door which he gives you what looks like a form of thankful smile.

On the other side, as you open the front door but not before taking a deep breath, is standing Hoseok that doesn't look much better. He looks slightly surprised to see you there but it only takes a few seconds. The discomfort is evident on his face, even through the soft smile he sends your way as greeting leaves his mouth.

"Hey," you tell him softly, lifting your lips. "I just--I'm here because--he's not feeling very well." You don't owe any explanation to Hoseok but the words jump out of you before you can keep your mouth shut. Hushed and sad tone makes Hoseok look at you in sympathy.

"I'm sorry," he says sadly, coming inside as you close the door behind him.

Hoseok doesn't look like this is the place he wants to be right now and it's totally understandable if you look at things from his point of view. He knew, but you know he was just as having his best friend's back as you're having Jungkook's. The honesty in his voice isn't hard to miss and you just know he really is sorry about everything.

You're just not a person he should be saying that to.

Nodding, you give him a lipped smile and lead him to Jungkook when he takes off his jacket. Not that he needs you, he knows Jungkook's apartment too but you can see how careful he is with each step he makes, even though his steps are light and rhythmic.

What isn't rhythmic is probably Jungkook's heartbeat when he hears you coming, knowing you're not alone as he hears two sets of steps and the lingering tension with Hoseok's arrival.

Noticing Hoseok's hesitance once you turn to look at him but his eyes are already set on Jungkook, who's standing near the couch not even fully facing you. From the corner of his eyes, he can make out the two of you but doesn't even spare a glance in your direction. Well, Hoseok's.

Hoseok opens his mouth, ready to greet him and Jungkook probably doesn't catch that but the timing is adding even more tension to the whole situation when he speaks first.

"Her stuff is in the bathroom and my room."

You wince at the distant and hard tone he sets. You understand he's upset and you mostly feel sorry for him, but that doesn't mean you don't feel an ounce of pity towards Hoseok as well. He just stands there, features softening and regret written all over again on his face mixed with sadness and understatement.

"Jungkook, I'm--"

"You're what?" Jungkook snaps, this time fully turning towards the two of you looking straight at his friend in anger and betrayal. He doesn't give him a chance to respond because Jungkook is currently a ticking bomb. "Sorry? You knew the whole time and now you're sorry? Don't give me that bullshit," he scoffs, causing Hoseok to sigh as he bites into the inside of his cheek.

"How dare you to look me in the eyes and just be sorry?" The tone of his voice raises but the only thing you can detect is the hurt behind it.

"Jungkook," you mumble as Jungkook is met with your face full of pity and sadness, but he only glances your way before he looks back at Hoseok.

He definitely has more strength to be facing Jungkook because if it was you in his place, you'd be a crying mess if Jungkook looked and spoke to you that way. And you almost whimper when Hoseok makes his way over to Jungkook, not sure if that's a good idea judging by Jungkook's sharp glare.

"Yes, Jungkook, I'm sorry," he says calmly, "I know you're mad at me and you've every reason to be, I fucked up and I've regretted that every time I thought about you,"

He walks past him towards one of the doors of Jungkook's bathroom and bedroom, stopping and turning to him once again.

"But she didn't want you to know and I had to respect that as her friend."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Jungkook yells, causing you to flinch because even though you know he's mad, you weren't expecting him to yell as soon as Hoseok finishes his sentence. "You're my friend too! You were joking with me this whole time, we hung out and you looked me in the eyes knowing she was pregnant with my baby! You fucking knew and never said one fucking word!"

Hoseok's breath trembles as he takes a breath but keeps being composed despite Jungkook's evident anger.

Jungkook takes a few steps towards Hoseok and you tense before you do the same. You're not part of this, this is between them but you don't want this to end up in a huge fight.

"When did you find out?" he asks slowly with a warning tone, causing Hoseok to look down in shame for a moment before he finds the courage to look him in the eyes again.

"Jung--"

"Stop Jungkook me, just answer. You can at least do that much."

You frown, not really liking the tense atmosphere that gets tense with each second and word Jungkook or Hoseok say.

"She told me when she asked me to accompany her, she was broken, Jungkook. There's nothing I could've done to change her op--"

Jungkook lashes at Hoseok, grabbing him by the collar of his hoodie and you yelp, rushing towards them.

But Hoseok keeps talking, wanting to give Jungkook his answer. "She begged me not to tell--"

For one moment, it feels like a flashback from the New Year's Eve party when Jungkook lashed at Haneul, throwing a great punch to his face. But then... this is a completely different moment and you see Jungkook's fist in the air, causing you to act quickly. Hoseok betrayed him but he stayed loyal to his best friend, you're not sure if punching him would solve anything. Maybe it would even make Jungkook feel worse knowing he punched his good friend, whether he hurt him or not. It's not really Hoseok's fault for not knowing about Kiko's pregnancy.

You know it's stupid but you also don't want him to do something stupid because of how he feels. And before Jungkook can deliver a good and hard punch to Hoseok's shocked face, you're standing between them yelling at Jungkook to stop. The last thing you see is Jungkook's big shocked eyes as you close your eyes in reflex, opening them and finding his arm in the air stopping at the right time.

One second you see his life flash in front of his eyes and the next he's frowning that slowly turns into anger. "What thefuck are you doing? I could've fucking hit you!"

He sounds panicked, genuinely angry that you'd throw yourself like that between them, risking the chance of getting hit by Jungkook. He would never be able to forgive himself for that if that happened. You're stupid for doing that, you realize your mistake but it's important he stopped and hasn't hit anyone. That's a win, right?

"Jungkook stop, just let him get her things..." you plead with him, features softening as Jungkook drops his arm but rubs his eyes.

Taking his hands, you give them a good squeeze and one look in his eyes. He's glancing between your eyes, shifting his gaze quickly before he sighs. With one movement he turns around and starts walking to the couch where he sits, elbows already leaning against his knees as he grabs the back of his head.

The view pains you and glancing at Hoseok, he watches Jungkook with the same look before he looks at you.

"That was stupid, you know? You could've gotten punched." he says softly, silent 'thank you' lingering in his brown soft eyes.

"We all do stupid things, don't we?" you shrug, lightly chuckling as he tries to imitate a form of smile that comes out sad, the last thing he does before walking to Jungkook's bathroom.

Jungkook must've collected all Kiko's things when he was going back and forth between his room and bathroom, leaving you sipping on the tea while trying to distract yourself by watching some movie on his Netflix account. That's probably what he was doing when you heard clicking and rummaging because Hoseok comes out of the bathroom in a minute, holding a cosmetic bag with a few things in his hands too.

He does the same thing in the bathroom, coming out with a bigger shopping bag that Jungkook usually takes with him while doing a bigger grocery shopping. It must've taken a lot for Jungkook to search for her things and put them in one place for her.

Accompanying Hoseok to the front door, he looks disappointed and sad from not being able to say goodbye to Jungkook because he still holds his head in his hands, clearly not wanting to talk. It was painful to watch Hoseok open his mouth and then close it when he saw Jungkook in the same position.

"She has been going to therapy ever since she..." Hoseok reveals and trails off quietly, causing Jungkook to scoff.

"Is that my fault?" he asks bitterly. He's going to need one thanks to her too, he thinks.

Hoseok glances at you, giving you a saddened look once again as he shakes his head. "No, it's not... I'm just telling you that she's been suffering too, even though she is the one who made a decision."

Jungkook doesn't move, not sparing him a glance which Hoseok takes as his cue.

As Hoseok bids you a soft and quiet goodbye, you do the same thing and release breath as soon as the door clicks closed. Walking to Jungkook, you join him on the couch and put an arm over his shoulders while your head leans against his.

"Is he gone?"

"Yeah," you sigh, "He's gone."

You don't tell Jungkook it wouldn't be smart to hit Hoseok, as much as he thinks he deserves it. You don't even tell him how sorry you are because he knows and there's no need to say that. So you stay quiet, leaning back with him until you both fall asleep in one of the most uncomfortable positions and wake up with cranked necks and throbbing neck and shoulders pain.

You don't go to clubs often.

Scratch that. You try not to go to clubs often but with a friend like Taehyung, it's bound to visit them at least once in a while, usually when he drags you not really giving you a choice. The blasting music that's been invading your ears for the past hour is a perfect example of that.

However, you're not the one who's been dragged here involuntarily, although you've never wanted to come here in the first place. Not that you don't like this club, not at all. This has to be the club where you feel the most comfortable in and it definitely has to do something with you working here before. After all, it's been only a month since you stopped working here and finally saved up enough money for a better car. Something you hadn't failed to mention to Jungkook at one of your attempts of checking on him and barging inside his apartment. You had talked a lot during that time, tried to update him with the littlest thing that has happened in your life.

Speaking of Jungkook, he's been tonight's victim of Taehyung's doing but surprisingly, he agreed to a proposed dinner when the first message from Taehyung suggested it in the morning. You should've known he had something up his sleeve when he suggested club before you could even finish your meal. So you got separated, changed your clothes and then met up again.

And here you are.

Tracing your finger around the rim of your glass, your gaze falls upon your best friend standing at the bar, getting hit on again. Slim and tall blonde woman is standing next to him, flashing him with a pretty smile that you can't see but can probably imagine here and there. You've lost count of those women. This is maybe third? Not that it would matter anyway, you kind of feel bad for him though. He looks uninterested but still polite enough to not turn her down, since she's obviously still standing there and batting her eyelashes at him.

Poor Jungkook, all he went for is another round of drinks but he's been standing there for the past fifteen minutes talking to her. You can see he's still not feeling himself, even though he agreed to come here and you get an idea it has something to do with what happened yesterday with Hoseok.

"Don't even say it,"

You look at Taehyung who sits down next to you, flashing you with a boxy grin when your eyes flicker to the mark on his neck that he hasn't cared enough to cover. Yes, Mr. "I'm going to use the restroom", sure. Was it the redhead he danced or the small petite woman he chatted with at a bar? Or with Taehyung, it could've been someone completely different.

"This is a bad idea, that's what you're thinking right? It's written all over your face." Taehyung runs his finger in front of your face to prove your point as you roll your eyes at him.

"I'm not saying this is a bad idea," you point out, earning a glance from Taehyung with his brow raised. "I'm surprised Jungkook agreed to come here and I'm actually glad he finally hangs out with us outside of his apartment,"

All of that is true.

Taehyung always thinks whenever someone has their issues, the best thing to solve is to loosen up but you're not entirely sure if getting drunk is the right way to solve any of this.

Jungkook has been down, that's for sure but at least he starts to communicate more and he even laughs at Taehyung's and Jimin's attempts of trying to make him laugh, or even when they're not even trying but are just being themselves. He is better, but he's still that same broken person that experienced a massive pain of loss and heartbreak. That doesn't just go away, not even in months despite you can see a little bit of progress on his part. Who knows what Jungkook isn't sharing with any of you, no matter how many times he has assured you that he is fine. You all are worried about him, you all just have a different approach to it.

"We just don't know how he'll be if he gets drunk. Have you thought about that?"

Of course, Jungkook is an adult and you don't have to watch over him as if he is a kid. You know Jungkook used to drink alcohol to help himself to sleep, he told you he's not doing that anymore but is it really true?

Taehyung considers your words, thinking about them for a moment before he sighs and places his arm around your shoulders. "I don't know either," he admits, "But at least we will be here for him?" he asks in a thought which you nod but sigh nevertheless.

"That's not the point, Tae... purposely trying to bring him to a club and getting him drunk just sounds and seems stupid." You give him a look, knowing exactly how he ushered everyone to take a shot as soon as you stepped into the club.

And of course there's a high chance all of you will drink. You're in a freaking club! It's almost as if you're asking for alcohol if you decide to spend your Saturday in a club.

"Hey, now! I tried my best!" Taehyung exclaims, shining you with his boxy grin in his usual playful mode.

You're not quite sure if Taehyung truly understands what worries you but you decide to leave it be. Jungkook can do whatever he wants and as his friend, you're worried about him but there's not much you can do. He's definitely aware of what Jungkook is going through, but he also never experienced any heartbreak to begin with. Taehyung's way of thinking is different as well and maybe to a certain extent, he's right.

Jungkook is finally out of his apartment hanging out with you without any of you having to come to his apartment uninvited. That's progress. But is the club really the greatest place to bring him into? You're not sure about that.

"And who knows, maybe he'll meet someone else here today. Or just have fun with someone," Taehyung shrugs, while your eyes almost fall out of their sockets from how casually he says it.

Is he seriously hinting at what you're thinking?

"He just had his heart broken," you point out, meeting Taehyung's eyes. "Besides he's not the type to have one night stands."

That's true, all of you know it so the chance of that happening tonight is not big. And for a moment you seem to be a little bit shocked at that thought, worried Jungkook will turn into someone he's not because of what happened to him.

"Well, I didn't think he was the type to fuck his best friend and look at you!"

Mouth falling open, you shrug and punch Taehyung in the shoulder while he doesn't seem bothered at all at how blunt he is. He shrugs, grinning at you and before any of you can say something, your two other friends finally join you with new and fresh drinks. From Taehyung's comment, you automatically reach for your drink ignoring his smug face from the corner of your eyes.

"I had to save our Jungkookie," Jimin laughs, squeezing Jungkook's shoulder who's sitting on the opposite side of the table from you.

"Women just wouldn't leave him alone."

"Are we surprised? Look at him!"

Taehyung is right.

One look at Jungkook and you understand the attention he's getting from women, which isn't that much of a surprise because people turn after him all the time.

The funniest thing is that Jungkook has put almost zero effort into his outfit. Just a casual black button up and jeans can be considered as effortless, right? But still, he's pulling it off because everything he's wearing at the moment compliments his body proportions, showing his hard work at the gym and his fit body. His hair is parted in the middle, kind of the only way to style his hair since it's long. You've caught him pulling off a man-bun a few times, but he only wears it to get the hair out of his face which occasionally happens when he's at home, working or working out like he told you once you complimented his longer hair, scolding him when he told you he's thinking about getting it cut back to short since apparently, the long hair is nuisance.

Your own outfit is nothing too crazy and you haven't put that much effort into it either. Just one of your short sleeved tight dresses which you usually wear during summer times in the daylight. It's definitely not the sexiest and prettiest outfit you've worn when partying, but it hugs your body nicely and it's comfortable. That's all that matters. Your hair is in a tight ponytail, showing off your features and cheekbones even more with the casual makeup you had done for the day and the accessories that are your small round earrings and necklace sitting between your collarbones adds a little bit more effort to your already normal and nothing special outfit.

The night feels weird and the only people in the mood for partying are Taehyung and Jimin. And when the conversation finally averts in a different direction, leaving Jungkook alone and the attention he's getting, you relax and start to enjoy your never ending drinks.

Drunk Taehyung is stupid.

You've no idea what that man thought when he brought a foreign woman into your shared booth, playing a wingman to the poor Jungkook who had seemed clueless for the first minute. That has changed when Taehyung didn't forget to mention she's a photographer just like Jungkook, ushering her to sit next to him and show him her photos.

At first, you couldn't imagine her as a photographer. She is pretty though, obviously knows how to dress up and do her make-up. More on the petite side but her gift from God in the form of perky and bigger breasts are hard to miss. Brown eyes and a nice smile, she seemed a little bit shy at first but as soon as Jungkook noticed it (and maybe her discomfort as well since Taehyung wouldn't keep an eye off their interaction), she relaxed.

"This is not my attempt to get him to hook-up with someone," he tells you as Jungkook shows her his own photos, causing her to gush at his talent that you know very well.

All of you do.

You flick him off on his forehead when he gets too close, the alcohol causing you to cringe while he doesn't look mad and blinds you with a grin.

"I think it'd be good for him to meet someone and talk to someone, uh, new. Other than you, no offense."

"Thanks," you mutter through your glare, "Whatever that's supposed to mean."

You wish Jimin was here, he disappeared once again saying he has to use the restroom. How much has this man drunk? If he was here, he'd surely have your back and tell Taehyung his idea is stupid.

"It means," he points out with nose held high, "You're getting old, sweetheart,"

He is crazy.

You stare at him confusingly with brows furrowed so much that your eyebrows start to hurt.

"The two of you are a lost cause, so it's better Jungkook starts to meet new people, women or whatever he prefers. You know, dips his toes here and there."

"You mean dipping something else..." you mutter, ignoring Taehyung's laugh.

"True, true," he purses his lips, "But no, he can do whatever he wants. He doesn't have to dip anything in--"

"You're so wasted, man," you cut him off, rubbing your forehead. "I'm gonna get myself another drink because I can't stand your drunk ass at the moment."

"Oh, can you get me one too?"

"No, you've had enough. Maybe try bubblegum." You move past him, silently laughing at the loud gasp that can be heard even through the music.

Taehyung's loud voice is the last thing you hear coming from the booth as you make it to the bar.

"Rude!"

"She seemed nice," Jimin comments, scooting closer to Jungkook who looks confused for a while but that's very short lived when he notices Jimin's eyes flickering to Ester who's already disappearing in the crowd.

"How do you know? You weren't even here," Jungkook mutters loudly enough for him to hear, grabbing his drink and taking a long sip from it.

"Taehyung told me, I met him on my way here."

Of course, he did.

He left shortly after you but not before giving a very "subtle" wink to him, clearly hinting at Ester. Which reminds him he has no idea where you went because before he could ask Taehyung, he used the opportunity to leave him alone. He's not stupid, Taehyung is never subtle when it comes to everything. He's like an open book and Jungkook is very aware of Taehyung's doing.

He had to admit. It was nice to talk to someone that doesn't know what he's been through. There was no pity in her brown eyes when she was talking to him. She was nice, not hitting on him like Taehyung may have expected.

He's not sure if he's ever going to see her again, but he does follow her Instagram account. They followed each other as soon as they started discussing photography and all the things his friends don't really understand. You're usually interested, so you ask and Jungkook explains whatever you're interested in, but it's different to talk about it with someone who truly knows these things.

It felt new... and fresh.

"Where were you anyway?" he asks, arching a brow at Jimin and his frequent disappearance throughout the night.

His friend scans Jungkook's face for a moment, long enough to leave Jungkook wondering even more but then he just shrugs. "Just needed some air. I'm not feeling it tonight."

That is not something you usually hear Jimin to say when it comes to clubbing. Although, he's not as wild as Taehyung is and there were times when Jimin simply wasn't feeling it, just like he called it. Very rare times though.

"Any of us is," Jungkook says," Maybe except Taehyung."

"Yeah, I guess we all have our reasons," Jimin shrugs, "But I'm glad you're here, Kook. Maybe it's not fun as usual but it's nice to finally hang out with you."

Outside of his apartment with a grim atmosphere, he means.

"Yeah, I guess it was time for me to try and enjoy myself more. I can't handle Y/N looking at me as if I'm a kicked puppy she needs to constantly check on." he chuckles.

He doesn't mean it badly. He knows you're worried about him, just like you would be if that happened to any of them. He hoped that agreeing to come here tonight would ease your nerves but judging from the look of it, you're not really in the mood to be clubbing too. Which reminds him all over again where the hell did you go. It's not smart of you to go alone, even though you're inside. None of that matters when men are pigs inside or outside of the club.

On the other side, Jimin understands what Jungkook means and nods along with his words.

"Well, I think she needs to loosen up too. She's been having a hard time with the landlord after all, which is understandable..."

"Wait, what?"

You're having a hard time? Landlord? What the hell is Jimin talking about? This definitely sounds like news to him.

"You don't know?" Jimin looks even more shocked.

He'd think Jungkook was the first person you told to but clearly he's not.

"Her contract is ending in two months and apparently the owner's daughter is moving in there, so he wouldn't extend her contract. It happened unexpectedly and the landlord has been apologizing, at least he's feeling shitty about it but yeah, she's in a very fucked up situation right now."

Jungkook stares at his drink barely blinking as he lets the news sink in. He has so many questions but it seems that even though Jimin knows way more about it, he doesn't know any further details.

"What is she going to do?"

"I don't know, the last time I asked her she told me she'll have to look for another apartment."

"But she bought her own furniture there and she has lived there for two years—they can't do that to her."

Jimin's features soften, shrugging because he knows what Jungkook is feeling right now. Frustration, that's what he felt too when you told him the news, almost breaking in tears from the frustration, anger and sadness.

"I told her she can crash at my place but you know what she's like..."

Eyeing the barman's back, you wish he would just do your drink quickly before anyone tries to take their move on you, so you can join your friends. He must be new, you think. You've never seen him here.

You've spotted Mark once and minus the faint greeting you both had at the beginning of the night, you haven't seen him since then or talked to him.

Almost jumping at the body brushing against your shoulder as someone sits next to you, you're instantly met with a set of dark brown eyes you've grown familiar with over the years. Well, you've to admit you feel happy to see him here and him bringing a feeling of safety with him.

"You've a trouble with your landlord?"

You're speechless for a second, shaking yourself off from the momentary surprise by letting out a sigh. "Who told you?" you ask, glancing away at the barman before you look back at him. "Jimin or Tae?"

"They both know?" Jungkook sounds surprised, noticing the look of guilt on your face. It's okay, he's not mad at you or something. He's just surprised you haven't told him about your trouble, despite you've been filling him in with every possible detail of your life for the past two months.

It just feels weird that you suddenly left such important information. Something you told Jimin and Taehyung but not to him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks softly, leaning his elbows against the bar but he keeps his eyes on you.

"I didn't want to worry you..." you answer, "It's not like I didn't want to tell you, but you've been dealing with your own shit and I guess--it's not even that important."

"Like hell it's not," Jungkook exclaims, "It is important. Just because I'm dealing with my own shit doesn't mean I can't deal with yours too,"

That makes both of you laugh a little but you shake your head, not really knowing how to justify your decision of not telling him other than what you've just told him. You'd tell him eventually. You've been searching for a new car as well, something Jungkook told you he's going to help you with but that was way before the biggest bomb dropped on him and had a massive impact on him.

"What are you going to do?"

You're not sure if this is the greatest topic to talk about while On The Floor by Jennifer Lopez is playing, but you've no problem talking about this with Jungkook.

"I've started to look for different apartments, something where I can move in quickly since my contract is ending in two months, actually, shorter than that... I found this nice apartment, it's not as nice as the one I have but it'll do. I have to live somewhere, the rent is a little bit cheaper but I can definitely see why."

The photos on the internet you found doesn't look very good but it seems like a decent place to live in. Maybe until you'll figure out something different. The apartment you live in at the moment has a great location, it had been definitely a bargain when you found it and had been able to move in.

However, there are far worse looking apartments and this one isn't even that bad. It's just that you got used to the one you live in right now and it'll be tough to say goodbye to it. You wish you could be mad at the owner, which you were for the first two weeks, but you also understand that he followed the contract and basically has done nothing wrong.

He has a daughter and she's going to use that apartment, maybe she needs it and like a father, he's helping her.

"Is it that bad?"

"It's not," you wave your hand, "Just not as nice as my current apartment. Plus, it's in Dobong."

"Dobong?" Jungkook's eyes widened, "But that's almost on the other side where you live now."

You chuckle at his reaction because yes, you're very aware. "I know..."

"Y/N, that's so far away from here. What about your work?"

"I'd have to travel? Or maybe they can move me somewhere closer? I don't know, Jungkook." you murmur, growing frustrated all over again at the thought because you clearly haven't figured it out yet.

Jungkook's questions are just reality, reminding you that you don't have much time before you have to make a decision. Not that you've much of a choice.

"But you're gonna be away from us... from me... from Tae and Jimin."

When he says it like that, simply pointing it out but with saddened eyes, you feel like crying because the thought of being away from your friends and all alone scares you more than you'd like to admit. Over the years, you've grown independent, more than you ever were and you're proud of yourself because of that. But not having them close like you're having them right now (and even now, you don't exactly live super close but the distance isn't that huge) makes you want to cry out from the frustration.

"Don't say it like that," you whisper, looking at your lap. "I don't really have a choice. Other apartments are expensive as fuck, I can't afford it Kook. The prices went high and they go high every year. It's hard to find a good and affordable apartment in Seoul."

Jungkook turns to you on the bar stool, hooking a finger under your chin making you look at you. "We'll think of something, okay? You're not leaving me."

You chuckle at his bunny grin and wiggling brows, suddenly pouting causing Jungkook to grab you by your shoulders as he brings you closer to him, giving you the hug you desperately need.

He smells so nice. You take a whiff, cheeks pressed against his shoulder and enjoy a few seconds before you've to pull apart because the barman finally brings you your drink.

"Let's not think about it for tonight, yeah?" he proposes, "Let's enjoy this night. No bad thoughts. No Kiko,"

Your eyes shoot up to his at the mention of her but Jungkook just offers you a grin. "No apartment problem. Just us having fun, okay?"

"Sounds good," you tell him, taking a sip from your drink. "Where's your new friend, by the way?"

"Who?" Jungkook looks confused, a realization hitting him right after. "Ah, you mean Ester. Our paths have divided."

"She was pretty." you comment, watching Jungkook's reaction as he stares at you quietly.

"Are you on it with Taehyung?" He eyes you suspiciously.

"What? No!" you exclaim, refuting his assumption right away. "I told him it's a stupid idea."

"It is," Jungkook hums, grabbing your drink and taking a sip from it, frowning for a moment as he nods at the sweet taste. "If I wanted to hook-up with some woman, I could easily do that on my own. I don't need Taehyung's help."

Laughing, you nod. "Yeah, you probably could."

"Probably?" Jungkook scoffs playfully, causing you to giggle. "All Taehyung can think about is sex, he thinks that solves everything."

"Maybe not everything, but he definitely thinks it solves everything temporarily," you point out which Jungkook agrees with, "Besides, all men think about is sex all the time."

"Hm, I can see your point," Jungkook purses his lips, "But sometimes it's hard not to think about sex when there's a beautiful woman."

You look up at him from your drink, finding him staring at you causing you to almost choke on the liquid as you clear your throat, putting down the glass as you arch your brow at him shamelessly. "Are you subtly flirting with me, Jeon?"

"Do you want me to?"

Fuck, this man is shameless sometimes.

Do you want him to?

The butterflies coming alive in your stomach are most likely a good answer for that. But it's very dangerous, no matter how exciting and good it feels.

But then Jungkook bursts out laughing, scrunching his nose at your face as you slap his shoulder, frowning annoyingly at your drink. "Dickhead."

"Hey now," Jungkook playfully frowns, "Come on, finish your drink and let's dance."

You're not sure if any physical contact with Jungkook is a good idea right now, especially when you feel your heart picking up its pace and the sight of Jungkook brushing fingers through his hair isn't helping at all.

"Why?" Trying to find a way to get yourself out of this, even though the thought of dancing with Jungkook is tempting and it's been a while since you had fun with him in a form of dance. "Why don't you go find Erica and dance with her? I'll sit here and cheer you on!"

You propose lightly and innocently, although devilish glint in your eyes as you look up at him, lips wrapped around the rim of your glass causing Jungkook to frown.

"Her name is Ester," And you want to roll your eyes, and what? "And I'd much rather dance with you."

Fucking Jungkook and his mouth for letting such words come out. His honesty, no matter how it sounds when you think about what he just said now, your head spins. You're not drunk, the drinks you've been drinking are low percentage alcohol but you feel slightly relaxed from it. And it's dangerous because your mind already wanders into places it shouldn't have.

So you do what you know the best and you start whining, masking your panicked heartbeat and mind. "I'll look like an idiot next to you!" And you mean it in more ways than just one.

First of all, you're not drunk enough to feel confident to dance with him. It's not just silly dancing you do at home or more private parties. The clubs are big and there are drunk people everywhere and you doubt everyone will have their eyes on you, but still. Jungkook is already like a magnet for eyes.

"That's not true," Jungkook disagrees, grabbing your wrist gently as he shakes it a little. "Just one dance, then. Please."

And he pouts, widening his eyes just like he knows – in that innocent and cute way that makes you shut your eyes as you let out a loud groan, knowing you've lost. "Okay, but I'm gonna finish my drink and you're going to have one too."

He sits back like an obedient student, flashing you with a bunny grin.

"Deal."

Jungkook's convincing skills are good, just not as good as yours. Finishing your drink meant two more and Jungkook's one drink turned into three, all thanks to your pleading eyes and shameless begging and Jungkook's soft spot for you.

"You're trying to get out of this, you still owe me one dance." Jungkook has told you when the barman placed the second round for the two of you.

"The night is still young, Jeon, relax." you've told him in return, sending him a grin with your glass in the air in a silent and yet another cheers.

You've to admit, as much as dancing with Jungkook sounds exciting, talking to him like nothing bad is happening in your lives feels refreshing and you wish the reality wouldn't get to you tomorrow morning. Or ever.

But it seems some things get to you sooner or later.

It's the time when your bladder lets you know you've to really use the restroom, no matter how much fun you're having with Jungkook and mindlessly planning your friend's summer vacation. Jungkook laughs when you excuse yourself, admitting you're ten seconds from peeing yourself and he turns around in his chair towards the dance floor, having a perfect view of the restroom in case somebody would bother you.

The gesture is sweet and you can't hide the little grin on your lips when your eyes meet, before you really usher to the restroom. Once you're done, bladder empty and hands cold from the water, you're completely thrown off when someone calls your name just a few meters away from you.

Voice you haven't heard in months but remember perfectly despite your short relationship.

Haneul walking towards you with soft eyes makes your heart skip a beat, but not in the good and exciting way but quite the opposite. You're too shocked to see him right here, in front of you looking just like you remember him because there's barely a change in his appearance. He looks good, very similar to what he looked like when you first met him. Black leather jacket, jeans and some shirt under his jacket, it's like some weird deja vu happening right now and you've to blink a few times to convince yourself he's real.

"Hi," he says as he stops, offering you a hesitant smile which you don't return because you're too busy staring at him as your brows slowly scrunch into frown. "I just spotted you and wanted to say hi. Don't worry, I've no bad intentions."

He better not because you're not scared to deal with him. But one look at him and his soft features, you start to feel guilty for being in a slightly panicked and careful mode. It's not like you've a reason to be scared of him. You broke up and even though the memory of your last conversation still slightly hurts, you've no hatred feelings towards him. You wish him well and you really think he's not a bad person.

"Well... hi, then." you mutter, mentally slapping yourself. It's more than clear you've no idea how to react to him and to Haneul, you look weirded out by his sudden approach to you.

"I don't want you to think I stalk you..." he says, glancing at his feet in embarrassment.

"Why did you come to the club I worked at?" Hence the past tense that doesn't go missed by Haneul and you see surprise and curiosity cross his features but he doesn't have the guts to ask.

"My friends wanted to come here. Listen, I can leave if I make you uncomfortable." he says simply, offering you a shrug that means he won't be mad if you tell him you don't want him here.

Which is stupid because he's free to visit whatever places he wants to. Your break-up wasn't that bad to the point you couldn't be able to be with him in the same room. It is weird he's here, knowing you met here and you still worked here just a month ago. There is a high chance he knew you could be here and if he really wanted to avoid seeing you, he wouldn't come here whether his friends wanted him to or not.

But that's kind of selfish and you're overthinking things once again. Maybe it's not that dramatic.

"No, stay," you tell him, "I'm just surprised to see you again..."

It's polite to ask how he is but you're not sure if you want to have a friendly conversation with him. You've come to the terms that it's best not to keep him in your life and even a simple conversation is not necessary in your opinion. You moved on and you hope he did as well.

"Okay," he murmurs, "I--enjoy your night."

And with that, he turns around and leaves. You watch him long enough to see his friends in the background as he joins them, but before you can watch any further or any possible stares his friends could give you, you're already walking to the bar.

Jungkook is still there, not noticing you right away as his eyes stay attached to the dance floor while his fingers drum against the bar stool to the catchy music. "Oh, you're here!" he exclaims, briefly lisping from how quickly he says it.

He doesn't give you any time to react, already standing up as he leads you to the dance floor, tossing you a handsome grin over his shoulders. Realizing you've no chance, you deduce you feel tipsy enough to allow yourself to loosen up, even with Jungkook's close proximity and hands on your hips and yours on his biceps.

++

Jungkook's one dance never ends with one dance and when Jungkook wants to dance, he has to be in a good mood which you think is an amazing change. The alcohol flows freely in your body, the last three drinks you recordly gulp down causing everything to feel numb.

Everything besides Jungkook's hands.

You like the feeling of freedom the alcohol brings you. Overthinking is left somewhere else, letting you enjoy every second and touch of this. What in your more sober state you wouldn't appreciate about it though, is the lack of control you're having over your own thoughts and needs.

It's a hard task to stay unaffected and you're failing miserably, feeling your insides tingle with excitement that you thought is long gone but it's proved only Jungkook can make it come to life. You're both still tipsy which is good because it means none of you is drunk. Tipsy enough to want to get even closer to Jungkook which is freaking stupid, because he's already close enough as it is.

Your back pressed against his chest, ass brushing against his crotch and the zip of his jeans doing the same thing here and there seems like a big deal. You're selfish, because instead of putting some distance between your dancing and slowly getting sweaty bodies, your arm stays outstretched behind you, hand holding the back of his head and fingers buried in those dark locks of his. The other arm is holding the one of his hands that's on your hip.

Jungkook's warm breath hitting the crook of your neck causing you to shudder – shudder out of excitement and Jungkook himself.

You know you've lost. It's too late to end this – at least that's what you tell yourself because you don't want to end this. You wish he'd just lean down and press those lips onto your neck like he knows you love. You wish you could feel his hard dick and it's embarrassing how wet it feels between your thighs, even though his bulge is nowhere in its full hard-on state.

God, you're fucked. And tipsy. And horny.

And fucking stupid because when you shamelessly grind your ass against Jungkook, there's no chance it looks like an accident. If you could turn around and look at him, you'd see him biting his lower lip.

His hands squeeze your hips, almost the same way they did when he was balls deep inside you. Fuck, you forgot how that feels and you're ashamed to be even thinking this. It's not right. He's going through a break-up, no matter how many weeks have passed and you're best friends. The deal ended a long time ago, so what the fuck are you doing?

Jungkook's lips brush against your jaw, nose nudging it right after as you whimper, thankfully the sound gets masked by the loud music and bass that vibrate through your body. Everything is hazy, just not Jungkook.

"Are you trying to make me hard?" he asks lowly, almost amusingly and he sounds so hot that you've a urge to turn around and kiss him, just because he's close and you're fucking horny thanks to him.

Get a grip, Y/N, don't do a fucking mistake just because you're tipsy and haven't had sex since December. You went without sex longer than this, so why the fuck are you getting so desperate?

"Is it working?" you ask breathlessly, loudly for him to hear and you want to mentally slap yourself, but the temptation and excitement are holding the upper hand here.

"I'm trying not to get hard," Jungkook points out, the same low and deep tone as if he's telling you the deepest secret. "Don't start something you can't finish."

And that spurs you on even more, accepting the challenge as you turn around, staring right into Jungkook's dark and very much awake eyes. He has a lazy grin on his lips, living for the fire in your eyes and you're not sure if it's whether he's amused by all of this or if he's feeling it too.

"You out of people should know I never start something I can't finish,"

Hinting at something that hasn't been talked about for a very long time, because you both came to conclusion it haven't affected negatively your friendship and you're still the two best friends you've been, Jungkook's features darken and it's unbelievable you can see it even through the shitty club lightning.

Hands brushing against his chest, you slowly brush them down against his toned abs that you can feel through his button-up, causing you to bite off the gasp that wants to get out. He's definitely much buffer than the last time you got to properly touch him like this.

"Did you forget?"

There's the boost of confidence growing inside you, very much thanks to the alcohol and probably hormones that are making you do and say all these crazy things.

Jungkook chuckles, the corner of his lips lifting in a smirk as if he sees right through you. Can he see how much he tempts you? Is it just one of those times you're teasing each other but are very close to playing with fire? You're not sure, but you're enjoying the thrill his eyes bring to you as they stare at you, crinkling at the ends while his hand touches a few restless baby hair and strands that got messy and slipped from your ponytail.

"You out of all people should know I never forget,"

Breath hitching, it takes you a moment to release a giggle and you've no idea why you're suddenly giggling, maybe it's mostly the way he wiggles his brows – something he does frequently when he's just fooling around.

"Shut up," you tell him, making him laugh while you watch him throw his head back a little before he's looking at you with a wide grin. "I need to use the restroom."

"Again?" he asks teasingly, causing you to roll your eyes as you take a step back from him, letting your body calm down – at least trying for it.

"You," you tell him loudly, a grin spreading on your lips as you slowly back away. "Are dangerous, Jeon."

Turning around and silently giggling, you don't hear Jungkook's next words that are practically impossible for you to hear because he mutters it amusingly and the loud music definitely helps as well.

"So are you, Y/L/N..."

The reflection in the mirror you see as you wash your hands and finally look up to check your appearance is almost fascinating. Fascinating, because you almost don't recognize yourself – you look different. Face flushed, there's a thin coat of sweat layered on your skin and maybe it's the make-up slowly melting off, but what catches your attention the most are your wide sparkly eyes.

Jungkook still affects you and wishing you could be angry at him for it, your heart starts excitedly jumping instead at the memory of you on the dancefloor. You're not sure what the two of you are doing, if you're just fooling around and having fun or there are deeper undertones of your teasing and subtle flirting. Is it flirting? You and Jungkook would often fool around and tease each other which to some, it'd look like flirting. It's confusing and even you can't tell which one happened just a few minutes ago, but all you know is that it felt nice and exciting.

When two girls barge into the restroom giggling, drunkenly stumbling into one of the toilets, you shake yourself out of your daze and finish washing your hands in a hot water that almost burns your skin but you're too distracted to care. Messily drying them with a paper towel, you get out of there with a plan of joining Jungkook once again.

However, you're stopped by a body you bump into around the corner and the quick apology is once again on your lips, but you stop as you're met with a familiar pair of eyes. You realize there's a small percentage the whole bumping incident is a pure incident. Haenul's not surprised and apologetic eyes say it all, causing you to sigh.

"What do you want?"

You don't sound cold and rude, just exhausted. You're having a good time, after a long time, and you don't need to deal with any of this right now.

Haneul might've not planned to literally bump into you, but he has been waiting for you to get out of the restroom ever since he saw you coming there. You see his eyes slightly wide, the hint of alcohol tracing his soft features and even though he's hovering over you with his tall figure, he looks small but confident enough to face you.

"I just wanted to talk... Do you have a minute?" he asks, reaching for your arm as he gently grabs your forearm and tugs you away from the group of guys drunkenly joining the dancefloor.

Shaking his hand off, you frown, not letting yourself get soft by his attentive gesture of you not getting tossed around like a toy because of some drunk guys who don't care about anyone around them.

"Haneul, I thought we talked about this..." you sigh, telling him loud enough because you'd like to avoid repeating yourself.

"Please, just hear me out and I'll leave you alone, for real," he pleads with you, causing you to motion for him to continue.

Did he see you with Jungkook? You completely forgot about him being in this club. You're not sure if Jungkook or alcohol is to blame. Or maybe it's you, you probably should've been more considerate about Haneul still being here. But still, you're broken up and it's not like you've done anything wrong. You shouldn't feel guilty about this.

"I know I apologized before but I--I miss you so much,"

Wait, is this where he starts to beg you for a second chance?

Before you get to ask, he's already continuing.

"I can't believe I hurt you like that--I don't know why I'm telling you this, I don't know why I felt the need to talk to you again but I just saw you--"

He's drunk. Drunker than you thought he was.

He gets closer and you're stuck in your spot, unable to react properly as he strokes your cheek. All you can do is stare at him. Mentally screaming at yourself to react somehow, you're frozen while letting him touch you. He steps closer, hovering over you even more as his lips are close to your cheek to the point you can feel his warmth.

"We both have a reason to be mad at each other," he murmurs, "But I miss you so much... I wish I could kiss you, even if it's the last time."

The truth is that even though you're not physically or verbally reacting, you're having a whole inner mental battle going on. Do you want this? Do you want him to be this close to you? He's here talking about missing and kissing you, how do you feel about it? You're tipsy and horny, something that is because of Jungkook (the second part at least) and in your current state, you wonder what you even want. What do you even think about this?

Your thoughts are going slow and Haneul keeps talking, talking about how much he misses you and he really thinks he loves you despite the last words you told him when you broke up with him. Too much is going on you and you scream at yourself to wake the fuck up, especially when Haneul angles your head up towards him, eyes staring at your lips hungrily as he dives in for a mentioned kiss.

One second he's too close and your hand is up to stop him, to push his chest and tell him that he's drunk and not thinking straight. But someone beats you to it, although it's not as gentle as you'd do it because Haneul is yanked backwards that he almost stumbles and falls but someone grabs him again and pushes him to the wall.

Jungkook's eyes are filled with fire, not the kind you had minutes ago with him, but pure anger is in them as he grabs Haneul by his collar. Jungkook is quick, too quick for your liking and you've no idea what possessed him, but he's already lifting up his fist at Haneul who tries to pry Jungkook's hands off him but he's too strong.

Yanking the back of Jungkook's button-up, you yell his name. "What the hell, Jungkook?!"

"You think you can jump at her whenever you want, huh? Is that it? Who the fuck you think you are?!"

He holds his fist in the air but doesn't punch him, not yet.

Haneul is not making it any easier for himself though, looking at Jungkook with spite in his dark and drunk eyes. "Of course, you're here too." he mumbles choked up, thanks to Jungkook's harsh grip on his collar.

Oh, so he didn't see you with him.

"You're going to get us kicked out, Jungkook, let him go!" you snap at Jungkook, yanking his button-up again as you reach for his lift first and try to put it down with your full strength.

And he does. Not right away but once he looks at you and sees the fury in your eyes, he releases him but not before he scoffs at him. Jungkook saved the day once again, but the approach he chose is not very likable to you. There are people glancing your way, despite the bad lightning and loud music, the interaction has gained attention of some people and it's just a matter of time before one of the bouncers walks up to you and kicks you out.

"He wouldn't leave you alone!" Jungkook exclaims as if you're not realizing that Haneul was getting too close to you without you giving him consent.

And that's true, you realize that you don't want to kiss Haneul. You don't want to be close to him and you wonder if you would be stupid enough to let him do that because you're horny and slightly tipsy, which you're not sure if it's true anymore because this whole interaction has pretty much sobered you up.

"So you will start punching everyone?!" you exclaim.

Jungkook looks stunned for a second, as if he can't believe you just indirectly pointed at what happened with Hoseok the other day. And then he shakes himself out of it, sighing when he realizes that you're right.

He's never been aggressive. And he has a few slip-ups (three to be exact) but that doesn't define him. One was quite understandable. Haneul, the very person who's still leaning against the wall with a glare sending Jungkook, who slut-shamed you, got punched by Jungkook. Two, was Jungkook almost punching Hoseok because his friend kept his unborn baby a secret and betrayed him in ways he never expected. And now.

Almost punching Haneul again because he threw himself at you, in hope you would probably make-out with him and maybe leave this club together.

However, you don't understand why Jungkook has suddenly gotten so physical over something that could've been dealt with more silently and less violent.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles, taking a step back but doesn't leave your side as Haneul eyes him and then his eyes flicker to yours but all you can do is glare at him, reminding you that he's still here.

"You're drunk," you tell him, "Come on..." you direct your words to Jungkook this time, reaching for his hand and he does look surprised at your touch, but lets you hold his hand as you lead him away.

Not sure where you're going, you realize you're outside once the cold air hits your face but you don't pay attention to that feeling, finally taking a deep breath while you let go of Jungkook's hand and walk a few meters away from the entrance and people coming in or out.

"I'm sorry," Jungkook says again, joining you in your little spot while he stays standing next to you while you lean your back against the brick wall. "I don't know why I wanted to punch him..."

"I think you know," you tell him silently, appreciating the sounds of cars passing by and muffled music that isn't as long as it was inside. "You're sensitive and letting your frustration get the best of you."

"I didn't want you to see me like that," he admits, sighing in disappointment at himself which makes you look at him, finding him staring at the cars while you're met with the side of his profile.

His eyes sparkle at the streetlights in the nighttime, making him look even more innocent despite his massive and tall figure. Once again, he looks kind of vulnerable. Not because he feels sad over Kiko or anything else, but simply because he seems to be sorry that you had to see that.

"I just saw him cornering you--"

"I should've react, I was in a shock and I'm glad you made it there before I could've made a mistake,"

Jungkook's eyebrows twist into frown at your confession. He thought you don't feel anything for Haneul and you're past that relationship, nothing else.

"I guess I was too distracted from--"

Me and you dancing, you think but keep your mouth shut as you give Jungkook a knowing look, which you're not sure if he understands because he simply watches you.

"We had fun and then he came--he was drunk, I don't think he'd ever approach me like that if he was sober. I bumped into him earlier and he was fine, just said hi and left me alone."

"Yeah, alcohol does wonders."

Yeah, it does. You chuckle at that.

Jungkook steps closer, stopping right in front of you as he's hovering a similar way Haneul was a few minutes ago. But the difference is that Jungkook's close proximity makes you feel safe, comfortable and excited at the same time. The familiar burn in your stomach comes alive again, the little remains of alcohol in your stomach making you feel drowsy again but you know the truth is somewhere else. You can't put it on alcohol when you barely feel it in your system.

"Are you okay?" he asks, leaning down to check your face closer as you keep your mouth shut, gulping as you stare into his dark orbs that look concerned.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" you breathe out, nibbling onto your bottom lip, unaware of your self-conscious doing until Jungkook stares down at your lips. His eyes jump between your lips and eyes, checking you as you feel the sudden need to touch him.

The need to push some of his hair from his eyes, to have your fingers wrapped in them again like that time when you were dancing. Bodies close, hands on your hips and ass pressed against his groin area... fuck--

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks, tilting his head innocently as you open your mouth to say something, but nothing comes out of your mouth. "Do you want to head home or go back inside?"

All you know is that you don't want to go home and be left alone. You realize you want to stay with Jungkook, preferably turn back time and be back on the dance floor with him close to you. Enjoy the last minutes, even without something you've been silently craving for all of a sudden. You've no idea what's wrong with you. Is this how super horny people feel? Is this how men think with their penises? Is this how women think with their vaginas?

"Do you want to go home?"

Jungkook chuckles and looks away for a moment amusingly, and maybe a little annoyed that you can't simply answer and ask him a question back instead.

"If you're going home, then I'm going home too." he answers simply, giving you an answer which makes you nod.

"One dance and then we can go? What do you say?" you ask, anticipation in your eyes as Jungkook simply nods and motions his head towards the entrance.

"Okay, let's go... it's cold out here anyway and we should find Jimin and Tae to tell them we're leaving soon."

You almost complain, knowing Taehyung would most likely hold you hostage, so the two of you can stay longer but you stop, knowing as long as you've Jungkook with you, he'll take care of it. And Taehyung.

Jungkook leads you straight towards the dancefloor, his hand finding yours as soon as you make it inside as he holds you close to him. Somewhere in the distance you see Taehyung making out with a woman, the sight not that unfamiliar and you see Jimin chatting up close to him with another woman. If you paid more attention, maybe you'd have noticed how Jimin and the woman stare at the pair next to them amusingly – which means the two women are friends. But all of that goes unnoticed as you get them out of your sight, Jungkook's back and tattooed hand holding yours being the main attraction for your eyes.

Not even a minute on the dancefloor and you naturally find your way back to yourselves, in a similar position like before. Ignoring the way the one part of you mentally chants that yes, you might've not turned back time but this is even better, because Jungkook's hands are all over you again and so are yours, wrapped in his hair like you wanted them meanwhile the other hand holds the nape of his neck. His mouth brushes against your cheek and you shiver, whimpering how good it feels but it's not good enough.

"Jungkook," you mutter into the air but it's almost impossible for him to hear you through the music, but once you turn your head slightly to look him in the eyes, you're met with the sight of his lips again.

You tilt your head back a little, finally seeing those dark orbs that watch you attentively, hands not leaving you. Shameless and fucking brave is what you are, but it's not like you can't really control yourself (at least it seems that way) because your eyes find their way to Jungkook's lips again. Wanting to cry out of frustration, you know your body longs for something else and your rushed breaths are one of the first indicators for it.

And then you grab the back of Jungkook's hand, inching his face even closer. You wait for him to pull away or at least give you a reaction that would say this is not what he wants. You would be fucking embarassed if that happened, but maybe it would be for the better.

However, he lets you and just stares at you, almost as if he's challenging you to take the first step. Does he want this too?

Does he feel the need to kiss you just like you do?

He probably feels something because he would pull away if he didn't, you try to think rationally.

Surprisingly, you take the first step and nudge his nose with your own, bodies stopping but not inching further away from each other. It's like a huge throwback once again, this time involving all the affectionate kisses and the thing you always did, almost hesitating before you finally kissed. You wonder if Jungkook remembers it, if he knows exactly what you wish for and if he's remembered of all of those times he has done it to you.

And finally (maybe unfortunately) your lips slightly touch but it's not a kiss, they just briefly brush against each other as if both of you are testing the waters, wondering where your bodies and secret temptation will take you.

Growing annoyed and frustrated, you're ready to groan because there's something holding you back and you hate that at the moment but as always, Jungkook saves the day and with a little bit of force forward, he lets his lips meet yours for the first time in a long time.

In a time you thought would never come because you were past all of that.

Maybe this is a stupid thrilling decision but you can't bring yourself to think about it, nor curse yourself for it because oh, Jungkook's lips feel amazing and you feel like whimpering or cry out of pure satisfaction. They're soft just as you remember, maybe even softer and suddenly, it feels like nothing has changed and you're back to last year's summer. Letting yourselves to be free, not thinking about consequences and just enjoying each other's presence.

It's hard to think about everything else when Jungkook's warm lips are on your own, and it's funny how the only thing you manage to do is to take another step and start moving your lips against his own, now truly kissing him. He kisses you right back, moaning when you tug his hair and his palm spreads against your stomach, holding you close against his toned and strong chest.

You don't even care, you probably look like one of those nasty couples that make out in public. This even tops all your wet dreams you've shamefully had about Jungkook. Because the difference is that this is real.

The first swipe of his tongue sends an electrifying jolt all over your body, your thighs pressing together as you try to relieve the tension between them. Kissing until you're gasping for oxygen, the weird smell of people and sweat filling your nose almost making you puke, you peck his lips one last time before you lick your bottom lip.

"Take me home, Jungkook."

He's surprised, you can see it the way his brows shoot up a little and uncertainty framing his eyes by your simple yet shocking request, but he gives you a nod which you mentally sigh in relief. Your request is simple, yet holds various meanings that maybe you're not even sure of.

On the way out, Jungkook orders for a cab through an app and informs you that he has sent a message to Jimin and Taehyung into the group, informing them that he's taking you home. Even that simple sentence makes butterflies shoot straight into your stomach and even though you're not promising yourself more than you can carry, you enjoy the feeling as long as it lasts. You're not sure what you're particularly excited about because the moment you and Jungkook get into that cab, you're not sure what happens next.

And the uncertainty makes you nervous, but Jungkook's hand in yours and the way he unconsciously holds it tight makes it all better.

By the time you're walking out of the club hand in hand, the cab is already waiting for you and as Jungkook holds the door of the cab for you, he shoots you a soft smile that makes everything uneasy go away. It's cliché but you can't believe that it works, because all you're left is that same excitement again.

As the driver makes sure Jungkook gave him the right address, he looks at you questionably because it's not like he put his address because he expects anything from this. It's because his address was added automatically and he didn't give that much thought into it when he was trying to get you through the crowd. But you give him a sheepish grin and cuddle up to him, leaning your head against his shoulder which causes Jungkook to confirm the address.

Jungkook doesn't touch you more than it's necessarily though, his hand stays respectively on your knee and doesn't go any further, while you're gripping his biceps and can't help the stupid grin you hope he doesn't see.

The ride to Jungkook's apartment building is short but feels like a big journey because by the time the driver stops in front of it, you're ready to jump out of the car the second he slows down the vehicle. Just like when you were getting into the car, Jungkook holds the door for you and helps you get out of it, thanking the driver before he shuts the door and hurries to the warmth of the building.

Following Jungkook into his apartment seems kind of funny because you've been here so often, that you'd be able to find the way while being blindfolded. Yet, you're staying a little behind him following him as if you were clueless where he's taking you.

Once Jungkook unlocks his apartment and the doors are shut with you inside, you're already taking your shoes.

"Listen--"

You don't, you're too quick and sorry that you've cut him off which hasn't been done purposely. By the time Jungkook has tried to tell you something, you've already kissed him. Realizing what you've done, you pull away with a sheepish grin and hot cheeks.

"Hm?" you ask cutely, hands innocently behind you as Jungkook's eyes darken and he's the one who pulls you closer and kisses you.

Giggling into the kiss, you realize you can taste the slightest hint of Jungkook's drink he has drunk at the club. But oddly, he tastes like him. His cologne and the flowery smell he always holds fill your nostrils more than ever, now that you're in a place that's not filled with body odors. You're hypnotized, that's how you're feeling when you tug him towards the living room with mouth still on his.

The only time you let your mouth detach is when you push him down on the couch, happy when he successfully lands onto his butt with legs spread out. He's so hot, button-up slightly crinkled from your heavy making out and your needy hands. His hair is messy as he's looking up at you from his sitting position through hooded eyes, causing you to drop to your knees right away.

His eyes widen for a moment, but you don't stare into them long enough as you're leaning towards his lips to kiss him again. No words exchanged, your needy hands unbutton a few buttons on his shirt, exposing more skin and the chest that got definitely bigger than the last time you saw him. And he's not even fully naked. He's so much broader and you're trying hard not to literally salivate.

His hands land on your hips as you start peppering kisses to his jaw, slowly down his neck and then chest. The single touch of his hands makes you almost moan out and even though the lust clouds your mind, you're not greedy for an orgasm or him making you feel good. He's already making you feel good just by being there, holding your hips – and it's silly but you can't explain it.

You reach for his belt, unbuckling it eagerly and you're surprised how easy it's going despite your quick movements. Jungkook helps you by lifting his hips off the couch, getting the jeans past his butt but once you touch the hem of his boxers, eyes too distracted by the hard bulge already poking through the thin material, Jungkook mutters your name.

It's like he finally realizes what you're about to do, what position and situation you're both in and he looks almost nervous, despite his hooded eyes filled with lust.

"I don't want you to think you're my distraction,"

Your features soften and you get out of your lusted state for a moment, hands placed over Jungkook's knees instead.

"You're not, I would never do that to you."

It hasn't even crossed your mind that he could use you as a distraction. At least not until he has just mentioned it. If he wanted a distraction, he could've gone home with anyone else. Women have been giving him a good piece (and well deserved) attention. And why Jungkook has decided to go home with you, no matter how random and quick it happened, is beyond you.

"I know," you assure him softly, straightening yourself as you once again lean towards him and gently peck his lips. "Don't think too much about this. If you don't want this, let's just stop it."

Some tiny part of you whines at that, but you know it needs to be said and you really don't want to make any mistake. You know you'll be overplaying this in your head once it ends, no matter how it ends but just for now, you want to enjoy this. It's not like you're doing this for the first time. You already know each other. You know each other's bodies and even though it's been a while, nothing has changed much. Minus Jungkook's huge body growth.

"I do want it," Jungkook admits by mumbling, "I'm just not sure if it's right or wrong."

Well, his hard dick probably wants to argue about that but you're both trying to be adults here. Some failing and some trying to be.

"It's just a blowjob, Jeon," you chuckle, pointing out and silently telling him that it doesn't have to be anymore dramatic. "So," you start, "Do you want it or not?"

He stares at you, longer than you wish him to because it suddenly starts to make you more nervous. And fuck, Jungkook imagines you with his cock in your mouth and randomly gets a flashback of that time when you sucked him off for the first time. In the very same position and room, at the beginning of your deal as Jungkook wanted to make sure it's not something you have to do just to please him. But you were so eager, similarly to what you look like now but there's something different about you. There's a boost of confidence because you've already had him in your mouth, at least that's what he guesses, and he would be an idiot to miss out the opportunity to miss the warmth of your mouth when you're on your knees, staring at him like this.

And maybe, Jungkook's mind is clouded just like yours.

"Pull me out," he says simply, your breath hitching how soft yet dominating he sounds.

Just as you gave him the green light, he left the worry somewhere else and turned into the Jungkook that can have you squeezing your thighs and make you wet by a single demand and sentence.

And you couldn't wait for it.

Eagerly and excitedly, you hook up your fingers under the hem of his boxers just like you've done before, getting even more excited at the sight of his cock again. Boxers joining his jeans pooled around his ankles, his cock springs free and slaps against his stomach right away. The sudden moment surprises you even though you were waiting for it, but you're way more excited to not only get your eyes on it but your mouth and hands too.

Impatiently, you reach for him and wrap your hand around the hard length, you admire the hard and warm flesh. Its red head is asking for attention and the little veins peeking from its soft skin makes you lick your lips once again.

And Jungkook can control himself, he finds the most fun watching you which makes him even more hard (if that's even possible), so when you squeeze him he keeps it quiet and bites into his lip instead. It feels good but it's definitely not enough to let him fully dive into the pleasure. There's a little bit of pre-cum already pooling at the tip of his cock and he knows you see it because your eyes widen in excitement, making you look cute. He can't believe he just thought of you as cute while his cock is in your hand.

There's no time for him to chuckle at his thoughts because you're already enveloping the tip into the warmth of your mouth and fuck... he swears he can see starts because you taste him for the first time in months, the time he thought would have never come. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he's trying to process what's happening right now but it's very hard, especially when you suck him off before you dive even more and start to take more of him every time.

He lets out a pleased sigh, one hand gripped in a fist while the other finds the back of your head, keeping you in place as the sucking sounds resounds from your mouth. It's wet and you drool all over his cock which makes things even more hotter, his head falling back as his mouth stays open while he enjoys your mouth on him and you between his legs.

You're careful, always coming for air whenever you feel like gagging and the rest that you can't fit (or not pressuring yourself to make it fit), is held by your hand as you squeeze him here and there. You're changing your movements, licking him up and down before you suck him, then you're bobbing your head up and down while doing the rest with your hand. And the ultimate spot for him is when you suddenly press his cock against his stomach, licking his balls as you suck on them too. Fuck, you're too good at this. Just like he remembers.

It's like you remember every little spot he has and that's when you're starting to hear soft moans and groans leaving his opened mouth. His thighs are tense, your nails digging into the skin there. His cock barely fits into your mouth but you get creative, opening your mouth as wide as you can at the cost of you drooling all over his cock down to his balls. The button-up that's slightly hiked up unfortunately hides the little trail of hair that goes down to his pubic hair and you wonder if you'll have another chance to see it some other time. This is most likely just a one time thing but you quickly throw that thought away, not wanting to think about the future and what's going to happen.

"Fuck," Jungkook groans, the thighs tensing up and hips slightly bucking up are letting you know he's close because even his grip on your hair gets tighter. Moaning around him, you feel your jaw ache from being opened for a longer time to the point it starts to get uncomfortable, but you don't care and continue sucking him off.

The wet sounds of your mouth that has never left makes Jungkook's head spin and his eyes are pinched close, suddenly remembering what a sight he's missing. So, he raises his head and pries his eyes open just to see you. But the not clearest sight of you doesn't satisfy him enough because he's mostly met with the top of your head.

"Look at me," he demands, voice rough and strained as you obey, looking up at him through your lashes which makes him let out a hitched moan. Something, you're not sure you've ever heard from him before.

"Fuck--I'm coming," he informs you hurriedly, the other hand reaching for your jaw as he cups it. "Where do you want it?"

Obviously, you're not risking answering him verbally because you'd probably rob him from a good orgasm. Fortunately, Jungkook doesn't really wait for a verbal one as he stares at you with a clenched jaw and hooded eyes.

"Your mouth?" he asks and you hum around him, a soft and muffled 'Uhm' by his cock resounds from your mouth. "You're gonna swallow like a good girl? Like you always did?"

Fuck, pleasure shoots through your entire body at his words and you eagerly hum, sucking him harder but keeping the same pace, not wanting to ruin anything.

Jungkook holds his stare as long as his body allows him to, even as he groans and the first ropes of cum shoot out of his tip straight into your mouth. You keep just the tip in, sucking on it while swallowing every drop which makes him shut his eyes and letting himself to release until the very last drop. Some of it comes out slowly after some time but you swallow everything, peppering a last kiss to his tip before you fully pull him out of your mouth and pull away from his softening cock.

He pries his eyes open, reality hitting him and he wonders if you already regret it when he sees you already standing. But then you give him a smile, just a casual smile as if you haven't had his cock inside your mouth just a few seconds ago.

"Mind if I stay over tonight?" you ask casually, leaving him speechless as he sits there, leaned against his couch with his cock still out that glistens from your saliva.

"Yeah, sure," he manages to say.

"Great!" you call out, turning around making your way towards the bathroom but not before you go into his bedroom, pulling one of his t-shirts you know very well.

Jungkook stays there until he hears the shower door close and the water dripping down, hitting the tiles and most likely (definitely) your naked body.

[lovelytsunoda]

the scaredy cat support group | logan sargeant

summary: much to her dismay, y/n's friends have dragged her to see the scariest film of the season. luckily for her, the blond sitting next to her in a darkened cinema seems to be just as petrified as she is

pairing: logan sargeant x female! reader

warnings: scary movies & scaredy cats, implications of fear and gore, logan being a sweetie.

"this is such a bad idea."

the theater was packed, groups of people passing by them to get into the auditorium, eager to see the latest blood-soaked halloween killfest on screens. y/n, however, just couldn't get her feet to move. her friends stood just in front of her, worried looks on their faces as they looked back at her.

y/n loved halloween, make no mistake. it was her favourite holiday by leaps and bounds. she loved micheal meyers and ghostface and even freddy krueger.

but she absolutely hated being scared. she was a sensitive soul, and that was why she preferred older horror movies that were limited on the level of blood and guts.

"are you sure you don't want to sit this one out? we told you you didn't have to come." her friend said gently.

"no, no. i came here to spend time with you guys because i love you. and no scary movie is going to keep me from doing that."

she was reassured by the group of college guys that came in after her, with an athletic looking blond hanging back to stare at the film poster with a similar queasy look to the one that she was sporting.

"alright, let's get this over with. but if i barf up my popcorn, it's on you guys!"

they filed into the dark theatre, previews already beginning to play out on the big screen in front of them. their group of five took up most of the row, which, being in a small cinema, only held ten seats.

she sat in the middle, next to gloriously empty seat as she tried to steel herself for what was to come, with reminders to herself that it was all made from special effects, and she could walk out of that theater and into the real world whenever she wanted.

"is this seat taken?"

she look up and towards the soft speaker, who was using his phone flashlight to try and find his ticketed seat. it was the same blonde who had stopped to stare at the poster outside, and he looked a little pale in the face as he sat down next to her.

"not a fan of being scared?" she whispered, offering him some popcorn. "me neither."

"oh good. that means i'm not going to be the only one shaking like a baby." he laughed. "god, i would much rather have gone to see fucking joker or something."

"i wasn't given an option. they just told me that this is what was happening and i was invited if i wanted to. i'm y/n."

"logan."

"will you two be quiet?" the man behind them hissed. "some of us are trying to watch a movie.

logan shrugged, typing something on his phone before showing her the screen.

a movie that hasn't even started yet? i didn't realize that the advertisement for jackass was so interesting

"and turn your damn brightness down!"

y/n stifled a laugh as she watched logan pretend to give the guy the middle finger before slipping his phone into the pocket of his hoodie. the lights in the theater dimmed even further, the feature presentation beginning to unfold on screen.

to her credit, she lasted about half an hour before she jumped, knocking over her bag of popcorn and spilling some slippery buttery kernels into Logan’s lap. she was mortified, but the massage logan typed out on his phone reassured her that everything was fine.

it’s all good, squeeze my hand if u get 2 scared

no points for grammar, but five for being a sweetie.

naturally, it was logan who reached for her hand first, during a particularly gory on screen kill that had y/n squeezing her eyes shut and physically turning away from the screen while logan clutched her cold hand in his.

despite herself, she found Logan’s touch to be comforting. what did that say about her that a little scary movie had her seeking out comfort from strangers? (don’t tell her mother that or she would start singing the jamie walters song and everyone would be miserable) for a minute, she almost forgot that she’d come with a group of friends and was only reminded of that fact when one of them messaged her.

getting cozy over there? see, horror flicks are a great place to pick up guys! just make sure his favourite isn’t american psycho.

she giggled, looking over at her friend, who flashed her a thumbs up before turning back to the screen. that scene had long since passed, but logan continued to hold her hand, and she could feel his muscles tense as a scare drew nearer and nearer on the big screen.

she squeezed his hand reassuringly, only to be clutching it in terror moments later, one hand clapped over her mouth to stifle a scream. Logan reached over her body, almost as if he was gallantly and protectively trying to shield her body with his own.

she was going to fall in love with him at this rate if she wasn’t careful.

the movie finished, winding down in a way that much much calmer, if not eerie compared to what they had seen throughout the course of the film. she was relieved to see the end credits roll, although displeased at the idea of leaving logan behind.

she followed her friends out of the cinema, dropping her empty popcorn container in the trash as she went.

"y/n!" a voice called after her.

she paused, turning around to see logan standing just near the door. she glanced back at her friends, smiling when she saw their excited faces, gesturing wildly towards logan.

she walked up to the blonde, hands tucked nervously in the pockets of her flannel coat.

"hey," she started, rocking back and forth on her heels

"hey." logan grinned, scratching at the beck of his neck. "so, i think you're really cute." just out of her range of vision, she could see logan's friends standing behind him, sticking their thumbs up and whistling in encouragement. "and i was wondering if you wanted to go and get a coffee with me?"

she beamed, looking back to her friends for approval, one last time.

"i would love to. after all, you were my protector in there."

logan smiled. "is now okay with you? there's a little place in the plaza just across the way."

"sounds perfect."

[a-writer]

Dancing around - Azriel x reader

I'll never get over the fact that Nesta and Az danced together in Hewn City which means that it is canon that Az actually knows how to dance so... here goes nothing:) Also took some things from scenes in ACOSF and changed it up a bit!:) enjoy<3

Warnings: no actual smut but a lot of smutty talking and thoughts.

"You don't have to do anything you don't wish to. But Elain mentioned that you have particular skill on the dance floor. Skill that once won you the hand of a duke in a single waltz." Rhys said as his eyes fixed upon Nesta.

Yes, sending her to dance with Eris was risky. But they didn't really have more options right now. Cassian wasn't looking too happy about that.

"Over my dead fucking body" He exploded. "Why can't (Y/N) do it?! She's a good fucking dancer, that's for sure."

"Thanks for the compliment, Cass." You smiled at him, his eyes full of hope for you to take his side. "But I'm with Rhys on this one. If I thought it was going to work I would do it, trust me... But Eris has known me for years, he knows I despise him. He's not going to buy the act and you know it. Plus, it will be fun to see Nesta toying with him." You gave her a wink while Cassian groaned.

"You want me to dance with Eris?" Nesta looked at you, but it was Rhys who answered.

"I want you to seduce him. Not into bed, but to make him realize what he might attain once he understands that we have no plans to break this alliance. To weigh the benefits more strongly than the risks."

"I'm sure you will do just fine, Nesta. I can show you all the dances so that you'll be prepared." You looked at her with bright eyes. Dancing lessons, always so fun.

"Nesta hasn't agreed to anything." Cassian snapped. "Even one dance with that prick is too much-"

"I'll do it." Nesta cut in, looking at you.

"Good" You smirked at her. "We start tomorrow."

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

The Winter Solstice celebration was in full swing, people drinking and dancing to the beautiful music. With Rhysand and Feyre in the throne, you were sandwiched between Cassian and Azriel, the former glaring daggers at Eris' back while he danced with Nesta and the latter monitoring everything, his left wing resting lightly on your back.

"Fuck." Cassian growled. "I can't stand and watch this." He stormed off towards Mor, who was hiding behind a pillar on the other side of the throne.

"How long do you think will take them to realize?" A slow smile crept on your lips as you looked at Az.

"Realize what, Azriel?" Your innocent eyes met his cold stare. Everyone knew that they were mates. Everyone but Cassian and Nesta, apparently. And Eris, luckily.

"You look beautiful, (Y/N)." The sudden change of subject almost gave you whiplash. "As always."

His eyes roamed down your body, covered in a Night Court black dress that hugged every curve of your body. A small strip went around your neck and back, securing two pieces of fabric covering your breasts diagonally, forming a triangle that showed the tan skin of your torso, from the middle of your breasts until the top of your navel. A tight skirt was attached to it and your back was left exposed, your hair tied up in a tight ponytail that flowed down to the top of your ass. It seemed like time had stopped while Azriel's eyes covered your entire body. Finally returning to your face, his stare found your eyes and suddenly you felt a blush staining your cheeks.

"Uh..." You coughed, trying not to think too much about that stare. "Thanks, Az. You cleaned up nice, too." Winking at him, you turned to look straight once again.

Cleaning up nice wasn't enough to describe him. Az was... Az. His eyes, his body, his hair... All of him made you think the dirtiest thoughts ever. Like how his lips would feel against your skin, how having him look at you with that intensity in his eyes would feel while he was moving inside of you- Stop.

You needed to stop. You coughed again and felt Azriel looking at you again, a smirk covering his lips. Okey, maybe your smell had given away what your thoughts had been about, but he didn't know that you were thinking about him, did he?

Before you could overreact, he leaned towards you, his breath tickling the shell of your ear. You could feel goosebumps erupt all over your skin as he whispered. "Would you like to dance with me?"

You turned, your faces so close that your noses were almost touching, and you could see the amusement glinting in his eyes. Without breaking the eye contact, he lifted a hand in between your bodies and you took it, trying to calm the rapid beating of your heart.

"Sure, Az." Your voice was higher than you'd intended, but still you plastered a cool smile on your face and lead the way to the dance floor.

A new song began just as you were settling down in a circle of couples. You could spy a glint of red hair on your peripheral vision, and you knew that Eris and Nesta were still going. Good. She seemed like she was having fun, after all.

The music began and both of you bowed, presenting yourselves to one another. He offered one of his hands and you gladly took it, taking one step closer to him. His other hand snaked across your waist and settled on your back. It was cold compared to your burning skin, and you could feel a shiver running up your back. Trying to suppress it, you forced yourself to look up at Azriel, a small sigh leaving your lips.

He was handsome, beautiful. The kind of person who turned heads wherever he went. A small pang of jealousy filled your chest at that thought and you shoved it down. It was ridiculous. You and Az were nothing, even though your chemistry was something else, that was for sure.

Azriel began moving, leading both of you graciously across the dance floor.

"I'm always surprised to see how good of a dancer you are." You were looking at his shoulder, trying to calm down the raging fire burning your insides.

"You'll be surprised to know how good I am at many things, (Y/N)." You could feel his smile as he said the words, and it was clear that he was aware of your body. Of the goosebumps, of your galloping heart and of the sweet, imperceptible to everyone but him smell of your arousal.

You tilted your head back, looking him in the eye, and the color stained your cheeks as you already found him looking at you. And then you felt it too. His slightly dilated pupils, his tongue swipping on his bottom lip and... His smell. It was just a slight change, you wouldn't even have noticed it if it weren't for the way he was looking at you. But there it was. Something muskier, rougher. Darker.

"You could show me, you know." The words left your mouth before you could stop them.

You were always teasing Azriel, making jokes, giving him shit for always being so mysterious. But this felt different. It seemed like the whole room vanished and you were the only ones dancing around. His hand tightened on our back, bringing your body impossibly closer to him. You could feel his heart through your own chest, and a knowing smirk creeped over your face as you realized that it was beating as fast as yours. Azriel leaned once more, his mouth caressing your ear.

"I've been waiting to show you for a long, long time, (Y/N)." His voice was deeper, and you had a hard time suppressing a moan.

He moved away and you almost whined until you realized that the dance was over. You were about to grab his hand again and demand to know more about what he just said when Cassian appeared.

"Az, I need you to go dance with Nesta, please." He signaled with his head towards the throne. "Eris is talking with Rhys and I need to know what's going on."

"Sure, brother."

Cassian sprinted towards Mor once more and you were observing your High Lord and High Lady. Rhys wore a cool smile, just like Feyre, but you could sense the worry in her eyes. You didn't even see Azriel moving until the front of his body was flushed against your back, his hands possessively gripping your hips.

"Tonight is the night I'll show you everything that I'm good at." He lowered his head, pressing a quick kiss just below your ear. "And I'll show you everything I've been dying to do to you."

Your eyes almost rolled back into your head and you were about to become jelly in his hands, but you managed to turn around quickly, grabbing one of his hands before he could slip away.

"Make it a promise, Shadowsinger."

Azriel smiled and winked at you, before he went to find Nesta as the next dance began.

[lumi-nescentt]

Electric Touch

Part 1 - What Would You Do If I Went To Touch You Now

Pairing: Lando Norris x Reader

Warnings: none

Words: 1.7k

Summary: y/n's affection for Lando hasn't gone unnoticed by the Australians she works with but despite their encouragement, she's convinced that finding things to dislike about Lando is the only way to save herself and her job.

A/N: Well hello there, it's been quite a while. I've been terribly busy with school things but I'm finally free so I'm gonna try and start posting again. Most of my WIP are xmas' themed (that's how long I haven't written for) but I have other ideas so bear with me pls :)

After joining McLaren in 2021 as Daniel’s PR manager, the girl had found a routine in her work with the papaya team, some comfort and calm in a world that always seemed rapid. That had, however, all been blown to pieces when Daniel had announced he wasn’t coming back the year after. With this new piece of information had come the sadness of losing someone she had grown accustomed to calling a friend more than a coworker but also the uncertainty of her place within the team without the Australian.  

Luckily for her, the arrival of a rookie in the team also meant that the PR manager position she was occupying was still available and so she kept her job. If Oscar and Daniel were both Australian, the resemblance pretty much stopped there. Where Daniel was all loud laughs and obnoxious jokes, Oscar was quieter and understanding his humour had taken some time. 

Despite that, Oscar and y/n became friends quickly. The girl was always there for him when the car wasn’t working like Zak had promised it would and even when they had media to attend and her work should have been her priority, she always made sure Oscar was 100% okay before sending him into the lion’s den. It made her a good PR manager and an even better friend. 

Being level-headed was a necessary part of the job and y/n liked to pride herself in how well she dealt with tricky situations without ever losing her cool or at least without showing any signs of it. It seemed like nothing or nobody could crack her. Except one person with a dimpled smile and green eyes that mostly sparkled with a hint of mischief whenever their eyes met.  

Falling for someone who worked for the same team had never been in y/n’s plans, especially not falling for a driver and yet that was the predicament she was in now.

From the moment Lando had grown out of his timid shell, y/n had known she was done for. Lando was everything she liked in a person, he was funny, kind, smart and so beautiful it made her head spin. If the situation had been different, maybe she would have allowed herself to feel like that but she couldn’t risk her job for what she hoped was some silly crush that would pass. 

However, the crush never faded and the more time passed, the more she found to like about Lando. She tried her best to ignore him, to ignore how her stomach felt when he was around and how she seemed to just forget how to act, how to be when he was close. She had hoped no one would notice it but the problem with spending so much time with a driver was that they got pretty good at reading you over time. 

Daniel had caught on exactly as it happened and he had teased her relentlessly for it when he knew she was in the mood for that. When he noticed how she was beating herself up over something she couldn’t control, Daniel offered a reassuring smile and a hug, reminding her that she was only human and having feelings for someone, no matter how great they were, wasn’t worth getting all worked up about and feeling guilty for.  

For the two years they worked together, Daniel tried to convince her to shoot her shot because if the longing glances his teammate was always throwing their way said something, it was that Lando was in the same predicament as her. No matter how insistent the Australian was, y/n never agreed to do anything to make her feelings known or even test the water with Lando.

In the end, Daniel gave up on her side and instead tried to convince Lando to do something. Just like she didn’t believe Daniel, Lando didn’t believe him when he told her that making a move was a good idea. Lando wasn’t confident enough to risk getting rejected, especially by someone he saw every time they were at the track. Before the Australian could make what he thought was a great love story happen, he stepped down from F1 and despite being a reserve driver for half of the season, he wasn’t there or had enough time to play Cupid so he just prayed that the two idiots he called his friends would wake up one day and realise how stupid they were being. 

When Oscar took his seat and started hanging out with the two of them, it didn’t take him long to put two and two together and realise that they were both painfully into each other but too blinded by their fears to actually see the whole picture. He found it sweet at first how Lando would always keep a seat for y/n in meetings, acting like he hadn’t meant to when she came in or how he would always make sure her favourite coffee was available in the McLaren hospitality when she worked trackside. He could tell that despite being scared, Lando desperately wanted something to happen. All the Brit needed was a little push and Oscar was determined to be the one to do it. 

When Oscar had told y/n that he knew about her feelings for Lando, she had wanted the ground to swallow her whole right this instant. Working with a new driver that didn’t know her or Lando had let her hope that she could pretend easily but Oscar wasn’t blind. The girl had immediately answered that her feelings would soon be old news because she had made a plan to be over Lando by the end of the 2024 season. 

Her so-called genius plan was simple: if she managed to find things to dislike in Lando, enough for her to have the ick, her feelings would certainly go away all at once. So this season, she was determined to pay attention to Lando’s every move and find negative things to say about it. Despite thinking that the plan was terrible and wasn’t going to work, Oscar knew he had to somehow warn Lando. He couldn’t break her trust by telling him so he had to convince Lando that he absolutely needed to make a move before somebody else did and stole y/n’s heart away. 

Oscar decided to start his master plan before they filmed a few challenges for McLaren’s youtube channel. Lando and him were hanging out in an empty meeting room, waiting for the shooting to start so it was the perfect opportunity to talk freely.

-“  I think Logan has a crush on someone at McLaren.” Oscar stated out of nowhere

-“ Why do you think that ?” 

-“ He’s always hanging around the garage. He says he’s there to see me but he doesn’t really talk to me when he’s here. He mostly talks to y/n. Actually, he only talks to her.”

-“ So you’re saying he���s interested in her ?” 

-“ I think so. We never really talked about this kind of thing but it looks like it.” Oscar lied, knowing he would have to warn the American about the lie he had just fed Lando

-“ Oh, okay.” Lando paused, toying with the hem of his sleeves “ Do you think she likes him back ?” 

-“ I don’t know if he’s her type but I don’t see why she wouldn’t. She’s always with me and Logan is too so that has to mean that she enjoys his company a little. Otherwise she wouldn’t hang out with us.” 

-“ Did she ever talk to you about her dating life and stuff ?” Lando asked, trying to look uninterested 

-“ Well, I know she’s pretty shy so she’s not one to make the first move, even if she likes a guy.”

-“ Yeah that sounds like her.” he smiled fondly, remembering how she had been her first days at McLaren, all soft spoken and keeping to herself, not wanting to bother anyone

-“ So, let’s say if somebody likes her, he better make a move soon because she’s not going to do it herself and also there’s other people who may be interested…” 

-“ What are you insinuating, Oscar ?”

-“ What do you think ?”

-“ I do not like y/n like that.” Lando argued

-“ So it wouldn’t bother you if I set them up on a date, then ?” Oscar said, pretending to take out his phone to text either of them

-“ Wait !” Lando exclaimed, grabbing Oscar’s wrist before letting go of it like he had been burnt “ Please, Oscar. Don’t do that.” 

-“ See ? I knew you weren’t dense.” 

-“ I’m not. I just don’t want to ruin our friendship or how comfortable she feels at work right now.” 

-“ That’s not going to happen and anyway you won’t know what she thinks until you actually ask her out.” 

-“ What if she says no ?” 

-“ What if she says yes ?” Oscar mimicked his friend with a knowing smile

-“ You’re so annoying.” Lando scoffed, rolling his eyes

-“ Does that mean you’re going to at least try to ask her out before giving up ?” 

-“ I’m going to think about it.” 

-“ No, that won’t cut it. You have to promise me you’ll try.” 

-“ I don’t owe you shit, Oscar. Why are you so persistent anyway ?” 

-“ I’m doing this in the name of love, mate. I just heard through the grapevine that she might like someone and from all the time I spend with her, I’m saying you should shoot your shot.” 

-“ What does that even mean ? Why are you being so cryptic ?” 

-“I can’t explicitly tell you because that would make me a bad friend but you have to trust me on that one. Just ask her out”

-“ Alright, I’ll do it. But don’t you dare pressure me or anything. If I’m doing this, I’m doing it on my own terms and that’s it.” Lando caved in, pointing his finger at the Australian’s face

-“ I’m so glad you said yes. I hope I at least get to be the godfather of one of your kids.” he laughed as Lando became bright red and slapped his shoulder

-“ So you’re going to tell Logan not to go for it ?” 

-“ I don’t need to.” 

-“ What ?”

-“ I don’t need to and you don’t have to worry about him.” 

-“ Oh my God. You lied !”

-“ It was for a greater cause so it’s okay, right ?” 

-“ Greater cause, my ass ! You just like to torture me.” 

-“ Maybe…” 

-“ I’m gonna–” Lando started before being cut off by someone calling them both to start filming, saving Oscar who just smirked and walked away.

He might have lied to have what he wanted but it wasn’t selfish if he just wanted his two friends to be happy so he didn’t feel too bad.

[lani-heart]

|| series masterlist || next // previously ||

genre(s) -> angst, fluff, non-idol, hybrid au, poly au paring(s) -> choi san x reader x jung wooyoung warning(s) -> mention of abuse words -> 1.2K

abstract -> "...like you’re wanted. It's a sense of security that you have a home"

san's perspective

I’ve been under her care for about a month now… humans often were cruel creatures. She was a saint though. 

The way she cared for others over herself was obvious. The amount of people who come over to check up on her shows how many care for her. 

They were all cautious of me though… of what I did to her. She’s healed by now… luckily she didn't scar. I didn’t want to be reminded by a scar of what I’d done. 

She did prove to want to spoil me and Wooyoung. 

The black card in her hand would pay for everything… I've seen people have their card declined but she constantly picked things out without a worry. 

She is a trust fund kid… but she made money herself too. “San how about this?” she asked me and I shook my head. I didn’t want to show off my arms. 

“San you need some short-sleeved clothes,” she said as she put it back. “Ooh! y/n how about this!” Wooyoung yelled as I saw him pull out another piece of clothing for himself. “If you like it, put it in the cart,” she said happily. 

“y/n?” he asked, looking nervous. 

“Yes?” she said waiting for him to speak… he was fidgeting and not looking at her anymore. “Why haven’t you given us collars yet?” he asked and I groaned.

Collars weren’t something I wanted. 

“Hmm? Oh… well I guess we haven’t had that conversation” she said while looking at me. “We’ll do that at home okay?” she asked and he nodded. 

She wandered off while me and Wooyoung guarded her cart with the mountain of clothing. “Why do you want a collar so badly?” I asked and he sighed. “It's not necessary but… to hybrids, it's almost like you’re wanted. It's a sense of security that you have a home” he said

“Then why hasn't she gotten us one yet?” I asked now feeling agitated at the thought of not having one. “Well… collars are also seen as oppression. Some hybrids don’t like it because it could be offensive” he explained and I nodded. 

“Maybe she hasn’t caused your past? I heard her speaking to our doctor about triggers you have” he said and I knew that made the most sense. 

“I never really had a collar…” I said and he nodded. 

“You should also have some short-sleeved clothes…” he said and I sighed. “I’ll choose some but I doubt I'll use it,” I said and he chuckled. 

“Well it looks like she's looking for some,” he said as we saw her looking at short-sleeved clothes… “Miss?” I heard as I saw an employee get closer to her. “Do you need help looking?” they asked and she pondered before shrugging. 

“Sure,” she said. “Do you know your boyfriend’s size?” they asked and I felt my face heat up. “Huh?!” she let out clearly flustered. Wooyoung laughing at the situation… “Yah, when did you become her boyfriend ~” he teased and I growled. 

“No fair though… I wouldn’t mind being mistaken for her boyfriend” he said softly. The fox had a huge crush on her; it was painfully obvious. 

He was also a big pervert… always when she was out he’d go to her room and leave with her scent on him. I don’t want to know what he does there…

“I think i'm ready for the next store,” she said, quickly coming over to us with a pink hue across her cheeks. 

It was cute how flustered she became. 

“So much,” y/n said as we were now all on the floor lying down surrounded by bags. I don’t even think the floor was visible anymore. 

“y/nnie! We still need to go grocery shopping!!” Wooyoung said and we groaned. He was now the appointed chef since y/n burned lunch one day. He scolded her and kicked her out of the kitchen. Not like he lets me in there either though…

“Does that mean we order food today?” I asked and she chuckled. “What are you craving San?” she asked and I thought about it… “Anything with meat with it,” I said, and the two chuckled. 

I hate the time I wasted being too stubborn to let her in. I’ve never felt happier than by her side and playing around with Wooyoung. 

Everything was perfect. 

“Do you guys want collars?” she asked and I liked the way Wooyoung explained it. A feeling of being wanted… I wanted to be someone like that for her. 

“I do… when my owner died they sold my collar. I never got one again after” Wooyoung said and I sighed. 

“I still can't believe them. I tried visiting you… but they denied us all from visiting saying it was bad for a pregnant woman. Eventually, I just gave up trying to accommodate. I’m sorry Woo”  she said and I noticed he sat up. 

“I’m just glad you never forgot about me,” he said with a grin. “How about you, San?” she asked as she sat up. I looked at her and she always asked me questions with pure curiosity on her face. 

“I wouldn’t mind it,” I said. I think in fact I wanted to be wanted by her.

“Wait here! I have something to give you two!” she said as she stood up quickly and made her way out of the bags and toward her room. 

“What do you think she has?” Wooyoung asked and I shrugged. “I don’t know,” I said and he chuckled. “You really are becoming domesticated,” he muttered. “What is that supposed to mean?!” I asked confused and he laughed. 

“You’ve grown closer to her!” he said and I nodded. Before I could say anything I heard her footsteps. We saw her excitedly coming over to us with two bags. 

I didn’t recognize this brand… not like I recognized most but from the looks of it, Wooyoung didn’t either. 

“Before you open it, I got you the second day I went to buy stuff for San,” she said and I was confused. “I also got you one after San told me to adopt you both” she explained. to Wooyoung 

We took the tissue paper out of the bag to reveal a velvet box. Mine was black and Wooyoung’s beige. 

I opened it to reveal a collar… has she got me a collar ever since then?

It was pure black with black jewels around it. “Thank you!!” Wooyoung yelled as he hugged her. I was in shock… she got this on the second day of my being here.

I looked over to Wooyoung. y/n was helping him put it on. It was a beige collar with white jewels around it. “San?” she said as she looked at me nervously. 

I stood up and picked her up. I hugged her tightly…

“Your tail is wagging like crazy!” Wooyoung said and I don’t think I've ever felt this happy. “Do you like it?” she asked and I chuckled. 

“You’ve completed your promise,” I said and she pulled away to look at me shocked. I noticed her eyes turned glassy and she smiled happily at me.

“I hope you’re always happy with me,” she said as she hugged me tightly. 

“I know I will, if I’m with you” 

@wonuangel @danirael @angelsaway @krissroo @minkysmilk @mayonnaise-on-toast @robertsbbygirl @superbbananananana @hyukssunflower @kitty4hwa @justconniez @senpai-of-doom @kibs-and-bits @caityelise99 @ilovekinny @ateezennie23 @wooahaelemons @purplelady85 @watamotee33@chidess97 @littlelostdemonofthelight @maliamaiden @burntarm1n @spooo00oky @eastleighsblog @momo-peachy @kitstar1117 @quartzpirate @sunnyhokyu @iwishiwasrichasfuck @theginger543210 @pandolinka @ddaeing @kpopnightingale @slid3er @kekdo-520 @puppyminnnie @sparklinghwa222 @calicanbeevil @itsvxlentine @atinism @loumin908 @smally97 @rxnexxi @acetruepunk @majesticbeluga @namjooncrabs @tashizxy @itstheghostofmypast @smilefordongil @teeziny @totallynotlyntv @kyeos4ng @prodsh00ky @acescavern

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[rose-petles]

성훈 - Lazy mornings -> P.SH

Warning -> Daddy kink, Sex, sex without protection, swearing.

Paring -> Husband!Sunghoon x WifeFem!Reader [ Y/n ]

Synopsis -> Just a lazy, lustful day.

Y/N - p.o.v

As I fluttered my eyes open I saw sunghoon smiling at me, is this heaven?

When I remembered that it was reality my face quickly heats up and I buried myself in his neck.

I heard him chuckle and he wrapped his long arms around me.

"Good morning lovely"

I lifted my head to see his face and softly pecked his lips. Last night was amazing we were intimate and she was gentle, I like how gentle he was.

"I'm hungry" I mumbled and sat lazily.

"Let's go I'll make you breakfast" I smiled and he got up then went to the kitchen causing me to follow him, mhm food.

While Sunghoon is cooking I got bored and wrapped my arms around him from behind, for some reason I'm not shy around him anymore and I'm extra clingy today not that he minds.

"Is something wrong?"

Sunghoon asked and I shooked my head and not letting him go, It was warm. Sunghoon laughed lightly and turn around.

"What's with you today," He asked as he cupped my cheeks.

"You don't like it?"

I replied giving him my puppy eyes causing his face to go red and pecked my lips a couple of times, I love this side of him.

"Who said I didn't like it"

I giggled, I stopped giggling when I smelled something burning, and my eyes widen when I remembered he was still cooking.

"Sunghoon! The food is burning" I let him go and he panicked causing me to laugh hard.

In the end, we both just ordered online, how fun I wish he’s always been like this. It makes my heart flutter.

SUNGHOON’S - p.o.v

Clingy wife is the best, I almost got hard when she gave those adorable puppy eyes, luckily I controlled myself but her sitting on my lap isn't helping my junior calm at all, is this payback from where I came home drunk?

I snap out of my thoughts when I heard her calling my name.

"A-Ah yes? What's wrong?" I asked.

"I said the movie already ended so..."

So?

Is she asking me for sex?

I'm ready anytime, I'm excited oh god my junior suddenly got hard causing y/n’s face to heat up.

"Hoonie it's poking me"

She mumbled shyly, I grabbed her hips and thrust my hips gently causing her to moan, I let her face me and pulled her into a hungry kiss.

We pulled away and I took off her panties since she was just wearing a skirt and some crop top, I pull out my erected dick and slammed it inside her tight pussy causing her to moan in pleasure I then picked her up and slammed her back on the wall then start to thrust faster.

"S-Sunghoon Hughh so good, deeper Daddy"

I oblige and pound deeper, Fuck my hips can stop thrusting inside her tight pussy. I groaned in pleasure and bit her neck.

I felt her walls tighten and she cummed on my dick but I still didn't have my release, that's really unfair, I'm still hard.

"Hoodie I've a-already cummed so-Ahhh stop fucking me"

I pull out my throbbing dick inside her and put her down, Y/n thought it was over but it's not hehe.

She picked up her panties on the floor giving me the perfect view of her ass and I suddenly grabbed her hips then slip my throbbing dick inside her again.

"Baby we're not done yet, bend over so I can fuck you hard"

Y/N - p.o.v

"S-sunghoon wai-" I was cut off when he aggressively thrust inside me from behind, I grip the bed for support since he seems to loose his senses.

"Ahg Fuck! I'm still sensitive ahh!" I loudly moan while sunghoon found my sweet spot on my neck and harshly suck causing me to moan in pleasure, this pleasure is too much.

I gasp when Sunghoon hit a certain spot inside me, she chuckled devilishly and hit my g-spot several of times. I cummed hard on his dick but his still hasn't cum yet.

"Again" Sunghoon whispered in my ear and fondle my breast, minutes of him thrusting deeper inside I was now a moaning mess, I couldn't think straight anymore.

His thrust were now sloppier signahlling she's about to cum.

"Just cum already!" I said through my moans, Sunghoon fasten his pace and shot his hot cum inside me.

We're both panting and Sunghoon still hasn't pull out his member and it's throbbing inside my pussy.

"Hoonie pull o-out" I said catching my breath she slowly pulled out and kissed my nape one last time, I lazily flopped myself on the bed and same as Sunghoon.

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[thef1diary]

Little Big Fan | Fourteen

— Little Big Champion

Series Masterlist

wc: 1.9k

Note: we're gonna pretend that Max won the championship in the race, and the sprint race didn't exist for the purpose of the plot.

"Holy shit," you murmur as the car rolls to a stop right beside Max's private jet. "Shit," your daughter repeats which earns a laugh from Max.

You shake your head and tell her, "don't say that." Luckily, she'd been so focused on the plane that she'd forgotten to wonder why. Other times, even after being given a response, she would persistently demand for the explanation, usually with "why, mama?" multiple times.

You turned your head to look at Max, who was already smiling due to your reaction. "You do know that you're about to ruin every other plane experience for me now, right?" You ask with a little chuckle and Max, being Max, nods. "Yeah, and you do know that we'll be flying private for most of the races," he said, adding, "or vacations."

"Is this your plane, Maxy?" Isabella asked, slightly leaning over your lap to look out the window as it gave her a better view of the aircraft. "It's ours, princess."

Your attention remained fixed on Isabella's expression as she took in all of the details inside the plane. Max was used to the luxurious life after travelling to so many nations in this plane. To you and Isabella, however, it was a whole new experience, and you couldn't help but feel both delighted and comforted that this would eventually become your new normal. Max hasn't hesitated to spoil you or Isabella thus far, and he has no intentions to stop, especially now that he's become addicted to the joy he feels when he does something for you or Isabella.

Once you were settled in, you were welcomed with a glass of champagne for you and Max, and apple juice for Isabella—served in a champagne flute to prevent her from feeling excluded.

This time, it was a much smoother experience for your daughter, especially during takeoff which she was very nervous about based on the last time she had flown.

Isabella was out like a light once the jet was in the air, and she was able to sleep peacefully because flying private had far fewer people than flying commercial. You and Max had moved to the opposite end of the plane to chat freely, but you could still keep an eye on Isabella in case she awoke.

The flight consisted of only Max, Isabella, and you, with a few crew members present. When you saw the lack of his team, you asked about it. "I might've told them to fly commercial," he said with a shrug.

"And they're going to hate me before I even meet them properly," you responded. While you had met a few people that were a part of his team, Max would be reintroducing you as his girlfriend.

He shook his head, "no they won't. I had to make sure that your first private flight experience was the best of the best, and that wouldn't be possible with them around."

—

You were in a completely new country, new paddock and new track but it still felt familiar since you had Max by your side. A few other drivers had come up to you and your daughter, having recognized you from the last time you were Max's guest at a race.

"I know RedBull is your favourite team, but what about McLaren?" Lando asked Isabella, who pressed a finger against her cheek to pretend to think for a moment. "I like RedBull, Ferrari, and then McLaren," she counted on her fingers.

Lando's jaw dropped, placing a hand to his chest in mock hurt, "third?" Isabella giggled, "out of ten, Lando."

"But still, what will it take for McLaren to be first?" Max interjected before she could respond to Lando's question. "Stop bothering my Bella, you're not her favourite." He was pleased to be her favourite, both on and off the track. Perhaps second to you off track because you were her mother, but he'd still consider it a win.

Lando approached the three of you a few minutes earlier, immediately sparking up a conversation with Isabella after hearing all the good things about her through Max. Lando was one of the very few people Max had told about you during the short break between races. It was strange to see Lando clad in the opposing team colours near the rival team's garage, but he had to know the two people who owned Max's heart—which were exactly the words Max had told him, albeit Lando found those words a tad too sappy.

Ignoring Max's comment even though he looked up to acknowledge him, he asked Isabella another question. "What about your favourite driver, and don't say Max."

Max looked at you with an expression that said, "are you going to let this happen?" You laughed, looking at the Brit and commenting, "I don't think you'll be happy with the answer, Lando."

"Maxy is my favourite but Charlie too," Isabella stated right after your words earning a gasp from Max and Lando. "Charles?" Max asked, surprised as well.

Max never really thought about it and certainly didn't think Charles would be her second favourite driver. He was aware that Isabella would undoubtedly have other favourites than him but just not as good as him.

"Yes, Charlie," Isabella confirmed, and at the same time the driver walked past them, stopping once he heard his name.

"Ah, hello Bella," he held his hand up for a high-five. He playfully removed the cap she already had on—which was the one Max gifted—to replace it with the one he had on his head; Ferrari.

Max leaned closer to you and whispered, "there are too many non-redbull drivers here." Hiding your laugh behind your hand, you responded, "you can't tell them to leave though, we're not in the garage." He raised his eyebrow, "why not?"

"Just look at Bella," you said, nudging your head towards the scene in front of you two. Her eyes lit up as she giggled at the two drivers who spoke to her. Lando placed his McLaren cap on her head, on top of Charles' cap already on her head in an attempt to outshine the Ferrari driver.

That earned a smile from Max, "I'm glad she's comfortable here, not many kids are." You nodded, "well she will be growing up around the tracks, either to watch you or if she decides to be like you."

Max's head snapped in your direction, "what do you mean be like me? She wants to race?" Around you, he was always expressive, so you could see the glint of hope that was beginning to form in his eyes. Again, you nodded, "she might've mentioned it once or twice but if you can't tell I barely know anything about the sport and even less about karting."

"I can help, please let me take her karting," Max immediately requested, because the prospect of Isabella starting karting, especially under his coaching and guidance, was nothing short of a dream.

"I think she would love that, but let me tell you now that it's already scary enough seeing you race so I'm not sure how I would handle it if Isabella has even a fraction of your talent," you stated firmly, earning a sharp nod in understanding from him.

Max grinned as he observed your daughter incorporating Charles and Lando into her imaginary activities. This time, the two professional drivers were passengers while she was playing the role of a race car driver.

"Oi, lovebirds, join us," Lando made a disgusted expression as he witnessed you and Max cuddled together, but he secretly enjoyed seeing the two of you together—not that he would ever tell Max.

Dropping the conversation for now, you and Max joined in on the little game until the drivers were needed by their various team members.

—

He did it; Max won the race and the world championship title yet again, for the third time in a row. As a result of his competitiveness and success as a driver, the title had already been determined with five races remaining in the season.

Behind the row of team members—mainly from RedBull and McLaren—you stood among them in parc fermé with a tight grasp on your daughter's hand waiting for Max to park the car in the spot reserved for the race winner.

Cheers and claps could be heard loudly as he stood on top of the car for a moment, throwing his hands up in celebration. With his helmet still on, he rushed towards the team standing behind the barricades, earning praises and applauses from each person he neared.

Amongst the crowd, he spotted you, and while you couldn't see his full face, you knew from the way his eyes crinkled around the corners that he adorned a wide smile on his face.

Max stood right in front of you, but yet it was still too far as a few people were blocking his view of you. Gesturing with his hands, he asked for you to be brought closer and you obliged as soon as you were given space.

He removed his helmet and balaclava which allowed you to see his beautiful face, still adorning a smile on his face but only fondness in his eyes remained as he continued looking at you.

Shoving the balaclava inside the helmet, he held it in one hand to the side while grasping the back of your head with the other. The noises around you seemed to fade away as soon as his lips touched yours, leaving you with only the immense hammering of your heart.

Parting away, you rested your forehead against his for a moment. “Congratulations, baby,” you spoke, loud enough to be heard amongst the crowd that you couldn’t care less about in this moment.

The audience begins to disperse, gathering around the podium for the upcoming celebrations. Max receives a pat on the back, indicating that it is time to go to the cooldown room, but his gaze never shifts away from you.

He knew he couldn't leave without placing another kiss on your lips, so he gave in to his desires by closing his eyes, silencing the world around him once more to focus on the delicate sensation of your lips pressing against his.

Max truly felt like a champion, because not only did he win the world driver's championship of this season but he also had you right by his side to experience the thrill of winning it all. He may have won two other championships in the previous years, but this one felt completely different; much better.

Inevitably, he's pulled away from you by someone from his team. "Go get that trophy, champion," you state, wanting to see him hold the race winning trophy now, and even the championship trophy during the gala.

Right before turning around, he focused on your daughter, messing with Isabella's hair again until she slapped his hands away. She still had a really big smile on her face, having seen Max win the race and the championship at the same time.

You still held Isabella's hand as you began the short walk towards the podium, but she squeezed it tighter to grab your attention. Your smile plummeted and dread instantly filled your heart as you heard your daughter's words, "mama look, it's daddy," she pointed at him with her free hand.

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[writteninlunarlight-years]

Busy days give cute ideas-

Since the Hotel was rebuilt, Lucifer has stepped up and has started doing Kingly things again. Talking to the Sins- helping them sort out arguments basically- but also helping Charlie brainstorm ideas for bringing in Sinners and activities.

He forgot how busy being a King made him-

Then Reader, a Sinner that came after the Extermination because they saw the King Himself saying to try redemption -plus free room!- grabs him one day without warning, and throws him into bed. Just full on waits on his every need, watches a movie he hasn't seen before but does like, makes lunch and dinner for him, plays card games-

They do everything Lucifer has been seen enjoying. And Reader remembered? He barely spoke to them, but here they are. Being kind to him.

Basically a full day of reasons why he deserves a break, Lilith wasn't anywhere near as caring as he falsely remembered, and that he REALLY needs to get to know Reader now-

Lazy Dayz in a Dreamy Haze

TW: Overworking, relationship issues, sad feelings

(I am almost positive I made this completely gender ambiguous. Please tell me if I missed something or gendered the reader at all!)

Your fall from grace wasn't anything to really write home about. You were a grade-A lazy person in your mortal life, and that inevitably led to your less-than-amazing death. You could sleep wherever and whenever, find the best binge-worthy shows, and overall, you know how to relax for a good time. 

You were a little confused when you saw Charlie's original broadcast for the hotel. How could you ever be redeemed when your sin is just simply enjoying your free time? This seemed like too high a task for a mere princess to accomplish, not to mention that once word got out that the Radio Demon was helping her, it was even more of a put-off. 

You followed the story, though; Kattie Killjoy documented it every time something happened in Charlie's unsuspecting life. You also were one of the lucky few to witness the downfall of Vox’s pride due to the Radio Demon. 

When the extermination got pushed up to only a couple of days away, you had even more doubts about this redemption policy the princess wanted. When the broadcast showed Lucifer there, ready to strike down, the angels soon to torment more than just the hotel if they didn’t win; something moved in you. 

The following day, you packed up your small things and made your way across the city to the hotel. You didn't expect much when you joined the Hazbin Hotel. You saw that the king endorsed it, and if the king said it was cool, then why not? You didn’t reasonably expect your whole life to change, though. 

Not only did you gain a little family of friends, but you also got free room and board so long as you completed Charlie's exercises and you got to see him. Lucifer Morningstar was a pragmatic character in the grand scheme of things. Where his daughter had illusions of grandeur, he was there to make things happen and make things work. Doing this, however, cost him what looked like a great deal.

Lucfier worked day in and day out. Even though you lived in the same hotel as him, you hardly saw him not doing something for Charlie or one of the other inhabitants. Seeing someone doing so much to make a dream come true and not take care of his own was sad. Maybe this was when the first inklings of your feelings for the king kicked in.

Growing close to the others in the hotel, you eventually learn all about Lucifer's problems in his past, from harboring poor feelings towards his fellow angels to having to deal with losing Lilith and his daughter. Luckily, he and Charlie rekindled some of their relationship, but it was clear Lucifer worked himself to death to avoid thinking about the missing person. Lilith, though a once prominent figure in hell, was still not found, causing a lot of people, including Charlie, to assume she just never was going to come back.

You got confirmation about Lucifer's depression one rainy night sitting at the bar. You were busy talking to Husk about Charlie's upcoming bonding retreat when a groggy Lucifer came down to get a drink. While he sat next to you, the bags and lines around his face were as clear as day. For an immortal being, he looked like he was knocking on death's door. He had been working long into the night to ensure Charlie’s next adventure went on without a hitch. 

You had nothing against Charlie and immensely enjoyed her company. You can only assume Charlie hadn’t given her father a break because he was never this vulnerable around her. You knew Husk had a way to get people to open up, but you were surprised he was opening up in front of you. He looked exhausted, as if sleep had invaded him for nights. You wanted to hug him, wrap him in blankets, and tell him to sleep.

While looking over the man, you noticed a band of gold on his hand that he awkwardly fidgeted with. Taking the context clues and knowledge from those in the hotel, you'd bet that was his wedding band. While watching him drink his fourth glass of whiskey for the night, you leaned over and placed a comforting hand on his. “I know you don’t know me well, but Lucifer, you are doing an amazing job. It’s okay to stop and breathe a little. You won’t be letting anyone down if it’s to help yourself.”

His look was no less than shocked; from what you gathered, no one ever really talked to him in a comforting manner. “Uh, well, thank you, Y/N;  you know I am happy you joined the hotel. You will be an excellent Winner if we can ever redeem a soul.”

That statement struck a cord in you again. Why did he know that you would make a good Winner? He had barely even met you when you joined the hotel. He was always so busy and working that the most you two said to each other on a given day was a small hello. Yet he knew enough about you to tell you would make a great Winner. You didn’t know that Lucifer was paying attention from the beginning of your journey at the hotel. He always said his job was to help make dreams come true, especially his daughters. So when you came along and started helping everyone with your calming aura and comforting ideas, he took extra notice of you. That's why he knew all your favorite napping spots, how you put self-care and rest above everything, and how you wanted to help others as much as he did. 

From that day forth, you looked at the King of Hell differently. Instead of wondering why he was so busy and never saying no, you looked for all the times he grabbed that band. In doing this, you learned he liked to make rubber ducks, enjoyed the circus, had a fixation on apples, loved to sing randomly, and had a knack for helping others. 

Honestly, the last part wasn’t that surprising. Charlie had to have gotten that trait somewhere. With Liltih being AWOL and the stories you heard in passing about the woman, you figured she wasn’t where Charlie's helping streak necessarily originated from. Taking this knowledge, you devise a plan to help the King of Hell finally get some reprieve. 

Executing this plan flawlessly took a couple of days. From finding all the proper materials to convincing Charlie to make sure no one called on Lucifer, you had your work cut out for you. You didn’t know why you cared so much about what happened to Lucifer other than it tugged at your once-beating heart that he was so overworked and undervalued. 

The day finally came for you to stop the overworked man and get him to slow down. As he started his day bright and early, you were already downstairs waiting. His arrival was right on time, and everyone knew that when he asked the dreaded ‘what can I do for everyone today’ question, they all had to say nothing. 

When he heard he had nothing to do, Lucifer returned to playing with that ring on his finger. This was your cue to help him find a better way to distract himself than taking on millions of small tasks. You stood before Lucifer, hand outstretched with a broad smile, “Do you trust me?”

You were met with little hesitance, and before you knew it, you had taken Lucfier up to the day room on the top floor. You had set everything up for the first half of your relaxation day. There was a giant pillow fort taking up center stage of the room. 

Lucifer was taken aback. This was the sweetest thing anyone had done for him. It is a little cozy retreat away from having to work, a welcomed distraction. He was excited to see what your mind came up with. The whole interaction left a warm feeling in his chest, one he didn’t know if he was ready to explore yet. 

Crawling in, you beckoned Lucfier to join you inside and get cozy. The magnificent fort was littered with various comfort foods, cozy blankets, and a TV with what Charlie called his favorite shows. Turning on the fairy lights and TV, you immediately saw the tension in his shoulders begin to relax. 

You two stayed there for hours, watching shows, eating good food, and talking. Lucifer didn’t know when the last time he allowed himself to be this free with another person. You were content making sure he understood how valued he was, but you couldn’t deny the proximity, and the ease of the conversation was beginning to make you feel some type of way. 

When the final movie was put on the TV, you let out a slight yawn. You had never disrupted your sleep schedule and nap time for someone else before, and your body was beginning to disagree with you. Lucifer took note of this and scooted a little closer to you. When you looked up at him, he just patted his shoulder, and you understood he was offering assistance to you.

You laughed gently in your hand, shaking your head. “No, mister. I am supposed to be helping you, not the other way around. Come here.”

As you said this, you repositioned the situation, so Lucifer rested against your chest. Your arms were wrapped around him, and you were gently playing with his hair. Lucifer hadn't complained about this, so you deemed it safe to continue. His hair was soft, with a little gel from when he woke this morning. Eventually, your hand stopped moving as you drifted off to sleep. 

Lucifer was content like this. He hadn’t been held in so long. This was something he only dreamed of doing with Lilith once more. He thought about all these things and felt your hands slow and your breathing even. 

Lifting his head slightly to look at you and not wake you, he realized you were lovely. The thought initially scared him as he hadn’t thought of another since Lilith, but your compassion and kindness were a refreshment. Slowly, he rested his head back on your chest and took a much-needed nap. 

You had woken first, feeling Lucifer tighten his grip subconsciously around you. Smiling, you stroked his hair again as you pulled out your phone. There was still an hour before the final stage of relaxation day could continue. You closed your phone and realigned your attention to Lucifer. 

He looked so beautiful, almost angelic if you were allowed to say that. He let out tiny snores, and you could nearly not see the bags under his eyes. You gently caressed his cheek without thinking, and when he nuzzled your hand, your face lit up. You told yourself he wasn’t ready and to diminish these feelings immediately. 

Once the hour was up, you gently woke Lucifer with a light shake. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, looking at the now-darkened TV. Once he was situated, he got out of the fort with you, ready for you to lead him on the next adventure. 

You strategically chose the top floor for the fort retreat so everyone else could set up downstairs. See, your plan helped kill two birds with one stone. Charlie wanted a fun way to bring in more sinners, and you wanted to help take the stress off Lucifer's plate. In doing so, the Hazbin Hotel Annual Carnival was born. 

As you arrived downstairs, the carnival was in full swing. Flashing lights, games, food, and even a circus event were happening. You turned to look at Lucfier and shouted, ‘Surprise!’ He was astonished that you not only considered giving him a brain break but also made sure to add something physically fun. 

This was particularly useful in two ways: he loved the circus and would be tired when he went to bed if he got worn out at the carnival. You showed him around the carnival with a broad smile on your face. All the regular inhabitants of the hotel were the carnies and some outside friends Alstor enlisted. 

As soon as you explained everything, Lucifer had your hand in his and dragged you around. Though you were still exhausted, seeing this man so happy was well worth it. You participated in the games and the face painting. Lucifer laughed hard when he saw you get his Iconic makeup done. 

As you made it to one of the last games, you found Angel managing the Apple Bobbing contest. With a broad smile, you drug Lucifer over and place your bets on who could get the largest apple. You hoped the newly painted makeup would withstand this trial as you went first. Coming back up with a tiny apple, Angel had to make one of his inappropriate jokes. 

Next, the king himself went for an apple, not before blushing at the lewd comment Angel had made about you. He really needed to teach him that it's okay to keep thoughts inside. As he went down for an apple, he found a golden one and took his chance. Popping his head up, Angel rang a bell, signifying the grand prize. 

Lucifer was handed a giant white snake plushie with a top hat as his winnings. He smiled, holding the cute item, and then turned to you. Gently, he wrapped the snake around your arm and shoulders, smiling wide. Your heart fluttered at the notion that he had given you his grand prize, no questions asked. 

Over the loudspeakers, an excited Charlie could be heard asking everyone to come to the big top for the show. Lucifer was excited that his daughter, as a ringmaster, would entertain all these guests. As you two took your seats in the crowded room, the lights dimmed, and Charlie, in an adorable outfit almost identical to her father's, came out. 

The smile on Lucifer's face when he saw Charlie look and act like him was heartwarming. You could almost see tears in his eyes. Lucifer was notably the most involved watcher of the show, answering questions, raising his hand for volunteer options, and even performing a song with Charlie. It was a fantastic event that left many impressed. 

As the circus act ended, Charlie approached you and thanked you for taking over this task. She had already gotten many people asking to enroll in her redemption program. While Charlie was talking to you, it was missed by all the knowing soft smile Lucifer had while staring at you. He realized that he hadn’t gone to rub his band once this entire day since you showed up.

Looking down at his hand, he moved the band from his left finger to his right. He wasn’t fully ready to let go of Lilith, at least not in the semblance of her being the mother of his child, but he was ready not to let his past hold him back anymore. He walked over to you and Charlie and gently interrupted the conversation, asking to steal you away. 

Charlie said yes, giving you a big thumbs up before she went on her own way, too. You gave Lucifer your full attention again as he led you to the Farris Wheel. Climbing aboard, you two faced each other and began talking like earlier that day. The conversation seemed so fluid for you two, making this a beautiful moment. 

Once at the top of the wheel, there was a sudden jolt, causing you to move forward and land in Lucifer's lap. Both of you laughed gently as you resituated back in your seat. In doing so, however, you noticed his left hand was bare. You panicked, “Where did your ring go? Did it fall when I moved? We have to look for it.” 

Lucifer just laughed at you and shook his head. He showed you his right hand now adorning his wedding band. You calmed down and looked at Lucifer as he explained, “I have never been so well taken care of, Y/N. To say I appreciate you would be an understatement. For seven years of my life, I have lived in this dark shadow that I was at fault for losing all I held dear. Though Charlie has been there trying to help, I still drown myself in work to forget Lilith.”

Lucfier repositioned to sit closer to you, looking you in the eyes, “However, you have impacted my life since the day you arrived. I have been watching you and find your efforts to comfort and help those around you refreshing. I find it so amazing you even took time out for me to plan all of this.”

Lucifer gently touched your cheek as he continued, “I have loved every minute of this day, and as I began to love it more and more, I realized I couldn’t let Lilith control my life forever, especially if she wasn’t here. I am not ready to completely let go; she is the mother of my child, and I hope she is alive and well. I am saying, though, that I am ready to move on and try to live more carefree again. You, Y/N, have been a dream come true.”

Tears welled up in both your eyes as you took in the words. You smiled and reached your hand out to hold his. Hand in hand, you two laughed and looked over all of hell from the top of the wheel. You were happy he finally accepted being free from his past and taking self-care and love for himself seriously. It was also astonishing that you were the one to teach him this. 

As the Farris Wheel ended and let you two off, the darkest point of the night finally hit. Grouping up at the front of the hotel, Lucifer's arms wrapped around you. A beautiful array of fireworks went off while you looked up to the sky. Turning to face Lucifer, you felt like you were living a dream. Who knew Lazy Days would result in a beautiful Dreamy Haze.

[hamm3rhead-shark]

"Just shut up and kiss me already"

Ellie Williams x fem reader

The first date

A/N-Thank you too @aliceellieswife for this request it's kinda rushed but I hope you like it😰

"This is stupid" is all Ellie could think as she stood outside your door waiting for you, dressed in her usual Jackson attire of black jeans, her decomposing converse and a normal hoodie, holding a bouquet of your favorite flowers, she always made sure to get the ones you liked, shes just thrilled that she can finally take you on a date! She nearly threw up her nerves when asking you so shes determined not too mess this up.

Shes so thrilled her stomach is doing hoola hoops and her palms are sweaty and is she standing weird? Are the chocolates waiting in the car melting? Is she-

Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted as she sees you open the door and Lord do you look amazing, her eyes trail up to your face as she breaks out into a grin.

"You look beautiful" she speaks in awe, she sounds shocked, relieved and nervous all at once as she fiddles with the bouquet nervously, shes trying to play it cool but you can see how much shes sweating.

She nearly trips over her own damn feet as she steps forward "I got you flowers, your favourites"

'god Ellie!' She can't help but think 'pull yourself together!'

She's reassured at least something is going right when you pull her towards you into a brief hug as you take the flowers, handling them with care "their beautiful" you gush heading inside to put them in a vase quickly. She takes your hand as she walks you to her car,nearly tripping, again! "calm down Els" you giggle watching her get all flustered over even the littlest of things and you can't help but gaze at her in the hazy afternoon glow, the way her green eyes squint slightly in the bright light, revealing a sappy green color,one of which you've recently grown to love, the way her skin glows, her freckles prominent,shes like a perfect puzzle pieces together all for you, her aubern air tied up in that gorgeous half-up half-down bun that she knows you love so much.

★

A dreamy car ride (though let's admit, anything with THE Ellie Williams next to you is dreamy) and walk along the beach later and you and Ellie found a well lit area and a gorgeous view of the horizon. Luckily Ellie had brought a blanket for you both too lay on as you eat ice cream and watch the sun slowly set out over the sea.

"I'm telling you (fav flavour) is horrible" she laughs and scrunches up her nose, you giggle but cant help getting distracted by the way her eyes squint slightly and she grins brightly with enough warmth in them to make even the chilliest evenings seem way too warm.

"It's literally the best flavor what are you talking about? At least I didn't order bubblegum like a child" you joke pushing her arm slightly as she licks her bubblegum flavoured ice cream glating at you mischievously like your missing out on something big, you can't help but giggle as she goes slightly red and pushes you back, accidentally smothering her own cheek in ice cream as you push her arm back up against her. "Oh shit I'm sorry!"

"don't hate my superior tastebuds! Bubblegum is not for children" she argues feigning seriousness with it smeared on her cheek, you can't help but burst out cackling and pull down your jacket sleeve to gently wipe it from her face

"evidently" you joke focusing your eyes on caressing her cheek rather than her eyes, truly taking in just how cute her freckles are. Ellie notices this and gently places her hand over your wrist that's cupping her cheek and leans into your touch, there isn't even a mark anymore it's just an excuse to be closer to her, to feel her, both of you know it but neither of you will say it.

Your eyes lock with hers, your own ice cream discarded long ago, you come to the realisation your craving something a bit more sweet. Said craving still hasn't let go of your wrist yet, neither of you wanting to break the moment just yet, but none of you wanting to make a move. She looks at you like you hung the stars and you love it.

You simply exist for a moment until she holds her ice cream in front of your face h

Yauntingly "you won't regret it" she teases but you just scrunch up your nose and hum softly, enjoying listening to her speak as she goes on, and on, and on, you zone out, focusing more on the way her lips move and her eyes flutter under the intensifying light of the sunset unfolding in front of you, how her well kept hair flows slightly in the breeze, all you can focus on is how badly you want to touch her, to feel her, shes talking away and your nodding along, gosh shes such a need, dropping statistics you don't understand yet nod to anyway, studying her facial features and how she takes pride in this. But then again Ellie takes pride in most things.

"-it's not even just to do with biology it's more hereditary I think-" you snap back to reality and lean back, you have absolutely no idea what she's yapping about anymore or how the topic changed from I've cream to this but your not about to complain about hearing her soothing voice a little longer. She's oblivious to your thoughts process and keeps on talking. Honestly it's a little funny, with the way your oogling at her it's hard not to be able to tell your 100% into her.

"Ellie-" you interupt her, leaning closer putting your arms on her chest softly, just grazing her skin, you don't know what your doing but you can't take this anymore.

"just shut up and kiss me already" she goes beet red and stammers in her sentence, trying to form a decent response she silences almost immediately as you lean in, her hands find your waist instinctively and hums as she pulls you closer.

Your own hands wrap around her neck as you kiss, it's sweet and long and passionate and everything a kiss should be, she tastes smooth like caramel with a tiny hint of bubblegum ice cream and you wouldn't have it any other way, her arm wraps around you more firmly now as she pulls back to look at you through half lidded, slightly shocked eyes.

"I love you Y/N" she whispers softly, the words are foreign in her mouth but feel right to say if it's to you.

"I love you too Ellie" you whisper back peppering another quick kiss on her lips.

"Girlfriends?" Ellie asks and you can't help but roll your eyes dramatically and bring a hand up to play with her hair as if the kiss didn't clarify.

"Girlfriend's." You say factually and kiss her again. As far as Ellie's concerned this date was a win.

A/N-(again) sorry if this is ass I haven't wrote anything like this in ages (or wrote in general) also sorry it took so long I hope you enjoyed!! 😋- I just re read it 2 bours later nd this shit make no sense bro😭I wrote it when I was high, come back and I did it dirty icl.

[fluentmoviequoter]

Butterflies Aren't Just for Kids

Part 2 of Crushes Aren't Just for Kids

Pairing: JLU!Bruce Wayne x fem!JL!reader

Summary: Bruce hasn't asked you out yet, despite the League's interest in your new relationship. When he finally has enough and takes you away from their prying eyes and endless questions, you tell him why you hid your feelings for so long.

Warnings: fluff!!! John, Diana, and Wally get warnings for being nosy

Word Count: 1.6k+ words

A/N: Have I mentioned that I love this show? I considered basing this on The Once and Future Thing (s1 finale) but think that would be better as an independent rewrite. Also, I love Wally so much!!

Picture from Pinterest

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Plenty has changed since Morgaine Le Fay turned you, Bruce, Clark, Diana, and John into kids and back into adults to defeat her son. Bruce learned about your crush on him, as did John and Diana, and Bruce hinted that he’d��ask you out soon. Being a superhero vigilante is a full-time job, though, and he has yet to find the time to do that.

Every time you set foot in the Watchtower, John and Diana give you questioning looks. You can tell they want to pry and hear about what’s happening with you and Bruce, but you also know they won’t believe you when you say nothing. Luckily, you still have easy access to all the hiding places Bruce installed in the multi-million-dollar space base.

While you sit in the cafeteria and eat, your thoughts drift to Bruce. He’s off somewhere fighting an alien with Clark, yet all you want is another quiet moment at his side.

“Hey,” Wally greets as he sits.

“Hi, Walls,” you reply with a smile.

“What’s up with all the weird looks?”

“What do you mean?”

Wally looks down and quickly counts the food items on his four trays. He speeds back into the cafeteria for another pudding, and you brace yourself for the wind that follows his return.

“Everyone keeps looking at you like there’s something big happening. They used to look at me like that, but you’re hogging my attention,” Wally answers.

“Sorry about that.”

“Seriously, it’s impossible to miss all of the looks. John and Diana look ready to snap every time you walk into the room.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” you lie. “I’m sure whatever they think is happening will pass soon and all eyes will be back on you.”

“As they should be, right?”

“Right, Walls.”

You excuse yourself, but not before you offer your cake to Wally. You ignore the looks Wally mentioned as you walk toward J’onn’s station in the heart of the Watchtower.

“J’onn, can you send me home? I don’t think I’ve got anything else to do up here,” you request.

“Certainly. I’ll let you know if we need you to return.”

“Thanks.”

A light blinds you temporarily, and when you open your eyes, you realize someone must have told J’onn you have a new home.

“I have got to talk to John about boundaries,” you mumble as you begin the short walk to Wayne Manor.

A few days later, you haven’t even seen Bruce. You’ve been pining after him for years, though, so what’s a few more days before that date he said he’d take you on? As long as it isn’t a theme park, you think as you walk through the Watchtower.

“We need to talk,” Diana says as she pulls you into a corner.

“About what?” you ask.

“You and Bruce,” John answers, stepping out of the shadows.

“What is this, an intervention? There’s nothing to talk about!” you whisper harshly.

“What happened after we left?” Diana inquires.

“He took me home. If you must know, he implied that he’d ask me out, but that is it! He may not even like me anymore.”

John shakes his head with a knowing look on his face. He can read you too well to lie to him.

“Look, I’m trying to be patient and wait for him to decide, ask, whatever, but it is getting very hard to do with you two drawing attention to us! Booster Gold asked me where the boyfriend was, and he didn’t even know who he was talking about!”

“Booster never knows what he’s talking about,” John argues.

“That is not the point.”

John smirks before he asks, “So, when you and Bruce have kids, do you think they’ll look like you two did in Mordred’s kingdom?”

The door behind Diana opens, and you realize you’ve been having this conversation outside Bruce’s workshop. While he was in it.

“Stop,” Bruce demands.

Diana nudges you, and you push her away. You’ll do something, but not because she encouraged you to, because you want to.

“What?” you ask with an exaggerated pout. “You don’t want to have kids with me, Brucie?”

Bruce rolls his eyes at your reply, but John and Diana stay beside you despite his bat glare.

“Are you going to ask her out?” Diana asks. “Because we’re all waiting for you to do something.”

“Clearly,” Bruce replies. “We’re leaving. Lantern. Diana.”

Before John or Diana can speak again, J’onn transports you and Bruce away. They’re left facing each other with a few answers and more questions.

“Where do you think they went?” Diana inquires.

“I’m- I’m not sure I want to think about that,” John answers slowly. “She is my friend, you know.”

“So is he.”

“Yeah,” John says, his voice laced with sarcasm and disbelief. “Sure, he is. Best friend, really.”

When you arrive in the manor, pressed to Bruce’s side just as you were in the amusement park, you don’t hesitate to turn and hug him. Bruce’s arms wrap around you loosely, and you step back when Alfred enters the living room.

“I’ll assume you’re the reason I’ve been getting so many dirty looks and questions from the League?” Bruce asks.

His lips are up at the edges, and you think he will smile at any moment. You can’t tell by looking at him, but Bruce feels like a kid again when he’s with you. He didn't experience childhood like he should have, so he lets himself be genuine with you. He’s done wasting time, he decides.

“You know, I’ve been fighting by your side for a long time,” you say. “But your hugs are way better than your grappling hooks.”

Bruce shakes his head and leads you toward the couch before Alfred returns with popcorn, a tray of snacks, and your favorite drink that you did not ask for nor mention. You thank him, and he winks at you quickly. He’s glad to see Bruce happy and to have visitors in the manor again.

“I should’ve hugged you sooner,” you muse as you reach for the food. “Could have been spending time here for years by now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Bruce asks softly.

“Why didn’t you?” you counter. You lick your lips before answering, “You’re important to me, Bruce. I didn’t want to jeopardize our relationship or the team, or, worse, put you in danger by saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. There were too many unknowns.”

“So, you planned to, what? Wait until I said something?”

“Caged butterflies,” you whisper. “Cages don’t hold them very well. I would’ve said something eventually, but Morgaine put me in a position where I didn’t have to.”

“Then, technically, John told me.”

“You’re a jerk, you know that?”

Bruce smiles, and the butterflies you felt as a kid revive to create a hurricane in your heart. He leans in and brushes his lips over your cheek before saying, “I’ve been told… I’ve also been told crushes aren’t just for kids.”

“Jerk,” you mumble again as you turn your face toward Bruce.

“Oh! Oh!” John yells when you step out of J’onn’s transporter and onto the Watchtower. “Someone’s glowing. How them butterflies feeling?”

“Like kids again,” you answer honestly. “I guess I should thank you for forcing me to do something.”

“Lanterns have been making dreams come true for millennia.”

“There’s no way that’s true.”

“You don’t know that. You’re not a Lantern, or a mind reader.”

“It’s not true,” J’onn calls without looking away from his console.

“Man, we need better friends,” John tells you.

“You are my better friend.”

“Save that lovey stuff for the boyfriend.”

“I thought he was Diana’s boyfriend,” you argue, tilting your head as you hide your smile.

“The ploy of a mastermind to learn the truth,” John answers with a shrug.

“You really are spending too much time with Wally.”

John stands and beckons you to follow him. You do so wordlessly, but you run into someone as you round a corner beside him. Bruce grasps your arms gently to keep you upright before dropping his head to look at you.

“Here comes the bride,” Wally sings under his breath.

You and Bruce look up quickly, surprised to see Wally has joined John, and they are watching your interaction with far too much interest.

“And that’s why we’re glad Wally wasn’t included in Mordred’s spell,” you grumble against Bruce’s chest.

“What spell?” Wally asks. He doesn’t give anyone time to answer before he rambles, “Hey, have you told her about your childhood, Bats? I mean, you’re definitely a loner now, but good luck learning anything about him; he’s one tough walnut to crack.”

“I know,” you and John say together.

Bruce tightens his grip on you before requesting J’onn send him home. The Watchtower is no longer a haven from Gotham, not with the League’s new favorite topic of conversation: you and Batman.

“We should buy a vacation house,” Bruce says as you open your eyes in Gotham.

“Yeah. In Coast City, where Ollie can find us and bring the rest of the fan club,” you joke.

Bruce stays quiet for a moment, and you begin to ask him what’s wrong, but he cuts you off.

“Get ready. We’re going on that date I promised,” he says.

“You never actually asked,” you point out.

“Will you go on a date with me?” Bruce asks.

“I’d love to.”

“Then go get ready. I’m taking you somewhere we can be ourselves.”

“Where could you possibly take me that Bruce Wayne won’t be recognized? And if you say an amusement park I will walk out right now.”

“I was thinking Metropolis. The roof of the Daily Planet. I called in a few favors.”

“I take it back. You weren’t a cute kid… you’re still cute.”

“And you still have trouble with maintaining eye contact.” Bruce leads you to the stairs and spreads his hand over your lower back before he whispers, “We’ll work on it.”

[mylifeisfruk4ever]

"What the fuck?"

Selina felt that those three words were enough to describe her whole relationship with Bruce Wayne. First as Batman, then as Bruce.

She had thought there might be something between them. Luckily it had passed, and a weird friendship had developed between them. Which might make some people turn up their noses since she was a thief and he was a vigilante but Bruce hasn't been so uptight lately and as long as Selina didn't kill and steal only who deserved it, they were fine.

Still, what the heck?

"Oh, Brucie is growing up," Harley said, all too pleased.

She was upright on the bed, while Pamela sat on the other side trimming her nails, seemingly ignoring the ongoing conversation.

Fuck house arrest for both of them. Why had she accepted? Oh yeah, they were friends.

Alsp, Bruce hoped that with her, Pamela and Harley could direct their impulses towards more correct forms of fighting for their principles, without involving innocent people.

So far it wasn't going to be great, but at least Harley had dumped her clown ex, for good this time, so it was a win.

(Probably more thanks to Pamela than her, but details.)

"Let me get this straight…you, mister, I don't look anyone in the face and if you talk to me for more than five minutes I'll start crying, you want….I can't believe I'm about to say it…learn how to seduce a man."

"Exactly," Bruce replied, as he petted one of Selina's cats.

"Just…why?"

"Who cares?" Harley broke in.

"He finally wants to step outside his boundaries! You have my respect!"

"It's not about going outside my boundaries. It's about planetary security."

"Really?" Selina said, half joking.

"Superman is powerful enough to destroy the planet."

This knocked Harley over, and Pamela finally stopped pretending not to pay attention.

Selina didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or slap him on the head, "Do you want to seduce Superman?!"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To discover his weaknesses and use them against him when his powers drive him insane."

"Wow, talking about trust issues," was Harley's comment.

"I like to be prepared," Bruce said.

"What did the boy scout do to make you fear that he might become world dictator at the slightest provocation?"

The man pouted adorable, and grumbled. Selina still wasn't an expert at translating each other's mumbling but she swore it was something like smiling too much, and I don't trust him, he's got something to hide.

Harley said, "Isn't Superman having an affair with that reporter? Lois Lane?"

"She is General Lane's daughter. A close relationship is not advisable."

"She seems to know him well. Why don't you ask her?"

"She wouldn't answer me, so as not to betray him. Everyone says he's a hero."

"And you obviously don't believe it," Selina suspected.

"No."

"What makes you think he might be interested in men?" Selina asked him.

Harley laughed, "Cupcake, no completely straight man would wear pants that tight."

"Same conclusion I came to."

Oh good. The fate of the world was entrusted to a pair of tight trousers.

"Besides, I've done some research on him, and I might be his type. At least physically. What I lack is the ability to seduce him to lower his defenses and believe me harmless."

"Ability you think we have?" Selina asked, not sure whether to feel offended or not.

"Gotham is very sexist," Bruce said.

"You did your best to manipulate men who thought they knew better."

Pamela smiled, "I'm liking this one."

“I told you Brucie's one of the good ones,” Harley genuinely smiled as she said it.

"And he's a weirdo, like us."

Selina wanted to moan. This is what happens when you make friends with strange vigilantes. She said, "So Superman has a thing for brunettes. Good to know. Have you thought about what to do in case your brilliant plan fails?"

"It won't fail," he said confidently.

"You don't know," she insisted, trying to give him some common sense. A futile undertaking, it was Bruce she was talking to.

"Superman is overconfident. He will fall into the net."

"Definitely not dressed like that honey," Harley commented, taking a long look to Bruce.

"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

"You look like a creepy stalker," Selina said. Army jacket, hat, scarf to cover her face and mascara for her eyes. Bruce was a walking fashion insult. They're definitely going to have to fix his wardrobe, make him wear things that flatter his body and…

Oh god, she was totally on board with that plan, right?

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