#Oh Lena you in for a bad time

[ryniadora]

DA:O - Travelling to the Circle edition.

Travelling was a novelty for Lena. She'd never really gone anywhere much except in carriages, staying in inns. Morrigan painstakingly taught her how to make a fire, something that took almost two hours, but the delight on Lena's face when she produced a small spark almost made the wait worth it.

As they were on the long trek to the Circle, the nightmares began. Visions of hordes of darkspawn underground, led by a dread beast that could only be the Archdemon, plagued Lena's dreams. One particularly bad night she couldn't hold back a scream as she jolted awake. Luckily she had fallen asleep next to the fire from sheer exhaustion, and the only person who heard was Alistair - he was on watch at the time.

Alistair soothed his fellow Warden with an explanation that it was normal, that he had them too. Not much comfort, but Lena took his words as he intended them - to help. Deciding sleep was a wash at this point, she joined him for the watch. The pair sat together staring at the fire, discussing the Wardens, life at Highever and their respective families until the sun rose over the horizon.

Eventually they made it to the tower that housed the Ferelden Circle of Magi. But of course, nothing was ever going to be easy. The Knight-Commander informed Lena that there would be no help for the Wardens here - the Circle had broken, and the tower was awash with demons and abominations.

Horrified, Lena offered to help search the tower for survivors. She came for aid, at the end of the day, and without either the mages or the templars this entire trip would have been fruitless. There was also the small matter of a healer for Arl Eamon's illness.

Shrugging, the templar agreed to let the group in, but with the warning that they could not leave until the Circle was clear. His ominous warning about the Rite of Annulment sent chills down Lena's spine. No matter how dangerous the mages were, wholesale murder couldn't possibly be the answer. She promised herself that she would save every single soul she possibly could inside the tower.

Inside the tower she met Wynne - a mage she remembered encountering at Ostagar. Wynne was wary of the group as they approached, but Elena's earnest offer of help and the determined set of her jaw must have shown something to the elderly mage. She agreed that, with her help, the group could stop the madness occurring at the top of the tower.

Hearing an explanation from Wynne as to what happened, Lena, Morrigan and Alistair agreed that if they cut off the head of the snake then this situation would be over. While Morrigan thought they should just leave the mages to their own devices, she still agreed to help, if only because she had no other choice.

Resolute, they began the climb.

[itoshiexx]

running your fingers through their hair

you are now reading... LENA'S 1K MILESTONE EVENT FIC!

↳ itoshi rin, michael kaiser, reo mikage (separate) + cafuné (n.) - running your fingers through the hair of someone you love

notes: omg hi guys! i'm freaking ALIVE!!! i know i've been terribly inactive but life as a recently graduated lawyer has been INSANE and i barely have time to breathe, let alone write. regardless, i was able to finish this after some struggle, and i really hope you guys like it! cafuné is a brazilian word and it's something i love very much, so thank you anon, @kyukiss and @etoiile for the request and sorry it took so long ♥

event masterlist

Itoshi Rin

“you remind me of a dog, you know?”

rin’s eyes shoot open with your unexpected words, and you receive the harshest glare you’ve ever witnessed on his face when it came to you. 

“excuse me?”

his tone is supposed to be threatening, but his voice is slightly laced with sleep, so it sounds a lot more like a whine. you snort a little bit, pausing your ministrations on his head, where your fingers run through his hair. 

“not in a bad way, baby. i just mean you’re like a puppy when you want my attention,” you giggled a little, and if rin didn’t love the sound so much, he would have berated you. 

“that’s absolutely not true.”

“it is, though. you came back from practice all tired and grumpy, and the first thing you did was put your head on my lap because you wanted me to run my fingers through your hair. you didn’t even showered, rin.”

“i did shower! on the locker rooms!”

you smile mischievously. “oh, i thought the dampness was from sweat. i was about to call you out for being stinky.”

rin’s grimace worsened, and a pout formed on his lips. you couldn’t resist the urge to squish his cute cheeks together. god, he was so adorable it tugged on your heartstrings. how was that even possible?

you lowered your head to give him a quick kiss, and although rin tried to deepen it, you pulled away fast, grinning once again. he knew what was coming even before you said it. “you’re also like a puppy when you trail after me around the house. a lost puppy.”

his groan reverberated through the whole apartment, and rin shoved your hands away from his face, scowling. “i fucking hate you.”

“no, you don’t.”

“i hate you. i’m serious.”

you giggled again. “so why didn’t you leave my lap then?”

his eyes met yours, and you kind of relished in the furrow of his brows. it made his pout even cuter. “…what.”

smugness radiated off of you, because you knew rin — your rin — like the back of your hand. and if there was an universal truth in the world, it would be that the younger itoshi was down bad for you. enough for him to stay despite your shenanigans that always got on his nerves.

“i said, if you hate me, then why didn’t you leave my lap?”

his mouth opened, but no retort came out. he gaped like a fish for a few seconds before groaning again, turning his body so that he could hide his face on your stomach. you laughed at his childish behavior, knowing it was one of the reasons you loved him so much. not many people were able to see this vulnerable side of him, and you were glad to be one of them. 

“shut up.”

“yeah, yeah. you big baby.”

comfortable silence engulfed the both of you, and rin remained hidden on your stomach as you picked up the book you were previously reading, wanting to continue the story. though your left hand was suddenly tugged to lay on your boyfriend’s head.

“keep going,” he murmured, “…please?”

a gentle smile took over your features, and you were quick to run your fingers through his dark, silky strands. rin sighed softly, content with the affection you gave him — as if your angelic hands could take away every doubt swirling on his mind and wipe off the tiredness from his sore body.

“of course,” you said. and your mind completed silently: i’d keep going forever if it made you happy.

perhaps you were down bad, too.

Michael Kaiser

contrary to popular belief, michael kaiser was not a bad boyfriend. 

despite his huge ego, his narcissistic tendencies and his extravagant yet somehow rude personality, he wasn’t the type of guy to treat his partner poorly. in fact, he was a very attentive boyfriend, always doing his best to make sure you were happy and healthy.

or maybe it was just you. who knows.

whatever his reasons were, you relished the fact he took such good care of you, even if he wasn’t physically present because of away games — because michael was very good at making people notice him. whether it was with a bouquet of your favorite flowers delivered to your job, a nice breakfast cooked before you woke or even a small note of love professions. 

however, nothing really compared to having him there, with you, flesh and bone. 

especially on those days you just felt so miserable you wanted to disappear. 

“liebling? you okay?”

it was one of kaiser’s rare day offs, and all you wished for was to spend some much needed quality time with your boyfriend. though, this wasn’t possible due to your job, one you liked having despite michael saying he could support the both of you financially.

but the day at work just sucked. like, a lot. it was that kind of day where things go from bad to worse in a matter of minutes, and when you swear it can’t get shittier, it does.

you were exhausted and emotionally drained. the whole drive back to your shared apartment you were holding back tears, and the dam broke the second you heard kaiser asking you that.

“whoa!” the blonde exclaimed when your bodies collided on a tight hug. “what is it, engel? what happened? did someone hurt you?”

his worried tone just made you sob harder, and kaiser rubbed his hands on your back, trying to give you some comfort. he started to sway your bodies together while humming, doing everything to calm you down.

eventually, your sobs died down, and your boyfriend carefully brought you to the couch, making you lay on top of him; head on his chest. he started to gently scratch your scalp, running his long fingers through your hair.

“you feeling any better?” he asked in a low tone.

“yeah. thank you, mikka.”

the blond only hummed. “do you… want to talk about it?”

you had to stifle a giggle. god, he was so cute. even when he sucked at talking about feelings, he always made an effort for you. 

you slowly shook your head. “jus’ had a really bad day. but it’s okay now.”

his eyes softened impossibly, and you nearly swooned at the sight. “yeah?” 

michael kissed your forehead, and kept threading his fingers among your locks in a gentle caress. you smiled, because it was all you really needed to be comforted.

“yeah.”

Mikage Reo

reo’s body collapsed on top of yours, effectively knocking the air out of your lungs. you should have been used to it by now, really, since he’d always do that after you finished your smexy times, but sometimes it still caught you off guard.

“reo, you’re heavy,” you groaned, teasing him. “get off me!”

“give a guy a break, will you?” he whined. “i’m tired.”

your giggle reverberated through his body, and reo repositioned himself to lay his head on your chest, hugging your waist tightly as if to never let you go. he’d rather lose all his fortune before he let that happen. 

“is mr. athlete getting out of shape? i didn’t know this light exercise could make you so…”

your boyfriend interrupted you with a groan. “babe!”

you raised your hands in mock surrender, giggling again, and reo thought maybe he didn’t really care about your teasing if it meant seeing you this happy. he loved you in all your versions, but carefree was his favorite one. 

“sorry, baby. i’ll make it up to you, yeah?”

before he could make a suggestive joke, his breath hitched in his throat when your soft hands started caressing his hair, gentle fingers threading through his purple locks making him sigh. it was so unfair, he thought, how you managed to disarm him with just a small touch, reduce him to putty in your palms with a little gesture of affection. some of his friends said he was a fool in love, and reo couldn’t agree more. 

your love made him silly, but he didn’t hate it. he could never hate anything about you. all mikage reo was able to feel was love, love, love, an emotion so strong it nearly overwhelmed all of his senses, making him forget about all his worries and responsibilities — heck, even the whole world. and he didn’t mind if the world burned as long as he could keep you safe and away from the flames.

“what are you thinking about?” the whisper of your voice echoed the walls of your shared bedroom. 

“what makes you think i’m thinking about something?”

though reo couldn’t see you, he knew you rolled your eyes. 

“it’s usually how the human mind works, honey,” you answered, your wit making him stifle a laugh. “besides, you’re always so chatty, talking my ear off—”

“hey!”

“—so it always concerns me when you get quiet.”

the heir sighed, letting the silence linger a little longer to recollect his thoughts. reo usually didn’t have a hard time expressing himself with words, but sometimes his heart swelled so much it made it hard to think. so, pretty much every time he was with you.

“it’s just… i’m thinking about how i never really believed in past lives and reincarnation. i never really believed in soulmates, either,” he said, and you paid attention to every word. mesmerized by the wonder in his voice and even more by the sparkle in his purple eyes when he averted his gaze to yours. 

“but when i think about you, love… when i see you in my arms or when i rest in yours, i’m sure you are my soulmate, and that we were together in every lifetime. it’s always been you. it will always be.”

your chest swelled with love for the man laying in your embrace, and you tried to hold back the tears from falling. god, he was everything. you didn’t even know what you did to deserve a lover like mikage reo, but you were far from complaining. 

you gave him a chaste kiss on the forehead, trying to convey even a fraction of the love and adoration you held for him, and looked back to caress his face. then, smiling with the world in your eyes, you answered:

“it’s always been you, too.”

© 2024 itoshiexx. do not plagarise, translate, or repost any of my work on here or other sites.

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Beloved Mine

Fandom: Marvel (Mob Boss AU)

Pairing: Chubby!Bucky x F!Reader

Summary: Sam sends out an SOS that Bucky isn't in the best mood, so you see him to ease his mind.

Sammy: SOS. he's in a bad mood!

You read over Sam's text and snort. You quickly type out a reply and start to change from your pjs to some appropriate clothing.

On your way to Bucky's, you stopped by his favorite bakery, grabbing his favorite baked goods as well as a wide variety for his people. You also grabbed him a coffee and a drink for you as well.

Sammy: He almost shot the new guy in the foot. Please tell me you're on your way.

You: ETA 10 minutes.

Sammy: THANK GOD.

You giggle and continue to drive to Bucky's family mansion. At the gate, the security guard takes one look at you and immediately lets you in. You give him a pastry in gratitude before driving up the long gravel driveway.

You park beside Sam's car and hop out. The man at the door nods at you, opening the door wide for you to step in. You also hand him a pastry with a smile.

You head towards the back of the house where you hear a familiar, loud distant voice.

The closer you get, the louder the voice. You push through some of the men spilling out of the room until you're inside.

"-HOW MANY FUCKING MEN DO I GOTTA LOSE TO-honey?"

All eyes land to you. You give a sheepish wave, "Hi, sorry, is this a bad time?" You know it is but you feign ignorance.

Bucky sighs, running his hand through his brunette locks, "Just finishing up a meeting."

"Oh, I can wait-"

"No, no. It's fine. Think they all had enough of my shouting," he waves his hand, "Leave, you fuckers!" most of the people scurry out in an instant, not wanting to wait and see if Bucky changes his mind. A small group stay behind, Bucky's closest friends and confidants: Sam, Joaquin, Yelena, and Nat.

You approach them, setting yours and Bucky's drinks in front of him. You open the pastry box in your hands and hold it out to the four, "Take your pick!"

"You're Heaven sent!" Sam exclaims as he grabs a donut and shoots you a wink. You give him a smirk and a nod.

Joaquin grabs a danish, practically stuffing the entire thing in his mouth.

"Did you eat today, Joaquin?"

He shakes his head as he continues to chew the danish. You lift the box higher, "Take as much as you want."

He gives you a grin as he grabs two more pastries and follows Sam out the door.

"Ladies?"

"I'm good," Nat says with a shake of her head in decline.

"Hell yeah, donuts!" Yelena exclaims as she grabs the glazed twists. She hums in delight as she takes a bite, "Thanks, Y/N!"

You chuckle, "You're welcome, Lena."

The two women look to Bucky to see if he needed anything else. Bucky sips his coffee and waves them off and the two file out the door, closing it behind them.

You turn back to Bucky, "Yours are at the bottom," you place the pastry box in front of him.

Bucky's eyes narrow at you, a hint of a smirk on his lips, "Who called you?"

"No one called me."

"So if I check your phone-"

"Technically, Sam texted me. He didn't call me."

Bucky scoffs and shakes his head, "Of course he did."

You walk over to the other side of his desk. He leans back in his chair and you sit on his arm rest, "Bad day?" You begin to run your fingers through his hair and he leans into your touch with a sigh, "Another shipment got intercepted. We lost some guys."

"'M sorry, baby."

"I'm getting real fucking tired of Hydra. And none of my people can find shit out! Anytime they snag one of their guys, they kill themselves before we get any answers. Fucking cowards."

You wrap your arms around Bucky's bulking frame, "You'll figure it out. You always do. Besides, I'm sure Lena and Nat have something cooking, right?"

"Supposedly, but they won't tell me what yet. They're trying to iron out the details."

"Just let them handle it in the meantime. Now, how about a treat?" you grab one of the pastries that you know he loves and he takes a bite. He moans at the taste and his shoulders drop in relief.

He washes it down with his coffee and he looks at you with shining blue eyes, "You really know how to make a guy feel loved, honey."

You giggle, and wipe some crumbs off his chubby cheeks, "Well, duh, I do love you," you peck his lips, "Ease up on everyone, will ya? I know things are tense, but they're all doing the best they can. You can't afford to lose more people."

He slowly nods, "You're right. Fuck, you know, maybe you should step down and take over, hm?"

You throw your head back and laugh, "Oh, please, I'd run your family into the ground! No one would listen to me-"

"Baby, a majority of my people listen to you already."

"...I don't know how to lead people or how the inner workings of all this," you gesture around you, "goes."

Bucky shrugs, "I can teach you. Besides," he takes your left hand, thumb grazing over the diamond ring on your finger, "you should start learning some things anyway."

"Let me just live in ignorant bliss until after the wedding, Barnes," you pat his plump cheeks and he grins at you, eyes soft and full of love.

[izels-writing]

r. lupin — nargles, wrackspurts, and moly necklaces, oh my!

Pairing: remus lupin x fem!whimsical!reader

Summary: remus realizes he’s been a bad boyfriend.

Warnings: remus is a little dumb, i tried to portray an eccentric reader and failed i apologize, used the same three creatures im so sorry😭, slightly specific, NAMECALLING (not by anyone important), LET ME KNOW IF I MISS A WARNING!!

KINDA WANNA MAKE A PART TWO—LET ME KNOW IF YOU’D WANT ONE!!!

the first thing remus lupin noticed about you was your smile. it was subtle and contagious, but warm all the same. you were very beautiful, that he was sure of.

"oh hello," you introduced in a soft kind voice. "don't suppose you're looking for nargles as well? me and my friend lena are searching for them,"

remus paused. "i'm...i'm sorry...nargles?" he'd never heard of those before.

"yes, have you seen them?" you asked lightly. "they stole my friend lena's shoes, her brother said it had to be nargles,"

remus shook his head, afraid he'd say something insensitive. you hummed, looking dazed—or rather, in your own little world. he'd seen you around before, every once in a while, but he didn't really know your name.

"very well, thank you," you hummed, turning to walk away.

"wait!" he called out louder than he meant to. you turned around, surprised, but curious nonetheless. "what's your name?"

you smiled. "i'm y/n, nice to meet you. goodbye now," and you were off, not a care in the world.

remus wasn't sure what it was that attracted you to him, be it your carefree nature or your beauty—but he had to get to know you.

——

TWO YEARS LATER...

"uhm, why are we out here again, love?" remus asked, following behind you as your wand illuminated you both a path through the forbidden forest. it was day time, but the forest was still rather dark. you jumped over a tree root and stood there, looking around the forest with a rather dreamy look on your face.

"have you got a wrackspurt in your ears?" you giggled. "we're looking for any sign of the crumple-horned snorkack, lena's brother xeno said there's been sighting near hogsmeade,"

remus was quite sure there was no such thing, especially since he knew xenophilius liked to trick you and lena often. you two were best friends and rather...eccentric. you believed in many things others didn't, but perhaps lena might've been more quirky than you—making you the perfect pair. unfortunately for you, lena was in your shared dorm recovering from the flu.

but remus also enjoyed spending as much time as he could with you.

"i figured if anyone could help me find it, it'd be you—your werewolf senses will come in handy," you said  in a distracted hum.

remus liked that about you too, you'd figured out his furry little problem two months into dating him—and you never treated it like a disease, always looking for a bright side to the curse.

"besides, i figured you'd enjoy coming along—since no one will see us together," you said calmly, continuing to walk into the forest. remus' eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he followed after you quickly.

"how do you mean, love?" he asked calmly, putting a hand on your shoulder. you stopped, turning to him.

"well, i've noticed that you enjoy doing things where people won't see us," you said in a thoughtful tone, though your eyes told an entirely different story. "if you're embarrassed to be seen with me, you should've told me," you explained.

remus looked at you shocked. "what?! no, of course i'm not embarra—how could you think that?"

for the first time in his life, remus noticed a fiery look in your eye as your eyebrows furrowed angrily. "your friends and family don't know you have a girlfriend, we only see each other after curfew, and you hardly talk to me in classes where it’s not just the two of us," you said sternly, your voice still it's soft melodic tone.

truth be told, you were right. and perhaps he was slightly embarrassed, but not for the reasons you thought. he was afraid of what everyone would say, him, a werewolf, dating such a kind and beautiful girl? not to mention, you and remus were very different. while he was logical, you were emotional. while he believed in the facts, you were open minded to all possibilities. he was afraid his friends would make terrible fun of you.

was he embarrassed of you?

"let's just finish looking, dinner will be soon," you said softly, turning to continue walking. he followed behind, attempting every way he could to measure just how mad you were at him.

——

"thank you for looking with me," you said gently, getting in your tippy toes to kiss remus' cheek. "i'll let you get to your friends now," you added, pulling back.

before you could turn and walk off, remus grabbed your hand. "who're you having dinner with? i thought lena was still sick?" he asked.

"she is," you replied fancifully. "i was going to sit at the end, watching for any nargles," you assured.

remus shook his head. "come, have dinner with me and my friends,"

"why?" you asked curiously. "oh, i made you upset earlier, didn't i? your face did that twitch,"

"what? no! i'm not upset, you had a point, i think you should meet my friends and family," remus replied. "we've been dating for a year now, what better time than now, right?"

you hummed in agreement. "yes, but i don't suppose they've got moly necklaces? like the one i gave you for christmas?"

remus tried to hide his amusement as your concern for his friends not having a small jar of moly made into a necklace. it was a perfect plant to counteract enchantments, but you liked to make it more appealing and accessible to eat if needed. you cared, in your own eccentric way.

"well, no," he replied softly.

"well, then i can't meet them yet! it's bad luck to not give people moly necklaces when you want to impress them! i'll meet them tomorrow!" you said determinedly in your soft, breathy voice. you turned to leave, but spun around one last time to give him a quick kiss on the lips, before beginning to dart down the hall.

"where are you going?!" remus called out, smiling admirably at you as you walked away from him.

"to make necklaces!" you called back softly.

——

divination class was one of your favorite classes, and it was one of the few classes remus actually talked and worked with you in. he was your table partner, of course, so it only made sense.

"well, my dream was morbid. i saw a dead body," he mumbled quietly to you.

you thought carefully. "one body or two?"

"one," he replied.

"you're going to fail your next potions test," you finalized, extremely confident in your statement.

he smiled at you, chuckling slightly before nodding at your journal. "what was your dream last night, love?"

"oh it was terrible," you sighed. "i couldn't find my potions textbook, and then my stuff kept disappearing left and right. and then people, you weren't there at all—it felt scary. but, i suppose it was the night hag paying us both a visit." you shrugged.

you had a knack for doing that, saying something very intimate but brushing it off with some creature. remus, at the beginning of your relationship, didn't know what to make of it. now, he just went along.

"i make you feel safe?" he asked softly, looking for your eyes.

"of course! who else if not you?" you replied, as though it were obvious.

remus smiled softly to himself.

"everyone else just thinks i'm mad," you smiled. "you actually listen to me," you placed a small kiss on his cheek.

——

though you didn't look it, remus could see you were a bit nervous to have dinner with his friends. you clutched the necklaces of moly tightly, waiting and watching as you waited for him outside the door the great hall. truth be told, he was more than nervous.

what if they made fun of you? what if they didn't like you? they were his only friends—his brothers, what would he do without them?

he went up to you, fixing his sweater collar. you looked beautiful, wearing a dark red shirt with a low-cut black overall dress over it and lacey tights with your mary-janes. your hair was neatly brushed and your makeup was minimal but precise. you looked like you were putting in effort, but still yourself.

“hello, love,” he smiled, pretending to be subtle as he checked you out. you smiled, “hello, rem,”

“come on, let’s meet the boys, i promise they’re fun once you get to know them,” he mumbled to you, to which you nodded. you didn’t try to reach other for his hand, feeling it wasn’t the right moment, but he did it instead—showing you that he really wasn’t embarrassed of you.

you both walked into the great hall, clutching his hand with one of your hands and holding the moly necklaces in the other. you spotted his friends—james potter, sirius black, and peter pettigrew—and felt a feeling you’d never felt before.

shy.

remus pulled you beside him as the two of you faced his friends, smiling at you before turning to them. to say they were shocked was an understatement.

the three of them looked between the two of you, confused and amazed all the same. especially as they glanced at the two of you holding hands, as you both sat right in front of them.

“this is y/n, my girlfriend,” remus emphasized to the three of them, before turning to you. “y/n, these are my mates sirius, james, and peter,”

“oh uhm…” james said, still recovering from his intial shock.

“has a wrackspurt interfered?” you asked before you could stop yourself, leaning close. “they can be tricky things, aren’t they?”

sirius smiled widely. remus thought for sure this dinner was going to be cut short, as sirius didn’t exactly have a talent for being sensitive.

“i’m sorry…did you say…wrackspurt?” he asked again. remus closed his eyes, fearing and dreading the worst.

“yes,” you replied in your dreamy tone. “do you know what they are?”

sirius chuckled, but not in a humorous way. “uhm, pandora burke , xenophilius lovegood’s girlfriend, she was telling me about them at some pureblood party we were both forced to attend. just hadn’t heard anyone else talk about them? do magical creatures interest you?”

remus opened his eyes, relieved and no longer bracing for impact that was tension.

“yes! i hope to be a mazooligist after graduating,” you added.

“that’s amazing, my dad knows plenty of them, says they’re always looking for interns over the summer—maybe i can ask for you?” james suggested. remus furrowed his eyebrows a bit. he didn’t know that.

“that would nice!” you smiled.

“what is that?” peter asked politely, pointing to your hand which still held the moly necklaces.

“oh! i almost forgot, these are for you,” you replied, handing each of them a necklace. “they’re molt necklaces, great plant for countering enchantments. i also topped it with butterbeer corks, to keep the nargles away,”

peter smiled kindly, though confused because he didn’t exactly know what nargles were, and replied, “well, thank you very much,”

the three boys put them on immediately, without another word. soon enough, they began conversing with you and each other like they’d known you as long as remus had. despite your quirks and eccentric ways, they seemed to like you.

remus smiled softly. he had no idea what he’d been so afraid of.

you and his friends were going to be just fine together.

[ailoda]

updated: 01.02.25

ᯓ ✈︎ series

D-Day (❤❅✘): after finding out his girlfriend is pregnant, Jake is ready to move in and get married. The last thing he expected was to be hit with a six-month deployment at sea and missing the birth of his first child. (@trickphotography2)

Line of Sight (❤❅): you may just have to address your assumption that Jake Seresin doesn’t care for you at all, because surely a man who disliked you wouldn’t go out of his way to have your back when you need him the most? (@honkytonk-hangman)

Fuck: The Universe (❤❅✘): you're a Kazinsky -- Tom "Iceman" Kazinsky's youngest daughter -- and you've taken after your father to become a Naval aviator. You finished at the top of your class at Top Gun and have worked diligently and fruitlessly to get where you are now: North Island. You don the call-sign Wisteria not only because the beauty of the flower but because of its lethal qualities. Jake "Hangman" Seresin is the bane of your existence and he returns those feelings towards you tenfold. Jake thinks that you've gotten everything handed to you and has no trouble telling everyone that. When things finally boil over one day (in a shower cubicle on base of all places), you find unlikely companionship in Jake. Who knew lemon-lime Gatorade and Plan B would be the start to your love story. Or enemies to fuck buddies to friends to lovers. Whichever you prefer! (@roosterbruiser)

Left At The Altar (❤❅✘): when you get left at the altar, a familiar face swoops in to save the day. (@tip-top-cloud-surfer)

What is L-O-V-E? (❤❅✘): Lena Bradshaw (formerly Seresin) struggles once again to keep the peace between her ex-husband Jake and her older brother Bradley for her son's sake. And the uranium facility mission only seems to heighten the stakes of it all. (@tip-top-cloud-surfer)

Spring Fling (❤✘): you should have known the ‘no refunds’ detail on the website for Spring Fling was a red flag. But you paid no mind to it, eager to be assigned a quick fuck for spring break. When the man that walks through your cabin door is none other than Jake 'Hangman' Seresin, your wildly infuriating fellow pilot, you have two choices: bicker the entire time and have a miserable spring break, or fuck. (@ddejavvu)

Oh, Baby (❤❅✘): you might not have been his girlfriend, but when you left town one night a month after sleeping together, it completely broke Jake’s heart. Now, a year later, you’ve returned and you’re not alone. You have a new little companion that just so happens to bear a startling resemblance to Jake. (@seresinhangmanjake)

Bad Habit (❤❅✘): the moment you meet hangman, you know you hate him. and then suddenly, you’re not so sure anymore. (@seasonsbloom)

new! Sign of the Times (❤❅✘): you're destined to die in Jake Seresin's arms. In every life, in every iteration, it's inescapable. Whether you loathe, or love each other, each ending stays the same. But what if it doesn't have to? (@se7entyrell)

[yelenasdiary]

Yelena x fem reader angst hurt/comfort??🫠👀

Yelena feels unloveable and reader is UPSET about it

Under The Oak Tree

Pairing: Yelena Belova x Fem! Reader

Summary: Yelena has been avoiding you, so when she finally is home, you ask her some questions.

Angst, Hurt & Comfort

Warnings: R asks Yelena if she’s cheating, General self-insecurities, mentions of drinking, mentions of Red Room | 1.6K

Translations: detka (baby),

AC: Thank you for sending this! I hope you enjoy! x 

October Special Masterlist 2024

The compound was loud with light chatter while you tried to stay focused on the conversation Wanda and Natasha were trying to have with you. Inside your mind, it was full of questions and worries you had for Yelena. She had been avoiding you for what felt like months. Conversations with her were short and sweet, she would come home late at night just to be gone while you drank your morning tea, you even noticed that she struggled to be in the same room as you recently. 

Right now, she was on her way back from a mission that Kate had dragged her along too and although things between you both are cold right now, you still miss her. You missed making her laugh, cooking for her after a long day, bickering with her and feeling her wrap her arms around you when she’d walk through the door. You kept thinking back to when things started to feel odd, there was no arguments that you could remember, there wasn’t anything that you knew of that happened on a mission that might have upset her, and you were sure that if she wasn’t doing okay that she would speak to Nat. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Natasha’s voice brought you back to the conversation in front of you. 

“Uh? Oh sorry, I didn’t really sleep well last night. I might get some coffee” you gave the woman a soft smile before you excused yourself from the table. 

You grabbed the pot of coffee and began to pour yourself a mug, you barely drank coffee and Natasha knew that. “Must’ve been a real bad sleep if you’re drinking coffee” she said, slightly startling you. 

“I guess I don’t do well by myself” you replied as you looked up at her. 

“What’s going on?” She asked, watching as you took your first sip. You debated with yourself for a moment if it was worth asking Nat if she had worries about Yelena or maybe you were just overthinking and asking her might be overstepping but what if Nat didn’t know anything? 

“You can talk to me, you know that, right?” She added. You sighed heavily, “I’m worried about Yelena” the words left your lips and from the light nod Nat gave you, she knew something was up. 

“Do you wanna talk about this in private?” She asked just as Kate entered the room.

“Ooo! Fresh coffee!” The young Avenger chirped as she made her way over to you. Yelena stood in the doorway, locking eyes with you, she gave you a soft smile. 

“I think I should go talk to her” you said to Nat, handing your mug of coffee to Kate, “here, have mine, I only took a sip” you smiled at her before walking over to Yelena. 

“Hey” she smiled. Oh, how you’ve missed her smile, she seemed to be in somewhat a better mood. “Can we talk, please?” You asked. She nodded, seeing the sadness in your eyes she knew this would be the time she had to be honest with you. “Do you want to go outside?” She asked. The weather was chilly but refreshing, still, you grabbed your coat and followed the blonde outside. 

The two of you took a seat under the big oak tree, a place you often found yourself sitting whenever you were free and at the compound. Your hands placed comfortably on your knees while Yelena’s eyes were glued to her feet, silence filled the air, draining out the distance sounds of New York City. 

“Is e-everything okay?” You asked, breaking the silence. 

Yelena looked over at you before her eyes dropped once more, “I don’t want to force you to talk to me Lena, but, I care you, a lot and recently, I feel like maybe you’re….I don’t know, I just feel like you’re avoiding me” you added. Silence filled the air once more, this time Yelena stood up. 

“Please don’t walk away” you begged. 

“I wasn’t” she looked at you, “I just want to be able to look at you when we talk about this” she added.

“Talk about what exactly?” 

“The issues we’re having” she replied, kneeling in front of you before she took a deep breath. “I don’t know how to tell you this because I know it’s going to hurt you and I never, ever want to hurt you” 

Your mind started racing once more as you looked into her eyes, she was so good at hiding things, sometimes you hated that. “Are you cheating?” You asked without thinking about the questioned. 

“What? Detka, no! I’d never do that” Yelena quickly assured you, reaching for one of your hands, “I’ve tried so many times to find a way to tell you this and every time, I feel like it makes me sound like a selfish prick. But recently, I’ve been dealing with somethings, some thoughts about myself and who I am” she added, her thumb gently stroking the back of your hand. 

“Whatever it is Lena, it can never be selfish” 

“You say that now but it’s not easy to say this because I know how much you care about me and how much you do for me and somehow I still –“ she paused for a moment, her eyes dropping to her feet so you wouldn’t see the tears building in her green eyes. You gave her a moment to gather her thoughts, not wanting to rush or put any pressure on her to finish her sentence. 

“When I say this, please don’t think that it’s you because it’s not. I promise it’s not” she said, finally looking up at you once again, her eyes filled with tears ready to break and stream down her face. 

“Hey…baby, I’m here for you and whatever this is, we can get through it” you assured her, cupping her face gently. One blink and her tears fell, your thumb catching them as they streamed down her cheeks, “I s-still feel….unlovable” the blonde said. Her words broke your heart, all these weeks she’s been avoiding you to fight her own thoughts, thoughts you wanted to be there to help her through, to give her peace of mind that she’s one of the strongest person you’ve ever met.

“Baby, where is this coming from?” You asked, wiping her tears. 

“Sometimes I look in the mirror and… I don’t even recognize myself anymore. It’s like all the things I’ve done, all those years in the Red Room, they haunt me” she confesses. “I did terrible things. I hurt people. I…I can’t help but feel unlovable because of it. Like I’ll never be worthy of how you see me” she adds as tears flood her cheeks.

“Yelena, you’ve fought so hard to be who you are now. Those things don’t define who you truly are. I don’t love you because of your past, I love you because of who you are” you assure her, your own heart aching knowing your words have little to know effect on her.

Yelena slightly pulled away from you, “sometimes, I feel like that little girl in that room is still inside me. She whispers those terrible thoughts into my ear and… I believe her” she wiped her endless tears on the collar of her shirt as she took a step back from you, “I don’t want to hurt you with my baggage. I don’t want to drag you down, I won’t” she adds.

“Darling, please, listen to me, you are not the person Red Room made you. You are so much more than your past. You’ve created a life filled with love and friendship. You mean everything to me, to Nat and your parents. You chose to fight against all that darkness, to become someone better. Somebody who is so, so loveable, somebody who cares so deeply for the people you love. Red Room didn’t do that, you did that” you stood up, reaching for her hand. 

“You took something horrible and saved so many lives. When you killed Dreykov, you freed so many girls just like you and Natasha. You don’t allow yourself to see that, or to even acknowledge just how much good you do. You are anything but unlovable” you added. 

“But what if one day you see me for what I really am? What if you can’t love what’s left after all the training and lies?” She asks, searching your eyes for an answer. Gently you cup her face once more, wiping her tears again. 

“Then I’ll love that too. Because I love every single piece of you, the good and the bad, the softness and the strength, the scars and the smiles. If I could make you see yourself the way I do, I would do so in a heartbeat. But all of this is part of your journey and I’ll be damned if I let the little girl from the Red Room tell you that you are not deserving of love, because I don’t see anybody else more deserving than you. Do you hear me?”

“D-do you really mean that?” Yelena asked through her soft sobs. 

“With everything I have, and I will happily spend the rest of my life reminding you how you deserve love, how loveable you are and goddamn it how unbelievably strong you are” you smile ever so softly at her. Without a second thought, Yelena crashes into you, hugging you tightly. 

“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you” she whispers as you both enjoy the comfort of being held by one another, “you’re not alone another, darling, I promise” you reply.

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[spaceman-earthgirl]

Supercorptober Day 28: Book

ao3 fic link. ao3 series link. - Thanks to @itistakingover for this idea!

Kara knows she’s in trouble. She can see it as soon as she walks into their apartment and sees her sister sitting at the dining table, book closed in front of her.

“We need to talk.”

There’s no preamble, Alex getting straight to the point, which means Kara’s in even more trouble than she thought.

It also means there’s no getting out of this.

“I can explain,” Kara starts, even though she can’t. Or, well, she can, but Kara knows Alex won’t be taking any of her excuses, not this time.

“Kara, this has to stop,” Alex continues, ignoring her. “We can barely afford rent and food and all the bills that are piling up and you brought another book. You promised you wouldn’t.”

Kara swallows. She thought she’d hid the book better, but Alex must have found it as it’s sitting on the table between them.

Kara’s glad she took a bag to the bookstore today, Alex would be extra upset if she knew that in Kara’s bag is a new book she bought less than half an hour ago.

Kara opens her mouth but Alex cuts her off. “And don’t you dare tell me you had to buy it.”

“But Alex, I did!” It’s really not her fault, she wishes Alex could see that. “I was at the bookstore and Lena was there and I had to buy it or else she’ll wonder why I was in the store again.”

“Oh my God, Kara,” Alex groans, head falling forward, knocking against the table.

Kara, alarmed for a moment, rushes to her sister’s side. “Are you okay?”

Alex sits up, levels Kara with a glare. “You have to stop spending all our money on books. We all know you have a crush on Lena, we all know that’s the only reason you go to her store so often. So please, for the love of God, just ask her out so you’ll stop buying so many books.”

“No, that’s not-“

“Kara, please, just don’t. Yes, I know she’s pretty and I know she’s smart and funny and whatever else you have to say about her. That’s no reason to spend all our money. All you need to do is ask her out and then you’ll get to see her whenever you like and we won’t get kicked out of our apartment because we can’t pay the rent.”

“I...” Kara bites her lip. “What if she says no?”

Alex looks surprised because yes, maybe it is rather obvious that Kara has a crush on Lena, but this is the first time she’s admitted it. Or is close to admitting it anyway.

“Trust me,” Alex says. “She won’t. You’ve both got it as bad as each other.”

Alex has said this before too but Kara has never listened, because there’s no way it’s true. Kara is in way too deep with a girl she only knows because she visits her bookstore so often. To Lena, Kara is probably just another customer who spends a lot of money, which means being nice to her is good for business.

“So,” Alex says, pulling Kara from her thoughts. “You promise you won’t buy any more books? And this time actually mean it?”

“But what if she-“

“No.” Alex cuts her off. “That’s it, come with me.”

Kara is alarmed as Alex abruptly stands and grabs onto her arm. Kara stumbles a little as she follows her sister.

“Where are we going?” Kara asks as Alex drags her out of the apartment.

“We’re going to the bookstore so you can ask Lena out.”

Kara stops on the spot, pulling Alex to a stop too. “No.”

Alex turns and tugs on her sisters arm again. “Yes. It’s either this or we’re going to starve because I know the next time you see her you’ll want to buy another book and we just can’t afford that.”

Considering that that’s exactly what happened this morning, Alex might be right.

“But,” Kara starts, except that only excuse she can think of not to do this is because she’s terrified. Which is a pretty good excuse in Kara’s opinion.

“No buts. Please, we need that money.”

Kara sighs, Alex is right.

“What do I even say?” Kara asks, starting to walk again on her own, surprising Alex again.

“Hi Lena, I’ve been in love with you forever and I want to have your babies.”

This time, Kara glares at Alex.

Alex laughs. “Ok fine. You just say, ‘Hi, I really like you, do you want to go out for coffee sometime?’”

“That sounds too easy.”

“It is that easy,” Alex agrees, though Kara still doesn’t believe her.

Kara stops again once they arrive at the store, standing outside, too scared to go in knowing what Alex wants her to do. And she wants to do it too, has dreamed of this, of actually telling Lena how she feels, or Lena asking her out, any version that it goes well and she gets to be with Lena.

Kara sees Lena through the window and despite the fact that Lena is talking to a customer, she happens to look up and catches Kara’s eye through the window. Lena gives her a small smile and wave and something in Kara’s chest loosens.

This is Lena, who always makes time to chat with her in store, who is always nice and friendly and is kind to everyone she meets. Lena, who is always willing to help Kara with any book request, no matter how silly it is and always makes her feel so warm and welcome.

Lena, who she is in love with and maybe does want to have her babies, but she’ll never admit that out loud.

“Go on,” Alex urges and Kara takes a deep breath before she steps through the door. The bell jingles above her head and even that is comforting in its familiarity.

Alex follows her in and Kara is glad her sister is here, even if she’s probably just going to embarrass herself.

Alex wanders off, making herself look busy looking at books but Kara stands awkwardly in the middle of the store, unsure what to do.

It’s a few minutes before Lena is finished with the customer and then she immediately makes her way towards Kara.

“Kara, what a nice surprise. Was one book not enough for you today?”

Kara shoots a quick look at her sister and finds Alex glaring at her, so obviously she’d heard and hadn’t figured out Kara had already bought a book today.

Lena catches the look, glancing between them. “Is everything okay?”

Kara shakes her head, and then just goes for it. Honestly is good, right? “No, Alex is upset I keep buying books.”

Lena looks confused. “Is that a bad thing?”

Kara bites her lip. “Yes, when I’m spending all our rent money on books.”

Lena still looks confused. “Oh I-“

Kara cuts her off. “Let me explain?”

Lena pauses and nods.

“It’s not the buying books part that is bad, it’s that I’m buying books I don’t need because I come in here just to see you but use the books as an excuse.”

Lena’s eyes widen. “Oh.”

“And I have genuinely enjoyed all the books I’ve brought from you, but the main reason I come in here most days is just to see you.”

Lena smiles. “I know.”

“What?”

“I mean, I did think you wanted the books and I wouldn’t have let you buy them if I’d known you were spending your rent money. But I did know you were coming in here just to see me.”

“Oh.” It’s now Kara’s turn to not know what to say. “Is that okay?” Kara finally asks when the silence stretches too long.

“Is what okay?”

“Is it okay that I come here just to see you?”

Lena nods. “I look forward to your visits. Every time the bell jingles, I hope it’s you.”

Kara bites her lip, her heart skipping in her chest. This isn’t how she saw today going at all. “Does that mean if I ask you out for coffee, you’ll say yes?”

Lena presses her lips together, her cheeks pink as she nods. “I’d really like that.”

“I really like you,” Kara replies, the words tumbling from her mouth without much thought but as soon as she’s said them, she regrets it immediately. What if that’s not what Lena meant, what if she-

Kara’s thought process is derailed when Lena reaches out and takes her hand, warm fingers slipping between her own.

“I really like you too,” Lena says, voice soft and eyes bright.

Kara could spend forever looking into Lena’s eyes, trying to figure out exactly what colour they are.

“Thank God.” 

Both Kara and Lena startle at the interruption, Alex suddenly beside them.

“Sorry to break this up but Lena, you have a customer.”

Lena’s cheeks go properly red this time as she turns and sees a customer at the counter.

Lena turns back to Kara. She takes her hand, pulls a pen out of her pocket and scribbles something on Kara’s hand. 

“I have to go, but text me?” Lena asks, shy again like they didn’t just both admit they like each other. Of course, Kara isn’t going to say no.

Kara nods as she watches Lena go and help the customer. She looks down at her hand and sees Lena’s number written in blue ink, a little heart beside it.

Alex bumps her side. “Told you.”

Kara grins. “Thank you.”

“It was entirely selfish, I just wanted you to stop spending money,” Alex says but Kara knows that’s not true. It’s definitely partly true but by the way Alex is smiling at her, Kara knows her sister is happy for her too.

Kara links her arm with Alex’s. “Donuts to celebrate?”

Alex laughs. “At least now you can go back to spending all your money on food.”

Kara waves at Lena as she leaves, Lena sending her another small smile that makes Kara warm from the inside. She can’t wait for their first date.

[wandamaximoffsbadgirl]

My Favorite Pet

Touch Me (1)

BDSM Preformer!Fem!Reader! X subby! Wanda

Summary: You've hit your limit when you can't find a partner to click with at work until a new plaything comes along.

Warnings: 18+ MDNI!, obviously BDSM themes at play, collar leash play, exhibitionism and voyeurism, pet play, pet names (R is referred by W as Mommy, W is referred by R as pet and plaything along with amor) degradation, praise, R uses strap on W, rope play, vibrator use, edge play, aftercare

Word count: 4.5K

A/N: I loved writing this, and I still have more I want to do with this, so if you like it, there could be a part 2 in the future

Having all eyes on you was something you normally dreaded. You hated knowing that people were looking or staring at you. Normally you’d want to be invisible, but not now; not on stage. Fuck did it feel good to have people watching you get degraded or degrade someone else. To toy and tease, bending to your pleasure. 

You stood above him, cold as you played through your scene; distant. As soon as it ended, you were gone, far away from him and everyone else. Of course, though, he yells after you are trying to get you to stop. You hate it when anyone yells at you, but more specifically, men. 

“What the hell is wrong with you, Y/N!?” He asked as you stopped. Everyone around had their eyes on you, and you shook in place. “Well? What the hell was that? There was nothing behind that! No feeling. No emotion! How are we supposed to give them a good show when it’s all fake?” 

You kept walking, ignoring him and his words. It didn’t matter to you anymore. They’re all the same, and none of them are satisfying to you. 

“Fuck this I’m done. Find yourself a new stage partner!” you started running until you went out the back door, out of breath as you fall down. 

How are you supposed to keep this job when you can’t work with anyone here? You can’t do anything else. This is all you're good at. You are not going to go back to being a teacher again. You loved that, but this was on a whole other level of making you happy and paying the bills that’s for sure.

“Y/N/N?” You hear the familiar voice of your best friend, Kate, call out to you. You look up at her, and she realizes the tears in your eyes. “Oh Y/N, what happened?” She sits down next to you, the warm summer night air feeling good on your skin.

“I can’t work with any of them. There’s no feeling behind it and none of them want to work with me if I can’t do that, but I haven’t been able to do that since…” you shake your head trying not to think of bad thoughts, back to your last partner, well your last partner before Kate. You feel her arms wrap around you, pulling you close. 

“Listen to me. She’s nothing. Got it? She’s a shit person, and she doesn’t control you.” You nod slowly, choosing to think of the better times with Kate. You sniffled a bit, and Kate held you tighter. You and Kate had dated for a bit, but you two realized you were better as friends.

“You’ll be okay, let’s go home.” She got up, pulling you up with her. 

You hadn’t been to the club in a week even though the manager keeps calling you to ask if you want to do a performance. You can’t though…nobody wants you as their partner. You can’t put emotions into something that you have no emotion towards. 

You're lying on Kate’s couch with a blanket pulled up to your chin and scrolling on your social media. You've been staying here instead of your house because you didn’t want to be alone. Kate’s wife, Yelena, is pretty amazing, too. The three of you get along really well. She’s at the end of the couch with your feet on her lap as she watches something on TV. Your phone buzzes again, and it’s your manager, Natasha, who is Yelena’s older sister; you sigh and get Yelena’s attention before answering it. 

“Yes Tasha?” you asked, sounding exhausted even to yourself. You shifted onto your back and looked at Lena, who raised an eyebrow. Mouthing ‘Sestra?’ Which you nod to her.

“Can you come tonight? I need you to help out with a new girl. She’s going to be starting tonight. She’s a year younger than you and I think it’d be good for both of you.” You sigh again, not really wanting to go out tonight, especially not there where you have to dress up and put on a show. 

“Domme or sub?” you ask, noticing Yelena’s smirking.

“Sub it seems.” Submissive boys are fun to play with, but girls are always a lot more fun to play with.

“Alright…what time?” you could hear her perk up.

“The usual time. Five to close.” You sigh again. After not being there for a week, you were not looking forward to a nine hour shift.

“I’ll be there, no promises on how good I’ll be.” You let her know and hung up. You closed your eyes, and Lena spoke,

“We going to the club tonight?” Lena wiggled her eyebrows at you. As if doesn’t visit her sister every night or work on the back end of the business with Kate.

“Yeah there’s a new girl they want me to show her the ropes, literally.” you both laugh at the pun as Kate comes in the front door.

“What’s so funny?” She asks setting her keys down in the bowl they keep by the entry way.

“Y/N’s gotta show a new girl the ropes.” Kate’s expression falls.

“You two are idiots.”

“We’re your idiots though~” you say and get up with a smile. “This could end up being a fun evening.” 

You had Kate and Yelena take you back home so you could go choose an outfit. It was simple enough, just a red silk button-up with a black tie and a black button-up vest and some black dress pants as well as a pair of black loafers. You checked yourself over in the mirror and slicked your Y/H/C hair back. 

Your phone vibrates multiple times in a row, and you know it’s Kate. You smile and roll your eyes as you grab your phone. Five new text messages from her. 

≈≈≈

The club was always so quiet before hours as the three of you made your way inside past Bucky the bouncer who always loved to see you. Familiar faces on you, some happy and others not so much as you made my way to Tasha letting her know to send the new girl to your room and then headed there. Kate and Yelena stayed behind, grabbing a drink from the bartender, Scott.

You were putting the finishing touches on your make-up when there was a knock at your door. “Come in.” you called, when the door opened you looked through your mirror to see probably the most beautiful woman you had ever met, auburn hair, piercing emerald green eyes that you could see from across the room, she wore a short black dress with a red leather crop jacket, she wore knee high ripped stockings, and ankle cuff boots, the make-up around her green eyes was dark and smoky in a way that reminded me of high school.

“Hi you’re Y/N, right?” She asked and fuck she has an accent which is your biggest weakness. You love accents of all kinds and most of them turn you on. 

“Yes that is me. I unfortunately wasn’t told your name, just that you’re new and would be my new partner.” She smiled at you.

“Wanda. Wanda Maximoff.” She told me.

“Wanda...” You tested the name on your lips. “Beautiful.” You smiled and noticed her blush. “Come here.” You beckoned, and she finally stepped in, sauntering over to you. “Spin around.” She does as told, spinning slowly as I looked her over, drinking up every inch of her. “Stop.” you commanded as she faced you again. “Kneel.” She got down without a word of protest, “Such a good girl.” You smirk. “Now tell me, is there anything I should know about you, Wanda?” you ask and she pulls out the forms that everyone has to fill out of their kinks, hard limits, soft limits, and some personal questions mainly about health issues that your play partner should be aware of, allergies, and if you have any STDs. The last question is about safe sex which Wanda takes birth control much like myself. Not that you ever actually do it with the guys.

As far as tastes go, Wanda and you are pretty much on the same page with your likes and dislikes, which makes you smile. “I can work with this.” You tilt her chin up using your fingers. She had been looking at the floor this whole time, “Now for my own personal questions for you, Wanda. Which name do you like better, pet, puppy, kitten, baby, or something else entirely?” You ask her.

“Pet is always a good one for me. I tend to have Doms that tell me what I am, why does it matter which I like best?” She tilts her head to the side so innocently. 

“I want to get the best reaction out of you. The whole performance is you. All eyes on your reactions, and they need to be genuine. No form of play is good if you don’t follow one simple rule.” You tell her, and she tilts her head the opposite way. You lean down slightly, so you're eye level with her. “I may be the Domme, but you are in control of the whole scene. You’re the one who holds control over all of it.” You tell her, and she looks so confused. 

“What are you talking about? I’m not in control at all. You control me. You tie me up, you degrade me, you turn me into a dumb slut because you’ve fucked me until I can’t even think how am I in control?” you bite your lip at the idea of everything she just said to you, soaking it in and remembering it for your performance. 

“Safe word.” You start, “You hold all of the control because you hold the safe word. The thing that will end everything. Make me stop dead in my tracks and make sure you’re okay. Make sure you are safe.” You're looking into the deep emerald eyes, and she’s staring back into my own Y/E/C ones. “You really never had a good Dom who took care of you, did you?” You tilt your head.

“They took care of me in the way that mattered.” She tried defending, but I knew she didn't have a leg to stand on in this aspect.

“Aftercare.” You state simply, and she looks at you with her face contorting in confusion.

“What?”

“Have you ever had aftercare?”

“I...what is that?” Your heart sinks at her response.

“How many Dom/sub relationships have you been in?” 

“Seven.” She swallows hard. Seven BDSM relationships and not one of them took care of this girl?

“Aftercare is what you do when the scene ends. This is where the Dom makes sure that you come back from subspace in a safe way and not crashing back; it can have bad effects on your mental and physical health. I always have my subs tell me what they like best, for me personally when I’m the sub I tend to ask for cuddles and I can just scroll on my phone watching tiktok and YouTube shorts that I can share with my partner. I’ve had subs that ask for cuddles and words of affirmation, I’ve had baths after a scene is done, surprisingly I even had one that just wanted to always go for a walk in the park after.” ypu shrug, “Everyone is different. What is something you think you’d like to do?” You ask, and she thinks for a moment.

“I really enjoy cooking, and I’m always hungry after sex. I’ve always just cooked by myself, making a meal for my Dom.” She confesses.

“Well then, after we finish our performance, you and I can go back to my place, it’s only a few blocks away, and we can cook dinner. Does that sound good?” She blushes and nods. You cup her cheeks, brushing the pads of your thumbs across her cheeks, loving the feeling of her smooth skin beneath your tips. “I’m going to take care of you, Wanda. We have a long night ahead of us. While others perform until it’s our turn, luckily they saved us for last, we’ll be going around the club and introducing you to our clientele. I’ll introduce you as my pet or plaything. You have no name to them, at least as a sub. Well, even as a Domme, I shouldn’t have a name, but they all know me out there, so they call me by my name.” You let her know, and she’s listening intently. 

“Yes...uh...”

“Miss, Mistress, Master, Sir, Mommy. Whichever you prefer. I love all of them.”

“Yes...Mommy.” you smiled at her, running your fingers through her hair. 

“My good baby.” I haven’t felt like this since her. It's been so long since you thought you'd never feel like this with a partner again. “How about we get you all dressed up,  pretty girl. As much as I love this outfit you’ve chosen. I’d like you in something a little different.” You smirk, and she nods happily, ready and willing to follow. 

You get her dressed in a red lace lingerie set with black accents and roses over it, along with garter belts and a pair of black thigh highs. You get her all fixed up and dolled up. “There’s a pretty girl.” You put your thumb and middle finger on either side of her chin. “I can’t wait to have you screaming later.” You tease as you grab a little lacey red and black collar for her to match that you put on her, a little tag hanging from it that says ‘Property of  Y/N/N’ 

“Y/N/N?” Wanda questions.

“My nickname. It feels more personal than one that has my Domme title. Besides, I have like six that I rotate through. My nickname is always permanent.” You explain, and her biting her lip and blushing doesn’t go unnoticed by you. 

≈≈≈

“Y/N, Miss. Romanoff wants you on stage for a solo.” MJ, Natasha’s ‘assistant’ tells me, you internally and externally groan, rolling your neck. You're about to throw a tantrum when Tasha rounds the corner, giving you her signature look.

“Yeah, no. I’m having none of your attitude after ghosting us for a week. You’ll go up there, and you WILL have a good time. You’ll show your pet just how much fun solos can be. Do I make myself clear? Unless you want a punishment tonight?” Tasha asks, and it just makes you want to groan more. She grabs your face tightly, nails digging in, making you hiss. You aren't in the head space for that as you pull away. 

“Okay Tasha I get it. I’m not in a sub state of mind, so can you lay off.” You bite at her. Tasha was your oldest friend. Older than Kate and who you met in high school. Tasha and you go back to diapers, which is why she puts up with your bullshit at times and other times knowing when you need to be put in your place. Tasha and you have fucked around, you have for years, it was always a good time when you needed to not think for six or more hours.

“Then act like it. I set up your Playlist.” 

“Okay fine. Let’s go, pet.” You tug on the leash that is attached to the collar around her neck. When you get in front of the stage, you turn to Wanda. “Sit.” She sits front and center on the floor. “Good girl. Watch me.” 

“Who’s ready for some good entertainment!?” You call out, you're back to the crowd as they roar back as ‘Hey Look Ma, I Made it’ starts playing, and you're taking over the stage. Suddenly, you're a whole other person. Captivating everyone, locking eyes, you dance and sing around. Next plays ‘Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off’ and you smirk, looking at Wanda as you crawl over to her. So long as you don’t pull her up on the stage it’s still a solo performance. Tasha doesn’t have rules about involving audience members so long as they don’t come on the stage.

You fuck with her almost the whole song as you move around, touching yourself, moaning out as the crowd roars, money finding it’s way to the stage as you practically get yourself off in front of them. As the song crescendos, you feel an orgasm rack through your body as you lock eyes with Wanda, watching her squirm, thighs so tightly pressed against each other, and you smirk at her as your performance ends. Collecting your earnings and bowing as you get off the stage, grabbing Wanda’s leash and pulling her. 

“Let’s go. Now.” You pull her back to your dressing room, locking the door behind you. “Strip. Now.” She seems taken aback by it as you start taking off the little clothes you had left after your performance. She starts doing the same, and once you're both undressed, you push her back onto the bed in your dressing room. Moving yourself between her thighs, which are covered in her juices, you can smell her, and you feel hazy from how good she smells. Without asking you dive right in, letting your tongue swipe over her folds as she moans out, you moan out at how good she tastes, so fucking sweet,

“Ah! M-Mommy!” You flick both your tongue and your eyes up at her. Watching as her face twists in pleasure, expertly working your tongue over her and sucking on her clit. “Please...”

“Please what?” 

“Please fuck me.” you smirk at her words.

“Oh you can do better than that pet. Go on, beg for it.”

“Please Mommy fuck me with your fingers! Please fill me up with your fingers and make me cum until I can’t think!” you do as asked and push two fingers inside making her moan out as she grabs your hair, rutting against your face as you lay your tongue out flat for her to ride against as you pump your fingers in her. “F-Faster..Harder...” She’s whimpering and so you add a third finger making it a little harder to move as her walls clench around your slender digits. 

“Oh good girl, so tight for Mommy. Are you going to cum from Mommy’s fingers?” 

“Yes Mommy!”

“Did you enjoy my performance pet?”

“Yes Mommy!”

“Did you want to touch yourself when you saw me like that?” 

“Yes Mommy! I wanted to touch myself. I wanted to crawl on stage and eat you and please you and...ah...Mommy.” Her words sent fire to your core. 

“Cum.” you tell her and moments later she’s unraveling in front of you. A moaning, whimpering, mewling mess. “Good girl...so good for Mommy.” you lick up what you can off your face, moaning once more at the taste as you move up, brushing your thumb across her bottom lip, “Open.” She opens her mouth allowing your fingers inside as she looks you in the eye, cleaning them. “Mmmm fuck...” you felt that familiar feeling in your chest as your eyes bore into each other, the feelings she was sending through you. You knew what this was and you don’t think you've ever fallen faster.

“More?” you laugh a bit at her request.

“Oh you’ll get plenty during our performance, pretty girl. Don’t worry Mommy’s going to take good care of you.”

≈≈≈

When Wanda stood, she was taller than you, which meant on stage she'd be kept on her knees. You made sure she had on knee pads since we'd be performing for over an hour. 

“Hello out there to all you lovely people! Welcome to the last performance of the night here at The Red Room!” Of course, there were some people making disheartening noises. “Don't you worry my pet and I will make sure that this is a performance you can go home later and think about while you fuck yourselves!” you call out as you get things ready. “Now my pet is new. It is her first performance tonight. Shall I go easy on her?” A roar of no's came from the crowd. “Well I'm glad it's not up to you. I'm going to give her everything she wants and needs. When I'm done with her she's going to be a dumb slut with no thoughts.” you make a clicking noise with your mouth, signaling Wanda to come out, crawling as she makes her way to me. Before your performance you told her to keep her eyes on you unless you told her otherwise. Mostly to help with her nerves. When she got to your legs she nuzzled into them. Yoi ran your fingers through her hair. 

“I'd like everyone to meet my new pet to those who didn't get the opportunity earlier. She's a sweet little plaything, and I'm going to break her so good before your eyes tonight.” You look down at Wanda and smile as you grip her hair, pulling as she mewls. You loved hearing her sounds. She looked up at you, eyes already blown with lust just from the eyes on her. 

You get her up on the bed we have up on the stage. It has this amazing bathroom blanket for any messes that are made, which is amazing. 

“Strip.” She does as told, taking off her lingerie set you put her in, leaving her in only your collar, you smiled down at her. “Tão bonita.(So beautiful)” You speak in Portuguese, which throws her off momentarily, not knowing what you've said to her. 

You grab the ropes and start tying her up expertly. Doing your signature pentagram harness, whispering as you tighten the ropes down her arms, “Are you comfortable?” 

“Yes Mommy.” You smile and kiss her neck, nibbling and making sure you mark her up. She's yours. No one else is taking her from you.

You have her kneeling for you, back arched perfectly as the vibrator sits against her clit and you pound into her with your 8 inch strap. “Who are you?” you ask, grabbing her hair, pulling her against your chest. 

“Mommy’s dumb little cock slut!” She cries out. You’ve been edging her for just about an hour. Every time she's come close you stop everything and whisper sweet nothings in her ears. All the makeup she's put on is ruined and staining her cheeks from the tears in her eyes. “You look so cute when you cry, amor.” 

“M-Mommy please…can't take n’more. Cum Mommy?” She was begging and mewling as you left marks over her back. You push all 8 inches back inside, bottoming out as you push her face down into the mattress. 

“My fucking slut wants to cum?” you ask.

“Yes! Yes, Mommy! Please! Please, Mommy! Wan’cum on Mommy's cock!”

“Go on slut. Cum all over my cock.” Wanda cums on your command, shaking intensely as she squeezes so tight it's hard to move, but the friction is enough to get you off. “F-fuck!” you moan out as you bottom out inside her and rutt against her as she collapses beneath you. Completely engulfed in subspace as I slowly pull out of her. 

“Thank you, everyone. I hope you enjoyed my pet's first performance and any further tips are always appreciated.” You say with a bow as various customers and clients leave us tips on the stage. You leave Steve, who cleans up the stage between performances to clean it up as you untie Wanda, the rope marks deep in her skin, more marks from me. You toss aside the strap after the curtain has closed and pick Wanda up. She's taller than you, but you're strong enough to do this much as you take her back to your dressing room. Laying her down on your bed as you grab comfy clothes of sweatpants and a baggy shirt for her. Throwing leggings and a sweatshirt on yourself, not bothering with anything else for us besides shoes. “Let's go to my house, amor. Can you walk?” You ask, and she nods, but almost falls when she tries to stand on her own. “I've got you. Come on, let's go get you that aftercare.” You have your arm around her waist as you walk out.

You set Wanda up on your countertop as she figured out a recipe to make and you counted out your tips dividing it in half.

“Here you go, amor. Your half.” You hand it to her, 

“How much is it?” She asks, eyes coming off the screen as she looks at the wad I'm handing her.

“$750. Don't expect it every time. Our performance was new, and people were excited. I've had nights where I only make $50. Either way, though, just remember that there's always tomorrow.” You tell her.

“Y/N?” 

“hmm?” 

“How long have you done this for?” She asks, and you notice how she is now coming back fully as she looks around your penthouse. 

“10 years.” 

“How old are you?”

“28. I've been doing this since I was 18. Natasha and I go way back to being in diapers. Our parents were friends growing up. Tasha is a few years older than me and established the club while I finished up high school. Once I turned 18, she let me join the club.” Wanda nodded, listening.

“How many-”

“Too many. I'd rather not think about that, okay, amor?” You had cut her off. You didn't want to think about past partners. All you wanted was her at this moment. 

You move between her legs, kissing gently over the marks you've left on her neck. “I only want to think about you right now.” You admit against her neck, and you feel her relax.

“I'm okay with that.” You smiled against her neck. 

“How about we make some pasta? I've got a carb craving right now.” you ask, looking up at her. Though I'd be dominant all night, looking up at her from between her legs just felt right. 

“Sounds good to me.” She cupped your cheeks and leaned down, pulling you up so your lips met, and you melted a bit. She was perfect.

The two of you were curled up on your couch watching sitcoms. You had found out they were Wanda's favorites. You were lying down. You were laying on her mainly because she pulled you in this way. “Shhh I wanna hold you.” Had been her response, and you didn't argue with her. Laying here with your head on her chest, hearing her heartbeat as she gently scratched my scalp eventually lulled you to sleep.

[hollowtones]

my month-late PAX West post (& a catalogue of some things I saw and did and bought in September / late August)

PAX West was very fun this year. It was my first ever PAX and it was my first convention at all in maybe a decade. Any excuse to see friends is a good one & I love hanging out with the RTVS crew whenever I have the time and money to travel. ^_^ I even got to see some friends I've never seen in person before!!! (Thank you to Jill and Evan for the "Petal Crash" pin & thank you to Taxi for stealing my name tag by accident.)

I am very shy, and I have very severe social anxiety that causes me a lot of problems in my day-to-day life, so I almost didn't go to the RTVS meetup. People there were very sweet, though, so I'm glad I did. It feels very heartening to have people come up to you and tell you what the things you've made have meant to them. It was very hard to not cry. LOL

If you stopped by to say hi, thank you very much. I've been thinking about it through all of September and smiling a lot about it. ^_^

The rest of this post is largely pics of things Puzz and I picked up for ourselves. (And a little bit of talking about some other things we did.) I thought it would be fun to catalogue them. I tend to be a little thrifty, so I got to splurge on my wife. LOL

These were mostly things we got for Puzz because I didn't want to worry about lugging things home in a suitcase. But she keeps telling me they're our things, which makes me smile every time I think about it. Some of the pins are for me. I'd like to put them on my backpack... Hopefully they don't fall off. Jackie and Dodogama are friends.

The "Chicory" bag is a bit of a funny story. Puzz and I saw the "Beastieball" booth in the corner of the indie section. Very fun demo. Very cute booth. They have cool merch! I thought I saw Lena Raine working the booth, and I got really shy & nervous about making a poor impression, so I just kind of hid behind my partner. (I wish I had said hi, in retrospect... but we live and we learn...) So we just kind of shuffle off to the merch desk and talk to a very nice man there while we pick up some things. I work up the guts to say that I really like these games and that they mean a lot to me!! The guy says, well thank you, that means a lot to me and the team. Wow! Real swell guy, I'm thinking to myself. A day or two later Puzz and I are out to lunch with some friends and I just suddenly go eyes wide & mouth agape because I put two and two together in my head and realize Oh holy shit that was Greg Lobanov wasn't it. LOL

Puzz found a cheap copy of "999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors" for the DS at a retro game store's pop-up. They also had "A Bug's Life" for Game Boy Colour and a strategy guide for "Gex 3", both of which I wish I had picked up.

Mr. Basculin was a gift from Jake. Good news! Mr. Basculin is still alive.

This is all stuff that was given to me as gifts. (Aside from the con badges. They make you pay for those.) You've probably already seen the Bibi that Jake made me. "Chicken Run" was also from him. "Zapper" was from Puzz and the Gumby game (& the Bad Boe sticker) was from Scorpy. These games fuckin suck asshole!!!!!!!!! I'm obsessed with them & I'll cherish them forever. I also got a little rock and a human dog keychain.

I think Scorpy said a fan gave this to him at PAX East to pass to me eventually. I'm having a hard time reading the @ on it, but on the off-chance you see this: thank you so much. Every time I think about it I get a little teary-eyed. I want to get myself a little picture frame for it. (This is the first time someone's given me fanart like this before, and it made me very emotional. LOL)

Puzz and I only got 2-day passes for PAX, so we spent the rest of our time in Seattle hanging out with friends and seeing the sights. I don't feel like digging all the photos out right now, but we went to a really fucking nice jazz club (Dimitriou's Jazz Alley - great ambience, really good food, we saw Keiko Matsui live which was life-changing), we visited MoPOP (I hadn't been in years! It was alright! Puzz had some capital-t Thoughts about the whole place which was fun to listen to!), we rode the trains, I got a big bag of Dicks, we walked around downtown. There was this really nice coffee shop that I keep having dreams about, so I hope I can go back to Seattle soon. (Or at least eventually, next year.) Then we went to Portland for a day to say hi to a friend because the state was nearby.

Then we went back to Puzz's place in California. Then there was a major heatwave & a bunch of wildfires nearby... So we didn't have the chance to get out much in September. But that's okay. We've both been tired lately & I think we both badly needed some dedicated Not Doing Things time. It's just a shame that it was enforced by Dangerous Weather Conditions.

We got to visit some local friends and I got to try out more Bog-Standard Mediocre American Food. (Dunkin Donuts is just Tim Hortons. Olive Garden is kind of scary but the salad was really good and the breadsticks were fine. I had a middling hamburger from Jack In The Box tonight. Their milkshake was very good. I'm sure I'm forgetting others.) I went to a Macy's for the first time and the layout of the store made me have a panic attack. We went for nice walks and saw lots of nice critters and plants. I got to swim! I watched a mediocre PlayStation presentation! I turned 30 years old! Puzz took me to a very fancy and really nice Italian place for my birthday, in case you were worried that I was only eating garbage here. LOL

We got a lot of books.

Maybe too many. Also a Miles Davis vinyl for myself & some Gunpla as an early birthday gift for Puzz. And also the cookbook was a gift from family. But I'm very excited to tuck into more of these, hopefully soon. Some were for me and some were for Puzz but knowing us we're going to go "hey, I liked this one, you check it out" or "hey, I didn't like this one, but maybe you will" for a lot of them. I'm gonna start with "Annihilation" and the game essays book. ("House of Leaves" is a second copy for us, because my copy was originally Puzz's and I wanted them to be able to read it too.) I don't have room in my bags for much more than what I came here with, so we're gonna ship some of the books to each other when we're done reading.

It's been a very nice month... I feel very thankful to have a life full of love like this. I don't think I have anything else to add to this post! Thanks for reading.

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Musician Age Gap AU Pt 10

Kara sets her phone on do not disturb the instant the first unrecognized number flashes across the screen. Keeping hold of Lena's hand, she sits them both on the edge of the bed as she dials the only other person she wants to talk to.

"Kara!" Alex exclaims. Her voice then dims as she turns to call the others. "It's Kara!"

"Hey," Kara says, keeping her voice steady. "You're on speaker. I've got Lena with me."

Lena leans closer to the phone, resting against Kara's side in the process.

"Hi."

"Hi, Lena." As Kara expects, it takes more than a global superstar to faze her sister. "Are you two okay?"

Kara nods. "Yeah. We're okay."

"We're more concerned about you guys." Lena glances at Kara. "I'm worried your family might be pulled into this."

It will only be a matter of time before internet sleuths find Kara's old social media, and for her identity to be shared with the entire world. But where Kara had consented to her relationship with Lena, her sister's family hadn't agreed to be drawn into it along with her.

"We'll be okay," Kelly chimes in.

Lena shakes her head. "Let us send a car. We can get you to a hotel until we see how far they'll dig."

"Oh, I don't think that's necessary..."

"But what if it is?" Lena asks softly.

What about Esme, goes unsaid. A long beat of silence passes, and Kara imagines Kelly looking to Alex for guidance, and Alex's own indecision.

"Lena's team has more experience and greater resources to handle this sort of thing," Kara adds. "They can book you guys under fake names, assign security--"

"Security?" Kelly interrupts, her voice laced with fear. "You don't think..."

"We don't know anything at this point," Lena rushes in, doing her best to allay the immediate worry without downplaying the risk. "But I don't think we should assume the best, either."

Alex is the next to speak. To Kara's surprise, her sister doesn't speak to her.

"Lena."

Kara glances at the woman beside her. Lena's features are as somber as Alex's voice sounds, but her brow is creased with thought.

"How bad can this get?"

Lena takes a deep breath.

"I can't say for sure."

While it's not a firm answer, Kara knows Lena isn't sugarcoating anything-- it's just too soon and too volatile to anticipate an outcome with any kind of certainty.

"You've had high profile relationships before," Alex counters.

"Yes," Lena concedes. She takes a breath, shoulders sagging as though in defeat. "But this is different."

Alex makes the connection before Kara does.

"Because you're women."

A jolt travels down Kara's spine. She shoots a glance towards Lena, who looks at her helplessly.

"Yes," Lena confirms. "I've been in relationships with women before, but not publicly."

"Do you intend to hide this one too?"

Lena glances at Kara, cheeks flushing with guilt.

"That decision hasn't been made." That the option is even on the table sends a frission of displeasure through Kara, but Lena's tone-- while conciliatory-- is pragmatic. "But even the implication could make a lot of waves. And if people get angry, and they can't get to us..."

"They'll go after us," Alex finishes for her.

Lena nods, her features mournful. "It's a possibility. Online, in the media, or even picketing..."

Kara knows Alex's decision before she says it.

"Okay." Then, "just until we know more."

"Of course."

Alex sighs over the line. "Any other recommendations?"

"I would limit screen time; things might get... nasty. And the less you see, the less you might be tempted to join the fray."

Kara's thoughts turn to Esme, and as though reading her mind, Lena continues.

"Alex... Kelly... I know you don't know me. But-- I want to protect you and your family as much as I can in this. I wasn't much younger than Esme when all this started for me, and-- I don't want to make this any harder for her than it has to be."

Kara gives Lena's hand a squeeze, prompting Lena to lean a little more of her weight against her shoulder in return.

"Thank you, Lena," Kelly says, voice soft. "We appreciate your guidance on this."

Kara leans forward intently, bringing the phone a little closer.

"Lena's team will coordinate everything," she offers, "and I'll be in touch with more details as soon as I have them. We'll take each day as it comes, and adjust however we need to."

"Kara can send you my number," Lena agrees. "If any of you need anything, at any time, please call me."

"We will," Kelly promises.

Alex sighs. "We should go tell Esme."

Kara bites her lip. "She's seen?"

"Who do you think showed us?"

Shit. Kara's teeth grind in frustration. "Is she upset?"

"Nah. Not really. I think maybe a little hurt that she found out with the rest of the world, but mostly thrilled?" Alex sighs. "I don't know. Teenagers are hard."

That makes Kara chuckle. She wipes a tired hand over her face. Barely an hour had passed since she woke up, but it feels like a lifetime. "Yeah."

"We'll let you two go. Stay safe."

"You too," Kara returns. "We'll be in touch."

[natalievoncatte]

“Let her go,” said Lena.

“Not a chance, said the Atomizer. Or Atomo, or the Atomic Lad. Some idiot with a cheesy atom symbol on his jumpsuit and a beam projector strapped to his arm.

Lena knew why this guy hadn’t already been mopped up by Supergirl: he wasn’t worth her time.

This was, frankly, embarrassing. She wasn’t listening to his monologue, something about losing his job after Supergirl stopped a nuclear incident and he was found out to have violated safety protocols. He’d jury-rigged himself up some kind of particle beam, probably not enough to scratch the maid of might.

He was still giving it the old college try, so he’d kidnapped Lena Luthor on the logic that whenever Lena Luthor was in danger, Supergirl was quick to appear.

She’d been sitting here for four hours, tied to a chair at the docks on the west end in some dilapidated shithole warehouse. Supergirl was decidedly a no-show.

Lena could almost write this off as an inconvenience. This dipshit meant her no harm and she was, at least a first, sure that Supergirl would show up and this would turn into one of those heartwarming ones where she didn’t have to throw a punch and the bad guy ended up forgiving her.

He should. From the bits and pieces she heard, it was his fucking fault anyway.

There was a problem. It was making Lena’s heart race, her pulse pound, and a thin trickle of sweat run down the small of her back. Kara was in a chair just like hers, parked six inches away, and tied up.

She was also drifting in and out and had a knot on her head from where Captain Doofus here whacked her over the head with his arm beamer.

Her head perked up a little and she glanced at Lena, looked around.

“Whu… where am I?”

“You’re in the lair of DOCTOR ATOMOS!” he screamed. “I thought the Kryptonian would put in an appearance to save Miss Luthor, but she’s been a no-show, so I grabbed you. You’re her best friend, aren’t you?”

Kara shot Lena a furtive glance. “Not exactly.”

“Where is she? Why hasn’t she come? Do I need to grab that photographer, too? Jim Olden?”

“James Olsen,” Lena corrected.

“Shut up! I’ve broadcast to the city that if Supergirl doesn’t face me and admit what she did, I’m going to drop you two into the acid!”

“What acid?” said Kara.

Lena looked at her and looked down. They were both sitting on hinged grates positioned above a rather large vat of a nasty corrosive. Some toxic sludge that Lex probably had the company stockpiling here back in the back-when.

He was always ruining her day.

“I gave her an ultimatum,” he declared. “First one of you, then the other.”

Lena’s stomach dropped. Hard. She almost threw up her tuna wrap and kombucha. For some reason, the thought of her own shockingly horrific death -drowning in the acid, her lungs melting from the inside with no hope once she was submerged- was secondary.

Oh God. Oh God please not Kara.

“She’s not coming,” Lena said, firmly. “She’s busy or-“

“She wasn’t too busy to ruin my life!”

Kara looked frantic as she wriggled against the ropes holding her.

“Come on, come on come on come ON!” she thrashed. “Why now? Why now?”

The ‘villain’ paused. “Why now what?”

“Nothing. Just, listen. Don’t do this. You don’t want to add murder to your list of crimes.”

“I’m INNOCENT!”

“Then don’t start a list of crimes!” Lena pleaded.

He rounded on her.

“Look,” said Lena. “I’m Lena Luthor, I’ll get you a new job. I’ll build you a fucking power plant if that’s what you want. Just,”

“What, let you go?”

Lena looked at Kara.

“Let us go. Please. I’ll stay if you let Kara go.”

He belly laughed at her. “So she can tell the cops where we are?”

“You already announced where we are!” Kara snapped.

“Don’t hurt her. Please. Just not her.”

Kara turned slowly and looked at her.

“What’s your real name?” Lena asked, looking at their captor. “You know mine.”

“Ha! That hostage negotiation crap won’t work on me.”

He turned and headed for a pair of levers.

“Eeenie meanie miney moe,” said… the guy. Lena was not giving this bastard the dignity of a trade name.

“Kara,” said Lena. She felt strangely calm, looking at her… her best friend. Like she knew she needed to do this right in whatever little time she had, and her nerves gave her the gift of tranquility.

“Lena?”

“You mean so much to me,” Lena said. “I… I just want to… I wish I could…”

Oh, now she couldn’t get the words out. Perfect.

Kara looked at her wide-eyed, and terror flashed briefly in her eyes as the grate swung below her and she plummeted into empty air.

“KARA!” Lena wailed.

Splash.

Lena screamed, a wordless, titanic cry of agony that tore her throat and burned her lungs. When it faded she wailed again, words lost to her. Oh God.

“You monster!” Lena screamed, “you miserable fucking monster, you’d better fucking kill me too, because if you let me live I’m going to-“

Lena went silent as a shape rose through the hole in the floor, rising gracefully into the air. Supergirl hovered in the air, a scowl of righteous fury carved on her lovely face.

“At last, there you are!” Professor Douchebag snarled, aiming his arm at her.

Her eyes flashed and he screamed, suddenly tugging at the red-hot ruin strapped to his arm. Supergirl landed, and dragged Lena’s chair, and Lena with it, away from the grate.

She turned and sucked in a breath, flash-freezing his ruined weapon with a concentrated blast. With a contentious smack he knocked his helmet off, revealing a doughy, middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and blood running down his nose.

Supergirl grabbed his collar and hauled him off his feet. She stalked over and held him above the opening in the floor, his feet dangling over the acid.

“Supergirl?” Lena said.

“How does it feel?” she said, coldly.

“Please,”

“Lena said please,” her voice was ice. “You didn’t listen to her.”

“Supergirl,” said Lena. “Don’t.”

Then it hit her.

Supergirl had her hair up. She never wore her hair up. It was exactly the same as…

Her mind raced though possibilities. None of them fit. There was only one conclusion.

Oh.

“Kara,” Lena whispered. “Please.”

Her gaze snapped to Lena and a harrowing moment later, she tossed the wannabe villain aside, and wrapped a chain around him, binding him to an upright. Then she turned to Lena.

Kara tapped her ear.

“Alex, you have my location? There’s a wannabe here, he kidnapped Lena. She’s fine. He’s not. Get a cleanup crew and a bus down here please. No, I’m not staying.”

With a single smooth motion, she snapped the cords binding Lena and scooped her up against her powerful chest, tucking her in close before lifting off through skylight.

Lena pressed her eyes shut- she hated flying, even like this. She opened them when she felt the jolt as Kara’s boots touched down, and Kara set her down.

They’d come in through one of the tall windows in Kara’s loft.

“Oh my God,” Lena breathed. “I thought he… I thought you were…”

“I almost was,” Kara said softly. “I solar flared a few days ago. I burned out my powers fighting that Mondarian. It usually takes a few days, maybe a week, before I can use them again, but sometimes an adrenaline rush will make them kick in early.”

“Was it hitting the acid?”

Kara shook her head.

“No. It was what you said, and the way you screamed when I fell. I knew I had to live.”

Lena blinked a few times, surprised by the hot burn of her own tears, mirrored by those falling down Kara’s cheeks.

“What you said… what I think you were trying to say,” said Kara. “Me too.”

Lena stood frozen in shock for a second, before she launched herself at Kara. Their lips met in a dizzying soft crash and when Kara’s hands landed on her waist, Lena felt a pang of fear that she’d misjudged and ruined it all.

Then Kara’s hand snaked up her back as the other looped around her waist and pulled her in, using her height to tip Lena back just a touch as the kiss deepened and Lena felt her heart flutter in her throat as her tongue tasted the soft taste of Kara.

[02zgooner]

Heartstring 1998─ p.sh, n.rk

sypnosis: in 1998, a misdirected confession letter meant for your long time crush, Riki, lands in the hands of his best friend, Sunghoon. turning your life into a relentless game of servitude, but just as everyone realizes their feelings, maybe it's already too late. genre: romance, angst, fluff, comedy (?) pairing: classmate!p.sh x female!reader x crush!n.rk word count: 10.1k warnings: mentions of death, medical themes, distressing content, angst, dubious dynamics, bullying

playlist: kiss kiss - mgk, - tiger la flor, super8 - tiger la flor, genius - ravyn lenae, mr. loverman - ricky montgomery, heartbreak girl - 5sos, ghost of you - 5sos, lasso the moon - tiger la flor

a/n: this fic is from last year, i originally decided to discontinue this since i don't really like it, but i changed my mind so... yeah, i hope y'all like this <3 not proofread

Senior Year, 1998

For most kids, high school was about prom, last-minute cramming, and hoping their moms didn’t accidentally wash their favorite Nirvana shirt with the whites. For you, it was about making it to graduation before your heart gave out.

You never thought your senior year would be defined by cardiac failure and romantic failure in equal measure, but here you were.

Dilated cardiomyopathy. That was the term. It meant your heart was working overtime just to do the basics, pumping blood, keeping you alive, making sure you didn’t pass out from climbing a single flight of stairs. It wasn’t ideal. Yeah, it sucks.

Neither was the fact that you were still pathetically single.

Sure, you had an excuse. Being terminally exhausted wasn’t exactly attractive. But was it too much to ask to experience at least one romantic moment before you kicked the bucket?

But you had dreams.

Dreams like not dying single.

And that’s where Riki came in.

Oh Riki, your Riki.

An angel sent from above, the one that makes your heart hurt, both in a good and bad way. You didn't even know why and how you caught feelings. It was just sudden and it’s not even funny—if angels wore Chrome Hearts, had a mean three-pointer, and called you dude way too much for your fragile, lovesick heart to handle. He once told you his goal in life was to be “dripped out even in the afterlife,” which honestly? Respect.

Riki was the kind of guy who made high school bearable. He was your first and longest crush, the reason you sometimes bothered showing up to class despite your heart doing the absolute most just to keep you conscious. He had this stupidly perfect laugh, an attitude that danced between cocky and charming, and a way of making everything seem fun. A normal person might have confessed ages ago, but you? You waited until you were on the verge of death to take action.

He was the reason you dragged yourself to class even when your heart was acting like a dial-up modem on a stormy night. The reason you, a known mediocre, somehow maintained perfect attendance in exactly one class: Physics. Not because you cared about Newton’s laws, but because Riki sat next to you, smelled like expensive cologne and teenage recklessness, and occasionally let you borrow his hoodie when you looked cold and pale which was often, because obviously you're dying. It’s like he’s the gravity, pulling you towards him.

And oh, he was everything you weren’t. Tall, athletic, and effortlessly cool, he had this laugh, the kind that made your stomach do backflips and your heart forget it was terminal. He was one of those guys who made high school look easy, a movie protagonist who actually liked being here. While you were just trying not to die in the middle of AP Literature, Riki was out there making everything look like an MTV music video.

Confessing your feelings should’ve been simple.

People did it all the time. Girls slipped notes into lockers, guys made mixtapes with carefully chosen love songs, couples slow danced at prom under the cheesy glow of twinkling fairy lights. It wasn’t hard.

So why did it feel like you were about to commit a crime? Maybe because you were.

The crime of embarrassing yourself beyond repair.

You stood at the edge of the school courtyard, gripping the folded confession letter like it was your last will and testament. This was it. This was the moment you’d tell the guy how you felt after years of—

Oh.

Oh, no.

He wasn’t alone.

He was sprawled out on one of the stone benches, his signature skateboard lying next to him, chatting with a few guys from his friend group. His stupid friend group.

The school’s unofficial boyband without the instruments, except Jay sometimes carried his Taylor 114CE around for no reason. A group so effortlessly cool that it made even normal social interactions feel nerve-wracking, let alone whatever the hell you were about to do. You despise that.

Panic settled deep in your chest.

You had imagined this moment a million times. But not once had you imagined doing it with an audience.

You tried to gather your courage. Maybe they won’t even notice me. Maybe you could just walk up, say what you needed to say, and leave before anyone processed what was happening.

It was a good thought.

A comforting thought.

And then—

Someone cracked a joke, and all of them burst into laughter. The kind of laughter that made you feel like an intruder just for standing there.

You were kidding yourself. This wasn’t some cute, romcom-worthy confession. You weren’t that kind of girl, and this wasn’t that kind of story.

This was real life.

And in real life?

You had no business walking into that circle, let alone confess to one of them. Your feet were already moving before your brain caught up.

One second, you were standing there, gripping your letter for dear life. The next, you were walking—no, speed-walking—straight past them, making a very dramatic beeline for anywhere but here.

And in your rush to flee the scene of the crime you never committed, you didn’t notice.

The letter slipping from your fingers.

──────────────────

The man had been having an okay day.

Which, by his standards, meant a tolerable day.

He had survived calculus without wanting to throw himself into traffic, avoided being dragged into yet another unnecessary argument between Jay and Jake (about whether or not socks with sandals were ever acceptable), and had, so far, successfully avoided unnecessary social interaction.

So when he caught a glimpse of a crumpled piece of paper tumbling across the pavement, he almost ignored it.

Almost.

But then he saw something that made him pause.

A number.

Or, more specifically—

A beeper number.

He sighed, bending down to pick it up. It was a letter.

He unfolded it, gaze flicking over the words then he stopped.

Because this wasn’t just some random note.

This was a confession letter.

A very specific, very earnest confession letter.

“To Riki,

He exhaled sharply through his nose, gaze flicking up just in time to see you—the girl from his class who always looked like she was one bad day away from dropping out—power-walking away like you had just committed arson.

I like you. A lot. Probably more than I should. Just thought you should know. If, by some miracle, you feel the same, page me. [xxxx-xxxx]. If not, let’s pretend this never happened.”

The guy sighed again, tucking the letter into his pocket. This was not his problem.

And yet.

He glanced at the beeper number.

Then back at you, now just a fast-disappearing blur in the distance.

He didn’t know why he did it but he did it anyways.

You didn’t realize your letter was missing. Not until you got home, tore your bag apart, and found nothing. And that was when you started panicking. No, that wasn’t just any letter. That was the letter.

The one where you had detailed in embarrassingly specific language, how much you fancy Riki. How you thought he was funny and talented, how his laugh made your heart do that weird fluttery thing, how your heart would ache for him (which may or may not have been an actual symptom of your condition, but whatever).

BEEP.

Fuck.

Please no.

Somewhere, wherever you had ended up, your beeper went off.

You wanted to die.

Where was it? Who had it? Did Riki have it?

And when you checked the message, all it said was:

"You dropped something. Meet me, back of building 2 tomorrow."

Oh, fuck me.

──────────────────

You weren’t easily rattled. Life had already handed you an unfair deck of cards—one defective heart, one painfully obvious crush, and one misdirected confession that now haunted your every waking moment—so at this point, you thought you had developed a decent threshold for embarrassment. You had learned how to roll with things. Keep your head down. Survive.

But there was something about the way Park Sunghoon was staring at you that made you want to combust.

It started the moment you stepped into the classroom that morning. The feeling crept up your spine, that unmistakable sense of being watched, and when you finally stole a glance, you found Sunghoon already looking at you, his posture relaxed, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He didn’t flinch, didn’t pretend to look away like a normal person who had just been caught staring. No. Instead, he held your gaze, cold and steady, as if he were analyzing something, measuring something before deciding it wasn’t worth reacting to.

You immediately turned away, heart thumping in your chest, pulse stuttering slightly in a way that may or may not have been a symptom of your condition. Fine. Whatever. Maybe he had just been spacing out. Maybe this was nothing. You weren’t about to let Sunghoon of all people ruin your day.

But then, the minutes crawled by.

And he didn’t stop.

At first, you tried to ignore it. Sunghoon wasn’t actively bothering you, right? He wasn’t whispering your name, wasn’t nudging your shoulder, wasn’t throwing notes onto your desk like some annoying childhood crush. He was just… watching.

And yet, somehow, that was worse.

Because Sunghoon had the kind of presence that demanded to be acknowledged. He wasn’t the loudest guy in the room, far from it. He didn’t need to be. His silence carried weight, his indifference practically tangible, like he existed just slightly out of sync with everyone else. So when someone like that stared at you, it meant something.

The worst part?

You couldn’t even tell what that something was.

You spent most of the class pointedly looking at anything but him, your notebook, the clock, the water stains on the ceiling—each second stretching into eternity as his gaze bore into the side of your head. Maybe if you ignored him long enough, he’d get bored. Maybe if you pretended this wasn’t happening, it would stop.

But it didn’t.

Not when the teacher droned on about quadratic equations. Not when students shuffled papers and tapped their pencils in absentminded rhythms. Not when the morning sunlight filtered through the windows, spilling across desks and highlighting the faint scratch of chalk on the blackboard.

Through it all, he didn’t move.

He remained effortlessly composed, his elbow propped against the desk, fingers loosely curled near his chin, eyes never once leaving your form. He wasn’t even pretending to focus on class. It was almost insulting how casual he was about it, like you were some mildly interesting puzzle he had no real intention of solving.

By the time the final bell rang, you had reached your limit. You shoved your books into your bag, gripping the straps a little too tightly as you all but launched yourself from your seat. You needed to get out of there before your brain short-circuited completely.

But Sunghoon?

He still didn’t say a word.

Didn’t move.

Just let his gaze follow you all the way to the door, like this wasn’t over yet.

And maybe—just maybe—it wasn’t.

You should’ve gone straight home. That would have been the rational thing to do. But your beeper still sat heavy in your pocket, the message from last night burning in the back of your mind.

"You dropped something. Meet me, back at Building 2 tomorrow."

The moment you had seen those words flash across the tiny screen, your stomach had dropped. You had torn your bag apart, desperate to find anything that could’ve been misplaced, but it wasn’t until way later that it hit you.

The letter.

The one you had written for Riki. The one you had spent actual time on, pouring out feelings you never thought you’d have the courage to say out loud. The letter that had, in the most unfortunate turn of events, never even made it to him.

Instead, it had landed in the hands of someone else.

And now, you were going to find out who.

With each step, your heartbeat picked up your pace slow but deliberate as you cut across campus, sneakers scuffing against the pavement. The late afternoon air was thick, the distant sounds of students laughing and packing up for the day fading behind you as you rounded the corner of Building 2.

And then,

You stopped.

Because standing there, leaning against the wall like he had been waiting all along, was Park Sunghoon.

Your stomach sank.

For a split second, you tried to rationalize it. Maybe he just hangs out here. Maybe this is a coincidence. But then—

Sunghoon reached into his pocket.

And pulled out your letter.

He flicked it between his fingers, gaze steady, unreadable, completely indifferent, except for the slight tilt of his head, like he was considering something. The afternoon light cut sharp shadows across his features, making his already blank expression even more unreadable. He looked calm. Collected. Bored, even.

Like this entire situation barely even registered as interesting.

You, on the other hand, were short-circuiting.

Your pulse hammered against your ribs, not from exertion but from sheer mortification. Because this was so much worse than Riki finding it.

This was Sunghoon.

And Sunghoon?

He had no reason to be holding that letter.

He shouldn’t have cared. He shouldn’t have picked it up. He shouldn’t have read it.

But he had.

And now, standing there, twirling it between his fingers like it was nothing, he finally spoke.

"Looking for this?"

His voice was light. Almost amused.

You could only stare.

You didn’t have time to be embarrassed. Didn’t have the luxury of panicking, of stammering out some half-baked excuse and sprinting in the opposite direction like a complete coward. No, you had to deal with this. Immediately. Swiftly. Before making your life a waking nightmare.

So, you did what any rational person would do.

You square your shoulders, inhaled sharply, and cut straight to the point.

"What do you want?" you demanded, arms crossed, words sharp enough to slice through the thick tension hanging between you.

You should have been prepared for the absurdity. You really should’ve. But after everything that had gone down in the past twenty-four hours, the beeper message, the letter fiasco, the absolutely humiliating confession, you had already reached your limit of surreal, embarrassing moments. You had told yourself, no more surprises.

But then came Sunghoon, with his deadpan expression, leaning against the wall like the entire world was a joke, and the punchline was you. And when he said it, when he casually tossed out the words, "Be my school dog," it felt like the universe had finally decided it was done messing with you and had moved on to full-scale mockery.

You just blinked at him.

"What?" you asked, voice hoarse, as though you needed to clear the fog in your brain before you processed the sheer absurdity of his demand. "Are you serious?"

Sunghoon didn’t flinch, didn’t even shift his posture. He stood there like the picture of aloofness, arms crossed, lips slightly tilted in the barest semblance of a smirk, eyes unwavering. He looked like he was having the most normal conversation of his life, while you were actively dying inside.

"Relax," he repeated, his voice dripping with nonchalance as if this was an everyday occurrence. "It’s really not that complicated."

Oh, it wasn’t complicated?

You wanted to scream.

You wanted to march right up to him, slap that stupid smirk off his face, and demand that he take it back, but you were at the mercy of his overwhelming indifference, the kind of indifference that breathed confidence into his words. No sweat. No hesitation. Nothing but cold calculation in the way he leaned there, as if his proposition were the most casual thing in the world.

"What does that even mean?" You couldn’t help but ask, your voice thick with a mix of disbelief and frustration. "Am I supposed to fetch your textbooks? Your coffee? Should I start doing your homework too? Or maybe you want me to do what? sit at your feet while you nap?"

You knew you were being ridiculous, but it was hard to hold it together when this was the price you had to pay for your own heartfelt (and now totally ruined) confession.

Sunghoon’s lips quirked into an almost imperceptible smile, the kind of smile that didn’t reach his eyes but was still full of something, something that made your skin crawl. "Something like that," he said, his voice smooth and utterly calm, like he was the one in control of the situation, like you didn’t have a say in this at all. "I mean, think about it. You’re already here, asking me what you can do for me. You’re not exactly in a position to make demands."

You froze.

This was it. This was where he trapped you, where the ridiculousness of it all became so real you couldn’t deny it anymore. You wanted to fight back, to argue, to find some way to get out of it, but the reality was clear: If you didn’t play along with this, if you didn’t accept this weird, humiliating deal, he would ruin you.

He would ruin the last shred of your dignity, and you knew it.

So, you swallowed your pride. Your heart felt like it was going to stop, a painful flutter settling in your chest as you stared at him. "And if I refuse?" you asked, knowing the answer before he even gave it.

Sunghoon didn’t need to think about it. He didn’t even look surprised. "Then Riki gets the letter," he said simply. "and you can’t be mad at me for it. You dropped it. You gave it to me. That’s your choice."

It was the coldest, most efficient power move you had ever experienced. And in that moment, it hit you—he had already won.

He didn’t need to ask for much. All he wanted was control, and you were about to hand it to him on a silver platter.

You sighed. There was no escaping it now. You had no choice. You didn’t want to be here, bargaining your way through this twisted mess, but Sunghoon’s eyes were so deadpan, so assured, that you couldn’t summon the strength to push back anymore.

"Fine," you muttered, feeling your skin burn with the embarrassment of it all. "I'll do whatever you want. Just please don’t tell anyone about the letter." You want to tell your feelings to Riki personally.

Sunghoon’s smirk grew wider, like he had expected you to cave all along. He pushed himself off the wall and took a slow step forward, narrowing the space between you two.

You swallowed, trying to steady your breathing. You had no idea what was coming. He lowered his voice as if it were some sort of weird consolation prize. "I’ll let you eat lunch with me, at least."

You wanted to disappear, to evaporate, to never show your face in this school again. But the look in Sunghoon’s eyes told you that wasn’t an option. This was real. This was happening. And you?

You were officially Park Sunghoon’s school dog.

──────────────────

By now, you had accepted your fate. It had been months since you sold your soul, no, your dignity to Park Sunghoon in exchange for him keeping quiet about The letter. Months of being yanked around like some poor, lost soul who had wandered into a contractual nightmare with no exit clause.

You weren’t sure which part was worse: the daily humiliation, the psychological warfare, or the fact that you were getting used to it.

Sunghoon hadn’t wasted a single second of his power over you. From the moment you agreed to be his so-called school dog, he had ensured that your life became one long, never-ending exercise in absolute servitude.

And the worst part? No one even questioned it anymore. It had gone on for so long that people just… accepted it.

Your descent into scholarly servitude had begun subtly. Small things, little requests that felt more like casual favors than public degradation.

"Hold my bag."

"Get me water."

"Wake me up if I fall asleep in class."

Easy. Manageable.

You could do those things without completely hating yourself. But then it escalated.

Suddenly, you were running across campus to buy him snacks during break, you were saving a seat for him in the cafeteria like some pitiful placeholder, he was flicking your forehead when you weren’t quick enough with his demands, like you were some personal assistant from hell.

You tried to push back at first. You really did. But Sunghoon had a way of making you comply, without even trying that hard.

"You could just quit," he’d say with a careless shrug, tossing your own words back at you. "But if you do, I guess Riki might finally find out about that letter. I’m sure he’d find it... interesting."

Checkmate. Again.

And so, you stayed. You obeyed. You suffered. It got so bad that even the teachers stopped questioning why you were always lingering near Sunghoon like some overworked intern.

"Oh, are you running another errand for Sunghoon?" one of them had asked once, completely unbothered.

"Good teamwork!" GOOD TEAMWORK? This was not a team. This was indentured servitude.

It had been months, and the horrors you had endured were starting to take permanent residence in your psyche. There was no low too low.

No request is too ridiculous. You had been sent to retrieve his lost pencil case from the third-floor library (which he could have easily done himself). You had been forced to lend him your notebook for three consecutive weeks because he couldn’t be bothered to take his own notes.

You had once… once been made to stand in line for 45 minutes just to buy him a stupid limited-edition drink from the vending machine because he didn’t feel like waiting. And, in what might have been the most humiliating moment of all, you had been coerced into tying his shoelaces in the middle of the hallway.

Right in front of everyone. It had happened so fast you hadn’t even processed it. One second, you were walking side by side (well, more like you were dragging your feet behind him like a loyal hound), and the next, he had come to a stop, looking down at his undone laces with the slowest, most deliberate sigh of all time.

And then—he had looked at you. No words. Just a look. You had known exactly what he wanted. But you had still dared to hope.

"No," you had whispered, a desperate plea for mercy. Sunghoon had simply raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

And that was how you had found yourself squatting on the floor, tying the laces of Park Sunghoon’s expensive sneakers like some medieval servant in an empire that thrived off unpaid labor. Sunoo had walked past and actually choked on his drink.

Jungwon had muttered something about "power dynamics" under his breath. Jay had snapped a photo and laughed until he fell onto a bench. And Sunghoon?

Sunghoon had stood there, hands in his pockets, watching your soul leave your body, before saying in the driest tone possible: "Good job. You missed a loop, though."

You could have murdered him.

At some point, you stopped actively resisting. It wasn’t acceptance. It wasn't a resignation. It was just... easier to do what Sunghoon wanted than to fight it. You still complained.

You still insulted him under your breath whenever he wasn’t looking. But you did the tasks. You showed up when he called (because he always called). You got his things without arguing (because arguing never worked).

You were losing yourself. And what was worse? Sunghoon knew.

He knew.

Because these days, he doesn't even have to say anything. He’d just look at you. A small, expectant tilt of the head. A faint lift of his eyebrows. Maybe a little smirk if he was feeling particularly cruel. And you’d immediately know what he wanted. There was no escape. There was no winning against Park Sunghoon.

You were his school dog.

And he was never letting you go.

──────────────────

It started like any other day. Another miserable, exhausting, Sunghoon-infested day where you were being dragged around like a personal errand runner with no salary, no benefits, and no escape clause.

You had long since abandoned the idea of rebellion—fighting back never worked, ignoring him never worked, and outright running away just resulted in more work. At this point, it was muscle memory. Sunghoon beckoned, and like a well-trained idiot, you responded.

And, as always, you obeyed, because what other choice did you have? You were trapped in this unwritten contract, and until he got bored (which, knowing Sunghoon, was never), you were stuck. Today’s mission was simple—carry his books. Because, apparently, carrying his own books was beneath him.

God, if only you weren't that down bad to Riki.

You weren’t sure when you had fully transitioned from human being to glorified pack mule, but here you were, arms full, dragging your feet behind him as he strolled through the hallways like some entitled monarch surveying his kingdom.

"You know, you could carry at least one of these yourself," you muttered, shifting the weight of the books so they wouldn’t snap your spine in half. Sunghoon barely spared you a glance. "I could." There was a pause before he added, almost lazily, "But I won’t." You wanted to throw one of the books at his head.

The hallways were suffocating, the walls pressing in on you with their peeling paint and the distant hum of old fluorescent lights. You could hear students laughing somewhere nearby, the sound muffled under the pounding in your skull.

You weren’t sure if it was from frustration or actual physical strain, but each step felt heavier than the last. Your breath came shorter, your limbs tingling with that annoying, familiar numbness you had long since learned to ignore.

By the time you reached the courtyard, the sun was brutal, the heat pressing down on your already exhausted body like a physical weight. Your chest felt tight, your breath uneven, and your vision had started getting that weird blurry quality, like everything was just slightly out of focus. You were used to pushing through it, used to ignoring the warning signs, but today—it felt worse. Heavier. Like something was seriously off.

"Hurry up," Sunghoon drawled, glancing back when he noticed you lagging. "At this rate, we’ll be here all day." You wanted to snap at him, tell him to shut up, to carry his own damn books for once, but the words got caught somewhere in your throat. Your head was pounding. Your breathing was shallow. And then—

A warm trickle ran down your upper lip.

You lifted a hand to your face, confused, dazed—and when you pulled it away, your fingers were stained red.

Oh. Shit.

For a moment, everything slowed down. Your brain struggled to catch up, to make sense of it—because, sure, nosebleeds weren’t uncommon. You’d had them before. But this one felt... different. It wasn’t just a few drops—it was flowing, fast and unrelenting, staining your uniform, dripping onto the pavement. The alarm in your chest flickered into panic.

Sunghoon’s voice cut through the haze, sharp but still laced with boredom. "What are you doing? Keep moving—" But when you didn’t respond, when you didn’t immediately snap back at him with some sarcastic remark, he actually turned to look at you.

His entire expression shifted.

His smirk dropped, his usual detached amusement flickering into something sharper, more focused. He stared, his gaze flicking between your face, your hand, the growing stain on your sleeve. "What the—"

Your body swayed.

The heat, the exhaustion, the struggle to breathe, it all crashed over you at once. The books in your arms slipped from your grasp, the sound of them hitting the pavement barely registering in your ears. The world around you tilted, the sun overhead blurring into streaks of white, the ground rising to meet you in a slow, dizzying spiral.

Sunghoon’s voice, usually so calm, so infuriatingly composed, suddenly wasn’t.

"Hey—"

But you didn’t hear the rest.

Because by then,

Everything had gone black.

──────────────────

The first thing you registered was the beeping.

Slow, steady, rhythmic. A sound that felt both familiar and foreign, like something from a dream you couldn’t quite place. It was a gentle, persistent pulse in the distance, matching the sluggish, heavy thrum of your own heart—a reminder that, against all odds, you were still here.

Then came the sensation of weightlessness, a strange, floating feeling in your limbs that told you there was an IV in your arm, delivering whatever miracle fluids were keeping you tethered to consciousness. The air smelled clean, too clean, that sterile hospital scent that made your stomach churn with something uneasy.

The sheets beneath your fingers were stiff, scratchy, tucked too tightly around your legs, the kind of impersonal discomfort that made everything feel foreign. And when you finally managed to peel your eyes open, the world revealed itself in harsh, clinical lighting, white walls, white sheets, white curtains, the kind of blinding brightness that made everything feel too real.

You were in a hospital.

And, judging by the disapproving expression on the doctor standing beside your bed, this wasn’t just a precautionary visit.

The weight of it settled on your chest before she even spoke.

"You gave us quite the scare," the doctor started, her voice calm but carrying that particular tone that meant she was about to tell you something you didn’t want to hear. "Your friend said you just collapsed out of nowhere. A nosebleed first, then loss of consciousness. Does that happen often?"

You swallowed, your throat dry, like you had swallowed sandpaper instead of oxygen. You didn’t answer right away, because what were you supposed to say? That you had been ignoring every warning sign your body had been throwing at you? That the fatigue, the dizzy spells, the sudden shortness of breath had all become so normal that you just… stopped paying attention?

You could lie. You could wave it off, pretend it was nothing. But it wasn’t nothing, was it? It was everything.

"I’m fine," you muttered instead, voice hoarse. "It was just the heat."

The doctor didn’t look amused.

"It wasn’t just the heat," she corrected. "It’s your heart."

There it was.

That single, unrelenting truth that you had spent so much time pretending didn’t exist.

You could feel your pulse in your ears, too slow, too uneven, like it was struggling to keep up. Dilated cardiomyopathy. A fancy way of saying your heart was weak, failing, not doing its job. And right now, that heart was betraying you, beating with the fragility of a thing that wasn’t meant to last.

The doctor sighed, softer this time. "Your condition is worsening."

Again, there it was.

The words hung in the air, settling over you like a weight too heavy to shake off. You had known, deep down, that things had been getting worse. You had felt it in the exhaustion that never quite went away, the way your body lagged behind your will, the increasing difficulty in simply existing.

But hearing it out loud made it real in a way that knocked the breath from your lungs.

"We’re going to run more tests," the doctor continued, her voice gentler now, like she was trying to ease you into something inevitable. "But you need to start taking this seriously. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this. If you do..." She hesitated, and that hesitation was the most terrifying thing of all.

"If I do?" you prompted, though you already knew the answer.

The doctor exhaled. "If you do, your heart might not be able to handle it."

Again.

The quiet, clinical, devastating way she was telling you what you had been trying to outrun all this time.

If you kept pushing, if you kept acting like you were fine, if you didn’t start taking this seriously—

You wouldn’t make it.

The room was too quiet. The only sound was the slow, mechanical beeping of the heart monitor, filling the space with its eerie, measured certainty. Each beep felt like a countdown, a cruel reminder that time was moving forward whether you wanted it to or not.

You turned your head, staring at the ceiling, feeling the slow, methodical rhythm of your own heartbeat. It felt wrong. Weak. Like it wasn’t yours anymore. Like it belonged to someone else, someone who had always been meant to break.

You thought about school. About walking through the halls, about Sunghoon ordering you around, about the months you had spent running yourself into the ground for things that, in the end, didn’t even matter. You thought about Riki, about that stupid letter, about how ridiculous it was that all of this started because you just didn’t want to die single.

But as your thoughts spiraled, as your mind traced back over every little moment, every order you had obeyed, every ridiculous task you had completed without hesitation, a quiet, terrifying realization settled in your chest.

You hadn’t just been doing it to keep Sunghoon from telling Riki.

Somewhere along the way, somewhere between the eye rolls and the reluctant errands, between the lazy smirks and the stupid tasks, between the way he always knew when you were tired and the way his gaze lingered just a little too long.

You had started doing it for him.

Because somewhere along the way, you had started falling for him.

And now, lying in this too-white, too-quiet hospital room, with the reality of your own failing body settling over you like a suffocating weight, you felt something that had nothing to do with your heart condition.

You felt scared.

Not just of dying, but of leaving before you could figure out what this feeling even meant.

Before you could figure out what he meant to you.

Before you could figure out what you meant to him.

Because if you meant anything at all…

Wouldn’t he be here?

Wouldn't he have stayed?

The thought made your throat tighten, your fingers curling into the stiff sheets beneath you.

Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it was easier if nothing changed.

Because if Sunghoon knew, if he found out just how much he had started to matter.

You weren’t sure if your heart could handle it.

And this time, that wasn’t just a metaphor.

──────────────────

Sunghoon noticed the silence first.

It wasn’t obvious at first glance, the hallways were still loud, the students still restless, the usual chaos of high school life carrying on like always. But something was off. Something that made his stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with hunger.

You weren’t there.

It should’ve been relief. You being gone should’ve meant peace and quiet, a break from having to summon you with a lazy flick of his fingers, a break from your sighs and sarcastic quips whenever he told you to do something. A break from your presence, that sharp, undeniable force that had somehow embedded itself into his life before he could even stop it.

But it wasn’t relief.

It was just wrong.

Sunghoon sat in his usual seat, elbow propped on his desk, fingers tapping against the smooth surface in slow, restless beats. He wasn’t the type to notice small things. He didn’t care when people switched seats, didn’t pay attention when someone got a new haircut, didn’t really bother keeping track of who was absent or present.

But you?

He noticed everything about you.

And now, all he could notice was that you were gone.

The silence in the classroom seemed to stretch out, growing heavier as he sat there, barely hearing the teacher’s voice. He kept looking toward the door, half-expecting you to walk through it, your usual nonchalant self, but you never did.

And every minute you were gone felt like an eternity.

Sunghoon wasn’t an idiot. He knew how people saw him as cold, detached, and impossible to read. And he let them believe it, because that was easier. It was easier to pretend nothing mattered than to admit that some things did.

And you?

You had always mattered.

It started long before the letter incident. Long before the school dog nonsense. Long before he even had a reason to interact with you. It had started in small moments, in fleeting glances, in the way his eyes always seemed to find you without meaning to.

He had watched you from a distance.

Always.

Not in a weird way, not in a way that would make anyone think too hard about it—but in a way that stuck. You had a presence that was impossible to ignore, no matter how hard he tried. You weren’t loud, you weren’t dramatic, you weren’t someone who demanded attention.

And yet.

Somehow, you had his.

You had it when you sat in class, twirling your pencil between your fingers, staring out the window like you were anywhere but here. You had it when you walked through the halls, always a little aloof, always just a little removed, like there was some part of you that wasn’t fully tethered to this place.

You had it before you even knew you had it.

And then, the letter.

The stupid, poorly timed, completely accidental letter.

Sunghoon still didn’t know what possessed him to pick it up that day. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was just the excuse he had been waiting for.

Because the moment he held that letter, the moment he saw your handwriting, your words, your stupid beeper number he knew he was never going to give it back.

Not to Riki.

Not to anyone.

And instead of letting it go, instead of forgetting about it like he should have.

He used it.

He made up some ridiculous excuse, a power play, a way to keep you close.

School dog, my ass.

It had been so stupid. So immature, so unnecessary. But it had worked. It had kept you there. And that was all that mattered.

Because Sunghoon, despite everything, despite how he acted, despite how much he tried to deny it.

He just wanted to be near you.

Now, sitting in class without you, the emptiness in his chest gnawed at him. It wasn’t a sense of relief or peace that he felt—no, it was longing. It was the kind of ache he couldn’t explain, couldn’t ignore, no matter how much he tried to bury it under layers of apathy.

It wasn’t just about the tasks anymore, about the way he made you fetch his books or run his errands. It wasn’t even about the control he thought he had over you, the power he wielded just by making you his school dog. It was something deeper. Something far more unsettling.

He had tried to keep things casual, tried to convince himself that he was just messing with you, just finding a way to pass time, but that was a lie.

A damn lie.

The truth was that he had been watching you from the shadows for so long that when the opportunity to pull you into his orbit had arrived, he had taken it without thinking. He had dragged you into his little game because, in some twisted way, he thought it would make him feel better. But instead, it made him feel like a fraud.

Because every time he made you do something, every time you ran after him like some obedient pet, every time he saw you slumping with exhaustion after hours of doing his bidding, he wasn’t feeling triumphant.

He was feeling guilty.

And now, here he was sitting in a classroom, a half-empty desk across from him, with nothing but regret and desire burning through him like a flame that he couldn’t extinguish.

The guilt was suffocating.

Because he had made you into something you weren’t, something you didn’t deserve to be. He had used the letter as an excuse to get closer to you, to feed into this weird, unhealthy dynamic between the two of you, and now you were probably gone.

Now, you weren’t there to push around anymore.

And the truth? The truth was, Sunghoon didn’t care about the tasks or the commands. He didn’t care about having someone to do his bidding. He cared about you. He cared about your presence in his life, about the way your eyes would roll whenever he made a stupid request, about the way you would sigh and do it anyway, your silent, reluctant obedience making something twist inside him.

Now, without you, everything felt empty.

At lunch, the others noticed. They always did.

"You’re quieter than usual," Jay said, taking a bite of his sandwich. "Something up?"

Sunghoon didn’t answer.

Jake nudged him with his foot under the table. "Missing your little school dog?"

The comment was supposed to be a joke. Lighthearted. Something to tease him with, like always.

But it made something in Sunghoon clench.

Because yes.

Yes, he missed you.

But not the way they thought. Not because he didn’t have anyone to carry his books or fetch his drinks.

He missed you because it was you.

Because even when you rolled your eyes, even when you groaned, even when you called him an annoying tyrant under your breath.

You were still there.

And now, you weren’t.

And it was his fault.

Sunghoon stood up abruptly, ignoring the looks the others gave him.

"Where are you going?" Sunoo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sunghoon didn’t answer.

Because, honestly?

He didn’t know.

All he knew was that he needed a plan to fix this.

The truth was Sunghoon had never wanted a school dog.

He had just wanted you.

──────────────────

The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the monitor beside you. The sterile white walls, the sharp scent of antiseptic, the cold metal of the IV stand—all of it blurred together in the background as you stared at the doctor standing at the foot of your bed.

His expression was careful, the kind of practiced neutrality doctors wore when they were about to deliver news that would change your life.

"We’ve reviewed your latest test results," he began, his voice calm but firm. "And I won’t sugarcoat it, you need a heart transplant. Immediately."

You knew this was coming. You had known for a long time that your condition was getting worse, that the fatigue and dizzy spells weren’t just bad days but signs of something irreversible. Still, hearing it out loud, the finality of it made something inside you cave.

"We’ve already put you on the transplant list," the doctor continued, flipping through your chart. "But," He stopped, hesitating for a moment before looking at you again. "You’re lucky. We found a donor a few days ago. A perfect match."

You blinked. "A donor?"

The words didn’t make sense at first. You had been bracing for months, years even, for an indefinite wait. For the uncertainty. For the possibility that a match wouldn’t come in time. But now, now it was here? Just like that?

"Yes," the doctor said. "The heart is in excellent condition. We’ve already done all the necessary compatibility tests, and if everything goes well, we’ll be scheduling your surgery soon."

Your hands tightened around the thin hospital blanket. There was a strange weight to this news, something you couldn’t quite place. It was relief, yes, but also something else, something heavier.

"Who?" You hesitated, licking your dry lips. "Who was the donor?"

The doctor’s face remained unreadable. "I’m afraid I can’t disclose that information."

Your heart stuttered.

It's just that someone had died a few days ago. Someone young enough, healthy enough, for their heart to be a perfect match for yours. And now it was yours for the taking.

You swallowed hard, trying to push down the strange unease creeping into your chest. This was good news. It was supposed to be good news.

You were recovering. Slowly, but surely. It had taken time, more than you wanted to admit, but you were on the mend. The doctors were hopeful.

You hadn’t been told about the donor. They didn’t tell you much. You didn’t ask too many questions. The only thing that mattered was that you were going to be okay. The rest of it felt like background noise to you.

And so, you recovered. You were still you just a little weaker, a little more fragile than before but you were back. Back to school, back to seeing people, back to facing the world. The hardest part had been getting back into the rhythm of everything, pretending like the last few weeks hadn’t happened.

You walked through the halls like you always had, but something was missing. It wasn’t just the way the world felt different after being so close to death. It was the way everything had changed without you even realizing it. There were new faces, new conversations, but something about this place seemed quieter than it used to be.

You didn’t see Sunghoon.

And that was... unsettling.

It was during lunch when it happened. You were sitting with some friends, nibbling on your food, when Riki approached. You didn’t expect it, but you should’ve. Riki had been around, had been supportive, and it wasn’t the first time he’d checked in on you. But this time, something felt different about his presence. There was a look in his eyes, a sadness you hadn’t seen before.

"Hey," Riki said quietly, standing beside your table, his hands stuffed into his pockets. He had a letter in his hand, folded neatly, looking so out of place in the cafeteria.

You frowned, noticing the way his eyes wouldn’t quite meet yours. "What’s this?"

He hesitated for a long moment, glancing over his shoulder before sitting down across from you. He unfolded the letter, and his voice softened. "I don’t know how to say this, but... I think you should read this. It’s from Sunghoon."

You blinked, confused. "Sunghoon? What’s going on?"

Riki didn’t answer right away. He just handed you the letter, the words scrawled in that familiar handwriting you had long since associated with his teasing and laziness. But this was different. This was more than just some casual note or school business.

You opened the letter carefully, feeling the weight of it, his words pressing against you like a secret you weren’t sure you were ready for.

And as you read, you could feel your chest tighten with each line. The letter was long, longer than any note he’d written you before, and it was more than an apology. It was a confession.

"I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I don’t even know if I’m brave enough to send this to you, but here goes. I want you to know that I’m sorry. For everything. I’m sorry for making you feel like you had no choice but to do what I said. I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess. I never meant for things to go this way."

You stopped for a second, feeling something stir in your chest, confusion, guilt, maybe even relief. This was Sunghoon. The Sunghoon you had never expected to say anything like this.

The next words hit harder.

I know you must hate me by now. I wouldn’t blame you. But please hear me out. When I made you my 'school dog,' I never meant for it to be like this. I just didn’t know how else to be around you. You were always so far away, so different from everyone else. I couldn’t stand it. I couldn’t stand that you didn’t need me. But I needed you. I don’t know when it happened, but I fell for you. I did. And I didn’t know how to deal with it. I thought maybe I could just have you close, even if I had to make you do stupid things for me. I thought it was funny at first. But the more I did it, the more I realized I was hurting you.

Your breath caught in your throat. His words were like a quiet storm, and every sentence felt like it was cracking something deep inside of you.

I never meant for you to feel this way. Never. And I hate myself for making you feel used. I didn’t realize how much I relied on you until I didn’t have you around anymore. I’m sorry. And I’ll never be able to make up for what I’ve done. I don’t know if I’ll get the chance to apologize to you in person, but I hope you can forgive me someday. I’m sorry. Please, just know this, it was always you. It was always you I was looking at, even when I wasn’t looking.

You stopped reading for a moment, trying to breathe through the rush of emotions. The weight of his words was too much. Too much for you to absorb all at once.

I’m not good at this, I wanna page your beeper, but I have a lot of things to say so it’s probably a bad idea to do, he had written, but if you need anything—if you ever need to talk or scream at me for being an idiot—I’m here. I promise you, I’ll be here.

And then came the final lines. They were short. Simple. And yet they carried the weight of everything you hadn’t realized you’d been hoping to hear.

I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t even know if I can forgive myself. But if you can, if you want to, please just know that I was trying to be better. I wanted to be better for you."

Your heart stopped for a moment, still clenching, as your hand shook around the letter. Riki, who had been quietly watching you, sighed and leaned forward slightly. "Sunghoon... he said that to me once, you know?"

You looked at Riki, trying to process the rush of feelings that were still swirling inside you.

He gave you a soft smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and reached for the letter in your hands. "He told me about everything. The letter, the deal you two had, before the accident."

You blinked. "What do you mean?"

Riki hesitated. His eyes grew dim as he looked down at the table. "He was on his way to visit you. He was going to apologize. He had flowers for you. He had this letter too… I’m sorry."

Your stomach dropped. The words didn’t make sense. "What do you mean? Was he okay?"

Riki’s voice cracked, and he looked away, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "He didn’t make it. he didn’t survive. He was hit, they tried to save him, but it was too late."

“He was your donor."

Your entire world tilted. The room felt like it was closing in on you. The beeping in your ears grew louder, drowning out everything else. No. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t have been him. Sunghoon had died. The person who had caused you so much pain, the person who had pushed you to your limits, had died... and somehow, you had his heart.

Riki stood up, his voice quiet but firm as he placed a hand on your shoulder. "I don’t know what to say, but... I know he would’ve wanted you to have it. His heart. Not in this way, he would’ve wanted you to be his dear, I think he was just too afraid to say it out loud."

You couldn’t speak. You couldn’t even think. The overwhelming weight of the truth, the reality that Sunghoon had been there for you in a way you never imagined tore through you. He had given you his heart, and now, in the cruelest twist of fate, it was the very thing that kept you alive.

You stared down at the letter in your hands, your fingers trembling, your vision blurred with tears you couldn’t quite hold back.

Riki’s voice was quiet as he placed the letter back in front of you. "He was trying to apologize. He was trying to make things right... and now you have his heart. I know it doesn’t make sense... but maybe, just maybe, this is how it was meant to be."

And as you sat there, still holding the letter, you realized one thing.

No matter how many apologies were written, no matter how much time passed, you would never be able to undo what had happened what you had never even understood. You had Sunghoon’s heart, but it would never be enough to fill the void he had left behind.

You just hoped that, somehow, wherever he was, Sunghoon had found the peace he never gave you while he’s still full of life.

──────────────────

In all honesty, Sunghoon had never been good at talking about his feelings. He had always preferred silence, preferred letting his actions speak for themselves, no matter how frustrating or cryptic they might have seemed to others. But that night, standing under the dim lights outside the convenience store, with Riki shoving a pack of chips into his hands like it was some kind of peace offering, he felt something heavy press against his chest.

Something that needed to be said.

Riki was already halfway through his drink, barely paying attention as he scrolled through his beeper messages. He looked up only when he noticed Sunghoon hadn’t moved in the past few minutes. "Dude, why do you look like you’re about to confess to me?"

Sunghoon scoffed, rolling his eyes, but the usual bite wasn’t there. "Shut up."

Riki grinned, but it faded when he caught the tension in Sunghoon’s expression. "Okay, seriously. What’s up?"

There was a beat of silence. Sunghoon exhaled through his nose, staring down at the condensation gathering on his drink can.

"You remember that letter?" he asked finally, his voice quieter than usual.

Riki frowned, setting his drink down. "What letter?"

Sunghoon clenched his jaw before forcing himself to say it. "The one that was meant for you."

It took a second, but then realization hit. Riki blinked, brows furrowing as he sat up straighter. "Wait. You mean—"

"Yeah," Sunghoon cut in before he could finish the thought. "That one."

Riki was staring now, full attention locked on him, his usual carefree demeanor slipping away. "Okay… And why are we bringing this up now?"

Sunghoon swallowed, fingers tightening around his drink. He had spent so long pretending like the letter hadn’t meant anything, like it had just been an opportunity to mess with you, to keep you close. But deep down, he knew that wasn’t true. He had kept the letter not because it was leverage, but because it had meant something to him because it had been about him, and for once, he had wanted to hold on to something that wasn’t fleeting.

"Because I should’ve told you sooner," he admitted, voice low. "It wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t some random crush. She actually liked you dude."

Riki didn’t say anything at first, just watching him carefully. And then, to Sunghoon’s surprise, he let out a small, quiet laugh one that held zero amusement.

"You’re an idiot," Riki muttered, shaking his head.

Sunghoon’s eyes snapped up. "What?"

Riki sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I knew."

Sunghoon stilled. "What do you mean, you knew?"

Riki exhaled through his nose. "I had a feeling. I just wasn’t sure. And besides, it never felt like she was into me like that, not after your deal with her."

Sunghoon’s fingers twitched. "Stop fucking around dude, it’s real, she liked you."

Riki gave him a dry look. "It wasn’t about me anymore, dumbass. It was about you."

Sunghoon opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Riki continued, "She looked at you more than she ever looked at me. I don’t think she even realized it herself. But I saw it. I saw the way she followed you around, the way she complained but still did everything you told her to. I saw the way you looked at her too, by the way. You’re not as subtle as you think you are."

Sunghoon looked away, his grip tightening around the can. "It doesn’t matter now," he muttered. "I fucked it up. She probably hates me."

Riki didn’t deny it. He didn’t need to.

"What are you gonna do?" he asked instead.

Sunghoon let out a slow breath. "I’m going to see her. I need to fix this."

Riki studied him for a moment before nodding. "Good. You should give her everything she deserved because you are an idiot. "

And with that, Sunghoon tossed his drink in the trash, grabbed the bag of flowers and the letter from his pocket, and left, never knowing that he would never make it to you.

──────────────────

Present, 2024

"Ryoko, stop running. Your heart, my baby."

Your voice rang out through the warm summer air, but your daughter was already too far ahead, her tiny feet kicking up dust as she dashed across the grassy field.

Ryoko didn’t listen. She’s always full of life despite of her condition.

"Mama, I’m fine!" she called back, laughing breathlessly as she dodged between trees, her little white sneakers barely making a sound against the earth. "I’m super fast, see?”

You sighed, placing a hand over your chest as if that would ease the tight, familiar worry sitting in your ribcage. "That’s not the point, love. You know you have to be careful."

From beside you, Riki chuckled, reaching over to wrap an arm around your waist, pulling you into his side. "She’s fine," he murmured into your hair, pressing a kiss to your temple. "You worry too much."

You huffed, turning to glare at him, but there was no real fire behind it. "She’s six, Hun, she has my heart."

His expression softened, his grip around you tightening just a little. He knew what you meant. He always did.

"Our heart," he corrected gently, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "And it’s strong. Just like you."

You swallowed, nodding, but the unease never fully left your chest. Ryoko was so full of life, so free-spirited and wild, with that same stubborn spark you once had before hospitals, before surgeries, before the weight of things you couldn’t change settled into your bones.

Before him.

Before Sunghoon.

The thought crept in before you could stop it, uninvited yet lingering like a familiar ghost.

It had been years. So many years. Years filled with happiness, with love, with laughter, with Riki. Years where you had moved forward, built a life, a family.

But some nights, when the world was quiet and your heart beat a little too steadily in your chest, you would remember.

You would remember the way Sunghoon had looked at you from across the classroom. The way he had smirked at you in the hallways, so effortlessly confident. The way he had made your life miserable only for you to realize, too late, that it had been his way of keeping you close.

You would remember his letter. His words. The apology he had written but never got to say in person.

And you would wonder.

What if?

What if Sunghoon had made it to the hospital that day? What if he had never stepped onto that street? What if he had never picked up your letter in the first place? Would things have been different? Would you have loved him the way you loved Riki now? Would you have been happy?

Or would it have all ended the same way—him, gone. You, left behind.

The wind blew softly, rustling the leaves around you.

"Hey," Riki murmured, his voice pulling you back to the present. His fingers brushed against yours, anchoring you. "You’re thinking again."

You exhaled slowly, giving him a small smile. "I’m always thinking."

"Yeah, but you’re thinking about him." Riki didn’t sound upset. “I miss him too, baby. He was my bro.” Your husband chuckled, there was no jealousy, no resentment—just understanding. He had known you too long, loved you too long, to be threatened by a memory.

You lowered your gaze, squeezing his hand. "I think I always will."

Riki nodded, pulling you into him, resting his chin atop your head. "That’s okay."

A small giggle snapped you both out of the moment, and you turned just in time to see Ryoko running back toward you, her tiny hands clutching a handful of wildflowers. Her cheeks were flushed, her breath quick but steady and healthy. Alive.

"Look!" she beamed, holding out the flowers proudly. "I got these for you, Mama!"

Your heart clenched, and for a brief second, the world blurred not from sadness, not from grief, but from something softer. Something warmer.

You knelt down, brushing a strand of hair from her face, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "They’re beautiful, my love. Thank you."

Ryoko giggled again before running off toward the picnic blanket, already distracted by something else, her small body glowing under the golden afternoon sun.

Riki watched her go, then turned back to you, his eyes full of something deep, something steady.

"Are you happy?" he asked suddenly, his voice quieter now.

You met his gaze, really met it, letting the question settle between you.

Were you happy? Yes, very.

You thought of Ryoko’s laugh, of the warmth of Riki’s hand in yours, of the love that had carried you through everything, through grief, through healing, through the unfairness of it all.

And then, softly, you nodded.

"Yeah," you whispered. "I am."

Because this was your life now.

And even though the past would always be there, even though Sunghoon’s heart still beat inside of you, even though there would always be a small part of you that wondered what could have been—

You were happy, because a part of him is still alive within you.

And that was enough.

[meazalykov]

injury on two continents

lena oberdorf x reader (requested)

warnings: injury

If someone were to tell you a few years ago that you’d be happy with your own girlfriend, you’d think that they’re lying. 

Throughout your career, you questioned if you’d ever have time for relationships. However, Lena came into your life unexpectedly when you joined Bayern Munich in 2021. 

She was your opponent during a game between your club and Wolfsburg. The German woman kept hitting on you and eventually, you fell for her. You guys have been happy together ever since. 

Now, it's June 2024, and as the international break begins, Lena is scheduled to play against Poland, while you prepare to face the Korea Republic. This break is particularly crucial for you, who is a key midfielder expected to be on the roster for the upcoming Olympic Games with the United States.

It's also the last game before you get a month-long break from soccer, so you’re eagerly looking forward to some downtime with your girlfriend on an upcoming Ibiza trip.

Due to the time difference between you two, you’re having breakfast with your closest teammates Sophia, Mallory, Trinity, and Tierna at a cozy coffee spot near your hotel– while Lena is playing a late-afternoon game against Poland. 

The atmosphere in the cafe you’re in is light and filled with laughter, but you look over to see Tierna's expression as you’re sipping on your iced latte. 

Your eyebrows knit together as you look at the Gotham player on her phone. Concerned, you ask what's wrong.

"Tierna, are you okay?" Y/N asks, raising an eyebrow.

Tierna looks up from the video on her phone, her eyes wide with worry as she notices that you asked her the question. "Y/N, you need to check your phone. Like, right now."

Puzzled, you pull out your phone and see numerous missed calls and messages. The other girls check their phones too out of curiosity. They didn’t see much which confuses them, but your heart races as you read a message from Lena’s mom: 

Lena's hurt. It's her leg. Call me whenever you have time.

"Oh my god," you whisper, your voice trembling. Injuries happen but the range could go from a simple blow to a full ACL injury. Maybe you’d know what was going on if you watched the game, but you promised your national teammates that you would spend time catching up with them. 

You tried calling Lena’s mom after seeing her message from 43 minutes ago, but it goes straight to voicemail. 

All of the girls at the cafe look ahead at you with worry. Your fingers go to dial Lea's number next. She is the second closest person to Lena after you, so that was your best option. 

After a couple of rings, Lea picks up.

"Lea, hey! What happened? Is Obi okay?" Y/N asks, her voice a mix of fear and urgency.

Lea's voice is calm but serious. "Hey, Y/N. She took a bad hit during the game. The doctors don’t think it's anything serious since she's walking on crutches now. But she told us to tell you not to worry, but I know that's impossible."

"Is she okay?" Y/N's voice cracks.

"She is honey. She really wants to talk to you, but her phone died."

Y/N takes a deep breath, steadying herself knowing that Lena’s injury wasn’t as serious as it could’ve been.

"Okay, thanks– wait is she around? Can you put her on FaceTime for a minute?"

Lea nods and you hear footsteps on the other end of the phone. The scenery changes as Lena's face appears on the screen, looking tired but smiling anyways. "Hey baby!" Lena says softly.

"Lena! Are you okay?" Y/N's eyes are filled with worry.

"I'll be fine, Y/N. It hurts when I run, but the doctors are looking over me. You focus on your game later, alright?" Lena tries to reassure her.

"I can't stop thinking about you," Y/N admits.

"We will see each other in a few days, Meine Liebe. Just promise me you'll play your best and stay safe," Lena says, her voice gentle but firm.

"I promise," Y/N says. 

Later that day, during the intense match against South Korea, you dribbled the ball around a midfielder before passing to Alex Morgan. As the ball left your foot and you ran into open space, a Korean defender pushed you hard and you fell to the ground, spraining your ankle in the process.

To the observant people watching on TV, they can see your foot go in an awkward angle as your body hits the grass. The scene mirrors Lena's injury from hours before, except no player fell on top of your body afterwards. 

You had to be helped off the field, causing great concern among your teammates and fans. Your team needed you for the olympics, Emma Hayes knew she needed you for the olympics. 

Back in the hotel room in Poland, it's late at night. Lena and your fellow Bayern teammates, who are watching the game on TV, are worried and anxious when they see your body hit the ground as you clench onto your ankle afterwards.

"No, no, no," Lena mutters, her eyes glued to the screen. She stands up in concern as the other girls continue to sit on the couch with looks of worry. Some of her teammates, like Laura and Lea, try to comfort Lena as they watch the medics attend to you. Their TV was a few minutes behind so you were already off of the field by that point. 

“She will be okay.” Lea rubbed Lena’s shoulders as Laura patted on her back, looking at the medics holding Y/n while she walked off of the pitch. 

Laura, trying to lighten the mood, then says, "Looks like she got an injury on the same leg on the same day as you, Lena. Maybe you guys are soulmates?" 

Despite everything, Lena chuckles. "Maybe we are," she says softly, her worried eyes still fixed on the TV.

Back in America, the medics cared for you and did some x-rays. You had a grade 2 sprain which isn’t the worst or best sprain– but you could make it on the olympic roster if your recovery process goes smoothly.

An hour after the game, you call Lena back to update her, after seeing that she tried to call you three times within the hour. 

Despite the pain, you reassure Lena that it's likely a grade 2 sprain, meaning you should be able to recover in time for the Olympics.

"Lena, I might have a grade 2 sprain. The doctors said I should be good before July," Y/N says, her voice filled with both relief and exhaustion.

"Oh, thank god. I was so worried," Lena sighs, feeling a bit of the weight lift off her shoulders.

"Same here. We really need to stop getting hurt at the same time," Y/N jokes weakly. This was the first time where they’ve gotten injured at one time, but y/n felt the need to say that. 

"Right," Lena replies, smiling through the screen. "I can't wait to see you and hug you once we’re back in Germany."

"Me too. We have to move your stuff into my apartment too so take care of yourself, okay? I love you," Y/N says, her voice softening. The couple were excited throughout the last few months, Lena is transferring to Bayern Munich and will live with y/n finally. 

"I love you too, Y/N. Rest up," Lena responds.

<3

[tumb1rprincess]

Oh Gwen, you little bugger. She lied about deleting that random email and now she’s handing over a list of every time Lena’s fucked up. Is she still after Lena’s job after everything that’s happened? I don’t know if this was a good move, I think this is going to come back and bite her. And if it was Chester/Jon who sent the email, why? What does he gain from this?

Oh Sam, Sam, Sam, baby, god. I can’t believe he saw all that and he was just a little kid. And everyone thinks he’s just upset that he got rejected from the Institute, he can’t tell them what he really saw. And he’s been carrying that memory all these years, all alone. And he wants to find out about the Institute so bad because he wants closure, he needs to know what the hell happened and what he saw. And I know he needs it, but I’m afraid that desperation is going to get him killed.

[thecasualqueer]

"Are you flirting with me?" Lena tilts her head to the side examining Kara's facial expression. She was no stranger to people flirting with her, but Kara? She wasn't even sure Kara liked her like that. She wasn't even sure Kara liked women.

Kara's cheeks flushed a bright red with embarrassment "I was trying to" she admits "I have no idea what I'm doing but I'm pretty sure I'm bad at it."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that" Lena says seductively, taking a step forward so they are so close they are almost touching.

Kara feels the warmth a Lena's body less than an inch away from hers, cheeks still burning like a red sun. Green eyes and dark red lips make an imprint in her mind, she won't forget this easily. Still, Kara stand there motionless afraid to do or say anything that might bring an end to this moment.

"I would say you're terrible at flirting actually" Lena smiles mischievously.

"Oh, I... Er... I'm sorry" Kara takes a step back starting to panic "I won't do it again I promise, this friendship means so much to me and..." Lena cuts her off.

"Hey, I never said I didn't want you to flirt with me" Lena takes Kara's hands in hers once again closing the gap between them "I like you too Kara".

"You do?" Kara asks, feeling a sense of relief mixed with excitement wash over her.

"I do" Lena says, inching closer towards her.

"Even when I'm flirting terribly?" Kara asks for reassurance one last time.

Lena leans in and gives Kara a kiss on the lips the kind that makes you just melt inside. "Especially when you're flirting terribly" she smiles pulling back from the kiss, her arms wraped around the small of Kara's back.

This was inspired by this post

[tkwrites]

Okay I'm done now and heading to bed, one last question.

Can you name a favourite fic for each of the boys?

Hi my Lovely,

There are quite a few of your asks I haven't answered, but please know I'm not ignoring them. They'll just take a little more time to respond to.

I can tell you my favorite fics, though:

Matthew Tkachuk - Back To You because it's such a complete story. I love the way he and Jessie meet, lose each other, and then are thrown together by fate again. I also feel like I really captured that sassy side of Matthew's personality in this fic, which I was really worried about at the time I was writing it. This is also the story that I think would be easiest to flesh out into a full length novel.

Nico Hischier - I love all the parts of his story for different reasons, but I think It Doesn't Matter Part II is my favorite. I had actually written the whole sequence of nude sketches for another character, but ended up scrapping the whole story because I couldn't find any real conflict for them to resolve. When I realized I could use it for Nico and Lena if she was an artist, I was thrilled and got to work rewriting it for them. In the end, the only things that stayed the same were 5 of the 6 poses. Getting into and out of them changed, as did the characters relating to each other during them. I love all the longing and awkward tension between them in this piece, as well as how they finally end up confessing their love for each other. Finally, the culmination of all of their longing into the final sex scene? Chefs kiss.

Quinn Hughes - This one is so hard. I've written so much about Quinn and Sarah and I love all of the pieces for one reason or another. If I had to pick three favorites, they would be:

1). Five Days of Joy because I'm so proud of this fic. It took SO long to write, but I love the way it turned out. I love that we go through so many consecutive days and such a gamut of emotions with Sarah and Quinn.

2). The Second Time is Better because I love the portrayal of a more real first time. One of the things that drives me batty about romance novels is how the characters get together and always seem to have this instantly amazing sexual connection. No room for human failing or first time jitters. In reality, it takes time to build sexual chemistry and connection, and I went into this piece wanting to show at least some of that.

and 3). Second Nature because I think it has the prettiest prose. I still think this passage is some of the best writing I've ever done:

This was ultimate flirting in Quinn’s book. Something he knew he could do. When someone wanted to talk about music, or art or classic cars, he was a fish out of water. But talking hockey? He could do that all day long. Convincing someone to like the sport he loved so much? There wasn't a more ideal situation. 

“Oh, good,” she said, leaning forward to kiss him. 

This was a perfect evening. Casual and comfortable. Cooking for someone he - liked, and kissing her whenever he wanted, taking no worry of who might be watching. 

Letting himself get swept up in the kiss, he slid his hands over her hips and tried to commit her scent to memory. No matter what happened - though he was pretty sure nothing bad was ever going to happen with Sarah - he wanted to remember this. She smelled like a dream he’d had as a boy. Like vanilla and warm skin and fireside, summer nights. It was an outlandish notion, but he couldn’t shake it. 

All her life, Sarah had read stories about star-crossed, fated lovers thrown together by chance and circumstance and serendipity. But those were all just stories. Even when her grandpa talked about meeting her grandma - like they were always meant to be together, and just had to find each other to make it happen - it seemed like folklore. A tall tale he spun to make their love story seem more epic. 

After writing all this out, I realized perhaps you meant favorite writing from other authors. Let me know if that's something you'd like me to answer.