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queerocfandomer · 6 days ago

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"Mission First Kiss"

The Story of the undercover mission that resulted in you and Natasha's first kiss. Set in 2011 around 6 months prior to Avengers.

One Shot - 4909 Words - NatashaxReader/OC - Reader is SHIELD Agent with Enhanced Hearing and Sight (L/N=Jensen)

READ ON A03 HERE :)

"your attention shifted to the main doors as a group of about a dozen young women entered. Not an uncommon sight, of course; however, it was the bright red hair that had immediately caught your attention. A smirk spread across your face as you wondered what kind of trouble Natasha Romanoff was inevitably bringing with her."

As you returned to the second floor, the music reverberated through your entire body, and you took a brief moment to steady yourself, straightening out your suit jacket. Even after almost six months, it still took a fair amount of concentration to keep control of your abilities in this atmosphere. This mission had ended up being quite helpful for practice; it did feel as though you had made significant progress in controlling your ability to differentiate between sounds and block out unnecessary ones.

You were currently running the club and the drug operation it was a cover for while Klein was away on business. You were usually placed in less desirable positions, often the target of capture—the exact opposite of your current mission—and you had to admit you found yourself enjoying the power.

You were here because, even the drug operation was somewhat of a front, Klein was working with someone you knew only as ‘The Pedlar,’ funneling top-secret information to criminal organizations across the globe. Although Klein had not yet brought you fully into that aspect of the work, your abilities had allowed you to gather a fair amount of information, and you were sure that this was a kind of test that would result in your being brought further in upon his return.

Everything had been going well so far; the most important part of the weekend, a large cocaine delivery, had progressed without issue last night, and now you just had the evening to relax until his return tomorrow. Marcus, the club manager, approached as you walked along the rail of the balcony. He was young, barely out of high school, and honestly too innocent to be taking up this kind of life, but he did what he was told.

“Jeremiah is here again. He’s insisting on speaking with you.”

“Couldn't handle it yourself, Marcus?”

you tilted your head in return, and as he replied, your attention shifted to the main doors as a group of about a dozen young women entered. Not an uncommon sight, of course; however, it was the bright red hair that had immediately caught your attention. A smirk spread across your face as you wondered what kind of trouble Natasha Romanoff was inevitably bringing with her.

“It’s fine, Marcus. You can bring him up, and while you're down there, find out about this group of women that just came in for me, would you?”

“Yes, boss, of course.”

You kept your eyes on the women as they made their way to a set of tables in the corner, and Natasha positioned herself in the booth between the tables, an easy exit and good vantage point for the room as she conversed with the others, her eyes subtly taking in the surroundings. She was wearing a simple black asymmetric dress, with her left shoulder fully exposed and the hem falling just below the knee, a reasonable length aside from the drastic slit running nearly the full length of her right thigh.

Whatever the issue was, it must be serious; otherwise, they would have simply waited until your weekly check-in. Yet of all the agents they could have sent, it just had to be her. At least you could take advantage of your abilities; you just hoped that the benefit would outweigh the distraction she always managed to cause within you.

Marcus returned with Jerimiah following closely behind. He was in his early 40s with a disheveled appearance.

“If you are hoping to get any special treatment because Klein is away, you are very, very mistaken.”

“No, no, of course not, Jayce. I, ah, I know you run a tight ship. I, ah, I’m just here to, like, apologize. I know I messed up, but I can make it up. I can, if you just give me a chance.”

“Ahhh, you want MORE,”

you respond as you walk closer to the man.

“We are not in the business of supplying to people who like to sample the product, and by the looks of you right now, that is still a problem.”

“No, no. Jayce, I swear I’ll pay full. I will. I just can’t survive off 200; I need to bring in more. Please, I can do it. I can.”

Reaching out, you grab him by the shirt and move him against the nearby wall before continuing,

“Clean yourself up, and you'll make more by actually selling what you’re taking for yourself. Three months at 2, and then I’ll consider it. But if you show up here again asking for more before then, it will be the last time you get anything. You hear me?”

He only nodded as you released him, and he made his way back down the nearby stairs. You turn to Marcus.

“You don't have to do much, you know, Marcus, just be firm and always follow through.”

“Right, got it, boss. Also, those women you asked about? They are from the local sorority—semi-regulars—but have a couple of new members with them, apparently. No red flags, though.”

“Good. Send a round to their table from me.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

Grabbing your drink from the table, you returned to the railing. You knew it wouldn't take Natasha long to spot you, yet you figured it would be better to make it as easy as possible. Marcus approached the table, and after divvying up the drinks among the women, he gestured to you above, and they all cheered in your direction.

You and Natasha locked eyes as you shared a small smile and raised your glasses before you rested your forearms on the railing, holding your drink in front of you. She raised her glass to her lips, pretending to drink as she spoke,

“Long time no see, Jensen. You good to hear me from up there?”

You nodded and tugged at your ear to signal her to go ahead.

“Sorry to intrude, but we have a problem that they wanted relayed ASAP. Klein was taken in by the FBI yesterday, and it sounds like he’s making a deal. Fury wants to know if you are able to access the record system so we can get the data out before they take this place down.”

You stretched your neck out and downed the rest of your drink, pointing at the dance floor before turning around. Heading down the stairs, you stopped at the edge of the bar and advised the VIP waitress to send some champagne up and to be ready to supply full service.

Natasha is easily spotted on the dance floor as you approach, offering her a hand and immediately pulling her in close. Her arms wrap around your neck as you take hold of her hips and move your head above her shoulder to speak into her ear.

“Aren't you getting a little old to be taking the role of a college student?”

You find yourself overly aware of just how close your bodies are as you move to the music. You both pull away slightly to face each other, a smirk on her face as she raises an eyebrow and responds,

“Maybe. But it sure caught your attention pretty quick.”

You raise a hand and run it through the hair flowing over her shoulder as it runs halfway down her bicep.

“Your hair is longer.”

“It does that. But I have been thinking about cutting it short.”

“Well, either way, you always look stunning.”

“You clean up pretty well yourself.”

Her hand moves down the lapel of your suit jacket slowly before she turns, pressing her back to your front as you continue to dance.

“We can do it, but it has to be tonight, and it will break my cover.”

“We suspected it might. We have the go-ahead to break if you're sure we can get it, but Fury says we can have four days.”

“I'm head of the house until Klein gets back tomorrow, and once he does, it will be much harder. Do you have a USB on you?”

“I do.”

“Good. Then let's party. Introduce me to your new friends.”

****************************************************************

You spend the next hour or so back up on the second floor with the dozen college students as they continue to drink and dance. Settled into the corner of one of the couches with your arm around Natasha, your fingers running along her bare arm while hers rest on your thigh, playing your parts.

She continues to play up her intoxication, switching between conversations with the others and whispering in your ear. With anyone else, you're sure you would have had to actively remember to keep up with the ruse even to simply look relaxed in this position. However, with Natasha, it wasn't even really a ruse; the positioning, the physical closeness, the movements just felt natural.

The thought of which causes you pause, you had hoped that perhaps some more significant time away from her would have diminished some of these feelings, but it seemed as though they were as prevalent as ever. Shifting slightly, Natasha moves her hand up to the base of your neck, drawing your attention back to her.

“So when are we gonna get out of here?”

“Soon,”

you reply, moving your own hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear and slowly pulling it back across her face. Staring into each other's eyes, you can't help but find yourself drawn to her. Unsure if it was on purpose or not, her gaze quickly jumps to your lips and back. Causing your breath to hitch slightly as you both look away, and you bite your lip.

Considering the play you were trying to put on, it would have made sense for you to have kissed her by now, probably more than once, and yet you just couldn’t bring yourself to do it. As you try to sort through the thoughts of why you are holding back, the announcement for the last call rings out. You shift to get up, seeing Marcus against the wall nearby.

“Come on, Marcus, let loose a bit! You did well this weekend, so have a bit of fun to celebrate. I know I'm going to.”

You wink at him as you turn to Natasha, holding out your hand. She takes it and rises to her feet, adding a slight stumble for dramatic flair. You lead her to the elevator doors and make your way up to the third floor. It’s slightly more narrow and runs around the perimeter of the building, similar to the second; however, it is fully enclosed with one-way glass, the sound of the music greatly diminished.

You head down the hallway, stopping briefly at the security room. You open the door, and multiple screens fill the wall with two people seated inside. The older of the two has already turned to face you.

“James, I'm going to the office for a while, and I DO NOT want to be disturbed, got it?”

His eyes flicker between the two of you with a satisfied grin.

“You got it, boss.”

Closing the door behind you, you continue on to the final room, reaching your hand up to glide your ring over the access panel light, which turns green before you enter the code and it clicks open. Once inside, you release Natasha and direct her to the desk at the center.

“This is the only room in the building not monitored. Everything is in there. I only have access to the primary system; however, it shouldn't be hard to break into the rest, so have at it.”

You finish entering your login information and gesture to Natasha toward the computer as she pulls a USB drive out from her clutch.

“Admitting that I'm better than you, Jensen?”

“Maybe. But then again, faster isn't the same as better.”

“I suppose that depends on who you ask.”

As she works her way through the computer, you take off your suit jacket and toss it onto one of the chairs, then swipe your arm along the edge of the desk, causing some papers and office supplies to fall to the floor. Natasha shoots you an amused look while you untuck your shirt.

“Might as well make it look convincing,”

you muse as you remove your ring and toss it in the garbage can.

“Okay, I'm in, but it's a lot. It could take up to 15 minutes to download. Think we have that?”

“Should be fine. Just one wildcard.”

She moves to the front of the desk and leans against it as you look on from the window.

“Certainly not the kind of place I usually find myself extricating you from.”

“It certainly is not. It has been an interesting change of pace.”

“The power looks good on you.”

“Careful, Romanoff; I might start to think you actually like me.”

You share a look before you turn your attention back to the window.

“We will be able to walk away from here with no issue. They won't even notice anything, not until Klein gets back, and we are hopefully long gone so we can stop at my apartment and collect the relay supplies before we head out. It will also be good for the car tracker.”

“Sounds good. I'm set up at a hotel downtown and can contact HQ when we arrive to arrange travel.”

“When did you get in?”

“About this time yesterday.”

“And still took you this long to come visit?”

“Well, I did expect to have a few more days to plan after contact, but I also didn't expect it to be quite this easy.”

“Yeah, me too. I mean, they will mess you up, but if you're in, you're in. Honestly, I think the Pedlar might have picked them as an access point because the operation is just so- average none would expect big things from them”

Then you see Allison talking with Marcus on the second floor, her typical irritating self, asking where you are.

“Well, of course there's the wild card. How much time do we have left?”

Natasha leans back to look at the screen as you walk towards her, listening to the pair reach the top of the elevator.

“87%. Should only be a couple of minutes, max.”

“Okay, we should be able to handle that then,”

you finish as you approach her space, smirking as you lift her onto the desk to sit just in front of the computer, positioning yourself between her legs. She subtly places her left hand at your waist, within easy reach of your holster.

“Don’t get trigger happy; it’s just the second in command. I had her taking care of distribution downstairs. She's annoying but won't cause issues unless we do. Trust me, Natalie , I can talk us out.”

“Don't worry, Jayce , I’ll follow your lead.”

You look into each other's eyes again, bodies against each other, face so close you can feel her breath on your lips. You find yourself having to focus on controlling your breathing as she raises her right hand to your face. You can hear James arguing with them as they approach the door, and you brace yourself to move.

Hesitating for a moment, you begin; however, instead of a forward motion, you move drastically to her left and lay your lips on her neck. She stretches away from you, looking at the ceiling as she moves her hand past your ear to grip the back of your head. You find yourself a little lost in the taste of her skin as you slowly move, then hearing the security panel activate, you move your right hand to her exposed thigh.

As your fingers slide under the fabric of the slit, you notice her breath catch, causing you to tighten your grip. The sudden hum that escapes her throat immediately elicits the same effect in yours, taking you by surprise as the door opens. You glance at the USB, still glowing red, before you turn your head to the right, remaining in the same position and speaking towards the wall.

“I recall specifically telling you that I did not want to be disturbed, James.”

It’s Allison who responds, irritation lacing her voice.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be fucking around on the job.”

“I’ll fuck around when and wherever I want.”

You turn your head back towards Natasha’s shoulder, taking a glance at the computer just as you see the glow turn green. You plant another kiss on her shoulder, continuing to speak as you move your right hand from her thigh to her hip and lean forward slightly so that you can remove the USB from the computer.

“But there is no need to be jealous, Allison.”

As you turn to face the trio, you run your hand up Natasha’s back and tuck the USB into the band of her bra before running your fingers along her hair.

“Excuse me for a moment here, darling.”

You walk across the room towards the three standing at the door. Marcus and James have slight concern etched on their faces while Allison continues to look at Natasha.

“James, I find myself disappointed in you, and trust me, you will not like what happens if you do that a second time. Get back to your post.”

“Yes, boss. Won't happen again.”

He turns and leaves the room as you turn to the others.

“Might you please remind me who Klein left in charge?”

“That would be you, Jayce,”

Marcus responds with a clearing of his throat as Allison turns her gaze back to you. You move to stand in front of her, only a step away.

“But of course, you think it should have been you.”

“I've been here for over a year; I should have been next in line when Alaris left.”

She raises her arm, and you quickly catch her wrist in a firm grip.

“Perhaps you should have done a better job of proving yourself then, mmm?”

She moves to pull away from your grip while attempting to strike you with her free arm, and you easily block her. Quickly, you strike an elbow into her jaw and spin her in your grip before pinning her to the wall, one arm behind her back, with your knife now pulled from your belt and pressed into the wall beside her head.

“You really need to learn to keep your attitude in check.”

Moving the knife down to her shoulder, you slowly press in until drawing blood and slide back, leaving an inch-long cut.

“Truly Allison. You should think about how to better prove yourself, because when Klein returns and finds out that you gave Jerimiah another 200 after I specifically told him no, well, let’s just say he’s not going to be very happy with you.”

“How did you…”

Before she finishes, you pull her back from the wall a couple of inches before pushing her back into it with force and kicking out her knee, letting her fall to the ground.

“I, unlike some of us here, am actually good at my job.”

You turn around, sheathing your knife, and throwing Natasha a roll of the eyes as you walk back towards her.

“It was, ahhh, Niomi?”

She stands from the desk.

“Natalie.”

“Right, Natalie, sorry. What do you say we take this back to my place, where we won’t get so rudely interrupted?”

She simply nods coyly and takes your hand, both turning to leave as Allison stands from the floor.

“You think you can do better? Have at it. Close up for the night, and if I find anything out of place come morning, I'll show you what a real scar looks like.”

Walking back out of the club and heading down toward the garage, you notice Marcus coming down behind you.

“Just close up and head home as usual, Marcus. She shouldn't give you any trouble.”

“I was just wondering, was there anything I could — I mean, should — have done differently, Jayce? I know I shouldn't really ask. I'm just really trying, and I want to do better. Be more like you.”

You share a quick glance with Natasha as you approach the car.

“Honestly, if you want to be more like me, then you're in the wrong place.”

You open the passenger door for Natasha and close it behind her before turning to the young man.

“Why do you even want to be in this business, Marcus?”

“Well, I mean, you know I'm good with the books, and it's lucrative, so why not?”

“Look, kid, I'm going to be straight with you for a minute, okay? You have some good skills and potential, but those can be put to good use in a lot of different areas, and you could do some good out there. So I'm just saying, if an opportunity presents itself, you should seriously consider it.”

You placed a hand on his shoulder briefly before heading over to the driver's side and opening the door.

“Oh, and Marcus?”

“Yeah, boss?”

“This conversation never happened.”

He nodded, and you entered the car and drove away.

“Getting soft spots for criminals now, Jensen?”

Natasha smirked as you drove.

“I wouldn't call it that. But I would be lying if I said I didn't see a bit of myself in him.”

******************************************************************

It didn't take long to get to your nearby apartment. Upon entry, you began to strip down, tossing articles of clothing onto the floor as you walked to the bedroom and removed the blanket. You pulled off and reset the sheet in a more disorganized position, and before removing your pants, now only in your underwear, Natasha spoke from her position leaning against the doorframe.

“Always putting on a show.”

You shrugged as you made your way to the closet, noting her gaze lingering on you.

“Why not? They will look here eventually; might as well keep up the act as much as possible. You know, you could take that off and add to the ploy.”

You sent a wink her way as you donned more casual attire.

“I could. But I think you would enjoy it too much; best to keep free of distractions.”

“You say that as if just being here isn't a distraction.”

You purposefully avoid looking at her during the exchange. This style of banter is not out of the ordinary, but it was getting more difficult to keep a straight face. She simply watched as you finished your task, collecting the relay equipment from its hiding place inside the vent before emptying the gun magazine and leaving it on the counter with the knife, phone, and keys. You left through the fire escape in order to avoid the front door security cameras and walked a couple of blocks before hailing a cab and heading to the hotel.

Once you arrived, Natasha went to change and called to arrange transport back to DC while you made some tea. She exited the washroom wearing jeans and a simple red tank top, her hair tied up in a ponytail and cell phone tucked against her shoulder. You handed her a mug, and she nodded with a smile as you passed by, heading to the balcony with your own in hand.

The early morning stillness was always something you enjoyed, as long as it was the end of a day and not the start of one. You realized you must have gotten quite used to standing on a balcony from your time at the club, as you naturally leaned against the rail.

After a few minutes, Natasha joined you, advising that they had been able to reroute a nearby Quinjet, which would arrive in just a couple of hours. She stood a few steps away from you, leaning her back against the rail as she drank. You stood in silence for several minutes, simply breathing the fresh air before she spoke.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You know you can, but whether or not I answer is another story.”

You turned your head to look at her as you replied with curiosity, wondering what it would be, as you could tell her tone was more serious in nature. She broke eye contact, looking up at the sky briefly before continuing to look forward.

“I was just curious. Earlier in the office. Why didn’t you kiss me?”

You couldn't help but release a small huff of amusement as you looked down.

“It ah, certainly would have made sense.”

“It would have. Probably even before the office.”

“Maybe I wanted to minimize distractions.”

“So my lips are a distraction, but my neck isn't?”

She smirked as she looked at you this time, and you turned to face her, leaning a hip against the railing as you returned the look with a shrug of your shoulder.

“Well, I guess you've got me there.”

You paused for a moment as you considered your thoughts and took a breath.

“I was going to, and then I, ah, I had a thought, and so then I didn't.”

“What was the thought?”

“Natasha…” You took another deep breath as you shook your head. “Why do you want to know so badly?”

She crossed her arms and turned to face you, mirroring your position, hip against the rail.

“I, ah, had a thought too. When it seemed like you were going to.”

“Ah, I see, so you'll tell me if I tell you.”

You gestured with your hands as she shrugged.

“Only seems fair.”

You continued to shake your head and turned again to face the room, leaning your back against the rail and taking a drink, looking up at the sky for a moment as you thought.

“Because it was just a mission. An act we were putting on; something that had to be done. And I knew we needed to do something, but I couldn't shake the thought that I just... I didn't want our first kiss to be that—to be just a part of a mission.”

“Our first kiss?”

You tilted your head to look at her again.

“I said what I said.”

You watched her chest rise as she took a deep breath and then spoke, barely above a whisper.

“I wanted you to.”

She looked up at you, and you locked eyes as she continued more clearly.

“The thought that I had when it seemed like you were going to—it was that I wanted you too.”

“mmm, in the moment or in general?”

She didn't respond at first; you just looked at each other for a couple of seconds before she pushed away from the rail, putting her cup on the table beside you and moving to stand in front of you.

“Is this just a part of the mission?”

she asked, her face stern as a flash of confusion crossed over yours.

“What?”

Her demeanor broke as she scrunched her features slightly.

“Right now. Here. Do you consider this a part of the mission?”

You felt your heart beating as you realized what you thought she was implying, and as she ran her tongue along her lips, you found yourself having to swallow before you responded.

“No. It isn't.”

You only managed to stand up from your lean before she closed the distance between you, running her hand across your cheek as she leaned forward, pausing for only a second before making contact.

Her lips moved slowly against yours in the moment before you reacted, your free hand reaching for her hip and pushing harder against her. Tender yet fierce you moved firmly against each other, the tension of the last few years finally released.

Lost in the heat of the moment for only a minute before the need to touch her overtook you, you pushed your body forward a step, causing her to stumble back slightly, gripping your hip to stabilize herself. You pulled away for air and leaned to place your cup onto the table, finding yourself distracted enough that it tipped to its side rather loudly, causing you both to smile and huff.

Your attention turned back to her as you raised your now free hand to her face, running your thumb along her jawline. Silent for a moment, you simply took in her features in a way that you had stopped yourself from doing since you first met. As your hand completed its trip across her face, you moved it to the back of her neck and lightly pulled her back towards you.

You wouldn't even be able to estimate the number of times you had thought about this moment. Yet it was like nothing you could have imagined—the feeling of her body against yours, her lips smooth and full, the softness of her skin and hair in your hand, her grip as her hand slid up your back. You found yourself completely lost in the moment, hearing only the rapid thumping of your hearts.

Unsure how many minutes passed before the sudden ringing of the phone startled you. Pulling apart, your foreheads leaned against each other to breathe, she was the first to speak.

“That's probably the notice that our car has arrived.”

“Yeah. We should. probably get it.”

“Yeah. We probably. should.”

You pulled away enough to look into each other's eyes again as you moved a stray hair behind her ear and softly declared,

“First kiss?”

She smiled and nodded.

“Yeah. Just the first one.”

#fanfic #slash fanfiction #queer #fan fiction #natasha x you #natasha romanoff x you #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff x reader #shield agents #a03 fic #first kiss

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babyboywilson · 26 days ago

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veterinarian house and wilson headcanons, requested by anon! -

- they work at a large emergency clinic that has numerous specialties within the practice. wilson is a veterinary oncologist and house is an internal medicine specialist who specializes in using different diagnostics to solve complicated diseases and unique presentations of clinical signs that general practitioners can’t solve

- their departments are right next to each other in the building. they often hide in the CT room in the internal med wing watching tv on house’s phone

- wilson prefers working with dogs because they’re so expressive and loyal, and house prefers working with weird exotic animals because they’re wacky and no one else wants to go near them or treat them

- house is particularly interested in working with reptiles. he claims he’s worked with animals like crocodiles at the zoo in the past. no one believes him except wilson who knows house really did do a stint working at the central park zoo before almost getting bitten by a lion. since then house prefers working with smaller exotic species, but he’ll work with fish from local aquariums sometimes just because no one else does and he finds them fascinating

- house often has numerous residents shadowing him because he’s the only exotic vet in the state who willingly sees all animals and treats all the weird diseases. house shunts all the paperwork and phone calls to the residents while he sneaks around playing pranks on wilson

- house and wilson met at the VMX conference in orlando and somehow at the end of the conference they find themselves at epcot drinking at each of the countries until wilson gets so drunk he attempts to flirt with house but ends up tripping into a fountain, which house found hysterical. they end up working in the same clinic a few months later

- wilson ends up with numerous pet dogs from owners who relinquished their pets because they couldn’t afford chemotherapy. house makes fun of wilson almost daily for being too soft and charitable because wilson has 3- now 4- dogs that all had cancer that are now in remission because wilson treated them with his own money because he couldn’t bear to euthanize them without giving them a chance

- house owns one cat that lives in his office. the cat hates everyone and hisses/bites at anyone who tries to pet her. except for wilson. the only person who can get anywhere near the damn cat is wilson

- house pretends he doesn’t really like animals but whenever the patients are in the treatment room, house is the one secretly petting them as he gets the team to come up with differentials for the clinical signs the pet presented with. wilson absolutely has an embarrassing picture of house cuddling with a puppy that he shows everyone all the time but house can never seem to find the picture to burn it

- wilson always stays late, working on paperwork and checking in on the pets staying in the ICU. wilson is known as the vet who gets down on the ground and sits with the nervous/anxious pets until they warm up to him. the vet techs all adore wilson’s soft way with animals and how he gets on their level to reassure them that he isn’t a scary vet. he’s the most requested vet in the clinic and clients often request him for vaccine appointments or regular check-ups just because wilson is so good with dogs and cats

- house knows that wilson isn’t particularly fond of the exotic species that house often treats. so house will place said exotic animals in wilson’s office just to freak him out. birds that are loudly shrieking so wilson can’t do his paperwork or a sugar glider that keeps gliding over wilson’s head and landing in his hair. once house treats a tarantula and he leaves it in a tank on wilson’s desk. wilson doesn’t talk to house for a week after that jump scare

- house often leaves his stethoscope at random places around the clinic because he’ll just walk away when he has a revelation. wilson always keeps an eye out for it and will pick it up and bring it back to house’s office every time he sees it abandoned on one of the treatment room tables or in the ultrasound room

- bonus: cuddy is the clinical director of the clinic and she’s always chasing after house who often interferes in the surgical department or the dermatology department annoying chase and cameron just because he can. foreman swears he’s going to leave internal med and go back to neurology because the staff are nicer, but house annoys him just enough so that he stays

#house md #gregory house #greg house #james wilson #hilson #hilsonvignettes #malpractice md #hate crimes md

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babyphat05 · 1 year ago

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What are some general dating tips that I should be aware of as someone who’s not experienced?

- Getting to know someone means getting to know someone. Asking uncomfortable questions about religion, politics, previous relationship trauma, behavioral questions, etc., and really taking note of his responses are key. People spend too much time during the getting-to-know-you stage focusing on fluff questions and then later down the line, the red flags begin pouring in. Don’t get caught up.

- You should not be texting this person 24/7. A lot of men like the idea of having easy access to women and essentially having a texting buddy. Unless this man has proven that you should text him throughout the day and he’s taking the initiative to ask you out on dates, then constant texting and making him a priority in your life in the beginning stages isn’t warranted.

- You need to understand that men have a lot of options. Meaning just because a guy is supposedly treating your special does not mean he’s not talking to other women, you’re probably just at the top of his roster at the moment. It’s very silly to just talk to one guy at a time. Because you’re inexperienced with dating, you need to start grasping the fact that when one guy does you wrong your feelings aren’t 100% invested because you have other men perusing you.

- Avoid lazy dates. If you accept a Starbucks date, he’s going to associate you as the girl who’s okay with a $5 cup of coffee. If you start accepting low effort, expect bare minimum treatment moving forward. You can differentiate a man who puts effort towards each and every date he takes you on versus someone who is just winging it. Stick with the men who give you effort, not the opposite.

- Have FUN! Dating really doesn't suck and all men aren't bad, these are just opinions from women who are taking dating way too seriously. If you date a guy who you end up not being attracted to but still find him to be a cool person - keep him as a friend! If you date someone who you catch feelings for and he ends up being a jerk, WELP on to the next! Make dating light-hearted and as a chance to get to know someone all while having fun experiences. When you bring the seriousness of wanting a boyfriend and to settle down, that's how you suck away all the fun.

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squidsquidsquidsquidsquidgame · 4 days ago

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Head Over Heels

character: Kim Seo-Wan X fem!reader

Summary: Youre a new nurse at the psychiatric hospital. And you get assigned to the patient; Kim Seo-Wan. What happens when he falls head over heels for you?

Warnings: none

It was your first day as a nurse at the psychiatric hospital, and the adrenaline of starting a new job still hadn’t worn off. You were introduced to the ward, which was a mix of chaos and calm, a delicate balance. You were eager to help, to make a difference in a place that housed so many troubled minds. Little did you know, today would change the course of your life.

One of your first assignments was Kim Seo-Wan, a patient who had been there for some time. The doctors described him as a man struggling with delusions, a personality disorder that made it difficult for him to differentiate reality from his own twisted imagination. You made your way to his room. The door was ajar, and you could hear the soft sound of his voice. Not talking to anyone, just mumbling under his breath, as though speaking to himself.

You knocked gently on the door. “Come in,” a calm, yet strangely sweet voice called.

When you entered, you found him sitting by the window, staring out at the dreary, overcast sky. His hair was slightly tousled, and his eyes were distant, but there was something captivating about him—a softness underneath the troubled haze.

“Good morning, Mr. Seo-Wan. My name is Y/N, and I’ll be your nurse today.”

Seo-Wan turned to look at you, his eyes locking onto yours. For a moment, you thought he didn’t quite understand who you were. But then he stood up, a grin spreading across his face. It wasn’t a smile of understanding—it was more of a distant affection.

“Y/N,” he murmured, stepping closer. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

The words took you by surprise. You blinked, trying to hide the confusion.

“Waiting for me?” you asked, trying to keep your voice calm and professional.

“Yes,” he said, still grinning. “You’ve come to rescue me, haven’t you? I knew it. I knew you were the one who would finally understand me.”

Your stomach twisted in discomfort, but you remained steady. “I’m just here to help. I’m a nurse, and I’m here to make sure you’re comfortable.”

Seo-Wan’s gaze softened as he took a step closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re not just a nurse, are you? You’re here to save me. I can feel it. No one else understands me like you do. You’re the one.”

His delusions were evident, and yet, there was something undeniably sincere in the way he looked at you, his expression filled with longing. You gently reminded yourself to stay professional, to remember why you were here. “Seo-Wan, I’m here to help you, but it’s important that we keep things professional. I’m here to assist you with your treatment and recovery.”

His eyes clouded, confusion flickering over his features before the smile returned. “But I don’t want to be ‘treated,’” he said softly, his voice almost childlike. “I want to be with you. I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re special, Y/N. Youre so pretty too...like a mage.”

Your heart ached for him. It was clear that his feelings for you were tied up in his delusions, an impossible connection in his mind. And yet, his words lingered in your thoughts, his affection for you almost tangible in the way he looked at you.

You took a step back, maintaining a gentle distance. “I know it might feel like that right now, but it’s important we focus on your treatment. We’ll take things one step at a time, alright?”

Seo-Wan’s eyes never left yours, but his smile faltered slightly. “I’ll do anything for you, Y/N. I’ll wait... You’re the only one who understands me, the only one who can make me happy.”

His words were laced with the soft love of his delusions, and you couldn’t help but feel for him. You had seen this kind of attachment before in patients, but the way Seo-Wan held onto his feelings for you felt different. It was like a thread between you, one he couldn’t—and wouldn’t—let go.

“I’m here to help you,” you repeated softly, your voice steady. “And we’ll get through this together.”

But Seo-Wan didn’t hear you. He was lost in his own world, one where you were already his, and nothing could convince him otherwise.

And as you left the room that day, you couldn’t help but feel a small pang in your heart. You had seen patients fall for nurses before, but something about Seo-Wan's delusion felt different. You weren’t sure what it was, but you knew this wasn’t the last time you’d see his eyes locked on you, waiting for you to be his anchor.

#daily dose of sunshine #roh jaewon #roh jae won #jae won roh #jaewon roh #nam gyu squid game #namgyu headcanons #namgyu squid game #thanos x namgyu #namgyu x reader

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themagicalwriting · 5 months ago

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Open letter to all GL fandoms with a dive in the Thai GL History created by @Kguardian0805 on X

Each GL brings something different to the table that helps to expand the industry that until 3 years ago was non-existent, only served for secondary characters with 10 minutes of screen time. FreenBecky not only designed but also built the table and they were the first to serve the main dishes and prove to everyone that it was possible, necessary and profitable.

And I'm not eliminating the importance of Tina & Aom, their film was Thai's first success in GL, so much so that it even won a sequel, but despite the international success, it failed to open the Thai industry to GLs. Because after Yes or No sucess GL entered a limbo for more than 10 years, with GL only appearing with secondary roles and seconds on screen.

It was only in 2021 with Chen, Saint and FreenBecky that things started to change because they announced Thai's first GL series and no one I repeat NO ONE but themselves believed it would work and there was worth it do it. Producers, companies, sponsors, fans even other actors continued to say that it would be a fiasco, a disaster so they all refused to support or be minimally associated with FreenBecky at that time.

But the girls and IDF were producing GAP for the right reasons and they didn't give up no matter the difficulties and the no's. Saint used all his money and his mother's savings to produce GAP and if he failed IDF would go bankrupt along with them. And was with a that perseverence and good representation mentality that GAP, the underdog show, beat all BLs in 2023 become a phenomenon and opened up the industry to GLs.

it was due to the success of GAP's exhibition on CH3 that made the channel want to produce and invest in their 1st GL; it was the success of GAP that moved Blank's CEO to make the series happen using a direct continuation of the story on her own terms and artists; it was FreenBecky's phenomenon that proved to GMMTV that GL is worth it so they finally stopped rambling and unshelve ML and their fandom unleashing their 1st GL; and the list of impact could go on with several other names and situations like the government support bc either directly or indirectly it was the success of GAP and FB that start the GL wave and made viable and visible our needs and existence as an audience to the Thai Industry.

admitting that DOES NOT make inferior your favorite couple/GLs because now with the industry growing many fans entered the industry for other artists/series and thats is a big win cuz was always the main goal of FB/IDF see that happening when they produced GAP, but please don't try to rewrite history or erase, belittle the sacrifices made by FB and IDF so you could today have a wave of GLs to choose your faves from; being true to this fact, liking FB or not, only proves your character and respect for the GL history.

So if u are a multifandom or just a GL enjoyer, respect everyone equally without differential treatment; if u are fans of other couples/series focus on them and appreciate their work, no need to minimize FB, their importance and work to value your fave,there is room for everyone. Remember if everyone always occupies different seats at this table, making different dishes, if the artists can respect each other and support, the fandom should at least respect each other or stay, know their place.

also stop harassing artists and their companies for things that don't belong to them, dont match their profile, each duo and company works in a different way; just demand for better productions and representation, better management of artists and not about other things. Lets make this space the most health possible we will disagre in a lot of things, we will fight over awards but pls be smart about it cuz a lot ppl, especially men, would love to see us fail, so stop playing their games but just uplift the woman in this field and the GL wave.

I wish all the best to all artists in GL world with special shoutout to MilkLove and their new series and Englot with Petrichor cuz I've been following their fight, struggles since 2022 and only wish the best for them over their really difficult company. Lets keep growing, all of us!

I wish all the best to all artists in GL world with special shoutout to ML and their new series and Englot with Petrichor cuz I've been following their fight, struggles since 2022 and only wish the best for them over their really difficult company. Lets keep growing, all of us

PS: I decide to share this thread here cuz dont only I agree but the GL world need that positivity and also really know their history and real adversaries which is a industry full of men, people who make GL and woman work difficult. Within our comunity and as woman we need at least respect each other and fully protect us from a place who always use and belittle our work and value.

#freenbecky #milklove #englot #gap the series #idolfactory #the loyal pin #petrichor the series #23.5 the series #blank the series #the secret of us #gl series #wlw representation #cranium the series #uranus2324 #freen sarocha #becky armstrong #beckysangels #srchafreen

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ghostfish-cookie · 1 month ago

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"Wolf! Wolf!"

In a previous post, I mentioned Vanilla has a secret. It's about time I explained that, I think.

The kind and gentle hero that everyone knows to be a small sheep who specializes in healing is in fact...

A Wolf!

Pure Vanilla is in fact a wolf in disguise! A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing if you will, hehehe! He uses magic to always keep active a spell to allow him to be a sheep. He does this for many reasons but the most important ones being:

He wanted to be seen as a person. In this world, due to events of a distant past, wolves are seen as inherently evil, and due to their treatment by the world, many wolves end up to just enforce those assumptions as it's easier than trying to change them.

He hates being a wolf. There's a couple reasons why he hates being a wolf as much as he does, but the most important one is a traumatic event from when he was young.

One of the notes of his Awakening post-spire is that he accepts who and what he is, and doesn't hide anymore. I'm not saying it's a smooth road, but it's the road he takes.

It's late and I'm all out of Explanation Juice, so take some more drawings under the cut I can send now that the most basic explanation of all this is done and over with

Woe, take baby Vanilla! He was taken in by two sheep, and despite being a wolf, raised as their son. They knew how things would go if word got out, so they hid that he was a wolf... not that it was all that easy in such a small, rural village where everyone knows each other.

And some Awakened PV and Shadow Milk moments!

Things were pretty tense between them after the Spire, but Shadow Milk had accepted the offered hand. No matter the fact he accepted it with claws out, and teeth bared, he had taken Vanilla's hand. A willingness to try again, despite everything. Even if they were both twisted(perhaps some more than others), there was a willingness to change...

Not to say that it was fast. There's a lot of reasons their relationship would remain tense for a while. Aftermath of betrayal, mixed feelings, differentiating what you thought to be true and what's real, and simmering anger beneath the surface... It's a complicated cocktail of feelings, but they work through it eventually!

#ghostly art #cookie run kingdom #pure vanilla cookie #shadow milk cookie #marigold au #vanilla milkshake #shadowvanilla #(more just mentioned at the end than anything else but still the shoe fits)#I have a Recluse drawing too that I'll be posting tomorrow... am tired lol #This au was made with a shadowvanilla lens #but there is most certainly a lot more to it than just those two being in a.. complicated relationship lol #I should elaborate on some of the other things in this au sometime hehehe #That's for the Ghost of tomorrow to worry about... snork mimimi #Also if you notice how inconsistent my art is? No you don't

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the-most-humble-blog · 3 months ago

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Pai Mei’s Official Checklist on “Toxic Masculinity”

**Translated**

Issued by: The Apex Council of Homo Sapiens, Rulers of Earth and Beyond Seal: 🏆

Pai Mei, Grandmaster of Divine Strength and Eternal Discipline, presents the following checklist to cleanse the world of the foolish term known as “Toxic Masculinity.”

🀄 Title of Official Wisdom 🀄

🏯 The Sacred Scroll of Masculine Enlightenment" 🏯

🔸 For those who cry, “Toxic Masculinity,” read carefully—or face the shame of your ancestors.

1. Do You Understand Masculinity?

☑️ Are you capable of differentiating strength from “toxicity,” or are you blinded by your own weakness?

☑️ Have you ever admired a strong man for his leadership—or do you simply fear him because you are a weak dog?

☑️ Can you handle the truth, or do you cry when others speak boldly?

2. On Feminists Who Scream Too Loudly

🔴 Is the one accusing men of toxicity a feminist who:

Talks over others but complains about being interrupted?

Calls for “equality” while demanding special treatment?

Surrounds herself with simps and weak men who nod like bobbleheads?

Pai Mei’s Note: 🀄 If yes, silence is your best response. It is the only language they understand.

3. On Men Who Agree with Feminist Nonsense

☑️ Does this man apologize for his masculinity?

☑️ Does he use phrases like “as a male ally” or “I was raised by women”?

☑️ Has this man ever openly supported a woman who openly despises men?

Pai Mei’s Note: 🀄 These men are eunuchs in spirit, if not in flesh. Their opinions are irrelevant.

4. Do You Respect the Balance of Nature?

☑️ Do you accept that men are protectors and builders?

☑️ Do you recognize that the greatest civilizations were built by masculine strength?

☑️ Are you prepared to live in a world where masculinity is vilified and replaced with weakness?

Pai Mei’s Note: 🀄 If you reject these truths, you are unworthy of further guidance. Begone!

5. How to Respond to Foolish Commenters

🔴 When attacked by someone who screeches about “toxic masculinity,” follow these steps:

Bow slightly. (Not out of respect, but out of pity.)

Ask them to define the term. (They will fail.)

Respond with silence. (Silence is a weapon they cannot counter.)

Pai Mei’s Note: 🀄 Arguing with fools is like teaching a chicken kung fu. Both are a waste of time.

6. The Final Test: Are You a Man Worthy of Respect?

☑️ Have you ever apologized for speaking the truth?

☑️ Do you stand firm in the face of weak accusations?

☑️ Can you wield your masculinity with strength and discipline, rather than letting it be stolen by loud dogs and false teachers?

Pai Mei’s Note: 🀄 A true man fears no accusations of toxicity, for his strength is a gift to the world.

🀄 Closing Stamp of Eternal Wisdom 🀄

🔴 This document is sealed with the authority of Pai Mei, Grandmaster of Unyielding Truth. Those who fail to adhere shall suffer the shame of their ancestors. 🔴

🀄 Bonus Wisdom:

“The term ‘Toxic Masculinity’ is as foolish as a bird teaching a fish to fly.”

“Weak dogs bark at strong men because they cannot match their bite.”

“Fools may call fire toxic, but they freeze without its warmth.”

Use this document wisely, and do not let the world be overtaken by weak dogs and loud women. Masculinity shall prevail. 🀄

#pai mei wisdom #masculine enlightenment #toxic masculinity discourse #alpha mindset #martial arts philosophy #hot takes #controversial opinions #red pill humor #dark humor #troll bait

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kesarijournal · 1 year ago

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The Grand WTO's Food, Fishing, and Farming Fiasco

Welcome to the latest drama that’s more tangled than your earphones in a pocket – the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ongoing saga involving a cast of nations with India and South Africa in leading roles, and a contentious plot over food, fishing, and farming subsidies. Set against the backdrop of Abu Dhabi’s Ministerial Conference, our story unfolds with India and South Africa uniting to…

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smoothlikealikeasnake · 36 minutes ago

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Strong Coffee and Sweet Cakes

Chapter Four ‘Sweetest Rain’

Genre - BTS FF, a/b/o dynamics, a/b/o BTS and MC, Ot7 x fem MC/reader, so fluffy, little angst, eventual smut

Warnings - doctors appointment, discussion of medical concerns, effects of exhaustion physically, feelings of uncertainty, so much fluff it’s actually a warning, lmk if there’s any more xx

Summary - A new cafe near the Hybe building will change the 7 members of Bangtan’s lives forever, 7 alphas in a pack? A recipe for disaster. Until a sweet omega starts to stir up their world with a little bit more sugar and slowly their loneliness dissolves

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Author Notes - Ugh I love this chapter so much. 13k words of LOVE. well, kinda.

I wrote this so quickly in comparison to other chapter and I was aiming for 8k… yeah that went out of the window.

I just love them, i love where its going, i have so many ideas and ugh just so cute.

“Your scents sweetening again Y/nie, when are you next seeing Dr. Kim?” - Soojin nags, her voice quiet across the counter whilst you both prepare drinks. It makes you frown a little because, in the last few days—dare I say maybe it started a week or two ago?—your scent has been flaring randomly, a little sweeter and heady.

Luckily for you, you obviously use scent blockers, but in close proximity, your friends can differentiate your usual scent from a sweeter version, an indication of your impending heat, but you're not due for your heat for at least another month.

Dr. Kim is your doctor for checking your omega biological needs; you go to see her every 3 months, a week before you're scheduled to enter pre-heat and start symptoms. Shes dear to you; your comfortability with her spreads far since you’ve gone to her since you were 13, as most omegas begin to see their doctor regularly as signs of puberty set in.

This routine is one of the many things you keep on top of to ensure your health and state are completely in your hands, whilst it would be a lot more laid back for an alpha or beta; as an omega, one without a pack and anyone you try to rely on, you are quite tight on these smaller things. You go every 3 months without fail. This time though, you're going to have to schedule an extra appointment.

“Not for another few weeks… maybe I should try to schedule another appointment sooner.” You mumble it out, not entirely happy because you never get your heat early-—it's perfectly on time every 3 months, 4 times a year, without any interruptions. You don't have any other symptoms, just the flaring of your scent and increased nesting instincts, but if it's going to come early, you're going to be prepared for it.

“That sounds best; now, go say hi to one of your lovesick puppies that has just walked in” - Your pushing at her shoulder and scold her immediately, scowling and denying her words because the ‘one of your lovesick puppies’ is her new way of referring to the 7 alphas who have recently started to attend more often.

“They are just customers.”

“Aish, im just being friendly.”

“It’s hardly special treatment.”

“I care for all my customers like that.”

Yeah, your friends have heard all the ‘excuses’ - as they call them - not believing a word you say although you insist there's nothing special about them, right? “Taehyung! Oh, new hair!” - You gush and fret over Taehyung’s freshly cut hair, refusing to let the disappointed frown settle over your lips because it was just so fluffy before- it looks amazing now but before -

“Ah yeah, it’s a little short, no?” - He runs his hands through it effortlessly, but it makes you capture the jewellery decorating his wrist and hands; he's always well put together, favouring elegance most of the time when he comes in. Even when he's in some sweats, he somehow makes it look put together. Taehyung spins his head a little to show it off, seeing you lean in to observe whether you agree, and he catches your fingers twitch - from wanting to run your fingers through it - although you never would, of course.

“It’s shorter, but it really suits you, although I do like the grown-out look” - You admit, you’re always honest with them, expressing what you really think, and you know your opinion won’t hurt Taehyungs feelings, so you tell him it, and he likes that.

“Mmm, it was fluffier, right?” - Taehyungs fishing for your reaction without you even knowing, smiling teasingly and wiggling his eyebrows when you nodded firmly, not catching on until he continues.

“Do you want to touch it? Feel if it's still just as soft?” - Taehyung wiggles his eyebrows at you before breaking out into his boxy smile at your stunned look, your gaze switching between his hair and his face over and over, not knowing how to respond before lightly swatting his arm rested on the counter

“Aish, don’t be silly, Taehyung” - Your smile shows you’re also only playing, then you move on to taking his order, but whilst you do so, he freezes momentarily.

Just as Soojin mentioned just a few minutes ago, your scent flurries around you in a sweet burst, no reason behind it and in such close proximity, Taehyung stills, breathing in a little too deep and his brain falters; he can see the scent blockers under your ears so why-

He’s launching back with a big gulp, standing upright to put a little distance and not get even more affected than he already is by your scent because he’s holding back a rumble in his chest and his alpha is clawing at him to get in a little closer and get hooked on the scent, which he refuses to do because he has basic manners, for god’s sake; he’s not an alpha going through puberty.

The rest of your interaction goes without much of a problem; he’s taking his sweet frappe to go. You’ve learnt Taehyung doesn’t like coffee, and you approve- harder for him to have unhealthy amounts of caffeine through it this way. He likes a singular teaspoon - just under, to be specific - in his teas, of all kinds, unless it's the citron tea, in which he takes a large and has nearly two teaspoons. You just prepare it for him at this point; he's always so appreciative of it too, gushing and exaggerating his approval to see you laugh. You’ve progressed your friendships with them all a lot since your meeting, maybe a little closer with the rappers, but you’ve warmed up to the vocal line very quickly, as they have to you.

You speak more with Jungkook and Jimin on your late-night run-ins at the convenience store than at the cafe. Taehyung is just like this—fun, friendly, warm, a little teasing and flirty, but you can give it right back when he offers it. It's comfortable and the kind of interaction that really brightens your day.

Maybe you shouldn’t admit it, but that’s why you’re extra quick to pick up on any day he’s not feeling as happy, just like with Hoseok; if they aren’t happy, it’s such a stark difference that it has you frowning the second they aren’t walking in with a bright smile. With Taehyung, it hasn't been often enough for you to work out a real way to help. What you have done is always make sure to put the jazz music he's so partial to next on the playlist when he comes in and write a little poetry quote on a small paper to give to him when you give him his drink - an interest you’ve found you both share.

Jin, oh Jin, he's so attentive it's criminal. He's gentle and soft-spoken despite how intimidatingly handsome he is. Alongside that, he never misses a thing, and he's firm in how he shows his concern for you, no matter how much you brush it off.

“You’re trembling” - He first points it out on a late Wednesday, refraining from taking your hands within his own. It was just not a great day; a couple of rude and straining interactions, your back hurting a little more today, burning yourself on a batch of cookies that early morning—it just all seemed to add up, and your body was bearing its edge.

“Ah, its just a habit.” - You wave him off and get back to preparing his drink but you can hear him over your shoulder

“No, that’s a reaction to your body being overworked; you should be at home in a nest right now” - Of course, Jin didn’t say this right off the bat the first time you met; he’d seen it many times at this point, alongside your other small symptoms, the rashes, the strained muscles—you get it.

You look at him in surprise because theres no denying that but to mention an omega’s nest - even in passing - is incredibly intimate and you cant stop the flushing of your cheeks and your stuttered response

“It-I’ll be okay; I’ll do that soon...” - You mumble the last part, blushing furiously as you let on that you will indeed rest in your nest later but although Jin knows it’s intimate and nowhere near his place to comment as an alpha-—one not in your pack-—he does it from a place of concern; he might be blatantly pushing an unspoken boundary but he sees it in you too often not to say anything

“It’s nearly closing, isn’t it? You’ll go straight home?” - He pushes; he has too

“I still have to do some baking prep for tomorrow, a few cakes and uh, pretzels, i think” - You mutter out in response, feeling scolded, but also something within you feels warm, and maybe there's a purr threatening to spill out from the care he's showing—which is ridiculous, you tell yourself to get it together.

“One day without a few extra options of bakes won't hurt.”

“Ah, but even Joonie won't get his pretzel.” - You awkwardly chuckle, so attached to your work that it feels awfully wrong to even consider letting go of some of your duties for the day; it has you shifting and looking down at your trembling hands. Maybe they wont do much good in this state after all…

“Then he won’t get one; he can live. Go home, get a good rest, nest, you need it.” - Jin is clearly passionate about it; he also seems to be at least somewhat versed in omega biology. You shift but take a deep breath because your instincts are clawing at you to agree, to do exactly as he says because he's so clearly trying to help; his voice might be firm, but it's dripping with concern, and the small frown on his lips is genuine.

“Okay…” - His approval is worth having a few less cakes for tomorrow. he wants to reach out and ruffle your messy hair, but instead, he smiles, nodding and then he replying without thinking and immediately regrets it

“Good Omega” - The way your eyes widen and cheeks flare is something almost animated, holding back a purr, although a singular syllable indicating it leaves your mouth before you slap a hand over it, mortified at your reaction, and you and Jin just stare at each other in pure shock before you have to break the contact because omg did he really just say that?!- just call you that- your hearts beating out loud at this point and omg why do you feel soft and a little dazey-

“Im sorry i dont know what happened that just slipped out-” - Jin is staring at you absolutely mortified with himself-—how that just happened is out of his knowledge; hes blushing furiously, but within him he's holding back a rumble from your reaction, an approving growl trying to vibrate out of his throat, and he has no idea what you are doing to them, but this is becoming a regular sort of occurrence- you giving them all this feeling.

“Its okay!-” - You blurt out, a bit too hasty, laughing shyly and handing over Jin’s drink, your fingers grazing his own as he takes it and it sends sparks through your hand and arm, only getting more flushed and your pupils dilating a little more- wow you really need to shake yourself out of it

“...nest.” - Jin hesitates to say it again, but he meets your eyes, his embarrassment still evident, pushed aside to make sure you will, and you nod firmly, a small ‘mhm’ falling from your lips before he turns to leave. Its safe to say you scream to yourself in silence behind the counter afterwards and try to slow your heart and suppress your purrs from his words.

You do as he says though, reluctantly abandoning the few extra bakes to go home, have a shower, and jump straight into your nest in some fresh pyjamas, now openly purring and rolling around, pupils heavily dilated and cheeks flushed intensely as you can't get those two words out of your head- what are they doing to you?!

—----------------------------------------------------------------

Your Saturday is cut short at work to go and attend the soonest appointment you could get with Dr. Kim, the lady is a beta, mid-50s, looks amazing for her age, and is so motherly it warms your heart. Despite being a beta, a lot of her family are omegas and have medical care histories dating back decades, always sharing her home remedies and advice with you.

You're called in from the sterile, quiet waiting room to her slightly warmer room; it's equally as sterile, of course, but has attention to small details to make it just a bit more welcoming. There are beanbags in the corner, all the other chairs are loaded with extra pillows, and there is a pile of blankets of all sizes, textures, and materials in the corner, and the walls are painted a very light, pastel yellow rather than white.

“My Y/n!, how have you been, dear?” - She's as enthusiastic as ever, ushering you to sit down and instantly handing you a fruit candy, as she has done since you came to her for the very first time when you were 13, so nervous you were trembling. She fussed and draped a blanket over your shoulder and handed you a candy, ensuring there was nothing to be worried about, and it just stuck.

“Yeah, I’ve been good mostly!” - You smile back and shrug because, well, you wouldn't be here if you were just incredible.

“The cafe?” - Discussing possible stress factors - jobs especially when it comes to omegas - is a vital part of your checkups so Dr. Kim is up to date with everything about your cafe, from long before it became reality “Amazing, a dream come true” - You can’t help but gush, sighing out happily as you think about it, and she listens intently, no note-taking yet, no checking over random details on anything because she knows and remembers you; as close as you hold her to your heart, she holds you to hers.

“Oh, im so proud, truly.” “Now, we aren't due another check-up for a few more weeks; why now?” - She doesn’t try to hide the mild concern in her voice because you never have had to book extra appointments really; your cycle and behaviour have been regular and expected despite your lifestyle.

“I’ve been having random flushes of my scent sweetening and strengthening, just bursts or it randomly and i need to nest a lot more intensely and nothing ever quite seems right recently” - Dr.Kim hums, intrigued and now noting down your symptoms and carrying out the rest of her questions regarding it

“Well, you aren't due for your heat yet; are you still using scent blocker patches?” - She’s more so questioning whether you’ve been trying a new alternative rather than anything else

“Yes, most days.”

“Okay, so they shouldn't affect anything since they aren't hormonal. Have you been stressed?” - Avoiding her stare that just says ‘give it to me straight’ is incredibly hard, has your voice rising a pitch as you answer

“I don't think so, not in like a new stress-factor sort of way?”

“And what about the things we discussed before: the shaking, muscle pain, and rashes?” - She asks because your scent and instincts tie in to these so tightly; it's a relevant connection, and she knows you push yourself, no matter how much anyone protests. It’s partially the reason she feels so strongly about you, sharing more than just typical medical advice and all of the things she’s learnt from her family to help you in any way you let her.

“Mm, well, yeah, it's still there.” - You look down to avoid her eyes, and you can actually feel the expression she gives you, shaking her head disapprovingly.

“More?”

“Maybe…”

“Okay, can you just remove your sweatshirt? I’ll have a look at these rashes,” you sigh out and stand, removing it like she says and knowing you’re going to be in for her fussing and scolding in just a few moments. It’s not like they look awful—far from it; they are just there though, and admittedly they are larger than they were when they began to appear.

“Okay, so the maybe is definitely a yes. Are they painful?” - She hovers her fingers over the one leading a little line from your neck to your shoulder blade, another just around the right side of your hip.

“Only a little sometimes; they come and go though; none are permanent,” - You say as if that's any better, and maybe it is; at least they go. Dr.Kim sighs out and tells you that you can put your sweatshirt back on

“I'm going to prescribe you some ointment for them; you really do need to do a few less hours though; it's taking a toll on you.”

“I know…” - You look away, rubbing your arm as you can feel her frown and concern for you; easier said than done. You are the only baker for the cafe, and you set yourself high expectations. While you don't have to work every day as you do realistically, you could hire new employees; that's not exactly straightforward. Your co-workers are some of your best friends; they do insist they can do more days and hours, but it feels almost like pity from them, and you don't want that.

“This could be the reason for your scent and nesting changes, but…maybe”

“Maybe?” “Have you happened to… meet… anyone recently or engage in activity with anyone?”

“No!” - You blurt it out, blushing in embarrassment because, as normal as it is, Dr.Kim is like a second mother to you, and speaking to her about that, as natural as it is, always does make you embarrassed.

“Okay, so you aren't sexually active with anyone right now, but have you been in any kind of romance with anyone? Maybe someone new?” - You don't know why, but you consider telling her about the seven alphas you met, but that would simply be ridiculous because you have no sort of romantic relations with them. Yeah, they make you blush occasionally, but that's nothing, right? Surely not. Definitely not, so you brush it off; it's just you overthinking and going through absolutely anyone you’ve met.

Your inner turmoil is enough of an answer for Dr. Kim and although she knows you probably wont admit it, she’ll give a reply anyway

“Alright, so I think there are two possibilities: these could just be added symptoms of your body reacting to you overworking yourself, as I've said before, or… if you possibly have met someone, your body could either be trying to react to them and the change in dynamic, or your omega wants to induce your heat earlier in response.”

“What do I do?”

“We still have our 3-month checkup in a few weeks. If nothing changes, the nesting might settle down a little, or your scent occasionally fluctuates but not at an increased rate. I think it will be okay as long as you have no other symptoms, and we will just go ahead then. However, if you get any more symptoms of your heat, if the feelings intensify, call me; we can do some blood work, look further into it, and discuss more. How does that sound?” - She finishes typing and refocuses on you, truly asking for your opinion, and you know if you were to request blood work and further details right now, that she’d oblige, but you trust her; you trust that you can just be overthinking and this can be a mild flare.

“Yeah, okay, that sounds good…” “You can always call me Y/N, you know that; as soon as you're concerned, just call, alright?”

“If it comes to your heat approaching too soon, we can look into temporary suppressants to set it back to put it on track. It should be preventable, okay? Dont stress Y/n” - She can see the tension in your body as you consider the possibilities, and it's really not doing you any favours; at this rate you'll only induce more symptoms and worry yourself further, but Dr. Kim's reassurance that you'll be able to get it back on track is enough for you to let out a sigh and nod.

She asks you a few basic and casual questions to finish up with, easing your mind and allowing you to relax. Believe me, she doesn't let you leave without an earful about how you need to slow down and that if there is someone, you should let them embrace and help you. She's practically chasing you out with the words, still mumbling as you're walking down the corridor to leave the clinic, and the receptionist gives you a knowing smile, Dr.Kim turning back into her office with a shake of her head.

—-----------------------------------------------------

Back at the Bangtan's shared penthouse, Yoongi and Hoseok are hosting a v-live to connect with army a bit more, not having done so very often recently due to their schedules. They are enjoying a meal and casually talking whilst Hoseok occasionally leans over to read over the comments.

“I hope you eat well. We will; you should too army” - Hoseok takes a big spoonful of rice to affirm his words and then Yoongi finds it to be a relevant point of discussion

“You know, I think I’ve gained weight recently” - Yoongi would put it down to them having a bit of a break before getting more intense for performances again, but that wouldn’t be the truth. The truth is he's grown a strong liking to your bakes and is dipping in some days more than once to grab something; he's noticed just a little extra layer of softness around his abdomen, and the rest of his body is definitely thicker - like his arms and chest. Not that he minds; he will work it off once they start up again anyway.

The comments flood with things such as disagreement that he has and saying he looks great and praise for him eating well

“Wah, you know, I think I have too” - Hoseok is obviously dancing whenever he's got a second to enjoy and spare, which leads his body to be lean and subtly muscular, but he's also put on a little bit of weight, converted into muscle, making his arms a bit thicker and his face just a tad less bony, and the fans say he looks good, that it suits him.

“You know I heard Namjoon saying the same a few days ago.”

“Hmm, yeah, he mentioned it in the studio; it's healthy.”

“Ah yeah, thighs.” “Arms.”

Both of them look at each other and laugh, knowing Namjoon is probably thoroughly embarrassed at the comments flooding in from their comments

“I’ve had a random sweet tooth recently,” - Yoongi carries on, mentioning it without really thinking too much about it. “So have I; it is not like me.” - Hoseok agrees, shaking his head and not deeping it much either

“I think we all have; maybe it's because we eat a lot of savoury, just having a sort of sugar craze.” - Yoongi gets a hum in reply before they fall into a short silence whilst Hoseok reads the rest of the comments

“Spoiler? Noo.”

About an hour later, Yoongi gets a call from Jimin and excuses himself momentarily, coming back and ending the live because he needs to be picked up, something about not being allowed to walk back home ‘especially not in this weather’.

—--------------------------------------------------------

Running into Jungkook and Jimin at the convenience store has become a semi-regular sort of thing; sometimes it's both, sometimes just one of them. Each and every time they insist on walking you home, even if you reassure them you’ll be fine at first, after a month it just sort of stuck; you’d leave the store and just walk; they know the way at this point.

It’s ten minutes where you have meaningless conversations usually, just talking about this and that, interests, random stories—you get it. Even then, there are some topics you three kind of just silently avoid: packs, relationships, things like that. Of course there are opportunities where you all joke and push and tease each other over things related to them, but it never goes further than that.

You look forward to it; it's not like it's scheduled, or that you go at the exact same time every night down to the minute; you leave it down to chance, so do they. Just like tonight, already browsing the ramen as if you’ll choose something different from usual - you won’t; you never do. A smile settles on your face at the citrussy and floral scent that floods your nose; it's always cut with this underlying sort of woody musk. To put it into a singular word? Romantic. It's uniquely unisex really; the floral aspect is typically seen as feminine, but the citrus and musk add an addicting kind of masculinity to it all. If you breathe it in hard enough, there's even a little bit of vanilla underneath. Jimin.

Just on cue, your earphone is gently removed from one ear, and spinning around, the culprit is right there with his hoodie over his head and a big smile, and he’s ready to make a half-sarcastic comment like ‘Fancy seeing you here’ as if this isn’t half expected on most of your visits now.

“Fancy catching you here on this fine evening, sugar” - Jimin giggles out, just as expected, having stepped back to give you distance rather than be right in your face, and the gentle shove you give him at the nickname only makes him laugh a little harder. Like I said, the nickname stuck.

“Jimin” - You practically sigh out, not the annoyed kind, the warm sort of sigh. He’s a joy to be around; if you could compare how it feels to be with him on these nights, it’s like the warm breeze on a summer’s night, even if it’s just entering spring and the nights are still particularly cold. Jungkook’s company on these nights would be something a little colder, equally as comforting. It's what you imagine riding a motorcycle or a convertible car would feel like in the spring: wind cold but the exhilarating rush you’d get from it enough to keep you feeling just a little warmer.

“The usual?” - Jimin questions, raising his eyebrows at you and standing beside you, looking at the selection; he likes a range of different ramens, rotating between them and trying something new every time. Sometimes he comments on them the next time you see each other, saying they were or weren't worth it, a silent suggestion, but in the few weeks he’s gotten to know you, he’s picked up that you don't really change your pick; you like what you like, and that's perfectly okay.

“Hm, I don't know; I might try something different.” - But just like I said, you don't. Contemplate for just a few more moments and pick up that same ramen, Jimin already nodding and smiling knowingly as he picks out his own. You have said it before: the outcome is always the same. Maybe you say it more so for yourself; try to convince yourself you will differ from routine, but in the end you won't.

After the usual chat you have with Mrs. Han, you both head outside and immediately begin to walk, talking about the last few days.

“Did you feel that?” - Jimin asks, wiping his head where a singular drop of water hit him, You're about 7 minutes in, just a few minutes from your apartment, a turn away from the road, and you frown in confusion before you feel it too, a few drops.

Within a moment, a mere few drops of rain turn into what you could consider a heavy spring shower. You're both in hoodies, no coat because whilst it's cold, it's not that cold. You look at each other in surprise for a moment, and your brain is moving 100 mph; you're hardly a 45-second sprint away from your apartment, versus Jimin, who would have to go a substantial distance to get back to the shop, let alone his home. It’s cold; he’s not wearing any rain clothing. You’ve come to a stop, and at this rate, the paths could get slippery fast; even if he did try to get home fast, you can guarantee he’d either catch a cold or slip, maybe both. You can’t let that happen—especially not when the whole reason he’s so far in the other direction is because he’s walking you home.

You’ve come to a stop, and without a second more, your hoodie already beginning to soak through, you reach out, grabbing his wet hand and dashing in the direction of your apartment building, dragging him along. He lets out a surprised noise at being pulled so quickly and at the contact, but you’ve got one thing set in your mind, and that’s to get you both - more specifically him - out of the rain, and you do just that.

You’re hardly sprinting, more so just doing a light jog and you kind of realise what you’ve instinctively done after you’ve already began

“Come on!” - Maybe you can’t help the smile that settles on your lips, water splashing all around you both, and to the side of you, Jimin’s laugh rings through the air, amused; this is fun.

He’s at your side now, more going at your pace than his own; you’re lightly jogging, he’s fast walking, and there’s not really a reason to keep holding his hand anymore. Despite that, he manoeuvres your hand, and you nearly pull it clean away in horror of yourself, but that's not what Jimin was going for; instead, he intertwines your fingers and picks up his pace a little, you following.

Jimin’s laugh is contagious, yours following and cutting through the heavy downpour is both of you splashing with your running, holding hands and barely avoiding slipping, rain and laughter.

Jimin’s hand is warm despite the cold air and rain, bigger than yours, and it envelopes you whole, and it’s nice, more than nice, having you giggling for a whole other reason besides the childlike situation you’re both stuck in. It seems more like you're both just playing in the spring shower rather than trying to get to shelter, entire outfits soaked through, but there isn't anything but bright smiles on your faces.

When your building comes into view, you pull him a little faster up the steps, and without letting go of his hand, you punch in the code, ripping the door open and surprising him by pulling him into the hallway.

You’re panting; he’s not. He’s used to physical activity, but he’s breathing a little heavier, your laughs hardly dying out in the silent hall. Rain’s hitting the clear door rapidly, blurring your view of the outside, and it’s only when you both calm a little that you realise just what you’ve done.

“It doesn’t look like it’s stopping just yet.” - You say, a little purse of your lips as you stare out, Jimin would of just booked it home; you wouldn’t have that

“Yeah, came out of nowhere.” - You look at him and contemplate; its surely inappropriate to suggest, but- you can’t just let him stay in soaked clothes, go back out and all of that

“You’re going to catch a cold” - Your voice is laced with concern, not hesitation.

“Ah, I’ll be fine” - Jimin brushes it off although he can feel his body start to shiver a little; you can feel it from his hand where you’re both still connected. He watches you stay silent for a moment, looking at the lift and then back at him, expression begging him not to take this the wrong way.

“You can’t go back out there yet, and you need dry clothes” - You gently tug his hand towards the lifts, what you’re suggesting clear despite not directly saying it, but your pull is just enough to allow him to protest should he want to; your grip says different, holding on a little tighter like you really don’t want him to go back out there. Internally, you couldn’t suppress your instincts screaming at you to push him upstairs, order him into clean and warm clothes, and dry his hair; tell him to stay put until you’re certain it’s not going to rain any more tonight, but you can’t voice that, of course not.

Jimin catches on and is shocked, to say the least. He makes a little noise but blindly follows your pull, not knowing just what to say yet until you're in the elevator and you're punching in your floor number. Thats when a stilling realisation settles in and Jimin turns to you in hesitation and a little bit of fear

“Wait- Y/n your pack- i cant come in to your pack den, what about-” - You still for a moment realising- oh right- he doesn't know; of course not. You can’t blame him for assuming; it’s certainly very rare, and you appreciate his thoughtfulness.

“It’s okay; it’s just me” - You nod and still give him the chance to protest again, but his face morphs into one of shock again, mouth agape for a little moment, and his mind spirals back to that first day, the rap line commenting and saying they didn’t think you had one but you were comfortable with that, and now it’s confirmed. Schooling his face back into one of only a little hesitation.

There are a few moments of silence between you before you grow a small blush on your face at how you've acted the last few minutes-—instinctual.

“Sorry for dragging you here like this” - You murmur out, not meeting Jimin’s eyes, but he doesn’t think you have a single thing to apologise for. Deep within him, his alpha is singing praises about you and you so clearly showing your need to take care of him; hes pushing all the little comments and thoughts about it right down to answer coherently

“You dont have to apologise-—and, you dont have to do this, you know; it’s okay.” - Because he doesn’t want you to feel obliged to invite him in to a space so sacred, simply because the weather took a turn, doesnt want you to go against what you really want to do if this isn’t that

“Are you okay with it?” - You throw right back, bracing yourself for him to blatantly reject you, press the button to go right back down to the ground floor and leave, but that's not what happens. Instead, Jimin squeezes your hand in his-—oh, you hadnt realised you were still holding it- it causes you to look up at him and he gives you a sweet smile, the reassuring kind and firmly nods

“Only if you are” - And you are- you haven't known him all that long, really, so it's weird how you aren't at all against him being in your home-—where your nest is. You return his smile and nod.

Right on cue, the elevator dings, and you walk down the hall slowly, towards your apartment and then notice, opposite, there’s a package sitting outside Mr. and Mrs. Lee’s door, an elderly couple that maybe didn’t hear someone deliver it, and before going towards your own door, you walk to theirs. You know that Mr.Lee will still be awake at this time, so you tug Jimin with you and knock on their door. He just watches, curious, especially when the door opens after a few moments, revealing a man with grey hair, his face morphing into one that can only be described as joy and parental love when he finds it’s you.

“Y/n! How are you, dear?” - He moves closer to embrace you only to notice you standing with someone he’s never seen before, an alpha, and raises his brows before breaking into a knowing smile.

“Finally found a nice boy, huh?” - You burn bright. Embarrassed and realising what it looks like, Jimin also smiles and giggles a little. Ah, he seems nice, Mr.Lee thinks, always open to giving his opinion without being asked; he's got good intuition.

“Oh! It’s not like that Mr.Lee-” - You scramble to answer and shake your head, eyes practically closed with your embarrassment, but Mr.Lee ignores your denial and visibly assesses Jimin. To break to the point, you reach down and hand him the package.

“This was outside the door” - You gently hand it over, and he merely gives you a smile before refocusing on Jimin. Jimin’s never felt more scrutinised in his life, wanting to shrink back a little but standing tall and confident, calm, and Mr.Lee nods at him approvingly.

“Thank you, dear- You better look after her; she's sweet, this one. Don’t even think about so much as putting even a small frown on her face.” He stands stern and points accusingly at Jimin; you scramble to shake your free hand and rattle the bag as you do so, mortified at his assumption and your quick to try and end this interaction

“Theres no need for that Mr.Lee-”

“I won’t” - Jimin replies to him despite your scrambling, and Mr.Lee is stone-faced for a second before nodding, believing him, and you are absolutely writhing with embarrassment.

“Have a nice night Mr.Lee, ill bring you both some cakes tomorrow morning.” - You mumble out, cheeks redder than they’ve ever been, and you turn as soon as you can, walking towards your own door as you hear Mr.Lee return his thanks and close his door.

“Im so sorry-”

“Stop apologising for things, Y/n, its okay” - Jimin lets out a little laugh, genuine; he really doesn’t mind. He guesses Mr. Lee holds you dear to his heart; that's good. You seem like a beacon of light no matter where you are and who you're with.

“Aish…” - You mumble, entering the code to your own home and opening the door, shoulders visibly dropping once the comforting scent of your home fills your nose, and Jimin can barely get two steps in the door without freezing and inhaling deeply. Its you, everywhere, obviously but its so full of you- Your scent sweet, heavy, borderline suffocating but not in a bad way-

Your apartment is similar to your cafe in the vibe you create; appearance-wise, it’s similar but in a different palette, much more filled with pastels. Trinkets and sentimental items are doted around everywhere, pillows and blankets in every corner and its so cozy Jimin forgets he's standing there shivering until you tug him a little harder to close the door and then reluctantly drop his hand.

“You can-—uh, you can sit down if you’d like I’ll get some clothes for you” - You are barely a few seconds of being inside before you are dashing off down a small hallway, towards your room he guesses, mumbling something about the clothes your sure you have somewhere-

You didn’t rush off without gently pushing a hand flat on Jimin’s chest towards the couch, urging him to sit, but he gets a bit distracted by the contact, placing a hand where you had just pushed as if savouring your touch. He takes a second, looking at the couch and opting out of sitting on it because he's in wet clothes; he's not ruining your pretty and soft setup by getting it damp. He instead opts for one of the stools around your kitchen island—less mess.

With the few minutes you disappear, Jimin takes in what's happening, what happened, where he is, and what this is. He finds himself slumping the more and more he breathes in your air; it's dizzying, unfiltered, unrestrained versus how you have always got a scent blocker on.

Inside him, his alpha is growling in praise and delight, telling him he should absolutely do anything you want him to do before you even get a chance to request it—instincts pawing at him unrestrained—and he's so deeply embedded in his own mind that he only snaps out of it when you come back in mumbling about something before locating him, freezing in the hallway entrance at his scent flooding you again.

Your push towards the couch was the start of your doting; you rushed off into your room-—your nest—and instantly pulled out a drawer in which you knew you kept a particular pair of fluffy pyjama pants, too long for you so you always had to roll them up a few times, but on Jimin, they could be just right.

You’re petting over them, pursing your lips and your omegas checking the softness of the fabric. is it soft enough for an alpha in your home- You have to stop yourself in mortification as your next instinct is to scent the trousers-—rub it all over your cheek, your neck, your wrist, fluff your scent around you so its positively stuck onto it and presenting them on a platter to Jimin-—sweet, sweet alpha, so kind and polite and so perfect-

You refrain, barely. Refocusing to get another piece of clothing, one of your many oversized hoodies, one that you would wear to bed in the colder seasons and only that, long enough to cover you to your mid/lower thighs but maybe a better fit on Jimin. You’re once again fretting over the softness and whether it’ll be the right size; it’s thick enough to keep him warm, but your apartment is also on the warmer side anyway; you prefer it that way, sates your omega needs.

Once again, you resist scenting them heavily even though they definitely smell like you already; being so close to your nest and all- you hardly look at it. Different from usual because when you get home, the first thing you seek out is your nest. A thought-—an image-—passes through your mind: You leading Jimin towards your nest and fluffing everything around him, making it all just right and looking at him for approval. Then you snap out of your omega haze and shake your head in disapproval of yourself, folding the two pieces of clothing and setting out back towards your main space in the apartment.

Your living room and kitchen are open plan; you like it like that; the smell of your baking easily floods through the rest of the home that way. You’re expecting to see Jimin on the couch, where you’d urged him and when you dont find him there, but on a kitchen stool, your mind runs wild. A mixture of disapproval for him not being somewhere more comfortable but also approval for him being considerate of being in wet clothes - even though you wouldnt of minded having to put some blankets in the dryer after.

Jimin himself is sitting silently there, not even looking around and his scent is flitting around you in small bursts, enough to stop you in your tracks and have to gulp - you don’t have people here often, your space is entirely filled with you but this, having him here is- okay? Nice even.

Enough of that, enough of your silly thoughts. You always do tend to overly get instinctual when your home- of course, its the only place you allow yourself to fully give in to it all so you cant be blamed for your thoughts.

Jimin snaps out of it and looks at you with a soft smile, eyeing the clothes in your hands and he could protest- he could insist you really dont need to do this but he can see the instincts swimming in your eyes, has felt it since you grabbed his hand and started to pull him through the rain and something tells him to just oblige, let you dote on him and care because you need this.

“I have some clothes for you” - You look to the side, across the room where he notices another door, ignored in his dwelling of his thoughts and you silently command him to follow you towards it, which he does.

You open it, another bathroom; you have one connected to your room, and this one is rarely used-—bigger than yours but less convenient. It's stocked up with your products anyway: shampoo, conditioner, body washes, skincare, and fresh warm towels on the radiator.

Jimin steps in slowly; this room doesn't smell as much like you, and it clears his head a little. He watches you gently place the pile of clothes on the counter by the sink and turn to him, never failing to shock him as you reach out for his hand, feel all over it, run the back of your own hand over it again, and frown. You’re assessing his temperature and come to a conclusion; it might be a little pushy.

“You can change in here but- you should really shower; your still cold. you need to warm up or your going to get a cold. theres products in the shower, towels just there and skincare in the cabinet- you dont have too, of course but- just-” - You go from talking calmly and slowly to panicking at the end, mentally scolding yourself for feeling like you're overstepping so many boundaries and Jimin won't have any of that; instead, he holds your hand in his, giving it a squeeze. He’s affectionate; he’s always been one of the touchiest in the group, and as much as he would love to wrap you in a hug, this is all he feels is right as of now.

“Thank you Y/n” - Its not dismissive; he's not forcing you away; he is simply appreciating your words and your fretting. You nod, turning away and speaking before you leave and close the door.

“Ill just be in my bathroom in my room- if you need anything, just shout” - He nods, and that’s enough to calm your instincts a little, even more so when you close the door and hear him turn on the shower.

Now to shower yourself.

Jimin’s quick to undress, stripping away all of the wet clothes and running his hands through his wet hair, turning on the shower and setting it to just the right temperature, glad that it’s easy to work. He has to change it from what it was on - what he would consider to be scalding - down to something less hot; he can't imagine that's the temperature you shower with - it is. Inside is everything he needs: you have copies of your own products, the marshmallow shampoo and conditioner you use, and a mildly scented body wash because you have sensitive skin. There's an unscented face wash as well, from a brand he's familiar with.

The heat of the water running down him is welcomed; he takes a second to just let it rush over him, warm his body before he reaches for the shampoo. He can't stop himself from taking a few deep inhales of the scent; it's sweet, sugary, a little creamy, and so aligned with you it's dizzying. Odd to think he's also going to be using it; he’ll end up smelling like you a little, and that's a thought he has to halt instantly because if he keeps thinking like that the rumbling in his chest is only going to increase.

After finishing up, he wraps his waist in a towel, shaking off his hair in the shower so he doesn’t flick water everywhere, kind of like Jungkook does, like a dog, except Jungkook likes to do it just about anywhere and doesn’t really care when the droplets hit the people around him. There's a smaller towel that he uses to roughly dry his hair and when he's done, he considers what to do with his pile of wet clothes, pushing them to the side momentarily and picking up the clothes you set out for him, dry, warm and fluffy with your scent.

Good lord, it's going to be hard to hold back the urge to bury his face in them before he can even get them on and then even harder to stop the purr-like sound falling from his throat. Alphas don’t typically purr; they do, however, get a similar kind of sound when they are satisfied; it’s more of a rumble and a sweetened growl, though. It would be embarrassing to do it- especially front of you—but it's harder and harder to contain when he gets the clothes on. Theres still a singular roll in the bottom of the trousers that he has to undo to fall over the length of his legs and they sit low on his hips, fluffy and comforting, hes sure hes actually seen you wear these before on one of your run-ins. The hoodie is thick and soft, fits just right, perfectly oversized on him versus the extra extra oversized fit on you.

He picks up his towels, folding them alongside folding his wet clothes and taking a split moment before leaving, just as you also leave your own room.

You smell calmer, less frantic and certainly more like yourself, what does make him nearly trip though is you’ve taken off your scent blocker patches, the scent hitting him full force and he curses low under his breath, taking a moment to feign composition.

You walk towards the large window and look out, frowning at the still heavy downpour, it doesnt seem to be letting up just yet. You can be forgiven for not noticing Jimin was out just yet, he smells a little bit too much like you to notice until your heavy scent fluffs a burst of his own and you spin on your heel.

“Do they fit okay?” - You rush over, grabbing his hand once again, feeling his temperature as best you can and nodding in approval that hes a lot warmer, you miss the shaky breathing hes suffering with because of your scent in this kind of proximity. Like him, you have wet, towel dried hair and fresh clothes on.

“Yeah they fit, thank you” - Jimin barely gets out, biting the inside of his lip because after he tried to breath through his mouth rather than his nose it just got more intense its like he could taste your scent. Hes a bit breathless, you put it down to the temperatures you leave the shower on but he assures he worked it out just fine. Then you notice the pile in his hands and reach out, giving him the option to pass them over

“I can go put your clothes in the dryer if youd like?” - Once again, Jimin’s noticing your own instincts playing up, even him touching the wet clothes seems to mildly unsettle you, shifting as you wait for his answer. He hands them over, gently placing them on your hands as if they are heavy and you are fragile, they arent and you aren’t but he will still treat you as if you are. He watches you run off for a moment to go to the utility room, putting them in the dryer and ona quick dry, they only smell lightly of him due to the rain but its enough to remind you of his addictive scent and you nearly stumble on your way there, quickly saved.

Jimin can finally breathe with you a little bit further away although he kind of does want to suffocate in your scent- who said that?!

“It’s not finished yet” - Is the first thing you say with a frown and your arms crossed over your hoodie clad chest, referring to the rain as you both look out and Jimin worries that hes overstaying his welcome before you turn to him and begin to talk again.

“I’ll have a look on the weather app” - Then as you are about to grab your phone, you look up and notice his wet hair, frowning and he follows your eyes, reaching up and wiping it out of his face, offering a confused smile at your obvious disapproval.

“Dry your hair, you’ll get a cold- ill get my hairdryer” - Jimin barely has a chance to retort and say that you also have wet hair right now- and a lot more of it than him before your spinning off again and returning with a hairdryer, plugging it in near your couch, he goes to protest.

“Its really fine sugar, i wont catch a cold” - You’re hardly phased by the nickname when you stare at him in horror as if hes actually just said something highly illegal- Two seconds later hes yelping in surprise when you push him with a hand on his chest to sit on the couch behind him and he can’t deny that he does sink into the cloud-like mountain of pillow and blankets awfully fast.

“Nonsense, stay” - You point and it’s suspiciously similar to how you’d tell a dog to sit and he does look puppylike in the way he does exactly what you say, staying sat and wondering what your about to do until you round him, lifting the dryer and then hesitating.

“Can i dry your hair?” - You hover, not touching his hair at all for a moment but something in Jimin’s heart is warm, beating loud and in his ears. His chest is starting to rumble again and he really cannot wait until you get that hair dryer on to hopefully cover the sounds threatening to erupt from his chest. Something distant in his mind, heavily praising you and saying things like ‘sweet omega, taking care’

“Sure, sugar” - He dips his head for you to reach easier and you gently reach out, touching the strands and nearly purring from how soft they are, hes got his natural hair right now, they’d decided on it for the comeback, everyone natural although he is missing his blonde hair, he knows its a lot softer and healthier this way. Its just been cut, the sides shorter and a little prickly-soft you’ll find. The top’s in those curtains that perfectly frame his face, before styling its always a little bit in his eyes.

After getting a feel for how soft it is, you cant resist dipping your hands in, gently detangling it with your fingers from his scalp to the ends, you have to clear your throat to cover up your purr. Jimin’s struggling too, hes putty in your hands, holding a pillow between his fingers to resist holding you a little closer because hes always loved having his hair played with, it tingles a little when you come across a few knots, mumbling an apology and oh so carefully untangling them one by one. He doesn’t mind the gentle tugging, hes leaning into your hands more and more by the second until hes practically crouched over himself.

You keep going until you’re able to run your hands through it over and over, pushing it out of his face and back, over and over- a few times more than necessary. You catch a glimpse of Jimin’s face everytime you do it, hes got his eyes closed, gulping harshly every few seconds and otherwise, his lips barely part, breathing a little shaky and you take his flurry of scent fluffing around you as a reward, a token of approval.

Noises of approval fall from your lips, letting out a little purr by accident and watching as he twitches, looking up at you from under his hair and the look in your eyes has you spinning- metaphorically and physically as you turn your back to him searching for the hairdryer and simultaneously trying to even your breathing because WHO could possibly not stop breathing and blushing if jimin looked at you like THAT?!

The hairdryer acts as a good mask for your purrs and Jimin’s approving growls, even if maybe you can both hear them underneath. You keep running your fingers through his hair as you dry it, a medium sort of heat just in case rather than the high setting you always use on your own hair. You know how he likes his hair by now, making sure to run your fingers through it over and over in the front to swoop it out of his face and form the pretty bangs. Its so soothing that Jimin nearly falls straight into you, having to jolt himself up a few times because- why is he sleepy? Why is he quite literally about to doze off right them under your hands and the flittering heat of the hairdryer-

You don’t mind when he jolts up, simply carrying on at a new angle each time until you turn the hairdryer off, Jimin’s hair a fluffy, soft sort of pillow on his head- you could definitely nest with something this soft- maybe you should just drag Jimin himself to the nest- Okay thats enough.

Jimin slowly sits up when he realises your done and have ran your fingers through it just a few more times, it sits nicely out of his eyes, fluffed up just the right amount and he’s looking at your own hair before you can unplug the hairdryer and shaking off his happy haze to stop you.

“My turn now sugar” - You turn around in confusion when he’s looking at you like your the softest thing in the world, angelic in his eyes and this is all so strange- you have barely known eachother over a month- what even is this?! You go to protest but he shushes you, gestures for you to take his spot and you do, getting a bit shy because you never have people do things like this for you and as he’s about to reach out and reciprocate, you reach for his wrist and stop him, words muddled on your tongue; maybe its just a try for you to brace yourself, maybe not

“It’s- it’s probably a lot more tangly than yours.” - Jimin looks at you pursing your lips and eyebrows furrowing, so clearly hesitating and he melts all over again. he retracts his hand and gives you a moment, voice so soft as if your a wounded animal

“Its okay; i dont have too if you’d rather i dont.” - And maybe thats all you needed to hear because it gives you the confidence to nod, dropping your head and Jimin pushes away the very small voice of his alpha singing your praises for dropping your head like that to him like omega’s do when showing their trust, saying you’re not doing it in that way

“I’d like you too” - Since your words are merely a murmur, Jimin doesn’t push you to talk any further. Gently separating your hair down the middle and into two sides, you ran some leave-in conditioner through it, but it might still be tangled. The first touch of Jimin’s fingers to your scalp almost makes you preen, resting your mouth on your hand, disguised as just slumping and comfortable, but it’s really to try and mask any reaction you have.

Jimin purposefully is as gentle as possible, scratching over your scalp gently and repeating what you did for him, running his fingers through your hair until there's not a single knot; it's a lot longer, a lot lot longer than his, but that only makes him more careful. You are toe-to-toe; he can feel you wiggling them in happiness against his own, and it’s more than enough reassurance to carry on. You had already brushed it earlier, so it only takes a few passes to just get the few.

Getting the hairdryer started and beginning has you in a very similar state to Jimin just a minute ago, eyes closed, breathing slow and deep; you haven’t had something like this since you were a child, always preaching your independence. That's why your purrs, louder than the hairdryer can be, are excused easily; you can hear Jimin giggling in joy and cooing over the softness of your hair, but it’s almost distant, barely feeling too conscious when he finishes. Minutes of drying had felt like a mere few moments, and you slowly blink back to reality.

Jimin still keeps his finger detangling your hair after; it's only been 10 minutes start to finish from your hair to his, but it feels like it's been hours- friendly intimacy you tell yourself, right?

Busying yourself when he finishes is easier than confronting your currently hazy state, thanking him for doing it, and he recirprocates with a half-flirty comment about loving you playing with his hair that you know is only light-hearted.

“You must be hungry- you’d be home by now” - Your voice sounds distant to your own ears. The worry shown by the little crease between your brows makes a similar expression settle on his own face. He wants to wipe it right off

Then, without him getting a chance to respond, you remember you’d obviously both gone to get food, and there are two plastic carrier bags on the kitchen island containing ramen and gimbap. It’s still pouring; he can’t possibly get back yet, and after you’d checked the weather, it was meant to calm down in around half an hour to forty five minutes, you had told him, and he’d nodded, not rushing to leave and you can hardly have him going hungry-—what kind of hospitality would that be? What kind of omega would you be?

“Would you like me to cook your ramen for you? I mean, I'm definitely not as good with cooking as baking, but I make a mean instant ramen” - You laugh out, trying to cover the fact that this feels awfully domestic and so intimate you could just melt. Jimin returns your laugh and wiggles his eyebrows teasingly, with a brief comment of ‘I bet you can,’ not at all a flirty kind of response, but he just makes it one with his tone.

He nods, thanks you, and although he feels he should at least help and not make you do it all, you have somehow accumulated a habit of pushing his chest and stunning him momentarily, enough to push him to sit and let you do it.

You aren't lying; you do make a mean instant ramen. Soft boil a few eggs to go with it, just right so that they pop when cut in half but aren't too gooey. Plating it up in the cups just because, and in 10 minutes you’re back and smiling to yourself at how Jimin’s sunk into the couch, sleepily blinking, your omega clawing within you in self-praise, happy you’ve aided him to get to this kind of state. Warm, dry, comfortable, and about to have a full belly.

Jimin practically moans when he tastes his ramen, claiming you make it better than he ever has, both of you munching away on ramen and gimbap. You both chose spicy versions; it plumps Jimin’s lip an almost anime-like red plush, and he sniffles at one moment-—you freeze.

You take his sniffling as him already developing a cold even though your rational brain knows you're also sniffling and it's only from the ramen. You try to keep eating, but you seem cautious, something to say or do lingering in your movements, and when Jimin picks up on it, you don't know how, but he just knows.

“I don’t have a cold; it’s just spicy- here, try” - It does well to distract you along with calming you, but you do look at him like he’s just done something absolutely obscene when he holds out a bite of his ramen on his chopsticks for you, hand under to stop them from getting on your couch or you; he laughs at your expression, but you open your mouth and lean in either way, trying them. They are sweet, savory and- spicy, so spicy that your eyes pop out and you look at him in terror- He’s in a fit of giggles that are music to your ears, throwing his head back and you’d hardly taken notice of the gesture of him feeding you and you sharing chopsticks-

“How do you even eat that! That’s going to burn my tastebuds off! Try mine its nothing like that-” - You get out between taking deep breaths to try and cool your mouth and eating a bite of gimbap, gathering a good bite on your ramen, repeating the gesture and Jimin leans in instantly, humming in approval at the taste but still half-giggling at your reaction

“They’re good! You sound like Taehyung” - He gets out after swallowing, nearly finishing his ramen now, same with you.

“Well, Taehyung is right because that is spice from the burning pits of hell, and I like spice!” - You near shout at him, still shocked and appalled, just as you finish and he’s once again giggling. Jimin reaches out and wipes your lip, a little bit of the ramen sauce still on it, feeling over your lip and bringing it back and into his mouth as if it's nothing. You’re frozen; he’s nonchalant about it, carrying on and laughing at your expression, and then you shove another bite into your mouth, blaming your flaming cheeks on his ridiculously spicy choice. Did he really just do that? Wipe off sauce from your lip and then lick his finger off after?! He’d darted his tongue out to do it past his puffy red lips and then just acted like nothing!

He’s driving you a little crazy, and it forces your sweetened scent out in a flutter so strong Jimin nearly choked, the kind of scent that you’d talked to Dr.Kim about. Then you’re embarrassed and mortified at yourself and don’t say a single word about it, neither does Jimin, maybe taking a lot deeper inhales of your scent than he’ll admit, feeling ravenous despite having just eaten an entire meal. It’ll replay in both of your minds, a whole lot more than you are both willing to admit.

The weather app lied. It always does. That half an hour to forty-five minutes? Lies. An hour rolls around, and both of you are stuffed full of food, warm, comfortable, and positively about to doze off when you murmur out.

“It doesn’t look like it’s stopping.”

Jimin agrees; the idea of leaving is kind of painful. he hasnt been this comfortable in days but he knows he cant overstay his welcome; cant intrude when your eyes are droopy and he knows your nest is just a door away and that you're probably begging to get in and have some alone time - if only he knew your omega has been nagging at you to invite him in since he got here. That makes him pause because he hadn’t really clocked that oh- oh. Your nest is just in the other room, so close, and you’ve been okay with him staying here so far? In fact, with a quick glance, he realises the door isn't pushed shut to your room; there's a slight crack open, and he can briefly see piles and piles of blankets and pillows when he squints before relocating his sight as if he were burnt.

He is not letting his alpha fall down that rabbit hole of thoughts- although it already began, still singing praises about you and your instinct, about how well you took care of him, about how amazing of an omega you would be to the pack- He shuts his brain off quick at that one.

“I’ll call Yoongi and see if he can pick me up so I am out of your hair.” - It’s light-hearted how it comes out, but he has to clear his throat, and there’s this little tone of disappointment that makes you internally whine, or more specifically, your omega whines and begs for you to make him stay, but you know you can’t. Instead, you offer a little comment to try and soften that disappointment.

“You’re not a burden, Jimin, I mean it.” - Jimin’s eyes flick to you so fast you’re sure he should get some sort of pain from the motion; he deflates, a breath falling out that he didn’t know he was containing, but he isn’t deflating from being upset; much the opposite, what you say soothes him, wraps around him, and its words that he doesn’t often hear but always worries about. You don’t know it, but he really wants to scoop you up and hold you so tight you can barely breathe.

Your smile is genuine and telling, he returns it right back, still picking up his phone to call Yoongi but with far less haste. You give him a moment, going to the utility room and opening your dryer, gently folding Jimin’s clothes; they smell briefly of your laundry from the dryer sheet you put in, and you’re glad they don’t smell like rain at all. Now that they are dry, you can appreciate the fabrics he chooses, running your fingers over them, internally cooing and externally nodding from the softness. Your omega’s dancing around, saying something similar to praise about it being soft enough for his skin and thick enough to keep him warm, but you try to ignore it.

So strange, your omega's been nagging and giving far more comments and pushes to your actions than ever; maybe it's just because you're at home.

Jimin calls Yoongi in the other room, telling him he got stuck in the rain and needs to be picked up. Yoongi panics, asking where he is and how long hes been stuck, saying he needs to get to some sort of shelter, but Jimin cuts him off. Tells him he's okay, he's at yours, he's dry and safe, but he just doesn't want to stay too long when he knows you should rest. Yoongi is… shocked to say the least, jealous? Bamboozled? Filled with questions. He’ll hold off to ask though; he asks him to drop a pin on his location and says he will leave now.

He doesn’t go without leaving a comment about how he needs to thank you and keep well away from your nest, and- he goes on and on, but Jimin hangs up when he hears you leaving the utility room.

You walk over, a timid sort of smile on your face, and you don’t even notice how you’re still lightly running your fingers over the fabrics over and over, but Jimin does. It fills him with a sort of sense of pride, of reassurance that he has surely picked out well, and his recent attention to his clothes and fabrics is appreciated by someone else. By an omega. By you.

“They smell good” - He claims, taking a big inhale of them, still warm too.

“Is this you trying to compliment your own scent?” - You tease, knowing fully well he means the scent of the dryer sheet sticking to them “I mean- are you saying it's worth complimenting?” - He pushes right back, tilting his head in curiosity, a smirk pulling at his lips

“Don't get all sassy now” - You roll your eyes, feigning annoyance, and he breaks into a big smile. Unfortunately for you, Jimin doesn’t mind being sassy.

“Awwww you do, dont you, sugar?” - Teases and teases, standing up and over you, cooing and walking a little closer just to keep it up

“Mines better.” - You roll your eyes again; now your the one acting sassy. a small smirk as you think it’ll end there, with you winning

“I’ll agree there.” - Oh, now you're silent. Silenced. Okay Jimin won.

On cue, Yoongi sends Jimin a message saying he's outside. Jimin frowns a little, and you barely catch it before he's schooling his face into a small smile again.

“Yoongi’s here” - You try to hide the disappointment on your own face; your omega is clawing and clawing at you. Make him stay; ask him for a few more minutes. You dont

“I’ll walk you down” - Jimin nods, going towards the door and then looking down, guilty and giving you a sheepish smile because he’s still in your clothes

“I’ll get one of the boys to return them to you if I don’t see you first” - He rubs the back of his neck and looks so sweetly awkward it’s amusing; you break into a full laugh at his confident and sassy exterior breaking.

“Come on, don’t keep Yoongi waiting” - You get through your laughs, subconsciously reaching for Jimin’s hand and intertwining your fingers all over again, barely holding back a gasp after you realise what you’re doing, but the smile Jimin can’t contain is worth it, especially when he squeezes your hand so you can’t pull away, and you both begin your comfortable but short journey downstairs.

You can see Yoongi’s car pulled right up to the door, looking out of his window after a moment and through the glass. He has a clear view because it's bright in the hall; it's pitch black outside.

Jimin and you walk to the door together, hand in hand still, swinging them a little and not stopping your conversation until you come to a halt. Jimin purses his lips; it looks like he's contemplating something, and before you can pull away, he holds onto your hand a little tighter and pulls you flush against his chest. Arms wrapping tightly around your waist, and after a moment of shock, yours move up and around his neck. It's an intimate hug, a warm embrace filled with thousands of unspoken words, and you stay like that for a good 30 seconds.

You’re certain Jimin can feel your chest vibrating with silent purrs; he’s so warm, so comforting. His breath is hitting the top of your head where he leans down a little and rests his chin onto your hair. You’ve never had a hug so perfect, he’s certain, arms tight, yours are the same, and your bodies are flush against eachother. Your breathing is a little shaky, and so is Jimin’s, his scent so heavy and thick around you that you’re sure your knees are trembling a little and everything feels a little slow; you’re melting. Thinking he can only hear the vibrations of your purrs is wrong because he can hear them; this close he can hear them, and he's reciprocating his own kind back to you.

He doesn’t let go to speak to you, not one bit.

“Thank you…” - His voice is so soft it feels like he's singing it to you, hanging heavy and breathy over you. You somehow know he’s not just talking about your basic hospitality, that maybe this situation spoke to him like it spoke to you, although you can’t decipher what exactly that means.

You don’t need to say anything in return; he doesn’t expect you to. You slowly let go of each other, one final shaky breath between you two before he walks and opens the door, glad that the small cover over the entrance is enough to shelter him to get into Yoongi’s car. Standing there, you watch until they slowly pull away, sharing a heavy glance with Yoongi.

Inside the car, they begin silent; Jimin’s in some kind of bliss, melting back into the seat, head tilted back a little and eyes closed.

“Tell me.” - Yoongi says, and underneath the calm exterior he tries to push, there's a sort of excitement, a jealousy, a curiosity that would have his leg bouncing had he not been driving. You’re doing something to all of them, fast, and you probably don’t even see it.

Ahhhhhh i hope you all enjoyed todays chapter. I mean, i loved it but im biased cos i wrote it...

Thank you so much for reading as always!

My asks are open of course!

Lmk if youd like to be added to the taglist x

Mwah 💖

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lairofdragonagelore · 6 months ago

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Patterns and Styles: Avvar/Alamarri

Avvar/Alamarri design is quite rustic, stone-based, and sometimes it's hard to differentiate one from another considering their cultural history: the Avvar are a branch of the Alamarri that moved towards the Mountains. Alamarri as well as Avvar and Chasind have a long story of inter-racial mix with the dwarves of Orzammar, which is clear in their art: heavily based on stone and with some imagery of dwarves.

However, it is important to remember that Avvar in particular may have had also relationships with the Elvhenan, as Tyrdda's lover was an elven woman. Their tradition with mages and their treatment of the spirits also resembles their influence from the elvhenan culture. This strange mix is then reflected in the art.

This series of posts are not exhaustive since I’ve developed a very detailed list of tags tracking certain features of a given design. These posts merely try to gather in one place the symbols and elements I used most of the time when identifying buildings in my analysis of DAI.

[This post is part of the series “Patterns and Styles ”] [Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

Patterns

When it comes to patterns, the only one that I can assume is alamarri it's an intricated rhomboid pattern [celtic-like] that we can find in some columns of arches that are spread all over Ferelden. It's not clear for me that this pattern was later imported by the Avvar. However, it's interesting to highlight the resemblance to the elvhenan walls in temples such as in Mythal's Temple [see Patterns and Styles: Elvhenan] which also seems to be related to the pattern found in the pants that Dalish wear, and ironically, Qunari too.

Statues and decorations

1 - Keepers of Fear and their variations

Part of the reason I consider these statues as Keepers of Fear is that they represent similar imagery; they share the style and some characteristics, and are related to the codex The Keepers of Fear. They display the despair and fear that the Alamarri felt when the Blight came from the north. They tend to be elongated humanoids, usually with pointy teeth, without a nose, and screaming/cowering body language.

They also appear close to one another, in groups, in Kenric’s study room in the DLC Jaws of Hakkon [ Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous ] implying similar origin for study. They also decorate the paths that head to the Avvar Hold in the DLC, and inside the hold itself.

In the Fade, we find the codex The Keepers of Fear on one of these statues, where we learn that the Alamarri/Avvar used them to scream inside them during the time of the Blight, thinking the darkspawn were spirits. As we know thanks to the DLC Jaws of Hakkon, the Avvar [and by extension most likely the Alamarri and the Chasind] would feed the spirits to keep them close [spirits] or away [demons] from their communities.

1A - Screaming Keeper [Alamarri/Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Crestwood, in a place a bit isolated closed to a destroyed Andraste statue,

In Fallow Mire: Granite Point [not original from this place],

In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars : Everywhere, specially along the paths.

In Hinterlands: Minor places, in several places and caves.

In Hinterlands: Redcliffe – Future, along the corridors of the fortress as the Fade and the Waking World get merged.

In the Fade Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, in many places, since this part of the Fade we visit is close to the lair of a Nightmare Demon who feeds upon the Fear and Despair. At some point one of these statues triggers the codex The Keepers of Fear.

The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, Part 2, as decoration of an avvar/alamarri corridor.

Brief description: This statue is elongated. It has long arms, and its hands are grabbing the face, distorted in fear as it screams. It has no nose. There are some strange appendages falling down and making an extension of its chin [thick beard?]. We can see the ribs very easily, suggesting illness or hunger. It also has elongated legs, one of them crossing over the hip that conveys an impression of more terror and fear.

These Keepers appear quite regularly in all places over Ferelden and the Frostback Mountains. They are inserted in the landscape or along paths, and we can see they are a good reflection of what the codex The Keepers of Fear says: They are part of the Avvar/Alamarri "superstition”: They thought the Darkspawns were bad spirits that fed on fear, so they crafted these statues to feed them far away from their communities, to keep them satisfied and away from them. However, when this did not work [since the darkspawn are not spirits], the Alamarri/Avvar used these statues to scream inside them and pour all their fear into them, “burn” it in order to get rid of it, and go to battle against the darkspawn no matter their gender or age.

In the Frostback Basin [DLC], we can find these statues flanking the path to the Avvar Hold or inside it. In the Fade it makes sense for them to appear where the Lair of the demon Nightmare lives: he has been feeding upon these fears for centuries.

1B - Screaming heads [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous: everywhere

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path [as a part of the stanza], and Minor places

In Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Future, as the Waking World and the Fade merge one another.

In Therinfal Redoubt [in the part of the Fade]

In the Fade Part 1, Part 3, in many places. This part of the Fade we visit is close to the lair of a Nightmare Demon who feeds on Fear and Despair, so it makes sense we see so many of these Keepers.

The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, as decoration of an avvar/alamarri corridor.

Brief description: This statue is an isolated head with two faces [front and back display different shapes], I can see humanoid faces in them: one as a screaming melted human without nose [which can also be considered the face of a Terror demon or a ghoul], and the other one as a screaming boar of pointy teeth, which inside its mouth there is another screaming face. Everything is too deformed to be precise.

The game efficiently combines these heads in ways that seem to create new different horror statues by clipping them.

We find these faces all over Ferelden and the Frostback Mountains, specially in Avvar/Alamarri territory.

1C - Sitting screaming humanoid [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars : specially in small cliffs into the sea, where the Avvar can be seen fishing. It can also be found aside a path inside the Avvar Hold.

In the Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris] clipped with a skull.

In the The Fade of Flemeth: Part 2, clipped with a skull.

In Hissing Wastes: scattered objects and ruins, inside a crevice where a Fereldan vendor has been placed, but we only find their mabari and several objects of Ferelden iconography.

Brief description: This statue is elongated and shares many characteristics present in 1A and 1B. It shows long arms, hands covering the eyes, screaming out of fear as it cowers. It's sitting inside a basket. It has no nose and its teeth are pointy. We can see the ribs very easily, suggesting hunger or illness.

During the DLC Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars, Dorian will point out this is an Avvar statue, which makes sense considering we are in an avvar hold.

1D - Sitting screaming humanoid with hands inside the mouth [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Razikale’s Reach, as part of the stratification of the Temple when it was taken by the Avvar-Hakkonite and rejected the Tevinters that had been installed around the time of the first Blight.

Inside Skyhold if you pick the Avvar decoration.

Brief description: This statue is elongated and shares many characteristics present in 1A, 1C, 1E and 2. It displays long arms, but no hands. It’s not clear if the hands are inside the mouth or means they were eaten [I favour this second option since these statues tend to be scrawny, conveying the idea of famine, another very common fear among the Avvar, specially during the Blight times]. It has no nose and its teeth are pointy. Its legs are protruding from over the shoulders, giving the sense that this figure is sitting and cowering. We can see a bit of its ribs in between the arms. The position is similar to 1C and 2.

1E - Sitting screaming deepstalker humanoid [Likely Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris] , at the sides of another Avvar/Alamarri statue [1C] clipped with a skull.

In the Fade Part 2 and Part 3, It is a zone where we find a Tevinter sacrificial altar.

In the Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, this statue is beside a sacrificial altar again.

In The Fade of Flemeth: Part 2, it appears at the end, where we find Flemeth. They are positioned as to form a frame for the statue that was stabbed in the back and bleeds.

Brief description: These statues share some similarities with 1A, 1C and 1D: they show long arms, with hands grabbing the sides of the face as it screams. It has no nose nor eyes. We can see the ribs very easily, giving a sense of skeleton [extreme famine?]. What makes this statue particular is the strange mouth, closer in shape to a deepstalker’s mouth. It’s not clear if the figure is sitting, since it has no legs. Its base has the outline of a figure that reinforces the idea of screaming in terror and rising its arms. This figure has a shape that also resembles a terror demon.

In some places in the Fade, the head of this statue is burning, making clear suggestion to the codex of the Keepers of Fear, in particular to the part where they burn their screams of fear to find courage to fight [and die] against the darkspwan.

Rarely appears alone [it’s usually presented in pairs], and when it does, bones and bodies are shown below it, relating it to sacrifices and death. Most likely the concept of sacrifice comes from the part of the codex where once the fears are burnt, the alamarri went to fight a hopeless battle.

What’s interesting of this statue is that it’s a central piece of decoration in the Lair of the Nightmare Demon, in the Fade [check Part 4]. There, we see four of these statues, vomiting blood. Around this spilled blood, some bits of red lyrium can be found. This construction may be entirely done for shock value, since it’s a reuse of several assets assembled in a way that inspire terror and fear just in the moment where the Inquisitor faces the Nightmare demon.

2 - Eroded dragon skull and variations [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Swamp Kulsdotten, in the Frostback basin

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow , and Redcliffe – Future.

In the Therinfal Redoubt [As part of the decoration of the fortress’ main room]

In the The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1 as well as the common Raw Fade.

In Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris], as the base of the main, central figure, which is 1C with a clipped skull.

Brief description: I personally call it "Eroded dragon skull", because I have no other way to call it to tag it in the blog. I see a kind of dragon skull with horns that go backwards and then forward, but it also looks like a statue of a humanoid, with elongated legs that protrude from the sides of the skull. Like in the previous statues, it has no nose and seems to have pointy teeth at the end of the “snout”. All the details are blurred for what it looks like erosion.

On its back, this statue has a G symbol which doesn’t present the same level of erosion than the front. I only found a remotely similar symbol in the elven artefact. It’s a strange symbol, dwarven-like even for an “elven” artefact [looks like a squarish swirl]. In fact, that symbol can be found in dwarven objects [specially tapestry and rugs]. Once more, it’s only what I’ve observed, I don’t think we have any evidence to even speculate on this. It looks quite on purpose, though. A whole eroded statue with a clear G on its back is a choice in terms of design.

If we compare this statue with similar ones found in Avvar/Alamarri-related places the common characteristics show up:

It has long limbs, open mouth, and pointy teeth, without a nose. Through these similarities it seems reasonable to relate it with the Avvar culture.

3 - Tyrdda statue [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path

and in Hinterlands: inside the Grand Forest Villa.

Tyrdda Bright-Axe was a legendary Alamarri chieftain who is considered the founder of the Avvar.

Brief description: The statue is simple, with a woman holding a sword [which is strange considering the Avvar always knew she was a mage and was holding a staff]. It has limbs a bit elongated and her ribs can be seen.

4 - Lady of the Sky [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In the Skyhold [Stone-Bear Hold Avvars ] when you pick Avvar Decoration

Brief description: This satue is an owl, representation of the Lady of the Skies. I find interesting in her design the ring around her head: small little spikes that may be related or may have inspired artistically other symbols in the game: the thorns that we have seen many times in vines, which have elven influence [after all, the Avvar have a strong elven influence in their culture if we consider the tale of Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path as more or less reliable with respect to her lover of leaf-like ears], or could be an inspiration of a sun. The symbolism of the Lady of the sky with the sun is also shown in her painted representation, as I talked about in the post Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The Sun.

5 - Korth [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

Stone-Bear Hold Avvars , close to the entrance of the hold,

or in Skyhold when you pick Avvar decoration.

Brief description: This statue shares the similar position of 1C, 1D, and 2, but instead of being a squat position due to fear, in Korth’s case it’s because the weight of the stone. Korth is the Mountain-Father, so this representation shows he is supporting it. His face, so filled with beard, and his body, short and thick, seems to recall dwarven nature, which could exists since the dwarf influence in the Avvar is present in their tales [Trydda had a child with a dwarven prince]. Curiously, it has horns [that can be part of a potential helm he is wearing?]. He is snarling as he endures the weight of the mountain/Stone.

6 - Dwarf with long limbs [Likely Alamarri/Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Crestwood: surface , Crestwood: Flooded Caves , at the entrance of the drowned village,

In the Stone-Bear Hold Avvars, in the main throne room

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, and Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path showing the path to some of the statues that trigger Tyrdda’s story.

In an unknown place called the Forgotten Tower, where the presence of this statue seems to reinforce the idea that this place was inhabited by an avvar, as it shows the codex triggered in this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal.

Brief description: This statue shares the characteristic of having elongated arms crossed over the chest in similar fashion as some Fereldan drawings seem to have [see Nation Art: Ferelden]. It displays a short man with hair, long beard, and a long, curvy moustache. The back and the front are the same image.

This statue is one of the most reused all over Ferelden, specially in regions where the Avvar-Alamarri presence was strong in the past. I think they represent the dwarves, which makes sense if we read the tale of Tyrdda: Avvar’s chieftains descend from humans and dwarves.

A weak pattern may suggest them as “pointers” or “guides”. Sometimes they are placed in pairs creating a path towards a place of importance [see Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path]. Sometimes, as pointers of graves or special places.

7- Monolith with swirls [Likely Alamarri]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path

In the Forgotten Tower , where the presence of this statue seems to reinforce the idea that this place was inhabited by an avvar, as it shows the codex triggered in this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal.

Brief description: I’m not sure if it’s a mabari or a horse. The Avvar are not fond of the mabari, since they are a tamed animal; however, they seem to use an “avvar horse” that looks like a zebra, and it is a bit wild. On the other hand, I also suspect that this statue may be Chasind, simply because in DAO we saw similar monoliths with line patterns on them in the Kocari Wilds [Check Ostagar post or The Blackmarsh and the High Dragon for details]. Unfortunately, these monoliths have no codex associated with them and there is little to speculate about.

8 - Monolith with ropes [Likely Alamarri]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: and Crestwood, but in general all over Ferelden.

In the Frostback Basin and inside the Stone-Bear Hold.

There is no much to say about this element. It appears everywhere, more as a decoration or a support for other statues.

9 - Table of Wolves [Confusing. Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

In Crestwood: surface and Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open

Brief description: a metallic dark table decorated with spiky wolves. The wolves have a strong resemblance to the ones that were painted by Solas in his mural “Inquisition Formation” [Read “The actions of the Inquisitor”]. It seems related to the mabaris/wolves presented in 10A, which tend to appear in Ferelden-based enviroments. It seems to be Ferelden but it could also be inherited through the Alamarri culture. What always caught my attention was the material: unlike the rest of the Alamarri/Avvar statues, it’s not made of stone but dark metal, a Tevinter-origin characteristic.

10 - Mabaris

Mabaris are depicted all over Ferelden without much surprise; Ferelden has a culture deeply entangled with them. However, sometimes the hound silhouette seems to be confused with that one of the wolf and it’s hard to distinguish one from another. We know due to the legends [unreliable sources but decent enough for this level of understanding] that the Alamarri had their dogs. The potential Alamarri origin of the The Ash Warriors [who fight with their mabaris beside them] seem to support those [unreliable] legends. However, the Avvar are not fond of tamed animals, and prefer wild ones that can be befriended, hence why a wolf is more suitable for them. Considering this detail, it’s natural to understand the following statues as somewhat in between the lines of the Culture of the Alamarri, the Avvar, and the Ferelden [maybe even Chasind too?]. The blurred difference between mabari and wolf translates into the difficulty of deciding to which culture these statues belong to.

10A - Pointy Mabaris [Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

In some places in Crestwood: surface

In Therinfal Redoubt as part of the decoration of the Fortress’ main room.

In Frostback Mountains: Haven, as part of the decoration.

Brief description: The look too similar to the wolves drawn by Solas in his mural “Inquisition Formation” [Read “The actions of the Inquisitor”].

10B - Mabaris with lines [Likely Alamarri/Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Fallow Mire: Granite Point , it is not original from this place, but since it’s kept beside other Avvar statues it may imply same origin too.

In Hinterlands: Wolf Hollow, again found with other Avvar statues.

In Therinfal Redoubt as decoration

Brief description: It is almost a monolith, similar to the ones we find in the Kocari Wilds in DAO [ read Ostagar post or The Blackmarsh and the High Dragon for details] and to 7 but with less curvy lines and more angular ones.

In the Fade Part 3, one of the heads of 1B has this statue sprouting from its mouth, which offers the codex A Plea from the Warrior to the Spirits. It seems to be written by an avvar/alamarri or a descendant of them, for example a Ferelden person who remembers the “old ways”. It speaks about how the wolves had been allies to the humans once, but the softening of the human, the replacement of the hunt as a survival means for an agricultural lifestyle, changed this relationship, replacing the wolf and the hunt, by a hound and a sedentary life. There is a reinforcement of the concept of the wolf as a symbol of freedom and rebellion, as a creature who doesn’t simply obey, like a hound does. Then, the Darkspawn came, putting at risk this comfortable sedentary life, showing how little power hounds have. “Kill the hound in my heart […] in its place, give me the wolf”. The wolf is representation of power, bravery, and freedom, as the mabari represents obedience and loyalty.

10C - Beheaded female Mabari [Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: Minor places, specially in a cave where we see several Avvar statues and some Tevinter ones.

In the Forgotten Tower, where the presence of Avvar statues combined with the codex of this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal seem to reinforce the idea that this tower was inhabited by an Avvar who was rescued by an Elvhenan.

Brief description: It depicts a female mabari which has been feeding puppies [flaccid mammals]. On her back there is a spiky pattern that could be related to the spiky style of the wolves in 9 or 10A. What it’s disturbing is her head, which is barely kept in place because it’s attached with strips that have written runes on them. Inside the space between her head and body, there is usually fire [Waking World] or meat [Fade].

10D - Spiked Mabari [Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

Mostly in Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open

And in the Seeker fortress during Cassandra’s personal quest.

Brief description: These are mabari-totem figures in styles that can be Ferelden most likely, but seem to be inspired in Alamarri/Avvar ones since they have some similarities in style to 10B and 10C. There are no codex associated with them.

11 - Additional elements:

There is an Avvar table used in Stone-Bear Hold Avvars , that was also used to erect the hero of Ferelden’s monument in Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Present , so we can suspect avvar-alamarri-ferelden origin of it.

In Skyhold, when we activate the Avvar decoration, we find a unique statue that is not seen anywhere else: it looks like a tree branch-hand holding a bowl. It gives me the impression of a sylvanian hand.

#patterns and styles #pattern design #avvar design #avvar #chasind #alamarri design #alamarri #mabari statues #mabari #lady of the skies #korth

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