#THIS EXACT CONVERSATION WITH THIS EXACT REASONING AND IT MADE ME ALMOST BLACK OUT THEN TOO

[paranoidgemsbok]

holding my tongue so hard i am bleeding when my dad fucking defends an ongoing genocide by comparing it to the horrifying war crimes the US did after 9/11, because in his logic both are justified

[misspelledwordswizard]

Can I request a Time content?

The Chaín except Time asking Reader his type or things she likes of a man. She mention some qualities but she specify "Older Man".

Time all blushing because he is in love with reader and Reader likes him too.

Time Content, yeay! I loved writing this asdfkqaj I hope you like it! <3

I like older men

— Oh, come on, you have to have a type! – Warriors exclaimed, referring to me. He’s been pestering me for a few minutes to tell me what type of man I’m attracted to. 

— I don’t think I have an exact type. – I kept giving the same answer. My taste can be quite flexible, I’d say. 

We were all around the campfire, talking, sharing stories, after the meal. The conversation was going smoothly until they got to the subject of relationships, which Sky dominated, by the way. The Captain has some experience in short-term relationships, so to speak, some of the others seem to have traumas, while the rest simply have never had anything with anyone until now, totally fair.

But, apparently, my romantic life became the central point of the entire conversation after I said I was single, and had never been seriously involved with anyone before. From what I understand, this information is somewhat shocking to them. 

— But not even some things you find attractive in men? – Wild suggested, he wasn’t helping me either. 

Unconsciously, my thoughts took me to the leader of the group, who was the only one who wasn’t bothering me with the subject. I can’t tell if it was because he was not interested in the subject or simply out of respect for my dignity. 

He didn’t even seem to be paying attention, to tell the truth. Leaning so calmly against a tree, with both eyes closed, I couldn’t even tell if he was awake. Avoiding looking at him and ending up generating comments among the heroes, I sighed and accepted my fate. Okay, I just need to wind them up. 

— Hm, let me think. – I said, raising expectations in the boys around me. – I guess we can say I like tall men. – Out of the corner of my eye, I had the impression of seeing Four wilt in his place, did he feel offended? – And strong ones too, something more natural... – I could feel my cheeks blushing. I wouldn’t mind talking about it at a sleepover with my friends, but with the men I’ve been living with for the past few months? What a nightmare. 

They remained silent, indicating that they expected more. Damn, damn gossips. 

— Well, I find light eyes attractive, I would say. And tattoos... Oh, and men who wear black, especially those tight, high-necked shirts. – Okay, I think I’m going too far. My cheeks looked like bell peppers. Oh, right, there’s one last very important one. – And, mainly, older men. 

I concluded, unable to bear all this pressure of stares while I talk about something so personal. I closed my eyes, expecting their provocative comments or something like that, but I was surprised to notice the silence that followed. Was that really that shocking? 

I opened my eyes to see their reactions, and, to my surprise, they weren’t looking at me. All eight boys looked with shock, surprise or curiosity in Time’s direction. Confused, I turned to look at him too, and, after some time processing the information, I understood the reason for their exaggerated reactions, feeling my face even hotter than before.  Time kept his eyes closed. His face, so relaxed before, was now tense, his lips pressed together in a line and his good eye closed a little tighter. What was surprising, in fact, was how rosy his cheeks were. 

In all my life, or rather, since I met him, I never thought I would see the hero of time blush. Because of me. Damn, am I not going crazy?  Well, I am definitely to blame for this, without realizing it, I ended up almost describing him in this silly joke. 

Oh man, I want to bury my face in a hole, I couldn’t have made it more obvious! Great, now I will have to deal with the provocations of this bunch of idiots. I looked away, no longer having the courage to look at him, and just accepted my cruel fate. 

— Look... – Warriors began, and I was already mentally preparing myself for the humiliation that was to come. – ... it seems that we have finally discovered the Old Man’s type as well. 

I turned my head abruptly to look at him, in time to see his eye widen and his mouth open in surprise and indignation, but nothing came out of his mouth. With his face even redder, he sighed and stood up, leaving the group in search of a moment of peace. 

These brats are still going to kill Time with these provocations, and in addition, they are going to kill me too. 

[avatar-anna]

please please pleeeeeease more of assistant×harry!! 🥺

Assistant! Reader x Harry Styles Masterlist

August 2013

In just a year of being Harry Styles’ assistant, Y/n had seen a lot, experienced a lot, and learned to expect just about anything, which was why her head began to throb before they even touched down in Las Vegas.

“Here,” a voice said from above her. Y/n was supposed to be answering emails and prepping for all the appearances Harry was supposed to make before the jet landed, but she decided to close her eyes. Just for a few minutes. Not that anyone would’ve noticed, anyway. The boys were all hanging out in the back of the plane, and Natalie, Zayn’s assistant, was watching the boys to make sure they didn’t get into too much trouble. All the assistants took turns when the boys of One Direction were in a confined space together; tag teaming just seemed the fairest deal.

When she peeked an eye open, though, she was surprised to see Harry standing beside her seat, a mug in his outstretched hand. Smiling, she took it, watching through tired eyes as he sat down across from her. He was in a red flannel shirt, though it was hardly buttoned, and the black skinny jeans he’d taken to wearing almost the entire tour. He had multiple pairs, all the same exact brand and style, just in case one ripped. Y/n would know. She had to race all over Manhattan when that very nightmare happened and Harry didn’t have any backups. Now there were at least four in his suitcase at all times. And an extra one in her backpack just to be safe. Harry swore the bag that followed her everywhere was made of magic because her whole life—and his—was nearly placed in there. But Y/n knew it wasn’t magic, she was just prepared for everything.

“I told the boys we’d be on our best behavior while we’re here. Just for you,” Harry said, giving Y/n his most innocent grin.

She’d seen that grin too many times to believe him, but the sentiment was nice. He and the boys were never menaces to her or the other assistants per day, but their antics did make her life more difficult depending on what they got up to. “That’s sweet of you.”

“I’m a sweet guy,” Harry said with a grin. Then with a nod toward Y/n’s phone, he asked, “Who’re you texting over there?”

“I’m not texting anyone. I’m sending emails,” she said.

“What? Even while we’re in the air?” he asked incredulously. “Do you ever not work?”

Y/n grinned. “Of course.”

“Well then put the phone down and talk to me. I feel like I've known you forever but I don't actually know you” Harry said, and it sounded like he was almost whining.

Y/n looked up from her phone. Harry’s eyes were pleading as he leaned forward in his seat. She was honestly a little surprised that he was so insistent that she talk to him. He was always nice of course, and they’d had brief conversations that didn’t involve work here and there, but Harry didn’t know much about Y/n personally. She kept her personal life private for the most part, for no other reason than she liked to keep things professional while she was working.

Setting her phone down, Y/n crossed her leg over the other and looked at Harry expectantly. "Alright. What would you like to know?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Y/n choked on the tea Harry had given her. "That's the question you want to start with?"

Harry shrugged before leaning in playfully. "Are you avoiding the question?"

"No. To both questions," she answered honestly.

"Hm."

"Hm? What's that supposed to mean?" Y/n asked. She thought they were having a lighthearted conversation but Harry looked contemplative.

"Why not?" he asked, not answering her question.

Y/n ran a tired hand over her face. "This is starting to feel like an interrogation, Mr. Styles."

"Sorry, sorry, I don't mean to pry," he said, leaning back in his seat. The playful gleam in his green eyes told Y/n differently, though. "I just feel like you know a lot of intimate details about my life, and all I know is that you like cinnamon bagels and have an affinity for wearing black. And you always manage to wake up before I do, which just seems outrageous to me sometimes."

Y/n pondered what he said and supposed he had a point. She did know a lot about Harry's relationships, or the intimate details of his life he referred to based on his line of questioning. But it was her job to know. She made sure he was up and ready each day, she ensured that no one night stands overstayed their welcome or helped themselves to his clothes after he was gone; she was privy to his PR dates and the ones he wanted no one else to know about. Their... relationship was one sided, and Y/n didn't fault him for his curiosity.

"You know how I take my tea, and that I drink tea at all," she finally said, her voice light.

Harry smiled, as if he'd been waiting to engage in whatever game he'd been trying to play with her since he sat down across from her. "I noticed you reach for the tea packets whenever we fly."

"It relaxes me," Y/n admitted.

"Do you not like flying?"

Y/n shrugged, trying to act more casual than she felt. "It's mostly the takeoff and landing. I don't know it just...freaks me out a little. All the jostling and pressure and whatnot."

"You picked a strange job if you don't like to fly, I'm afraid," Harry said.

"Hence the herbal tea. I'd take something a little stronger if I didn't think you boys would do something the minute my eyes were closed."

"We wouldn't—I would never—You can take a nap around us, Y/n," Harry said, frowning as if he were truly offended by what she said. "I know we like to pull pranks or whatever, but we wouldn't. I wouldn't let them do that to you."

His sincerity was sweet, his gaze hard and imploring. Y/n didn't mean for their conversation to turn down this route but somehow it did, and she couldn't help but notice how angular Harry's features were when he looked at her like that. Protective.

Something light and airy unfurled in her belly that she pointedly ignored.

"I was mostly kidding, but thank you."

And just like that, the hard look was gone, the tense fog lifted. Harry grinned and reached in his back pocket, pulling out a deck of cards. “Play with me?”

“You don’t want to play with the boys?” Y/n asked, genuinely curious.

“I need to practice for this weekend, and they’re not good enough competition.”

“Oh, and I am?” she said. Y/n knew how to play cards, but she wasn’t any kind of pro.

"We're about to find out."

Harry set the cards on the table between them and split the deck to shuffle them. Y/n watched his hands as the cards shuffled between his long, nimble fingers. There were calluses on them now from learning to play the guitar. He was a couple months in, and he was already pretty good. Harry often played the new songs or chords he learned for her, eager to show his progress and knowing she wouldn’t judge him when his fingers slipped from time to time.

When he finally stopped, Y/n realized she’d been openly staring at his hands for a little too long. She snapped her head up, thankful that Harry hadn’t caught her staring. Shuffling around in her seat, she asked, “What are we playing?”

*.*

Later that night, Y/n was alone in her hotel room. One Direction’s performance in Las Vegas went off without a hitch, and the boys had hit the Strip to celebrate. Harry insisted she join them, promising a night she would never forget, but she declined. She had plans of her own tonight.

Finishing the last touches on her hair and giving herself one last check in the mirror, Y/n grabbed her keys and her purse. A knock on the door sounded, and thinking it was Natalie, Y/n rushed to open it. When she did, her eyes widened.

“Mr. Styles? What are you doing here?”

Harry was in fact standing on the other side of her door, a bottle of champagne in one hand and the same deck of cards they’d played with on the plane in the other. They'd played until it was time for landing. Y/n had a large pile of candy by the end of it—Harry had wanted to play with real money but Y/n joked she couldn't afford to play real poker with him. And as the plane started to descend, Harry switched seats so that he was beside her, offered his hand for her to squeeze until the plane finally touched down. It had been the most tension-free landing of the tour for Y/n, and though neither of them said anything about it, Harry knew she was grateful for him being there.

He looked sheepish now as he took her in, the realization that she was on her way out striking him as he saw her clothes—a pair of jeans and a black button down top that was only buttoned in the middle, and black boots to match.

“Sorry, I wasn’t feeling up for going out tonight, so I came down here to—but of course you have plans. It’s your night off, you’re allowed to—”

“Is everything okay, Mr. Styles?” you asked with a furrowed brow. “Did you need me to call a doctor? Run down to the pharmacy? I can—”

“No, I…I came here to—to play cards again, but if you already have plans I won’t get in your way.”

Y/n’s head tilted to the side, partly confused and partly endeared. Harry was a kind boss, but he’d never come to her hotel room to hang out before, especially when parties and liquor were guaranteed elsewhere. The time she spent with him was strictly professional.

���Natalie and I had planned to go out tonight,” she said, looking down at her purse.

Y/n didn’t often go out while on tour, but Natalie knew someone that could get them into some exclusive rooftop bar with discounted drinks. She hadn’t had a night off in a while and thought it would be a fun and responsible way to spend her time in Vegas. But now that Harry was here…

“I can cancel—”

“Don’t you dare,” Harry said, stepping away from the door. His eyes trailing up and down her body in a way that didn’t feel entirely professional. A look Y/n chose to ignore. “I should’ve asked you earlier.”

“Are you sure? I mean, you could always come with us,” Y/n said.

She wasn’t sure how Natalie would feel about that. Her friend had made it clear that she wanted a night away from the boys of One Direction so she could let loose a little. But she didn’t want to just leave Harry on her doorstep.

“No, no, you go. I’m not in a partying mood tonight,” Harry said, waving Y/n off.

“If you’re sure,” she said.

“I’m sure.”

“Next time, then,” she offered.

Harry smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Then, before she could say anything else, Harry fished his wallet out of his back pocket. He pulled out a couple bills and handed them to her. Y/n tried to protest, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer, making sure he watched her put the money in her purse. “And take my driver too. There’s a lot of creeps out there. Dominic will take good care of you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Styles,” Y/n said graciously.

“No problem, Y/n, and for the last time, it’s Harry.”

Y/n grinned as she let the door shut behind her. “Whatever you say, Mr. Styles.”

*.*

Y/n trudged through the halls of the lavish hotel, her boots shuffling tiredly across the carpet. She’d had a good night, but when Natalie and a group they’d met at the bar wanted to move onto a club, Y/n decided it was time to go. She had her fun, but she wasn’t the clubbing type, and she had to be up early the next morning.

And she couldn’t help but think about Harry sitting around in his hotel room all alone. She spent nearly every waking moment with him, and yet on her night off, she felt the need to go see him, be with him. Y/n enjoyed hanging out with Harry on the plane to Vegas. It had been the first time they’d interacted with each other in a non-professional way. He told her goofy jokes and playfully tried to peek at her cards, a look of genuine surprise when she beat him on more than one occasion.

For a moment, Y/n had actually forgotten that he wasn’t her boss and that she wasn’t his assistant. For a moment, they were just two friends going on a trip somewhere.

And for whatever reason, Y/n wanted to revisit that moment. She bypassed her floor’s button on the elevator, opting to press the one a few levels up from hers. The hall was quiet, which made sense if the other boys were still out. Harry told Y/n earlier that he wanted a quiet night in, but as she approached his door, she heard music and muffled voices from the other side. She had his extra key and would’ve been able to enter no problem, but when she made it to the double doors of Harry’s suite, she elected to knock. Maybe she should’ve left when she realized he had company, but she stayed, eager to see him for some reason.

It took a minute or two for someone to answer. With the music so loud, Y/n wasn’t surprised no one could hear her knock. She nearly gave up after knocking a third time, the door finally opened.

“Can I help you?”

It was a young man. A handsome young man with short brown hair and freckles over his nose and a deep skin tone. His eyes looked droopy, like he’d woken up just to answer the door. Or had recently smoked a joint. The latter was more likely.

“I’m Mr. Styles’ assistant. I just thought I would check in. He has an early morning tomorrow.”

“Oh. Um…He’s…busy?” the man said, clearly not wanting the fun to stop. “Should I get him for you?”

Y/n had never been in this predicament before. Sure, she knew Harry occasionally liked to invite someone into his hotel room for a night of fun, and this wasn’t the first time she’d found another boy keeping him company in this way. The first time that happened, Harry wouldn’t meet her eye for a whole day, but she never judged him for it, and she never said a word of it to him or anyone else. That was his personal business, not hers.

So the boy wasn’t what caught her off guard. It was that he was awake. Y/n always interacted with Harry’s one, sometimes two, night stands the morning after, equipped with a pen and an NDA, and possibly a sharp wit, depending on how reluctant the individual was to leave. But she’d never been in this position before, in the middle of it. She felt embarrassed, at a loss for words.

“N—No,” she finally said. “He just told me he wasn’t feeling well earlier. I thought I’d check on him before heading to bed, but…it seems like he’s feeling better.”

That’s and understatement, Y/n thought. She felt disappointed for some reason. She knew she shouldn’t have, but she really thought Harry would want to hang out, that he would somehow be waiting for her to come back, which was stupid. He had no reason to.

Y/n finally started to shuffle away, leaving Harry and his companion to his own devices. The door shut after the young man gave her a small smile and a wave, leaving her alone in an all too quiet hallway, the sounds of their voices muffled by the thin walls.

Sleep was in order. She knew that she was probably having an off day. Too much traveling, no doubt. Harry wasn’t her friend. She was his assistant, hired by his management team to make sure his every need and whim was met and sought to. Tomorrow she would wake up and remember that.

*.*

The next morning when Y/n stepped onto the plane, Harry was already seated in her little corner of the jet, a deck of cards, two steaming mugs, a multitude of snacks, and a big blanket were waiting. He didn't say anything about last night, so she didn't either. Not a word was said at all during takeoff, Harry merely offered his hand again, and when the plane was leveled in the air, he took out the deck of cards.

"Up for another round? This time Oreos are on the line so I'm less inclined to lose."

After that, plane rides weren't so bad anymore.

[casuallyanidiot]

The Beta Test | Chapter 1

[yandere M x Gn Reader]

Local party animal and known social butterfly [name] wakes up to find that they've been abducted by their very reclusive and very wealthy classmate. Why, you might ask, did he do this? Well for one reason of course! He needs to know how he's going to talk to his crush! So now, with their freedom on the line, [name] has to figure out how to get this kid with the one of his dreams or risk never leaving at all. Lots of weird conversations ensue, of course.

2.1 k words Tw. Swearing, kidnapping, mentions of alcohol consumption, mentions of drugging, yandere behavior Prologue Table of contents

West Grove University wasn’t a super large school. It was important to mention this because, as it would happen, you were very well known there. It wasn’t a hard feat to reach, mind you, but still, there were few people who hadn’t heard of you. This was of course because of the fact that you would appear at every single social function that you could.

 Frat parties, fundraisers, birthdays, even baby showers: if you were invited, you were going. Since you were everywhere, it was only natural that you knew people too. In fact, you knew exactly who the man sitting in front of you was at a glance.

 “ Oh you’re from my economics lecture,” you said tiredly. When the words left your lips, he looked to be almost as confused as you were. 

 “ You know me ?” he asked in disbelief and leaned forward. His chair squealed under his weight and you groaned. 

‘My brain is fried,’ you thought with a grimace. You waved at him lazily. 

“ Yeah, you’re Javier, right? Kinda hard not to know you,” you croaked out. Man, your vocal cords felt like they were grating against each other like sandpaper or, like, unspooled yarn. It was a sore reminder that however you had ended up here, it had certainly not been your choice in the slightest. You began shifting around, massaging at your sore and unused muscles. Like you had noticed before, there wasn’t anything in the cell in which you sat. The cold hard floor was biting into your ass, and it did very little to stop you from aching.

It only took a glance to know that he was surprised by your admission, though it was true. Once again, your class size was kinda small compared to some other schools, and that meant that anyone worthy of note was destined to be infamous. While you were talked about due to your outgoing behavior, Javier over here was known for the exact opposite. 

He was a young man of little words, barely heard even speaking to professors after lectures in a hushed tone. He was elusive too. You even had a class with him, yet you could count the number of times he had appeared through the year on one hand. Despite the fact that he was never present, the boy still managed to maintain high-ranking scores with ease. It was pretty impressive actually. Though what made him stand out to you, in particular, were two facts.

One: Javier was so fucking gloomy. Any time he walked into a room, whether that be in a lecture hall or simply passing by in the library, you swear a cloud of darkness followed him in. His posture was always slouched, and bags hung under his eyes like he'd never had a wink of sleep in his entire life. While his clothes, which always seemed to be a pair of black sweats and a white T-shirt, were always clean, his long shoulder-length hair constantly rode the line of looking either greasy or sleek; you could never really decide if it was either of the two.

Two: Javier was, apparently, pretty rich. While he never showed up to lectures, he did go to the secluded and quiet area of the library that you also liked to kick around in. He usually floated over to sit behind a bookshelf in a corner, probably where he thought no one could see him, right in your line of vision. Granted you could only see him because the bookshelf itself wasn't actually packed with, ya know, books, so it was easy to catch a glimpse of him. The dude had the whole fucking apple ecosystem in his bag. Not to mention the luxury brand stationery that he used casually. In fact, everything on him from his slides to the backpack he used was waaaay beyond what the average uni student should be spending, and so casual too. 

Of course you were insanely curious about the quiet, mysterious, and rather wealthy kid that nobody knew anything about! It was only natural. Some people even claimed to have seen him getting into his car which he parked in a secluded area. To no surprise, you were shown multiple photos of him getting into a foreign car with nice rims and everything. 

"Who the fuck is this guy?" They would slur to you drunkenly at whatever party you were at. The phone in their hand would be glowing with whatever blurry pic they had taken, and you would squint at it and shrug.

"No idea."

The little bits of info you got were nothing, but now it seemed like that was going to change. You were going to know Javier Galvan because you had this, I dunno, sneaking suspicion that you had definitely been kidnapped by him.

" R-really?" He blinked at you rapidly with his dark eyes, a finger jabbed at his own chest. You winced and nodded. " Wow, I uh, I didn't think you would. I thought that… I thought that I was going to have to uh introduce myself and stuff…" he trailed off. There was a nervous smile quirked up on his lips, and he shifted his gaze to the side like it was physically impossible to actually look at your curled-up body on the floor. You squinted at him with an eyebrow raised. No fucking way. There was no way that this guy was actually embarrassed by the fact that he had abducted you.

" Well, that's good then. One step further than I had planned I guess," he said, kind of quietly too, and sheepishly rubbed his neck. 

" Yeaaaah right. Do you like… mind telling me what's happening right now?" You asked. There was no use putting it off. You weren't one for mind games either, so it was best to just rip the band aid off so to speak.

Once again, Javier looked stunned by anything you said. Not sure why he was so surprised. You were never the most silent person in the room by any means. He should at least know that much about you. He stayed quiet, and now that you were started to get over the initial spike of fear and confusion, annoyance was fully taking its hold. You gestured, a bit aggressively, at the bars separating the cold cell from the actual room.

" Ohhhhh, Sorry. My bad. You're, uh, probably really confused right now, huh?" He laughed a little. This little shit. He kidnapped you, and he was fucking giggling?

" Uhhhh yeah. That's one way you could take it," you said dryly. The sarcasm in your voice was enough to remind you of the fact that you were very dehydrated at this time. His smile immediately dropped instantly, and you rolled your eyes at his kicked puppy demeanor. If you had known that he was this weird, then you wouldn't have wasted so much of your energy wondering about him.

" O-okay. So, um, you are [Name] [Last name], right?" It took everything in your system to not do a visible double take at that.

" Um Yes?"

He let out a large sigh, posture slumping with relief. " Oh okay. That's good. Good. It would be, haha, like really bad if you weren't," he said while wiping his face. His sweaty palms could probably be seen from space. 

" We have classes together man. I like see you in the library almost everyday."

" Oh, uh, yeah that's right. You're right, sorry."

You pursed your lips as he went on fumbling and fidgeting with his hands. Gloomy and socially awkward. What a combo. 

" Uh so now that we've been introduced, um, I guess I should tell you why I brought you here haha," he said and finally stood up from his chair. He was pretty tall, and loomed over your huddled up self with ease. He was lanky, like a pole, and you shuddered. 

It was easy to forget in your addled brain that you were, in fact, in a very dangerous situation. When hunched in on himself, Javier didn't feel that threatening at all, but now it was clear that this could potentially be very nasty. Had he taken you for revenge of some kind? Did he somehow read your mind over the course of months and dislike the odd light you held him in? Or was it for something dumb like you badmouthing a friend of his? Who knows. If he was rich enough to have a ( pretty nicely decorated) room with a cell in it, then who knows what other crazy shit could be stirring in his head.

" Okay so… I know that you're friends with a lot of people. And um, everybody seems to like you even though you're kinda annoying," He started. Ouch. Coming from him that was not a good assessment of your character.

Still, he looked down at you expectantly after a few moments of silence. You blinked and waved for him to continue. He smiled ,like he'd been cheered on in race, and took a deep breath. 

" So if people think you're cool and like you, then it means that you're doing something right that I'm not." He placed his hands on the bars. They were so tightly gripped that you could see the paleness form on his brown skin. 

" I'll put this bluntly. You're good with people. I don't really get why, but you are, and I'm not. So I need you to help me out," he said. His tone was more serious than before, and the look of his face was anything but rational. In fact he looked void of any emotion.

" Let me guess... I don't really have a choice in this, do I?" You stated, eyes narrowed up at him. The tension held between the two of you was now fully out. If you didn't have a headache before, you certainly would've gotten one by now.

" Well," he said while leaning back," You do... but it would be kind of dumb considering where you're at and all." He looked you up and down as his last words came dripping out of his lips. His almost meek demeanor was completely gone by now.

" So uh, yeah, I need your help. Umm, this is a little weird, but I want you to help me date the girl that I've been in love with all year," he sighed out. You didn't miss the dreamy and wistful stare he held as he glanced up into the ceiling. 

" Wait? That's it?" You asked. Was this guy fucking with you? Like a cruel prank or whatever?

" Unfortunately yes..." he groaned out. " I'm going to be honest with you [Last Name], I'm...Well I'm hopeless. I've tried out so many different things to make me more appealing to her, but nothing works!" 

" So forcing me to be your, what? Chad alpha dude coach? Was you're next best option?" You asked, eyes wide and with the most amount of sarcasm you could muster. He nodded sadly as a sinking realization, even bigger than being kidnapped, came upon you.

You were going to have to get this crazy, antisocial, creepy, and downright pathetic guy with the girl of his dreams? Yeah, this was way too far out for even you.

You sighed ," So, let me get this straight. You kidnapped me so you could talk to a girl better."

He nodded.

" And you did this because you couldn't do it yourself."

He nodded again, looking a bit more embarrassed this time.

" And you're probably not going to let me go until you start dating this girl, are you?"

He winced, and you felt even more annoyed than you thought was possible. Oh yeah cause HE had the right to be bashful here. He cleared his throat gently, refusing to stare in your direction.

" Yes, um, if you help me date this girl before the next school year, then I will let you go," he said. Hints of that serious and firm nature you had previously seen came bubbling up again. You could see the coldness behind his lashes a mile away. Yeah, this guy was not okay. 

" What happens if you don't? Get with her I mean."

It was a simple question, really. Still, his head shot up from its limp state as he looked at you unblinking. His dark hair pooled at his shoulders, and the dim lighting of the room hardly allowed for a full look at him. Still, you could feel the dead gaze, unyielding and terrifying.  You shrunk back in shock. 

" Well, let's hope that doesn't happen," he said simply before leaving the room. The thud of the door and the click of the lock was deafening, and you flinched away. 

In the corner of a cold cell in an unfamiliar room, you pressed your hands to your face as you came to the conclusion that you were completely and utterly fucked.

[the-way-astray]

Favorite thing about Unraveled?

major unraveled spoilers under the cut:

cassius likes art reveal and subsequent keefe-cassius conversation. god it's perfect. that entire chapter is perfection. kissing it on the mouth. shannon really got me with the reveal like i fully did not see that coming, and it's a reveal that actually adds something of importance and is foreshadowed!!!! so basically my favorite form of plot (i know this is technically character but shut up. let me have my moment)

making cassius nuanced is the best thing shannon decided to do with this book, by far. over the course of the series, i have been consistently confused about why cassius wants to join the black swan . . . it's literally everything he stands against. he hates talentless people. he adheres to matchmaking. he's snobby and arrogant and cares way too much about the council's opinion of everything he does. but now!!!! now it all makes sense!!!! because with the reveal that he only uses that as a cover so he can break the rules behind the council's back and nobody will ever suspect him???? and the fact that for nine books that is the exact trap the audience has fallen into???? oh it's so good. so so so so good. like genuinely i had to put the book down at that reveal i was so shocked. and my favorite line in the entire book is "the lost cities are not kind to those who do not conform" or something to that effect. not because of the line itself (we've seen plenty of lines similar to that) but because it comes from the person you would least expect it from. cassius???? and now that you have the background to why he wants keefe to conform so, so badly, it almost makes you feel bad for him, but also he's still abusive even if his heart was sort of kind of in the right place???? kind of???? augh he's just. he's so nuanced!!!!

and the addition that the reason keefe was able to do so well in the forbidden cities was because of his dad!!!! i loved that. when i read stellarlune i was super annoyed that keefe was able to make out so well for himself when he quite literally knows nothing. it just isn't realistic that he somehow got an id or knows how to find the black swan's cameras by himself, but adding an extra layer of cassius backup and advice is just. fantastic. because now, not only is it realistic that keefe was able to make out so well, you can really see keefe struggle with making the logical decision even though he badly doesn't want to accept help from his dad. it's just. so so so so good.

also it's a relatively subtle detail but cassius getting genuinely hurt when keefe insulted his art had me kicking my feet. because!!!! we have never seen cassius like that before!!!! we've never seen him hurt. he's sometimes pissed off, but never like. hurt hurt. so seeing him like that, you can tell that his art really means a lot to him and that he does care about keefe's opinion in some things because keefe's insult made him feel genuinely sad. and it's like you really feel bad for him but also he sucks and is bad so not really. anyway. it's just so good!!!! favorite chapter in the entire book is the conversation between keefe and his dad. shannon cooked so hard with that.

[delulu-is-the-solulu-843]

Me or the ps3

Abby Anderson x fem reader

Summary: you have a day off and want to spend it with your girlfriend, only issue is she won’t put down that damn game

Warnings: smut, arguments, threatening to leave, cursing, fingering, cunnilingus, strap on mention.

-

You never minded when Abby would come home from work and play a video game to decompress, that would make you a hypocrite because you did the exact same thing. You didn’t care that Abby played video games,hell the reason you two met was because of a video game. But what you did mind was when a video game saw more of your girlfriend than you did.

Which brought you to where you are now,sitting next to Abby on the couch as she played. You go between watching her and the tv. You watched her as she played, the way her fingers would move over the controller, the way her muscles would tense at certain parts of the game. She looked mouth watering in her black boxers and grey wife beater (or a wife pleaser as she would call it.)

that just made you even more mad because it’s been a good week since she’s touched you, you could understand why most times during the week she didn’t feel like being intimate, you both have to get up early for work. You understood and respected that, but it was a Saturday, Saturday was always the day you both stayed in bed and became reacquainted with each other.

But apparently not today because Abby was already out of bed when you woke up and playing that damn game. You didn’t even want sex right now you just wanted your girlfriend.

She was right next to you but she felt a thousand miles away. It wasn’t like you were trying either when ever you tried to talk to her all you got was a mumbled

“hold on babe” as she continued playing and even if you tried talking to her about the game, because maybe you thought talking about something that interested her would get her to at least have a conversation failed because all you got in return was a distracted

“there’s some really good summaries of it online” her eyes never leaving the screen.

You loved Abby but you couldn’t take this. You sighed at got up hoping that maybe abby would ask yoy to stay because then she at least acknowledged your existence but all you got was a “don’t walk in front of the tv” you rolled your eyes and walked behind the couch and going up stairs.

You opened up your shared closet and grabbed your luggage out of it. You loved Abby you truly did do. She’s the woman you intend on spending your life with, but right now you couldn’t deal with her.

You had to go before you do or say something you regret. So you start opening draws and putting clothes in the bag(and you steal one of her hoodies from the closet to put in the bag) you go down stairs and put the bag by the door, and of course Abby is still playing her damn game. You go up back up stairs your footsteps a bit heavy aggravation at the forefront of your mind.

A leg cramp from sitting so long is what made Abby pause the game, she sat up straight from where she was hunched and saw you weren’t next to her on the couch anymore.

She twisted her body trying to crack her back when she saw it. Your suit case next to the door. Her blood ran cold, why was your suit case by the door? You never said anything about having to go somewhere, you wouldn’t just up and leave her right?

She took her headphones off and put her controller on the coffee table and rushed

upstairs

“Baby?” she called out

She could hear your angry mumbling from the bathroom

“Babe?” She asked walking into he bathroom to see you putting your toothbrush in your full toiletry bag

“What are you doing?” She asked apprehensively almost like she was afraid of what your answer would be

“I’m leaving Abby.” You told her flatly and you could see her heart break

“What? Why?” She rushes over to you her hand holding you arm and your snatch it from her grasp

“Don’t act like you don’t fucking know.”

“I don’t!”

“I just wanted to spend time with you but no you chose your stupid fucking game. I just need to go Abby I can’t do this right now.” You tell her brushing past her to walk out the bathroom

“Baby wait please” she follows you

You sit on the bed to put your shoes on and she kneels In front of you and you do your best to ignore her.

“(Y/n) please can we just talk.” Her voice cracks and you look at her. Her blue eyes wet with tears that threaten to fall

“Please can we just talk and if you still want to leave after I won’t stop you.”

You were quiet for a moment, you were angry but you knew that talking was better than just leaving.

“Okay.” You tell her and she stands up and sits on the bed leaving some space between the both of you.

“Why were you going to leave?” As asks looking over at you

“I just needed to get away before I said something I regret.” You tell her still looking down at your hands unable to look at her because you know you’ll fold the moment you meet those blue eyes.

“Why would you say something you regret.” She asked confused

“Because I’m mad Abby.”

“Why-“

You cut her off before she can finish her sentence

“All I wanted was to just spend some time with you, but you chose that fucking video game over me Abby, and that hurts okay. It hurts so fucking bad to be sitting next to you and feel like you’re a million miles away.” You finish and take a deep breath quickly wiping your own tears that feel.

It’s quiet and you look over at Abby. Her jaw is clenched and the tears she fought so hard to not let fall are now falling. She stared straight ahead with her fists balled.

“I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.” Her voice breaking

She looks over you you and you see the anguish in her eyes. She rarely made you cry and but when she did she hated herself for it and you can see that now, right now she didn’t hate herself no right now she loathed herself.

She never wanted you to feel pushed a side with her and that’s exactly how she made you feel.

You hesitantly reach out to touch her arm, the muscle hard under the skin from how tense her body was.

“I’m so sorry baby, I never wanted to make you feel like that.”

You look at her, the way she looks so dejected. You know Abby, she has a heart of gold. She messes up and she owns up to it and goes out of her way to remedy the situation.

You know she would never intentionally push you a side and make you feel unimportant. You’re quiet for a minute you trust Abby you know if she says she’s sorry she means it.

“I love you Abby so much that it hurts, and I don’t care if you want to spend time playing games. But just please don’t shut me out like that again or I will leave.”You tell her grabbing her hand giving it a squeeze.

She sniffles using her other hand to wipe the tears from her face

“Knowing I’m the reason for your tears kills me, I’m sorry. I don’t know what I would do without you, you the best thing I have in my life and I’m sorry I made you feel second best.” She says, unclenching her fist to give your hand a squeeze back.

“I love you.” She tells you her eyes meeting hers.

You scoot closer to her on the bed and cup her cheek with the hand that wasn’t holding hers. You use the pad of your thumb to brush her tears away.

Her eyes flicker to your lips before meeting your eyes again. She debates if it was even an appropriate time to kiss you.

You make the decision for her as you lean in, your lips meeting hers in a sweet kiss.

Abby turned her body towards you and held your waist with her hands. She poured every “I’m sorry” and “I love you” into the kiss.

You cup the back of her neck and grip the back of her shirt with the other hand. She broke the kiss and looked into your eyes asking a silent question “do you want to do this?” You nod and she slowly pulls your top off. Taking an intake of air as she slowly uncovered your breasts.

She pulled her own tank top over her head, as you scotched back up the bed until you were in the middle of the bed with your head on your pillow.

Abby gets on the bed and situated herself between your legs, she had her hands on either side of your head as she leaned down to kiss you. Your arms instantly wrapped around her, hands splayed out on her back. Her tongue skims your teeth dipping into your mouth as you open your lips wider.

You make out and her hand holds your waist and slowly goes up your body and stops just below your breast. She breaks the kiss and starts kissing your neck, her lips warm against the sensitive part of your neck. Her teeth grazes the skin and your hips buck.

“Gonna make it up to you” she says against your neck before she sucks and bites at your pulse point drawing soft whimpers from your lips. She kisses down your neck leaving little bites in her wake. She leaves kisses across your collar bones then down your sternum, until she reaches your breasts.

She kisses the nipple before she wraps her lips around it. She sucks your nipple her tongue swirling around it. Her hand goes to your other breast, pinching the nipple between her thumb and forefinger.

You moan and arch into her mouth. Her teeth graze against your nipple before she releases it with a pop.

She switches to your other nipple giving it the same treatment.

She kisses down your body until she reaches the little shorts you had on. She could see a wet patch in the center of them.

Her fingers hooked around the band and she looked up at you

“Is this okay?” She asks you looking at you you her wanting and darkened eyes meeting yours

“Yes please” you breathe out

Lifting your hips so she could pull your shorts down your legs and tossing them onto the floor.

She lays herself between your legs and puts your legs over her shoulders

“So beautiful” you hear her say before her tongue licks up from your hole to your clit.

You both moan simultaneously, her at your taste, and you at the feeling of her tongue gliding through your slick heat.

She kitten licks at your clit drawing more moans out of you. She sucks your clit her tongue swirling around it. She eats you out like a starving woman having her first meal. She moves her hand to your hole and slowly inserts one finger.

You had bucked your hips into her and had one hand fisting her hair that she didn’t put into her signature braid that day.

“M-more” you pant out

She adds another finger and curls them hitting your sweet spot.

You could feel a knot forming in the pit of your stomach

“Abby ‘m close” you breathe out into a moan as she sucks your clit harder adding more pressure with her tongue that she flicked on your clit. She moved her fingers faster and she felt your walls tighten around her fingers.

The hand in her hair gripped harder as you came, your back arching off the bed moaning her name out. Your body burning in white hot pleasure. Your eyes rolling back as she slowly her movements letting you ride out your orgasm.

She pulled out her fingers and lapped up your juices. There wasn’t a drop left when she was done.

She kissed your cunt and inner thighs before she sat up panting. she watched as you came down from your high, she watched the way your body trembled and the way your chest rose and fell rapidly as you caught your breath.

Fuck she could have lost this, she could have lost you is the only thought on her mind as she kisses her way back up your body. You down at her with half closed eyelids as she kissed up your chest, giving your nipples a kiss.

She reached your lips and kisses you, you moaned at the taste of yourself on her lips.

“I’m sorry” she says against your lips

You open your eyes and see so many emotions swirling in her blue eyes and you cup her face.

“I know.” You tell her rubbing her cheeks with the pad of your thumbs.

“I love you so much” she tells you her voice heavy with devotion.

That day and into the night she worshiped your body, kissed every inch of skin.

she showed you just how much she loved you using her mouth, fingers, and strap.

She made a silent vow to you that night, she never again be the reason her angel was crying.

Before the night was up she brought your luggage back upstairs and put all your clothes back as you laid blissed out on the bed dozing off feeling sated and loved.

[llamagoddessofficial]

A commission with Nightmare, Cross and a wonderful OC, for the lovely @sansarae (who for some reason Tumblr won't let me properly @ >:/)

I hope the wait wasn't too annoying- thank you for your patience, I really appreciate it!

---

“Oh. Hello again.” You smiled at the monster before you, with a touch more genuineness than your usual go-to customer service grin. “What can I get for you?”

... The skeleton looked up. His eyelights were a sharp, startling red, bloody and intense in a manner that didn’t seem to fit his otherwise pleasantly monochromatic clothing at all. At your comment, his sockets slightly narrowed.

“You... remember me?” he said, slowly.

Your smile immediately twitched with nervousness. What? You couldn’t pick up on his tone. He was staring at you with an unreadable, near-blank expression. Did you say something wrong? What had you done?

“Of... of course I do,” you replied, voice nearly quivering as your usual awkwardness took over. Why did that give him pause? Did you offend him?

...

You couldn’t make sense of his face. He was just staring at you, like that; did he really look accusatory, or were you just seeing things because you were scared? Your lip wobbled- idiot. This is what you get for attempting anything more than you were comfortable with, anything more than customer service politeness. This exact scenario was why you found people so exhausting... why you were so introverted. 

“I mean,” you rushed for proverbial cover. “I work at a cafe. It’s my job to remember people, y’know?”

His face didn’t shift. His voice was monotone.

“... I see.”

...

... Well. That was that, then. You felt sick. 

“Erm... so what can I get for you?”

Why was he surprised, anyway? How could you not remember him? He had stumbled into the building, a few days ago, a little before closing. It had just been you left in the cafe. He had looked a mess, as if he’d just escaped a natural disaster- dressed in torn clothing, he approached the counter with faraway empty eyelights and the expression of a man who had seen far too much to care anymore. With a calm voice, he asked for ‘anything that would make him feel awake’.

You’d been too stunned (and intimidated) to try conversation. You had served him a large black coffee, which he’d taken, leaving behind a generous tip. He had seated himself in the far corner of the cafe with his back to a wall... and he drank the whole thing in silence, staring nowhere but at the table.

... Then he left without a word.

You’d had a lot of strange customers come through, in your time behind the counter. That was just part of running a business. You still vaguely remembered the best of them... the woman who had insisted you redo her coffee because the one you’d given her was ‘looking at her’, the man who had been otherwise friendly but always smelled so strongly of cinnamon it almost made you feel sick, the guy who yelled at you for making his strawberry milkshake too pink. 

But him? The skeleton? You didn’t know why, but out of everyone, it was him who stuck the most firmly in your mind.

... Eventually, he spoke. You didn’t know if he genuinely looked upset or if you were just so embarrassed by his reaction that you were seeing unpleasantness and irritation in his every move.

“... I’ll get a chamomile tea. Please.”

At least he was polite. Tea- nothing at all like his last order. “Sure. Your name?”

... He hadn’t given it last time. Understandably, considering he had been the only person in the entire cafe. But you had other customers this time and ‘skeleton’ probably wouldn’t go down well when you called it out.

He looked at you.

...

“... Cross.” He said, softly. 

You smiled at him. “Thank you, Cross. Cash or card?”

Saying his name seemed to have a weird effect on him. A strange look passed over his face, shaking his silent suspicious air for a second.

... He finally blinked. 

“... Cash.”

“Gold or dollars?”

“G.”

The register beeped. 

“That’s 12G, please.”

... He handed you the money.

...

His mouth opened, then closed again. You waited politely. But... he said nothing. He just quietly took his tea, and made his way to the same far table he’d sat at earlier.

Though he sat in silence, it didn't escape your notice that every now and then, you'd catch him looking your way.

... You opted to just keep yourself busy with your work. Though you had to admit- for some reason, when the thought of 'What an odd guy' passed through your mind...

... It wasn't entirely negative.

///---///

'Cross' came nearly every day.

You were surprised how much of your thoughts revolved around this stranger. He occupied your mind, as you set our equipment, wiping cups and plates... I wonder how he’s doing.

He was very punctual. You liked that. He rarely arrived outside of certain hourly windows, and there was always a pattern to his arrivals. On a good day, he would come in the early morning- depending on the crowds he may even be one of the very first people into the cafe. He'd seem aware, and like he wanted to say something to you... he'd order a tea, and through your shift you'd constantly be glancing up and catching him (sheepishly?) looking at you.

... On a bad day, though... he’d come late. Like the first time you saw him. His eyelights would be distant, his tone brittle, words clipped, someone checked out of their own body. He would just stare at his table like something was playing out in front of his view. Those were the days when he would order a large coffee. 

... Today looked like it was shaping out to be one of his ‘bad’ days. It was almost four when he came into the cafe, the last of your usual patrons already shuffling out the door.

Quickly, you started up the coffee machine, and made him his coffee. He had only been standing at the counter for a few moments, when you turned around and placed the drink in front of him.

...

He blinked. His eyelights fractionally widened, growing a little brighter.

“... You knew my order?”

Despite his softer tone, not wanting a repeat of last time, with his strange reaction to you recalling his name... you just nodded.

Another pause, as he just stared at the coffee.

“Nobody else remembers anything about me.”

... Huh. That was a pretty heavy sentence. You tried to keep your tone light, in comparison.

“... Well,” you tapped the coffee lid, “it definitely helps that you only order the same two things. Right?”

...

... His gaze flickered up to you. 

... He finally actually smiled at you. His shoulders gently bobbed, like he was briefly restraining a chuckle- the smile looked nice on him, it was handsome and suited his features. And though it quickly fell away to his usual not-quite-a-frown, you were startled by how different he had looked for that brief moment... how pleasant, how warm. Like there was a happier person lurking just beneath the surface.

“Heh... yeah. I guess so.” 

His phalanges tapped on the top of the coffee. Over top of where yours had been, moments ago.

Your customer service voice was slowly slipping away. His proximity was... nice. “Do you need anything else?”

"I like your braids."

"... Thank you." One of your hands immediately came up to fiddle with the hair. Was the warmth in your cheeks showing on your face? You really hoped not. "It's easier to work when it's out of the way."

"I wouldn't know."

...

Both of you broke into quiet laughter. Yours, a warm giggle, his a low rusty chuckle.

“... What’s your name?” He asked.

You usually hated when customers asked for your name, pushing the boundary of customer and server. But... not this time, not at all. You couldn't have been happier. “Rin.”

“... Do you mind if I just... sit here?” He motioned to the seat nearest to the counter.

You nearly beamed. 

“Sure. Go ahead.”

... You thought you saw something flicker across his cheekbones. Some kind of colour. But it was gone again, as soon as it appeared; perhaps just a trick of the light. Or your eyes finally showing the strain of so many hours of work. Either way, he took his coffee, and settled into the chair at the table right beside the counter.

... It was silent again, in the cafe. But it was a much different silence. You, wiping down the machines and packing away for the day... Cross, taking his time with his drink.

It really felt, to you, like he just needed to sit near to someone.

... You could live with that person being you.

///---///

Cross was good at keeping his cool. After what he’d been through, what he’d done... his nerves of steel had been forged under unimaginable pressure. He didn’t like that it had become genuinely hard for anything to shake him anymore; it was endless proof of his sins, living in his chest and smothering the person he had once been.

That was why, when Nightmare’s terrifying eye turned to him and pinned him under all of its icy power and rage, cold blue flickering against the castle’s glassy obsidian walls... he didn’t flinch.

“you.” Nightmare’s voice, despite having a light intonation, was not happy. “a word.”

... Cross didn’t react to Killer’s cruel snickering. He didn’t even look the other skeletons’ way- he knew Killer would be grinning like a cat, Axe would be cleaning his weapon with his characteristic disinterest, and Dust would be silently enjoying the beginnings of what may eventually become a slow, painful downfall for Cross.  

These people were not his friends. They were deeply unpleasant coworkers, at best.

... Cross followed Nightmare, as his ‘employer’ moved into a separate room. The door closed behind them, cutting off Killer’s laughter. 

Blue candlelight warped and flashed in the dark.

...

A tentacle lashed out, faster than Cross could react, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him into the wall. He let out a startled gasp as the appendage held him there, tightly, the pressure increasing until it felt like his spine was inches away from fracturing.

Nightmare’s glare pierced straight into Cross’ Soul. 

“you think i’m an idiot?”

Cross couldn’t reply, the pressure on his spine too great. But he reckoned Nightmare wasn’t looking for a response.  

“you’re getting soft. you’re hesitating.” Nightmare’s head cocked. “did you think i wouldn’t notice?” 

Nightmare’s grip fractionally increased, and he clearly spent a few seconds savouring watching Cross struggle in vain. The twitch in his smile, the bend to his claws, he looked to be taking out as much rage as he could in those short moments. 

But apparently, he wasn’t yet willing to kill- despite clearly desiring to press until the spine shattered, Nightmare instead clenched his jaw and let go. 

Cross nearly collapsed onto his knees. The quick display of Nightmare’s overwhelming power had staggered him. But he still managed to catch himself, at the last moment, and remain standing.

Perhaps it would’ve been better to fall. The silent defiance in that move seemed to aggravate Nightmare even more.

“you aren’t subtle.” Nightmare hissed. “you move through the multiverse with the grace of a dog in wet concrete. i know you like to slink off to other places. what are you doing? crawling away to go build a new family?”

Cross kept his line of sight down. Nightmare had the powers of a God, but he had the temper of a petulant child, and in these kinds of moods the smallest slips from his minions could push him into a fit of violent rage that sent all of them scurrying for cover. 

“No.” Cross responded, as simply as possible, voice strained from the attack to his neck. Now wasn’t the time for flowery words; Nightmare still wasn’t looking for a real reply.

A cruel snicker. “trying to escape? settle down somewhere i can’t find you?”

Your face flickered in Cross’ mind’s eye.

Not right now.

“No.”

“... i like to think you have forgotten i taste lies. because i resent the thought that one of my underlings is so stupid as to know that, but still lie to me.”

Cross steeled himself. “I have nothing to hide.”

“not even that little human woman?”

...

... It took all of his mental control. Every ounce. Another skeleton would’ve cried aloud, perhaps, or frozen as the terror spread through them. Someone they cared about had been noticed by Nightmare... singled out, almost by name.

... You had no idea how much you meant to Cross. No idea that you were often the only thing that could soothe his disturbed Soul when it all felt too much. Your warmth, your kind eyes, how you remembered little details about him... and said his name so gently. 

Hearing someone say his name with kindness had been like, for just a moment, being home again.

You didn't know how protective he was of you. What he’d do to keep you safe. And he couldn’t, at any cost, allow Nightmare to think you were someone to him.

He kept his gaze on the glassy black floor. He kept his emotions still.

... He had stifled truly monumental loss and terror, before. This was nothing new.

"... She's a barista." Cross said.

"so that's it?” an incredulous scoff. “you're hopping multiverses to go drink coffee at the same shitty coffee shop in the middle of nowhere?"

"Yes, sir."

"you could go anywhere for your coffee. you could go to italy. indonesia. brazil. anywhere at all- and you go there?"

"Yes." Because you’re there.

...

... Nightmare seemed to be quietly fuming. Though whether it was because he couldn't pin any particular 'crime' onto Cross, or because his snobbery with coffee was coming through, he had no idea.

They both knew that Cross was too valuable of a pawn to die for no solid reason.

... Eventually, Nightmare's rage eased enough for him to speak again. 

"i don’t care what games you play in your free time, worm.” His voice was significantly lower. “but you know what will happen, if you don’t do your fucking job. hesitate again, and i certainly won't."

“... It won’t happen again.” Cross replied, not yet allowing himself to feel relief.

The cyan eye flashed. “it won’t happen again, what.”

“... It won’t happen again, sir.” 

...

"fine. you may go."

Cross rose to his feet, but kept his eyelights down. He exited the room as swiftly as he could, without appearing desperate to leave.

Don’t feel yet.

Killer was there, of course, waiting just outside the door. Grin as smug and cruel as ever.

"oh, so you're still alive?" The murderer crooned. "for how long, though...?"

Cross gave Killer a witheringly unimpressed look. He had no need to engage in one of his games- he just needed to get as far away from Nightmare as possible, so he could allow himself to process the fears that were itching at the corners of his Soul, threatening to give everything he was hiding away.

He wordlessly walked past Killer. As always, the only thing that seemed to make Killer's constant grin drop was Cross refusing to engage.

///---///

Moving between universes was second nature, by this point in Nightmare’s existence. So much so that he wasn’t at all exaggerating when he said he could see how Cross had moved from one place to the other. The fabric between realities looked disturbed and jagged, in the wake of someone moving clumsily; a rippled pond surface, traces of the offender’s Soul saturating the threads.

It wasn’t difficult to track down where his subordinate had been going. And who he’d been going to.

...

... You turned over, in your bed. There was a soft kind of pain written across your face, something happening within your dream. pathetic. Nightmare tilted his head, as he observed... even if you had been awake, he was indistinguishable from the shadows at the foot of your bed.

Cross' scent was all over you- embarrassing, mushy soft feelings that the 'soldier' clearly couldn't help, they had spilled out of his Soul and stained all over you like a foul hotel blanket under a blacklight. Nightmare almost couldn't stand to be near it.

And yet. Under it all- in your chest, he could see a glittering, jewel-like purple Soul.

Nightmare’s gaze zeroed in. she’s a perseverance mage.

... His smile curled. A little more interesting. Did Cross know? Did you know? There was a significant degree of power, flowing through those veins, magic just waiting to be harnessed. Even Nightmare couldn’t deny it was pretty to observe- he was always partial to royal purple.

... You made a sound, in your sleep. A crease formed between your brows.

...

Well. He was curious, now. And he hadn’t tormented a human in a long time.

He slipped, completely undetected by your Soul and mind, into your dream. Before he began to terrify you it was probably a good idea to observe your thoughts, get a sense of any treachery Cross may have committed... any details his underling may have spilled, that could justify erasing another human pest from the multiverse.

... A myriad of pleasant tastes. Melancholy, loss, a hint of misplaced and directionless anger. Overall, a delicate combination of flavours, but sweet nonetheless.

He could see the dream’s scene, emerging before him. how delightful.

... Dreams were, by no means, easy places to be. Though Nightmare was powerful he was also an interloper and there was a real danger that a strong human Soul like yours could cast him out. The dreams of mages were often like rocking boats on a great ocean- until he took the reins, the residual waves made him feel sick, tossed about. It was important to get his bearings.

The backdrop was a sea of blurry images, nearly-forgotten places melting together in your mind. A park, a bedroom, a dark street. And... there was two of you.

...

... No. He could smell the emotions rolling off of you, as you stared at this mirror image of yourself. The mirror image... she wore different clothes. Frilly and sweet ones. The adult features of her face were exaggerated, imagined- unlike your messily self-braided locks, her hair was sweetly ringlet curled, as if done lovingly by another's skilled hands.

And her eyes, though so similar to yours, were someone else’s eyes.

Melancholy. Regret. Anger. 

... 

Nightmare suddenly... felt his chest tighten.

that's... her sister.

a twin.

... His thoughts were getting quieter and quieter. Static, faintly ringing in his skull... he couldn't taste the emotions anymore.

“... I wonder if you would’ve cared.” You said, quietly, to the blank and silent sister before you. “I guess I’ll never know.”

The reflection didn't smile.

His brother's face flickered in his mind's eye.

...

Nightmare drew in a sharp breath- suddenly staggered, he immediately withdrew from the dream. He moved back from the bed like a live snake was laying within it. 

He gripped his shirt. His chest... it was so heavy. Why did it feel so heavy? He took another step away.

i didn't think anyone could comprehend how i felt.

let alone...

... He didn't like how, when he looked at you, for a moment he didn't immediately see prey.

Just a sleeping person.

...

In an instant, he was back in his room. Back in his castle, where he was safe, and alone.

...

Nightmare let out a slow, dark breath. And though he hadn't yet fully re-centred himself, his grin regardless began to return.

As much as he was aggravated by Cross... he almost had to thank him.

His ‘soldier’ had bought such a fascinating creature to his full attention, after all.

[sopiao]

ERRRRM GHOST MEETING SINGER!READER AT THIS OLD BAR OR FANCY LIL DINER.

hear me out.

the reader does dress kinda fem, but it’s still they/them. :3 ANYWAYS

It was routine for the team to get a drink after every mission. To unwind, relax, and get everything out of their system to get back to themselves again before going back to base.

The mission took place a little far from home so they couldn’t go to their usual pub. Either way, Soap recommended— well, insisted— that they go to this new bar he wanted to check out.

Upon entering, the whole mood was so warm and fluid. It was dimmed down, almost completely dark if it wasn’t for the low lighting of the bar and the bright spotlight of the small stage up front. There were tables littered with people that just stared and listened in awe, there were some low chattering and conversations throughout.

Taking a row of seats at the side bar, they all began to talk and ramble about the mission or how much they’re looking forward to getting back home to their partners/pets. Keeping it not too loud of course to be respectful to the performers. But for some reason, Ghost couldn’t bring himself to focus on the conversation or contribute, not like he contributes much.

His attention was always drawn back to the performance. Brown eyes just stared in a relaxed daze at the singer, weightlessly sitting at the edge of the piano. The pianist staring up at them with a cig hanging from his lip.

Almost like it was his last time seeing ever, Ghost took in every little detail of you. Black satin slip dress with a slit on the left leg, transparent stockings— if you look close enough you can see the subtle shine of glitter in them— black heels, a string of pearls lining your neck.

Leaning back against the bar, shoulders open and elbows resting on the wooden surface. The lieutenant entirely discarding the conversation and gave all of his attention to you. The band’s music was so soothing and fresh, enhancing how enchanting your performance was.

Somehow, feeling himself get sleepy, more relaxed and comfortable. Listening to you cover an Eartha Kitt song. After a couple minutes, the rest of the team realized how quiet and unresponsive their lieutenant was. Staring at him then back at each other.

From then on out, Ghost started coming more by frequently. At first it was once every two weeks, or so. He insisted it was because he needed to decompress. Then it was once a week, which turned to twice, then almost every day.

He’d come in, sit at the same spot on the bar, and order the exact same drink. He’d note and notice your different dresses and outfits, how you’d style your hair, how different you’d do your makeup, what song you sang, how passionate you were when you did.

His favorite part was listening to you talk and ramble about your life on mic to the audience or band after your performances when it got late.

And you’d notice him as well. The mysterious masked man that’d watch you during your night performances. Always too nervous to look at his direction, let alone eye contact.

Ghost made the first move. Not really a first move, but a way to show his adoration for you. When the bartender delivered a drink for you given by a kind stranger, you immediately knew it was him. He was the first person you looked at, and he was looking back.

.

.

(Y’all should listen and check out Eartha Kitt CUZ OMG)

[lfghughes]

Key To My Heart

a/n: i somehow ended up writing a lot more than expected ooops

warning: cursing

Long distance relationships were not easy, that was something you came to find out very quickly. It’s not that you and Kirby had any kind of fights about it or that there were any kind of trust issues. You just hated the fact that when you wanted to go home to your boyfriend after a long day he wasn’t there. There was no doubt that he felt the same way. It didn’t help that on top of that he had a busy schedule so there were certain periods of times where you barely talked or would have to wait until very late at night to talk.

The reason right now that you were living apart was he clearly had his team he played for but you were still going to school and you didn’t want to switch to online since you only had so little time left in school. So you both had decided that for right now this is what worked. This was your last semester though and neither of you really had the talk of what comes next.

You didn��t want to assume you were just going to move there and you decided to see if it was something he would bring up so you wouldn’t feel like you were pressuring him in any way to make a serious move. It was your spring break though and you wanted to surprise him at one of his games.

How you managed to keep it a secret, you had no clue. You were so excited about it and you had almost spoiled the surprise yourself a few times just while on the phone with him. To get there and surprise him would require a lot of planning and reaching out to his friends and teammates and they were all very eager to help. This involved a little white lie too. So he wouldn’t think something bad happened to you because you were having to travel and not talk a whole lot you had told him you’d be taking some before spring break exams.

At the arena, the boys and some of the staff had managed to secure you a pretty good spot to where he would be able to see you but just in case you made a sign for him that you had spent a lot of hours decorating. As soon as he skated out for his warm ups he had taken a total of two laps and when his eyes scanned the crowd before him, his eyes fell on you for a second before it turned to someone else and then right back to you.

“You’re fucking kidding me.” You could see him mouth the exact words but the smile on his lips said he was more than excited to see you. He skated on over and waved at you. He then pointed towards the tunnel he headed out from to where you knew the locker rooms and all the staff would be. You understood what he was saying so you found a staff member and quickly let them know the situation and after confirming that it was okay for you to go back there you went to meet Kirby.

There were no words as he walked over straight to you, lifting you up in his arms in a tight hug. “Are you kidding me?? How did you get here?? Your exams?? What?? Did the guys know about this? Is this why they were being suspicious all day?” There were so many questions and you couldn’t help but laugh at all of them. “Surprise! It’s spring break so I figured I’d come over for the week.” A look of realization came on his face as he held his hand up like he was trying to pause the conversation.

“I have to go grab something from the locker room, give me a second.” He quickly headed back around, leaving you confused as to what he was getting. When he came back he had a little black box and no not the kind that had a diamond ring in it so you knew he wasn’t about to randomly propose in the back of the arena. “I know school is ending soon for you and you don’t have to say yes because I get it’s asking for a lot for you to move out here for me but here’s the key to my place.”

You were surprised that he had gone and made a key for you and even though you still had a month before school ended you were already excited about this future. “It’s a yes, for sure a yes. I mean as long as you’re okay with coming home to me every night.” You told him and he smiled at you and thought of that. “I’m more than okay with that.”

[hopepaigeturner]

Villainous Benophie: Part 5

Inspired by @orangepeelshortbreadcookies; BRILLIANT Villainous Viscount AU (read on AO3 here). So all creds go to her!

And while she has done a beautiful fic about Benophie in this universe, Thieves of Dusk (100% RECOMMEND A READ. Read on AO3 here). But we’ve been chatting about my own ideas for Benophie. So, with her blessing here’s the next part of my version.

WARNING: References to assault.

Part 4 Here.

There is a slight ringing in Benedict’s ears the entire time Sophie speaks—it hadn’t stopped since seeing the terror in her eye upon moving away.

And as she tells the story, the full tapestry, all the little threads he has garnered over the weeks slip into place.

The scars around her body, a result of her stepmother’s little tortures.

The calculating gaze, a result of analysing every interaction, every route, every room, to ensure the safest route—the years of miscalculations too horrific to remember.

The way she flinched at loud noises or how she kept every loud emotion quiet. All markers of her haunted childhood.

Each detail makes the ringing in Benedict’s ear louder, as if an alarm bell for something swelling, rising deep within…

And then she tells him of Lord Hotham.

How two years ago Araminta had pulled Sophie away from cleaning shoes to announce her engagement to him. An engagement, she later found out, that was orchestrated to pay back the debts Araminta now owed.

And Sophie knows how to read people so as soon as she met this Lord she knew. He is not old but arrogant and so drunk on his own entitlement that he wields his power like a sword. A sword he has already wielded against her by taking whatever he wants from her under the pretence of being his fiancée and it is only Sophie’s dexterous conversation and even more dexterous hiding that she staved him off for so long.

Until the night they announced the engagement to the ton. A night where he took things a step too far, far too far from the way Sophie shakes. But it was the final straw that led her to flee with a meagre bag of belonging still in the dress sewn to symbolise that union.

When Benedict asks, his voice as restrained as an enemy in one of Benedict’s rope knots, what that exact act entailed. And it is the haunted look in the eyes of his fierce Sophie that causes the waves to crash.

The anger rolls over him, consumes him just as a cloud consumes the moon. He can almost hear the sound of bone crunching under force, and smell the tang of blood as it coats his fist. For this man he will get his hands as bloody as Colin does when in the ring.

The hair on his neck stand up, the ringing becomes a call to arms.

“Ben!”

His fist flexes as his mind whirls. At a push it would take him twenty minutes to get to Mayfair.

“Ben.”

He ignores the sliver of moonlight and instead thinks of that whimpering Lord begging for mercy. Far far worse than what he made Sophie…

“Ben, please!”

Moonlight cuts through the cloud and he breathes. Slowly he returns back to the room to find Sophie; s hands cupping his face.

“Please,” she whispers, and the brokenness of that command assuages him for a moment.

“I will kill him, I will beat him black and blue.”

“You cannot.”

“I can, and I will.”

“He is a Lord, Benedict,” Sophie tries to reason. “If you touch him he could have you locked up, sent away or or…” the tears start welling in her eyes again, “please I cannot lose you, do not make me lose you too.”

No one has been concerned for his welfare for a very long time, perhaps that is why he feels winded, thus enabling Sophie to speak.

“And I do not want you to hurt him. I do not want to think of him ever again, I do not want him poisoning the life I am building.”

Benedict grinds his teeth.

“He hurt you.” He speaks out as if each word is a punch. “I need to hurt him.”

“I need you here.” He looks back at her and the fierce look in her eye. “What is more important me or vengeance? Who is more important, me or him?”

Benedict knows that conclusion, even though it startles him.

“You.” He kisses Sophie hand. “I choose you.”

Sophie lets out a shaky breath and he notices her body relax. He holds her closer, makes sure she looks in his eye.

“If that man ever comes near you then I will kill him. Yet I will let this matter rest for you. I ask only one thing.”

“Which is?”

“Let me discuss this with Antony—not the details,” he adds at seing Sophie’s fear, “just that there is a man who might wish to harm you. My brother knows ways of handling these things…setting up precautions. Will you let me ask for his protection? The protection I promised you?”

Sophie wrestles with the thought but finally nods.

They get a cab back to the club because Sophie looks as delicate as cut glass. She does not say a word until Benedict delivers her to the door to his family’s chambers.

“Thank you,” she whispers. “Thank you for stopping, Ben.”

The nickname strikes something within him.

“I will always stop,” he says the words ringing deep through him. “I will always listen to you.”

“Hmm, careful Bridgerton, you do not know the power you give me,” she replies with the ghost of her usual smirk. Benedict kisses her hand.

“I have no fear because I know you will not abuse it.” For he sees the lack of guile in her eyes. And then he leaves, his mind roiling with the nights events only softened by the image of Sophie’s blushing face.

[garoujo]

MY FINAL MESSAGE TO MY TUMBLR HARASSER :

hi ! as you guys have probably seen on dash, in tags, in your inbox there is an anon + a blog @/ffflowers going out of their way to not only spread lies but also to completely try everything in their power to harass and ‘expose’ me.

if you’ve had them in your asks or seen their posts you would’ve seen a link to a callout post from 2021 regarding a conversation that took place on an old blog of mine. their agenda with this callout post is to ‘prove’ that i apparently ignored this completely and got ‘run off’ tumblr without taking any sort of accountability for what was said or making any sort of apology.

this is not true, back in 2021 i took and still take full accountability for what i said and have never denied it, i made 3/4 separate apologies at that time, one of which was my pinned post for around a week and have continued to grow and do better as a writer and as a person since.

this particular discourse was resolved at that time, i never avoided confrontation and admitted i was in the wrong because i was, i was caught off guard and panicked with a topic that i felt intimidated by — i apologise and take accountability for my own ignorance.

while on the subject of this discourse post, i’d just like to prove my statement in this post where i said this particular situation was not what drove me to leave tumblr temporarily— this can be proven by these screenshots. as you can see, the callout post was dated on the 8th of June 2021.

like i said again in my previous post about this, this did not drive me off of tumblr — i owned up to everything i said, even went back to tag every post regarding the discourse so people could read through and make their own opinion — i did not run from this. i continued to write on this blog for months after this discourse which can be proven by the literal date in which it says my blog deactivated at the top — 20th of October 2021. almost 5 months after the callout post. either i’m a slow runner or my statement is correct. again, this was 2 years ago and this person has harassed me ever since.

but while i’m on the topic, the reason i actually left that blog was due to the anon who is continuing to harass me now. i received consistent and constant death threats by the same anon for months, following the same pattern — when i stopped posting their asks, they then decided to try a different approach. they began to force themselves into other peoples safe spaces to tell them they “couldn’t write certain characters because i selfshipped with them and they belonged to me” before going on to send those creators hate and death threats under the guise that i sent them — also not true.

i left tumblr for my own safety, this anon has my private and personal details, my social media and my face reveals but i refuse to let them ruin my safe space for me again. they’ve began to add more to their stories with sudden plagiarism and ‘black fishing’ being suddenly mentioned into their posts which is again absolutely not true, my guess is their current posts weren’t getting as much attention as they expected and they had to make it a little more eye catching.

they’ve also been consistently sending me anon asks hoping to bring relevance to the situation by urging me to post about it, they will send me hate before deciding to try and pretend to be another, nicer anon urging me to ‘hear my side of the story’ or showering me in compliments about how they ‘need an explanation because they know i’m too nice for that’ again, it’s obvious it’s them since they go back to being horrible when they’re ignored, and quite frankly it’s terrifying the lengths they’ll go to harass and manipulate me.

this morning while i was at work i had received an anon urging me to do that exact thing, to talk about the discourse, they sent me consistent asks until i made my post talking about how i will no longer be mentioning it on dash, they then sent me another nastier ask immediately after before then going to post on their blog @/ffflowers almost immediately after that.

also this is part two of them harassing me here and the reason i left my last nsfw blog + them doing the exact same thing they’re doing now, they have a pattern — they will wait a few months before bringing themselves back into my inbox, when their hate asks to me are left unanswered then they play their way into other peoples inboxes hoping they will post + bring attention to the ‘discourse’ they are trying to spread. also another post i’ve made about this situation lastnight here.

they’ve become increasingly more angry and violent the longer they’ve been with me, i’ve been doxxed, threatened, consistently told to die and kms + had my character ripped to shreds on a site where i simply post writing for fun. i apologise to anyone who’s been dragged into this or harassed by this person, they are nasty and this probably won’t be the end of them either — but i refuse to let them drive me off of this app again.

i’ll be taking a small break for a few days to calm down, anon will remain off so they can’t contact me because at this moment i don’t feel safe and will be laying low on my personal acc for a while until i feel better. i apologise again for everything, the posts and my actions included, but i have no secrets.

emmie <3

RETURN TO NAVIGATION

[hypersonic04]

Part Three:

Part three, enjoy! Also, two things - I listened to False God by Taylor Swift on repeat as I wrote this, and I feel like things are moving fast between the two of them but I really struggle to write stuff where they aren't flirty so I'm sorry for the sudden progression.

Word count: 2,547

"We're having a get-together kind of thing tonight, by the way. Feel free to come," Adam mentions as we head out of the studio. Yet again, we've stayed far too late, editing and cutting bits of recordings together and changing lyrics. This has become a routine, of sorts, over the past three weeks.

"I might take you up on that offer, if you don't mind." I smile.

"It's just a thing for the label, drinks and stuff. I'll send you the details and everything."

We say our goodbyes, heading home in my now-fixed car, thank God. I don't think I could have coped with any more awkward car journeys with Ross.

Unsurprisingly, he's remained very involved over the past few weeks. It's taken every ounce of willpower in me to not walk out most days. If it's not a riff I've suggested, it's the way I've crossed out a line on a piece of paper.

Once I get home and Adam has sent me the address to the bar we're meeting at, I begin to get ready in a rush. Clouds of perfume and hairspray fill the room. I hurry my make up and haphazardly curl my hair, deciding that the messy look I've unintentionally managed to create is part of the cool-girl vibe I'm attempting to emulate. The black v-neck and leather mini-skirt seem appropriate for the event, yet I find myself overthinking everything when I remember that he's going to be there. Shoving my feet into some platform Doc's, I call a cab and wait.

The bar is so cool. Neon lights, moody chandeliers, a great playlist - the exact type of spot you would expect Matty to pick. I can already tell it's busy in there as the car pulls up, groups of people dangerously close to spilling drinks as they laugh and talk between themselves. The boom of the speakers buzzes under my feet as I make my way in, slipping past people and heading straight for the bar, feeling like the only sober person in there.

"What can I get you?"

I feel my mouth fall open as I recognise the bartender.

"Tom, oh my god!" I smile, half unsure how to navigate this situation. It's not every day that your ex-boyfriend serves you in a bar.

"Nice to see you too." He grins and I struggle to find words. "How have you been?"

"I've been good, yeah, really good." I smile, nodding. "How about you?"

"Yeah, same." He purses his lips in a soft, almost relieved smile. Our split was amicable - it hadn't been working for a while, and it made no sense for us to carry on trying to make it work.

"Are you here alone?" He frowns with a strange sort of chuckle escaping his lips.

"No," I laugh breathlessly, "It's a work thing."

"A work thing, huh?" He grins as he starts making a drink. I nod awkwardly, not really wanting to elaborate, for some reason. I'm not sure why, it's not like he can't know, right? Why wouldn't I want to tell him about the boys?

He hands me a cocktail glass filled to the brim with something that looks like it's going to give me a headache. I wince at it without even trying it.

"It's good, I promise," He gives me a toothy smile. "It's on the house."

"Tom, I can't let you give me this for free."

"Yes, you can. Consider it a 'congratulations on the work thing'." He runs a hand through his black hair and nods at me, and I realise that he won't take no for an answer as he shoos me away.

"Well, thank you." I tilt my head to the side and smile, leaving to find the table.

I spot them across the other side of the room, immediately noticing the huge smile on Ross' as he talks to Matty about something. They're sat at a table full of empty beer bottles already, and an ice bucket filled with Prosecco in the middle.

"You made it!" Matty immediately breaks off his conversation with Ross when he spots me making my way over.

"I made it." I laugh, accepting his hug and making a conscious effort not to spill my drink down the back of his very-expensive-looking suit jacket.

"Who were you talking to at the bar, eh?" He teases as he pulls away.

"None of your business." I joke. He raises his eyebrows with a smirk and I shake my head, swatting his assumptions away immediately. "It was my ex-boyfriend, it was nothing."

"Guys, Iris' ex-boyfriend works here." he decides to announce to the table. Adam lets out an airy chuckle in reply, shaking his head.

I notice Ross take a swig from the bottle of Desperado in his hand, avoiding eye contact as I glance at him. His broad shoulders are tense as he darts his eyes around the room, or rather it feels like anywhere else except me.

"Maybe he'll give us free drinks for the rest of the night." Jamie suggests, joining in on the conversation.

"Do not use my ex-boyfriend as a means of saving money, you cheapskates." I laugh, taking a seat on the plush, green sofa pushed up against the wall. Ross is sat across the table from me, and I realise that not only has the wide smile he'd had on his face disappeared, but that he was also yet to say anything upon my arrival.

The drinks flow easily, and I find myself downing cocktail after cocktail, swaying along to the music and having a good time. A recipe for disaster, really.

Looking down at my glass, I realise it's empty. The drinks had, in fact, been free all night, courtesy of Tom, and mojitos on the house is not a good thing for me to have knowledge of.

"Back again already?" He smirks from the other side of the bar, that familiar shiny, white grin making me giggle.

"Mhm, you know it," I joke. "Same again, please."

"Do you remember that time we got drunk on mojitos?" He smiles as he shakes the mixer back and forth.

"Yeah, I do." Blush rises in my cheeks as I recall the evening. The smirk on his face suggests that he does as well.

"Maybe we could go out again some time? Get drunk on cocktails again, like the good old days?"

Before I can stumble around his offer, I feel a hand on the small of my back.

"You alright?" His voice vibrates through my body as he looms beside me, looking down at me with a strange look in his eye.

"Uh, yeah," I manage to get out, my throat feeling as though it's closing up. "This is Tom. Tom, this is Ross." I say for some reason.

They exchange an awkward smile, and I recognise the look on Tom's face, the same one he used to get when random men would try chatting me up at the bars in university. I want to protest that he doesn't have to be jealous, that Ross and I aren't together, but it's like my brain can't form a sentence, as if it almost likes the idea of it.

"Are you sure you want any more to drink?" Ross says lowly, his hand still on my back firmly. It's like somehow, despite the fabric covering my body, his rough fingertips are burning into my skin.

"Yes, Ross. Actually, I do want more to drink." I turn away from him, that familiar feeling of aggravation from his comment rising again. I turn back to Tom with what I think is a flirty grin, however it could just be the alcohol surging me with a foreign confidence. "Is there a way you can make a double mojito?" I giggle, resting my palms flat on the bar top and tilting my head.

"Anything for you." He replies, subtly winking at me.

I glance at Ross, meeting his stare. My eyes dart between his and I swallow heavily, the dim light of the bar casting shadows over his features. He's wearing a white button up, contrasting with the blackness his eyes seem to be pouring into me, his rolled up sleeve and tattooed forearm on the same bar top I feel myself leaning into. He doesn't look away from me, and I watch as his pale lips part slightly.

"Double mojito." Tom's cheery voice tears me out of the black hole I felt like I was slipping into. I see Tom looking between the two of us, his lips pursed in a way that makes it seem like he's interrupting something.

"I'll pay." Ross moves his arm in front of me, holding his card to the reader.

Before I can object, Tom has the card reader held out to him, avoiding my eye line. It's like he's making some kind of point, whether that be to himself or me, and it infuriates me. He can't stand the thought of not being in control, whether that be of the band, my ideas, God knows what.

"Thank you." I smile apologetically and take the glass, spilling a little over the edge.

Ross reaches his hand out to steady mine, his fingers warm on my skin as he softly supports the glass. His eyes are trained on the drink between our hands, and I watch his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallows stiffly.

"I can hold my own glass, Ross." I try to speak with conviction, mirroring the same sarky tone he always takes with me, but I can't. My voice comes out quiet, low.

"I know you can."

It's like we're magnets - he does everything in his power to repel me, to be my opposite in every sense, but somehow, it attracts me further, and I don't know why. He's so tall as he stands in front of me, so broad like some kind of shield from the rest of the slowly-emptying bar.

I look up at him through my lashes and the proximity that we're in makes me so much more aware of the amount I've had to drink. My head is swimming, yet somehow, he's steady in front of me.

"I can't talk to you when I'm like this." I say, slipping past him and making my way back. He stays there for a few moments and I watch his shoulders rise then fall, a sigh leaving his lips. I wonder whether he felt like he couldn't breathe then, too.

I sit cross-legged on the sofa, next to George, and despite being able to take my mind off of him earlier, it's like he's the only other person in the room now. Watching him over the rim of the glass as I take a rather large sip, we make eye contact, and I feel like the air is being sucked out of my lungs. I firmly place the glass back on the marble table before me, the sound louder than I had intended with my drunken clumsiness, and leave to get some fresh air.

I gasp for air when I get outside. The air bites at my bare legs, a cool breeze brushing my hair back. I curse myself for allowing these feelings to consume me in the way they are. In the studio, I can focus, I can distract myself from his clear disapproval of me, his need to control the decisions the band makes and push me out, but when it's just the two of us? A whole different story.

I hear the door swing open, the music flowing from the bar to the smoking area I'm currently stood in, and I know that there's only one person who could push a door open with such certainty. I think back to the first time Ross and I met.

"Can you just, I don't know, not follow me out?" I say slightly louder than I expected my voice to come out, turning around on my heel and lightly throwing my arms in the air.

"Sorry, I just-" He cuts himself off.

We stand in silence, his hands shoved in his pockets and mine crossed in front of me.

"Why did you buy my drink?" The question leaves my mouth before I can contemplate it's consequences.

He doesn't answer. Instead, he wipes a hand across his beard and looks at the ground.

"Answer me, Ross."

"I didn't think it was right that he was giving us all of the drinks for free."

"Bullshit." I laugh sarcastically. "You wouldn't even pay extra for Matty's oat milk last week."

I shake my head and kick the toe of my boot into the ground, wondering whether it would be best for me to just leave. He looks as uncomfortable as I feel.

"Why are you out here, Ross?" I sigh.

"I don't know. I just followed you out, I couldn't help it."

My stomach knots as I watch him. His face is serious when he looks up at me.

"You had no right to question how much I've had to drink."

"You've had a lot."

"No, I haven't, and even if I had, it's none of your business."

"You had a full bottle of white wine to yourself."

"Why are you keeping track?"

"Iris."

The way he says my name catches me off guard. I like it. It's the fact that he rarely says it at all, choosing to ignore my mere existence 90% of the time.

"Ross." I repeat his name back to him in an attempt to bring my consciousness back, the feeling in my legs, even.

"You need to go home."

"I don't need to go anywhere."

I storm towards the door, but the thick sole of my shoe catches on the slightly risen slab beneath me.

The first thing I notice is how firm his grip is on my arm when he catches me, the size of his hands. I realise I'm gripping equally as firmly onto his biceps when I look at the proximity of our bodies. My chest is virtually pressed to his, the tips of our noses only inches apart, and I hold my breath.

"Iris, I-"

"Fucking hell, I thought you'd both gone missing or something, Was about to sort out a search party."

Matty drunkenly laughs at his own joke, stood in the doorway of the bar, hair dishevelled and his tie now hanging loosely from his neck.

Ross immediately lets go of me, taking a step back like we're teenagers that have been walked in on by a parent or something. I blush at both the moment we just had and also how distinctly embarrassed he seemed by it, moving away from me quickly.

"Are you coming back in, or not?" Matty furrows his eyebrows.

"I think I'm going to head home, actually." I say, avoiding the glance Ross gives me.

"Already? It's only... shit, it's 1AM." He giggles again, turning around and reentering the bar before I can even reply.

I don't give Ross the opportunity to make this any more tense or awkward. Crossing my arms across my chest and turning around, I leave him standing in the smoking area, taking back control of the situation with the knowledge that he cannot stand it.

[lunehong]

Black Pirates | Eight

Modern era robin hood ATEEZ X Undercover spy fem OC

ship : ??? X OC

Genre : slowburn, angst, fluff, enemies to lovers

Synopsis : "The world may be unfair but it does not stop us from changing our own fate." Kang Sohyun tries to investigate a group of bandits who are causing havoc in all of Korea. As she gets into close contact with them, her view of them slowly starts to change. "Why do people even hate you?" "If we worried about what people thought of us, we would've all been in a slump of despair by now." 

Warnings : none ig

A/n : If anyone wants to be added to the taglist let me know !

Masterlist , Prologue , Chapter one , Chapter two , Chapter three , Chapter four , Chapter five , Chapter six , Chapter seven

CHAPTER 8

It had been three days since the encounter at the museum. Both Jongho and Sohyun stayed home throughout, taking some time away from society to grasp the situation they were in.

 The two of them were rivals. One creating chaos and the other one searching for ways to end it, a stark contrast from how their relationship actually was. Joined at the hip since middle school; no matter how much the two ventured out, they always managed to return to each other’s side at the end of the day. A decade worth of memories wasn’t something to be thrown away just like that. They considered each other family and being with one another was natural to them. 

These exact causes made it hard for them to accept each other as enemies.

Unable to dispel their inner turmoil, they decided to face each other head-on if needed and deal with the consequences when they presented themselves.

Sohyun was starting to consider herself a good actress for being able to remain as normal as she usually was any other day. She spotted Jongho in the hallways once but was yet to interact with him properly, not that she wanted to anyway. 

During their shared break, Jongho parted from his classmates and headed towards the bench that he and Sohyun occupied. The bench was outdoors, overlooking a small garden that the college authorities maintained.

He sat there in silence for a while, wondering if Sohyun ditched him but soon enough, the girl arrived and situated herself on the bench. 

The tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Neither of them initiated any conversation and munched on their chosen snacks. It was like they didn’t know how to approach each other anymore, when previously, they always had something or the other to talk about.

Soon they noticed that the other students who were mingling in the area were starting to pick up on their unusual silence. The two always laughed and spoke out loud, sometimes accompanied by a smack or two in the head or the arms, making them very much noticeable to anyone passing by. So, it was undoubtedly out of the ordinary to see the pair eating quietly.

Not being able to take the deafening silence any longer, Jongho gave in and broke the ice.

“I know we aren’t really on talking terms Sohyun-ah but people are already starting to suspect our demeanour. The reason why we’re both here is so that we don’t raise any suspicions and we’re actually doing a very bad job at it. Can we at least be civil for the sake of the cover?” 

“Okay, fine, Jongho-yah. I wasn’t really planning on keeping quiet but I didn’t know what to say.” 

Jongho was contemplating on whether he should bring up the sensitive topic or not, but he really wanted some form of clarity regarding the predicament they were in.

“So, who are you working for? If you don’t mind telling me that is,” He asked.

Sohyun took a few seconds to mull over his words, thinking if she should reveal it or not. When Jongho was almost sure that she wouldn’t disclose anything, he heard her sigh and focus her attention back to him. 

“NDA.” She spoke up. 

Jongho’s eyes went wide in shock but then his expression turned into one of amusement.

“Wow, I- I was not expecting- How did you even get in touch with the NDA of all organisations?” 

“I got scouted by someone from the NDA in this cyber convention I was attending a few years back. It was about me catching his eyes or something. I don’t really know why he picked me in particular, but it all worked out at the end I guess.” Sohyun explained. “Okay but when was this though?” Jongho asked while trying to remember anything about her attending a convention. 

“Well, you wouldn’t know, because it was during freshman year and you were living with your aunt back then.” 

Realisation dawned upon Jongho as he nodded his head in acknowledgement. 

“What about you? Why Black Pirates?” Sohyun inquired after telling him her part of the story. 

“I wish I could tell you Hyun-ah but I can’t  reveal information like this without my captain’s permission. I’m sorry.” Jongho looked down. 

“What I can tell you though, is that we don’t have any bad intentions. There was something I wanted to accomplish, planning on carrying it out on my own but I couldn’t go far. However, I came in contact with them instead, completely by accident. I came to know that they had similar goals as me and they were willing to help me out if I helped them back. That’s how I became a part of them.”

Sohyun looked at him, not knowing what to think. She thought she knew everything about the boy beside her, but it was proving to be wrong. Sohyun really wanted to know his reasons but she understood that he had protocols to follow, just like she would have to if she had a permanent team assigned to her at NDA. 

“This happened during the time I was living at my aunt’s by the way.” Jongho added, making Sohyun scoff.

“Looks like we both got ourselves into something when we were apart, huh.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, finishing the remaining snacks and enjoying the breeze. There were a few minutes left for the break to end when Jongho spoke up,

“So, was whatever you said to me that day true? Or was it a heat of the moment thing?”

“Hm? No no, it was very true Jongho-yah. It was just me trying to test a theory out and trying to find more intel on you guys that particular day. You’re lucky that I’m not entitled to the agency as of yet, or else they would’ve surely kept tabs on me and my whereabouts, like they do with full-time members. But the next time I go on a mission to capture the Black Pirates I will not hold back, even if it’s you. I’ve been clear about that. Until and unless I find that whatever everyone is saying about you guys is fake and you guys are actually not dangerous, I will not be generous.” Sohyun got up.

“The person you’ll face on the field would be Agent Kang Sohyun, not your best friend.”

“Fair enough.” Jongho got up with a sigh. “I’ll keep that in mind, Sohyun-ah. But I hope our involvement with opposing organisations will not impact our relationship outside.”

“Not that I can stay away from you anyway, Ho-yah” She called him by his nickname making him crack a smile. “Unless I’m on your captain’s hitlist and you’re on my team’s, we’re good.” Sohyun smiled.

The two made their way back to their respective classes with smiles on their faces. They were relieved that their secrets won't create a rift between them, even if it was momentary. 

While Sohyun and Jongho were busy paying attention to each other, they failed to notice a mysterious figure keeping an eye on them from the shadows.

After everything they heard, the figure went on his way while creating a plan in his head– a plan to bring Kang Sohyun down.

Next chapter

Tags : @wooyoos @jwnghyuns @starillusion13

[fe-fictions]

thanks for rebuilding your last blog and for the new prompts!! do you have any other saizo prompts laying around?? if not can we have a reverse of another one here of CORRIN being jealous? maybe of kagero or something? thanks for all you do!! 🩷

(Here's Saizo not being allowed to help rescue Corrin after she was kidnapped...!!! A very fun and dramatic one U m U )

Kaze made his way down to the training grounds with the intent of checking on his brother. What he didn’t anticipate was seeing Saizo covered in blood, surrounded by shredded dummies and splintered wood.

There were weapons broken to pieces, torn cloths and banners, the entirety of the space had been decimated by Saizo’s fury. 

The flaming jujitsu that his brother employed had scorched the earth to black ash, as though the apocalypse had crashed into that single corner of the world.

The reason for such behavior was clear; you were gone.

Saizo had woken the entire Castle that morning, with the sudden realization that his wife had been stolen in the dead of night. 

He went on a patrol, promised you he’d return soon, and when he came back at the break of dawn...there was no princess in his bed.

The ninja’s wife was kidnapped.

Signs of struggle were evident in the room, and Kaze, Felicia and Jakob were severely wounded. It was clear they hadn’t gone without a fight, but nobody could understand why you were taken without a trace. 

Surely someone had to have seen you being dragged away, or heard the noise. But no, the crime had been timed perfectly. They had planned your kidnapping, and Saizo wanted to pull out all the stops to get his revenge.

It was for that exact reason that Ryoma forbade him from joining in the rescue mission.

“Milord, surely you can’t be serious-” 

“You are not being assigned to this mission. Remain in the Outrealm until we return, or we request your assistance specifically.”

“She is my wife, Lord Ryoma, I must go!” Saizo’s tone was borderline insubordinate. He was growing restless, and anxious. He didn’t like the direction the conversation was going.

Much to his chagrin, Ryoma would not back down nor falter. He shook his head with a grim firmness in his jaw, almost glaring at his most trusted retainer.

“It is precisely because she is your wife that you cannot. You are compromised- what if you act rashly and make a decision that could cause Corrin more injury, or worse?”

“I would never do such a thing.” Saizo bristled, but did his best to keep the rage from boiling forth. He remained on his knees before the High Prince, but it was becoming incredibly difficult. Deep down, he understood Ryoma’s reasoning. 

But he would never admit it when the stakes were so high.

“Saizo, this is for the best. I take no pleasure in keeping you from the fight. But I am worried for you, my friend. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you, too.”

“Milord…” Saizo’s knuckles were white with tension, and it took every cell in his body to keep him in place. He was touched by Ryoma’s kind words, but he was more than frustrated with the situation.

Saizo was a man of action- and he was being curtailed when he needed to fight the most. Kaze could sense the anger, practically watching it steam off his shoulders. 

The green ninja could hardly fathom the anguish Saizo was drowning in.

“Brother…” His call was soft and wary. He didn’t wish to incur Saizo’s misplaced wrath. His brother didn’t even turn to acknowledge him.

Not when he was still so fragile.

“What do you want?”

“To make sure you’re all right.”

“You already know the answer.”

“Even so, I-”

“I should be there. I should’ve gone with them.” Saizo hissed, the kunai falling from his hands and clinking to the ashen ground. 

“They wouldn’t allow it. Not when you’re like this.” Kaze gestured to the burning around them, smoke lingering on his tongue. 

“That is no excuse-!” Saizo whipped around, the red of his eye revealing his suffering, “She needs me- she needed me when I wasn’t there. What is she going to think when her own husband doesn’t come to her aid? She would do the same for me!!”

“I know you are in great pain, brother. I am sorry there isn’t more I can do to alleviate it.” Kaze spoke with all the soothing he could muster in the face of such violent anger.

Saizo was unbalanced, and there was no telling what would come of it. 

“It’s been three days, Kaze.” Saizo’s head hung low. “They haven’t sent word, haven’t requested back-up….nothing….”

“We must have faith.” Kaze’s hand fell on Saizo’s shoulder, but it was of little comfort to the stoic soldier. “But most importantly, you need rest.” 

“I will rest when she’s returned to me.”

“Saizo-”

“When she’s returned.” He snapped, louder. The blazing ninja removed himself, then, with no intention to be found.

The fact he was able to locate Saizo at all had been a miracle, but he wasn’t about to try and chase him down, again. It was clear there would be no comforting of his brother. 

Saizo’s hiding place was a compartment connected to Ryoma’s room that was hidden away from the rest of the world...it would serve as a fine place for him to grieve in silence.

The room was small, leaving enough space for a bedroll and nothing more. Saizo cast aside his armor and shoes, kneeling down onto the bedding in only his kimono. He was truly, more than anyone, absolutely broken.

Saizo wanted to keep the tears from falling, but there would be no stopping them. No, he was an absolute mess without you, and he couldn’t hide that. He could disguise his grief as anger in public, but at some point, the sorrow had to flow. 

He cried, terribly so. He sobbed your name, begging forgiveness from the gods, from you, from anyone who would grant him mercy if it meant you would be safe, again.

“Forgive me, Corrin…” His chest heaved as he forcefully wiped his tears, running his hands through his hair with such frustration. “Forgive m-me for being so….s-so worthless….!”

Saizo didn’t know how much time had passed. But he knew that at some point, sleep had taken him.

He awoke, disoriented and curled up on the bedroll. The only reason he did was because Kagero was above him, shaking his shoulder.

It was dark when he forced himself up. Night had fallen. 

“Saizo.”

His eye snapped open when he realized the first fact that crossed his mind was strange.

Kagero was back.

She looked at him with a deep understanding, eyebrows drawn together in  grim seriousness that he didn’t like.

“We found her.”

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

To say you were sore would be a gross understatement. After all, everything hurt. You’d been taken unceremoniously, teleported away by mages who didn’t have the best in mind for you.

They wanted you for your dragon powers, to figure out how to use it against the Hoshidans you had defected to. Once they unlocked your secret, they’d dump your corpse off for King Garon and your former family.

Then they would raze Hoshido with their new dragon soldiers.

But that reality never came to pass.

No, the Hoshidan royals stormed their hideaway, dozens of them fighting to rescue you and tear down the evil place you’d been locked into.

The last thing you remembered was falling into Ryoma’s arms. You were carried out, with promises from your siblings that, yes, it was over.

What woke you up was the slow realization you were in a soft bed, in a warm and safe place. You felt terrible, physically, but you were still relieved. There were familiar voices overhead, and blurred figures that you didn’t quite recognize.

It was Azama’s voice that snapped you out of your misery.

“Saizo will be ripping this place to shreds if we don’t let him in.”

“He won’t like the state of her, though. You’re sure we can’t stall a little while longer-”

“Oboro, it’s a bad idea.” Hinoka cut in, “She needs to see him, and he definitely needs to see her right now.”

“But she’s-”

“Did you see the training grounds? He destroyed everything!! If anyone needs to see Corrin, it’s him!”

“Hino…” Your voice was tired and heavy, and the syllables seemed to slur together. There was a soft gasp, followed by the blurred figures scrambling to your side. Soft, small hands took hold of yours and drew your attention upward.

Bright red eyes came into focus.

“Sister!! You’re awake, finally! A-are you all right? Do you feel okay?”

“I’m...fine.” You managed to lie through your teeth, though Oboro didn’t buy it. She left your side to retrieve some herbs to alleviate your pain. 

She hadn’t even made it to the table before the doors slammed open.

“What the-”

“Corrin!!”

“Saizo!” Hinoka rose, stock straight and almost frightened when the sliding door cracked aside. He’d almost broken it from the frame.

But his eye locked with yours, and you could see how poorly he’d taken care of himself even with your weak vision.

You reached a hand up, as though trying to grab hold of him..

It didn’t take Saizo long to answer you. Less than half a second, to be specific.

Saizo was by your side and filling your vision. Big, strong, calloused hands cupped your face, examining you for any sign of visible injury.

All you cared about was the warmth that you missed for so long. Far too long.

“Corrin….!”

“Saizo,” You croaked, and you could visibly see the shock fill his expression. How long had he waited to hear his name on your lips? How much pain had he endured, thinking he may never hear it again?

“They really brought you home.” His voice crumbled with relief. Saizo bowed his head, hands falling to grip your shoulders tightly. He was restraining himself.

He was failing miserably at it.

“O-of course they did. I knew...I’d be okay.” 

“You knew better than I.” Saizo scoffed. The room had emptied of your sister and healers, the door closing with a soft click.

Saizo looked behind him, checking for any others. When he found none, he found your gaze once more.

But this time, the tears flowed freely.

“Oh, Saizo…”

He collapsed into you, his face hidden as he pulled you flush to his  broad chest. You could hear his heart pounding, threatening to burst from his rib cage as he clung to you.

It almost hurt, how deeply his fingers dug into you. But you’d be a fool to complain. Not when you’d longed for this for so many days.

“I prayed...every day...that you’d come home to me. I was so angry that I couldn’t be the one to do it. But now that you’re here I...I-I can’t even think of what I was so furious about.”

“You couldn’t protect me…” You trailed off with a knowing smile, running your fingers along the opening of his kimono, feeling the scarred skin of his chest. You had’t the strength to hug him back, not yet.

But this would do well enough for either of you.

“I didn’t protect you from the start.” He reminded you with a dark grimace, “If I’d been there...if I hadn’t been on that worthless patrol, I could’ve-”

“You would have been hurt just as badly as everyone else.” You spoke with far more knowledge than Saizo liked. As if you knew he’d have failed to protect you there, too. “Those mages were using spells that would have killed a lesser man. You would have been wounded just as badly as Jakob, or Felicia, or Kaze...maybe worse.”

“We’ll never know.” He huffed, “But I do know that I failed in my duty to protect you. And I will never forgive myself for that.” 

“Don’t say such a thing!” You sounded so tearful with your reply. Saizo looked down at you, confused.

“But Corrin...look what’s become of you. All because I did not protect you as a husband should. Injury or not, I should have been by your side! A-at the very least, I should have brought you with me to patrol, not left you vulnerable.”

“None of us could have known, Saizo. I hate to think you’ve been blaming yourself all this time, when it was no one’s fault- the Nohrian mages are to blame, not you.”

“Urgh…” His jaw clenched tightly, averting his gaze. “That’s...t-that’s not the point.”

“Please, my love.” Your fingertips brushed his cheek, drawing him in with a gentle touch. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m home now, s-so please...can’t we think of other things?”

Saizo nodded, sinking down onto the bedding beside you, opening his arms to welcome you into his embrace once more. “I understand. You don’t need to reflect on those things, now. You need...comfort.”

“I do.” You agreed with a shaky sigh, breaking your husband’s heart. 

You fell into his arms without delay, letting him tuck you into his sweet hold so tightly there would never be any escape. As if you wanted to be anywhere else, anyways.

No, this was precisely where you needed to be.

“I’m so glad...you’re safe.”

“I-I’m glad that you're here….to greet me.”

“Of course I am.” He scoffed quietly, touching his lips to your forehead. “I will always be beside you from this moment forward.. Whether you know it or not, I’m never leaving your side again.”

“W-will you, really?”

“I’ll make the necessary arrangements. You...I need you to be safe. And there is no one I trust with your safety more than myself. It may be arrogant, but...I can already barely stand being apart from you. If anything this gives me the necessary justification to stay with you, always”

“I see.” You giggled softly, mending Saizo’s sorrow somewhat. He ran his hand up and down your back, stroking you with a slow, loving rhythm that let you finally relax.

For the first time in days, you could truly let go of your fears.

“I am sorry you had to suffer so, my love.” He murmured into your hair, breathing in the sweet scent he longed for. 

“I am sorry you suffered, too.”

“Feh.” It was a sharp laugh, more bitter than humorous, but….you knew his heart was happy. “Enough apologizing out of you. Rest, Corrin. Be at peace now that you’re home, again.”

“I’m only home...because you’re here.” Your whisper was heard, loud and clear, ringing like silver bells in Saizo’s ear.

His heart thumped so painfully, overwhelmed with the joy upon your honest words.

He opened his mouth to find some semblance of response. But he was choked up with emotion; he was your home.

And you were his.

Saizo blinked away the fresh tears. He was moved, but he wasn’t going to cry again. He’d done plenty of that. 

Instead he kissed you, over and over. To make it clear that he felt so strongly about you, towards you, for you…

There would be no question.

You would always be safe with him, with your home.

When he slowly pulled away, you beamed up at him.

You didn’t doubt him for a second.

[leehopehocarat]

You make my World Freeze 💙✨💫🫂

Chapter 1 | Mr. & Mrs. Tastebuds

When one of your names is said in conversation, a beaming smile is sure to follow on each of your faces...

You and Han Jisung are best friends, soulmates, the literal Ying to each other's Yang.

But could you be more than that.....

Synopsis: Sarice had moved to Korea to continue to pursue an education at one of the best Universities there. Like any other day, she walks into the local cafe to get her regular "unique" order. When it turns out, it's not just unique to you, but to The 4th Gen Ace himself, Han Jisung; who just so happened to be standing next to her taking his order at the same time as you. From there a friendship bloomed, but other feelings trickled in that may put a thorn in her relationship with him.

Sarice and Han Jisung

When one of their names are said by the other, or by someone else in conversation, a smile that beams brighter than actual light itself appears on each of their faces.

~~

I had moved to Korea years ago to start university and begin pursuing an education in Korean History and language. Growing up in a place like NYC, discovering new cultures was a norm. But my love for learning and my naturally inquistive nature led me to being fascinated with details about any culture, and what made it unique.

So I decided after gaining a degree in Anthropology, it was time to go global. And Korea was number 1 on my list.

Now, I have been a fan of K Pop since 2NE1. CL stole my heart and I wouldn't even attempt to try to get it back from her. Then there was Shinee, Big Bang, Girls Generation, 4 Minute...... the list goes on!

As of today, my Ult Groups are Stray Kids, BTS, Ateez, and Seventeen. I found each of these groups in times in my life where I truly felt it was destiny for me to find them when I did. And for that reason, they all hold special places in my heart.

~~

It was almost the end of my first year in uni. I was honestly expecting myself to struggle a lot, but I managed to pass my classes enough to keep my A- average!

I had gotten an earlier than usual start to my day to make sure I had a bit of extra time to just sit and chill at my new found favorite cafe. It's also conveniently a block away from campus, so it's a win win for me.

I walk inside the cafe and get hit with lavender, cinnamon, and ground coffee in my nostrils. I never get tired of feeling like I'm stepping into a quaint cottage with those scents in the air. Brick walls, stained cedar wood tile floors with matching tables and chairs, and an endless rotation of tropical plants. The cafe screams comfort corner, and it's why it's become my favorite.

I make my way to the cashier and am greeted by Lisa, who always somehow manages to be the one to be at the register when I come in the cafe and place my order. But I ain't complaining, cause I swear she put's magic in the Hazelnut Cold Brews when I order them. She's around my height (5'10"), an asymmetrical bob cut with a shego green color dye, and a slim built. She has a sweet and genuine smile, cause she really loves her job and it shows.

As if by a freak accident, as I'm telling my order to Lisa, a deep but soft voice says word for word my exact same order. It legit took me a moment to realize that my voice wasn't doubled but that there was someone next to me placing their order at the same time I was.

I stare bug eyed at Lisa and I was legit frozen. My social cues went out the window as my anxiety started kicking in. Lisa flashed a reassuring smile and gently motioned her head to the side, signaling for me to turn and look at whoever it was next to me. I took a shuddered deep breathe, and slowly turned to the left to get a look at who apparently, has the same taste in food as me. It was a man. Chocolate brown frays of hair were peeking out from under a black beanie. Black/Brown boba eyes that shined like the reflection of light off a creek in spring time. Cheeks that just made me want to pinch them, they were round and looked so soft (I didn't by the way, even though I REALLY wanted to). He wore an oversized, baggy, black distressed shirt, paired with baggy, flared bottom jeans, and chunky platform converse. My eyes made their way back up to his face, and I realized who I was standing in front of.

Han FUCKING Jisung!

1/3 of 3racha, the production, rapline and Ace of Stray Kids.

I was internally screaming!!

I didn't realize how zoned out I was until a small, deep toned chuckle left his lips.

"I-I I'm sorry. I-I just didn't t-think someone would have the same taste in coffee as me." I somehow manage to get those words out my lips, and I'm mentally slapping myself on the forehead for my stupid stuttering. My eyes went straight to the floor that I wish would just swallow me up at this point.

"Well......" He says with a pause. My head shoots up to see him looking at me with the warmest smile. "That just means we have superior taste buds." He had such a reassuring look in his eyes, that it melted away any bit of embarrasment that was settling in my body. With that, a small smile appears on my face.

"Well Mr. Superior Taste Buds......" I reach my hand over to grab my order from off the counter, that was actually sitting there ready for a few minutes already. "I have a bit of time to spare and would love to hear your take on food, care to join me?" My smile widens and I give him a wink. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FUCK THE WINK CAME FROM, BUT A BITCH WAS BEING BOLD THAT DAY.

His eyebrows shoot up and his eyes slightly widen at my sudden showing of boldness. He was quite impressed and deep down inside thankful that she made the first move, cause his heart was RACING.

A small smirk comes across his face. Keeping eye contact with me, he reaches his hand out to pick up his order from the counter. "That would be nice, Mrs. Superior Taste Buds." He winks back at me and puts his hand out for me to grab it.

AXZVXBHEJHOESHVKJSGHR

WHAT DO YOU MEAN MRS.?!?!???!?!

With no hesitation, my hand finds it's way to his. As our palms touch, a warmth surged through my body and my cheeks felt hot. Now me being a black woman, I don't usually have a visible blush.

BUT BABY............ THIS MAN HAD ME MELTING

His thumb gently rubbed over my fingers and knuckles. "I'll take you to my favorite table to sit at." He turns towards the back of the cafe leading the way. I turn my head to quickly steal a look at Lisa who was SHOOK at what just happened in front of her eyes. "WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TOMORROW" she silently mouths to me, and I give her a quick thumbs up, turning my head and my attention back to Han.

~~

From that day at the cafe to 3 years later. I'm in my last year at university and best friends with Han Jisung.

Life has been nothing short of amazing, especially with gaining 7 brothers, aka the other members of Stray Kids. If I'm not hanging out with Han, I'm on facetime with Channie as he's in the studio and I'm studying, spamming Lee Know with Cat memes, roasting red carpet celebrity looks with I.N, having a personalized gym routine made by Changbin and having him occasionally join me in working out, trading obscure recipes with Felix and trying them out together, dance practice video calls with Hyunjin, and Seungmin volunteering himself to be my tutor while he tells me random Korean history facts. Needless to say, these boys have added so much to my life. But with that, there's a burden I've been carrying the whole time.

Han being an idol has its challenges, but we've created a system that still allows us to have quality time with each other. Today is one of the days where I get to chill with him in the studio. What he doesn't know is that I've surprised him with his favorite, his go to order from the cafe that we met at, along with a slice of chocolate cheesecake.

I make my way into the JYP building and greet the different staff members I bump into on the way to the floor the studio he's in is on. I finally make it to the elevator and immediately slump against the wall, a groan of a held in sigh leaves my mouth.

I've been in love with Han Jisung since we met in that damn cafe. It's grown into an overflowing bucket that always tries to make itself known when I'm around him, but I put a lid on it.

I really did try not to fall in love as quickly as I did but..... can you blame me?!?!?!

He laughs with his whole body but makes sure to land gentle touches on me when I'm sitting next to him during one of his laughing fits.

His eyes put fairy lights to shame, when he talks about anything he's passionate about. And it's always followed by deep conversations that I adore.

And he just always knows how I'm feeling; He's fucking psychic I swear!

He knows when to hold my hand, caress my cheek and brush strands of hair out of my face.

AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON HIS HUGS!

Time stops whenever I'm in his arms. He's my safe place.

On nights like tonight, I usually just sit in silence in the background working on assignments, while he's working on a song. Being in silence together is probably one of my favorite things I do with him. But tonight, if there is silence after my plan of pouring out my heart to him..... then I hope to God the earth actually swallows me whole this time.

~~

Hey Guys!

This is my first time writing a story like this, and I'm honestly proud of myself for taking a step into trying something new for myself.

This story was inspired by a Character AI chat I actually have for Han, lol

I accept constructive criticism but rudeness will not be tolerated!

I hope you all enjoyed the story!

TAGLIST:

@adestayskz

@semi-semiisbae

@guqsnfics

[thevampirediariesuniverse-1864]

Edward cullen x reader mate

Ur a new student at forks , you moved from your home town if some no where town in Alabama lol ,and it was your first day of school at forks ! You got dressed in jeans and a t shirt , you looked over your tall body 5”10 and your broad shoulders and hips and the soft squishy stomach you had , you walked out the door grabbing your brother saying “come on y/b/n, we need to go don’t wanna be late”

He said “okay Yn ,let’s go “ your brother was a year younger than you so he was in the 9th grade your a 10th grader this year . Once you two got to school you were greeted with curious on looks , I mean who wouldn’t want to stare at the chief of police’s redneck hillbilly kids .

Soon people ran up to you “ hi ! I’m mike ! It’s nice to meet you !” He said , “ oh hi I’m Yn and this is my brother y/b/n”. Mike said “ we’ll it’s nice to meet you ! Do you guys know how to get to your classes ?” You chuckled “ honestly ! Not a clue ! I could find you a giraffe on this compass but the class I’m supposed to be in …. But a chance “ mike started laughing …

That’s the first thing Edward noticed about you , you were funny , he overheard you conversation I mean your the new gir everyone’s a bit curious but when he chuckled to himself at your remark he turned to look at you … and it hit him like a time of bricks !! His mate !! He found his mate ! He looked at your you were tall … very nice he loved tall women! And your thighs!! Ughhhh he was salivating !! You were THIC !!! And that’s just how he liked his women !! Tall and thicc!

So naturally he followed you around that day , without any of your knowledge of course . The more he saw the more he loved ! How bubbly you were !! It’s like you had no filter you said what you thought at that exact moment , I mean you couldn’t help it ! And your accent was so cute !! All the y’all’s and aints and southern talking ! It’s was quirky and cute !! Just like you !

But somehow on the first day your brother made some enemies. And when break rolled around those jocks cornerd him and started beating on him ! He held he’s his own but there were 3 of them and one of him . Thankfully you came by and saw what was going on. Edward watching closely to protect you . You ran to your brother “ hey get the fuck away from my brother ! You bitch !! “ a look that Edward can only describe as death and as on your face. Grabbing one guys by the back of the shirt slamming him to the ground and got on top of him laying punch after punch.

The guys nose was bleeding and your brother finished off one leaving you and your brother against one jock . That boy hose straight for you but you swerve and mis the punch . Kicking him in the balls, you and your brother stare at tje 3 severely injured bitches that tried to beat you up . “ you fuck with my brother you fuck with me “ and with that you and your brother walked away .

Edward was in pure amazement at you . Your strength your loyalty your love ! He knew you were perfect ! And his . He couldn’t stop telling his family about how you beat those jerks up and how hot you were ! Rosalee already loved you because she heard how you beat up 3 guys ! Girl power ! Boss!! And so did emmet same reason but just because you were strong . Alice thought it’s was sweet if you to defend your family like that. Jasper was impressed as you reminded him of a warrior like himself .

Edward saw you walk in the lunchroom and almost lost his shit ! You had a black eye and bloody knuckles ! You were so fucking hot ! “ she is mine ! She is mine !!! “ edward though over and over again !! Rosalee said “ if you don’t ask her to sit with us I will !” She teased . Edward said “ yeah , good idea rose “

he got up and walked twords you “ hello yn , I was wondering if you would like to come sit with me and my family your brother too of course “ you looked over to your brother who nodded “ of course I would love to “ “ I’m edward by the way “ “ we’ll it’s nice yo meet you Edward I suspect we’ll be fast friends “. Edwards heart was racing .. well it would if it beat , but he could swear he could feel his heart racing his chest tightening love … that’s all he could explain it to be

At that you went and got a tray with your brother and came back to edwards table who pulled the chair out for you sliding it back in to when you sat down . “Thankyou Edward “ “ of course Yn … this is jasper rosalee emmet and Alice “ “it’s nice to meet you all” you said shyly , “ you too dear “ Rosalee said making you blush

You handed your tray to your brother , allowing him to eat it as you always did “ are you not going to eat anything Yn ?” Edward asked “well I’m not that hungry but y/b/n is and he is family “. Emmet mused you on “ family is that inportant to you “ you give him a cold look “ yes it is .. always and forever family above all a vow I swore many years ago “ edward knew he would become your family and one day you would say that about him

Rosalee said “ I like this one ! She’s a fighter ! She loyal and absolutely gorgeous!!! Like look at this woman !! She’s perfect ! “ you blushed so hard “ no please !! Look at yourself ! Your everything I’ve ever dreamed of being and more !! So pretty !!! Like you look like a Greek goddess “. She too blushed too ,Edward became jeleous of you two .

“ what do you enjoy Yn ?” Edward asks. “We’ll I like horse ridding art music and reading and writing “ Edward was really impressed with you “ wow that’s amazing yn “ edwards thiygys trailed away from the conversation as he thought about how he wished he could just take you in his lap and hold you petting you .

Lunch bell rang and you said your goodbyes . School eventually was out and it was of course raining . Because you and your brother had to walk home . But of course Edward came to the rescue ! “ yn , love would you like a ride home “ he asked and opened his passenger door of his Volvo “ my little passenger princess” he thought to himself with a smile “ ummm .. sure yeah it’s cold I have a new found will to live so I’ll take that ride “ edward laughed at that comment and said “ hop in “ edward took your school bag for you dropping it in the back for you and your brother got in also with the rest of the Cullens it was as full car

He drove and the car was full of laughter at your hilarious jokes or comments you were just bubbly and could make anyone laugh and fell completely comfortable ! And you truly loved everyone ! Jasper found it a bit strange how kind and loving you wer but soon saw it wasn’t just an act and you were truly on of the kindest people he’s ever met

You arrived at Charlie a house as Edward walked you to the door . “ I truly enjoyed your company today yn, I hope you eat with us tomorrow “. You smiled “ of course Edward ! I’d love to !” At that you walked in the house closing the door as Edward smiled .

That night Edward became restless at the thoughts of you so he just decided to go and watch you sleep . And so he did . He watched your large chest rise and fall your giant breasts moving . How he loved your body ! How he loved you !! He couldn’t resist and slowly crawled into bed cuddling into you just holding you as you slept protecting you

The next morning came you felt as though someone was watching you .. protecting you . You woke your brother for school to realize he was really sick so you cooked him soup and told him to drink plenty and just reheat the soup if he got hungry .

You set off to school . Arriving you were greeted by Edward who handed you a biscuit. “Picked this up for you while we were at the dinner this mornin thought you might be hungry “ you realized in the first bit this wasn’t a normal dinner biscuit it was a salted ham biscuit your grandparents called them a southern delecasy and no one else’s ate them it was a southern tradition and you couldn’t be more greatfull “ awww Edward !! THANKYOU so much !!! My grandparents made my these biscuits back in Alabama I haven’t had them is so long !!” Edward said “ of course ! It’s no trouble “. “ thankyou Edward really “ you said softly wrapping hi. In a soft hug . He quickly hugged back ! Tightly .

Sadly you had to go your separate ways . But you met up for break and ended up just laying In the grass talking and laughing as you played with his hands . He realized you were probably cold so he wrapped his jacket around you “ Thankyou Edward “ as you cuddled into him . He took in every moment and memorized it by heart .

But of course the bell rang and you had to return to class you tried to give Edward back his jacket but he refused “ no love it looks to good on you “

At the luch table edward asked if you wanted to leave and go somewhere for lunch you said yes and Edward walked you out to his car opening the door for you helping you in .

Lunch was amazing Edward was the perfect gentleman and treated you so nicely paying for the whole thing you went back to his car sitting there for a moment

you ended up in his lap and him stroking your hair as you fell asleep like a little kitten .. his little kitten