#THROW ON YOUR PRETTY LIGHTS WE'RE IN THE CITY OF WONDER

[astridthevalkyrie]

ughhhhh i'm so excited for spooky season

[megamindsecretlair]

Camp Wanderlust, Part 1

Pairing: Camp Counselor!Franklin Saint x Black!Fem!reader / Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+, Minors DNI, You are in charge of your own reading experience. Intentional use of AAVE. Cursing, one use of n-word, kissing, mentions of female and male anatomy. FLUFF.

Summary: Welcome to Camp Wanderlust! We're so glad you're here! Inner city kids have been granted the opportunity to spend their summer here, getting introduced to a new world. You and Franklin are camp counselors who can't seem to stop ogling each other.

Word Count: 6,966k

Part 2

A/N: I have no clue where this idea came from but I couldn't stop thinking about college Franklin and how adorable he is! I miss him! So enjoy this new mini-series. I'm also zooted so all mistakes are on me. Please, please, please consider commenting and reblogging to help support writers! I can't get better if I don't get feedback!

Taglist: @planetblaque @notapradagurl7 @miyuhpapayuh @henneseyhoe @mybonafidefeelings @blackerthings @wide-nose-and-wonderful @halfofmysoulsblog @sevikasblackgf @slippinninque @nerdieforpedro @bratzmaraj @browngirldominion @thecookiebratz @we-outsiiiide @kindofaintrovert @theunsweetenedtruth @theyscreamsannii

The cool cotton shirt was already starting to stick to your skin. You fanned yourself, wondering if you had enough time to make it back to the cabin before the bus got here. You couldn’t find your scrunchie and your braids were starting to itch as sweat threaded around the parts. 

Girls stood to your left, guys stood to your right, all nervous and full of energy. Orientation started three days ago as everyone met each other, went over rules and regulations, and then had real fun later that night as flasks and mini bottles of booze were passed around. 

The owners of the camp were a silly white couple who just loved to help inner city kids. They stood off to the side from the group of counselors looking like concerned citizens complaining about a large group of Black folk for no reason. They were nice and all, but funny how their compassion only extended to the kids. Every counselor here came from colleges all around Southern California. Not one street kid.

You had never been to camp though and you had to admit, this was a nice way to show inner city kids that there was more to life than weed and going to jail. You switched your weight to your other hip, looking behind you for the hundredth time.

“You lookin’ for your boyfriend?” Dana, your bunk mate, nudged you with her elbow. She was a really pretty, dark-skinned woman with good hair. Her afro was fluffed out and shining in the morning sun. 

“What are you talking about?” You asked. 

“Franklin,” she said, drawing his name out in a song. 

You giggled and shook your head, nervously looking around to make sure no one heard her. Despite what she kept insisting, you were not going to throw yourself at Franklin Saint. Your eyes sought him out but if you looked any longer, it would be too obvious. You snatched your eyes away from your right side and looked at Dana.

“No,” you said. “Not happening.” 

Once everyone found out that nearly everyone was single, the energy shifted in the room. People started eyeing each other in a new light. Now hookups were dancing through people’s eyes, eyes drooping below the chaste limit, seeking out the most pleasurable mate for your time at camp. 

Where else were you going to find people who got you? Certainly not at your respective schools where it felt criminal to be seen consorting with your fellow Negro. If two gathered in a space, it was a warning. If three or more joined, suddenly you were a gang and there were board meetings and secret handshakes banning that sort of thing.

No, here, you were surrounded by woods and a lake. Here the predominant color was as brown as the earth and just as beautiful. Here, anything could happen. So people began pairing off and gossiping. Laying claim on the curve of a hip or soft shoulders to lay on, or perhaps the way a smile made your insides flutter. 

Looking over the men, there were certainly some fine specimens. Some tall and broad, skinny and lanky, rounded and thick as molasses. But there was only one for you. He was so dreamy. 

His dark skin soaked up the sun. Such a cute, kind of shy smile. But his eyes were low and mischievous. Like he had a secret in them about you. He had worn blue jeans and a striped green shirt, the collars popped open.  

When your eyes landed on him, you were ready to drool and fall all over yourself. You had never felt that way about anyone. No one in your neighborhood, no one in your schools, and definitely no one at your college. 

And it seemed like he saw all of this float through your brain as he locked his eyes on you and smiled, dipping his chin a bit. You gave him a small smile, in shaking fear that he could see the lust on you,  and you turned away from him. 

You were not the only one to notice him. Snippets of their conversation had floated to you about the cute boy on the left. No, the far left. Girl, the one who look like my next boyfriend! 

You were not going to compete for no man. But your eyes floated to the other men, some who looked your way with genuine interest in your curvy body, and they just weren’t doing it for you. They didn’t set your palms sweating or chest heaving or pussy throbbing. Well, there were maybe one or two you wouldn’t mind entertaining the next four weeks. Let someone else have that man.

Except he had made his way to you. He had introduced himself, voice low and full of dark promises. He had made you laugh and roll your eyes, twist your hair, and find ways to touch him. You had talked all night, completely ignoring everyone else who pointed and gossiped and wondered about you two. 

A bus horn honked twice and you flinched as your thoughts snapped back to reality. You did not need flashbacks of that night, finding out everything you could about each other. Bus after bus pulled into the turnabout to offload a flood of preteens. They brought a jittery nervous air to the balmy June day that were directly at odds. 

Your eyes scanned the kids as they clutched their little sleeping bags, pillows, and backpacks too heavy for them. They weren’t quite that loud yet. The extroverts had already found each other, forming up groups and surpassing that line between the “popular kids” and the “weird” ones. You weren’t sure who was in your group yet, but you hoped they weren’t little shits. 

The owners of the camp, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman but you can call us Doug and Anne, erupted into excited giggles and clapped their hands. Some of the counselors began hiding smirks and smiles and giving each other the Look. 

“Welcome to Camp Wanderlust!” Anne yelled in the too quiet air. Nature hadn’t been encroached upon today and was taking its time waking up. The arrival of kids to run across the ground or play in its leaves were a new addition and nature needed a minute. 

Anne rushed forward and waved. “We are so excited that you’re here. How excited are you?” Anne continued. 

The popular kids cheered and threw their hands in the air while the shy ones stood there staring straight ahead like zombies. Maybe they just weren’t morning kids. Because you sure as shit wasn’t a morning person. 

Anne began to list off some welcome bullshit about learning and having fun and going swimming, supervised of course. About making lifelong friends because you could keep in touch with letters. Building bonds and telling some good stories while you’re at it.

She talked about how the cabins were divided. For their safety, girls and boys are in completely separate cabins and lights out at 10pm sharp. No one was allowed outside at night without a chaperone. They were free to go to the bathroom but it was straight back to bed. 

She told them the names of each cabin and the cabin badges were important to remember. Doug came forward with a clipboard and started to rabble off badges, cabin numbers, and their assigned counselors.

In unison, you all waved to the kids with bright smiles and held up mini signs you made yourself yesterday. It stated your name. Three guesses on who your partner was. Doug then rattled off names and numbers. Kids began to separate and walk toward you. 

A line of girls formed in front of you, bright eyed and cute in their little pigtails and afros and braids. Some looked so painfully shy, you vowed to make sure they felt included and had fun. You thrived in college but you were a shy girl just like them. It cropped up from time to time, but you felt more yourself now than you ever did as a kid. 

Doug finished and everyone had their group. The counselors began fanning out to gain some distance and introduce themselves without yelling over a nearby group. You stayed put, not wanting to walk unnecessarily in this heat. 

You had been lined up in numerical order, so Franklin was on the opposite end from you. He faced you and you swore you saw him smile at you before turning to his group of Cabin 5 boys. You turned to your own Cabin 5 girls and gave them your name, making them say theirs and their favorite color. 

You talked some more, trying to find areas of interest where they might all intersect. You doubted you could get total consensus, but it never truly hurt to be optimistic. You took your group of ten to the Raven badge house and let them decide how to pick beds. You weren’t going to help with that. You watched as they worked to decide which bed would be theirs. The assertive ones announced which ones they wanted and if no one objected, then that was fine. The shyer girls took their time trying to be polite and give up whichever one they wanted. The whole process was over pretty quickly and you were back outside, giving them a tour and dodging other groups. 

Your eyes immediately found Franklin coming out of the cabin next door. He moved between shadow and sun as he left the cover of the cabin. He lit up, that sun hitting him all over his gorgeous body. He wore khaki shorts and a blue shirt with Camp Wanderlust written across the back. You wore a similar shirt and let yourself picture being snuggled up with him. 

You shook your head and faced your group, leading them out and around Camp. You showed them the shower and bathrooms, mess hall, activity tunnel which was the bridge to the rest of the camp. You showed them the Traveler bridge which took them to the lake and boat house, and finally to Curiosity Hill which led to the woods. The hill was a long slope that led to the woods proper full of bugs and small animals. 

You looked at your watch, making good time. You faced your group and started answering questions so they could get to know you. They called you pretty and asked which school you went to, your favorite color, and the like. 

“I bet ya’ll hungry, huh?” You asked.

“Yeah!” They all said, loudly. You giggled and waved for them to follow you to the mess hall. Groups were following behind you, following the unspoken signal for lunch.  You made them line up, grab a tray, and move down the line.

You told them where to sit and told them to get to know one another. You grabbed your tray and went to sit at the counselor’s table.

Dana was already there digging into her tray all neat and polite. She smiled when you sat down and you breathed a sigh of relief. You were out of the hot ass sun, finally had some water, and could eat. Why did you agree to this again? 

“You know your boyfriend been checking you out all morning,” she said. 

“Shut up with that,” you said and began eating. 

“He has! Sharonda said he told Jason that you were fine as hell,” she said. 

“And how did Sharonda hear that?” You asked.

“Supposedly, Keisha and Jason are a thing which is a little funny because Jamika said the same thing. But Keisha and Sharonda are bunk mates,” she said. 

You shook your head. “Oh, you stay ear-hustling,” you said. 

“I like information. I don’t care how I get it,” she said.

“Okay, so then who you got around here?” You asked. 

“I’m still looking. They ain’t that fine compared to Mr. Saint,” Dana said.

“Ya’ll talkin’ about her boyfriend?” Jamika asked, coming up behind you. She dropped her tray onto the table and then scooted onto the bench.  “I swear them girls already getting on my nerves. They gave me the bad little mu’fuckas,” she complained. 

“Where are ya’ll getting this boyfriend from and why are ya’ll all in my business?” You asked.

“So there’s business to be had,” Jamika said and looked at Dana. “Told ya.”

Jamika sucked her teeth and sighed dramatically. She dug in her pocket and pulled out a dollar bill and handed it to Jamika. 

“Ya’ll betting?” You demanded. 

“I told her there was something between ya’ll. Ya’ll must’ve met before today or something because ya’ll literally can’t keep your eyes off of each other.” 

“I said that ya’ll ain’t even had an opportunity to do anything or spend time together,” Dana said.

“Ya’ll are so foul!” You could only shake your head at the two girls who instantly clicked with you. Both were similar to each other, favoring each other’s tone and speaking in nearly the same mannerisms. They had never met and yet bonded like sisters. Somehow you got scooped up between them and you were so grateful. 

“When he lookin’ that hard? There’s always something there,” Jamika said.

“What ya’ll betting on anyway?” You asked.

“We can’t tell you that. We can’t interfere,” Jamika said.

“Is everyone in on it?” You asked.

“Everybody but you,” Dana said, cackling loud and hi-fiving Jamika. 

You shook your head, looking over to your cabin kids. They were actually talking which was a good sign but a few were still too quiet. Jamika sighed loudly as she did the same. There were two girls fussing at each other.

“Ain’t you gonna help?” Dana asked.

“Uh-uh, I wanna see who wins,” Jamika said, a little smirk on her lips. 

On the opposite side of you, you felt a tug on your braid. You turned, ready to be mad when you saw Franklin’s wide grin and his pretty eyes. The heat died down in your chest as you sighed. 

“Boy, you was finna get hurt,” you said.

“I ain’t scared of you,” he said. He scooted onto the bench with you, making you scoot over since you were on the end. Dana and Jamika threw knowing glances at each other. 

“What are you doing, Franklin?” You asked.

“Came to see you. Ain’t had a chance all day,” he said. 

You rolled your eyes, dabbing your lips with your napkin. Franklin straddled the bench, smiling at you. Just staring and smiling like he could do that all day long. It unnerved you when you looked at each other like this. But you watched him right back.

“Why are you really here?” You asked.

“We’re sitting next to each other at the bonfire right?” He asked.

“You pulled my hair just to ask me that?” You meant to sound playful and teasing, but your voice was quieter than that. Filled with some other emotion like expecting a different answer. As if hair-pulling was acceptable in a different context.

He seemed to see your thoughts and he smiled.  “Just say I get to sit next to you,” he said. He leaned over and took one of your chips. You popped his hand and he yelped, rubbing his hand.

“I don’t play about my food,” you said. He laughed and shook his head, diving in for another one. You tried to pop his hand again but he kept moving it just before contact. 

He gave you another panty-melting smile. “You are so pretty, did you know?” Franklin asked.

You rolled your eyes. He got on your nerves already and you had only known him four days. “I can’t control where you sit, but I wouldn’t mind it next to me,” you said.

Franklin knocked on the bench with a wide grin. He turned to Dana and Jamika. “Ladies,” he said.

He stood up and walked back to his table where the guys whooped and hollered from where they were sitting. You had a flashback to middle school, the same age as these kids, and you felt sick. You hated when so much attention was on you and now all of the counselors were gossiping about your so-called relationship with Franklin. 

“Fuck, where do I get one of him?” Jamika asked. 

“Right, like where his brother at?” Dana echoed. You all watched Franklin’s retreat and him talking to his buddies. 

The rest of lunch was uneventful as you spoke about your groups and how you hoped the first activity went well. You cleaned up after yourselves and began to lead your groups out of the mess hall and across the land towards the activity side. There was an obstacle course set up with things to make these kids stretch their legs and build some friendships.

You walked alongside Franklin and he nudged you with his elbow. You nudged him back. You had family, you were no pushover. You lightly pushed each other all the way down to the course. You were not setting a good example for the kids.

At the course, Anne and Doug greeted everyone and told everyone about the course. She announced prizes at the end of each activity and at the month to the team with the highest scores. Anne and Doug would score the kids with input from their counselors. So it was all about playing fair and working with each other to win. 

One of the counselors, Jason, showed how hard it was to get through the course alone. He was playacting for the kids. Jason was as tall as a tree with rich ebony skin and thick muscles. Basketball guy definitely. He was built for speed and agility but he struggled. 

He returned to his group and Doug and Anne stated that they went in cabin order. Being last in line, you told the girls that they’d have a chance to search for weaknesses. They loved that idea and got a lot more interested in the rules. First, the cabin mates would introduce themselves to each other.

The girls turned completely shy, backing away from the boys. The boys returned in kind, eyeing each other with slightly nauseous faces. 

“Come on guys, what do you say?” Franklin encouraged. 

Reluctantly, a boy stepped forward and held out his hand. One of your girls did the same and they introduced themselves. You looked at Franklin. “Did you teach them that?” You asked.

“They were nervous about being here. I gave them some tips,” he said. He slanted his eyes towards you with a smirk. 

You watched as the kids opened up and started talking. Anne and Doug got the course going with kids going through it and working off the food they ate. When everyone was done, prizes were handed out. That earned them a few hours to relax in the rec room. The counselors were free to rotate shifts and watch the kids. 

It wasn’t your shift yet so you went to hang out with Dana and Jamika back in the cabins. The heat was killing you and you needed to cool off somewhere. You immediately searched for a scrunchie to get the fresh braids off of your neck.

“So we just not gon’ talk about Franklin asking our girl out?” Jamika asked. 

You laughed with your friends up to the cabin while you dodged their questions about you and Franklin. Nerves bubbled in your gut thinking about the boy with the cute smile. You couldn’t describe this feeling between you but you knew that you wanted to explore it. If only you could do it in peace.

You stared up at the stars as you sat on your log. Anne and Doug were really going all out for the experience. These kids were in for a better treat than you ever got. You didn’t have fancy white people paying for your camp stay so they could pat themselves on the back. Selective performism wasn’t around when you were growing up. 

The stars twinkled overhead, spattering the sky with little dots of light. There were more stars than you had ever seen in your life. Too much pollution where you lived and went to school. 

You sat around the campfire with half of the larger group. Anne was with your group, asking the kids about what they thought of the camp so far. Some were excited and they went around in a circle saying what they liked about it. 

You were among the first to get there. By the time Cabin 5 boys made it down, Cabin 2’s counselor was already sitting next to you. 

“No!” Franklin said when he approached. “Aye, switch places with me,” he asked.

The girl, Michella, rolled her eyes and stood up with a smirk. She hi-fived her counterpart. He smirked at the two of you. Ugh. This was so fucking childish. 

Anne missed all of it as she focused on getting her free feedback. Franklin was overwhelming. He wasn’t a big man, but he felt big. He felt larger than anyone else there. He leaned over with his elbows on his knees and listened to every kid speaking.

Every now and then, your knee would brush his. You didn’t know if he was doing it on purpose but it only made you ache and shiver. When he stretched, you couldn’t help ogling him. Those skinny but powerful arms. The groans he made when he went a little too far. 

You licked your lips and hung your head. It wasn’t normal to be this attracted to someone, right? You wanted to snuggle into him and never leave. He could be annoying, but there were times where he seemed to be undressing you with his eyes. 

While Anne was distracted, Franklin turned his eyes to you. “Meet me later?” He asked. 

“Where? Lights out at 11 or didn’t you hear?” You asked.

“Break the rules with me, c’mon. They know we gon’ break ‘em,” he said.

You shook your head, fighting down little deranged bubbles of laughter. He wasn’t being intentionally funny, but you weren’t used to such persistence. You had your fair share of men interested in you. But it was hard trying to find worthy Black men among the sea of white people. 

“I wanna see you, alone,” he said. 

You tuned back into Anne who was giving some background on the camp and why it was named Camp Wanderlust. 

“You know everyone is talkin’ about us and taking bets,” you said.

“So? I’m trynna bet on us too,” he said. 

You shook your head. “I’ll think about it,” you said. You weren’t a goody-two-shoes but you were just as excited as the kids at being here at camp. Your mother never wanted you to go, hiding behind excuses like she thought you would be boy crazy after. Which was ridiculous. You were already married to Marcus Murray. You just knew he was going to be your husband forever. Until he moved away in second grade and you never heard from him again. You didn’t want anything to jeopardize you being here. Not even for the likes of Franklin Saint.

He smiled at you and turned to Anne.

“Of course, that’s nothing compared to…” Anne looked around her dramatically. “No, I can’t say his name. Anyone who says it gets taken in the night!” 

You shared the Look with Michella and shook your head. You didn’t know who Anne thought she was fooling with this routine, but you supposed that it wouldn’t be a proper bonfire without scary stories. 

You stood up with Franklin and went over to the cooler. You opened it, grabbing bags of marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. Franklin helped you, somehow managing to reach across you for everything. His arm grazed your tummy and you sighed. You tilted your head at him.

“Will you stop?” You asked.

“What?” He asked, innocent as a button. You were not fooled. He smiled at you, tilting his head back in response.

“You keep…you know,” you said.

“Tell me,” he said and stepped closer to you. 

“Oh, you get on my nerves,” you said. You smiled at him.

“Meet me at Traveler,” he said.

You shook your head as you brought back the supplies towards the group. You began passing the bags around, picking up sticks that you had collected earlier. Anne continued her tale of the leader of the lost kids. 

You were pretty sure she was talking about an evil Peter Pan but the kids didn’t seem to mind. Some were really engrossed in the story, looking over their shoulders towards the pitch black night. 

She spun the tale of kids who got lost wandering in the dark by themselves. Snatching up anyone who calls them by name. She wasn’t going to say it for their safety. They absolutely must not go looking for his name on the plank where people had been signing their names for years. One signature is not like the rest and they must never seek it out. 

The kids promised but you already saw some sneaky faces. Faces that screamed trouble. You fought a smile. 

You took turns, trying to keep up the legend of this mysterious leader. No one knew who it was, it could be anyone out there. They could be right over someone’s shoulder and you wouldn’t know. 

A few girls squealed. The boys were trying to seem cool, but you saw their eyes darting around as well. You munched on smores as tales were told and laughs were shared. The entire time, you were in sync with Franklin. If he moved, you moved. If he shifted, you did so as well. It was maddening. 

The kids were dismissed to their cabins to unwind for an hour before bed. You walked your cabin back, Franklin walking beside you. He asked you about what you were studying. You told him your favorite subject and your face practically lit up talking about it. 

You asked him what he was into. He said business. “Business! Why?” You asked.

He shrugged. “I got a mind for numbers. I can do something with that,” he said.

You really needed to get control of your dirty mind. When he said that, your mind instantly went to his lips. The moon poked through the trees and you were able to see him glow faintly silver. You licked your own, wondering what his lips would taste like. What his hands would feel like on you. 

You dragged your gaze ahead of you. The overhead camp lights shone a giant spotlight on you and your group. You walked to each respective bunk and bid farewell to the kids. You crossed paths with Franklin once more as you walked to the counselor cabin. 

Franklin’s hand brushed against yours. Your fingers tingled. As if it could already feel his hands tangling with yours. “Tonight?” Franklin asked. 

“I’ll think about it!” You said and shook your head.

“You’re breaking my heart,” he said.

“Shut up!” You giggled. You went to your cabin, flopping onto your bed with a soft sigh. You brought the pillow to your face and squealed, questioning the butterflies in your stomach. You weren’t a teenager but, fuck, you felt like you were back in high school. Possibly earlier. Back to middle school where you couldn’t stop thinking about Chris Johnson and how sweet he was. 

“Ugh, ya’ll need to go on and make it official. I need to win some real money around here,” Dana said. She emerged from the closet on her side. 

These cabins were much smaller, big enough for two people and set up like a dorm room. You didn’t have that much money for school, it all went to books and classes. You weren’t able to stay on campus and you took the bus to and from the bastard. 

“Stop,” you groaned.

“I don’t know why you leavin’ that man hanging like that,” she said. She was already dressed in her pj’s: sweats and a tank top. Your pjs were similar but you still weren’t sure if you were going to meet Franklin later or not. 

It made you delirious to think about it. Sneaking off in the night. Wings took flight in your stomach. You flipped onto your back and placed your hands against your tummy. You had to see what he wanted, right? 

It wasn’t to talk. You knew that much. He could be a gentleman all he wanted, but you weren’t that oblivious. You saw the way he looked at you or the way he found little ways to bother you. It was so childish but it grew on you as you formed an instant connection. 

“I’m not trying to,” you told Dana. 

“Look, we only here for four weeks. May as well have some fun and have something to tell your future grandkids,” she said.

You laughed and leaned onto your elbow to face her. “Why would I tell my grandkids I had something with some random boy at camp?” 

“Because grandmas are always talkin’ out the side of they neck. I wanna be like my Grandma Sadie. She told us all kinds of things when my parents weren’t around,” she said.

“That’s why you’re so wholesome now,” you told her. 

You talked and joked while Dana spread the latest camp gossip. You weren’t the only subject of people’s comments. People were already finding themselves tangled up with each other. Try as you might, you couldn’t get Jamika to see what a fuck nigga Jason was. She lost her collective marbles with him. 

As it got later, your nerves got the best of you. You were hovering outside of the door, peeking out to see the distant house where Anne and Doug went to bed. There were still lights on in the house. Across from the house, there were similar bunks with the camp staff. Kitchen, groundskeeper, the like. Other volunteers who agreed to help watch the kids. 

Your foot tapped against the wooden floor, your Converse beating a steady rhythm. Dana had explicitly told you to go while she drifted off to sleep. You took a deep breath and left the cabin. Your curiosity was going to eat you alive.

You scurried across the open courtyard heading toward Traveler bridge. The bridge itself crossed a small creek on a curve. You stopped at the entrance, under the light. You waited there, the chilly night and insects chirping making the woods seem creepier. Like Jason was going to pop out at any moment and go on a murdering spree. You should have brought a jacket. You rubbed your bare arms, feet shifting back and forth as you looked around you for any sign of Franklin. He wouldn’t tell you to meet him and then just not show up right?

“Hey, it’s Franklin,” Franklin whispered, making enough noise to let you hear him approach. You turned to face him, smiling softly at him.

“I’m glad you came. Took forever for my bunk mate to fall asleep,” he said. 

He held out his hand and you took it, going over the bridge with him. There was a stretch of woods here, the trees loomed over you. Gnarled branches twisted and arched overhead, blocking out bits of the artificial light. 

You reached the edge of the woods, where the trees broke up and allowed for a wider entrance towards the lake and the water supplies and equipment. Franklin stopped you from heading towards the dock.

He paused while the moon hit you two perfectly. You saw his face and how nervous he seemed. Franklin? Nervous? 

“You’re so beautiful,” he said.

“You’re pretty cute too,” you said with a smile. He moved his hands to your hips, fingers sliding down your sides to loop his fingers through your belt loops. He pushed you backwards until your back gently hit a tree wide enough to accommodate you. 

Franklin stared into your eyes. “I ain’t the only one feeling this, am I?” He asked. 

He threaded his hand through your left one, watching as the pale light played over your combined hands. You swore your hand was electric from touching him. Little zips of energy flowed between you. Your body was learning him. Learning how he moved and spoke, resonated with his energy to match. 

“No. Is it crazy?” You asked.

“Absolutely crazy. I like talkin’ to you,” he said. 

He leaned down but didn’t kiss you. His lips hovered just there, just out of reach. He was so tall and broad, your hands came around his shoulders. You couldn’t stop grasping him. Your body heated up from the inside out. Your mouth dried feeling him beneath your fingers. 

He let you explore his body. You were too shy to go further, to truly explore him. His hands stayed respectfully on your hips. 

“I want to know everything,” he said. 

You giggled. “We’d be here all night,” you said.

“Shit, I can lose some sleep,” he said.

You shook your head. “Are we going down to the dock or not?” You had did this yesterday too. Sneaking out while everyone was supposed to be sleep. You were sure that other couples were doing the same thing. Finding hidden spots that no one would stumble across at this time of night. 

“I just wanted to look at you,” he said. He smiled and you couldn’t help smiling back. He didn’t even have to say anything and he had your lips curling, your tongue sliding across your teeth, and your cheeks hurting from smiling so hard. 

You were lost in the world of Franklin and you didn’t mind. You would gladly stay in his orbit if he kept looking at you like that. Like he wanted to spend the rest of his life by your side, listening to you speak. 

He finally moved away, allowing oxygen to flow to your brain once more. You shook off his subtle clean scent. He tugged you by the hand towards the dock. Your shoes clanged against the loose boards. It was a wonder the damn thing didn’t collapse by now.

Franklin let you sit down first. You took off your shoes and socks, dangling them over the dock. The water was a little out of reach. Only your toes graced the surface of the icy water. Franklin joined you, taking off his own shoes and socks. He sat back a little, his legs a bit longer than yours. 

He sat close, close enough for you to feel every rise and fall of his chest. His shoulders grazed against yours and you had to sit on your hands to keep from reaching out and touching him like you owned him. 

You spent an hour or so there, talking and learning about his aunt and uncle. His momma working for a piece of shit real estate agent. How he wanted to find a good paying job where his mom could retire and he could take care of her.

You didn’t bother asking about his dad. From the way he spoke about his mom, it was clear he wasn’t in the picture. You told him about your family, your schoolwork, and how hard it was to always be on stage while at school.

You bonded about how students and teachers alike didn’t know what to make of you. They didn’t know what kind of Negro you were. The loud type? The ignorant type? The quiet, good ones that they were comfortable reaching for your hair or asking intrusive questions? It felt good to bond with someone over these things.

Franklin was able to stay on campus but he hardly spent time in his rooms. He could be found in the library somewhere, doing his work like a true little nerd.

“You won’t hold it against me, will you?” He asked. 

He sounded so adorable when he asked you that you shook your head. You leaned back, resting on your hands, as you looked at the stars above you. They were breathtaking. The air was clearer. You wished you could afford this much land. That you could have a place to yourself where no one else was allowed. 

A private lake where you could do anything you wanted. You could swim naked for all you wanted and no one would be around to stop you. Perhaps not such a big land though. You wouldn’t know what to do if a psycho killer came crashing out of the woods. 

“Nah, you good,” you said. He matched your stance, looking skyward. He then turned his head. You turned to look at him as well, not realizing just how close you were. His eyes dipped towards your lips. 

You licked them absently and his eyes tracked the movement. You found yourself leaning forward, closing the distance towards those lips of his. They looked so big and juicy and were probably warm. 

He rested his head against yours, smiling against your lips. “Let me kiss you,” he said.

It wasn’t a question but you smiled and nodded. He crossed that final distance, that tiny gap keeping you apart, He sighed against your lips. His big, warm hand reached up to cup your neck. 

His fingers feathered across your pulse points. You felt your heartbeat there, beating wildly against his fingers. His lips were even more heavenly. His other hand cupped the other side of your neck. His long fingers slid through your braids.

You were lightheaded. Dizzy with pleasure as your lips tingled against his. Shivers ran down your spine. Your hands rested on his forearms, holding onto each other as you gave in to this thing between you. This all consuming thing that made you push forward, press against him, trying to get closer than what you already were. 

Your harsh breaths seemed to echo in the still night. The sounds of the woods were muted here, lending itself to a type of quiet that you never experienced. There was always a plane or helicopter overhead. Some type of siren or dog barking. 

It was hard as hell to go to sleep in a place so quiet. It was eerie. You kept expecting to hear a gunshot disguised as a firework. Here, there were just your loud and racing thoughts picturing this exact moment. 

Franklin’s tongue danced with yours. Sweeping across your lips and diving back into your mouth to taste more of you. His breath was faintly minty. Even after dinner and the smores. 

Your pussy throbbed. Beating in time with your wild heartbeat. You felt him everywhere. All over your skin. Every kiss had an answering call in your tummy. Every squeeze around your neck you felt down to your toes. 

You reluctantly drew away at the same time, panting and turning drunk eyes on each other. “I’ve been dreamin’ about that,” he said. His head rested against your once more. You huffed, breathing each other in. 

“Same here. I felt like that should've helped dull this,” you said.

After your taste, you wanted more. You wanted to keep going. You wanted him to lay you down and unzip your shorts. Or makeout with you while his hands explored under your shirt. To rub your aching nipples that were straining beneath your bra for any type of stimulation. 

“Ain’t gon’ happen,” he said. He pecked your lips. But a quick peck turned into two and then three until you were moving into his lap. You straddled him and kissed under the stars. It was just you and him.

Him gripping your thighs and squeezing them for dear life. You running your hands around his back. Your lips crashing against each other over and over, like waves crashing against a shore. You felt weightless in his arms. He hadn’t looked all that sturdy under that skinny frame, but he handled you with ease.

He squeezed your ass and you groaned, couldn’t help yourself from grinding on his crotch. He was thick, warm, and solid under you. He was pressing against your core but there wasn’t enough friction. 

You found a natural break again, opening your eyes to look at him and smile. It still was nowhere near enough but it would have to be. You had already been out too late. You were going to be so tired in the morning.

“We should get back,” he whispered. 

You licked your swollen lips and nodded. Fuck, you wanted to keep going. Wanted to know how far he would push you. 

“Will you meet me tomorrow too?” He asked.

You bit your lip but nodded. “I’ll meet you tomorrow, too,” you said. The other counselors be damned. It wasn’t like they weren’t around, confessing their own feelings. Or already hooking up. Clothes flying in the heat of the moment. 

“Let me walk you to your cabin,” he said.

His hands slowly slid from your hips to your sides to help you maneuver off of him. You stood and he stood up after, taking your hand and walking with you back to your cabin. His cabin was further down and you thanked him for the sweet gesture.

He tapped his cheek for a kiss. Your cheeks hurt from trying to hide another smile. He got on your damn nerves. You pecked his cheek, your lips lingering for a fraction too long. “Good night, Franklin,” you said. 

“Good night,” he said. Your name fell from his lips softly, sacredly. 

You gave a small wave and went inside, closing the door and resting your back against it. You were still so lightheaded. Drunk on his kisses and needing more. Dana was still fast asleep so you changed and slipped into bed as quiet as you could. 

You didn’t know how you were going to sleep tonight but you hoped that Franklin would dream of you too.

There's always more Franklin to explore: The Secret Franklin Saint Files | Part 2

[starillusion13]

FRIENDS!? Chapter 20

🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳

Series ML

Pairing: poly!ateez × f!reader (An ATEEZ Office AU)

Genre: Mature, Angst, Yandere

Warning: mention of memories (nothing much just go with the flow).

W.C: 4.2k Network: @k-vanity

[Reblogs and Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for reading and have a nice day ahead. Please always take care of yourself everyone.]

Hello, Can we be friends please?

>.<

"why are we here?"

You looked back at Jongho, who was busy taking off his blazer, placing it on the bench and adjusting all your stuff together so that nothing goes missing.

"isn't it obvious, we are at a basketball ground." He said and unbuttoned the sleeves of his white polo shirt and proceeded to folding it. then he glanced over at you, staring at him for more explanation, not clearly getting the point of being at the place.

When he rolled his eyes, you glared at him, "I thought we were here on a business meeting but it ended in the morning and now we are here in the ground. Care to explain?" his eyes trailed on your white flared skirt, ending just below the knee and a light pink top, fitting your body perfectly.

"let's play." He smiled at you cheekily.

The young Jongho flashed across your eyes. The same gummy smile but with a mature and refreshed look. Your favorite smile which you wanted to watch everyday in your way back to the orphanage.

And this made you miss Mrs. Stella so much. Where is she?

The night was alive with a quiet, peaceful stillness as you both made your way to the center of the basketball court. It was late—so late that the usual sounds of the city had faded, leaving only the soft hum of distant traffic and the occasional rustling of trees in the cool breeze. The empty court sat under the soft glow of streetlights, the pavement shining faintly under their feet as they stepped onto it.

You looked around, feeling slightly out of place. "So, this is what we're doing tonight?" You asked, your voice carrying a hint of nervousness. You had never really played basketball before—just watched from the sidelines or seen others play on like him and Yunho and sometimes others when they joined in the game. The ball felt a little foreign in your hands, heavier than you expected, and the hoop seemed impossibly far away.

Jongho flashed you an easy smile, walking ahead and grabbing the basketball from your hands, giving it a few bounces on the pavement. "Trust me," he said with a grin. "It'll be fun. You'll learn in no time."

You let out a skeptical laugh, crossing your arms. "I don't know, I'm pretty hopeless when it comes to sports. I'm also wondering where did you get the ball."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You say that now, but just wait. I'm a good teacher. The waiter I was talking to in the afternoon...he is a trainee in an academy so well he lent me." He dribbled the ball effortlessly, the rhythmic sound of it hitting the ground filling the quiet night air.

You stood at the free-throw line, biting your lip as he tossed the ball back to you. You caught it awkwardly, fumbling slightly before getting a grip. "Okay, so what do I do?"

Jongho walked over to your side, standing close enough that you could feel his presence but not so close that it felt overwhelming. "First thing's first," he said, gently placing his hands on your shoulders to adjust your stance. "Feet shoulder-width apart. You want to be balanced."

you shifted your feet, mimicking his instructions, though it still felt awkward. you held the ball out in front of you, your elbows sticking out too far, and you glanced at him with a hesitant smile. "Like this?"

"Almost," he said, stepping closer and lightly adjusting your arms, bringing your elbows in and showing you how to hold the ball properly. His touch was gentle but firm, and you could feel the warmth of his hand as he guided you. "See? Now you've got control."

The spark inside you was undeniable as if the night felt colder and silent. His presence so close to you never held such tension between you two but tonight it was rising a new feeling, you subtly caught his eyes, the gleam of excitement and happiness in the orbs, he was always this friendly and acted like a child. He actually never grew up. He is still your little teddy bear, whom you befriended back then. Your gummy bear.

You gave him a doubtful look but nodded. "Alright, I think I got it. Now what?"

"Now," he said, stepping back with a smile, "you shoot. Keep your eyes on the hoop, and when you release the ball, just let it roll off your fingertips. It's not about how hard you throw—it's about the technique."

you swallowed, focusing on the hoop as you tried to follow his instructions. It seemed so far away, and you couldn't shake the feeling that you were about to make a fool of yourself. But you took a deep breath and threw the ball, watching it soar through the air—completely missing the hoop and bouncing off the backboard with a loud thud.

you groaned, covering your face with your hands. "Oh my God. I'm terrible."

Jongho laughed, walking over to pick up the ball. "That wasn't terrible! You've got the right idea. It just takes practice."

"Yeah, practice and maybe a miracle," you muttered, your face still flushed with embarrassment.

He tossed the ball back to you, this time with a more encouraging smile. "Come on, you've got this. You're overthinking it. Just relax and have fun with it."

you looked at him, seeing the sincerity in his expression, and couldn't help but smile. "Do you know what I'm thinking...."

"y/n..."

You cut him off, "Alright, one more try." you took a deep breath, adjusted your stance again, and shot the ball. This time, it hit the rim, bouncing off but much closer than before.

your eyes widened, a surprised laugh escaping your lips. "Did you see that? It almost went in!"

He clapped his hands together, nodding with approval. "Now you're getting it! See, you're not hopeless after all."

you grinned, feeling a small surge of confidence. Maybe you weren't as bad as you thought. And maybe, you could just know a little bit more today what was the situation between you two back then. You continued practicing, with him giving your tips and encouragement between shots. Slowly but surely, you began to get the hang of it, your movements becoming more fluid and natural.

After several more tries, you finally made a basket. The ball swished through the net with a satisfying sound, and you threw her hands up in the air, cheering for herself. "Yes! I did it!"

He laughed, walking over and giving you a playful high-five. "There you go! Told you it wasn't so hard."

you beamed, face flushed with excitement. "Okay, I'll admit, this is kind of fun."

They kept going, shooting around and playing a few simple one-on-one games, though he went easy on you, mostly just showing your different moves and how to dribble. you stumbled a few times, tripping over your own feet as you tried to keep control of the ball, but every time, he was there with a laugh and an encouraging word.

you caught the ball, a smile tugging at your lips despite your frustration. "You really think so?"

Jongho nodded, his expression softening. "Definitely. You're picking it up faster than you realize."

you looked at him for a moment, your heart swelling with a warmth you couldn't quite explain. He made everything seem easier, lighter—like it didn't matter if you messed up because you were just having fun. "Thanks for teaching me," you said quietly, feeling a little shy all of a sudden. "I guess I'm actually enjoying myself."

He smiled, that same warm look in his eyes. "I'm glad. I knew you'd get the hang of it." There was a pause, the air between them feeling different now, softer somehow. "It's more fun when you're not so focused on getting it right all the time."

She chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"how are you, y/n?" he asked quietly, just staring at you straight with a heart full of weary and questions and honestly, he wanted to bubble wrap them all, just so he could keep you with him and protect you from your nightmares.

You might not know but the first day he caught you crying in your sleep in your cabin, he felt those sharp pain all again after meeting you after years. He couldn't see the lost eyes and a scared face looking back at him when you jolt woken up by him. even though he asked you the reason to be like that, deep down he knew the reason. He knew more than you could have visioned. He knew the exact scenary. He knew the cause of it. he knew that he was also a part of it.

You blinked at him, tilting your head, "what do you mean, Jongho?" you cracked a soft smile, "how will I be?"

"are you fine with us? Anything making you uncomfortable? You know you can vent to me anytime. I promise I'll always be waiting for you." He stepped closer, holding your hands in his, staring at them for a moment before meeting your eyes. "I just want a better life for you, where you are genuinely happy."

You held the eye contact, he is the only one with whom you can hold gazes for a long time, without feeling otherwise or shying away. He is that of a comfort zone to you, whom you are scared to lose if something happens between you and them.

You were in relationship with all of them.

Then why did Mingi said he never proposed to you?

Oh...you don't even remember anyone's confession other than Yunho. But others, Wooyoung gave you his words that he would love you more than you could remember your past. Is that even possible? Will you remember them all? Seonghwa already stepped up with his date and you accepted him at the exact place because you felt the need to stay with him. Hongjoong is always keeping a watch on you...as if he is scared that a miss of blink of an eye, you will be gone or something might occur for which he can't forgive himself or ... it would pull you away from him.

Yunho...you need a lot more explanation from him.

Mingi, he was honest with you. Since the first day, you got to know everything from him. the trust you build on them was majorly because of him. he was always explaining you and encouraging you to not be scared of the things which are out of hand because he would hold your hand and guide you through all the darkness of your life. Just like the night you two confessed to each other and kissed.

And, Yeosang...even if you two are close but since the first day you have that itchy feeling with his duality. Is he hiding something that's crucial for you to know? If so...then why?

Lastly, San. He did tell you to give him a chance. Right? You felt secure in his embrace that day. He held you so dearly and softly, feeling secure and comfort and you did fell asleep with a content smile on your face.

"I am happy, Jongho...thanks to all of you to bring back an essence to my life." You smiled at him.

A smile cracked on his face, "why? Were you not happy?"

"uh no...it was literally boring because there was no such things where I would meet my long lost friends who all are apparently my lovers and they waited for me for so long and then arranged a place for me in their office. And now I have everything, ever wanted."

His one hand left yours and quickly, he pressed the palm on your cheek, his eyes scanning your face but there was a flick of sadness in his eyes, "you will stay with me forever. I promise...I'll keep you happy and shield you from all negativity...but y/n..." his thumb caressed your cheek in a feather touch, "we were not couple back then...I never really proposed you...we were really close friends but never like...lovers."

"then why am I remembering that..."

"you were as in together with all of us." He completed your sentence, nodding to himself. "I know...let me be honest with you. There's a lot you don't know but I won't tell you just now. I want you to remember everything and only then I can say and reason with you regarding everything."

"I believe you the most, Jongho. Some of you never made me be sceptical of anything and I do really appreciate it so much. Just don't break my trust ever." You looked up at him, your eyes were shining softly same as the way your smile.

"thank you, y/n. I just want us to be friends forever. Even if I want something more but I wouldn't step forward without your consent." He hugged your body tightly, his chin resting on top of your head and you patted his back tenderly, whispering 'it's okay'. "I am just afraid to lose you from my sight."

"then I'm giving you my consent...go ahead and lock me up in your embrace. Don't let me go, Jongho." You said quietly. Hearing your words, he quickly pulled back slightly to take a look of your face and as soon as you nodded, he dipped his head down, locking his lips with yours just to pull you closer to him. his dream and his passion in one place. He loved playing basketball and he loved you. There was a faint smile into the kiss from both of you. You both noticed each other every day at the ground, just oblivion to each other and after so many years, he is here kissing you at the basketball ground.

"I love you, y/n."

You waited before replying. Your foreheads resting against each other, breathing heavily when you stared into his eyes. There was sincerity and the love for you. He will protect you. They will do as well. They want you. You should hold their hands as well when they are extending it to you. If they did wrong, you should forgive them. You will let them know their fault and in the end, you will stay by their side.

Aren't this what like a friendship?

Maybe a true love.

"I love you too, Jongho."

Just don't leave us again...

They sat there a little while longer, side by side under the stars, the court all to themselves, the night stretching out before them like a secret they were both in on. The game didn't matter anymore; it was just the two of them, lost in the quiet magic of the night, sharing a moment that felt infinite.

>>>><<<<

"Yeosang, we need to talk." Placing the file on his table, you gave him a pointed look. Without asking any questions, he subtly nodded his head and got back to his computer screen.

You waited beside the shelf, tapping your feet till he completed his work because you were determined to talk with him for the matter that was keeping him distant and quiet. No. You are not letting him go away without hearing him. He is always the one who will change his personality according to his mood and if it's something like that then you should really hear him out.

While you were staring at him, Wooyoung entered the door in a very enthusiastic voice, "ah, cupcake. You are here. Let's go to my cabin if you are done with him."

He caught your wrist, but you halted his actions when you held his hand and shook your head, "No...Woo...listen I'm just busy right now and..." glancing at Yeosang, you smiled at Wooyoung, "but I'll be there soon...after lunch...how about that?"

"But you don't seem busy." He raised a brow, "you are just standing here and straight up staring at that weirdo."

"Wooyoung..." you gave him a look to shut up and noticed Yeosang's glare directed at him. You shook your head before pulling the younger one out of the cabin, closing the door behind you two.

"What's up with you? Why are you acting like this?" You crossed your arms after asking the questions to Wooyoung who just rolled his eyes.

"You always stay with him alone most of the times and i hate it sometimes."

"You know he doesn't open up to us often and if he does it's only when we are alone and there's something I want to talk to him about." You said.

He nodded, registering your words, "okay but remember our tomorrow plan should be as planned. No deny and failure."

"Of course, woo. Afterall, im looking forward to your little surprise." You wiggled your brows at him.

"It's a big one. Not a little."

"Of course." You laughed at him.

"And what surprise are we talking about here?" Yunho joined in the conversation. He was passing through the corridor where you both were standing and when you took a notice of him, you smiled at him and quickly accepted the open arms directed to you.

His love and warmth are so precious and memorable. As if all these years you missed it so much.

"That's a secret for her from me." Wooyoung said to Yunho while a faint smile dancing on his lips to see you so comfortable in his friend's arms.

Yunho nodded before looking down at you, rubbing your back when he felt you relaxing in his arms but quickly a smirk appeared on his face mirroring the one on Wooyoung.

"wooyoung, isn't our girl looking too pretty today?" Yunho asked the younger boy and you slowly parted from him to furrow your brows at both of them. Not knowing from where this compliment suddenly came from.

The younger one tilted his head and poked his inner cheek with the tongue, "yeah...too pretty to be left alone."

"What are you two saying?" You furrowed your brows and looking between them. You stepped back from Yunho to read his expression. There's something going on.

Yunho stepped forwards hen you took a step back but when this repeated again, your back hit a girl chest and soon two arms caged you in between, the man in front of you folded his hands and smirked, bending down to your level.

"Come on. Why are you so pretty and attracting us so much in office hours. You are becoming a regular distraction for us. You know it's hard to work when you are roaming around." He said.

You could hear the chuckles of Wooyoung from behind you, he placed a kiss to your cheek, surprising you and suddenly, Yunho placed a finger below your chin to lift your face to meet his eyes.

"Do you agree with what I'm saying? Say it, Pearl." He whispered the words, his breath fanning your lips.

Gulping down the sudden intense heat in your throat, Wooyoung's nose nuzzling in your neck when you spoke up, "it's not true. You are just trying to put the blame on me."

"Is it?" Yunho's whisper and his breath tingling on your lips, you closed your eyes in anticipation. Wooyoung placed a soft kiss just below your earlobe. Your breath heaved and you felt lips pressed on yours.

Wooyoung whispered in your ear, "so you are saying that we are telling lie. Y/n..." he chuckled in your ear, "you are just the same...the one I wanted and the one I still want. Either ways you are mine."

Yunho pecked your lips and cheeks before standing straight, "ours."

"We should not do here...uhm...anyone can come." You said between your shaky breaths.

Wooyoung detached himself from you and turned you around, Yunho stepped closer, stroking your head and both of them looking at you, "why? You want us to continue in our cabin...or maybe in our floor."

Yunho nodded at his friend's words and smirked at you. You hit Wooyoung's chest and glared at both of them, "shut up."

"I suppose you two have meeting in half an hour." Hongjoong's voice bloomed in the corridor from a distance and three of your heads whipped to the direction. You mentally thanked that it's only him and no other staff or employees. There would be more gossips than already exist. You smiled at him when he started walking toward me you, wiggling in Wooyoung's hold, but he didn't budge and told you stay put.

"Hey, Joong...here?" You asked him when he patted your head with a comforting smile.

"Just to check for a file I kept in Mingi's cabin. But I guess here something else is going on." He said and eyed the three of you.

"Why? Want to join?" Wooyoung raised a brow and smirked.

You hoped Hongjoong to scold him or to say something, even Yunho when he supported his friend but to your surprise, Hongjoong smirked and stared at you, locking eyes when he spoke up, "no need. I can have her to myself alone. We spend more time than you two."

Yunho chuckled, "really, y/n?"

They are going to kill you like this. You are so embarrassed. You pushed Wooyoung from you and glared at three of them, "I'll be with Yeosang for now. Maybe the whole day so none of you should dare to come into this cabin or wherever we will be."

With that you ran inside the cabin and closed the door, leaving behind three men laughing at your flustered state.

Aren't the days going well? The type of life they wanted and the things they wished to be, other than those cursed ones.

NEXT

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(open! dm me/ send ask/reply here)

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Birthday Event: My Beloved

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors. This is a rough translation.

Blank, and ageless blogs will be blocked.

Mitsuki asked me when my birthday was, and I told her I didn't know. As a result, I recounted a scene from the royal family in the past.

My birthday was something I didn't pay much attention to and just went along with, but Mitsuki seemed to see it in a different way.

Mitsuki: "I made a bento box today. Look!"

Drake: "Wow, that's impressive."

My stomach growled as Mitsuki opened the picnic basket, loaded with delicious dishes.

Mitsuki: "I made various dishes since you like both meat and fish. There's also a thick-cut bacon baguette sandwich, cheese-salmon quiche, and pudding!"

Drake: "Really? Haha, I'm looking forward to it."

Drake: "I don't get to enjoy your cooking as often as I used to, so I'm going to enjoy it with all my heart."

Mitsuki: "Sure! Please enjoy."

I clasped my hands and reached for the baguette sandwich.

Drake: "By the way, Mitsuki, do you like picnics?"

(I'm glad I get to eat her cooking, and it's nice to have a fun first date as lovers, but...)

She was acting kind of strangely excited, so I couldn't help but wonder about it.

Mitsuki: "Not really, but..."

(Is there something else?)

She paused for a moment, then stared at me before speaking.

Mitsuki: "I really went all out today 'cause we're celebrating."

Drake: "We're celebrating?"

Mitsuki: "Yup. It might not be as fancy as those royal parties, but I really wanted to throw a birthday party for you. So, happy birthday!"

Drake: "-----!"

Drake: "Could it be that today is September 7th?"

Mitsuki: "Hehe, that's right."

I finally understood why Mitsuki was so excited.

(Come to think of it, she's probably pretty worried about me after all that talk.)

Especially since she was such a kind-hearted person.

Drake: "Sorry, but I just randomly picked that date on a whim in the past."

She shook her head when I said that.

Mitsuki: "No, it's fine. I'm glad there was a reason to celebrate. But you know, I don't think the date matters."

Mitsuki: "I'm just happy you're here with me, even if I don't know your actual birthday."

Mitsuki: "So, happy birthday. Thank you for being born."

Mitsuki: "That's what I wanted to convey."

Drake: ".........."

(She's so happy that I'm here and is celebrating me.)

At that moment, a faint memory of "happy birthday" and "thank you" from the past crossed my mind.

(Oh, right. I think someone said something like that to me a long time ago.)

Mitsuki: "Today's celebration isn't about taking advantage of the Queen's birthday or showing consideration for your friends. It's purely for you."

Drake: "Just for me?"

Throughout my life, I had only really cared about my birthday during that party. But now, receiving such genuine feelings felt strangely special and embarrassingly heartwarming.

Drake: "Alright, I understand."

Drake: "You've gone through all this trouble, so I'll celebrate it with all my heart."

With that declaration, she smiled, and I took a bite of the sandwich she had prepared.

Drake: "Mmm, it's delicious!"

The voice I unintentionally let out sounded like that of an excited child.

(I don't want to send her home yet.)

Following that selfish emotion, I invited her to the Seine River after sunset.

I sat behind her and embraced her as I observed her expression.

Mitsuki: "It's beautiful."

(Mn, just as I expected.)

She was mesmerized by the city lights reflected in her eyes.

Mitsuki: "I always love the view from your boat."

Drake: "Mhm. Even when I first took you on a boat ride at night, your eyes were sparkling."

Mitsuki: "Hehe, you see right through me. Thank you, Drake."

Drake: "That's my line, you know."

I rested my chin on her shoulder and hugged her tightly.

Drake: "I was really happy today. Thank you, Mitsuki."

Drake: "Wait, just saying thanks doesn't seem like enough."

Drake: "I wanted to do something that would make you happy, so I brought you to this place."

(Although it may not be enough to match the feelings she gave me.)

As I reflected on this day, old memories resurfaced once again.

Drake: "Hey, lil' fawn. Your celebration today made me remember something."

Mitsuki: "What is it?"

Drake: "My friends congratulated me and thanked me at that party."

(I remembered it thanks to her words.)

That was during the Queen's birthday party.

------------Flashback------------

Crewmate 1: "Captain, when is your actual birthday?"

Drake: "I honestly don't remember. I can't even recall the season."

Crewmate 1: "I see. Well, as long as we can drink, every day could be your birthday, Captain!"

Drake: "Haha! Geez. You were so shy just a moment ago, but now you're all in high spirits."

I laughed heartily, and one of my crewmates offered me a glass of wine.

Crewmate 2: "We'll celebrate two, no, three, no, four birthdays if needed."

Crewmate 2: "You showed us that sailing could be fun and that even pirates can compete with royalty. We're glad we followed you, Captain."

Drake: "You guys..."

Crewmate 2: "I know it's an impromptu birthday, but Happy Birthday, Captain. Thank you for leading us!"

---------Flashback Ends---------

(We raised our glasses again, laughed, and made a fuss.)

Now that I remember, those days were so bright that it hurt my eyes.

I never expected that my heart would be painted with despair after the betrayal that followed.

Drake: "Mitsuki, I'm not willing to be betrayed by someone I trust like you are."

Drake: "But the days I spent having fun and the trust they showed by calling me Captain, I think it's safe to believe that those feelings back then were undoubtedly genuine."

(I'm still not used to saying words like 'believe' myself.)

I couldn't find more fitting words. Besides, I didn't mind feeling this way now.

Mitsuki: "You're right. The feelings that existed between you and your comrades were definitely genuine."

Mitsuki: "I believed that too."

I felt my cheeks relax naturally as she spun the same thoughts.

(She's the one who taught me these feelings.)

(She's really amazing.)

An overwhelming feeling welled inside me as I held her in my arms.

Drake: "Alright, it's settled."

Drake: "I'll officially make September 7 my birthday."

Mitsuki: "Okay! I'll celebrate it next year and the year after."

Drake: "Haha, you're getting ahead of yourself. Today isn't over yet, you know?"

Drake: "I know I'm being greedy, but can I ask for one more present?"

Mitsuki: "Of course! You can ask me anything."

I peeked behind her, and she nodded with a smile.

Mitsuki: "Oh, but depending on what it is, I might not be able to give it today."

Drake: "It's okay. It's something you can give right away."

I traced my finger over Mitsuki's soft lips as if to tell her that it was an unnecessary worry.

Perhaps sensing my desire, she took a small breath.

Mitsuki: "Ah, Drake..."

Drake: "Remember when you asked me what I wanted the other day?"

Mitsuki: "Yes. Back then, you teasingly said you wanted me."

Drake: "My answer is still the same."

(A cute, beautiful girl and my destiny.)

(You're someone I can feel like I belong with now.)

Drake: "I want you no matter what."

(I want only you, Mitsuki.)

As I gazed at her, Mitsuki returned my intense stare and smiled gently.

Mitsuki: "Sure. I'll give myself to you, Francis."

Mitsuki: "Because I'm yours and yours alone."

Drake: "I love you, Mitsuki."

Feeling content, I gently pressed my lips against hers, savoring her warmth.

Mitsuki: "Francis, ah...nnn..."

(Being gentle alone is not enough.)

I parted her lips with my tongue and invaded her mouth.

Our tongues danced together, and she let out a muffled moan.

(Damn it, you're so adorable.)

Her desperate response to the kiss only fueled my desire.

Mitsuki: "Mmm... Francis...?"

I traced my fingers from her belly to her chest and started undoing the buttons of her blouse.

The bloodlust began to show itself, turning me into a fierce beast.

Drake: "Mitsuki."

Drake: "Can I continue beyond this point?"

Suppressing my growing desire, I let my fingertips trail along her delicate neck, and she trembled faintly in my arms.

Mitsuki: "It's okay. You can bite me."

Mitsuki: "Take me even deeper."

Drake: "Mitsuki…"

With her permission, my impulses accelerated.

(My body feels hot.)

(I won't be satisfied until I have more than just your blood.)

Following the desires that emerged from the depths of my heart, I brought my lips closer to her skin.

Part 1 ╎ Part 2 ╎ Premium End ╎ Epilogue

[intothemysticfic]

E.O.L: First Date (NCT 127)

Evolution of Love Series

Taeil sent you a message the same day you gave him your number. The giddy feeling of butterflies in your stomach makes you feel like a high schooler again. When he asks you if you'd like to have dinner with him, you send back an agreement without hesitation. You don't feel embarrassed by how quickly you replied because you're so excited. That excitement turns to nerves as the day of the date arrives, and you find yourself fretting over what to wear. Clothes lay abandoned on the floor, and potential outfits lay spread on the bed. You want to make a good impression, and you want to wow him, but at the same time, you don't want to look desperate, or like you're trying too hard. Those contradicting thoughts mean you find fault with every outfit. In the end, you're startled by a knock on your door and throw on the pick with the fewest pieces so you can quickly throw it on. You are out of breath when you make it to the door. "Sorry!" You blurt, worried that he'll be upset about having to wait, then cringing at how rude you must seem because you didn't even greet him properly. "I mean - hi. Hello. You look really handsome. I'm sorry it took me so long to open the door." An easy smile stretches across his face, and relief floods through you. "It's okay. It's my fault for being early. I've just been really excited about tonight." "Me too," you let out in breathless relief. He takes you to dinner; the restaurant is super nice. Like upscale and stupid expensive nice. It makes you nervous, but Taeil's easy smile and kind gestures keep you grounded. Taeil is even nicer than the restaurant, with its chandeliers and too many pieces of cutlery. He opens the car door for you and pulls your chair out. He asks dozens of questions about you and seems genuinely interested in the answer. He even tells silly dad jokes that make you laugh. Taeil walks you to your door like a gentleman and gives you a single kiss. Good night. "I'd love to take you out again." "Yeah. Yes. I'd love that too." Privately, to yourself, you think you might already love him a little bit too.

"Since you've already fallen for me, would you like to go see the lights in the city?" You scoff to cover your laugh, "I fell on the ice."

He nods, "Sure, sure."

You wonder only briefly if it's a good idea before stating, "Well if we're going to see the lights together, shouldn't I at least know your name?"

"I'm Johnny, and you are?" You tell him your name before letting him lead the way.

Every year for winter, the city puts up stunning light displays. Laughter comes easy with Johnny. The only thing more beautiful than the lights is how they reflect in his eyes. "It's pretty cold out; let me buy you a coffee." He offers, nodding to the shop across the street. You agree easily. Long after the coffee is gone, when you finally tell him you should get going, he says," I really had fun on our date; let me have your number so we can do it again." "Date?" You question, slightly surprised by the forwardness. Maybe you shouldn't be. "Romantic walk, coffee, date." You laugh, nodding along, and hand over your phone. No point in arguing when you're happy with the outcome.

Appreciating the artwork with Taeyong standing next to you is hard because you admire him instead. He's so handsome you just can't help yourself. Still, you try to focus since he seems to like the different pieces. The conversation comes easy, and you learn even more about him. He seems just as interested in learning about you.

"Can I buy you dinner," he asks when you reach the exhibit's end, "I don't want to say goodnight yet." It's like he read your mind because you'd been dragging your feet the closer you got to the exit, not wanting the night to end. He takes your hand with a laugh when you nod eagerly. It makes your heart flutter. The sound is just as beautiful as the rest of him.

An Early morning hike wouldn't have been your pick for a first date, but you figure a guy with a smile as sweet as Yuta's couldn't be a serial killer. Right? Of course not, you reassure yourself as you tie the laces on your boots that had been gathering dust in your closet. You're surprised by how much fun you have with Yuta trekking through the woods. The two of you swap jokes and silly faces, and as morning nears afternoon, you find yourself splashing in the creak like a little kid. You're sad when the trial ends. But you believe him when he says, "We should do this again. I'll call you."

It had taken you a couple of days to get up the courage to message the number Doyoung had given you. Talking yourself in and out of messaging him multiple times. You pace, waiting for him to message you back. When he does, he admits, "I was starting to worry. You should get a coffee with me to make up for it."

You agree quickly, asking when. It startles you when he replies with, "Now."

You clarify. "Right now?"

"Yeah, I've already been waiting days." And you guess that's true, so you agree. You find over coffee that you really enjoy riling him up, and he seems to enjoy the same. Fluctuating between embarrassment and teasing throughout the day.

You gnaw at your lips while holding up two shirts in the mirror. "This is all your fault. You know that, right?" You question the dog sitting behind you. You swear she's grinning at you like she's pleased that everything is going according to plan. And maybe it is. What do you even wear on a date with someone as attractive as Jaehyun? You groan. If it hadn't been him explicitly calling it a date, you would swear that Lola had stolen his heart. But he had. Called it a date, that is.

You let the shirt in your left-hand fall to the floor, keeping the other to put on. Lola barks from behind you. "Yeah, yeah," you grumble, knowing you'll be late if you don't leave soon. "Let's go to the park, girl." Jaehyun is waiting by the entrance, and you almost miss him with his snapback on, but he calls out to you. "I got us smoothes," he explains, holding a pink drink toward you.

"Thanks."

For the first time around Jaehyun, Lola is on her best behavior. Except when she trips you, and Jaehyun has to catch you. You both laugh about it even though the embarrassment is eating you alive. He stays close to you after that. "In case you fall again." And you know that you are already so gone on this guy.

You'd been pretty pleased when Jungwoo had suggested an arcade date. It sounded fun, and you figured there would be enough to distract him from how awkward you could be. You hadn't considered the opportunities it would present for getting close. He would stand behind you, wrapping his hand around yours to help you during a game. He pouts as the plush falls from the claw back down into the pit of other plushes. "It's okay." You tell him, finding it terribly cute. "But I wanted to win one for you so you'd have something to remember tonight by."

"Trust me, Jungwoo, I won't forget tonight." You mean it.

Mark is soaked as he gnaws on his lips, the outdoor mini golf date he'd planned ruined because of the rain. "You could come back to my place," you offer, "I could make us dinner." And normally, you wouldn't let a guy you didn't know well anywhere near your place, but you figure if Mark wanted to take advantage of you, he would have done it that night he put you in a cab. You blame it on how adorable he looks, hair plastered to his forehead.

His eyes light up, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, but we’ll have to go shopping first." You think a first date shouldn't feel this domestic, but it's so easy to fall into step with Mark, to joke with him. Debating the best movie snacks and filling a card full of groceries with him feels natural. Cooking with him feels like something you do every night and not like holding out a spoon full of sauce for an almost stranger to taste.

It's just as easy to curl into his side for a movie. And when the credits roll, he says, "We should do this again." You're unsure how to tell him it feels like you could do this every night for the rest of your life, so you just say, "Yeah, that would be great."

You're not sure why you agreed to karaoke. You're glad you did. Haechan spends most of the night acting silly, never trying too hard. And you have no shame, so you don't hesitate to belt out every line. The alcohol helps, and you pelt him with snacks when he gets carried away. The clock on the wall reminds you that your time is running out.

He picks a love song. His voice is heavenly, to the point that you can't bring yourself to throw anything at him. Instead, listening intently. As the song ends, you tease, "A little early for that, don't you think?" Faking being unimpressed.

"Should I be singing about a first kiss instead?" He questions, leaning in close. You pull back, but god, you don't really want to. "Maybe on our second date."

"Oh, we're going out again?"

"You don't want to?" He's grinning as he shrugs, "We'll see." You both laugh. God, you hope there's a second date.

[leonmybeloved]

Hidden Connections

Chapter 1: April's Friend?

Chapter 2 • Chapter 3

Notes: I accidently deleted my last account so I'm going to slowly try reposting everything onto this account. ^^

Hidden underneath New York's streets the lair was unusually quiet this evening. Raphael was laying on the floor near the skate ramp, staring at the reflections of light bouncing off the ceiling, slowly lulling him to sleep, while Leo was practicing a skateboarding trick he saw online. Donnie, in his lab, was engrossed in some intricate tech project, his multiple screens glowing with data as he hunched over his desk, and Mikey was sprawled out on a blanket he set up, hugging a pillow and pouting.

“Guys, this is so boring! We’ve been doing nothing but sitting in the lair for 2 days straight now! We should go out!” Mikey exclaimed, throwing the pillow aside and jumping to his feet.

“What do you have in mind, Mikey?” Leo asked, landing a perfect flip and looking intrigued.

Mikey puckered his lips, thinking for a moment." “I don’t know, maybe we should call April! And see if she wants to hang out!” Mikey suggested with a grin.

Raph propped himself up. “Not a bad idea. She always has something crazy going on.”

Donnie peeked his head out from his lab. “If we're in need of April I shall give her a call. Let’s hope she’s not just too busy. I mean it’s not like she has any other friends.” Donnie said, typing on his wrist watch with half lidded eyes.

“What about Sunit-” Mikey began to say before April’s voice on the phone started and everyone shushed him.

“Hey, Donnie! What’s up?” April’s cheerful voice came through the speaker.

“Aprillll. It’s pretty dead in the lair tonight and we were all planning on going out tonight, even I can only work on so many projects before needing a relaxation day." He said dramatically. "So, we were wondering if you wanted to come over or maybe we could all do something top side?” Donnie asked, twirling a screwdriver in his fingers as he leaned on the wall.

There was a brief pause before April responded. “Oh, I’m so sorry, guys! I actually already have plans tonight. I’m meeting up with my new friend Marie.”

The boys exchanged curious glances. “Marie? Who’s that?” Leo asked, tilting his head.

“Yes, who is that, I don’t have them on my data banks, and I research extensively.” Donnie said tapping his wrist screen looking through his data on all the people April knows to see if he just forgot about her.

April chuckled. “You guys don't know her. I met her at school this week. She just moved to New York and doesn’t know the city very well, so I offered to show her around.”

“Oh, is April trying to prove she can be normal again?” Donnie teased, adjusting his goggles as he peered into his wrist screen, already researching Marie online to see what he can find. “Are you sure this friend isn’t another Yokai? Are you positive she won’t try to eat you? Maybe we should keep an eye on you, just in case,” he added, his tone half-joking but tinged with genuine concern.

“No way! The last time I hung out with someone, you guys totally brought trouble!” April accused, crossing her arms defensively. She could still remember the chaos of the last incident with the Foot Clan.

“Whaaaat! But that totally wasn’t our fault!” Leo whined, his voice rising in protest. “We were just trying to help!”

April sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. “Listen,” she began, her tone shifting to a more serious one. “I don’t care what you guys do, but leave Marie and me alone tonight. I’m not trying to be normal, but I don’t want this normal girl getting caught up in your guys’ crazy, m’kay?” She scolded, her eyes narrowing to emphasize her point.

“Marie’s just a regular girl who just moved to New York. She doesn’t need to get mixed up in ninjas, Yokai, magic, or whatever else decides to crawl out of the shadows tonight. So.. please, just give me one night to show her around without any drama.” Her words hung in the air, the weight of her request evident in the silence that followed.

“Very well then,” Donnie started, adjusting his goggles with a slight nod. “We shall leave you, and your new friend alone tonight.”

They could hear April sigh in relief over the phone. “Thanks, guys. Listen, we can hang out another time this week, okay?”

“Have fun, April!” Mikey shouted enthusiastically, his voice echoing through the lair.

“Stay safe out there!” Leo added, trying to mask his disappointment with genuine concern.

April's tone softened, grateful for their understanding. “I’ll catch up with you guys soon. Bye!” she replied before ending the call.

Donnie put his phone down, turning to his brothers. "Well, I guess we are on our own tonight."

Mikey pouted. “Aww man! I was looking forward to some April time.”

Leo shrugged, doing a handstand on the skate ramp. “Well, we can still find something fun to do. The night’s young boys, let’s get out there!”

Raph cracked his knuckles, a smirk on his face. “Maybe we could head topside and see what’s going on. There’s gotta be something interesting happening in the city.”

Mikey’s eyes lit up. “Yeah! Let’s go find an adventure!”

On the surface, the boys made their way to the rooftop in their own unique ways. Leo, always the show-off, used his ōdachi to teleport up in a flash of blue light. Mikey followed, grappling up with his kusari-fundo, a wide grin plastered on his face as he cheered.

Donnie tapped on his wrist monitor for a moment as his hover drone effortlessly ascended him up on it’s own.

Leo, the first one up, smirked as he looked down at his brothers. “Come on, slowpokes! Keep up!”

Mikey reached the rooftop next, flipping gracefully onto the ledge and sticking his tongue out at Leo. “Hey teleporting is cheating!.”

Donnie floated up next, landing lightly beside his brothers. “Efficiency over brute force any day my brothers,” he said with a smirk, retracting his hover drone.

Leo chuckled, shaking his head. “Wait, where’s Raph?” He asked, walking over to the edge of the building.

Just then, Raph's fingers appeared gripping the edge of the rooftop. With a grunt and a heave, he hoisted himself up and flopped onto the floor, panting heavily. His massive frame lay sprawled out, chest heaving as he caught his breath.

Leo knelt down beside him, a look of concern mixed with amusement on his face. “You good, buddy?” he questioned, offering a hand to help Raph up.

Raph took a few more deep breaths before responding. “Need to... work on the cardio,” he admitted, accepting Leo's hand and pulling himself to his feet. His muscles still strained from the climb, but he managed to muster a grin.

“Yeah, climbing up like that isn’t easy for a big guy like you,” Leo said, clapping Raph on the back. “But you made it. Next time, maybe try the stairs?” He said pointing the the staircase on the side of the building.

Raph shrugged, still catching his breath. “Nah, I like the challenge. Besides, I wouldn't want to make it too easy on myself.”

Mikey bounced over, giggling at Raph’s state. “You sure you don’t want me to fling you up next time?.”

Donnie approached, adjusting his goggles. “Or perhaps a little tech assistance? I could rig something up to help with your ascents.” Donnie said, holding Raph's arm up measuring it with a measuring tape.

Raph waved them off, regaining his composure. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve got this. Just need to do a bit more training is all.”

The boys laughed as they scanned the city skyline, looking for things to do.

“There’s always something happening in this city,” Raph said, cracking his knuckles. “We just gotta find it.”

Mikey pointed to a distant glow in the sky. “Hey, what’s that? Looks like a festival or something!”

Donnie pulled up a holographic map on his wrist screen, quickly searching on Google what was going on in town. “Looks like it’s the Summer Street Festival. Should be plenty of fun—food, games, rides and a concert by ooh! That DIGG band—for us there.”

“Sounds perfect,” Leo said, sheathing his ōdachi. “Let’s go check it out.”

Mikey grinned, bouncing on his heels. “Yay ridess! Let’s go!”

"We can't go on the rides, Mikey. People will see us." Leo reminded while him and Mikey walked away from the group.

Raph shook his head with a laugh. “Alright, let’s get moving.”

The turtles made their way across the rooftops, their movements fluid and synchronized, each of them a master of their own unique style. The sounds of the festival grew louder as they approached, the vibrant atmosphere calling to them.

When they finally reached the festival, they found it teeming with people enjoying the various food stalls, games, and performances. The turtles landed on a nearby rooftop overlooking the festivities, taking in the scene below.

“This is awesome!” Mikey exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement.

“Let’s split up and see what we can find,” Raph suggested. “Stay in touch and don’t get into too much trouble.”

Leo nodded, a mischievous grin on his face. “No promises.”

[gaycey-sketchit]

I've had Warrior Cats on the brain lately, so I present to y'all my Crowfeather playlist. While I normally try to keep relationship-focused songs on character playlists to a minimum, Crowfeather is a character who is largely defined by his relationships and how they often end in tragedy, and that's reflected here. Tentatively arranged, likely to make tweaks and additions later.

World's Smallest Violin - AJR

"my grandpa fought in World War II and he was such a noble dude / man I feel like such a fool / I got so much left to prove"

How to Save a Life - The Fray

"I would have stayed up with you all night / had I known how to save a life"

Vanilla Twilight - Owl City

"I'll find repose in new ways / though I haven't slept in two days / 'cause cold nostalgia chills me to the bone / but drenched in vanilla twilight / I'll sit on the front porch all night / waist-deep in thought because when I think of you / I don't feel so alone"

Let Me Down Slowly - Alec Benjamin

"don't cut me down, throw me out leave me here to waste / I once was a man with dignity and grace / now I'm slipping through the cracks of your cold embrace / so please, please / could you find a way to let me down slowly?"

Trying - Cavetown

"please let me know if you change your mind / 'cause inside I'm falling and I / need you to pull me out of this decline / I realize how hard on you this must seem / but trust me when I say / it's far, far worse for me"

Never Love an Anchor - The Crane Wives

"I am selfish, I am broken, I am cruel / I am all the things they might've said to you / do you ever think of me and my two hands and wonder why / they never soothed your fevers / and wonder why they never tied your shoes / and wonder why they never held you gently / and wonder why they never had the chance to lose you?"

Good for You - Dear Evan Hansen cast

"all I need is some time to think / but the boat is about to sink / can't erase what I wrote in ink / tell me, how can I change the story?"

I'm not a good person - Pat The Bunny

"I'm not a good person / no matter what I do / my exhaustion will consume me and / I'm too tired for the truth / I'm not a good person / I'm sure you're not surprised / it must be pouring out my sweat glands / it must be someplace in my eyes"

No Children - The Mountain Goats

"I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow / I hope it bleeds all day long / they say it's darkest before the sun rises / we're pretty sure they're all wrong"

Jumper - Third Eye Blind

"the angry boy, a bit too insane / icing over a secret pain / you know you don't belong / you're the first to fight, you're way too loud / you're the flash of light on a burial shroud / I know something's wrong"

It's Alright - Mother Mother

"it's alright, it's okay / it's alright, it's okay / you're not a demon, there's a reason / you behaved in that way / it's alright, it's okay / it's alright, it's okay / and I believe, yes I believe / that you will see a better day"

[crying-pan420]

@trendyshadowqueen @thisistheroomofthedead incorrect quotes

Diego : *coughs blood* 
Aaron : Don't die, Diego ! 
Diego : Don't tell me what to do!

*While planning to break in somewhere* 
Liam : Hey, let's do "Get Help!" 
Diego : What? 
Liam : "Get Help." 
Diego : No. 
Liam : C'mon, you love it! 
Diego : I hate it. 
Liam : It's great! It works every time! 
Diego : It's humiliating. 
Liam : Do you have a better plan? 
Diego : No. 
Liam : We're doing it! 
Diego : We are not doing "Get Help!" 
*A Minute Later* 
Liam , carrying Diego : Get help! Please! They're dying! Help Them! *throws Diego at guards, knocking them out* 
Liam : Ahh, classic! 
Diego : *gets up* I still hate it. It's humiliating. 
Liam , laughing: Not for me, it's not.

Diego : Just so everyone knows, don't ever try to climb a tree at night carrying a strobe light, owls DON'T like it. 
Jade: ...what happened? 
Diego : I made a VERY bad mistake.

Aaron , texting in the group chat: I wonder what Apple shots would look like? 
Liam : *Sends a picture of of a syringe with an apple slice shoddily edited inside* 
Jade: *Sends a picture of a shot glass with an Apple poorly drawn inside* 
Diego : *Sends picture of person dunking a Basketball into the hoop but replaced the basketball with a poorly resized apple* 
Aaron : I hate all of you.

Aaron : What's worse than a heartbreak? 
Jade: Waking up in the morning and your phone wasn't charging. 
Liam : Waking up in the morning. 
Diego : Waking up.

Jade: They... well, I wouldn't call it inheritance per se. What do you call it when you kill someone and get their stuff? 
Liam : Um, murder??? 
Aaron : Adventuring! 
Diego : Tuesday.

Liam : Today at 7 am, Diego poured a Monster energy drink in their coffee, said "I'm going to die" and drank the whole thing. 
Jade: I watched Diego brew their coffee with Monster instead of water. Three cups in two hours. I think they ascended into the astral realm. 
Aaron : The survivability of the human race never fails to amaze me.

Jade: We might have gotten into a bar room brawl back in the city. 
Liam : Well, that was entirely predictable. 
Jade: One of them punched a gang member. 
Liam : Aaron ? 
Jade: Diego , actually. 
Liam : Oh, that was going to be my second guess.

Liam : So Aaron was just using me? 
Jade: I’m sorry, Liam . 
Diego , trying to contain their amusement: You must feel pretty stupid right now. 
Liam : 
Jade: Ok, that’s a time-out. 
Diego : No, I was just trying to- 
Jade: Go sit over there! 
Diego : *walks away in defeat*

Aaron : *points at Liam * A human turtleneck, *points at Jade* a narcissistic monster, *points at Diego * and literally the dumbest person I’ve ever met. 
Diego : And who am I? Describe me now

Jade: Yesterday, I watched Diego try to eat a decorative rock from Liam 's potted plant. Aaron caught them, and told them they can't eat rocks. Diego started whining something about no food being in the house before walking away.

Liam : Oh god, they texted you ‘hi.’’ punctuation only means one thing, Aaron . They're mad at you. 
Aaron : No, it's Diego . They're just being gramatically correct! 
*meanwhile* 
Diego : And then I used a period so they'd know that I'm mad at them. 
Jade: A period doesn't say 'I'm mad', it says 'you're dead to me'. 
Diego : I stand by my choice.

Diego : I’m gonna die alone. 
Liam : Diego , you’re not gonna die alone. 
Diego : Aaron , was my safety net, okay? They got married and now I have to get a snake. 
Jade: Uh-huh. Why is that? 
Diego : If I’m gonna be an old lonely person, I’m gonna need a thing, you know? A hook. Like that guy in the subway who eats his own face. 
Diego : So I figured I’ll be “Crazy Man With A Snake”, you know? Crazy snake man. 
Diego : Then I’ll get more snakes, call them my babies. Kids won’t walk past my place, they will run! RUN AWAY FROM CRAZY SNAKE MAN!

Aaron : Good night. 
Liam : Sleep tight. 
Diego : Don't let the bedbugs crawl up to your ear and whisper threatening things that make you question yourself. 
Jade: Great, now Liam 's crying.

[tachvintlogic]

Swapped Danny for Dani/Elle

Working Title: Elle and the Pizza Kidnappings

Words: 2262

Elle understood the importance of committing to the bit.

Currently, the "bit" was traveling to as many American cities as she could to determine once and for all which city had the best pizza. She had to move quickly, as college classes would be starting soon, but she couldn't move too fast lest she miss out on the best pizza or get so sick of pizza that she skews her own results.

There were 5 pizza places in Gotham that she was planning on checking out. She went to the location of the first one, only to find it was closed. Strangely, its hours suggested it should be open.

She checked out another one to find that it was closed too, but the reason was a bit more obvious. Someone seemed to have crashed a car right through the store front. The car wasn't there anymore, but the damage was.

The third and fourth pizza places were closed too. As was the fifth. The fifth store was a small family-owned business that's been around for 50 years. The lights were dark, and the restaurant was empty save for a woman crying in one of the booths.

Elle tried to open the front door and found it was unlocked despite the closed sign. A bell by the door rang.

The woman looked up from her napkin. Her face was red and stained with tears, and she had a black eye. Her arms were also covered in bruises "I'm sorry but we're closed," she said in a strangled voice on the verge of another sob.

"Yeah, I can tell," said Elle, "I just saw you were crying and wanted to know if something was wrong?"

The woman wiped her eyes and nodded. Elle took that as cue to sit next to her. She noticed one of her ankles was bent at an odd angle. That must hurt. "Yes. The Joker's men came, and they took my son! My poor Antonio!" She began sobbing again.

Elle patted her on the back. She recognized the woman from the restaurant's website, and remembered her son was the head chef. She wouldn't be able to get her pizza without him!

"When did this happen?"

She looked up from her teary napkin at the analog clock on the wall, "Ten minutes ago. I tried to stop them but they hit me with their batons. I called the police but they'll be no help. My only hope is Batman will save him in time."

"That's awful. Do you need ice?" asked Elle, trying to find problems she could solve.

The woman nodded. "Yes. There should be some ice packets in the freezer."

Elle jumped the counter to the kitchen area and quickly found bags of ice, wrapped them in cloth, and handed them to the woman for her bruises.

"Thank you, dear. What is your name?"

"Elle. Yours?" She didn't remember the name from the website.

"Camilla Lombardi."

"Nice to meet you. Is there anyone you need to call? So you won't just be alone in here?"

"My sister, I called her when it happened. She should be here in a few minutes."

"Okay, just wanted to make sure."

"Thank you. Be safe."

"I will."

Elle left and took a turn to transform and turn invisible. At first, she hadn’t the faintest clue where to even start looking for Antonio's kidnappers. Then she remembered what happened to the 2nd store and decided to follow the trail of recent skid marks and bent signs. Making her way to an intersection, she saw a black unmarked van run a light that just turned red and nearly ran over a pedestrian.

It was pretty stereotypical for a kidnapping vehicle, but it was her best lead.

She flew over and used her intangibility to peek inside. Sure enough, she saw 7 people in chef's attire tied up with bags over their heads. In the front were two men in colorful suits, and four more were in the back holding guns.

It was very easy to grab all the bullets with her intangibility and throw them away. She thinks she might have hit someone while throwing the bullets out of the truck. Oops. Oh well.

She wondered how she was going to get these guys out of here without being seen or freaking them out. Just phasing them through the truck and onto the sidewalk would be a bad idea for staying discreet.

Or would it?

Sure, the chefs would freak out getting phased through the van, but the henchmen weren't armed (not anymore anyway), and she wasn't sure she could prevent the situation getting out of hand once they reached the secondary location.

She wouldn't be able to get them very far away; humans can't breathe while intangible, but if she got them to a rooftop, it would be hard for them to follow...

However, she would have to take all of them at once and carrying 7 tied-up people would be very hard even if she wasn't going to fly them somewhere.

She grabbed two with one hand and two with the other. She didn’t trust her body’s ability to duplicate and not fall apart. Instead, she partially duplicated and grew two extra arms to grab the last three.

Okay, got them all secured, she thought, now lift in 1…2…3!

She turned them all intangible and flew up to the top of the nearest building. The ropes cut into her palms, but she didn’t dare let go. At the top, she let go of the ropes and collapsed onto the roof tangible and visible again. She retracted her extra arms and took a moment to catch her breath.

Then she stood up and untied one of the hostages. Many of them were freaking out, which was understandable. She lifted the bag off their head and removed the gag before untying their hands.

“Who are you?” he said, shaking.

“The concerned citizen who rescued you. I’m Elle. What’s your name?”

“Antonio.”

“From Lombardi’s Linguine? Sweet. Your mom is worried about you. And can you stop shaking? It’s making it hard to untie you.”

“Did you really rescue me?” He stopped shaking, but the knot wasn’t much easier to untie.

“Do I look like a clown to you?” She turned her focus back to the knot. “Damn this knot is stupid. You know what? I don’t want to deal with this.” She turned the rope intangible and threw it off.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Can you untie the others?”

He nodded, and Elle turned invisible and flew back to the van, scaring the living daylights out of the poor cook.

Back in the van, the henchmen were freaking out, and yelling at each other.

“Where did they go??”

“Asking that over and over isn’t going to make the answer magically appear!!”

“So are we turning around or are we going to keep going? Because I WILL pull over if I don’t know where I’m going!!”

“We should go to the boss. He’s still expecting us.”

“And show up empty handed?! He’ll kill us!”

“He’ll kill us for being late!”

“He’ll make us take the chefs' place, that’s what he’ll do.”

“You ever known Joker to do the logical thing? Cause that sounds a bit too logical to me!”

“ARE WE TURNING AROUND OR NOT??”

“NO!!!”

“YES!!!”

“PLEASE BATMAN SAVE US!!!”

Elle almost felt bad for them. Almost.

They didn’t end up changing course. She decided to stay there and wait until they reached their destination, which was an abandoned warehouse (Gotham had a lot of those for some reason.)

Joker was none too pleased to not have the chefs for his pizza themed booby trap for Batman, so he had the henchmen dress the part of the chefs (Elle had no idea where he had those costumes. Was he expecting this to happen?)

The trap was a giant pizza complete with a giant mechanical pizza cutter that would cut the pizza into 8 pieces. At each cut, there were spots for 2 people to be tied up and get cut in half by the pizza cutter. Seven of the spots were for the kidnapped chefs, now filled with henchmen, and the last spot was for Batman.

Elle didn’t feel bad for the henchmen, but not to the point where she would just let them die. She watched the Joker put the remote that would activate the giant pizza cutter in his back pocket, and she stole it while still intangible.

She was, admittedly, curious when Batman was going to show up to save Joker’s henchmen from the Joker, so she stuck around and hid behind some boxes, so she didn’t have to stay invisible/intangible the whole time. She didn’t have Danny’s endurance when it came to her powers, but it wasn’t like she really needed it for everyday life. Today was not very typical.

He did show up and got caught in the pizza trap. Elle was, frankly, disappointed. She expected better from Gotham’s hero. She wouldn’t have gotten caught in the pizza trap, and neither would Danny.

Not even her adopted brother Wes would've gotten caught because he would've gotten himself killed long before the pizza trap was even an issue.

The Joker laughed and monologued about how he had gone to a restaurant and had gotten a bad pizza, so he was going to put the finest pizza chefs in Gotham and Batman himself in a pizza that the Joker could enjoy.

Batman pointed out that the others trapped in the pizza weren’t the finest pizza chefs in Gotham, but some of his henchmen because they were all rescued before he got there.

Elle covered her mouth to muffle the sounds of her giggling at just how pissed off the Joker was by that remark. He reached into his back pocket and made a surprised noise. “What the?” He pulled out his hand and looked at it, seemingly confused why it was empty. He checked the other one and got similar results.

He turned to his henchmen who tensed and backed away. “Which one of you dunderheads has my remote?”

“Not me!”

“It’s supposed to be in your pocket!”

“Yeah I saw you put it there!”

“I didn’t take it!”

“Well one of you did because it’s. Not. Here!”

“Did you check your other pocket?”

“Yes I checked my other pocket! It wasn’t there either!”

This was it. This was her moment to shine. She jumped on top of the boxes with a loud thud, drawing everyone’s attention to her. Elle grinned and looked at the Joker in his face and she said…

“HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR BUTTHOLE!!!!!”

The look of surprise and shock on the Joker’s face was more valuable than all the precious metals found on Earth and orbiting the Sun.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last long before his face twisted into a primal outrage.

“Get her!” he yelled at his minions. Seemed like a good time to leave.

She tried to turn intangible, but her powers decided in that moment to fuck up, so she turned half tangible and half into a gooey liquid. Crap crapcrapcrapcrap. Okay. Okay. She can work with this. Just needs to get her stupid ectoplasm to cooperate and work with her biological side and use it as support…

As soon as the goo realized that the bones and flesh were for support and not decoration, she turned completely intangible relatively intact. She spared one last glance at Batman and saw he was already almost out of the trap. She raced out of the warehouse and took the first opportunity to transform back into her human form. She checked her phone for the quickest route on foot to her motel where she stored her suitcase and spare ecto-dejecto. It was an hour walk, and 20 minutes taking public transit. Good enough. She could hold out until then as long as she was careful with her powers and ghost form.

After she was confident that she wouldn’t turn into goo unexpectedly, she checked the pizza places she had planned to go to today. Lombardi’s Linguine was still closed, but Camilla was still there, now with another woman who looked around the same age. They were hugging Antonio and dotting on him.

When he noticed her in the window. He looked positively gobsmacked and immediately started pointing and talking to his mom and aunt. His aunt raced over to the door and let her inside and ushered her over to the group.

“Is it true that you saved my Antonio from those bastards?” asked Camilla.

She nodded. “Yep.” No point in lying.

Camilla pulled her in for hug and kissed her on both cheeks. “Oh thank you thank you! How can we ever repay you?”

She smiled. “Uh, pizza would be nice.”

“As much as you want! It’s on the house!” said Antonio.

The pizza was really good! 10/10 Definitely the best pizza she’s had so far.

[---------]

Batman stared intensely at the reports of Joker's kidnapping spree, as if he could intimidate them into giving him more answers. The girl's powers were similar to that of Clayface, but her "clay" was green. However, Clayface was in custody, so her creation couldn't have been very recent.

Of course, the vanishing act wasn’t like Clayface, and the kidnapped chef who claimed to have spoken to her wasn’t saying much. Unless he talked or there was another sighting, it looked like a dead end.

He would never get his answers, and Elle left to try out pizza in another city.

Short DPXDC Prompts #281

Danny is able to just become a walking mass of ectoplasm. Turn into goo on command. He uses it as a way to hide his secret identity in Gotham. Batman is pulling his hair out trying to find out how Clayface managed to have a son.

[countenanceblog]

Chapter 57

Chapter 57

It was chaos on the streets of Spain City. People cried and screamed in all directions. Looting had already begun, as well as rapidly accelerated gang warfare. Cars were speeding past each other; bumping into one another. Aleister, Wayne, Gwyneth and Francisco stood on the sidewalk, watching someone throw a brick through a storefront window. The thief was immediately shot.

"Damn," said Francisco. "This is savage."

Gwyneth looked on, mortified. "We . . . we took the action that we had to take. If it weren't Vex, Elite Tactical would've shown up and tried to kill us . . . "

Wayne looked at her funny. "Are you really trying to justify what happened? We were all so worried about staying safe from danger . . . especially me. And now look at us. We can't die. We're all like Aleister."

"Minus the glowing," Fawkes pointed out. "How did you shoot that lightning? How did you know you could do it? I've always wondered if I had some other power."

"That's not all," said Francisco. He reached out towards a parking meter and put his hand on it. "Watch this."

The parking meter froze almost instantly. It was covered in a thin layer of frost. As the chaos raged around them, the determination in Gwyneth's dark eyes burned even brighter. "Look, we can't just stand by and let the city tear itself apart. We have these powers now, and we should use them to make a difference. The Gat Boys are a threat, and they killed my cousin. If we take them out, we can stop them from gaining control over the city. And listen, guys. This sounds crazy, but I think I can teleport."

Francisco's cool demeanor reflected a hint of agreement. "She's right. We have these powers for a reason. If we can stop a gang that's going to cause havoc and destruction, we should do it. If she can teleport us there, all the better."

Aleister nodded thoughtfully. "Gwyneth has a point. But we need a plan. We can't just rush in blindly. We have to be strategic about how we do this."

Wayne, who was still grappling with the revelation of his immortality, looked lost. "I don't even know what my powers are or how to control them. This is all too much."

Gwyneth placed a reassuring hand on Wayne's shoulder. "It's overwhelming for all of us, but we'll figure it out together. Trust me, I didn't know I could shoot lightning either until it happened. We'll learn as we go."

Francisco smirked, adding some levity to the tense situation. "Well, at least you're not shooting frost from your fingers, Gwyn. You'd make an awesome ice queen. I'd personally much rather be able to light a cigarette with my mojo. But then again, I am pretty damn cool."

Aleister interjected, "Enough joking around. Gwyneth, if you believe you can teleport us to the Gat Boys' stronghold, we should do it. But be cautious. We don't know what we'll be up against."

Gwyneth took a deep breath, her fiery determination unwavering. "Alright, let's do this. Hold hands, everyone."

The four of them formed a circle, hands intertwined, and Gwyneth closed her eyes, focusing her newfound teleportation abilities. The world around them blurred, and they felt the strange sensation of being pulled through space and time. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves outside a large, opulent mansion – the Gat Boys' stronghold. The mansion stood tall and imposing, its architecture was highly vertical and elaborate.

"I feel sick," said Francisco.

Wayne, feeling a newfound sense of purpose, spoke up. "I may not know the full extent of my powers, but I'm not going to back down now. We have to squash these guys."

Aleister nodded. "Then let's do it. For Maggie, for the city, and for all the people we endangered. We'll put an end to this. Kid Cool is about to get completely fucked."

"I'm Kid Cool, now," said a smirking Francisco.

Fawkes noticed the sky darkening above them. "Guys, which one of you is doing that?"

"Me," said Francisco. "I've always had a sneaking suspicion that I could control the weather. Sometimes when I get sad, it rains. That kind of thing."

"Wait a minute," said Wayne. "We don't even have to go in there. With you conjuring a storm, I can bring the thunder down on their heads." He chuckled. "Teamwork."

"Perfect," said Francisco with a smile.

Gwyneth smiled too. "Fuck 'em." As the four friends stood outside the imposing mansion, the sky above them darkened further, clouds swirling and gathering, driven by Francisco's weather manipulation. Gwyneth's eyes sparked with determination, and she nodded at Wayne. "Let's do this, Wayne. Bring the thunder."

Wayne's eyes glowed with electricity, and he raised his hands to the darkened sky. A bolt of lightning crackled across the horizon, followed by another, and another. The storm above intensified, and rain began to pour, drenching the surroundings. Gwyneth and Aleister watched in awe as their friends demonstrated their elemental powers with such prowess.

Francisco, however, felt a pang of frustration. He could control water and ice, but the air itself was beyond his reach. "Hey, guys," he called out, "I can't control the storm directly, but I can help with the water element. Maybe I can freeze the rain, and wall it in with ice."

As Francisco focused, the raindrops around him began to freeze, turning into tiny ice pellets that clinked softly as they hit the ground. He directed the frozen water toward the mansion, forming ice barriers around the windows and doors, creating an icy blockade that slowly grew thicker.

Wayne nodded with approval. "That's smart, Francisco. Together, we can unleash some serious havoc."

Gwyneth's fiery determination returned, and she placed a hand on Fawkes' shoulder. "Aleister, I'm sure we'll find out what your powers are sooner or later."

Wayne grunted, feeling the power coursing through him gently electrify his entire body. Powerful bolts of lightning crashed into the frozen structure, breaking it apart in all the most critical places. With a terrific sound, the building creaked and leaned. More lightning bolts, even stronger ones, battered the base of it. Finally, it began to lean, and then tip over, and then . . .

"Guys, grab onto me!," said Gwyneth. Francisco and Wayne snapped out of it. The four of them grabbed one another's hands. A split-second before the wall of dust and debris hit them, they were gone.

[wasabito]

➽ corruption collab masterlist — hosted by @ultimate-astridwriting and @bummie ♥️

➽ note: definitely gonna come back and edit this a bit more because threesomes are hard as fuck, no pun intended lmao happy v-day everyone!

➽ word count: 3.2k

➽ cw/tags: polyamory + body worship + threesome + praise kink + public sex + choking + handjobs/fingering + vaginal sex + squirting + established relationship

➽ pairing: akaashi x fem!reader x bokuto

💿 1. nasty — ariana grande || 2. come on — jhene aiko

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, it becomes rather apparent that love and romance are in the air. Storefronts are decorated in bubblegum pinks and reds. Flower shops promote their special bouquet arrangements at discounted prices. Even your favorite hole in the wall coffee shop has fallen prey to the spirit of cupid as they announce their new strawberry shortcake dessert and heart-shaped scones.

In lieu of staying home for the third night this week, your boyfriends escort you to dinner at an upscale restaurant in the city. They treat you to a five-course meal and a bottle of wine even pricier than the dinner itself. One would think, after three years of dating, you would no longer be caught unawares by their spontaneity. And yet, here they are, once again pulling the rug from underneath your four-inch heels.

Your gaze flickers from Akaashi's tranquil smile to Bokuto's wide grin.

Adjusting the napkin in your lap, you open your mouth to speak, then pause as the right words fail it come. Brain short-circuiting instead, you let out a confused, "Huh?!"

"We're taking you to Italy!" Bokuto repeats, about ready to hop out of his seat with excitement. He looks to Akaashi, "Three nights in Venice, right 'Kaashi?"

"Yes, we decided on Venice after you told us you'd always wanted to visit. Remember Koutarou's birthday last year?"

"But that was like months ago! Did you two honestly hold onto that drunk little confession this entire time?"

"Of course."

"Yup!!"

It's in moments like these when you are reminded of their history together, first as teammates playing volleyball, and eventually close friends. Not much longer after that, you'd met and fallen for Akaashi, then Bokuto, and thus began the relationship of today. While you find it a little ridiculous, it seems neither of them has any qualms about this trip.

After all, you are their lovely girlfriend. Why wouldn't they want to make your wishes come true?

Bokuto claps his hands, eyes sparkling. "Everything's already planned out, babe, so don't worry your pretty little head, okay?"

You can't argue with that. Reaching over, you take Bokuto's hand in your right and Akaashi's in your left. "Alright, since you two went to all this trouble for me, I guess I'll just sit back and enjoy it."

♥️

Venice is just as beautiful as you imagined.

It looks as if it's floating upon blue-green waters with lots of sunshine, beautiful architecture, and a vibrancy that makes it feel like the city has a life of its own. You are grateful you didn't come by yourself. There is no way you would've enjoyed it without Akaashi and Bokuto at your side.

"We're about a ten-minute walk from Piazza San Marco," Akaashi says as he taps his glasses. His sharp gaze is locked on the map in his hands, likely committing most landmarks and details to memory. "Would you like to check it out?"

"Yeah! Let's do it."

"Off we go, go, go!"

Thus, a majority of your first day in Venice is spent sightseeing.

The three of you take a gondola ride through Canale Grande, then have a peek into the Gallerie Dell'Accademia at Akaashi's insistence, though naturally, you wouldn't have come all the way to Italy and not visited at least one art museum. Afterward, the three of you go to the Le Mercerie shopping district and buy gifts for your friends before finally taking a pit stop for the most delicious gelato in the city.

The sunsets sooner than expected, casting the entire block in deep red hues. Bokuto's mood is greatly influenced by it, and the jetlag certainly doesn't help. He props himself against you, nuzzling you in a way that says he's itching for a kiss.

"Tired, Kou?"

Bokuto hums. "A little... More hungry than anything."

He leans in and pecks your lips with a sated smile. "Maybe I should eat you. I mean, how is it my girl's so damn cute? Not fair, I can't resist."

You snort at Bo's silliness but can't help shivering a little at the tiny implication of his words. He always did like to lay his head on your thighs, leaving a trail of kisses and love bites where he could.

So, the thought of him eating you out made you squeeze your thighs together.

Akaashi approaches with your frozen treats held between his long fingers; having overheard Bokuto earlier, he tucks his wallet back into his pocket.

"We'll get some dinner after we drop off these shopping bags. How does that sound?"

You eagerly take your gelato from him with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan."

Akaashi nods, standing at your other side, close enough to brush elbows though not as close as Bokuto, who was nearly hovering.

The three of you are in one of the narrow, maze-like streetways, basking in the warm, early evening glow. The sweet taste of fruit and cream on your tongue fills you with so much contentment, especially while being with your favorite people. You aren't sure if anything could top the way you currently felt, and the trip has just barely started.

Upon arriving at your temporary place of residence, a quaint little villa on the waterfront just along the shore of Punta Sabbioni Beach, Bokuto immediately kicks off his sandals, dumps the bags, and promptly falls asleep on the couch.

"It's so weird seeing Kou like this." You remark. "On any normal day, he's brimming with almost too much energy, but now he's all tired."

"Well, he did stay up an entire twelve hours on the plane. It was only a matter of time before fatigue caught up to him." Akaashi picks up Bokuto's shoes with practiced ease and places them by the others.

There is a fond smile running along the edges of his mouth as he tucks a throw around the man's larger frame. You help him adjust a spare pillow under Bo's head and then set off to explore the rest of the area.

It seemed like everything about Venice was taken straight out of a romance film, with its cobblestone paths, gothic cathedral architecture, crisp ocean waters, and authentic Italian cuisine. It is no wonder the city's known to draw hapless souls together in romance. Even you fell subject to it, and by each passing moment, you crave to be with your boyfriends.

You are standing at the balcony overlooking the beach, satisfied with your inspection of the villa when Akaashi comes to stand behind you. He holds onto the railings, caging you in his arms, and rests his chin on your shoulder.

"He was right, you know." He murmurs. "You do look good enough to eat."

Blunt as ever. Apparently, something's never change.

Though one might say that Akaashi is as he's always been after high school and college, there is no denying his boost in confidence. After all, he had landed not one but two rather attractive partners.

He kisses your cheek, then your jaw, before latching onto your neck.

The sun's scenic view on the horizon, reflecting upon the beach sands of gold and shimmering orange waves, makes for an excellent backdrop.

You turn to face Akaashi and pull him into a heated kiss. His lips convey a sense of devotion to you, and with each press of them against yours, you can feel just how bad he's yearning for more.

"Kei," you whisper. "Let's go inside."

In a moment, Akaashi whisks you off your feet quite similar to how Bokuto would, though you both don't even make it to the bedroom.

Your other partner had sat up on the sofa, hair flat on one side, scrubbing his eyelids.

"Guys, I'm freaking starving!" Bokuto groans. "Let's get some food or something."

He doesn't even notice how you and Akaashi are breathing heavy or how your clothes are sporting wrinkles that were not previously there. Regardless, Akaashi has food delivered while you went ahead to shower the day's journey away. There are still two days left. You'd get your chance with them at some point.

♥️

Sadly, the entirety of day two is spent indoors. Heavy sheets of rain continue to fall, muddying the shoreline. The three of you huddle on the sofa wrapped in blankets with subtitled movies playing in the background.

Even though you would've much rather been out exploring in the city, just sharing in your boyfriend's warmth would suffice for now. Akaashi hands you a steaming cup of something rich in both color and smell.

"What's this?"

"Just espresso." He takes the empty seat beside you.

You savor the taste while leaning against his shoulder. "Mm, nice."

Bokuto keeps his head on your lap, loving how you thread your fingers into his hair.

It is a tranquil kind of peace that soon lulls you to sleep.

Later, when you finally wake up, it's dark, and you're alone. A blanket had been tucked around your shoulders to shield you from the sudden chill. At some point, the television had been shut off along with every light in the room. You might've been a little scared if not for the voices coming from the second floor. Slowly, you creep up the winding staircase, dragging along the blanket around your shoulders.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bokuto chuckles. "You're finally up!"

His hair is down, wet from his shower, and he holds a thin towel together around his waist. In his hand is a cellphone, and he doesn't hesitate to shove the screen into your face. "Say hi, Tetsu!"

"Hi Y/N, how's it going?"

You blink slowly, still trying to wake yourself up.

"Kuroo, hey… I'm well. How are you?"

"Great, just about to head out for a late lunch. I hear it's almost ten pm over there."

"Yeah, it's an eight-hour time difference."

You and Kuroo continue to chat while Bokuto towels off his hair and puts on clothes. Afterward, you let Bokuto resume his conversation and join Akaashi on the bed. The man had gone full editor-mode with his glasses propped up in his hair as he read through some work documents.

When you approach, he greets you with a kiss on the cheek. "You look well-rested."

"Is that your way of telling me I have drool on my cheek, Keiji?"

He cracks a tiny smile, eyes taking in your features, then he pokes your cheek with his index finger. "Perhaps."

You scrub the corners of your mouth with your sleeve and drape yourself over Akaashi, work be damned. This was supposed to be a special weekend for relaxing.

"I really wanted to go to the beach today." You pout.

Akaashi interlocks his fingers with yours. "Maybe we still can. It stopped raining a few hours ago."

"Really?!"

You hop off the bed and head for the window. He's right, the rain had long stopped, and the beach lay bare, lit by only the moonlight.

Maybe a short walk to the beach would do you some good.

♥️

The grains of sand feel cold against your feet without the sun to beat down on them, but you don't complain. The air is humid enough on its own that you forgo wearing actual clothes and instead wear a swimsuit along with Bokuto's old Fukurōdani windbreaker.

You walk along the shore, toes digging into the sand, letting the ocean waves lap at your feet to wash them clean again.

At first, it's so eerily quiet without a soul around except you, but even that doesn't last long. You hear Bokuto's voice bellow into the night as he jogs towards you in nothing but swim trunks. Behind him, Akaashi trails slowly after with a blanket in hand.

"We thought you might want some company." He says and spreads the cover on the sand several feet away from the water, content with just watching.

Bokuto grabs your hand and you go running to the water with him, but a second later, you both come sprinting back.

"It's freezing!"

"S-So co-co-cold!"

You collapse on top of him, fingers splayed across his bare chest. However, when you try to sit up, Bokuto has other plans. He keeps you pressed to his chest with both arms around your waist.

"Let me keep you warm, baby!"

You know he meant it in the most innocent way, but you can't help but think other thoughts. Your nerves fray at the image that blooms in your head and spreads like wildfire.

And as Akaashi strokes your back, you know he's probably read your mind.

It's the way your eyes seem to glitter with want that gives it away. Akaashi has always been rather observant, and so your silent cues are something he's always been privy to.

His nimble fingers curve around the nape of your neck, and he tilts his head to capture your lips in a kiss. This one is unlike the one from yesterday. There is no rush, no desire to quicken his haste; instead, he savors the taste of you like it's something to be thoroughly enjoyed.

Underneath you, Bokuto stirs, growing aroused at the sight of his two lovers' kiss. He can't decide whether he wants to join in or sit back and watch. But his large hand comes down to stroke your ass, resulting in a moan you breathe directly into Akaashi's mouth.

"You're not usually so forthcoming, Keiji," you whisper against his lips. "Eager, are we?"

Akaashi pulls away just enough to pepper your face in feathery kisses. "Can you blame me? When I have such a lovely girlfriend here."

As if confirming his words, he slips a hand under your jacket and cups your breast. The pads of his thumb brush along the seams of your bathing suit, caressing your nipple.

"Kou, let's show Y/N just how much we love her, yes?"

Bokuto didn't need to be told twice. He had been in entranced by you and Akaashi, completely taken by the way your lips danced upon one another. But now, he wanted more than anything to touch you, kiss you, hold you.

Bokuto cradles you in his lap, propping your legs open with his knees so Akaashi can kneel in front of you. It didn't take much for him to relieve you of your clothing, namely your swimming bottoms. But the second the air hits your bare cunt, you feel tense.

You aren't sure what it was, but the atmosphere is different. Both Akaashi and Bokuto are so focused on you, it feels like you're under a spotlight.

"You're so pretty, so beautiful," Bokuto says while squeezing your thighs. His warm breath tickles your ear as he presses his nose into your neck. Next, his lips follow suit. "Wanna fuck you, so bad baby. You'd like that, right?"

His words earn him a chuckle from Akaashi, who merely licks two of his fingers, wetting them and sliding into you. Your mouth parts, shaky breaths barely expelled from your lungs. You're hyper-aware of the fact that you're literally being fingered on a beach in the middle of the night, and you can't bring yourself to care. It feels good to be pampered by the two men you love.

For every moan, Akaashi gives you double for your efforts, thrusting his fingers just right, curving them in such a way that has your back arching off Bokuto, who has also taken to fondling your nipples. With every roll of his hips, you feel his cock against your ass, and it pushes you further into Akaashi's fingers.

Your impending orgasm sweeps by so close and yet so far away. All you can do is rock yourself faster.

"Please," you whimper. "W-Wanna come."

Akaashi crooks his fingers, pressing into the perfect spot that sends you hurtling over the edge. Your cunt spasms around his fingers, clenching in intervals you have no control over until his hand is coated with your wet, slick juices that keep coming the more you squirt all over him.

"She's so wet 'Kaashi. Look at our pretty girl."

Akaashi places a chaste kiss on your forehead with a smile.

"She's doing well, so far. Let's see if she can keep going."

Bokuto shimmies his shorts off enough to free his hard cock. He had been uncharacteristically patient until now, but that was soon to change as he lines himself up with your cunt, teasing you with just the tip.

Your whining is unintelligible, but both men understand you more or less.

"Give the pretty girl what she wants," Akaashi says. He strokes his own hard-on at the sight of Bokuto's pushing past your wet folds. "I know she can take more than that."

Bokuto has always been girthy, and it takes you more than a few seconds to adjust to his size, but when you finally do, it feels like heaven.

The position you're in gives Bokuto all the power to thrust into you like a ragdoll. But it's only when you make eye contact with Akaashi that you realize that it's, in fact, the other way around for him in particular. From where he sits, stroking his cock with flushed cheeks and choked moans, you see just how much control you have over him.

"Kiss me." You moan.

Akaashi doesn't let you repeat yourself. He kisses you long and hard even as you grip his throat with one hand and his hair with the other. He kisses you until his lips are red and bruised.

"Good boy. Both of y-you."

Bokuto groans loudly. "Say it again. Keep saying it!"

"Y-You're both so good. I-" your hips stutter against Akaashi's fingers that are rubbing circles into your clit. "Good, so good-"

That's all it takes to take Bokuto over the edge, blowing his load. "Perfect, so fucking perfect."

You can feel another orgasm swelling up inside your belly. You try to tell them but can't, too overcome by the feeling of your body tingling with desire. It's too much, overwhelmingly so; your vision blurs with unshed tears as Bokuto continues to pound into sopping pussy. Pleasure floods every fiber of your being until you're limp and every nerve in your body is set alight.

Bokuto slips out of you easily, a string of his semen following.

You can only look on in a drowsy haze as Bokuto leans over and kisses you and then Akaashi, working him over with a tight fist.

♥️

The following morning, you’re the first to wake, but only because there’s a limb jammed into your back and a heavy weight on your chest. It takes you a moment to realize, but it’s Bokuto’s elbow poking you and Akaashi’s head resting on you.

All three of you are a tangle of limbs in bed, but you aren’t sure how you’d gotten there.

“G’mornin’” Bokuto breathes. His lips caress the column of your neck.

“Morning.”

You shift into a more comfortable position. Though doing so presses Akaashi’s morning wood against your thigh.

“Keiji, you awake yet?”

“Mmm barely.” Akaashi looks up at you through his lashes, then smiles and nuzzles closer into your chest.

Bokuto, content with being your big spoon, reaches over to touch Akaashi, hands cupping his cheek. “It’s Valentine’s Day!”

“That’s true, should we do something special.”

Thinking about the previous night, you feel desire stirring in your gut. “Could we just... do it again?”

Both men look to each other then back at you, sporting matching smiles.

“Why not?”

[twjournals]

All For Good Reason

Warning: dark!Peter Parker x reader, both characters are of age, eventual dub-con, stalking, assault, violence

Word Count: 1.6k

Summary: You have noticed something is not quite right about Peter Parker. A squeaky clean image, but always disappearing at the first sign of danger. You are determined to find out whatever he is hiding. Peter notices your interest in him. He thinks this is a game of cat and mouse. After all, you have your reasons and he has his.

This will be a new upcoming trilogy I will be working on! This will be a dark story so keep that in mind for future posts.

"Parker..." You tsked as you stared through the binoculars at him in the distance. "What are you up to?"

It was not what it looked like, well it was but it wasn't. One might call it stalking, but if you were being completely honest it was all for good reason. Ever since you had moved to Queens, you settled in quite nicely but one thing that did not settle right with you was your next-door neighbor, Peter Parker. There was nothing necessarily wrong with him, at least not as far as you knew, but there was certainly more to him than what was on the surface.

He had always been nothing less than nice whenever you encountered him, in class and outside of it. Well, when he did come to class or stayed through a one. It surprised you how Peter was even passing college. Your family had even gone as far as inviting him and May to dinner on a few occasions, almost every time ending early with Peter hauling ass get out of there and into the night. That was the thing about him. He was almost always in a hurry to be somewhere. Maybe that was where you just needed to mind your own business, but you could not help but wonder why he was always in a panic.

That was how you ended up here sitting in your car, staring through a pair of binoculars for the second time since this week. You had to get to the bottom of his madness. It was dark out, the only source of light being the street lights and the lights to very few businesses that were still open on this street. You did not understand why Peter would come out to this side of the city. You did not feel comfortable being out here even if you were locked up in your car.

You watched as Peter disappeared down a dark alley casually. You dropped your binoculars with a sigh, setting them in your lap as you stared at the dark path he went down. Why did he seem on a mission? What could possibly be down there? You leaned back in your seat, propping your knees up against the steering wheel. It was time to play the waiting game.

You sat in silence, keeping an eye out for him but you never saw him again. You were at mental war with yourself. Should you go looking for him at this point? What if he was hurt? But he was fine the last time you followed him here. What if he was in trouble? He was more capable of taking care of himself rather than you trying to help.

Fuck, why would you come out here? You thought to yourself. You could have just minded your own business, but no you just had to know what Peter Parker was up to.

The clock on your dash rolled as time went on. You gave in. The last time you had left, but this time you were more curious than ever. You were mentally cursing at yourself as you opened the car door. What were you thinking?

You started across the street, walking toward the alley and hugging yourself from a mix of fear and the chill of the cool night. The street was quiet. The silence made it creepier than it would have if people were on it. You peaked down the alley but it was empty.

You forced yourself to keep moving, walking into the alley and looking around you, taking in the overstuffed dumpsters and open air. You sighed, letting your arms fall as you gave up your search. He was gone wherever he was.

You snapped from your thoughts when you heard tires shrieking nearby. You panicked as they began pulling down the alleyway, quickly ducking behind one of the dumpsters and trying to stay as quiet as possible.

You listened to the slide of the van door and the sound of multiple men getting out.

"What are you doing?" A deep voice harped.

You heard a gun cock and you quickly covered your mouth with your hand to keep silent. You suddenly regretted ever leaving the house. "I thought I see someone."

"Stop fucking around. We have work to do." The man snapped, throwing something at the guy. At this point, you were holding your breath. "Probably just a raccoon or something."

The guy finally gave in and you had no choice but to listen as a lock broke off one of the doors to a building.

"Come on. We don't have all night."

The men hoarded into the building, filling their bags full of everything they needed. All you had to do was wait and they would be gone before you know it.

"Well well, what do we have here?" You jumped when a man spotted you out with his flashlight, pointing his gun at you. "Go on. Come on out." He demanded, nudging his gun.

You were scared to move. You couldn't seem to get your feet working properly to carry you.

"Let's go!" He raised his voice and you flinched, quickly sliding out from behind the dumpster. He grabbed your arm, gripping onto it as he pulled you close to him. His gun pressed into your back.

"Hey, boss! Look what we got here." He stiffened a laugh as he dragged you along toward the entrance.

The boss man came out of the building, his eyes falling on you and taking you in. You could feel his eyes scanning along your body. The longer he stared the more naked you felt even though you had clothes on.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?" He smiled a smug smile, circling around you as he kept his eyes on you.

"I-I-"

"Now don't be scared. We're not gonna hurt you. We just wanna talk." He assured you.

You swallowed the lump formed in your throat. "I was just looking for my friend." You answered honestly.

"Your friend? Out here?" He looked around, stretching his arms out with a stiff laugh. "I highly doubt that."

The man at your side pressed his nose into your hair, breathing in your sweet scent. You tried to move away, but he pressed the gun harder against your back.

"You can consider me your friend." He smirked as his head was still pressed to yours.

"I won't tell anyone. I honestly didn't see anything I swear." You started to plead but the man in front of you put his hand up to mute you. You closed your mouth instantly. You did not want to push your luck.

"Trying to leave so soon hm?" You watched as he stepped closer to you, closing the open space between the two of you. "Not having fun?"

He pushed the guy off of your side. "Go make yourself useful."

He scowled as he walked off to help the other men. "You always get all the fun."

You looked down as he towers over you. "Please don't hurt me." Your voice was quiet as you spoke. You could not bring yourself to face the consequences of coming here.

"Don't you worry that pretty little head of yours. I'll take good care of you." He smirks as he pushes you up against the brick wall behind you and pinning you there. You definitely had been at the wrong place at the right time. You made a mental note if you even made it out alive, you would never follow Peter here ever again.

"Please..." You closed your eyes tight as his hands rubbed up the curves of your body.

Before his hands could get any higher, you feel a gush of wind knocking the older man off of his feet onto the pavement. You fluttered your watery eyes open, blinking back the tears and looking around to see what was going on.

He groaned as he shuffled back to his feet and grabbing you by your throat, squeezing it tight. "Do you think this is a fucking game? Who else is out here?"

"I-I don't know." You clawed at his wrist, pleading to him.

"Don't lie to me!" He yelled as he pulled you off the wall in an attempt to slam you back against it.

"I swear, I don't-" You begged but a flash of red and blue cut you off, sent him flying against one of the dumpsters nearby.

Your eyes stared at the person in front of you, dressed in a red and blue suit. Spiderman. You tried not to be in such shock, but you could not help yourself. You had always heard of the hero, but never had you seen him this close.

His stunt had gained the attention of his other men. Spiderman shot his webs, trapping the older man to the dumpster when he tried to get back to his feet.

He turned to look at you, noticing the other men resurfacing from the building. "Go." He instructed.

He didn't have to tell you twice. Your feet had found the strength before you had even found them. You ran as quick as your feet could carry you out of the alley, stopping for a moment to glance back at all the commotion. You had to make sure he was at least okay even if your mind screamed for you to keep going. You were impressed at the sight of all of the men webbed to the van after they had taken their beating. Spiderman shot his last web over the man's mouth who yelled threats at him before turning to make eye contact with you.

You wanted to thank him, but your voice was lost behind all the adrenaline pumping through your veins. For if it wasn't for him, your own stupidity would have had you dead.

He stood up straight while trying to catch his breath. Even though you could not see his eyes underneath the dark fabric, you knew his eyes were staring right back at you. You gave him an apologetic smile before you ran back to your car, vowing from this point forward, you would never follow Peter Parker into the dark again.

[xpeachesncream]

acquainted | eight

> series masterlist | series playlist <

summary: the biggest goal of a grad student is to get through school in one piece - no petty drama involved, no sweating over the little things. however, that plan almost always never follows through. sometimes, you can’t help but fall into the most unthinkable, unexpected traps and learn the hard way. like, exhibit a: being unable to resist your engaged, substitute teacher, kim seokjin.

pairing: jungkook x reader x engaged!teacher!seokjin

genre: grad school au, student life au | fluff, angst, smut

words: 3.6k

warnings: cussing, mature language/implied sexual content, jealousy and slight possessiveness, making out

tags: @laurynne5 @yiyi4657 @miinoongi @teamtardis-notdead @bluesharksandfish @photographic-girl @yonkoghan @moonchild1​ @thebeebi​ (pls msg me if you would like to be added to the taglist!)

"Should we go to that charity event the school is holding on Friday? It sounds kind of fun." Ryujin sipped on her drink, while you went through your closet, showing her different outfits over the facetime call.

"What's it for again?"

"I don't remember, but the Golden State Warriors dj is going to be dj'ing. He's pretty good."

"Yeah he is. I mean, I'm down, especially if it's for a good cause."

"Okay, I'll grab us tickets when I head to campus."

"You're not even gonna ask Jimin or Tae?" You chuckle.

"Why would I? They do everything we do, they don't know anything outside of us." You shake your head.

"Cut them a little slack."

"Boohoo, they'll say yes regardless. Bring Jungkook!"

"I mean, I'll ask, but I'm not gonna force him."

"Oh quit, I'm sure he'd be happy to spend time with you." She looked at you through the camera. "K, let me see that outfit."

"He said casual." You showed her your outfit in the full length mirror.

"Absolutely, yes! You're fucking hot." She squeals, automatically solidifying your outfit for tonight. It, thankfully, wasn't too cold in the Bay today, so you throw on a grey distressed denim mini skirt, a low-cut light grey longsleeve, a belt and some heeled combat boots. You ruffled and fixed your hair a bit until you were satisfied with your look, picking up the phone once more to turn your attention back to Ryujin.

"Thank you."

"No problem, babe. I hope you have fun! Did he say where you two were going?"

"Nope, it's apparently a surprise."

"Ugh, I love him already." She gushes, causing you to shake your head. You dabbed a bit of lip gloss and pressed your lips together to spread it out before spraying a perfume cloud for you to walk through. Sooner or later, knocks came at the door.

"Okay, I think that's him. I'll talk to you later?"

"Call me as soon as you get home. I want to know how big his dick actually is."

"You're sick. You sound exactly like Tae, you know that?"

"We're not talking about him."

"Love you, bye!" You abruptly hang up on her, unsure of why the hell you deal with her and Taehyung's crude comments. You grab your bag and open the door to see Jungkook standing there with a small bouquet of flowers. He peeks his head over the bouquet with the cutest smile you have ever seen.

"Hi." He slightly scrunches his nose and pulls you into a hug. Goddamn, does he smell good. "These are for you." He hands you the bouquet.

"Jungkook, they're beautiful. Thank you." You take it into your kitchen and place it into a vase really quickly before stepping out. You eye him from head to toe, and boy is looking like a whole ass meal in the denim outfit he has on. Like, who in the world could pull off this outfit like that?

"You look amazing." You blush. "If you ever get cold, just let me know, alright? I can spare my jacket."

"You're so sweet."

"Just want to make sure you're comfortable." He shrugs. "You ready?"

"Depends on what you have up your sleeve."

"Nothing extreme, if that's what you're thinking." He laughed. "I hope you enjoy it, though."

"Thanks for planning all of this, by the way."

"No biggie. I'm just glad to finally spend some time with you." He does a little run to open the passenger car door for you before hopping into the driver's seat. Immediately, he gets the car started and turns up the heat to make sure you're comfortable. The radio is softly playing Zayn's sHe, with Jungkook softly singing along.

"Wait a minute," You chuckle. "Do you sing?" He smirked.

"Maybe."

"Hey, that's not fair. Sing louder."

"No, now I'm shy." He chuckled.

"Why? It's just me."

"Yeah and I just wanna impress you and not make a fool out of myself."

"You won't! Please." You pouted, making him shake his head.

"Ugh, Y/N. That's going to easily become a weakness for me if you keep pulling that pout." You keep pouting. Eventually, he gets over himself and starts to sing a little louder than earlier, causing your heart to flutter at how angelic he sounds. He ends up laughing towards the end and shrugging it off, his cheeks tinted with a rosy tint as you shower him in compliments. Swoon. You were so into the moment that you didn't even realize Jungkook was taking you across the bridge to San Francisco. You and your friends don't come to the city much, strictly because there's too many goddamn hills, parking is expensive as fuck, there's too many one way streets and people just get crazy as hell [like crossing the street when it's not time to walk?!]. It was a little calmer back home and that's all you guys needed. You watch as he parks the car effortlessly on a steep hill before coming over to your side to open the door for you.

"Whew, that's gonna be a workout later." You look back at the steep hill that you're gonna have to climb after eating dinner, you assume.

"Don't worry, I got you." He laughs. There's actually a lot of people out for a Tuesday evening that you end up hanging onto his arm to get navigate the random sea of people. He walks into Brenda's French Soul Food - nothing too fancy, but nothing too casual. The waitress brings you both towards the back end of the restaurant and out into the patio, where there are christmas lights hung around the fence and outdoor heaters posted. He pulls out your chair before sitting himself down, the waitress putting down your menus and cups of water.

"Ohhhhh, my god." You say with heart eyes looking at the menu. You had heard about this place from so many people, and you were impressed that Jungkook was able to score reservations being that it's always so busy due to its popularity. "I'm so excited! I've been wanting to try this place."

"Goodjob, Jungkook." He says, patting himself on the back. "If you're happy, that's all I could ask for." The waitress comes back to offer recommendations, which you both include in your orders in one way or another. Although packed, the restaurant was able to pump out orders quickly and efficiently so you and Jungkook weren't sitting around for too long without food.

"So, how's Jin in class?" You almost choke on your food even though this is something you should have expected. You really wanted to avoid speaking about him tonight, but you knew it was inevitable being that you were out with his brother.

"Um, he's alright."

"Just alright?" He rose his eyebrow and chuckled.

"No, sorry. I mean, he's a really good teacher. Definitely better than our last professor. Everyone in class loves him."

"That's cool. Yeah, he's really smart and wise. I've always looked up to him."

"How long has it been?" You weren't sure how to ask the question, but Jungkook understood what you were asking.

"I was a sophomore in high school when my mom met his dad." You're silent for a moment, allowing him to continue on if needed. "I had a really hard time at first, you know? The whole stepfather thing. My anger was moreso directed towards my mom and my stepdad for awhile. But Jin helped me out a lot. He helped me come to terms with my feelings about everything and he stuck by my side, always had my back whenever I got into arguments or bickered with one of our parents." You nodded, suddenly feeling guilty even though you and Jungkook weren't a couple.

"So, you two are really close." He nodded.

"Yeah, we are. I really don't know what I'd do without him. He's taught me a lot and helped me grow. Plus, Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi have been around too. They treat me like their own little brother.”

"That's sweet. It's nice to have that kind of relationship with your sibling and their friends." You chuckle.

"It is." He nods. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Ryujin, Taehyung and Jimin." He laughs.

"From the club, right? I met your friends, they're fun people."

"They're too much, honestly. I'm the only child, but we've all been stuck to the hip since freshman year in college."

"That's cool that you guys have been together since then." You give him a toothless smile. "I think it's pretty awesome that you guys are tackling grad school together too."

"Initially, we all had different plans, but Jimin had some big goals for himself including grad school, and it played a huge role in my decision to do grad school, too. Then Ryujin followed, then Taehyung."

"Cute."

"Speaking of friends, there's this charity event at school on Friday." You look up at him, a small smirk growing on his face.

"Uh huh?"

"And I was wondering if you wanted to come along with us. They really want you there."

"That's sweet. But, what matters the most is that you want me there."

"I wouldn't be inviting you if I didn't, right?" You bit your bottom lip.

"Touché. Of course I'll go with you, beautiful." He does a small nod before sipping his water. "Should we show up in matching outfits?" He joked, causing you to snort.

"Honestly, that seems pretty entertaining. Cute, and entertaining."

"I'm down if you are." You stuck your tongue out playfully.

"I'm game too."

"Let me know what you're wearing then."

"I will, whenever I figure that out."

"Take your time. Just know you'll look good in anything." You blushed. You both continue to talk over the remaining bits of your food before Jungkook calls for the check. You watch as he scribbles his signature onto the receipt before standing and sticking his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. While exiting the small and crowded restaurant, you hold onto his hand, feeling him grip it tighter as you both successfully make it out. The night isn't too cold, and you sure as hell knew it wouldn't be after you conquered the hill that Jungkook parked on.

"Fuck." You say as you stand on the street, eyeing the steep hill in front of you.

"Come on." He says, slightly bending down for you to hop onto his back.

"Ouu, I don't know if that's a good idea--"

"Y/N, I promise it's okay. Come on." He laughed. Hey, if he was willing to do this, then why not? You hop onto his back, his arms wrapping your legs tightly around his waist, while you clung onto his neck. "See, not so bad, right?" He says, sprinting up the hill, making you laugh and hold onto him tighter.

"Shit, I am so sorry. That was probably a workout. Right after we ate, too."

"Nah. It wasn't anything." He scrunched his nose. On the way back over the bridge, Jungkook is heading towards Lake Merritt. You both are singing along to songs and joking around about topics that pop up here and there. When he parks his car, you notice a whole crowd of people gathered by the lake, which was a little unusual for this time of night. He grabs your hand and gently caresses the top with his thumb as he walks you over towards the crowd. To your surprise, you realize people are gathered here for a water lantern festival. Your eyes light up, making Jungkook smile at how excited you look.

"Jungkook, what the hell! How did you know about this and I didn't?" He shrugs.

"I have my ways." He says, his voice low and deep. You playfully shove him before you make your way over to grab lanterns to decorate. You and Jungkook sit off in a more quiet, calmer part of the lake, silently decorating your lanterns and writing your wishes along with it. What exactly did you want to wish for?

Happy friends, happy family. Happy you.

Whatever happiness meant to you.

To have Chance look over you.

Jungkook is done pretty quickly, but he waits for you to finish, not questioning what you've written since he figures it's a private matter. He shows you his lantern and his cute little stick figure drawing of his family and friends. You giggle, watching him gently lay his lantern in the water, giving you leverage to do the same with yours. You stand closely to him, his body providing you some warmth as you watch your lanterns float off into the lake and illuminate the night along with the others.

"Ready? We have one more thing to catch." He snakes his arm around your waist and gives your side a gentle squeeze. You simply nod, following him back to his car. He takes you about 30 minutes away, exiting and pulling right into a lot two street lights down from the exit. He pulls up to the ticket booth, buying 2 tickets for Tenet at the drive-in movie. You squeal and clap in your seat excitedly, also not knowing this was still around.

"Did you really do your research to plan this date?"

"Yes and no? I've been here before, and I thought it would be fun to take you. The restaurant and the lantern festival though, yes." He parks his car as instructed, turning the radio to the correct channel in order to hear the audio. "Wanna hop in the back so we have more room?" You nod, getting out of your seat just to hop into the back. He leans over into his trunk, grabbing water bottles and assorted gummy candies for you to snack on in case you wanted some. "I hope you're having fun so far."

"I am." You respond softly.

"Okay, beautiful. If you say so." He chuckles. He moves the driver and passenger seats forward so that you both have room to spread your legs a bit. At first, Jungkook made sure to give you enough space so he wouldn't make you uncomfortable, but over time, you felt yourself sinking closer and closer to his body until he had his arm draped around your shoulder, while part of your body rested on his. His hand gently caressed your arm, occasionally sending goosebumps through your body at how soft his touch his. You glanced over, admiring at how focused he was on the movie. He must have felt you looking at him because he quickly looks over and blushes as he nibbles on a gummy worm. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just cute how focused you are."

"Damn, are you not into it?"

"I am, but it's kind of hard to follow sometimes."

"Yeah, it's definitely one of those movies." This time, his gaze on you is a little longer than before. You don't know what takes over you, but you plant a kiss on him, making him smile into the kiss. He doesn't say anything, but proceeds to rest his free hand on your neck, pulling you close and into another deep kiss. Your hand grips onto the side of his shirt, your tongues slowly fighting for dominance. The sounds of wet kisses fills the car and tunes out the movie audio. You can feel the moment intensifying, both you and Jungkook letting out breathy moans in between kisses. Suddenly, the thought of Seokjin quickly flashes in your mind, the past nights you've spent with him and the nasty shit you both have done to each other.

You lightly gasp as you pull away, but it wasn't obvious to Jungkook that something had disturbed your peace.

"Sorry, I—" He tries to save face just in case he was in the wrong about something.

"No, I just— I wasn't expecting it to get that intense." You lied. You knew damn well.

"It's okay." He chuckled. "I would never rush you into anything, Y/N. Okay? We can take this slow." He gives you a genuine, warm, reassuring smile that causes you to swoon. Why the fuck was he so good? Just why? How was this even fair right now?

All you do is simply smile and lean back onto him. He's back to caressing your arm and shoulder, giving you small pecks on the top of your head every now and then to reassure you. Part of you wondered if this is what Seokjin had taught him over the years - how to properly love a woman and be a gentleman. But then, that quickly fades when you remember the situation you're in with him.

Well no, you're not in anything with him. You needed to stop doing this to yourself.

When the movie ends, you both climb back into the front seats to make your way back home. You feel the exhaustion hit you, all the fun and adrenaline you felt today slowly come crashing down. Jungkook parks in the passenger loading zone, throwing on his hazard lights before walking you up to your apartment.

"Jungkook, thank you for tonight. I really enjoyed it and had a ton of fun with you."

"I'm glad." He cups your face and gently places a kiss on your forehead. You weren't satisfied with it though, so you tippy toe as you hold onto his hand and kiss him on the lips. He leans into the kiss, deepening it for a quick second before pulling away. "Let me know the details about Friday, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll call you tomorrow. Sleep tight, beautiful." He smiles and licks his lips as he watches you walk in, feeling utterly content with how the day went. You feel the same way, smiling to yourself as you throw your bag onto the floor and prance into the bathroom to get ready for bed. You felt the butterflies in your stomach every time you thought about Jungkook and his smile, or his soft lips against yours.

Butterflies that kept your mind off of—

[jin] 10:04pm: Are you still with Jungkook?

You roll your eyes at the text. You hadn't pulled out your phone all night, so you're also seeing the numerous messages from your friends in the group chat, too.

[jimin] 7:45pm: have fun tonight, Y/N!

[taehyung] 7:50pm: ^ ditto. use protection, young lady

[taehyung] 7:50pm: think about mr. kim's feelings

[ryujin] 7:56pm: taehyung kim, shut the hell up. do you have anything better to do?

[jimin] 8:01pm: i really hope she doesn't pull out her phone during the date -__-

[taehyung] 8:05pm: lmfao you guys, chill out

[taehyung] 8:06pm: i'm sorry y/n, im just kidding. have fun tonight and be safe, love you

[ryujin] 8:10pm: CALL ME WHEN YOU GET HOME Y/N! i wanna know deets, remember! and ask him if he wants to join us on friday!

Unbelievable. Your friends were unbelievable, and that was an understatement. You don't respond to the group because you figured you'd call Ryujin in a bit and update the boys over the week. But to Jin's text - fuck.

You were literally just tucking him away in the far, far, far dark, deep depths of your mind.

[y/n] 11:38pm: I was, but now I'm home.

[jin] 11:39pm: Yeah, he just texted me back. Sorry.

[y/n] 11:40pm: It's okay.

[jin] 11:43pm: Okay. Have a good night.

He hates this. Why the hell would you do this to him? Grace is upstairs sleeping while Jin is trying to clean the kitchen up like he promised. Suddenly, his phone goes off, signaling a call coming in.

Jungkook.

"Hello?"

"Oh shit, yes! You're awake!" Jin chuckles a bit.

"How was the date?" Not only was he asking out of curiosity, but wanted to know how you were doing during the night. Completely none of his business but he couldn't help himself.

"God, she's fucking amazing. A-and-and beautiful." He yells into the phone excitedly. "She's so exciting. I can't wait to take her out again. I just wanna keep spending time with her." Jin is pretty unamused on the other line. Thank God he isn't on Facetime so he didn't have to fake this facial expressions hearing about Jungkook's feelings for you. "S-she- I mean, we kissed."

"Oh?" Jin asks, tongue pressed against his cheek. What the fuck.

"Yeah, we were making out during the movie. It got pretty intense, but it didn't get any further than that. I didn't wanna rush her into anything."

"You think it could have escalated?"

"Yeah honestly, but I wanna do right by her, you know?" Jin can tell how serious Jungkook was starting to become about pursuing you, and he had never felt more competitive until this day. He just wanted you to himself, and he wanted to be the one to kiss you and make you feel things you've only dreamed about.

Not his brother.

He, too, wanted you just as bad. If anything, more.

"It sounds like it was a pretty successful first date." Jungkook is beaming through the phone, he didn't have to see his face to know that.

"It was. It was such a good night." Jungkook chuckles. "By the way, I'm going to that charity event on campus on Friday. Are you and Grace going?"

"Probably not."

"Well, if you both are free, you should swing by. It'll be nice to see Grace."

"Yeah, I'll ask and see what's up." Jin sighs. "I should probably get to bed, I'm pretty tired. I'm happy to hear the date went well, kid."

"Thanks, dude. I'll talk to you later, get some rest."

"You too." Jin hangs up the call, silently hitting his fist against the kitchen counter as he lets out a deep sigh. More than ever, he wanted to keep you wrapped around his finger. He wanted to keep you there, no matter how selfish that sounded. There was no way he was going to let you unravel.

[princesscrownprince]

💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋💋 // I will get my kiss. 🔫

🎀 NSFW CONTENT : 18+ 🎀

A sea of people, twinkling lights, and jewels adorning the night sky. The pale moon smiled and shone, providing light to the city below. Bustling streets, the chatter of mouths, and the pitter-patter of footsteps on hard ground. The wind blew by, a cold breeze on skin, yet it emitted a sense of solace.

Such peace. Such sublime and comforting peace.

"Come on. Don't be fucking scared. You have me with you, so what the fuck is there to be scared about? Come on. Just a few more steps. " A snake's voice resounded throughout the empty building. Footsteps echoing behind.

A pale hand held another, pulling her along his little journey to the rooftop. As the door creaked open, the starry night of which Vincent van Gogh painted came to life. A peaceful night sky, perfectly presented to the two souls on the rooftop.

Kai guided Lin to the edge of the roof, careful not to scare her as he held her hand firmly. It was as if he was telling her not to be afraid for he was here to catch her if she ever falls.

"Not so fucking scary now, huh?" Kai snorted, "Told you it'll be fun... somehow."

He gazed over the city below, light illuminating his gentle yet sharp features. For once, Kai had a peaceful expression, far from his usual scowl. Silence enveloped the two, till Kai decided to speak up once more.

"... I still wonder... why me of all people." Kai began, "I'm rude, vulgar, and pretty aggressive at times. That's like... the worst possible fucking choice you could ever fucking make. I don't understand that about you. You could've chosen someone else better than me. Someone who would treat you better than me, yet here you fucking are, clinging onto me like some fucking leech I can't fucking comprehend. " he let out a breathy chuckle," Still... I appreciate it. Your efforts, I mean. No one would be foolish enough to stay after everything I put you through. " he sighed, lowering his head with a small frown.

" Delaying my answer... going on dates even though we're not dating... I'm basically giving you false hope, and that's pretty shitty of me, isn't that right? " he looked over at Lin with a small smile, " I don't have an answer yet, since I'm not sure how everything will end up in the future. I could be dating you, then suddenly, I'll disappear because I have to. And maybe, I won't be able to come back. Isn't that shitty too? I don't want you to hold onto someone who isn't sure he could come back to you, and yet... " he leaned closer to Lin's face...

" I can't help but be selfish when it comes to you."

Without any more words, Kai connected their lips together. A hand of his reached up to her cheek, cupping it gently as he tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss as he pulled her closer by the waist. The nightly breeze softly blew past them as the moon shined brightly above them. They were in a world of their own, blocking out everything around them as they focused on each other's presence and touch.

His forked tongue slowly invaded her mouth, eyes fluttering open to stare down at her face, relishing in her expression with a small smirk behind their kiss. His wet appendage then soon explored every crevice of her mouth, the gentle hold he had on her, gradually went rough, now holding her face in an aggressive manner.

He stepped forward, shifting their positions, wherein Lin slightly tipped over the edge of the rails as Kai had her caged with his body. Dangerously, he leaned even closer, expecting Lin to scream in fright at his attempt to throw her off the edge. Despite this, Kai took the moment to wrap his own tongue with hers, dancing in a slow and sensual way. Meanwhile, another hand of his trailed down to her thigh, caressing it gently before hooking his hand under her knee, pulling it up to his hip. This action caused Lin to tip back even more, but Kai could care less as his body moved closer to hers.

Grinding his crotch between her legs, Kai groaned at the sensation and the taste he slurped from Lin's mouth. His hand on her jaw slowly moved to her neck, holding it firmly as he devoured her mouth in carnal hunger.

How he wanted to bite her tongue at this point, but it was too risky for she was human and he was not. Just a single bite from him could immediately kill the person in his arms, and while Kai could care less about human lives, Lin was strangely important to him. A weak soul he believes deserves to live, for the moment she stepped into his life and wormed her way through his heart, Lin was his property to own.

He was both the cage and the bird in this situation.

To have someone... and to be owned by someone...

It was the greatest wish Kai has for himself, one that didn't involve his brother surprisingly. A selfish wish he hoped Lin would be able to grant him.

Tightening his hold around her neck, Kai wanted more. Her taste, her scent, everything... he wanted Lin more. He wanted to be greedy, hungrier, just like the demon that lived within him. He wanted to devour everything. Her mind, her body, and most importantly her heart and soul. He wanted it all to be his and his alone.

He wanted to create a mark, and thus his grip around her neck and on her thigh grew harsher that he swore to bruise her body enough for it to lasts a few days and by then, he'll mark her once more. He'll do it, over and over again...

His one and only prey...

May she forever be his to devour...

Rubbing his clothed member against her womanhood, Kai moaned into the wet kiss they shared together.

With a flushed face and his eyes glowing bright, Kai retreated from her mouth, a thin line of saliva connected their recent arousal. Nonetheless, his continuous self-pleasure didn't stop itself from getting off Lin's body. Instead, the snake simply smirked, taunting his prey as he spoke.

"What a slut..."

[the-breath-in-air]

Fixing "Boy Erased" (2018)

I recently decided to watch Boy Erased (2018) again, now that we're a couple years out from its initial release (and hype). And I came away with some thoughts.

First, something I think worked. You know that scene near the end, when Jared (Lucas Hedges) is trying to leave the conversion camp and he's racing through corridors and whatnot. That whole sequence works, but there's one moment that really stands out.

Jared attempts to get his phone and Michael (one of the 'camp counselors') tries to physically wrestle it away from him. There's a bit of a fight but eventually Jared makes his way to the bathroom and he calls his mom to come take him away. He then emerges from the bathroom and says to Victor Sykes (who runs the camp), "If you, or anyone else puts their hands on me, I have witnesses." Victor puts up his hands and says, "Nobody's gonna put their hands on you. Why would anybody do that? Come and sit. We're gonna wait for your mom, okay?" Then there's a hard cut to this:

Victor Sykes and Brandon literally laying their hands on Jared and praying. And I love that juxtaposition because it brings to light the violence inherent in this situation. They're restraining him through enforced religious acts. There's violence in this prayer.

And on top of that, it serves as a pretty good metaphor for the whole film. Jared's parents (especially his mother) believe they're helping but really they're hurting. They can't see the violence of their actions in sending him to the camp.

If only the rest of the film was working on this level.

Problem the first: Audience as observer. The film is really about observing its subject, Jared, as he experiences these events. But it isn't about giving us any insight into his perspective or interiority as he does so. The camera is looking at Jared more often that it is revealing to us what he's seeing. Perhaps the most obvious example of this issue is with the perfume ad scene. Jared is on a run and he comes across a perfume ad on the side of a bus stop with a bare chested buff guy. The camera shows us the ad, and then the rest of the scene has the camera (and thus, the audience) placed some distance away as we see Jared first touch the ad, then throw a rock at the ad, and then scream "fuck you" at it repeatedly. The ad itself isn't salacious enough to illicit that kind of response in the average audience-goer, and the camera is so disconnected from Jared's experience that we aren't really gaining insight into why this ad is affecting him in such a strong way. It ends up making it so that scene really does not work.

This isn't to critique Lucas Hedges's performance in that scene. It's more to say that all the other elements of that scene make it feel ridiculous - because the audience has not been guided toward viewing that ad in the same way that Jared does in that moment.

The second problem: Casting. To be absolutely clear, this is not a knock against any of the actors performances. On the contrary, I think everyone was pretty dang exceptional. Rather, it's more a conversation about casting choices. Two of those choices really stand out as somewhat misguided: Xavier Dolan as Jon and Emily Hinkler as Lee.

Turns out Emily Hinkler is a nonbinary actress. Lee (the character) is a cis guy who is conspicuously unmasculine. (If you've seen the movie - he's the one who gets hit in the head with a baseball). Casting a nonbinary actress as a cis boy at a conversion camp feels a bit off on it's own in that a conversion camp would be forcing people to adhere to assigned genders at birth. But I could get behind it as a sort of statement, like, a casting decision as direct opposition to the enforced gender binary of a conversion camp. i.e. Why should the movie adhere to the oppressive gender binary that the camp would? However, by casting a nonbinary actress as the least conventionally masculine character - it actually feels like it ends up reinforcing the binary. Lee's defining trait is that he's small and unmanly and, afaik, he's the only one of the male characters who is not portrayed by a cis man.

My issue with Xavier Dolan's casting is much simpler: Jon feels like he was written as a teenager and Xavier Dolan was approaching 30 when this was filmed. Maybe it wouldn't have bugged me so much if I didn't already know who Xavier Dolan was when watching the movie? Like, maybe if you watch it without knowing the actor's age, it works better? But also, the character feels like a teen but isn't explicitly stated to be a teen. So whenever he was on screen I kept wondering if actually part of Jon's situation is meant to be that he is 30 but stuck in a sort-of adolescence due to his relationship with his abusive father. Or did they just cast Xavier Dolan to portray a teenager?

This brings me to the third problem: Not enough of the ensemble. Jared, and thus the audience, spends proportionally, little screen time with the other people at the camp. They are rarely shown talking to each other - especially outside the restrictive observation of the camp's 'counselors.' This could be part of the point - i.e. that the camp is so isolating - but that isolation wasn't really highlighted by the camera/scenes/dialogue...so it really feels more like it's just an oversight. The movie focuses on Jared and his individual story and so the rest just fell by the wayside.

This is really unfortunate because there are some (potentially) great characters in there, especially Jon and Gary. Jon went through the program once before and is now back for a second time. We don't know what happened to make him come back. He appears to be 30-ish but he's staying at a hotel with his abusive father. He is completely invested in the program and treats his sexuality like an addiction. He has even taken it upon himself to forego all physical contact with other men (not even a handshake). His self-loathing is at once horrifying and heartbreaking.

In contrast, Gary (Troye Sivan) knows the entire program is bullshit, but he's playing along for his own survival. He's over 18; he lived with his boyfriend for a year prior to coming to the camp. So that begs the question of how his family convinced him to enter to the program. Also, Gary's so invested in his own survival, that he stays silent and is complacent in the abuse and violence he witnesses against others in the camp. He is both a victim and a bystander (at times).

I think this film would've really benefited from spending more time with these characters (as well as Sarah, portrayed by Jesse LaTourette, and Cameron, portrayed by Britton Sear) in the camp and seeing how they all interacted with each other. Give us a sense of their different contexts and perspectives - and give us a better sense of the ways that conversion camps disempower the people sent there (even people like Gary, who knows it's bullshit). It's the thing that makes all the other movies about conversion camps work so well.

Which brings us to the fourth problem: the ending. If we spend more time with the ensemble, we'd either end up with a really long movie or we'd have to cut out something else. Well, folks, we can cut about 10 minutes off the end. Everything after the dinner Jared has with his mother post-escape can go. The climax of the film is when Jared finally decides to leave the camp. The resolution comes when his mother places herself in opposition to Jared's father (which she had never done before) and decides that she's going to take Jared home. And the emotional resolution comes when she admits to Jared that they made a mistake and that they harmed him by sending him to the camp.

Everything after that is extraneous. We don't really need to see Jared living in a city with a boyfriend, or see him begin to reconcile with his father. His relationship with his father was never the emotional core for the film. Boy Erased is, in some ways, a movie about self-actualization and that's the sort of movie that's best to end with something a bit open-ended. Y'know...a sort of end-that's-just-the-beginning kind of thing. Because the story of Jared falling in love and dating and moving out and gaining the self-confidence to confront his father - well that's a whole other movie. And here it gets shoved into the epilogue, which does the whole thing a real disservice.

Then there are the informational cards at the end. Two stick out as being particularly frustrating. One, "The real Victor Sykes left L.I.A. in 2008. He now lives in Texas, with his husband," feels irrelevant and unnecessary. The audience cares about what happened to Gerrard Conley (who wrote the story and whom Jared is based off of). But why do we care about what happened to the real guy who ran the camp? We don't...except for the jab about him now being married to a man - which feels like it's a more significant point for the cis straight people in the audience than for anyone queer. Turns-out-ex-gay-pastor-was-actually-just-gay-the-whole-time is not revelatory, I gotta say.

Then there's also this:

The emphasis about conversion therapy "practiced on minors," feels a bit disconnected from the film we just watched - which emphasized how abusive and traumatizing it is, even for adults. And in the U.S., all states currently legally allow conversion therapy for anyone 18+. Only Washington D.C. has banned it. And that, to me, is equally egregious, yet it isn't mentioned. The film itself challenges the notion that it's somehow okay for this to be practiced on adults because it's ostensibly their "choice," and then the info cards at the end shy away from that stance by focusing on kids.

I think the thing I find most frustrating about this movie, is the wasted potential. As I said at the beginning of this, there are some moments that really stand out in how they use the medium to convey meaning. There are some choices in how the film uses light and brightness (or lack thereof), that are pretty dang good, too. But ultimately, it's a film I feel so detached from and I think some of what I explained above is part of why.

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Live one' : New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out !

"Live one"

"What I have done here ?"

Chapter Summary : The days in West-Berlin are over as Yirina want to hope and she could finally spend some time with Park, Zasha & Portnova away from work after coming back to London....

To read it on AO3, click here !

Words : +3100

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

This call, it has to be done but I didn't expect at all the revelations that Freya did to me...she was there the day I was left for dead in 1981 and I was surprised of it because I didn't remember of it....how it is possible ? I had flashs of what happened in my head that day but I never saw Freya in those little flashs and the last time I got one of them was like...3 years ago. I think that with that news in head, I will maybe soon have some of them back, even the whole memory in this entirety.

Anyway, it was done and then, me & Park got away from the phonebooth to join our car and to finally leave this place to get to the airport where an plane were waiting for us to fly away for good, I hope from West-Berlin to return to London especially, like Park said, to have some rest and awaiting for our new orders to come in even if we both know that we're going to join Woods's team to track down Adler and save him from Perseus, that's the only thing right now that everyone had against Perseus : save an CIA agent.....

We arrived in London at the beginning of the evening and then, we were going to get to Century House, putting our things at Park's office, including my father's belongings. After we were done, we decided to pay an visit to Zasha & Portnova's place as they were both living now at where Zasha lived for 3 years. They invited us to dinner and it was very good to say, having finally an real friendly moment, without thinking of our actual work, to have our minds cleaned up and to think about ourselves ... just that....

"So..." Zasha started to speak as we were just finished to have our coffee at the end of the dinner, in the middle of night...almost midnight to say. "I heard that I'm starting tomorrow at Century House." They continued, sitting comfy on the couch as we moved away from the dinner table.

"Exactly." I breathed, looking at Park as she was the one to know better about it.

"We will come here to get you to the MI6 and be sure that you're well prepared." Park exclaimed, sounding serious, pointing her left index finder to them. "I hope that you have an suit."

"Of course, I heard of the MI6 dresscode !" Zasha scoffed as Portnova was sitting next to them, looking at them with lovely eyes. "Got some classy for that."

"An skirt ?" I whispered, making them laugh.

"Fuck off." They said in an funny tone and we all laugh about it. I know exactly the liking of Zasha on clothes and skirt...they doesn't love them....like me. "An normal suit with pants, an shirt and a tie and it's all good !" They added, sure of it.

"Yeah but don't have me make your tie as an emergency." ¨Portnova joked about that, joining her hands with Zasha's ones.

"No, you're doing it well." Zasha expressed, sounding also pleading to Portnova...making some puppy eyes to her, it was so charming. "Anyway, let's not talk about the dresscode and more about the job." They scratched the back of their head, freeing one of their hands to do it. "Can you tell me about it ?" They asked to Park.

"Well, you will be helping our cryptography section, decrypting & encrypting and also intercepting any unusuals communications." Park replied, getting herself well in the couch, sit just next to me. "It will maybe be hard at the beginning but I'm sure that you will do it." She affirmed.

"That's the same thing I heard when I joined the KGB." Zasha stated, looking at me.

"Except that in here, we're making the good, Zed." I told them with an clear voice, feeling the truth in it. "The MI6 isn't like the KGB." I added and I looked at Park who got narrowed eyes to me. "I mean...well, you understand what I meaned ?"

"Yeah, sure, I know that." They answered, reassuring me and also Park, realizing that I was talking good about the MI6.

"And what about you, Portnova ?" I demanded to her as she was going to work soon at the University of London.

"As I heard, I will be starting in 2 days." She breathed, scratching her nose.

"I hope that you will not put some fear inside your new students." I said and she rolled her eyes around.

"Of course, it's not because I'm an ex-KGB agent that I will do that." She explained in an serious tone, recalling that days earlier, she was still KGB....and Perseus. "I will go slow with them, I'm not going to brutalize them." She added.

"We'll see that." Zasha whispered in an low voice to me, hoping that I will be the only one to heard them, until Portnova nudged them in an lovely way at their shoulder. "Ouch....I'm sorry, love."

"You better be !" Portnova pointed at them before she smiled at them and then to give them an quick kiss on their lips. "I like how you're looking now, Zeze." She affirmed after the kiss, seeing Zasha's face looking good.

"Thank you, Yiri." They thanked her, the two having their hands together while me & Park were looking at them, smiling as they were finally close & together again after 3 long years. I looked at Park with an big smile, also thinking about ourselves too, hoping that we could be like them too....living away from everything....

"Oh, I didn't see the time." Park exclaimed, breaking me away from my thoughts, checking her watch to see that we were almost a midnight. "I'm sorry but I think that we will have to go." She added, slowly getting up from the couch as I also followed her in her moves.

"You sure you don't want to stay ?" Zasha asked, seeing us standing up.

"No, don't worry, Zasha, it's better that you enjoy to be with Portnova alone." I admitted to them as we didn't want to be too invasive in here, we just wanted to know how they were right now. Me & Park then got our jackets back from the seats we used during dinner. "I assure you, it's good." I told them, gently refusing their proposal as I was putting my jacket on.

"Well, it's seems that I can't stop you both." They breathed, starting to get up from their couch with Portnova to walk next to us. "Anyway, we're good."

"Okay." Park said as she was finished to have her jacket on and we were ready to go but before leaving, we didn't forget signs of politeness towards them and then, Zasha opened the front door for us. "Don't be late tomorrow !" Park ordered as she was stepping out of the apartment.

"And don't forget your suit !" I added to Park's statement, making everyone laugh before I got out too, seeing Zasha & Portnova, standing by the door. "Good night to both of you."

"Good night too, Yirina & you too, Park." The two said in unison to us before they slowly closed the door, leaving us in the hallway and without losing any seconds, we start to slowly walk away.

"Now, I'm wondering of something..." I started as we were going downstairs to leave the apartment complex. "Where are we actually sleeping ?" I questioned Park, getting out of the building. It's true that she was the one to know where we were going to sleep to be honest.

"Let's just say that I reserved an hotel room not so far from Century House." She responded to me, wrapping her left arm around my right one, like an couple, walking on the London's sidewalk in the middle of the night. "I think that you didn't want to sleep in the car that is in the underground parking of the building." She stated as now that we know that Zasha was living not far from the MI6 HQ, we did go to their place by walk.

"Oh no, we've been sleeping in an car for almost an week." I told her as we start to leave the place for good. "I hope the bed is comfortable." I whispered to myself as we were continuing to walk around.

Instead of going directly to the hotel that Park talked about, we decide firstly to make an little walk next to the Thames, admiring the view...and the beauty of the english capital, I never saw the city like this and it was very beautiful. To say that I'm russian AND british...it's making me happy to feel free for the moment, knowing that we could get called at any moment but not now as everything related to work are at Park's office at Century House, even our own guns.

After an while and not wanting to catch an cold as it was little freezing outside, we preferred at one moment to finally get to our original destination that is the hotel Park got us an room....only for us. Like she said, it wasn't that far from our place of work, just next to the Thames. When we entered our room after we got the keys, I was astonished to see that we had an perfect view for the city but the first thing I did when I entered was to remove my jacket and to jump inside the bed, gently because of my wound.

"Seems that someone is impatient to go to sleep." Park exclaimed as she saw me getting into bed.

"Yes...I'm pretty tired right now." I told her, taking the occasion that I'm in bed to remove my pants away and throwing it on the chair that wasn't so far from the bed. "It's been an long day, to say."

"I know." She smiled at me as she was slowly removing her clothes and me to look at her in an lovely way, she was so beautiful. After she was finished to get off her pants and jackets, she start to get on the bed, looking at me. "What ? You didn't put your eyes off me." She said as I was blushing as hell to her.

"I'm been very cheeky, Park." I replied, proud of saying it, knowing that she was teasing me. "I don't think that we're going to do this to be honest." I added, sounding an bit sad and looking at my shoulder. "You know, with that and also to take time about this."

"I understand." Park whispered to me as she got herself under the blanket, doing the same for me. She closed the light of the room before she got her hands on my chest...her both ones. "We will take time, don't worry." She affirmed, seeing her eyes through the darkness of the room thanks to the city lights.

"I'm sorry again, I will say it a lot but I'm sorry." I snorted and I could feel an tear on my face, sounding so sad right now, still thinking about it....it will never leave me...never....

"It's okay, don't cry, Yiri." Park said, moving her right hand on my face, having sensed that I had an tear on my face. "Don't cry...I'm here." She continued silently.

"I'm sorry." I repeated again before she got herself close to me, leaving no space between us and getting her arms around me. "Forgive me."

"You're forgiven, it's okay." She affirmed as she move her head to kiss me on the forehead, wanting me to sleep in peace. "I love you, Yirina, always will be." She added.

"Me too, Park, I love you...to the end." I breathed silently as the silence was taking over the room and leaving us to go to sleep in peace like she said.....I just need some rest...

I'm opening my eyes to reveal myself back into an car, wearing an Perseus uniform and an hood....this day...I'm reliving it.....It was sure that I was going to see it again but now, it will be fully and to better understand what really happened that day for me. I was reviewing an encrypted file, the one I had decrypted in my hands as we were going to the Trabzon Airport with Arash Kadivar at my right, looking outside.

By looking at the file, I could see that I did encrypt this, allowing me to be the only one that could decrypt it entirely, not even the Perseus Collective could do it without me or anyone else experienced in cryptography. Once I was finished to look at it, I take an last look outside before closing the file in my hands.

"Here's the file." I sighed, handing the file to Arash himself.

"Good." He said, taking the file in his hands to take an look too in it and on his face, I could see that he wasn't understanding an thing about what was inside. "Nice work, Grigoriev."

"That's sarcastic ?" I asked him rhetorically, knowing well that he would say yes to me.

"Of course it is." He affirmed proudly, still examinating the file in his hands. "Now that I know perfectly of who you are."

"What do you mean ?" I demanded, getting curious at this as the driver of the car was peaking his head sometimes through the mirror to look at us but he met Arash's eyes, making him stop what he did to stay focused on the road.

"At first, we will go to Duga where we're going to dispose of Perseus, then to Solovetsky." He told me, not even answering my question before he closed the file, putting it between us. "Thanksfully, you will not be there for that." He added before looking at me seriously. "Don't bullshit me, Grigoriev, I know what you did."

"And what did I do ?" I questioned him.

"I know that you tipped off the CIA about Javadi !" He replied, sounding very normal to me and at this, I start to get my right hand ready in case. "Your call you did two days ago wasn't so secured, I know that very well." He continued, making my eyes go wide....I was the one who launched the CIA on Perseus again.....I couldn't back down anymore to him.

"Yes, I did." I confessed, sounding proud as the driver was still focused on the road, peaking his eyes to look at me. "It was the only way."

"You're an disgrace but adding to this, you're proud of it." He said, shaking his head. "He raised you and look at what you're doing !"

"Say the one who is planning to get rid of him." I scoffed about as the car was arriving at it destination.

"You know well that it will go bad for you." Arash affirmed as the car stop near an cargo plane until Arash was the only one to get out, both knowing that he was going to end badly. "Perseus did see you highly....but not anymore !" He then drawed his gun from his holstler by surprise

I couldn't reach my own gun that I was immediately hit by three bullets : one on my right kidney, one on my right chest and the last one almost touching my left lung but he didn't stop at me as he also shot down the driver, killing him instantly as for me....I was still alive but badly wounded, feeling so weak as I could see Arash, starting to get away from the car until then....some loud gunshots could be heard around the place but I couldn't watch the scene, my eyes were narrowing so much that I couldn't see an thing perfectly.

At one moment, the gunshots were no longer audible and I start to feel the taste of the blood in my mouth, getting some blood in the inside of the my hood. It was only right now that I managed to retrieve some strengh in me, getting my pistol in my right hand before I could get out of the car, slowly and to walk...step by step and not going too far from the car, firying some bullets in the direction of where the plane goes until.....

"Yirina !" An feminine voice came behind me and the first thing I did was to quickly turn around to aim at this person.

"Fre....Freya ?" I breathed, feeling the pain of the gunshot I received in me. "What are you...doing here ?" I demanded in an low voice, still aiming at her.

"I...I was coming by, obeying to Perseus orders, he asked me to protect you." She replied, seeing me badly in shape and by seeing the wounds, she panicked. "No...Arash shot you."

"Don't approach me !" I ordered her as she was approaching me slowly, getting me to aim at her again.

"Yirina, you're wounded." She exclaimed, worried as hell.

"And....what ?"  I chuckled, knowing well of what she has done to me. "Suddenly...you...you're worried about me ? Have you ever been ?" I demanded her and without responding to my question, I shook my head meaning that I know her answer in advance. "I'm going to die but....let me do it in peace."

"Yiri...."

"Don't...don't fucking call me Yiri." I yelled with my strengh that was remaining as I start to slowly walk back to get to the car, giving the last part of my strengh in those moves and once I was sit, I couldn't move anymore, feeling paralyzed. "Go...go live your life, you don't want to be around." I stated, taking an deep breath, struggling to slowly die peacefully.

"Yiri...I can't." She told me back but I couldn't raise my voice anymore, not moving...by that, my pistol fell on the car's floor. "I'm sorry..." She then start to move to get to my right hand.

"What are you doing ?" I asked worried.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this." She responded as she was removing my ring....my mother's ring from my hand.

"Freya, give me...give me back my ring !" I ordered before I realized that my voice was going lower & lower. "Freya !"

"I'm sorry !" She whispered, taking my ring with her and then, she gave me an last kiss on the forehead, hidden by my hood before she start to walk away, closing the door and leaving me alone.

"Freya....my ring..." I whispered to myself in the lowest voice I could do.

I wasn't moving an inch of my body, still moving my head an little and looking at my hand that was now without my mother's ring, it was making me plead to end things more faster but....my gun was already on the floor and I couldn't move my hands. My eyes were slowly narrowing themselves, meaning that it was going to be the end of me...that my time has come and I tried to make an stand.....

"Mason, Woods, you're checking the bodies, I'm checking that truck !" I could hear an muffled voice near the car, 2 minutes after Freya was gone until I see someone wearing an green jacket arriving near my door....and he saw me moving my head, getting him to open the door....Russell Adler....

"Mason, Woods, we've got an live one !"