#Theo: haha no. of course not. Food looks good though right?.... right?

[typinggently]

Boreo catching each other up on some shows and films they watched while apart - I'm imagining this conversation takes place in a hotel suite, overlooking a night-glittering street. Theo doesn't like having Boris around at his this late at night, Hobie might be too understanding about it, and since Boris always suggests hotels and Theo isn't going to invite himself over to his place (if it exists), that's where they end up. Smooth darkness, unfamiliar furniture, city lights glittering in two or three bottles. Portishead, which Theo doesn't really get, but he's not that good at taking a hint, All Mine. You have to be- I can imagine Boris looking very beautiful to Portishead, on that note. The molasses-sweet darkness, the velvet of it, the simmering beat and the occasional shrill electricity. Purring, glittering, sharp eroticism. It suits his too-bright eyes, the sharp lines of his face, the thrumming pulse under warm skin, long throat. And of course I can imagine him thinking Theo would look gorgeous to Portishead. Slightly hazy, smoke and a soft mouth, downpulled. Shimmer in his hair, in his glasses. Nervous hands, first few buttons of his shirt undone. Where was I?

Catching up, right. This is 2014, so of course Hannibal is fresh on the market (2013) and Boris nods solemnly, "very fun. Very sexy show, good food. 👌" And Theo has to close his eyes for a second, take off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. God, finally. That's what he's been saying for AGES.

[ellstersmash]

the same thing

Fandom: The Wayhaven Chronicles Pairing: Mason x Theo West Rating: M (sexual content, FTB) Words: 1,455 [read on Ao3]

mason and theo talk about feelings. haha jk... unless??

-

He slept over again.

Not on purpose, of course. It just happened. But it sure seems like it’s been just happening more and more often lately. Another new habit, he figures. No big deal. Besides, his own room may be more comfortable—the mattress and the colors and the smells and the quiet all far more to his liking—but waking up here does come with one incredible perk.

Mason turns his shirt right-side-out and tugs it on, eyes drawn to the seam Theo had torn open last night in her haste to get the thing off him.

“Sorry about that,” she croaks out, her voice gone all raspy from a few hours' disuse—though overuse is just as likely a culprit, if his memories of the previous evening can be trusted.

He takes in the sight of her stretched out unceremoniously on her bed with the early morning sun behind her. Even dulled by the curtains it makes her hair glow a sort of rose gold, and she hasn't been awake long enough to smooth it back or to arrange herself temptingly around the sheets—a fact that pleases Mason. She's fucking perfect like this.

Hell, stick her in a museum right up with all those old paintings, and he might let Nate drag him along once in a while. Might even do the dragging.

“No, you're not,” he says.

In lieu of a rebuttal she flashes him a cheeky grin and stretches. Sits up on her elbows then all the way up to watch him dress, rubbing her eyes and gathering the duvet up to her chest.

“You know, you could uh… leave a change of clothes here. I guess.” She frowns deeply and looks away as her words trail off. “If you want to.”

“Hard to resist such an enthusiastic offer.”

“Well it's so cliché.” She smacks her hands onto the bed in frustration. “It sounds like a whole big thing, and that's not what I— I'm not— I mean if you’re going to— Ah, shit.”

Mason raises an eyebrow at her, waiting while she collects her apparently complicated thoughts on the subject. The subject she brought up in the first place.

At last, Theo huffs. “It's practical.”

“Oh yeah? How so?”

A lightness breaks through the frown still carved into her brow as she shrugs and says, “Just trying to save you the walk of shame. Because I’m nice like that.”

Mason smirks. “Oh sweetheart, I am so far from ashamed of what we do here. Thanks for looking out for my reputation, though.”

“Hey, it is impossible to get stains out of those things.” She starts off teasing, but gives a heavy sigh. “Trust me.”

The way her expression falters has Mason wondering if she speaks from experience, but before he can ask about it, a thought occurs to him—along with an entirely different question. It’s one he's never needed answered before, but now it makes his heart thud uncomfortably inside his chest.

“Theo,” he begins, voice calm but less detached than he’d like. “Are you ashamed?”

“What?” Theo’s eyes go wide in genuine surprise and she scrambles to her feet to close the gap between them, catching a toe in the sheets and nearly tripping in the process. Her hands slide onto his ribs and settle on his waist. “Of y— of this? No! God, M, no. Why would you ask that?”

If she wants an answer, he's screwed because he doesn’t have a good one. Anyone else, any other encounter, and he wouldn’t give a damn how they felt about it. Never has before. They want to be embarrassed that’s their shit, not his.

She is one of them now, though. Part of the team. A friend, and he’s never done this with a friend before. And like Nate said, she'll be sticking around. Only makes sense to want her not to regret it, not to make it awkward later on, not to cause tension with the others.

Yeah. Explains a lot, really.

Mason nods, satisfied, as his hands meet her warm bare skin. “Just had to make sure.”

Theo sighs and melts into the touch. “I should never have made the stupid offer. Forget I asked.”

“It's a little domestic for us, anyway.” Mason lets his gaze drift gently down the curves of her naked body. The scent of human food is creeping in from some other apartment, but it’s not so bad when she’s this near, smelling like… well, like her. Her pulse begins to pound in his ears, and by the time he makes it back up to her face, it bears an expression so heated it makes his breath catch.

“Way too domestic,” she whispers, swaying almost imperceptibly.

“Wouldn't want the neighbors to get the wrong impression.”

“Exactly.”

He skims the back of his fingers along her collarbone and up the side of her neck, then clenches his fist into her hair and soaks up the way she shivers with pleasure. “On the other hand,” he says, pulling gently to tilt her head back, “a change of clothes could be practical for other reasons.”

Theo hums in question and he dips his head low to whisper in her ear.

“Imagine how creative we could be if we didn't have to worry about your clothes or mine.”

When his lips meet her pulse point she arches into him with a shuddery breath. “Consider me convinced.”

Mason smiles into her skin. “It was your idea.”

“Right, right.” She waves one hand dismissively in the air before it joins the other in attempting to undo his morning’s work. “Course it was.”

Then she retreats to give him a stern look and a strict finger. “But to reiterate, this is purely a functional arrangement.”

She’s at least partly joking but he doesn’t have the patience for it right now. He wants her to focus on his shirt so he doesn't have to take over. Then he can take her back to bed and find out how hoarse her voice can get.

Maybe make her lose it entirely.

“Agreed,” and he cups her breast, brushing the pad of his thumb over the peaked nipple. The moan she bites her lip to muffle is a good start.

“I mean it.” With Mason’s encouragement, Theo manages to tug his shirt off again—more carefully than the last time—before her hands drag down his chest and abdomen. “Don't you go catching feelings for me.” Her nose wrinkles at the word even as her fingers work loose the top button of his jeans. “Dirty little things.”

“No kidding. You kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“Not since I turned seven.” She giggles alone at her own glum joke, then looks up at him through her lashes and draws her lower lip between her teeth. “I'll tell you what I would kiss with it though…”

A growl escapes him at the suggestion. He’s been half hard since she first laid her hands on him and the warmth currently spreading up toward his stomach is only intensifying. “Actions speak louder than words, sweetheart.”

“Good point.”

In one smooth movement that has his attention fixed, Theo wraps her arms around his neck and tilts her head up to his—but her lips stop just shy of his own. Mason relishes the anticipation. Lets her stretch it out as long as she wants, for once welcoming the wash of sensations: the warmth she radiates, the achingly slow circles she traces on his spine, the caress of her thumb in the rough stubble on his jaw, the smell of sweat and arousal and the perfume she wore yesterday, the dissonant flutters of their heartbeats, and the spark in her eyes as the sun catches on the blue.

Finally, finally she kisses him, but it’s only the lightest press of her lips before the tip of her nose drags along his. She leaves another there, just as gentle as the first. One more at the top of his cheek, brushing against his eyelashes, and it’s not at all what he expected. Not what he thought he wanted, but—

Better somehow.

Mason swallows hard. Wants to speak, to say something that might shove off the weight of all that tenderness, but before he has the chance, she captures his lips again. Maybe she knows what he’s thinking or maybe she’s thinking the same thing. Doesn’t matter; the urgency in it has his mind back on the right track.

The slightest pressure at the back of her thighs and she clings tight to let him lift her, wraps her legs around his waist, and peppers soft hungry kisses wherever she can reach as he walks them back to bed.

[dreamscapesin1582]

[ d-2 ] gezellig

prompt: theo and mc (fluff day)

tagging: @delicateikemenmemes​

…She found herself waking up alone in Theo’s bed.

She shot up, worry washing over her, remembering how troubled he was last night. Just as she was about to pull the blanket away, the door opened with him carrying over a tray.

“Ah, schijt. You’re awake.”

“Theo!” She breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, you just got breakfast.”

Well, there goes the element of surprise.

“This is yours.” He nonchalantly replied as he approached to hand it over. Her eyes sparkled with delight at the smell of freshly cooked pancakes. “What? Too happy?”

“Breakfast in bed! I never imagined having it with you… though I may expected the pancakes part.”

“Wow. That was really honest of you.”

She giggled cheekily. Theo only shook his head as he sat by the edge while she happily munched on the pancake stack he prepared just for her. He pondered on her innocent words, coming to a realization that maybe—

“Theo, say ah.” She started, as he turned to find her thrusting a forkful of golden brown fluff at his direction.

“Treating me like a kid now, hondje?” The young woman could only laugh at his complaint. His shoulders slumped as he yielded and reluctantly opened his mouth for her to feed him.  

It tickled his taste buds that he momentarily forgot he was the one who cooked it. She gave another mellifluous laugh. “We can share.”

And if not for the unfeigned glee that glossed over her lovely eyes as she said so, he would have refused. She let Theo cut it for them as they began feeding one another. Laughter kept spilling out of her lips as a mirthful blush dusted the apples of her cheeks. Looking at it, Theo thought he was watching the break of dawn… but better.

“That was wonderful. Thank you, Theo.”

“Aren’t you forgetting to say something else?”

“Hmm? Like what?” She inquired, blinking innocently at him.

“I’ll give you three seconds to think about it.” Theo flashed a smirk, as the bed creaked when he leaned closer. She only stared helplessly at the mischief in his narrowed eyes. “No answer? Then I’ll take it as it is.”

“Mmm…” Her eyes naturally drew to a close as a shadow fell over her face and merged with her silhouette, the sweetest kiss touched with honey. Warmth engulfed her chest like a pleasant tide, and her eyes fluttered open to find the most beautiful fragments of the sea staring back at her.

“Good morning, hondje.”

Apparently, it was one of Theo’s rare breaks from work today. With nothing to do, Theo was at a loss. He did join his lover in bed, cuddling and conversing, but at some point he couldn’t help locking his eyes on the many paintings that hung on his room. And of course, it wouldn’t slip away from her attention.

“…Theo, would you like to go to a gallery?”

“Huh?” With an arm wrapped around her petite shoulders, he glanced down at her. “We’ve visited almost every gallery we could in Paris. Don’t tell me that’s not enough for you?”

“You mean you.” She pouted as she shifted her body and snuggled even closer to his side. She caught his hand and suddenly fiddled with it. “You can’t stop thinking about work, right?”

Oh, no. “N-No, I—”

“Oh, I know!” She suddenly jumped before he could deny anything. With bright eyes, she got off the bed. “Wait for me here.”

And a moment later, she came back with her purse. The one she carried with her on the modern day. Theo silently watched her as she sat on the edge of the bed and eventually fished out a rectangular… device.

“What’s that?” He leaned forward to take a look as she grinned.

“My very own gallery!”

She did something and suddenly it lit up, catching Theo’s eyes. With a triumphant smile, she went back to her place at his side as she began tapping her fingers on her supposed gallery.

“It’s… moving.” He muttered as he watched her like a child eager to hear about a fairytale. “Hondje, there’s so many things going on in that little thing.”

“I know, right?” She replied. “I can’t believe it survived.”

Well, ever since she had accepted being stuck at the 19th century in a mansion full of vampires, she had decided to save the power of her phone. Fortunately, since it had been forgotten and all, it survived at 60% battery.

“Anyways, when I said gallery, I was talking about photos.”

She turned the screen at his direction for him to see. He narrowed his eyes. “Is that you?”

It’s a lot of her. And some had other people with her, while some are just pictures of the skies, the seas, sceneries she saw during her travels.

“This is…” He was so fixated with what he was seeing that he reached out to take a hold of it. “These are so small. I can’t see them clearly.”

“Oh, you can view it.” She tapped again and the photo zoomed in all of a sudden. Theo let out an amused noise, and with that, she also taught him that he could look through everything by swiping his finger either left or right. And he did, taking his time eyeing every picture. “Haha, Theo. Stop criticizing!”

“Who said I was?”

“You had that look on you like the one you always have when you’re looking at art.”

“…Because I am looking at one.”

That response wasn’t what she expected. Her cheeks burned as she covered her face with her hands. “Y-You…”

“That got you to blush? You’re so easy to please.” It was his turn to chuckle at the sight of her lips puffed like that as he turned back to the phone. But after a few swipes, he almost gasped. “H-Hondje…”

It was, in fact, a literal hondje. “That’s my friend’s puppy. She’s such a cutie, isn’t she? She could curl like a little fluff ball on my hands.”

She was aware of his love for dogs. It was worth it to see his usually sharp eyes gain an innocent sparkle on them, and especially due to something cute like a picture of a small snow-white Pomeranian.

And both of them spent the day like that, just snuggled on the comforts of his bed while browsing through her handy “gallery”. He inquired about the context of almost every photo, and she eagerly told him about the stories of her life.

At some point, she fell asleep while leaning against his shoulder. Sighing, Theo moved his arm to wrap around her shoulders once again, placing his cheek on the top of her head. And with his other hand, Theo scrolled through every photo once more, like beholding the life of his lover from before they even met. She still had the prettiest smile, with clothes and food she was used to and places she had known most of her life.

She looks alive.

He unconsciously gripped her tighter, the hand holding the phone dropping on his lap. And as if that wasn’t enough, he gently moved to place a kiss on her crown.  

“I’ll make sure to make you happier.” He murmured. “…so you won’t have to regret being with me then.”

“…But I don’t regret being with you.”

A soft whisper answered back. He gave a small grunt when she placed her hand atop his, the one holding her tight.

“I like being with you, you know.” With half-lidded eyes, the pad of her thumb caressed his hand. And he was filled with a sense of calm, as if her devotion spilled on her feather-like touch. “I’m already happy, being able to be here, right now.”  

“…But don’t you miss home?” Theo wasn’t a good art dealer for nothing. He had a good eye for things that are hardly noticeable, and because of that he caught on to the nuances of her face, each time she took the trip down memory lane.

“I do.” She said, cutting through his heart like a dagger. “But—“

Her lithe arms shifted to envelop him, and with the silliest, sleepiest smile, she said, “I also found a home by your side.”

“I don’t think I could go back to that life without you.”

Theo never liked flowery words. He believed it was all to please people, and yet when she utters them, it feels so genuine.

“…Look at you. You’re so attached to me.” But Theo went to lean his forehead against hers. A victorious grin crept up his lips as he stared at her, the most precious masterpiece, and his greatest treasure. “What a good hondje…”

“How would you like to be rewarded?”

[iconsumeheadcanons]

hello, for the WIP game.... "fanfic in my google docs? its more likely than you :/" and "theater food" :)

bro...bro..BRO you are getting large chucks of these bc im not sure if these will be finished/posted anytime soon..<3 ive gotten a lot of love today thank u so muchhh asldkfjaslkdfj i hope u enjoy!! here is all of ‘theater food’ and half of the first one

fanfic in my google docs? its more likely than you think :/

May 30th - 16:33 - Afterschool

Ren was still in the middle of hastily reading Futaba’s texts from hours ago when he opened the door to his family home and found his mother pacing in the genkan.

“...Mom, wha-?”

“I got a call from your school,” she says instead of hello. Ren freezes. Mona shifts in his bag. There’s silence for a second too long, but his mother quickly catches his tense posture and readjusts her approach. There haven’t been any arguments in a week and she doesn’t want to make this a new one.

“The counselor said you were fighting with a first-year,” she starts in a more inviting tone, but she tenses when she sees how quickly Ren’s cautious neutral face shifts into a frown.

“I-I just want to know what happened,” she says.

Ren releases an angry huff instead of turning around and leaving because he recognizes that his mother isn’t trying to jump to conclusions--that she trying to hear his side--but he still has hours worth of bad emotions at the forefront of his mind, so he kicks off his sneakers without undoing the laces and haphazardly drops them on the shoe rack before he allows himself to say anything.

Of course, because he is an angry idiot, his first response is: “There was no fight. It was just an argument,” and he snaps his mouth closed because that is exactly what a delinquent guilty of starting a fight would say and Makoto would be so disappointed in him right now. Morgana delivers her phantom message with a disapproving really, Joker?

His mother guiltily shifts her hands, one eyebrow twitching at Morgana’s muffled meow.

“I just used the words of the counselor,” she amends, gesturing for Ren to enter the family room. 

When they enter, she sits at one side of the rickety couch and pats the other seat. She smiles with some invitation, a dash of hesitance, and a sprinkle of uncertainty as if she has no clue how to speak to her teenage son. She looks at him sort of like he’s a child, but at least she doesn’t seem afraid of him like she was before Golden Week.

Ren joins her at the couch, releases Morgana on to the space between them so he doesn’t have to think about the distance, and conjures up how he can best explain the events of the morning in the least incriminating way (shouldn’t have to, he thinks, didn’t do nothing wrong in the first place) but his mother recognizes his thinking face before he can start.

“W-whatever you say, I’ll believe you, sweetie,” she encourages honestly. He can tell she means it because she tucks her hands in between her knees and tilts her legs in the picture perfect display of humble motherliness to hide how her legs would bounce otherwise. He turns to face her a bit, legs spread out and back slouched in a show of teenage indifference, despite his nervous right leg and the rhythmic flickers of light that bounce off of his phone case as he deftly spins his smartphone in his left hand.

“You mean that?” he can’t help but ask, belying his blase posture.

His mother nods with lips pursed, proving to her son that she has no intention of speaking over him. Emboldened yet reluctant, Ren begins the recount of his day at school.

theater food

    Ren slides into his seat while Hamuko and Ryuji chatter away about beef bowl places. Their enthusiastic discussion about cheap, fast, good food is not helping Ren’s patience or hunger. Usually Ren’s been in charge of the food prep because he’s the only one who knows how to make something all of the Thieves plus Hamuko will eat, but when they left Kamoshitty City today, Theodore pleasantly requested if he could make a recipe he’s been working on, which Hamuko had endorsed immediately.

    Ren agreed because Theodore is really hot and the thought of him buzzing around the kitchen is appealing enough, but around 40 minutes later, Ren is very hungry and is cursing his inability to disagree with tall hot people. To distract himself, he tries to brainstorm ways to free Haru and Makoto from Kamoshit-man’s unproportionately buff grasp, but his brain keeps snapping back to his teammates’ loud discussions and Theodore in a heart apron and himself in a cute pinafore sharing a festival smoothie--the romantic ones with the heart shaped straw--under the setting sun. He doesn’t even like smoothies.

    From the other corner of the weird theater lunch tables Futaba sends him a blank look that implies that she can hear his raging gay thoughts. Ren sticks his tongue out at her, and to Futaba’s left, Nagi raises a thin eyebrow and points at herself as though she thought he was talking to her. Embarrassed but never one to lose, Ren sticks out his tongue again at her paired with a flirtatious wink. At the head of the table beside Ren, Akechi makes a face. Futaba gags. Unaffected, Nagi returns her attention to Yusuke’s analysis of Hamuko’s preferred color palette for her hypothetical thief costume.

    Ren’s phone buzzes in his pocket, and he fishes it out, wondering how someone managed to text him while he’s in a magical dimension theater metaphor place. He quickly gives up that train thought when he sees Futaba’s SNS username. A quick glance up shows that she’s pointedly staring at her phone, so he swipes open the message.

wat did theo say he was making?

i hungr

idk

worried u wont like it?

duh

if hes anything like those tsuntsun twins he’ll probably poison it

...i didnt think of that

prolly not though. i mean hamuko trusts him

ur only saying that cuz hes a pretty boy 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

for real though he wouldnt

The twins would without a doupt

*akechi voice* haha it was merely a jest!

DSKLFASLDKFSD STOP HES RIGHT

HES RIHGT NEXT TO ME ASSHOEL

    “Food’s ready!” Theodore announces over Ren and Futaba’s unsubtle snickers. Somehow, Theodore has acquired two shining serving platters.

    “Theo, you’re the best!” Hamuko says, standing up immediately to help him serve because she (and Haru) is the sweetest person in the universe.

    “Thanks,” Ren tacks on because he’s ‘in charge’ and he’s supposed to ‘set good examples’. He does not, however, stand up to help because he is lazy.

    The rest of the group is already chorusing thank yous and crowding around the food like hungry animals. Makoto is not around to tell them that they’re acting like children. Akechi is patiently waiting for everyone to get out of the way before he serves himself, which is probably a smarter idea than Ren who’s walking around the table so he can insert himself between Ann and Ryuji, the most destructive eaters of their current group. Yusuke, another main offender however justified, already has a bowl full of what appears to be noodles, veggies, and chicken covered in a savory sauce.

[beca-mitchell]

fool’s gold (1/1)

Summary: Beca finds herself in Colorado bidding on a date with one Chloe Beale. Accidentally, of course. Besides, it’s for charity. Set after PP3.

Word count: 4,216

Rating: T

Read below or on AO3.

Beca finds out about it accidentally. A total accident wherein she did not intend to find out this information. She had been perusing the Bellas groupchat, a chat which she had been slightly too busy to participate in recently, when something caught her eye.

Chloe’s name plus the word “date”. It had taken a few tries and a few shaky swipes of her finger before she figures out that Chloe is participating in some charity event.

Beca hesitates at first, about to type out a message to Chloe right in the groupchat, but she quickly switches over to her private conversation with Chloe and winces when she realizes that her and Chloe haven’t really kept up an ongoing text conversation (and hardly any phone calls) over the past few months.

Beca sighs, flipping back to the groupchat and hoping against hope that somebody else—probably Aubrey or Flo—will ask Chloe about it.

Flo F. What kind of charity is it?

Chloe Every year, the senior vet students run some kind of fundraiser. This year it's for research. In the past, this auction thing has been a huge hit!!

Fat Amy So you’re selling your body? Nothing wrong with that of course.

Chloe No, I’m just…auctioning off a date.

Beca puts her phone down slowly.

Had three and a half years really flown by that quickly? Chloe was almost done with veterinary school and Beca felt like she was still struggling to stay afloat herself.

Well, that was a little untrue. Six Billboard Top 100 hits, a Grammy nomination, a North American tour with an international tour on its way, her first album had gone platinum with the second hot on its heels—

It’s just that Chloe Beale had always seemed so wholly unattainable even with everything that had transpired between them. And Beca wasn’t completely stupid, she knew some of this was her own fault, but life just came at her too fucking fast.

(This being the whole ‘we definitely have feelings for each other but we are also definitely not doing anything about it because one of us is in Colorado and the other is in California sometimes but not always’ thing. God, that always knocked the wind out of Beca. In any case, it had been one weekend of Chloe visiting Los Angeles and a drunken kiss that led to a little more, but nothing really, then an unspoken decision to never speak about it again.

Yeah. This.)

— — — — — 

It takes Beca another two hours to finally message Chloe and she almost has a heart attack when she pulls up their conversation.

Chloe’s last sweet dreams! xo stares back at her accusingly. 

Beca So, a date huh?

She groans. 

Yes, obviously a date. Aubrey already asked for more details an hour ago and the groupchat had long moved on.

Chloe’s reply is nearly instantaneous.

Chloe ?? 

Beca The whole auction thing you know for charity 

Chloe oh haha, yeah. It’ll be nothing. Just some rich student with too much to spend. I don’t have my hopes up or anything.

 But if Chloe could have her hopes for somebody in particular…Beca’s fingers tap anxiously on the edge of her table as she stares back at Chloe’s innocent-enough message.

  Beca oh, well fingers crossed lol

Chloe yeah.

 Beca winces at the one-word response, telling herself not to read too much into it—it doesn’t mean anything, they’re fine, they’re fine, they’re fine—

  Chloe I miss you

She sighs in relief.

Beca miss you too chlo

— — — — —

“You didn’t ask her out yet?” is Theo’s confused inquiry. “Wait, you weren’t dating already?”

“Just—just look up flights to Colorado.”

“I’m not your assistant, just in case you forgot.”

“I know, but Jeff’s on the fritz today and I don’t need another snide remark from him.”

“Snide remark? About what?”

“…about Chloe.”

“Ah.”

 — — — — — 

 Beca isn’t sure how she ends up here, but she ends up doing some casual research about this supposed senior tradition at CSU’s veterinary college and it ends up being more of a thing than Beca originally expects. Like a super serious thing where people buy tickets to attend. 

All proceeds go to the National Animal Disease Center and the Animal Welfare Institute. Tickets at the door will be $55.

Beca stares at the long list of details and scrolls for an embarrassing amount of time until she finds a list of “Auction Participants”. She exhales noisily through her nose when she finds Chloe’s name, surprised to see separate profiles attached to all the students participating.

Chloe Beale, Rising 4th Year Veterinary Student, DVM Candidate

Chloe enjoys singing and morning runs. She will probably fight you over whether the CSU Rams could hold up against the Barden University Knights. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at Larimer Humane Society as well as the CSU Zoo. You might have seen her running a few weekend educational programs for children 10 and under.

PS. She’s single!

Beca isn’t sure what grates on her more, the fact that the description doesn’t say anything about how Chloe hums her favorite songs when she gets nervous, or how Chloe’s hair grows at least a shade and a half lighter during the summer, or—or how Chloe can talk at length about nearly anything if she thinks it’s something that another person will find interesting. She is selfless and beautiful inside and out. 

And that last line. Beca’s fist clenches. She isn’t sure why it annoys her so much, but she hates the idea of this auction gimmick even if she knows instinctively that it is all in good fun and Chloe genuinely wouldn’t have consented to it if she didn’t believe in it or trust everybody who would be participating. Still, maybe Beca doesn’t want Chloe to…be single.

Her brow furrows at that last tapered-off thought.

To distract herself, she taps Theo’s number into her phone and waits with bated breath.

“Hello?”

“Did you book the ticket yet?” she asks in lieu of greeting.

She’ll let his amused chuckle slide this once.

 — — — — — 

 So maybe it isn’t really an accident.

She’s in Fort Collins, Colorado, on a beautiful but pretty damn chilly campus. Beca pulls her windbreaker tighter around herself and tugs her scarf up over her mouth and nose. She hasn’t been recognized yet, but she has a suspicion that there have been two young ladies following her, but she can’t be certain.

Though her fame is manageable, it still flares up unexpectedly and at inopportune times.

Like the last time she had visited Chloe on campus and they had spent the weekend eating at Chloe’s favorite spots and drinking cheap wine until they were laughing and leaning heavily against each other. Beca had loved the scent of Chloe’s shampoo as it wafted up from where Chloe had her head pressed against Beca’s shoulder and neck, her giggles tapering off into nothing. Back then, they hadn’t kissed yet—Beca was still recovering from the sting of seeing Chloe kiss Chicago even though it had happened months prior, but nothing had ever transpired.

And for a moment, when Chloe lifted her head off Beca’s shoulder, Beca had thought Chloe was going to kiss her. And she wouldn’t have minded, not at all. It had been something she had been thinking about for so long that Beca’s heart began to pound in anticipation. Then Chloe’s roommate had let herself into the apartment despite Chloe’s insistence they were going to be alone and she had recognized Beca surprisingly quick considering Beca had only one or two viral music videos released at the time. Beca hadn’t been sure, but Chloe had looked supremely disappointed.

Focusing back on the present, Beca gazes at the familiar, yet unfamiliar campus. She had made sure earlier that there hadn’t been a completely strict dress code for the event and opts for a loose wool sweater and nice jeans (a memory of Chloe’s fleeting “those jeans make your ass look good” passes through her mind, but she pays it no mind). She buys a lanyard with the CSU name and mascot emblazoned on it. Just to add to the look.

She finds the student center soon enough. Happy to be out of the chill for a moment, Beca pulls her scarf down but leaves her toque on, keeping it tight over her eyebrows.

“Hey,” a voice calls instantly and Beca jumps because for a moment, it sounds like Chloe. But that would be impossible, she’s barely been there five seconds— “I know you, you’re Chloe’s friend, right?”

Beca turns to see young man, around her age, smiling in a completely nonthreatening manner. She vaguely recognizes him from some of Chloe’s social media posts, but she can’t quite place his name. “Hi,” she says instead.

“Did Chloe invite you to this?” he asks, sounding entirely too amused for Beca’s liking.

“Uh…” Beca isn’t sure what the better answer would be—yes, Chloe invited poor hapless Beca Mitchell to watch her get auctioned off and alternatively the implication that Chloe would need some pull from somebody like Beca which is dumb because despite the crappy dating profile on the website, Chloe needs no help at all; or no, Beca invited herself because she’s there on a mission. “Hm,” she says evasively instead. “Sorry, what was your name again?”

“Benjamin, but you can call me—”

Beca smiles. “Ben,” she finishes. It’s cute how much he reminds her of Benji. “Chloe posts about you a lot.”

“Yeah, we kind of…” he laughs, pushing up his glasses. “Bonded, I guess. She’s been a good friend. Helped set me up with my boyfriend.” He nods his head towards the door. “Want to come sit with us? We’re mainly here for the show and the food. Do you have your ticket?”

Beca blushes but tamps it down as best as she can. “Uh no, I was gonna buy at the door.”

He grins again, but says nothing about that. “Okay, we’ll see you inside. We’re kind of near the back. Turn left when you get in.”

 — — — — — 

 The emcee is fairly decent and Beca cracks a laugh at a few jokes. She has a pretty good view of the stage and she feels comfortable enough sitting near Chloe’s friends. They seem to take a shine to her and teasingly press an auction paddle into her hands.

“For an emergency,” Ben says, mirth in his eyes. And something akin to knowing, as if he knows something Beca doesn’t. She tries to scowl at him, but she misses that opportunity because Chloe is being walked on stage looking like—

“Oh,” Beca murmurs, blushing when she can feel eyes on her. There is no way Chloe can see her in the crowd because she’s sure the spotlight is bright enough based on Chloe’s squint and embarrassed smile. But otherwise, Chloe looks stunning, wearing a pretty blue sundress and white doctor’s coat. Beca blinks back the unexpected surge of emotion—not quite tears, but her eyes do sting a little—that she gets upon seeing Chloe in person for the first time in at least a year.

God, she had gone a whole year without seeing Chloe’s face—without having Chloe’s hands to hold and Chloe’s arms around her.

She never wants to do that again. She never wants to be apart from Chloe for that long, too afraid of her own feelings to push for something she knows Chloe wants as well. She had seen it in Chloe’s eyes over the past decade and more of knowing her. Chloe, her best friend and confidante—the person who most got on her nerves but also knew how to put her back together in more ways than one—

“We’ll start the bidding at fifty dollars! Ten-dollar interval minimum, please and thank you.”

There’s some cheering and laughter in the crowd from a group near the front. Chloe blushes again under the spotlight, but she flips off the group whom Beca assumes consists of people Chloe knows well enough.

“That’s kind of low,” Beca comments.

“You should bid,” Vlad, Ben’s boyfriend, suggests.

“No, I’m just here for support,” Beca replies distractedly as another person bids up to $100. Beca’s fingers tighten momentarily around the paddle before she relaxes and wills herself to scan the crowd as nonchalantly as possible. But before she can really settle down—

“Two hundred!”

It’s arguably the biggest jump Beca has heard over the last few auctions and the murmur that rushes through the crowd indicates that they think it’s something worthwhile as well.

Beca tries not to think about how she made two-hundred dollars in the first minute—probably less—of releasing her second single on Spotify.

“Two-fifty,” a female voice calls out, distinctly confident and self-assured. Beca notes that the blush on Chloe’s face is a little different now, this time a little shy and demure like she knows that person and is touched by the gesture.

“Who is that?” Beca asks quickly.

“Oh, I think that was Amelia,” Vlad says when he notices that his boyfriend is not responding. “She’s in Chloe’s cohort.”

But who is she, Beca wants to demand further.

“Two-seventy,” the same male voice from earlier counters, though with a tinge of hesitation.

“Three hundred,” ‘Amelia’ counters.

A pause. “Three-twenty.”

“Four-fifty.” Without hesitation. An excited murmur ripples through the crowd. Chloe’s hands are now covering her face, but Beca sees that she’s smiling ever so slightly.

“She likes her,” Ben says simply.

“Who likes who.” Beca considers this a very important distinction.

“Amelia likes Chloe.”

“And does Chloe like Amelia?”

“They’re friends.” He stares at Beca pointedly. “Like you guys are friends, right? So what’s a little competition.”

“But Chloe and I are—we’re—”

Beca finds she has no real justification, no real insight to offer because she and Chloe have been teetering on that edge of almost for so long that she has forgotten what it meant when competition came along.

Until Chicago.

And before that, for Chloe, Jesse, but Beca had been nearly completely blind to it.

And now this.

Beca’s hand is rising before she can stop herself. Her brain seems to shut down completely—the rational part at least—as her heart grabs the reins. It’s stupid, it’s archaic, but this is for Chloe (almost literally, but Beca will never succumb to the belief that this is any valid way to date somebody). “Seven hundred,” she calls out. Her eyes widen when heads swivel to her and she quickly ducks, pulling her scarf back up to her nose and mouth. She waves her paddle above her head, too embarrassed to see whether Chloe’s eyes are scanning the crowd for her.

“Holy shit,” Ben mutters.

“Eight hundred,” Amelia counters somewhere in the distance, but suddenly Beca’s ears are roaring with the oddest sound—like a chorus of fucking angels or something.

“Oh my God, the animals are lucky today,” somebody mutters somewhere to Beca’s left.

“A thousand,” Beca counters.

“Um—” Ben seems to think better of it and clamps his mouth shut, though he looks like he might laugh, or worse, smile at Beca. God.

“A thousa—”

Beca’s had it. “Two thousand!”

The shocked silence that follows is enough to tell Beca that she’s completely lost it.

(But she lost it long ago—somewhere between agreeing to join an all-female acapella group when she was eighteen because of that girl with blue eyes and a killer voice and that chaotic year that followed, somehow ending with her kissing the wrong person at the end of it all. No more of that.)

“Um,” the auctioneer has apparently lost all capabilities of auctioneering. “I…guess…? Sold to—” He peers over the crowd. “You?” he asks again, still unsure. “For two thousand dollars.”

Beca quickly presses the paddle into Ben’s hands and sinks lower in her seat, distinctly avoiding all eye contact. Those closest to her finally seem to catch on and she catches the faintest hint of whispers.

“Is that…?”

“No fucking way.”

“God, I knew Beale was lying when she said they weren’t hooking up.”

Beca tries not to think about any of that, suddenly very interested in the patterns on the carpeted floor.

 — — — — — 

  Beca i did something really stupid

Aubrey Yes, the auction was livestreamed. Chloe sent me a link.

Beca holy fuck could you see me???

Aubrey No, but thank you for confirming. Two thousand dollars, Beca Mitchell.

Beca is about to type something incredibly cheesy in response to the mild snark in Aubrey’s text, but she is distracted by Ben’s shadow appearing over her.

“Hey, so uh, you have to actually meet Chloe backstage. To set up the details and stuff. And they’re going to need a check or some other form of payment? For that two thousand dollars you just dropped?”

“Do they accept Amex,” Beca deadpans.

“Yes, I believe so. So now that that’s covered, shall we?” He holds out an arm for Beca.

Beca sighs and clicks off her phone, decidedly ignoring the very long paragraph of text Aubrey just sent to her (she caught words like “my best friend” and “hurt her” and “bear trap” so she figures that’s something she can laugh or cry over when she is inevitably sent back on a plane to Los Angeles).

“Does she know it’s me?” Beca finally asks.

“I honestly don’t know. You’re kind of short and I don’t think she could actually see you.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Beca says, feeling lightheaded.

“It’s going to be fine.”

“Yeah, of course, why wouldn’t it be? We’re friends. We’ve done stupid shit before. She stayed back three years to just be part of an acapella group.” And to be with you, an annoying voice sounds in her head.

Oh, that was actually Ben. Who sounded eerily like Aubrey in that moment. Beca steps away from him.

He stares at her pointedly, pointing at the door.

Fuck, Beca thinks.

It is a simple study room and when Beca opens it, she isn’t expecting the space to be so small and so brightly lit. She winces immediately and nearly steps back out, but Chloe’s gasp is enough to keep her rooted to the spot.

“Beca,” Chloe squeaks. “What the fu—what are you doing here?”

“Hi,” Beca says, waving. Chloe continues to gape at her. “Hi?” Beca tries again.

Before she realizes what’s happening, Chloe is flying towards her and wrapping her arms so tightly around Beca that all the air rushes out of her in one fell swoop. She has enough sense to grip tightly at the back of Chloe’s coat, her fingers scrabbling on the thick, coarse fabric until they settle easily into each other like no time had passed before.

Beca sighs—literally sighs—like a disgusting teenager in love and she kind of thinks Chloe does the same before Chloe is pulling back and punching her in the arm oncee she’s at arm’s length.

“Ow! What the hell?”

“You seriously paid two thousand dollars?”

Oh right, that happened and was still happening.

“It was an accident,” Beca says instinctively and defensively.

“You raised the price by a thousand dollars accidentally,” Chloe clarifies.

“Don’t—don’t call it a price, like you’re…” Beca gestures uncomfortably. “Like you’re on sale or something. And I totally believe it’s your right to do what you want with your body and stuff because you should be allowed to have all that agency and—”

“Wow, Beca slow down.” Chloe grins affectionately. “Nobody’s doing anything with my body, not without my permission anyway. These things usually just end in a quick dinner or like. Laser tag or something. It’s never that serious.”

“I knew that,” Beca says quickly, trying to ignore her own blush at Chloe’s choice of words. “I just…I wanted to be…I wanted to,” she takes a steadying breath, “go on a date with you. And be your girlfriend. And do couple-y things. Because we’d be dating…as girlfriends.”

“You did?” Chloe asks quietly and so delicately that Beca’s breath catches. She tries to maintain eye contact as best as she can.

The air around them feels so heavy. “So much.”

“So you…” Chloe’s brow furrows. “Came to Colorado and paid two thousand dollars to go on a date with me? And I’m assuming you flew…so even more than two thousand dollars.”

“I…it sounds weird. I know. I’m weird. I just—” Beca heaves a breath. “I panicked, okay? I had this crazy vision of you ending up with somebody…with somebody else. That wasn’t me. And that sounds crazy jealous and crazy possessive and I have no right, but I’ve been thinking about you so much and I don’t know that I’ve ever really stopped thinking about you since that first day at the activities fair that entire fucking lifetime ago.” Beca feels winded suddenly and quickly looks up at Chloe with desperation. “I should have just…” she trails off, unsure.

She should have never let Chloe slip away the first time. Then the second time when she had the chance. When Chloe met her in the middle so many times before.

“Beca,” Chloe whispers, pulling her out of her swirling thoughts. “It’s…” She struggles to think of a word for a moment. “It’s okay. I’m not mad, I promise. It’s just…a lot.”

“I’m just so sorry because it seems like I’m always like…just one step off from you. And I just want to be on the same page. I want to be what you deserve.”

“Me too,” Chloe replies, reaching forward to take Beca’s hand. She doesn’t hold Beca’s hand however, opting instead to gently grip her wrist, her thumb beginning to trace soothing circles along her wristbone. “I want to be what you deserve too.”

Beca swallows the immediate protest. She lets it die in her throat because she knows Chloe is right—that they have so much to work on. But they can do it together.

“Things have been weird between us, haven’t they?” Beca asks quietly. She fixes her gaze on the “Since you came to visit me. And we…” she swallows. “We kissed.”

“We did,” Chloe murmurs.

“And have things been weird?” Beca presses.

“A little,” Chloe admits after a pause. “But things have always been a little weird between us.” A small smile slips across her lips as she uses her free hand to tilt Beca’s chin up so their gazes meet once more. “But I’ve liked that.”

“You have?”

Chloe shrugs. “Kind of.”

“We…we don’t have to go on this date, you know?” Beca clarifies, eyes flicking between Chloe’s eyes and her lips frantically. Chloe draws closer. “We…” Beca’s voice cracks. “Don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“What do you want to do?” Chloe asks, her finger still tracing the underside of Beca’s jaw and the side of her neck.

Beca’s eyes flutter shut. “I want to kiss you again. If that’s okay.”

“Do you…” Chloe’s breath is warm against Beca’s mouth as she moves closer still. “Do you…have another thousand dollars?”

Beca’s eyes would fly open if she weren’t completely lost in the sensation of both of Chloe’s hands coming up to tangle into her hair. She moans at the sensation before she can help herself and immediately closes the distance between them, their lips bumping uncomfortably for a second before they settle into a somewhat familiar rhythm. Just like that, with a hint of banter and the way their touches soothe each other, they settle back into familiarity—back into what made them work all those years ago.

Instantly, Chloe’s body seems to press into hers with ease. Chloe’s head tilts and her mouth parts and Beca just about loses her mind. She reaches up to grab Chloe’s shoulders with difficulty before she moves her hands down to hold Chloe’s waist while subtly tugging her closer. Chloe sighs a little into the kiss before she pulls back with Beca’s lower lip trapped between her teeth for a brief moment.

Beca shudders. “Unfair,” she murmurs, momentarily forgetting her own name. Chloe’s name. Amelia. Ben.

There is nothing but this moment, with Beca’s heart threatening to burst from nerves and excitement and passion and sheer joy at the feeling of having the woman she loves in her arms once more.

“Never wait that long to ask me out again,” Chloe teases, pressing her forehead against Beca’s. “This was like…weirdly romantic, but I don’t need you to drop two thousand dollars. No matter how rich you are, miss Grammy nominee.”

Beca tilts her head to steal another kiss. “Again? As in we’re going to have multiple dates.”

“If you play your cards right.” Chloe’s nose brushes against Beca’s lightly. “Not your fancy credit card though.”

“Oh,” Beca says because Chloe’s hands are tugging through her hair again and somehow her toque is on the floor and they’re kissing again.

She could get used to this.

But of course:

“Wait ‘til I tell the girls you paid two thousand dollars to go on a date with me.” She doesn't need to sound so smug, but Beca would be remiss if she didn't acknowledge how hot Chloe sounds saying that.

It isn’t an accident that Beca shuts her up with a kiss.

fin.

[moonbelt]

»mind over matter

↳ neighbors to lovers au

⇢ pairing: jaebum | reader

⇢ genre: fluff + slight angst + sexual themes

⇢ word count: 9.704

⇢ description: as it turns out your cat loves your neighbors apartment more than yours. consequently it happens to belong to the new neighbor dude that’s stuck comforting you after a measly break-up.

author’s note: born out of this request, and the sheer need to read a neighbor au fic haha. i hope you enjoy it anon! i really hope i did this justice!!

It takes only a moment for your life to change right before your eyes. And although you had never been one to abide or listen to corny quotes ripped off the internet, your step-mother had framed more than half of them around your apartment. In an attempt to bring "life" into your dingy residence. You hadn't even realized that they could, in fact, be true. Actual facts.

You had long since accepted the fact that there were always greater things at work. You were in control of your life but not that of others. Everything had a cycle, a plan, and that didn't by default make it any fair. Nothing in life ever was, your mother had drilled into your head, but that didn't stop you from resenting it.

You resented the things you could not change and loathed the things you could. Like how you could've prevented this whole shit-show from happening if you'd opened your eyes a little wider and seen all the thorns beneath the roses. The thorns being your ex-boyfriend. Major emphasis on the ex because you wouldn't be caught dead crawling back to that bastard, Theo.

Theo. It all led to him.

Well not necessarily everything, more like anything that had to do with your romantic and, in a long round-about, extended way, your social life. A deep shudder racks through your body as you begin to think about him. Oh God, you wanted so badly to run out of your apartment and back to his and smack his head so hard he saw the stars all the way from the Upside Down.

So maybe you're being a bit overdramatic when you say: All the moments that have happened so far in your life were, inevitably, leading to shit. But in no way are you not entitled to say it.

Your boss had nitpicked everything you'd done all day, creeping steadily up your already tensed nerves. One of your colleagues — René — was always within earshot when this happened, like glue you couldn't scrape off no matter how hard you tried. Always ready to throw a sly remark your way every time your boss had something to complain about. The only thing stopping your fist from connecting firm with her jaw was the fact that you prided yourself on having more class than her.

This decision that you wrongfully, and albeit naively, made came back to bite you deep in the ass.

Reason one as to why you're cooped up in your small apartment alone on a Friday night. Keyword in that sentence is: alone. You suppose that the blame doesn't lie with René alone. It's more eighty percent Theo and twenty percent René. Theo. Even his name begins to remind you of quickly decomposing poop. You would never have guessed him to be a cheater, but then again you had been blinded by whatever the heck it was you'd seen in him.

You shudder for the nth time that night as you bring your blanket closer to your chin and sigh into your chest. This whole situation is stupid and you're positive that in three months you'll look back at it and laugh. But not now. Now you'd rather throw yourself into watching your favorite French melodrama titled Piégé.

At first, you'd only started watching it in a bid to get more accustomed to the language as you were taking a French course in college and you did not want to fail. But it had been approximately eight months since you'd graduated university and you were under no obligation to be watching it anymore. In fact, you have no idea how you even got into Piégé in the first place, but at least it's helping you attempt to forget what a shitty boyfriend Theo had been. Never mind that the series is filled to the brim with unnecessary drama. But, hey! You'd rather watch the drama about other people's lives than dwell on the drama brewing in yours.

Turning your attention back to your laptop that's gingerly placed on your lap, you try to get immersed back into the film. The main character — Alphonsine Vernoux — is saying, no screaming, at her boyfriend to get out of her apartment because she "can't be with him because our parents would never approve." Her boyfriend, a man named Jean-Louis refuses and long story short — because there's a lot of back and forth squabbles that ultimately mean the same thing; Alphonsine and Jean-Louis have really hot make-out sex.

The scene though is disrupted by your phone beeping off with the arrival of a new text message. It's from Youngjae, your best and only friend from work. For a moment, you're tempted to ignore it and watch Jean-Louis push Alphonsine up against the wall in sexy frustration. But alas, you decide against it, Youngjae probably has a really good reason for seeking out your companionship, even if it does come in the form of a text and my actual speaking.

Youngjae: Did you know a Tarantula spider can survive for more than two years without food?? [9:32 pm]

You fight a laugh as you think of an answer. And you'll admit, you had no idea this particular breed of spider could survive that long. You figure he must be watching another documentary because this is a reoccurring theme. Almost every(?) night, Youngjae sends you threads of rapid-fire texts narrating the things he found out from animal documentaries, that he's definitely already watched a thousand times but still is beyond fascinated by. Usually, you also sent him texts about Piégé but today you weren't feeling it.

You: really??? thats cool. maybe i should hope to be a tarantula in my next life? [9:33 pm]

Youngjae: lol who says you even have a next life? might be ur last one right now [9:36 pm]

Youngjae: oh hey, i was gonna ask you. are you and theo down to go watch a movie tomorrow? that new horror movie you were wanting to see is playing [9:36 pm]

You stare at your phone for a good ten minutes wondering what exactly you should send as a reply, berating yourself for having not yet told Youngjae about the things that transpired between you and Theo. That you caught Theo in bed with René roughly a week ago and you doubt you even want to tell him.

You know he won't pity you, Youngjae would most likely feel saddened by the events but not pity directed at you. Maybe pity directed at Theo? Because he damn sure lost the second-best thing that happened in his life, the first best thing being Ara, your cat. And it's not like you're heartbroken and devastated by what happened, you feel more sad about it than anything. Sad and tired. Five months with that dude and it all amassed to absolutely nothing.

The only thing that seems able enough to break you out of your trance state is the loud blaring of your alarm clock as it reads you the time. Nine forty-five. Time for you to feed your cat. Your cat that always seems to magically disappear once you get home from work. You groan. Ara had always been fonder of Theo than you, after all, he had been the one to pick her out. You had wanted a dog but as always, Theo had convinced you. And even though at first, you'd hated how Ara scratched almost everything in sight, she'd grown on you and now you wished she'd done the same.

Pushing yourself off the sofa, you make your way to your apartment searching for Ara. Usually, she likes to hang in dark places, ergo your closets, but after you make two rounds of opening and closing every drawer or door without finding her, you begin to think that something has gone amiss.

Alphonsine Vernoux is still going on whatever new drama has befallen her. She talks in rapid French that you don't understand completely because of the lack of your trusty subtitles. Well not talking, more screaming than anything. She always seems to do more screaming than actual talking, but maybe that's just you.

"Merde!" She cries now, and if the broken understanding of the language is anything to go by. Fuck! is the translation.

Fuck it really is. You can't lose a cat. Correction: you can't lose your cat. You love Ara too much and although the love isn't reciprocated in the same way you want, you can't be responsible for the death of a good ole cat.

Okay, so maybe the 'good' is an oversimplification but you don't want the blood of anything on your hands, with a little exception for Theo, you're not above getting into a catfight with him (which you technically already did, although the damage was mainly done with words.) Calling Theo a bloody bastard and airing out all his dirty laundry (mainly his nauseating habits that you'd pushed to the side) to dry in front of his new fling, René was as much metaphoric blood you were willing to have sprayed on your hands. Maybe you were being more influenced by your dramas than you thought?

But back to the real point at hand, you do not want ill to befall anyone (apart from Theo). And especially not your cat.

You're so far gone with searching every nook and cranny of your little apartment for a hint of Ara that you don't notice the incessant knocking that has started tapping up your door. Quickly, you drop the pile of clothes you'd thrown out of your wardrobe, as you had raided to look for Ara, and head over to your front door.

Peering up through the peephole, you try to decipher who's there. Hopefully not Theo. He'd tried stopping by twice since you broke up with him and it always ended in you telling him to get the hell out and he claiming to have made a "grave mistake" and all that jazz that you do not believe which leads to you yelling at him to leave again. Jesus Christ, you were turning into a miniature Alphonsine, the only thing missing was the hot sex. Which you weren't getting any time soon and even if you were, it sure as fuck wasn't coming from Theo.

But regardless of this new discovery, you're still in no mood to see him today. You already have to deal with him every day at work and you'd rather not bring that hell of a mess home.

So, when you pull the door open the door, you're somewhat already preparing yourself to clash face-to-face with your ex. Ready to send him away again because, for the love of God, you're not going to hand him a second chance even if your life depends on it. But instead of Theo, it's someone completely different. Someone that's holding a sleepy Ara in his hands, scratching her head lightly.

"Oh my god," you say, reaching for Ara and taking her cautiously into your arms. You know better than to try and disrupt her sleepy state. "Thank you so much. I had no idea she even left the apartment."

The man waves away your gratitude with a shrug, smiling in a blithe manner. "It's no problem at all. I'm not sure if you noticed but she likes coming to my apartment a lot."

This is news to you but you don't want to seem as incompetent as you feel in front of this stranger, so you force a smile unto your face and try to relax the tensions in your shoulders.

"Really? I'm sorry but I have to ask, who are you?"

A look of embarrassment washes over his features as he soaks in your words. Maybe you were too harsh, calling him out like that? But you truly didn't know him at all. There was no way you'd ever forget a face like his, you don't think. He didn't have rough around the edges, rogue looks like Theo (or any of your exes, to be honest) but he had a sort of laidback and soft vibe with black locks falling short off his shoulders in smooth bouncy waves.

Clearing his throat, he replies. "I'm your neighbor, Jaebum. You can call me Jae for short. I moved in about four weeks ago? Sorry I wasn't able to introduce myself earlier, but yeah, your cat likes to come over to my place and at first I really did think she was a stray, that's why I've been taking care of her anytime she showed up but had I known, I would've never tried to impose on you like that, that was—"

You have a feeling that he's not going to stop rambling unless you do the honors of helping him. So, you interrupt.

"It's okay, don't worry about it... Jae. She can do that sometimes. I really should get her a collar or something."

Since she'd mostly stayed at Theo's place and not yours, you hadn't thought about getting her one before. Theo didn't want it on her and you hadn't really thought about the possibility of losing her. Mainly because the events that surrounded you bringing Ara to your place had been unnerving. You'd found Theo in bed with Rene and subsequently, you had stormed out of there (after giving him a full piece of your broken mind) with Ara in your hands and your car keys already fumbling with trying to open your car.

"What's her name?"

Jaebum — Jae — is the one to shake you out of your thoughts, looking genuinely curious to know the answer to his question. You figure there's nothing wrong with telling him, especially since he'd been kind enough to take care of her in your negligence.

"Ara," you finally say, giving him a dry smile. "Thank you for taking care of her for me in my absence."

He shrugs again, running his hand through his hair and you watch as Ara meows as she stretches her body towards him. You still in your movements of scratching the top of her head. She never does that. At least, she's never done that to you, she'd always craved Theo's attention and now you see, she craves Jaebum's.

Maybe she's going through a phase where she only wants male attention?

You think it'll be rude to send him on his way without making small talk so after a while of restraining Ara in your arms, you fix your gaze back to him and say:

"So... do you have any cats?"

"Yeah. Three but one is staying over at my sisters for the meantime."

Wow. You don't think you could ever be responsible for more than two lives, you could barely remind yourself to have three meals a day and had to set timers to feed Ara because, god willing, you are bound to forget to one way or another. So, for that reason alone, you begin to hold this neighbor of yours on a higher pedestal. Taking care of three cats doesn't sound as comfortable or easy, you admire him for that.

"You must really love cats then," you snort to yourself at how obvious you're being. Of course, he loves cats, he has three.

He nods his head, probably realizing that this is his cue to leave. "Cats are amazing. Anyways, it was nice meeting you..."

"y/n," you fill in for him.

Jae smiles at your name as he continues on. "It was nice meeting you, y/n. If Ara ever needs to hang out with other cats or anything like that, mine seem to love her more than me."

Oh, how you can relate. Ara seems to like everyone else on the planet but you, her caregiver. You frown. Maybe you're feeding her food she doesn't like? You make a mental note to research more on cat food before you turn in for the night.

"Nice meeting you too, Jae. Hopefully, we see each other sometime."

Against your own words, you do not, in fact, see each other sometime after that. If not for the fact that you're mainly preoccupied with due dates from work, you think you would have gone out of your way to make sure it happened because contrary to what your heart was telling you, you thought he was kind of cute. Well, not kinda. You really thought he was cute.

And if it had been of your own will, you would've long ago tried to ask him out on a date because hell, your single and ready to move past your ex. But your boss has ridiculously been on your case the past few weeks and by the luck of your fate, you've been paired, for the latest project, with René. René that refuses to let a day go by without rubbing into your face the "amazing" sex she's having with Theo, not that you even care. Fuck, you really want to deck her. How can someone be so un-classy about having your sloppy seconds? You'd never know.

Either way, René doesn't seem to be any help with the project. You've tried to work with her, although you really want to shove a stiletto heel through her eye for always going on and on about your fucking ex, she is adamant on not being productive or helpful. You wonder how she even got her job as a secretary in the first place. If you were the boss you'd never hire her. But in any case, you're stuck with her unhelpful ass for the next two weeks until the presentation to pitch a new update would be held.

"Ugh," you sigh to yourself as you lay on your living room floor, staring idly at your laptop. "This isn't going anywhere."

True to form, René had forgotten to send you the age demographics of people that had been using your company's app in the last six months. And without that vital information, you were stumped with how to prepare your speech. You wish you could call her and ask her to email it to you ASAP, but you know from experience that she would either ignore it or send you something completely irrelevant. What did you ever do to warrant such unprofessionalism from her, you wonder.

Flipping on your back, you stare absentmindedly at your ceiling. Maybe you should go out? It is a Wednesday night and you're almost certain that you're not going to clubbing today but you want to get out. So, after minutes of deliberating, you decide that you would go jogging. It's been a long time since you'd done anything active, you preferred to stay inside and watch stuff. But Piégé isn't scheduled to release a new episode until tomorrow, and you're bored.

Quickly, you go back to your room and try to find your exercise clothes that are hiding behind more used clothing. When you open your closet, you're met with the piercing blue eyes of Ara and your skin jumps off your bones.

"Oh my god, Ara," you say after catching your breath. "Why do you always do this."

These days she seems to be sulking. Maybe she's finally realizing that Theo is a no-show and you're all she's got. She refuses to allow you to carry her anymore and you think she's going through some kind of withdrawal phase. The only time she comes out of her dark places is to eat or to sit in front of the front door. Waiting for what? You don't know. But you guess she might be waiting for a long time.

Gingerly, you lift Ara up and make fast work with finding your clothes. Once you do, you strip out of your pajamas and change into your athletic leggings, a long-sleeved shirt and tie your shoes. Ara has made her way to the living room and once again has resumed her spot in front of the door. Christ, maybe you should call Theo and have the two of you work out details about the rearing of Ara.

Maybe two weeks with him and then two weeks with you? But then again, he hasn't actually asked about Ara at all since the breakup, so you wonder if he even cares that she's gone. You check to make sure her collar is on her neck before you grab your phone, keys, and earphones. Even though you're sure she won't care, you blow Ara a kiss right before you close the front door and lock it.

As you're walking past the apartment next to yours — room 321, to be exact — their door opens and out comes Jae. He has a leash connected to two collars that are respectively connected to one white cat and another black one. You still have at least a few seconds to dash down the stairs without him seeing you but you find your feet remaining where they are and you find yourself saying:

"Oh, hey!" There's so much excitement in your voice that you inwardly cringe at it. "Long time no see."

He makes a loud noise of surprise when his gazes rests on you, his hands reaching out to clutch his chest. "Shit, that scared me."

You laugh at him. His hair is hidden behind a gray beanie and it helps you see his face clearly and you notice the little black dot above one of his eyes, it's cute — you think.

"Sorry," you say, not sorry at all.

He knows this and his mouth breaks into a low smirk. He makes a move to run his hand through his hair but stops halfway when he remembers that he cannot because of the beanie. "Are you heading out?"

You nod your head. "Yeah, this body isn't going to work out itself."

"I'm taking Kunta and Odd for a walk, mind if I join you?" He points at each cat when he says their name and they perk up when he says it.

You suddenly feel like going back to your apartment and hugging Ara, but you know she'd probably scratch your face against the skinship. So, you grit your teeth and focus on the cats in front of you instead.

"Not at all. Do you have a route you usually take?" You ask as the two of you walk down the stairs, Kunta and Odd in Jaebum's arms.

"It's a pretty simple one. From here to the park and back."

Fucking hell. The park is at least thirty minutes away by car, imagine how far it'll be by walking? You groan at the thought. This is the first time you're going jogging in months and by god, you need to take it slow or else you'll end up passed out before you even make a round trip. Jaebum must realize your distaste about the prospect of making a fifty-minute walk because he offers to cut it short. Faster than you'd like, you agree to his adjusting. Maybe in a few weeks, you'd be able to, but right now in the state that you're in, you doubt you'll last.

Outside the August air is not as hot as you thought it'd be so you're thankful that you had enough sense to wear a long shirt because if not, you'd be tempted to run back inside your apartment and watch reruns of Piégé in the comfort of your bed. Jae sets his cats on the ground, oblivious to your internal turmoil, and begins to lead the way. Easily, you fall into step with him.

You find out that he's a very fast walker as you try to keep a conversation going. You ask him about his job and find out that he owns a pizzeria, to your astonishment. You'd always wanted to be your own boss, sadly that was a bust. He tells you that running his own place is pretty fun minus a few exceptions but it was a family business so, once he graduated college his father passed it on.

He asks you about what you do for fun and you tell him about your obsession — love — for Piégé with a pride in your voice. Although you tell him that you can't really watch it without subtitles since your French is still lacking, he seems blown by it regardless and you feel satisfied for some reason. Like you've impressed him a little.

After almost a good fifteen minutes of keeping the same pace and you feel as if you're finally getting the hang of things, he breaks into a run. You think you can keep up, you're not that out of shape but before you know it, you're struggling to release a breath and you're about ready to collapse on the concrete ground in defeat. Even his freaking cats have better stamina than you, damn.

"You okay there, y/n?" Jaebum asks when he catches a glimpse of you almost knocking your knees against each other. Fuck, this is embarrassing.

Struggling you manage a response. "Definitely. I'm a just a little... peachy."

Jaebum snickers at you, folding his arms across his chest and halting his steps to allow you calm down. "Really? Wouldn't have guessed."

You're tempted to throw him the finger because you know he is mocking you but instead, you squat down and place your head in between your hands. It hasn't even been thirty minutes and you already want to quit, how the hell is he doing it? You raise your head and give him a once-over. In his black t-shirt and matching basketball shorts, you think, he definitely looks the part of a healthy runner.

"Are you checking me out?"

Whoa, you are most definitely not. Okay, maybe you are. But it's not like you can help it. He has pretty defined muscles and his smile sort of does something to you, you're not exactly sure what, but you'd be a fool to deny how sexy he looks. He doesn't come off as cocky or overbearing. His looks are more soft and easy on your eyes, a good kind of feeling.

"So, what if I am?" You cock an eyebrow at him.

He doesn't expect your reply. You know this because, after a few seconds of him looking out of his element, he clears his throat and says:

"I was not expecting that."

You scoff lightly at him, standing back to your full height and dusting imaginary dust off your leggings. He's cute, you think for maybe the second(?) time that night.

"I'm ready to continue if you are," you pull your hair strands together and tie them into a ponytail.

"You're telling me," Jaebum laughs softly at the smirk dancing on your lips. "Bet you'll need another break in fifteen minutes."

Rolling your eyes, you pat his shoulder playfully. "Try me."

And try you he does. If you thought he was running fast before, he turns into damn sonic in front of your eyes. Holy shit, he's fast. You know now that he's toying with you, making you eat your own words. You kick yourself in the shin because of this, if you had kept your mouth shut, none of this would have happened and you wouldn't be begging for another rest-stop not even ten minutes later.

Jaebum guffaws at you as you crash with a heap onto a wooden bench littering around the plaza. Your muscles are crying for help, you think you might need to order an Uber to take you home because this running thing just isn't going to work out.

"Try me," he repeats your words but with a mocking undertone. "You're way too cute, you know."

Apparently, you don't know because you can feel your ears getting hotter by the second. Keep it together, y/n! You scream to yourself. You're not some high schooler. You've successfully graduated university; you are an adult. Being called cute should not get you lightheaded, goddamn! But your words fall on deaf ears because your body is still heating up, you effectively blame it on the lack of oxygen reaching your head and nothing else. Of course, nothing else.

"Shut up," you mumble mainly to yourself but he hears it and breaks into another fit of laughter. "I'll have you know, I'm usually a good runner. I'm just not in the mood today."

Jae raises his hands up in faux surrender. "Hey, hey. I believe you."

You want to chuck your sneakers at him but restrain yourself because you know there has to be something that he's bad at and when you find it, by gods, you would never let it go. You laugh to yourself. Yep, all you have to do is survive this one embarrassing moment and you're sure the world would be kind enough to repay back for your deed.

After all, life was all about the moments. And contrary to how the moments in your life were adding up about two weeks ago, this time the moments in your life, you were sure, are going to lead to you getting sweet, sweet revenge on Jae. He can have his laugh right now but you know in the end, you'll be the only one laughing... you hope.

It takes a while for him to sober up but when he does, he squats down and gives his attention to Kunta and Odd. He treats them tenderly and talks to them in a voice akin to what someone would use on a baby. You're not paying any mind to what he's saying until you hear your name fall from his lips. Much to your dismay, he is telling his cats all about your blunder and how he thinks you'll probably "pass out any minute now."

You huff out a breath and repeat your mantra to yourself. The universe was going to slip up and let you see the thing he was bad at, but until then you resign yourself to instead try your best at catching your breath.

You watch Jaebum interact with his cats and a small portion of your resolve fades away. You can tell that he really does adore them and for a moment you long for Ara. She's soft and cuddly whenever she allows you to hug her, you feel at peace thinking about it. Definitely one of the only good things that came out of your past relationship.

Contrary to the laugh bubbling in his chest, Jae is the one to suggest that the two of you head back to the apartment building without completing the route. You guess he's taking pity on your exhausted state because you simply can't do it anymore. The walk back is better and you're somewhat thankful that he doesn't start running halfway through.

He asks you, tentatively, about your job and it takes you several moments before you decide to tell him about your position as a management and research officer at a fashion wear company. The brand is considerably popular and you've seen more than a handful of people wearing the outfits your company produces. It fills you with joy that you're able to work there, although these days that joy has been replaced by laced displeasure, courtesy of Theo and René.

You don't tell him about them though, it's not like you want to air out all your problems, but you tell him about Youngjae — your silver lining of sorts. You tell him about the days where Youngjae is the only thing that keeps you smiling with his new discoveries from animal documentaries. Youngjae and you have been friends since your freshman year at college and you think it's a miracle that the two of you managed to get accepted into the same workplace.

Jaebum points out his favorite coffee shop as you near the apartment complex. It's a big one, the biggest store on the block, and you know this because you pick your late coffee fix from there when you're heading to work every morning. He likes his coffee black, no sugar and you gag over-exaggeratedly.

"What? It tastes good," he says incredulously.

You shake your head remorsefully, appalled by his lack of quality coffee taste. "It tastes like liquid shit and you know it."

He concedes. "Okay, maybe it does. But it keeps me awake at least."

Smiling smugly at him, you revel in your win. "Still tastes like shit."

The two of you keep talking about seemingly irrelevant things; his favorite genre of music, your love for ice cream in the winter, his favorite author — which happens to be William Shakespeare. You were tempted to laugh at him and call him pretentious until you saw the admiration glowing in his eyes; it was enough to make you reevaluate and let him go on a full expedition of his favorite works by him.

You don't realize you've been listening to him describe this love for at most eight minutes until you're in front of your apartment door and it's time to say goodbye but you kind of want to keep listening to him. It's something he really cares about, you can tell and for a reason, you don't know, it fills you with a sort of contentedness watching him talk about Shakespeare with such fervor.

Leaning on your apartment door, you're about to pitch in your own opinion to something he's said when your gaze catches someone walking up behind Jae. Oh, fuck shit. Groaning, you close your eyes. This cannot be happening. Not now, not here. You aren't starring in a melodrama, so why does it feel like you've been assigned the role of the main character?

"y/n!" The last person on earth that you want to see says with so much excitement in his voice you want to hurl yourself at the sun.

You can sense the confusion rolling off Jaebum in waves. You don't want him to be caught in the crossfire that's bound to happen between Theo and you. You're not very good with confrontations, blame Alphonsine for teaching you it was best to scream it all out when push comes to shove. You peel open your eyes and focus them unwaveringly on Jaebum.

"It was really nice hanging—"

"y/n! It's me, Theo," he repeats, coming closer and sidling up to you. "I came with flowers."

And what the fuck are flowers supposed to do? Flowers aren't going to keep his dick from finding the nearest trash can and dumping his load in it. God, you wonder, whatever you had ever seen in him?

Jae furrows his eyebrows in concentration, trying to piece who Theo is to you. Kunta and Odd are quickly becoming restless, wanting nothing more but to go into their home already and you take this as your cue.

"It was amazing hanging out with you Jae," you offer him a smile, ignoring Theo. "But I have to go now. We should hang out soon though, yeah?"

You don't wait for an answer, instead, you grab Theo's wrist roughly, because you're furious at him, and drag him into your apartment. You're about ready to pounce on him, ask him why the hell he's here — you thought you'd made it clear that you didn't want anything to do with him, apparently not clear enough.

"Jae? Who's Jae?" He asks once he's in the solace of your apartment.

"That's what you're asking me?" Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable this fucker is. "How many times do I have to tell you that I fucking hate you?"

"You don't hate me, y/n. Right now, you're angry, I get it. But we can work through this—"

You can't bear to listen to the bullshit that's coming out of his mouth. The way he says your name like you’re some kid that's throwing a non-deserved tantrum, makes you clench your fists at your sides. How, the ever-loving heck, had you dated him for five months? You can barely stand him now.

"Shut up! God, just shut up and get out. Why do you keep embarrassing yourself? Go back to René. The two of you deserve each other."

"I love you," he says and you know he's pulling out all the stops tonight directly out of his ass.

"Oh, fuck your love," you push his shoulder and direct him to the front door. Suddenly you're very angry, boiling even, and you can swear a vein in your neck is about to burst. "Go. I'm not playing Theo. If you don't leave, I'll call security."

There's a shift in the air and suddenly Theo is too close. You've never been afraid of him before; Theo's all talk and no bite. However, right now the feeling that slithers through your body is unadulterated anxiety. You're not backed against a wall but you feel like your safety has been compromised and you want him out. Out of your house, out of your hair, out of your life.

"Get out. We're done." You manage to say without your voice shaking, but your heart is pounding furiously in your chest. "I don't want you here."

"But you want Jae?" His already rough face contorts to something uglier. "What does he have that I don't, huh?"

For starters, he hasn't cheated on you, not like there's much competition there. Theo isn't the smartest cookie in the box, he thinks more with his sexual body parts than he does with his brain. You could swear that if you knocked on his head a shattering hollow sound will echo out, can't say you'd be surprised.

Alphonsine Vernoux, you think to yourself, watch me and be proud.

"His dick is pretty impressive, not going to lie."

Even when you're shaking in your boots, you can't really resist the urge to engage in a catfight with him. Your step-mother had always told you to go down screaming and by god, you are not going to allow Theo to intimidate you for something you don't need to feel bad for. Because you don't.

"You are a fucking slut!" His voice is loud and you can't help the incredulous laugh that falls from your lips.

"Me? Newsflash Theo; we're not together anymore. I can do whatever the hell I want."

He doesn't deserve an explanation because it doesn't matter. If he can do it when he's in a relationship, what's stopping you from doing it when you're not?

"It hasn't even been a month, y/n," he says this like it would matter to you if it has been a year or three. He doesn't own you, he ever did and he never will. Moreover, did he expect you to wait a fucking month to get over his sloppy ass?

"Are you seriously saying this right now? You're the one that screwed somebody else when we were dating! Are you fucking stupid or what?"

Theo blinks a dozen times a minute, not quite understanding what you're saying. A pig, that's what he is. So, he was allowed to go around sticking his small as fuck dick in anyone he pleased, but god forbid you do the same? (let's not even put into consideration the fact that you're single as a circle sure as hell isn't straight.)

Oh, how you want to reach up and smack him so hard he fades to dust on the spot but you're not crazy and you don't want to abuse him, you just want him to leave you alone.

"You know what? Just get out." Without waiting for him, you pull open your door and push him out with as much force as you can gather. "If we're not at work, I don't ever want to see your sexist, disgusting ass ever again. Take your stupid flowers and go give it to a bitch that cares because it sure as hell isn't me."

And then you slam the door with so much fervor it shakes on its hinges. You pull at your hair, agitated and tired because you hate him so much. Why did you even think it was a good idea to date him? The selfish prick only thinks about himself and must be some different type of delusional to think flowers were going to do anything to salve your relationship. Christ, you'd basically left Jaebum standing like a fool outside and for what?

You are pretty sure that he probably heard all that just happened. The walls in this apartment complex are thin and it's not like you weren't screaming at the top of your lungs. Ugh, you doubt he'd even talk to you again but you truly can't bring yourself to care anymore. All that you want to do now is sleep. Sleep and forget about everything. Never in your life have you ever felt so humiliated. If you could go back in time and erase meeting Theo from your history, you wouldn't even bat an eyelid.

Furiously, you punch the air and imagine it's Theo's face. It feels good to do it, like your dishing out his own medicine. You truly can't believe he thinks you were going to turn celibate because you dumped him, did he really have no sense? You keep going at it, punching the air until it feels like you've connected with his jaw because frankly, it's helping you release all your pent-up tension and annoyance.

A set of knocks proves to be the only thing able to bring you out of your punching galore and without missing a beat you yell:

"Go away, Theo! I mean it when I say I'll call the police. Don't try me."

"It's not Theo."

Indeed, Theo, it is not. Scrambling, you rush over and jack open your front door for the third time that night and through your eyes you see a glassy and blurry silhouette of Jaebum standing at your doorstep. Oh, he's not what you're expecting.

Clearing your throat, you attempt to correct your previous words. "I'm sorry about that. You're obviously not Theo and I'm sorry again for being so rude earlier, I don't—"

You're not really sure where you're going with your apology because even though you know what you want to say, the words keep mangling and choking up in your throat before you can say them.

"You're crying," he states softly and you realize now how wet your cheeks have become and why your vision is all muddled up.

"I'm not," you lie because dammit, you shouldn't be crying over that douche. You hastily try to wipe the tear marks away with the back of your palm but oh boy, they keep on coming.

He hesitates for a second before he raises his palm up and uses his fingers to rub at the tear stains. "You are. I heard what he said earlier."

You stomp your feet in annoyance because this is so unfair. How dare your ex just waltz in here and make you regret one of the best nights you've had in a long, long time. How fu—

"I for one, think your ex is the dumbest donkey on the planet. Not that I meant to eavesdrop or anything because I'd never do that but fucking hell, does he really have no filter? I've never been more inclined to use my fists and punch the light into someone as much as I want to do it to that dude. He deserves it, I think."

You crack a smile at his ramblings. God, it's endearing when he goes off tangent. Especially when you can see that he's trying his best to stop you from crying — he's doing a phenomenal job because you've been reduced to irregular sniffling.

"I'm sorry that you didn't get to finish what you were saying about how Shakespeare should be treated in modern society." You refer to your earlier conversation before everything had blown bigger than you could contain it.

"y/n," he sighs out your name. "I honestly don't give a flying shit about that right now. Your ex-said some really rude things and I hope you know it's not true."

"I know. I don't even know why I'm crying, I guess I'm just frustrated because I should have known he wasn't the smartest or the loveliest. God, how could I have been so blind?"

Jae shakes his head slightly, releasing your cheek and instead grabbing your elbows to keep up grounded. "What's done is done, so it doesn't matter but I just couldn't stand to listen to him degrade you like that. You're an amazing person y/n."

"Thank you," you say and you mean it. "I probably would have gone and cried myself to sleep if it wasn't for you."

Truthfully, you think you still will. At this point, you want to rush to your bed and collapse into a deep sleep for at least ten years. Like you've said again and again; you're not devastated. But you're so tired. Tired of it all.

"Or you could show me that French TV show you like. I wouldn't mind staying up with you and watching it if it means that you won't cry yourself to sleep... obviously, don't do this if you don't want to. I mean, I wouldn't hold it against you. Your stupid ex just came in and ruined your night, I don't want to impose on you and make you uncomfortable or anything like that because uh, you know that would suck. So—"

Watching him ramble on, you imagine the gears in his turning. On one hand, you could take his proposition as a move on a very vulnerable person but on the other you can take it as someone, a very nice someone that your body and mind seem to be keen on keeping around longer than you want, trying to console you. And you don't know why, but you think it wouldn't be a bad idea to allow him to do that.

"It's okay. You can come in," you cut him short as you step aside and push your open door wider, flashing him a watery smile. "I'm not exactly sure if you'd enjoy Piégé though. Loads of drama."

His eyes flicker between your face and then the floor, you believe he didn't quite expect you to accept his offer. But then he shoots you a slow smile in response. "Good thing I love drama then."

It is because it turns out that Jaebum loves Piégé more than you. Gradually but surely, it becomes somewhat of a ritual for the two of you to go for a run (something that you definitely got better at) and come back home to your apartment and watch the newest episode together. Something you never thought would be happening when you first met him.

You don't know when exactly the switch came but it did — slowly. You couldn't really deny the sexual attraction brewing between the two of you, not you wanted to, but this time you didn't want to build a relationship only on the physical. This time you wanted to actually know the person you were becoming accustomed to. And although we, as humans, can never know all there is to know about another person because we do not even know all about ourselves, you at least want to try. Especially since he lets you do it.

Finding out that Ara becomes way less irritable when Jae is around is a golden opportunity that you don't miss, and hence use it to keep him at your apartment longer because screw it, you feel something with him.

So, it comes as no surprise to you when he texts you in the middle of your workday — three weeks later — telling you that he has successfully binge-watched the first four seasons of Piégé in two days and he finally was up to date on the happenings of Alphonsine Vernoux and her love, Jean-Louis, so by association, you were finally able to gush and rave about the newest additions along with him and god, that was a good feeling.

It's not the same kind of feeling you had with Theo or Seongwon or any of your exes. This is different. It's calm. Being with Jae is calm and relaxing. It's more of a slight-tingle-that-washes-all-over-your-body-until-you-can't-think-straight kind of feeling. It's not explosive or counterproductive and it doesn't make you want to tear your hair out by just thinking of it. Instead, it makes you want to flow with the waves and enjoy the seasons because you know no matter what, you feel warm.

He makes you feel warm. When he remembers that your favorite time of the year is Halloween and hence helps you prepare two months in advance so the two of you can coordinate costumes for Youngjae's annual Halloween party. When he listens to you rant on and on about how much you hate René for making some otherwise snarky comment about your love life and when he rejoiced with you when she finally! packed her bags and moved five states over to marry the dude you hope will last with her for a long time because you know nobody else on this goddamn planet will.

When you introduce him to your rather small friend group and he makes it a sole duty to try and get in their good graces, which to be honest wasn't hard. He makes you feel warm when you listen to him talk about his dreams and his hopes or when he listens to you talk about the new things your attention has latched onto.

He makes you feel proud whenever you stop by his pizzeria and watch him handle his business in a cool, organized fashion. Most times trying to impress you and most times you leave there fully impressed. You listen to him talk about how much his dream of wanting to write and get something — anything, published. His parents had been against it. But then you encourage him to do it because fuck, life is too short to not do the things you love. And you can tell he loves it; in the way, his eyes light up every time you ask him about it.

"It's all about the moments," you tell him as you pretend to not see the corny grin lacing his lips as you do so.

He pushes you over the edge when he challenges you to do the things you're too afraid to. You never admit your fears but somehow, he knows them and proceeds to drag you out of your shell. You would say you hate it, but not really. You hate how he knows you like the back of his hand. You're not sure how you feel whenever his arms wrap around you at night and pull you closer to him, filling your emptiness with something more.

There's so much to be said about the way he holds you. Like you were made for him. He tells you he believes "loving one person for a long time is enough." And as the days add up to weeks that add up to months, you begin to believe them too. Being with him makes you believe in the corny quotes ripped off the internet that your step-mother has ingrained into you. It makes you wish you'd believed in them sooner.

He makes you feel content with everything every time his lips come in contact with your skin. It wraps you whole and makes you want to choke out "I love you," again and again until he believes it and burns it in his mind because it's true. When he doubts whether he is enough for you because he believes you're too good for him, you want to scream it aloud at him. Oh, how you want to but, you're scared. It's been months — eight to be exact — and you're not particularly sure if it's enough time for him to believe your words.

But after several weeks of trying to get Jaebum out of this stalemate that he's in, of him thinking that you deserve better than him when really all you ever want is him, you decide that you've had enough.

You corner him after work. A few hours after you've already gone back to your apartment to grab Ara for her nightly jog, you'll be damned if you allow her only to sit on her ass and eat all day, and left her to fall asleep soundly in the living room.

He's wrapping up the last things left to do at his store — telling one of his workers, a girl named Haru, to leave for the night and that he'll close up — when you find him. Instead of walking in like you'd usually do, you wait outside.

You're nervous. More nervous than you've ever been in your entire life. You've known for quite some time now that you love Im Jaebum. You love him so much that it seems almost stupid to not let him know. You know he loves you back, if not for the fact that the two of you have been dating for the past eight — almost nine — months, his little nickname for you "my love," was enough to tip you off. And at this point, you don't care. You just want to let it all out.

When he comes out of his store, wrapping a scarf tightly around his neck, you think to yourself: this is it. Looping your arm through his, you watch as an affectionate smile automatically slips onto his face. God, this is so incredibly corny but you feel your stomach do flips.

"How was your day?" He asks you first, maybe because he can tell how nervous you are. "Anything happen?"

You shake your head. "Not really. I did pitch in this really good idea though and my boss actually liked it. I thought I would cry."

"Bet you did," he chuckles out, wrapping his arm around your shoulder.

"Did not. I would never cry in front of that woman. She'd probably fire my ass because of 'disruption or negligence of duties.'"

Jae snorts at that but doesn't say anything in response. Instead, his fingers rub slow circles on your shoulders and you think maybe he knows something is up with you. You know it's not that big of a deal, truly. You've told him how much you love him by your actions every day since the day the two of you got together but it still feels oddly different trying to get the words out because you feel like they'll come out wrong.

It's not till you reach the big coffeehouse, the one Jae adores, that he finally stops to ask you:

"Babe, what's wrong?"

And before you can stop yourself or even think through your next actions, you throw your arms around his neck and flush your lips against his. For a moment, he's stunned into stupidity but soon enough he's clasping one of his hands around your back and threading the other one through your hair and you're sighing into you him. "I love you." He laughs into your neck because it's so obvious.

"I know."

"No, no," he doesn't. Not in the way you're trying to say it. You break away, dazed. "I love you. I love you no matter what. I love your stupid bets to get me out of bed in the evening to go running with you, I love your writings and the little post-it notes you have stuck everywhere in my apartment. I love how you don't make me feel weak for crying when I get so frustrated, I love you for attempting to sing a lullaby for my niece that one time but instead made her cry the whole night.

"I love you for always knowing what you want to do but never trying to force it on me. You don't understand, Jae. I love you. And I hate that you think I deserve someone else because you're the best possible thing that's happened to me. You're my best moment and fuck, I hate seeing you doubt yourself so much and—"

"I know," he says again and this time you think, he really does. "I know and you don't have to force yourself to say it when you're not ready. I know you love me and I'm sorry for making you think that I didn't believe in it otherwise."

Without much words, he laces his fingers through yours and rests his forehead against your own. You think you finally understand why your step-mother went/goes through so much trouble to remind you that the moments you make in life are beyond important. They make you. They teach you about love. Not the love you thought you had or knew about but real love. The kind that fills you up and makes you a better person. The kind of love that's just waiting to consume you.

With his breath fanning against your skin, you feel everything at once. The connection you have with Jaebum, the guy that you were blessed to have as a neighbor. You suppose you should be thanking Ara for the two of you being where you are today. But then again if fate really wanted the two of you together, it would have happened with or without Ara's help anyway.

You can hear your heart pounding ridiculously loud but you take a deep breath and say it again.

"I love you."

And this time he doesn't say he knows, he says it back. "I love you too, y/n."

You wonder what passersby are thinking about the two of you. Two grown adults professing their love for each other on the street like they've run mad.

He raises his head and looks at you, eyes so intense and burning, like he'd been waiting for you to say it in this way. Not in a rush to get all the words out because you and he have all the time in the world, but slow and understandable. You squeeze his hand tighter.

Regardless of the moments that led up to the two of you being here together and the circumstances that surrounded it, you're thankful. So, fucking thankful, because it means more to you than you'd ever thought possible.

"So, I was thinking," Jae's lips tilt up after several moments. "Do you want to move in?"

A/N: hey! it would be super cool if people gave me feedback on this :) i hope you liked it! thanks so much for reading !!

⇢ masterlist

©️ 2017 kai, moonbelt [aka high-on-food]

[chasingthepoguelife]

Fratboy!Thiam Chapter 4

The next morning Liam awoke feeling very peaceful and relaxed. The first thing he looked at was the watch on his wrist, reading 12:36 pm. Liam lunged from his sleeping position and shot up the upper half of his body in shock and confused. "Oh man, how could I sleep for that long??? How could I fall asleep in another house, in someone else's bed??" Liam remembered everything from yesterday, how he wandered the party alone, and especially how he met Theo. He must have been so tired that he passed out on Theo's bed, but he doesn't remember the big fuzzy blanket that was over him. He searched the bed and the rest of the room, not being able to find Theo, and of course he panicked again. "Did Theo sleep here too? Next to me? In the same bed?" Liam asked himself. The only people he's ever shared a bed with were his mama and Allison, and for the longest time he was convinced that it would be dangerous to let someone other than Allison and his mama to share a bed with him, by none other than his over protective mother. "At least I still have all my clothes on. I know mama would be very upset and ask so many questions if she went through my clothes and found my good clothes missing," Liam thought to himself. After taking a few breaths and calming down, Liam didn't make the effort to get up from Theo's comfy bed. The creaky sound of the door opening made Liam jump. "Hey Liam, you're finally up!" Liam didn't know what say, almost like he forgot to speak, a sudden dryness forming in his mouth as he laid eyes on a sweaty Theo, wearing only gym shorts and sneakers. "I didn't want to wake you so I just headed out for some breakfast and exercise," Theo shared. "I'm really sorry for sleeping in so late, I don't want to be rude, I'll just get my stuff and go," Liam rambled on. "No no don't be ridiculous. It was nice having new company in here, I'm glad you stumbled into my room." Liam hadn't noticed that Theo came and sat next to Liam on his bed, ridiculously close. Liam was looking for his next words when he realized how close Theo was due to the sweat droplets he felt on this arm falling from Theo's forehead. "When's the last time you are Liam?" "Most definitely over 12 hours ago." "I was about to make lunch for myself but I can make a second plate for you." "Really that's ok you've done so much for me, beside I'm not that hungry." The beast like rumble coming from Liam's stomach said otherwise. "You're having lunch with me and that's final." "Ok," Liam mumbled. "I'll go downstairs and start on everything. Take your coming down. There's towels and everything for a shower and anything you need," Theo offered. Liam never let a day go by in his life where he let it get to the afternoon before brushing his teeth, let alone shower anywhere else but his and Allison's house, no way was he doing that today. The Backstreet Boy's Larger than Life started ringing from the corner of Theo's desk, a ring tone Liam has set every time Allison calls. "Ally!" Liam yelled, running to answer his phone. "Hello?" "Dear god Liam, where have you been? I've called ten times?" Liam didn't eve need to put the phone to his ear. Allison was yelling at him like his mama does when he's in trouble. "Ally I'm so sorry. I had to go to bathroom real bad and it took forever to find it and then I found one but I had to meet Theo first and we started talking and I was having a lot of fun but I got real sleep and Theo let me sleep in his room. I promise I'm ok and I'm real sorry please don't be mad!" Liam sniffled. "Liam please I'm not mad at you, I was just worried. It's not like you to not answer your phone. And did I hear you correct? You said Theo? As in president Theo??" "Ally how could you know about that?" "I spent a lot of time with Scott, practically until the same came up. He told me all about himself and the fraternity, mentioning Theo. And then when I got to your door I had a panic attack!" "I'm really sorry Ally, I won't do it ever again. I'll be back soon but Theo said he'd make me lunch and he's yelling for me!" Liam said a little too excited. "Come back right after ok?" "Pinky promise Ally!" "Oh and Liam? Scott mentioned very clearly that Theo likes boys." "Ok Ally, shh, I have to go now." Only Liam could manage to get that embarrassed over the phone by his best friend. Liam slowly made his way to the kitchen nervously with one thought, Theo likes boys, just like himself. *a few hours later* "You're lucky I'm not your mama! She'd hang you upside if she knew even a fraction about what happened during the last 24 hours!" "Ally I think I feel it. I feel it in my tummy and my brain." "Feel what Liam?" "Remember? You said all those funny feelings you had when Matt was your boyfriend? I'm nor sure but I think I feel it too. I had a nice meal and I'm not getting sick so what else could it be Ally?" "Ok slow down Liam. Give me some more detail. Are you saying someone is making you feel the way Matt made me feel?" "Just-just, I'll tell you, but you can't laugh. Promise me Ally?" "I'm listening 100%!" *back to when Liam walked into the kitchen* "It's not really healthy, especially after working out and everything, but I couldn't help my self after seeing the photo on your phone with that girl and the milkshake all over your faces." "Oh wow milkshakes are my favorite! Mama doesn't let me have too many though because they're not healthy, but I think anything that tastes that good and makes you that happy can't be bad for you!" "The doctors would disagree with you," Theo said with a chuckle. "So that pretty girl in the photo, is that your girlfriend?" "Who Allison? Oh gosh no. No way. Ally is basically my sister. We've been best friends since I was this tall," Liam gestured to his knee. Plus from what she told me, she and Scott had a lot of fun last night." "oh yeah? what kind of fun?" Theo asked, not aware of how innocent Theo actually is. " well mostly they talked, but she mentioned he bought her French fries, which are her favorite, and saw his bike." " so Allison equals not a girlfriend. I figured I'd balance the milkshake with some sandwiches and carrots. That ok?" "Sandwiches and milkshakes, my two favorite things!" "god you're so cute," Theo whispered a bit too loud. Luckily for Theo, Liam's attention was captured by the food. "So Liam, any girlfriend at all?" Theo eagerly asked. "Not exactly. Well no actually. I've never been on a date before." "Haha seriously?" Theo commented, seeing a bit of regret on Liam's face for sharing. " I think that's cool Liam. Almost everyone I know is all about dating, hooking up and partying, so it's nice to meet someone with other things on their mind." "Uh hooking up?" Liam asked. "Oh um well you know, kissing, touching, having sex?" "Oh yeah of course, Ally has tired to explain that stuff to me when my mama wouldn't. Of course it might be different for me." "Why do you say that Liam?" Liam froze for a second, wondering if he should share with Theo that he likes boys. He knows theo likes boys so he should be ok, right?" "Well Allison would say things about when a boy and a girl hooking up, but that won't do me much good because when I finally...hook up, it won't be with a girl." Liam watched nervously for Theo's reacting and smiled right back when Theo flashed him a smile. "I sort of know what you mean. I've always been hooking up with girls and recently I accepted that I also like boys except I've never hooked up with a boy. But hey are you ok Liam?" "Yes-yes, fine. I've just never talked like this with anyone but Ally before and I'm a little embarrassed. Yesterday at the party she called me a bottom but I don't know what that means?" Theo spit out his water like a free flowing water fall. "Oh really it's nothing, you'll probably find out sometime this year," Theo said with meaning he understood. "Ok, Liam continued with a stuffed face. "Liam, you're really cute you know that?" Was this what Ally meant when she said his cuteness would get him a lot of attention? But was Theo calling cute just because or because he thought Liam was pretty? "Thiam you Theo, you are too," and Theo was about to lose it as Liam said that with his long eyelashes batting, but of course Liam was all oblivious to this. "I know it's not far but would you mind if I walked you back to your building?" Theo asked. "yes of course you can!" The two boys walked for a few minutes until Liam's dorm building came into plain sight. "You know Liam, you don't have to wait until the next party to come by. You're welcome to knock on the front door and my door anytime." "Thank you so much Theo, for everything. I will most definitely come back to see you." Liam stood there awkwardly, intertwining his fingers while Theo watched him. "Well I scared Ally real good so I better get going. See you later Theo!" Before Liam could walk off, Theo pulled Liam in for a hug. Being in Theo's arms and taking in his smell was brand new to Liam. He's had plenty of hugs from Allison and family, but none that made him feel like this. "Bye Liam, " Theo said before planting a kiss on Liam's cheek. *in Liam's dorm room* "Omg is that why you keep grabbing your cheek? Liam that is so cute!" "But Ally am I ok? Am I feeling ok things? Because like I said, hugging Theo was not like hugging you or mama." "Liam, it is perfectly normal. You're half way to your first kiss, considering Theo said you can come over anytime," Allison said, making kissing noises. "You're one to talk Ally! I bet you have Scott plenty of kisses last night!" Liam fired back. "Well I'm not done with you mister. We're going to talk about this over frozen yogurt, so let's go."

[accio-omega]

“Deal” (Teen Wolf Imagine)

Summary: You attend a party at your best friend Malia’s house, and are ecstatic when your crush, Stiles Stilinski shows up. Your enemy/ex best friend shows up, and lets just say, things escalate pretty quickly.

Warnings: some bad language, that’s about it.

Side Note: (y/e/n) - your enemy’s name.

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Today was the day of the big party! You were so excited you could barely stand. Your best friend Malia was throwing a massive party with everyone she know, of course, this includes your crush, Stiles ! You scanned your cupboard for something cute to wear, alas, you decided to go with your usual; black jeans, green day shirt and a hoodie. Wow, so fancy! You quickly made a group skype call with your group; your four bffs. One of which, was throwing the party.

"Hey guys, what're you all wearing?" "Oh, just casual, want to be comfortable." "Yea, you guys better dress comfy, you've got no idea what I have planned..." Malia sounded devious. "Hahaha, you sure you don't want our help setting up? Sounds like a lot of work.." Kira asked "No, no, it's fine. I want this party to be as much of a surprise to you as it is to the other 75 people coming." "aaaalllrightt..... but we'll be there at 6 though right? Want that extra half hour to prepare myself." "Haha yea, sure. I gotta go, I'll see you guys then!" "Yep, bye guys!" Once the call ended you flopped onto your bed and checked your phone. 4:30. Ugh, an hour an a half. That may as well be 3 years. You stared up at the ceiling for a good minute until your trance was broken by your phone buzzing. It was Stiles. "Hey (y/n), stoked for the party tonight! I'll see you there right?" Eeeeee! Yes, he will see you there tonight hehehe. Oh yea, might be good to respond. "Hey! Yea me too, and of course! :)" ";)" Ok, now you were ready to bounce off the walls. Ugh 6:00 could not come sooner. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Muuuuuummmm! We need to leave! Malia wants me there at six, let's go!" "coming!" The whole car ride was just an internal battle with yourself to keep your shit together, you didn't want your mum to get suspicious as to why you were so excited. Finally, you pulled up to Malia house. "Ok, are you getting a ride with Kira?" "Uh, yea, think so. If not I'll let you know how I'm getting home. Don't wait up, I'll probably be home at like midnight." "mmm... alright... be careful. I'm trusting you." "I know, love you!" "Love you too honey. Have fun. But not too much fun." "Oh my god mum, bye!" As soon as your mum drove off you popped like a balloon, excitement bursting out of your body and deafening the immediate area. "Oh. My. God. Malia, this is incredible!" "hahaha you like?" "I LOVE!" In front of her house was a massive park, with a few large trees, of which were covered in yellow twinkle lights. There were about 30 blow up kiddy pools with blankets and pillows in them, a massive palm tree cooler with drinks in it and tables surrounding it, packed with food. A soccer field had been mowed into the ground and outlined with glow sticks, goals were placed on either end of the field with lights wrapped around the edges, and a light up soccer ball was sitting in the middle of the pitch. This was actually going to be the best night ever. "oh my god, you're incredible!" "aren't I?" Malia said with a proud grin. "when's everyone getting here?" "You mean when's Stiles getting here?" You smirked. "Maybe..." "haha, half an hour or so? I talked to him earlier. He seems keen to see you" You blushed. "Hey uh, so do you need any more help?" "Nice subject change, and no, just about done I think. Want a drink?" "Yea, I'll just steal it from the palm tree. Be right back." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As the music blaired, and more and more people arrived, you began to wonder whether or not Stiles was actually coming..... "Hey, (y/n) right?" Oh no, it was Theo, the dickhead who always hits on you.... "Oh, hey, how's it going?" "Oh not too bad, now that you're here, this party got a lot more interesting" Theo said, looking you up and down and nodding. Ugh, you hated him. How were you going to get away this time? Just then you spotted Stiles. You locked eyes in the crowd of people and smiled at each other. You little moment was interrupted by Theo once more. "So, do you want a drink, beautiful?" "Oh, yea sure" Anything to get him away is a yes from you. "Ok sweet, be right back. Don't go anywhere. I mean it" He winked at you. Ugh. In your efforts to get Theo away, you had managed to lose sight of Stiles. Where did he go? You could see Theo heading back over. Oh no no no no no someone please walk over, someone please walk ove- "Hey (y/n)!" It was Stiles! Eeee! "Oh, hey! Thank god you're here, Theo has been harassing me for the past ten minutes. He's coming, quick, help!" "Here's your- oh, Stiles, what're you doing here?" "Um, I'm actually here with my girlfriend. What're you doing over here?" "I am having a conversation with this beautiful girl right here. I think maybe you should get back to your girlfriend. Excuse me." Theo grabbed your arm and tried to pull you away. "Uh, yea sorry man, I'm actually with my girlfriend right now." Stiles grabbed Theo’s hand and ripped it off your arm, putting his arms protectively around your waist. He looked stunned. Stiles leaned in and whispered in your ear. "Encore?" You smiled as he turned you to face him and placed his lips on yours. As the two of you kissed, the world began to slip away, along with Theo and every other person at the party. He must feel it too. When you pulled away, he was still standing there, with his arms folded, dumbfounded. "I see" "Yea. Glad I could get that image through that thick skull of yours. Maybe you should go hit on someone who isn’t taken. Have a nice night!" Theo walked away angrily, and you looked up at Stiles. "Um, Stiles, what was that?" "I- I don't know. I think I-" "(y/n)!!!" Malia shouted. "(y/n)? Oh thank god you're here, I HAVE to talk to you!" Before you had the chance to say anything, (y/b/f/n) had ripped you out of Stiles’ arms and began pulling you away. You glanced over your shoulder mid-sprint and locked eyes with him. That had to mean something. "Oh my god what, what is it? I was having a moment!" "Oh, sorry, I just had to tell you, (y/e/n) is here!" "what?! How did she even get in?!" "I mean, we are in a park...." "No like how did she get invited?!" "She didn't...... she's here with....." "with?" "Your ex...." "WHAT?!" "Look, I'll take care of it, just go back to Stiles. Don't worry about her, i just thought I'd warn you." "Yea, thank you so much, I'll catch up with you later?" "Yep! Get back out there!" You smiled at how much you loved your best friend. Oh yea, Stiles. You searched desperately for him, but didn't understand how someone could just disappear like that. "(y/n)?" You stopped dead in your tracks, but hoped that they would go away. Please tell me its not who I think it is, please tell me its not who I think it is.... "(y/n)! Oh my god, what a shock! Haven't seen you in ages!" "Oh, (y/e/n), yea! I mean it's a bit more of a surprise to see you here, this is my best friend's house!" you said through gritted teeth, doing your best to smile. "haha, yea, well we all knew she liked me better. You just couldn't stand not being the favourite." She said, still smiling. "I don't need to hear your shit. At least, not here. Not now. Everyone is listening." "Oh, I'm sure they won't mind. I'm sure they would love to hear how you turned all of my friends against me and made my life misery for 2 years." "you know that's not tru-" (y/e/n) interrupted. "I was so scared all the time, I had to move schools to get away from you." By now, a crowd of people had began to form around you. "(y/e/n), you are just making yourself look stupid. None of this is true and you know it." "Actually, I don't know. It seemed pretty true to me when you were-" "(y/e/n)! Enough! Everyone knows that's shit. All of it. Who even invited you? This is my party, and I'm only going to ask you once to leave. Take your friend with you too." "Oh, I'm not done yet." "Oh yes you are." Stiles stepped in front of you. (y/e/n) looked shocked. "Oh, so you two huh?" Stiles grabbed your hand. "You know she's a back-stabbing bitch right?" You could feel the tears welling up in your eyes. "She will use you just like she used me. " "Hey-" Stiles began, but was interrupted by Malia. "I thought I said it already, get out of my party." she sounded mad. Stiles was still standing in front of you, and you could feel his hand tensing in anger as (y/e/n) continued. "Seriously though, text me when you dump this ugly bitch, you're pretty cute." (y/e/n) said to Stiles. By this point, you pulled your hand away from his and sprinted away off into the dark forest, away from the rest of the party. Tears began to fall down your face, and you could feel your legs buckling below you. Soon enough you gave up at fell to the ground,  the havoc of the party being drowned out by the sound of your own sobbing, until it was merely a drone, fading slowly away into the back of your mind. You didn't know how long you were on the ground for, but soon, you heard frantic footsteps and two familiar voices calling for you. "(y/n)!" Malia called. "ugh, (y/n)! Where are you?!" (y/c/n) called closely behind. Within seconds, you felt a weight on the ground next to you, and a warm hand started twirling your hair. "Don't worry about it. I know none of that was true. We all do. (y/e/n) is just an attention seeking bitch who's jealous that she is not as incredible as you are. She feels intimidated by you, cause she knows she'll never be as kind, or funny, or beautiful, or so incredibly adorable as you." You sat up to face Stiles and smiled. As you tried desperately to resist the excruciating urge to hug him, you failed miserably and flew full speed into his chest as he wrapped his arms around you in a tight embrace. "Stiles?" "mmmm?" "A-a-about before..." "Oh, yea.." He removed his arms from around you and placed his hand on your leg. "Did you like, mean everything that was being said... and what was.... happening..?" "What do you mean 'what was happening?'" "Oh, well, you know.." "ohhh you mean this?" Stiles pulled you towards him and kissed you, even more passionately than the first time. "Y-yea, that.." There was a pause. "Yea. I meant every word I said." Another pause. "I mean, I-I-if you want..." he sounded nervous, something you're not used to hearing from him, "Ok, I'll make a deal with you. We just pretend, like all of this was real. No one has to know that I was originally saving you from a dick head guy...." You smiled. "Deal."

THE END!

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Yayyyy! We’re (sorta) back! So sorry for being so inactive recently, but we’re trying to post more! Thank you so much for reading, and don’t forget, requests are open! Thanks!

~ G ❤️

[chilly-territory]

Gangsta BD4 drama translation

I did a summary of it earlier, and now this is a full script of this drama starring Nina, Nicolas and Doug with a little of Theo. The mp3 of the drama was kindly shared in fuckyeahgangsta's post.

Theo: Yeah, I want to request you to guard her for the duration of this delivery. No, it's just one place. One bodyguard is more than enough. Alright, I'm counting on you then. Nina: The equipment we additionally ordered has been delivered, so I'll put it in the storage room. Theo: Okay. Nina. Nina: Yes? Theo: Once you're done, I want you to do a delivery. For Granny Rose in District 4, her meds ran out. Looks like she will be able to visit us for an examination tomorrow, but I want you to deliver her today's share of painkillers. Nina: Understood. I'll go as soon as I'm finished. Theo: I requested a bodyguard, so take him and go. Nina: A bodyguard? Theo: District 4 is near District 6 where the recent Twilight killings took place. So this is just to be on the safe side. Unfortunately, one of the requested persons is preoccupied with a woman and can't make it, but the other should be more than enough alone. Nina: Ah, understood!

Nina: Upsie. Done! Theo: You're here. Nina: *giggles* Nico! Nic: Ah? Theo: Sorry to call you on such short notice, Benriya. Nic(signs): It's fine. Theo: Worick probably told you already, but to reiterate: I want you to guard her for this delivery. She's my invaluable nurse. If anything happens to her, there'll be hell to pay. Nic(signs): If it's a delivery, I can do by myself though? Nina: Ah, about that... The granny this delivery is for, she's, um... she doesn't handle Twilights very well, so... Theo: District 4 is Corsica's turf. It has a lot of people like Corsica himself, who have a prejudice against Tags. Well, a Tag or not, if a guy with a grim face like yours was her deliveryman, the granny's back pains would get so much worse. Nic(thinks): You're the last guy I wanna hear that from, doc. Nina: *giggles* Theo: Another thing. I want to use the afternoon for dealing with the documents that've been piling up, so don't come back until evening. Nic: *grunts* Nina(thinks): But we've got only one delivery, and it will be over fast. So it means I have his permission to play in the city, right? Hehe! Theo: Well, it's on you now. Nina: Yes, sir! Let's go, Nico!

Nina: It's been a while since I got to go out with you, Nico! Nic(signs): Has it? Nina: Yes, it has. Lately, we had an influx of visitors, so I didn't have time to go out much, and now I'm lucky! Nico, how's your injury from the other day? Nic(signs): Fine. Nina: That's good to hear! But you can't work out just yet, got it? Nic: Ugh... Nina: Nico...? You're already working out, aren't you?! Nic(signs): It's just a workout, it can't hurt. Nina: Yes, it can!!! *bumps into someone* I'm sorry! *more people bump into her* It's so crowded... Nic: *sighs* Nina: Eh, up? N-Nico? Nic: *jumps to the roofs* Nina: *yelps* Th-That surprised me. Don't jump all of a sudden... Nic(signs): It will be much faster if we go by the roofs. Hold on tight. Nina: Eh? Nic: *jumps onto the next roof with Nina screaming a little*

Nina: Please take care of yourself. We will be waiting for you tomorrow. (thinks) Good. The painkillers seem to have soothed her. Nina: Thanks for waiting, Nico. Nic(signs): Done? Nina: Yes! And I'm hungry, so let's have lunch somewhere? You know, there is a shop in District 9 that I heard about from a patient the other day, and I thought it'd be nice to visit it. If you don't mind, of course, Nico... Nico? Nic(signs): Let's go. Nina: Okay! *off they go by the roofs again*

Nina: The weather is so nice today! When we jumped earlier, the sky was so close, and it felt so good! Nic(signs): That so? Doug: Damn them! Going and using the opportunity to push the chores onto me! Nina: Doug-san? Doug: Huh? Nina: It really is you! What are you doing? Why are you holding all those bags? Doug: You're that girl from the clin--- Whoa! Why's Nicolas-san here, too?! Nic: Ah? Nina: He was helping me with a delivery. Doug: Oh, I see. Nina: I want to ask you the same question, Doug-san. Are you shopping? Doug: Something like that. The guys from the Guild said, "Go shopping for us if you have so much free time on your hands," and swamped me with requests... They just don't get what house arrest means, like, no kidding. Nina: Hahahaha. Ah, I know! We're going to have something to eat, would you like to come with us, Doug-san? Doug: Huuh? Why would I? Find someone else. Nina: I... see... Since we were lucky to run into each other, I just thought it would be nice if we could have a meal together... Doug: Well, it's not like I absolutely don't wanna go, it's just, uh... Nina: Just what? Doug: Argh, alright, I get it, I'll go, I'll come with you! Nina: Really?! Yay! Nico is happy to have you along, too! Doug: His face is clearly saying "see if I give a crap” though? Nina: Oh no, nothing of the sort! Well then, let's go!

Doug: You said earlier you were making a delivery, are you always the one handling deliveries? Nina: No, usually, we request Nico-- I mean the Benriya to handle them, but today the circumstances are a little special, so this time's request was only to guard me on the way. Doug: Hoo. That Normal mister's nowhere to be seen today. Nina: Worick-san? Ah, he has another job to take care of, right? Nic: *grunts* Nina: Huh? But the doctor said... Nic(signs): He planned to be done with his today's job before noon though. Nina: Oh. (thinks) Could it be that Theo-sensei was being considerate and arranged for me to play with Nico? Nic: *quizzical grunt* Doug: What? Is something wrong? Nina: Oh no, it's nothing! Ah, it must be that shop! I heard it has super yummy stuff! Can't wait to sample it! Doug: Huh? Wait, as far as I know the joints around here don't allow Twil--

Shop'sOwner: We don't have food to sell to Twilights! Get lost and never come back! RandomTwilight: Fuck you and your stupid joint! Go bankrupt!

Nina: Huh?! That person just now... Nic(signs): He got kicked out, evidently. Nina: Why...? Doug: I hear the joints around here don't allow Twilights. Just something of an unspoken rule though. Nina: No way... Doug: It's nothing unusual. Though I do think it's stupid. Nina: Ah, I am sorry... I didn't know it was that kind of place... Doug: Why are you apologizing? We're used to this and not really bothered by it. Nic: *sighs* *grunts* Nina: *yelps* Nico? Doug: You can just come here with the doc next time. Besides, I'm not a fan of respectable places like that anyway. Like, they're so stiff and stuff... Ah, oh! There's a line of buy&eat shops on the other side. Wanna hit those? Nina: Doug-san... Hehe. You're right.

Nina: Wow... It's like a festival! It's my first time coming here! Doug: And this is why kids are so bothersome. Nic: Hmph. Doug: You snorted! You laughed at me just now! Thinking to yourself that I’m kid-sized, too! Nic: No. Doug: Then stop with that annoying half-smirk! Nina: Ah, you two, this is a street, you know, and you're blocking the way. Come on, Nico, let's go.

Nina: It's really crowded here, would you like to hold hands too, Doug-san? Doug: For the record, I'm 21, so don't treat me like a kid, would ya. Nina: Ah, I didn't mean for it to sound that way. But if the two of us took Nico's hands on both sides, it'd look like he's our dad. Doug: HUH?! No friggin way! I absolutely don't want a father like that! Nic(signs): Spare me a kid like that, either. Nina: Really? Doug: In the first place, since Nicolas-san is so short, at best we’d look like sibl–- ow-ow-ow-ow!!! Ouch, ouch, ouch! Don't stomp on my foot, stop, it'll break! Nina: I don't have siblings, but it must be nice to have some. I wonder how it would feel to have one? Doug: I was an only child, too, so I don't really know either. Although I do have someone who’s like a big brother to me. Nina: Ah, that looks yummy! Doug: Agh, let's just buy it for starters then. Mister, gimme 3 of these! Aw damn, both my hands are occupied with the bags. Nic: *sighs* Doug: What, your treat? How generous! Nina: Spots in the resting area on the other side got vacated just now! Doug: Heh, great.

Nina: Nico, this one is yummy, too. Eh, it's hot, so if you wolf it down like that, you'll... Nic: Hm? Nina: If you're OK, then never mind, I guess. Doug: I'll have that too! *gets burnt* Nina: Hey, you need to let it cool first! Water, water. Doug: Oof, I-I'm amazed you can eat something as hot as this, Nicolas-san. Nic(signs): Is this that hot? Nina: Gosh, it's too late after you got burnt. Doug: Did you learn sign language by yourself from the scratch? Nina: Yes. I started because I wanted to talk to Nico. Doug: Seriously? Isn't it too much trouble though? There's plenty of other means, like writing, no? Nina: Mmn. I wanted to talk with the same words as Nico, so... Although there are many words I haven't learned yet. Doug: I'm an idiot, so for me it's totally impossible. Nina: N-No, that is not so, I assure you! Doug: Whoa, you startled me here. Nina: Sign language may look difficult, but there are only so many frequently used words, and once you've learned the basics, it's easy. For example, you make a chop at your right hand with the back of your left hand like with a kitchen knife, and that means "thank you". Doug: Like this? Nina: Yes! Doug: True, it's easier than I thought... Hey, what are other easy words you frequently use in daily life? Nic: Hmmmm. *thinks* Hm. Nina: Nico! You can't show the middle finger!!! Doug: Haha, that’s easy to underst—- hey wait! It’s not even sign language! Nic(signs): This comes in handy frequently though, like for provoking people.

Doug: Gah, I'm so full! Nina: I rarely get to eat out like this, so it was heaps of fun! Doug: Oh really. Good to hear. Ah? Nina: Ah. Nico, at your feet. Nic: Hm? Nina: It's badly injured. Its front leg, probably? The bleeding seems to have stopped, but the bone may be broken. But why is it so dirty...? (thinks) A Twilight's tags? Its owner's, possibly? But why? Could it be that something happened with its owner...? Doug: If it has tags, the best option is to take it to old man Chad, no? Especially if something happened to its owner. *Nina is unhappy* Doug: Don't make a face like that. Nina: It's just too sad that Twilights are discriminated against just because they're Twilights. I don't deny that there are some scary people among them, but not every Twilight is like that. Yet they're treated like it's their fault that they're Twilights Nic: *grunts* Nina: Ah, sorry for my weird ramblings. Doug: What I'm gonna say may sound cold, but this city won’t change just because you alone are crying for us. But to us, people like you are like gods. Isn’t that enough? Nina: Doug-san... Doug: Besides, you're gonna become a great doctor someday, too, no? Nina: Ah... (thinks) It’d be nice if I could. But I’m sure that I... Doug: What's wrong? Nina: Nothing. Doug-san, I thought so before, but you really are a very kind person. Doug: I-I just say what I think! I don’t try to be nice or anything... Nic: Hehehe. Doug: Don’t laugh! Nina: I'll take this little one to Chad-san. Nic(signs): I'll go with you. My job's not over until you're back at doc Theo's clinic, and if something happens to you, he'll kill me. Nina: Thank you, Nico. Doug: Okay, I'll go back to the Guild, then. They'll tell me off for fooling around on my way back too much if I'm too late. Nina: Okay! Thank you for today! Let's eat together again some time! Doug: Ehh? Well, if I feel like it. Heh!

Nina: We should go, too, Nico. Nic: *grunts* Nina: Ah, right, you know what? Alex-san came the other day to make sweets! She baked cookies, and they were so yummy! I wonder when she'll drop by again? Nic(signs): Who knows. Nina: I want to make them together with her next time. I'm practicing with the recipe she told me, so I want Alex-san to taste-test my cooking. And of course you, Nico, and Worick-san, too! Nic: *grunts* (signs) I'll let them know. Nina: *giggles* Thanks! I've got to work hard to make sure it's yummy then!

Nina: ...and then Doug-san decided not to wait until it cools and burnt his mouth! It looked painful! Theo: I see. Nina: But Nico didn't react at all, just quickly ate it all up. Theo: I see. Nina: All we did was have a meal together, but it was so much fun! I even thought that if I had siblings, it'd probably feel like that. Theo: I don't even what to imagine that. Nina: Doctor? Theo: What is it? Nina: Thank you for today. Theo: What are you talking about? Ah, more importantly, make copies of these papers. Without you, the work just keeps piling up. Nina: *giggles* Yes, sir!

[ketoconnect]

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

Chicken marsala doesn’t really need to be ketofied, so we know it’s already pretty easy to make. However, it can get easier! We’ve pulled out our instant pot to create a creamy style Instant Pot Chicken Marsala that requires minimal effort on your end and maximum flavor in the final product.

Our Favorite Instant Pot Recipes

I have been loving the instant pot lately, especially for quick dinners! As a mom of an 8 month old, there’s always things to clean and do, so by the time dinner comes around I’m pressed for time. The instant pot has been a life saver. Honestly, i’ve just been throwing meats, veggies and broths in and hoping for the best. It always turns out great.

If you’re looking for some instant pot inspiration check out our food blog and some of our favorites:

# Instant Pot Bone Broth (we make this quickly to add to soups and drink bulletproof style!)

# Velveeta Style Mac And Cheese

# Cheddar Bacon Soup (this can easily be made in the Instant Pot!)

What Can I Use Instead Of Marsala Wine?

This is a great question because I was wondering the same exact thing! We didn’t have any marsala wine on hand, and I planned to feed some to our 8 month old son, Theo, so I wanted it to be alcohol free (of course haha).

If you watched the video above then you know we made this without the wine, and while the wine would add an element of flavor that can’t be replicated otherwise it’s still just as delicious! We opted to sub in some chicken broth for the wine, which is already an ingredient in the dish so you’ll definitely have it on hand!

Leave us a comment if you’ve ever used another type of wine and found that it works out great!

Make It Dairy Free!

We wanted to kick this simple instant pot chicken marsala recipe up a notch in flavor and fat content by making it creamy! You can really add heavy cream to any dish you’re preparing and transform it in a delicious, high fat way.

Right now, Matt and I are doing a dairy free challenge so I’ve really been in the head space of swapping out dairy ingredients. I’ve been using a lot of canned coconut milk to make my morning bulletproof coffee and curries and it’s been a huge hit. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think canned coconut milk might be better than heavy cream!

Note: you can find canned coconut milk in the “Asian/Ethnic” food isle of your local grocery store.

What Does An Instant Pot Do?

Well, it has many functions, but our favorites are the one we use here in this recipe. The saute function heats quickly and allows you to brown meats, saute veggies and reduce sauces without whipping out extra pans.

You can then quickly switch from saute to manual (low or high pressure) to pressure cook literally anything you want ensuring it not only cooks though in a short period of time, but comes out tender and just right every time!

If you’re still on the fence we highly recommend you pull the trigger on this one! We’ve also used it as a slow cooker, to make homemade yogurt and to hard boil eggs. What can’t it do?!

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

The use of easy in the title is an understatement here. Minimal effort, minimal clean up and a guaranteed home run of a dinner. This is the type of recipe I like to meal prep in bulk because it’s that good. It’s also filling, reheats great and you can add veggies or palmini pasta (my favorite pasta substitute) to it to up the volume!

If you miss Italian dishes, but still want to stay away from the carbs, make this instant pot chicken Marsala for a tip down memory lane.