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pascalislove · 24 hours ago
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THE CALL: Han Jeong-Won x Fem!Reader~3
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Summary: Your arrival would change everything, even if Jeong-Won didn't know it yet.
The room was small and simple, with white walls and a modest desk where the judge patiently reviewed the documents. There were no flowers, music or smiling family members. Just Y/N, Han Jeong-Won, and the tense silence that filled the space.
The white dress that Y/N had chosen for the occasion was simple, but elegant. The light fabric fell softly over her figure, and the lace on the sleeves gave it a delicate touch. Despite the strangeness of the moment, she wanted to feel good about herself. Jeong-Won, for his part, in an impeccable dark suit, except for one detail: the crooked tie that hung carelessly from his neck. Y/N noticed it immediately and had to hold back a smile. The judge looked up and cleared his throat.—Are you ready? Jeong-Won nodded emotionlessly, while Y/N offered a kind smile. —Yes, ready. The judge began to read the marriage deed, his monotone voice echoing in the empty room. Y/N tried to concentrate, but her eyes kept returning to that misaligned tie that seemed like a perfect symbol of Jeong-Won's chaotic and closed personality. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "Wait a minute," he said quietly, interrupting the judge. Jeong-Won frowned, clearly irritated. —What happens now? "Your tie is on wrong," she replied calmly. Before he could protest, Y/N took a step towards him, raising her hands gently. —Let me fix it. Jeong-Won opened his mouth to say something, probably a complaint, but fell silent when he felt Y/N's hands expertly working on the knot of his tie. His fingers were warm and safe, and for a brief moment, the air between them changed.The judge, clearly accustomed to strange situations, simply continued where he left off. “Mr. Han Jeong-Won, do you accept Miss Y/N as your wife under the terms of this contract?” Jeong-Won looked at Y/N, his dark eyes filled with something indecipherable. —Yes, I accept.
—Miss Y/N, do you accept Mr. Han Jeong-Won as your husband? She held his gaze without hesitation. —Yes, I accept. The judge signed the document and gave them a brief nod. "Then, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife."Y/N let out a sigh as Jeong-Won put his hands in his pockets, as if it meant absolutely nothing to him. "I suppose it's done," he said coldly. Y/N raised an eyebrow, without losing her good mood.
—Don't get too excited, you might smile by accident. Jeong-Won gave a dry laugh, more of a snort than actual amusement. —That's not going to happen. "We'll see, Mr. Han. We'll see." As they left the room, Y/N couldn't help but think that this strange and cold marriage perhaps had more hidden warmth than it seemed.
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The car stopped in front of an imposing but cold mansion, surrounded by high walls and perfectly trimmed trees. Y/N observed the place with amazement and some discomfort.
—Is this your house? —he asked as he got out of the car with Loki. —What did you expect? Balloons and a red carpet? —Jeong-Won replied sarcastically. The interior turned out to be even more gloomy: gray tones, rigid furniture and not a single personal photograph. “Wow… this is so depressing,” Y/N muttered. “You can go to a hotel if you prefer,” Jeong-Won said, taking off his jacket. "No, I love challenges," he replied ironically. A meow interrupted the conversation. —Do you have a cat? "Three," he answered dryly. A plump white cat trotted into view. —This is Momo. The real boss of this house. Y/N smiled, petting the feline enthusiastically. —You're adorable! “I didn't think someone like you would get along with them,” Jeong-Won commented. —Someone like me? —Loud and optimistic. She laughed. —Maybe you should learn from Momo, he seems willing to tolerate others. Jeong-Won huffed and walked away.
—Do whatever you want, but don't bother my cats. Y/N watched him leave with a smile. Maybe that cold house still had some life in it... even if its owner didn't know it.
This story does not follow the plot of the series, tell me if you like it and if you want me to tag you in the chapters🫶
Tag list:
@anamiad00msday
THE CALL MASTERLIST
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koqabear · 2 years ago
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I M BACK I finished. that honestly took me a little longer than i had hoped/was expecting but then again i was going back and forth between safari to send asks and my notes app to keep track of who i thought was the killer like oyd all over again, and all i can really deduct from both experiences is that i would be an absolute shit detective and the world is so lucky i'm majoring in psych instead of crim! aside from that, it's time for my *cracks knuckles* review, so spoiler warning!
the ending is so silly (in a good way of course) and had he not been a literal mass murderer, i would have said that was something he would 100% do. aside from that, i find it really satisfying...? how well your fics flow and i think wanna play a game? really emphasized how good you are at that because its just ?!2?: i dont even know like the fic moves like water that's the only way i can think of describing the smoothness in between the "camera" transitions, if you know what i mean. the description of and between every movement was also really nice to see for me because usually when i catch myself doing it, it feels like i'm just adding unnecessary and boring details but i think this made me realize just how important they are to make a story feel natural and almost realistic in a way? i definitely don't think mine read as nicely though, BUT ANYWAYS. this isn't about me 😭
another thing i liked was the whole bolded italics to show when he was using the voice modulator and when he was speaking normally because as mentioned before in my oyd review, i can't stand certain things in writing and bolded italics to differentiate actions from dialogue is one of them. i don't know how or why this is becoming a recurring thing where you manage to do things i Don't like in a way that suddenly makes me like them a lot but i feel like that should be some sort of an accomplishment because i'm just so picky and you write everything perfectly 💔
i honestly thought, based on the header, that all three of them were the killers and they were actually a trio instead of a duo and to see that presumably it was just one person, was such a sick twist because i was, again, going back and forth between tumblr and my notes to figure who was where and doing what just so i could end up being completely wrong??!/? everything i thought i knew was a lie. the only thing i managed to get right was potentially taehyun injuring himself on purpose to trick everyone into thinking he was innocent when he really wasn't. i'm really interested in the sequence of events as to how the murders took place and correct me if i'm wrong but: beomgyu fell asleep so taehyun snuck away to go and take out wooyoung and ryujin in the other room by sneaking out of the house and breaking back in through the window which mc thinks is wooyoung de-escalating the situation and ryujin being upset but it's just them struggling and the settling down is when they die... and since taehyun can't just walk back into the house like normally, he goes back out the window and cuts himself on the broken glass? and maybe i'm looking too deep into this but, does beomgyu know? was there a reason why he said mc would be safer with soobin than with him and taehyun and why they end up being the only ones separated from the group? (also why does no one check to see if someone was actually coming?!1?) i kind of have no clue where yeonjun getting threatened happens throughout all this, assuming he's been in on it when he says he's just trying to keep mc safe while beomgyu's being (fake...?) dragged away (still have no clue where exactly he plays a part in the plan or if he plays one at all) and taehyun somehow manages to sneak into the basement and finish off soobin and yeji (fun fact: i totally misread and understood the first read through because i assumed yeji and soobin were a thing or doing Something, so i had to reread and question where the hell i got that from before getting on track again). the part where yeonjun says "think about it," had me on my toes because i thought he was going to admit to doing That to soobin and yeji but after looking back i realized that just. wasn't possible? 😭😭
the smut was so crazy, especially the build up to it like the whole straddling and trying to feel them was an insane idea but i kinda loved every second of it until it popped into my head there was an easy chance mc was straddling dead bodies, which thankfully, she wasn't, otherwise i would have been just as horrified towards the end as i was initially, and suddenly nothing was strangely intimate or appealing about this. it was kind of relieving when it's mentioned taehyun was warm and again, towards the end when it's stated that beomjun were breathing because while taehyun was fucking mc, i was kind of curious about what the hell was going on in the chairs and even more so when he wouldn't let her look at them? taehyun was exceptionally evil i feel, with his false sob story and confession which could have easily been another lie. speaking of the sob story, seeing how hyuka was killed by his friend group and by an "overdose", does that mean yeji was going to end up like him before taehyun came into the picture...? or am i just overthinking again lol
as always, though, i really enjoyed reading this and i'm so curious about every detail that didn't make the cut <3 – ml
the way you literally have me twirling my hair and giggling rn… also that detective comment made me laugh so hard 😭 detective ml needs to retire I’m afraid (joking of course I enjoy seeing ur little findings that were surprisingly accurate)
Responses under the cut! (Includes a timeline and extras!)
(Thoughts on the ending)
-it makes me laugh because I also thought the ending was a bit jarring and… ridiculous tbh, but it just shows how fucking unhinged that man is and I giggled a bit while writing it 
(Writing style and transitions)
-this is such a compliment actually omg?? I’ve actually come to realize that this is a strength of mine after many peer reviews on my papers mentioned that, so to hear this again is actually really interesting! I honestly think it’s super important to add details to create an immersive ambience for the reader, but at the same time unnecessary details are literally the worst, and often bore me and make my head hurt. (Like, no one wants to hear about the model and wood of a damn dresser in excruciating detail.) so I find that it’s also really important to keep a balance! 
(the voice modulator and using boldled italics)
-I was actually a bit hesitant to add it in, because there’s certain things in dialogue that I find a bit unappealing, personally. But I knew that there had to be something that could distinguish when it was being used so that the reveal could work properly and click immediately with the reader 🚬 I’m glad it worked properly though and it’s even funnier that I keep managing to change your mind about such things haha
(deciding who to make the killer)
-it honestly was a thought to make it all three! I considered all the possibilities; Taehyun definitely was the killer in all of them, but I thought of it being tae and gyu, (but then I got flashbacks to take it and decided against it), then tae and jun, and even all three; but in the end I decided against it only because idk… it seemed so fitting to make tae the mastermind behind everything. 
[onto the timeline!]
(Ml anon is scarily accurate)
-beomgyu falls asleep, taehyun sneaks out through the back and goes through the window to take out wooyoung and ryujin; the sounds of the “drunken fit” is actually the struggle from the murder. (Unnecessary detail, but Tae went for Ryujin first; that’s why her cut is so clean while wooyoung got the multiple messy stab wounds— the sounds of the furniture was wooyoung and Taehyun fighting)
-Taehyun goes back to the porch and stabs himself with the knife; all to cause a scene and establish himself as a victim, not a suspect. And since Beomgyu and tae are friends, he knows that bg would be too worried to question anything.
(Does Beomgyu know?)
-no he does not!
(Why did BG insist on the mc going with Soobin?)
-It was actually Beomgyu making sure that Soobin would be safe! He felt as though it was wrong to leave someone alone, bc of course, there’s strength in numbers. He hesitated to switch with mc bc the thought of the “killer” still being nearby (which he was) made him worried that mc wouldn’t be able to protect herself and Taehyun. In the end he simply gave in bc mc was being stubborn and it wouldn’t help to argue about it. 
(Why were TaeGyu the only ones that got separated?)
-The reason why they’re the only ones separated is because Taehyun needed to get rid of someone else quickly before he got outnumbered in a closed space; he knew that the mc would put themself at risk in order to protect bg, and the last thing he needed was them to get hurt. (Also, he needed bg to use him as leverage for the mc— I’ll elaborate more in another ask haha)
(why did everyone just blindly believe Tae about someone coming…)
-I love this little question because ya, that was a big mistake. Had anyone actually checked, they would’ve been confused and would’ve just said “bro is bleeding out fr” or smth. (And Taehyun would’ve played the part and acted weak and weary haha) But since the tensions are high, they’re all much too scared to think straight; Taehyun knows this and uses mass hysteria to scare them off, knowing that they’d believe him because he’s a victim too! (also, he’s the only one who’s “seen” the killer, so that gives him credibility if he were to panic)
(when does Yeonjun get threatened again…?)
-See this is this part is a bit of a stretch but it’s alright because it’s fiction haha… we all know our poor mc is horrible with directions, and when I say the house is huge I mean it’s huge. (Like mansion that has empty dusty unused rooms huge) Taehyun had to make sure to be quick with everything— knocking Beomgyu out, dragging him out of plain sight and onto the porch, and sneaking past the mc through another bedroom window. From there, he only had to find Yeonjun to get him to go back after her— Yeonjun’s feelings for her were real (although superficial at most) so at first he really was trying to get her to safety. Unfortunately, he’s very selfish so the moment the mc injured him and ran was the moment he thought “fuck this, let her do what she wants.” 
-The threats had a bit more details than said; meaning, “stall for a bit while I finish the rest, and knock her out and bring her to me.” Yeonjun really thought he’d be spared if he got on Taehyun’s good side and did all his bidding, even if that meant betraying his own friends. 
-After threatening Yj, he went to the basement— that’s where he cornered Soobin and Yeji, aiming for Soobin first because he knew Yeji wouldn’t be able to defend herself; it’s gruesome, but he left Soobin to bleed out and Yeji to watch as he shattered her ankles. 
-Also!! Another thing that I didn’t write, but Taehyun was actually in the basement the whole time! He was just hiding while he made sure Yeonjun didn’t turn on him, and after he knocked the mc out, Taehyun pretended to be grateful to get yj’s guard down; after that, he knocked him out. 
(the buildup and reveal)
-it honestly was such a bizarre idea to have the mc do that, and I… still don’t know why I did it? (Or how I thought of it.) I think it was just a weak ploy by Tae to get the mc scared and close to him; also, to gain her trust since she didn’t know he was behind it all yet.
(What’s up with the chairs? Why won’t he let her look at them?)
-Quite honestly, nothing special— they were just beginning to stir, and Taehyun was nothing more than possessive because even while they were sharing such an “intimate” (intimate used loosely) moment, he was angry to see that she was still worrying about them. He knew of yj’s feelings towards the mc and was never really fond of how close bg was to her. 
-Here are a few things I decided to omit or simply changed my mind on: first, the mc wasn’t going to be blindfolded; she would be tied up to a chair with bg and yj, and yj would’ve woken up and made a fuss as to why he was there. “We had a deal, you fucking lied to me!” He would have been killed after by Taehyun, making this the original reveal where he actually had a scream mask on. The other idea was killing bg and yj while the mc had been blindfolded, (post killer reveal) forcing her to listen to the sounds of them being stabbed and dying, etc etc until her spirit became completely crushed. I decided against both ideas simply because I just wanted to tone things down a little teehee 
(Huening’s OD and Yeji’s fate)
-You are not overthinking at all!! I’m so glad you picked up on this, because yes! That’s pretty much why Ryujin had been so freaked out and why everyone else had taken a serious attempt to de-escalate things, because they’ve all been through it before! The whole thing with Huening was an accident— they introduced him to drugs he couldn’t handle, being irresponsible and letting him take more than he should’ve as they all laughed and poked fun of him for being so inexperienced and a wimp; when he started acting strange, no one really took it seriously, thinking that he would eventually get over it. But he didn’t, and their death was on their hands as they attempted to make it look like it was his own fault and decision, choosing to try and put it all in the past as they pretended like nothing happened. Eventually, Yeji would’ve had a pretty close call herself if she continued the way she was. 
But that’s pretty much it, and I’m really impressed with how accurate some of your findings were! (Maybe detective ml isn’t a complete lost cause) it was so much fun to read all your thoughts and reactions, thank you sooooo much for taking your time to write such an amazing review!!
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bruhstories · 1 month ago
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Bet I
p.2 here & p3. here & p.4 here & p.5 here & p.6 here
summary: in-ho got a cat, and he needs a cat sitter while he is away on his business trip. who knew that meeting you would turn into a bet, a philosophy of what is moral and what is not?
pairing: hwang in-ho/the front man x civilian!reader
warnings & content: age gap, afab!reader, slightly detailed descriptions of reader's background for plot purposes, red text for in-ho, purple for reader, few mentions of Y/N (again, for plot purposes), pre 33rd squid game, canon divergent
w/c: 2.2k
a/n: i have no idea how many chapters this will have, but i'm trying to write each chapter for each day of the games. it'll all make sense at the end lol. i tried to do as much research about seoul and south korea in general, so please be gentle! i'm just an eastern european gal
tagging: @full-sunnies @xodilfluvr
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In-ho got a cat — a green-eyed, silver-tipped Korat he named Eunjoo. He thought about getting a dog, but dogs were high-maintenance, loyal and loving, and his job didn't allow him a loving pet. It didn't allow him to get attached to humans or animals. But Eunjoo was aloof and independent, and only rubbed against his leg when she wanted food. She refused to be handled and rarely played with the toys In-ho got her, but the cat was a necessary soul in his empty penthouse. It still wasn't enough to fill the hole in his blackened heart, but it was better than coming home to nothing and no one.
Trouble came when In-ho had to leave for eight days for the 32nd Squid Game. He quite obviously couldn't bring Eunjoo with him, and he couldn't let her starve, either. Not only that, but her litter boxes had to be cleaned regularly, and she needed fresh water daily, which left him with only one option — getting a cat sitter, as stupid as that sounded. In-ho felt ridiculous typing the post on a website for dog-walkers and pet sitters, but he did it nonetheless.
Businessman going on an eight day trip. In need of an experienced person to do home visits twice a day for my Eunjoo. 30,000 won per day. Based in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 
He attached a picture of the cat along with his email, and waited. There was enough time to select a sitter before he left, and he browsed several profiles of pet sitters. Most of them had fantastic reviews, but asked for more money. Typical, In-ho thought. How typical for people to ask for more than necessary. It wasn't as though he wasn't willing to pay more — he had enough money, and would gladly spend it on Eunjoo — but it was the greed that disgusted him. The audacity to ask for 70,000 won a day to feed a cat and change her water was insane.
In-ho closed his laptop and left it on his coffee table in the living room, then walked into the kitchen to feed Eunjoo. She came from her hideout at the sound of a can opening, cautious of her surroundings, then rubbed her head against In-ho's leg, patiently waiting for her food. The cat didn't immediately eat. Instead, Eunjoo waited for her owner to sit down and have his dinner, and the corners of his mouth turned into a half-smile. Better than most people, In-ho thought. She wasn't greedy, she was understanding in ways some humans couldn't be. And so, he reheated yesterday's bulgogi and sat down with a side of freshly cooked rice. Only then did Eunjoo eat her dinner, checking on him from time to time to make sure he was also eating.
Ding!
His phone lit up with a notification. In-ho unlocked it and opened the email he had just received from a pet sitter.
Good evening, sir! My name is Y/L/N Y/N and I would like to meet Eunjoo. I live in Guryong Village and can take the bus to Gangnam-gu whenever you need me to, as I am quite flexible with my schedule, but I need to be completely transparent with you. I've only taken care of my cousin's cat over summer, so I am not the experienced sitter you are looking for, but I am asking you to please give me a chance. Have a good evening!
In-ho scoffed at the words on his screen. He was specifically looking for someone with experience, but he appreciated the honesty. It was a rare trait nowadays, and he was a fair man who gave everyone equal chances. It was the root of his job, after all.
Tomorrow morning, 9 o'clock, Bongeunsa-ro 103-gil, across the street from Shinhan Bank. I'll pick you up from downstairs. Don't be late.
The clack of your heels irked you as you hurried down the street from the bus stop to the address provided by the cat owner. It was a sound you weren't used to, but you needed to make a good impression when lacking experience. People all around you were dressed in expensive suits and dresses, clothes you could only dream of wearing, and the cars that swerved across your path, nearly running you over, looked like they cost as much as your house. It wasn't the first time you walked around Gangnam-gu, but it was the first time you spent more than five minutes surrounded by people who lived lavishly while you survived on Samyang Hot Chicken Ramen Stew.
And yet, you wouldn't trade your instant noodles for samgyeopsal or bossam if it meant selling your soul. Because that was the price to pay for riches and luxury, wasn't it? No, you would make ends meet somehow and live an honest life without becoming a coldhearted monster, just like your father taught you.
You checked that the address in the email matched your location, and waited for someone to talk to you, unsure how they would even recognise you. Although, on second thought, the thin, flimsy cotton of your dress and loose threads around the hem were a dead giveaway that you didn't belong in Gangnam-gu. You didn’t belong amongst the rich.
"Excuse me, Miss Y/L/N?"
Turning on your heels, you were met by the darkest eyes you had ever seen, eyes that looked as though they had both witnessed and committed unspeakable atrocities. And yet, there was a strange remorse in them. The man looked around 45 years old but not a single gray hair on his head, which was ironic, because you probably had more white strands hidden in your locks. Your gaze darted down at his extended hand, and you shook it while bowing down as a sign of respect. 
"You must be Mr. Hwang. I can't thank you enough for agreeing to meet with me. I promise I won't let you down if you give me a chance!"
Oh, you were a talker. In-ho had met your kind before, aimlessly sleepwalking through life, serving no greater purpose except for entertaining those who rid the world of gamblers, addicts, beggars and thieves. Not that you were in any of those categories — In-ho didn't know you that well yet — but the way you presented yourself made him think you would have made a suitable player in the game.It was too late to recruit you now. Perhaps next year, if you made it that far.
You followed Mr. Hwang into the elevator, surprised that it wasn't stopping until reaching the last floor of the building, and when the doors opened, they revealed a small hallway with just one apartment. He had no neighbours above or around him, and you couldn’t begin to imagine how lonely it must've been. Surely his wife or girlfriend kept him company, or perhaps he had children — In-ho did look old enough to be your father.
He unlocked the multiple locks on his door — he must have been really rich — and invited you in. For a moment, a split second, you wondered if you had made a mistake coming there. The man could be a serial killer for all you knew, and with almost no neighbours, who would even hear you scream? You heard stories about wealthy people who took pleasure in hurting others. The lack of pictures of a wife or children only strengthened that doubt, but the intrusive thought soon dissipated when, from the corner of your eye, you spotted a silver tail hanging from a dining chair. 
Paying no mind to the tall double fridge, or the black U shaped velvet sofa that could fit your entire extended family, or even the view from his floor-to-ceiling windows, you kicked off the uncomfortable heels and got down on all fours, crawling closer to Eunjoo before sitting on the tiled floor with your legs crossed. It caught In-ho completely off guard — unpredictability was something that bothered him. Usually when he brought girls over they would bombard him with a million questions about his job, his car, his clothes, his bank account. You didn't, and it both infuriated and intrigued him. But then again, he brought you there with a different purpose.
"What are you doing exactly?" In-ho circled around you like a hawk, watching you intently. 
"I've read that it's better to allow cats to familiarise themselves with people instead of forcing affection onto them." You sat still, chin tilted upwards to look at him with innocence in your eyes. "I may not be experienced, sir, but I did my research."
He wasn't particularly impressed by your research skills, not even when Eunjoo jumped from the chair and walked around you, curious yet apprehensive. One paw hovered above the floor in mid-air, and her tail was lowered, almost touching the ground, as the cat slowly and cautiously approached you, sniffing the hand you extended. 
"So, what do you do for a living?" You broke the spell, not on Eunjoo but on In-ho, who was watching you try to befriend his cat. He hadn't realised he had been staring for longer than he should have until you spoke with disinterest in your voice. You didn't really care what his job was.
"Business." He simply said and you chuckled at his response. "Something funny?"
"I'm sorry, I just thought it would be nice to make small talk while we wait for Eunjoo to get comfortable." You shrugged. "But it's fine if you don't want to talk about that, sir."
Sir. It sounded so different coming from you and not one of his subordinates at the facility. In-ho quietly pulled a chair from under the table and sat down, but Eunjoo had finished inspecting you. She lifted her tail, the tip curled — a sign of playfulness — and you scratched her chin.
"Good girl, Eunjoo! I'm sorry, I don't have any treats." You sat up after the cat lost interest in you and hid behind the sofa.
"So you're inexperienced and unprepared." His voice was cold and judgemental and you lowered your head in shame.
"I'm really sorry, sir. I don't have a great financial situation, that's why I need this job. I can water plants and clean the house, I can even do your laundry and iron your shirts, and I don't want any extra money, just the payment for cat sitting." You sounded so desperate it was pathetic. "Please."
The last bit of your sentence was what caught In-ho's attention. No extra money? Who in their right minds wouldn’t charge more for additional services? Were you planning on stealing from him while he was away? Not that it mattered — he'd find you and kill you upon his return from the island if you did. However, he found it to be an interesting game, a bet of sorts. You would win if you were honest for all eight days. He would win if you stole from him and abused his kindness.
"You're hired." In-ho nodded, the look of surprise mixed with gratitude on your face making him feel like some sort of god.
"I swear you won't be disappointed in me, sir. I'll leave the house spotless every day, and I will take good care of Eunjoo!" You nodded eagerly, beaming at him.
"I know you will. She takes breakfast at 7 and dinner at 9, and there is an automatic feeder set at 2 pm for lunch." He explained and you took your phone out to quickly take notes. "Make sure you change her water in the morning and at night, and scoop her litter boxes every time you're here."
"...scoop the poop twice a day. Got it." You mumbled while typing. "Do I give her wet food in the mornings and evenings?"
"Yes, and please check that the automatic feeder is stocked. You will find all her cans and kibble in this cupboard." In-ho walked into the kitchen and showed you where Eunjoo's food was. There was more cat food in that cupboard than you had in your house.
"Perfect. Where is the bin room located?"
"Underground. The code is 456654."
"Thank you, Mr. Hwang! I won't let you down. Oh, I should give you my phone number, right?" You asked, feeling a bit awkward for being so straightforward. 
"Whatever would I need your number for?" He almost laughed. 
"How else would you see Eunjoo?"
"Right. Forgot about that." In-ho scratched the back of his head. He couldn't exactly tell you that there were cameras everywhere in his house.
"Two more questions. Am I allowed to play music or movies on your TV and could I take a shower after cleaning? I'm bringing spare clothes and my own towel and soap."
"Yes, of course you can. Please help yourself to anything you need. I trust you'll figure out how the coffee machine or dishwasher work." He nodded. 
"Yeah, I'll figure it out." You lied. You had never used a dishwasher before.
"Great. I leave in three days. Please be here the day after my departure. Here's the spare key."
"Thank you, sir!" You bowed and walked to the door to put your shoes back on. "Good luck on your trip!"
"Thank you, miss. Good luck to you, too." 
The bet was placed, the game was on.
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covenofagatha · 1 month ago
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hiiii <33
Could you write something about Agatha being a little insecure about being older than the reader?
Maybe they're at a party and someone the reader's age is going to talk to her and Agatha feels jealous and a little insecure, but pretend not to feel anything?
Then they go home and the reader shows Agatha that she loves her more than anything :)
If it's not too much to ask, the reader could have an obsession with Agatha's breasts and... really like eating her out? (like, a *really* big obsession) (sorry, Mrs Fletcher is on my mind a lot lately)
sorry for the details, lol, this came to me in the middle of the night
and by the way, I love your writing <33 you write very well
and I'm looking forward to the but you are my stepmother update :D
kisseess <3
I may have changed the setting a little bit (I've been watching Succession and was influenced lol) but hopefully you like! Also, Mrs. Fletcher literally changed my life so I completely understand
I combined this one with another request for being obsessed with Agatha’s breasts
Happy New Year to everyone!
Glitter on the floor
When Agatha gets jealous at the company New Year's Eve party, you remind her that she has nothing to worry about
Word count: 4300
Warnings: oral sex, oral fixation, breast fixation, marking
“Do you think anyone would notice if we just leave before the party even starts?” You ask, throwing a stress ball up in the air and catching it without even looking. 
You’re laying on your back on the couch in Agatha’s office and she snorts from her seat at her desk. 
Unlike you, when Agatha said she was going up to her office to quickly read over a contract before the company New Year’s Eve party, she meant it. You had just followed her up here to see if she was willing to get up to any funny business. 
“You don’t think they would notice that the CEO and General Counsel of the company aren’t at the company party?” Agatha asks amusedly, sarcasm dripping from her tone. 
Spellbound Network is a multi-billion dollar news conglomerate that Agatha Harkness is the Chief Executive Officer of. She’s absolutely ruthless and doesn’t hesitate before tearing anybody and everybody down. Nothing will stand in her way of world domination. 
As General Counsel, you’re a little less important, but you know that Agatha is right. The last thing you need is people speculating. 
The two of you have been involved in a more than professional relationship for seven months now. It all started when you offered to stay late to help her finish up with some end-of-quarterly reviews before the deadline and the two of you had ended up going out for drinks when you had finally finished. Agatha had let her hair down and told you just how stressed she was, and you had stupidly told her that you could help her relieve some of that stress. 
She had raised an eyebrow and you had taken it as a challenge. The next thing you knew, she was calling a car and the two of you were making out in the backseat on the way to her penthouse. 
It had grown into a relationship, a relationship that no one else in the office knew about. Things were getting pretty serious, and Agatha had even brought up you moving in with her. 
But you roll your eyes anyway. “It’ll be boring,” you drag out the last word slowly, sitting up to face her. “Wouldn’t you rather go back to your place, or even just stay up here?” You give her an impish grin and a wink. 
It’s a lost cause. Agatha has never let you touch her nor has she touched you in the office. 
She fixes you with a glare. “If you’re not going to behave, you can go downstairs and help set up for the party.” 
You hum in acquiescence and you’re about to resume your position on your back when Agatha leans forward and props herself up on her elbows, pushing her visible cleavage together. 
Your mouth runs dry. She’s wearing a long black dress with a low neckline that puts her breasts — that you may or may not be obsessed with — very much on display. You wouldn’t be surprised if she did it to tease you. 
“Agatha,” you whine, trying to sound pathetic so she’ll take pity on you. You can practically taste her skin with how badly you want her. 
She knows what you’re thinking, as always. “Stop,” she says without even looking up from her desk. “You aren’t going to goad me into touching you. Hasn’t worked any other time, isn’t going to work now.” 
You pout. “What are you talking about? I’ve never tried to.” It’s a bold-faced lie and you both know it. 
“Oh yeah?” She asks, at last looking up at you. “So when you got me that vibrator for the Secret Santa at the Christmas party, ‘not realizing that it was a public gift swap’; that wasn’t an attempt to work me up? Or when you just happen to come in here almost every day and knock over my pens so you have to bend down and shake your ass in my face?” 
You can’t help but chuckle at the reminders of your brazenness. To be fair, you had genuinely thought that the Secret Santa swap would be done in a group but then the gifts would be opened alone. And much to your surprise, you were wrong and when Rio Vidal, the head of Human Resources, had announced that it was time for everyone to open their gifts, you had quickly dragged Agatha upstairs, making some excuse about a phone call about a breaking news story. 
She had been furious at almost having to open your gift in front of the entire staff, and instead of having a very Merry Christmas Eve, courtesy of your generous gift and a well-placed bribe to the person who had actually drawn Agatha in the swap, she hadn’t touched you at all that night. 
But Christmas Day was much better, when she had put you on your knees for almost an hour and you made her cum four times with just your mouth. 
“You’re not letting those go anytime soon, are you?” You mutter. 
She throws a paper clip at you. “Go downstairs and stop bothering me,” she orders, fondness still in her voice. 
You huff a big sigh, one that tells her that just because you’re obeying doesn’t mean you’re happy about it, and walk over to place the paper clip and stress ball back on her desk. You straighten out your own dress, a long maroon one, and lean over to press a chaste kiss to her lips. 
To your surprise, she lets you do it and she even deepens it, flicking her tongue against the entrance to your mouth. When she pulls away, her eyes are dark and you’re about to ask her to reconsider, but she ushers you away with her hand and turns back to the contract. 
There’s not very many people in the lobby where the party is taking place, so you stand alone at a table and accept a glass of champagne from a waitress. It’s only ten pm and you know most of the staff won’t get here until closer to midnight, which would’ve been smart. 
If only Agatha hadn’t insisted that you and her come in for the entire day and get ahead of all the stuff that’s coming up in the new year. She didn’t even let you go back to your apartment once you both had finished, instead letting you shower in her private adjoining bathroom. 
And she wonders why you’re already so bored; you’ve been at the office for fourteen hours. 
Still at least two more to go. 
You take another glass of champagne and set it down next to your already half-empty glass. You’re going to need it once more people start showing up. 
It’s not that you don’t like them, it’s just that…if the building was on fire, you’d only really think or care about saving Agatha. 
“Hey there, General Counsel,” Rio says, slinking up to you. 
You smile. She’s an oddball, but her wry sense of humor sometimes is the only thing that gets you through business trips. Besides Agatha, of course. 
And it’s not exactly a secret that she has a bit of a crush on you. On paper, it would make more sense than you and Agatha. Rio is your age, and for all intents and purposes, doesn’t have any power over you, nor you her. 
But you’re in love with Agatha, and older women have always been more your type anyway. You’re perfectly happy with being friends with Rio, and it seems that Rio is content with your relationship now too. 
“Hey, Rio,” you greet, lifting your glass in a silent toast to her. She lifts up the other one and smoothly downs it in one gulp. 
And then the elevator dings and Agatha steps out and you forget all about Rio and everyone else. Your eyes follow her as she glides through the lobby, not even looking at you once, and she picks up a plate of caviar while the Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy, goes to talk to her. 
Rio taps her fingers to the rim of the empty glass. “So, I heard Harkness is thinking about acquiring Hex Industries for better tech.” 
“Water cooler gossip,” you say dismissively, not wanting to talk anymore business for the day. You’ve done enough with that with Agatha. And then you lower your voice conspiratorially. “But I did hear that Jimmy got divorced again?” 
It sends Rio into a fit of giggles and the two of you swap the details you’ve heard from various people and try to piece together what really happened. It does make the party go by faster and before you know it, there’s only about an hour before midnight. 
You cannot wait to go home with Agatha and forget all about work and this party and just focus on her. Ever since she changed into the dress she’s wearing tonight, you haven’t been able to focus with how delicious her breasts look in it. 
Some might call it an oral fixation, some might call it mommy issues, but there’s no denying how much you love to suck on her nipples. And to eat her out. 
Fuck. You can’t be thinking about that. Rio is saying something, something now about Tony, the Chief Operating Officer, and you’re shifting your weight thinking about the sounds Agatha makes when you get your mouth on her. 
You look around the room and you find her, standing alone, nursing her own glass of champagne. But what startles you is that she’s already watching you with a strange look on her face. You give her a small smile, your heart filling with adoration for the older woman, but she looks away. 
“Will you excuse me for a second?” You say to Rio, who nods. You walk over to Agatha and slide up next to her, your hand brushing against her lower back. “You okay?” You murmur into her ear. 
Agatha clears her throat and rolls her shoulders back and you have to make a pointed effort not to stare at her boobs that get pushed forward. “Just ready for this party to be over,” she says, voice clipped. 
“Oh yeah?” You whisper, cocking an eyebrow. “What do you have planned for when we get home?” 
She looks at you, finally looks at you, and you can see a guarded look in her eye. “We’ve had a long day, and this party won’t be done until after midnight. I’ll probably turn in.” 
“Oh, Mommy, your age is showing,” you tease mockingly in a hush, wearing a dramatic pout, another joke about how much older she is that she usually rolls her eyes at and then makes a comment about how much you like it.  
But she stiffens today. “Well, you’re more than welcome to go home with Rio if you want someone your own age.” The retort hits you like a punch in the gut and you’re left dumbfounded as she walks away, heels clacking on the floor. 
Is she…jealous? Surely Agatha can’t be, she knows how much you want her and love her. She knows how willing you are to show her. 
And maybe, just maybe, she’ll let you remind her right now. 
You check your watch. Forty-five minutes until midnight. You can feel her gaze from across the room, but when you try to make eye contact, she pretends like she isn’t looking at you, and you make the executive decision to try something that will probably backfire. 
Pulling out your phone, you pretend to take a call. You can feel her air shift; she knows that if someone’s calling you this late, it must be something urgent. You nod like you’re listening and then after a minute or two, you put your phone down. 
You meet her eyes and tilt your head toward the elevator, your heart beating rapidly in your chest. This could backfire. She could get so mad at you. 
But you have to try. 
Agatha excuses herself from the small group of people that have congregated around her table and she follows you into the elevator. 
“Who was that? What’s wrong?” She demands, and you almost feel bad for making her this panicked. 
You shake your head. “Just wait until we get to your office.” You think it should be a hint, but she doesn’t pick up on it. Instead, Agatha chews on her bottom lip and tosses her hair back over her shoulders. 
The doors ding open on the sixtieth floor and Agatha trails behind you, hot on your heels, as you take her to her office. You tell her to get on the couch while you draw the blinds to the glass windows facing the interior of the building, just in case anyone should happen to walk by. The television is on outside in the hallway and you can faintly hear the sounds of the New York Ball Drop show. A little over thirty minutes left. 
“What is going on?” Agatha asks again, clearly exasperated by you dragging this out. 
You turn around and almost moan at the sight of her sitting with her knees pulled up under her and her elbow propped up on the couch. This time, you really can’t help your gaze from darting down to her breasts and she snaps her fingers to get you to focus. “Rio’s just a friend,” you say bluntly, and Agatha scoffs. 
“What does this have to do with anything?” 
You slowly walk over and kneel down in front of her, pulling her legs out so that her feet are on the floor and you rest your chin on her knee and look up at her through your eyelashes. “There wasn’t a call,” you confess, already wincing on the inside at how she’s going to react. Her face remains stoic. “You were bothered by Rio and I talking.” It’s a statement, not a question. 
But Agatha jeers. “Is this your excellent counsel that I pay you so much for? That I’m bothered? Don’t think I don’t know about the little crush she has on you.” 
“So what if she has a crush? I don’t like her like that. You know I only have eyes for you,” you say, slowly inching the hem of her dress up her legs, waiting to be rejected. 
Her hand slides up your head and fastens into your hair, tilting you back so you can look straight at her. “Oh yeah?” She asks, daring, challenging you to go further. 
 You swallow hard. “Let me show you?” You offer timidly, praying it’s the right answer and you’re not reading this wrong. 
Agatha growls, a guttural noise deep in her throat, and she yanks you up and kisses you, nipping at your bottom lip. Her tongue forces its way into your mouth and you moan at the feeling, settling into her lap with your legs on either side of hers. She tugs at your hair and the sting makes you keen, only making you need her more. 
You can’t even wait, you’ve been on edge for too long, and you trail your lips down her neck, scrape your teeth against her collarbone, and then she helps you take the straps of her dress off. 
The second her breasts are free, you’re on them like you’re starving and they’re your salvation. You cup both of them with your hands, feeling the sturdy weight of them, and you knead softly, running your thumbs over both nipples. The dusky rose color stands out against her pale skin and you watch with fascination as her nipples harden under your gentle touch. Part of you still can’t believe she’s letting you touch her in the office. 
Not that you’re complaining. 
You swoop down and take one into your mouth, swirling your tongue around the little bud, and Agatha’s back arches off the couch as her fingers dig into your hair to keep you there. You’ve never felt more content in your life than like this, and you happily suck on her as the most delicious sounding noises fall out of her mouth. 
Her free hand finds your hip just as your fingers tug at her nipple that isn’t being occupied by your mouth and you can make out what she wants. Without moving away from her, you shift and place a leg in-between hers, able to feel the heat radiating from her pussy through her underwear and dress. 
“Fuck,” you mutter brokenly when she grinds up against your knee and you can feel just how wet she is. 
Agatha huffs out a chuckle. “You love sucking on Mommy’s tits so much, don’t you?” She asks and you switch sides and hum against her skin. “Mommy loves it, too.” 
You groan and take a break from directly stimulating her, instead, opting to lightly bite at the skin around her nipples, taking extra care to mark the curvature under them. She’s especially sensitive there, and her little gasps only spur you on. 
After you’ve left sufficient proof that you were there, you pull back and admire your work and you sharply inhale. Her breasts are absolutely painted with red marks that will surely fade into bruises by tomorrow and her chest heaves, a ragged look in her eyes. Agatha is still undulating against your leg and you can visibly tell how turned on she is. 
“Am I convincing you yet?” You ask, your voice coming out a little hoarse, and Agatha barks out a laugh. 
Her wicked grin has a thrill running inside you and she shifts underneath you until you figure out what she is trying to do. It’s a bit awkward, but she manages to turn her body so that her legs are on the couch horizontally but you’re still on top of her. 
She hums thoughtfully. “Think I might need a little more. If you’re willing, that is.” 
Only too willing. You can’t help yourself from leaning down and giving her a hard kiss, pulling away and sucking one nipple and then the other roughly until she moans, and then you move down her body and bunch up her dress at her hips. You put your hands on her shins and guide her legs up so they’re bent, her heels on the couch. 
And then you settle between her open legs and mouth at her sopping cunt through her underwear. A groan tears out of you before you can stop it at tasting the wet fabric, thick with her scent which you’ve become addicted to. You suck on her underwear, pulling the moisture out of it, and Agatha jerks underneath you.��
“We don’t have all day, pet,” she says tightly and you can hear the television outside saying there’s fifteen minutes left until New Year’s Day. 
You chuckle at her impatience and finally pull down her underwear. You wish your dress had pockets so you could store it for later, but you made do for just throwing it somewhere in her office. 
And then you drag your tongue up her slit and absolutely lose yourself in the taste. There’s something so indistinguishable and indescribable about it, and you lazily explore her pussy, getting as much of her wetness as you can into your mouth. You vaguely realize that she’s wrapped a leg over your shoulder and her heel is digging in, the sting only turning you on more. 
Small gasps are pulled out of Agatha’s mouth and her hips buck, trying to get more stimulation, but to no avail as you are completely focused on just licking her slowly. You moan into her and the vibrations make her whimper, but you almost don’t even hear it. This is your favorite place on earth, between her legs, and you don’t want to ever leave. She’s so warm and wet and responsive against your tongue and you fucking love it. Love getting her wetness all over your face, love feeling her clench around your tongue, love the taste and smell and how she reacts when you lap at her clit. 
You do that now, and her thighs tighten around your head and she sighs like she’s finally getting some of the relief that she needs. 
“I love your pussy,” you say, but the words are garbled. She lets out a muffled sound and you look up through hooded eyes to see her head strewn back in pleasure, dark hair fanned out beneath her, bottom lip between her teeth, and her fingers tweaking her raw nipples. The sight makes you moan against her again and her hips jump. 
She looks down to meet your gaze and you feel the fire inside you only being stoked more when you realize that almost all the blue in her eyes is gone, entirely swallowed up by dark desire. “Please,” she begs, sounding more needy than she ever has since you’ve started sleeping with her. “Mommy needs this so bad.” 
And the only thing you love more than tasting her with your mouth is making her cum with your mouth. 
So you oblige, thrusting your tongue inside her and almost losing all composure when her walls flutter around it. She lets out a loud whine when your nose brushes against her clit and you keep doing that, curling your tongue inside her and moving your head up and down so she can get some desperately needed stimulation to her clit. 
“Fuck, baby, your mouth is so good,” she practically sobs, and you can feel her throb. She never takes long, which is almost a shame because you’d stay between her legs forever if you could. Building her up, feeling her legs tremble around you, that’s half the fun right there. 
But she needs it, and you can hear that it’s getting closer to midnight. Only a few minutes left. 
You double the intensity, dragging your tongue over her clit again and again, feeling it pulse. You slip a hand between your own legs and groan at the wetness you find, fingers strumming at your own clit through your dress and soaked panties. Nothing gets you more turned on than Agatha’s pussy in your mouth, absolutely coating your face. 
She’s pinching her nipples now and you almost lose your rhythm from wishing you were the one doing that to her, but you don’t falter. Wetness is dripping out of her cunt onto the couch below and you almost smirk at the thought of seeing the stain tomorrow.  
Agatha better let you fuck her in her office more often. You clench at the thought of being under her desk, eating her out while she’s going through contracts or in a meeting or having lunch. Anytime you can. 
“Fuck, fuck, baby,” she chants and you can hear the minute countdown start. You lick and suck and nip and her hips are moving furiously, grinding on your face and you can’t breathe but you don’t even care because she tastes so fucking good. 
“Five…four…” You shove your tongue inside her and curl it up, stroking against the spongy spot that makes her gasp. “Three..two…” You scrape your teeth against her clit and she keens. “One…Happy New Year!” 
You suck her clit into your mouth hard and that does it. She goes flying over the edge, wetness gushing out onto your face, and you blissfully lick her through her orgasm, not even realizing that she’s too sensitive until she’s tugging at your hair, pulling you away from her. 
She brings you in for a kiss, a tradition when the clock strikes midnight on January First, but also something she always does when you eat her out, moaning at the taste of herself on your lips, and you don’t even care that you haven’t cum yet. You clasp her cheeks and your tongue sweeps into her mouth until you finally have to break apart to breathe. 
“What a way to start the new year,” you joke and she laughs and fluffs her hair. She looks like a thoroughly-fucked mess, but also the hottest you’ve ever seen. You soften and press a gentle kiss to her lips. “You know I love you, right? I don’t care about how old you are, you know I fucking love that. You don’t have to worry about Rio, or anyone else, no matter if they’re my age or not. I want you and only you.” 
Agatha smiles and kisses you again, and then kisses your nose. “I want all your midnight kisses, baby. I love you too.” It’s the most romantic thing she’s ever said. 
And of course you immediately have to ruin it with a joke. “Office sex isn’t that bad, hm?” She pokes your side and you giggle. 
“Let’s get back downstairs before anyone notices that we’ve been gone for so long,” she says. 
You whine but reluctantly get off her when she pats your hips and she finds her underwear that was thrown to the ground. You both fix your make-up in the mirror and then you’re back in the elevator, descending the sixty floors. If anyone asks, you’ll say it was an emergency with an acquisition. But you doubt anyone will. The champagne is flowing and it’s a party. 
Before the doors open, Agatha takes your hand, squeezes it three times as if to say I love you and then there’s a ding and it’s back to reality. 
But she gives you a wink meant only for you when she toasts to the company and all the good things yet to come and a warm feeling fills you. 
What a way to start the new year, indeed. 
513 notes · View notes
uglypastels · 1 year ago
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the Special | Sanji x reader
a/n - my first One Piece fic. absolutely terrifying but definitely a needed change of scenario to get out of my writing block. please be kind; I'm taking all my inspo from the live-action as that is what I am currently the most familiar with. but, well, we just have to see how it goes. bon appetite
Shoutout to my dear @mydearzero for encouraging my newfound obsession with this show and this character, as well as generally encouraging me to write. this is all your fault. And to everyone else who had been expecting me to finally post one of the other million fics I had promised... I'm sorry
And kind reminder that reblogs is what makes tumblr work. Please, if you enjoyed the story, reblog
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word count: 9.9k
warning: 18+ only. MDNI. smut. piv sex. oral sex (f!receiving). unprotected sex [wrap up your eggplants yall]. semi-public sex. several FDA regulation code breaks, probably. afab reader. swearing. little bit of angst. shitty and fat-shaming [oc!]boyfriend/date. fist fight. alcohol consumption.
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“Look at your waiter's face. He knows. It's another reason to be polite to your waiter; he could save your life with a raised eyebrow or a sigh.”
― Anthony Bourdain, 
The first thing you saw was the red, bright sign spelling out the restaurant's name.
Baratie. You had no clue what it meant but could only hope that “the best restaurant in the East Blue” was somewhere down the list of its definitions, especially after the months that they had kept you on the waiting list and the tumultuous trip that it took to sail there. Next, as your ship approached, you saw the… fish head. The sight of the sculpture at the front of the ship structure buried some worry in the pit of your stomach, but surely, if so many people had given it such fond reviews, the exterior was not to speak for what awaited you inside. 
‘Believe me, baby, you’ll love it here.’
‘I really hope so,’ you smiled as you got off your boat. Your legs shook at the knee as you stepped onto the sturdy dock planks. Days at sea, which had never been your friend, had clearly done more damage than you expected. You would have been on the floor if it wasn’t for the pair of arms holding on to you.
‘Thanks, Chosi,’ you said towards your boyfriend as he helped you steadily get back onto your feet. 
‘Can’t have you faceplant the second we get here,’ he brushed some invisible dust off your shoulder, and with his arm entwined with yours, he led you to the entrance of the establishment. You grabbed at the skirt of your dress to keep it down as the wind blew by.
As you walked, you looked at all the other ships harboured on the… was this an island? Was the entirety just one large ship? Was it anchored to something then, or was it drifting around the seas constantly? You couldn’t quite comprehend the logistics of it all. But you could tell that humans and other creatures of all walks of life–royalty, commoners, marines, pirates—were unbothered by each other's presence and enjoying the outing. Once inside, the shushed sound of the waves was exchanged for a whisper of swing music, as well as the chatter of the restaurant’s patrons and the clinking of their cutlery on plates. The walls were lined in crimson wallpaper as well as painted depictions of sea battles, accented in gold and bronze details matching the furniture placed spaciously around the room and the two stories above it that lead the eye to a beautiful aquamarine ceiling that gave the illusion as if one was looking up at the bright sky from underwater. 
The maitre’d, a Fishman, stood to attention at your entrance. 
‘Good afternoon, how may I help you?’ he asked kindly. 
‘We have a reservation. Name is Chosi,’ Chosi stated with his head held high. Despite you doubting that anyone knew his name in these parts of the world, he never ceased to pronounce it with a level of expectation to it. It was commendable, as well as disappointing, when nothing happened afterwards. The maitre’d simply nodded and glanced down at his long list of names, searching for the one he had just heard, ready to cross it off.
 ‘Ah, yes, right here. Please, do follow me to your table.’ And so, you did just that, walking down the grand staircase onto the restaurant's main floor, where you seated at one of the smaller tables, perfect for a romantic dinner for two. ‘Your waiter will be right with you.’ The Fishman bid you farewell just like that and returned to his position at the door. 
‘So?’ Chosi looked at you with a raised brow as you looked around.
‘It is quite stunning.’ You must admit that you did not expect this kind of splendour when looking at the carved fish that gaped at you outside. Something about that just did not exude the same essence as the timeless and classy beauty of the interior. You barely even felt the shake of the waves beneath you. 
Maybe your response wasn’t sufficient, for Chosi had opened his mouth to respond, something in the angles of his face announcing displeasure, but he was interrupted by a new presence at your table. You looked up at the tall figure towering over you. 
‘Welcome,’ the man spoke, his accent clearly indicating his origin if only you had been aware of where that was. Simultaneously, he put down a plate of bread rolls, perfectly and meticulously positioned atop it. ‘...to Baratie. My name is Sanji; I will be your waiter this afternoon.’
‘Took you long enough.’ Chosi mumbled under his breath, giving you an immense urge to kick him underneath the table, but you knew better than to do that, especially when he did not seem to be ready to stop any time soon. ‘Trying to convince my girl this place is worth visiting, heh.’ You could feel your cheeks burning up in embarrassment. Nevertheless, the waiter—Sanji, he said was his name—did not seem to give the comment much thought as he looked down at you with a curve to his thin-lined lips.
‘My apologies, madame; I hope my service will not give you the false impression of this establishment being worth any of your precious time.’ The smoothness of his voice almost concealed the true meaning behind his speech, leaving you, as well as your date, speechless. However, you felt your speaking ability to be taken away by more than just his words as you spared a second to take your waiter in properly. You just could not help but notice how his suit wrapped around his arms, and although one was covered by his blonde hair, his eyes had a glint of something that excited you despite not even knowing the root of that excitement. 
Like nothing had happened, Sanji continued, ‘Would you care to see the menu? Hear the specials?’ That is when you noticed the menu cards he was holding in his hand. And he must have been ready to list the special items, but Chosi was a step ahead. 
‘Actually, I think we are ready to order.’ That was the first you had heard of it, but you stayed put as he continued. After all, Chosi had eaten here before. He knew what was good, and you could trust his judgement. 
‘Prime rib, medium rare,’ as your boyfriend spoke, you kept your eye on the waiter, noticing the appearance of the smallest of flinches in his face at the sound of the dish, but never faltering his picture-perfect appearance, ‘and my lady will have the salad.’
Another twitch, right below his visible eyes, followed, but Sanji’s professional facade stayed on as he inquired: ‘We offer quite a variety of salads; which would madame prefer?’ And with that, he turned to you, that smile plastered on like a sticker, but he had trouble keeping it on as the answer to his question did not come from your mouth.
‘Whichever is the best, of course.’ Chosi rolled his eyes, and you wished you could do so as well. The waiter glanced between you and him, turning back to you momentarily. Long enough for you to give him a reassuring smile. It would be in everyone’s best interest if he just moved on from the matter. 
‘Drinks, then,’ Sanji again spoke with an unphased essence about him, as if nothing from the past few minutes had ever occurred, or at least tried to emulate this. ‘Madam, anything I can get you?’ The way he emphasised that word didn’t require any pointed glares. 
‘Uhm,’ you hesitated as he kept his full attention on you, completely ignoring the man sitting opposite you at the table, making Chosi stare at you just as, if not more, intensely, for all the opposite reasons. Out of panic, you just blurted out the most straightforward order. ‘Just water, thank you.’ It being the first words you said in the waiter's presence, they came out soft. Nothing like your regular voice, which startled you slightly. 
‘Still, sparkling or mineral?’ Sanji pursued. 
‘Still please,’ you smiled shyly, unsure where that actual shyness derived from. 
‘Ice? Cubed or crushed?’ He fired the questions at a rapid pace.
‘A bit of ice is fine. Thank you,’ you repeated yourself, looking down at the table and letting the waiter move on to the rest of the order. He didn’t say anything else but looked at Chosi with anticipation. 
‘I’ll have your finest brew.’
‘Coming up,’ his voice had a sudden coldness to it as he walked away, back to the kitchen, leaving the table to a thick silence. 
‘I could have ordered for myself, you know,’ you said, with that same soft tone you had spoken with earlier, although this felt much more familiar seeing who you talked to. 
 ‘And have you stuff yourself with some useless carbs? C’mon, you know I’m just looking out for you, here.’ 
‘I know.’ You straightened out a fork in front of you, suddenly feeling uneasy at how far away from the plate it was positioned compared to the knife on the opposite side. You were straightening out a crease in the tablecloth when Sanji returned with a silver tray in one hand. He placed the pint glass full of golden brew in front of Chosi before turning your way and setting a glass beside your plate. With a pair of tongs, one by one, he let ice cubes fall to the bottom of it, the clinking against the glass almost deafening. Then, he followed up with another pair of tongs and reached for a little tray but stopped himself to ask you: ‘Care for a slice of lemon, madame?’
‘Oh, uhm, sure,’ you shrugged, unable to look away. This process of pouring a glass of water felt rather extensive, but you could not deny the fact you were enjoying it all. As he grabbed the large pitcher to pour the water, you were unsure how he had carried all of these items with one hand and did so seemingly effortlessly.
‘There we go,’ he smiled, ‘your food will be with you shortly, but do let me know if you require anything else.’ And just like that, he was gone again, but not without leaving you feeling that he had meant his parting words especially for you and that that sentiment had undoubtedly not escaped your date.
‘I don’t like the look of that guy.’ Chosi glared at you as he took a sip from his pint, slurping up the top layer of foam with it. 
‘I think he’s quite sweet.’ You straightened out the fork again and reached for a bread roll to tear it apart piece by piece. 
‘Of course you would,’ he rolled his eyes, which made you look up from your little snack.
‘What is that supposed to mean?’ You put the bread roll down as the pit in your stomach hollowed out your appetite. Right, making space for that damn salad.
‘Nothing.’ Chosi shrugged, ‘Just that it's typical that somehow I’m the only one to notice when some guy is trying to cop a feel.’
‘He was doing no such thing.’ You had to bite your tongue not to raise your voice as his insinuation, despite being on the waiter's actions, seemed to be brutally judging yourself. ‘The poor guy is just doing his job. I’m not bothered by it, and neither should you be.’ Usually, you would attach some sweet nickname at the end of that sentence, but this was one too many times you had said a variant of the confirmation, and you were growing tired of just the thought of it.
Somewhere in the distance, a table erupted into a shouting match that had to be broken up by a handful of waiters. While usually, you turned away from such brutalities, never having been fond of violence and not particularly having a necessity in seeing people getting their teeth punched out minutes before eating a meal, this time you stretched your neck out to glance across the room, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of the white-blonde hair among the rousing heads. Someone had pulled a pistol, but the weapon was kicked out of the man's grip before they could shoot or even alarm people enough to hide beneath their tables. Just like that, the restaurant resumed its normal state of pleasantries, and you got back to your abysmal date and hoped it was still worth saving… or that saving was still even an option to begin with. 
‘From what you had told me about the place, Chi, it is much grander than I had expected.’ You smiled, and he nodded to your affirmations.
‘Well, I didn’t want to raise the expectations too high, but you know I don’t do anything but the best for you, sweet cheeks.’
‘Of course—’ you were interrupted by the footsteps nearing your table, and the weight nearly lifted off your shoulders at the sight of Sanji carrying too large plates. 
‘Hello there,’ he grinned slyly, ‘hope I don’t interrupt anythin’.’ 
‘Not at all,’ You moved your glass aside to make space for your dish, but Sanji put Chosi’s plate down first, announcing the food.
‘Prime rib, medium rare, for the gentleman.’ Like everything else, he precisely placed it so the gold details on the plate faced the diner exactly right. The roast glistened in the restaurant's dim light, and the smell hit you right at the nerves that reminded you of your hunger. But that was for the gentleman, and the gentleman had ordered for you the—
‘And for the madame,’ Sanji put a plate in front of you, ‘what I like to call the Sanji Special.’
You looked down at your plate of food with a stunned expression and then looked back up. Just in time, you caught the slight wink that your waiter had sent you before stepping back to then, with a nod, say, ‘Bon appetite.’ 
He got to take about three steps and had just turned his back towards your table when Chosi called out to him, clearing his throat. ‘Ehem, excuse me, Sonny.’ 
‘Is there a problem?’ Sanji returned with his hands behind his back, but you didn’t need to see his fists to know he was clenching them. It was all visible in the strain of his upper arms and jaw as he restrained himself to keep up a polite smile. 
‘I am pretty sure we had ordered a salad?’ Chosi tried to play it off with a casual laugh, but it turned out to be anything but. Sanji leaned forward to grab the plate, but then your boyfriend exclaimed, ‘No, not for me; for her.’ before the waiter got his hand on his prime rib.
With a satisfied smile, Sanji glanced at your plate and stated: ‘That is a salad.’
Not that you did not appreciate what was in front of you, but if it was a salad, it was the loosest interpretation of the definition possible. You had to keep your laugh in as he explained that the dish was a “twist on kensui salad with steamed components, egg, and pork” or, in your simpler terms… the most delicious-looking pot of ramen you had ever encountered in your life, but no, definitely not a salad in the traditional sense. You smiled at the food, not daring to look up at Sanji while your boyfriend’s head seemed to be boiling alive, but the waiter was a step ahead of you. 
‘Ah, almost forgot, for the lady,’ almost out of nowhere, he made a pair of chopsticks appear for you. 
‘She will not be eating that,’ Chosi grunted. 
‘I think that is for her to decide,’ Sanji didn’t even bother to look at him, keeping his sweet smile on you, which, in turn, rushed a hot flush over your cheeks. 
‘Chosi, don’t be like that; this looks delicious.’ You spoke, hoping he would calm down and let you finally sink your teeth into this gorgeous meal. After a tense second, Chosi finally huffed out and sank back down in his chair, making you realise he had been on the verge of getting up for whatever reason. Either way, his intentions could not have been good. In the meantime, Sanji excused himself once more to finally leave you to eat. 
You had perhaps taken half a bite when Chosi, his food untouched, spoke up again. ‘Why do you always do this?’
‘Do what?’ your throat tightened around the pork you had just swallowed.
‘Embarrass me like that?’ He sighed, a vein in his forehead looking more prominent than ever.
‘I didn’t—’
‘Cut the shit, you know what you’re doing.’ Chosi slammed his fist on the table, startling you and the few people sitting at the nearest tables to you.
‘Please, can we not do this now,’ you kept your head down, ignoring all the pairs of eyes that must have started catching on to what was happening. Chosi had turned red from anger by that point. 
‘What, am I being too much for you? Imagine what it’s like going out with a slut—’
‘Chosi!’ you snapped, immediately covering your face with your hand as if you had not meant to shout and grab the attention of even more people. 
Deep breath in. 
Out. 
‘What the fuck is wrong with you?’ You hissed at the man across the table from you. 
‘With me? You’re the one that has been eyefucking the waiter this whole time, and now you disrespected me like that in front of him? Do I mean so little to you?’
‘I did no such thing.’ You rolled your eyes, catching glimpses of the room you were in. The people that sat around, the employees. Of course, Sanji stood only a few tables away, taking an order. Could he hear what was happening? Most likely, the idea of that burned you in a new, much more unpleasant manner. Chosi must have said something, but you had been too occupied by your surroundings and too tired to even listen to what other vile things he had to tell you. The only thing that kept you at that table was the food, but no matter how good, it wasn’t worth enduring him. ‘You know what,’ you grabbed your napkin and slapped it onto the table, ‘I can’t do this right now. I’ll see you on the boat.’ The chair shrieked as you shoved it back.
‘Where the hell do you think you’re going,’ Chosi growled practically, and despite you having already turned your back to him, you heard his own chair scrape the deck floor. You had your eyes squeezed shut as you got ready for what was coming. He reached out, but nothing happened. 
You looked over your shoulder to see Sanji pulling Chosi in by the sleeve. 
‘Believe me, we don’t wanna do that, mate.’ Sanji said, his eyes filled with a new rage that made you take a step back.
‘Let go of me, you sleaze.’ Chosi suddenly reminded you of a feral kitten, how he tried to wriggle himself out of the waiter’s grip. ‘I’ll make you regret ever touching me. Do you know who I am?’
‘Do I look like I give a shit?’ he let go with a laugh, almost pushing Chosi to the ground. As your date dusted off his sleeves, Sanji took a step forward, pressing himself against him. Now that both men were standing face to face, did you only realise how much taller Sanji was than your boyfriend. How much bigger and, most likely, how much stronger. With a hushed and reserved tone yet somehow full of intimidation, the waiter said, ‘Don’t you ever try to touch or speak to a woman like that again, you hear me? Or I’ll make you regret you were ever born.’ 
Chosi could only nod with his eyes blown wide open. The restaurant was dead quiet, unable to pull their eyes away from the scene unfolding before them. No one said anything or moved, and yet, somewhere, a stack of plates fell. The crash of porcelain echoed through the space, and Sanji turned his attention toward the kitchen’s double doors for a second. That quick moment was enough for Chosi to find his moment and attack.
Or at least make an attempt at it. 
Sanji was still looking toward the kitchen, and Chosi’s fist was in mid-air, but the waiter flawlessly manoeuvred around it, swinging himself back and letting Chosi fall forward. To make matters worse, Sanji supplemented the fall by kicking him over. If it wasn’t for the fact that your boyfriend’s chin had smacked against the table, you would have missed the entire thing, as Sanji’s movements were so elegant that it seemed as if he had not moved at all. He might as well have been refilling your water, ignorant of the groaning mess of a man he had kicked down to the ground with such ease. 
Chosi got up shakily. A nasty cut was already dripping blood from the underside of his face, but the redness didn’t compare to the rage on his face. He looked around until his eyes caught yours. ‘What, you’re just gonna stand there like some dumb–’
‘What did I just say?’ Sanji said, this time much louder, not trying to hide the row from the rest of the diners. But before he could make another move, Chosi reached for the nearest thing he could reach, which in his case was your dish of ramen, and threw a fistful of noodles Sanji’s way, hitting him square in the chest. 
Silence. 
He must have been too stunned at the audacious strike to move out of the way for it. Everyone must have been watching the noodles unstick from his navy jacket and slowly fall to the ground, then watched as Sanji raised his head back up, his expression unamused and cold, but his eyes filled with a passionate and furious fire. One that was enough to live up to the promise he had made the man you had come to the restaurant with. And so, just like that, without another word needing to be said by anyone, you watched Chosi back away—one, two, three steps, whimpering and mumbling some comments that could almost make up an apology, before he sprinted up the stairs to the exit. 
‘Ridiculous,’ you heard Sanji mutter under his breath. ‘Fucking waste of food.’
Before you could think any better about it, you walked up and knelt down, as he did, to reach for the spilt noodles. ‘I am so sorry,’ you started apologising. ‘I swear normally he–’
  ‘Is exactly like that,’ Sanji chuckled with a rasp. You looked up at him, a bit dumbfounded. He had managed to scoop most of the food before you had and was already getting up. ‘You have nothing to apologise for.’ One of his colleagues had been quick with bringing over cleaning supplies. ‘If anything, I should be the one saying sorry. Let me make it up to you—a drink in the bar, on the house.’
‘No, that is really not necessary.’ You couldn’t accept anything for free after your boyfriend pulled off such a scene and… had run off without paying. The realisation hit you like a brick on the head as you cursed under your breath with a strong sense of panic, which Sanji caught on to immediately. 
‘Please,’ He reached gently for your arm. ‘I insist.’
You stuttered for a moment before actually answering in defeated agreement. With a satisfied smile, Sanji led you to another exit, leading to the bar deck. ‘Right this way, madame.’
The bar deck, located in the mouth of that giant fish head, was moderately empty. Except for you and the appointed barman behind the counter, only a handful of others were sprinkled across the couches and futons. You chose a seat overlooking the sea and the setting sun that coloured the sky and waters an array of warm colours. 
You understood that you had to go up to the bar to order, but you felt no particular need for it, just enjoying the breeze that brought over the calm sea air towards you. 
It was unclear how much time you spent sitting out there, looking at the waves splashing by and the clouds above you and the people around you. Only once the sun had set entirely, darkening the sky completely, and most people had left the area, you decide to finally walk up to the bartender and place an order. The man nodded and proceeded to make your drink with only a few attached flourishes to the craft, but the result was charming and tasted delicious.
‘I hope I had made it clear that that was one drink on the house,’ you heard from behind you. 
‘Don’t worry, this is my first.’ You said, turning around to see Sanji standing behind you. 
‘You might just be the slowest drinker I have ever met,’ he said as he took the spot by your side.
‘Jeez, do your manners flush away the second you’re off the clock?’ You smiled, taking a sip of your drink, most likely also proving Sanji his point as the sip you took was particularly small. 
‘For what it’s worth, madame, I was about to tell you that your bill has been taken care of.’ He leaned against the bar countertop with his forearms. ‘But I will make myself scarce now.’
‘No, wait,’ you stopped him before he could push himself back. ‘What do you mean it was– I would have happily paid. At least let me leave a tip.’ You were ready to pull out your purse when he took his turn to halt your movements. 
‘I will not be accepting any tips for my service today. And honestly, you barely had a meal to eat, let alone to pay for. It is all taken care of. I promise.’
You looked up at him apprehensively, but something about his–not necessarily laidback–but how he was so comfortable with the situation put you at ease, too. But something was gnawing at your conscience. 
‘Alright then, but I disagree with the review of your service. You most certainly need something for it in return.’ How could you repay the man who had just gotten you out of your horrific relationship? You doubted anything in the world could match your actual gratefulness. Although, maybe the smile that pulled at Sanji’s lips said something different.
‘Let me cook for you.’
‘What?’ You blinked slowly, making him smile even wider.
‘You haven’t eaten anything proper in hours. Let me make you something in the kitchen–an exclusive guest experience.’
‘That doesn’t sound much like a gratuity for you.’ You pointed out, but he did not seem to mind.
‘Indulge me,’ was all he responded with. Feeling giddy at the prospect, you glanced over at the bartender, who was definitely listening in on the conversation. Understanding what you meant with your look, he simply shrugged while wiping the glasses. 
‘Ok then.’ This entire thing felt utterly ridiculous, and you didn’t hide the amusement you felt from it as Sanji opened the door to the kitchen for you. That is when your smile lightly faltered, only to be replaced with a fallen jaw as you looked around in amazement. Like the dining area, this room had a high ceiling but wasn’t decorated as much as simply visually enhanced by all the bronze pots and pans hanging around, and the pipes leading from the ovens and stoves up to the chimneys. There were long lines of prep stations, behind which one Sanji comfortably made himself at home as he immediately got started on something.
The first few minutes, after you watched him exchange his suit jacket for a white chef’s uniform, you were occupied with the kitchen itself, but once you had gotten used to the environment, you wondered where you could make yourself equally comfortable as not a nuisance to him as he cooked. 
‘Make yourself at home, sweetheart,’ he said while chopping some ingredients at a speed that made your heart skip a beat in fear. Or did that come from the new nickname that caught you by surprise? 
‘What happened to “madame”?’ you walked closer to his station. Sanji just looked up briefly, eye covered by his hair but his smile evermore present. Your smile lasted longer as you forgot you had meant to look at what he was doing, not to stare at him. Noticing he was not planning on answering your question, you asked another. ‘So, what exactly are you making?’
‘Since I’m sure dinner did not turn out entirely as you had planned, I thought maybe dessert would be a good pick-me-up. Rose and chocolate meringue tartes, how does that sound?’
  ‘Makes me wonder what I did to deserve it,’ you laugh it off while speaking the question that had been on your mind this whole time. 
‘I like to show a lady how she’s meant to be treated,’ he said as he poured several ingredients into a glass bowl and began wicking at a pace that should have stopped him from looking so effortless long ago. ‘It’s all part of the special package deal.’
‘Right, the Sanji Special, was it?’ You looked around at the countertop next to him, which seemed free from ingredients and anything you could set on fire. You glanced his way, and he swiftly nodded your way. With that permission in mind, you pushed yourself up on the counter, swinging your legs lightly back and forth. ‘So what exactly does this special indicate?’
‘A nice meal, a little surprise, a few kind words, nothing too crazy. I would like to think that, with it, I have perfected the recipe on how to eliminate shitbag boyfriends like that prince charming you came here with.’
‘My knight in shining armour.’ You rolled your eyes, hiding how much you appreciated all his actions from that day. ‘Must have worked on quite a few girls then?’
‘Can’t say it has,’ he said as he pushed the oven open to prebake a few tartelette frames. The speed at which he worked truly was otherworldly. 
‘Can’t because of a bad success rate or because you hadn’t actually tried it before?’
He appeared next to you from beside the oven; tiny droplets of sweat were forming at his temple, but his energy was still burning like the fire under the pot where he was melting the chocolate. ‘Let's say the latter. For both our dignity’s sake.’ It did not come as a surprise to you that he was a flirt and most likely tried these tricks out on the entirety of the female clientele, and yet, for reasons unknown, you did not mind one bit, and it still did not seize to make the smallest of his advances work on you with tremendous effect. 
‘Don’t think I have much more of that left after  everything that happened out there.’ You cringed at the memory of the shouting, the mess, and just how many people had been sitting there watching you. 
‘There’s been much worse out there, believe me.’ Sanji lowered the fire under the pan lightly.
‘I hardly believe that. He threw noodles at you. That is absolutely revolting behaviour.’ And somehow, you managed not to get kicked out of the restaurant along with Chosi but even got to hang out in the kitchen after hours as a special dessert was being prepared for you… by the waiter that your boyfriend had tried to assault— no, that your ex-boyfriend tried to assault. That felt much better, but still didn’t let the whole situation make any more sense.
‘And that wouldn’t even make the top ten of shit that’s happened around this place.’
‘I… am not sure wether to be relieved or disappointed.’ For an inexplicable reason, you thought you would be more memorable to him. However, would you have wanted that, seeing the actual circumstances under which that would be? Ugh.
As if he could read your mind, Sanji added in. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not planning on forgetting you anytime soon.’
‘I bet you say that to everyone.’ You rolled your eyes, to which he just smiled. ‘But really, I am sorry for what happened—especially to your suit.’
‘I care more about the noodles, honestly, don’t like seeing food go to waste—’ he drifted off with his thoughts before coming back up to the surface with another question, ‘speaking of noodles, where’d you meet this guy anyway?’
‘It’s complicated,’ you sighed, not wanting to burden him with your story, but from the eager attitude he was conveying as he managed his ingredients, he did not hold the same sentiment over it. ‘We had been friends for ages—out dads worked together—and it seemed, to everyone, apparently, like the natural progression of events that we would end up together.’
‘Everyone… except for you?’ he assumed, looking up at you from the counter space.
‘No, I mean, at first I thought so too, but over time… well, you saw it yourself. But by the time I had realised what a mess I had gotten myself into, it felt like I was already too late.’
‘How so?’ You heard the gentleness in his question like he was treading the topic lightly, not wanting to put any pressure on it or on you to answer. 
‘Heard people talking he had been planning to propose.’ You shrugged it off. ‘But I doubt that will be happening anymore.’
‘What are you going to do now?’ The question came with that same carefulness but perhaps a bit more intrigue. You simply shrugged again.
‘Will probably have to find another ship to get back home on, as I can’t imagine he would want me on board with him.’ It was crazy you had not bothered to check but assumed that he had already taken off hours ago, leaving you behind to fend for yourself. ‘And then, if I see him again… well, not much else I can do but officially dump his ass.’
‘So I shouldn’t feel bad for what I did?’ He stopped what he was doing as he waited for an answer.
‘Absolutely not. I can’t thank you enough for doing that.’ 
The both of you shared sheepish smiles before you watched him work silently for a few more minutes. The tarte frames came out of the oven in a beautifully crisp golden tone, and he mixed the chocolate into a thick mousse while the rosy syrup lay back to cool off. While the two of you remained quiet, the kitchen was anything but that as his utensils clinked around the pans. You thought back to a few hours ago and how the silence at your table had been anything but this. You had sat in a cold dread, waiting for something to snap until it inevitably did. However, you sat back comfortably here, happily watching as Sanji focused on his work. 
It really was his element. While you thought the man had been exemplary at waiting tables, it was nothing compared to the ease at which he performed here. Each move he made seemed like second nature to him. 
‘Do all the waiters here know how to cook like this?’ you inquired, leaning in to see how he filled the pastries up, hands in a tight grip on the piping bag. 
‘The ones that are cooks do,’ he chuckled. 
‘You’re a cook?’ you blinked, ‘then what were you doing out there earlier?’ 
‘Ah, the old shitbag that runs this place likes to torture me and send me off to do the waitin’.’ He readjusted his hold on the piping bag, briefly stopping to wipe his hand on the towel tucked between his belt. 
‘Doesn’t that bother you? I’m sure you’d much rather work here.’ You certainly would. Some people could be real assholes to serve… your former date being a prime example. But Sanji simply laughed it off.
‘Nah, not when beautiful women are out there waiting to be served.’ He stopped to look up at you with a shit-eating grin, and the unseriousness dripping off of it made you blush, smile along with him and push him back by his shoulder before you would do something else much more irrational. Perhaps a bit too hard, as he lost his balance, only finding it on the counter, exactly where the piping bag had been left behind. His palm fell right over the ending, bursting out the mousse in an unfortunate mess, spilling all over him and the counter.
‘Oh no,’ you said, covering your mouth but not the giggles from it, ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘You think it’s funny, don’t you?’ He couldn’t keep his smile, but you shook your head harshly. ‘You’ll pay for this,’ he pointed his hand, covered in chocolate, at you. Several thoughts ran through your mind initially, but you managed to suppress most of them, opting for simply running your finger over the back of his hand where most of the mousse had spilt and giving it a taste. 
‘That is really good.’ you hummed at the sweetness. Sanji stood back, somewhat frozen at what you had done, but quickly thawed out with a few blinks.
‘Well, what else did you expect?’ He wiped the rest of his hand on the towel at his side, ‘and I’ll have you know it’s rude to eat the food before it’s done. Takes away from the experience.’
‘I’m sorry,’ you pouted, ‘but I promise you I am still very much enjoying this whole experience.’
‘You better.’ Sanji said, taking the baking tray and putting it back in the oven for the last few minutes. With the oven door shut, he sighed and leaned against the counter opposite you. ‘Now we wait.’
‘How long exactly?’
‘In a rush, are we?’ He glanced at you from behind his hair, and the question made you heat up in the face. Because how could you explain to this practical stranger that you were feeling the opposite of what he insinuated. That you did not want this night to end at all. That being here with him, even if you were just waiting for a damn tart to bake, you were having more fun than you had had in weeks, if not longer. So, all you did was simply shake your head again. 
‘It will be just a few minutes, and then gotta let it cool for a bit.’ He reassured you. That is when you noticed the bowl he had mixed the mousse in, mostly scraped clean while filling up the piping bag, but even the best chef can’t always scrape every last ounce out. Now, you might not have had any particular urge to leave any time soon, but you certainly were hungry, and having tasted just how delicious Sanji’s food was, you couldn’t help but lean in to get another little taste. 
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ He said, bemused, reaching to stop you from taking another swipe of mousse onto your finger. His hand gently grabbed your wrist, but he had been too late. When he caught you, you had your hand directly over your lips, looking up at him. He glared down at you in a daring manner. 
You licked the chocolate off yourself as innocently as possible without bursting into laughter. 
‘I can’t believe you’d do that.’ He took a step forward, nearly closing the gap between you. The presence of his body, so close to yours, almost touching, reverberated off of you with warmth, and suddenly, you felt the breath you had taken to be stuck in the back of your throat. ‘Did you not listen to anything I just said?’ His breath was hot against your skin, and if you didn’t know any better, you would have thought it was a direct source of the skip in your heart. 
‘Of course I did.’ You ignored the fast beating of your heart and the feeling like it might just burst out of your chest as you took him by the arm to give you some space and let you slide down the counter back onto your feet. ‘Something about experience and…’ you slid out from between him and the counter, and as you did so, swooped by the bowl of mousse with your finger one last time. ‘I forgot what else.’
‘You are unbelievable,’ Sanji reached for your hand, but you were quicker and manoeuvred around him and from his arm’s reach. Taunting him with the mousse, you walked around the work counters, and he, happily playing along, followed suit. 
Like children, you ran around the kitchen, with him not far behind you, trying to catch you until he finally did, picking you up by the waist. Unintentionally, a squeak of a shriek came out of you, followed by both your laughs. You kept on laughing until you heard something outside the door. Heavy footsteps, freezing you both in your place until they moved on by. That is when you noted the time. Hours past midnight.
‘Are we even allowed to be in here at this time?’ You whispered as if the person who had walked by would suddenly be able to hear you.
‘Of course,’ Sanji said with confidence, but his expression juxtaposed this with signs that you could only read as “absolutely fucking not.” chances were that if you were caught in the kitchen at this time of night, you would be shot on the spot by, what did Sanji call him, the old shitbag.
But before you could run away in fear of getting caught, it was Sanji’s turn to take you by surprise. As you stood in his arms, he leaned in and wrapped his mouth around your finger, sucking all the chocolate right off. You could feel his tongue move down your knuckles and back up until he released it, leaving you stunned and wide-eyed. 
‘I thought it’s rude to eat a dish before it’s done,’ you managed to sputter out. 
‘So you did listen,’ he smiled, ‘but you might want to know that a good cook always tastes their dishes in the process, and that… was delicious.’
‘Are you always this humble about your cooking?’ Your heart was basically in your throat at this moment.
‘Wasn’t talking about the food,’ his tone was deep, sultry, as he leaned closer. ‘But care to give me another taste?’
Your breath was officially hitched in your throat, unable to breathe properly, as you stared at him, body flooding with heat and need for him. As words escaped you, you nodded lightly and leaned in as he did the same, meeting your lips in the middle with a kiss.
As soon as it happened, his arms found their spot on your side as you fastened yourself on his shoulders. It was nothing like you expected it to be. For a man spending his entire nights and days in the kitchen, he felt nothing like it. You could smell the cologne, taste the cigarettes and the fresh mint he used to conceal the former. His tender but firm touch held you in your place as he pressed closer.
There was a force to it, but nothing that you didn’t feel in yourself to copy as the need for him boiled deep inside you. 
Your hand moved slowly up to his cheek, over to his hair at the nape of his neck.
One of his hands, in the meantime, had found your thigh, pulling it up over his leg as he squeezed your soft flesh, but before giving you a chance to even react to this new position and all its implications, Sanji moved.
Pulling apart, leaving your lips to be the last piece he detached from as he kept your bottom lip between his teeth lightly, he apologised, ‘Excuse me for a moment.’ because while you might have forgotten all about the world around you, he had still been keeping track of the tartelettes that were baking down in the oven. 
He pulled the tray of pastries out with a white tea towel, practically throwing it down on the counter, discarding it with a metal clang.
‘Now we wait for them to cool,’ he explained as he got back to you.
‘And what were you planning on doing in the meantime,’ you pulled him back in by the blue ascot tie. 
With his lips ghosting over yours, he half-whispered, ‘I might have a few things in mind,’ and with it, kissed you again. While the kiss itself was not much different, with that same intensity and passion running through both of you as before, now you were very much aware of what was to follow. If it wasn’t your need that spurred you on, then it was Sanji and his eagerness. Despite his chef’s uniform and the navy apron, you could feel him grow harder against you as the kiss continued. A moan escaped you as his lips travelled down to your neck, leaving sloppy kisses one by one until he reached a spot that was more sensitive than others. The simple touch sparked a fuse inside you.
As he continued playing with your sensitive skin, he led both your bodies to one of the empty tables at the side of the room, pressing you right against the edge and locking you in between it and him.
Without needing him to say a word, you understood exactly what you needed to do and climbed on top of the table, spreading your legs to make space for him right in the middle. 
Your dress might have hiked up slightly over your thighs, but it wasn’t enough for Sanji, who took it upon himself to pull it up. 
‘I hope you don’t mind me saying’,’ he smiled as he kissed the corner of your mouth and as his hand reached the top of your leg, ‘but I had been thinkin' about this ever since I saw you.’
‘Me too,’ you exhaled deeply, letting the confession sink in. Maybe Chosi was right after all. Now, with him out of the picture, you could admit that something had been there from the start, from the moment you caught a glimpse of the waiter cook. And if it wasn’t for all the shit that occurred that day, maybe you would have felt a twinge of guilt as you guided Sanji’s hand between your legs. If you had not shut that chapter behind you, perhaps you would have felt bad, but any insecurities of that disappeared as Sanji began to toy with your core. His slender fingers grazed slowly over your slit, putting enough pressure on it to make you arch your back in need of more. 
‘Already so needy,’ he smirked. ‘And I barely touched you.’
‘Touch me then,’ you said with gritted teeth.
‘Don’t need to tell me twice.’ His fingers moved up in pace and barely went any deeper, keeping you on the edge of satisfaction. ‘And what would madame like me to do?’ He threaded his movements, and you were growing impatient with the teasing.
‘Fuck me,’ ready to hear his next question, you added, ‘I don’t care how.’
His grin only grew wider at your words. Much to your dislike, he pulled his hand away to place both at your thighs, pressing his fingers into your skin and using that as leverage to make more space for himself in between.
‘As madame wishes.’ He spoke softly right below your ear as he descended onto his knees. 
The kiss he left over your panties already invoked a tremble through your entire body, and it only got worse from there, in the best sense. He pushed your underwear aside and took his time giving you all his attention and care. Kissing your core deeply until his nose pressed up against you. His tongue licked up your juices like a starving man until your eyes rolled back, and you felt weak. 
The table you were perched on was empty, so you only had Sanji to hold on to. At first, you reached for his shoulder, but it was just not high enough for you to find support. As you tried to look for it, Sanji reached for your hand and brought it up to the side of his head for you to tangle your fingers in his light locks. Before you even managed to grab onto them, simply letting your nails trace over his hair, you felt the vibrations of his moans strike you. Another deep blow to your senses pulled you further down to the edge. Closer and closer until you couldn’t take it anymore. Your grip on his hair tightened as your breath grew sporadic. 
‘Fuck, fuck,’ you moaned, voice filled with desperation for a release, and one that Sanji would be more than pleased to give you… just not quite yet. As he pulled away from you, you deflated with the feeling of a ruined climax and the urge to pull him back to finish what he had started, but all you could do was whimper in protest. 
‘Don’t worry,’ he kissed your knee softly, ‘all in good time. I promise to take good care of you,’ and with that, he rose back up to his feet, untying his apron.
‘That was good,’ your chest still moving up and down heavily as you caught your breath. ‘Really good.’
‘It pleases me to hear that,’  he said as he threw the apron aside onto the ground. ‘And believe me, I would love to go back for seconds—’
‘Does all your pillow talk stem from restaurant jargon?’ you interrupted jokingly. 
‘You laugh, and yet you’re the one begging me to fuck you.’ God, he was so cocky, with the way he stood there in front of you, his head tilted sideways, and his lip turned up in a grin that told you he knew he was right. ‘So, please, let me.’ His hand was already on his belt buckle. 
There was no time or need for either of you to undress. With your dress hiked up to your hips, he already had easy enough access, and once his belt was loose, it only took a few sharp pulls for you to release him from the material restraints. 
‘You ready?’ he asked.
‘For the love of god,’ grabbing him by the arm, you pulled him in, ‘stop talking and just take me.’ You knew he was about to respond, but before he got the chance to make another absurdly silly but nonetheless flirtatious comment, you shit him up with a kiss. Just like that, the two of you melted into one another. Sanji made himself comfortable between you and let his lips wander down to your neck again, to that one spot he found that drove you crazy. 
He kept kissing your neck as he finally slid into you. The two feelings made your body go weak, melting you into a puddle of burning nerves as he spread your walls and filled you up perfectly. 
First, he moved slowly, but with each thrust, he sped up more and more, putting more force into it until you were both shaking with ferocity, and the table underneath you scratched over the planks it stood upon. The sound of the tortured floor was the only thing covering up both your moans and that of the messy skin-to-skin contact. 
While he practically pounded into you, you reached for his hair again. There was just something about it: how messy you managed to make it with a few tugs and brushstrokes. All of it, how he acted and reacted, it was all in response to you. Just how he made you see stars with each move he made. 
‘Feels so good, fuck,’ he groaned over your shoulder as you grabbed for his, pulling him closer if possible. He had your legs pressed against his sides. He shook his head quickly, letting the hair flick out of his sight, but the attempt was poor as the lock quickly fell back over his eye despite his efforts. 
‘San–’ you moaned, ‘Sanji–’ 
‘That’s right,’ he might as well have been kissing you, so close were his lips to you, but instead, the only thing you truly felt was his hot breath on your skin as he kept going deeper and harder. ‘Gonna come for me? His voice got even deeper the longer he kept going. At the sound of it, your nails dug into his back, his striped shirt being the only thing saving him from possibly some nasty scratches, but it seemed to only spur him on more. ‘I–’ you gasped out as you felt him hit the deepest part of you.
‘Yeah?’ 
‘I’m close, fuck.’ the pit in your stomach tightened, your muscles strained as you tried to hold on to that feeling of pleasure he brought over you. The tension built up like a band being pulled tighter and tighter, ready to snap at any moment; he had you in his grip, waiting to let go of you at the exact right time. All you needed was that touch, just the right one in the right spot. 
You could feel it all. Could feel just how close he was himself as his thrusts got sloppier, and his breathing grew heavier and rougher between his words. ‘Yeah, c’mon. I know you can do it. Come all over my cock. ‘’s gonna feel so good, I promise you.’
The encouragement might not have been necessarily what did it. It was more like a concoction of things that all led to this precise moment when ecstasy overtook your body and washed over you like a hot flash. Sanji was not far behind you, riding his high as he ensured you got to yours. His movements slowed down as you felt the cum slick down your thighs. While you both caught your breath, it became quiet once more. 
It took you a bit longer to catch up on air in your lungs, and so while you closed your eyes and focused on your breathing, you heard Sanji zip his trousers back up and lightly walk across the aisle between the workstations. When you opened your eyes again, he was making his way back to you already, a handful of paper towels in his hand. 
Despite the burn you already felt in your sore muscles, you spread your legs one last time to give him access to clean you up. His soft touches to your sensitive core now were in stark contrast to what he had been doing to you moments ago, but the cold of the damp towel brought a nice sense of comfort. 
‘You think you can stand up for me?’ he asked gently, and the little words in that tone were enough to make your heart flutter. 
‘Yeah, I think so.’ You said, but that was quickly proven wrong when your knees buckled almost immediately when your feet touched the ground. It was only because of the way that Sanji held your arm that you had not completely toppled over. 
‘Woah, alright.’ He smiled, never letting go of you, ‘How about we just sit for now.’ Slowly, he guided you to sit on the ground, back against a cabinet. ‘Water?’ 
You nodded in agreement. The question had made you realise just how parched you were.
‘Still, sparkling, mineral?’
‘Surprise me.’ You said through a tired smile at the reference to how he waited on you earlier, but moments later, you reminded yourself of your preference, ‘just not sparkling! It just tastes foul.’ 
‘Anything but sparkling water, coming right up.’ He moved around the room to pour you some surprise water, and while he did so, you pressed your face into your hands, laughing at the absurdity of it all. Less than 12 hours ago, you had been walking up the deck, arm in arm, with your good-for-nothing boyfriend, soon-to-be fiance. Now you sat on the ground of a restaurant kitchen, with no idea where said–now ex–-boyfriend was in the world, coming down from one of the best orgasms you had ever received… all by the hand of a stranger. A handsome stranger at that. One that you could imagine seeing much more of in the future, but it was all just too silly. 
And you were tired. And hungry. 
‘Voila,’ Sanji appeared in front of you with impeccable timing, a large ice-cold looking glass in one hand, filled with ice cubes and cucumber, and two plates in the other hand. The rose and chocolate meringue tartes look particularly inviting. ‘Thought you might finally want to try one,’ he said as he handed you a plate and fork.
‘I swear, you’re a godsend.’ No matter in how much need you were of a drink, the sight of the dessert made your mouth water. 
‘Ah, just a little something sweet for—’
‘If you’re going to say what I think you’re going to say, I will shove this tarte in your face.’ One could only endure so much of this sappy flirting, even if you found it very endearing. Sanji shut his mouth and sat beside you, poking his fork into his portion.
The two of you ate quickly but still took enough time to appreciate the flavours that oozed out of the pastry and its filling. The moan you made as it all reached your tastebuds might have been more pornographic than any sound you made while he had been deep inside you. 
‘Mmm, this is delicious,’ you said through another bite. The praise brought a huge smile to the cook’s lips. ‘Seriously, thank you. For everything.’
‘It’s been my pleasure,’ he spoke in a way that almost made you think he was getting shy on you. That felt unlikely, but you let him process it all for a moment as you kept eating. 
Only once you had eaten everything off your plate did you ask your next question of the evening. ‘How did you know I would like this?’
‘It’s a chef’s best trait,’ he pulled the fork out of his mouth with a pop, ‘to be able to read their customers well. To be able to tell what they like or dislike; to know them better than they know themselves.’
‘But how?’ With intrigue, you moved closer to him. He had been leaning against the same cupboard as you, one of his knees raised up and an arm hanging casually over it. His hair was still messy, falling over his eye. ‘How could you tell I would enjoy this specific dish?’ 
The one unobstructed eye fell over you, looking up and down over your body as his mischievous smile reappeared. ‘It felt fitting.’
‘How so?’ You blinked, confused as to what he meant.
‘Sweet, decadent and hot; what’s there not to like? I mean—’ he leaned in over his arm to kiss you, feather-light. Then, he hummed as he pulled back. ‘It is an absolutely divine combination.’
Your cheeks burned up for what felt like the millionth time that evening, and you could not dare keep looking at him as he stared down at you with that innate hunger. That kind that could only be filled with one thing, and it just so happened to have wholly exhausted you. 
‘Is this still all part of that special of yours?’
To this, Sanji shrugged, ‘Depends.’
‘On what?’
‘On how long you want to keep me around.’ He scraped some leftover mousse from his plate, licking it off his fork.
‘I think for a while,’ you admitted. Yeah, you definitely hadn’t had enough of him yet. 
‘Well, then there’s so much more I can do for you, madame.’
the end
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thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging and commenting-either through the comments, in a reblog or through my inbox <3 to hear your thoughts on my writing means the world to me and really is a huge help in motivation to keep going.
you can find my other writing here
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thatbadadvice · 20 days ago
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Help! I'm A Private Person!
Neil Gaiman, Journal.NeilGaiman.com, 14 January 2025:
Over the past many months, I have watched the stories circulating the internet about me with horror and dismay. I’ve stayed quiet until now, both out of respect for the people who were sharing their stories and out of a desire not to draw even more attention to a lot of misinformation. I've always tried to be a private person, and felt increasingly that social media was the wrong place to talk about important personal matters. I've now reached the point where I feel that I should say something. As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognise and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.  I went back to read the messages I exchanged with the women around and following the occasions that have subsequently been reported as being abusive. These messages read now as they did when I received them – of two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again. At the time I was in those relationships, they seemed positive and happy on both sides. And I also realise, looking through them, years later, that I could have and should have done so much better. I was emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been. I was obviously careless with people's hearts and feelings, and that's something that I really, deeply regret. It was selfish of me. I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other people's. I’ve spent some months now taking a long, hard look at who I have been and how I have made people feel.  Like most of us, I’m learning, and I'm trying to do the work needed, and I know that that's not an overnight process. I hope that with the help of good people, I'll continue to grow. I understand that not everyone will believe me or even care what I say but I’ll be doing the work anyway, for myself, my family and the people I love. I will be doing my very best to deserve their trust, as well as the trust of my readers. At the same time, as I reflect on my past – and as I re-review everything that actually happened as opposed to what is being alleged – I don't accept there was any abuse. To repeat, I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality. I am prepared to take responsibility for any missteps I made. I’m not willing to turn my back on the truth, and I can't accept being described as someone I am not, and cannot and will not admit to doing things I didn't do.
Dear Neil,
You, sir, are nothing other than fundamentally misunderstood — indicated in every sense by this, a smart and good post that you published on the whole-ass internet for literally the entire world to read.
The important thing is that you're learning! And you deserve infinite credit for that. Not nearly enough people appreciate how much you've learned about yourself in the course of ~ allegedly ~ committing sexual assault against multiple, probably crazy, women and the aftermath thereof. Less enlightened men would disregard the experiences of women who have highly specific and detailed accounts of being sexually abused, but you are open to the idea that the women who foolishly believe you assaulted them were simply mislead by your interminable charm! For which you cannot be held responsible! What a gift you are, friend; your generosity and open-mindedness are unparalleled.
Truly, whomst among us has not been where you find yourself now? Come, enjoy the company of friends who understand the brutal loneliness that results from being misunderstood by hysterical bitches who fail to appreciate the privilege of having your masterful fingers shoved up their asses without notice!
Again and again, women love men like you too much. They want you to be emotionally and sexually available! And that is just so, so much to ask. You have a lot going on! It's not a ding on them — of course they find you irresistible, being as you are an intellectual titan — and they may find themselves confused and intimidated by your sexual prowess, unaware that you exist in a world beyond pedestrian notions of consent. That is what makes your work so particularly meaningful and powerful.
You write about a man who does a bad thing, but you do the other good thing! You do a good thing, but in your work, a man does a bad thing! This is the stuff of sheer brilliance, capturing the sturm unt drang of the human condition — or, at least, of the humans whose conditions matter most, which is to say, men of your creative stature.
The sorry truth is that despite your best efforts, no one understands you, the author of 40-plus years of written work in which you had every fucking opportunity to emulate literally any character of your design who was not an unrepentant rapist. Whomst among us has not struggled with such quandaries? Whomst among us has not wondered: Should I rape women in the presence of my child, or should I just the fuck wait a minute and destroy my marriage by other means? Should I order a cinnamon bagel, or an egg sandwich? These are the questions men such as us must grapple with in a world where cancel culture has run rampant, and where people are liable to believe anything they hear from over half a dozen unbridled harpies (story idea! make sure Katee Robert doesn't see this, she seems like a bitch with designs) whose indeterminate fantasies have been aggressively fact-checked by risk-averse media legal departments.
You're right and everyone else is wrong, and that's exactly the take-away that everyone will have from reading this thing that you posted! Great work, great instincts, great writing. It's like Stardust, but hotter. You know what I mean.
A+ all around, no notes other than: you should share this with more people directly so they have the clearest possible idea of where you're coming from. Don't hold back, bud!
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bread-crum206 · 1 month ago
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A Game of Hearts
Chapter four: Beneath the Surface
Summary: Y/N’s father is a VIP for the games, he makes a deal with the Frontman that if he marries his only daughter that he will continue to sponsor the games. However, Y/N is not fond of this decision as she loathes the games and in turn, loathes the Frontman as well. Will she grow to love him? Will he let his walls down?
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Mornings were always the worst; waking up to the cold, sterile room with only the faintest trace of his presence lingering in the air. He was always gone before you even stirred, disappearing into the depths of the compound to handle whatever dark business his role demanded.
You had yet to share a meal together, much less have a conversation that didn’t feel forced or terse. The tension between you was thick like a string pulled taut, just waiting to snap. And yet, nothing changed.
But today felt different.
You heard a knock at the door, and your heart pounded as you made your way through the common room to the entrance.
You muttered under your breath, “Since when did he knock before coming in?” Convinced it was your husband on the other side, there was an unfamiliar stillness in the air, an almost tangible sense that something was on the verge of shifting.
You opened the door, coming face to face with a man in a pink suit. He wore a black mask with a large white square painted across the front, adding an air of mystery to his appearance.
“Mrs. Frontman,” he addressed you, handing over a small stack of neatly arranged white papers with elegant black lettering. “These are the documents you’re expected to review regarding the VIP room.” His voice was rough through the mask, betraying the fact that he clearly didn’t want to be the one to deliver them. He would much rather be doing something more interesting than talking to his boss’s wife.
You nodded politely. “Thank you.”
You watched as the man retreated down the vast hallway, his footsteps echoing in the distance.
The silence that followed felt heavy as your own footsteps echoed across the room, the sound unnervingly hollow as you crossed the threshold into the sitting room. This room has quickly become your favorite. It was the one space in the complex that felt almost warm. The view outside the large windows was serene, and the only color in the otherwise monochrome apartment came from the beautifully patterned brown and beige rug.
You sank into the cushioned chair by the small table in front of the windows and peeled the paperclip off the stack of documents. You glanced down at the first page.
VIP Room (Very Important People)
This document outlines the private quarters of the VIPs and the central room.You will decide the theme of the room. You will choose the furniture. You will ensure that all the needs of the VIPs are met.
You flipped to the next page, which listed the current contents of the room. From the light switch covers to the diamond chandelier, everything was detailed. The following pages were filled with names of contractors who could be hired to renovate the space, should you decide a change was necessary.
You frowned as you scanned the list. The gold-and-black jungle theme had always felt suffocating, and you especially hated the naked models that stood on display in the corners of the room, meant to entertain the twisted men seated in the center. You thought it was disgusting.
Your mind began to run wild with ideas. How could you change it without being ridiculed? You didn’t know if you could stomach another round of the garish gold accents on the walls.
You muttered aloud to the empty room, “Maybe I could add more plants… Or maybe introduce some new architectural elements…”
You sat at the table for a few hours, brainstorming, sketching out ideas on the margins of the pages. Eventually, you sighed and set the papers down, walking toward the window. The incoming storm was slowly swallowing the sun, and you stood there, staring out into the gathering dark. Even though it was still mid-day.
———————
You were still standing by the window, watching the rain cascade down the glass, when you heard the door creak open behind you.
At first, you thought it was your imagination—an echo from the distant hallways. But then you heard it again: the soft sound of boots on the polished floor.
You turned, and there he was, The Frontman, stepping into the room. His posture was rigid, but there was something different about him today: an edge to his movements, a subtle exhaustion clinging to him like a second skin.
“Didn’t expect you home so early,” you said, the words slipping out sharper than you had intended.
He met your gaze, but said nothing for a long moment. There was no greeting, no acknowledgment of your biting tone. He simply walked toward the side table, setting his mask down with deliberate precision.
“I had a few things to take care of,” he replied quietly.
You nodded, unwilling to let the silence stretch between you. “And?”
He hesitated, as if weighing how much to say. The stillness hung thick in the air, and you found yourself stepping toward him, closer than you’d planned.
With a huff, you muttered, “You don’t need to explain yourself.” You turned away, but there was a crack in your voice you hadn’t expected. “It’s none of my business.”
He was silent for a moment, before speaking, almost too softly to catch.
“It’s all your business now, whether you want it to be or not.”
Your breath hitched in your chest. His voice, raw and unguarded, struck you. You turned toward him, wanting to catch a glimpse of the vulnerability he’d let slip. But by the time you reached the entrance to the common room, it was gone. He had returned to his usual mask of stoic detachment, his eyes cold.
“I didn’t ask for any of this,” you said, your voice low, harsh. “I didn’t ask to be part of this twisted… thing you’ve built.”
He locked eyes with you, and for the first time in a long while, you saw something in his gaze that wasn’t just resignation or indifference. There was an ache there, something deep, something that mirrored your own. But before you could latch onto it, he shut it down.
“I know,” he replied simply.
———————
Fourth chapter!! Get ready cause more are coming!!! :) Thank you for all the support 🫶
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nerinefy · 10 months ago
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.𖥔 ݁ ˖ A LIFE WITH HIM ; FT. some OVERBLOT BOYS .𖥔 ݁ ˖
★ synopsis: how will they be like as your partner?
★ details: you/yours | headcanon | too much fluff | 1,000+ words
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✦ ┊RIDDLE ROSEHEARTS
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PHYSICAL AFFECTION (GIVING & RECEIVING)
★ not too big on PDA, so expect that the most skin-to-skin contact you two can have outside is the occasional hand-holding. he likes it when he's the one initiating the gesture whenever you two are out and about since he still can't help but have the need to be in control even after his overblot (like leading you to places and making sure ur still by his side).
★ he doesn't admit it but he loves when you link your arm with his and nuzzle your face into his shoulder (although he will still scold you if you do it) ESPECIALLY when he's in a mood and is almost about to off the heads of some rule-breakers OR maybe when you're giving too much attention to a rando because he may not admit it but he's greedy and wants your eyes on him only (but he's a gentleman and will never speak about it, only dismissing his inappropriate thoughts.)
★ in private though he's just a snuggly little cuddle bug, even more so if he's tired or stressed or most likely both. so many responsibilities are piled up on his plate just in his second year so the only thing that keeps his shit together is your warm and loving embrace. HE'S A SMALL SPOON. NO BACKSIES, okay maybe he's a big spoon if you're the one who needs a little more loving.
GIFT-GIVING
★ i mean from the name itself ROSEHEARTS, roses are his go-to (he's corny but we love him like that), but if you have a different favorite flower then he'll get those, and if you're allergic he'll try to make those handmade ones! although a little sloppy, pretty successful for his first try. overall he likes giving the traditional gifts like bouquets, stuffed animals, and chocolates :) but if he gets to know you more it might be more personal and intimate stuff that fits your tastes, and of course, should be of use to you too.
THE SIMPLE THINGS
★ whenever you're stuck on a study session late at night he likes inviting you to take a break and brew some tea for you. he'll even share some sweets that Trey gave him. although he won't leave you alone after he finds you like that, instead he pulls out some reviewers he has and helps you work on whatever you find difficult to understand.
WORD AFFIRMATIONS
★ "Our race is nowhere near finished, so please my rose, stay strong, I know you can and want to do so. I am always by your side okay?"
✦ ┊LEONA KINGSCHOLAR
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PHYSICAL AFFECTION (GIVING & RECEIVING)
★ hugs, hugs, and MORE HUGS. just lots of hugs! doesn't matter if he's a big spoon or small spoon, he needs you by his side 24/7, 365. he just has to have his scent all over you u know, half-breed things. this man is just lazing around anywhere so might as well bring his favorite pillow with him. and no, he doesn't care if you have class and need to take a test worth half your grade, he needs you more! ★ of course, he doesn't have long-ass hair for nothing, go be his peasant and brush it, most preferably with your fingers if he's having a good hair day. your soft fingers massaging his scalp are quite literally going to take him to heaven, and he'll have no regrets tho so go pocket something if that happens. ★ he doesn't pick favorites when it comes to giving and receiving physical affection, he just wants his hands all over you and if the job is done then he's good.
GIFT-GIVING
★ honestly man, i don't know with him. he's raised right so of course he gives you stuff like flowers and so on. on the other hand tho he isn't the type to know what you like and will most likely just ask you what you want him to give you. maybe he'll just take you to go fetch them at the store itself if he isn't sure. but on special days like your birthday or your anniversary (assuming ya'll would last more than a week), he actually tries and it's pretty sweet and more elaborate.
THE SIMPLE THINGS
★ whenever he's forcibly on a call with his brother, which surprisingly is turning into a regular thing, if Farena asks about how he's doing, Leona likely ends up only yapping about you. i mean yeah he missed his last test and he spent his allowance for the month in a week but does Farena know about the time you were mumbling Leona's name in your sleep? he will deny it if he's called out for doing so. NO, HE DID NOT PERIOD. *hangs up*
WORD AFFIRMATIONS
★ "Whatever you're thinking of, don't. It's stupid. As much as I don't like admitting this, you're strong, and even more than most beastmen if you set your mind to your goals."
✦ ┊AZUL ASHENGROTTO
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PHYSICAL AFFECTION (GIVING & RECEIVING)
★ man's busy all the time so it's hard to get your hands on him. even if he's not busy, he will sprint for his life just to get away from you. not that he dislikes your affection, the concept is just a little foreign to him. give him time to adjust, then you'll find out how soft his tentacles are! ★ when he's actually busy and working on stuff in his office (when the time comes and he's comfortable) he likes it when you flop yourself on his lap and nuzzle into his chest. he feels guilty that he can't give full focus to you since his schedule truly is packed but you inviting yourself into his office at late hours of the day just to snuggle comforts and assures him in some way. he'll definitely find more time for you, he's trying his best lol! ★ overall he isn't one to initiate the touching even if he's fully vulnerable for you. idk too ask him about it. he's just happy you like him enough that you cling unto him. but if you ask him he may favor hand-holding the most, it may be the least contact but feeling your hand on his is enough for him.
GIFT-GIVING
★ HE KNOWS EVERYTHING. i'm not even kidding, even when it's no special day he'd likely buy stuff just because it reminded him of you or when you coincidentally need it which is pretty cute but can be a little creepy.
THE SIMPLE THINGS
★ i saw a fic back then that said he gives you some coupons and by some i mean a TON in hopes that you visit the Lounge and that is absolutely true. though he forgets you two are together and he can ask you nicely to come over but who can say no to 30% off all menu items?
WORD AFFIRMATIONS
★ "My, how could I ever deny what that cute head of yours and those strong arms of yours can do! You are a valuable asset to me...what kind of asset? Well...it's up to you to decide."
✦ ┊JAMIL VIPER
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PHYSICAL AFFECTION (GIVING & RECIEVING)
★ he's also busy, honestly might be one of the, or if not the busiest of all of these guys. when you two have time to be together tho, even if he's knocked out and drained, he'll never show it. but i can say that's only during the early stages of your relationship with him and depending on how you two met. he likes to present himself in his best state and he really can't do so with his schedule so eventually he just melts and the next thing you know he's hugging you from the back any chance he gets and you feel his heartbeat turn slower by the minute. ★ for those moments that he sees you out and about though he likes patting your cute lil head, no matter what your height is. though he is trying to be a little adventurous with you so he leans in to caress your hair gently and suddenly you're met with a quick smooch. (only when there's no one else in sight so yeah adventurous my ass) ★ like leona, he loves it when you play with his hair, and he does not like to admit it. just remember to keep it neat and use a brush while you're at it, plus a facial and maybe a massage because i know those muscles are TIGHT.
GIFT-GIVING
★ his gifts reek of HANDMADE. idk he has those vibes. handmade flowers, or some origami of cute animals, but he likes giving you handwritten letters the most. it can be hard to communicate his real feelings to you so writing is a way for him to freely and easily express those feelings.
THE SIMPLE THINGS
★ whenever he cooks for Kalim or just whenever he cooks, he suddenly has some leftovers that he decided he'd pack up for you. can't bring himself up to say that excuse so he just gives it to you and walks away.
WORD AFFIRMATIONS
★ "Whining is useless. Do the things you're good at, stop worrying about the things you can't. Oh, I'm sorry...did that come off too harsh?"
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★ author's note: congratulate me for coming back. BASK IN MY GLORIOUS PRESCENCE. (i missed u guys too ig)
©nerinefy 2023-2024 all rights reserved. do not plagiarize, repost, or translate.
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sunny44 · 8 months ago
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The lollipop
Pairing: Lando Norris x Fem!reader
Warnings: mentions of blowjob
Summary: Lando steals your lollipop.
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The paddock was busier than usual this afternoon. The mechanics were rushing around adjusting the last details of the cars while the drivers were reviewing their strategies.
I was walking nonchalantly, licking my lollipop while observing the movement around me. Writing had always been my way of escaping the chaotic reality of racing, as there was always a moment when all the movement and bustle got too much but, at that moment, I was just enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.
I saw Lando chatting animatedly with some members of his team and decided to approach him. Lando always had a way of making the most tense moments seem light and fun. When he saw me approaching, a mischievous smile appeared on his face, making me suspicious.
"Hey, Y/n! What are you up to?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Nothing much, just enjoying the day and wandering around," I replied with a smile, my lollipop still in my mouth.
Lando stared at the lollipop for a moment, and before I could react, he plucked it out of my mouth and put it in his own.
"Hey!" I exclaimed, surprised and annoyed. "That's mine! It was literally in my mouth."
Lando smiled, his gaze full of mischief.
"Yeah, and? So was I this morning and in a lot of other days."
I felt my face heat up instantly and the staff started laughing and leaving us alone.
"You're impossible, did you really had to tell that I had your cock in my mouth this morning in front of everyone?" I muttered, trying to hide my embarrassment. But inside, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of amusement. Lando always had this ability to put me off my guard and make me laugh at the same time.
He leaned a little closer, still licking my lollipop.
"Admit it, you like our dynamic, and I just hinted that you had my cock in your mouth, they don't have to believe me." he said, his tone playful but with a touch of sincerity. "Even if it was true."
I crossed my arms, trying to keep a serious expression.
"What if I say I don't like this dynamic?" Lando laughed, a light and infectious sound.
"Then I'll have to keep stealing your lollipops until you admit that you like me. And not just my sexy body."
I couldn't help but smile. "You're so childish," I said, rolling my eyes in an exaggerated way.
"Maybe," he replied, shrugging. "But you love it." He licked lollipop again and, before handing it back, looked straight into my eyes. "Do you want it back?"
"Of course I do, I paid for it," I replied, holding out my hand. Lando held the lollipop out of reach, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Only if you admit you like me." I sighed, knowing he wouldn't let me off the hook easily.
"All right, Lando. I like you. Now give it back."
He smiled, genuinely pleased, and reached up to put the lollipop near my mouth and when I opened it, he put it in.
"See? That wasn't so hard."
I took the lollipop, feeling his fingers rub against mine.
"You're an idiot, you know that?" I said, but with a smile that I couldn't hide.
Lando laughed again. "That may be, but I'm the idiot you like."
And as soon as I took the lollipop out of my mouth, he pulled me in and kissed me. It certainly felt like one of those movie kisses that makes you stop breathing and the butterflies in your stomach flutter like never before.
We had kissed before, but every time I had the same feeling of happiness.
"See you later?" He whispers with his lips still close to mine.
"Of course, we're sharing a room." He laughs and gives me one more kiss before going into the garage and leaving me smiling like a teenage girl after kissing the boy she likes.
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Bonus scene!
Yourusername inatagram stories
“Who doesn’t love a lollipop.”
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sillymommy6969 · 1 month ago
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.𖥔 ݁ ˖ 𝖄OURS TRULY
Manon Bannerman x actor!fem!reader
summary: being an actress can be pretty demanding, and manon's pretty understanding of the things that came along with your career, but lately it’s feeling a little too real
warnings: slight!angst, some sm posts, jealous!manon, one mean comment, kinda used rachel zegler as a face claim only because i used those pics for the smau, harsh language
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Being an actress came with lots of benefits; you travelled all around the world to film in beautiful, exotic locations, you get to meet a lot of amazing new people within and beyond the industry, and you get to do what you were most passionate about. But, it also meant every aspect of your life would be examined under a microscope, on and off set, and you would be made to post or say things that weren’t true just for the sake of promotions or publicity.
You absolutely loathed that part of your job. It has driven a wedge between your relationship with so many ex-boyfriends or girlfriends and even some friendships.
When you met Manon at your good friend and fellow Euphoria costar, Dominic’s New Year’s Eve party, you were absolutely entranced by this walking shred of heaven. Back then, she had not joined Dream Academy yet and she was just in between modelling gigs. You couldn’t help yourself, grabbing her hand and kissing the back of it. You had to get to know her better, and by the end of the night you were leaving Dominic’s condo and stumbling into yours with her pressed against you.
When you begun dating, you made sure Manon knew the extents of your career. You were blunt, dating an actress wasn’t always going to be easy, especially with the way tabloids write their own narrative about your life.
a) Your job entailed partial nudity at times; you’ve been in enough movies or series to know women are always asked to strip in front of cameras. You weren’t exactly the biggest fan, but it wasn’t your artistic choice to make.
b) Your job entailed lots of cameras and eyes constantly trained on you, meaning they would spin stories and insane theories out of the most ridiculously insignificant detail. Nothing the tabloids report can ever be trusted.
c) Your job entailed doing things with your costars, i.e. kissing, making out, filming intimate scenes, etc. As somebody in the industry, you have become so desensitized by the concept of faking things for art. But you understood not many people understood the gravity of everything your career demanded from you, and it can cause lots of issues emotionally.
Manon was very reluctant about these three rules at first, skeptical of how bad things had to be for you to drop this on her the first month in. But then she got on dream academy, she then successfully debuted in Katseye, and she, herself, experienced a lot of the things you fell victim to. She understood and accepted much more than she had to because she loved you, she really did, and to anybody with eyes, the two of you were absolutely smitten.
Recently, you were onset of a new project you were cast in—a remake of Romeo & Juliet but with a modern edge to it. Everything was going good, internal reviews for what, and as you wrapped up filming, you were asked to post an ‘wrap dump’ to promote the movie. Your manager presented you with a selection of photos, and you compiled them into a post.
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Liked by kitconnor, lararajj & 821,440 others
ynln Can’t wait for ya’ll to see us in six months <3
19 hours ago
user01 THE FIRST SLIDE HELLO???????
user02 yall stronger than me i would’ve fallen in love
dominicfike aye get it sis
ynln you really do be everywhere but the studio
dominicfike kys
user03 has anybody seen the leaked kiss
user04 YES OMG
user05 they’re such a theatre kid power couple
user03 DID YALL SEE KIT GRABBING HER FACE
user06 you can’t convince me they’re not tgt
user07 Is this a hard launch I’m sobbing
user08 girl you ever heard of marketing 😭😭
user09 no they’re dating
user10 THEYRE LITERALLY NOT??
user11 guys y/n’s dating manon rmb not kit
user12 they never confirmed tho so maybe it’s kit
user13 @user12 Denial is a river in Egypt…
You didn’t think much about the post, getting out of your makeup from the day before hitching a ride home with your manager. You had a couple hours to freshen up and get ready before the wrap party that night, and you were very excited to have invited Manon as your plus one.
It was one of those rare days your girlfriend had a day off that matched your schedule. She had her reservations about being seen or photographed with you at such a public event, but you assured her everything was going to be cast and crew only.
Back at her dorm, Manon was doing her makeup on the floor of her room. She had the room to herself, Lara invited some of the girls home for the weekend with her—which meant Daniela was gone as well. Only Sophia and Yoonchae opted to stay home, wanting to spend the free time they had shopping for decorations to liven up their room. She was nervous, to say the least, about meeting all the professional filmmakers and famed actors and directors you worked with every day.
A knock on her door sounded through the music blasting.
“Yo, Manon, you getting ready to go soon?” When she turned her head to catch a glimpse of Sophia poking her head through the doorway, the leader was focused on the phone in her hand, strolling in to stand behind the older member.
“Yeah, heading over to Y/N’s in fifteen-ish… why?”
“You seen Y/N’s latest instagram post?” Sophia asked.
Manon shook her head. She hadn’t been on social media since the night before, she slept in, waking up late and immediately had to throw herself into the shower to get ready.
“Well, you gotta see this shit.”
Sophia knealt, holding her phone out for Manon to peep at the tweet she had pulled up onscreen. The way she snatched the filipina’s phone was nothing short of urgent and stunned.
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It wasn’t like Manon hadn’t seen you kiss your costars onscreen, she’s been to many movies watching you lead in a film. But this, watching this bag of bulging muscles in a tank touch you where she usually did, your hands grabbing his face as the two of you made out on a bed?
Manon had never, and I mean ever, felt such rage. She was experiencing so many emotions at once; some rationality, some discomfort, but mostly an overwhelming sense of rage.
She didn’t care. She was a jealous girlfriend. And she can say she understands as many times as she could, but she hated every single time you’d kiss, touch or feel anybody but her. She knew it was what you did for a living, but she couldn’t shed the way she felt like smashing Kit Connor’s face through a wall.
“That’s a wild ass movie your girl’s making,” Sophia scoffed, in attempts to lighten the tension.
Manon’s jaw clenched, shoving the phone back into Sophia’s chest before standing. She was now sad she had gotten her hair and outfit done all nice, because she didn’t feel like showing up to an event thrown somewhat in your honour.
“Manon…? Manon!” Sophia called after the Ghanaian woman, but she had already grabbed her purse and left the house.
When you came out of the shower, your hair wet and your body glistening, you were taken aback by the sudden pounding you heard from your condo’s door. You quickly put on your panties and one of Manon’s oversized shirts. Slipping into your slippers, you stumbled out your bathroom and to the door. Just a couple feet away from it, another round of thrusts throw you off. “I’m coming, Jesus Christ!”
Swinging your door open, you were ready to rip into whomever so disrespectfully made their presence known, but upon seeing your girlfriend, dressed all nice and looking pretty, your expression softened. “Baby, I thought you were coming—!”
She held a hand over your mouth, pushing you into your home before kicking the door shut behind her.
You furrowed your eyebrows, “Manz, what the fu—?”
“Are you fucking Kit Connor?” She immediately barked, a hand on your bare chest, backing you up towards the couch. “I get myself all nice and pretty for your party and I find out you’re macking this hunk like there’s no tomorrow?”
Your hand rested on your chest, before you were knocked onto your ass. You glanced up at your dining girlfriend, her lips pursed and her sharp brows knit together.
“Woah, woah, woah, what’re we talking about here?”
She yanked her phone out her pocket, her fingers jabbing at her screen as she pulled up your instagram page. The photos you and Kit took on set was harshly shoved into your face, you gently cradled her hand with both of yours, carefully pulling it back so you could see. She then harshly pulled her hand back, pulling up Pop Base’s tweet of a leaked onset photo.
“When the fuck did you even get these photos taken? I mean, having to do minimal stuff for work is one thing, but letting him carry you and grab your ass and your thighs and getting all close and intimate behind the scenes when you’re not even on fucking camera is so far over the line, Y/N.” she rambled, “Then I have to see you basically dry hump this man?”
You sighed, knowing it was another one of the older woman’s jealous episodes. You tried being more understanding, to listen and calm her down, knowing it was a consequence of your job.
“Baby, please, take a deep breath, okay?” You gently grab the phone from her hand, setting it down on the couch beside you. You entertained your fingers, kissing her knuckles. “What did I tell you about the rules, hm?”
With a pout, Manon’s voice dropped low, “You’re a public figure and need to get intimate with coworkers a lot.”
You hummed, nodding. “That’s right. And y’know what the best way to promote a new movie is?”
She rolled her eyes, staring away. “Dating scandals.”
“Yes, baby, dating scandals.” You tugged at her hands, pulling her down to take a seat. Her body slumped to sit on your lap, her eyes still refusing to meet yours as you fixed a loose curl from her temple. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Manz. I never do things I don’t need to. I took those pictures on a press day a while back when Kit and I were asked to do ‘behind the scenes’ photos, none of it is real.”
“Yeah, well, it looked pretty real when you were eating his face on that bed,” she huffed, “What was I supposed to think?”
You chuckled, nodding. You wrapped your arms around her waist, pulling both of you to lie back into the couch. “I know, I know, but I’m not going to the party as Kit’s date, right? He’s not the one I’ve been waiting to see all day.” You gestured at your dripping appearance, “That’s why I wanted you to come in twenty, so I could be ready and beautiful just for you, baby.”
Manon scoffed, “Yeah, you’re lookin’ real rough right now.”
You playfully slapped her at the joke, “I promise you, I am yours, truly. I don’t even care about Kit, because all I think about when I’m at work is coming home and getting to see my ridiculously beautiful and sexy girlfriend.”
That statement seemed to win Manon over, her hands coming up to cradle your cheeks. “You better swear on your life.”
“I swear on this life and the next. I love you, Manz.”
“Mmh, I love you more,” she hummed, leaning in to kiss you softly. When the two of you pulled apart, she sneered, “Is that how you kiss him too?”
You clicked your tongue, a hand reaching under her thigh to move her body so she was straddling you. “Do you really wanna know? I’ll show you exactly what Kit and I do when nobody’s looking.” you spat, earning a gasp from Manon when your hand cupped the back of her neck, yanking her down into you for a heated kiss.
It was a long night of entertaining producing executives and crew members, but you were very happy to have your girlfriend meet the people you’ve been working with for months. When it came time for you to give Kit a hug in greeting though, Manon made sure her disapproval was made known.
You had an upcoming role in the third season of the White Lotus, you were not excited about how the Ghanaian woman would react to the scenes on that show.
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gilverrwrites · 5 months ago
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The Best You Ever Had
Jason Todd/Reader, 1.7K
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A/N: Welp, as promised here’s that self-serving, mildly fucked up Jason Todd/Reader scenario I mentioned earlier. I’m working on I don’t fall, I fly chapter two I swear, but I had to get this unhinged Jason idea out of my head if I’m gonna concentrate. I don’t remember the exact details of the plotline I’m branching off of here 100% so if it’s inaccurate sue me. Warnings: Darker portrayal of Jason. Unhealthy relationship to slightly less unhealthy relationship, non-graphic mentions of death, grief, dub-con, manipulation, abuse of authority kinda, exhibitionism, unprotected sex, swearing, size difference, hair pulling.
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Right so, remember when Jason went balls to the wall on absoloutely fucking ruining Penguins’ life after finding out he was responsible for the death of his birth father?
Okay, now imagine you’re working at The Iceberg at the time, as a waitress, a card dealer, dancer, whatever you fancy, it’s mainly just a cover for the fact that you’re actually Ozwald’s sugar baby.
You’re practically attached to his hip. Sure, he can be a bit much at times, a bit mean, but he’s real sweet on you. There isn’t a thing in this world he wouldn’t do for you, no clothes or gadgets too expensive, no jewels too well-guarded, 'cause you’re his favourite gal. At least you were until you watched Red Hood shoot him in the head on live TV.
Ozzie had paid your rent, your bills, everything, he’d showered you with gifts, but he’d never dealt you actual cash. Without his bank account to fund your checks, you have nothing, not unless you sell off your material possessions. So, not only are you grieving, but you’re forced to pick up as many extra shifts as you can in order to afford to keep up your lifestyle.
Being at The Lounge only reminds you of him, which makes your sorrows worse. You were never bad at the cover job, in fact, it’s how you got your foot in the door. But your emotions are affecting your performance, and when your new boss, Jason Todd, calls you into his office for a performance review, you’re pretty much resigned to the fact that you’re about to be fired.
However, Mr Todd is surprisingly chill. Understanding even. He doesn’t grill you; he just points out that your performance as of late does not match up with Cobblepots files and asks why? What can we do to fix it?
You feel comfortable explaining that you and his predecessor were close, and so his sudden death has hit you hard. You need time to mourn but can’t afford the time off.
When a tear rolls down your cheek you start to feel self conscious until he rounds the desk, crouching in front of you and presenting you with a tissue. He offers you the weekend off, paid, and promises to look into amending the shoddy bereavement policy Oz had enforced. But for now, commiserating may help, and he’s happy to listen, to be a shoulder to cry on.
So, you take the tissue, dabbing up all the tears that fall as you tell him about your arrangement. How Oz had done so much for you, got you out of a pit, how no matter what your friends and family thought, Ozzie really did have your best interests at heart, you swear. Mr Todd nods along, offering a polite laugh when you tell him a funny story, or pulling faces when you recall some of Oz’s less-than-savoury moments. His disapproval makes you feel validated in your distaste for some of the seedier things you’d let Oz get away with because he loved you.
After a while, you move from the desk to the conversation pit which sits beside a floor to ceiling fish tank. You can’t help commending him for keeping on top of looking after the fish and their habitat, it’s a lot of work. He tells you it’s one of his favourite things in the whole building and you agree, recalling how you used to spend hours watching the fish go about their existence when Ozzie would call for you only to spend the evening ignoring you whilst he dealt with 'business'. Jason says that you’re more than welcome to come see the fishes any time you like.
He's so much kinder than you’d expected. Which is why you don’t move when you feel his hand on your back, drawing you closer with strong arms until the warmth of his breath brushes your neck. It’s been weeks since you’d gotten this close with anyone. You hadn’t realised how much you’d craved the intimacy until it was handed to you.
And shit, he smells good too. Looking into his undeniably handsome face you’re struck with guilt for having enjoyed the company, the touch of another man and can’t help the second? third? who knows, wave of tears.
The tissue he’s given you is too sodden to do anything, so he reaches up with his long, surprisingly coarse fingers to wipe up your tears, and you let him.
Your weeping soon starts to ebb after that, but the few droplets that fall regardless are dried by his lips as he boldly presses kisses to your cheeks, and again, you let him.
“You shouldn’t waste your tears on that asshole.” The way he stares into your eyes as he speaks, it almost feels like he’s daring you to challenge him. “You’ll be better off without him.”
Out of respect for Oz, or maybe to defend yourself you bite back at him. “He’s not- he wasn’t an asshole! Not to me.” But you both know it’s a lie.
Before either of you say something you’ll regret, you decide to do something you’ll regret instead. In sync, you both crash your lips together, and Jason all but forces you onto your back with his body weight, his tongue pushing between your lips as his hands work at your uniform.
He’s nothing like Oz. His hands are strong and deft, free of perspiration as they pop your buttons with precision and knead at your newly exposed skin. His mouth, while steeped with a hint of beer, tastes clean. He looks at you with a reverence you’d never experienced before as he draws back to look you in the eye.
“Let me treat you the way you deserve, the way a real man should.” He begs, and when you nod, he practically starts tearing at his clothes. You work on his belt while he pulls his shirt and waistcoat over his head, too impatient to bother with his own buttons.
Your eyes bulge, heart plummeting to your stomach when he pulls down his boxers, exposing a dauntingly large erection.
“Bet you’ve not seen something this big in a long time.” He suggests with a smirk.
“No, I’ve never seen anything that big.” You offer, shuddering when he teases the tips between your slit, grazing your clit. “I don’t think I can take something like that.”
“You will.” His confidence goes straight to your already hungry centre. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it easy on you.”
You gasp when you feel friction at your entrance, and Jason chuckles into the crook of your neck, gently fussing in your ear as he slips a single finger inside you. True to his word, Jason makes the whole thing (mostly) painless and effortless, working his fingers into you one at a time, scissoring his digits and massaging your sensitive clit until you're stretched out and cumming all over his palm, staining the sofa beneath you. Purring to you all the while about how tight and plush your pussy is, how fucking good his cock is gonna make you feel, how he can’t wait to make you forget all about Cobblepot by making you gush all over his dick again and again.
When you’re partly lucid again, coming down from your first orgasm Jason lifts you with ease. He sits back against the couch, settling between your legs so that you’re straddling him. Guiding you onto his cock, thrusting from below, drawing a sinful cry from you as he fills you in one quick movement. It wasn’t unbearable, in fact, you’re a little flustered by the ease with which your pussy sucked him up, but your walls still throb from the final stretch of him buried in the depth at which his impossibly long fingers hadn’t been able to reach.   
His hands grip and caress and pinch every part of you, soaking in every inch as you ride him out, grinding your hips against his, using his body to chase your second release. His lips latch along your torso, sucking and biting his mark into your skin. This time, once you've successfully fucked yourself to climax on his dick, he doesn’t wait for you to come back down. Flipping you over and pushing you forward, he puts you on your hands and knees, presented for him on the coffee table so he can pound into you from behind.
Once he’s coaxed another orgasm out of you there, he carries you to his desk. He fucks you over and over. Revelling in every heated orgasm he rips from you, eating up your sob. He takes you on every surface. The floor, the walls, the window. He even presses you face first against the fishtank, making you watch your reflection in its mirrored back, and you are a pornographic sight to behold; lips dark and swollen from his kisses, hair tangled in his fist, tits pressed against the glass as he pistons in and out of your twitchingly overstimulated, cunt. Every thrust is slick, punctuated by the wet slap of your hips coming together. By this point, Jason’s unending strength is the only thing keeping you upright.
“That bird creep ever fuck you this good, baby?” He grunts into your ear, dark eyes glaring at you through the glass. From this angle you can see how his body practically engulfs yours; the reflection showcasing how his massive palms seem herculean when pinning you. All night he’d been throwing you around, bending and posing you to his will like a doll in his sturdy arms. Something Oz could never do.  
“No, god no Jason!” You whine. Drool spills from your lips as you try to speak. It catches on the glass, smearing back on your face but you’re too utterly fucked, too cock drunk to be embarrassed. “Nobody… never been… fucked like…”
When you don’t finish your sentence Jason laughs, it almost sounds cruel and sends a shockwave to the clit you long thought had been abused to numbness. “Am I the best fuck you ever had?”
“Yes! Yesyesyesyes.” You chant. Completely oblivious to the fact that your sugar daddy, Oswald Cobblepot is not dead. He’s very much alive, and very much not well as he watches Jason Todd fuck the brains out of his best gal from his prison on the other side of the one-way mirror. 
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maretinelli · 10 days ago
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FLOWER CONNECTION
Daniel Ricciardo X florist!fem!reader
Summary: A wrong flower delivery connects Y/n, a florist passionate about what she does, and Daniel, a charismatic driver. What starts as a mistake turns into an unexpected chance for something more.
Words: 2.5K+
Warnings: Nothing fancy, just romance and cute.
Author: English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes that may be in the story. And you can request stories on my profile in messages or questions. ❤️🇧🇷
MASTERLIST
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It was spring in Bruges, and Y/n's small flower shop was at the height of its activity. The place exuded the sweet aroma of fresh flowers, and the atmosphere was a spectacle of colors. Y/n was completely immersed in her work, organizing arrangements with quick and dexterous hands. The orders kept coming.
It was a special week for weddings, birthdays and declarations of love, which meant that she and Jenny, her best friend and right-hand woman at the flower shop, were practically living inside the shop.
"Y/n, another big order has come in!" Jenny announced, holding up a large list. "I don't know how we're still standing.
Y/n let out a quick laugh as she adjusted the last few roses in a breathtaking bouquet.
"It's love, Jenny. There's no rest for love."
They continued to pack bouquets and hurriedly check addresses. The doorbell rang constantly, announcing delivery men coming and going with packages.
However, amid the rush, a small detail went unnoticed by Y/n. When reviewing the last order, she did not notice that the hotel name and room number were similar to another one nearby.
Hours later, as night fell in Bruges, Daniel Ricciardo was in his hotel room. He had just taken a relaxing bath after a long day of interviews and Formula 1-related commitments.
Wearing a comfortable t-shirt and shorts, he was about to watch something on TV when he heard a knock on the door.
"One second!" He called, walking to the door with a smile on his face, as always.
Upon opening it, he found a hotel employee holding an elegant bouquet.
"Good evening, Mr. Ricciardo. We received this at reception, it appears to be addressed to your room."
Daniel frowned, clearly surprised. He accepted the bouquet carefully.
"Okay...thanks."
"That's a lovely bouquet. Someone must like you very much, sir."
"Haha, maybe." Daniel gave a slightly disconcerted laugh, closing the door soon after.
Holding the arrangement, he walked to the small table in the room, still confused. He took a picture and sent it to his mother with the message: "Did you send the flowers? Some special occasion I forgot?"
The answer came almost instantly: "It wasn't me, dear. Maybe it was from a fan?"
Daniel raised his eyebrows, shaking his head. "A fa? How would anyone know what hotel I'm in? And the room number?" He muttered to himself.
He was about to forget about it when he noticed a small card attached to the bouquet. Picking it up, he carefully opened it and read it.
"To my dear Anne. Thank you for being the light of my life. Love, Henry."
As he finished reading, he burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the silent room. "Then it was a mistake..."
He turned the card over and on the back was printed the name of the florist responsible for the arrangement: Floréale Boutique
Determined to solve the mistake and return the bouquet, Daniel found himself with a very different mission than the ones he was used to.
The morning dawned peacefully and enchantingly in Bruges. The shy sun painted the city's stone facades with golden hues, while the cobblestone streets began to come to life. Bicycles passed slowly, accompanied by tourists taking photos of the charming buildings.
At the flower shop, Y/n and Jenny had just arrived for another day of work. Jenny. Carrying two coffees in her hands, she opened the door while Y/n adjusted her scarf around her neck.
"And let another day of flowery chaos begin!" Jenny joked, handing one of the coffees to Y/n.
Y/n laughed, unlocking the door and turning on the shop lights. "Are you excited for the chaos? Because I just want to survive it."
Neither of them had noticed the small mistake they had made the previous afternoon. With so many orders coming out of the store, it seemed impossible to remember every detail, and since no one had called to complain or report a missing bouquet, they both believed that everything was perfectly in order.
While Jenny went to the back of the store to prepare the day's arrangements, Y/n stayed at the counter, checking orders and confirming deliveries that would be made later.
"Jenny, don't you think there should be an official holiday for florists?" Y/n asked in an amused tone.
"Only if we get a bouquet as a bonus. Of expensive flowers, please."
The two laughed as the day at the flower shop began to gain pace.
Across town, Daniel was leaving his hotel room with the bouquet in hand. He walked down the hallway, attracting a few curious glances from the hotel staff, until the sound of quick footsteps caught his attention.
"Good morning, Danny!" Lando appeared, looking at the bouquet in his friend's hands with an amused smile. "Who's the lucky lady?"
Daniel laughed, already expecting the provocation.
"Nobody. I got this by mistake last night. Look." He took the note out of his pocket and handed it to Lando.
Lando read it quickly, frowning.
"Henry to Anne? Hm, that must have been quite an important statement." He handed the note back. "But the bouquet is too pretty to return, man."
Daniel chuckled, adjusting the arrangement in his hands.
"It's really pretty, but I'm taking it back. The florist put her name on the back of the card. Someone must be trying to figure out where the flowers went."
"Or you could keep them and call them your own." Lando teased, winking.
Daniel shook his head, laughing.
"Only you, Norris."
They got into the elevator, and Daniel checked the address of the flower shop once more on his phone. Once they reached the lobby, Daniel said goodbye to his colleague and left, walking through the charming streets of the city, following the map on his phone to make sure he didn't get lost.
At the flower shop, Jenny was busy in the back, deftly assembling bouquets while Y/n served customers at the counter. She was adjusting a vase of tulips on the display when she heard the bell on the door ring, indicating that someone had entered.
Lifting her head, she smiled immediately, as she always did when welcoming a customer.
But this time, the man who came in was no ordinary customer. Daniel walked in with the bouquet in his hands, his eyes curious as he looked around.
He found the place charming: Walls covered with shelves filled with vases and arrangements, a floral scent in the air and a touch of rusticity that made the environment seem welcoming.
Then he saw her. The woman behind the counter, with a simple bun, comfortable jeans, and a light-colored blouse, gave him a sweet smile. Something inside him quickened.
Daniel had never believed in love at first sight. But at that moment, something changed.
"Good morning. How can I help you?" Y/n asked, keeping her tone professional, although something about his presence also made her uneasy. He seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
Y/n noticed the bouquet he was carrying and frowned slightly.
"I..." Daniel began, smiling slightly as he looked at the bouquet. "I think this is yours." Y/n stared at him, confused, as he placed the arrangement on the counter. "I got this last night, at my hotel. It came with this note..." He pulled the card out of his pocket and handed it to Y/n. "...But I don't know a Henry, or an Anne."
Daniel laughed lightly, but his voice carried a warmth that made Y/n feel at ease.
As she read the card, she covered her face with one hand, clearly embarrassed. "Oh my God, this... this is a terrible mistake. I'm so sorry."
She picked up the bouquet carefully, still stunned by her carelessness.
"No problem" Daniel said, his voice calm. "I even had fun trying to guess who sent it."
Y/n laughed, even though she felt mortified. "Well, I'm glad you came to bring it. And, once again, I apologize."
The pilot smiled. "Maybe the mistake was good. After all, it got me here."
Y/n tried to hide the slight blush that still tinged her cheeks as she watched Daniel walk through the aisles of the store. He seemed genuinely interested, his eyes shining as he passed each carefully assembled arrangement.
“This looks like a compact field of flowers,” he commented with a playful smile. “It smells like paradise. I definitely need to come here more often.”
Y/n laughed, crossing her arms slightly. "That's the idea. I want it to be a place where people feel good, surrounded by beautiful things."
Daniel turned to face her, his brown eyes fixed on hers. "Well, you did it. I don't think I've ever seen anything so... charming."
For a moment, Y/n wasn’t sure if he was talking about the store or her. But before she could answer, Daniel pointed to an arrangement of vibrant yellow flowers on one of the shelves.
"These sunflowers are beautiful," he said.
"They're my favorite." Y/n smiled as she looked at the sunflowers, her eyes softening. "They remind me that even on the darkest days, you can find light. Always turn to the sunshine, you know?"
Daniel nodded, a genuine smile playing on his lips. “That’s beautiful.” He paused for a moment, as if in thought, before adding, “I’ve always liked lavender. Its scent reminds me of my childhood in Australia. My mother used to have it at home.”
"Lavenders are wonderful," Y/n replied, her voice soft. "And the scent is so calming. I think they say a lot about you."
"Really?" Daniel arched an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Yes" she teased, a smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe you're more sentimental than you let on."
Daniel laughed, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "You got me. I'm a lost cause."
The relaxed interaction between the two seemed natural, as if they had known each other for a long time. Daniel noticed the ease with which Y/n smiled and how the passion for what she did shone in her eyes.
"How long have you been here?" he asked, genuinely curious.
“I opened this shop three years ago. Me and my best friend,” she replied, arranging the bouquet on the counter. “It was a childhood dream. I’ve always loved flowers, and Bruge seemed like the perfect place to start.”
Daniel looked around again, admiring her work. "Well, you did a great job. You can feel that everything here has a special touch."
Daniel looked around again, admiring her work. "Well, you did a great job. You can feel that everything here has a special touch."
Y/n gave a shy smile. "Thank you. It's nice to hear that from someone who... well, clearly has good taste."
He laughed, shaking his head. "I'm starting to think it was lucky I got that wrong bouquet. Otherwise I wouldn't have known about this place or you,"
The words made Y/n feel a comfortable warmth in her chest, but she forced herself to keep her tone professional. "Well, I'm glad you came, even with the mistake."
Daniel took a step closer, still enchanted by the place. "Me too. And since I'm here, maybe I should buy something... to make up for the visit."
Y/n arched an eyebrow in amusement. "If you want, I can help you choose."
He smiles and Y/n puts her hands in her pants pocket, trying to hide her nervousness.
"Actually, I already know which one." Daniel looks around the flower shop and then sees a bouquet of ready-made sunflowers. "Those ones over there!" He discreetly points to the bouquet and she smiles.
"Good choice. You know," Y/n smiled, walking past him as she reached the bouquet to pick it up. "You can write a note. Whoever you want to send it to. There are some papers and colored pens on the counter."
Daniel smiles and nods, walking over to the counter and writing a few things on the front and back of the paper.
Y/n passed the bouquet to the cashier, smiling as she rang up the sale. “Are you going to deliver it yourself or do you want us to ship it? We have a great delivery service.”
Daniel pondered for a moment before answering, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "I think I'll take the shipment...I just met her."
Y/n blinked a few times, surprised, before smiling, a little shy. She felt her face heat up, but controlled herself.
Daniel took the note he had written and carefully attached it to the bouquet. 'There, here it is. It was great meeting you. I promise to come back while I'm in town... uh... I haven't asked your name yet...'
"Y/n, nice to meet you." She extends her hand across the counter and he shakes it, smiling.
"Daniel"
Y/n smiled back as he began to leave. "It was a pleasure, Daniel. And again, sorry for the mistake."
"Mistakes aren't always bad," the pilot replied with a wink, before opening the flower shop door and leaving.
Y/n watched him cross the street, the morning sun illuminating his features as he waved to her through the window, then disappeared. She stood still for a few seconds, as if processing everything that had just happened.
Returning to the counter, Y/n picked up the note he had attached to the bouquet to type the address into the system. As soon as she read the recipient, she frowned slightly, but with a smile growing on her lips. The address was that of the flower shop itself.
Intrigued, she carefully opened the note and read the handwritten words:
'To the florist who, in just a few minutes, made my day. I hope these flowers are a reminder of how you light up the room around you. I'd like to get to know you better. How about a coffee?'
Daniel.
On the back was his phone number.
Y/n smiled like a lovesick teenager, barely able to contain her excitement. That was when Jenny came out from the back of the store, holding a cardboard box and raising an eyebrow when she noticed Y/n's expression.
"Why do you have that face? Did you win the lottery or something?"
Y/n laughed, hiding the note behind the counter. "I just served the sweetest customer in the world... and he bought me flowers."
Jenny's eyes widened, dropping the box on the floor. "Wait, what? He bought you flowers? And you accepted? This is like a romance movie!"
"I didn't even know until now," Y/n replied, laughing but still with blush on her cheeks.
"And what did he say? Are you going out with him? Because honestly, you need to. The universe doesn't throw one of these at you every day."
Y/n just shrugged, an enigmatic smile on her lips.
Hours later, when she got home, Y/n picked up the phone and dialed the number Daniel had left. She hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button, but when she heard his voice answer on the other end, she knew she had made the right choice.
From that first meeting at the café, their romance blossomed. Daniel and Y/n were different in many ways, but there was something undeniably special about how they complemented each other.
He adored her passion for flowers, while she was enchanted by his adventurous spirit.
Their dates were filled with laughter, heartfelt conversations, and small gestures that showed how much they cared for each other. In every exchange of glances and every shared smile, it seemed clear: they were made for each other.
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Author: This is going to sound crazy, but I thought the actor who played Ryle in "It Ends with Us" looked a lot like Daniel. I think I'm going crazy, so I should write this to get it out of my head.
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despacito-uwu16 · 6 months ago
Text
The Rising Action
Kenji Sato x Journalist! Reader
Enemies To Lovers | Foced Proximity | Pining
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“Hit me like a poisonous dart. You were trouble right from the start. Should’ve ran I guess that’s my fault”. - I do by G-IDLE
⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺
“Ken Sato has received a 3rd strike. One wonders, how hard is it to hit a small ball, I bet a one-eyed zombie could hit a ball better than he can”. You say into your recorder.
“Wow, you are harsh”. Ami says as you end your recording.
“It’s called being honest. I report what I see”. You reminded her. “I mean have you seen the way he played today”?
“Yes Y/N, we’ve been watching the same game. But it got me thinking. When I interviewed Ken, he refused to talk about his family. He refuses to show vulnerability. It’s like he’s wearing some sort of mask. Something is going on with him, and when I know something, I don’t let go”. Said Ami.
“Wow, you are very determined”.
“At least get to know him before you start roasting him”. Ami suggested.
“Note taken”. You lied.
After graduating college, you were hired as an intern at the Los Angeles Magazine. You would stay at the office after midnight to revise and edit articles for other reporters. Eventually, your boss gave you your first assignment. Coincidentally, at a baseball game. You took in every detail of every player, noting all of the small mistakes and flaws of the games. Everyone looked like they didn’t know how to play, much to your disappointment. But it made juicy material for you.
That night, you were writing like you were running out of time. The article you wrote was on some of the players and their failures. The morning after, you got called in to the editor’s office. At first you thought you were about to get fired, but your surprise, he complimented on your writing style, asking you to cover another baseball game. Eventually, you got promoted to journalist within 6 months of working there, naming you the youngest journalist in the field. A year and a half later, you were offered a job at the International Review Journal. They pay twice as much as the last salary and you get to travel for your job. It didn’t take too long for you to accept it, and the next thing you knew, you were on your way to make your mark in the world.
Everywhere you went, your words impacted people and the way they perceive their favorite athletes. All of the readers love you, while the athletes feared and hated you. You didn’t care for the love and hate. What matters is you were unstoppable.
Now here you are in Tokyo, Japan watching the Ken Sato struggle. You felt bad that the Giants were on a loosing streak, but you didn’t feel bad for Ken. It was his ego that brought him here after all. You leaned back in your chair with your recorder in your hand, while watching Ken having a temper tantrum in front of his coach.
~
As you walked out of the stadium, you were fishing out your car keys when you realized something was missing in your bag.
“Where’s my recorder”?
Panic starts to settle in as you looked through your tote bag.
“Looking for this”?
You turn around to see Ken Sato, waving your recording device in front of you.
“Well, if it isn’t the walking loosing streak. I would say great game, but let’s face it, i’ve seen better”. You sneered.
“Y/N L/N, the pain in my ass, Let me guess, obsessing with me as usual”? He asks
“I’m not obsessed with you, and even if I were, I would rather launch myself out of Tokyo on a ten foot pole than fan girl over a baseball fuck up”. You rolled your eyes.
“You have really creative comments Y/N. I think my favorite one has to be when you called me the hare who couldn’t beat the tortoise. But slower and more stupider”. He laughs.
“I also noticed that I’m the only person mentioned in your commentary. Am I just a cover for the fact that you know nothing about baseball”?
“Of course I know everything about baseball. I just like taking notes on the most notable failures in baseball history”. You scoffed
He lets out a laugh that still annoys you to this day. “It’s nice to know I have a fan”.
“Once again, the only person obsessed with you is you”. You retorted.
“Says the person who followed me all the way here from California”. He tossed your recorder to you. “I’ve read some of your stuff online. Judging by your writing style, you should consider a career in fanfiction writing instead of sports journalism”.
“Fuck off Ken”. You said.
While he turned around to walk away, you gave him the middle finger, and he stuck up his in return.
You rolled your eyes as you got into your car.
“What an asshole. And for the record, I was here first”. You aggressively push your car key into the ignition.
You were back in your apartment, editing your article on your gray velvet couch. You took a sip of your pineapple smoothie as you reread the last paragraph you’ve just written.
“Ken Sato, “the best living player”, is now the best living curse. From being on cloud 9 to falling into the pits of underworld, he might as well drag the giants along with him. Tread carefully Sato, consider yourself a dead man walking. If looks could kill, we wouldn’t be Coach Shimura”.
Is this considered slander? Possibly. But to you, it’s called journalism. And the best part of the job is the chaos it causes post-publish.
After rereading and editing, you hit publish. You sat back and watched as the likes and views came in.
Later that night, you were celebrating the success of your latest article, alone. You downed the last of your dirty shirley, feeling content with yourself and the hard work you’ve put in. You were about to ask for the bill, when the bartender placed a martini in front of you.
“I didn’t order this”. You look up at the bartender confused.
“It came from the gentleman in the black blazer”. He points to the man sitting at the end of the bar.
You look over with curiosity to see the man sitting at the end of the bar. Only to be disappointed when you realized the guy was Ken. He got up and walks up to you.
You glare at Ken as he approached you. “What do you want”?
“Can’t a man treat a cute girl to a drink”? He takes a seat next you.
You’ve been down this road before. After you publish an article, the athletes either bombards you with threatening emails or bribe you with money or expensive gifts. Either way, it didn’t faze you.
“If this is about the article, I’m not taking it down or tweaking it to your liking”.
“I usually don’t give a shit about what you personally think of me. However, my career is on the line because of you”. He said, his onyx eyes giving you the death stare.
“Awww, it’s not my fault the world thinks you suck. Go cry about it”. You roll your eyes.
“I’m not begging for you to delete the article. Instead, I’m offering you an opportunity”. Kenji proposes.
You turn your body towards him. “Go on”.
“You come live with me for the next two months, get the Kenji exclusive. You get to ask any question, and you get to follow me around. It’ll make great coverage for the sports magazine”. He leans back in his chair.
“Okay and why would I want to live with you”? You scoff.
Kenji smirks. “You can decline the once in a lifetime opportunity to do this interview, or I can tell everyone about our little escapade during college”.
You glared at him. “Excuse me”?
“Imagine if people found out that Ken Sato, a baseball legend and Y/N L/N, his biggest hater had a one night stand during our junior year. That would seriously affect your following and your career, wouldn’t it”? Kenji condescends, leaving you completely disgusted.
“You’re not the only one who can play dirty Y/N”. He smirks.
Of all the annoying things Kenji does, one thing you did not expect from him is to straight out blackmail you. Another is the fact that he’s right. If people found out you slept with an athlete, you can kiss your promotion goodbye. For once, you were backed into a corner, and there was nothing you could do or say to save yourself. Swallowing your pride, you decided to take the defeat.
“Fine. I’ll come shadow you”. You surrendered reluctantly.
Kenji smiles from ear to ear.
“But if you pull some shady shit on me, I’m ending it”. You threatened.
“Won’t be a problem”. Kenji pulls out a pen and writes something down on a napkin.
“Here’s the address to my house. Arrive at my place on Sunday at 9 am sharp”. He hands you the napkin and hands some cash to the bar tender.
“I look forward to this interview Y/N”. He winks at you as he leaves the bar. You sunk in your seat appalled.
“What the fuck did I just agree to��?
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kirain · 2 months ago
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Rook/Emmerich fic Rook/Emmerich fic ROOK/EMMERICH FIC!
Lmfao! Here you go, anon.
The room was quiet, save for the soft crackle of the hearth and the scratching of Emmrich's quill against parchment. His study was dimly lit, the warm glow of candlelight dancing across his cluttered desk, laden with books, maps, and papers detailing plans too dangerous to speak of. Though nothing was more dangerous than the journey he was about to embark on, the reality of death pervading his mind.
With a dejected sigh, he dipped his quill one last time, the ink glistening as he signed his name with a flourish.
"Darling!" he called as Vae entered, her cerulean eyes grabbed his attention. "I'm just finishing reviewing my bequeathments. It made me consider… a topic I must broach." He stood to face her, nervously rubbing his hands. "The eve before we kill a god, my thoughts turn to mortality. And what we are to each other."
Vae tilted her head, her smile laced with curiosity. "All right."
Emmrich paused, his expression uncertain, as though balancing on the edge of a precipice. "Even under the best circumstances, you will outlive me, Rook. You've… grown to mean much to me and… I care for you, Rook! Deeply. But there are such years between us, I shouldn't heap you with that burden."
Her smile faded, replaced by something softer, more sincere. "I get it. You're scared because you love me."
"What?" His voice faltered, betraying his usual composure. He could sense she was teasing him, despite the gravity of his insinuation.
"It's fine to say it," she pushed, searching for something he wasn't ready to give.
"I can't… at my—"
"You're older than me. I get it." Her words were firm but devoid of judgment, though Emmrich still thought she was joking.
"I'm perfectly serious," he replied, his tone heavy with exasperation.
"So am I!" she snapped back, her patience slipping. "Why are you making this such a big deal?"
"One of us has to pay attention to these things," he countered, his words coming out sharper than intended.
"One of us needs the guts to say how he feels!" Vae's voice rang out, rousing and raw. There was no anger in it—just frustration born from longing.
Emmrich froze, his eyes widening, a flicker of shock breaking through his unflappable facade. For a moment, it seemed as though he had something to add; some rehearsed reply teetering on the edge of his lips. But then, as if overwhelmed by Vae's very presence, he looked away, his shoulders sinking.
The silence that followed stretched on for far too long, thick and uncomfortable. Vae stared at him, willing him to speak, to mend the gap he'd suddenly torn between them. She could feel her pulse quicken, her anger rising with every second that passed without a response, but his eyes remained fixed on the floor.
His refusal to meet her gaze, to give her the acknowledgment she so desperately craved, stung more than the words he hadn't said. But soon her anger crumbled into something worse—disappointment. She could feel it welling up inside her, making her chest clench against her ribs as the realisation settled: he wasn't going to say anything. He wasn't going to do anything.
A sharp ache pierced her wounded heart, but she couldn't force him to speak, and she didn't want to. Slowly, she let her arms drop to her sides. "Look, I... let's pack. Eve before we face a god, right?"
The older man straightened up. He wanted to apologise, but amidst his creeping guilt all he could muster was, "As you say."
The look on Vae's face mounted his guilt tenfold. He could see the hurt in her eyes, much to his dismay. He caused it, and for that he'd never forgive himself.
As she turned away, he lowered his head in shame, every nerve ablaze. He knew he should say something, but for once his extensive vocabulary failed. So many words, so many meanings, and yet none seemed sufficient. Fear, degradation, the weight of his deepest insecurities, and the thought that Vae would one day have to mourn him, alone and heartbroken, chipped away at his sensitive soul.
He kept quiet, even as his inner voice screamed for her to stay. Only Manfred's inquisitive hiss jolted him from his stupor, earning him a rare look of reproach.
"Don't start," he grumbled, his eyes drifting back to Vae.
The further she moved, the more every instinct screeched at him to call out, to bring her back, to make things right. But the words stuck in his throat, his feet rooted to the spot. He could taste the cowardice in his hesitation, and the helplessness of watching her saunter away, but he convinced himself it was better. For her, it was better. His desires didn't matter.
"Actually... no," she whispered, stopping just shy of the door. "No, we're not leaving it like this."
He flinched as she marched back to him, her expression indomitable. "Rook?"
She raised a respectful hand. "Emmrich, do you really think I never considered your age?"
His fingers twitched. "I..."
"Because I did. Of course I did."
"Darling—"
"My parents were murdered, Emmrich. Right in front of me", she said quickly, causing him to wince. "My poor, sweet baby brother, too." She looked away, her brow arching. "I watched them die. I watched..." Tears prickled at the back of her eyes, but she swallowed loudly, forcing them down.
"Oh, Vaelyn..." Emmrich struggled. He reached out to comfort her, but thought better of it, worried she'd recoil in disgust. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you relive that awful memory."
She shook her head, meeting his gaze once more. "I know what it's like to love someone and lose them long before you should. But I've chosen to face that pain again... because it's worth it. You're worth it, Emmrich." Her words were like a physical blow, but she wasn't finished. "Not having you in my life, not because of the inevitable, but because you're too scared to share the time you have... hurts more than I can bear. Worse than losing you naturally."
Emmrich stood speechless, struck by the depth of her confession. He knew there was nothing he could say to undo the pain he'd caused her, but Vae wasn't looking for an apology. She was telling him what she needed, what she wanted. The truth.
"If you think you're the only one tortured by the concept of time," she added, her voice faint, "you're wrong. I think about my brother every day. About the time he lost. He was so much younger than me, Emmrich. So full of life he deserved to live." She took a breath, a brief respite. "But I also think about the time we had together, and that makes me smile. I'm glad I had him, for however short or long it was." Her eyes softened, and she reached out to touch his arm. "If you care about me, then stop hiding behind your age. Because you're right—we don't have forever. We only have the here and now, but that's enough for me."
Emmrich remained silent, his heart pounding like a drum. His thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions, more wild and unpredictable than he'd ever allowed. He hadn't known the full weight of what she carried—the profound, unstoppable pain. Yet there she was, choosing him despite it all.
The guilt he felt for holding back, for trying to reject her in the coldest way, washed over him like a ruinous flood. And in the quiet aftermath of her words, there was a part of him that felt something shift; a crack in the armour he'd built for himself.
Suddenly, before Vae could react, he pulled her into a tight, penitent hug. His arms wrapped around her with a force that conveyed everything he hadn't been able to say, his face burying itself in her lush, floral-scented hair.
"I'm so sorry," he whimpered. "I've been such a fool. I never wanted to hurt you. Never." He squeezed tighter, as if trying to make up for the rift he'd thrust between them.
At first, Vae didn't respond, her body stiff in his embrace, but being held with such genuine remorse, his arms trembling with self-condemnation, shattered her resolve. The fight swiftly left her mind, her hands riding up his back as she melted against him.
"Emmrich..."
"I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice hoarse. "You were right, I was scared. Unfathomably scared."
Vae shook her head, clinging to his shirt in an attempt to soothe him. "Don't apologise for being scared. Just... don't shut me out. Please."
"I won't," he said, his bare hand moving to cradle her head. "I won't shut you out. Not again. I promise."
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faistoconnors · 3 months ago
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Juno - A. Donaldson
Art Donaldson x Reader (requested by @lalalandofive )
Summary: Your relationship with a certain retired tennis star blossoms into something more. Will you let him make you Juno?
Warnings: stupid evil exes, vomiting (not in detail) morning sickness, unplanned pregnancy, age gap relationship (reader is 23, Art is mid-thirties) drinking mention, kissing, no smut (this time), probably this is terrible. just ask if I missed one!
Note: I am posting this off my kindle , so it's probably screwed up a little (A lot) I may reformat and reupload when I get my laptop !
Word count: 1.9k
You always knew him primarily as Mr. Donaldson. He wasn’t so much the hot dad next door as he was the hot dad at school pickup, but you weren’t complaining. Every little glimpse of him was better than the last, and it would be a lie to say you weren’t a little jealous that he aged so well. It felt a little objectifying, sometimes, but how couldn’t you notice him? He was there almost every day, picking up Lily, who had begun to make best friends with your son Adam. 
Being younger than most of the parents there, since you had Adam at sixteen, you didn’t have much to talk about with any of them. But Mr. Donaldson, you had something: tennis. You’d played semi-professionally for most of your life, and he was all over it. 
“Maybe I could coach you,” he suggested one day, and you laughed in his face. “No, I’m serious! You have potential.”
How he came to that conclusion was entirely beyond you, but again, you weren’t complaining. Mr. Donaldson was, of course, a retired tennis star. You’d be nothing but a fool if you turned him down. 
“Well, maybe, then. If you think I have potential. 
So you started. Outside of your regular parking-lot meetings, you’d show up at the public tennis courts and let him coach you. You were good, but you weren’t great, and he seemed determined to fix that. This side of him was something entirely new to you. No longer the soft-spoken, mild-mannered school dad you knew him as. Instead, he seemed much more like the duo you’d once heard about. Fire and ice, though he seemed to embody both in the moment. 
It was all the little things from then, really. Every lingering touch on your shoulder as he adjusted your position, every knowing glance when both of you got your kids from school. You liked him. 
See, when you’d had Adam, you made a promise you wouldn’t do something like that again. Something stupid, something reckless. You loved your little boy more than the weight of the world, but you couldn’t deny he’d set your life off-track. 
Art Donaldson made you want to do something stupid. 
The first time you met Tashi was at parent-teacher conferences. Adam had gotten a glowing review from his teacher, and as you turned to leave, you watched the family of three walk in. It was only a split-second moment, because Adam was hungry and you were too. So you hustled him right past them, and walked out to the car. 
But God, Tashi was beautiful. If Art had aged well, Tashi hadn’t aged at all. She was picture-perfect, not a hair out of place, her neat blue coat smoothed to perfection. 
The next time you saw Art, you were a little more reserved. There was no wedding ring on his finger, and you knew they had divorced, but if Tashi Duncan was his type… 
It was a later practice, the setting sun pouring colors across the fence and the court. You were distracted, and you knew he knew that. Your reaction time was slower, your game was just off. 
You’d come to the great realization, on the car ride over, that you harbored a crush on him. Art, with his pretty smile and perfect body and beautiful soul. Bless his parents, you thought, because those genetics must have been out of this world. 
It wouldn’t last, though, you knew that much. He was so much older than you, sat at a level of fame you would never be comfortable with, and probably wanted more out of a partner than you could give. 
“Penny for your thoughts?” he called out as you missed another point. You paused, sighed. 
“I’m just tired.” A lie. 
“No, you’re not,” he laughed, though his eyes were still set on you in a way you weren’t sure if you liked. “Come on, talk to me. You’re off your game.”
He made his way over to you and sat at one of the benches expectantly. Hesitantly, you joined him, worrying at your cuticles with your other hand. 
“I just… I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like I haven’t really gone on with my life since I had Adam.” It was a simple enough sentence, but nonetheless, it felt awful to admit. “I love him so much, I wouldn’t change it for the world, but I just think maybe I need to learn how to be myself, again.”
Art watched you as you spoke, and nodded. He’d moved closer to you, in the time that you were talking, and had put his arm to rest somewhere behind your back. 
“What do you want?”
His voice was low, eyes dark as he watched you. That was where you faltered most. Under his gaze, under the now-silvery moonlight. 
No more words were exchanged. You pressed closer, him closer still, and then, you were almost on top of him. One of his hands moved to rest at your hip, squeezing there, and you shivered. 
His lips were soft against yours, touch gentle as he moved an arm around your waist. His body pressed against you, and you let out a breathless sigh. It was another few moments before you drew back first, and looked into his eyes. They were slightly crinkled at the sides, smile lines that you wanted to memorize, and for the first time, you noticed the small patch of brown in the right one. 
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, and you couldn’t help the way your lips tilted upwards at the corners. 
“Could say the same about you, you know.” At that moment, you knew it. You wanted his touch for life.
A few weeks passed, much the same but also very different. Every match was charged with electricity, every school pickup was filled with lingering glances at the lean blond man you had grown to know so well. 
Of course, nothing lasts forever. 
When you and Eric had gotten together in high school, it was a week-long fling one summer. He disappeared when you got pregnant, and that was the end of it. 
So you were reasonably very stunned when he appeared at one of your tennis matches. He was taller, his hair almost black instead of dark brown, but he still had that boyish grin you remembered all too well. He waved at you, and you vomited onto the hard material of the court. 
When he came over to where you were sitting on a bench, you had nothing for him but a hard stare and a frown. He looked concerned, rubbing your back, and you could see Art across the court with a look on his face you’d never seen before. 
“You okay, gorgeous?” The voice was the same, too. 
“Yeah, just uh- just surprised, is all.” 
He smiled again, laughing. 
“Eric, what are you doing here? After all this time… why?” 
There was a long pause, before he made his way closer to you.
“I missed you.”
That was not the answer you would accept. It should have been, ‘I got my shit together for my son,’ or, ‘I want to be a part of his life.’ 
If he was there for you, that wasn’t good enough. You told him as much, trying not to let venom seep into your voice as you spoke. You could see his eyes darken, his expression fall into a glower, and it was almost comical how he looked at you.
“Eric, can you just- can you go? I’m supposed to be playing right now,” you tried, and he pressed closer. His breath stunk like alcohol, and it made your stomach turn so badly you thought you might throw up again. 
When he moved closer still, face slipping towards yours like he was going to kiss you, you flinched back. It was only a moment, but then, there was a hand at Eric’s back, and he was being pulled away by his collar like a child. Art hauled the dark-haired man to his feet, staring him down. Eric was only a couple inches shorter,  he looked like he was about two feet tall under Art’s glare.
By the time Eric had gone away, Art was fuming. He paced back and forth, disgust sparking in his eyes. 
“Art, it’s fine. He’s gone now. Probably off to go bother some other woman,” was the only thing you could say. In reality, you felt so sick you could hardly stand it, anxiety and anger swirling in your stomach. 
Art helped you to your feet, putting an arm around your waist, and brought you back to his car. 
“Forget about it,” he waved you off when you told him you could drive yourself. “You don’t look good, anyways.”
That must have been true. If you had a mirror, maybe you’d see the thin layer of sweat sticking your baby hairs down to your forehead, or the glassy look in your eyes. 
When you got back to his house, Art assured you that he’d pick up the kids from school, and you felt some sort of way about it, though you couldn’t piece together how. 
“Tashi’s going to stop by to take care of you,” he said gently, and your heart dropped into your stomach. Before you could protest, tell him you were fine and you should go home anyways, he was out the door with his car keys in his hand. 
Some time later, you were fading in and out of sleep on his couch when you heard the sound of the door unlocking. Sitting up as best you could, you watched as Tashi walked in. Her hair was clipped back, a sweater hanging over her frame, and she gave you a smile. 
“He told me you aren’t feeling well,” she said, looking you over.
“I’m worried I’m pregnant,” you blurted out after a second, and she gave a nod. 
“I brought tests. I had a feeling. He told me about all the time you spend together.”
She sat down beside you, a kind look in her eyes, resting a hand on your leg. It felt a bit surreal, to be sick on your boyfriend’s couch, his famous ex-wife taking care of you, but you weren’t going to complain about it. 
You sat in the bathroom, waiting for the timer to go off. When it did, you carried the test back out to where Tashi was reviewing her newest player’s footage on the couch. She glanced up at you, pressing pause. 
“You want me to look,” she guessed correctly, and you nodded. 
“I’m just scared,” you admitted after a second, and she smiled. Before she flipped the test over, she looked back to you.
“No matter what happens, I promise you he won’t be mad. Maybe shocked, but not mad. ‘Kay?” 
When Art got to the house later that night, having finished lunch with one of the foundation donors and picked up both of your children, you’d calmed down enough to look semi-normal when the three of them walked through the door. The visual worked, you thought. Art, the two children, and you waiting at home to greet them. 
While Lily and Adam scampered off to go play in the backyard, you settled down at the kitchen counter with Art. 
By the time you told him you were pregnant, he’d already known what you were going to say. There was a hesitant smile on both your faces, and he put a hand on your knee, resting his forehead against yours.
“I guess it’s for life,” you whispered to him. Art Donaldson loved you right. 
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buttdumplin · 9 months ago
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I’m still on the latine reader train and fucking of course I had to do one of their baby’s ears getting pierced. The boys all react a little differently, but boy, are they amazing fathers.
cw: poly 141, gn!reader, latine reader, piercing mentioned but not described, baby is nicknamed Bug word count: 3k
It’s not something you’d spend a lot of time thinking about, getting your baby girl’s ear pierced. Hell, it wasn’t something you had a hard opinion on even before she came into your lives. But one day, something stirs in you. She’s around 5mos old, trying her hardest to roll over in the center of a nest of pillows her fathers have piled up around her, when you make the call. And while your partners are all understanding and loving, Kyle is the one you approach.
You plop down on the couch next to him, pulling his arms around you to make him hold you. Testing the waters, you spread small, quick kisses on his cheek. It’s a clear gauge of his current mood, and it has him squinting down at you. Not judging, more curious. He knows you’re about to drop something. 
“I’m thinking about getting Bug little golden studs.”
“That would make a lovely heirloom for when she gets older, something she can keep on her.”
“No, I mean la voy a llevar down to the piercer this week.”
His arms stiffen around you, and his lack of immediate response makes you turn to look at him. Kyle’s eyes are locked on the baby, his face perfectly neutral in a way you know he’s mastered for his job, like this was also somehow a threat to national security, to life as he knew it to be.
 “Vida mía… are you sure?” concern finally creeping in to scrunch his eyebrows.
“Yeah, I’m worried arracadas would snag on something as she’s learning to move more.”
It’s his turn to look at you, and all Kyle finds on your face is the stillness of peace that comes with having made a decision. 
“We’ll wait to tell the others,” he knows better than to ask and it has you throwing a big, beaming smile his way. All he can do at this point is return your kisses and ask you to share a link to the shop you want to take your baby girl to. 
You got to bed excited that night, thrilled by Kyle’s support. He, on the other hand, stays up late hidden in the bathroom, digging up as much info as he can on the shop to make sure it’s a reputable place. He’s reading every single review folks have left on both the individual piercers and the place itself, and he’s pinching in on every picture to zoom in and look for even the smallest sign of something wrong. A single picture of misaligned piercings would be all that it takes from him to call it all off. But he finds nothing. No skeezy people in the shop, no questionable client pictures, and the shop even has their health and safety certifications on proud display. Well, at least it seems like you chose a good shop.
The next day, Kyle is driving you down to the shop, hands tight on the steering wheel. He wants to be there. He has to be there. Pleased with all his digging and research on the shop, he holds Bug and coos down at her as you run through the details with the piercer. He’s straining his ears like never before, just to try to catch the piercer saying a single thing that sounds off so he can haul you both out of the shop and back home. But again, everything checks out. 
His voice is low and rough as he says, “I’d like to hold her as you do it, if that’s alright.”
You know he’s just trying to look out for Bug, trying to maintain some type of control in this terrifying moment, so you just kiss his shoulder and nod at him. Kyle doesn’t say much else. He sits still with his little girl in his arms, eyes wider than usual, taking in every detail he can.
Are the needles and jewelry sterile? The piercer’s pen marks look even on her little ears. Are the piercer’s hands shaking? This close to her little face?
It all happens quickly and nearly painlessly. You’re pretty sure Bug only cried out from how tense Kyle’s arms got as the needle came closer, scared just from sensing his fear. As the piercer finishes cleaning off your little girl’s ears, you hear Kyle release what must have been a held breath. The strain around his eyes immediately warns you of the blistering headache he just gave himself. 
You take his hand gently, “All done.”
He nods shakily and presses a kiss to the top of Bug’s head.
He’s never been so proud of his baby girl before. She faced off with something sharp and pain, and she barely batted an eye. Even after, it was almost like nothing had happened. Bug went back to babbling away in an attempt to talk to the piercer, who was kind enough to carry on a short conversation with her. It makes his heart swell with an unbelievable amount of hope. She’ll be able to face the entire world itself by the time she’s grown.
Kyle spends the drive back home in the backseat, looking for any signs of discomfort as your little girl sleeps, her little hand locked around his finger, his smile completely stuck on his face.
~
Simon is the only one home when you get back. He sits in the living room, putzing around with all of Bug’s toys and rugs, clearly waiting for you to get home and preparing for some play time. There aren’t any Baby and Me classes that day, at least as far as he knows. So it must have been something else that pulled you from the house.
He greets both you and Kyle with a soft kiss and a little hum, then reaches for the carseat, “How’s our sweet girl?”
Her gurgles answer him, and she gives him a big gummy smile as he pulls her from the seat. You and Kyle slowly move to put the key and car seat and jackets away, keeping a careful eye on Simon. He lays his baby girl down in his lap, helping bicycle her little legs with big, tender hands. And everything seems fine. Simon is clearly happy to be spending time with Bug again, and you and Kyle both let out a not-so-subtle sigh of relief. The sound of it, unfortunately, is bigger than it should in the room, taking up all the space left open by Simon’s absolute silence. Your eyes go wide and meet Kyle’s, his own reflecting the slight worry in yours, and you both sit on either side of Simon.
“Cariño, are you alright?” you plant a kiss on his cheek, Kyle’s arm finds its way around Simon’s back.
Now that you’re next to him, you can see the little quiver of his lower lip and the tears gathering on blonde lashes, eyes locked in on the little golden studs. His stuttered breathing is the only thing to break the silence.
“She’s so little,” he chokes out, “It must have hurt her so bad.” His tears finally fall as his fingers hover near the baby’s ears. 
Kyle presses himself against Simon’s side, “Oh, sweetheart. She’s alright, just look at how happy she is to be with you now.”
“Le dolió más a Kyle than it did her, and he just held her through the whole thing.”
Simon immediately remembers all the times he’s held his baby girl as she’s gotten her shots, how she’s squirmed and cried til she was purple in the face, and he takes another stuttering breath, “What if it makes her scared of jewelry, what if she comes to associate it all with pain?”
You can’t help but smile a little at the stark differences of the picture before you. Simon’s big frame hunches over the baby and his large, scarred hands gently hold her, his face growing ruddy as more tears fall and he starts to sniffle. Meanwhile Bug is wiggling away happily as she lays against the warmth of his thighs, little fists swinging around, feet kicking excitedly at the sound of Simon’s voice. 
“I think she’ll be glad she won’t have to heal those piercings as an adult,” you say, carefully wiping his tears away. 
Simon chuckles at your comment, taking a tissue from Kyle to clean up his nose, “Yeah, I suppose it is easier now since she’s still sleeping on her back.”
“Plus think of all the jewelry we’ll get to buy her as she grows, toda chipleada.”
Simon gives a full laugh at that, his hands returning to bicycling Bug’s legs. His chest moves with the deep breaths he finally allows himself, his little girl’s infectious smile catching on his face too. What a beautiful, softhearted man he is. He turns to give you each a kiss on the forehead as you and Kyle lean against him, “I’ll have to start tucking away some more money for that then.”
By the time he’s bringing Bug down to the ground to get her moving and playing with her toys, his tears have stopped. A few sniffles pop up every now and then, but he’s smiling, his big, brown eyes warm with love as he plays with her. Simon slowly moves to lay down next to her, mimicking her as she lays on her tummy, his head resting against his folded arms. His eyes flick to her ears every now and then, as if he’s trying to keep an eye out for a potential reaction. But the more pressing matter turns out to be how hard her little hands grab at his face, pulling at his lip until he’s giggling too. He doesn’t flinch a single time. He never will, not with his loved ones. They’re the people he trusts with his entire being. 
~
Johnny’s the next one to come home, arriving just a couple of hours later. He comes in the door to find you’re all working on setting up lunch: Kyle is on table duty and sets out drinks, you’re finishing up shoving doritos into the sandwiches, and Simon is still in the living room with baby Bug. Johnny smiles so big his face hurts a little. There are few things he loves as much as just seeing his little family. He could have the single worst day at work, but coming home to yall? That fixes his entire world. 
He stands by the door, where he can see all of you, and throws his arms out, “My loves, my dearest ones, I am home.” 
You all turn to smile at him. Normally, you’d all come up to greet him with a kiss. It’s a cute little ritual he’s come to love. But you’re all understandably occupied, so it’s his turn to make rounds. He steps to you and Kyle in the kitchen first, pulling you both into his arms so he can place light, lingering kisses to your mouths.
“Feeling your lips against mine once again has righted the world,” his big declarations of love will never truly end, but yall well know just how ecstatic he is to be home again. He’s quick to steal a couple of chips from you, shoving them into his mouth before you can reprimand him. Kyle receives a quick swat to his bum and he chases after Johnny a couple of steps, mirth lighting both their faces.
Johnny jogs over to join Simon on the floor, giving him a careful kiss as well.
“Our sweet Bug, trying so hard to roll. What a perfect little-”
And you know he’s clocked it. The sunshine gleaming off her little studs catches his eye.
“What’s this?” he rises back to his feet, eyes darting to each of your faces.
 Simon is the first to try to address his concern, “She’s alright, love. Watch, she’s moving about like nothing happened.”
“No. No. She’s too small to be dealing with this,” Johnny’s pacing the room, hand in his hair as his eyes continue to bounce between your faces. He keeps looking down at his baby girl, the little gold in her ears still shining, her happy little babbling only stopping as she tries to pull Simon’s finger into her mouth. And still, Johnny paces. 
 “It’s perfectly safe for her age, and the shop was of the highest quality,” Kyle says, stepping into the living room as Johnny continues to wear a track into the carpet. The technical reassurance has him pausing for a moment, the hand clenched in his hair relaxing a fraction. 
“But why?” Johnny’s voice climbs a little higher. He’ll never shout at any of you, but the emotion has to come out somehow. “She’s so young. This could have waited.”
More and more questions and rationalizations sprout from his mouth as his pacing picks back up. He brings up his sisters, he brings up his ma. None of them got piercings until they were much older. Then they could pick what they wanted and where. He briefly mentions consent, worried that this means he’s also overstepped as a father. And at one point he just says the word “baptism” and lets out a long groan. Still, he paces. His eyes turn electric with the sheer need to understand. He’s spiraling.
“Johnny, it’s cultural,” you cut through his rambling. It stops him in his tracks. 
“Cultural?”
You give him a nod, and his shoulders ease down from their tense clench. 
“Well, why didn’t you say so? We’ll have so many cute options for her once they heal,” he says with a smile once again adorning his face, plopping down to join Simon and Bug. “Is there a sandwich for me too, or should I make my own?”
 You let out a breathless laugh, the boys look up at you from the floor, smiles toothy and proud.
Kyle covers his face with his hands for a moment, mumbling something to himself before going back into the kitchen, “Yeah, we already have one for you, you brat.”
~
When Price arrives home, he lingers by the door for just a moment, taking in all the sounds of his family chattering and giggling away. He’ll never say it out loud, at least not unless he’s directly asked, but the sound alone of all of you happy and healthy and safe rejuvenates him, adds another 5 years to his life every time. He smiles a little to himself as he puts his shoes into the rack, mindful of where he stores his pack too. You’ve been kind enough to help figure out a system to keep all their shit straight and easily accessible for coming and going, and he tries to reinforce it so much with the other boys that he’s not about to fuck it up.
He’s still smiling as he joins the rest of you in the living room. Price is expecting the usual big smiles and lunging for hugs, but instead, he’s met with all of you trying to talk over each other. Kyle’s on the floor with Simon, both with a hand to help Bug sit up, and you and Johnny are shoving and trying to push the other behind. He can make out Johnny saying the word “cultural” over and over again, but the rest is jumbling together. 
Price raises a single hand, immediately silencing the room, “You can all explain what exactly is going on, one at a time, but first I will make my rounds.” 
He makes his way around the room, carefully bending for a kiss from each of you. Truly, of all the rules yall have put in place, this is one of Price’s favorites, the greeting smooches for everyone when they come in the door. It gives yall a chance to reconnect, and it really helps him settle back into the peace of his role as a father and partner. He gets to focus on his family in these moments, and he wouldn’t trade that for the fucking world.
As he picks Bug up to give her her own little smooch, the commotion starts again, making him raise his hand once more. He looks over his sweet little girl, taking in her excited little noises and smiling in return.
“Gold looks beautiful on you, Bug,” he murmurs as he gives her another smooch, enjoying the little squealing his facial hair causes. 
You let out a little whoop and the rest of the boys give a joyous little cheer as well, immediately launching into how they can use this new development to best spoil their precious Bug. And that’s all there is to it. At least in that moment.
Later on, as you’re all getting ready for bed, you notice Price is still in the nursery. He’s messing with the baby monitor, turning it on and off a couple of times to check the battery, bringing it in as close to the crib as he can. All he needs to do is tap on it to check the mic to complete a full system check. And just as you’re about to call him to bed, he does just that. He turns at the sound of your chuckle, his face so pink you know it’s spread all the way down his neck.
“You bought the top-of-the-line monitor, remember, corazon? Todo ese dinero on fancy walkie-talkies,” you press the words against his chest as he holds you close.
“Can never be too sure.”
A couple of hours later, you’re trying to untangle yourself from the too-warm cuddle puddle and all the entangled legs when you notice Price is no longer in bed. But you hear it before you get too far in your search for him, his gravelly voice humming a song through the baby monitor. 
You walk into the nursery to spot him on the big rocking chair, his legs up and reclined as possible, Bug sleeping against his bare chest. 
“She’s wounded,” he croaks as you run your fingers through his hair, “she needs her daddy to heal.” 
You don’t bring attention to the way his voice is choked up with tears, “Claro que sí, papi.”
“You were her age when you got yours?”
“I was younger.”
“And it didn’t hurt?”
“Never.”
He goes quiet, relishing the feeling of her little back rising and falling under his hand as she breathes.
“Can we take her to the guest room? Sleep with her? At least for tonight?” his nervousness seeps into his voice as he asks.
You grab the baby monitor with you as you walk him towards the guest room, just so the boys don’t panic when they wake up. Thank god yall regularly maintain the guest rooms, it makes settling the pillows and bedding much easier this late at night.
Price shakes his head when you motion towards the center of the bed for him to lay Bug down. Instead, he climbs in alongside you, keeping a sleeping Bug on his chest.
“Just for tonight,” he whispers, “Just for tonight.”
In the morning, Kyle’s voice wakes you, “I don’t know how Bug does it. She sleeps better through his snoring than any of us.”
AN: Once again, HUGE fucking shoutout to @mikichko for encouraging this and also giving us Price's precious line of "she's wounded, she needs her daddy to heal." I can't thank you enough, Kiko.
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